Snowy Egret Breeding Display ~ This egret was hanging out near a tree with many egret nests in it. He was making strange gutteral sounds and going through a variety of display behaviors and positions. His very red ceres indicates he is in high breeding readiness, as do his wonderful plumes, that he used in his displays.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron ~ This bird is pretty rare in California, although there have been one or more living the last several years in Imperial Beach. It's always a treat to find one perched in the eucalyptus or pine trees in which they most commonly roost at that location. Watch for the "whitewash" on the ground.
Hooded Merganser ~ This male merganser kept diving down to find food. He would come to the pond's surface, covered with water droplets. Sometimes he had a minnow, sometimes a snail, or sometimes nothing at all. His mate seemed a better hunter than he was, but was not willing to share.
