“People often ask me how it is that I seem to be so much at peace. There is a primary reason — and it is available to all who wish to have it. Here’s a simple prerequisite to attaining peace at that level. I invite you to observe the beasts, birds and fish and let them teach you. Let this be a daily routine and life, as you know it, will never be the same.”
– Eddie Bo

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Day 257 - Carpinteria Bluffs

This morning I headed down to the Carpinteria Bluffs.  Yesterday afternoon Peter Gaede reported a juvenile Black Oystercatcher there.  This is a bird I have not caught up with on the "mainland" of Santa Barbara County.  They are pretty easy to come by on the Channel Islands, but obviously that is beyond the capability of my bicycle.  I have chased after a few sightings of this bird this year without success so I figured the probability of this one still being there was low.

This time I actually timed my arrival with a low tide.  As I arrived I was pleased to see there were a number or shorebirds around.  I began scanning the shore and rocks in the area of the seal preserve.  No Oystercatchers to be seen, but I did spy an encouraging black blob on a rock to the west of me.  I made my way over there to get a closer look.  It was a black shorebird, but the wrong one - Black Turnstone.

I made my way back to the east and went down to the beach.  In the distance I saw a dark bird on the rocks with a long straight bill - very encouraging.  I trotted down the beach to find it was indeed a juvenile Black Oystercatcher!  The adults have dark black feathers, bright orange bill all the way down to the tip, and an orange ring around the eye.  Black Oystercatcher for #252!  This is another bird I did not expect to find this year, so I was quite pleased to finally track it down.


Black Oystercatcher - Juvenile

Black Oystercatcher - Juvenile

Black Oystercatcher - Juvenile

Other photos form today:

Cormorants - Brandt's and Pelagic (far right)

Marbled Godwit

Turkey Vulture

 Turkey Vulture


After the addition of this 1 species, the year's total stands at 252

Today I rode a total of 35.9 miles

More later,
Glenn

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