My Birding Day – My Birding World

My Birding Day: SIP Redwood RP

May 17, 2020 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

Pacific Wren, Adult

One of my favorite local parks is Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park. I find it peaceful walking amongst the shadows of the tall trees along the stream. It’s hard to keep the day’s stressors in my head when I have nature’s comfort all around. That’s why I was so devastated when the park was closed down due to the pandemic.

The moment that the Bay Area announced that the shelter-in-place would begin at midnight, we rushed to Redwood to get in a quick park visit. (Side note, we also went to See’s Candies – apparently, I was more afraid of missing out on chocolate more than any other food item.) The Redwood trees gave me their unconditional care as I worked through the panic of the impending SIP. As we left, a sign was installed at the parking lot announcing its temporary closure.

Two months later, the parking lots were reopened. We waited for my Friday day off to visit in order to avoid the weekend crowds and the stress that comes along with staying distant from other hikers. I was relieved to find the park the same, minus one closed parking lot and only one set of restrooms available. The trees welcomed me back into their familiar realm.

We hiked for over two hours, listening to the birds, taking in the smells (although my sense of smell is spotty at best and I could only make out the Hemlock), feeling the constant dance of the warm sun and cool wind on my skin.

Pacific Wren, Fledgling Peeking Out Between Branches

I was delighted to watch a family of Pacific Wrens. Two adults and four cheeping fledglings trailing their parents in a quest for food. During our trip, we recorded a total of 11 wrens, most of them singing their dizzying yet delightful songs.

I’m so thankful that I can now return to my fav park!

OAS Trip: Redwood Regional Park

February 27, 2020 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

This past weekend I co-led a bird walk for the Ohlone Audubon Society. We visited my favorite park: Redwood Regional Park, now named Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park.

Over 30 birders attended, which made me nervous about making sure we used the full three hours and keeping participants engaged. My fears were calmed after we spent a full 30 minutes just birding in the parking lot.

I saw more Varied Thrushes on this trip alone than I probably have in my entire birding experience! It helps to have several dozen extra sets of eyes. The top moment of the trip was when a Pacific Wren sang its little heart out for at five minutes or more while we all watched. I rarely see these mouse-like creatures, so it was a joy to sit and watch one for such an extended period of time. It was also a “lifer” for many participants, which made it all the more special.

Hermit Thrush, 2020

Joining a bird walk with locals is a great way to learn more about birds, get to know an area, and meet people with a similar interest. You can look for local Audubon groups that sponsor trips or do a search on Facebook for other birding groups. If there is none, start your own! I’ve joined several Facebook birding groups that are out of state so that I can study the pictures and learn their local birds. If I’m planning to travel to that location, reviewing the discussions can yield insider tips on hot spots.

This weekend marked the one-year anniversary of my participation in Ohlone Audubon Society trips (I wrote about my first trip here). I’ve also been participating in the Fremont Birding Circle field trips for several years. I’ve met some wonderful people, and despite being an introvert, I always look forward to these bird group gatherings.

Warbler Wobble

February 11, 2020 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

AH-CHOO!

Crap. I don’t sneeze unless it’s related to allergies. How can I be sneezing in February (insert “climate change” explanation here)? Sneezing, migraine, and vertigo settle in rendering me unable to do anything but whine on the couch. Sounds of construction overpower any chance of hearing bird activity outside, except for the occasional crow.

This goes on for a couple days when I finally throw on some shoes and risk the great outdoors of my neighborhood. I have to be careful to not swing my head around too much lest the vertigo send a not-so-subtle reminder that I can’t walk straight. “Warbler neck,” the term used to describe neck soreness after staring up into tree tops for warblers, has turned into my dizzying version called “Warbler Wobble.”

The warm, golden glow of the sun cheers me up instantly, accompanied with a chorus of bird calls claiming territories for singing love songs. The Oak Titmouse is the loudest this early evening, with Anna’s Hummingbirds, Least Goldfinches, Mourning Doves, and Yellow-rumped Warblers offering backing vocals.

