Few days ago when we went out into the desert trails of Saguaro National Park and heard a loud kaaaa sound followed by a ka-KAA-ka-ka call.  It took me a while but I spotted the bird who was loudly calling out into the hot desert: a male Gambel’s quail. Each time his head tipped back for a loud kaaaa, his top knot would quiver.

Gambel’s quail, Saguaro National Park, March 2016

For a while now, some of my favorite photography subjects have been birds. I would have never dared to call myself an avid birder because I don’t pay heed to bird behavior monitoring or taking data for identification and census. I simply find pleasure in hearing a bird call, finding a bird and then photographing it. I am a solid birdwatcher.

It was only recently that I felt the need to expand my knowledge of birds. So I picked The Biology of Birds for my basic introduction into ornithology. Professor Kricher’s style is very charming and only adds to his credibility and extensive knowledge of birds. At times, the lecture sounded extemporaneous and thankfully he never wavered from the subject. Bird anatomy, behavior and habits which were correlated with relatable examples and the professor even went so far as to mimic bird songs himself.

After listening, I even went so far as to buy a copy of Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Western North America and now look up birds quite regularly. So in addition to enjoying a nature setting and my photography, I now have the added bonus of puzzle solving the identity of a bird.

The Modern Scholar: The Biology of Birds
Written by: Professor John Kricher
Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
Amazon Buy Link: http://amzn.to/25cq8tc

And now for some of my favorite bird photos…

Burrowing Owl, Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, Feb 2016

King Cormorants, Whidbey Islands, March 2015

Male and Female Great Blue Herons, Ballard Locks, March 2015

Phainopepla, Ash Medows National Wildlife Reserve

Puffin Outside of Breeding Season, Dec 2015

Southern Bald Ibis, Jan 2016

Shoebill, Jan 2016

Anhinga