tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71722854662898810502024-03-05T20:06:23.578-08:00 Bourbon, Bastards, and Birds.Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.comBlogger1015125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-3726196188214586802022-02-20T08:15:00.001-08:002022-02-20T08:15:50.630-08:00Look To My Coming At First Light On The Fifth Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4-c9v5IxTt4WLrImtzeBrzuG--HF8a4RNJpBcOLrWHLNSihTa-fD3PabDVsI4Vt1fyl4-XkVtPqJnocDG4sJedbgkZ_RYnz1vf72tmj88QEzA7OIpMpxWuTnPZTZfrDh_XG4nqInnHzblpyfBcAkryu_0iYWeEqvHGNnk25eE9NvZ3v16D5zYl2S_=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4-c9v5IxTt4WLrImtzeBrzuG--HF8a4RNJpBcOLrWHLNSihTa-fD3PabDVsI4Vt1fyl4-XkVtPqJnocDG4sJedbgkZ_RYnz1vf72tmj88QEzA7OIpMpxWuTnPZTZfrDh_XG4nqInnHzblpyfBcAkryu_0iYWeEqvHGNnk25eE9NvZ3v16D5zYl2S_=s16000" /></a></div><br /><div><b>A female Allen's Hummingbird shares a feeder with a male Anna's. With new friends like these, I have embarked on a brave new Geri Birding voyage. Photographed at Ranchito Bolsa Nueva.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Well...it's been a while, hasn't it? I didn't plan to not write a blog post for a year (!), it just kind of happened that way.</div><div><br /></div><div>You see, a Very Significant Thing happened last year...we bought a house, and moved right on out of Santa Clara County two counties away over to MONTEREY COUNTY. For the first time since 2006, I no longer am tied to a Bay Area residence, and find myself under the heady and heavy influence of a new bay...against all odds, I am now a Monterey birder.</div><div><br /></div><div>Between moving, yard work, work work, and parenting, blogging just kind of stopped, although birding has been going strong (obvi). By the time I felt like dipping a toe into the blog waters again, my computer was on its last legs, and repeated catastrophic freezing events was the last straw in shelving BB&B.</div><div><br /></div><div>But now I am no longer busy moving, the fever of fall birding on the coast has subsided, I have a new computer, so no more excuses for avoiding you all. Blogging in the year 2022, of course, is an <i>atavistic endeavor</i>. If you are a birder who wants to create "content" (barf) and rack up the views, blogging is NOT the way to do it. That said - and this may be a bold claim - I think some people <i>still like blogs</i>. I sure as shit prefer writing on here to making Instagram posts (yes....you can follow us there @feloniousjive) and I don't think I have the brainspace to even consider attempting a podcast. But people still read and still have an attention span that exceeds an IG or Twitter post (well, some do) and so blogs may still have a niche. BOLDER PREDICTION: Blogs, or something blog-flavored, will eventually return. They will never regain their dominance, but they occupy (occupied?) a role in birding cyberspace that has little direct competition.</div><div><br /></div><div>The gears of the collective blog machine may already be turning...by now almost anyone who is reading this is aware of eBird's trip report function, which everyone is very excited about, at least in theory. Well, think about it...what trip report looks better and is more fun to look at (whether you were there or not)...the trip report that is just a bunch of checklists and pics, or the one that has site details, some anecdotes, travel tips, maybe even some attempts at humor here and there? Birders who put these things together are going to get way into making them awesome, and that leaves you with a final product that will be pretty similar to a well-constructed series of blog posts.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is not what I planned to be writing about today...not at all. Musing about the future of bird blogs? Good lord. Well, I suppose the clogged and gunky writing pipes just had to be cleaned out, and this is the respulsive mind-goo we are left with. I hope you have found a nugget or two in my pile of mental debris. Anyways I'm not going to make some outrageous claim about posting on here all the time now, but I hope to return to this old and beloved space with more frequency than none times a year...how embarrassing.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-5735146586905856652021-01-12T17:08:00.003-08:002021-01-12T17:08:48.006-08:00Good Times, Bad Times, Weird Times: 2020 In The 5 Mile Radius<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVd54XLI_d0PB-m5siMt7bGzbCialdiSpecOIfc5lEhNYkayq0GQksiMgni8CLXSg0VtHoo5FvRDZTJuUadp6d_88g1-26ztp5q84sUxLanIhPKegjSgiP4l3zAylCpGv2umtjFLEV0s4/s600/sngo0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVd54XLI_d0PB-m5siMt7bGzbCialdiSpecOIfc5lEhNYkayq0GQksiMgni8CLXSg0VtHoo5FvRDZTJuUadp6d_88g1-26ztp5q84sUxLanIhPKegjSgiP4l3zAylCpGv2umtjFLEV0s4/s16000/sngo0.jpg" /></a></div><p><b>From 2017-2019, I had seen but only a single Snow Goose in the now legendary Rancho de Bastardos Five Mile Radius. In the fall of 2020 I saw three! All maximum tame and slumming it with breadline Canada Geese. This one was at Hellyer County Park.</b></p><p>Ah, an old-fashioned annual end of the year round up post! Ok it's not exactly on time but what do you expect these days? Life is pain and blogging is hard.</p><p>Well, it seems like it has always been fashionable for some people to publicly bitch about each year as it comes to a close...it's the one time of year it is cool to publicly whinge about what a rough go of it you've had on social media, instead of just trying to convince everybody how fucking brilliant your life is. I'm sure sometimes that is totally valid (it's not like tragedy and suffering, or fear and loathing, is limited to 2020), but in retrospect most of that seems pretty wimpy compared to the gargantuan cluster that was last year. This really is the time that I'm just relieved to have a year be over with, but at the same time I don't kid myself about how quickly 2021 will right the ship. One could say the short term prognosis is rather...bleak.</p><p>***UPDATE: All of the above was written before the storming of the capitol by obsequious far right Trump worshippers/fucking insane conspiracy theorists/human garbage white supremacists...oh yeah and our old friend 'Rona is going stronger than ever before. So 2021 is exactly like 2020 so far, what a surprise.</p><p>Anyways, birds. It's a cliche at this point, but I think I need to say that birding really has helped with getting through 2020. I <i>must</i> bird, but it was crucial in 2020. Obviously, I ended up birding a ton in my 5MR, as 5MR birding is even more suited to pandemic era birding than it was before. I was not doing any sort of concerted year listing, as 2019 was more or less a 5MR big year and I had no interest in putting in that amount of effort again, but 2020 ended up being a great year for my radius. I picked up 17 new 5MR birds, 4 of which I detected only from my yard and nowhere else! This also involved an absolutely torrid stretch where I got 9 new 5MR birds in about 5 weeks. So despite going without chasing a number of birds and dispensing with a lot of target birding, I finished with 185 species...only 2 off my my 2019 mark, when I was feverishly birding the radius in comparison. I am very satisfied.</p><p>Alright, we can move on - contrary to what almost most birders will tell you, I'm acutely aware that list numbers are rarely interesting to anyone besides their keepers. In this post I'll mostly focus on birding highlights from the second half of the year, since I've done such a shameful job of blogging lately and that's when a lot of the best birds appeared.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRAPcF76RryiLKLjUQAw-Z-3dcBNUAkajfhJPPNluHsA1_Yi2hLiVuygmbxoHtZmqMbUctaMtUtn0Gx58raz4hqqWuZzAJ0i0HIK6V0suSVwtYBBmltwK7RdsoNWxNGKGDJkH_tmtVVQ/s600/cahu0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRAPcF76RryiLKLjUQAw-Z-3dcBNUAkajfhJPPNluHsA1_Yi2hLiVuygmbxoHtZmqMbUctaMtUtn0Gx58raz4hqqWuZzAJ0i0HIK6V0suSVwtYBBmltwK7RdsoNWxNGKGDJkH_tmtVVQ/s16000/cahu0.jpg" /></a></div><p>After a slow start to the year, the quality of 5MR birding seemed to really pick up in April. The vague runt highlight (and new radius bird for me) of the spring my grunts was undoubtedly a Northern Parula, but my favorite spring bird was this Calliope Hummingbird I found at a nearby <i>Echium</i> patch. I had sustained and satisfying long looks very close up, which I can't say I've had many of when it comes to adult males. Photographed at the Santa Clara Water District headquarters.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEB5U7SKJsycsFD-CQBakh4LEXb_8QJQzk7GTz_dGEZdEYBQOFkckLe4obbZFnZ4keHslFm9Xgg6Azz1JQcrXR8UYVQM6FxttYOeGjq7BTHs1wrmFEsMnFEF0npo1XaOIA35L7V4sh98/s600/yhbl0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEB5U7SKJsycsFD-CQBakh4LEXb_8QJQzk7GTz_dGEZdEYBQOFkckLe4obbZFnZ4keHslFm9Xgg6Azz1JQcrXR8UYVQM6FxttYOeGjq7BTHs1wrmFEsMnFEF0npo1XaOIA35L7V4sh98/s16000/yhbl0.jpg" /></a></div><p>Though not a regional meguh, few birds in my yard have caused me the sort of distress that this Yellow-headed Blackbird did upon first seeing it. A 5MR/yard bird twofer, I was amazed that this thing was frequenting my backyard, particularly in July, a month known for poor lowland birding if you don't count shorebirds. There's nothing like getting some shock and awe in your very own backyard.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSG4da4IfKmvAocL7LtBnWN4dl3dEylv5j0b2hHLJVWP__WG_AeFqLXIf425YNw5z_g2akJgValxPNPPtI7FzqTXOC7uocB76vU30pO-LPhQOlFWQsBQGQ6wKC37e5FSzd8nDUCBp-hKE/s600/pynu1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSG4da4IfKmvAocL7LtBnWN4dl3dEylv5j0b2hHLJVWP__WG_AeFqLXIf425YNw5z_g2akJgValxPNPPtI7FzqTXOC7uocB76vU30pO-LPhQOlFWQsBQGQ6wKC37e5FSzd8nDUCBp-hKE/s16000/pynu1.jpg" /></a></div><p>One perk of 2020 that came with living in the bay area was the MEGAFIRES. I was lucky enough to not have to worry about losing my home, but the smoke...it was astounding how bad the smoke was on some days. This Pygmy Nuthatch probably lost its home in the Santa Cruz Mountains to the CZU Lightning Fire and took advantage of my feeding station for a day - though the circumstances were a bummer, this was not a species I anticipated getting in the radius, let alone my yard.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsda5bKFdC4P_HkYcp-yvlRa_chBa4fDAa1iiRhVNMgTUPrV1CmWzySRtGRVKN_t788Ix3m12ZYceY6FovGqyZp8IOt0hQ-dxwoh5_hy5XIzQbAeAWYHSSa0F9A0t1JG0jHLlkUubjtE/s600/blackpoll0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsda5bKFdC4P_HkYcp-yvlRa_chBa4fDAa1iiRhVNMgTUPrV1CmWzySRtGRVKN_t788Ix3m12ZYceY6FovGqyZp8IOt0hQ-dxwoh5_hy5XIzQbAeAWYHSSa0F9A0t1JG0jHLlkUubjtE/s16000/blackpoll0.jpg" /></a></div><p>This fall was my fourth here in Santa Clara County, and it was by far the best as far as rarities are concerned in my 5MR. Vasona Lake County Park was the place to be - it started with a Northern Waterthrush, which was a county bird for me. I then found another one in the same spot weeks later. Soon after that I found this shadowy Blackpoll Warbler above, a new radius bird. Then that same day some other birders and photographers found a Bay-breasted Warbler (FIRST COUNTY RECORD) while trying to track down the Blackpoll.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUS9-0_j-XS_R0-XhRMZxiDn7qnJ_qVvipu-K2LeCNgKFugj-d8YqGJrtJe57saHy0tTy-O0q-WjWavqQwG15klpZJetY3H3HTkiX1mgQzGJ725imijEOYwzCUZQpnxin7DK9mUxaAPDM/s600/bbwa0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUS9-0_j-XS_R0-XhRMZxiDn7qnJ_qVvipu-K2LeCNgKFugj-d8YqGJrtJe57saHy0tTy-O0q-WjWavqQwG15klpZJetY3H3HTkiX1mgQzGJ725imijEOYwzCUZQpnxin7DK9mUxaAPDM/s16000/bbwa0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A first county record, right in my very own radius! You gotta love that, and I did enjoy some views of this bird on a couple different days. Bay-breasteds are quite rare in the state, although of course some of the more vagrant-wealthy counties seem to entrap them with some regularity. This is only the third I have ever seen in California. Birders flogging the area shrubbery also turned up an American Redstart, which I also chased successfully for a new 5MR bird. I dipped multiple times on a Nashville Warbler here, but there are worse things to dip on.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxa0mllKHlCQ8KyC4yEcqVV3covJ-XLkq2l4wah4DTY6nk52U05saIMyYI72Yo9gytqmc_QWq2JT3xfbCwjeFhudHzuQMzBmgAhmoqKl2lBMD2ATcvNbSxjqKrXx4ge4iIWYAgnWF1zZs/s600/ccsp0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxa0mllKHlCQ8KyC4yEcqVV3covJ-XLkq2l4wah4DTY6nk52U05saIMyYI72Yo9gytqmc_QWq2JT3xfbCwjeFhudHzuQMzBmgAhmoqKl2lBMD2ATcvNbSxjqKrXx4ge4iIWYAgnWF1zZs/s16000/ccsp0.jpg" /></a></div><p>While the fall of 2020 was great for Brewer's and Clay-colored Sparrows in much of the state, we in Santa Clara did not get very many of the latter. I was happy to find this one at Vasona, one of three individuals seen in the county last year and the only one in my radius.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkjDLbFLh0DKP62odlTK2v2iYCzyWuZ_1LOyNXLJJoYjDPOVsjbWW8odkMWIPZ5a5VVSH6rouwPX1Q4hGS6hqCCai7Qe6y6wtUXkGIQmB_LXlKdQXLHgIInTeQvltFZH7n1UYK8tE1SQ/s600/lago0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkjDLbFLh0DKP62odlTK2v2iYCzyWuZ_1LOyNXLJJoYjDPOVsjbWW8odkMWIPZ5a5VVSH6rouwPX1Q4hGS6hqCCai7Qe6y6wtUXkGIQmB_LXlKdQXLHgIInTeQvltFZH7n1UYK8tE1SQ/s16000/lago0.jpg" /></a></div><p>Lawrence's Goldfinches are not difficult to find in certain spots in Santa Clara County, but this isn't a species I considered <i>fait accompli</i> in the 5MR; they have an affinity for pretty "wild", undeveloped areas here that don't happen to fall close to home. So on that tinkling note, I was surprised when one was found at a random, seemingly unbirded park in my radius this fall in the middle of a vast sea of suburbs. I'll take it - this is one of my favorite species in California, so getting long looks at one here is an especially fulfilling radial victory.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lPA6e7lnt_z9s_l4V0tIW6oeiaOMYsTFe3ffCoeWEJFhUlbkV56b8-qb1gxReI5DKwpzhxyawhbp8ghZIOFCGdEKjfOP29iPsLvoPOUk917glk_NxU_5-l_1qmzFqKGVbFRp7RM5sAE/s600/vesp1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lPA6e7lnt_z9s_l4V0tIW6oeiaOMYsTFe3ffCoeWEJFhUlbkV56b8-qb1gxReI5DKwpzhxyawhbp8ghZIOFCGdEKjfOP29iPsLvoPOUk917glk_NxU_5-l_1qmzFqKGVbFRp7RM5sAE/s16000/vesp1.jpg" /></a></div><p>Last fall was a big one for uncommon and rare sparrows in much of California. I happily chased a Vesper Sparrow at Don Edwards NWR as a county bird...then chased another at Vasona Lake County Park, which was a new 5MR bird and the first ever eBirded from within my radius. Shortly afterward I found my own Vesper Sparrow at a local park which almost no one birds, so I was really happy to turn something up there. It really captured the spirit of 5MR birding I reckon. Photographed at Martial Cottle County Park.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRx8npB3d4XPkrW8Ro7UNPZEN5odKeKPCKbbSKkxnrqfbmrrmvaRVVkGI7WFEwcV77gRqStrNBjBA5TQaEycnc-42Kr9S9_6WkGI4LsuX8IxsJkD7_XrDHKkZi30-j8vXek3Rb8aXQyk/s600/nopi0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRx8npB3d4XPkrW8Ro7UNPZEN5odKeKPCKbbSKkxnrqfbmrrmvaRVVkGI7WFEwcV77gRqStrNBjBA5TQaEycnc-42Kr9S9_6WkGI4LsuX8IxsJkD7_XrDHKkZi30-j8vXek3Rb8aXQyk/s16000/nopi0.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XQM6pKfhOHyqglHYm44sereOlDSD8H37IRY4FzfjOWZwYqmFvYMwp38u6vgnVwCda47PCv7ZC0ZxgNR_MaloW4QlasEEON2ZrG748-B9IDqIQo-Z6B-LDAd6blAfJwU7Vkj2mltX7Jg/s600/nopi1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XQM6pKfhOHyqglHYm44sereOlDSD8H37IRY4FzfjOWZwYqmFvYMwp38u6vgnVwCda47PCv7ZC0ZxgNR_MaloW4QlasEEON2ZrG748-B9IDqIQo-Z6B-LDAd6blAfJwU7Vkj2mltX7Jg/s16000/nopi1.jpg" /></a></div><p>Northern Pintail is a classic species that is very common at a number of sites in my county but incredibly hard to find in my radius. A small group I found last fall were only my second personal record here, where I do a bit better with diving ducks than I do with dabblers. Photographed at the Los Capitancillos Ponds.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tjxXfHW3gIId_4GImEc5TAOG4BJfRUJszIIqnMB8rj1cZtDAmh3_LaEKR7fP-T90FHE5IcgwbRCSO_t8cpnZWMdTyGxEm2fSdjDmG5RB8Ad-orvOfgTm0Rnb6NqnrvSyH7y4zJVtkCQ/s600/pisi0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tjxXfHW3gIId_4GImEc5TAOG4BJfRUJszIIqnMB8rj1cZtDAmh3_LaEKR7fP-T90FHE5IcgwbRCSO_t8cpnZWMdTyGxEm2fSdjDmG5RB8Ad-orvOfgTm0Rnb6NqnrvSyH7y4zJVtkCQ/s16000/pisi0.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJeo4-KAOxFBeOpaJjJrPF_LiHNYD7KXM0tbNmGjEG9I4yYcckECHtRL4gtQnFLhZMKXpVWK-jjkwwzyf-HZ2pKmXgWRovyKh-Ie7DiO2jFSxF7LsPvc0cW31yHmQpn8yqOghxeKyW30/s600/pisi2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJeo4-KAOxFBeOpaJjJrPF_LiHNYD7KXM0tbNmGjEG9I4yYcckECHtRL4gtQnFLhZMKXpVWK-jjkwwzyf-HZ2pKmXgWRovyKh-Ie7DiO2jFSxF7LsPvc0cW31yHmQpn8yqOghxeKyW30/s16000/pisi2.jpg" /></a></div><p>This is old news to everyone on the west coast, but this has been an epic year for Pine Siskins in my radius and seemingly everywhere else. Previously it was a special occasion to look out the back door and see one in the yard, but now it's an everyday occurrence. A "green" siskin (bottom photo, upside down on right) is not an everyday occurrence though, so that was a welcome feeder guest. I had not seen one in years. Photographed at Rancho de Bastardos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyICVe6hISh_jB1CCiNMgtTmpfKbAYTMbYGha6lXumJDBWwQ4qkEQDl5xf2i2mgAmcmgA4WPYecEVHANpBPyyceh90N1k3FJ2y9DN-tFBUu0_REzB5sCytQEBvbDrYOmymS8A5CWFc3E/s600/gtto0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyICVe6hISh_jB1CCiNMgtTmpfKbAYTMbYGha6lXumJDBWwQ4qkEQDl5xf2i2mgAmcmgA4WPYecEVHANpBPyyceh90N1k3FJ2y9DN-tFBUu0_REzB5sCytQEBvbDrYOmymS8A5CWFc3E/s16000/gtto0.jpg" /></a></div><p>The last new addition to the radius was this Green-tailed Towhee, which was also a county bird. It mostly feeds out in the open in an orchard with a Zonotrichia flock, a very un-GTTO setting. When I saw it, it was somewhat distant but super cooperative. Even though I've been birding the bay area for a long time this was the first I've seen in any of the regional counties. Photographed on the Calero Creek Trail.</p><p>I could totally pad this post with some more fun birds, including common ones, but I gotta get it out there at some point. Again, sorry for the lack of posts last year, it really does bring me angst. Follow me on Instagram @feloniousjive if you're into stuff like that, I try to post birdses on there more regularly. I'd like to wish you all a happy 2021, but I think that ship has sailed! So go forth and bird your radius, and if your radius is not that great, bird your county! Those lurking local vagues aren't going to find themselves.</p></div>Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-9792844770920970892020-10-31T14:48:00.000-07:002020-10-31T14:48:12.599-07:00I Have Become Terrible At Blogging And Am Filled With Shame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylrelaT1Bzqpa6hLh4KZNNV989JVSmFc7dItqZ0gm-b7gwx_yANpRbd-lt3CQ4Waj0KdycmCaqmdbSEbK_J1-eTRI11KHQs8tBZPXTAFiImQSTUxRXe4SWS_KHzMS_hRcgsxQ02_wo4w/s600/savs6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylrelaT1Bzqpa6hLh4KZNNV989JVSmFc7dItqZ0gm-b7gwx_yANpRbd-lt3CQ4Waj0KdycmCaqmdbSEbK_J1-eTRI11KHQs8tBZPXTAFiImQSTUxRXe4SWS_KHzMS_hRcgsxQ02_wo4w/s16000/savs6.jpg" /></a></div><p><b>Like the Savannah Sparrow waits for rain to rejuvenate its beloved grasslands, birders everywhere wait with bated breath for BB&B to start posting enough to finally put an end to the blog drought. Photographed at Byxbee Park in Palo Alto.</b></p><p>I know it, you know it, so I might as well come out and say it...BB&B has found itself in a drought of blog posts. How embarrassing. It's not like I've been in a coma for months, and I have been birding quite a bit. I actually had a real good run here in Santa Clara from about the end of August to early October. I can offer some of the the usual excuses for not posting, including but not limited to 2020/the president/racism/coronavirus/megafire sucking, not to mention my wonderful child exuberantly sucking much of the life force out of me as well. I'm sure there are lots of other things that suck that I am forgetting, but the truly unique thing about this year is that I know you get the idea. This is the year of surviving, not thriving, and nobody seems to be doing really great. As The Descendents said, "Everything sucks today!" and that seems to be true almost every day. Life is pain.</p><p>Anyhow, I shall return sooner than later I hope, and life-giving blog posts will one day rain from the sky, replenishing the parched and thirsty blogscape. The time will come once again when you will be able to stand on the shoulders of giants, as this sleeping giant will be awake before long. BB&B is, of course, a keystone member of the Birdosphere, and birding as we know it would likely collapse and cease to exist without us. The burden is heavy, but we will be back.</p><p>I am posting to my Instagram account regularly at least. It's a poor substitute for sweet sweet bloggage but as everyone in the world knows it's quick and it's easy compared to this format. Follow me...er, follow The Great Ornithologist Felonious Jive over on IG @feloniousjive.</p>Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-7048842252439368362020-08-31T19:22:00.000-07:002020-08-31T19:22:17.471-07:002020: The Dawn of The Geri Birding Renaissance<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVTopYfpfrv5I1Dd7FJES8GTgF2SFhmX8jK0L5sjuqHcomMWO5m-5HD6HHDW5WPWr79DJPCJd51MgrLNNrFwZ9HCN254DPQcN2FJ-RrEicChZNcipzwK-s9dOMUO79OdRDecAkIIjrsw/s600/casj2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVTopYfpfrv5I1Dd7FJES8GTgF2SFhmX8jK0L5sjuqHcomMWO5m-5HD6HHDW5WPWr79DJPCJd51MgrLNNrFwZ9HCN254DPQcN2FJ-RrEicChZNcipzwK-s9dOMUO79OdRDecAkIIjrsw/d/casj2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>California Scrub-Jays were daily yard visitors for a good part of the summer but are currently all but undetectable from the yard, although they are certainly still nearby. It is fascinating getting to learn some of the habits and vagaries of local common shit that you thought you knew like the back of your hand already. All photos in this post were taken at Rancho de Bastardos.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Geri Birding. Now, more than ever, it matters. BB&B readers know that we have always been staunch proponents of Geri Birding, whether you are doing it in your own backyard or at some lodge buried deep in a rainforest. But with the arrival of Covid-19, Geri Birding went from a pastime to somewhat of a necessity, at least for a while.</div><div><br /></div><div>Do you remember those days in early spring? Here in Santa Clara County, California, we went straight from business-as-usual 😎to shelter-in-place 😷practically overnight, pretty much before the rest of the country. Fear and confusion and anger reigned supreme...and I guess that really hasn't changed, though the shock has certainly worn off. But I digress...it was a gut punch any way you look at it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back then, "wear a fucking mask" was not a thing. The thing was "don't leave your fucking house"...although no one was actually saying it <i>quite</i> like that then, or now, because that's not something anyone can tolerate for very long, potential life saving action be damned. There is a reason house arrest is a thing. However, that was indeed the message being sent by some birders for a little while. Birders were taking to listservs and social media, courageously proclaiming to all that would listen that they refused to chase mega rarities 15 minutes away and bashing all who did.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyprLq3aOKgUJeHatFUaBrmZLjzoRdkryGmfOr9SHT4dfU0fOciLIGMGdEY1jLs589BREzf33X2brOXbyneE64uqdhw6SvP0w0AJy5LmixfoYTLA_WKcw4OkJS9EpDNlMuEoT2ZeXT1PU/s600/nuwo5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyprLq3aOKgUJeHatFUaBrmZLjzoRdkryGmfOr9SHT4dfU0fOciLIGMGdEY1jLs589BREzf33X2brOXbyneE64uqdhw6SvP0w0AJy5LmixfoYTLA_WKcw4OkJS9EpDNlMuEoT2ZeXT1PU/s16000/nuwo5.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>A big change in the yard this year was the Nuttall's Woodpeckers finally getting hooked on the suet. After being very occasional visitors to the feeding station they now visit on the regular. I've seen a great many of these in my life but can now say the best looks I've ever had of them were in my own yard. Here is a juvenile showing its distinctive red forecrown.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>You may think I am cusp of delivering some harsh judgement, one way or the other, or am on the verge of launching into a long and rambling self-righteous screed on how birders should now conduct themselves in The Age of Coronavirus...but I am not. I am just setting the stage to tell you that I sure as shit have spent a lot more time at home than usual this year, and the best part of that has been GERI BIRDING.</div><div><br /></div><div>As soon as things went south in March, I began geri birding with renewed vigor and have not stopped...never stop geri birding, you know what I'm saying? Can't stop won't stop geri birding. The results have been very rewarding, and Rancho de Bastardos has performed as advertised. I geri birded so hard this spring that I suspect I may actually now be geri. I catch myself doing stuff like complaining about my back, unironically yelling dad cliches at my daughter, and asking basic, embarrassing questions like "Honey, have you seen my keys?" or "What the fuck is Tiktok?"</div><div><br /></div><div>I know right? It's a bad scene, but I am not ashamed. Geri birding makes hanging out at home a much more enjoyable, perhaps even more gripping experience than normal, especially in semi-normal weather conditions (i.e. under 100 degrees and without a megafire raging nearby) and in spite of things happening in the rest of the world that are trying their best to send you spiraling into a state of catatonic depression that you will never climb out of ever again.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlkjq_fScDiV5bJljfozXpMKgey_xiMOx32vRUA5TSVe4ehC6tCJ3rXFXLKp_ilYwZX-2S5C2cfSNCNixuWGGE-sKIN8SeTztz02y2wmyISJUI0x48U02juqoc23_CcrsPCSvUH-OKR1Q/s600/hoor9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlkjq_fScDiV5bJljfozXpMKgey_xiMOx32vRUA5TSVe4ehC6tCJ3rXFXLKp_ilYwZX-2S5C2cfSNCNixuWGGE-sKIN8SeTztz02y2wmyISJUI0x48U02juqoc23_CcrsPCSvUH-OKR1Q/s16000/hoor9.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Another major yard upgrade this year was the addition of this little oriole feeder. I wasn't sure how birds would take to it but the neighborhood Hooded Orioles love it. I even saw chickadees and a Song Sparrow or two using it.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0B-BWIPX9AgdpuF-KGRO8GF-5rtzr8c7jRuRBzcwKgE_WHRyiI_UjCzweSL5tglgjFnWbT8p70pmkBrljKJuMpTRNaEC-hpQA66G9PkT2ykNW6Dl2OdGodCp3dHdVOHXbcwl4I3NdKbM/s600/hoor10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0B-BWIPX9AgdpuF-KGRO8GF-5rtzr8c7jRuRBzcwKgE_WHRyiI_UjCzweSL5tglgjFnWbT8p70pmkBrljKJuMpTRNaEC-hpQA66G9PkT2ykNW6Dl2OdGodCp3dHdVOHXbcwl4I3NdKbM/s16000/hoor10.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Hooded Orioles here have always been skittish, especially males. It's like they know how facemelting they are and don't want to hurt anyone by letting them get too good of a look. I got some deec pics this summer though. They have all departed now and are southbound, but we had some good hangs this year.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZ6l8xH_1TFHvwUDbUQm3lZG-PhUHm_SEi-Tpgr-BuqlP7IMfY68a-O7bKh8BzpyfNk4VT9mQbzXO5zyMBJZ6AhLvHmSEQwRi434v72YVeKTjMtm4FJvjoBwIs0Xg98Upk9Eju1fXwzM/s600/oati13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZ6l8xH_1TFHvwUDbUQm3lZG-PhUHm_SEi-Tpgr-BuqlP7IMfY68a-O7bKh8BzpyfNk4VT9mQbzXO5zyMBJZ6AhLvHmSEQwRi434v72YVeKTjMtm4FJvjoBwIs0Xg98Upk9Eju1fXwzM/s16000/oati13.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>How about some more babies? Here is a juv Oak Titmouse. They are much more confiding than adults, usually look a touch spiffier and have more of a cowlick than a very prominent crest.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWH2dL5n0ob1D-dcHAXmzmuTW0FE456iJOrFBApoRB-lI5oTRf5xP-LAHL-VEwJlc0zqdp3hrqQKQOMWKaUIEgj8GbWgjm5UQGI9UsFdH4YKGx7dB8dCGCgCPau5W0foCnoavHDiLCfw/s600/nomo5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWH2dL5n0ob1D-dcHAXmzmuTW0FE456iJOrFBApoRB-lI5oTRf5xP-LAHL-VEwJlc0zqdp3hrqQKQOMWKaUIEgj8GbWgjm5UQGI9UsFdH4YKGx7dB8dCGCgCPau5W0foCnoavHDiLCfw/s0/nomo5.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>A young Northern Mockingbird can do a very convincing Sage Thrasher impersonation.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwSa50fVEQy0neX3pwFe68tZMuyANWTTS6cit3xU717eQZi8QX7NfuypjbtQkwtn37sattatqUhoezPq8zGpoIkx7WNkisWjz9rKqNerd9G3sghoH9oWje0lU7THiU_1abBFbZ5T4NAg/s600/tres8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwSa50fVEQy0neX3pwFe68tZMuyANWTTS6cit3xU717eQZi8QX7NfuypjbtQkwtn37sattatqUhoezPq8zGpoIkx7WNkisWjz9rKqNerd9G3sghoH9oWje0lU7THiU_1abBFbZ5T4NAg/s16000/tres8.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>One afternoon we had a big family group of Tree Swallows perched above the backyard with a bunch of fresh brown and white juvs still getting fed by parents. This is a local breeder that disappears very early in the year - I have no eBird records of them from the yard past June. Like the jays that opened up this post, they are certainly in the area longer than that but I do find it interesting that they are dependably absent from my microzone by July.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhYvpyh_4RJaAwwao4lrA7YvKN-Oye1FY57OVAOLopirK0UISf-rWbgb7uU-8v-3moK9uYH8JzJaNKtlcd9e7GO0TvHnBBoxYcn8Zj0AglJEsFfGtaoLeeNsoG6-IvZa72SnLmTfmKR8/s600/sosp6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhYvpyh_4RJaAwwao4lrA7YvKN-Oye1FY57OVAOLopirK0UISf-rWbgb7uU-8v-3moK9uYH8JzJaNKtlcd9e7GO0TvHnBBoxYcn8Zj0AglJEsFfGtaoLeeNsoG6-IvZa72SnLmTfmKR8/s0/sosp6.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>This was a big year for Song Sparrows in the yard, the local breeders produced some bumper crops of youngsters like this one. On some days there would be an actual double-digit pure flock of Song Sparrows in the yard, which I am not accustomed to seeing anywhere.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPau5BIERvN-6qk0N57GjNNzTJ5gwSxQjnhXKdjSEExWKYsH8HeRmQkpZychzpv_ZzurRALzRtWZWYD0HR93VpIeRsLHJx1sLEOHbqmp2ErY7jmQCVUK0as-7DQ4dVRN7Dw8zqTdyT4s/s600/coha8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPau5BIERvN-6qk0N57GjNNzTJ5gwSxQjnhXKdjSEExWKYsH8HeRmQkpZychzpv_ZzurRALzRtWZWYD0HR93VpIeRsLHJx1sLEOHbqmp2ErY7jmQCVUK0as-7DQ4dVRN7Dw8zqTdyT4s/s0/coha8.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>This Cooper's Hawk is not a baby at all anymore but not a grownup either. In fact, it doesn't get much more intermediate than this, look at all those adult feathers coming in and that orange eye. Raptor highlights so far this year include more Sharp-shinneds than ever before, both eagle species (annual but always appreciated), and a banded Peregrine Falcon trying to kill Forster's Terns (after failing, killed a passerine instead).</b></div><div><br /></div><div>As of this writing I am up to 113 species seen or heard from Rancho de Bastardos this year - my single year record of 126 species, set in 2018, seems well within reach but topping it is not a certainty either. El Rancho has been endowed with 7 new species in 2020: Scaly-breasted Munia (expected and disappointing), Willet (a calling nocturnal spring migrant, astonishing and rather rare in the county away from South San Francisco Bay/salt ponds), Swainson's Thrush (overdue, finally heard some nocturnal flight calls this spring), Western Kingbird (spring migrant, a pleasant surprise), Western Wood-Pewee (a not unexpected but very appreciated spring migrant), and Wrentit. The Wrentit is something I might hear sing from the riparian along the nearby creek at some point, but I was amazed to both hear and see a pair in my actual yard one midsummer day. My yard is decidedly terrible Wrentit habitat, but perhaps better than I thought? That leaves one more new yard bird... </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1F_VurG0kfw340sLu4wxFOLB-QUjo18O9FeD7v_LUzLCe0a4pjxf9HGHUn7iagXh5pSR86TBXj9PV5vsnVLVIyEmfc8J15edHsUy7Yyn_Qfg2nG9K_Q4D9TIpza_Rkb9PBAg2rodvFLU/s600/rwbl11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1F_VurG0kfw340sLu4wxFOLB-QUjo18O9FeD7v_LUzLCe0a4pjxf9HGHUn7iagXh5pSR86TBXj9PV5vsnVLVIyEmfc8J15edHsUy7Yyn_Qfg2nG9K_Q4D9TIpza_Rkb9PBAg2rodvFLU/s16000/rwbl11.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Red-winged Blackbirds have always nested in the pond behind my house but this year they decided to get real familiar with my yard in 2020, possibly because of a newish feeder that they could be more comfortable on. In previous summers they would disappear by the end of June but this year they have stuck around, and in greater numbers. Not only was it nice to have them linger and loiter longer, they helped lure in my newest yard bird.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiQFqsgu8hz8Wlik1j5XuMufQF-6N2s7nzdAsXQdrO2l4kDPBEMssiv1sHXTT5ZtOJDVQ-RoYiMYg0C-WlWMCOOBMS9fIOeL4XwsnFV1JLjxd64XPak4QopNiRVcXmckKxZH43PJw9dI/s600/yhbl1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiQFqsgu8hz8Wlik1j5XuMufQF-6N2s7nzdAsXQdrO2l4kDPBEMssiv1sHXTT5ZtOJDVQ-RoYiMYg0C-WlWMCOOBMS9fIOeL4XwsnFV1JLjxd64XPak4QopNiRVcXmckKxZH43PJw9dI/s0/yhbl1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>I was astonished to look outside one day and see this thing going to seed town (Seed Town?) on the platform feeder one day with the local Red-winged flock. I'd only ever seen one in the county before, and here was a bright male right in the yard...in July! THIS IS WHY I GERI BIRD. This was both a new yard bird (obvi) and a new 5MR bird too, which made it that much sweeter.