San Francisco: Birds 1 week after oil spill

[SF David]

I've been covering the oil spill that happened in San Francisco Bay last week for a photojournalism class. Although there are more than 1,000 known affected birds, most of them sea-ducks, I was happy to find that some wetlands habitats were saved before too much damage occurred. Here are some pictures from Wednesday at Chrissy Field. A lot of my pictures had oil spill cleanup workers in them, but I cropped them out.

Here is a Snowy Egret, relaxing and fishing.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2242/2041903288_150e711e98_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2168/2041104939_80b40281be_o.jpg


Cool looking starling:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2249/2013862612_e4afd84e7d_o.jpg



I'm having trouble identifying this hummingbird (or at least I think it's a type of hummingbird). I thought it might be a young Black-chinned hummingbird. Anyone know??

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2413/2041902870_626ab7cd2d_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2221/2041903062_ab11e3cf46_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2292/2041104707_62af2e1c37_o.jpg



Here are some birds I though looked as though they were injured, or suffering the effects of the spill.

A juvenile raven, making some really odd coughing sounds, cleaning itself, wiping its beak against the fencepost...I'm not sure if this was normal behavior, but I went to find a Park Ranger and by the time we returned it was gone.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2071/2041104351_b62bd12ec8_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2137/2041104449_7a9e6cfe05_o.jpg

[SF David]

Finally, a Great Blue Heron who did not seem to be in tip-top shape. Sparse feathering, and what looks like it might be a small wound around the top of the right wing.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2261/2041902146_9fb69e0176_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2373/2041103991_3793ac1b0e_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2303/2041104057_6a7700ec76_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2008/2041104149_574679d46f_o.jpg


I wish the lighting hadn't been so harsh, but it was midday, and any sun is good sun in the foggy city so I suppose I shouldn't complain. I was using my friends 70-200 2.8L IS.

[EZRider]

Awsome pictures indeed! Hope things fare well for the marine and bird life over there!

GBH shots are fantastic! Love the BG on all of them! Thanks for sharing :)

[canonloader]

Great stuff Dave. Can't help on the hummer ID. I know only a few species stay over the winter. It might be an Anna's, but it's just a guess.

[SF David]

Great stuff Dave. Can't help on the hummer ID. I know only a few species stay over the winter. It might be an Anna's, but it's just a guess.Ah, I was thinking it might be a female Anna's too. I'm having trouble matching up that straight beak and the extremely beaty eyes to any pictures and illustrations though. Oh well.

[canonloader]

We got it easy here, from the Mississippi to the Atlantic, we only see one kind, the Ruby throated. :)

[jlcarnagey]

Sorry to hear about the oil spill down there. I really liked the first one with the reflection.

[rocklyons]

Very nice pics, however your Egret is a snowy and the "sparrow" appears to be a starling.

[Anke]

The Egret fishing is a really great capture!! and the Raven is amazing, he reminds me of that big blue eagle from the Muppets!! Great shots, David. :D

[SF David]

Very nice pics, however your Egret is a snowy and the "sparrow" appears to be a starling.Ah, thanks for the corrections. I'm no birder, though I do enjoy viewing and photographing them. Maybe I'll have to steal one of my dad's birding books and get into it.

and the Raven is amazing, he reminds me of that big blue eagle from the Muppets!! Great shots, David. :D:lol:

Thanks!

[Anke]

The Heron in front of the Golden Gate Bridge is really really nice! Beautifully composed!!