The Rustic Bunting, Bicolored Blackbirds, Worries and Dread

After having a miserable, sickly New Years Eve, I thought it would be best to start the real birding year with the local Rustic Bunting. I met up with AJ Johnson of Austin fame, who had somehow tricked his family into letting him bird for a few hours. The bunting took me 4.5 hours of waiting to see it on my first try, but I had no need for such patience on this day.

Not only was patience not required, the bird did not at all act like the reclusive, cowardly, nervous Vague Runt that barely showed itself to me only two weeks earlier. It refused to leave the area once it showed up. We were with it for a good part of the morning, and the bird had little fear of its nerdy fan club that had gathered nearby. One could even say it was confiding.

I can't tell you what a relief it is to have seen this no-longer-cryptic bird a couple of times now. It's a sharp bird. It's a rare bird.  When it was found the day I drove down to Southern California, I was about ready to turn in my binoculars and start stamp collecting...which is like the only thing birders can think of when they talk about something more nerdy and obscure than birdwatching.  Little do birders know that no one has collected a stamp in about nine (9) years.

What a bizarre little crest.  Cool bird!

I'll be honest....I've struggled a bit with this bird.  For a Bicolored Blackbird (the local form of Red-winged Blackbird in the bay area), it's hella dark and dull. No rufous tones. For a female-type Tricolored Blackbird (is this a HY male? It's awfully blackish) it seems like it has some contrasting edging on the wings and back that you would not necessarily expect...but then again blackbirds tend to look pretty fresh still this time of year. It also has some pink in the face (much more of Bicolored trait than a Tricolored) and the bill does not look particularly Tricoloredy...but if you look at a lot of Tricolored Blackbirds you will figure out that the bill shape/length can be quite variable. I suspect this is a Bicolored, but I could be wrong...do they ever appear this dark and colorless? Photographed at Lake Merced, San Francisco, CA.

Overall it is quite shabby looking in terms of a color palate...what do you think?

Here is a pretty typical Bicolored Blackbird, for comparison. Check out all the rufous on the back and much more prominent, richly-colored edgings on the flight feathers...yet its still pretty drab compared to other populations of Red-winged Blackbirds. Photographed at Lake Merced.

Birding may be hard, but that doesn't matter when you meet a creature that is telling you, "life is pain". This Townsend's Warbler had Eucalyptus gunk smeared all over it's bill and face, and was pathetically attempting to forage on the ground. It constantly had it's bill open and seemed quite stressed. Photographed at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA.

How would you like to have your nostrils plugged with resin?  How would you like to mouthbreathe to survive?  It amazes me that there are so many Eucalyptus deniers out there who claim this does not happen to birds. And yes, this bird was right next to a big blooming Eucalyptus tree.

Of course, Ruddy Ducks never have to worry about such things. This one is worrying about being round and plump. You needn't worry, Ruddy Duck. Photographed at Golden Gate Park.

Many waterfowl can be seen enthusiastically courting this time of year. Most ducks seem to get the job done by doing wonderfully weird things with their heads. When you see a female getting in on the head-bobbing action, you know the drake is doing something right.  Photographed at Golden Gate Park.

Arrowhead Marsh, in Oakland, is famed for being a reliable place to actually lay eyes on Ridgway's Rail. It used to be easier, back when you could actually walk out on the boardwalk into the marsh. Now it's become a decent shorebird roost, so at least somebody is using it. The marsh is still a good place to get on this choice rail species, as I had a whopping 9 Ridgway's Rails in one scope sweep on this day.

A young Peregrine Falcon. You know, we take these birds almost for granted now...it's hard to believe how rare they were just a few decades ago, and I'm grateful for the DDT ban and the Endangered Species Act.  I dread what the house and senate will attempt to do in the constant Republican campaign to gut environmental laws in the coming years...it is sure to be brutal. Photographed at Arrowhead Marsh.

Get Rad Arcata Marsh

Peregrine Falcons are the expected falcon at the marsh, so it was nice to find this Merlin next to the road, glaring at joggers that went by. She was probably thinking about extirpating the local Dunlin flock. All photos from today are from Arcata Marsh, CA.