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPREjRws_nR1zETqehUE5hmdewmUq-kmNDzKra_1XBGBK_OXxsD2evTh3q65ngWxweO72hPw5s6FN-h2mvv6ovCowWWKZy6VHWYlN7jE8qYUqIyWtozs10HGSdysOHgHXMYOb3H7EYMMs/s600/yhbl3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPREjRws_nR1zETqehUE5hmdewmUq-kmNDzKra_1XBGBK_OXxsD2evTh3q65ngWxweO72hPw5s6FN-h2mvv6ovCowWWKZy6VHWYlN7jE8qYUqIyWtozs10HGSdysOHgHXMYOb3H7EYMMs/s0/yhbl3.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Yellow-headed Blackbird made itself at home very quickly and visited the yard a number of times a day, bossing around other birds, calling frequently and settling in near the top of the yard bird hierarchy. So, so sick. This is not the rarest bird that has been in the yard, but I am left wondering if things will ever be the same.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4A6V9u6Uc-BKs5Mu1QVdfQJT3EbvdLAaim7RFeEcVbWqubMxI61KEdIUK3GODyU1vqHFs_iRQEpqbp1s43qzcW1ZwvWoFmTFy17OzBv977rif3xgzQtF9D6A5PS9He8hsKveFVFz-WI/s600/yhbl2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4A6V9u6Uc-BKs5Mu1QVdfQJT3EbvdLAaim7RFeEcVbWqubMxI61KEdIUK3GODyU1vqHFs_iRQEpqbp1s43qzcW1ZwvWoFmTFy17OzBv977rif3xgzQtF9D6A5PS9He8hsKveFVFz-WI/s0/yhbl2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>A surprising number of birders came out to the Los Capitancillos Ponds to chase it, most of which eventually had success. Apparently, scoping into my yard from the other side of the ponds became a thing people were actually doing.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>If you don't already geri bird with zeal, I do recommend giving it a shot. I know not everyone has a living situation where this is possible, or your shitty apartment is simply too urban to be conducive to this...I have lived in those situations for most of my adult life. Trust me, I've skipped a lot of articles and posts about yard birding over the years, had my eyes glaze over when yard birding makes its way into conversation, but we must face the music...the time for geri birding is <i>now</i>. Have you felt The Long Shadow of Senescence slowly creeping over you? Let go of your fears, of your wasted youth, and your journey towards the Geri Side will be complete. Birders everywhere have finally made some effort to really bird their yards for the first time this year and have reaped the rewards. What better time to start than September? </div><div><br /></div><div>To you grizzled veteran geri birders out there, I hope your yards have brought you similar good fortune in 2020. This has been the year to really cement our geri birding legacies, right? As much as I look forward to having property of my own so I can go crazy with planting natives and installing an imposing state-of-the-art Vague Magnet Water Feature like Flycatcher Jen, Rancho de Bastardos continues to produce surprises and helps soothe some of the daily angst that comes with the territory this year. September is now upon us, the window is open and <i>anything can happen</i>, so good luck to everybody this month, Geri or otherwise.</div><div><br /></div>Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-14011540035958025892020-07-01T20:59:00.000-07:002020-07-01T20:59:41.157-07:00Costa Rica Part V - Hotel Gavilan and Tirimbina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorPLogyqeiWXyyMHjS8eWUYSTbJ0c_iR0J3BHBKIKyNmi38JnD9fH9HNvD0cwWiJGRvgvbiREaRaXTNdl4GHI5oK1yLYXudtm8CdgU5kYhurt3N6VbnB5aS7QVNKeond1VCLMFxIrRaE/s600/coar0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorPLogyqeiWXyyMHjS8eWUYSTbJ0c_iR0J3BHBKIKyNmi38JnD9fH9HNvD0cwWiJGRvgvbiREaRaXTNdl4GHI5oK1yLYXudtm8CdgU5kYhurt3N6VbnB5aS7QVNKeond1VCLMFxIrRaE/d/coar0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i>We got nice looks at Collared Aracaris while kicking it in front of our rooms at Hotel Gavilan, while trying-but-not-really to take afternoon breaks from birding.</i><div><br /></div><div>Yeah, I'm doing it again...taking my sweet time with these Costa Rica posts aren't I? Well, these aren't normal times, or good ones. I <i>could </i>say that bird blogging feels silly, trivial and trite in light of current events and that I have not been in a good headspace to be churning these things out...but I won't say that because I've <i>always</i> had trouble churning out travel posts, even during The Perpetual Weekend (what is dead may never die). </div><div><br /></div><div>While the year has mostly been shit, steadily snowballing into an even bigger and more dangerous rolling boulder of shit that we are all trying to stay in front of while running down a mountain of doom, there have been good times, the pre-shit times. So while bird blogging seems as insignificant as ever, it's also about time BB&B gets some of the attention it deserves, from me anyways. Cass and Felis really nailed it with the last post, didn't they? BB&B is, after all, an institution, a <i>life-changing</i> blog. So without further witty banter to get us off the proverbial ground, I will just say I am packing this post with a shitload of photos...more in one post than ever before I reckon. So no more time to talk, away we go.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0hjwdZDB9I9GLCatJRXyxlVW5jTM6xuabsgK6yYW4xCkf_j7qAoZPsL5PxLI8EuZbFZqjsVmDXqOgYPWRoS1k0FREWaOQVF3gRlV-qbx3xLSnvq27AGtfdzIw7LVbQP_quhfmRwJsFs/s600/coar1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0hjwdZDB9I9GLCatJRXyxlVW5jTM6xuabsgK6yYW4xCkf_j7qAoZPsL5PxLI8EuZbFZqjsVmDXqOgYPWRoS1k0FREWaOQVF3gRlV-qbx3xLSnvq27AGtfdzIw7LVbQP_quhfmRwJsFs/d/coar1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Getting to travel to some exotic location sounds especially tantalizing now doesn't it? Costa Rica continues to beckon, though I am really happy with how this year's trip turned out and grateful we did it when we did. Here at Hotel Gavilan, I eventually figured out that the aracaris were so reliable because they were getting their nest on in the legendary The Tree of Lifers.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLfPGAqCmtMkLZfyTiTzWVj7_bkYZtj0EkXNvZmoqHNBXH3mA1pIU2hwPGtRfk5NGPJ83i09n67Dkmj8jaFAAuBtbeOsXGNLdi30cAvx3sr5rJsRd3p6CYRJlqfnxsqvlLjDtedqhR4w/s600/ytto.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLfPGAqCmtMkLZfyTiTzWVj7_bkYZtj0EkXNvZmoqHNBXH3mA1pIU2hwPGtRfk5NGPJ83i09n67Dkmj8jaFAAuBtbeOsXGNLdi30cAvx3sr5rJsRd3p6CYRJlqfnxsqvlLjDtedqhR4w/d/ytto.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We heard and saw many Yellow-throated Toucans over the course of the trip but I think this is the only one I have passable pictures of. They are exotic and large and ridiculous and, when I look at this photo, I feel that being bitten by one would be highly regrettable.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOmoOB_oQGanwU3woAsTK2frO6XYDPfazyl1Ds9AzkniUJvw661EkOLQ-_-GWUAu7c60ad531mLJyzXsu_JYk_wwpuNy-_CBADvcNoweYEpeRt1Otd0Baslbv9X_S4gr9QjSXh3qEyes/s600/bawo2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOmoOB_oQGanwU3woAsTK2frO6XYDPfazyl1Ds9AzkniUJvw661EkOLQ-_-GWUAu7c60ad531mLJyzXsu_JYk_wwpuNy-_CBADvcNoweYEpeRt1Otd0Baslbv9X_S4gr9QjSXh3qEyes/d/bawo2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In 2012, Hotel Gavilan provided a pair of easily viewable Spectacled Owls. No such luck this time (here or anywhere else) but there was a Black-and-white Owl that could be seen from the parking area. Sick.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49uLC2R3QjEvz5lbXV1QPlnZxRexiluUqzqEBoiSVpAekZ0Cl3spH1NUjIN1Au2ZJOiKdL-5H1iSwNQx3V0dPp_3RUsRqRPCJULe_JMKXT_n9RVMNUMySIbz2idxQOeRv7uYnDnZzGCg/s600/gavilan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49uLC2R3QjEvz5lbXV1QPlnZxRexiluUqzqEBoiSVpAekZ0Cl3spH1NUjIN1Au2ZJOiKdL-5H1iSwNQx3V0dPp_3RUsRqRPCJULe_JMKXT_n9RVMNUMySIbz2idxQOeRv7uYnDnZzGCg/d/gavilan.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the courtyard with the Tree of Lifers. Other good birds we had here included Short-tailed Nighthawks, Blue-chested Hummingbird, Brown-hooded Parrot (lifer for me), Gray-chested Doves, and a massive Turkey Vulture migration one day. Jen and Jacob also found a sloth latrine (lifer latrine) - sloths refuse to shit from up in trees for some reason, they descend all the way to the ground to unload. It is an interesting and unexplained approach.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnh2FrIwHDEVT1jO3XIlbjhE1KpiRfCdQRi-4MkfT-e6fvvzhUd5eo6H-2bDfv7UIs90BLXTK4Wk47bKsTcrlICUtKQeey0ar8tW2Jp7qUJODklQz4AGznbe3xZAHjY5VyQLsPRBYN2DU/s600/bluejeans.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnh2FrIwHDEVT1jO3XIlbjhE1KpiRfCdQRi-4MkfT-e6fvvzhUd5eo6H-2bDfv7UIs90BLXTK4Wk47bKsTcrlICUtKQeey0ar8tW2Jp7qUJODklQz4AGznbe3xZAHjY5VyQLsPRBYN2DU/d/bluejeans.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Very unlike 2012 (rage) we actually put in effort trying to find interesting herps at night on this trip. The abundance of blue jeans frogs/strawberry poison dart frogs was surprising, as was my complete inability to spot them the first night. Obviously, this is one of the best frogs in existence. We also saw the legendary red-eyed tree frogs for the first time ever.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykvB3OEsfvc3ysDpCmJ2lqh6E5k-iFikhOElruFIqWYc88zpp2b0012izeOGlwL_4PRBwc_7aSi5-wmxaevbGbwPuFVdw3N_KjpGNF32cQVLyl7v7ZISsKxF1gzYJ-m6qkCTCs0HLXJQ/s600/frog1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykvB3OEsfvc3ysDpCmJ2lqh6E5k-iFikhOElruFIqWYc88zpp2b0012izeOGlwL_4PRBwc_7aSi5-wmxaevbGbwPuFVdw3N_KjpGNF32cQVLyl7v7ZISsKxF1gzYJ-m6qkCTCs0HLXJQ/d/frog1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I have no clue what this is. An exotic-but-not-exotic-looking frog.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69ZGAlf3F174ph3ydXOVRriSrEkPuZTNyD4dTyoJaYWdQm0tqzhh6hLj1NqTO-IWPhWCrjyn8B4DqU-QIYPHhqkh0Dp01xKrh3eBI-zyNhbF7DwWCnpAtfqHQQQpeRFQ_zgwOdVd6SiM/s600/canetoad.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69ZGAlf3F174ph3ydXOVRriSrEkPuZTNyD4dTyoJaYWdQm0tqzhh6hLj1NqTO-IWPhWCrjyn8B4DqU-QIYPHhqkh0Dp01xKrh3eBI-zyNhbF7DwWCnpAtfqHQQQpeRFQ_zgwOdVd6SiM/d/canetoad.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I do have a clue about this - this is a cane toad aka marine toad. They are huge and common. You are probably thinking "Aren't cane toads a terrible toxic pest?" and you would be right...if you were thinking about Australia. They are native in Costa Rica and therefore lovely.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidAJHH2U9zeXkxIlU8mkdrrssiPPb_XAGuOCNT5Rn8wu_ljDJ5P0rEqcs3_kNF2kCVt1m2GM6xvJH0DtjTGa7ZEt9Le5OIVjzeuVqxcQaj2_PVVGYRO2K250UZTibeOesJ7X9sKXn4so/s600/toad.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidAJHH2U9zeXkxIlU8mkdrrssiPPb_XAGuOCNT5Rn8wu_ljDJ5P0rEqcs3_kNF2kCVt1m2GM6xvJH0DtjTGa7ZEt9Le5OIVjzeuVqxcQaj2_PVVGYRO2K250UZTibeOesJ7X9sKXn4so/d/toad.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My boy Steen already identified this for me but since I'm a bad person I don't remember what it is. We saw a few. Litter toad (<i>Bufo haematiticus</i>) perhaps?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXH6Pbv2WWRbbG2ItaDLMI7qxJtXOIEvPBGxOALqwfSRHC8kU1St8DgCCNC6GTlKZWycXW4MeDuPwaIyqLKEsoQQibnrpXTDe5KS1BRWNKrbpRv4LtGpXsxtDLaMum3J02TVrejdWdlvE/s600/skinny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXH6Pbv2WWRbbG2ItaDLMI7qxJtXOIEvPBGxOALqwfSRHC8kU1St8DgCCNC6GTlKZWycXW4MeDuPwaIyqLKEsoQQibnrpXTDe5KS1BRWNKrbpRv4LtGpXsxtDLaMum3J02TVrejdWdlvE/d/skinny.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Wow this is really turning into a major herp barrage. I don't think I've ever posted so many herps, ever. Exhilarating. Look at this very long/very thin anole thing. It's got a tail for days.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally it was time to check out of Gavilan and move on. After a preemptive ATM run and scraping together many colones (their card reader was down), and then much waiting around for the correct person to wake up in the morning (it's fine, this isn't the U.S.), we were taken care of. I would still recommend staying here, especially if you want to save some $$$...just don't expect much variety in the meals or a super comfy bed. It is <i>definitely</i> tranquilo though - not a tourist trap - and certainly has some good birds...and herps!</div><div><br /></div><div>We didn't have to go far for out next stop though, the Tirimbina Preserve was right down the road.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MKmgDoMYL9kWm0WqUbcQ9rJksCS7LmhHmNSwK0HlZNb6Ac-xTzlhrNuVfWY2JDV1k-okYs1eJc086D8CrRNaDrdOgHNFtc5XkjKAQ1XnDn5msdF5ljX2MxbIdu8BENXgc9k8t_lK2XU/d/pcta1.jpg" /></div><div><br /></div><div>The first birds we saw after parking, while still in the parking lot, was a small group of Plain-colored Tanagers....PARKING LOT LIFER. And no I don't mean that I've just never seen them in a parking lot before, I hadn't seen them anywhere. So not only were they parking lot lifers, we would never see them again! Birding in Costa Rica requires Constant Vigilance.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6eh2CcdNMSKm87OcDySxa7SifEauJSIHrNq5nPcqCDvrvmRcSMgSgY72NGGpvcHmYTO2LtJwIchwdYuNnEe_zxtdw874FHpQZgbURb83c1kaXl0FKR3bP-kacTMhFsZkmhZhZrclcy0/d/rwwo0.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This Rufous-winged Woodpecker was hanging out near the reception area, devotedly pecking at the same spot and refusing to move. I can only remember seeing one before, very early in the morning with little light and a tremendous amount of bleariness. This was much better.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePrKsltZIsr3PnbqsSghlPo6YyJ99g3MOMLYlpRD-i4Z8gWILBL5ik2y2yMAYrIrfpSgKHFcCizA-kHHhOvV7MMsQq4I-GKsh66F4tqzUBMM3WFQJHVVbNhJOGZLx-gYmWaeFmPOcHH4/s600/wwpu1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePrKsltZIsr3PnbqsSghlPo6YyJ99g3MOMLYlpRD-i4Z8gWILBL5ik2y2yMAYrIrfpSgKHFcCizA-kHHhOvV7MMsQq4I-GKsh66F4tqzUBMM3WFQJHVVbNhJOGZLx-gYmWaeFmPOcHH4/d/wwpu1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the species that drove me crazy in Belize after my piece of shit new Nikon camera body died was White-whiskered Puffbird. At Black Rock Lodge you can walk right up to them, they just sit there along the trail like you are utterly nonthreatening and unimportant. Still butthurt about missed photo ops, as you can probably tell. Anyhow here is a mediocre pic of a definitely non-mediocre bird.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNG6vkUb1I_QcJiC9C7Mc4d82Ks_7b9bEeMnHNA3YcnLCxA8xnCYCFVGp8Q6mBgP9_Qr7LORbDJbAnwk-9amPX_Kh4-P4XLD6s4YS0cg2XGhgmrQd2LMPkP-JSoD3nDOOZBFmItIH6k0/s600/obsp0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNG6vkUb1I_QcJiC9C7Mc4d82Ks_7b9bEeMnHNA3YcnLCxA8xnCYCFVGp8Q6mBgP9_Qr7LORbDJbAnwk-9amPX_Kh4-P4XLD6s4YS0cg2XGhgmrQd2LMPkP-JSoD3nDOOZBFmItIH6k0/d/obsp0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Orange-billed Sparrow is an appealing ground-dweller that knows it is not always necessary to be skulky.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9U5fe2ziyTICfbf8rvzrprt2kWyNqhkXeJRvG4OVZZ5q1C3PviUAznH_LUbBiazqJYyeYPxI2XcXZ_9Wlj8Nv2FjRMz3ULUIWawzMs4YLhZD3HcsrEq5q_2oh0R_9DPVIMwX10RKuPo/s600/pcfa1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9U5fe2ziyTICfbf8rvzrprt2kWyNqhkXeJRvG4OVZZ5q1C3PviUAznH_LUbBiazqJYyeYPxI2XcXZ_9Wlj8Nv2FjRMz3ULUIWawzMs4YLhZD3HcsrEq5q_2oh0R_9DPVIMwX10RKuPo/d/pcfa1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Tirimbina gave us our first taste of suspension bridges for the trip. I had forgotten how great they are for seeing things when absolutely no one is moving, and how maddening it is to see anything when someone is walking on it from even a great distance away. The highlight of the first bridge was this Purple-crowned Fairy nest that a guide pointed out to us...wow, not a nest I ever expected to see in my life. It's hard to even see one of these stay in any one spot for more than a few seconds, so this was some luxurious viewing.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96KHMohx-eoxpVmH4p0WczOJ1LX-tDx9qv8ElJzBH3P_r-2-aQYqlpG6tg9MueRL3eMtmX25grGBBmXpVmJEPcack6j2f2mK8XSJpjWZobpwAO73V61A46MVIsX1rcOaRczNKFYGAVwA/s600/sarap.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96KHMohx-eoxpVmH4p0WczOJ1LX-tDx9qv8ElJzBH3P_r-2-aQYqlpG6tg9MueRL3eMtmX25grGBBmXpVmJEPcack6j2f2mK8XSJpjWZobpwAO73V61A46MVIsX1rcOaRczNKFYGAVwA/d/sarap.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Crossing over the Sarapiqui River.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNPPnL10sRmjtZpSKFZv_Hy0PI5W2aHuv5Xj1cVb8M_16KxDimjBeVm18Q-2elHVl3trDts5z0i0ehQ0OQbW5WqFwD4A41KcR8ZGjqdAVMyM1slSQNQ5ogQOMk8pPp5rkWn70cKtii68/s600/bcan1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNPPnL10sRmjtZpSKFZv_Hy0PI5W2aHuv5Xj1cVb8M_16KxDimjBeVm18Q-2elHVl3trDts5z0i0ehQ0OQbW5WqFwD4A41KcR8ZGjqdAVMyM1slSQNQ5ogQOMk8pPp5rkWn70cKtii68/d/bcan1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>On the other side of the river I found a pair of Black-crowned Antshrikes, another bird I hadn't seen since 2012. We then heard a strange sound coming from back by the bridge and so returned to watch a Chestnut-colored Oropendola fly past - life bird, and the only one of the trip! We then were tortured by a mostly uncooperative mixed flock for too much time.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8eHef7mliQHSZUZeq3_xr9gJfhbOAAv04WuVf1SGTCGRq2QG8DTqxKd8fbqe_5q0KOVvG5MgXypoJwip9I5VV8NJpSvHql0VQzC_EUgfWpsoq2J6Ndmr6NM2-oSdWmW0aeYypb7Vbbo0/s600/bbmo3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8eHef7mliQHSZUZeq3_xr9gJfhbOAAv04WuVf1SGTCGRq2QG8DTqxKd8fbqe_5q0KOVvG5MgXypoJwip9I5VV8NJpSvHql0VQzC_EUgfWpsoq2J6Ndmr6NM2-oSdWmW0aeYypb7Vbbo0/d/bbmo3.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>A pair of Broad-billed Motmots allowed themselves to be seen well at least. This became a ho-hum bird after a while, but it was undeserved. It's truly an obscene species.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xfGCNsC6u2dVl9OA9aYZvsTjZly_3bk44jhLYff9goU4aBin8STFhS2soiLAztYOX6Kub-z_7ckwciP28rFGnGFtcxy3rbny46F8sLKsbmTX1rqjBsf7q-o2KpgXr5O75eGWB8vgL7U/s600/fj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xfGCNsC6u2dVl9OA9aYZvsTjZly_3bk44jhLYff9goU4aBin8STFhS2soiLAztYOX6Kub-z_7ckwciP28rFGnGFtcxy3rbny46F8sLKsbmTX1rqjBsf7q-o2KpgXr5O75eGWB8vgL7U/d/fj.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The trails at Tirimbina were muddy...very muddy. Maybe the trails we did not go on were less muddy, but this one was pretty gnar. I was glad I was wearing my hiking boots. Here is FJ doing a semi-controlled-but-almost-not descent down a steep mud slope with a Tirimbina employee doing trail work looking on approvingly.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV49mIb7kN-MCp-aALG4LaZrJdxGog_tkTr9f4AYYSHHKm5V1t3jMG05lYyhyphenhyphenJDQH4cPHSq6isLPBPtpuWCpJ7MVH_MONEUK7I5BZ4xQHfpINfYwe-SXviu56lqy9rYxM3tcTJ8BV4K78/s600/whip3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV49mIb7kN-MCp-aALG4LaZrJdxGog_tkTr9f4AYYSHHKm5V1t3jMG05lYyhyphenhyphenJDQH4cPHSq6isLPBPtpuWCpJ7MVH_MONEUK7I5BZ4xQHfpINfYwe-SXviu56lqy9rYxM3tcTJ8BV4K78/d/whip3.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This post is brimming with herps, so why not another? Here is some kind of whiptail thing that seemed pretty common.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRDlTq1_87mGf4_fy2tnUaUr3KK0h0zD8WdDmw7s0cCApVvpBbx6DNi1uYeTdpT5vQ_nIzYZ1y_I7m4fpRS8BzVA7qRHIQb9p3SD_hcIU_9pGTEmc6m_qPcjP3y5BA0nlIq_4zJLID7Q/s600/seha2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRDlTq1_87mGf4_fy2tnUaUr3KK0h0zD8WdDmw7s0cCApVvpBbx6DNi1uYeTdpT5vQ_nIzYZ1y_I7m4fpRS8BzVA7qRHIQb9p3SD_hcIU_9pGTEmc6m_qPcjP3y5BA0nlIq_4zJLID7Q/d/seha2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>While taking a brief break on the trail during some rain FJ noticed that we were standing right next to a Semiplumbeous Hawk. Everything is fine.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1DKnz3lH1dc0RSlG7MC7lE566Tcg8PkInRAMwR7ZTzEZoYtxnSovaVMQN7aA29i2T9MaGQyyIwHVn3QEsHA-wzr4U-bDe5Pzs4p-KnOuk8Z3Lows1851Dib9wFuch1N7QzzpU0OcG9s/s600/seha3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1DKnz3lH1dc0RSlG7MC7lE566Tcg8PkInRAMwR7ZTzEZoYtxnSovaVMQN7aA29i2T9MaGQyyIwHVn3QEsHA-wzr4U-bDe5Pzs4p-KnOuk8Z3Lows1851Dib9wFuch1N7QzzpU0OcG9s/d/seha3.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It was at this point that reality had confirmed my suspicions - that I was probably not the best member of our group at spotting things in the rainforest and I was probably lumbering past fantastic wildlife all the time. Oh well, at least my earbirding game was pretty good. Semiplumbeous Hawk didn't seem to care that we were all hanging out with it. After watching it for a long time we left it on its weird giant noodle perch and continued on our way. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEh6fMrfNKzResx9GdO6mCjbrR5D2FNXOsfdstDySUvTy7_31L22U4KSyvQTSG4lSaFKYwYEzjL8k3oKMSkypOCz-SZgB9EslLMHHgEBydBvnVq3AUxf0uulywwNe_6_elv2rwEwkD5pg/s600/pbwo4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEh6fMrfNKzResx9GdO6mCjbrR5D2FNXOsfdstDySUvTy7_31L22U4KSyvQTSG4lSaFKYwYEzjL8k3oKMSkypOCz-SZgB9EslLMHHgEBydBvnVq3AUxf0uulywwNe_6_elv2rwEwkD5pg/d/pbwo4.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Pale-billed Woodpeckers seem too large and exotic to be common, but they seem to be in most places/countries I've seen them. Considering the luck that other large <i>Campephilus</i> have had in the Anthropocene, that's a very good thing. I don't think I can fathom the number of species (bird, mammal, insect and otherwise) that make their homes in old Pale-billed cavities.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPaLR_sHzhNYZguwD2mF7qG6VNuin7G_YwIh37N-V_VoIKB90CjmcX4zRFTF43OV86cSaH-suFaPd0HcrCExFFxO93KvRunYI62RPJbX9toCpTAqeeXSDoMJdHCT4TtsEv49waYwWgu7c/s600/erfl0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPaLR_sHzhNYZguwD2mF7qG6VNuin7G_YwIh37N-V_VoIKB90CjmcX4zRFTF43OV86cSaH-suFaPd0HcrCExFFxO93KvRunYI62RPJbX9toCpTAqeeXSDoMJdHCT4TtsEv49waYwWgu7c/d/erfl0.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazcCIGKOZjYEE03dP9K38NnstsLkpmj7oIPreR9r3NWndT4gekPhAO4JIOaSlSdRmOYiV2_zI06wd0qoiNxGKaWtrWmMQK87gBO6UJITi355m5QtHIUA-IatNGMa86MD7RrG-pJh5t3Y/s600/erfl1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazcCIGKOZjYEE03dP9K38NnstsLkpmj7oIPreR9r3NWndT4gekPhAO4JIOaSlSdRmOYiV2_zI06wd0qoiNxGKaWtrWmMQK87gBO6UJITi355m5QtHIUA-IatNGMa86MD7RrG-pJh5t3Y/d/erfl1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After exiting the forest and crossing the suspension bridge again we ran into a big mixed flock - don't you love a mid day mixed flock? It's always such a pleasant surprise. This confiding Eye-ringed Flatbill (aka "flatbill jealous") was a trip bird and got a lot of attention from us. Be sure to note flatbill sad face/frowny mouth in the first photo</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7KgBotnfbQ3JuW9jLeirqqtLlOOCBewtWqSx0h5RJEfGOPt3ZjVIZmW3VoZvwyj_KrITAouQmVTzGFGSTz5lx-MpDvtUNnj0_7R5w04lnnaVFsMXaZTbINoaIrCMAJXXDgyP1wjllZs/s600/wcma0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7KgBotnfbQ3JuW9jLeirqqtLlOOCBewtWqSx0h5RJEfGOPt3ZjVIZmW3VoZvwyj_KrITAouQmVTzGFGSTz5lx-MpDvtUNnj0_7R5w04lnnaVFsMXaZTbINoaIrCMAJXXDgyP1wjllZs/d/wcma0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Female manakins can be very confusing, but when they are showing off glowing orange gams they are not - this is a female White-collared Manakin.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipolNXMrTc4jt9I7iR85ARf3gweHlFgJO0BpPSDoL1758jdALUvVhJCRG7mKuuT_nJmIA3BqC_cVJ3ipPfX-0dc9GyIHLdhvnnai2e2wEOPU1_GZadl5OIXKkYkf35dpDtYHBQ_FoNk70/s600/btpl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipolNXMrTc4jt9I7iR85ARf3gweHlFgJO0BpPSDoL1758jdALUvVhJCRG7mKuuT_nJmIA3BqC_cVJ3ipPfX-0dc9GyIHLdhvnnai2e2wEOPU1_GZadl5OIXKkYkf35dpDtYHBQ_FoNk70/d/btpl.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This post requires an additional hummingbird - how about a Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer? Green. Pink feet. Excellent.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvANHlTGWDnp8mpN9tguZlQT5OAT73rWK6T50RguK8no02Wh_2UAUHdkiMhGJDWbxBWXSDOSBOFsIAzYUu_GRhAo9fgICwjjAzkwxOlh3TqrutMYigtTMMvAh0gEhSOTWr21Ehkh4Q_Q/s600/sbwo1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvANHlTGWDnp8mpN9tguZlQT5OAT73rWK6T50RguK8no02Wh_2UAUHdkiMhGJDWbxBWXSDOSBOFsIAzYUu_GRhAo9fgICwjjAzkwxOlh3TqrutMYigtTMMvAh0gEhSOTWr21Ehkh4Q_Q/d/sbwo1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJ_Y3Lfz_xjpuJNzLH3kkgLdc4uQGKG6FQeyuXi-qxEbA1Z6pszIoBco0fQ0KOZcUpwk2tQNZzp00qkeuT6CRwjxBK8Pa8PyY5zPI4U_67xCXp2L_bf6KcXsAKzYhwh8Qyp1BfYhyclc/s600/sbwo0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJ_Y3Lfz_xjpuJNzLH3kkgLdc4uQGKG6FQeyuXi-qxEbA1Z6pszIoBco0fQ0KOZcUpwk2tQNZzp00qkeuT6CRwjxBK8Pa8PyY5zPI4U_67xCXp2L_bf6KcXsAKzYhwh8Qyp1BfYhyclc/d/sbwo0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>A pair of mellowing Smoky-brown Woodpeckers were members of the mixed flock.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7jZMAy-ocebqu7m1w2uEzX0AxMJbeQFcB5PeEs3thp87Blh8VOG4U0cY_hK4jMzkwg2mg7ItBRDLsmp9zevHrUlCSOGc_xd86fkiTu0IltFGl4dC1MhQu3WyrmTBinqRWvQ7OXjgcvk/s600/bfgr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7jZMAy-ocebqu7m1w2uEzX0AxMJbeQFcB5PeEs3thp87Blh8VOG4U0cY_hK4jMzkwg2mg7ItBRDLsmp9zevHrUlCSOGc_xd86fkiTu0IltFGl4dC1MhQu3WyrmTBinqRWvQ7OXjgcvk/d/bfgr.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Finally we were able to stumble out the other side of the flock in search of food. It's not easy eating nothing but cookies for breakfast day in and day out. We ate lunch at Tirimbina's restaurant, which turned out to be challenging because there was pretty much a stationary mixed flock right outside the entire time, despite no feeders being present...BONUS GERI BIRDING. This Black-faced Grosbeak was kind enough to drop by for a minute.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWY7V2KLHRmmpKyep361DZfCjCWgiZvh0-NwSkAoWTro1sUsRx4jK0ez51QzTEE916rIbepcpGkKs8RxOOhDSet_ovUjQY0N8fhfY7GwrwNiS5X0no32kzmgjZba71dd8IhTK6WVFIPw/s600/ghta1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWY7V2KLHRmmpKyep361DZfCjCWgiZvh0-NwSkAoWTro1sUsRx4jK0ez51QzTEE916rIbepcpGkKs8RxOOhDSet_ovUjQY0N8fhfY7GwrwNiS5X0no32kzmgjZba71dd8IhTK6WVFIPw/d/ghta1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Golden-hooded Tanager is a mixed flock staple in secondary forest/edge habitats but it's always painful to tear your eyes away from them. They cannot be ignored.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>We had good times at Tirimbina, although the mature forest on the other side of the river was not quite as birdy as hoped. That said, there is no doubt the birding could be ace if we hit it on another occasion - just crossing paths with another mixed flock could have totally changed the outlook. The bird activity by the entrance/reception/restaurant was excellent though and I would totally recommend you consider staying there if you are birding the area - they were booked during our visit (and Geri were pretty thick) but they are affordable.</div><div><br /></div><div>Phew, this was a hell of a post to finish, thanks if you made it through. The next CR post (whenever that is) will take us to the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge and the warm embrace of Chambita, an extraordinary guide.</div>Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-16458668493075444912020-06-16T09:00:00.001-07:002020-06-16T12:56:31.741-07:00Dispatches from Mescalia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">What else to do in these uncertain days of turmoil and unrest than to retreat into sweet sweet NOSTALGIA. The following tales are plucked from a six week trip spent aimlessly wandering the mountains and beaches of Old Mexico. Felis and I can not guarantee the validity of any these recollections, as many of them were made under the influence of strong spirits, sold to us by a woman and her parrot at the beginning of our journey. </span></span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Up in the mountains, perched someplace between yucca drylands below epiphyte-laded cloud forests above. At the center of a small town, a 17th century cathedral rests like a dormant spacecraft that landed centuries ago. A village built around this artifact from Andromeda. A teenager shoots from the foul line of a basketball court built adjacent to the courtyard. A woman next door puts laundry out to dry in the morning sun. We sleepily make our way from the cabina towards food and day ahead</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Magdalena welcomes us each morning with a slow, measured, monotonous BUENAS DIAS CHICOS. Her booming voice at once jarring and nurturing. We mumble our reply, shuffle to a table and play out the rest of the script. CAFE? Si, gracias. CHOCOLATE CON AGUA? Si, gracias. We mostly eat in silence, occasionally making halting, probably incomprehensible small talk with Magdalena. Our attention drifts out the window to a kestrel perched upon the crucifix that crowns the church belltower. The red paint of the cross does nothing to diminish the idea of this taloned sentinel spilling the blood of rodents brought back as offerings to god. But what god? Whose gods? </span><br />
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As per protocol, Magdalena brings us two sandwiches which will be our sustenance during the daily exploration. Like two schoolboys off to the classroom, equipped with our brownbags, Magdalena, our madre whilst here, our madre still in some ways, booms after us BUEN VIAJE CHICOS as we depart for another day. Back out in the courtyard, a descending series of cries emanate from within the cathedral. Over and over, these plaintive calls repeat. Magdalena’s voice, elemental and grounding, mixes with the mind-splitting spiral singing of the canyon wren in the bell tower. It's vertiginous song, echoed and trapped within the tower, transports us back to the 17th century. To the building of the church-the blood and sweat of slave labor mixed with the mortar that holds these walls. Back further still, to when the rocks were stacked along the trails we've been walking these past days—rocks covered with millennial lichens, the craggy oaks above laden with epiphytes whose folds and fissures are ceaselessly interrogated by warblers and vireos. The imprisoned song gets compressed further and the mountains are leveled. We come to, back to the present. We look around, shaking off the shackles of time the wren has saddled us with. Now equipped with the knowledge that the current flora and fauna that surrounds us is only the latest incarnation in a series of living skins this range has adorned, we step into the future. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">BUEN VIAJE...CHICOS.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">And Magdalena. Somehow she has always been here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Two gringos walking the busy coastal highway, too cheap to rent a taxi, too dumb to understand the bus service in the area. No matter, the ditch birding is incredible and when coupled with the life-threatening danger of oncoming traffic, the experience is transcendent. The obscene conglomerate of feathers and pluck that is the white-throated magpie jay causes Felis to yell IS THAT A BIRD. Moments later, after a near decapitation from a passing trucks' side mirror, a foraging streak-backed oriole is found. THAT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BIRD I'VE EVER SEEN I scream into the roar of traffic, my reasoning perhaps influenced by the recent near-death encounter. That said, it is certainly a bird to die for.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Awkwardly (everything we do in this country is awkward), we rent two kayaks and set out upon an estuary? Bay? River mouth? What is this big bodied brackish mirror we're floating on? We see a mangrove hawk we think, looks like a black hawk. Range/habitat seems right. Who knows. Who cares. Heat stroke squashes any sort of shit giving re: lumping/splitting/ID in general. A dragon descends and skims the surface, a frigatebird drinking. We nearly capsize. A bush in the middle of nowhere keeps producing boat-billed herons as we draw nearer. Like Mary Poppins' bottomless purse, the scene is positively impossible. They just keep coming, 5, 10, 20, clapping their massive bills at us, the racket shattering the serenity of this mysterious pond. The herons shit as they fly past us, their turds milking the still waters, the only clouds we see that day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Cold and pre-dawn, we bounce up a steep mountain road in the back of a camioneta. Two tall gringos, we don’t fit. Blood-pumping warmth begins to return as we climb stairs into high forests of abeto, pino, encino, oyamele at first light. We see a few monarch butterflies, but expected many more. Cold and tired, convinced we’ve been led into another gringo tourist trap, we glance at one another in dismay. We are impatient. We are American.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Then we look harder into the slowly-brightening understory, and we see. They hang from the trees like dead dusty leaves. Strings of mussels. The branches are laden. The branches are strained to breaking. The sun has risen high enough to bring some warmth. Some fluttering movement begins. Dozens of monarchs begin descending out of the trees, floating down towards food. For a moment, we think it’s a lot, we are impressed. We are winners.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">But as the sun’s warmth grows ever stronger. They keep coming. They land on every surface. What was dozens is now thousands. Tens of thousands. Millions. Uncountable, all-encompassing. The sky is thick with gliding orange and black kites. The air is audibly moving from the push of their collective million wingbeats. A river of wind courses between the treetops. They land in mud and water to drink, wings twitching, like they are straining to take off and carry the earth back up into the sky with them. They mate, rolling circles in the air, the male carrying the female in coitus. They mate on the ground, rolling in the mud over the wings of their dead, recently dispatched by the red warblers that take only the heads and thorax. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Los arboles que estan hechos de mariposas</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">Suddenly and without notice, the day has passed and darkness nears. Eight hours dissolved into an infinitum of wingbeats. We descend from Monarch Mountain exhausted, emptied out. Gravity pulls us to our beds somewhere in the town below, miles away, hours away. The song of the brown-backed solitaire, atmospheric ice glitching and tumbling, drags up deeper into the valley. The ice bits rise and merge with the first burning stars above. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The next morning, awake in a mountain town, a boozeless hangover, we lurk forth in search of cafe, pan and whatever else along the way. Miraculously the solitaire's song, still ringing in our heads from the night before, is heard from the middle of town. It is close. We follow the winding street to the headwaters of this ethereal ringing and find it. Caged and tailless, he is rendered comic and tragic without his beautiful rudder. The song fills the town and spills into the alley gardens, passes through the panaderia, the trashed choked streams and up into the groves of sleeping monarchs above.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Los ornitologos</span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial";">If you haven't had enough of these frivolous tales of bumbling self-indulgence then continue on to our <a href="https://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2015/09/bb-presents-green-honeycreeper.html" target="_blank">Palenque fiasco</a> which was featured in an earlier episode of BB&B. Vaya con pajaros - Cassowary</span></i></div>
