Birdiing Around the Bay

Morro Bay Estuary - The tide was high (6.3).  The morning was beautiful and warm, almost too warm for someone who gets overheated at 70°.

During high tides the shorebirds and water fowl hang out in a hard to view area at the north end of the bay until the tide ebbs enough for them to resume their feeding.  The above photo was taken from the Audubon Overlook.  There was not a bird in sight.

The Turri Road ponds had been filled by the previous day's high tides.  Sandpipers hang out on patches of pickle weed until the tide goes out.  In the photo, left center, there are a few hundred, mostly Least Sandpiper, waiting quietly for the mud and sand to be exposed so they can go back to feeding.  Sandpipers are known to be patient shorebirds.

 Morro Bay Marina Peninsular Trail - No birds within view from the boardwalk, although I could faintly hear Brant Goose.  I believe they have much to say to each other.

The trail is about 1/2 mile loop.  At extreme high tides birds that hang out in the estuary pickleweed come into the brush, and thanks to recent rains there were ample itty bitty insects for them to eat.  Had marvelous sightings - a Savannah Sparrow, whose yellow eyebrow made it easy to identify was foraging around a Lemonade Bush, nearby was a Hermit Thrush.

An Osprey glided past the boats to the end of the Marina eventually settling onto a limb in a scraggly pine tree.  Fortunately the Osprey, looking formal in his/her white and dark brown feathered attire, was still there when I got close enough for a photo. 

It was nearing time for a coffee break when, what to my eyes should appear, but a Clark's Grebe so very near.  I have always had difficulty in identifying Clark's Grebe,  as they are nearly identical to the Western Grebe.  The obvious differences are in the eye and the bill.  Clark's eye is surrounded by white, while the Western's eye is in the black.  However as they go into winter plumage Clark's white becomes greyer and the Western's black becomes lighter.  Now, Clark's bill is in tones of yellow, while the Western's bill is more olive/greenish, but in winter plumage the bill colors are less distinct.

My previous sightings of this regal beauty have always been at a distance, such as out in the middle of the bay.  I was delighted to have the pleasure of observing a Clark's Grebe only a few yards from where I was standing.  Not only was it's eye in the white, it's bill was yellow.  (The wiggly reflections are from sail boat masts.) Needless to say I was very happy at finally identifying a Clark Grebe.

Morro Bay Estuary - Return of the Winter Birds

  The photo shows the estuary as the tide is ebbing.  The marina is center left in front of the trees.

Thousands of birds winter on the Central Coast.  Primarily, the first of the winter arrivals are the shore birds.  Then come the Terns, gulls, Geese, White Pelican, water fowl, and much to the delight of the birding community, the occasional rare or seldom seen bird.  Oops, must not forget the songbirds, such as Warblers, and my favorites, the White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrow, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet.  By the first of October large numbers of shore birds can be seen feeding in the Pickleweed and along the edges of the bay.  

 A few days ago Mike Baird and I went to the Morro Bay Marina (above photo) to check out the birds.  The Marina is located across from the entrance to the M. B. State Park Campground. The loop boardwalk/Trail is at the east end of the parking area. The weather was delightful.  We were hoping to see a true rarity to the Central Coast, actually a first time visitor to our county, a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea).  It is thought that this Night Heron may have come up from Santa Barbara.

Last week I had seen the Yellow-crowned Night Heron perched on the stern railing (above) of one of the marina sailboats.  Mike and I checked out the boats and the Eucalyptus trees that line the parking area.  Unfortunately success alluded us in locating the Night Heron.  

From the boardwalk we observed numerous, Willet, Godwit, Long-billed Curlew, and two Greater Yellowleg feeding in the pickleweed.  Mike spotted a small flock of White Pelican.  (photo by Mike Baird)

 They appear completely white except in flight when one can see their 9 ft black and white wings - a most impressive sight. 

The Spotted Sandpiper that returns to the marina in late summer was exactly where I expected it to be.  She bobs her little behind as she walks, and there she was bobbing along the sandy edge of the marina.  I love that bird!

As we came off the trail and headed to the car 🚗 we noticed a women looking through her camera into the trees.  Her face was hidden by her hat and her camera.  We were nearing the car when she called out, “Joyce, is that the Yellow-crowned Night Heron?”  As soon as she spoke I knew who she was.  I looked into the area she was focused on and sure enough there was the Yellow-crowned Night Heron, perched nearby was a Black-crowned Night Heron.  “Yes,” I said.

 A difficult shot for my little camera.  But there he/she is, napping in a Eucalyptus tree.  Night Herons often hunt at night and sleep during the day.

Birding the Elfin Forest on Christmas Day

 Looking down on the Elfin Forest from the top of the Elfin Forest boardwalk.
  
 December 25th, 2016 - The last birding blog of the year.   The Elfin Forest Preserve is densely populated with California Native plants.  Due to recent rains, the preserve flora are cheerfully expressing themselves with new growth. 

 The preserve's abundant Coast Live Oak has produced a robust crop of male catkins from which bees were gathering nectar and pollen.  Hear bees gathering nectar.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx66zU7UFGk&sns=em      Video also captured sounds of people walking by on the narrow boardwalk.   Many families were out for a walk.

 In the same area of the flowering oaks were flowering Fuchsia-flowering Gooseberry, a favorite of Anna's Hummingbird.  Several Anna's Hummingbirds were zipping back and forth, defending their territory.

As I meandered along the boardwalk, I spotted not one but two Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.  Not far from the Gnatcatcher, a California Thrasher and an Oak Titmouse were singing a duet.  Actually, they were making call sounds, perhaps establishing their territory.  

 Mixed Flock of ducks Year 2006 - The Eurasian Wigeon is circled

Morro Bay Estuary Birds -  The Elfin Forest offers excellent overlooks where one can observe ducks, raptors, and shorebirds, and with a scope, the entire estuary.  From the overlook I could see a variety of water fowl, shorebirds and wading birds.  Birds of interest were Dowitcher, American Avocet, Black-bellied Plover, and an Osprey eating her prey while perched atop half a sunken tire.  This proved to be my lucky day as I managed to get a clear and precise view of an Eurasian Wigeon.  Finding an Eurasia Wigeon is similar to finding a needle in a haystack. The male Eurasian looks exactly like the Northern except the Eurasian has a red head.  I was delighted! 
  

Elfin Forest Birds - White-crowned Sparrow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Scrub Jay, California Thrasher, Bewick's Wren, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Anna's Hummingbird, California Quail, Turkey Vulture.

Morro Bay Estuary Water Fowl - Brant Goose, Green-winged, Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teal.  Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Eared Grebe, American Wigeon.  Thus ends the last Birding Blog for 2016.
                                 Happy New Year!