Easy Birding The Central Coast

Cathy from Palm Springs was visiting.  We were heading north to have a day of Easy Birding on the Central Coast.  Cathy was hoping for the coolness of fog while I was hoping for a warming sun.  What Mother Nature bestowed upon us was an ideal medium, sun, and wisps of fog with a gentle breeze. What more could one ask for?  Well, maybe a few birds.

First Stop - Estero Bluffs - Blooming female Coyote Brush lined the slightly damp trail.  After a few minutes of walking the brush opened giving us a grand view of Estero Bay.

    

Our first sighting was a female Northern Harrier silently flying, more like gliding, over the brush.  She had a wide search pattern but eventually flew out of sight. Northern Harriers can be fairly easy to identify.  The female is larger than the male.  She is a darkish brown, while he is grey with black wingtips. They both have an obvious white rump.        

On the rocky shoreline was about 30 Sanderlings.  They follow the ebb and flow of the waves, probing the wet sand as they race back and forth.  

Sanderlings breed in High Arctic tundra and fly down to the Central Coast for the winter.  A group of Sanderlings are known as a "grain."  Other birds were Black Turnstones, Black Phoebe, and two Yellow-rumped Warbler.    Next stop Cambria.

Santa Rosa Creek Lagoon - Cambria - We were in birding paradise.  Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe aka, Fluffy Butt, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead, Mallard, Black Turnstone, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Great Egret, a flock of Ring-billed Gull, and a ""whirligig" of Red-necked Phalarope.   What a treat!  photo by Mike Baird

It is impossible for me to bird the rocky coast without noticing the rocks.  The impressive Cambria Slab Greywacke Sandstone is prevalent from Cambria to San Simeon.  The Tafoni, the holes, in the sandstone are from physical and chemical weathering.  

                                         

Perched on the ancient sandstone - Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, plus juvenile Brandt's and juvenile Double-crested.  (below photo)  I am quite certain the Cormorants are not into geology and had no idea the rocks they were perched on are well over 100 million years old. 

On the light colored rock, were four Black Oystercatcher and one juvenile (below photo).  It was a thrill to see the juvenile, as the Black Oystercatcher's reproductive rate along the Central Coast was tragically poor this year. 

Our last stop was the Sea Pines Golf Course located near Shark Inlet (yes there are sharks in Morro Bay).  If you are not a golfer, the only view of the pond is through wire fencing. 

Feeding on the grass was a gaggle of Canada Goose and a small gaggle of Greater White-fronted Goose.  (The photo was taken through the wire fence.)   The White-fronted Goose has one of the largest ranges of any species of goose in the world.  Now, in comparison, the Canada Goose just travels from golf course to golf course. 

Our last bird of the day was a doozy.  Cathy had just gotten her binoculars focused through the wire fence when she spotted this adorable female Hooded Merganser.  I've heard that many ducks are envious of the female Hooded's stylish hairdo.  There are three species of Merganser in North America.  Hooded is the smallest, about the size of a coot.  Seeing this little beauty was a gift, as only a few winter on the Central Coast.  Needless to say Cathy and I had a fabulous day of birding.

Fall Birding - A Little Here and a Little There

Sweet Sweet Springs - The tide was high and the fog was meditating on its power to grant the people of peaceful Baywood the unique privilege of experiencing the sun's warmth.  

Nuttall's Woodpecker was active in a tall Cypress; Chickadees, Oak Titmouse were flitting through a stand of low growing oak.  In the pond numerous Mallards slept, preened and chatted about their recent travels; Song Sparrow darted through pond-side vegetation, and a great and Snowy Egret, perched high in a tall Eucalyptus, watched the action.

A noisy Belted Kingfisher (photo by Gary O'Neill) searched for lunch.

In a Channel, carved by time and tides, 26 Blue-winged Teal fed.  I consider them the "Early Birds," as every year they are the first small migratory duck to arrive in Sweet Springs.

Estero Bluffs State Park - Vila Creek - Blooming along the path to the beach and pond was Tar Weed and Mock Heather.  My friend Phoebe and I were hoping to see a migrant species that is seen only occasionally on the Central Coast, a Black-necked Stilt.  It would be a first sighting for Phoebe.

A few migratory shorebirds, Western Sandpiper, Godwit, Whimbrel and a few Long-billed Curlew were feeding along the edge of the beach.  Higher up the beach, Killdeer, a pair of Pectoral Sandpiper and four Turkey Vultures.  Numerous Snowy Plover were busy chasing kelp flies.  In the background of the top image in the collage, symbolic fencing can be seen.  The fencing, along with signage, encourages people to respect the Snowy Plover nesting grounds.   https://www.mbnep.org/2016/03/04/symbolic-fencing-helps-morro-bays-snowy-plovers/ 

We finally reached the pond where there had been several recent sightings of a juvenile Black-necked Stilt.  At the bend in the creek perched a Great Egret; a few feet out from the Egret was a pair of Mallards.  A few feet from the Mallards strode a black and white, pink legged Black-necked Stilt.  They can swim and dive but prefer to wade in shallow water.

The photo was taken by local birder/photographer Maggie Smith about two hours before we arrived at Villa Creek pond.  