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Cassowary http://www.blogger.com/profile/01999382662307911195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-87548273693772850602020-05-10T13:10:00.001-07:002020-05-10T13:10:37.536-07:00Costa Rica Part IV: Sarapiqui River Cruise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFe11TsU6waoPi9ehex2AMSwaEMrzWD087RRTc6STxSMlZksMZDpTN13hQsJkv1Uz6EdZYvMbtU8ZaR1DJaHRBMDZnNsKXY7dcYqzpUOPMoc4q6weetQrAFQfQ6pk44lM2LIgeX7F6CJE/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFe11TsU6waoPi9ehex2AMSwaEMrzWD087RRTc6STxSMlZksMZDpTN13hQsJkv1Uz6EdZYvMbtU8ZaR1DJaHRBMDZnNsKXY7dcYqzpUOPMoc4q6weetQrAFQfQ6pk44lM2LIgeX7F6CJE/d/sloth1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Back to Costa Rica. I am going to attempt to execute this post with concision and precision.<div><br /></div><div>One afternoon I scheduled us for a boat trip on the Sarapiqui River. I didn't expect to see a ton, but afternoon birding is hard anyways, so why not just hang out on a boat for a while? It's pretty much like geri birding, you just sit there and look at the things that are presented in front of you. Plus, there was a realistic-albeit-not-high chance we could see Sunbittern. We could have booked a boat through Hotel Gavilan, but I ended up going with Oasis Nature Tours and booked our boat through their Facebook page. A very low and mostly unobscured two-toed sloth passed out next to the parking lot was a good sign when we arrived at the main boat dock at Puerto Viejo.<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGh7dIC8HojUvaJSTUHx4HCBvVrRbyMlwOGamDhL2OGWoKcqSPmp-H3aPHjWUMLtBAWixlraexGFM3tClDERPfcat2o0LqaLOBnMVPBwAI0v5QX3nlwRzEiKU90pj8rsWuPp3-PNYlHQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGh7dIC8HojUvaJSTUHx4HCBvVrRbyMlwOGamDhL2OGWoKcqSPmp-H3aPHjWUMLtBAWixlraexGFM3tClDERPfcat2o0LqaLOBnMVPBwAI0v5QX3nlwRzEiKU90pj8rsWuPp3-PNYlHQ/d/carmela.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Our guide (Carmela) and driver were on time and our party of four had the whole boat. Carmela wasn't a great birder (I wasn't expecting one) but she was a good guide and really came through for us later in the trip. She also introduced us to something we had not previously noticed, the Tico/Tica habit of attaching an affirming short question ("yes?") or affirmative sound to the end of sentences spoken in English that aren't meant to be questions. For example, instead of saying "Here in Costa Rica, it is the dry season", one would say "Here in Costa Rica, it is the dry season, mmhmm!", where the second syllable of "mmhmm" is much higher than the first and both syllables are spoken rapidly, so it sounds really enthusiastic. It's rather similar in emphasis to the "su-wheet!" call of a Pacific-slope Flycatcher. We all thought it was a brilliant mannerism.</div><div><br /></div><div>So much for being concise...</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPjMY8YFMLC9BT2wMT4qNdhYpWSi8PWqNPwDXAdZlcXSTyk6-q1q3ID0Wu0_FjnuwVuoxVBSnDM5CVVLVZDfPgLnQFpfnF_Q9i40pGi77h0bFf-RwxadhTAy1K4PhuhmlzTmNSdWFc4w/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPjMY8YFMLC9BT2wMT4qNdhYpWSi8PWqNPwDXAdZlcXSTyk6-q1q3ID0Wu0_FjnuwVuoxVBSnDM5CVVLVZDfPgLnQFpfnF_Q9i40pGi77h0bFf-RwxadhTAy1K4PhuhmlzTmNSdWFc4w/d/masw3.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There were tons of Mangrove Swallows, many of which would feed right next to the boat or remain perched while we passed very close by (see above). Another common but more familiar bird worth mentioning (not pictured) was Spotted Sandpiper...I don't know if I've seen so many in one place in my life.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvClVbk7fupRFrnXIZt3pHI1NByO64oNPPIyNXP3q7I-GKZeRWhVubLd4rhI3DT_zLJ0JebR6Umk_STxX05SnMQ6cIyrbXbMxC8JGN2By229T_pFFG7BT9uyoLGa9H7OcsVgToxo5V1k/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvClVbk7fupRFrnXIZt3pHI1NByO64oNPPIyNXP3q7I-GKZeRWhVubLd4rhI3DT_zLJ0JebR6Umk_STxX05SnMQ6cIyrbXbMxC8JGN2By229T_pFFG7BT9uyoLGa9H7OcsVgToxo5V1k/d/bbwa0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>A mixed flock along the shore contained this Bay-breasted Warbler. It was cool to see them outside of spring and fall migration for the first time, even though they all looked like fall migrants.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70sr4ztm_wC3jZ1fT0ogoBovH9fb-Df8oA5C3FzRNImZipzdi9NBhHexg6gmEVphHphLBFJu4OuS858s1OpQK-R-nZeAXqH0_PpEmZ_DBIAD998r-wl2wkd1CziNnTplAHuFfsdRQqZI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70sr4ztm_wC3jZ1fT0ogoBovH9fb-Df8oA5C3FzRNImZipzdi9NBhHexg6gmEVphHphLBFJu4OuS858s1OpQK-R-nZeAXqH0_PpEmZ_DBIAD998r-wl2wkd1CziNnTplAHuFfsdRQqZI/d/anhi1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9qRG0sjVIfwChCTuYp6N9lUrkVZBYi_kCLPC3zM6tOE-OS36Qfim4WgA2E4qrPqj5-jfrSrZJy53KEDpAij6kSjgKvliuPd1_XmfxeFbAb-Fiqyv4fcWtWYW6m0iatYLZiBpw2Up79c/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9qRG0sjVIfwChCTuYp6N9lUrkVZBYi_kCLPC3zM6tOE-OS36Qfim4WgA2E4qrPqj5-jfrSrZJy53KEDpAij6kSjgKvliuPd1_XmfxeFbAb-Fiqyv4fcWtWYW6m0iatYLZiBpw2Up79c/d/anhi2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkD-GGAUlstuA-rc-w5vKrpkH66miatg8TRlOvVCwb_xRZnGe8YdC2Xx9-GlRSr8LqvtCDn6GQYeQ3c75MnJrahNiqTIrUT9-n0uJk6CkWMkt-lpd9R_eFFOmg34MYvnbKHTTCoP-EaM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkD-GGAUlstuA-rc-w5vKrpkH66miatg8TRlOvVCwb_xRZnGe8YdC2Xx9-GlRSr8LqvtCDn6GQYeQ3c75MnJrahNiqTIrUT9-n0uJk6CkWMkt-lpd9R_eFFOmg34MYvnbKHTTCoP-EaM/d/anhi3.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I rarely see Anhingas up close so was happy to crush on this bird a bit. In the first two pics you can see it getting at the oil gland at the base of its tail. Mmmm, sweet precious Anhinga oil...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZZdr10is_SMQaBY5UxKaDHy-Nx2QN1TJQYHkL5J9-Ff7PgoObXSOaGIO8b1rg_5Fn7_uV2H8G0b6UMfxTVRqykumN4IP2Ocd93ItRIvcpxnBxuIA7YAx_p4Tu9wt-OYdc_O7KWUMjc8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZZdr10is_SMQaBY5UxKaDHy-Nx2QN1TJQYHkL5J9-Ff7PgoObXSOaGIO8b1rg_5Fn7_uV2H8G0b6UMfxTVRqykumN4IP2Ocd93ItRIvcpxnBxuIA7YAx_p4Tu9wt-OYdc_O7KWUMjc8/d/caeg2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Cattle Egrets are common in the area, and a couple flocks were taking their afternoon egret tea down in the river.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXr57cT7bwBCnEQsbRpJJooQStPcRrb0vsuZ4VpSgsC7r6bfLhJw36JQdIclA9zTgc0a7zduin8MUqDlxH_7xmRdZ3wXMAjPj_aXhpZqHg1xV1JeKnEVkrRsTCQQynQ74YiR_Z6ggIJg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXr57cT7bwBCnEQsbRpJJooQStPcRrb0vsuZ4VpSgsC7r6bfLhJw36JQdIclA9zTgc0a7zduin8MUqDlxH_7xmRdZ3wXMAjPj_aXhpZqHg1xV1JeKnEVkrRsTCQQynQ74YiR_Z6ggIJg/d/blackriverturtle.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgEbtWxPlv7TuJhpS_1-1TNMKsKURejn5r71KzrWjnang5AT5eeQU_C03lMPUrltrtYroJRC-blz5xus5CSl1klbx4NqBJrdbNpQyP63M-ALoO03tZW1gDkA2SYneYh3R1nXjqd5Sz90/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgEbtWxPlv7TuJhpS_1-1TNMKsKURejn5r71KzrWjnang5AT5eeQU_C03lMPUrltrtYroJRC-blz5xus5CSl1klbx4NqBJrdbNpQyP63M-ALoO03tZW1gDkA2SYneYh3R1nXjqd5Sz90/d/blackriverturtle1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We saw quite a bit of non-avian wildlife. I think these are <i>Rhinoclemmys funerea, </i>black river turtles aka black wood turtles. Life turtle! We also saw a guy on the riverbank mocking us for birdwatching. In response, I also mocked us for birdwatching, which guide and driver appreciated. Their English was good enough to know what "NERDS!" means.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiIwBVqf60xfLCVnGNJseuuKhJtwyNz9kZadvZb5rOGagGDF-gzNsKRhWExB2cS549FNeZxlddCTIhNy37GI44v3yu1s6vU1Rb_4L45KswAOp7Lg37nbKMRMM89A9iXTlrEDTzZ6Oe9o/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiIwBVqf60xfLCVnGNJseuuKhJtwyNz9kZadvZb5rOGagGDF-gzNsKRhWExB2cS549FNeZxlddCTIhNy37GI44v3yu1s6vU1Rb_4L45KswAOp7Lg37nbKMRMM89A9iXTlrEDTzZ6Oe9o/d/greeniguana.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This green iguana was a particularly fine specimen.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RGhyKOrqbq-4pFSPnVo9kpeKCTk9bbLDtRI8hdrOyhM15yFQGjEvdbhW-IvfchQAXICsyQgVuBscbhQ1y7Nt4vtqZ0tCoKpeh4RaLkIPHpeA3XOL5OEAFKqSZSDvqK366HKVtbz0u6M/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RGhyKOrqbq-4pFSPnVo9kpeKCTk9bbLDtRI8hdrOyhM15yFQGjEvdbhW-IvfchQAXICsyQgVuBscbhQ1y7Nt4vtqZ0tCoKpeh4RaLkIPHpeA3XOL5OEAFKqSZSDvqK366HKVtbz0u6M/d/howler0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Of the three monkey species we saw on the trip (howler, spider, white-faced capuchin) I think I like howlers the most. They make the coolest sounds by far and have the best scrotums, as you can see here.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1b1Ar7QKN87Zet-ntOKDygjz8eP2C8xdXFLlc1OelxPBGIudWdbaQgekqDfFLngrXE5CAnpnga7s0gFFpjPdNuDaIHrUdSEGxD501MllQHjbmDd_iqfYFgwtiiMoJog527nitM7nIIms/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1b1Ar7QKN87Zet-ntOKDygjz8eP2C8xdXFLlc1OelxPBGIudWdbaQgekqDfFLngrXE5CAnpnga7s0gFFpjPdNuDaIHrUdSEGxD501MllQHjbmDd_iqfYFgwtiiMoJog527nitM7nIIms/d/boat1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The nerds enjoyed themselves. Boat times are good times.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtGeZ0N1pI7bzC1A4VxFTU0rsTc2xWsV6_bv4zgvWCyfxJDpAAwt4MdoigepL641uHJ_1w5tM1DkDkPZvY5c-9FbjPQYAWHoYzdkpnrJ1Z5hAyjBkvPZrPdDEj1giwIZ_7RC9RCSPCic/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtGeZ0N1pI7bzC1A4VxFTU0rsTc2xWsV6_bv4zgvWCyfxJDpAAwt4MdoigepL641uHJ_1w5tM1DkDkPZvY5c-9FbjPQYAWHoYzdkpnrJ1Z5hAyjBkvPZrPdDEj1giwIZ_7RC9RCSPCic/d/caiman0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We also saw our first spectacled caiman of the trip. This one has a massive insect next to its eye, presumably trying to get tasty caiman tears.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOghVTCkist62U8M-G0EESi_w4DamlgVk5FbV2zbhgjvdWaNC9r23LILRClYuGpx7NBajewA84d4ufJsgDcY8MRAcfoP9Q3EK93LSquA1r76B18HGLW9TZPdRa7ZkyFwNSy5qjBY2Az9w/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOghVTCkist62U8M-G0EESi_w4DamlgVk5FbV2zbhgjvdWaNC9r23LILRClYuGpx7NBajewA84d4ufJsgDcY8MRAcfoP9Q3EK93LSquA1r76B18HGLW9TZPdRa7ZkyFwNSy5qjBY2Az9w/d/sunb1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Yeah, it happened. About halfway through the trip, Carmela let us know that we had an excellent chance at seeing a Sunbittern. She was right and the bird obliged. This was a life bird for all of us and I was beside myself. The bird gods were with us.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqbQQbt6MgUVD-jSW5sFpy1879WbuG4isL0Vamuw-yXMI73Tktxhe-72KoYjMMQZ26blxbvqjNI1lI5jaym5sZ4FVVexZoQ_HfVuJksV8jmglbYwvc3N02XcSx2QFAKgphOQAH3ZWtkE/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqbQQbt6MgUVD-jSW5sFpy1879WbuG4isL0Vamuw-yXMI73Tktxhe-72KoYjMMQZ26blxbvqjNI1lI5jaym5sZ4FVVexZoQ_HfVuJksV8jmglbYwvc3N02XcSx2QFAKgphOQAH3ZWtkE/d/sunb2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We got great, prolonged looks. This is one of those birds that you see for the first time and think to yourself, "I can't believe I'm actually looking at this". Sunbittern is an iconic species and there are not enough superlatives out there to do it justice.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8B-nG2QrQkAVCkF4GE6qUxULqPn__zpbVP-Byq3asmAcjkBkd9KEuenAQM2wzp2U50XqLdnO2zWzQF53HzYL97aTSlBUDVuuEkxURa9FIgIOkmc_popcnsdLeNaawFwgHHulJ19eoaI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8B-nG2QrQkAVCkF4GE6qUxULqPn__zpbVP-Byq3asmAcjkBkd9KEuenAQM2wzp2U50XqLdnO2zWzQF53HzYL97aTSlBUDVuuEkxURa9FIgIOkmc_popcnsdLeNaawFwgHHulJ19eoaI/d/sunb0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And yes, we got excellent looks at <i>everything </i>it had to offer. I could not have been happier.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN6mBkwZV6xZ-DVW86Cht3EqbyGbj8aHyRfNoN9_msccsnzGYEMCsxBQA4NoUMLUj2Qo9szSzTi1mzKVIEATD6EolKRn9BoWhawOuVk7CiX7aZYLLjor7sVf1zQ2BQgvM1wOZhYJiXfg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN6mBkwZV6xZ-DVW86Cht3EqbyGbj8aHyRfNoN9_msccsnzGYEMCsxBQA4NoUMLUj2Qo9szSzTi1mzKVIEATD6EolKRn9BoWhawOuVk7CiX7aZYLLjor7sVf1zQ2BQgvM1wOZhYJiXfg/d/river0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It was a winning afternoon on the river topped off by an unforgettable bird. Stoked!</div></div></div></div>Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-33416245580335835992020-04-27T15:29:00.001-07:002020-04-27T15:29:41.985-07:005MR Birding in Exponential Times<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpX5Xzrhh2NCFr8aVQSUMcdc689b9uGha-g59ryB6A3vUlo_ndjH2vsqApsFiiolCT-LeqLp88OU5kImRvpjItrC0vMXM_s-dmnttgjgpO3gJGVAbc5JaWqWj1NQqQci-oDZCxgythAE/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpX5Xzrhh2NCFr8aVQSUMcdc689b9uGha-g59ryB6A3vUlo_ndjH2vsqApsFiiolCT-LeqLp88OU5kImRvpjItrC0vMXM_s-dmnttgjgpO3gJGVAbc5JaWqWj1NQqQci-oDZCxgythAE/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>I have seen countless Anna's Hummingbirds in my life and I will admit I no longer look at each one with child-like wonder, or even its rare and highly diluted cousin, regular adult wonder. For example, the male Anna's in my backyard is highly territorial and essentially keeps all other hummingbirds out of there, no matter how many feeders I put up and juicy nectar-giving plants I put in the ground. Just today he chased out an interesting <i>Selasphorus</i>. It's in his nature of course, but still...what a dick! That said whenever the light catches a male the right way or one is doing its display flight nearby, it is still impossible to look away. Photographed at the Los Capitancillos Ponds.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Any birdpunx remember Cobra Skulls? I really dug that band. Imma kick off this post with a verse of theirs.</div><div></div><blockquote><div><i>The golden age is never coming back</i></div><div><i>Getting out was not part of the plan</i></div><div><i>You are just a victim of an older time</i></div><div><i>Falling behind in exponential times</i></div></blockquote><div>Grim eh? But very fitting. The notion that large numbers of us could be wiped out by an illness that also brings society to a grinding halt seemed outlandish and atavistic to many a mere couple months ago. The phrase "exponential growth" meant almost nothing to anybody except nerds. The phrase was safely in the weak grasp of dweebs. Now that idea has been bouncing around all over the place this spring, though clearly it has not made it's way into the brains of all ("It didn't go in. It just impacted on the surface."). These are exponential, weird times we live in. Things seemed weird...and not in a good way...<i>before</i> this fateful March, but of course our day to day life has been totally upended since then. The Groundhog Day effect, already familiar to so many, has intensified to peak Bill Murray levels. It's not just that each day is so similar to the last, or that days blur together, the other less obvious but still significant component of that headspace is that we don't know when any of this sad, stressful bizarreness will end. The light at the end of the tunnel is dim and ill-defined...and possibly because the light is being made by a fiery inferno, and we are all barreling toward it.</div><div><br /></div><div>But chances are if you are reading this, no matter where you all, you know all too well of what I speak. It's my job as the #7 U.S. birder as identified by the infallible Global Birder Ranking System (universally recognized as an Essential Business) and one of birding's most prominent influencers to carry on and talk about birding in spite of the conditions in which we find ourselves.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFJTLwmeIoxlBwOOt4QOncs4wf6F6FGWqGiL_ykeA_Gmj4XiYWorDOHkVzNGJpS6tdEFyyc23YaSc7jp7LV8WbKA3_G6ZKqhYcZKHu0dfIadKmf_gUOPHs5NZgc0EaeHabGMa1zqRkY0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFJTLwmeIoxlBwOOt4QOncs4wf6F6FGWqGiL_ykeA_Gmj4XiYWorDOHkVzNGJpS6tdEFyyc23YaSc7jp7LV8WbKA3_G6ZKqhYcZKHu0dfIadKmf_gUOPHs5NZgc0EaeHabGMa1zqRkY0/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidja7lNodWTK4HiDw2zwNyuAy5Ydg3OexwNg2QL-i3RnmwBeSvnHExLi2o-HG5mZ-_035_Jupq8BlSEAhl8v1ZzfFuBZGRFCOe37sTQUb87Hrb7b37Jpj6HbltbrB1mSfc9lK0c52IYfU/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidja7lNodWTK4HiDw2zwNyuAy5Ydg3OexwNg2QL-i3RnmwBeSvnHExLi2o-HG5mZ-_035_Jupq8BlSEAhl8v1ZzfFuBZGRFCOe37sTQUb87Hrb7b37Jpj6HbltbrB1mSfc9lK0c52IYfU/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Red-winged "Bicolored" Blackbirds arrive to breed at my house very early in winter and appear to set up territories before any other migrant songbird within my radius. Though you can find them without trouble year round in the county, these particular birds will likely all leave the area before the end of June. I have not grown numb to their presence and am happy to always have them in earshot and at my feeders while GERI BIRDING. This male was making some modest but pleasing display flights. Photographed at the Los Capitancillos Ponds.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The first thing that needs to be said is that birders, like people in general, are having all sorts of reactions to covid-19 and the shelter-in-place orders. I will be the first one to step up and admit that I did not see this pandemic coming and that we would be the world leader in number of cases and death toll (MAGA! USA!), but I am going to tell you that once it got rolling here I knew exactly how this would affect birders. It is all happening as I have foreseen. To w(h)it:</div><div><br /></div><div>*A lot of birders would have sweet birding trips cancelled.</div><div><br /></div><div>*Yard birding would take off.</div><div><br /></div><div>*5MR birding would grow yet more in popularity.</div><div><br /></div><div>*Some birders would stop birding away from their yard.</div><div><br /></div><div>*Some birders would only bird locally.</div><div><br /></div><div>*Some birders would still travel to bird (mostly to chase essential rarities, obvi) but not as much as they normally would.</div><div><br /></div><div>*Some birders would bird the exact same way they did in February, as if nothing at all had changed. Lots of county listers/chasers with this attitude. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1tC_esoHdD2vrXY0WQKS-6BO-G37CpA7vEqJlX1U4lir84n0kB2Cq4MICSdzcyhd8P4PgcIvTt_4EJUMTta6MRX8j2fNZXhSzmYXC3lMdZ4E6Ij76DiCxpj351MujbSwzscREPWyLt0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1tC_esoHdD2vrXY0WQKS-6BO-G37CpA7vEqJlX1U4lir84n0kB2Cq4MICSdzcyhd8P4PgcIvTt_4EJUMTta6MRX8j2fNZXhSzmYXC3lMdZ4E6Ij76DiCxpj351MujbSwzscREPWyLt0/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>I have seen countless White-crowned Sparrows in my life but their arrival and departure from California lowlands have always been very significant to me. Now, as a GERI BIRDER, I am particularly saddened when they and their Golden-crowned brethren pull out and head north. My yard will gain no new common birds in the meantime, as my very small suite of summer birds have already arrived. My last White-crown departed on April 24, and it seems my last Golden-crowned left on April 26, but luckily they will be back in less than five months. This is a </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">pugetensis </i><b>with the dull yellow bill and noticeable brown wash on the breast and underparts. Photographed at Rancho de Bastardos.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QNJ400p0tizlTKB_-TvezQx7lSb-hUfSSg7cZGn179iDYPEYNouVJ3OcA5fZTMWyAw1HqQLaAs3PYWM5odCidPW8d5PWheuFou2E2766bmHYIGtUW27ThtLJglWbLgO5VBoouKze7FI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QNJ400p0tizlTKB_-TvezQx7lSb-hUfSSg7cZGn179iDYPEYNouVJ3OcA5fZTMWyAw1HqQLaAs3PYWM5odCidPW8d5PWheuFou2E2766bmHYIGtUW27ThtLJglWbLgO5VBoouKze7FI/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>And here is a crisp <i>gambelii</i> for comparison, which was foraging a few feet away from the <i>pugetensis </i>above.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div>*All tour guides would be totally screwed.</div><div><br /></div><div>*There would be a great deal of shelter-shaming (shaming people in public for chasing distant rarities or just doing any birding at all) in listservs and Facebook groups.</div><div><br /></div><div>*The number of reported rarities will fall off as a result of birders travelling less and popular sites having reduced or no access, but may be compensated in part by birders by birding locations that previously enjoyed less coverage. The birding herd mentality so prevalent in many regions will be tamped down somewhat.</div><div><br /></div><div>*Since almost everyone is even more stressed during this time, there will be some highly entertaining pitched battles between birders in public forums on all manner of topics.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Ok, the one thing I did not predict was people hoping eBird would remove alerts and start hiding data to discourage birders from...birding. This seems not only unrealistic, but also really bizarre. Oh I also know that a very well known birder...also, unfortunately, an eBird reviewer...thinks that law enforcement agencies are planning to use eBird data to cite violators of shelter in place measures?</div><div><br /></div><div>How embarrassing, to put it mildly.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUCcOAZ0iDvRglzhO7pHQ3AYEDg4XuL5AHLDfNQzqsj-Qigw4IfoEoDXzjwdYWWvTrrdbyzgMyY_Au-yc-FVcWDGSy9J3GCkCECDifLXG0aM4I14H7eJmKU_W6465IuZU3XNnmVUmayg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUCcOAZ0iDvRglzhO7pHQ3AYEDg4XuL5AHLDfNQzqsj-Qigw4IfoEoDXzjwdYWWvTrrdbyzgMyY_Au-yc-FVcWDGSy9J3GCkCECDifLXG0aM4I14H7eJmKU_W6465IuZU3XNnmVUmayg/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7-jld3xrPFAuLUHA9RHmGDYQAKaIBwQsPslJpbGLfsgnKVBt1o1f9nnNFIqgNJ-Zu2_VTY2U0sfvek8aldaH-hthqgeQWEzMqImJEMSTQRtZE5KcR3384Y2GXpDBYmJEeIU2TiKXBCg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7-jld3xrPFAuLUHA9RHmGDYQAKaIBwQsPslJpbGLfsgnKVBt1o1f9nnNFIqgNJ-Zu2_VTY2U0sfvek8aldaH-hthqgeQWEzMqImJEMSTQRtZE5KcR3384Y2GXpDBYmJEeIU2TiKXBCg/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>For the number of Merlins I've seen, its notable that these slick birds seem to so rarely remain on perches close enough to say that you got great looks at them. This one, presumably the last one I'll see until fall, was brave enough to buck the trend. Photographed at the Santa Clara Valley Water District HQ.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>As for me? I have not left the county since sheltering started (and here, we have the Santa Clara County measures on top of the California ones) and mostly, but not entirely, remain in my 5MR when birding. Santa Clara County's shelter order directs us to remain within the county unless performing an essential activity, so by that measure I guess I have been COMPLIANT...and perhaps you think I am a coward for doing so. That's ok, because I'm sure some of you <i>other </i>readers probably think I am a plague vendor doling out pestilence and death each and every time I go birding away from my yard. Where does The Truth lie? Who is in possession of The Answer?</div><div><br /></div><div>Many have found The Answer...to everything...lies somewhere within their own FIVE MILE RADIUS. Interestingly, the San Mateo County (which is the county north of here) shelter in place order restricts residents to...you guessed it, a 5MR from their homes! Sad to be sure, but from a purely birding standpoint, convenient and hilarious. Upon learning this, one unenlightened local birder posted to the local listserv about how depressing birding will be if he was going to be confined to locations within five miles of his house. I can only imagine his surprise (and disgust) when he learned of the legions of birders who volunteer to do this very thing!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi140J-ckRe9GWPok-8VcuJQntKEgV8oNO9btyt5vzMcISea0sIOAqpSPbnXWQP4nqtjFx8RI5tUjL4lMpHLF5eKWsd0WSK7eEmDlN-jR-vpZJqReKZlONtR6GGA1mvnMbw3-QofoBu9_E/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi140J-ckRe9GWPok-8VcuJQntKEgV8oNO9btyt5vzMcISea0sIOAqpSPbnXWQP4nqtjFx8RI5tUjL4lMpHLF5eKWsd0WSK7eEmDlN-jR-vpZJqReKZlONtR6GGA1mvnMbw3-QofoBu9_E/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUfgy0HuYTEafH6VKFDWNTm0SRdrtbdsCTPvqvETjOrOV6xhUZuS6_o3mw_qLJi3kVW2JUcRNqoZvDhjbmbbecmy9Ee55lpA5SZ3c3S1vyt2MYAuHTCJe-YLBN3amG4-l9jJGlzYzAVA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUfgy0HuYTEafH6VKFDWNTm0SRdrtbdsCTPvqvETjOrOV6xhUZuS6_o3mw_qLJi3kVW2JUcRNqoZvDhjbmbbecmy9Ee55lpA5SZ3c3S1vyt2MYAuHTCJe-YLBN3amG4-l9jJGlzYzAVA/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Some of the plantings at the Santa Clara Valley Water District have turned out to great for migrant hummingbirds, most of which are comprised of zesty Rufous Hummingbirds. I've ended up seeing a lot more Rufous Hummingbirds since moving here from Alameda County and their comparative abundance has been refreshing. And no, I'm not 100% sure that female is not an Allen's, but Allen's are greatly outnumbered in my 5MR by Rufous for some reason.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2I4W03OUJHgYX-54ZlKDZI3jIju68eUnI3WSz0Pg6ALLMTi6TtB_2ttouifyzMfSXPtfjdRvtelUO9k07lHZ4yFcYNAd13c-kF4LpvrhxCd9nImXXPfdbwXVT5XnvEK1mdZaIlprXZug/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2I4W03OUJHgYX-54ZlKDZI3jIju68eUnI3WSz0Pg6ALLMTi6TtB_2ttouifyzMfSXPtfjdRvtelUO9k07lHZ4yFcYNAd13c-kF4LpvrhxCd9nImXXPfdbwXVT5XnvEK1mdZaIlprXZug/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmG4FTRlw2jhSkkpjggcqhyphenhyphenYS8t9igJPLn1Mx1L-jJf9zsUeXbkbZKDyfbkhfacWRJFsUu3eT4hWrcplo43K4NvpRSt-MCe8YnJWN2IEFZyMAHbWw7dL0vJpLlo2CeArvhMbeQKcWCNY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmG4FTRlw2jhSkkpjggcqhyphenhyphenYS8t9igJPLn1Mx1L-jJf9zsUeXbkbZKDyfbkhfacWRJFsUu3eT4hWrcplo43K4NvpRSt-MCe8YnJWN2IEFZyMAHbWw7dL0vJpLlo2CeArvhMbeQKcWCNY/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>One of my post-Costa Rica birding highlights this year was finding this Calliope Hummingbird, also at the water district. Unlike many of my experiences with this species, it was very close and gave excellent looks. They are annual in the county but are typically only reported from one or two locations per year. This wee little crippler is easily one of my favorite western migrants. Fortunately, it's been a very good spring for finding them in lowlands in the state, and I'm sure a large number of them have passed through the saddle at Loma Prieta undetected.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4J5sCukdiL2UkkhKD-5tyQKbIVXd6VELbI3Q2g_aeDE62Ja1T_7SAG83Im3DaqaIdWOE8m4t-LwFH75pfSS0EZ9Xg2h3hTd5n1anx9UV_kPtiDcYz4rgN8-V2DHE9b99G6UteVG4AOA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4J5sCukdiL2UkkhKD-5tyQKbIVXd6VELbI3Q2g_aeDE62Ja1T_7SAG83Im3DaqaIdWOE8m4t-LwFH75pfSS0EZ9Xg2h3hTd5n1anx9UV_kPtiDcYz4rgN8-V2DHE9b99G6UteVG4AOA/" /></a></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0B9Jjb8-amt_46eAdl5xHId4yxf2CYKNWDoCEs-qNvf-RxUXey2iqaTINNqEW6D9AS7CPwOfEfoFp47BqqV_aKkh5jMglxOEoRYATAcm2Rq5rN_lnzNja61GSKfaVP4fyuVYEGiIb-0w/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0B9Jjb8-amt_46eAdl5xHId4yxf2CYKNWDoCEs-qNvf-RxUXey2iqaTINNqEW6D9AS7CPwOfEfoFp47BqqV_aKkh5jMglxOEoRYATAcm2Rq5rN_lnzNja61GSKfaVP4fyuVYEGiIb-0w/" /></a></div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Here is my first new radius bird of 2020 - a much-anticipated Purple Martin. Though not quite a rarity, this is another very hard bird to find in the county away from Loma Prieta, where they breed. Photographed at the Chynoweth Pond in San Jose.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but if there was ever a time to be redundant on the topic of radius birding, it is now. I know most of you reading this fall into the following categories: (1) you are Flycatcher Jen (who started radius birding), (2) you are already a 5MR birder, (3) you are sympathetic to 5MR birding but haven't embarked on your radial journey, (4) you think 5MR birding is dumb and entirely unappealing, or (5) you live someplace where it doesn't work so well (those exist - you get a free pass). If 3 or 4 resonate with you...now is the time to step out of the darkness and into the radial light. Do you have someplace to be? No. Something better to do? Definitely not. Come join us! I'm not at all saying we should give ourselves the self-imposed San Mateo treatment, but really there could be no better time to be doing a lot of birding close to home. </div><div><br /></div><div>I should mention that all birds in today's post were seen in my 5MR, including Rancho de Bastardos, a Geri Birding haven for me in these difficult times. I've recorded 95 species here since sheltering began here in mid-March, including a banner day where I managed a whopping (to me) 61 species, almost entirely after 12PM. I believe that's my highest single day species total here so far. Geri to the rescue!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhXt00_3E5hjQMLrbnM7qltpq97yfr_Wkt9NKR1M55nYfNb2ndy6HFN6iXCAPa-7Vq0S4MtW3EDiOuF6cA4Ui4qtosw_GsWh3DkYjo8tmSzugkBVjgl6rwWLWT8wKeI3oHHmpXLf1LlY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhXt00_3E5hjQMLrbnM7qltpq97yfr_Wkt9NKR1M55nYfNb2ndy6HFN6iXCAPa-7Vq0S4MtW3EDiOuF6cA4Ui4qtosw_GsWh3DkYjo8tmSzugkBVjgl6rwWLWT8wKeI3oHHmpXLf1LlY/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4Wnoon8AUnCvO1kxn6ywt3DCpvxioTO9ZdOuYrPibab0HgxvnzV3ZSjR2owJTE9CsjAGH53CLeWaIxKJIK0yjrPIiuXmGYFmTzAzhrVLcCZPaDxagEG5B2LldcGxZZqgdT-pBLYQu5s/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4Wnoon8AUnCvO1kxn6ywt3DCpvxioTO9ZdOuYrPibab0HgxvnzV3ZSjR2owJTE9CsjAGH53CLeWaIxKJIK0yjrPIiuXmGYFmTzAzhrVLcCZPaDxagEG5B2LldcGxZZqgdT-pBLYQu5s/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Similar to the situation with Red-winged Blackbirds, Band-tailed Pigeons can be found in the county throughout the year but they disappear from my yard in fall and winter. I wonder how far "our" birds migrate, after all they are found from Alaska to Argentina (!) and have a nice pattern of vagrancy in the eastern half of the continent, so some birds are certainly moving significant distances. At any rare, it's good to have these humongous floppy goofs back and available for Geri Birding duties. Photographed at Rancho de Bastardos.</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kjGa9IMQUsrKQ9owzbXG0aQmsxhjepAJl66Lkgg4iGdc4HwTZdQSN38UivYYkFKD3oDvA2tkf_5R9O2eIF7ThtCLnql8i2iqRVi3aeE0nboeEUFfoXkukT08J_eDa3EdrxHLZ7gpxPk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kjGa9IMQUsrKQ9owzbXG0aQmsxhjepAJl66Lkgg4iGdc4HwTZdQSN38UivYYkFKD3oDvA2tkf_5R9O2eIF7ThtCLnql8i2iqRVi3aeE0nboeEUFfoXkukT08J_eDa3EdrxHLZ7gpxPk/" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>I'm happy to have Hooded Oriole as a common visitor to the yard, I'm pretty sure they nest on both sides of my house along my street. For whatever reason adult males are way more skittish than females and juveniles, so I'll take a powerline shot. This is far and away the flashiest bird that visits the yard on the reg, what would I do without them? Photographed at Rancho de Bastardos.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I think we are pretty much caught up on things now. Oh, I need to mention that I got one more new radius bird recently, which was also a new addition to the yard list (first since last year) - I stepped out into my backyard briefly the other night and almost keeled over when I heard a strident PILL-WILL-WILLET! proclaimed not once, but twice, with strength and vigor. Shorebirds are so hard to come by in my radius that I was totally taken aback by this northbound Willet giving nocturnal flight calls. Migration is a hell of a thing.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-8129748802578085512020-04-12T12:00:00.027-07:002020-04-15T09:51:21.582-07:00Costa Rica Part III: Catarata Del Toro and Braulio Carrillo National Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ok! Well, like usual, I'm doing an awful job at blogging this bird trip...but we all knew that's what would happen. You would think that being sequestered at home all the time now that I would be churning out posts at a rapid clip, but no! It turns having a pandemic unfold around me, while being trapped with a toddler who badly wants breaks from her parents and has practically ceased napping (which, for you nonbreeders out there, is a very bad thing) is not at all conducive to bird blogging. What have I been doing in my free moments while not parenting super hard, or, alternatively, in a catatonic state of despair? Well, among some of the more typical nonbirder things (catching up on stuff like Picard and Tiger King) I've been birding the shit out of my yard, which has been a good respite from world collapse. More on that another time.</div>
