Rare Birds – My Birding World

Point Pinos Seawatch

December 12, 2025 Elizabeth Olin

One of my favorite birding events is the Point Pinos Seawatch, located in Monterey Bay. For the past ten years, dedicated biologists log in full days, rain or shine, of counting migrating sea birds to support conservation efforts. I enjoy spending a few hours with them, soaking up their deep knowledge of birds, and appreciating the opportunity to get a glimpse of pelagic birds from the comfort of land.

The last time we joined the seawatch, we were treated to Northern Fulmars that were flying strikingly close to the coast. Through the scope, I could see their facial features while they scavenged over the ocean in relaxed, long glides. Fulmars have become an image of calm for me whenever I am reminded of that peaceful day.

We have done our own seawatch at various points of the year – it is an eBird hotspot after all – and it’s always a joy to peer out into the ocean to see what might pop by. But joining the Monterey Audubon Society’s sponsored November seawatch is different. For one, you have experts available to find and ID the birds while giving you valuable tips. Having the opportunity of putting new knowledge into immediate practice is priceless. There’s also the festive atmosphere when a group of birders hang out together, sometimes chatting, other times focusing through their optics in a silent but shared space to enjoy the passion of birding. Inevitably curious passerbys ask what we are looking at, and while there is a volunteer to chat with them about the event, I will sometimes break out of my introverted shell and engage.

We missed the seawatch last year. Each weekend there was a time conflict or bad weather. Although storms have the high potential of bringing in rare pelagic species, I haven’t built up the bad-weather muscle to endure the cold, windy rain. By the time an open weekend with better weather popped up, the seawatch was over.

Ten Hudsonian Whimbrels flying against a light blue sky

This year we finally made it out the weekend before Thanksgiving. On the first day, we arrived in the early afternoon. We received a briefing of the various landmarks to help with locating the fast flying birds, and then we joined the group scanning the ocean through our scope and binoculars. Within a few minutes, the expert excitedly called out two murrelets – one Ancient Murrelet and one Marbled Murrelet flying together. I managed to see the birds flying by, but they were so far out that I couldn’t make out any of their features other than looking like little black and white footballs with wings being launched over the waves. I hope to do a pelagic trip sometime where I can see the murrelets up close.

There were multiple Northern Fulmars all afternoon, all of which I was able to identify on my own. I was happy that I still retained the lessons learned years ago to ID them this year.

Several groups of Surf Scoters delighted me, and I scanned them carefully for field marks that would yield a White-winged Scoter or Black Scoter that have been seen over the past several weeks. None popped up during our two hours there. Maybe tomorrow.

The second day we spent the morning with another lovely group of birders. The deep blue ocean sprawled out in front of us with spectacular waves crashing against the large rocks is always a sight to behold. There were lots of Pacific Loons streaming by, giving the experts a challenge to accurately count them for the day’s migration numbers. The most exciting bird for me was a lifer Black-legged Kittiwake (a “lifer” is a bird species that you haven’t seen before). I got decent looks at the kittiwake and was able to compare it to the smaller Bonaparte’s Gull flying beside it. One of the field marks for this young bird was a black “M” across the wings and back, which confused me because I know that’s the Sabine’s Gull key markers. One of the volunteers was kind enough to review field marks with me as compared to a Sabine’s Gull in his field guide. I really enjoyed the lesson right after watching the kittiwake fly around.

Western Gull standing on the rocks after being released

One final note to this fun trip was the release of an adult Western Gull that was nursed back to health after being hit by a car in September. One of the experts was handed a big blue box, and she took it into the rocks for release. The gull flew out of its box enclosure, but instead of immediately flying off, it stood on a rock taking in its new, but likely familiar, surroundings. I wonder what the experience was like for the gull who was given a second chance at life. I imagined that it was confused, a mix of emotions from being in the care of humans to now being back in the wild. Would it miss the easy access to food while it healed, or was it excited to get its freedom back and join its kind? It’s a harsh environment out there, and I hope it makes it.

