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.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Black-Billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)

10/19/02 Ramp Road, Bridgeport Lake, Eastern Sierra, Mono County, CA 
10/19/02 Bridgeport Lake
8/21/03 Meiss Lake-Sams Neck Road, Butte Valley Wildlife Area, Siskiyou County, CA 
7/8/05 Convict Lake, Eastern Sierra, Mono County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Black-Billed Magpie

SPECIES: Pica hudsonia

FAMILY: Corvidae (Crows, Jays & Magpies)

LIFE LIST DATE: 10/19/2002

LOCATION: Fishing access area, Ramp Road, Bridgeport Lake, Eastern Sierra, Mono County, CA

From Kaufman Focus Guide-Birds of North America:

HABITAT/BEHAVIOR: This flashy, long-tailed bird is very common over much of the west, in open country, ranch land, forest edge, streamside trees, towns. Often seen in pairs or small flocks, walking on the ground in open fields. Builds bulky, domed stick nests in trees. 

IDENTIFYING MARKS: 17"; Unmistakeable in most areas. Green and blue gloss on wings and long tail. Big white wing patches flash out in flight. 

VOICE: Harsh chattering che-che-che-che-chek; rising whine, neeeyick; varied other notes. 
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)