California Wildlife

                                                  CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE FEBRUARY 2026    California Towhee in Oakley CA               More wildlife views from Alameda County and Contra Costa County. Winter and fall have become a favorite time of year. Nothing beats a crystal-clear cold morning in a favorite wilderness area.  There is a variety of wild animals easily viewed in our incredible state. It requires one to take a cruise and get away from the city madness to a wildlife setting of your choice. It doesn’t have to be a long ride; it can be anywhere. A hiking trail along a creek, A city or regional park, A remote road away from the city, or a National Park. California is the most biodiverse state in...

                                                                     HAPPY HOLIDAYS Recent Cedar Waxwing in Oakley CA                                                CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE JANUARY 2026          Hope everyone is well.   Sharing more local wildlife photos from Fall and early winter in our Bay Area. The Central Valley in California was fog covered for nearly a month leading me to drive out of the fog cap areas towards the sun into the Alameda and Contra Costa County foothills. A look at highlights from a couple of those adventures. I...

  American Kestrel Camino Tassajara area of CC County South                                CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE DECEMBER 2025    FALL RAPTORS           A good time to chase raptors as weather cools and most large raptors chill a bit. The fall season presents opportunities for viewing and photography. Migrating birds like ferruginous hawks and merlin’s can be seen in Northern California in the fall and winter. A couple of Merlin photographs to share this month. (First one Taiga subspecies) I believe. Kestrels here year around, yet fall and winter brings the population up in many areas. I have been in the open grass lands in Eastern Contra Costa County and into the foothills around Morgan Territory and over the Camino Tassajara and Southern CC County across into Alameda County. I h...

                                   CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2025 This late year fall season has become a favorite of mine, letting the photos do the talking. Hope all is well! Additional information in the individual photo text below... Recent Monarch in Oakley CA in a year I observed less than average on sightings. Recent accorn woodpecker Alameda foothills. Recent short eared owl, first I have photographed in many years CA delta system Eastern CC County Recent young Coopers hawk surprized me in Oakley by scoping out our back yard... Additional look at same young coyote photographed last month in Eastern CC County.  Young white tailed kite from earlier this year in Oakley.  Recent black tail buck in Alameda foothills near Del Valle reservoir. Recent Un-expected guest at our bird bath... Praying mantis One more look at my second time visit of this Albino black tail. Extremely rare. He...