This week, Nathan Daniel from the Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation sent in some great photos of birds from Idlewild Park, including the first observation of a Hooded merganser sent in to Truckee River Guide this fall. Most Hooded mergansers migrate away from the Truckee River by early May, and return in November. Nathan took these pictures using a spotting scope and his smartphone. Pretty good, eh?
Hooded mergansers, Idlewild Park. Photo credit: Nate Daniels.
Belted kingfisher, Idlewild Park. Photo credit: Nate Daniels.
Common merganser, Idlewild Park. Photo credit: Nate Daniels.
On a walk in Mayberry Park on Friday, I saw a Ruby-crowned kinglet — a new bird for the Truckee River Guide species list. You can’t see the ruby-colored crown in the photo, but it flew off before I could get a better shot.
Ruby-crowned kinglet, Mayberry Park. Nov 20, 2015.
Mayberry Park, Nov 20, 2015.
Rabbitbrush, Mayberry Park. Nov 20, 2015.
The river is beautiful in the fall, and has a little more water in it now, thanks to recent storms. Happy Thanksgiving, all!
Comments
Great photos. Thanks for sharing and happy thanksgiving!
I love hooded mergansers! Neat to see they have returned to town just in time for another winter storm. Another good wintertime duck is the bufflehead! Any sightings of those in the Truckee a Meadows yet this year?
Agreed — Hooded mergansers are gorgeous birds! No bufflehead sightings yet…