I set out this morning without a particular plan. I like these days when I am not chasing anything specific. It is nice not to be looking for that ONE BIRD, just look and see what's around.
I started at Goleta Beach. In the slough there was a pair of American Avocets. Though not rare, they are not common here either so it is always nice to see them. On the beach I found a Common Tern, and for a change it was very cooperative and posed for photos. This is a bird I have seen a couple times this year but not this well.
I made my way towards the old Ocean Meadows Golf Course. I thought this might be a good place to find some sparrows. I still need to find Brewer's and Clay-colored Sparrows. When I first arrived there was a pair of American Kestrels putting on quite an airshow, zooming all over the place. They were fun to watch. Their behavior may have contributed to the lack of sparrows I was finding. I did finally come across a small group of White-crowned Sparrows. These birds are just arriving for their winter stay. Soon they will be all over the place. I got a brief glimpse of a sparrow in a tree that had the potential for a Brewer's Sparrow, but it disappeared before I could get a good long look at it. After that I could not find it again. So close - or maybe just my imagination?
I headed to the Coronado Seep again hoping for an unusual warbler. I was surprised to see that the water level in the puddle had risen again since my last visit. Shortly after arriving the warbler parade started and a MacGillivray's Warbler appeared and took a rather extended bath. This is another species I had seen before in the year but not this well. It did however manage to avoid the camera lens.
Though no new species today another enjoyable morning with the birds.
Some photos from today:
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
American Avocet
Great Blue Heron
Scaly-breasted Munia
After today the year's total still stands at 253.
Today I rode a total of 31.5 miles
More later,
Glenn
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