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To pick up back where we left off in the last post, in the afternoon we took a trip to Catarata Del Toro to see...well, what there was to see. I used the maps.me app to navigate for the entire trip, and while it was usually solid, it took us a very weird way up to the waterfall from Hotel Gavilan. Fortunately, this route took us to our only Red-breasted Meadowlarks of the trip and allowed for a Groove-billed Ani crush.</div>
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This private reserve offers some GERI BIRDING, and also a very large garden loaded with porterweed that you have to walk a ways to get to (porterweed is manna for a multitude of hummingbird species). The feeders here had Green-crowned Brilliants, a geri standard. This one, with the extensive white on the throat and underparts, is a female.</div>
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Facemelting Violet Sabrewings were present in good numbers.</div>
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Green Hermit is the other enormous hummingbird you can expect to find frequenting feeders at certain places.</div>
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The main target bird here was Sooty-faced Finch, a Costa Rica-Panama endemic. They are not reliable at many places in Costa Rica, but they are a known commodity here. I was STOKED to find one on a path after a relatively short time looking, and then confused to watch it fly up to a cluster of nanners/platanos and just go to town on fruit. The bird wasn't exactly confiding but we got some nice long looks at the sooty-faced fiend all the same. Another target bird people come here for is Black-bellied Hummingbird, which we saw as well, though we got better looks previously at the one at La Cinchona.</div>
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Bananaquit is another common geri bird, or Geri Bird if you prefer.</div>
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An Olive-striped Flycatcher dropped down for some nice eye-level looks for a moment. What can I tell you about Olive-striped Flycatchers? Pretty much nothing, though their name is helpfully descriptive at least.</div>
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We did not do the main waterfall trail, as it is steep and loud and presumably the most peopled, but there are some really good views of it elsewhere. It's a really good waterfall, highly recommended, it's not why we were there but it did not disappoint. The birding here was not fantastic for us but I'm sure it could have been if we were there in the morning instead of the afternoon, or if the weather hadn't been so dreary.</div>
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The next morning it was off to the Braulio Carrillo National Park area. The El Tapir garden, famous for its Snowcaps (but less so for potentially good birding trails also present), has had only intermittent access since last year and now has a huge metal gate in front of it and highway construction going on directly in front of that while we were there, so no joy on getting in that day and it was yet another Snowcapless trip to Costa Rica. Ouch though. Next time...I will not fail, and go look for them at Rancho Naturalista where they are notoriously easy.</div>
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But no worries, we went just another minute down the highway to the Braulio Carrillo trails. The Quebrada Gonzales ranger station was still closed but we had no problem getting onto the El Ceibo Trail, (on the west side of the highway) before paying our entrance fees and doing the other loop by the ranger station.</div>
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We had some flocks but none of the insane megaflocks or crazy tanager diversity that we experienced in 2012. As is common here, there were some slow stretches and a number of intriguing but extremely uncooperative birds. There were multiple Buff-throated Foliage-Gleaners though, even a couple cooperative ones like this one.</div>
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These swifts blew by at one point and I fired off a clip of docu-crushes...they were gone in just a few seconds and I pretty much forgot about these photos until recently. Now I know they were either White-chinned or Spot-fronted (hat tip to Pat for ID consultation)...both of which would be LIFE BIRDS. My money is heavily on White-chinned but I will let them remain a "slash"...life is truly pain. We did really poorly with swift viewing on this trip in general because we are bad at stuff apparently.</div>
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The coolest thing we found (Jen found), if you ask me, was this thing labelled an "oriole snake" on Jen's hilarious (but surprisingly useful) laminated Costa Rica wildlife foldout pamphlet thing that she always had on her. It was long as fuck! We were trying to get a look at some distant, aggravating antwren thing and Jen noticed this snake dripping down a tree trunk in the foreground.</div>
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Very good snake. Much length. Quite friendly. Photos don't do it justice. </div>
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You can count on cheerful Buff-rumped Warblers to provide company on trails at many places in Costa Rica. If you are creeping along a trail hoping and praying to see an antpitta or tinamou or quail dove on the trail ahead of you, you will instead see tons of these.</div>
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Spider monkey was a lifer mammal. I have no idea how that is possible, because we saw them seemingly everywhere and didn't see a single one on the previous trip. They are good at climbing and stuff. They really do use their tails like another appendage, pretty cool to see in action.</div>
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I am not as enamored with monkeys as some people but their facial expressions are undeniably humanish and regularly hilarious.</div>
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It was so good to be in the warm embrace of manakins again. This is a male White-ruffed, looking snazzy.</div>
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I think that's it for this post. I did get Slaty Antwren and Plain Antvireos as lifers, though with disappointing looks at each. The birding was not as raging as it could be and being locked out of potential Snowcap was a kick in the nuts, but you can't win 'em every time can you? Fortunately we would get a huge birding win later that day, I'll get to that next time.</div>
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Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-61759749332134238622020-03-22T07:12:00.002-07:002020-03-22T07:12:40.712-07:00Costa Rica Part II: The Edges of La Selva<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Well, well, well...it's just a whole new world out there, isn't it? Here in Santa Clara County, the Coronavirus Capitol of California, we have been under a shelter-in-place order for what seems like a little while now. This...this is some weird and bad shit.<br />
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But as Hunter said, "when the going gets weird, the weird turn pro". Get off Facebook, get outside. Now is not the time to chase esoteric county birds hundreds of miles away, now is the time to geri bird and give your 5MR the attention it deserves, while you still can. Now is the time to have some fun, because by the time April rolls around there probably won't be anyone having fun, anywhere. These are the last days of friendship, of love and life, so enjoy them before your lungs fill with covid-19 and...</div>
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Who said that? That sure is dark...but what did you expect? You knew what you were getting when you surfed over here. BB&B is not the type of place to just throw up a picture of some common bird, recite some well-known piece of trivia about it copied and pasted from allaboutbirds and wait for those sweet, sweet likes to roll on in. Anyhow, with each passing day I am all the more grateful to have fit this Costa Rica trip in last month.<br />
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As I mentioned in the last post, our first base was Hotel Gavilan again. There's decent birding to be had on the property (especially if it is your first time in the country), and it's pretty cheap and laid back. Unlike La Cinchona, seemingly little has changed since we were there in 2012. The food is fine though they don't give you many options...but if you like tipico, you can get tipico. Their credit card reader was down so I had to scrape a large amount of cash together to check out (not ideal), but they charged us less than they would have if I had paid by credit card (ideal). Anyhow, it's still a good though not extremely comfortable option, but it wasn't packed with tourists and there are Pale-billed Woodpeckers nesting next to their driveway (above). There are also VERY nice, VERY chatty Canadians to provide you company.<br />
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A VERY persistent puddle in the driveway attracted a number of birds, but mostly enchanting Dusky-faced Tanagers. Of all the birds in Costa Rica, is this simply the best one? Stilt would assure you it is. More from Gavilan in a later post.<br />
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For our first real morning of birding in Costa Rica, we headed over to the edges of the La Selva Preserve, which is conveniently just a few minutes from Gavilan. To bird the main part of La Selva you have to either be staying there or pay for a guided walk, and we decided to do neither and take our chances with doing some road birding. We first walked the road along the northern edge of the preserve that ends at the river (<a href="https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2881930" target="_blank">here</a> is the eBird hotspot). Great Tinamou was one of the first birds I heard when we got out of the car - it would also be the last time we detected a tinamou of any kind for the trip! How embarrassing. At least we saw Short-billed Pigeons?<br />
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Cinnamon Woodpecker was a life bird and is a real looker...just an ace woodpecker in my book. Other life birds for me here were Blue-chested Hummingbird, some flyby Great Green Macaws, and White-ringed Flycatchers.<br />
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A pair of confiding Slaty-tailed Trogons were giving a potential nest site a gander next to the road. Don't you just love confiding trogons?<br />
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We then walked down the main access road for the preserve - you can walk all the way to the guard station. The walk in was pretty slow except for two SNOWY COTINGAS that flew over the road. Agonizingly brief looks but a great life bird for yours truly. No photos though so here is a Great Kiskadee building a nest instead (sorry).<br />
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There are hella Olive-backed Euphonias in Costa Rica. Here is one of them.<br />
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We didn't see a whole lot of becards on the trip - most of the ones we did see were Cinnamon Becards like this.<br />
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The way back to the car was much birdier than the way in...you know what they say, "Middle, most hottest part of day, is best time to make for greatest birding". A pair of fabulous Long-tailed Tyrants was hanging out near the road, and that too was a life bird.<br />
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After struggling in the heat of the day for a while we finally hit another decent mixed flock. Northern Barred-Woodcreeper is a cool bird itself, but is also often indicative of some other interesting birds nearby.<br />
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Red-throated Ant-Tanagers anchor many low and mid elevation flocks.<br />
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I was really stoked to get good looks at this Fasciated Antshrike. I was kind of confused at the time why it was being so obliging, and it wasn't until I looked at my photos that I saw it was because it was trying to deal with an enormous spiky caterpillar that has amazing camouflage - just look under the tip of the antshrike's bill.<br />
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I have pictures of the antshrike flinging/coughing/sneezing caterpillar juice on more than one occasion, so perhaps the caterpillar ultimately survived the encounter by being nasty...or succumbed to its antshrike wounds.<br />
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"Soul-satisfying views" has admittedly become a bit of a cliche, but those words are still apt and highly relatable. The soul was satisfied in its absolute entirety after walking up to this totally tame Black-throated Trogon.<br />
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I'm not a raptor fetishist but it is a rare and special occasion to see a new species of hawk, and Semiplumbeous Hawk was yet another lifer that morning. Unlike some of the others this one was very obliging and hung out on an open perch next to the road. Semiplumbeous Hawks reside and abide in lowland tropical rainforest and was one of the (admittedly many) target birds that morning.<br />
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It is indeed Semiplumbeous, in fact it is the only bird named "Semiplumbeous" in existence. That's fine, we don't need more of them. I very much appreciated this lifer brazenly loitering on the same branch until we decided to walk away, lifering often doesn't end up that way.<br />
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Motmots. Who doesn't love motmots? No one, it is impossible. Somebody struck gold when they decided that some birds should be named "motmots", and it goes without saying that the birds have great looks and great vocalizations to match their fantastic names. We saw many Broad-billed Motmots on this trip.<br />
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I am nothing if not honest though, and now I must show you the truth. This motmot had an absolutely pathetic tail. Utter bullshit. It looked like it landed in a fire and had almost the whole thing burned off. Most unfortunate, but at least the rest of the bird was not equally haggard.<br />
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Go ahead, cropshame me if you must, I can take it. More CR to come soon, until then I recommend feverish yardbirding.....though perhaps "feverish" is not the most sensitive choice of words....well you know what I mean.<br />
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Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-56433667935411692612020-03-11T16:45:00.003-07:002020-03-11T16:45:53.029-07:00Costa Rica 2020 Part I: La Cinchona<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Wow, we made it back just in time! Greetings from San Jose, California, which is now deep in the shadow of coronavirus. While things are increasingly tense here - and just now my daughter is screaming about a squirrel in the living room, which for some reason there actually is - I can at least say that the Costa Rica 2020 tour is in the bag, and it was brilliant. Joining me this time was the controversial Jacob Durrent, attention-seeking Flycatcher Jen, and the surprisingly dry-eyed but armadillo-adverse Stilt. I planned our route to visit some of the best inland areas north of San Jose (Costa Rica), and although we did not have time to get to all of them by any means it was GREAT SUCCESS. It's kind of daunting to think I have a duty to blog all of it but I can try!<br />
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We flew in to San Jose and immediately experienced our first logistical obstacle of the trip (the first actual obstacle was large and dumb pile of Envision Festival goers doing unnecessary yoga at our feet in LAX), which was getting our rental car from Hertz. The 4x4 I had reserved was not available and they tried to give me a sedan, which I napesed. After much waiting we were informed a 4x4 SUV was available and would be ready soon...then we were informed that it kept slipping into neutral by itself while in gear so that one was off the table. Finally we accepted an SUV that did not have 4x4 as I figured we would at least have good clearance to deal with shitty roads...this did work out fine, though it would not have if we had met with real rainy season weather. It was also a surprise to get in the car and find out it was a manual transmission, which I had not driven in about seven years. Luckily Jacob helped out with a lot of the driving and all the stalling I did when I drove was just funny for everybody (how embarrassing) instead of being catastrophic. The car was weak and grossly underpowered BUT our little Chery (that's right, not Chevy) did succeed in getting us everywhere we wanted to go.<br />
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Why did I tell you this rambling story of inconvenience that you almost surely don't care about? Because that is Geri's way, and we did our share of GERI BIRDING. In fact, almost this entire post is about Geri Birding!<br />
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Finally underway, we got to our first stop, the soda/mirador at La Cinchona. We had a great time here back in 2012 and it has only gotten better! Oh, I don't want that Silver-throated Tanager photo up at the top of this post to fool you...that photo was made possible by fruit. La Cinchona is all about GERI BIRDING (though the human food ain't bad either), and the geri was indeed top notch. Here is a Prong-billed Barbet/Black-headed Saltator combo.<br />
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Prong-billed Barbet is a weird bird. When you are the object of the barbet's smile, you aren't quite sure what to do with yourself.<br />
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Buff-throated Saltator, old friend. Trusty BTSA turned out to be the most common saltator of the trip.<br />
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And Scarlet-rumped Tanager was by far the most abundant tanager of the trip. Better post an obligatory photo now!<br />
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This bird, on the other hand, was gripping. My first lifer of the trip was this plump little crippler, Buff-fronted Quail-Dove. They have become very reliable at La Cinchona and did not disappoint during our visit. They weren't exactly confiding but we got some great looks. I needed some more quail-doves in my life and now I should be set for a while. As expected, these were the only ones of the trip and (sadly) the only quail-doves of any species we actually laid eyes on. Much unfinished quail-dove business have I.<br />
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Another crucial target bird here was the facemelting/ridiculous Red-headed Barbet, which we also did not see anywhere else. This is the first male I have ever seen and it was absolutely stunning. The Geri Gods smiled upon us that afternoon.<br />
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I think the first time I saw Violet Sabrewings was here in 2012. As it was back then, having these giant glowing hummingbirds whiz by inches away is great but not exactly comforting.<br />
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Black-bellied Hummingbird was lifer #2 for yours truly. These are only really reliable at a handful of sites so it was a pleasant surprise to have this single bird at our very first stop. Neither drab nor flamboyantly crippling, it's just a very nice hummingbird. Pura vida.<br />
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Both the bane and the bedrock of many cloud forest mixed flocks, Common Chlorospingus dropped in for some of the delicious Geri action.<br />
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The Northern Emerald Toucanets here are probably some of the most photographed birds south of the Rio Grande. Why? Because they get their geri on within a few feet of you and they are crushable by cell phone, if that's what one wished to do. They also happen to be terrific.<br />
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Crimson-collared Tanager is an arresting bird.<br />
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And the same case could be made for Blue-gray Tanager, but they are so freaking common it can be difficult to give them the credit they deserve.<br />
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Like the Blue-gray Tanager, Palm Tanagers struggle to be looked at. Whenever a Palm Tanager is in sight, there is invariably something more interesting to look at as well. Such is life for the Palm Tanager.<br />
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As expected in February, we also had a pleasant mix of neotropic migrants mixing in with the resident locals. Summer Tanager wishes it could participate in more geri birding on its migration routes.<br />
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This gluttonous Baltimore Oriole is acting like its never had a banana before. It's practically mantling the poor defenseless fruit.<br />
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I call this portrait "Tennessee Warbler With Banana".<br />
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Yes, I will even post a photo of the dreaded Clay-colored Thrush. They are brown. And very common. But not only is this a picture of a Clay-colored Thrush, it is a picture of a banana. This one is titled "Banana with Clay-colored Thrush".<br />
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Foreboding Black Guans were getting in on the feeder action too. You would think that such a large bird would not be attempting to feed on the same thing as a diminutive Tennessee Warbler, but you would be wrong.<br />
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Some other roadside stops on the way to Hotel Gavilan produced birds like Bat Falcon (above), Double-toothed Kite and Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift.<br />
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That will do it for the first post! Much more to come. And if you are wondering, no, the squirrel is not still in the house.<br />
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Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-27855541610442541762020-02-13T16:34:00.000-08:002020-02-14T05:40:05.108-08:00Bound For Tranquilo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Seven years. It's been seven years since I have had my face melted off by Resplendent Quetzal, seven years since being crippled by an appropriately large and diverse rainbow of tanagers. Seven years since my bones have felt the BONK of a Three-wattled Bellbird. Seven years since I experienced <i>pura vida</i>.<br />
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Going so long without pura vida is excruciating. I have been withering, on the inside and out. Luckily, MAX REBO BIRDING TOURS has seen fit to send me back to Costa Rica in a few days, with a focus on Caribbean slope birds. The itinerary is mainly composed of sites we did not get to previously, though some sites are too good and too conveniently located to pass up again.<br />
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Target birds will be many and varied for our group. Speaking for myself, I have plucked most of the low-hanging fruit already, but the number of potential realistic lifers that await is well above 100. Bare-necked Umbrellabird and Yellow-eared Toucanet are certainly too rare to expect (but expected enough to look for), so other than those Sunbittern, Agami Heron, Snowy Cotinga and Ocellated Antbird definitely come to mind as top targets that could induce facemelt/cripple/seizures/spontaneous combustion/final birdgasm if seen. But who am I kidding, there is a good chance less-hyped species like Uniformed Crake, nunbird and Song Wren could leave me in a state of catatonic wonder.<br />
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And then there is the Collared Plover, my Neotropical nemesis. If you ask me, we have a better chance of finding 27 Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoos than a single Collared Plover, which are documented to be 50,000,000,000 times more common and easier to see for any other birder. It's embarrassing and shameful to admit, but at the same time the only birder without a nemesis is a dead one.<br />
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Sorry, I can't help but get a touch dark when Collared Plover comes up. A number of other <i>living</i> legends like This Machine, Coolidge (who is a person, not just a Descendents song), and BB&B's own Cassidy have recently just stumbled out of the steamy jungles of Costa Rica or are still there, sweating and lurching and having chunks of superheated face slough off their heads from constant exposure to great birds. It's the place to be this winter.<br />
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The owl highlight of the previous Costa Rica Trip was this Black-and-white Owl, which remains the only one I've ever seen. It was shown to us by Moncho, a security guard at Cerro Lodge. This time we have an owling trip lined up at Cano Negro with the near-mythical Chambita, so fingers are extra crossed for Striped Owl and other night lurkers.<br />
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Love geri birding? So does Max Rebo Birding Tours! I think on this trip I'm going to try to take photos of birds that are obviously on feeders instead of attempting shots of birds that don't have feeders or fruit in the frame. La Cinchona has excellent geri birding that features Emerald Toucanets, and we will be checking in on them soon.<br />
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Geri birding can often reward one with excellent looks at Green Honeycreepers, a bird that <i>needs </i>to be seen up close, and let me tell you I am ready to sit on my ass and watch a Green Honeycreeper eat a goddamned banana. This one was attending a geri station at Talari Mountain Lodge.<br />
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I actually don't expect to see Flame-colored Tanagers on this trip, but I do expect to see other fantastic birds doing unexpected stuff like hopping around in parking lot rubble with the wariness of a Safeway Brewer's Blackbird.<br />
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BB&B will be back in March. Until then, take care, and be wary of stringers.</div>
Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-87442152991590178992020-02-03T16:21:00.000-08:002020-02-03T16:21:08.092-08:00South Bay Winter Slumber<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>While Santa Clara is not known as one of the premiere gulling counties in the state, that is not because there are a lack of gulls. There are many thousands of Herring Gulls (like the one above) in the county right now, and where there are Herring Gulls there are rare gulls...sometimes anyway. I have at least managed a Santa Clara Glaucous Gull already this year and a 5MR Western Gull, which I didn't see in the radius until November last year. Photographed at Don Edwards NWR.</b><br />
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Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh it's February. I don't know how I feel about that. It sure got here quickly, and as I say in BB&B pretty much every year I'm leery of March birding around these parts. Things have been pretty slow this winter here in Santa Clara, especially if you opt to not attempt feverish county year birding and rechase all the rarities you already chased a month or two ago, or the previous winter. But! But. BUT...the middle of winter is generally a great time to be birding around these parts. If you really need to see a rarity or a year bird or whatever every time you go birding, then just give up birding and be honest with yourself and everyone else...you are not a birder. You are a chaser. You don't enjoy the activity of birdwatching, you like birdchasing.<br />
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I think the quasi-elitist and increasingly obsolete notion that listing is something to scoff at now borders on being something to scoff at itself. Let's face it, most of us have bird lists that we care about. Listing is not the problem here, heck chasing isn't even the problem. I happily chase stuff on the reg and recommend it highly. The problem is when you get so locked into certain lists that they dictate that you run after other people's birds <i>every</i> time you go out. Going out with the hopes of finding something interesting yourself, once standard practice when one went out birding, is becoming increasingly uncommon and comparatively bold.<br />
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Is it time for a great schism in birding? Is it time for the strict chasers to separate themselves from the rest of us? There is already a large and still growing subset of photogs who seem to chase every rarity but never find anything rare themselves. Something to ponder on a cool February day.<br />
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But now that I've begun to peel back the lid on that can of worms, I'm going to put it back on the proverbial shelf for another post. That was not a road I intended to go down! Shifting gears (but probably still instilling some butthurt anyway), I've really been enjoying my new CANON gear after kicking Nikon to the curb. With the assistance of CANON, here is a sampling of our winter birds from along the edge of the South Bay.<br />
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<b>Iceland Gulls can be be quite common at certain sites right now. Here is a particularly eye-catching bird with a big dark hood. Photographed at Don Edwards NWR.</b><br />
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<b>Here is a more typical looking Iceland (darker eye, whiter face) photographed from the same spot. </b><b>Photographed at Don Edwards NWR.</b><br />
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<b>While Herring x Glaucous-winged are often the most common hybrid in Santa Clara gull flocks, along the bay Western x Glaucous-winged like this one can be more abundant. The Olympic Gull is a particularly unpleasant creature and I have nothing more to say about them. </b><b>Photographed at Don Edwards NWR.</b><br />
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<b>Mew Gulls, with their small size and delicate build, are absolutely delightful in comparison. They should have named Daymaker Gulls. </b><b>Photographed at Don Edwards NWR.</b><br />
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<b>I thought this COMBO was worthy of posting, a ring-billed Mew Gull and a ring-billed Ring-billed Gull. </b><b>Photographed at Don Edwards NWR.</b><br />
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<b>The occasional close pass by a Northern Harrier is always appreciated. </b><b>Photographed at Don Edwards NWR.</b><br />
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<b>Familiarity breeds contempt, but as common as they are Turkey Vultures are still cool to see close up. </b><b>Photographed at Don Edwards NWR.</b><br />
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<b>Santa Clara is not a very goosey county, but we get a light smattering of non-Canadas every fall and winter. Here is part of a family group of Snow Geese that have been wintering next to Shoreline Lake near Mountain View. Photographed at the Shoreline Park kite flying area.</b><br />
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<b>A group of Greater White-fronted Geese is also wintering in the same area and are similarly acclimated to people, no doubt due in large part to the large flocks of JUDAS GEESE (nonnative/tame Canada Geese) here. I like the lawn-mowing lineup.</b><br />
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<b>Sometimes, I think about grebes. Luminous beings are grebes. I am a fan of Horned Grebes, but it is one of those species that makes me wonder why, know what I mean? Like if someone could do a brain scan while I looked at a Horned Grebe vs a Western, there would probably be more HOGR-related brain activity even though WEGRs sound way cooler and have a legendary courtship display. Maybe it all goes back to when I first started birding, where HOGRs are harder to come by. I'm sure a great many of my feelings and opinions about certain birds, and birding in general, are heavily colored by those early years more than I realize. Photographed at Shoreline Lake.</b><br />
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<b>EARED GREBE/HORNED GREBE COMBO!!!!!!! The HOGR is showing off its flatter crown, thicker bill, and more contrasting face/neck/flank pattern.</b><br />
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<b>While I think of it, I wanted to mention another aspect of my new Canon gear that I forgot to bring up in my <a href="https://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2019/12/nikon-no-more-or-how-i-learned-to-stop.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> about it. For all previous combos and iterations of Nikon bodies and lenses I've used (which are numerous), one flaw that <i>all</i> of them had was that when the subject was on a flat surface (i.e. sitting on or flying low over water, on mudflats, in short grass) and not close up, the camera invariably have a very difficult time focusing on the intended subject. I could shoot 50 similar frames and sometimes less than 10 would have the subject acceptably sharp with good light and good settings and a near-stationary bird, which is a really shitty ratio. I have no such problem now with the Canon 90D/100-400mm II and couldn't be happier. Photographed at Shoreline Lake.</b><br />
