The morning was beautiful! I was driving slowly up Turri Road looking for Raptors and what ever else I could find. First sighting was a Red-shouldered Hawk perched in a willow close to the road. The ephemeral cattle pond (photo) that appears after a rain, held three Cinnamon Teal, and a Greater Yellowleg. The hills were just beginning to green out.
Perched in a willow thicket across from the pond was a Cooper’s Hawk. (above) In the vicinity of the windmill watched a Sharp-shinned Hawk fly in and out of twiggy willows. Twice lately I have seen a Sharp-shinned chase birds into a large bushy tree near my bird feeder. The Sharp-shinned has amazing maneuverability.
In the fields and perched on barbed wire fencing were Meadowlark (many singing), Western Bluebird, Say's Phoebe, Song Sparrow, and numerous Lark Sparrow (below), a favorite of mine.
High above, soaring with Turkey Vultures, a Red-tailed Hawk. It always pays to look closely at soaring Turkey Vultures, as there could be among them a visiting Black Vulture that can be identified by its dark brown head and white wingtips. An American Kestrel was the final raptor of the morning. It was perched on a fence post eating something small and furry. The American Kestrel is the smallest, most colorful falcon in North America.
After Turri Road I checked out a portion of the Bob Jones Trail which begins in Avila Beach. Besides walkers and bikers, the bridge (photo) is used by golf carts, as the golf course is on both sides of the creek. From the bridge saw several Common Goldeneye, numerous Pied-billed Grebe, Coots, and three Canada Goose. About a half mile up the creek had a marvelous sighting of a Green Heron. It was in the shadows, perched on a little branch that extended over the water. Its greenish, rufous coloration blended in perfectly with the creek side environment. The Green Heron photo was taken from a small bridge that crosses over San Simeon Creek in San Simeon State Park. When looking for Green Heron, persist.
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