Miscellaneous – Page 3 – My Birding World

Chasing the Harris’s Sparrow

March 19, 2019 Elizabeth Olin

It was the first warm, sunny day in months. I reluctantly slathered on sunscreen, loathing the oily liquid on my skin but knowing that I would be fried to a crisp without it. Binoculars in place, camera ready, energy bar in pocket, we were ready to chase after the rare Harris’s Sparrow.

After getting tips from a birder returning to his car, we set out in the Diablo Foothills to scan all the flocks of Golden-crowned Sparrows, knowing that our target bird was associating with a group of them. I was delighted to see Lark Sparrows, which is not a common sight for me. Their boldly striped face is unique and I was distracted by them for quite a while.

Lark Sparrow, 2019

Another birder joined the search, as is often the case when an unusual visitor arrives, and we split up locations to improve our chances of finding the sparrow. I kept on going back to a picnic area that was calling to me. But after multiple visits to that area, I headed towards another spot that was conveniently located near the restrooms. Our new birder friend stayed at the picnic area. Wouldn’t you know, after we left the little guy showed up! I saw the big camera lens come out and that was my cue to race back to the picnic area. I got there just in time to see it fly off to a distant tree.

Harris’s Sparrow, 2019

I easily spotted the sparrow, who relaxed between leaves. What a beautiful little bird! It had a brilliant white chest with black smudges at the top along with black on its chin and part of its head. I was entranced by its beauty, so much so that I watched it long after our birder friend left. I only stopped watching because it eventually flew away and I lost track of him.

Happy, we went back to the car and shared its location with a birder hoping to catch a glimpse of our rarity. I hope he was able to find it.

Rainy Day Birding

February 16, 2019 Elizabeth Olin

California Scrub-Jay, 2019

The weather in the Bay Area has been unusual the past several weeks. I’ve become so accustomed to drought conditions, and now I’m in a bit of shock with freezing temperatures leading to inches of snow on our local hills and rain, rain, rain!

Yellow-Rumped Warbler looking for food minutes before the rain started, 2019

I escaped the office during the noon hour to slip in a few minutes of birding between the downpours from the “atmospheric river” flowing through the skies. In a small patch of trees and grass, dozens of Dark-eyed Juncos were hopping, chirping, singing, and fighting. It was a grand meet-up of the juncos to get in food and territorial claims before the next round of wetness. I watched Bushtits with hyper energy rummaging through the bushes. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet appeared annoyed (if I may anthropomorphize) as it was continuously greeted with light rain drops produced by a towering Redwood tree. It popped in and out of its bush shaking off the sprinkles landing on its wings.

Bushtit against cloudy skies, 2019

I find that birding during rainy days is a treat. If you don’t want to bird in active rain, the key is to time your outings in between storms. I’ve observed plenty of birds out and about in rainy conditions, but the party really gets started during those brief dry moments. Put on your rain gear, bring an umbrella, and enjoy the sights and sounds of a rainy day.

Song Sparrow perching in a sunny moment, 2019

Reflections

December 31, 2018 Elizabeth Olin

Mourning Dove, 2018

I started 2018 with an ambitious New Year’s Resolution: to submit a checklist of birds each day. Up to that point I was tracking the species I observed annually. Transforming this to a daily ritual changed my interaction with birds in a wonderful way. Suddenly, I was more aware of migration patterns, or lack thereof (I thought some birds were in the Bay Area for a short time only to find out that they hung out here all year). I paid more attention to sparrows as I took the time to count each one. Sometimes I was rewarded with a rare bird in the mix. My ID skills increased. I heard birds everywhere I went. I could be completely engrossed in a conversation with someone, but my attention could be quickly snatched away if I hear a bird call. That has led to some silly commentary once my discussion partner realizes that I have transformed into a statue listening intensely to bird calls.

Scarlet Tanager, Texas, 2018

I birded a lot this year. I often submitted more than one checklist each day. I went on trips just to go birding. The most memorable trip was a week-long excursion to Texas. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of all the new birds that I will admit I shed a tear or two. I can’t wait to write about those adventures in a future post and visit the Lone Star again.

Rock Wren, Joshua Tree NP, 2018

Keeping my daily checklist offered a positive event to look forward to. I could be present with nature for at least 15 minutes a day. It was calming and rewarding.

For almost an hour yesterday, I was hunched over looking through a scope at a rare Rough-legged Hawk. It was feeding on something in the middle of a vast field. The markings on the hawk were like nothing I have ever seen before. Streaks of brown dripped through its head and breast and met in a thick, chocolatey belly band. Its tail was white with a band along the end. I was mesmerized. I was reminded of how much I have to learn. I was appreciative.

