January 2019 – My Birding World

My Birding Day: Del Valle Regional Park

January 27, 2019 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

Mushroom, Del Valle RP 2019

I stood facing the bright January sun, squinting into my camera viewfinder, holding my breath. I had to get a clear shot of this titmouse. It had black on its head, I’m sure of it. The Oak Titmice we get are all grey. Click, click, click of the camera. It flies away, I keep my focus, locate it in the tangle of lichen-oak branches. Click, click, click. I’m satisfied that I got enough pictures of it for a positive ID for my checklist, I take a calmer look through my binoculars. All grey. Oak Titmouse, piercing the air with its spring songs.

Oak Titmouse, Del Valle RP 2019

It took awhile for the adrenaline to diminish from my not-so-rare titmouse photoshoot, but we had a delightful walk with lots of birding activity surrounding us. We found the remains of a deer’s leg. Knowing that mountain lions are in the park, we finished our short hike with more caution. I imagine that birds wouldn’t care about big cats. They can simply fly away.

Yellow-Billed Magpie, Del Valle RP 2019

My favorite bird at this park is the Yellow-billed Magpie. Black top and white-bellied, it has a striking yellow bill and lower eye arc. Its wings are white and deep blue, and its tail is marvelously long. I watched one for a long while, listening to it alternate between a quiet chatter to a raucous call. Once I moved out of the way, it swooped down for its prize: fish guts at the cleaning station.

It was a good day.

Yellow-Billed Magpie, Del Valle RP 2019

Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline

January 21, 2019 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

If you’re on the way to the Oakland Airport and have some time to spare, this gem of a birding spot is the perfect place to unwind. I’ve only begun to explore this park, but every time I go, I leave with a good list of birds.

A popular spot to bird, fish, or play with kids is at the farthest parking lot after driving in. Arrowhead Marsh features grassy areas and a marsh that attracts some really cool birds.

Northern Mockingbird, MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline, 2019

Northern Mockingbirds are bountiful here. Sparrows dance all over the grass. A Burrowing Owl has made this their residence and fences were erected to protect their nesting spot. Wintering waterfowl love to hang out in the water. I recommend bringing a scope, or at the very least binoculars, to better see the Common Goldeneyes, Ruddy Ducks, Buffleheads, and a variety of grebes.

Savannah Sparrow, MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline, 2019

Eared Grebe, MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline

One of the more magical experiences for me happened just this weekend as a number of Ridgway Rails chattered all around me. I officially recorded four for my eBird checklist to be conservative, but it’s highly likely that there were many more. We were lucky enough to spot one close by, as these rails are typically shy and well-camouflaged.

Ridgway Rail, MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline

This park is frequented by locals who play with their kids, bike, jog around the perimeter, and fish. The birds seem accustomed to human presence which makes careful study of all the variety of birds easier.

Hawaii Adventure, 2014

January 17, 2019 Elizabeth Olin Comments 2 comments

Pacific Golden-Plover

“OMG I’m breathing water!” I thought to myself as I stepped off the plane into Honolulu in October 2014. It was my first time visiting Hawaii, and the first time experiencing heavy humidity. I suddenly donned a new hair style of humid frizz. I quickly learned that cockroaches, or rather flying cockroaches, profilerated in the water-air. But really I was here for the birds. And to relax, of course.

Java Sparrow, Hawaii, 2014

I was still quite an amateur birder at this point. I spent several weeks trying to study the birds I might see on Oahu, but my knowledge of available resources for research was limited. eBird would have been incredibly valuable had I known about it, but we still managed to see a lot of terrific birds.

Red-crested Cardinal, Hawaii, 2014

I desperately wanted to see a Red-crested Cardinal. Days went by without seeing one and I was getting bummed. It wasn’t until we ventured into town in search of delicious Portuguese donuts did we finally see one. The flash of brilliant red on its head was startling! Then we saw another! And another! And, well, let’s just say that there was no shortage of this inspiring bird. All we had to do was wander away from the main tourist area. Take a mental note for future trips to veer off the main drag.

