Learn 100 Birds? We Got This!
In California’s Central Valley, almost anyone can learn 100 local bird species. Especially since on a daily basis Valley Residents come in contact with at least a dozen species that most recognize, but may not know the name of. Few things on earth fill us with as much delight as birds, and knowing them by name only adds to our pleasure. The intent of this blog is for followers to learn about and be able to identify 100 common valley birds.
Individual Bird Posts
Colorful Valley Spring Migrants
By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #17 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 24, 25 and 26/100.) Bullock’s Oriole – Species #24 The Bullock’s Oriole (Icterus bullockii) is a strikingly colored songbird found throughout the Central…
Common Valley Swallows
By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #16 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 21, 22 and 23/100 + 2 BONUS BIRDS) Tree Swallow Species #21 The Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) is a small, insectivorous bird species…
Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #15 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 20/100.) INTRODUCTION The Black Phoebe is a dapper flycatcher of the Central Valley with a sooty black body and crisp white…
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #14 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 19/100.) INTRODUCTION The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is the heaviest upland ground bird native to North America. It is the ancestor…
Western Meadowlark
Sturnella neglecta By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #13 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 18/100.) INTRODUCTION The buoyant, flutelike melody of the Western Meadowlark ringing out across a field can brighten anyone’s day. The Western…
Our Wintering “White” Geese – Part II
By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting 100 of the most common Valley bird species. Post #12 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 16 and 17/100.) In Part I of the Our Wintering “White” Geese post, we learned about the larger “white Goose with the…
Our Wintering “White” Geese – Part I
By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting 100 of the most common Valley bird species. Post #11 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 16 and 17/100.) “Your first indication of their presence is the distant sound of baying hounds. As you look up, you see…
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #10 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 15/100.) INTRODUCTION The Wood Duck is arguably the most spectacularly beautiful duck in the Central Valley. It is a Fairly Common…
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #9 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 14/100.) Status The Killdeer is a Common Resident to California’s Central Valley. Killdeer belong to the plover family (Charadriidae) with 68…
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus By Jim Gain Learn 100 Birds is a photo blog series highlighting 100 common bird species found in California’s Central Valley. Post #8 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 13/100.) Common Year-round Resident Introduction The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a medium-sized bird of the woodpecker family. It is native…
Valley Goldfinches
By Jim Gain Learn 100 Birds is a photo blog series highlighting 100 common bird species found in California’s Central Valley. Post #7 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 11 and 12/100.) This is a three-fer post featuring the three species of Goldfinch that occur in the Central Valley. The first two,…
Loggerhead Shrike
By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #6 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 10/100.) The Loggerhead Shrike is a Fairly Common Resident to California’s Central Valley and can be found in grasslands, freshwater wetlands and chaparral…
Dark-eyed Junco
By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #5 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 9/100.) About Juncos The Dark-eyed Junco is a Common Winter Visitor to California’s Central Valley and can be found in many habitats. There…
Western Kingbird
By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #4 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 8/100.) Western Kingbirds are Common Summer Visitors to California’s Central Valley and are one of the earliest returning Neotropic migrants usually arriving from…
Common Valley Owls
Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common California Central Valley bird species. By Jim Gain Post #3 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 5, 6 and 7/100.) Today’s post is another three-fer offering that includes the three owls that most Central Valley Visitors are…
Common Valley Hummingbirds
By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #2 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds series. (Species 2, 3 and 4/100.) This is a three-fer post featuring the three most common hummingbirds, Anna’s, Black-chinned and Rufous that are likely coming…
California Scrub-Jay
By Jim Gain Learn 100 Common Valley Birds is a photo blog series highlighting the 100 most common Valley bird species. Post #1 in the Learn 100 Common Valley Birds, species 1/100. In California’s Central Valley, almost anyone can learn 100 local bird species. Especially since on a daily basis Valley Residents come in contact…
Reflections of the Natural World 