Snowy Egret, SoCal, 2018

I have one more bird walk, one more checklist in order to complete my 2018 goal. That is 365 days of birding and over 600 checklists in one year. I have not made any goals for 2019 yet, but I’m sure it will involve birds.

Red-tailed Hawk, Redwood RP, 2018

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 22, 2018 Elizabeth Olin

I have much to be thankful for: a great husband and family, healthcare, a roof over my head, access to healthy food, rain, and of course birds. Take a moment away from the stress or busyness of orchestrating the perfect Thanksgiving meal and watch some birds.

Thanksgiving reminds us of turkeys and in the past few years I’ve observed many wild turkeys on my various outings. When I’m strolling through a park and hear loud noises that sound like a bobcat recklessly falling downhill through a pile of dried leaves, I know I’ve stumbled upon a noisy flock of turkey foraging for food. I’ve spotted turkeys taking quick naps on the UC Berkeley campus and have even seen them in quaint little neighborhoods in the city sitting on a car parked on the street (and probably scratching the paint). They have started to become a nuisance to some residents.

Wild Turkeys, Coyote Hills RP, 2017

My favorite turkey story takes place at Coyote Hills Regional Park. It’s an unusual day if I don’t see, or hear, turkeys rummaging in the hills at Coyote. One sunny day, my husband pulled the car into an open parking slot near the visitor center and we were greeted by a displaying tom. The turkey approached the front of our car and stared a deep, mean glare at us. We decided to stay put in the car until he moved on knowing that these guys can get pretty aggressive. We eventually stepped out of the car and watched as a photographer lowered himself to the ground to get that perfect shot of the display. The turkey slowly sauntered over to the photographer and I could hear the excited clicks of the camera grow more rapid. Someone cautioned the photographer to be careful, but I’ll bet he was getting great close-up shots. The turkey got within striking range, lifted up its wing, and smacked the photographer in the arm causing him to fall over and scramble away. Don’t mess with a tom looking for love!

Happy Thanksgiving!

California Wildfires

November 16, 2018 Elizabeth Olin

I step outside to an unfamiliar grey-orange cloud draping itself across the horizon. My brain tries to make sense of the air and pretends that it’s the iconic San Francisco fog rolling in from the bay. My watery eyes and burning lungs argue that the heavy fog is actually smoke.

Gomes Park in the Smoke, 2018

The Bay Area has been covered in smoke for a week and Friday was so far the worst day with an AQI of 246 in Oakland (0-50 is good air, 300+ is hazardous). The deadly Camp Fire continues its wrath, destroying everything in its path. Simultaneously, LA is battling fires. California feels like it’s in the midst of an apocalypse, and sadly the destruction is dismantling lives.

Birding typically offers me an escape from life’s worries. Each day this past week, I slip on my N95 disposable mask, breathe in its plastic-smell that I hope is properly filtering the smoke, and squint my burning eyes in search of birds. Some days it seems like the bird activity is minimal. I wonder if this is due to the fires.

Western Gull Against Smoky Sky, Moss Landing, 2018

One thing I’ve noticed is how eerily quiet it is, like stepping into an acoustically-treated room. When I hear a bird chirp, its voice is magnified against the deadened air.

I was delighted to see a hundred European starlings whistling in a whirlwind of mimicry upon a telephone wire. A Bewick’s wren pops out of a bush expressing its feelings with a crabby call that sounds like glass marbles scraping together. A distant call in the distance alerts me to a peregrine falcon flyover, and I catch sight of it just in time to watch it glide through the orange haze.

Non-Native Birds of SoCal

October 19, 2018 Elizabeth Olin

Egyptian Goslings, Orange County, 2011

I grew up in Orange County but didn’t get into birding until after I moved to the Bay Area, so I always enjoy our visits back to SoCal. In the last several years I’ve witnessed new birds flocking to the area. Many of these species look quite exotic with brightly-colored bills, unique feather patterns, or long tails. They can be found in various parks and neighborhoods.

Mandarin Duck Pair, Orange County, 2016

My sister and I began our birding adventures many years ago and we enjoy swapping stories, as she lives in Orange County and I in the Bay Area. I recall one day receiving a text from my sister when she was in LA. She sent a picture of a strange robin-sized bird with a dark back, white front, and very distinctive facial coloring. But what stood out the most was the sharply-pointed crest on its head. Not being well-versed in bird anatomy at the time, I searched for “bird with pointed feathers on head” on Google. After sifting through countless images, I found it: the red-whiskered bulbul. At the time we figured it was an escapee from a zoo. Little did I know that this Asian species was slowly establishing itself in LA.