Surprise Visitor

October 7, 2023 Elizabeth Olin

Anna’s Hummingbird, 2023

Our backyard has seen a lot of bird action since we moved to San Joaquin Valley. California Scrub-Jays love to hop around and cache food in various places, including the lawn and (rather annoyingly) my garden pots. Black Phoebes like to snatch insects from the air in the evenings. White-crowned Sparrows, Northern Mockingbirds, and Eurasian Collared-Doves will poke around the lawn edges for scrumptious bits of food. Occasionally a hummingbird will hover around the Crepe Myrtle trees looking for bugs.

More recently, Anna’s and Black-chinned Hummingbirds have enjoyed my new mason jar feeder. I even had a magical experience with one impatiently sipping from the feeder while I was still holding it. I spent many warm evenings over the summer watching the two hummingbird species go to battle over this food source, giving me a great opportunity to soak up their personalities.

Anna’s Hummingbird, 2023

One evening, I stepped out into the backyard to look at my container garden and to see who might be at the feeder. As I bent down to look at the tender seedlings poking through the soil, an unfamiliar sound caught my attention. I glanced at the feeder and noticed that the call was coming from a little hummer perched on a branch not commonly favored by my usual visitors. I cautiously crept indoors fearing I would scare the hummingbird, and grabbed my husband and our cameras.

Mystery Hummingbird (Read On To Find Out The ID!), 2023

After a brief photoshoot, I had convinced myself that this was a young Black-chinned Hummingbird and went back indoors to eat dinner. I was content to carry on with the evening, but my husband rushed through dinner and went straight to his computer to review the photos. Annoyed that he left me to finish my meal alone, I slurped up the last bit of my soup and then casually joined him to look over the images.

This hummer was so cute! Its few gorget (neck) feathers were a vibrant purple, and it sat like a little puff ball patiently observing its surroundings. I started to wonder – is this actually a young Black-chinned Hummingbird or something else?

Grabbing chairs, cameras, monocular, and a phone to record audio, we quietly set up to watch the hummer – who was thankfully still there – as dusk started to arrive.

There was indeed something different about this one. The few gorget feathers were too purple. It didn’t seem as “necky” or as stretched out like the Black-chinned Hummingbird. And its mannerisms felt different to me, giving off a sense of peace and calm while he watched for nearby food competitors.

A Black-chinned Hummingbird arrived, evoking a series of TINKS from the new hummer. I managed to nab a recording of it. We continued to watch it for a half hour until it flew away for the night.

How lucky I was to capture the TINK audio! My heart started to race as I reviewed all the Anna’s and Black-chinned Hummingbird calls, wondering if we had simply heard an unusual vocalization from our familiar friends. However, none of the recordings lined up with ours. On a hunch, I called up a Costa’s Hummingbird and clicked on the first call. Excitement flooded my system as I heard an exact match. Could it be that we just saw a rare bird, and from our own backyard to boot? A quick post to our local birding group confirmed the ID. What a thrilling moment!

Costa’s Hummingbird; Photo by Gabriel Olin, 2023

It was only because I happened to step outside for a moment and observe an unusual call that we ended up spending time with this beauty. It goes to show that it’s not required that we memorize all the birds in a field guide. Instead, get to know your local birds well enough so that when something unique comes through, you’ll notice and pay attention to it.

Costa’s Hummingbird; Photo by Gabriel Olin, 2023

Summer’s Last Gasp

August 29, 2023 Elizabeth Olin

Western Sandpiper with one Sanderling, 2020

I’m quite sick of summer. The long, hot days and blindingly bright sun have overstayed their welcome. I’d like to think the birds are annoyed with summer as well. They are mostly silent these days, with the exception of the starlings practicing their cover songs. Birding over the summer has largely been uneventful.

As I trudged through June and July, I kept looking to August for a bit of relief. No, it’s not cooler in August by any means. But the birding excitement starts to pick up – it’s sandpiper migration! These tricky little birds offer an advanced lesson in bird ID, and when you’re in the midst of a Big Year, it’s time to learn (and refresh your memory) fast.

