Birding Tuesday

Sweet Springs -  From the East Overlook - Green-winged Teal, Willet, Godwit, Ring-billed Gull, and a large brace of Ruddy Duck with a smattering of Bufflehead.  To the west a smaller brace of Scaup.  Whether they were Greater Scaup or Lesser Scaup, I was unable to determine.  I am working on my Scaup ID skills.

From left to right, Lesser Scaup and Greater Scaup (google photo)  The lesser has a narrower, purplish  head and smaller bill.  The Greater is 1.5 inches larger, has roundish, greenish head, and larger bill.  I am quite convinced some birds intentionally make identification difficult.

The Pond - Watched 20 Blue-winged Teal splash down in the pond. (above)  They immediately began a vigorous, high spirited bath that entailed much splashing and dunking.  Also in the pond, Green-winged Teal, one Pied-bill Grebe, and two pair of Pintail.

The brilliant white breast of the Pintail is most evident when they are resting along the edge of the pond.  Below a male Kingfisher let itself be known as it landed on a branch.  Their distinct call is described as a loud, dry rattle.

West Overlook - Feeding along the edge of the bay, Willet, Godwit, Western Sandpiper, Greater Yellowleg, Great Blue Heron, and two Black-bellied Plover.  Looking up is a must when you want to see a Bald Eagle or an Osprey in Sweet Springs.  Looking up this fine morning produced a magnificent Bald Eagle.  Yeah!

Montaña de Oro - Black Oystercatcher Update - The family of three continue together.  Seeing this precious family warms my heart.  The juvenile, the one with the two tone bill, is feeding in a splash zone.  Oystercatcher photos by Gary O'Neill.

Where are the Dabbling Ducks?

Thursday morning at 10:00 the tide was very high (6.5).  At the Sweet Springs Preserve the extreme tide covered nearly all the pickleweed, filled in the channels and the ponds, with the exception of the tiny wetland where the springs bubbles forth. 

Usually coming into Sweet Spring on the incoming tide, dabbling ducks such as Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Green and Blue-winged Teal (above) and Cinnamon Teal adapt their dabbling to finding tasty morsels in the flooded pickleweed.

For comparison, the above photo shows the flooded pickleweed at an average tide.” 

As I entered the preserve two female deer were feeding in the new grass growing along the edge of the boardwalk.  Both of the deer alerted to my presence.  In a few moments they disappeared into the brush. 

Coots were feeding in the grass.  I guess they wanted a change from the Sea Pines Golf Course where they usually hang out.  What I did not see were dabbling ducks.

Searching the pond I noticed a mixed flock of about 20 Teal, sound asleep on the edges of the wetland.  Perhaps they were exhausted from their flight to Morro Bay.  Usually ducks notice a close human presence.  These little darling did not even blink.

Scanning the far side of the flooded pickleweed I spotted a few more Teal,  but where was the bounty of dabblers I had been expecting?  For several years I've noticed that fewer water fowl are wintering in Morro Bay.

From the photo, taken at Sweet Springs in January 2007, there is no doubt in my mind that fewer ducks are wintering in Morro Bay.     Can you find the Eurasian Wigeon?

  I am hoping that the missing dabblers are busy feeding in another area of the bay.

Sweet Springs Expands It’s Horizons

Yesterday was the Grand Opening for the "Accessible Trail and Viewing Platform" at the new Sweet Springs East.  The trail and boardwalk is about 2/3 of a mile round trip.  The boardwalk ends at the beautifully constructed viewing platform.

The viewing platform gives visual access to a section of the bay where migratory ducks and shore birds hang out, an area that has hitherto been out of sight.  (I can hardly wait to return for some serious birding.)

Earlier in the day, I birdied the usual Sweet Springs (above).   In the thickets of brush, digging thru leaf litter, were Junco, Song Sparrow, and White and Golden-crowned Sparrow.  The Golden-crowned Sparrow is a rather feisty feeder.  If another Golden-crowned gets too close, the interloper gets a quick peck on the butt.  
 
In the Eucalyptus trees, vivid black and yellow Townsend’s Warbler, Northern Flicker, pert Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and a sweet little Downey Woodpecker.  Belted Kingfisher was perched on a branch overlooking the pond.

 On my way to the overlook I heard a sound that was music to my ears, Brant Goose (about 100); the first of the season.  Along the edge of the bay, Blue-winged Teal Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Greater Yellowleg, and a beautiful Great Blue Heron.  Seeing the Brant and hearing their magical sound made my day.
 