I stand in one spot straining my neck to see the finches and warblers without the help of binoculars. I’m hoping that the neighbors don’t think I’m weird, although I’ve worn my “Can’t Talk Now… I’m Birding” t-shirt for good measure.

While staring up, I see a woodpecker silhouette on a telephone pole. Wow, what a lot of red! Wait, it’s a Red-breasted Sapsucker! Only the second time I’ve seen one in this neighborhood (and perhaps the same individual) over the years.

AH-CHOO!

There’s my clue that I’ve overextended my stay in the allergied outdoors. I slowly walk home absorbing all the sweet calls and delighted to see a special bird to cheer me up.

Quick! To the Birds!

January 26, 2020 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

American Robin

Pull query “UCCS_R_ACST_BY_CPP”.

Numbers. Data. Spreadsheets flying across my dual monitor set-up. I’m working from home – the only chunk of quiet, uninterrupted time to do number crunching.

I hear distant sounds, but I’m too engrossed in my formulas.

Input “=VLOOKUP(A2,COP!A:A,1,”false”)

The sounds get louder. American Robins, lots of them. My attention is starting to splinter, but I’m still holding strong to my spreadsheets.

Input “=COUNTIFS(…”

Whistling. Whining. Squeaking, like car brakes or a dog whimpering. I know that call. My brain suddenly flips into bird mode. I rush to the window. Dozens of Cedar Waxwings are in the trees across the parking lot, flying to and from a Toyon Bush. I need my camera. I hope I can rush out there before they leave!

I grab my camera, keys, phone, jacket. Calmly but quickly rush around the block. I see dozens of birds fly across the sky. I arrive to find Cedar Waxwings staring down at me from treetops. I intentionally avoid positioning myself directly under the tree to dodge the splats of waxwing droppings raining on the bushes.

Cedar Waxwing Curiously Looking At Me

American Robins are busy munching berries. I stand there mesmerized by the chaos of sounds all around me. European Starlings, Cedar Waxwings, American Robins all calling simultaneously for a dizzying but pleasant whirlwind of sounds.

I smile and am grateful to spend a ten-minute afternoon break watching the birds. With a smile on my face, I walk back home and back to work.

My Birding Day: Crown Memorial State Beach

January 19, 2020 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

Begging Ring-Billed Gull, 2020

I opened my eyes to a familiar pounding in my head. Migraine. Damn, there goes my Sunday. I quickly popped various medications, drank some caffeine, and settled in for the unavoidable deep sleep. After a while, I groggily pulled myself together for a little outing for fresh air. Migraine or not, I needed my bird fix for the day.

I’ve been studying gull IDs, so we headed over to Alameda to watch the tame gulls at Crown Memorial State Beach. Right away we were greeted with a batch of gulls in the parking lot. Some were standing around waiting for park visitors to drop a tasty morsel. Others were sitting comfortably and seemed to be melting into the asphalt. I cheerily identified as adult California Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls. So far so good on the IDs!

Incoming Sanderlings and Western Sandpipers, 2020

I reluctantly strapped on my binoculars and heavy camera setup. I was still drowsy a bit wobbly from the meds. But within minutes of crawling onto the sand, I was mesmerized by the birds and forgot about my weariness. As long as I didn’t spin around too fast tracking bird action, I would be OK. I love how birds can lift your spirits even when you’re feeling cruddy.

The next two-and-a-half hours were spent studying tons of gulls and peeps, trying to discern the various waterfowl out in the bay partaking in a feeding frenzy, and patiently continuing my learning of camera settings. We only walked 0.8 miles away from the car, but it was a peaceful stroll along the beach and the birding was fantastic.

Double-Crested Cormorant Silhouette, 2020

Quick November Tahoe Trip

November 30, 2019 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

Fallen Leaf Lake, Tahoe, 2019

I stepped out of the front door and was greeted with a blast of chilly air. Cars and sidewalks sparkled from the overnight frost that would remain crystalized for most of the morning. I glanced at the trash pickings left by three bears and a coyote the night before. For the first time in many never-ending-heated months, I was happy to bundle up against the unfamiliar cold. Despite three layers of socks, my toes still went numb in my athletic shoes designed to allow air flow. Time to invest in a different type of shoes.

