1/8/22
Susan and Bill had visited the Valley years ago
when they came with a tour from San Diego organized by my friend Phil Pryde,
and they were back for more, along with another couple from San Diego named
Gary and Robyn! They had never been here
before, so they stood to get the most lifers, and this was to be a “clean up”
day to procure the things they missed during their previous three days of
“combat birding”!
Based on their remaining “wish list”, I had whipped up a chase plan that started at Quinta Mazatlan for the Crimson-collared Grosbeak, but I got to thinking that it might be wise to zip down to Santa Ana for the Bat Falcon if they still needed it. Turns out they had tried and missed, so we tried again, and this time he was already on his “podium” when we pulled in! The fog wasn’t quite as bad as when Kay and I went on Thursday, so everyone (including the new set of admirers) was able to get terrific views! I swear he’s enjoying all the attention! J
The latest set of birders come to enjoy the Bat Falcon (below)!
So from there we went the back way to Quinta, enjoying
several Inca Doves on the entrance road, then checked the area around the
entrance for the grosbeak. Nothing, so
we headed in, running into park naturalist John Brush and getting the latest
scuttlebutt from him. Suddenly he heard
the bird (I had heard a Ladder-backed Woodpecker call at the same time and was
wondering what he was getting so excited about J), but then I also heard the characteristic whEEEooo! call coming
from the trail! In we went (along with
several other folks), and she sounded like she was right in front of us, but just not visible!
But she was clearly making her way to the entrance trees, so over we
went, and she eventually came right out and gave everyone great views!
Happy with that, we went to check in and then sit at the amphitheater awhile since they all needed Carolina Wren (one had come in to the feeder when Kay and I were there) and Summer Tanager (I had forgotten about her until John mentioned her, and Susan picked up on that one right away). They also needed better looks at the Buff-bellied Hummingbird, and I kept hearing one rattling, but none showed themselves. A couple of Chachalacas crossed the trail on the way there, along with a couple of White-tipped Doves that flushed and gave their characteristic wing whistle. We gave the feeders about 30 minutes, where the Clay-colored Thrushes were the main visitors, along with the usual Green Jays, Kiskadees, Cardinal, White-winged Doves (including a melanistic “chocolate” dove), Orange-crowned Warblers, and singleton Long-billed and Curve-billed Thrashers, but before long who should we hear whistling but the Crimson-collared Grosbeak! She gave even better views this time, and actually landed on the platform feeder to indulge! Shortly after that the Summer Tanager called over our heads and then also came in for a bite of apple! What a show! The Carolina Wren pair at least gave us a good duet, and on the way out an Olive Sparrow popped up briefly for the crew.
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From there we were ready to head for Estero Llano
Grande State Park. They had visited the
park on their first day and had gotten the basics, but for things like the Pauraque
and “McCall’s” Screech Owl, you really need someone to show you where they are
or you’ll walk right by them! Off the
deck we got the requisite Black-bellied Whistling Duck mob and Shovelers, then
went to sit at the hummer feeder for 15.
A female Hooded Oriole was on the nectar feeder when I turned the corner
but didn’t stay put for the others (not that they were heartbroken as that’s a
backyard bird in San Diego). We didn’t have
to wait long for the Buffbelly, but unfortunately he liked the back side of the
feeder and wasn’t too cooperative for photos… L What was cooperative
was a gorgeous Altamira Oriole that claimed the nectar feeder!
White Ibis on Ibis Pond
Heading out onto the boardwalk another mob of
whistling ducks had the place guarded, but they gradually made way for us. I wanted to check Avocet Pond for the Fulvous
Whistling Duck, and thankfully we found him (but with a little difficulty
getting everyone on him)! The hybrid
Gadwall/Pintail was also there, so Robyn and Bill at least got “proof
shots”! About that time the morning bird
walk came by with park volunteers Huck Hutchins and Tom Unsinger, plus Ranger
John, and they got to see the ducks as well. Huck and John assured me that the
Pauraques were in their usual spot out at Alligator Lake and very easy to see!
