California, September 2012 - Monterey Bay Area

After five days away from the coast, it was time to head back, this time to the south of San Francisco to Monterey Bay. As I mentioned in a previous post I had booked another pelagic out of Monterey Bay with Shearwater Journeys on 28^th September 2012 and wanted to have a few days birding the area, either side of that trip, and before we headed home. The journey from Yosemite to Monterey Bay was a long one so we stopped several times on the way, the most interesting stop being a cattle chase called Lasgolity Chase, along Highway 140. 

Horned Lark

At Lasgolity Chase my attention was drawn to a small flock of larks feeding on the ground, which on closer inspection turned out to be Horned Larks. These birds are totally different to the pinkish coloured birds, with broad black bibs that I have been seeing in south-eastern Turkey over the last few years, but they still have the yellow throat and bib, and brownish mantle and back typical of Horned Larks. 

Horned Lark

Interestingly in the heat of the day they spent most of their time feeding in the shade of the metal bars of the gates, rarely stepping out into the full sun...only I was doing that! Whilst watching the Horned Larks, two Western Meadowlarks wandered into view and an American Kestrel hunted from the overhead cables. 

Western Meadowlark

Scanning the horizon produced several raptor species which included a passing Swainson’s Hawk, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawks, two Golden Eagles and a column of Turkey Vultures that numbered well over 100 birds, a spectacular sight. As we continued on a Mountain Lion casually wandering across a meadow caused me to make a hasty U-turn.

Column of Turkey Vultures

We arrived in Monterey in the late afternoon, and after checking into our hotel headed out for a walk to see the bay. Our accommodation was close to the beach and overlooked a small lake and conservation area. American Coots, Pied-billed Grebes, Canada Geese, Heermann’s and Western Gulls, a Green Heron and three Black-crowned Night-Herons were present on the lake. 

Elegant Tern

In the Harbour Elegant Terns patrolled the tide line, and Common and Pacific Loons fed offshore. In the harbour Black Turnstones were roosting on the harbour edge, Belted Kingfishers fed from yacht masts, Great Egrets fed from floating kelp and a Pigeon Guillemot was in the harbour. But it wasn’t just birds that were on show in Monterey Bay, sea mammals were abundant. 

Californian Sea Lions

Bull Californian Sea Lion

Californian Sea Lion and Brandt's Cormorant

A large colony of California Sea Lions are resident on a pier at the harbour entrance, four bulls were in a stand off, making themselves tall and dominant and barking at each other. Harbour Seals were left to sleep on exposed rocks in what looked to be extremely uncomfortable positions. 

Harbour Seal

Our favourites were the Sea Otters, they were floating around the harbour occasionally diving and hunting for crabs, and when it was time to sleep, wrapping themselves in kelp before nodding off. 

Black Turnstone

Seventeen mile drive is the coastal road around the headland that leads to Carmel by-the-sea. It costs $9.75 to access but your ticket is valid for the whole day, so you can come and go as you please. The beaches around the road can be quite busy with both birds and people and dog walkers throwing sticks into the middle of flocks of waders for their dogs to chase was extremely irritating. 

Hudsonian Whimbrel

Nonetheless birding was excellent, Sanderling were the most numerous species, we the supportinmg cast including Hudsonian Whimbrel, Willet, Black-bellied Plover, Black Turnstone, Western Sandpipier, Dunlin and a very obliging Snowy Plover. 

Juvenile Snowy Plover

This bird was a juvenile, as can be seen by the still speckled crown.

Snowy Plover

A Buff-bellied Pipit was a nice find, a species I had not yet encountered on this trip and another Glaucous-winged Gull was on the beach at Carmel. Scanning out to sea produced both Long-tailed and Parasitic Jeagers, Sooty and Flesh-footed Shearwaters and a Short-billed Dowitcher roosting on the kelp.

Buff-bellied Pipit

Andrew Molera State Park is located to the south of Monterey along Highway 1 on the Big Sur. It is widely regarded as one of the best birding areas in the region, and despite arriving in the middle of the day there was still much to see. From the car park we took the track towards the campsite and immediately stumbled across a mixed flock of birds that included Bushtit, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Townsend Warbler, Hutton’s Vireo, Downy Woodpecker and Chestnut-backed Chickadee. 

Hutton's Vireo

Continuing along the track towards the sea we passed the campsite where cheeky California Ground Squirrels kept a close eye on our movements, darting back into their burrows if we approached too close. 