Red-crested Cardinals, Hawaii, 2014

There were many fascinating species: Java Sparrows, Japanese White-Eyes, and a Yellow-fronted Canary. Also some familiar birds were around, such as the Pacific Golden-Plover, Cattle Egret, and House Sparrows. I was struck by the color differences in the pigeons, which were mainly white rather than our familiar grey birds. They did blend in more with the sand with those colors.

Rock Doves, Hawaii, 2014

My favorites were the Zebra Doves. A tiny handful of thinly-striped, tan feathers with a light turquoise streak in its face, the doves loved to hang out by my chair while I was dining outside. Their calls were so sweet, and every time I listen to their choppy calls online, I am transported back to the island and our trip.

Zebra Dove, Hawaii, 2014

I quite treasured my experience exploring such brilliantly-colored and new species. I can’t wait to visit again!

My Birding Day: Coyote Hills RP and Pacific Commons Linear Park

January 8, 2019 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

Flamingo! Wait, what? In the Bay Area?

Today I birded Coyote Hills Regional Park and Pacific Commons Linear Park. This was my first trip down to Fremont this year.

One of the oddest birds I saw today was a flamingo. It was far away but you couldn’t miss the bright pink glowing in a sea of black silhouette waterfowl. The first time I spotted this flamingo was in 2016. It’s an escapee and has been living its long life here in the Bay Area. It’s quite a sight to see – but you will need binoculars!

Super-Cropped Flamingo, Coyote Hills RP, 2016

Pacific Commons Linear Park was hopping with birds. We’ve had several days of rain and it seemed like all the birds were rushing out to grab some grub before the next rain arrives. I find that birding right before and after storms often yields a lot of bird activity.

California Scrub Jay, 2019

Bald Eagles, 2019

Golden-crowned Sparrow, 2019

White-crowned Sparrow, 2019

My favorite moment was when a beautiful Barn Owl flew in front us and landed in a nearby tree. I carefully, quietly, and quickly snapped a couple pictures and left it alone so as not to disturb it or draw attention to it. I haven’t seen a Barn Owl in over a year, so it was quite a treat.

Barn Owl, 2019

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge

January 1, 2019 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

Happy New Year!

For the past several years, my husband and I have visited the Sacramento NWR on New Year’s Day. It’s a refreshing way to begin the new year. It also guarantees a substantial list of birds for anyone starting a new annual list.

Snow Geese, 2018

Located about two hours north of the Bay Area, this water refuge is a part of a complex of several national wildlife refuges. It features a six-mile auto tour. You basically slowly drive around in a car blasting the heater on your legs (in the winter) while you poke your head out of the open car window into the freezing winter air. Visitors are permitted to stretch their legs at specified locations. These are great spots to set up a scope and take a look around.

Take Off! 2018

The main attraction in the winter is the thousands upon thousands of geese. Snow Geese, Ross’s Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese easily add up to more than 10,000 on location. When they get spooked and take up flight, it is a miraculous spectacle of birds lifting into the air. The subsequent noise with a mixture of calls and beating wings is quite memorable.

Immature Bald Eagle and Common Raven, 2017

Bald Eagles are another fun bird to observe. I’ve seen immature and adult eagles fly around and interact with the other birds. They are magnificent creatures to behold as they soar across the skies. In 2017, I was delighted to watch a Common Raven attempt to steal a partially-consumed American Coot from an eagle. The raven was boldly jumping around, and nearly on, the eagle in an attempt to snatch an easy meal.

Northern Shrike, a rarity for the area, 2018

Other fun birds are present, such as all kinds of waterfowl, sparrows, pheasants, hawks, and more. We usually take at least two hours to drive through the six miles. I’ve heard that others will ride through multiple times. If you get a chance to visit, the sheer volume of birds present will leave you with a memorable experience.

My Birding World

A Bird Blog by Elizabeth Olin

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Month: January 2019