Our first stop was at Fallen Leaf Lake – a must do for all of our Tahoe trips. Today it was unusually quiet with the campgrounds long closed for the season. We hiked for over an hour without running into another person. The lake was crystal clear and blue, with the mountains towering mystically in the distance. The stillness was soothing and such a relief from the bustling city we call home.

We came to an Aspen grove, devoid of most of the bright yellow leaves. I noticed a pinecone in one of the trees – “oddly placed,” I thought. Curiously, I zoomed into the pinecone with my frozen binoculars, only it wasn’t a pinecone (as you might have suspected already). “Owl!” I shouted, maybe too loudly, to Gabe. A little Northern Pygmy Owl sat there watching us with yellow, piercing eyes, sometimes flashing its feathered false eyes on the back of its head when it was comfortable with directing its attention elsewhere for a brief moment. Double exciting was submitting an eBird report for this “unreported” species for Fallen Leaf Lake. After watching the tiny bundle of owl for a while, we quietly snuck away to give it some peace.

Lake Baron, Tahoe, 2019

After the first park visit, we grabbed sandwiches and headed over to a newly-discovered birding location called Lake Baron, which is nestled in Tahoe Paradise Park. I was awed by this community park. It had picnic benches and sported a play area like I’m accustomed to seeing at home, but manicured grass and crawling sidewalks were replaced by towering mountain trees and bustling with bird activity. A group of Hooded Mergansers and Common Mergansers swam with American Wigeons in the lake. A Townsend’s Solitaire was calling off in the distance. Mountain Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos were busy foraging in the trees and bushes. Perhaps the oddest sight for me was spotting a Bald Eagle sitting in a pine tree. I’m accustomed to these majestic creatures dwarfing their surroundings in the Bay Area, but this one seemed small and out of place to my inexperienced mountain eyes. It’s about the closest I’ve ever been to a wild Bald Eagle.

Hooded Merganser, Tahoe, 2019

I was sad to leave Tahoe so soon, but a storm was threatening to dump several feet of snow and close the nearby roads. We’ll be back to explore new parks and bask in the serene and peaceful mountain experience in the New Year.

My Birding Day: Fun With Thrushes

October 27, 2019 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

Hermit Thrush, Del Valle RP, 2018

It was a relatively cool, fall morning as Gabe and I drove into Redwood Regional Park. On this Friday morning, the weekend crowds were absent with only a few people around quietly enjoying the park. We were immediately met with chirps and songs upon stepping out of the car. Brushes were rattling under the scraping action of Fox Sparrows and California Towhees, and raptors flew high into the blue sky.

We did an abbreviated version of our usual walk in order to head home, close up the windows, and run air purifiers before the Kincade Fire smoke reached the East Bay. We were on the lookout for Red-breasted Sapsuckers, carefully examining each tree for the row of holes that signals a sapsucker eating station.

Peek-A-Boo Shot of Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, Redwood RP, 2018

Last year, we spotted a young Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in a Pepper Tree in the meadow area just next to the parking lot, so we started there. Instead of a sapsucker, we discovered a small flock of Hermit Thrushes racing back and forth between two trees. They were moving around so quickly that it was hard to get an accurate count, but there were at least eight in one spot. I tried taking some photographs, but the thrushes remained high in the tree and deep in the branches making a clear shot impossible.

Hermit Thrush High Up In Tree, Redwood RP, 2019

Then there was a single Hermit Thrush that posed on a branch for quite awhile, staying quite still, watching the other thrushes dance between the trees. Click click click went my camera. Realizing that time was inching by, we proceeded on our sapsucker search, which yielded no sapsuckers.

