Birding Estero Bluffs Pocket Beach

Estero Bluffs State Park Ca. stretches north four miles from Cayucos to villa Creek.  I was meeting Mike at the Villa Creek parking area.  The morning's goal, a small pocket beach, a tad south of the creek.

As we progressed through the park numerous delightful trails led to views of Estero Bluffs' dramatic, rocky coastline.

The pocket beach was full of surprises.  We had a marvelous view of the beach and the birds from our perch on the bluff.  The darker birds in the damp sand are adult and juvenile Heermann's Gull; the grey and white birds, Western and Ringed-billed Gull; the white birds, Elegant and Caspian Tern, and more than likely there were one or two Royal Tern.  Two of the Caspian Tern can be seen in the below photo.  Look for a very red bill.

Here and there, particularly on and around the kelp, were Black Turnstone (below).  They become nearly invisible when feeding on kelp.  

Black Turnstone was not the only one with a taste for kelp flies and their larva.  Joining in on the feast were Willet, Whimbrel, Godwit, Long-billed Curlew, Killdeer, Black and Say's Phoebe, and an American Pipit.

Kelp flies breed on decaying kelp.  A female lays five clutches of 80 eggs each, a total of 400 eggs; the larva feeds on bacteria coming from the decaying kelp.  The warmer the weather, the faster the kelp decays, the quicker the eggs hatch.  Their life cycle is about 30 days.

A tad south of the pocket beach, a Black Oystercatcher was feeding as a wave broke over her.  She flew out of the surf and onto a higher rock.  Although a rare happening, Black Oystercatchers are capable of swimming.

The rocks the Oystercatcher was feeding on have eroded out of the Franciscan Complex which dates back about 140 million years to the late Jurassic Period.  It was rather mind boggling when I realized the Oystercatcher was feeding on a rock that was created during the late Jurassic, and that under my feet were 140 million years of geologic history. 

Like all the state parks on the Central Coast, Estero Bluffs is free and well worth a visit.

RETURNING MIGRANTS

Happy days are here again. This morning, resting along the edge of the bay, were about 300 Willet (photo), 80 or more Black-bellied Plover, and one peep (species undermined).

The Willets were observed from the Audubon Overlook in Baywood (my usual haunt). I have included a video of their sound. http://youtu.be/4FrwjbSX70Y

In mid bay a feeding frenzy was in progress - Brown Pelicans, Cormorants, Gulls, eight Elegant Tern, and two Caspian Tern. I really enjoy the Caspian Tern as they have a harsh guttural sound that makes them easy to identify. Looks like there will be no birding doldrums this summer.

SAN SIMEON CREEK

So happy to be out and about. Weather overcast, no wind - a perfect Central Coast morning. San Simeon Creek flows by the campground, under Hwy One and ends in a small rocky lagoon on San Simeon State Beach. A berm of sand prevents the creek from flowing into the sea. I was looking for a Semipalmated Sandpiper - nearly identical to a Western Sandpiper. It had been seen among a small flock of Western Sandpipers. I am not very adept at finding a needle in a haystack. The area the peeps were feeding in had moist ground, small round rocks, and bits and pieces of kelp (see photo). Yikes!!
First I saw the obvious - Handsome Semipalmated Plovers in breeding plumage, Killdeer, 2 Short-billed Dowitcher, Caspian and Elegant Tern, 4 Snowy Plovers (always a treat), Grackle, Western Sandpiper. Finally spotted the Seimpalmated Sandpiper. Its bill is a little shorter, straighter and thicker than the Western. Anyway I think I saw it. Below is a link to a photo by Roger Zachery that shows the difference between the two sandpipers. The Semipalmated is upper right.
Western Sandpipers and Semipalmated Sandpiper | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Stopped at a few spots to check for Turnstones and Tattlers. Did see a couple of Oystercatchers and numerous Long Billed Curlew and one Whimbrel and many Heermann's Gull on Cayucos State Beach. Unaccustomed to the fresh air, I was overcome with a yearning for a Starbucks. Thus my first real day of birding, in nearly a month, came to a most pleasant end.

BAYWOOD BIRDING

Three species of shore birds by the Baywood Pier - one Godwit, one Greater Yellowleg, five Killdeer. To the south/east of the pier about 50 gulls, composed of Western and Ring-billed. One lonely Snowy Egret. In the distance heard several Caspian Tern. Weather breezy and cold, sun thinking about coming out - all in all, another perfect Baywood afternoon. (photo - view of Sweet Springs from near 3rd St.)