Day 282 - WarblerFest Returns And A Bet With Vermont

After yesterday's Swamp Sparrow debacle I was ready to head out and make some progress today.  There have been a number of reports of a Blackpoll Warbler in the same area that we saw the Prothonotary Warbler a couple days ago so that's where I headed.

When I arrived the trees in this area were once again very active with what seemed like a million Yellow-rumped Warblers.  The puddles in the creekbed have dried up considerably in the past couple of days.  In fact there was only one puddle that seemed to be attracting the vast majority of the warblers.

There was a constant flow of almost exclusively Yellow-rumped Warblers coming to the water.  Over time a number of other birders showed up, most of them hoping to see the Prothonotary Warbler.  It did not disappoint, coming in to the puddle 3 or 4 times while I was there.  It was nice to see some old and make some new friends.

In addition to the typical warbler species (Yellow-rumped, Orange-crowned, Yellow, Wilson's, Black-throated Gray, Townsend's) I also saw a Nashville Warbler.  Unfortunately when I was looking at the Nashville Warbler the Blackpoll Warbler made an appearance and I missed it!

Well persistence paid off once again, as about half an hour later the Blackpoll Warbler returned and a number of us got nice views as it visited the puddle.  No photos, but witnesses are just as good.  Blackpoll Warbler joins the list at #257!

By the time I made it home it was a balmy 97 degrees.

In other big news, the Santa Barbara Green Big Year is now officially in competition with the state of Vermont!  When I put out the news that I had reached 250 species my friend Tom Berriman, who lives in Vermont, pointed out that this was almost the same number of species that had been reported by all birders in the state of Vermont this year.  One thing led to another and Tom and I have agreed to a friendly wager.  If my species list for the Green Big Year surpasses all species reported in Vermont, Tom will donate $100 to the Santa Barbara Audubon Society.  If Vermont comes out on top I will donate $100 to Vermont Center For Ecostudies.  Presently I am at 257 species and Vermont is at 261 species.  I will keep the tally updated as it progresses.

Some distant photos from today:

Prothonotary Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler

A rather distant Nashville Warbler

After the addition of this 1 species, the year's total stands at 257

Today I rode a total of 24.7 miles

More later,

Glenn

Day 281 - Swamp Sparrow - Not!

Yesterday while I was chasing the Prothonotary Warbler around, Rob Denholz was reporting not one but 2 Swamp Sparrows at the Carpinteria Salt Marsh.  This is a bird I have yet to see this year, and in fact I have yet to catch up with in Santa Barbara County.

So this morning I pedaled down to the Salt Marsh in Carpinteria.  I headed to the spot where the birds were seen, but did not find them.  So I took a stroll around the area.  On the way back I saw Rob at that spot looking around with this binoculars.  I stopped along the way to get some photos of the local Savannah Sparrows.

When I arrived where Rob was I asked if he had seen any Swamp Sparrows.  "Yes, they were here."  "Just now?"  I asked.  "Yes, they just flew away."  Now, it is one thing to go looking for a bird and not find it.  It is an entirely different level of disappointment to miss a bird that was JUST there.  I was definitely regretting those Savannah Sparrow photos.

However, I did have some time and was hoping the Swamp Sparrows had not gone far and I might come across them yet.  After entertaining myself with the antics of a Kingfisher and Green Heron I noticed some nearby sparrow activity and went to investigate.  Bingo - Swamp Sparrows!  I managed a couple distant photos before the birds flew off.

UPDATE: At least I was convinced they were Swamp Sparrows.  Upon review of the photos by an expert with a more critical eye, it was pointed out that these are in fact Lincoln's Sparrows.  You can see in the lower photo the most common ID feature of a Lincoln's Sparrow, the finely streaked breast with a buffy band across the upper breast.  This is why it is always good to have photo evidence.  Embarrassed to make a bad ID call, but my education continues ...


A few photos from today:

Lincoln's Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow - Belding's

Belted Kingfisher - Juvenile Female

Belted Kingfisher - Juvenile Female

Green Heron

After today the year's total still stands at 256.

Today I rode a total of 31.3 miles

More later,

Glenn

Day 280 - The Return Of Prothonotary Warbler

Wednesday again already so that means Bird Class.  Today we headed to Coronado Drive, home of the famous Coronado Seep.  I have been spending my share of time there this fall.

