Eric Mendelson 📸

Curiouser and curiouser. #Redtailedhawks #hawks #birds

Pink Gladiolus #Flowers #Wisteria #Bloomscrolling #Floral

This young owl is learning to master flight but has yet to learn to hunt for itself. That skill will develop in the next few weeks as its parents urge it to fend for itself. #BirdOfTheDay #Owls

Bald Eagle #Eagles #BirdOfTheDay #BaldEagles #Raptors

Fresh catfish on the menu for Friday. #Eagles #BirdOfTheDay #BaldEagles #Raptors

#BaldEagle #BirdOfTheDay #Eagles

As the sun sets, this young owl is waking up and less than patiently waiting for its parents to provide dinner. #owls #sunset #BirdOfTheDay #raptors

While photographing an owl, a cheeky hummingbird buzzed in to photobomb the shot. This isn't uncommon and the owls make no effort to grab the hummingbirds. My sense is they'd have to use more calories than the prey would provide even if they could catch them. #owls #birdoftheday #birdphotography

Red shouldered hawk. #birdphotography #hawks #raptors #birdoftheday

Watching this owl yesterday evening with the sun casting the scene in gold you'd almost think it was Autumn. #Owls #Birdphotography #Summer

A female Hooded Oriole posing in an apple tree. Not quite as flashy as their male counterparts but still pretty little birds. #Orioles #Birdphotography #Birdsofcalifornia

House finch. They're constant visitors to our yard, dozens of them chirp up a symphony at sunrise every morning. #smallbirds #finch

Anna's Hummingbird & Salvia Amistad #hummingbirds #birdphotography #salvia

Hooded Oriole

Learning the art of fence sitting. #raccoons #nature #animals

A couple young visitors to the garden this morning. #raccoons #wildlife #naturephotography

In late Spring, Hooded Orioles migrate into California from Mexico. They build their nests in palm trees, hanging their nests onto the undersides of palm fronds, females pokes holes in the leaf from below and push the fibers through, effectively sewing the nest to the leaf. #Orioles #birds #nature

Me, posting on Bluesky.

Loud and proud. #Owls

Violet-Green Swallow #birds #swallows #migratorybirds

A Great Horned Owl and prey. #owls #naturephotography #birdsofprey

Breakfast time for young Great Horned Owls. #owls #birdsofprey #raptors #naturephotography

Brandt's Cormorant displaying courting behavior. They are expert divers that can swim deeper than 200 feet in pursuit of fish and shellfish. In addition to standard cormorant black, Brandt’s sports a vivid cobalt-blue throat patch and eyes during breeding season. #Birds #Seabirds #Naturephotography

From the archives. #Redtailedhawks #Birdsofprey #Birdphotography

Two young Great Horned Owls. They'll soon fledge, learn to hunt and in a few months will be off to find their own territories. #Owls #Birds #Raptors #Birdphotography

A Common Yellowthroat makes an appearance just long enough to get a couple of shots. They're normally shy and hide deep in the reeds.

Up close with a Red-tailed hawk. #Hawks #Birdsofprey #Birdphotography #redtailedhawks

Grand Opening #BlueSkyArtShow #Openings #Owls

A little burst of sunlight. #hummingbirds #birdphotography #UCSCArboretum

Red-tailed hawk. #Hawks #Birds #Raptors #Birdsofprey

Showing off #Hummingbirds #Birdphotography #Birds

Allen's Hummingbird #Hummingbirds #Birdphotography #Californiabirds

Wrentits have “wren” in their name but they are not wrens or tits. Ornithologists have shuffled this unique species between bird families over time but they have no relatives in North America. Wrentits are sedentary birds rarely traveling more than 1,300 feet from where they were born.

Anna's Hummingbird #Hummingbirds #Birdphotography #UCSCArboretum #Birds

#Phalaenopsis #orchids #flowers

Black Phoebe #Birds #Birdphotography #Flycatchers

#owls #autumn #birdphotography #wouldntwanttobeamouse

Elegant Terns #Birdphotography #Terns

#owls #birdphotography #wildlife

Into the light. #Owls #birdsofprey #birdphotography

Coopers Hawk #Birdphotography #Hawks #Raptors #NaturalBridgesStatePark

#BlueSkyArtShow #Autumn #Birds #Naturephotography #Songbirds

Keeping watch. #GreatHornedOwls #Birds #Owls

A Great Horned Owl takes in the glow of a Fall sunset. #owls #birds #Autumn

Cooper's Hawk #birdsofprey #birding #hawks

Osprey #Birds #Ospreys #Birdsofprey #BirdsofBluesky #Raptors

Elegant Tern #Terns #Birds #Birdscrolling #BirdsofBluesky #Birding #Shorebirds

Feeling a bit peckish. Might go marauding. IDK. #Owls #Birdsofprey #Raptors #Birdscrolling #BirdsofBluesky

Allen's Hummingbird #Birds #hummingbirds #Blueskyartshow #shiny #Birdscrolling