Sipping from the fountain in Mountain View

October 19, 2012: Rancho San Antonio, Mountain View

How much information is enough? Is the hint of color, shape, and size enough to make a good guess as to whom is trying to sip from this fountain at the park?

Investigating a mystery in Sunnyvale

October 14, 2012: Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road, Sunnyvale

I'd been hearing unusual calls for a few weeks near the Orchard Supply Hardware in Sunnyvale, so today I went out with my camera to document what I was hearing. I didn't see or hear anything unusual near OSH and Safeway, but while walking south along Sunnyvale-Saratoga, I was brought to alert by calls to the south-west, over the Little Caesar's pizza place. Indeed, it was the mystery flock! Can you identify these birds that so surprised me?