I again went out to try to see the Short-eared Owl, and luckily enough some other folks eventually spotted it. It was just after sunset and getting dark, and the owl was sitting on a fence some distance away, but it was still a cool experience.

I also saw a new lifer while at the wetland, a Northern Shrike! I lost track of it after a few minutes but got to take some photos and watch it a little bit.

On a separate outing, I came across a pair of male Finches that struck me as potentially being different from House Finches. They had very bright red heads, but it may have just been the angle of the sun. In reviewing the photos, I was able to rule out House Finch. I'm going with an ID of Purple Finch for them (since Cassin's Finch is found at higher elevations) which makes them a new lifer!

Also in this gallery are some older photos of ducks I'd taken: a domestic Muscovy Duck from 2020 (a lifer, kind of, being an escaped domestic) and a Mallard with a blue bill, possibly a hybrid or domestic mix, seen in November.

These photos are © 2023 Phil Thompson, all rights reserved.

My "birds in review" collages can be found here.