Californian Ground Squirrel

Birding was tough in the dense scrub but eventually Spotted Towhee, Black-chinned and Savannah Sparrow, Bewick’s and House Wrens, California Towhee and Nuttall’s Woodpecker were seen, and whilst looking for the passerines we picked out roosting Great Horned and Barn Owls. 

Great Horned Owl

At the mouth of the river that flows through the site Green-winged Teal and Pintail were recorded, whilst Golden Eagle, White-tailed Kite, Cooper’s and Red-tailed Hawk and a Peregrine Falcon were recorded overhead. All in all it was an excellent days birding despite most of it being shrouded in low cloud, our first of the trip!

California, September 2012 - San Francisco

My lack of posting recently has not been due to a lack of activity, due to the recent appalling weather here in the UK, but due to the fact that I have been on my travels again...this time to California, USA. As with all my holidays, the aim was to have a relaxing break with my wife, but like any self-respecting birder, some birding had to be involved....well in fact this trip had been planned around several locations which I hoped would provide some great birding, and be relaxing at the same time. Our trip commenced in San Francisco, before heading north to Bodega Bay, east to Yosemite and then south-west to Monterey. The next few posts will diarise our trip, so that birders who wish to travel to California may find some of my experiences useful.

Heermann's Gull

Our trip began with a three day city break in San Francisco, so I wasn't expecting to be doing much birding. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find some decent birding to be had along the shoreline immediately south of the Golden Gate Bridge. On reaching the bay shore, along The Embarcadero Road we were greeted by large numbers of Heermann's and Western Gulls, scavenging for scraps among the hoards of shoppers and sightseers! 

Western Gull

Walking east there are several wharfs that support good numbers of gulls and other sea birds such as Brandt's and Double-crested Cormorants and Brown Pelicans. There are several trips running to Alcatraz daily and it was our plan was to walk along the bay shore and then take a trip out to Alcatraz, unfortunately all the trips were fully booked, until the following Tuesday, when we would have left the city. We continued east along the bay found another company offering trips around Alcatraz (without landing), but also going to the Golden Gate and Bay bridges. As it turned out, for me this trip proved to be the better option, as we were soon sailing among flocks of Elegant and Caspian Terns, Brown Pelicans, Double-crested and Brandt's Cormorants and Common Murres (Guillemots in the UK). As we approached the Golden Gate Bridge three Sooty Shearwaters circled the boat before landing, but the most interesting thing for me was the number of Harbour Porpoises, I must have seen at least 20 in the waters beneath the bridge. My experiences with this species usually involve seeing them rapidly swimming away as they try to escape the on coming ship that I am on, these individuals seemed oblivious to the busy shipping lanes and tourist boats, and just went about their business. The boat trip leaves from Pier 39 and as it exits the dock passes a colony of California Sea Lions that have taken up residence on one of the piers. They are good value, but are very noisy and do whiff a bit!!

California Sea Lions 

Further east you come to the East Beach and Cissy Park, where a small saline lagoon  and an area of sandy beach is located. Western and Heermann's Gulls were again common, and the small lagoon produced the first waders of the trip, Long-billed Curlew (1), Willet (1), Marbled Godwit (2), Long-billed Dowitcher (3), Western Sandpiper (1), Killdeer (6) and Semi-palmated Plover (3) and a single Snowy Egret. 

Long-billed Curlew

A Townsend's Warbler was present in the bushes and Brewer's Blackbirds were commonplace. Looking out over the water hundreds of Elegant Terns were feeding along with two Caspian Terns, Brown Pelicans and a cracking drake Surf Scoter, whilst watching the scoter I got some more cracking views of close in shore Harbour Porpoises. 

Drake Surf Scoter

I also found a Red-throated Loon huddled on a section of beach, looking pretty ill so I didn't disturb it. North of the bridge we ventured down to an area of scrub and a small harbour, a Spotted Sandpiper was present on the waters edge and Turkey Vultures drifted overhead. 

Turkey Vulture

The scrub seemed fairly quiet but did produce the first Western Scrub Jays and White-crowned Sparrows of the trip. Returning back over the bridge I noticed the frame of an old wooden pier that seemed to be covered with terns all of which were Elegant Terns, there were hundreds of them. 

Hundreds of Elegant terns

Elegant Terns

This was a new species for me so it was great to get such good views, of both adults and juveniles, and look at the plumage variations of each and difference in the length and coloration of their bills. Some of the juvenile birds still had yellow legs, but this was quite patchy and dark was beginning to come through on all of them.

Elegant Tern