Point Lobos Nesting Cormorants - May 2021

 Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Carmel Ca. - May 12, 2021 - Three years had passed since my last visit to the reserve.  I was on my first away from home outing in over a year; though in my reality, only two years had passed, as 2020 was a non-year.  - My goals for this quietly overcast morning were to enjoy the reserve's spring wildflowers and observe the nesting extravaganza of Brandt's Cormorant.

Point Lobos is a very popular tourist destination with limited parking.  By arriving early was able find parking at the Bird Island Trail Head.  Wildflowers lined both sides of the shaded trail - Sticky Monkey, Blue Dicks, Hedge Nettle, Seaside Daisy, Paintbrush, Calif. Poppy, precious Dudleya fairinosa, and the most gorgeous Lupine I had ever seen.  This Lupine was absolutely amazing!

I was in no hurry as the Cormorant's were not going anywhere for about three months.  The Gooseberry plant caught my eye.  I am familiar with a flowering Fuchsia Flowering Gooseberry, but had never seen the flower turning into a berry.  Had to be very careful while taking closeup photos due to the abundance of poison oak.  Poison Oak has a personality of its own and its goal is to catch you unaware.

Ceanothus, also known as California Lilac, was in full bloom in the more open, sunny areas of the trail.

Finally, I came to my first view of Bird Rock.  Wow!  Word had obviously gotten out that Bird Rock was the place to nest - certainly looked like a much larger colony than in 2018.   I find their choice of nest location interesting, as they range from protected depression to open windy ridge.  If you were looking for the ideal nest site to brood, feed, and care for two or three offspring, what would be your choice, and why?

The collage compares the Brands's Cormorant population of May 2018, top image, to May 2021.

Bird Rock is a magnificent example of granodiorite, an igneous rock that is similar to granite.  Historically a young rock, only 80 million years old, give or take a few million.  All the rocks in this area are composed of granodiorite.

The scene before me was idyllic - thousands of birds peacefully nesting.  Incubation takes about 30 days.  Nestlings will fledge approximately 50 days after hatching.  They do not go far after fledging,  as parents will continue feeding them for a couple more weeks.  

The wind was getting stronger and I was ready for a warming cup of coffee - a spacious Starbucks is only a mile from the reserve.  As I heading back down the trail, I noticed the Cormorants had company, two Peregrine Falcon perched in a nearby tree.

Cinnamon Teal - Spatula cyanoptera

 

Turri Road - I was immersed in the sights and sounds of Spring.  On this glorious morning, there were five pair of Cinnamon Teal feeding in the ephemeral cattle pond on Turri Road.  A week ago a friend of mine told me she had seen a group of red ducks in the pond as she passed by on her bicycle.  I really doubted that they would still be in the pond, but thought it worth a try.  And there they were a dabbling.

   

The males were aglow in their breeding finery. *

The small pond and its nearness to the road allowed for excellent views of the dabblers.  Without binoculars they would have been difficult to see.  I always keep an emergency pair in my car.  Through the twiggy trees, I had the pleasure of observing their courtship display of pre-nuptial head bobbing - not just a pair, all ten of them bobbing at the same time.  It was a real birding moment.

All the black specks in the distance are Black Angus Cattle. 

Other sighting - A few yards up from the pond a pair of Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) sallied forth, in pursuit of insects, from their perch on an old barbed wire fence.  The male's cobalt-blue coloring was stunning.  

Heard but not seen birds - Northern Flicker, House Finch, Song Sparrow, and the memorable, flute like, song of a Western Meadowlark.  Check out the link to hear its beautiful song.   https://youtu.be/Sk4S2spFdcs  

*Cinnamon Teal by Mike Baird

 

Birding Sweet Springs and . . .

Sweet Springs yesterday morning - Weather warm, no wind, and absolutely beautiful.  Silently floating on the peaceful bay were large flocks of Scaup, Bufflehead, and Ruddy Duck.  Below is a female Ruddy Duck.  

 I find it amazing that the adorable little Ruddy Duck nests in nest holes excavated by Northern Flickers. 

In the distance could be heard the cheerful chatter of Brant Goose.  

Perched along the edge of the channels was a pair of Northern Pintail, one lonely Cinnamon Teal, two American Widgeon, Blue-winged Teal, and the smallest of the dabbling ducks, Green-winged Teal. 

Mallards rested along the banks of the pond.  

It was a good day for seeing Passerines (perching birds).  I think the Quail may have been warming up for spring, as there was persistent calling.  Due to the abundance of native shrubs, Quail are numerous and if not seen can always be heard.  Feeding on the ground were White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Oregon Junco, and House Finch.  In the shrubbery were several Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Spotted Towhee, and a Blue-grey Gnatcatcher.  In the trees, Chestnut-backed Chickadee and the most precious bird of all, Bushtits.  Common Yellow-throat (below) was flitting along the edge of the pond.  

Now for Estero Bluffs - Lately I have been going at least once a week to the Bluffs.  Although I am focused on the rocks, there are always birds to be seen.

About half way up this multi million year old formation, Black Turnstone have found a safe haven.  The lower section of the rock is Greenstone, on the top weathered Sandstone, and possibly a little Shale on the lower right.  

Brown Pelican, Brandt and Pelagic Cormorant are packed like sardines on a huge rock formation located about 100 yards off-shore.  The composition of the rock is more than likely, Pillow Basalt (hardened lava  formed in the deep sea).  Stay tuned for more geology and birding.  And if humanly possible keep a positive attitude.