Birding - California's Central Coast - April 21, 2010 - From April 3 thru April 13 was on a jaunt in Arizona.  Saw a variety of birds - Phainopepla, Verdin, Cactus Wren, White-winged Dove, Hooded Oriole, Gila Woodpecker (a most vocal and entertaining bird), Abert's Towhee (a first sighting for me), Black-chinned Hummingbird, Say's Phoebe, Great-horned Owl, pair of Harris's Hawk (first time sighting), Gambel's Quail, Greater Roadrunner, pair of Zone-tailed Hawks (first time sighting), Rock Wren, Eurasian Wigeon, Redhead, Gadwall, Pied-billed Grebe, Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbirds, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, Cinnamon Teal, Canyon Wren, Black Phoebe, Condor, Mountain Chickadee (at the Grand Canyon the wind was so fierce there were few birds about), Western Bluebird, many Grackles, Western Kingbird, Bald Eagle, Collared Dove, White-throated Swift, and Violet-green Swallow.  I had expected hot weather, but it was amazingly mild except for a storm that blew into Williams and deposited a few inches of fluffy snow.   Below is the Grand Canyon.
                            
     Birding - California's Central Coast - March 28, 2010 -  Montaña de Oro State Park Bluff Trail - Many of the wonderful resident birds. Sharp-shinned Hawk, Pelagic and Brant Cormorant, Cliff Swallow, Pigeon Guillemot, Bushtit, Wrentit, Spotted Towhee, Calif. Thrasher, White-crowned Sparrow, Northern Flicker, and many Western Gulls.  Had fun with iBird.  The Wrentit and the Calif. Thrasher are very curious and come close to the sound.

Talented Mockingbirds - In and around my house is a Mockingbird that can mimic Calif. Quail to perfection.  At this moment I can hear him/her carrying on something fierce.
      Birding - California's Central Coast - March 27, 2010 -  Harmony Highlands State Park about - 5 miles north of Cayucos - no fee -  A beautiful 2 mile walk through verdant hills to the deep blue of the rocky coast of the Pacific.  Wildflowers and a great pond about a mile in.  Birds sightings - Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, Say's and Black Phoebe, American Goldfinch, White-crowned Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Wrentit, Calif. Quail.  On the pond - Northern Shoveler, Coot, Mallard, Cinnamon and Green Teal, Northern Pintail, Scaup, and Sora.  We think there were at least two.  Perhaps they will breed.   In dead Eucalyptus across from the little house a Red-tailed Hawk nested.  We watched as the pair changed places - such a gentle act.  At the north western end of the pond, in the moist wetland, was a mother Mallard guiding around her adorable brood of eight.  In one area of the trail, we observed little mammals dashing back and forth across the trail.  I think they were gophers; they would dash out, take a nibble of a plant, and dash back into the dense foliage. 
                    pond.harmony.highlands.state.park.
       Birding - California's Central Coast - March 14, 2010 -  Birding today with Harry and Norma.  First stop Whale Rock Reservoir off Old Creek Road in Cayucos.  Fortuned shined.  The Bald Eagle was sitting on it usual perch in a gnarled, old oak situated on a hill over the north eastern terminus of the lake.  A bit later as we walked down the road, we had clear sightings of a soaring eagle, also soaring Red-tailed Hawks.
Saw several pairs of Western Bluebirds (always a favorite).  Fortune really shined upon us when we had a great view of a Bobcat sitting near the top of a sturdy looking willow.  That was a first time sighting for the three of us.

After a yummy lunch of bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches at the French Bakery in Morro Bay, we headed out to Morro Rock where we had another first time sighting, a Red-necked Loon in the channel.   Bob, the Falcon guy said the female Peregrine was in her 12th day of nesting.  Bob said the male comes about every hour.  We hung around for awhile but no sighting of the male.  Below is an enlarged image of the Bobcat.  It was too far for my camera to capture a good image, but could certainly see it well with binoculars.
                 
    Birding - California's Central Coast - Feb. 17 - 2010 - Baywood - Birded along the edge of Baywood - tide was going out.  Shore birds were feeding in the mud - Godwit, Willet, Sanderling, West. Sandpiper, Greater Yellowleg, Black-bellied Plover.  Feeding in and over the water - Kingfisher, Forster's Tern, White Pelican, Scaup, Western and Eared Grebe, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Bufflehead, Brant Goose.  Several Snowy Egrets.  Peregrine Falcon in dead Cypress west of Baywood Pier.    Photo - Two pair Blue-winged Teal feeding near Baywood Pier. 
                
 
                         

 

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