Scaly-breasted Munia, Orange County, 2018

One of the first non-native species I personally saw in Orange County was the scaly-breasted munia. Also known as the nutmeg mannikin, these tiny birds made their way over here from Asia. I was in SoCal this weekend and watched these little creatures dance in the grass and fly across the field with long sticks of wispy plants to another location presumably to build a nest.

Bronze Mannikins, Orange County, 2018

Alongside the scaly-breasted munia were bronze mannikins. Similar in size to the munias, these little ones hail from Africa. These birds have a distinctively dark head, brown back, and bright white breast/underparts. Apparently both these birds are captured for the pet trade.

Pin-tailed Whydah, Orange County, 2018

Other non-native species in Orange County include the Japanese white eye with its heavy bold white eye ring, the pin-tailed whydah with its orange beak and long black tail, and the Egyptian goose with deeply pink legs and chocolate melting around its eye.

While non-native species certainly catch the eye, I always take time to appreciate and admire our local birds. More on that in another post.

A Case for Patience

October 6, 2018 Elizabeth Olin

There is no “right” way to go birding. You can take a short stroll, relax on your porch, hike, drive (but don’t get too distracted by the birds!), bike, boat, kayak, you name it. Personally, I enjoy slower-paced walks or hikes that allow me to not only look for birds, but also listen for their vocalizations and observe their behaviors in more depth. An added bonus is that I get to enjoy general nature more – flowers, butterflies, fallen leaves, insects, spiders, and tree bark patterns all command my attention while birding.

Take a moment to observe nature. I enjoyed these fall-colored leaves during a stroll, 2011.

It’s worth taking a moment to pause and take in your surroundings. For those of us living in a bustling city, it helps to counteract urban frenzy by lingering in one location and letting your senses take over. I’ve had several birding trips where this led to finding rare birds or observing interesting behaviors with the usual suspects. One story in particular comes to mind to illustrate this point.

This week, my husband and I were slowly walking through one of my favorite parks down a paved trail. I’ve walked this trail countless times and have a good idea of where certain birds hang out. On this particular day, we noticed a flurry of activity in the redwoods. Instead of conducting our usual quick scan before moving on, we stopped and examined each and every bird that popped into our vision. The majority of the birds were the energetic Townsend’s warblers and chestnut-backed chickadees. Brown creepers emerged and I watched them spiral up trunks digging for insects on the bark. After about 15 minutes of observing, I noticed a bird that upon first glance I thought was yet another brown creeper, except it seemed more boldly patterned. Focusing my binoculars onto the bird, I realized it was covered in heavy black-and-white stripes all over its head and body – an aptly-named black-and-white warbler! Quick, take pictures, this is a rarity for this area! We stayed in this spot for nearly an hour excited to watch a bird that does not live around here. Patience and careful scanning sure paid off.

Fall Has Arrived

October 1, 2018 Elizabeth Olin

Fall is without a doubt my favorite season. The sun is no longer beating its hot rays directly overhead and instead casts a gentle blue hue at dusk and dawn. The air is getting crisp and the brown, smoky skies are replaced by a familiar deep blue. Here in the Bay Area most of our trees stay green throughout the season, but there are occasional pops of red, yellow, and orange colors in sporadic trees.

Immature White-crowned Sparrow, 2011

Of course, birding is exciting for me in the fall. While we say goodbye to many of our bird friends who fly south, we welcome our winter visitors such as the white-crowned sparrows. Sometimes, birds that missed a turn on their normal migration route spend a day or two in our area and birders get a rare glimpse of an eastern species without having to leave the state. The birding world becomes a flurry of activity and excitement as amateurs and professionals alike rush out on a hot tip to see a new bird spotted just hours earlier. It’s a great way to meet new people and swap stories of other birding adventures.

Recently, I heard a call that I haven’t heard since early spring – the squeaky call of an American wigeon. I jumped into the air with joy upon hearing the call as it always brings a smile to my face. When I approached the pond, I realized that I was struggling to remember names of other winter ducks. “What’s that plain-gray duck called? It starts with a ‘G.’ I think… … … gadwall!” Time to dust off the field guide and brush up on my winter birds!

My Birding World

A Birding Blog by Elizabeth Olin

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