Santee Lakes

Had a wonderful stroll along Santee Lakes in Santee, California.  These man-made lakes are fed with reclaimed water and are just teaming with bird life!

Belted Kingfisher

Crow chasing a red-shouldered hawk.

Double-crested cormorant 

Grace's Warbler, Western Form 

 Nuttall's Woodpecker

 Osprey

 Phainopepla

 Red-Shouldered Hawk

 Red-Winged Blackbird

 Ruddy Duck getting out of Dodge!

Wood Duck, likely a beneficiary of one of the many wood-duck nesting boxes that have been added to the trees in the park.

Red-Shouldered Hawk Lift-off!

Red-Shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus, taking off from Eucalyptus tree after posing for photos for a a few minutes. Actually, there were two of these beautiful hawks fighting over that Eucalyptus tree, possibly because it overlooks the bird feeder (a.k.a. doves for dinner). While chasing each other, they flew low over the deck (maybe 10 feet from me) and then smacked head first into the neighbor's window (which hawks rarely do). He didn't look any worse for the wear and, ironically, as he flew off, the competing hawk returned to claim the tree! It made for great viewing.