[wisb] Trip Report central California-long

From: "Tom Wood" <tcwood729@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <Wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:00:29 -0500
Peter Fissel has indicated that a few of you might be interested in a
summary of my recent trip to central California so I will post the
highlights.
Oct. 13- Drove from San Francisco north to Point Reyes along US1. Started
picking up the western species of gulls- Western, Heerman's, and California.
I never have much luck at Pt. Reyes. I don't know if it's the time of year I
go there, or if I just don't know the best locations. Brewer's Blackbird was
the
highlight there!
Oct. 14- Bodega Bay/Cordell Banks pelagic. South Polar Skua, Black-footed
Albatross, and N. Fulmar were present most of the trip. Of course
Rhinocerous 
Auklet and Common Murre were abundant. Shearwaters included Buller's (more
than I have ever seen- even Debi Shearwater was excited), Sooty,and Pink-
footed (many).  Storm-Petrels included Ashy (abundant), Black (a few),
Wilson's (1), and many Fork-tailed (a species I had seen only once before,
so this was exciting). Debi says many people ask when the best time is to
see Fork-tails, but they are so unpredictable she can't give them an answer.
Other species
seen were Cassin's Auklet, Red Phalarope, Sabine's Gull, Pelagic and
Brandt's Cormorants, Black Turnstones and Red-necked Grebe. A line of Surf
Scoters
flew by. Since scoters were just arriving , Surf was the only scoter species
seen during the trip , and in much fewer numbers than in winter.
Oct. 15- Half Moon Bay Pelagic. Debi was prescient when she announced at the
beginning of the trip that Storm-Petrels might be hard to find since we
had seen so many further north on the Bodega Bay trip. We saw none today.
However, we added Marbled Murrelet, Arctic Tern,1 Laysan Albatross, 1
juvenile Tufted Puffin, many Pomarine Jaegers, and Flesh-footed Shearwater.
We saw Surfbirds and more Black Turnstones on the breakwalls on the way out.
Oct. 16- Today was supposed to be a Monterey pelagic but it was canceled due
to undersubscription. Be aware if you plan on doing a pelagic that this can
happen. If your budget allows, book 2-3 trips if pelagic birding is your
only interest. Debi says she sells out some September trips but October can
be slow.
I can see this being a real detriment to her business. If people think their
trip might be cancelled, they would be reluctant to purchase expensive
non-refundable airline tickets. However, if you are going to California for
other birding or business this would not be a big problem.
Today I visited Foster City on my way south and reveled at the masses of
shorebirds that we see in few numbers here, but are abundant there. Red
Knots,
Western Sandpipers, and Long-billed Curlews would probably interest WI
birders the most. Black Skimmers were a surprise but Elegant Terns were not
that
unusual at this time of year when they peregrinate nothward for a short
time.
I visited the Palo Alto Baylands and started seeing Golden-crowned Sparrows
in good numbers and was surprised by a flock of Greater White-fronted Geese.
Common Bushtits, which always appear in sizeable flocks worked the chapparal
in the area there. This is an excellent place to visit around New Years Day
when high tide is at an extreme. If you watch the tables and get there at
the highest tide you stand an excellent chance of seeing Ca. Clapper Rail
and possibly
Black Rail. I once saw the latter species perched on the gunwale of a canoe
parked underneath the nature center! 
I worked my way back to US1 and observed Black Oystercatchers at Bean Hollow
State Beach (once reliable for Wandering Tattler but not now) and 65
Snowy Plovers at the mouth of Scott Creek. This may be a migrant trap,
because Red-throated Pipits and a Ruff had been reported earlier in the
month,
but I missed these.
Oct. 17- Monterey. Jack's Peak Park yielded Townsend's and Hermit Warblers.
This is a reliable spot for Hermit Warbler but you may have to spend some
time and do a lot of strenuous hiking. It can be an avian desert until you
come across a mixed flock. I have found Hermits in as lirttle as 10 minutes
and sometimes spent 3 hours looking. Its just a matter of luck. Other
species added here were Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Hutton's Vireo, and
Steller's Jay.
A Cassin's Auklet in the Monterey Marina near Fisherman's wharf was way out
of place.
Oct. 18-Monterey/Pacific Grove- Most rocky coast shorebirds were seen.
Wandering Tattler eluded me during this trip as it has for the past couple
of years.
Eared and Western Grebes were numerous. Veterans Park had the Pygmy
Nuthatches that I had missed at Jack's Peak. They usually lead me to the
previously mentioned mixed flocks because they are so vocal, but not this
year. Also added at this park were Say's Phoebe, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall's
Woodpecker, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Orange -crowned Warbler, and Anna's
Hummingbird. Washington Park added California and Spotted Towhees. From Del
Monte Beach I saw Red-throated, Common, and Pacific Loons.
Oct. 19- From Moss Landing I took Dolan Rd. and saw many Tri-colored
Blackbirds among the numerous Brewer's and Red-winged (bicolored variety)
Blackbirds. Elkhorn Slough added only singing Wrentits and Oak Titmouse, but
I was absorbed by the sight of a Peregrine on the railroad tracks devouring
a shorebird until a train came along.
Oct. 20- Spent the previous night in King City and worked the foothills east
of the city driving Bitterwater Road, STH25, Lonoak Road, Freeman Flat Rd.,
and Wildhorse Road. These pass through some fantastic ranchlands and are
lightly traveled, making for excellent birding. Ca. Quail, Yellow-billed
Magpie, Western
Bluebird, Loggerhead Shrike, and Lark Sparrows are abundant. Also seen were
Ferruginous Hawk, Merlin, Golden Eagle, Prairie Falcon, Greater Roadrunner, 
and two Burrowing Owls (along Wildhorse Rd.) There are thousands of ground
squirrels along this route and careful searching of the colonies usually
yields
at least one of these owls. My most exciting find was a Cassin's Kingbird
near the junction of Freeman Flat Rd. and STH198. This is the second time I
have seen
one here over the many years I've visited this area.
To see a Clark's Grebe, visit Lake San Antonio. At least from Oct-Dec this
must be the Western/Clark's Grebe capital of the state as I find hundreds of
them
here. A scope is necessary on some days as the lake is huge, but if you
search the lake you can't miss them. Also added here was Lesser Goldfinch
and Bewick's Wren. A notable miss was Phainopepla which I have never missed
in December, but I can't remember if I've seen them here in October.
Oct. 21- By now, trip species were getting hard to add. At Morro Bay I saw
Cinnamon Teal and many shorebirds and ducks. Brant had not yet arrived. They
are abundant here in December.
Oct. 22- The beautiful drive north from Morro Bay to Monterey on STH1 is
worth taking even if you don't see any birds. Elephant Seals are a real
biological
oddity, the scenery is spectacular, and in December you may observe Gray
Whale migration. I added only Mew Gull to my trip list and was disappointed
to not see A. Dipper at Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park. It is regular here in
December as is Varied Thrush, but it might take some looking.
Oct. 23- Before driving to the airport, I stopped at Palo Alto Baylands
again and left the state with memories of beautiful Cinnamon Teal in the
morning
light and A. Avocets and Black-necked Stilts. My trip added no life-birds
and no mega-rarities, but as always central California rewarded me greatly!

Thomas C. Wood, Menomonee Falls, Waukesha County

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[wisb] Trip Report central California-long

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