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<b>These Western Sandpipers just had to probe the same exact spot. Must be awkward to bump bills under the mud. Photographed at Charleston Slough.</b><br />
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<b>Let's wrap things up with some avocets, photographed at Charleston Slough. Avocets simultaneously look gangly and awkward in flight, but somehow also striking and graceful. There are a shitload of avocets in the South Bay and I'm pretty happy about it. </b><br />
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Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-25298387410810006692020-01-13T12:45:00.000-08:002020-01-13T12:45:56.127-08:00Cracking The Code of The Rebus: A Band Return For an Evening Grosbeak<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Do you get to see Evening Grosbeaks often? I don't. I haven't seen one in years. The lowlands of the South Bay are, unsurprisingly, a poor place to live if you want to encounter this charismatic species very often. A quick check of eBird confirms my already dire suspicions...I haven't seen an Evening Grosbeak since <i>2013</i>, when I made a rare foray into my now current county to see them in suburban Sunnyvale.<br />
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2013? Good lord. It has been too long.</div>
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But the winter of 2019-2020 has not been like most other winters. It has been an invasion year for Red Crossbills and Evening Grosbeaks in much of California, and as the old saying goes, I was "on heightened alert due to the Grosbeaks". You may not remember that one, but I assure you it's a thing. Luckily I was not the only one on heightened alert, and local birders found a flock of grosbeaks in downtown Los Altos, where they settled down and were too good to pass up. </div>
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As you have already figured out, I found them. After some mixed success with getting looks at the flock, I stumbled on to the main group of birds while walking back to my car a few blocks away. No birders were there, no people on the street asked me what I was doing, and cops ignored me as I tried to crush the brazen grosbeaks raining down berries upon me from low overhead. It's rare to be birding around tons of people and not get interrupted, so I had a particularly excellent time.<br />
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This is what Evening Grosbeak habitat looks like in Los Altos. It's a weird place to be birdwatching.<br />
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The name of the Evening Grosbeak game around here is Chinese pistache, an ornamental tree commonly planted in the area that get fully loaded with berries in late fall and early winter. Lots of birds love pistache berries, including the grosbeaks. Just look at this glutton.<br />
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After my time with this gripping little flock, I was sated. Fingers crossed to not wait another six years to see them again.<br />
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But the good grosbeak times did not stop when I left the birds behind. Several days later I uploaded my photos and was shocked to plainly see a band on a female I had taken quite a few pictures of.<br />
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Finding bands on birds is always fun, but finding a band on a passerine someplace where there is no banding going on is almost unheard of. I also had no idea the bird was banded while I was taking pictures of it...how embarrassing.<br />
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A few days later, Friend of The Blog David Tomb contacted me and told me had refound the banded bird. This is what finally got me to actually look closely at the band...I had assumed that there was no way I had good enough photos of the band that the entire code could be readable. USFWS songbird bands are tiny and definitely not meant to be read while the bird wearing it is moving around uninhibited.<br />
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I was wrong.<br />
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I was shocked, again, to find that I could make out 8 consecutive digits of the band numbers in my photos. That's not supposed to happen. Then another thing that wasn't supposed to happen happened...in a Hail Mary check of eBird photos, I found that one other observer had put up a photo of the banded bird. The one and only number she could make out was the one I was missing. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.<br />
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Lo and behold, I had somehow gotten the entire band number of a tiny band I had no idea was there when I was staring right at it. This is not how it is supposed to go. I got the banding info immediately, and there it is. The bird is from western Oregon, or at least spent time there in the past, which makes it presumably a Type 1 Evening Grosbeak, as opposed to the Type 2s that are found in the Sierras. It's not a young bird either! </div>
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Pretty chuffed about the whole thing - I might never recover a songbird band in this manner ever again!<br />
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I will leave you with a fitting passage on Evening Grosbeaks, from the inimitable William Leon Dawson, back in 1923:<br />
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<i>His garb is a patchwork; his song a series of shrieks; his motions eccentric; his humor phlegmatic; and his concepts beyond the kin of man. Although at times one of the most approachable of birds, he is, on the whole, an avian freak, a rebus in feathers.</i></div>
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Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-46949187308724142112020-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:002020-01-05T09:00:12.620-08:00Radius Roundup: Lessons and Results From a 5MR "Big Year", and The Shortest Big Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>A Ruby-crowned Kinglet unleashes a terrifying bellow into the chilly radius air. Photographed on the Guadalupe River Trail.</b><br />
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There has been an awakening.<br />
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Have you felt it?<br />
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eBird Top 100 listing rises, and Radius birding to meet it.<br />
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If you've checked in on BB&B a few times this year, you already know that I've put my full weight as one of birding's marquee influencers into propping up the FIVE MILE RADIUS. 5MR is now flourishing throughout the land, particularly in my state of California. But this year has been so much more than simply harvesting Flycatcher Jen's vision and going Johnny Appleseed with it all over the nerdscape...I've not only been talking the radial talk, I have spent this entire year walking the radial walk. Like several of you, I've taken part in Jen's 5MR Challenge, doing my own big year of sorts in my 5MR. More and more I find "big year" to be a cringeworthy phrase, but I guess it is what it is. I admittedly didn't go all out and missed my share of birds (more on that below), but I spent a shocking amount of time within five miles of my home this year while actually doing quite a bit of birding. To say it was nice would be a gross understatement...it was time well spent birding instead of sitting in the car, driving somewhere, burning gas, chasing things that some list may have "needed" but I did not actually need to see. Rather than feeling tied down by my radius, shifting my focus to what was really local felt almost luxurious at times.<br />
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How did I do? I finished 2019 with 187 species in eBird, with the only species not sanctioned by the Bird Police being European Goldfinch, which have been present in very low numbers in a part of my radius for a number of years but rightly are not considered established in the state by the CBRC. The goal I set for myself earlier in the year was 185 species, so I was surprisingly on point there. Many U.S. birders exceeded that total in their respective radii this year but I am still really happy with how I did. Lifetime (aka from spring of 2017 until present) my 5MR now stands at 196 species. I started the year with 169 species, and eagerly look forward to the 200 species milestone, which should be possible with spring migration coming this way sooner than I will be ready for.<br />
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<b>While some spots I've recently started birding did not yield anything unexpected, I think it is only a matter of time before some of them bear radial fruit. Martial Cottle Park is one such place, and until that time its <strike>Poop Fairies</strike> Western Bluebirds will continue to remind dog walkers to pick up their shit.</b><br />
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Long story short, after a lot of work, strategy, staring at Google Earth and exploring, The Year of The 5MR has been Great Success. I'm very happy with how it went, and thought I'd share some final thoughts before easing off the radius gas pedal for a bit.<br />
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My radius is probably best described as moderately birded by other people. There is a small but dedicated and active group of birders who already do much of their birding within the confines of my radius, and there are a number of places that are productive enough to draw in birders from further afield. In terms of radius rarities I managed to see this year, I certainly benefited from the efforts of others (i.e. Horned Grebe, American Bittern, Swainson's Hawk, Red-naped and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Summer Tanager), but I am very pleased with what I found myself (Long-billed Dowitcher, Glaucous Gull, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Tennessee Warbler, Clay-colored Sparrows, Red Crossbill). I certainly did chase some birds but am happy to report that this was no run-of-the-mill year listing effort where I spent tons of time chasing species found by others, which was part of the idea baked into this thing in the first place.<br />
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<b>While I did very, very little chasing outside my radius this year, I had no problem tracking down radius-rare stuff found by others. This Red-necked Phalarope found at the Los Capitancillos Ponds by Ann Verdi was without a doubt one of the Top 10 birds to be found within my radius this year, and possibly the most unexpected, even though they are fairly common migrants about 15 miles away.</b><br />
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I can't speak for Flycatcher Jen, but I always assumed 5 was chosen for the radius distance because it is a nice, round, modest number. For where I live, I am totally fine with it, 5 miles really does seem perfect. However, for other people I know that it isn't so appealing...obviously, people don't all live with the same diversity of habitats within 5 miles and, equally importantly, have comparable access to potential birding sites as everyone else. There's a lot of private property out there, a lot of public land that doesn't have real access, a lot of vast expanses of homogeneous habitat (i.e. sage, creosote flats, intensive ag, etc). In some places, a larger radius could be more appropriate than 5 miles, or *gasp* the whole radius thing isn't necessary. I would say that places not suited for 5MR are certainly the exception and not the rule though.<br />
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I touched on this already, but I found a great many locally uncommon and rare birds myself, including a number of species that are downright rare for the county. This is what I had hoped for but did not dare to actually expect, and is consistent with the experience of a lot of other 5MR birders this year. Rarities are out there waiting to be found, often in places where relatively few birders are searching. Tired of chasing stuff? Want to break from the pack and find your own birds more often? Your radius awaits.<br />
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<b>I knew going in to 2019 that my radius is very, very tough for shorebirds, and results bore that out. However, I am now convinced that we actually could get numbers of shorebirds in the rare event that water levels at wetland sites actually become suitable. This flock of Western Sandpipers photographed from my backyard was, as far as I know, the one and only flock of peeps seen by anyone in my 5MR in 2019.</b><br />
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Another of the primary tenets of 5MR birding is to go check out sites you have never been before, places that are underbirded, or not birded at all. I'm happy to say I was able to do all that very frequently...in fact, on my last morning of birding of the year, 2 of the 3 sites I visited were places I'd never been to before 2019. eBird helped with this of course, not to mention just scrolling around satellite imagery in my radius and some local help too. It really is satisfying going to new places nearby and finding some that are worth repeat visits. Last month I walked up the "back side" of Santa Teresa County Park and snagged my first radius Prairie Falcon - I never would have tried this trail if it wasn't for 5MR....and I would not have seen the falcon if I was not doing the monthly challenge, which happened to be a stationary count!<br />
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Also, I have said this from the beginning, but 5MR is really perfect for birders with time constraints, such as when you have small children and can't afford to be gone all day without seeming like a Kenny Bostick. I knew radius birding was a match made in heaven with parenthood even before Annie was born, but this year really drove that point home. A number of other parents have echoed the same sentiment.<br />
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<b>Birding a lot in my 5MR has really driven home the point that Cooper's Hawks have adapted quite well to suburban life. They are common here year round. Sharp-shinned Hawks, on the other hand, are very uncommon and nowhere reliable. This Cooper's was strutting around my back yard one day last summer.</b><br />
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<b>For those of us who are interested in nonavian life, exploring your 5MR can be very beneficial as well. My non-bird highlight of the year (which was uncomfortably close to being a lowlight) was <a href="https://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-5mr-bourbon-challenge-and.html" target="_blank">inadvertently walking up to a hunting mountain lion</a> at Almaden Quicksilver County Park. I am still convinced it was waiting to ambush one of the many radius black-tailed deer in the area and would have ignored me had I not noticed it, but I still feel a bit lucky that I noticed it when I did and not when I was 7 or 8 feet away. Anyways, a sketchy but cool experience, happy to be able to see a lion up close and not have it be in a threatening mood.</b><br />
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What else? I bought less gas than I would have, burned less gas than I would have, potentially saved on some car maintenance, and only rarely found myself birding where more than a couple other birders were present at the same time. These are all very good things. And since I reached the 185 species plateau, I completed the bourbon challenge I issued to myself earlier this year. As a Champion Radius Birder, I bought myself a bottle of Black Skimmer Bourbon and WOW...if you are a whiskey fan do yourself a favor and pick some up if you are ever in a treat yoself mood. The Black Skimmer Rye is also very good, and is a few bucks cheaper.<br />
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Were there negatives to doing so much radius birding? Sure, birding in July and August (with one notable exception) was even slower than usual, and I didn't see a ton of Vague Runts this year...in fact, I did not even get a state bird...which stings, honestly. I love getting state birds. I would have chased the Yellow-browed Warbler but luckily a prior engagement prevented me from trying for it when I otherwise would have...which would have resulted in joining in a big fat group dip with 100+ other miserable birders from around the country. The shortage of Vague did make the rareish birds I saw in the radius that much better though. My backyard Eastern Kingbird will forever be one of my favorite self found Vague Runts, and I still reel over discovering a July Red-eyed Vireo, which is a bird I discovered without even driving.<br />
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And this should be obvious to everyone, but I would advise that you make sure to still bird out of your radius sometimes! Focusing solely on your 5MR is likely to make you crazy and make birding sound like a lackluster idea, which is really unnecessary. Don't foresake the places that you love! Birding your 5MR does not mean you are breaking some holy vow if you go bird outside of it.<br />
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<b>Want to become the master of your domain? 5MR birding will get you extremely attuned to birdlife in your radius...not just status and distribution, but arrival and departure dates and breeding behavior or lack thereof. My radius Pied-billed Grebes had chicks very late this year at multiple locations - this fish exchange between an adult and a chick took place on November 9, which seemed strangely late in the year. Photographed at Los Gatos Creek County Park.</b><br />
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<b>In November I listed my top 10 target birds for the remainder of the year; I managed to see 4 of them. My last new species of 2019 - this Golden-crowned Kinglet - was on the list. This fall/winter has been very good for many irruptive birds like this in the region, though the Varied Thrush invasion I was hoping for did not pan out. Photographed at Greystone Park.</b><br />
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And with that, here is everything that I know of that I missed that was seen in my radius this year. Most of these were just one or two records.<br />
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Tundra Swan (also a county bird)<br />
Greater Scaup<br />
Bonaparte's Gull<br />
Solitary Sandpiper<br />
Cassin's Kingbird<br />
Purple Martin<br />
Varied Thrush (damn you Justyn)<br />
Pacific Wren<br />
Hermit Warbler<br />
Nashville Warbler<br />
Blackpoll Warbler<br />
Yellow-breasted Chat (also a county bird)<br />
Swamp Sparrow<br />
Evening Grosbeak<br />
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I'm sure there were some other species that could have been found on the fringes or passed through undetected, such as Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Ferruginous Hawk, Greater Roadrunner, Hammond's Flycatcher and Tricolored Blackbird. I'm very surprised that Snow Goose wasn't seen by anybody in the area this year. A Calliope Hummingbird was seen a stone's throw from my radius and was probably actually visible from inside at some point. But missing birds is a fundamental part of any kind of birding experience, no need to do a thorough autopsy on birds not seen.<br />
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In other radial news, on December 21 I met the monthly 5MR Challenge issued by her lordship Flycatcher Jen and did a BIG DAY in my radius. What better day to do a big day than the shortest one of the entire year?! It was not a max effort day as I did not go owling and I had done no scouting specifically for this, but I went pretty hard...no lunch break or anything like that. I started off by walking out my back gate and doing some of the ponds behind my house in the predawn light, which quickly netted me 46 species. After that, I was off like a shot.<br />
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<b>You can't make out much in this photo but I think a lot of you recognize that silhouette. A Phainopepla has been wintering at Guadalupe Oak Grove Park for many years now and was readily findable on The Shortest Big Day. This is still the only one I've seen in the entire county; I assume the freakish flyover Phainopepla I had at my house once was this very bird.</b><br />
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I decided on 90 species as a goal...seemed reasonable, and was above the 86 species that was my previous day high back in 2017 for the 5MR challenge, which was done in the northwestern corner of Alameda County back when I lived in Albany. I could have gotten more on that fateful day, but I abruptly had to quit in the afternoon to go chase the Ross's Gull...one of the best decisions I've made in my whole life.<br />
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Instead of giving an agonizing blow by blow, I'll just skip to the end. Steller's Jay and Eurasian Collared-Doves were the biggest misses, and I easily could have picked up Wild Turkey and Band-tailed Pigeon had I gone up into the hills at all. I also probably could have found a Red-winged Blackbird if I stood in my backyard long enough at sunset. But otherwise I did very well, having less-than-ideal weather at only one spot and having much fortune with waterbirds and upland species in general.<br />
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<b>I missed this bittern multiple times at the beginning of the year, but luckily it returned for another winter and I was able to connect with it a couple times late in 2019. One of those times was during my Solstice Big Day, which was heck of lucky considering it often isn't hanging out someplace visible.</b><br />
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I finished the day with a stunning (to me) 101 species! I couldn't be happier with that...considering the short day and lack of preparation, I think it is a sign of fruitful radius. It does make me wonder what time of year I could actually squeeze the biggest day out of my 5MR...is December/January as good as it gets? April? November? Maybe I'll attempt another one in 2020 and find out.<br />
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And so it goes. I'm going to give 5MR coverage a well-deserved rest for a while, as I've said my piece and don't plan on getting cray with year listing on any scale in 2020. That said, with the beginning of the new year I hope more birders give perpetual county year listing a break and give the radius a try! </div>
Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-35895743792026239222019-12-18T09:10:00.001-08:002019-12-18T09:10:28.236-08:00Nikon No More or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Canon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Brown Pelican photographed with the new rig. All photos in this post are cropped but have had nothing else edited. Apologies in advance for all the camera speak that is about to occur. Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA.</b><br />
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For years, I have been living life as a minority. No, not as a lonely half Korean half Welsh intergrade (are you out there HKHWs?), I mean I'm a birder who uses Nikon camera gear. Most birders use Canon, it is known. But I was not about to fall in line...for years I withstood the microaggressions, the slights, the taunts, the outright <i>persecution</i>.<br />
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And now it has come to this. I have jumped ship. I am a defector.<br />
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I recently switched from a Nikon D7200/Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G AF-S VR ED lens to the Canon 90D (their new APS-C body) and the extremely popular 100-400mm IS II USM lens. Why?<br />
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It wasn't the hostility from other nerds that got to me. In fact, I have had repeated problems with my Nikon gear over the years. For example, my most recent Nikkor lens performed very well at first, but by this time last year it was no longer to able to produce sharp images of objects at just a moderate distance away. It was all but impossible to get a tack sharp image of a bird in flight unless it was very close - and this was not a result of dirty lens or camera contacts either. I tolerated this unhappy situation for too long, and perhaps some kind of calibration may have helped...but when I did the ultimate dumbass move and dropped my shit on a sidewalk, Nikon refused to fix the lens because it was a gray market product. I had never even heard of the gray market (in this case, that means it was not supposed to be sold in the U.S., it was made for other markets), and this information is buried in their website. Around this same time is when the D7200 died while birding in Belize, when it was only 6 months old...I have had other previous problems and enough was enough, I was not going to give them my business any longer.<br />
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Since all that BS went down I have spent almost a year of using my ancient 80-400mm backup lens. It has been collecting dust for years but can still produce great images and had great sharpness with distant objects, much unlike my much newer, more expensive lens that was failing me even before it kissed the pavement.<br />
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<b>Double-crested Cormorants at Lake Merritt.</b></div>
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But I could only deal with that setup for so long...the backup lens has an agonizingly slow autofocus and the D7200 had proved untrustworthy. Now, I am a Canon man. I'm ready to be sponsored, lets make a deal Canon, I'm your guy. Better hurry and set something up with me while I'm still in the honeymoon phase.<br />
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A few initial impressions, as a fresh Canon convert:<br />
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Regarding the gray market, from my "research" it seems that the Canon service department will fix Canon stuff no matter what, gray market items just are not covered by their warranty. In contrast, Nikon has tried to make it very difficult for independent operators to service Nikon equipment (whether a warranty is supposed to be in effect or not), and they won't service any of your gray market items at all.<br />
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There is almost little to say about the 100-400mm II lens. It is fantastic. Fast autofocus, great images, and definitely a closer minimum focusing distance than its Nikon counterpart. It also feels extremely well built and will hopefully be sturdier in the long run. So far it performs AS ADVERTISED and I can see why it is so popular with birders.<br />
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<b>Ring-billed Gull at Lake Merritt.</b></div>
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I do have a bit more to say about the 90D. Having used nothing but Nikon before, it took a while to get used to the physical setup of a Canon DSLR, things are just arranged differently. No strong feelings about the differences yet but I do miss how easy it was to change focus points on the Nikon while shooting, though I know with the 90D you can "reassign" certain tasks in the menu so I can potentially do a lot of customization.<br />
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The battery life was better in the Nikon D7200, the D7000, and even the D90 (that's right, not the Canon 90D, the Nikon D90...real original naming schemes these companies have). It seems considerably better in the Nikons in fact. Oh well.<br />
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While learning the camera, for a good little while I thought I was just slow catching up to Canon menus, but after a bit of digging I discovered that getting the best performance out of the 90D is not really intuitive for anybody, even for very experienced Canon users. However, there is some great content on Youtube about this camera, if anyone gets a 90D I highly recommend checking out all the content <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelTheMentor" target="_blank">Michael The Maven</a> has made for it - good stuff and usually explained in a straightforward manner at a reasonable pace. He also made a FB group specifically for Canon 90D users, which is also informative and people are usually civil. I don't agree with all of his advice about what settings to use but even so he has put out a lot of helpful material.<br />
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<b>Western Gulls at Lake Merritt.</b></div>
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Now that I know a little bit about the camera and what settings are good to play with, I've got to say I like it so far. The focus tracking is excellent, and the photos I've taken so far require no sharpening outside of the camera, even when objects are far and a lot of cropping is involved.<br />
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My first impression was that noise was more of an issue at higher ISOs in the 90D than the D7200, but I am becoming less convinced of that as I have gotten to shoot more in less than ideal conditions. In any case, I'm not dying of a grain overdose.<br />
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ISO range is more heavily customizable in the D7200, which is better in theory...but I feel like the 90D sensor may actually be smarter/better, and when using auto ISO the camera is not so quick to jump to a high ISO when it is not actually necessary. I would say the Nikon options for this are better, but the execution (which is what counts) seems to be in the 90D's favor.<br />
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<b>A Glaucous-winged Gull at Lake Merritt.</b></div>
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The insane frame rate the 90D has is something I'm still adjusting to. The shutter is also more sensitive - this means that I'm often shooting 2 or 3 shots at a time involuntarily. Not a big deal, I'll get use to perfecting the light touch.<br />
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What else...oh yeah having a touch screen on a DSLR is just crazy to me. When I first got the camera I forgot the LCD display was a touch screen and wondering why navigating the various menus was so weird. It was a geri moment. Speaking of geri, I also failed to wirelessly upload photos to my computer...how embarrassing. The camera does not come with a USB cord for image upload (lame) but luckily I found one that works lying around. At least I can get the camera to upload files to my phone without much difficulty.<br />
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Ok, that's a good start I think. It's not like I'm a photographer, right? The new Canon goods were a great way to ring in 1,000 blog posts, and I feel like it really has made crushing a lot easier even though I'm using the same focal length I have for years.<br />
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<b>Female Canvasback at Lake Merritt.</b></div>
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<b>Male Canvasback at Lake Merritt. I miss hanging out at the lake and all its tame birds, but the Oakland days...like the Nikon days...have come and gone.</b></div>
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<b>One of the best birds to show up in Santa Clara County this fall was this Plumbeous Vireo at Charleston Marsh in Mountain View. This was a county bird for me and the first one I'd ever seen in northern CA. Luckily finding the bird was less difficult than figuring out where to park.</b><br />
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<b>I was surprised at how well the new setup tracked the bird as it foraged in a pine. The vast majority of the shots I took had the bird nice and sharp, even though lighting was not ideal, it was moving around a lot, and of course there were constantly sticks and pine needles in front of it.</b><br />
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<b>Acorn Woodpecker in dreary conditions at Guadalupe Oak Grove County Park in San Jose. I do like how the roof tiles look in this one. </b><br />
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<b>Belted Kingfisher at the Los Capitancillos Ponds in San Jose. This one is much more heavily cropped than the other pics in this post. Looks good from here.</b><br />
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<b>Bewick's Wren at Rancho de Bastardos, not heavily cropped.</b></div>
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And here we are, at the dawn of The Canon Era. Hopefully Canon will be more dependable for me than Nikon was. At this early point in our fresh relationship, I not only feel resolution with a long conflict, but a sense of <i>absolution</i> as well. I'm optimistic that my camera-related grievances will be minimal for a good stretch, which will be quite the about face from the past several years.<br />