At home, I looked through my thrush photos. None of them came out to my satisfaction except for that one individual that posed for me. But wait, its bill looks weird. It’s thicker than the other thrushes. Its chest markings are different too, and that eye ring is not right… I flipped through my field guide and my heart started pounding with excitement. Is it a Gray-cheeked or Bicknell’s Thrush – a mighty rarity for this area (and ones I’ve never even heard of until that moment)? Past experience with misidentifying a rarity for a native resident suggested that I calm my excitement, so I posted a picture of the bird on Facebook and crossed my fingers.

Probably Gray-Cheeked Thrush, Redwood RP, 2019

Turns out that my Hermit Thrush was not a hermit after all. Most likely candidate is that it’s a Gray-cheeked Thrush, a bird that breeds in Alaska/Northern Canada, migrates through the eastern US, and winters in South America. What a find, and a reminder to pay very close attention to flocks of seemingly similar birds.

My Birding Day: Point Reyes Part III

October 13, 2019 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

Tule Elk, Point Reyes, 2019

See My Birding Day: Point Reyes Part I and Part II

Drakes Beach was fairly mellow. The biggest excitement was tracking down a faraway tern, which turned out (see what I did there?) to be a Common Tern – our third and final lifer of the day. Gabe and I celebrated our success at passing 400 lifer birds during that trip.

From the beach, we headed to our next destination. Along the way, our walkie talkies lit up with an announcement of Tule Elk! These majestic creatures were chilling along the edge of a cliff. I’ve never seen Tule Elk before, and they were so close! There were more elk on the other side of the road, but I had a hard time following instructions to their location (a common theme for me – I’m often last to see a bird unless I spot it first). Gabe provided me with different instructions hoping I could see the very-obvious herd lounging in the field, but my brain couldn’t process or find the darn creatures. As I scanned the hillside for the elk, a hawk flew into my vision. I froze – it had a white tail. Hesitantly, I called out “hawk with white tail” and binoculars quickly scanned the skies. Experts weighed in: Ferruginous Hawk. Yay!

Common Tern, Point Reyes Drakes Beach, 2019

We headed to the RCA building, which I dubbed “Row of Cypress Avenue” due to the row of Cypress trees that interrupted the otherwise flat hillside. This was yet another spot we frequently drive past and wonder how to bird it. We saw pretty much the same birds, although there was brief excitement when someone thought they found a Tennessee Warbler, though it ended up being something else.

Our final destination was the Inverness Tennis Club. This tree-dense area is tucked out of view near a tennis court. We chased after warblers and flycatchers, hoping to catch a glimpse of something new for the day, but we were instead treated with the same birds seen throughout the trip. However, I was delighted to be introduced to this little hidden jewel and will make this a must-do stop in the future.

California Gull, Point Reyes Drakes Beach, 2019

The trip wrapped up back at the Bear Valley Visitor Center where we couldn’t help but to squeeze in one more checklist. The air was getting cool again, the sun was starting to fall, and more birds were popping out to sneak in a last meal for the day. High on birding, I didn’t want the trip to end. It was a fantastic and memorable experience.

My Birding Day: Point Reyes Part II

October 10, 2019 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

Black-Throated Grey Warbler, Point Reyes Mendoza Ranch, 2019

See My Birding Day: Point Reyes Part I

We’ve driven by Mendoza Ranch (B Ranch) several times in the past knowing it was a hotspot for birds, but I could never figure out how one goes about birding it. Where do you park? Do you walk onto the ranch or the nearby area? Arriving this time with an experienced guide, I was finally about to put an end to this mystery. We were also on the hunt for a very rare Yellow-green Vireo reported that morning.

Driving from the docks to the ranch was exciting. Our walkie talkies announced sightings along the way. A Merlin chasing a large flock of Red-winged Blackbirds with some Tricolored Blackbirds mixed in. I laughed at the Tricolored Blackbirds’ strangled-cat calls rising distinctively from the blur of screechy-yet-bubbly Red-winged Blackbirds.

