Clare's First BY

[campsafari2015]

Today was the Day of Days for me. I am on cloud nine. Let us start with an alibi and a correction: 

 

-1 for California Gull

-1 for Western Gull

 

182) Common Yellowthroat - 20 May (Monterey, CA)

 

 

 

[campsafari2015]

One more alibi from earlier in the year: 

 

183) Brown Creeper - 29 May (Monterey, CA)

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

Now, let's get a little more exciting! This is a lifer for me  

 

Bit of a misnomer when they're younger. As you can see, they're not black-throated all the time.

 

184) Black-throated Gray Warbler - 27 September (Monterey, CA)

 

[campsafari2015]

185) Spotted Sandpiper - 27 September (Monterey, CA)

 

[campsafari2015]

ON TO THE GOOD STUFF! Monterey has been going crazy the last week or so with rare vagrants. I didn't have any turn up yesterday checking out the local spot, but went out this morning to try my luck again. As it were, I was definitely in luck!

 

186) Blackburnian Warbler - 27 September (Monterey, CA)

 

[campsafari2015]

The Blackburnian comes around every few years. 

 

One that is a little more frequent, about annually on migration to our vicinity.

 

187) Blackpoll Warbler - 27 September (Monterey, CA)

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

This one isn't "exciting" in that it is rare, but it IS one of my all time favorite birds. I feel bad that I don't have a picture to do it justice, so I encourage you all to google them to see their true beauty.

 

188) Cedar Waxwing - 27 September (Monterey, CA ) 

 

[PeterHG]

It's always a good feeling to find a lifer and encounter some birds you don't see often! I remember the Blackburnian Warbler from our Colombia trip last year. That's where they migrate to, apparently and although we saw them frequently they were very hard to photograph, so you did a good job there! I agree about the Waxwings, they are really beautiful/

[Galana]

Another worthwhile exercise. Always good to get shots of lifers are rarities.

[campsafari2015]

17 hours ago, PeterHG said:

It's always a good feeling to find a lifer and encounter some birds you don't see often! I remember the Blackburnian Warbler from our Colombia trip last year. That's where they migrate to, apparently and although we saw them frequently they were very hard to photograph, so you did a good job there! I agree about the Waxwings, they are really beautiful/

I don't know of any warbler that sits still for photographing particularly well  

 

I had no idea they went that far south for the winter. That's incredible!

 

16 hours ago, Galana said:

Another worthwhile exercise. Always good to get shots of lifers are rarities.

 

I tend not to count anything that I don't photograph unless I know it 100%, so I'm so happy that I got proof of these individuals!

[campsafari2015]

Today continued in the vein of yesterday's luck  

 

I went back to the same small park to see whether I could track down a few more of the specialties and without further delay: 

 

189) Dickcissel - 28 September (Monterey, CA)

 

[campsafari2015]

And the other good find for the day was something I turned up on my own, which is always fun! The county only has 90 records, so I felt pretty pleased to have it in my list this year. 

 

190) Brewer's Sparrow - 28 September (Monterey, CA) 

 

[shazdwn]

Some great additions there Clare. I did just google cedar waxwings - just gorgeous 

Edited September 29, 2020 by shazdwn

[elefromoz]

On 9/28/2020 at 11:05 AM, campsafari2015 said:

I basically just pointed where I could see movement and hoped I got it. Had to positively ID when I got home with the zoom function.

Ah, now I see it, very tricksy indeed.....

[campsafari2015]

Today was another spectacular day! I am shortly to be locked away for work, so I took one last chance to get out and about to scoop up some more around the county. The first of the day was a bittersweet one: a little flock of escapees that are quickly becoming fully established and self-sufficient. On one hand, this is just how things work and species move around, sometimes in unorthodox ways, even if humans are causing that to accelerate rapidly and a bit artificially. On the other hand, it is nice to see creatures thriving.

 

191) Scaly-breasted Munia - 29 September (Monterey, CA)

 

 

[campsafari2015]

I headed up the road to a place I drive by frequently, but never stopped to check out. It yielded a few new species and a very cooperative Great Blue Heron. 

 

192) Fox Sparrow - 29 September (Monterey, CA)

 

[campsafari2015]

193) Lincoln's Sparrow - 29 September (Monterey, CA) 

 

[campsafari2015]

I already featured a GBH here, but this one's fishing was great! About a 80% success rate while I was observing. Probably needed to be that good because the fish were so tiny. 

 

 

 

[campsafari2015]

I decided to head out to the east of the county and try to rustle up some grassland species, but I wouldn't make it to my destination. Instead, on the way, I popped over to the side of the road at a livestock pond I often noted birds hanging out around. I'd been hoping to come across these guys every outing, but I had never been confident in telling them apart from the Red-winged Blackbirds which are far more widespread and prevalent. 

 

194) Tricolored Blackbirds - 29 September (Monterey, CA)

 

[campsafari2015]

I also found another bird I feel like I should have seen before out here, but haven't (I've seen them in Florida). I actually ended up seeing another, at a different location, later in the day. I guess it was just a day for them!

 

195) Green Heron - 29 September (Monterey, CA) 

[campsafari2015]

When I wrapped up my 10 minute survey of that area, I got back in my car and saw the notification that a rare warbler had been re-found (at the place I spent the first two hours of the day). So, I turned around and decided to give it a go. Rather terrible photos, but I got it! 

 

196) Lucy's Warbler - 29 September (Monterey, CA) The dot on the crown is very diagnostic with the grey body. 

 

 

[campsafari2015]

Then, it was time to run some errands and whatnot (boo!). My attention was diverted midway when the word went out that someone found an owl and it was chaseable! Hooray! I scooted over and right across the beachfront road was this little love: 

 

197) Burrowing Owl - 29 September (Monterey, CA) 

 

 

 

[Tdgraves]

Chaseable? Doesn’t sound very fair.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Tdgraves

[campsafari2015]

8 hours ago, Tdgraves said:

Chaseable? Doesn’t sound very fair.

Not sure if you use that phase, so I'll explain earnestly and then you can laugh at me if you were teasing

 

It just means that the bird is in a known location and wasn't passing by, so theoretically others could come and look for it. I'm sure if anyone got close to it, it would fly away and we'd be really challenged with actually "chasing" is haha

[campsafari2015]

Today was a bit quiet, but only because of what the previous days held. Just one new lifer for the day! 

 

198) Pectoral Sandpiper - 30 September (Monterey, CA)