If you're a birder, you'll know what a life list is. It's basically a list of all the bird species one has observed and positively ID'd in one's lifetime. This blog is a record of my "critter" life list (mostly of birds), including photos I've taken over the years, some of the actual lifer if I was lucky enough to get the shot. Don't expect National Geographic quality stuff here, just the work of an amateur photog who loves to trudge out into nature.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)

2/3/02 Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge, Salton Sea, Imperial County, CA 


2/3/02 Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge, Salton Sea, Imperial County, CA 

1/14/01 Andree Clark Bird Refuge, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

SPECIES: Polioptila caerulea

LIFE LIST DATE1/14/2001

LOCATION: Andree Clark Bird Refuge, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, CA

From Kaufman Focus Guide: Birds of North America:

HABITAT: Common in eastern forest, but may be hard to see in summer as it flits about high in leafy trees. More easily observed in the west, where it inhabits lower oaks and junipers. 

IDENTIFYING MARKS: 4 1/2"; Blue-gray above, whitish below, with white eye ring. White outer tail feathers (tail looks all white from below). In spring and summer, male has thin black eyebrow. 

VOICE: Callnote is thin, whining shpeew. Song is thin, squeaky warble, with whining notes tossed in. 

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