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If you're still reading this camera heavy post, thanks for bearing with me. Soon we will be back to your regularly scheduled blogging, bashing some birders, reppin the radius, maybe finding some vanguards, and chronicling my tireless journey to find other HKHWs.</div>
Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-25971740531880425302019-12-04T17:44:00.001-08:002019-12-04T17:44:29.676-08:00One Thousand Posts of BB&B (We Don't Need Their Scum)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Look at these unripe young nerds. Here is Cassidy and myself in Anza Borrego camping out with the 2008 BUOW crew, probably at a high %, a few months before the inaugural BB&B post in 2008. That was a good night. Little did we know that our lives would eventually interwine so much that we would eventually become blog bros.</b><br />
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We have arrived. We are here. We have really done it. We have reached the summit, planted our flag. The peak has been bagged...scumbagged, that is. This filthy, rarefied air is <i>incredible</i>.<br />
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The milestone has been reached. With this post, the bizarre bird blog nobody asked for, the bird blog nobody thought they needed, the <i>bird blog of a generation</i> has reached #1000.<br />
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One thousand posts...this is not something I take lightly. I'm not even sure how to go about writing this post, but clearly some kind of retrospective is in order...so why don't we go back to the beginning, before post #1. Life has changed greatly since we first launched in 2008, when I took this sacred blog oath:<br />
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<i>"Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father </i><i style="text-decoration-line: line-through;"><strike>no children</strike></i><i> one child. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of <strike>men </strike>birders. I pledge my life and honor to <strike>the Night's Watch</strike> this blog, for this night and all the nights to come."</i><br />
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If this sounds strangely similar to the vows of the Night's Watch, it is purely coincidence I assure you. There was no Game of Thrones television series in 2008, after all, heheheh....<br />
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Right. Since BB&B burst forth into the Birdosphere, I have seen about twice as many species of birds, made many new friends, began and ended The Perpetual Weekend (<i>what is dead may never die</i>), visited and worked in some fantastic places, started a family. On a smaller, blogular scale, BB&B has acquired a coauthor, the singular Cassidy Grattan, who can write better than any bird blogger out there. I have become a better birder, leveled up with better gear and scraped together some rudimentary skills at taking bird photos. We have conducted a bunch of surprisingly good and readable interviews, started the enchanting Human Birdwatcher Project, and offered you Exclusive Birder Coverage that could be found nowhere else.<br />
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What has always set apart BB&B from the rest of the Birdosphere was not our love of birding and enthusiasm in discussing birds, but our willingness to take on birders themselves, their behaviors and tendencies, their follies and failures. Unlike most blogs, who will have you think that birders are the most pleasant group of people on earth populated with amiable novices thirsty for knowledge to be dispensed by steadfast, infalliable experts, BB&B resolved from the beginning to not blow smoke up your ass. You, beloved reader, deserve better than that. Our willingness to shine a light on the dark side of birding, to be <i>the light that brings the dawn</i>, is what cemented iconoclast status for BB&B.<br />
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It made us Birding Heroes.<br />
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<b>In 2009 I had the great fortune of going to Midway Atoll to volunteer for USFWS. I can't even really begin to describe that experience in a little caption (you can check the BB&B nascent 2009 archives for our Midway coverage) but overall it was brilliant. Laysan Albatross is known as the flagship bird there and the love they get is deserved.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>In 2010 I again hooked up with USFWS, this time spending the summer on Buldir Island in the western Aleutians. Unlike Midway, where there were dozens of people around and folks coming and going regularly, for most of the time it was just 5 of us on the whole island. Like Midway, the seabird situation was nothing short of stunning. These are Crested and Least Auklets, which would form giant murmurations. Auklet murmuration > starling murmuration.</b><br />
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Or Birding Anti-Heroes? Uncertain am I.<br />
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But that is where the uncertainty ends. Now, 1,000 posts later, I <i>know</i> birders now more than ever. My finger is on the pulse. For years we have preached our sermons, spread the tenants of good birding. You have listened, you have <i>learned, </i>although some were reluctant to face The Truth. BB&B has always been strong enough to hold a mirror up to the birding community though, where we have always spoke truth to power.<br />
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This is the way.<br />
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And who holds the power of birding? Sure, you could say it is The Bird Police, The eBird Reviewer, The Field Guide Author, The AOS North American Checklist Committee. Perhaps it is the so-called "Birding Elite", or the mysterious and obscene Great Ornithologist Felonious Jive. Perhaps it lies with other birding power brokers such as Bourbon, Bastards, and Birds.<br />
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<b>In 2011 I connected with USFWS for the third and final time, but did the opposite of going to a North Pacific island...I went to North Dakota to work with Piping Plovers. In addition to spending a lot of time with plovers (which had a horrible breeding season due to region wide flooding) I spent many hours embedded with grassland birds. Baird's Sparrow is a very enjoyable species to come across while on the clock. Photographed on private property in NW North Dakota.</b><br />
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<b>In 2012 I took my first trip to Costa Rica, with Dipper Dan, Frank and Stilt. Hella lifers. One of the fairly common birds that had a big impact on me was the Golden-hooded Tanager. I know they aren't the most facemelting tanager out there but they they struck a nerve nonetheless. Photographed at what is now known as Dave and Dave's Nature Park in the Sarapiqui area.</b><br />
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But they are just the beginning. Birding power is so much more than those few people...it is all around us. It is, in many respects, the status quo. Power is wielded in mansplaining, obsessive compulsion to detail at the expense of the big picture, fixation on hybrids, the growing reliance on the Merlin App to make identifications. Power is reporting a MEGUH with little or no detail, causing widespread Fear and Loathing and sometimes Panic. Power is spamming listservs and FB groups for "likes" and web traffic...how embarrassing. Power is whining, entitlement and butthurt. Power is the need to be Right at all costs. Power is someone wrongly telling you that you misidentified a bird, and power is stringing. Even <i>photographers</i> wield power over birders...just the other day I was sitting at the edge of a pond, off trail, minding my own business taking some Bufflehead pictures. A photographer walks right up to me, between me and the birds, causing them to scatter. Keep in mind that to do this had to go out of her way, and also have not the faintest idea she was being a huge floppy dick. She asks me if I had seen any Bufflehead. Incredulously, I motion to the group of Buffleheads behind me that are now swimming away. She looked confused and responded with "I don't think that's what they are". I walked away in disgust...she could have her Non-Buffleheads. And yes, the now legendary <a href="http://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-human-birdwatcher-project-presents.html" target="_blank">Santa Clara Stringer</a> was also a photographer, she apparently did not even own binoculars. But I digress, the open feuding between birders and photographers should be a post in and of itself...<br />
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<b>In 2013 I was lured back to North Carolina for the inevitable OBX pelagic trip, as up until then I had seen hardly any species of Atlantic seabirds. That situation has thankfully been rectified. Trindade Petrel was a huge unexpected bonus bird, something I wasn't even hoping for, and one of multiple lifers.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>In 2014 we took advantage of the landlord's vacay home he had in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, and rented it out for a week or so. It was my first and so far only time in the southern part of the Baja Peninsula. Though not strictly a birding trip the birding was good and I learned that Xantus's Hummingbirds are awesome. Photographed in Todos Santos.</b><br />
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What is the common denominator here? These are all abundant traits and habits in birders (and photogs) that serve to turn off people from the birding community, to make the rest of us want to disengage from this scene of sorts altogether. People can be turned off to <i>birds</i> altogether, especially those right on the verge of being potentially hooked on birding. So while true power may look to you like a bird cop saying the record you submitted should be rejected, in reality it takes on many and varied forms.<br />
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BB&B was not the first blog to call out birders, to ridicule them (just think about us for a moment...we are asking for it), nor is BB&B the only one to mock them in the birdosphere (I don't think we've ever gone <a href="http://reservoircatz.blogspot.com/2010/03/wheatears-better-than-sex-say-birders.html" target="_blank">this far</a>). I cannot take credit for that, but if you are reading this now you probably realize that our willingness to confront what is wrong with birding has really resonated with many BB&B readers. To that end, I believe we have been doing something Right all these years...perhaps we were needed after all.<br />
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<b>2015 was the year of MAYNERAYGE. Spruce Grouse was one of my top target birds of the trip and we finally found one after putting quite a bit of effort. Hanging out with buddies and this relatively fearless, crippling bird is still my favorite grouse experience of all time. Photographed at Boot Head Preserve in Lubec, Maine.</b><br />
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<b>In December of 2016 I made my last big birding trip before fatherhood consumed me. Dipper Dan, The Eggman and I went to Puerto Rico for Caribbean goodness and endemicos. It was not the birdiest trip but we did well with target birds and had many soul-satisfying views of the lovable Puerto Rican Tody. Photographed at Bosque Estatal de Guanica.</b><br />
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<b>In 2017 I was lucky enough to see the Holy Grail of Vague Runts, the Ross's Gull. Out of all the rarities I have seen (and there have been some great ones), this one is on another level. When I think about the time in the setting sun I was lucky enough to spend with the doomed bird, the timeless <i>Binary Sunset</i> plays in my mind. We may never see its like again, and things certainly have never been the same. Photographed in Half Moon Bay, CA.</b><br />
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So much has transpired since post #1, when I took that first step into a larger world. BB&B has gone on to change lives, and I say that not with hyperbole, or for effect; we are in the real talk portion of this post. BB&B is now The Great Communicator of the birding world, The Tastemaker, The Taker of Temperature, the Birding Messiah at the top of Mount Olympus...ok that actually was a lot of hyperbole. What I should say is that I am proud of what we have done here over the years, and humbled that anyone gave a shit. It is with Great Honor and Immense Humility that I can say I've actually made friends because of this ridiculous blog.<br />
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TO ALL MY FRIENDS, who read BB&B (and even the ones who don't), you are loved. Thanks to Cass who has made so many great posts for BB&B over the last few years. Thanks to everyone who has offered their couches, spirits and company while I was on the road. Thanks to everyone who has invited me on birding trips, or have gone along on mine. Thank you to all whom I still owe hjs too, sorry to keep you waiting, I am in your debt. Thanks to Billy for not only understanding that I am a bird addict, but for enabling my habit...and for being a great mom to Annie, who just the other day said, unprompted in any way, "I love birds". That remains to be seen, but there is hope.<br />
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Most of all, thanks to Felonious Jive, The Great Ornithologist. I could not have done this without you, bro. You are a truly great birder, a real BROrnithologist. You are my ride or die.<br />
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You are my everything.<br />
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<b>In April of 2018 I birded the Upper Texas Coast for the first time. The winds and weather were with us, as the lulls in migration were usually short and the birding generally varied between very good and absolutely fantastic. I got to see multiple Swainson's Warblers, which was a lifer and my only lifer for the whole year. Photographed at Sabine Woods.</b><br />
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<b>In January of 2019 Billy, Annie and I made our way to Belize. It was our first international trip together. I won't claim it was the smoothest trip (traveling with a toddler is challenging) but from a purely birding perspective the itinerary delivered as hoped and overall it was very successful. Yucatan Jay was one of dozens of lifers. Also, Annie still occasionally tells me she wants to go to the jungle, so I think it left a good impression on her. Photographed at Crooked Tree.</b><br />
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What lies ahead for BB&B? The impossibilities are endless. It will likely be a long time before I get to post as often as I would like again. Seriously though, I need to thank you readers who I don't know well, or at all, which is most of you. Thanks to everyone who has been a friend of the blog over the years, left supportive comments here or on FB or IRL, has ambushed me while birding and told me the blog is good...or just absolutely punished me, I should be grateful for that too. I never thought I would get recognized by random strangers in the field because of BB&B, especially since I hardly post photos of myself. I really do appreciate all the love I've gotten doing this...I've never done this in an attempt to make money, promote some shitty book about a stupid big year, sell my photos or try to get people to try and sign up for some tour I'm guiding on. I bird for the sake of birding, I blog for the sake of blogging. Many bird bloggers have jumped the blogship over the years, but I intend to keep the old ways alive. BB&B will continue to be the shield that guards the realms of birders, and our watch has not yet ended.<br />
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See you next time!<br />
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P.S. DON'T WORRY I STILL LOVE BOURBON TOO<br />
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Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-56176798466462809312019-11-11T14:14:00.001-08:002019-11-11T14:14:05.753-08:00It's Getting Late Early: November in The 5MR<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>This Common Merganser bellows a simple song: FIVE MILE RADIUS! FIVE MILE RADIUS! Photographed at Almaden Lake in San Jose.</b><br />
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And then it was November. Suddenly the heinous notion of the year 2020 is not such a far-fetched idea after all...it is a terrible reality, just waiting for us right around the corner, lurking in the shadows cast by the specter of what Hunter S. Thompson would surely call "this foul year of lord, 2019." By the time we realize it is here, it will be too late.<br />
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But Hunter has been dead since 2005, and from his point of view...maybe that was for the best. Here we are in golden weeks of 2019, an age when Hope is Dead and Idiocracy is Real. But one phenomenon swept over birders in 2019 that has changed many hearts and minds forever, and the world is not a worse place for it. No, it's not ID by democracy or identifying everything as a hybrid, it is the FIVE MILE RADIUS. It's high time BB&B checks in with my 5MR, which is running smoothly after a grinding start to the fall.<br />
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You may recall that I connected with an Eastern Kingbird in my YARD of all places back in June. July delivered a radial gift on a similar scale - a self-found Red-eyed Vireo, which I found by walking out my back gate out to the ponds behind my house. Red-eyed Vireo is a MEGA vague for Santa Clara County and the first I'd seen in California in many years, though they are more expected in coastal counties. Like the kingbird, it was a one day wonder and easily one of my top 5MR birds ever, let alone this year. Photographed at the Los Capitancillos Ponds.<br />
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But after a surprisingly productive summer, things really slowed when fall migration was supposed to get under way, at least on the year bird front. August had but a single new addition to the 5MR year list (Scaly-breasted Munia, ew), and September had only two, a Willow Flycatcher (clutch - they are very uncommon and come through for a brief window) and American Wigeon (a "gimme" I knew I would run into eventually). By the end of September, I was wondering if my radius would actually be fading in fall instead of lighting up. September was good for Vaux's Swifts at least, like this one at Los Gatos Creek County Park.<br />
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Incredibly (to me), on this day many swifts were foraging *on* several conifer trees - they would make contact or "land" briefly among the needles as they presumably gleaned insects. I have never seen a Vaux's Swift previously make contact with anything denser than air. Here you can see a swift entangled in the foliage, and yes, this is a Vaux's Swift-Anna's Hummingbird combo.<br />
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More gleaning swifts. There is also an eastern gray squirrel partially hidden in there, which I didn't see at the time. I love me some novel swift combos.<br />
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The fall rarity drought vanished as soon as the calendar changed to October. I successfully chased this spiffy Clay-colored Sparrow, which was also a county bird. Not only was it a county bird, it is the species that sparked the entire <a href="http://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-human-birdwatcher-project-presents.html" target="_blank">Lori Meyers fiasco </a>from last year! Not the vaguest vanguard but a very nice rarity for the county. I would also go on to find two more Clay-colored Sparrows of my own last month, all in my 5MR! In the fall of 2018, Clay-coloreds went unrecorded in the county entirely. Photographed at Vasona Lake County Park.<br />
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This was the last Western Wood-Pewee I saw this year. Sadly, I likely will not be adding additional flycatchers in 2019, although I hold out hope for a vague runt Eastern Phoebe or something of that sort. I will most likely finish the year with a middling 9 flycatcher species, with Eastern Kingbird headlining that group and Western Kingbird and Olive-sided Flycatcher being new for the 5MR. I missed a locally rare Cassin's Kingbird last winter, and its likely Hammond's Flycatcher passed through undetected. Photographed at Vasona Lake.<br />
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One day, while sitting on the couch vacantly staring into my backyard, I saw a yellow-green bird appear next to the Rancho de Bastardos bird bath. I almost didn't look at it with binoculars, utterly convinced it would be yet another Lesser Goldfinch, but I am the Global Birder Ranking System's #7 U.S. birder, and one of the reasons you all look up to me is because I practice and preach DUE DILIGENCE. So I went ahead and hopelessly glassed the bird as it plopped down into the bath, and almost fell off the couch when I saw it was in fact a TENNESSEE WARBLER...which was not just a yard bird, not just a 5MR bird, but a county bird! And the only one seen in Santa Clara County in 2019. It was also the first warbler of any species to use the bird bath since April! I was, and still am, astounded. Don't you just love geri birding?<br />
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Minutes later, a Western Tanager dropped in. I had seen and heard them from the yard a number of times, but this was the first one *in* the yard. Quite the day of geri.<br />
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The yard has continued to produce good birds ever since baptized by the Tennessee Warbler. This Northern Pintail (left, Gadwall on the right) was not only a yard bird, it was a new radius bird! Cackling Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, and Pine Siskin from the yard all were new recent 5MR year birds.<br />
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Ok, this is the last yard bird, I swear. Though I've seen one from the yard once before, a California Thrasher has been a totally unexpected addition to the yard flock, and it has been here daily for the last couple weeks. It's a nice bird to have in the 5MR, where they are fairly common at a few places, but it's a weird yard bird considering the less-than-marginal habitat in the area.<br />
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Seeing this normally retiring scythe billed friend casually hanging out with the sparrows, towhees and doves all the time has taken some getting used to. It seems to relish our wood chip situation, as it really flings those things with reckless abandon. It's not particularly wary. When in Rome, right?<br />
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I'm lucky to have a little bit of grassland at the edge of my radius. I recently hiked up here in a desperate bid to get a new radius bird (I had a few targets in mind) and was rewarded with a Prairie Falcon, my latest and greatest new 5MR bird. I got it only because I was doing a stationary count in a spot where a White-tailed Kite was sitting nearby - the falcon appeared out of nowhere and started tangling with the kite. This was part of the November 5MR Challenge, but of course you knew that. It was a steep hike so I didn't bring a camera (and I knew I would see something good if I left it at home) so here is a picture of the area from earlier this year when things were green - this is a good microcosm of my radius, awesome open space on one side colliding abruptly with urban sprawl.<br />
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Not new, not rare, and not photographed in my yard - I just like Red-breasted Sapsuckers and so do you. Glad they will be around again for the winter. Photographed at Vasona Lake.<br />
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I'll finish with 10 target birds I've got for the rest of the year, we'll see how it goes. Some are more likely than others, but all of these could be present...<i>simultaneously</i>...in my 5MR as you read this. A disturbing thought indeed.<br />
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American Bittern<br />
Snow Goose<br />
Ross's Goose<br />
Greater Scaup<br />
Western Gull<br />
Mew Gull<br />
Golden-crowned Kinglet<br />
Varied Thrush<br />
Swamp Sparrow<br />
Evening Grosbeak<br />
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We'll see if I get many (any?) of these in about 7 weeks! My self-imposed <a href="https://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-5mr-bourbon-challenge-and.html" target="_blank">5MR bourbon challenge</a> is still in play and I may find myself forced into buying whiskey any day now...my goal for the year in my 5MR is 185 and I'm so close I can taste it. Good luck to all you radius birders out there for the rest of 2019...you're gonna need it.</div>
Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-29939675156002729422019-10-29T09:17:00.001-07:002019-10-29T09:17:18.080-07:00September in Mono County<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>The Grub directed us to camp at the Lundy Canyon Campground, operated by Mono County. We had a great site and it was nice and quiet EXCEPT for the first night, when some woman at the edge of the campground made terrifying shrieks and screams at the top of her lungs...she sounded like she had just come upon a grisly murder scene, or was getting stabbed over and over again. It really sounded animalistic and was very unnerving. Grub and I investigated but did not actually go knock on her camper as things still seemed very weird, but at least we discerned that no one had been stabbed to death (or stabbed at all). I think she was having a bad trip on something - Grub pointed out it was Burning Man season, and this location was in the post-burn dispersal path - but who knows what the truth is? Anyways, lots of Mountain Chickadees at the campsite...unlike hallucinogens, Mountain Chickadees are always pleasant.</b><br />
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How is that for an opening caption? Some more explanation is required...in September we took a family trip to the east side of the Sierras to hang out in one of my favorite parts of the state, Mono County. It's a weird place (see above, for example). There is good birding, facemelting scenery, and aside from a few places, not a whole lot of people. We met up with a couple friends of the blog: Alexis (Arexis), who is responsible for entirely shaping my fate, and famed east side financer, The Grub, who BB&B has spoken with at length (most recently <a href="https://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-grub-part-ii-i-grub-have-become.html" target="_blank">here</a>). Mono County is the part time home of The Grub, everyone's favorite venture capitalist and bitcoin miner, who lives in a junkyard there during the warm months. I don't mean to say he has a shitty house there (his house is in Nevada), I mean he lives in an actual junkyard. The Grub is, of course, the richest person you and I know, but he shuns the mansion and the Mercedes for a tent and Pinyon Jays. He is, after all, an artist, and that just complicates things further.<br />
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Despite all of The Grub's financial success, he would be nowhere without The Great Ornithologist Felonious Jive, which at least he readily acknowledges. Knowing how close I am with Felonious, Grub was more than happy to help us track down a Black-backed Woodpecker, so he took us to Inyo Craters, where they have reliably seen most of the year. It was my first time there, and was a fruitful stop.<br />
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The White-breasted Nuthatches at Inyo Craters are the interior subspecies (<i>Sitta carolinensis tenuissima</i>), which sound very different from my backyard birds here in San Jose (<i>S. c. aculeata</i>). You may recall that it wasn't long ago when the AOS considered splitting WBNU three different ways, these two subspecies and the eastern birds...I suspect that this potential split may be revisited at some point. In the meantime, for a nice breakdown of the distribution of <i>S. c. tenuissima </i>and <i>S. c. aculeata</i> in California, look <a href="http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V48/48(1)-p026-p034.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Here in California, it's a Red-breasted Nuthatch invasion year! What a relief, it has been a while. I've only had a few in my 5MR but they were very common at many sites in Mono County during our visit.<br />
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Williamson's Sapsuckers are a true high elevation specialty bird and just too great to ever really get accustomed to. They are more distinct than the other sapsuckers in plumage, genetics (they don't hybridize willy-nilly), and habitat preferences. This one was more cooperative than most.<br />
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After not seeing one in about a decade, it was relief to not wait very long to find a Black-backed Woodpecker near the parking lot. We would go on to see a total of three, and heard two more! My personal Black-backed dam that has been building for the last decade has finally burst. I thought it was interesting that this area has so many Black-backeds, as there is no sign of any fire, and these birds are known fire followers. Other birds of note here included Red Crossbills and a Band-tailed Pigeon.<br />
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See? Scenic. Not that phone photos really do the place justice. This is Minaret Vista, just outside the entrance to Devil's Postpile National Monument.<br />
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Green-tailed Towhees were abundant...which is ideal, considering they are the best towhee and one of the few green birds in the west. Still hoping to get the ultimate crush of one of these, maybe next time.<br />
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We were too late for most wildflower species, although rabbitbrush was blooming all over the place. Here is one of the year's last blazing star blossoms, somewhere in the sage flats near Mono Lake.<br />
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This aquatic thing was blooming mightily up in a few patches at the Lundy Canyon beaver ponds. Nerds, tell me what this is please.<br />
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Annie had her Mono Lake baptism, which she really enjoyed. Once she realized all the black stuff was a mass of flies she was slightly put off but was happy to wade around nonetheless. She did appreciate the brine shrimp.<br />
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Other than Black-backed Woodpecker, this is the bird I had my heart set on seeing. Like the woodpecker, I had only seen Greater Sage-Grouse once before, about a decade ago. After dipping hard on Gunnison Sage-Grouse earlier this year, I had a serious grouse itch (grouse-itch) that just had to be scratched. Luckily, Arexis found a flock for us at Bodie, which allowed for great looks.<br />
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So, so sick. Behold the majestic grouse surveying its domain. A supremely satisfying birdwatching experience.<br />
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Bodie State Park is an isolated ghost town, way out in the sagebrush north of Mono Lake and not far from Nevada. It was my first time there, and pretty fun to walk around in despite all the tourists. We also saw another distant group of grouse.<br />
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The cloudscapes were brilliant during out shortish visit.<br />
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It was pretty windy too, but some birds were still out making the best of it. The "town" was littered with not only Europeans, but also Mountain Bluebirds.<br />
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Brewer's Sparrows were the most abundant Bodie bird other than Mountain Bluebirds. I assume this very fresh looking, warmly colored individual is a Hotel Yankee.<br />
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Other birding highlights included Pinyon Jay flocks, a Mountain Quail loitering in the road, and a huge crossbill flock at June Lake. The water level of Mono Lake was extremely high at the time, which is generally a good thing except it made for poor conditions for shorebirds and the such - consequently, the number of species we actually saw using Mono Lake was pretty pathetic.<br />
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But with GRSG and BBWO in the proverbial bag, the trip was Great Success! Hopefully we will go back next year, maybe getting into the White Mountains...who doesn't want to camp in the bristlecones?<br />
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Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-67927434724670878502019-10-13T12:00:00.000-07:002019-10-14T13:21:41.243-07:00Still S.E.V.E.N./Breaking Rad(ius)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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How long has it been since the last post? I'm really dropping the ball over here. Well, I've been doing a lot of crud, and quite a bit of stuff too, so it's not like I've had ample opportunities to fire up the blogerator...but still. Even though it has not been sheer, bottomless laziness that is to blame, I have let you down all the same.<br />
