Anna’s Hummingbird
Waterbirds were out in great numbers on the Richmond part of the Bay Trail. We saw Fifty-three different species along our four mile walk from Pt. Isabel to Shimada Park through Marina Bay and back to Pt. Isabel. It was a high tide and we managed to find one Ridgway’s Rail to the delight of our S.F. visitors. An Osprey flew overhead as we were finishing up. I also found one Anna’s Hummingbird who was a very cooperative photo subject. Although we saw a large number of Common Goldeneye they were all female. Today’s Bird List: Richmond Bay Trail Bird List 1/3/15.
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Natural History Wanderings 
I love birds but aside from the most obvious common or garden variety I really can’t name very many. I’d be interested to know, from your point of view, is it really necessary to know a bird’s name in order to really appreciate the time spent gazing at it? I often end up awarding them names of my own – nonsense tags such as ” Dusty Grey Round Head”, or “Beaky Long Legs”.
Lovely photographs by the way.
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By: Martin Cooney, Stone Sculptor on January 5, 2015
at 6:09 PM
No it isn’t necessary to know a bird’s name to appreciate it. Thanks for the complements about the photos. I have a whole album of bird photos of the Richmond Bay Trail at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandysteinman/sets/72157632481037917/
What a name does do is give a point of reference if you want to learn more about the bird. For example bird X flies in a straight line, is found along the shoreline, typically nests in reeds, lays four eggs that the female raises herself and mainly eats mollusks..
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By: Sandy Steinman on January 5, 2015
at 6:50 PM