Birding There but Mostly Here

Atascadero Lake, Atascadero Ca.  A short jaunt over the hill, about 25 minutes, brings you to Atascadero Lake Park. The photo was taken three years ago when the lake was full.  Last year due to the drought the lake dried out, as a result all the feathered inhabitants moved on.  Fortunately this October rains filled the lake enough to bring back some of the birds.

The air was crisp when my friend Mike and I arrived.  We went for a brief walk to check out the best spot for viewing, as there is quite a bit of vegetation along the edges.  Upon returning to the car we spotted Roger Zachary, one of the top birder/photographer in the county, setting up his scope.  Oh my gosh, what great fortune to come across Roger who had been posting to the slobirding yahoo group the birds he had been observing at the lake.

 Roger took the scope down near the edge of the water to show us 5 Common Snipe that were feeding in a slightly moist area along the weedy fringes of the lake.  Prior to Roger's arrival we had been looking for them but to no avail.  We also had fabulous sightings of Ring-necked Duck, male and female. 

The memorable sighting of the morning was of a Bald Eagle as it flew over the lake.  Photo was taken by Roger Zachary at Atascadero Lake.

 Birding the King Tides in Morro Bay - Very high tides cause the migratory shore birds to seek out higher areas when they can wait till the tide goes out.  Thousands of shore birds are densely packed on thin strips of pickleweed far out in the bay.  Most of the water fowl are in the shallower areas where it is difficult to view them.  As the tide goes out the birds move into their favored feeding areas.  The tide was at its highest when I arrived.  From the Marina boardwalk could be seen about 40 Brant Goose and a few Northern Pintail and Northern Shoveler.  Many Snowy and Great Egret were feeding along the edges of the high tide.  There were 20 Avocet close enough to get a great photo, if only one had remembered to bring her camera.

                                 Morro Bay Marina
On the narrow boardwalk a cluster of birders were taking photos of the seldom seen Nelson's Sparrow whose habitat is somewhere out in the pickleweed.  The Nelson's only comes into view when the tide is extreme.  A photo of a Nelson's Sparrow is a feather in a birder's cap. 

The best time to bird the Morro Bay King Tides is an hour or two after the tide begins to ebb. 

ATASCADERO

This Morning drove over the hill to Atascadero to check out the birds at Atascadero Lake and the Sewer Facility.  Weather was cold, breezy, and as you can see by the photo, the clouds were fabulous.  Walked around the lake. Coots and Mallards were abundant.  Found interesting hybred Mallards.  There were two that had Mallard heads and totally white bodies (rather bizarre); another pair had mallard bodies and white head with a tuft at the top. (must be something in the water)

Around the lake are numerous Valley Oaks that supply the Acorn Woodpecker with acorns that the woodpeckers cram into the nooks and crannies of the tree's thick bark.  I could hear the Woodpeckers, but they were at a distance.  Yellow-rumped Warblers were busy and had a few sightings of the perky little Oak Titmouse.

The Sewer facility is located near the Salinas River bed.  In the past I had seen Wood Ducks in the filtration pond but today only one Mallard was present.  Nearby is the trailhead to a 5 mile segment  of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.  The trail goes from Sonora Mexico to San Francisco.  It is a narrow dirt path, much used by horses which may have had something to do with cutting the walk short plus large rain drops that had begun to fall.  Checking out the oaks as I trudged back to the car, I spotted a Great Horned Owl.  Wow, he/she was a beauty.  I was a happy camper.