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I have failed you.<br />
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But I am here now. BB&B languishes no longer. Withering away into oblivion is not <i>fait accompli</i>...at least, not yet. Before BB&B fades away, I must pass on all that I know. A thousand blog posts will live in you. Someday, this will be your fight.<br />
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And what a fight it will be. The truth about birders <i>must</i> be told, even after I am gone. Although our rate of posting has dwindled, BB&B is constantly taking the temperature of the birding community, and our recent findings are disconcerting at best. Birders are still as nonsensical, annoying, petty, anal and pedantic as ever...perhaps now <i>more</i> than ever. They still fail to apply basic concepts of science to their bizarre, baseless theories while claiming to embrace science. They are still obsessed with making everything into a hybrids. They still spew vicious, evil lies like "there is no such thing as a bad day of birding".<br />
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Unbelievable.<br />
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Someday, dear reader, you will construct your own lightsaber and your skills will be complete. Indeed, you will be powerful. But that day has not come yet...I am still here, and my journey is not yet over. I am still here, still the Global Birder Ranking System's #7 U.S. birder, still a birding master, still capturing the birding Zeitgeist like no blog ever has.<br />
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Still rock my khakis with a cuff and a crease.<br />
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Chances are most of you readers are too old or too young to know what that means, but for the rest of you, enjoy that easter egg. Now that we have reestablished my blog wizardry, I feel comfortable admitting to you a deeply shameful fact...September was an utter failure in terms of seeing rare birds. I didn't really chase very much (going to take this opportunity to pat myself on the back here), and while that may be admirable, I also didn't find jack shit locally. I can't remember the last time I went through September without seeing a single vague runt somewhere in the bay area...how embarrassing!<br />
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Apparently, I no longer see vagrants. I no longer see uncommon birds. What has happened to me? Can I just go #FULLGERI and retire so I can go bird all the time? If only there were a way...<br />
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No, this is not where I direct you to my gofundme page so you can pay for my birding trips. You're welcome.<br />
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No matter. The rarities will return, though they may or not be within my 5MR. It hasn't been too difficult to stay in the friendly confines of the 5MR for most of the year though. I've gotten a lot of new radius birds, seen some rarities, and found a couple really good ones of my own. However, that strategy has been backfiring a bit lately, and I think one of the best ways to maintain a good relationship with your radius is to know when to break free of your radial shackles!<br />
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So with that in mind, here is some non-radial stuff from earlier this year.<br />
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<b>Countless birders went to see this Eastern Bell's Vireo when it set up a territory for a couple of weeks in late spring. Not only was this my first Bell's Vireo of any subspecies in Santa Clara County, this was my first Eastern seen in the state. Easterns are exceptionally rare in California and practically unheard of in spring...it's worth wondering if this split will be revisited again. I've only seen one or two of these before, so this relatively cooperative vague runt gets FIVE STARS. Photographed at Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge, Santa Clara County.</b><br />
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<b>A day later, I hiked out on a trail I had previously not heard of for another county bird, an Indigo Bunting. While it wasn't very cooperative, I did appreciate that it dispensed with the suspense and appeared almost immediately upon my arrival. Photographed on the Stanford Dish Trail, Santa Clara County.</b><br />
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<b>Dark-eyed Juncos isn't the slightest bit rare, but I appreciate friendly ones like this. This was photograped at New Brighton State Beach in Santa Cruz County, where I also got my lifer great white sharks! Standing on a fairly crowded beach while a bunch of (mostly small) sharks swim offshore is quite the spectacle, very Jawsish in a low intensity kind of way. Best moment: despite everyone on the beach knowing there were sharks visible just offshore, a dude on a stand up paddleboard tried to be all nonchalant and paddle around anyway, but had to frantically turn around and paddle to shore when a shark came up next to him. Golden!</b><br />
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<b>The easiest, most reliable Red-footed Booby in the Lower 48 has made its home roost at the end of the Seacliff Pier in Capitola for spans of 2018 and 2019. It's still there, being awesome. Of all the booby species, this one has been the hardest to chase in California until very recently, as they had a penchant of dying immediately after being found. This one is holding it down though.</b><br />
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<b>Here it is back in 2018. Back then, it looked a bit more blonde-headed and pink-billed.</b><br />
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<b>I live near sea otters. They are very east to see down at Moss Landing (where this one was) and in the Monterey area. This proximity has enriched my life. Everyone would be a lot happier if they had access to sea otters. Alas, most of the world is a sea otter desert.</b><br />
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<b>And so the world burns.</b><br />
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<b>Unlike otters, summertime Long-tailed Ducks are not at all expected, as they are a good find even during winter. These two decided to pass their time going through gnarly molts in Moss Landing. </b><br />
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<b>After driving by it countless times without stopping, I finally checked out Moss Landing Wildlife Area. I'm glad I did, because there was a Snowy Plover nest hatching right next to the trail! Crazy timing. Look at that little chickie! It's still wet and has eggshell in its down. I spent less than 30 seconds next to the nest and then booked it out of there to make sure it was minimally disturbed...after all, I am not a photographer. Hey-oh!</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Microfishing is all the rage now but Great Egrets have been doing it since there have been Great Egrets. Photographed at Shoreline Lake, Santa Clara County.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Can you imagine connecting with this microtrophy with hook and line? Oh, the stories you could tell. </b><br />
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<b><br />Shoreline Lake is also a popular fishing spot for Forster's Terns and a great place to see them up close, since they are very acclimated to fishing next to the well-trafficked footpath. I love me some acclimation. Too bad the Black Skimmers that nest there now aren't so prone to cruising by the shore.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>It's not like I'm a photographer or anything, but one of my favorite things to shoot is terns in flight. Shooting many flying birds (swifts, hummingbirds, most passerines, almost anything on pelagic trips) often ends in nothing but crushed hopes, massive disappointments and some mediocre keepers, but terns have such nice lines, some tolerance for people and aren't obnoxiously small. Also, anything that feeds by plunge diving gets extra points from me.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Willets are underappreciated. Nice to see this confiding friend just returned from its breeding grounds...where their obnoxiousness is what is unappreciated. Being near a Willet nest is not a pleasant sensory experience. Photographed at Shoreline Lake.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Cliff Swallows are still occupying their wonderful ovenish nests in late summer. Photographed at the Palo Alto Baylands, Santa Clara County.</b><br />
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<b><br />At the Casey Forebay pumphouse, I settled in to sort through the swallows that roost there. I don't get to see/study juvenile swallows as well or as often as I would like, and the flock here provides a good opportunity to see birds up close. Here is a somewhat bedraggled adult Cliff flanked by juveniles.</b><br />
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<b>I was surprised to find this white faced juvenile Cliff Swallow. At first I thought it was an abnormality, but then I noticed several other white-faced juveniles in the flock.</b><br />
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<b>This is a different individual. Bizarre. Well it's most likely not bizarre at all, but I did not expect it. Anyone know what's up with this whiteness? How long it is retained? Do only a minority of birds get this or is this a pretty typical part of their molt?</b><br />
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<b>In the back of my mind, I had an alterior motive for standing there with the swallows. I wanted to find a Bank Swallow. They are a rarity in Santa Clara and I had never seen one here. You can imagine my surprise when one casually swooped in and landed on the railing 15 feet from me, allowing me to crush it through the chain link fence.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Uh....what? Finding rare birds usually does not work like that. Finding a rarity...a county bird...is always ace, but finding one in July is the icing on the cake. Having the bird come to you within scope and tripod hurling distance is the crushed up painkillers sprinkled on the icing on the cake. This business with betraying one's radius is not so bad after all, eh? Although they nest at a couple places on the coast, I don't often get to see Bank Swallows and this was my one and only of the year.</b><br />
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<b><br />While the Bank Swallow was confiding, it did not stick around for long so I was left with the other swallow species. It was cool to have all the other brown swallows represent in the swallow roost, which made for a great comparison with the Bank and with one another. Here is a juvenile Tree Swallow.</b><br />
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<b>And here it is bellowing.</b><br />
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<b>Here is a juvenile Violet-green Swallow, showing just a tad bit of white above and behind the eye.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>And last but for once not least, here is a juvenile Northern Rough-winged Swallow. Yes, typically this swallow is one of the absolute drabbest North American birds, but they are pretty cool looking as juveniles! So many rich colors...relatively speaking! A veritable rainbow of browns. I'm probably about done taking swallow pictures for the year, so I hope you enjoyed the brownbow!</b><br />
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Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-84342666012385011182019-08-26T07:36:00.000-07:002019-08-26T07:36:00.207-07:00Adventures In Geri Birding<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was once what they call a "young birder"...but no longer. I may still be younger than the average birder - <i>much </i>younger - but I can't identify with being a young birder anymore, or even just young. As my youth and vitality slowly drain from my body and mind, leaving aches and pains and codgery notions and inclinations in their wake, I am reminded more and more each year that middle age has crested the distant horizon and is quickly coming for me.<br />
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The past few years have bore all the signs of being left by the wayside of youth. I have worked the same job for over five years. There has been less travel...less socializing...finding a new band to embrace has become a huge challenge...and whether I care or not, I am really losing track of what is, or is supposed to be, remotely cool. Of course, there are more responsibilities too, even a child!<br />
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Are you there, Perpetual Weekend? It's me, Steve.<br />
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But there are benefits to being 37 and not 27. Like I am hungover way less, I'm not broke, I drink better bourbon, 5MR birding exists now, I'm a little wiser, and with Annie here with us I am never, ever bored. But one benefit that I am now reaping every day at this age is GERI BIRDING.<br />
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Yes, geri birding. Although some people scoff at geri birding, I have always reveled in it. Really, the main downside (which can also be an upside, depending on your sense of humor or appreciation of irony) of geri birding is that you are often forced to do it in a confined space with other birders, and you have to overhear their conversations or unwillingly get sucked into them. Something that has always stuck in my mind (I think it was from some standup comedy bit) for years now is that almost every random snippet of conversation you overhear from strangers ends up sounding completely idiotic. I have found that anecdote to be unnervingly accurate - most conversations I overhear sound somewhere between incredibly boring, trite, recycled, or utterly moronic, and that percentile is no different when you gather a bunch of birders together at some feeders...in fact, it is probably worse, and all but impossible to tune out. Satre said "<i>Hell is other people!</i>" and that is hard to argue with if you spend enough time geri birding where other birders congregate. You are going to hear some excruciatingly vapid exchanges, people who live to hear themselves talk, incorrect scientific and bird facts, abhorrent misidentifications...often, all at the same time!<br />
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But geri birding is not just something you only do in southeast Arizona or at some rainforest lodge, there are geri birding opportunities almost anywhere...<i>if you build it, they will come</i>. In the sanctuary of your own yard, you don't have to deal with all of those, well, geris. Although I definitely miss going to cool places for field jobs, I have found in my increasingly middling age that having a yard to bird from is pretty great. Yes, Rancho de Bastardos happens to be situated in a uniquely awesome location for yard birding purposes (the ponds behind my fence really ups my yardbirding game), but the feeders and garden bring a lot of species in too, often just as many species or more than the ponds. Geri birding is what you make it, and I'd like to focus on that aspect for most of this post. So in that spirit, here are some anecdotes and lessons I have learned over the last couple years, since I got serious about geri birding in my own yard.<br />
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Many geri birders welcome back a host of migratory species to their feeders in spring and summer - that is unfortunately not the case at my house, but one obvious migrant species we get for about 5 months a year are Hooded Orioles, which nest in various neighborhood palms. I always put out this leaky, hard to clean hummingbird feeder for them because they can actually nectar from it - the ports in our other feeders are too small. I did try putting up orange wedges at one point, but the rats got to them...maybe I'll spring for an actual oriole feeder before next year. The adult males are super skittish for some reason so I'm still waiting for the crush of a lifetime, but the females and HY birds are a bit more confiding.<br />
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I'm still trying to figure out the deal with hummingbirds at my house. So far, it does not seem like hanging up a grip of hummingbird feeders is actually going to attract more hummingbirds than a couple feeders, though I'm tempted to try it - I think they would still be dominated by one or two super territorial Anna's. My current hypothesis is that the Rancho is not located on a major hummingbird flyway and/or lacks an adjacent area that draws in large numbers of them (i.e. a park with a lot of blooming plants/eucalyptus, for example). Perhaps one day, at a future Rancho de Bastardos, I will bring in swarms of them.<br />
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Before I embarked on this voyage that we call geri birding, I would have raised an eyebrow if you told me that Bewick's Wren was a frequent denizen of feeders. I also didn't think of them as being terribly confiding for a wren. But my yard wrens have shown me that it was I who was mistaken...about a great many things. Bewick's Wrens are fearless and cannot say no to either suet or seed....huh! Geri birding...easy, fulfilling, and educational!<br />
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This year I finally put up a suet feeder. I waited a long time to do this. For some reason, I just assumed that it wouldn't really get put to use by the local yardbirds...I was wrong again. The suet feeder is MAGIC. I haven't lured in anything rare with it, but it just gets absolutely hammered by the yard birds. The wrens love it. The chickadees love it. The titmice love it. The nuthatches love it.<br />
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The nuthatches. White-breasted Nuthatch was a yard rarity the first year we were here. Now? The yard is straight nuthatch-mania. As Frank might say if he were here, "nuthatches galore!"<br />
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It has been interesting to see what locally common species have "found" the yard as time has gone on. The first year here, White-breasted Nuthatch and Spotted Towhee only came in to the yard once or twice. Now nuthatches are one of the most reliable visitors, and I counted three different Spotted Towhees this morning. Of course, birds do different things year to year...this year, though they could care less about what is happening in my yard, Vaux's Swifts have been much more uncommon overhead than 2017 and 2018.<br />
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Yup, as easy as geri birding can be, it's not quite as easy to do everything you can to maximize the geri birding potential of you own yard. Reaching maximum geri birding potential is not as easy as you might think, especially if you are working with a modest budget. Having the correct feeders up (and the correct feed to offer) can make all the difference, as mentioned above with the oriole-accommodating hummingbird feeder and the suet feeder. In fact, just last week I went from a very small tray-style feeder to something much larger, figuring birds will find something roomier more inviting. The result? Within a week of trading feeders, my high count of Black-headed Grosbeak in the yard went from 1 to 3...and all three were seen on the feeder together! Not bad for a yard in suburban tract housing with no native trees.<br />
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Everybody knows that birds love bird baths. I was dead set (unnecessarily) on getting something that I could put on the ground, which turned out to be a little more challenging than I thought it would be. I settled on this rocky looking basin thing, which could be purchased without the accompanying standard bird bath pedestal. I wish it was a bit bigger but it performs well, along with a bubbling rock thingy (fake rock with a small pump inside) to add some movement to the water. It gets hella use, though mostly from birds that are towhee-sized or smaller. Lincoln's Sparrow likes it.<br />
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One day, when I am a homeowner, I will build the water feature to end all water features. Birds will be falling out of the sky to use it. Well, maybe not, but it will be a couple of steps up from the current situation, and it will be situated to maximize crushing opportunities, which is currently not really possible with our small yard combined with less-than-ideal lighting conditions. Having a south-facing house is a positive thing in many circles but from a birding or photography perspective, it sucks. Why would you want to maximize the amount of time spent looking into the sun? Ugly, ugly light.<br />
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Right. The water feature of my geri birding fantasies may one day become the bane of my existence, but I look forward to the challenge and subsequent avian rewards (cough VAGRANTS cough cough).<br />
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Hey, is this the first Rock Pigeon I've ever posted? Only took almost a thousand posts! But this isn't just any old pigeon...its someone's homing/racing pigeon! What are the chances we would be visited by a pigeon of such honor? Such calibre? It stayed around the house a few days before resuming its voyage home. In that vein of weirdness, we've also had two different Budgerigars at Rancho de Bastardos, and just recently there was a mysterious, tiny blue dove with a short tail in the yard very briefly...the brain paralysis that thing induced was swift and total. I still don't know what the hell that was but am confident it was an escapee.<br />
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Crushing opportunities must be maximized, even when having to deal with harsh lighting much of the time. When it comes to geri birding, any zealous bird photographer will tell you it is all about fake perches. Fake, as in natural looking perches set up in artificial situations...talk about keeping it real. I don't really obsess over this sort of thing (as I've said a hundred times, I'm not a photographer, I just take pictures) but I will readily admit that a picture of a bird on a stick usually looks better than a bird on a feeder. So, to facilitate crushing, I've got several sticks ziptied to things around the yard, and I think the birds appreciate the additional spots to wait their turn if a feeder is filled with a pile of doves or Band-tailed Pigeons. The Chestnut-backed Chickadees here readily use these perches and now only have a modicum of fear of me (I often reach to refill a feeder and am surprised to find a chickadee still sitting on it, only a couple feet away) so make ideal photo targets, although they don't exactly sit still much. They are also the best looking chickadee of them all, so might as well go to town.<br />
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I currently have this perch up. It's an interesting one, I'm not sure what to think of it. It's kinda too girthy to be real popular for songbirds to perch on it very much, but I had Accipiters in mind when I put it up. This Cooper's Hawk made my vision complete. It's nice to have raptors in our little yard pretty often, though the Mourning Doves don't agree. The perch manipulation is also a fun experiment just from a behavior perspective...it's interesting to see how a perch is almost completely ignored in one spot, but moved a couple feet over gets used 3 or 4 times as much by birds wanting a good waiting spot before landing on a feeder.<br />
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Although I always knew in my heart of hearts that I would be a geri birder someday, I didn't quite realize how much gardening that would entail, or that I would kind of like gardening. The gardening aspect really makes gerifying your yard feel even more geriatric than just hanging up a bunch of feeders. Since we are renting and will never buy the home we are in, we haven't planted any trees, but it is tempting! Instead, we've most planted shrubs; a lot of sages, native and otherwise. The hummingbirds love many of them but I'm still waiting to see them get a ton of use by other birds, though I suspect once they mature more they will at least provide good cover. This is another geriatric activity I can see myself getting really into someday...gardening with native plants and landscaping. How embarrasing, can't believe I just admitted that.<br />
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Just dump me in a grave already.<br />
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I have to say though, it is a few of the *nonnative* trees in/just outside the yard that seem to bring in a lot of birds. Birds love our random backyard juniper and the Peruvian pepper trees (<i>Schinus molle</i>) just outside our yard. Pepper trees are notorious in California for being sapsucker magnets , and I owe my yard list's Red-breasted Sapsuckers entirely to a neighbor's pepper tree. But a lot of other species are drawn to them as well, including a number of neotropical migrants, and even Western Screech-Owl, which spent one very vocal night in said pepper tree.<br />
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Of course, if you are going to put food and water out, you are going to attract some unwanted visitors. These can range from Brown-headed Cowbirds (above) to cats to rodents (native and otherwise) to bears, depending on where you live. Here at Rancho de Bastardos, we have to contend with native and nonnative squirrels, the occasional cat, Norway rats, House Sparrows and cowbirds.<br />
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I hate the rats. I hate the cowbirds.<br />
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The cats are infrequent enough that chasing them off by yelling with a hose in hand like a senile old man seems to deter them most of the time. Rats and squirrels have to contend with a squirrel proof feeder and a squirrel baffle for another feeder - incredibly, both of those deterrents work perfectly. The presence of House Sparrows and cowbirds have motivated me to experiment with seed mixes: black oil sunflower and safflower go in the feeders, smaller seeds get sprinkled on the ground. For whatever reason, this has worked pretty well and the feeders don't get overrun by the House Sparrows, though the cowbirds have grown fond of the feeders lately...a source of much brow-furrowing and hand-wringing.<br />
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But enough about shitbirds...I will leave you with my greatest geri birding accomplishment to date. The hands-down highlight of geri birding here in the last couple of years came in June, and I can safely say it had nothing to do with all of the plants we've planted, or the feeders, or really anything else going on in the yard. I had been out grocery shopping and was bringing bags of groceries in...without binoculars, of course...when I glanced up at the power lines behind the house. There sat a passerine facing me with a black head, white throat and white breast. For an instant I thought it was odd that a Tree Swallow was sitting there, that isn't normal, but then I saw the Mourning Dove next to it and realized the bird was much bigger than a Tree Swallow, and there was only one thing it could possibly be...a VAGUE RUNT EASTERN KINGBIRD!!! Almost as soon as this dawned on me, the kingbird took flight, flew overhead and disappeared far to the west...I assumed it would never be seen again.<br />
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I was astounded. Not only is Eastern Kingbird a very good rarity in the state, it was particularly good for Santa Clara County, where no one had seen one in many years. And this bird was sitting above my yard!<br />
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Miraculously, Billy refound the bird later in the day while looking out Annabelle's window, foraging from the neighbor's pepper tree. I got some acceptable photos and a few local birders were able to see it from a nearby public path. Pretty sick that one of my best self found county vagues came in my own yard...a geri birder's dream come true! For one day, I got to live my best geri birding life.<br />
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So there you have it, the comprehensive geri birding update from Rancho de Bastardos. The yard list currently stands at 138 species after being here for less than two and a half years, with the most recent additions being an "overdue" Bullock's Oriole and a true gift from the geri birding gods in the form of a flock of Western Sandpipers. May the lords of geri birding continue to smile upon me, and you.</div>
Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-23340293748180472962019-07-23T08:44:00.000-07:002019-08-11T13:53:44.866-07:00The Human Birdwatcher Project Presents: To Catch a Stringer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzVix2oHkh6xJNnyMluXuDdhde4SS0RPxL39XMHGDPHS6gO8LFEcqybXNQoEGKu-ueZeQe5vHEvsf7zOrhg1kRylw5AHfK9egIJwNtnoYyO8C0_UW2XOb6k6jsugYqPG4x62rD6uK54A/s1600/btpi6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzVix2oHkh6xJNnyMluXuDdhde4SS0RPxL39XMHGDPHS6gO8LFEcqybXNQoEGKu-ueZeQe5vHEvsf7zOrhg1kRylw5AHfK9egIJwNtnoYyO8C0_UW2XOb6k6jsugYqPG4x62rD6uK54A/s1600/btpi6.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Most birders think about things like, "Why don't juvenile Band-tailed Pigeons have neck collars?" or "Are the Mourning Doves in my yard now the same ones I see in winter?" or, shamefully, "What would a Mourning Dove x Band-tailed Pigeon hybrid look like?" But there are a few birders out there who are on an entirely different trip, contemplating how to convincingly fake a White-winged Dove sighting instead.</b><br />
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To be the Global Birder Ranking System's #7 U.S. birder, you have to have been around for a while. To achieve such an astounding rank, breathe such rarefied air, one not only needs to know birding, but to have a sixth sense about it...a sensitivity to <i>The Force </i>of birding, if you will. You must be able to predict the future, intimately know the past, and <i>trust your instinct<span style="background-color: white;">s</span></i><span style="background-color: white;">. Thi</span>s sixth sense comes to some after years of experience; other birders seem to lack this entirely, no matter how many years they have toiled in the field. You may not be lucky enough, or cursed enough, to feel The Force flowing through you...but if you are, not only will this preternatural sensitivity help you find birds of interest and identify them correctly, it will also inform you on the claims of other birders without necessarily knowing much about the people beforehand. The Force is an excellent judge of skill, and of character.<br />
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For some birders, this isn't important. Birding isn't about <i>other people</i>, is it? Birding is a personal experience....but these days that seems to apply to only a minority of birders. Most birders do not exist in a vacuum. We have birding friends, birding foes, we look for birds other people find, we go to places other birders recommend, we study bird photos online that other people take, etc. Other birders matter, even if we go birding specifically to avoid people. If Flycatcher Jen (a real person, as most of you know) happens to meet Johnny Nightingale-Thrush (not a real person) while out birding, and Johnny tells her "I saw an Intermediate Egret two miles down that trail", Jen will want to know if Johnny is a trustworthy birder before she goes out of her way to look for that bird. Or Stilt (also a real person) may be able to infer that the Cassin's Sparrow reported by Karen Chlorospingus (not a real person...though it should be) in a listserv post is probably not worth looking for, since Karen is new to birding and probably highly prone to sparrow misidentifications. Or<span style="background-color: white;"> The Eggman (legit) w</span>ill know that David Diving-Petrel (fictional) is just a classic stringer and that there is a 110% chance that the Long-toed Stint David just reported is actually a Least Sandpiper. Knowing what should be followed up on, and what should not, is an incredibly helpful skill for birders.<br />
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So like I said, it pays to be strong with The Force (of Birding). You will see more birds, more rare birds, and spend less time on snipe hunts and wild goose chases. Weeding out claims from stringers is key. Most stringers go out birding, find a bird (or these days, find photos of someone else's locally common bird online and claim it is actually a rarity...estringing), and predictably try to turn it in to something uncommon or rare to pad some lists, convince others they found something great, convince themselves they found something great...or god knows why they do it. According to the Global Birder Ranking System's statistics, between 97-98% of the world's known stringers fall under this category...you know them well.<br />
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But that is not the only type of stringer. There are those who do <i>not</i> misidentify birds out of misguided optimism, overconfidence, or poor identification skills...in fact, they don't appear to misidentify birds much at all. These are the stringers that fabricate sightings without ever seeing a bird where and when they claimed, either by just creating a sighting out of thin air, giving no evidence at all, using photos stolen from somewhere online, or using their own photos they took in another place at another time to provide the basis of a sighting. These are the miserable, wretched, bottom-dwelling, maggot-infested stringers, and never will you find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.<br />