Least Sandpiper, 2020

In San Joaquin County, some of the best shorebird spots are around the Delta and water treatment plants. On mornings or evenings that were “cool” enough, we would venture out to the appropriate habitat and carefully review each peep (little sandpipers). Least Sandpipers and Killdeer offer good anchor points for IDs. The Leasts are the tiniest of our peeps while Killdeer are easily recognizable with the double-rings on their breast, red eyes, and persistent calls. From there, you can compare peeps in question with the Leasts and Killdeer based on size differences, bill shape, breast streaking, and sometimes leg color.

No matter how much I study, I cannot absorb the ID markers of a Semipalmated Sandpiper, which is a sandpiper that we need for the Big Year. It’s strikingly similar to the Western Sandpiper, the subtle differences being its overall size and its bill shape. Other peeps have more defined features to grasp, such as the Pectoral Sandpiper with its larger size and heavily-streaked breast, and the Baird’s Sandpiper with its long primary feathers that uniquely extend beyond its tail. These are solid structural features, not subjective features that require experience with the species – hard to do when it’s rare like the Semipalmated Sandpiper.

After many days spent in the hot sun looking through all the sandpipers, we finally spotted all the expected species that come through the area during August plus some bonus species, including the Semipalmated Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, and Stilt Sandpiper. As the month – and therefore summer – finally comes to an end, our visits to sandpiper habitat will soon shift to looking for warblers and other fall goodies in wooded areas.

This morning was pleasantly cool, and the sun cast an orange glow through the trees. Fall is almost here, and I can’t wait!

Staten Island, CA, 2023

Chasing Warblers

October 3, 2020 Elizabeth Olin

Chestnut-Sided Warbler, 2020

My current nemesis bird is the Chestnut-sided Warbler. Each fall, at least one visits the Bay Area when it gets lost from its normal migration route. Despite my best efforts and multiple outings, I seem to keep on missing this one. Then I have to wait another full year before the narrow window of opportunity presents itself again the following fall.

Warblers are usually prized sightings in the spring when their plumage is colorful and vibrant. By the fall, many shed their spring feathers in favor of a duller appearance more conducive to winter activities. Despite that, I’ve really wanted to see this particular warbler in its fall plumage. It doesn’t sport its namesake chestnut sides in the winter, but it has a lovely bright green that spills from the back of its head down its back. Combined with a sharp white eye ring, it’s a fall warbler that looks very unique to me and I have been wanting to witness it in person for years.

Fall migration has been underway and the rare bird alerts and listserv emails have overwhelmed my inbox after a notable summer lull. I’ve been keeping a close look for any signs of a Chestnut-sided Warbler in the notifications, as well as proactively seeking out areas where I think it might pop up. Would 2020 be the year?

Yes – I hope! One was spotted nearby! It was at a new park we’ve never been to. I love chasing after rare birds because it so often introduces me to new local birding spots. This warbler was spotted at a little city park in a nearby city.

After pulling into the parking lot, I was a little skeptical about the prospects of finding the bird. There were no other birders to be spotted (usually identified with binoculars hanging around their necks and poking around the bushes and trees). We got out of the car and searched around a bridge where it was said to be located. My husband and I split up and I stayed near the parking lot while he walked down the bridge to explore. There were lots of other birds around –European Starlings and American Robins filling the air with songs, but no Chestnut-sided Warbler.

After a moment, my husband came back across the bridge and motioned me to join him. Another birder was in fact on the other side and had seen the warbler some time ago. She left, leaving my husband and I to search on our own. I followed every warbler chip I heard, yielding a Yellow Warbler, Townsend’s Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, and several Wilson’s Warblers, but none were our target bird.

My husband was the one to finally see it. What a beauty! It sported the lime green head and back with a bold eye ring. What surprised me was how cooperative it was. The warbler allowed us to observe it feeding and got unusually close allowing for great looks. We watched it pluck insects from the air, on branches, and under fallen leaves on the ground. It was completely focused on gorging on food. We watched the warbler until my legs started to burn from the sun and we left, feeling joyous.

