Review: Billingham Hadley Digital camera bag
Oops, almost a week late here, but last Monday, 1 October, I birded Shoreline at Mountain View Park and had a fine time of it, although I didn’t see any rarities.
American White Pelicans, American Coots, Ducks, and Dowitchers in Charleston Slough
Ducks have begun to arrive en masse, and the slough was chock-full of them — Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, and Mallards mostly. A smattering of Avocets and Godwits dotted the pond by the observation deck, but with a high tide, few other shorebirds were afoot, and I didn’t see any skimmers or terns. A male Ring-necked Pheasant and I shared mutual startlement when it flushed from some reedy twigs – I don’t recall seeing any RNPH here before, although they’re pretty common at the nearby Palo Alto Baylands.
Juvenile Double-crested Cormorant
Shoreline Lake had mostly the usual birds, Double-crested Cormorants, a great many American Coots, a couple of Greater Yellowlegs, some Willets, many Pied-billed Grebes, and a few Mallards. The trees along the eastern shore were mostly quiet, with only White-crowned Sparrows foraging in the underbrush.
A Willet, looking up for raptors
Past the boathouse the trees were more active with passerines — Bushtits, a (probable) Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Yellow Warblers, Black Phoebes, a Savannah Sparrow, and Mourning Doves were all working the foliage and/or understory, but none posed for a photograph. The burrows sometimes inhabited by Burrowing Owls were devoid of life, except for a squirrel poking its head out. I don’t think these burrows were used this year, as I haven’t seen any BUOW there, nor have I read any reports of any.
Juvenile American Coot
Back at Shoreline Lake I saw no new birds, and walked the path through the eastern trees and shrubs, hoping for migrants. I saw none, although a Northern Mockingbird and a pair of California Towhees made an appearance.
Glaucous-winged Gull
As I made my way back to the car, a Glaucous-winged Gull had taken up perch where the Greater Yellowlegs had been on the north shore of Shoreline Lake. The small path just east of the parking lot proved empty, with no birds of any sort seen or heard, and with that, my little walk concluded.
Although I didn’t see anything terribly unusual, there was, as is often the case here, a good variety of birds to be seen.
Birds seen (37 species):
– American Avocet
– American Coot
– American Crow
– American White Pelican
– Black Phoebe
– Black-crowned Night Heron
– Black-necked Stilt
– Bushtit
– California Towhee
– Canada Goose
– Chestnut-backed Chickadee
– Cinnamon Teal
– Double-crested Cormorant
– Gadwall
– Glaucous-winged Gull
– Great Blue Heron
– Great Egret
– Greater Yellowlegs
– Green-winged Teal
– Mallard
– Marbled Godwit
– Mourning Dove
– Northern Mockingbird
– Northern Pintail
– Northern Shoveler
– Pacific-slope Flycatcher
– Pied-billed Grebe
– Ring-billed Gull
– Ring-necked Pheasant
– Rock Pigeon
– Savannah Sparrow
– Snowy Egret
– Turkey Vulture
– Western Gull
– White-crowned Sparrow
– Willet
– Yellow Warbler
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I enjoyed the photos as usual, especially the Willet and the classic one of the Gull.
Great shots Adam, really like the Willet, especially how he seems to be looking out for something. Very nice work.
you photos are always so crisp and perfectly framed! I just love seeing all the great birds that you find on your trips!
This looks like another really good birding spot; I’ll have to keep it in mind. What time of day did you visit, Adam? I walked along the Perk Ponds (near Hwys 17 and 85) on Sunday afternoon and only saw 14 species. I got a few decent photos, so I’ll post them in another day or so. Thanks for sharing your finds.
Montucky: Thanks!
Bernie: According to the fellow teaching my ornithology class, that Willet probably saw a raptor far overhead and was keeping an eye on it.
Monarch: Thank you 🙂 I admit most of the framing is done after the fact, as I crop nearly all of my bird photos – it’s pretty rare for me to get close enough, especially to small birds, to fill the whole frame with them!
Mary: Yes, it’s a fantastic birding spot! I always go in late afternoon, but that’s only because that’s the only time I can be there, what with work and all. I highly recommend checking it out – drop a comment if you’re not sure where it is.