Birds visiting from the Big North

Another day, another search for interesting birdies. Early in the morning, Don and I headed south. It was late yesterday, Don found out there was a bird that was 'cool' in more ways than one, in Monterey Harbor - a bird that a number of years ago, I'd traveled all the way to Attu in the Aleutians islands to see. I didn't get a photo of it there, but now I had a chance at photographing the bird, so I was just as excited as Don to get to Monterey and find the bird.

A narrow bit of Monterey Harbor, featuring a few of its ever-present sea lions

Once there, we slowly waddled our way over iced up plastic boards, to get to the end of a wharf I've visited numerous times before. We scanned the waters below, but no sign of our target - the Arctic Loon. Then, across the waters, we spotted the next wharf down, & at it's point, we spotted at least a dozen birders - easily recognizable for their spotting scopes, binoculars and camera equipment. We headed on over.

It was a long slog for tubby me to get over to the 2nd wharf, but the trek was worth it. The Arctic Loon was bobbing around the harbor, giving every birder plenty of time to admire it's sharp good looks.

Arctic Loon, cruising about in Monterey Bay

The Arctic Loon nabbed a fish, near as big as its head

GULP!

There were plenty of other good water birds in the Harbor. There were a few Northern Fulmars which normally I only get to see on Pelagic trips. A single Harlequin Duck was way over on the other side of the habor, in an obvious attempt at thwarting me and my camera. Silly bird! Could have been showcased here... *harump* Of course there were also loads of Brant, Double-crested & Pelagic Cormorants.

This Pelagic Cormorant floated on a gleaming patch of waters as colorful as itself

With his first lifer of the year under his belt, we headed along the coast, stopping to search for interesting shore birds. We made a stop in Pacific Grove to search for a wayward juvenile Vermillion Flycatcher, but the bird was a no-show. Rats!

Loads of Black Turnstones, a Snowy Egret & lone Surfbird (find the Surfbird!) hold down this off shore boulder

On our way back north, we stopped at Norma's a tiny cafe in Castroville for brunch. Full up, we drove on to some fields just south of San Jose. We were in the middle of nowhere, but still we ran into carloads of birders, all there for a decent look at the same raptor we sought - the Ferruginous Hawk.

A snowy breast with red leggings ID this sitting Ferruginous beauty

Not joking about the High Voltage!

Ferruginous dropping its landing gear for a 2 point landing

There were three of the tundra nesting hawks in the field. They put on quite a good show for everyone, zooming about the agricultural field, in company of vultures & Red-tailed Hawks. I've had close looks at a Ferruginous before, but it was decades ago. This time I had my camera with me and while my photos aren't going to make National Geographic, I feel pretty happy with them.

Ooops - a bit too much tail wind for this bird.

So! It was a good two days of birding - one lifer for Don, and better yet, one lifer for me. No clue what other birds new to me, will show up this year, but here's hoping they're as numerous as they will be exciting.

The Little Sapphire of Pescadero

My first post of the new year, and yes, it's all about the birds. A little sapphire gem of a bird showed up in Pescadero and following its own little agenda, it seems to have decided to overwinter on Pescadero Creek Road in San Mateo County. The species is normally only found in the Eastern half of North America.  My birder buddy  Don, saw the bird week ago, and I joined him this weekend for 2 days of birding. Our first stop was a cute little apple orchard where the Warbler hangs out.

Don, on the lookout for the the vagrant warbler

I must say, the man who owns the property where the warbler is, is a rara ava himself. He is so  incredibly accommodating to birders, if only there were some award we could give him for being so wonderful. When the owner saw Don and I hanging out, scanning his orchard through his front gate, he didn't go all postal on us chasing us away, he instead greeted us, telling us he would leave his side gate open, to improve our chance of spotting the bird. It's wonderful knowing there are such kind people out there to offset the uh... not so kind.

Hermit Warbler in lichen swathed apple tree

Back to the bird! We were near freezing as we watched a parade of birds in the orchard - Fox and Golden-crowned Sparrows, American Robins, California Towhees and jaunty Hermit Thrushes.










Then, across the street from the orchard, I spotted a few birds shooting into a pine tree and the game was on! Soon I was capturing glimpses of a little slaty blue bird, and the occasional perfect profile of a male Black-throated Blue Warbler. The bird then shot into the orchard, settling in a tree by the gate, where he picked away at an old apple. Who knew warblers ate apple? 