Any visiting birder to Humboldt County eventually ends up at the Arcata Marsh. It's the obvious place to go. The marsh is good birding much of the year, is easy to get to, gets rare birds, and handles the town of Arcata's wastewater all at once. It's convenient location right in town makes it accessible to even the laziest, most transportation-deprived birder. The marsh has hosted everything from White-winged Tern to Sulfur-bellied Flycatcher (I've come across Ruff, Tufted Duck, American Tree Sparrow there, among other melters of faces), and is a great spot to see massive concentrations of shorebirds during migration. Basically, it has everything. Sure sketchy dudes sleep in the bushes and some weird shit happens...not dangerous, just weird...this is Arcata, after all...but don't let that deter you. Do not fear the weird, my friends, for this is a quality spot. Don't forget to check the Oxidation Ponds too, which are right next door.

If you are one of those people with some free time and an itch to travel, Godwit Days will be going down next month in Arcata. Godwit Days is a multi-day birding festival with multitudes of field trips and events, and has been running ever since 1996, so those folks know what they're doing. Check it out!

Do you have a local Merlin? Have you made your weekly sacrifice of fresh shorebird blood? Well you better do it soon, because Merlins will soon be pulling stakes and getting northbound.

This Fox Sparrow is ending another creature's life. Can you imagine death by Fox Sparrow? If you ever find yourself hiding in the leaf litter, it won't be long before one of these birds finds you.

A younger Golden-crowned Sparrow. Look at that back pattern...I think I will get that tattooed across my shoulders. Tribal tattoos are OUT, Golden-crowned Sparrows are IN.

At first I thought this was a pure Eurasian ("Common") Green-winged Teal, as I could see no sign of the vertical white breast stripe of American birds. Upon looking at my photos closely, it looks like there is almost a hint of one, but its so bloody faint its hard to say for sure.

Nevermind. There's that horrid stripe. I was wrong! It's a hybrid! Oh well.

What is the deal with this Northern Shoveler? Not only is it in a weird molt, it flies around with it's feet sticking up at a ridiculous angle.

See? Here's a closer look...compare the weird bird's foot position with that of the background shoveler. What are you trying to prove, bizarro shoveler?

Feeding frenzy...many invertebrates are being demolished here. Northern Shovelers, Cinnamon Teal, Green-winged Teal and Buffleheads.

I admit it. It has taken me years to get a good Yellow-rumped Warbler picture, of the "Myrtle" variety (like this one) or otherwise. That's a huge weight off my shoulders. I don't know what I could possibly say about these birds that you wouldn't already know, except they are going to start getting really sexy looking soon and transform into facemelting birds.

Buffleheads are one of those birds that are hard to get tired of, no matter how bloody common they may be. I love the bubblegum pink feet.

Another bird I've seen many thousands of but have no good pictures of are Marsh Wrens. While I wouldn't go so far as to say this is a good picture, I think it kind of shows a Marsh Wren doing what Marsh Wrens do best.

The Perpetual Weekend Rolls On...

This Dusky-capped Flycatcher is one of the rarer birds I've seen in 2012, and apart from a few Heerman's Gulls probably the only bird I've seen this year from south of the border. Golden Gate Park, San Francsico, CA.

Having been Funemployed for the whole winter (which, granted, is getting old), a lot of birding has been happening. Birding, in fact, is the key. I have not been lacking in a night life, but the sad fact is that most people I know usually work or go to school during the day. I feel really bad for them, as it prevents them from seeing birds. Fortunately, the birds have been entertaining in the diurnal hours....here are a few images from earlier this winter that I haven't posted yet.

A Snow Goose family. Snow Goose family units are probably much less dysfunctional than American families (human), but losing members to predators and shotguns probably doesn't help. Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA.

American Pipits really know how to strut. Check out that tarsal length! Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA.

A female Mountain Bluebird in the process of disfiguring a Jerusalem Cricket. You should see what a flock of these things can do to a horse....nightmarish stuff. Armour Ranch Road, Santa Ynez, CA.

Black-necked Stilts have both style and class...unless you are near their nests, when they transform into headaches. Radio Road, Redwood Shores, CA.

I don't think I've ever posted a Bewick's Wren shot on BB&B, so I would like to rectify that. Rare, no. Jaunty, yes. Abbott's Lagoon, Point Reyes National Seashore, CA.

Glaucous Gull is another bird virgin to BB&B. I am happy to say, virgin no more! This bird has been present for several weeks at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

I probably should've posted this around Christmas, oh well. White-crowned Sparrow, Lake Merced, San Francisco, CA.

Greater White-fronted Goose, Mallards, Cackling Goose. This is a common fourgy in some parts of the state, but not so much on the coast. Stern's Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA.