Hermit Warbler, 2020

Pushing our luck, we continued to two additional birding spots. We spotted the rare Northern Waterthrush (this one was not cooperative, only allowing a 15 second look before magically disappearing into the brush), and later came across a very friendly Hermit Warbler. The latter is not rare here, but I’ve only seen one once, rather I heard it way up in a tree in the Sierras. This was my first really good look at a Hermit Warbler, and it was foraging in a similar pattern as the Chestnut-sided Warbler.

I love looking for local and rare warblers in the fall, and what a day this was!

Bar-Tailed Godwits Galore!

November 18, 2019 Elizabeth Olin

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, 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.

My Birding Day: Point Reyes Part II

October 10, 2019 Elizabeth Olin

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

See My Birding Day: Point Reyes Part I for the first part of the story.

In the past, we’ve driven by Mendoza Ranch (B Ranch) several times 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.

Our attention then turned to a flycatcher. I pointed to it, noting a thin eye ring. Then myu husband 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. My husband was confident he saw a Pacific-slope Flycatcher. Someone yelled “Pac Slope!” Another person found a thin eye ring like I had seen. We finally concluded 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.

Read about the rest of the trip in my next blog post!

My Birding Day: Sycamore Grove Park

May 26, 2019 Elizabeth Olin

Dark-Eyed Junco, Sycamore Grove Park, 2019

It was supposed to rain today. The dark clouds were looming overhead accompanied by chilly winds. Despite the risk of getting wet, we ventured out to Livermore to a local park – Sycamore Grove Park – in search of the rare Blue-gray Tanager. This species is native to southern Mexico through the northern section of South America. It is quite possible that this particular bird is a pet-escapee, in other words, a pet that was released (intentionally or accidentally) back into nature. Nevertheless, birders have flocked to this location to get a glimpse of this bird living its life in Livermore. We tried to locate this bird on a previous birding trip, but after six hours of hunting we gave up.

We found our target bird while eating lunch. An added bonus was watching it sing briefly. Now feeling calm, I was able to really enjoy all the bird activity around me. The theme of the day was immature or recently fledged birds foraging. Lots of little ones were scurrying around, flapping their wings, constantly calling out to their parents for food. Some young birds simply perched in place, such as this Mourning Dove.

Mourning Dove, Sycamore Grove Park, 2019

Other birds were still being fed by their parents, such as this Oak Titmouse and White-breasted Nuthatch.

The Dark-eyed Juncos I watched were still young but able to forage on their own with parents nearby. They were hopping around, trying little bits of this and that to learn what’s edible or not.

Dark-Eyed Junco, Sycamore Grove Park, 2019

It was a fun afternoon with so much dense birding that we stayed by the parking lot for nearly two hours. Despite it being Memorial Weekend, this normally-busy park was empty of visitors, allowing for a peaceful birding experience.

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.

My Birding Day: Coyote Hills with FBC

December 11, 2018 Elizabeth Olin

FBC Walk, Coyote Hills, 2018

I am a member of a Facebook group named the Fremont Birding Circle. Led by local expert Jerry Ting, we participate in monthly bird walks around the Fremont area. For the month of December, we visited Coyote Hills Regional Park and explored No Name Trail down its long stretch into the bay. It is a beautiful trail that gives hikers a close-up look at various waterfowl, gulls, terns, sandpipers, and more.

Dunlin, 2018

We spent three hours walking three miles round trip. My personal trip was closer to four miles because I had to run back to the main part of the park to find a bathroom while the group trudged ahead. The morning was picture-perfect with a cool, gentle breeze and still water that gave a mirror-like quality to the resting birds.

American Avocets, 2018

We did not find our target bird (Red Phalarope) but a Glaucous Gull was spotted that day – a rarity in our area. In total the group saw 75 species that morning. Since we arrived late, I spotted 54 species which goes to show the immense diversity this trail offers. If you’re lucky, sometimes you can spot a flamingo named Floyd that likes to hang out in that area from time to time!

Great Egret, 2018

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.

My Birding World

A Birding Blog by Elizabeth Olin

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