Category Archives: CA birds

A Verdin Nest

Recently, I mentioned our new-found interest in nesting birds. Yesterday, we were watching Verdins bounce from limb to limb singing away when I saw one scoot into a cactus and disappear. Another nest?
Here’s the bunch of twigs we saw.

I could see some movement in the bundle of twigs and sure enough, out popped a Verdin.

Sally watched as the Verdin flew off to nearby sage bushes breaking off twigs, and warning me as the bird returned as I kept the camera on the nest.

I can’t brag about the photos but here are a couple of construction in progress.

We watched for ten minutes or so, entranced by the steady work of this little olive-capped bird. Slow birding can bring some lovely experences – it made our day.

Anza-Borrego Birds

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California and after lots of recent rain, about to pop with wildflowers. Here are some of the early blooms as photographed by Sally.

The sunrises and sunsets here are spectacular.

As are some of the birds. One of the toughest birds for me to photograph is the Verdin. Not only do they bounce from limb to limb, they often seem to be buried in the brush. Here is one that paused for a moment.

This Western Bluebird gave us some great looks on a walk to the Visitor Center.

Likewise, this Say’s Phoebe posed early one morning.

Perhaps the most common bird here is the White-crowned Sparrow.

We are here for a couple of days more, then off to San Diego for family, friends, and birds.

Birds of Sequoia NP

I had several target birds on my list before we left for Sequoia National Park and While I didn’t do much serious birding, got all three on dog walks around the campground.

The most obvious were Stellar’s Jays, a raucous species if there ever was one. Anyone who has camped in the West likely knows these guys well – I just had never been in their area before. There was even a nest full of fledglings on a rafter on the entrance to the camp store, where hundreds of visitors pass every day. Some of these had already fledged and these were about ready to go.

The next life bird I got was a White-headed Woodpecker. They were active every morning but hard to photograph, especially with a leashed Vizsla “helping.”

The same goes for the Mountain Chickadee. They were calling and foraging high in the trees but not close enough for photos.

One morning, I heard a commotion down near the visitor center and found a group of about a dozen jays mobbing something. I was hoping for an owl or a hawk but this guy, which I think is a Common Raven, was not a very happy camper.

The last morning, these two young bucks with velveted antlers were right outside our camper. They obviously have gotten used to people. There’s no hunting in Sequoia NP.

I still have many shorebirds and seabirds that I am missing but the 4th of July weekend is not the time to go look for them. They’ll be here for my next visit.

Camping With Dane

Monday morning, Dane and I and our faithful Vizsla Penny launched for the long trip to Sequoia National Park.

Several months ago I went online to look for possibilities for campsites and wanted the mountains because I feared the temperatures elsewhere. I grabbed the only site available out of several hundred and as it turned out, it was probably the best campsite there.

The trip up was tough. We had to go through LA on I-5 (the five) and there were several serious backups. I’m not sure if it helps or not to have Google Maps tell you that “there’s a 25 minute delay ahead of you in five miles. You are on the fastest route.”

The temperatures were about 108 on the steep climbs north of LA and I watched the temperature gauge get higher and higher. Then I took a shortcut which looked good on the map but was as twisty and narrow a road I’ve seen. We entered King’s National Park and drove about an hour to our campground in Sequoia. Here’s Dane and Penny just below our site.

The campground was full with nearly every site having a campfire. The daytime temperature was in the low eighties -at 6700′ – and the nighttime temps were in the forties.

The first morning I was up early to walk the dog and met this young buck, whose antlers were in velvet, about 20 feet from the van. (I saw him and his brother/cousin each morning.)

One of the problems with National Parks is that they are not dog-friendly. You can not take them on any trails. I knew this but it’s still a pain. We took a drive down to the big redwoods Tuesday morning. Left Penny in the rig with hopes she’d not tear it up, and walked with dozens of others down to see the General Sherman tree – the largest tree by volume in the world. Going down was easy but still it was nice to rest.

Here is Dane in front of the tree and a shot of one of the many other stately trees.

The following day, we drove about a half hour over to the national forest where dogs are allowed. We cloned up an old logging trail where only elk and horse prints were visible, bushwhacked up to a mountaintop, and Dane tried, without success, to find a cell signal.

