Red shouldered Hawk

 This beauty was high up in a power line behind our home in La Mesa.

It looks like a large, adult, California variety.

A murder of crows was circling this hawk, giving it hell.

The hawk was shrieking in response. 

Birds of summer

Birds spotted along the Pacific Crest Trail near the Sunrise Highway, about 10 miles south of Julian, CA.

Photo ID provided by Dr. Ryan Petterson.

Western Bluebirds 

Mountain Mahogany in flower

Western wood Peewee

Allan's hummingbird in my backyard in La Mesa

Loggerhead Shrike in Anza Borrego State Park

Saw this very cool bird on top of an Ocotillo cactus along Fish Creek Wash in Anza Borrego State Park.

Loggerhead Shrike

This bird is famous for impaling small mammals against the spines of cactus. A carnivorous passerine...

They call this bird, the butcherbird.

Check this video of the shrike's handiwork. It has impaled about 10 horned lizards on a cactus. 

credit:unknown (clearly not my photo, because the quality is too good....)