"Look, Golden-crowned Sparrows! Quick, get a shot of them!"
"Where? I don't see them..."
"Right there, on the trail ahead! Those brown birds... Look for movement!"
Now there's another birder in the family - my younger brother! After I got my new camera, he's obsessed with taking bird photos with it, and also wants to learn about the birds themselves. It's nice to have someone who (sort-of) understands my obsession now!
The Friday after I had a successful trip to Shoreline Lake, my brother and I decided to visit Oka Ponds - a set of six percolation ponds near our school, with plenty of waterfowl. When school ended, our grandpa drove us there, and the three of us walked around the ponds.
Unfortunately, in the recent dry spell (also meaning less birds), the canals usually filled with water near the entrance to the park had dried up, but not the main ponds. On the second-largest one, there were MALLARDS, RUDDY DUCKS, a COMMON GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEADS, and a scaup that revealed itself to be a clear-cut LESSER, with the peak at the back of the head. The Mallard shot was taken by my brother.
On the next pond, there was a large number of AMERICAN COOTS, GADWALLS, and AMERICAN WIGEONS, as well as more Buffleheads and Mallards, and a lone NORTHERN SHOVELER. The trees near the pond held OAK TITMICE, CALIFORNIA TOWHEES, and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS. Here are both the wigeon and the Gadwall compared to a coot.
As we got ready to cross the bridge that would lead to the three most productive of the six ponds, we met a birder who was just leaving the place. She hadn't found any waterfowl that we hadn't seen already, but she did spot Wilson's Snipes on the island of the largest pond, and told us exactly where to look! Wilson's Snipe would be a lifer for me, and a must-see bird, so I rushed toward the largest pond with my brother (with the camera), who managed to snap a Common Goldeneye while I was looking for the snipes.
A smile spread on the part of my face visible below my binoculars, as I swept them over a line of six WILSON'S SNIPES standing on the shore of the island closest to us! If the lady had not told us where to look, I doubt I would have found the elusive, well-camouflaged birds. That's the second time a birder has helped me find a bird this year. Here are shots my brother and I got:
Also found in or near the ponds were a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, a KILLDEER, and a surprise Code 3 SPOTTED SANDPIPER, tail-bobbing in a flock of Mallards. Also got a nice shot of a PIED-BILLED GREBE.
As we were walking back, a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD flew over the ponds, making for my last FOY of the great trip. In less than an hour, we saw 35 species, including one lifer and five FOYs, and had an awesome time. I hope my brother and I have many more birding adventures like this during my Big Year, and in the years to come.
Summary:
Birds seen: 35
New birds: 5
Big Year count: 89
"Where? I don't see them..."
"Right there, on the trail ahead! Those brown birds... Look for movement!"
Now there's another birder in the family - my younger brother! After I got my new camera, he's obsessed with taking bird photos with it, and also wants to learn about the birds themselves. It's nice to have someone who (sort-of) understands my obsession now!
The Friday after I had a successful trip to Shoreline Lake, my brother and I decided to visit Oka Ponds - a set of six percolation ponds near our school, with plenty of waterfowl. When school ended, our grandpa drove us there, and the three of us walked around the ponds.
Unfortunately, in the recent dry spell (also meaning less birds), the canals usually filled with water near the entrance to the park had dried up, but not the main ponds. On the second-largest one, there were MALLARDS, RUDDY DUCKS, a COMMON GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEADS, and a scaup that revealed itself to be a clear-cut LESSER, with the peak at the back of the head. The Mallard shot was taken by my brother.
On the next pond, there was a large number of AMERICAN COOTS, GADWALLS, and AMERICAN WIGEONS, as well as more Buffleheads and Mallards, and a lone NORTHERN SHOVELER. The trees near the pond held OAK TITMICE, CALIFORNIA TOWHEES, and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS. Here are both the wigeon and the Gadwall compared to a coot.
As we got ready to cross the bridge that would lead to the three most productive of the six ponds, we met a birder who was just leaving the place. She hadn't found any waterfowl that we hadn't seen already, but she did spot Wilson's Snipes on the island of the largest pond, and told us exactly where to look! Wilson's Snipe would be a lifer for me, and a must-see bird, so I rushed toward the largest pond with my brother (with the camera), who managed to snap a Common Goldeneye while I was looking for the snipes.
A smile spread on the part of my face visible below my binoculars, as I swept them over a line of six WILSON'S SNIPES standing on the shore of the island closest to us! If the lady had not told us where to look, I doubt I would have found the elusive, well-camouflaged birds. That's the second time a birder has helped me find a bird this year. Here are shots my brother and I got:
Also found in or near the ponds were a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, a KILLDEER, and a surprise Code 3 SPOTTED SANDPIPER, tail-bobbing in a flock of Mallards. Also got a nice shot of a PIED-BILLED GREBE.
As we were walking back, a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD flew over the ponds, making for my last FOY of the great trip. In less than an hour, we saw 35 species, including one lifer and five FOYs, and had an awesome time. I hope my brother and I have many more birding adventures like this during my Big Year, and in the years to come.
Summary:
Birds seen: 35
New birds: 5
Big Year count: 89
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