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BB&B has covered this story before. Almost every BB&B reader is aware <span style="background-color: white;">of <a href="http://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-human-birdwatcher-project-presents.html" target="_blank">Swallowgate</a> </span>and what happened...or what did <i>not</i> happen...in North Carolina. That birder has since been excused from the birding community, his record Big Year purged from the record books in a firestorm of purification. Although I was privy to many details of that story, I was not a part of it...until now. I recently became a vigilante bird policeman in my very own county, to catch a stringer so twisted and evil that it is a wonder she even exists. The Human Birdwatcher Project takes great pride in bringing you this story today, for history is written by the Winners, not those who were vaporized on an exploding Death Star.<br />
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It all started last September. I occasionally go through the photos users upload to Santa Clara County (where I live) in eBird to see what is being crushed, misidentified, etc. I was surprised to come across a Clay-colored Sparrow, a solid if unspectacular rarity here, as it did not show up on either my Santa Clara needs alert or the rarity alert. And according to the date and location of the checklist, I had been at the same spot at the same time! What gives? Why wasn't it reported anywhere? Well, users can hide their birds from needs and rarity alerts, but still continue to contribute to eBird's public output. I didn't understand why this observer, who I will call "Lori Myers", wanted to hide their birds from everyone else, but it wasn't long before I figured it out. Looking at eBird's Top 100 for Santa Clara County for 2018, Lori Myers was doing a County Big Year.<br />
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Ugh. Ok. Lori wants to chase other people's rarities (evident by looking at her eBird photo gallery), but doesn't want to share the ones she finds? That's fucked up and pretty stupid...but in one respect it makes total sense. She is listing to win. I disagree with it, it makes big year birders even more <span style="background-color: white;">unappealing than</span> they already are, it could result in other local birders missing out on chaseable rarities...but I get it.<br />
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After being clued in to what Lori Myers was doing, and keeping an eye on photos she was submitting in the county, it became clear she was finding a lot of rare birds on an alarmingly regular basis. I guess Lori didn't have a job? I was briefly impressed, as I had never met this person and she was seemingly finding and documenting a lot of cool birds considering she was decidedly not one of the more skilled birders in the area - she seemed to be mainly a photographer. I even chased one of her birds, which is one of the low points in my life.<br />
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Strong with The Force I am...but not that strong.<br />
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It did not take long before I stretched out with my feelings, to listen to the The Force, and The Force started telling me that something was Wrong. I was wrong about her. Deeply, treacherously wrong. Lori Myers was finding <i>too many</i> rarities. Santa Clara County does not host as many rarities as the coastal counties, and Lori was finding vagrants at a clip that would be impressive for anywhere in the state. I then started looking more closely at the photos she was posting - *every* rarity she claimed had an accompanying photo, which just doesn't happen. And in the photos themselves, I started noticing patterns of irregularities...really weird crops, missing metadata, perches/backgrounds/weather that I knew were not consistent with what the locations looked like, or other photos in the same checklists.<br />
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My opinion of her quickly turned to the dark side, but for good reason...she had betrayed us all. For months I watched Lori post garbage, but mostly* plausible, rarities in eBird. It was torture...knowing exactly what was happening, but having no proof or power over it. Poor Billy had to listen to me rant and rave about this rampant stringing going on every time some horseshit vagrant hit eBird, which at times happened day after day after fucking day.<br />
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The turning point came when she attempted to take credit for finding a rarity I had found myself! I had found a flock of Mountain Bluebirds, less than annual in this county, then noticed later that week that Lori Myers had subsequently eBirded seeing one the day before me in the same area. An eBird policeman dug into it and confirmed that she did not submit that checklist until many hours <i>after </i>I had already reported the birds!<br />
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That was the last straw for me. Soon, I joined a cabal of eBird and state bird police that had one goal in mind...to form a rebellion and resist this Sith Lord of Stringing.<br />
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In the end, after months of surveillance, we were finally able to prosecute her for her heinous, cruel and unusual birdcrimes. Lori Myers knew that her charade was over, that she had been found out...in a final act of cowardice, she tucked her tail between her legs, changed her eBird account to anonymous, and hid all of her data and photos from public output....but it was too late. The eBird tribunal found her guilty as charged, and Lori Myers was banned from eBird's public output anyway, in case she ever wanted to attempt to "contribute" to eBird again. Her Big Year has now been erased from history, and I am told she has never submitted anything to eBird again, even for her own personal lists...but of course that was never the point for her. To protect the birding law enforcement and prosecution team from revenge killings, they will remain safely anonymous, but their valiant efforts will never be forgotten by those who were there.<br />
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This blog post is not just a story of a rising Darkness, and Light to meet it. Now, you too can identify an <i>ultra</i> stringer like Lori. Again, I'm not talking about your everyday, run of the mill stringer who tries to turn a Warbling Vireo into a Philadelphia, I'm talking about people like Lori who are making a conscious effort to lie. Here are some of the questions that are begging to be asked if you suspect you have the misfortune of encountering such a person.<br />
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<b>Is the suspect a good birder? </b>If the answer is "no", they are potentially stringer material.<br />
<b>How frequently do they find rarities? </b>Think about how often the suspect reports documented/substantiated rarities relative to other birders in the area.<br />
<b>How thorough are their descriptions? </b>A stringer of this magnitude is not going to go to Marantzian lengths to describe a rarity - they will probably offer two or three sentences and avoid any overly technical sounding field marks, molt terminology, discussion on distribution and migration, etc.<br />
<b>Does anyone bird with them? </b>Stringers of this sort work alone.<br />
<b>Does anyone else see their birds? </b>Lori Myers tried to get around this problem, partially, by reporting some rarities to eBird months after she had initially allegedly seen them - no one can chase an Eastern Phoebe from 9 months ago. She also hid her data from needs and rarities alerts and did not contribute to any listserv or Facebook group. If someone is really going out and finding rarities left and right at places that get birded a lot, inevitably some of them are going to be seen by other observers.<br />
<b>Where are they in eBird rankings? </b>Stringers inevitably wind up at or near the top of a given category in eBird. What is the point of stringing if you are in 35th in a Top 100 list?<br />
<b>Is a big year involved? </b>Nothing brings out stringing like a big year. It is known.<br />
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And some questions just about photos:<br />
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<b>What does the metadata say? </b>Lori's most blatant photos of fabricated rarities had no metadata visible to eBird users. The vast majority of photos in eBird have that data available. Indeed, most of Lori's pictures of expected, totally reasonable species had the expected metadata being displayed as normal.<br />
<b>Are the backgrounds and perches consistent with the location and season? </b>This one doesn't need an explanation. Lori's November Ovenbird with vibrant, bright green deciduous leaves in the background was bizarre.<br />
<b>Any weird weird crops? </b>A number of photos Lori posted appeared to crop out perches that were not appropriate for the location. For example, why post a extreme closeup of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak but lop off the bird's legs entirely?<br />
<b>Is the lighting and photo quality consistent throughout? </b>Many of Lori's checklists had a lot of normal looking photos of common birds in addition to the strung rarity. In a great many cases, the photo of the rarity looked very different from the rest of the photo set - different quality, lighting, weather conditions, etc.<br />
<b>How many photos do they upload for each rarity? </b>Lori Myers typically uploaded 1-2 photos per rarity of a bird she lied about finding herself; in contrast with this, she would often post more than one of known rarities found by other birders in the area. If you are going to fake a sighting, its much easier to just use a single photo than four or five.<br />
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Much like Luke respected and feared Vader's power, I will give Lori Myers credit where credit is due...her rarity selection of things she decided to string was very good, very believable if you did not examine her collection of lies as a whole. Tropical Kingbird, Northern Waterthrush, Magnolia Warbler, Indigo Bunting...these are all quality birds for Santa Clara, but not the sort of thing that would lead to dozens of birders from around the region dropping everything to chase. Her ploy worked for some time, but in the end she just couldn't control her crazed impulses and her reign of terror was put to rest. It was maddening, painstaking, and the entire treacherous experience filled my heart with hate, but in the end birding justice was served. She has never been heard from again.<br />
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Stringers beware...you will be seen for what you really are. For The Force is my ally, and a powerful ally it is.<br />
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*=One rarity in particular really stood out as being incredibly unlikely and significantly contributed in obtaining a warrant for her. She got cocky - her overconfidence was her weakness.</div>
Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-70181245142067997162019-07-10T09:17:00.000-07:002019-07-11T13:39:17.939-07:00Return to Blogorado: Gunnison<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Samantha found this Horned Lark. It's a good thing she did, because it was a TRIP BIRD.</b><br />
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Colorado is home to a few species I've still never seen, the most notable and arguably best of which is Gunnison Sage-Grouse, almost endemic to the state. Dipper Dan, Sultry Sam and myself had a wedding to attend in Denver, but after raging with many old friends, the old tribes of Sunnybrae and San Francisco disbanded and the three of us made the trip out to Gunnison, which if you are unfamiliar <i>is</i> actually a good area to see Gunnison Sage-Grouse. We knew we would require some luck and there was a decent chance we would dip on them...and we did! No need to build up any suspense over our fail, or go into excruciating detail about hours and hours of driving through sagebrush really slowly and constantly stopping to look at grouse-shaped rocks or grouseless patches of habitat...it was shitty. Fortunately, it was a pretty sweet area to explore so it was still a good time - here's a few photos.<br />
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We did a whole lot of not seeing grouse in very scenic places. Here is Danmantha not seeing grouse near Tomichi Dome.<br />
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Brewer's Sparrow was one of the most abundant birds in the area, though that didn't prevent me from failing to crush, as you can see. This is as good a place as any to confess that we didn't even see Sagebrush Sparrow, which mystifies me considering the habitat we were birding in.<br />
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Our Airbnb on the west edge of town was Great Success, as it turned out to be a serious geri birding situation - feeders galore! Here is a Sage Thrasher on a yard bench as geri birding evidence. Other feeder birds included Vesper Sparrow, Green-tailed Towhee, and Cassin's Finch. A side benefit of staying here was finding a male Lark Bunting on the road into town one morning (a flagged rarity in eBird), while on our way to toil in the grouse fields.<br />
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One of the Airbnb Vesper Sparrows chants a dawn curse, making grouse completely invisible to us despite our efforts. By this point in the trip, Dan and Sam's marriage had come under incredible strain, partially due to some lingering angst from partner-swapping with other wedding guests back in Denver (hey, it's 2019) and partially because we hadn't seen any grouse. Luckily, they had me to help keep the ship afloat. If anyone needs a marriage counselor or some couples therapy, hit me up, I'm cheap...and a great listener.<br />
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<i>Empidonax </i>for the trip were represented by a modest number of Dusky Flycatchers (above) and a Willow Flycatcher at the McCabe Lane Wetlands.<br />
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We here at BB&B have a long and storied tradition of taking meh/mediocre (mehdiocre????) photos of Townsend's Solitaires. I admittedly am ready to move on to straight crushing, but the solitaires are not.<br />
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The photog opportunities were not many, but I did manage a Mountain Bluebird crush, which I had been hoping for. This crush came at the cost of some fresh facemelt, which will only add to the disfigurement I have previously endured from seeing other Mountain Bluebirds.<br />
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Another view of the big sage basin near Tomichi Dome. There must be many grouse here. So close, yet so far...<br />
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I did not expect the wildflower scene to be so good...really should have brought my macro lens, but here are a few token shots. Here is some kind of penstemony/beardtonguey thing.<br />
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This white phlox was everywhere. Mellowing.<br />
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There were some great patches of larkspur (<i>Delphinium nuttallianum</i>) around. These were a bit too stunning to be mellowing.<br />
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This part of the continent is laden with mammals. Well, almost every part is, but it seems like you see a lot more of them in places like Colorado and Wyoming. We got elked on the reg.<br />
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I guess this is a Wyoming ground squirrel? It may have been a lifer squirrel. They were very, very common. They look like several other ground squirrel species I've seen before, so I only now realized they were something else.<br />
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If I got the species right, apparently these have had quite the range expansion in recent years and <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2012/08/14/bad-wyoming-ground-squirrels-invading-colorados-western-slope-2/" target="_blank">pretty much no one is excited about it</a>...not people, not golden-mantled ground squirrels.<br />
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One of the most beloved squirrels in all the land, the one and only quasi chipmunk, the golden-mantled ground squirrel.<br />
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Least (?) chipmunks were enthusiastic attendees of the geri birding scene at the Airbnb. Mammals we saw that are not pictured include coyote, pronghorn, mule deer, white-tailed jackrabbit, marmots, and prairie dogs (east of the Rockies).<br />
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Needing a little break from driving around the sage in a futile grouse search, we decided to do a short hike and not see grouse while walking. This is the view looking north into the Gunnison Basin/the town of Gunnison from Hartman Rocks. Hecka scenic here...saw some more new plants and some trip birds, including Ash-throated Flycatcher, another eBird rarity.<br />
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Well, we failed, but the fail was more fun than not. Since I <i>need</i> to see the grouse someday, there is a good chance this wasn't my last visit to Gunnison.</div>
Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-71218249493329230402019-07-01T10:02:00.000-07:002019-07-01T10:02:12.988-07:00Yellow-billed Magpies of Convenience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Any birder visiting California for the first time is absolutely drooling over the thought of seeing a Yellow-billed Magpie. Not only are they a stunning and fascinating bird, they are endemic to the state! With fall migration not far off (a time when many birders visit California, coinciding with pelagic season), I thought now would be a good time to give a few pointers on where to find them in my realm of our great state. Obviously you can check eBird for ideas of where to find them, but for birders who will find themselves in the greater bay area, or taking Highway 101 between the bay and southern California, let me make it easy for you.<br />
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While Yellow-billed Magpies can be locally common here along the western edge of their range, it <i>is</i> possible to miss them if you aren't looking in the right places. To prevent that devastating scenario, here are three of the best, most reliable and convenient spots to find them if you find yourself birding in these areas or just passing through.<br />
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<b>Palm Avenue/Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve</b>, <b>Morgan Hill, Santa Clara County</b>. Just south of the San Jose megasprawl, this site is just a few minutes from Highway 101 and is very, very reliable for magpies, both along the southwestern part of <a href="https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1458040" target="_blank">Palm Avenue</a> and at the parking lot for the <a href="https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1454658" target="_blank">preserve</a> at the end of the road. You can also walk the trails in the preserve (no admission fee) and see them there if you miss them on the way in. This is a great area for raptors in season (Golden Eagles, Prairie Falcons, Ferruginous Hawks) and a tame Rock Wren can sometimes be found at the parking lot.</div>
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Alternatively, you can see magpies at the west end of nearby <b><a href="https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2597366" target="_blank">Laguna Avenue</a></b>, though they are not as reliably available for close views. This is another great area for raptors (I found a Zone-tailed Hawk here!) and other open country birds. Any blackbird flock will typically contain Tricolored Blackbirds, particularly from early fall through winter; this is another popular target bird for birders from out of the area and they are very regular here. Bird along the road from Santa Teresa Blvd southwest to where Laguna ends; the end of the road is best for magpies.<br />
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<i>Tricolored Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds with their bovine companion in a pasture next to Laguna Ave. This site is not as legendary for seeing Tricoloreds as Moonglow Dairy (Monterey County) or Outer Point Reyes (Marin County), but they are readily available to be picked out of any blackbird flock in this part of Coyote Valley.</i><br />
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If you have more time available in the area, magpies are fairly widespread in Santa Clara County (more so than any other bay area county!) and are waiting to be found in a number of other places, though mostly not as close to a major highway.</div>
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<b>Mines Road, Livermore, Alameda County</b>. Highway 580 is another major regional artery and you may find yourself out that way, cutting between the east bay and the Central Valley. A highly dependable magpie stronghold here is the northern part of Mines Road; you can start looking for them as soon as you turn on to Mines off of Tesla Road. There are many eBird hotspots along Mines Road, but <a href="https://ebird.org/hotspot/L390392" target="_blank">here</a> is the general one for your edification.</div>
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Mines Road is a well-known birding area and can provide hours of birding entertainment, depending on the season and how far you are willing to go. Other target species further down this road include Northern Pygmy-Owl, Greater Roadrunner, Bell's Sparrow, Lawrence's Goldfinch, and Lewis's Woodpecker.<br />
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<i>A confiding bird struts through one of the Bradley rest stops, which are popular loitering and rummaging ground for area magpies.</i><br />
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<b>Highway 101 Bradley rest areas, Monterey County</b>. This is well south of the greater bay area, but so many birders come through here on their way to or from the bay, I just have to mention it. If you are using Highway 101 to cover some significant distance, you will likely find yourself passing through the Bradley area in southern Monterey County. Just south of Bradley there are two rest stops, one for <a href="https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1768121" target="_blank">southbound</a> traffic and one for <a href="https://ebird.org/hotspot/L499970" target="_blank">northbound</a> traffic. Both of these rest stops are very good for very approachable magpies; often you can see them before you get a chance to park. The southbound stop is particularly reliable for them...I have missed them here, but most of the time the magpie viewing doesn't get any easier.</div>
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That's about all there is to it! Magpies are loud and extremely conspicuous, so finding them isn't very complicated if you can get yourself to the right areas. I won't jinx you and say you are guaranteed to see them at these places...but it will be hard to <i>not </i>see them.</div>
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Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172285466289881050.post-24391905999715812232019-06-12T08:37:00.003-07:002019-06-12T08:37:37.893-07:00Belize! Part VI: Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Mayflower Bocawina National Park, Hopkins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Morelet's Seedeater (formerly White-collared Seedeater) is one of the most abundant and widespread birds in Belize. I was hoping for a Morelet's Seedeater-Morelet's Crocodile combo but it never happened. Photographed at Hopkins Bay Resort.</b><br />
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After Black Rock Lodge, it was time to head over to the coast for the last part of our trip. We made the semi-long drive (by Belize and/or driving with toddler standards) over the Hummingbird Highway without any birding stops, as it rained most of the time...which the Black Rock army ant swarm had correctly predicted, for the second time. We made it to Hopkins in the afternoon, where we checked in to the Hopkins Bay Resort at the very north end of town...this was the first time I've ever stayed at a typical beach resort, and while it worked for our family purposes I wouldn't recommend it to birders visiting here. It's expensive, the birding on the grounds is mostly poor, they spray the beach sand with pesticide every morning (!) and rake up any sargassum on the beach, and they try to claim to be all sustainable despite clearing out large swaths of mangrove forest...not going to be staying there again. On the flip side, I will say I did have a couple great cocktails there, and the resort is right across the street from the old cemetery in town...this is where I lifered Yucatan Vireo, which I was super stoked on, and I also had my first really good looks at Mangrove Vireos a little further north.<br />
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<b>Tropical Kingbird are, as one might expect, dirt common in Belize. It's s</b><b>till a nice looking bird though. There were Couch's Kingbirds at several sites but Tropical was generally much more abundant. Photographed at Hopkins Bay Resort.</b><br />
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Hopkins has a lot of visiting foreigners but is also pretty mellow...it's certainly not overrun by tourists and not dominated by sky-scraping mega resorts or anything. There is a great deal of good birding within 45 minutes of town, and with many lodging options it is a sensible place to be based out of for birding in the area if you don't opt for staying at the lodge in Mayflower Bocawina National Park or the rustic Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary cabins. Bordering the west side of town is a huge marsh, which provided some trip birds but more importantly got me my first Ruddy Crake...it was a heard only, but I'll take it!<br />
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<b>No matter how many of them you have seen, if Brown Pelicans are plunge-diving next to you, you must stop what you are doing and watch. Or crush. Photographed at Hopkins Bay Resort.</b><br />
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While our lodging sitch in Hopkins wasn't super productive for birdlife, I was able to get out for multiple ace mornings of birding while staying there. One morning I went out to Mayflower Bocawina National Park, just 20 minutes or so up the road. Of course the camera was out of comission at the the time so I've got nothing to illustrate my time there, but the birding was very entertaining and I would definitely recommend a day or two here. Within the boundaries of the park is the <a href="http://www.bocawina.com/" target="_blank">Bocawina Rainforest Resort</a>, which gives you excellent access to the area and no doubt has good birding right there on the grounds...I would definitely consider staying there if I return to the area. As for birding the park itself, I was impressed. Highlights included looks at Gray-headed Dove, Blue Ground-Doves, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, and Stub-tailed Spadebills. Here is <a href="https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S51768834" target="_blank">my eBird list</a> from my visit, if you're interested.<br />
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The last birding spot of the trip turned out to be the very best - Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, where I was lucky enough to spend two mornings. Billy had been here before and recommended it highly, and she was right to do so. In doing my research before this trip, I found Cockscomb listed in surprisingly few trip reports despite the blood red pin it sported in eBird's hotspot map...why birders overlook this gem while birding in Belize is a mystery to me. This place is fully legit. Visitors have the option of staying the night here at some rudimentary cabins, but I suspect you have to bring all your food/water/supplies in with you. This was the one place we visited where both diversity seemed very high and bird abundance was staggering at times, and I was super impressed with the quality of birding both days I was there. The place is huge and there are lots of trails to choose from...I totally could have birded there a third day and probably seen a grip of birds I missed the previous days. The entrance road alone is probably worth a whole morning, and the one place I pulled over yielded the only Green Honeycreeper of the trip.<br />
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Shockingly, my camera worked one of the days I was at Cockscomb, so here are some more pics!<br />
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<b>Northern Waterthrushes are one of the commonest neotropical migrants that winter in Belize. This one would not get out of the path I was walking down so I took its picture.</b><br />
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<b>White Hawks were easy to find on the trip...huzzah! Back before I saw my first White Hawks in Costa Rica some years bak, this was a neotropical bird that really stood out in my imagination...difficult to fathom a bird like this without seeing it with one's own eyes. Like a handful of other prominent birds, I literally dreamed about seeing these (as opposed to just fantasizing about it, like usual) before I actually did. Easily one of the coolest raptors I have ever seen.</b><br />
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<b>While not abundant, Pale-billed Woodpecker is another widespread, fairly common woodpecker...but they are huge, exotic, and are in the same genus as the iconic Ivory-billed and Imperial Woodpeckers. The day after I took this photo, I came back and got a glimpse of it (or its mate) almost get taken out by some kind of large, black raptor that went plunging through the trees after it..it was livid.</b><br />
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<b>One of the many idyllic creeks that run through the preserve. I was unsuccessful, but Agami Herons are regularly found in Cockscomb in places like this.</b><br />
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<b>Ruddy Woodcreeper was a lifer back at Black Rock, but I was able to get a few identifiable photos of this bird here in a nice mixed flock.</b><br />
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<b>While not exceptionally scarce, Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher are notoriously difficult to actually see...so they say. I had no such misfortune with this tiny todyish tyrant of the tangles, a true trip target. Luckily I had the prescience to memorize their song and found this shrub friend (shrub-friend) relatively easily instead of walking by it obliviously as it sang away, which I've probably done with dozens of other neotropical would-be lifers in the past. How embarrassing. </b><br />
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<b>One of the wildlife highlights of the trip was seeing this tayra! I only knew what it was because we had seen them close up at the Belize Zoo the week before...way to go Belize Zoo for successfully educating a dumb tourist. A tayra is like a giant mega weasel, a wolverine-otter looking thing. Megawolverotter. It paced back and forth across the trail in front of us a few times for good looks before trotting away.</b><br />
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<b>From this angle it looks more like a bear-weasel combo. This was a very high quality lifer mammal - we also saw brocket deer, which the zoo had prepped me for as well. No jaguar sign (Cockscomb is famous for jaguars) but those were two sweet lifer mammals.</b><br />
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<b>Pretty sure this was a lifer creature as well, white-lipped mud turtle (right?). It was crossing the entrance road during a rain storm. I know I am GBRS #7 in the U.S. and all that, but did you know my first real love of wildlife was herps? </b><br />
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<b>Billy and Annie in action. Billy's action was probably scanning for a Gray-headed Tanager I failed to get her on before it flew away (sorry Billy). Annie's action was sleeping.</b><br />
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Some unphotographed highlights from Cockscomb: absolutely stunning views of a confiding Black-faced Antthrush (the first I've seen, rather than just heard), lifer Yellow-tailed Orioles and Royal Flycatcher, getting the <i>Leptotila</i> hat trick (seeing White-tipped, Gray-headed and Gray-chested Doves in the same morning), and mixed flocks and concentrations of birds of such quality that I was beside myself.<br />
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I'll do one more post to kind of summarize the Belize trip for anyone who is thinking about going, but this will about wrap it up! You can thank Nikon for making a shitty product - the lack of photos to sort really enabled me to actually blog the whole trip in an almost respectable amount of time.<br />
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Seagull Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01851438505719552645noreply@blogger.com4