He took this photo of Penny and me before we headed back toward the van, with a slight pause for getting “unlost.”

The trip back Thursday was brutal. There was more traffic (getting a jump on the long weekend) and four or five major backups that went for five or ten miles at a time. Too many people for the 8 lane roads – and the thrill of having young Marines on motorcycles threading there way between the slow-moving cars and trucks, dodging wide mirrors, driving way too fast.

The outing was great. We got some exercise, ate well, slept well, and only got lost in the woods for about ten minutes. The Airstream worked well – I used the solar a few times to supplement the batteries, and Wednesday for lunch, we ordered pizza from the campground store. Now that is glamping.

Some Western Birds

In addition to life birds, I have seen quite a variety of species as I’ve travelled. Many are those we see in the East as well such as this pretty tree sparrow from Wyoming. TreeSwallowW

Likewise, this wind-blown Northern Flicker is from Wyoming with cousins in Vermont.

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One of my favorite birds, which we see down south in the winter, is the Black-necked Stilt.

I love the bubble gum colored legs.

I love the bubble gum colored legs.

California has many Northern Rough-winged Swallows

California has many Northern Rough-winged Swallows

Willets are likewise common on both coasts. It is great to see their breeding plumage as the alight with wings spread.

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And lastly another favorite, a Whimbrel.

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If anyone wants to call this a Long-billed Curlew I’m cool. I have a hard time telling the difference.

Dane and I leave for a few days in the Sierras in the morning where, given the western heat wave, the temperatures at 6700′ will be in the low eighties. Sure glad I packed my wool hat and down vest before I left Vermont.

Anniversary Birds

Friday would have been our 54th anniversary so while it was a bittersweet day, I decided to start it off with some birding at San Eligo Lagoon, one of my favorite spots in the area. Penny and I hopped into the van and ventured into the maelstrom of traffic called “the Five.” It’s always busy and even though my trip was only about six miles, it got my heart rate up. I think the Vermont plates and white RV stir up the juices in drivers already juiced up on caffeine or whatever.

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I’ve only birded here in winter and was not prepared for the many dog walkers who use the trails at the refuge. I spent as much time watching for dogs as I did birds, and Penny was her usual obnoxious self with most of the dogs we encountered.

I use the Birdseye app to check locations for recent sightings, especially stuff that I have never seen, and I had three birds on my target list. I got the first one, a Black-headed Grosbeak, in the first five minutes. The lighting was poor and branches screwed up the focus but I got the darn thing.

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Another recently-sighted bird that I hoped to find was a Ridgeway’s Rail. I’m used to furtive rails that are almost impossible to see but this guy was right out on the mud flat, oblivious to me across the estuary. These are on the Federal endangered species list.

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This bird is not in most bird books — it was a recent split formerly being the Clapper Rail. I did a little research and found this about Ridgeway:

So, who was Ridgway, and why did he earn a rail? Robert Ridgway was a giant of late 19th and early 20th century American ornithology. He worked at the Smithsonian Institution for 55 years, 43 of them as Curator of Birds. He was also a founding member of the AOU and later its president, and during his lifetime he described more new taxa of American birds than anyone else, among them the nominate subspecies of the rail that now bears his name. Ridgway’s taxonomic judgments overall have stood the test of time so well that some modern ornithologists still say, only half-jokingly, that rule #1 is: Ridgway was right.  by Dave Quady on Golden Gate Birder

The other bird I was looking for was an Elegant Tern. I figured I had to get closer to the ocean so I moved the van to the other entrance to the Lagoon and walked down the dusty trails. There were no dog walkers around and we were enjoying a nice California morning with lots of sparrows, wrens, hummingbirds, and bushtits. After a while, I saw a tern way off and got him in the binoculars, willed him to fly towards me and sure enough he did. As he passed I could see the long black crest that goes down the nape and heard the call as he departed. No time for camera work, I was just glad to get such a good look.

It was a good morning on a tough day.

Black and White

Here are two final birds from our California trip: a Black Phoebe and a Snowy Egret. I was surprised at how prevalent Black Phoebes were: in other areas like Texas they are around but I don’t think I’ve ever seen more than one on a outing.

The bird in the photo below hangs out at our son’s swimming pool, chipping away, diving down to snack bugs off the pool-cleaner hose that floats on the surface, and even sipping some of the chlorinated water.