The Male Black-throated Blue Warbler

An apple a day, keeps the Sharp-shinned Hawk away

I think we stood watching the bird for maybe as long as five minutes before it continued on its morning peregrination. We actually left the site, returning a hour later and respotted the bird, though the second time I got no shots of it. That only gave me an improved appreciation of how lucky I was the bird was so cooperative, standing still for such a long time. What could I possibly appreciate more than a photogenic lifer species for me?

We decided to stop at the Arcangel's Market to buy sandwiches for lunch and stock up on the wonderful fresh baked bread they always have for sale. Yum!

Busy little Townsend's Warbler, behind the Arcangeli Market in Pescadero

Before we left Pescadero I took a shot of the not-found-in-Pescadero hummingbird on painted on the side of a gas station building. No clue of the murel's significance, but it is pretty.




Our next stop was the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, to look for Ancient Murrelets which we heard were seen there the previous day, just off shore.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Flotilla of Red-breasted Merganser drakes

This fellow seems particularly proud of himself

I would loved a good look at Ancient Murrelettes, but alas, the little alcids were already off to another location. There were loads of Red-breasted Mergansers, Black Turnstones & such.

From behind the lighthouse here, we spotted White-winged Scoters and other seabirds

This was the first time I ever actually took any time to look around the light house. There is a lot to look at, though I only bothered myself with birding. The lighthouse has a tourist hostel that I hope some day to stay at.

 After leaving Pigeon Point, we drove on down to Santa Cruz, in search of a little Black & White Warbler that was said to be cruzing a little narrow strip of a park near the ocean front. The bird was a no show, but oh well, at least the search gave me a chance to end the day nearly freezing my butt off, yet again. That was our last birdie hunt for the day - One lifer for me, and I call that a great day.

I interupt your holiday festivities...

I interrupt my usual belated retelling of a vacation to say I hope everyone had a fun, nutritious n' delicious Thanksgiving. Mine was a teensy bit different from usual at the outset because I have a house guest, my friend Barbara who is staying with me for a bit. When I got connected to my Thanksgiving buddies Rick, Nancy & their boys, Diego and Adan, I found out instead of Thanksgiving at their place, it is at Leila's home. Leila is a long time friend of Rick & Nancy, both families and their 2 sons each, have been friends since, using Traveling Wilbury's lingo, "..since they wuz babies". I've been acquainted with Leila over the years through R&N.

My first attempt ever at sweet 'tater pies - not bad!

First off, Leila was amazingly kind enough to automatically not only extend her invitation to me, but to my house guest Barbara. So, armed with a pair of Chez Claire sweet 'tater pies, one with, the other w/o walnuts, we headed over to Leila's quiet little neighborhood.

Leila, making the Thanksgiving miracle happen

I'd never been to Leila's house, but somehow when I saw the two HUMONGOUS boys in the front yard, I recognized her sons I've met in years past, and her ex, Peter. YIKES! The last time I saw Leila's sons, Matt & Evan, when they were wee ones, racing through R&N's house like turbo dynamos, Wii gaming or some such with Diego & Adan. None of the four boys are wee ones now.

Diego and Evan (am godawful with faces/names, so if I'm wrong, forgive me Evan!)

Adan and Matt

 Soon all the guests, which happily even included Tippy (R&N's faithful doggie) had arrived and we all pitched in to do some little task, as Leila worked kitchen magic. She earnestly told us she was no cook, then turned about, preparing the most awesomely delish Thanksgiving feast I've had in years. It was amazing because Leila is Lebanese so, as with us all, her dishes reflected her heritage. So not only did we have turkey, stuffing and cranberry dressing, we had multi-greens salad with fresh mint and pomegranate seeds among the mix, leg of lamb with pomegranate molasses in the gravy, hearts of palm, lentels and rice, rice with onions, almond & pine nuts and I'm sure other dishes temporarily eluding my memory. During the meal I asked what one especially tasty tidbit was, and it was baba ghanoush!  I was tickled, because the only baba ganoush I'd ever tried was store bought and perfectly ghastly. How fun to discover I do like the Middle-eastern eggplant dish when it is properly prepared by a genuine Middle-easterner with culinary skills. Oh yum... 

And the feasting commenced in earnst

So, I ought to add the food, though exemplary, wasn't the best thing about the meal. As I'm near always lucky enough to say, the company was the best thing about our holiday feast. I kept finding myself laughing out loud, probably setting everyone else's ear drums to near shattering. Oh well. What you can you do when you're having that much fun, eh? Hope everyone I know out there had as lovely and fun a Thanksgiving as I had.