As I promised in my last blog post, my next trip would be to the Shoreline at Mountain View area. Today, I would bird the park's lake, where Barrow's Goldeneye had been reported. I would also be trying to get some other ducks, but wouldn't visit the part of the park that had shorebirds.
This time, my entire family would be going with me. As we drove into the park, we began talking about a Golden Eagle that my brother and dad had seen here once, and that was later reported eating a coot. And, speak of the devil, I noticed a huge bird sitting on a light pole near another parking lot, which turned out to be a GOLDEN EAGLE! We got really close, and got some nice photos.
There were many WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, some GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS, BUSHTITS, and a FOX SPARROW on the way to the lake. Upon arriving at Shoreline Lake, I scrutinized the gulls on the shore closest to us, but all appeared to be RING-BILLED GULLS. On the lake, there were several BUFFLEHEADS, as well as AMERICAN COOTS, COMMON GOLDENEYES, and EARED GREBES. As I was scanning the grebes, I saw some with a clearly defined line on the head, separating the dark and light, making them HORNED GREBES - my first lifer of the day! I got some shots of the Eared Grebes, but not of the Horned.
My dad shouted to me about a raptor sitting in a tree, and it turned out to be one of the resident PEREGRINE FALCONS. It flew out over the lake, and attacked the gulls on the other side, but it looked like they got away without any casualties. Farther down the lake's shore, I stopped to look at goldeneyes, and a close pair with tear-drop shaped white spots on the head caught my eyes. I didn't want to call the ducks Barrow's Goldeneyes at once, because hybrids had also been reported from the lake, but the people on the helpful site Whatbird confirmed my birds to be BARROW'S GOLDENEYES - a lifer, and a great bird for the county (Code 4)! Here are some shots:
Feeling great, I proceeded to the lake's end, where I found a resident WILLET and a pair of SURF SCOTERS. Walking along Shoreline's main ponds produced yearbirds AMERICAN AVOCET and NORTHERN SHOVELER, and faraway WESTERN GREBES, as well as RUDDY DUCKS, lots of CANVASBACKS, and more Common Goldeneyes. Sort-of fond of the accidental composition of the photo below. ;)
On the way back, I spotted some CALIFORNIA TOWHEES, and got a nice shot of one. Under a bridge near our car, some kind hikers pointed out an egret to me, which turned out to be a SNOWY EGRET - one of my most overdue yearbirds.
It was a really nice trip with two lifers and 12 additions to my county yearlist, but unfortunately, I didn't get to visit the Charleston Slough/Coast Casey Forebay part of Shoreline, so I didn't pick up some common ducks and shorebirds, but I hope to do that in February.
Summary:
Birds seen: 41
New birds: 12
Big Year count: 84
P.S. - On the drive back to my house, I saw a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK sitting on a powerline, number 85 on my yearlist!
This time, my entire family would be going with me. As we drove into the park, we began talking about a Golden Eagle that my brother and dad had seen here once, and that was later reported eating a coot. And, speak of the devil, I noticed a huge bird sitting on a light pole near another parking lot, which turned out to be a GOLDEN EAGLE! We got really close, and got some nice photos.
There were many WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, some GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS, BUSHTITS, and a FOX SPARROW on the way to the lake. Upon arriving at Shoreline Lake, I scrutinized the gulls on the shore closest to us, but all appeared to be RING-BILLED GULLS. On the lake, there were several BUFFLEHEADS, as well as AMERICAN COOTS, COMMON GOLDENEYES, and EARED GREBES. As I was scanning the grebes, I saw some with a clearly defined line on the head, separating the dark and light, making them HORNED GREBES - my first lifer of the day! I got some shots of the Eared Grebes, but not of the Horned.
My dad shouted to me about a raptor sitting in a tree, and it turned out to be one of the resident PEREGRINE FALCONS. It flew out over the lake, and attacked the gulls on the other side, but it looked like they got away without any casualties. Farther down the lake's shore, I stopped to look at goldeneyes, and a close pair with tear-drop shaped white spots on the head caught my eyes. I didn't want to call the ducks Barrow's Goldeneyes at once, because hybrids had also been reported from the lake, but the people on the helpful site Whatbird confirmed my birds to be BARROW'S GOLDENEYES - a lifer, and a great bird for the county (Code 4)! Here are some shots:
Feeling great, I proceeded to the lake's end, where I found a resident WILLET and a pair of SURF SCOTERS. Walking along Shoreline's main ponds produced yearbirds AMERICAN AVOCET and NORTHERN SHOVELER, and faraway WESTERN GREBES, as well as RUDDY DUCKS, lots of CANVASBACKS, and more Common Goldeneyes. Sort-of fond of the accidental composition of the photo below. ;)
On the way back, I spotted some CALIFORNIA TOWHEES, and got a nice shot of one. Under a bridge near our car, some kind hikers pointed out an egret to me, which turned out to be a SNOWY EGRET - one of my most overdue yearbirds.
It was a really nice trip with two lifers and 12 additions to my county yearlist, but unfortunately, I didn't get to visit the Charleston Slough/Coast Casey Forebay part of Shoreline, so I didn't pick up some common ducks and shorebirds, but I hope to do that in February.
Summary:
Birds seen: 41
New birds: 12
Big Year count: 84
P.S. - On the drive back to my house, I saw a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK sitting on a powerline, number 85 on my yearlist!
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