Black Phoebe perching on an old pool pipe, ready to swoop in for some insect snacks.

Black Phoebe perching on an old pool pipe, ready to swoop in for some insect snacks.

Egrets are great birds — watching them hunt for food is a great way to spend some birding time. I saw a couple of Great Egrets and a few more Snowy Egrets during my outings. This guy was grabbing lunch at a wonderful birding site, the San Elijo Lagoon.

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Due to some medical issues, we returned to Vermont early but, looking out on barren hills, it is fun to remember the neat birds of San Diego County.

Beach Birds

We took a short outing to the Del Mar beach during our last day in California. It’s so cool to have a beautiful beach ten minutes or so away and free access and parking — and no crowds on a winter weekday. The day was pretty – San Diego style – with no wind, temperatures in the mid-70’s, with water temperature about 65.

I waded into the light surf with binoculars and camera and right away, this guy landed just out a short bit and ignored me.

Brown Pelican at Del Mar Beach

Brown Pelican at Del Mar Beach

There are always a few Willets exploring the shallows for food. Here’s one.

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I walked up the beach to the North to the area called “Dog Beach” where dozens of dogs romp and play. When we are back in February, it might be worth a try with Penny although her track record with other dogs is not sparkling. It is one of the better beaches for dogs (according to many reviews) in southern California.

Robb and his kids were frolicking in the waves so I decided to brave it — what’s 65 degree water to a Vermonter, eh? It was bracing but after a few body surfs and one ***over_teakettle tumble, I was ready to dry off.

We only stayed for an hour or so — just perfect. As I was leaving, this young gull was strolling around checking out folks, likely for possible handouts. I am trying to make it into a juvenile Heermann’s Gull because of the sooty breast and pale white eye crescents but could be dissuaded. What do you think?

Is this a Heermann's?

Is this a Heermann’s?

We are in Massachusetts with Jennifer and her family and instead of watching Black Phoebes hawk insects over the swimming pool, are watching a beautiful Red-bellied Woodpecker hit the suet. Happy Thanksgiving.

Ducks on Parade

About a mile from Robb and Mary’s home in Del Mar is a neat birding spot called the Los Penasquitos Marsh Preserve. I walked down there several mornings and crossed busy Carmel Valley Drive to check out the ducks and other waterfowl on the quickly-moving river. I didn’t have a scope with me and the trail alongside the highway is a bit tight in places but it was a fine place to check off birds. Because of the moving water, it was a virtual parade with bushes along the creek blocking views and then nice open stretches.

There were several Green-winged Teal pushing the limits of my Canon SX50.

There were several Green-winged Teal pushing the limits of my Canon SX50.

This Mallard's head looked iridescent blue in the bright sunlight.

This Mallard’s head looked iridescent blue in the bright sunlight.

Northern Pintail is one of the common ducks here at this time of year.

Northern Pintail is one of the common ducks here at this time of year.

This Pied-billed Grebe cruised in rather closely.

This Pied-billed Grebe cruised in rather closely. See his legs?

It was common to see a wide mix of ducks in the same general area, cruising and feeding together. American Coots, Ruddy Ducks, Cinnamon Teal, Gadwalls, and the above ducks were just a few of the species there. It’s a nice challenge for me to sort them out.

 

Allen’s Hummingbird

Yesterday morning, I took a walk over to Torrey Pines Reserve Extension, a desert canyon area just a half mile from the house which is accessible only through residential neighborhoods. It’s a unique gem with a nice system of hiking trails and some good birds. SignW

You get some nice views of the ocean from the upper trails. The Pacific Coast Highway is in the distance.

You get some nice views of the ocean from the upper trails. The Pacific Coast Highway is in the distance.

I saw Bushtits, Northern Harriers, dozens of Yellow-rumped Warblers but the star of the walk with this little Allen’s Hummingbird who perched not far from the trail. He flew off for a bit, returned for more photos, and finally left. I was hoping that he might be a Rufous Hummingbird, a species I have not seen, but I don’t think so. This guy was special.

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We leave for Boston this morning after a nice stint of Southern California weather and a chance to be with our kids and grandkids, who we see too infrequently. We hope to be back with the Airstream in early February.