Birding On The Ninth Day Of Christmas

On the Ninth day of Christmas Mother Nature gave to all. . . 9 Brant a Chattering

8  Willet Flying

7  Teal a Paddling . . .

6  Tern a Standing . . . 

5  Ruddy Duck a Gliding . . .

4  Goslings a Gandering . . .

3  Vultures Feasting . . .

2  Godwit Probing . .  .

And a Bald Eagle in an Old Tree.

           Wishing you Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah

                     

            

                    

The Morro Bay Winter Bird Olympics

The 2018 Morro Bay Winter Bird Olympics occurs annually with little fanfare.  The participants train rigorously in hopes of qualifying for their favored event.  All events are family oriented and free to the public.

    *  Highlights of Events  *

High Dive - Carl Cormorant, from Monterey California, is drying his wings after a successful dive earning him first place in the High Dive competition.  His spectacular dive was from a height of 67.8 feet. 

The Golf Course Waddle - From flag to pond - Coot participants were arranged into teams of 60.  Winning requires each team member to circle the flag once, then head directly to the pond.  The Coots, having difficulty understanding the instructions, got off to a slow start.

Female Wet Sand Probing - Team members have a total of 30 seconds to display a sand crab clutched snugly in their bill.  Much to their surprise and delight Glenda and Gladys Godwit were awarded third place with a time of 28.21 seconds.  Since the female Godwit has a longer bill than the male (who would have figured), there were two probing events.

Three Tern judges had to disqualify the Nevada male Godwit Probing Team, as they were found to be using a forbidden chemical on their bill-tips to increase sensitivity.  After the decision the judges were heard to say, "The Winter Bird Olympics does have its twists and terns."

Synchronized Diving - Open to all diving ducks - Last year the mostly female Scaup team, from the West Coast of Siberia, came in third with a 5.3 out of 6 score.  Alexy Kuznetsov, the team captain, and the only male on the team, was confident they would receive a high score, and indeed they did - “7.0” - the highest score ever recorded at the Winter Bird Olympics.  The crowd went wild with joy.  The seven member team will take ample time resting and enjoying the fine cuisine in Morro Bay before they fly back to Siberia.

 Small Duck Dive and Eat - Open to all small diving ducks - The small duck is given 60 seconds to locate and consume an Aquatic insect.  With little effort Babs Bufflehead from the Muriel Lake region of Vancouver Island won the event with an unbelievable time of 38.8 seconds.  Babs said she owed her success to the undying support of her friends and family.

Snowy Plover Rock Hopping - Rock hopping has become the most popular event of the Winter Bird Olympics.  A successful hop is accomplished when both feet land on the rock.  If a foot touches the sand the team member has to start over.  The team with the most successful hops in 90 seconds is the winner.  Peter and Prudence Plover from San Simeon were dazed and speechless when they heard over the loud speaker they had won the event.   

Well, I think you have an idea of what to expect at the next Morro Bay Winter Bird Olympics.  It is a unique experience and something you will talk about for years.  If you are coming from out of town make your motel reservations early.  Bring warm clothing, food and drink, sun screen, and binoculars. A flashlight is essential, as many of the birds do their best performance at night or in the wee hours of the morning.

Birding Near - Birding Afar

        Sweet Springs Pickleweed at Low Tide 
Birding Near - Sweet Springs, a beautiful misty morning with an incoming tide.  The only sounds were those of the birds.  High in a tree came the penetrating sound of a Northern Flicker - music to my ears.

In the flooded Pickleweed 10 newly arrived Blue-winged Teal fed; with endless patience a Great Egret sought its prey.  (below photo)

 Along the edge of the bay Great Blue Heron and Snowy Egret.  Four Greater Yellowleg arrived, calling as they come in for a landing; Black Phoebe flycatched from a partly submerged snag.

