CENTRAL CALIFORNIA BIRDING

SEPTEMBER 9-19, 2004

To download the Sightings Report for this trip (in PDF format), click here.

Summary:  What a trip!  We visited a range of habitats in the Coast Ranges and the Central Valley, as well as along the coast and offshore.  We found 199 bird species amidst incomparable scenery, including spectacular views of California Condors, Golden Eagle, Black-footed Albatrosses, South Polar Skuas, Wrentit, California Thrasher. . .and this at a time when persistent hot weather meant little in the way of migrants.  Even though Monterey Bay was unusually warm and with a red tide in some areas, we had great marine mammals, including bow-riding Northern Right-Whale Dolphins and Pacific White-Sided Dolphins.  Risso’s dolphins entertained us with a leaping show.  Central California once again proved its reputation as a bird and scenery hotspot.

Friday, September 10 –From our luxurious hotel in San Francisco, we drove west to Half Moon Bay (passing a hunting Peregrine) and headed south along the San Mateo County coast.  The coast off Pescadero was terrific, featuring perhaps 100 Common Murres, several pairs of Marbled Murrelets, Surf and Black Scoters, and Black Oystercatchers.  We also learned the common gulls of the California coast:  California, Western, and Heerman’s.  Numerous Harbor Seals foraged near the rocky jetties.  We obtained good looks at Brandt’s and Pelagic Cormorants, as well as Western Grebes and Pacific Loons.

After our traditional Mexican lunch at a taqueria/gas station in Pescadero, we saw our first Coast Redwoods in Butano State Park, as well as many Townsend’s Warblers, Stellar’s jays and Chesnut-backed Chickadees.  A juvenile Band-tailed Pigeon perched along Canyon Road.

We continued South to visit Ano Nuevo State Park, where we enjoyed the famous colony of California and Stellar’s Sea Lions and saw a single Elephant Seal.  We heard Wrentit, and glimpsed California Thrasher.

Saturday, September 11 – A hearty breakfast at Norma’s, across from the hotel in Watsonville, prepared us for our first pelagic trip out of Monterey.  We departed Fisherman’s Wharf aboard the Caroline with Shearwater Journeys, enjoying close looks at Brandt’s Cormorants and hauled out California Sea Lions as we left. We soon encountered our “trip” Pigeon Guillemots, and thereafter began a trickle of seabirds that soon turned into a torrent.  We worked on mastering the differences between the three expected shearwaters, Sooty, Buller’s, and Pink-footed, and some of us glimpsed an elusive Short-tailed.  Pomarine Jaegers appeared several times, and before long the first of three South Polar Skuas passed the boat.  The first Black-footed Albatross followed our popcorn-lured gulls for a time, signaling a good trip for sure.

Because Monterey Bay had been unseasonably warm, with a red tide, we ventured far to the west and then northward to seek storm-petrels and other species.  We slowly followed a pod of Risso’s Dolphins at close range, and then came upon a wonderful collection of bow-riding Northern Right-whale Dolphins and Pacific White-sided Dolphins that seemed to be following a feeding family of Hump-backed Whales.  Shearwaters were constantly in view, Sabine’s gulls passed, and finally we reached a collection of storm-petrels that included many Ashies, and also Blacks and Leasts.  The return trip, punctuated with a little engine trouble, was rife with shearwaters, and a special treat in the form of a Tufted Puffin!

Back at the wharf, we journeyed north to Watsonville, sighting a beautiful White-tailed Kite along the way.  A delicious dinner restored our energy for the morrow’s birding.

Sunday, September 12 – We began the day at 7:30 a.m. by heading south to Moss Landing, well known for superb shorebirding.  Moss Landing’s reputation was justified; for example, we had close range views of Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, and Marbled Godwit – all in the same field of view!  Many other species were present, including two of our target birds:  Snowy Plover and Wandering Tattler, the latter offering great scope views on the jetty. 

We next ventured inland to Elkhorn Slough, where a mixture of habitats yielded California Towhee, Western Scrub-jay, and Oak Titmouse.  The Slough hosted remarkable numbers of Red-necked Phalaropes, thousands at least.  We also were treated to great views of Black-crowned Night-Herons, Black Phoebes, and Acorn Woodpeckers.

