BIRDING THE MARINA AND SWEET SPRINGS

Monday morning - Only a few feet into the Marina Boardwalk, when from overhead, came a pesky squacking - a Peregrine Falcon with a small bird clutched in its deadly talons was being chased by a Red-tailed Hawk.  Then from out of the blue, came three Red-shouldered Hawks.  The falcon with its prey sped off over the bay with Hawks following.  The entire drama happened in about a minute. (note: try not to blink when birding, you might miss the action)

Due to the morning's high tide White Pelicans were fairly close. (photo by Mike Baird)  They usually hang out on Grassy Island in the middle of the bay, but during high tides they can be seen floating in the estuary channels or resting on the Pickleweed.  Directly across the channel from the Pelicans were a huge flock of Willet, Curlew, and Godwit.

Several Birders were clustered together looking intently into the brush for the Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow.  Do hope they were successful.  Best sighting from the Marina Boardwalk:  Lincoln Sparrow, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Yellow Warbler, and a hovering Kingfisher.

Sweet Springs never disappoints; observed a male Downy Woodpecker, the Smallest North American Woodpecker.  Its drumming sound, compared to other Woodpeckers, is quite delicate.  And from the overlook watched a flock of about 200 Brant Goose swoop in for a landing along the edge of the pickleweed.

The highlight of the week was a Red-breasted Nuthatch in my front yard.  It landed at the top of a bottle brush tree, crept down, flew over to the bird bath, took a few sips of water, flew back to the top of the tree, foraged around and flew off.  Hope the little darling makes a return visit.

THE BRANT GOOSE

The Brant is a small goose that feeds in Morro Bay during the winter and breeds on the high arctic tundra during the summer.  At the time I moved here, about 17 years ago, there were a couple thousand Brant wintering on the bay.  Unfortunately, the number of Brant overwintering in Morro Bay has steadily diminished over the past decade (last year less than 200).

Possible explanations include climate change and a reduction of the amount of eelgrass, the birds main food source.  And due to shifting storm patterns, in some years, a third of the population may winter in Alaska.

Yesterday about 130 Brant were seen in Baywood Cove.  This morning I was determined to find the Brant.  It might be my only chance to see them this year.  My first stop was Sweet Springs, where one can get a good view of the Baywood Cove - no Brant.  I did observe a small flock in flight that was moving south toward Shark Inlet.

Shark Inlet, the most southern section of the bay, was beautiful.  About a mile out was a large flock of Scaup, Ruddy Duck, and Bufflehead - no Brant.

I headed into Morro Bay; last year the Brant fed on eelgrass in the channel - no luck.  Last stop was the Marina where one can get a broad view of the bay and the estuary - no Brant.  On the little hill directly above the marina is the Museum of Natural History.  They have a scope and also a view of Grassy Island where Brant are known to haul out.  The scope made all the difference; on a narrow sandbar, the one in the foreground of the photo, were 50 or so Brant.  Success!!

Unfortunately, at the southern (left) edge of the island, the broadest dark area of the photo, a hunter had set up his decoys and was waiting for an unsuspecting Brant.  It seems a crime to take the life of a small goose, that mates for life, and has just flown nonstop from Alaska to Morro Bay. 

(note:  a portion of Morro Bay is designated as a state and national bird sanctuary.  This means it is illegal to kill or harm a bird in that portion of the bay.)  I feel it is time to extend the sanctuary designation to the entire bay.












 

NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow's primary winter habitat is the pickle weed of the Morro Bay Estuary.  The only time one can see this little, three to five inch beauty, is when a very high tide covers the pickle weed and forces the Sparrow to fly inland.  Sunday morning at 11:00 the 5.8 high tide was perfect for a possible viewing of the Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow.

Fortunately for birders, this little darling seems to prefer the brush located at the eastern end of the Marina Boardwalk (just around the first bend).  After a bit of looking at White-crowned and Savannah Sparrow, the little darling popped out of the dry brush and posed for a couple of minutes - the view was perfect.  I have to admit that this sighting was a "birding moment."

OCEANO LAGOON: A Warbling We Will Go!

The Oceano Lagoon Trail - Try to imagine you are looking in this tangle of willows (above photo) for a song bird that ranges in size from 4 1/2 inches to 5 1/2 inches.  These swiftly moving little Warbler could be clad in greenish/yellow, white/yellow/black, yellow and black, brightish yellow, black and white, yellow/greyish, etc; they blend in with the vegetation.  Willow leaves can turn a bright yellow in the fall which makes it easy to mistake a falling leaf for a Yellow Warbler. (help!)

