Rare Locals~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life

White Faced Ibis are large and imposing birds.

They are residents year round in Southern California,

although I rarely see them.

Finding this nesting colony,

was quite a treat.

White Faced Ibis have a migratory range that extends from Canada in the north, to Chile and Argentina in the south. I have seen and photographed them more in South America than I have here!

Cheers to you from the gorgeous and iridescent White Faced Ibis~

200 thoughts on “Rare Locals~”

        1. No, they are not calm when humans are around. If you are still, quiet, and alone, they will be nervous around you, but not panic if you stay quiet and still დ

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  7. Those are a beautiful and colorful Ibis birds. I have seen many in Australia particularly in Goldcoast and Perth but they are the dull black ones. They move closer to humans as they are asking for some leftovers.

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  15. Your photography is so beautiful, Cindy. It’s great to see someone with a good eye taking full advantage of her opportunities and producing brilliant images. Thank you.

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    1. How is it the real beauties among us have no idea how beautiful they are? And these reclusive birds are nature’s sample. Great pics and what a find!

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  21. Wonderful. They might be rare for you, but they’re unknown to us, so what lovely souvenirs you were able to take when you saw these exceedingly handsome creatures.

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  22. WOW! These Ibis are so much different from the birds I’ve seen. Their long beaks, legs and multi colours are a treat to watch. You have done such an amazing job photographing them. Thank you for sharing your great shots. 🙂

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  28. Timothy Price

    He is a beauty. I’ve seen groups of Ibis fly by over the Rio Grande at dusk, but I’ve never seen then wading in the river or foraging.

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  30. It must be quite a rewarding experience to capture these rare birds. I have never heard of the white-faced ibis before. Looking at these marvellous birds was quite a visual treat, Cindy.

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  31. Cindy, what a wonderful post with such vivid photos of the birds with variegated colors. How delightful as a photographer to have creative moments such as these. Thank you for the enjoyment of your creative skills. Be well. oxox

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          1. Thank you for this comment and for going to her site. She used to blog more frequently but now she and her husband are busy growing, harvesting and cooking their own food. Thank you for going to her site. Be well and have a good week. oxox დ

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              1. Cindy, your comment is much appreciated. Sally does not always respond to my comments; however, I leave them anyway. Life in the tropics has two seasons: rainy and not rainy. I tend to wilt in humidity so I prefer my four seasons here. Be well and thank you again. oxox ❤️

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                    2. I was happy to give up the humidity of the South and prefer the hot, dry weather we had in CO, NM and AZ. Upstate NY has four seasons. I can tolerate the humidity here. Be well. ox

    1. Thank you very much. It is interesting because in the shade they appear a rather dull brown, but in full shine they shine like iridescent jewels. დ

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    1. They are exotic and unique aren’t they. They have such a wide ranging migration pattern, from Canada to the tip of South America. Unlike me, birds fly for free! დ

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    1. I have seen the odd few at The Salton Sea, but this nesting site was a big surprise. They were almost extirpated from the state, but have made a comeback. People shot them and they ate poison. But they are doing better now დ

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        1. Yes, their eggs were damaged by DDT. Do you remember having DDT sprayed on ponds and rivers you played in as a kid? I do. We were to stay inside during the spraying, but then when we went out to find stuff in the ponds and streams, the DDT oil skimmed the surface of the water, and covered your hands and arms. I thought it was strange. Ibis also ate crustaceans, bugs and such, and accumulated other toxins. They are now doing much better.

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          1. The DDT was extremely limited in our area, Cindy. In fact, I don’t remember it. I first became aware of the damage it did when reading Rachel Carson’s book in the late 60s. I had actually used it in Africa once to keep army ants from invading out home when I was serving in the Peace Corps circa 1965-67. –Curt

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  55. What absolutely beautiful birds!!! Recently a new bird came to feast of our bird seed … shiny black, but his neck and head were a beautiful glowing blue. I Googled and found they are ‘Common Grackles’ … seemed a bit too common a name for such a gorgeous critter! But even he cannot compare to your White-faced Ibis! Thanks for sharing, Cindy!

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    1. Bird names are so idiosyncratic and funny. It must have been wonderful to be the first person to name a bird species. The grackle must have been common, ie., there may have been lots of them. They don’t show their splendor, commonly, but when the sun hits just right, at the right time, you can see the incredible beauty. They are currently a species in “deep decline.” So they are not common anymore დდ

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      1. Indeed, so! And, I wonder if birds think we are funny creatures for having to have a specific name for each and every sort. The grackle was so beautiful … as you say, the sun was hitting just right and he literally took my breath away! Given what we humans have done to this planet, it is a wonder any species still survive, but if we don’t change our ways and quickly, we will lose so many beautiful species of birds, animals, fish. Sigh.

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        1. I am fairly certain birds do think we are funny creatures. Which is why they spend so much of their lives surreptitiously people watching. They actually seem to watch us more than we watch them. They need to in order to survive, for all the reasons you just stated. Birds seem really puzzled by humans who are alone, stand still, and don’t talk, it must be unusual people behavior from their point of view 😉 😉

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  60. I’m guessing that his distant cousin is the Scarlet Ibis, that’s our national bird here in Trinidad… very beautiful…

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  71. These guys come in complementary colors–red and green! And the green has such a beautiful sheen:) Thanks for showing them to us, up close and beautiful!

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  75. Wonderful and certainly iridescent, here we see the glossy ibis in the Doñana wetlands region but that seems to be their limited range. A very prehistoric bird, let’s hope their survival can be ensured.

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