A Mexican lunch al fresco in Moss Landing was followed by a visit to the Moonglow Dairy and its many sights and smells.  We extracted a Tri-colored Blackbird from the large flocks of Red-wingeds, cowbirds, and Brewer’s Blackbirds, and enjoyed the serenade of an upset Holstein bull. 

We finished the day exploring some of the Coast Range foothills, finding Bushtit, Bewick’s Wren, and Hutton’s Vireo (the latter two unfortunately not seen by all.) A grocery stop for lunch and snacks prepared us for the morrow’s Monterey pelagic.

Monday, September 13 – Today’s pelagic had a different flavor, for two reasons.  One, we were more experienced and two, it was sunny.  Although we didn’t find any new species on this trip, we had many excellent looks at the three common shearwaters, and enjoyed a terrific Risso’s dolphin leaping show.  We also had good looks at a South Polar Skua, and Pomarine Jaegers were abundant.

After the pelagic, we explored Point Pinos, looking for the elusive (on this trip, anyway) Surfbird.  We found no Surfbirds, but had great looks at other rockpipers, including Black Turnstone, Black Oystercatcher and Wandering Tattlers.  As sunset approached, we drove down the magnificent Big Sur coast on famous Highway 1 to our evening quarters.

Tuesday, September 14 – Part of the group got an early start at the Big Sur lodge, where we heard but did not see a Western Screech-owl.  This was compensated for by a very agitated Northern Pygmy-owl, which responded to calling by flying over us again and again.  The briefest of looks at a California Condor whetted our appetite for more birds, and breakfast.  Other birds on the grounds included Nuttall’s Woodpecker.

After breakfast we birded Andrew Molera State park, where we found Western Tanager, Warbling, Hutton’s and (for some of us) Cassin’s Vireos, and Pacific Slope Flycatcher.  Good looks at California Quail and a very interesting bird-banding demonstration were other highlights.

We departed the Big Sur and headed north, continually checking for the trip nemesis bird, Surfbird.  No luck there, but we got our best look so far at Marbled Murrelet.  We took a side-trip for a tour of Carmel by the Sea, then enjoyed wine and cheese at the hotel before dining together at “The Running Iron.”

Wednesday, September 15 – We met at 5:15 a.m. for the winding drive to the top of Chew’s Ridge in the Santa Lucia mountains, where we called in vain for Spotted Owls (an agitated Western Screech Owl did respond, however).  Dawn broke to the calls of Stellar’s jays and Acorn Woodpeckers.  We obtained terrific looks at Wrentit and California Thrasher, two of the skulkiest birds there are.  A Western Bluebird at the summit was another highlight.  On the way down, we glimpsed what probably were Mountain Quail, but they flushed from the road before we could be certain.  Farther down, a large mammal moved off through the brush.  Don’s impression was a predator, perhaps a bobcat.

We made it back to the hotel in time for breakfast, then worked our way out the Carmel Valley to Soledad, picking up some key species including Lark Sparrow, the very scarce Lawrence’s Goldfinch, Say’s Phoebe, and the dramatic endemic Yellow-billed Magpie.  An afternoon siesta, well-earned, prepared us for an evening at Pinnacles West.

Our journey into Pinnacles West went like clockwork.  First stop, Sage Sparrow, which jumped up on a shrub as if spring-loaded for scope looks by all.  Our reliable Barn Owl was more than reliable, flying within feet of the entire group.  We arrived at the Pinnacles parking lot, and what to our wondering eyes should appear but three CALIFORNIA CONDORS,  recent releasees soaring magnificently with a large group of Turkey Vultures.  While we watched, Say’s Phoebe, California Thrasher, California Towhee, and California Quail entertained us in the parking lot.  A Prairie Falcon appeared and dove briefly on one of the condors, and as twilight approached and the shadows climbed up the pinnacles, White-throated Swifts swept by overhead.

