The Birds and the Bees

Very nice birding with Bob this morning at White Point Preserve in San Pedro. This is the old artillery installation bunker.

I can't believe how dry and gray the hills and bare shrubs are compared to last year. This drought will have an effect on the birds but not clear yet how it will work.

 Bees?  This shrub (lemonade berry) was humming delightfully full of bees.

 As far as I was concerned the hummingbirds were the stars. We had several Allen's and a few Anna's. Then we saw this gorgeous orange one below, which "may" be a rufous. However, not a positive ID at all.

Allen's Hummingbird

Maybe a rufous hummingbird

California towhee

 Lots of California towhees and some spotted towhees.

Red-tail hawk

Northern Mockingbird

 Mockingbird with its mouth open. His mouth was always open and he ran through his full repertoire. Twice. Loudly.

Goldfinch at home

Birds we saw with no photos:
Meadowlarks (25), pair of American kestrels, mourning doves,
white crown sparrows, house finches, crows, ravens, Western scrub jay.