I do prefer Warblers that have unique identifying marks, such as the Black-throated Gray that has a tiny yellow spot in front of its eye (see photo).  One does not always see the yellow spot, so at a distance and with poor warbling skills, such as I have, one could be looking at a Black and White Warbler instead of a Black-throated Gray Warbler.  (I know that from experience.)

Keep in mind Warblers are seldom at one spot more than a second or two.  Once you see movement, which often is directly overhead in the top branches of a huge willow, you must bring your binoculars up, adjust focus then attempt to locate the bird that a moment ago was flitting through the trees but now is nowhere to be seen and has probably flown to the other side of the lagoon. Warbling takes great patience and a versatile neck.

We (Harry, Norma, and I) arrived at the Lagoon about 9:00.  Conditions were perfect, clear blue sky, mild temp., and no wind.  After three hours of Warbling we had identified 26 species (not all Warblers).  The most notable were four species of Warbler, Black-throated Gray, Black and White, Blackpoll and Yellow.  There were also large flocks of Yellow-rumped Warbler and Townsend's Warbler.

Nearing the point of Warbler overload, we returned to the car, refreshed ourselves with coffee and homemade brownie tidbits.  Not yet finished with our birding extravaganza, we checked out the pond across the road from the lagoon.  Grackles were in the reeds and hanging out with the domestic geese was a snowy white Snow Goose.

To celebrate our success at finding a variety of Warblers, we drove into San Luis Obispo where we enjoyed a scrumptious lunch at the Natural Cafe . . . . .  (Note: proper nutrition is necessary after a morning of intense birding)

CLOISTER'S POND

This afternoon around 2:30 visited Cloister's Pond.  I had heard from a friend that the reeds blocking the view of the pond had been trimmed.  The above photo was taken from the main overlook.  The reeds had been trimmed, a more complete job than last year, and the refuse removed (yeah!).  The trimmed area, the brown in the above photo, appeared to offer much to eat.  Two Sora, a mature and a juvenile were foraging and swimming back and forth - great sighting of both birds.  Busy seeking out tasty items were Song Sparrow, White and Golden-crowned Sparrow, and 2 Orange-crowned Warblers. On the sand peninsula a beautiful Killdeer was busy feeding.  In the reeds were numerous Red-winged Blackbirds; on the water one Pied-billed Grebe and numerous Mallards.

The viewing area to the north had also been trimmed - a real treat, as the reeds totally blocked off the view of the water (above photo).  At the present time only Mallards were to be seen, although in the far section of reeds several Black-crowned Night Herons roosted.  I am greatly appreciative for the reed trimming, as I will be leading a bird walk at the Cloisters for the Morro Bay 2014 Winter Bird Festival.

Might you be interested in  http://www.morrobaybirdfestival.org/  Attending the festival is a great way to spend a winter day or weekend.

This is the time of year for Warblers to be passing by.  Get out your binocs. and check out your back/front yard and any nearby park or moist area with trees and shrubs.   Enjoy!!

WINDY WEATHER

Fall winds were churning up the bay this morning.  At the Audubon Overlook was a assortment of shorebirds.  Most notable was a Black-necked Stilt (photo taken on Parkfield Road in SLO County).  The Stilt was a beauty; her graceful long legs were very pink.  She was among a mixed flock of Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitcher (photo), Western Sandpiper, and two Black-bellied Plovers.

The wind was such, that as the graceful Stilt attempted to move and feed in the shallow water, the wind blew her sideways.  The other birds, not having the height of the stilt were not blown about.  Black-necked Stilts have the second-longest legs in proportion to their body of any bird, exceeded only by Flamingos.

 Working my way through the Los Osos sewer construction, managed to get to Cuesta Inlet and Pecho Willows.  Although quite windy on the west facing side of the bay, it did nothing to hamper a feeding frenzy that had just begun.  The first to arrive were the Terns, next Double-crested Cormorant, and finally Brown Pelican.

I find the intense noise of the sewer construction extremely distracting on my limited birding skills.  Tomorrow morning; no later that 8:00, I am promising myself, that I will bird in peace and quiet, Islay Creek mouth, and the campground at Montana de Oro St. Park.

CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER

I had to post the sighting of this adorable beauty.  On a little side street across from Sweet Springs I spotted this little darling working a shrubby oak.  I was very close to it and got a great look.  This is the time of year the migrant warblers come for a brief visit.

The photo is borrowed from the internet,; it looks exactly like the bird I saw.