Thursday, September 16 – We began our day by driving the 60 miles around to the east side of Pinnacles National Monument, enjoying great looks at literally hundreds of Yellow-billed Magpies.  A classic Coyote sighting was a highlight, as a medium-sized animal trotted across a field, tail held down.  California Quail, Black Phoebe, California Thrasher, and many of the delightful Acorn Woodpeckers were all around the parking lot at Pinnacles, and we detected a Pacific-slope Flycatcher and Western Wood-peewee along the trails.  Migrants, unfortunately, were not to be found. 

However, Pinnacles redeemed itself as we checked secondary spots on the way out.  A beautiful dark morph Red-tailed Hawk, chocolate brown below, soared together with a light morph.  Next, an adult Golden Eagle appeared soaring over the ridges, and was soon joined by the 3 California Condors we observed yesterday!  These condors, we learned at Pinnacles, were brought to the monument in September 2003, and released in December. A Prairie Falcon put in an appearance, and then we were off across backroads to the Panoche Valley and Santa Nella.

The dry weather had left many of our favorite spots without water, making for challenging birding.  We were unable to locate Chukar in the heat of the day, but did find a Rock Wren in consolation.  At one of the few waterholes we located, we obtained excellent scoped views of Lark and Vesper Sparrow, with a Rufous-crowned Sparrow just around the corner.  Many Western Meadowlarks and Western Bluebirds sang along the roadsides, and a White Pelican at a reservoir was new for the trip.

Friday, September 17 -  We began with a visit to San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, where bugling Tule elk greeted us.  Several White-tailed Kites and many American Kestrels hunted over the grasslands at the refuge, and despite extremely dry conditions we managed (for most of us) excellent scope looks at a Virginia Rail perched up on some reeds.  Other wetland birds at San Luis included Common Moorhen, Long-billed Dowitcher, Black-necked Stilt, and Marsh Wren.

We next birded our way up Del Puerto Canyon, finding three Greater Roadrunners (great looks for all) and hearing Canyon Wren.  After lunch at the Junction, we began our search for Lewis’s Woodpecker.  Almost immediately, we glimpsed one, but it disappeared before the whole group got on it.  This was frustrating, but our spirits lifted when we discovered an unexpected female Lazuli Bunting, and lifted even more when an hour later we relocated the Lewis’s Woodpecker and garnered lengthy scope looks for all, as this unusual species chipped away at an acorn.

A stop at Del Valle Regional Park earned us two additional very difficult bird species, as well as some terrific views of the surrounding hills.  An early immature Golden-crowned Sparrow was very unexpected, and Dave made a nice pick on two flyby Phainopeplas, which fluttered overhead long enough for everyone to get long views of their white wing patches.  A lovely male Nuttall’s Woodpecker played hide and seek in a small tree, but eventually allowed good scope looks as well.  The final highlight before our trek to Novato was a male Tarantula, which we encountered along the road and detained long enough for photographs.

Saturday, September 18 – We began our last day by searching for Spotted Owl at Tomales Bay State Park.  We left owl-less, but not before obtaining great looks at “Sooty” Fox Sparrows, Winter Wren, and Red-breasted Nuthatch.  We then made the trek Point Reyes and Abbot’s Lagoon, where a highlight was the perched Prairie Falcon.  American Pipit and a probable Red-throated Pipit flew over, and we enjoyed excellent looks at Western Sandpipers and other shorebirds.  The lagoon itself held Cinnamon Teal and Surf Scoter.

After a lunch stop, we checked the Bear Valley Visitor Center, and walked the Earthquake Trail, right along the San Andreas fault.  In the afternoon, we visited several spots out on Point Reyes for landbird migrants, which seemed to be absent all trip.  We found two Barn Owls roosting in a grove of Monterey Cypress, and saw countless Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels.  We got our best look at a Marbled Murrelet at the Fish Docks, and found breeding-plumage Red-throated, Common and Pacific Loons there as well.

Finally, the day ended to Tule Elk bugling and the sun sinking over the Pacific at Tomales Point.

Sunday, September 19  – Flights home.  

For tour itineraries, to register, or for more information contact:

NJAS Eco-Travel at: (908)-204-8998
9 Hardscrabble Road
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
or email travel@njaudubon.org.

If you are not a member and would like to become one, consider Joining New Jersey Audubon Society.