Category Archives: life bird

Hoopoe Happy

The bird I most wanted to see this Spain trip is the Eurasian Hoopoe, one of the most striking and distinctive birds of the region. Last year, I missed a couple that were beside the road – and while our birding this week has been limited, today we went to a favorite site nearby, Charca de Suarez.

Today, after an hour of seeing a nice variety of species, many of which I couldn’t identify, a splashy bird with lot of color flushed. I thought it was a Kestrel but Sally felt otherwise, and spotted it up ahead where it perched in foliage. Sure enough, it was a Hoopoe. I had trouble getting a decent shot but we were happy, even as it flew off.

After more birding including some nice looks at a White Stork and Grey Heron, we stumbled on to a Hoopoe, perhaps the same one, in the middle of the road. Quick camera shots and off it went.

I want to see these guys again, it’s just a very cool bird. They winter in Africa but there’s a chance we’ll see more in the next week. In the meantime, we are Hoopoe Happy.

Ridgeway’s Rail

Saturday morning, I visited the San Elijo lagoon, where the extensive construction projects that block access were shut down for the weekend. I saw lots of wonderful birds which I’ll post about later – and saw my first Ridgeway’s Rail, an endangered species.

There were three juveniles who showed themselves for just a moment

Like most rails, these were furtive and hiding in the reeds most of the time. It was a nice treat to see them and grab a couple of photos. It’s also nice to know that their riparian home here is being preserved and protected as part of the massive rail and highway projects underway.

Yellow-Eyed Junco

I spent quite some time, on several days, sorting out Juncos at the Santa Rita Lodge feeders. Most of the birds were the Grey-headed version of the Dark-eyed Junco — like this guy.

I was looking for one of the few Yellow-Eyed Juncos that sometimes frequented the place but they were elusive, even though others had spotted them. (You should have been here ten minutes ago…”} Finally I spotted one and the next day, both Sally and I saw this one. A nice life bird, especially after the search.

“OK, you can stop looking.”

Birds of Madera Canyon 2

Mexican Jays are colorful, noisy, and fun.
Bridled Titmice are always on the move.
This Hepatic Tanager was a life bird.
Chipping Sparrows are handsome anywhere.
As we head back to winter in Vermont, we have fond memories such as this female Broad-billed Hummingbird.

Life Birds This Trip

Birds of Madera Canyon 1

We have had a few magical days of nice weather and wonderful hiking and birding and in a surprise, I’ve added 8 new birds to my life list.

This Arizona Woodpecker was new to us.
A Scott’s Oriole who showed up a few days ago.
One of the many Acorn Woodpeckers who cavort around, putting on quite a show.
This Rivoli’s Hummingbird was a life bird.
A Bewick’s Wren.
Broad-billed Hummers are common but not many pose in the sun like this.

Last night I saw two Elf Owls, who have just shown up, in an old telephone pole where they have nested for seven years. Lots of waiting, some calls, a quick look, and they were off in the dark to forage. And I had life bird 477.

Buntings

There are a couple of rare buntings in the area and in the last couple of days, we saw them both. The first was at Quinta Matzalan, a sprawling Spanish-revival estate surrounded by sprawling tropical gardens and lots of birds. The juvenile male Blue Bunting has been drawing birders from all over and after a chilly wait, I saw it at a feeder along with a dozen others.

I thought I’d seen a Blue Bunting in Maryland a few years ago and was surprised to find that this was a life bird – #466 – the Maryland bird was a Blue Grosbeak.

The second bunting was a Painted Bunting which has been hanging out at the National Butterfly Center. Sally and I got great looks at it as it foraged along the pathways, oblivious to the clicking telephoto lenses.

On The Beach

South Carlsbad State Beach is a wonderful camping site — very popular and almost impossible to get into.

I made reservations months ago for a beachside site. Here is what we see out our windows:

We have watched California Grey Whales migrate north along with pods of porpoises. The birding has been nice (Pacific Loon is a new life bird) as has been the chance to see Robb, Mary, Dane and Maeve down in Del Mar. We’ll be here several days more and then hang out in the Del Mar driveway (hookup, hot shower, great hospitality.)

A Cold and Windy Trip

January is always a dicey month, weather-wise and we took an extra day to better prepare and to give me a chance to check Grow Compost for the other rare gull that has been hanging out there. Sure enough, driving in for a quick check, I spotted the Glaucous Gull – a life bird among the chickens and Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls.

Thanks to our friend Terry with a last minute sanding job on the icy driveway, I positioned the Interstate in downtown Montpelier and early Wednesday morning, we launched for Pennsylvania. It was a long trip but uneventful although the tractor-trailers on I-81 were their usual challenge — many of them and all moving fast.

We visited Sally’s brother-in-law in Charlottesville, Virginia the next night and after a long drive and just beating a sleet event, we hunkered down during a tough storm that shutdown the region. Two days later, we are at Fontainebleau State Park in Louisiana still battling sub-freezing nights but the forecast is great. Yesterday, we took a cold walk and saw dozens of Eastern Bluebirds and other neat birds, including this Red-headed Woodpecker who was feeding with his buddies.

Today is a thawing-out day for the rig and for us. We intend to stay here for a few days after a long trip and wait for the 70 degree temperatures tomorrow.

A Rare Bird Next Door

My friends Lisa and Scott have a successful compost business in the neighboring town where they take organic scraps and waste from restaurants, breweries, and a host of other sources and create wonderful soil and conditioner that is treasured by organic gardeners and landscapers. They also host a great array of birds who flock to check out their rows of steaming goodies.

For several weeks a couple of rare gulls have been hanging out and attracting birders from all over Vermont and adjacent states. I’ve been pretty tied up and away from birding but yesterday, took the short jaunt over to check out the action. Scott waved to me from the big front end loader as I parked and scanned the piles of compost and the hundred gulls feeding, flying periodically, and returning to the large mounds of organic matter. A few Ring-billed gulls, more Great Black-backed gulls, and even more Herring Gulls. I was looking for a rarity and spotted it right away as it posed front and center in the group. An Iceland Gull: smaller than a Herring Gull, no black wingtips, with a black beak, pink legs and feet. Life bird!  They should all be so easy.

I was also looking for a Glaucous Gull which had been reported but which I didn’t see it. Perhaps I’ll head back before we head to Texas.

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.