In the reeds, Common Yellowthroat and Song Sparrow.  From a Eucalyptus on the edge of the water came the grating call of a Belted Kingfisher.   My euphoria was interrupted as an Osprey silently passed by - always a pleasure seeing this powerful raptor.  (photo by Jerry Kirkhart)  

Birding Afar - Mono Lake - Located on the Eastern side of California's Sierra Nevada mountain range, depending on road conditions 5 to 6 hours from the Central Coast. 

Mono Lake is a vital stop on the Pacific Flyway.  There is a possibility that some of the migratory birds that arrive in Morro Bay have stopped at Mono Lake to rest, molt and feast on the abundant alkali flies and brine shrimp that inhabit the lake. 

On the lake were thousands of Eared Grebes in winter plumage (above) and thousands of Ruddy Ducks.  Eared Grebe arrive at Mono Lake in greater numbers than any other species. Surveys have shown that there are nearly a million Grebe on the lake in the fall; they may double or triple their weight as they feast on the brine shrimp.  Some get too fat to fly and must lose weight before departing for their winter destination.  It is difficult to imagine an overweight Eared Grebe.

Birding Baywood

Birding Baywood - Weather perfect, slight breeze - The Audubon Overlook is located at the north end of 4th St.  Below is a view of Morro Bay taken from the overlook, when it is not foggy of course.  Morro Rock, to the far left,  and the hills are remnants of volcanoes created about 20 million years ago.

Four Greater Yellowleg, looking positively splendid in their transitional plumage, were preening themselves by the waters edge.

Six Whimbrel were sleeping, eight Godwit and a Long-billed Curlew were looking for edibles in the pickleweed, and a Black-bellied Plover accompanied a small flock of Western Sandpiper.  Dependable Black Phoebe was busy flycatching. 

Next stop, the 3rd St. Coastal Access, a sweet little path takes one down to the bay.

The path is lined with pink blooming mallow and blooming fennel which smells like licorice.  The fennel bulb can be grilled or braised.  I have yet to try it.  From here one can walk, if the tide is not high, to the Baywood Coffee shop and the Baywood Pier.  Forster's and Elegant Tern were, with great gusto, diving for fish.  Elegant Tern has a very piercing and sharp kee-rick call where as the Forster's has a loud, heavy k-yarr call.  The sounds coming from the Terns were positively delightful. 

Migratory Terns, mainly Elegant, with a smattering of Royal and the occasional Caspian, gather in large flocks on the Morro Strand Beach.  The adults are kept busy feeding the fussy juveniles.  Can you find the Royal Terns?

While the feeding melee was going on a Double-crested Cormorant and a Snowy Egret were having a disagreement over feeding rights.  As I walked along the edge of the bay, a Cooper's Hawk sped by and four Canada Goose honked as they passed overhead.  In the area of the Baywood Pier were eight Ring-billed Gull.  Birding Baywood was delightful!  Now, isn't that interesting, my walk ended at the coffee shop.

 Спасибо за чтение моего блога бирдинг.
Spasibo za chteniye moyego bloga birding.
Merci d'avoir lu mon blog d'observation des oiseaux.
Vielen Dank für meine Vögel beobachten Blog zu lesen.
Thank you for reading my birding blog

Birding Morro Bay Beach

Morro Bay Beach - Weather coolish, cloudy and breezy.  As you can see in the photo the beach was very quiet.  I was hoping to see two winter visitors, Bonaparte's Gull and Mew Gull.  Fortunately there were only a few gulls on the beach, making it easier to spot the little migrants as they moved between a small beach pond and the edge of the surf. 
 
Bonaparte's Gull at 12-13 inches in length is the smallest gull (photo above).  Both gulls breed in Alaska and Northern Canada and winter along the west coast.  A fascinating aspect of the Mew Gull (photo below) is that it is the only gull that nests in trees.  And you will never guess who Bonaparte's Gulls are named after  -  Napoleon's brother, Charles Lucien Bonaparte who was a leading ornithologist in the 1800's. 

