Birding the Swine Ponds

Cal Poly - Sunday Morning before a greatly anticipated rain storm - Thanks to a friend who had given me a detailed map, I finally found the swine ponds.  Coots were feeding in the thick slim that had coagulated around the edge of the pond.  There was an odor, but it was not bad.  A lone male Mallard was perched at the end of a pipe that drains fluids from the pens.  For several weeks a Common Gallinule aka Common Moorhen had been seen at this location.  I figured I had a 50/50 chance of seeing it, and the chances were iffy, as Moorhens have a tendency to be secretive.  I would either see it or I would not see it.

Moorhens have a rather vivid red head shield and a pointy bill tip that reminds me of candy corn.  I walked along the edge of the berm, eventually finding a good view of the reeds. A few drops had begun to fall when the infrequent visitor emerged from the reeds giving me a brief but splendid view.  Yeah!  The Common Moorhen is a member of the rail family.  It is found in aquatic environment's, often nesting in reeds.  The female lays from 2-12 eggs; both parents incubate the eggs.  A group of Moorhens is known as a, "plump."

The other pond was low on water.  There were a few Coots and Mallards and a pair of Killdeer.  Red-winged Blackbirds cheerfully sang from a nearby willow.  Overhead Turkey Vulture soared.  

Last sighting for the day was a motionless Cal Poly bovine.  There are two types of cows,*  "Zebu," humped cows from Eastern Asia and cows without humps, from Western Eurasia.  Perhaps the bovine of the day was related to the Zebu as it had a fatty hump and a "dewlap," the flesh that hangs below the neck.

In the same paddock another Zebu like bovine.  I am becoming quite fond of cows.

* Definition of "Cow." - a domestic bovine animal regardless of sex or age

 

Birding Cal Poly

Stenner Creek Road passes through the Cal Poly University outback- First sighting, Bishop Peak.  Elevation 1546 feet; it is the highest in a chain of volcanic remnants known as the "Nine Sisters.

Next sighting, a Black Angus bull - a double take kind of experience, as I had never seen an Angus Bull close enough to touch.  It was enormous!  Cal Poly is known for its extensive beef cattle program. 

Back to birding - A few yards from the cattle pens was a pond with four Northern Shoveler; three male and one female actively feeding. 

 Across the road White-crowned Sparrow, Western Bluebird; Cassin's Kingbird sallied out from it's perch to take insects in midair (photo by Mike Baird).  Brewer's Blackbirds in the thousands around the cattle pens.  Overhead a Red-tailed Hawk soared with Turkey Vultures.  It had been awhile since I had been out and about - every sighting was a joy to behold. 

After passing through an extensive grove of mature avocado trees I came to Stenner Creek.  Sycamore, Arroyo Willow, and Live Oak were the primary trees along and in the creek.  The scrub brush was dry and dense. 

 

80 feet overhead was an impressive, heavily rusted 129 year old train trestle with a span of 950 feet.  Freight and passenger trains cross this elderly trestle on a daily basis.  

For additional details on Stenner Creek Trestle

 http://mycoastalcalifornia.blogspot.com/2014/09/stenner-creek-bridge-snippet-of-coastal.html

Dominating the birding scene was a pair of vocal Red-shouldered Hawk actively nest building in a tall Sycamore.  Only one Hawk was doing the work, going back and forth.  The mate was perched on a nearby post supervising.  I believe they were refurbishing a prior year's nest. (photo by Mike Baird)

Birds around the creek - Nuttall's Woodpecker, Lesser Goldfinch, Spotted Towhee, Calif. Towhee, Bewick's Wren, Oak Titmouse, Calif Scrub Jay, Black Phoebe.  Birds heard but not seen - Calif Quail, Northern Flicker.

I had been hoping to have an unusual sighting, but so far just the usuals.  I pushed on, past the peaceful bulls, into the maze of the Cal Poly campus on an attempt to locate the "swine pond" where a Common Moorhen had been seen.  A Moorhen is a member of the Rail family and resembles a Coot.  Lacking success at locating the swine pond, I decided to look more thoroughly at a pond I had just passed.  The pond was sorry looking, lacking vegetation, not even a weed.  Although the pond was not a pleasant sight, I had an unexpected, delightful sighting.  At the edge of the water, standing among a pile of cow pies was a seldom seen, Wilson's Snipe.  Yeah!  A great way to end the day.  Wilson's Snipe is not the usual shorebird.   Check out Cornell Lab's Overview.   Wilson's Snipe Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology