BIRDING THERE AND HERE

Passed through Pacific Grove on the way home from a visit with relatives. (The photo is much to blue. I was experimenting with a new photo App. ) Birds were few and far between.  Although, along the road, feeding in the muck of a golf course pond sprouting numerous golf balls, was a small cluster of shorebirds - one Whimbrel, 4 least Sandpiper, and a bird I had not seen for several years, a Dunlin; it has a slightly thicker, down turned bill, and is a little larger than a Least Sandpiper.

Meandered down fog shrouded Hwy 1 -  Pulled off at Piedras Blancas.  No view of lighthouse due to dense fog.  On the beach, Godwit, Willet and a large flock of Heermann's Gull - nothing to write home about.

This morning checked out the low tide at Morro Strand North Point.  Low tide is the perfect time to see the Oyster Catchers, Turnstones and Surf Birds feeding on the rocks, but to my amazement, there were no rocks, as they had been completely covered by sand, which goes to prove the adage, "nothing stays the same."  I was enjoying the scampering of Semipalmated Plovers when a woman with a unleashed dog appeared. Obviously she missed the "No Dogs Allowed on the Beach" sign.

Oh well, I'll check out my home turf.  Along the Baywood boardwalk grows a couple stands of blooming Fennel.  Feeding in them were four Yellow Warblers.  Now that was a major treat.

Not far out from the pier, a feeding frenzy was in full progress.  Elegant, Royal, and Forster's Tern, along with Brown Pelican were diving for the little fish.  There were scads of Double-crested Cormorant, Harbor Seals, and gulls, looking for leftovers.  Sound of Feeding Frenzy http://youtu.be/j2alkP3MCLo

 If I had to rate the last few days of birding, foggy Baywood would be numero uno.  

Drove north on Hwy 1 to Pacific Grove. Feeding along the creek at San Simeon State Park, were 8 Dowitchers. Were they Long-billed or Short-billed Dowitchers? The long-billed variety is more likely to be seen near fresh water than the short-billed, so perhaps they were Long-billed Dowitcher and then again, perhaps not. I do enjoy the conundrums of birding. A male Kingfisher was diving for his breakfast (at least I had no trouble identifying him).

Point Lobos State Park - Windy, clear, and beautiful. Many Cormorants, Pelicans, Sea Lions, numerous Yellow-rumped Warbler and a few White-crowned Sp. Did not see any shore birds. The swells were large and crashing against the rocks.

Pacific Grove - (photo) There is an excellent path that winds along the entire coast of Pacific Beach. (every other person in Pacific Grove, regardless of age, jogs) The waves had deposited large piles of kelp on the rocks. Feasting on kelp flies were flocks of Black Turnstone. There are nearly the same color as the wet kelp and when not moving can be difficult to see. Joining in on the yummy feast were numerous Yellow-rumped Warbler (my those little guys get around) and Black Phoebe.

Came across a birder with a scope. He showed me my very first view of a Northern Fulmer (exciting). They were flying by and bobbing in the swells.

Asilomar State Beach - On the rocks were Black Turnstone, Surfbird, Willet, Sanderling, and Whimbrel. Two of the Whimbrel had sky blue legs which I found rather unusual. On the way back home I thought I saw a Reddish Egret in a small pond near Abandoned Motel State Park. By the time I was able to turn around and take another look, it was gone. I have to work on my, birding while driving, skills.