When trying to ID the Bonaparte's Gull and the Mew Gull keep in mind they are about 1/2 the size of a common Western Gull and are often alone or on the edge of a group of Gulls. 

Other beach birds - Feeding in the breaking surf was a mixed flock of Surf Scoter, female Bufflehead, and Eared Grebe.   Farther out was a flock of Western Grebe.   After a chilly hour of birding the beach it was time for a cup of tea.

BIRDING THE MIGRANTS

First stop - Turri Road Ponds - In the farthest pond from South Bay Blvd. several hundred Least and Western Sandpiper (photo) and one Spotted Sandpiper.  It is hard to imagine, that these precious little sandpipers have recently flown in from their breeding grounds in Alaska.

Back to Baywood - I was focused on the ponds this morning and neglected to check out the action from the estuary access path at the north end of 4th St.  Wonderful sighting of 4 Black-bellied Plover in their breeding finery.  Another week or so, their breeding colors will change to a soft sand color.  Also present were Long-billed Curlew, Godwit, Willet, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, and numerous Semipalmated Plover who breed on mossy tundra from Alaska to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. (the Semipalmated Plover photo was taken on Morro Strand Beach)

Checked out the mouth of Morro Creek.  Nothing notable. Could hear the grating "karreck" of the Elegant Tern - a sound that is music to my ears.

On to the Marina Boardwalk - slim pickings - Black Phoebe and one White-crowned Sparrow, who looked like he wished it was spring again.

 Along the edge of the pickle weed, nearly lost in the fog, was a large flock of sandpipers, Dowitcher, Curlew,  and Godwit.  Further along, a huge flock of Brown Pelican and Egret.

On the way home stopped by Sweet Springs - 20 species - scads and scads of Chickadee, and a noisy Kingfisher - a pleasant end to a wonderful morning of birding.

  

BOARDWALK MANIA

In my last blog I said I would return to the boardwalk the next morning to experience the 6.8 tide (photo - Black Phoebe on posts). At 9:00 I was the only person on the boardwalk  As a result of this tide, the birds such as Savannah Sparrow and Yellow-rumped Warbler, that forage in the pickleweed (now flooded),  were in the brush along the boardwalk; as a consequence they were very easy to observe.  A major treat was seeing two pair of Palm Warbler.

Now, we need to fast forward - Yesterday I introduced 4 friends, two from out of town to the cornucopia of birds that can be seen from the boardwalk and trail.  Before we had set one foot on the boardwalk we had already seen 3 species of Grebe and a Kingfisher.  Thousands of shore birds were feeding and resting in the estuary.  A large flock of Brant Goose kept us company with their constant chatter.  Cormorants and assorted shorebirds swirled overhead. 

Three perky Blue-gray Gnatcatcher entertained us and, to our amazement we had wonderful sightings of two Palm Warblers - look for the bobbing tail.  As we exited the boardwalk onto the tail that runs along the marina, there bobbing along, was my little darling, the Spotted Sandpiper. One and a half hours of birding netted us 31 species, that is without a scope.  At the end of our walk we were in total agreement that we had just experienced birding at its best.

PEREGRINE FALCON REHABILITATED

Yesterday I had the pleasure of participating in the release of a rehabilitated juvenile, female Peregrine Falcon. The Peregrine was found on the sandspit on June 26; one of her wings had been broken. She was rehabilitated by Jeri Roberts' at her raptor rehab center. Peregrine photo by Mike Baird. It is not the bird that was released, but could be kin.

Arrangements had been made with the Morro Bay Harbor Patrol to take the Peregrine to the area where she had been found. Jeri arrived with the Peregrine in a cooler, which was just the right size to keep the raptor confined but safe. One end is wire. The ride to the sandspit was delightful. No wind. The Peregrine exited the carrier with great power and soared across the bay. There was some speculation that she was one of the four Peregrines that fledged on the south side of Morro Rock this year. For your viewing pleasure have a less than a minute vide of the experience.  http://youtu.be/M0aC3V7fWAc