Birding South to North

This morning's bird-a-thon began at the Baywood Pier.  A great Egret was checking the Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teal, two Greater Yellowleg were in attendance.  Nearby were 16 Brant Goose.  A few days ago a Brant count was taken, a total of 163, a drastic decline from the typical numbers of 2,000 - 3,000.

Sweet Springs 32 species.  Favorites were - Wigeon, Black-bellied plover, and a noisy Kingfisher.

Continued my bird quest south a mile or so to the ponds at the Sea Pines Golf Course.  At the larger pond were two female Common Goldeneye, an A+ sighting; the smaller pond held 5 species, Mallard, Shoveler, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, and Pied Billed Grebe.  On the grass were several hundred coots or more. The local eagle has a taste for Coots.

Next stop,  El Chorro Park, 5 miles south/east of Morro Bay.  The numerous pepper trees were loaded with plump red berries.  America Robin, some with very deep red/orange breasts, were indulging in a berry frenzy; counted 50 Robins in and under this one pepper tree (photo).   Among the Robins were, Golden and White-crowned Sparrow, Hermit Thrush and several pair of Western Bluebird.   

 A few days ago birded Estero Bluffs with Harry and Norma Catchpole.   Our feathered friends were abundant -   Pelican, Cormorant, Turnstone, Surf Scoter, Western Grebe, Whimbrel,  etc.  At Villa Creek, the northern end of Estero Bluffs we experienced a lengthy sighting of a Pectoral Sandpiper, a first for the Catchpoles.  It was concentrating on eating flies and was not alarmed by our presence.  The best sighting of the day, and probably of the month was a male Peregrine Falcon diving on a poor little Forster's Tern; the Tern managed to elude the Peregrine (yeah for the little guy).   Happy Birding!


 

SWEET SPRINGS - RETURN OF THE MIGRANTS

This morning a bevy of birds, migrating in for the fall/winter season, greeted me. Reliable old friends had, once again returned to the Central Coast. (photo - Sweet Springs High tide)

To the west of the Sweet Springs boardwalk leading out to the overlook was a White-tailed Kite sitting atop a shrub, Snowy Egret and Gr. Blue Heron, and a resident Bewick's Wren singing.  On the bay about 30 Ruddy Duck; many of the males still sported their breeding plumage, 5 Western Grebe, and 3 Scaup.

A mixed flock of ducks rested in the pickleweed along the main channel - Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Blue and Green-winged Teal. In the vicinity of the ponds, many Mallards and a Female Kingfisher.  Flitting about in the Cypress trees were Yellow-rumped and Townsend's Warbler. Oh, nearly forgot - the morning's weather was warm to hot - unusual to say the least.

A TIME OF TRANSITION

The majority of the winter migrants have left for their breeding grounds. The Blue-winged Teal (photo) from my observation are often the last to go. They breed throughout the western U. S. Their preferred nesting habitats include marshes and shallow ponds.

Teals are dabblers. They feed in shallow water, either skimming the water or dabbling below the surface. This lovely morning, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, and Northern shoveler were feeding out from the Audubon Overlook. In the shallower water a large flock of Avocet fed, bills swaying rhythmically. Many in transition to their breeding colors - their head and breast turning from white to a deep cinnamon.

On the bay was an Eared Grebe, looking exotic in its breeding plumage. Total species for this morning's birding, 27. Sweet Spring was alive with sound. Heard Pacific-slope Flycatcher (a spring migrant), Kestrel, Chickadee, Common Yellowthroat, and Kingfisher. The Kingfisher will soon be heading out. They usually nest in a tunnel which they excavate into a riverbank.

I have done much fiddling with youtube. Here goes another try. This movie is a semi-humorous attempt at birding around the Phoenix waste water treatment facility. Some of the photos are fuzzy (due to using an iTouch), but the music is jolly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCB7K3sZzAI

SWEET SPRINGS

On my way to run a few errands this morning I stopped at Sweet Springs. The day was magnificent with baby blue sky and puffy cumulus clouds. Sleeping in the pickleweed that line the channels, were several groups of Blue-winged Teal (photo, male Blue-winged Teal). Had to really look to see them, as they blended in perfectly with the vegetation.

Close to the overlook were about 28 Ruddy Duck (first sighting of the season). Love their perky tail feathers. Two Brant were nearby.

Not in a big hurry, I checked the ponds at Sea Pines Golf Course. Between the two ponds were 48 Coots; in the center of the flock were two Canada Goose. The flock was so intent upon feeding that they did not so much as raise an eyebrow when a golf ball landed in their midst.