More from the USA, Roadrunners "meep, meep"

Just like an episode out of a cartoon we came across Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner eyeing each other up in California!

Just in case it isn't obvious, these photos were not actually taken at the same place sadly, but it was fun seeing them both on the same day.

In fact we saw two roadrunners together (possibly three), which Gary told us was unusual.

This is about as close to flying as a Roadrunner gets I suppose.

One of them posed on top of a rock and enjoyed the evening sunshine for a moment or two.

In this picture you can see the green sheen on the tail which is not often visible.

The reason we went to this particular place was to see Ferruginous Hawk which we did, but you'll have to take my word for it that the white blob in this photo is it and that you can see its rufous 'trousers' too!

Similarly there is a beautiful Mountain Bluebird in this picture which stayed far off in the distance. It actually looks more like one of those huge 'morpho' butterflies we used to see in Brazil.

Here is a flock of Canada Geese, nothing very interesting about that you say? Well seeing them in the USA makes all the difference, they are supposed to be there and that feeling of freedom that a skein of geese instills in me can be enjoyed to the full. Added to which Gary and I found three Cackling Geese in the flocks, not sadly in this picture. One of them was tiny (for a goose that is, not, like, hummingbird-tiny it looked more like a duck in the flock), so we thought it might be an example of minima, but they are jolly rare there.

Gary and I having a beer belly competition, which I won by a yard and a half (of ale perhaps?)

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