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks guarding the boardwalk
The gang heads out!
Well. After
enjoying and photographing the reliable night herons and some Least Grebes (and
chatting with John and Sue Ewan apparently escaping from their volunteer duties
at Santa Ana J), we started poking around the "island", and I started sweating a little
as the “easy” Pauraques were not being easy! L Thankfully
Ranger Raul came strolling towards us, and I deferred to his younger
eyesight! He had only found one
initially, and got us on that (I was still having a hard time spotting it), but then he suddenly spotted the second
one and tested Gary to see if he could find it (and I think he did J)! Both
Robin and Bill were able to get excellent shots, and that turned out to be the
Bird of the Day for Robyn at least!
We then went to the overlook as I thought I had heard the Green Kingfisher ticking, and sure enough, she eventually came over and gave a fair view across the lake (then partially hidden views), then shot over the water a couple of times for good measure! We also had a nice look at a male Anhinga and a White Ibis high on a tree, plus a Pied-billed Grebe making a “contrail” as someone put it! On the way back Robyn and I were chatting away when we heard Gary hissing “STOP!” behind us – it was too late, of course, and we spooked a nice young Harrier that apparently would have made a glorious picture had we seen him!
From there we headed back to the Tropical Zone where Pam in the Palm (one of the staked out screech owls) had moved into a nest box that was cordoned off with yellow police tape, so she was very easy to find! About that time Tom and the group came by again and he was really trying to entice us to go all the way back to see the Great Horned Owls, but the gang opted to hit Nana’s instead, where we had a very scrumptious Mexican lunch!
Next we were off to the San Benito Wetlands where a
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher had been reported, but also a Groove-billed Ani! We didn’t get far on Mayfield Road before we
spotted three young Caracaras in the field!
The photographers piled out for that one, and one of the birds even came
in closer to investigate! What I thought
was a pale raptor at first turned out to be a Great Blue Heron J, and upon closer
inspection the field was full of them!
One of the super power poles way out there had a very white-breasted hawk that I thought was a
White-tailed at first, but Gary got his scope on it, and it actually had a
whitish head with some small brown markings – a Krider’s! (And it wasn’t an Osprey – we had one of
those, too, with a big fish!). The light
was terrible looking the other way, but what we presumed was the dark morph
Redtail that had been hanging around was also on a post.
Stopped along Mayfield Road for a Caracara (below)
Closer to the actual wetlands we logged some nice
things: Vermilion Flycatcher, Black
Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, and Black-necked Stilts in the ponds. Several Black Vultures were circling with the
TVs, along with several White Pelicans!
Finally near one of the ponds we found the ani! What great looks! Sadly no Scissortail (although a guy we had
just talked to did find it), but a consolation prize was a Merlin on the way out.
San Benito Wetlands
We headed home after that with 69 species for the
day! Bird list!
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mottled Duck
Northern Pintail
Plain Chachalaca
Least Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Inca Dove
White-tipped Dove
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Groove-billed Ani
Common Pauraque
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Common Gallinule
American Coot
Black-necked Stilt
Least Sandpiper
Anhinga
Double-crested Cormorant
American White Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
White Ibis
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Eastern Screech-Owl
Green Kingfisher
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Crested Caracara
American Kestrel
Merlin
Bat Falcon
Black Phoebe
Eastern Phoebe
Vermilion Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
White-eyed Vireo
Loggerhead Shrike
Green Jay
Black-crested Titmouse
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
House Wren
Carolina Wren
Curve-billed Thrasher
Long-billed Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Clay-colored Thrush
House Sparrow
Olive Sparrow
Hooded Oriole
Altamira Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Summer Tanager
Crimson-collared Grosbeak
Northern Cardinal
Great summary, Mary Beth! Loved the day - you were wonderful.
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