Yellow-headed Blackbirds at the Bear Creek Unit Redux

It's true that we were just there last week, and that I posted pictures of the Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) only a week ago, but we went back to the Bear Creek Unit of the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge the next weekend, and this time the sun was out, and the birds were a little closer to the car. We got better pictures this time.

They were in the same area as before, but we saw five of them this time, but no females (yet). The females are more brown in color and have only a bit of yellow coloration around the head. They have a yellow breast.

The Bear Creek Unit is part of the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, and the short auto tour is readily available from Highway 165 (Lander Ave) south of Turlock. The route is only 2.5 miles long, but several walking trails are available.

The sunset was just spectacular as we rounded the final bend of the auto-tour. I'm a sucker the pretty ones like this.