Buena Vista Lagoon July

Yesterday was the bird count at the Buena Vista Lagoon.  It started out a bit foggy, but gradually began to clear up.  Despite the fog, it was still pretty warm.  There weren't that many birds around; we didn't quite make it to fifty species.  Below are two photos by the lagoon.

There were quite a few creatures besides birds.  There were numerous fish, bullfrogs, dragonflies, butterflies, Mexican flower flies, lizards, and squirrels.  Below are four photos.  The first is of small, black fish (possibly young catfish, since they had long whiskers).  The second is a dragonfly (there were also many damselflies around - dragonflies are thicker and hold their wings to the side, damselflies and thinner and hold their wings over their backs).  The third is a young western fence lizard.  The fourth is a Mexican cactus fly.  There was one flowering bush that was swarming with them.  They are very large flies; about the size of bumblebees.

Western Fence Lizard

Mexican Cactus Fly

There was a young mallard in the water near road.  I believe it was one of the ducklings raised there (I posted a photo of them a while ago).  Young mallards can be told apart from the adult females by their duller beaks, very dark eyestripe, and overall darker plumage.  Below are two photos of the young mallard.

Mallard

Mallard

There were quite a few hummingbirds around; both Anna's and Allen's.  Below are two photos.  the first is of an Anna's hummingbird, and the second is of an Allen's hummingbird.

Anna's Hummingbird

Allen's Hummingbird

There were several lesser goldfinches around, singing and eating the seeds of the sycamore trees.  Below is a photo of a male lesser goldfinch.

Lesser Goldfinch

On a road beside the lagoon, someone had dropped off twenty-two Muscovy ducks; nine adults and thirteen ducklings.  They were in a rather poor condition and were just sitting in the road.  They may find their way to the water, but whoever dropped them off should never have done that.  No-one should buy animals they can't care for, and domestic animals should never be released into the wild.  Hopefully someone will help these ducks.  Below is a photo of them.

Muscovy Ducks

In a ditch beside the road, there was a female mallard and a snowy egret.  It is a pretty nasty-looking ditch, but the birds seem to like it.  Below are two photos.  The first is of both the mallard and egret.  The second is just the egret.

Mallard and Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret

There were some young grebes out on the lagoon.  There was a young pied-billed grebe following its parent, and three young western grebes swimming together.  Below are two of the western grebes (sorry the photo isn't great; they were pretty far away).  They were very fuzzy and gray.

Western Grebes