Northern Shoveler, an appealing duck. Radio Road, CA.

Everyone likes Great Egrets, I would say they are one of the top 5 birds nonbirders ask me about. "I saw this big white crane next to the freeway last week, yadda yadda yadda...". Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA.

Corvids and raptors do not mix, and the Corvids usually win. Such was the case with this Common Raven and Red-tailed Hawk. Ano Nuevo State Park, CA.

Nobody Likes A Cynic

Marbled Godwits leave their high tide roost to go kill some invertebrates. Mudflat-dwellers beware. Arcata, CA.

Good day to you birder, and welcome to another fantastic, hubris-filled edition of Bourbon, Bastards and Birds. I know you must be frothing at the mouth to hear what I have to say....the proverbial Good Word, if you will.

Well...although I am, without doubt, a Leading Light in the birding community...I'm a bit too caffeinated (on shade-grown coffee, of course) to think straight. So here is a hodgepodge of pictures, with a few nonbirds for a change. Cool.

A Yellow-rumped and a Palm Warbler. Conveniently, the sign explains where this is...too bad those birds aren't always conveniently perched there.

While I was studying gulls, this man was slow-jogging backwards. What is weirder? I do not recommend this mode of transportation at any time, for any reason. Lake Merced, CA.

Common Raven. Not much to say. I dig this picture though. San Francisco, CA.

Pacific Chorus Frogberry. Arcata, CA.

Common Loon, crabcrusher. Unlike weakling sea otters, loons do not require rocks to smash their prey into oblivion.

A swarm of birders descend upon Lake Merced in search of a Louisiana Waterthrush. I particularly enjoyed the circle of loud, gossiping birders that drowned out all sound anywhere near them. That is the most efficient way to attract rare birds.

Female Northern Shoveler. She is a master of water-filtration. Fremont, CA.

She Sang Every Song In The Right Wrong Key

Northern Shoveler. That's a duck's duck. The bill is just...massive. And all those colors. Daaaannnnngggggg.

Has anyone invented the word "Birdosphere" yet? Wait. I'm going to Google it. 

Shit. It looks like it's on a couple sites. Well, so much for changing the world, one word at a time.

So. Come on people. Who wants to visit me in North Dakota? I need attention. I have things to offer. I know where to find ALL the birds you want to find (Gatekeeper, duh), and my trailer's liquor cabinet becomes more occupied daily. I can even take extra days off. How can you lose? Sure, your place of residence may have things like, oh, civilization, young people, and maybe, um, shade...but who's the one with the birds? This guy.

LeConte's Sparrow. Now this is what I'm talking about. So rare, so sick.

I'm currently watching a young Bill Cosby doing stand-up. He is marvelling at the wonders of cocaine. I assume this was shot before he got The Cosby Show gig. What a weekend.

Earlier this morning I drove out on the refuge's auto tour. Sedge Wrens were out in force, although the LeConte's Sparrow (above) that I checked in on wasn't showing. I did hang out with a couple Baird's Sparrows and a Sprague's Pipit though...so it was a solid good morning.

Tomorrow, if the weather holds, I think I'll go to Montana. Why not? When you tell people you're going to Montana, you get a very different reaction from when you are telling them to go to North Dakota. I expect it to look pretty similar (Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge is the destination). I've never been there, and it should be a very emotional outing.

Red-winged Blackbird. You know it. You love it. 

Marbled Godwit nest. Those are some big ol' eggs. Ever had Marbled Godwit egg salad? Me neither.

Willet. It is casting a Willet-hex on me in this photo. In the course of checking plover nests, I end up getting attacked by Willets, godwits, Killdeer, Piping Plovers, Upland Sandpipers, Wilson's Phalaraopes and American Avocets. They all fly around wishing death upon me because I'm too close to their nests. It is a cacophony of horror.

Cape May Warbler. This modest female is one of 2 that showed up in my yard this spring.

The Año Tranquilo has come to a standstill, with the brief reprieve from migration. White-rumped Sandpiper was 461 for the year. 500 will happen....but when? Of course, in the spirit of Tranquilo, I must not go far out of my way to pick up year birds...I am a very lazy man after all, so its a good thing I don't have to burn gas to do Nothing.

Ok. Remember. Come visit. Don't fly into Minot anytime soon though, its almost impossible to do anything in that town because half of it is underwater. Those poor bastards...