One of Many Red-Breasted Nuthatches, Point Reyes Mendoza Ranch, 2019

Our caravan of cars parked along the side of the road and we meandered back and forth across the main road, ducking into tree cover and monitoring a little pond that oddly held a Red-necked Phalarope. An occasional holler of “Car!” warned us to dash out of the road to let a car go by.

Finally, after much searching, it popped out: the Yellow-green Vireo, a rare neotropic visitor that was a lifer for most of us. This chunky bird shyly obscured itself amidst the branches, but we all got a decent view before it flew off.

Quick Glance of the Shy Yellow-Green Vireo, Point Reyes Mendoza Ranch, 2019

Our attention then turned to a flycatcher. I pointed to it noting a thin eye ring. Then Gabe saw it and proclaimed that it was a Pacific-slope Flycatcher. He clearly saw an almond-shaped eye ring. Someone else found the flycatcher and said there was no eye ring at all. Confusion spread amongst our small group. Experts were called in. Clearly we were getting tricked by the lighting and obstructed views. The flycatcher appeared again and an expert proclaimed it was a Willow Flycatcher because there was no eye ring. But wait, I know I saw a thin eye ring. Gabe was confident he saw a Pacific-slope Flycatcher. Someone yelled “Pac Slope!” Another person found a thin eye ring like I had seen. We emerged from the Abbott and Costello act with the conclusion that there were three flycatchers: Willow Flycatcher (no eye ring), Pacific-slope Flycatcher (almond eye ring), and a Least Flycatcher (thin eye ring, among other key field marks), the latter being the second lifer of the day!

All that excitement made us hungry. We set off to Drakes Beach for a picnic with an ocean view.

My Birding Day: Point Reyes Part I

October 7, 2019 Elizabeth Olin Comments 0 Comment

Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Point Reyes Fish Docks, 2019

A little over a week ago, I participated in my first all-day birding field trip, sponsored by Ohlone Audubon Society and led by local expert Bob Toleno. We birded all over Point Reyes, chasing after rare birds, and frequently stopping for photo ops from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. I was completely exhausted by the end, but it was simultaneously exhilarating.

We started the day at Bear Valley Visitor Center where we divided into carpools, did a quick bird count while standing in the parking lot, and watched a Bobcat nearby. It was chilly – the car registering in the 40s – a much welcomed relief from the never-ending heat wave of the summer.

Bobcat, Point Reyes Bear Valley Visitor Center, 2019

I was excited to learn that our first stop would be the Fish Docks. The day before, a Prairie Warbler and Ovenbird had been spotted there. These would be lifers for us, and I was sure that the addition of more than a dozen watchful eyes would guarantee some lifer, if not those two in particular.

We were given a short lecture on bird migration by Bob, one of many tidbits of birding ID and behavior that I would soak up like a sponge for the next 9.5 hours. Birds migrate at night and can’t see below them. When the sun comes up, birds can find themselves over the ocean. In an “oh crap” moment, they will reverse course back northward in search of land, shelter, and food. There are two places nearby that offer just that: Farallon Islands and Point Reyes, particularly the Fish Docks with a tiny concentration of trees. No wonder this spot is a rich treasure of interesting birds.

Every chip, every possible flash of yellow, every leaf movement was scrutinized by the group. Scopes were deployed surveying the ocean, cameras with long lenses were pointing every which way into the bushes and trees. It seemed like every bird was a Red-breasted Nuthatch. Their yank calls permeated the air as they crawled all over trunks and branches.

White-Crowned Sparrow, Point Reyes Bear Valley Visitor Center, 2019

An otter was spotted devouring a cormorant. Western Gulls and Common Ravens were nearby for pickings. Aptly-named Elephant Seals – mainly females, kids, and an occasional young male – grunted on the beach. Lots of fun birds were spotted. But no Ovenbird. No Prairie Warbler.

Then came excitement: a report of a Yellow-green Vireo was spotted at another nearby location. We quickly adjusted our itinerary and set off towards the Mendoza Ranch.

My Birding World

A Bird Blog by Elizabeth Olin

Browsed by
Tag: My Birding Day