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Category: Birding Story

Story that is not specific to a single day

Return of the Swallows

Return of the Swallows

Tree Swallow

Tree Swallow Getting Ready for Nesting, 2016

I step out into the chilly air, reluctantly escaping the warmth of the car. The sky is blue, the hills are green, and the ponds are inviting me to explore the wintering waterfowl. I make my way towards the water when something catches my attention in the corner of my eye. Actually, make that several somethings. Dark shadows are playfully darting in no discernable pattern across the sky. The swallows are back!

Swallows are starting to become active as they arrive back to the Bay Area. Returning from a winter absence to their breeding grounds, they bring a splash of color and excitement to the skies.

We tend to get several types of swallows with some occasional visits by rarities. Barn Swallows, Cliff Swallows, Northern Rough-winged Swallows, Tree Swallows, and Violet-green Swallows will soon become a common sight. (Tree Swallows are here year-round although seemingly not as active.)

Take a moment to watch the swallows as they dart and dive in a mysterious pattern in the sky. They are a joy to witness.

#GreenFriday

#GreenFriday

Every year, family and friends gather, cook all day for a big feast, crash on the couch with football or The Twilight Zone running in the background, and spend some time reflecting on values and giving thanks.

Then Black Friday rolls around and we immediately switch into frantic shopping mode, braving the crowds and traffic to get that TV or hot new toy – purchases which may not even be gifts for others. It’s a frenzy that unravels the thoughtfulness of the day prior.

I’m excited to see a change in the winds with more and more retailers committed to closing on Thanksgiving Day and encouraging nature visits on Black Friday. The Bird Watcher’s Digest (a fantastic birding publication) is promoting a #GreenFriday event. The goal is to get outdoors and enjoy nature thus extending our appreciation to wildlife.

Luckily, here in the Bay Area we have a brief pause in the rain to let the bone-dry soil absorb the moisture and to let us sneak outdoors. Where will you go?

Bar-Tailed Godwits Galore!

Bar-Tailed Godwits Galore!

Bar-Tailed Godwit

Bar-Tailed Godwit, Emeryville, 2019

On a previous trip, I missed an opportunity to see a rare Bar-tailed Godwit. It was one of those heart-breaking trips where your eyes, arms, and fingers are numb from endless hours of combing through a sea of bird look-a-likes, and finally deciding that the target bird may or may not be out there but it’s time to call it a day. We’ve all been there and it’ll certainly happen again.

My unfortunate luck from that trip took a surprising positive turn.

Months later, not only did a Bar-tailed Godwit appear in the Bay Area, but it was hanging out with a Hudsonian Godwit! I opted to leave my camera in the car because the location required climbing up a small cliff that offered ropes to assist the adventurous. It was an exceptionally rare treat to see three godwits together, which included the expected Marbled Godwit. I wished that I had a scope, camera, or high-powered binoculars to really absorb their differences.

Fast forward several more weeks, and yet another sighting of a Bar-tailed Godwit appeared on my rare bird alert – in Emeryville, just a hop, skip, and a jump away! This visit offered a very close view of the bird, which allowed me to really study its features as compared with the hundreds of Marbled Godwits that it chose to associate with.

Bar-Tailed Godwit

Bar-Tailed Godwit, Emeryville, 2019

This winter plumage Bar-tailed Godwit was smaller than the Marbled Godwits, had a white breast compared with the buffy tones of the marbled, and had straight black-and-white barring on its tail (hence the name) that was covered by a layer of black primary feathers. The easiest feature to see in a tight crowd of godwits was the white chest and body, which is how this individual was located that afternoon.

Each time I see a rare bird, it makes me more aware of what I don’t know and how much I have to learn in this field. For one thing, I will be scanning godwits more carefully here on out.

Hanging Out With The Crows

Hanging Out With The Crows

Young crows are vocal, shiny black balls. They follow their parents around while belching out a dry “caw” sound. When a parent gives it food (by cramming its beak down the young crow’s throat), the young crow gives off a call that sounds like what I imagine a dying cat would sound like.

I’ve had coworkers come to me alarmed by this call. I reassure them that the crow is fine, it’s just eating.

A family of crows is intent on feeding on top of the medical building that I can view from my apartment window. Every so often throughout the day, the dying call wails from the young crow as it’s being fed.

I finally carved out some time to watch the feeding in action. I can easily identify the one young crow by its constant calls to be fed, as well as the very red, fleshy mouth it displays while holding its beak open waiting for sustenance.

I watched as a parent unsuccessfully pecked at a very stale piece of bread. I imagined it gave up on the bread when it meandered over to dripping water coming from an air conditioning pipe. I chuckled as it used the meager drops to wet its feathers. But wait, it wasn’t only getting a bath – it put the stale bread into the little puddle that the droplets were forming! That didn’t seem to be working too well, so it shoved the bread into the pipe where the water was running. Success! Moistened bread for the win! Crows are truly geniuses.

Organizing Photographs

Organizing Photographs

Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret, 2016

Several months ago, I embarked on a journey to rename 10 years-worth of bird photos. For each image, which includes both the JPG and RAW files, I added the four-letter bird species code. This would allow me to easily locate species I am targeting for a blog post, ID comparison, or to share on Facebook. It’s been a daunting task, but also a good learning experience.

I was worried that I would uncover cases of misidentification, especially in my earlier birding years. I haven’t tackled the Texas birds, with which I am frightfully unfamiliar. A case of misidentification will throw off my carefully maintained written and electronic life list. So far, so good (noting that I haven’t looked at Texas yet…).

I renamed and sorted through countless bird photos for months. In the end, I was left with 140 shots of birds I couldn’t immediately identify. Now the real sleuthing begins. It’s fun to crack open a field guide or two, research media online, and try to puzzle out the features which will all contribute to my continuing knowledge of birds. What fun!

Bird Sound Recordings

Bird Sound Recordings

Savannah Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow, Bolsa Chica, 2018

I bird a lot by ear. It’s challenging and yet highly rewarding. It opens up a new world allowing me to discover the birds of the day, which is especially useful if I don’t have my binoculars with me. I’m still learning so much as there are countless songs, calls, and chip notes to memorize. Even birds that I’m quite familiar with will surprise me with “new” material.

Tree Swallow

Tree Swallow, Coyote Hills RP, 2017

Imagine my delight when eBird and the Macaulay Library released two sound challenges. The April eBird challenge is to submit 20 checklists with a recording and/or photo. Macaulay Library has an even loftier goal of asking birders to submit 90 recordings through the end of October.

Excited, I tried my first recording on my Samsung Galaxy smartphone using Voice Record Pro. I downloaded Audacity to process my recordings. I watched tutorials on how to process and submit recordings according to Macaulay Library standards. There was a bit of a learning curve but I got the hang of it.

As I recorded more, I started to realize how much background noise is picked up. The hum of distant traffic, a bike or car racing by, conversations by hikers, and the ever-present ambulance and police sirens. I began to realize how much I tune out these sound bites constantly. I was frustrated with my noisy recordings. They weren’t clean and clear – why would they want to utilize these?

Mottled Duck

Mottled Duck, Texas, 2018

It dawned on me that this is my birding world. I bird in the buzz of an urban environment. The birds are still here. They are competing with the noise. Capturing my experience for researchers will hopefully contribute to efforts to understand the urban bird experience. So, I will continue to submit my noisy pieces and be more thankful for those rare moments of complete silence surrounding me when the opportunity arises.

Hutton's Vireo

Hutton’s Vireo, William R Mason RP, 2019

Listen Carefully: Lesser Goldfinch Songs

Listen Carefully: Lesser Goldfinch Songs

Lesser Goldfinch

Lesser Goldfinch, Pt. Pinole Regional Shoreline, 2015

I like to walk fast. Zip around here and there. Although when I’m birding, I’m averaging about one mile an hour. But when not birding I’m speedy.

Recently my foot has been giving me problems, and the last couple of days it’s forced me to walk around much slower than I prefer. I take it in stride and try to enjoy the new sights and sounds of an otherwise familiar area. Colors are springing up in gardens and birds are more active as they gather nesting materials and fill the air with songs.

Garden Flower

Garden Flower, Berkeley, 2010

Yesterday I spotted a Lesser Goldfinch brightly singing in the early evening in a small tree next to a medical building. Although I was on my way home and my mind was preoccupied with throwing together dinner, I stopped and listened. Familiar dips and crunchy chips filled the air. I heard a Chestnut-backed Chickadee call, but couldn’t find the bird. I heard it again, only to realize that the goldfinch made the call! My attention completely focused on the Goldie and its singing, I heard it demonstrate two more calls: an Oak Titmouse and a Black Phoebe. I ran home and a quick Google search confirmed that Lesser Goldfinches do in fact mimic, although ornithologists are not clear why. What a delightful thing to discover, all because I had been walking slower and enjoying the experience!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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

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!

A Case for Patience

A Case for Patience

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.

Leaves of Fall

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

Fall Has Arrived

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

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!