Within the last couple of days a Prothonotary Warbler has been seen nearby.  You may recall this is a bird typically found in the eastern portion of the US.  It is not known if this is the same individual seen at the seep a couple of weeks ago.  In any case our teacher Joan Lentz thought it would be great to see this bird, so we went to the spot where it had been seen.  

The trees here were heavily infested with the Lerp Psyllid and crawling with warblers.  Mostly Yellow-Rumped Warblers.  Since the recent arrival of the wintering Yellow-Rumped Warblers it can be much more difficult to find the unusual warblers.  There are just so many Yellow-rumps around it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

We were unsuccessful in locating the Prothonotary Warbler, so made the rounds of the area stopping at the seep along the way and then again at the end of the class.  There was a good level of bird activity and we got good looks at the expected species but saw nothing unusual.

After class was officially over a number of us stayed at the seep for awhile and watched a fairly slow but steady stream of visiting birds.  I left the group and headed back to the Prothonotary Warbler spot.  Here I met Adrian O'Loghlen who said he had seen the bird several times in the last hour or so.  We walked over to where he had seen it and sure enough there it was!  We had great views as it worked its way through a low tree nearby.  

I texted Joan that the Prothonotary Warbler was present.  She and the remaining members of the class arrived shortly thereafter.  Miraculously the bird reappeared and all present got really nice looks at this beauty.  Many photos were taken.  It was a joyous occasion.

Although this is a species I had already seen this year it was a real pleasure to see it again.

A couple distant photos from this morning:

Prothonotary Warbler

Note Lerp-infested leaves.

 Prothonotary Warbler

Also present this morning was a Giant Swallowtail Butterfly.  Apparently there have been an increasing number of these beauties seen in our area lately.

Giant Swallowtail

After today the year's total still stands at 256. 

Today I rode a total of 28.1 miles

More later,

Glenn

Day 279 - Elings Park

Today I had a brief window to look for birds so I headed to Elings Park which is close to home.  There have been some good bird sightings here over time, and migration is still happening so it is possible that something unusual might be hanging around.

I strolled around the top of the park for about 45 minutes without seeing anything out of the ordinary.  There were basically no warblers around anywhere.  I started looking at a sparrow working through the fennel and I could immediately see it was not the usual resident sparrow (White-crowned or Savannah).  

I followed the sparrow around and also got some photos.  I was pretty convinced it was a juvenile Chipping Sparrow but not 100% certain.  You may recall I found a juvenile Chipping Sparrow about 3 weeks ago at La Mesa Park.  This one shared the basic ID features but did have a bit of a different look to it, so I sent photos to Mark Holmgren who kindly confirmed my suspicions.  I hoped that I was wrong and it was actually a Brewer's Sparrow (which I have yet to see this year) but it was not to be.  Those young sparrows can be challenging!

Some photos from this morning:

Chipping Sparrow - Juvenile

Chipping Sparrow - Juvenile

Chipping Sparrow - Juvenile.  And a snail!

After today the year's total still stands at 256. 

Today I rode a total of 2.6 miles

More later,

Glenn

Day 278 - Atascadero Creek

After a nice rainstorm yesterday I asked around to see if there was a particularly good spot to check  after it rains.  I got the suggestion that Atascadero Creek in Goleta might be a good bet, so I went there.  Although I have seen plenty of good bird sightings reported from here, it never seems to produce anything much for me.  Would today be my lucky day?

It was a nice cool and clear morning, the first hint we have had that a change in the seasons is coming.

I started at the Eastern end of the bike path so the light would be behind me - nothing worse than looking into the sun.  As I made my way towards the west I encountered my first Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Hermit Thrush of the season.  There was a fair level of bird activity, which picked up significantly as I crossed over Patterson Avenue.  I spent a good amount of time covering the next stretch as there were a bunch of birds to pick through.

The most interesting thing I found was a Black-and-White Warbler working along some tree trunks adjacent to the bike path.  It was not cooperative for the camera.  Other than that it was the usual suspects.  Along the way I was passed by Florence Sanchez, who let me know there was a female Wood Duck ahead in the creek.  And sure enough, there was.

I got some nice photos of the Wood Duck that I would love to share with you but managed to delete them from the camera before they were copied to my computer.  Arrgh!

After today the year's total still stands at 256. 

Today I rode a total of 22.4 miles

More later,

Glenn

Day 276 - Two Birds From One Stone

Last evening Peter Schneekloth reported (among other things) a Palm Warbler in the creek at Refugio State Beach.  This is a bird I have yet to see this year.  As this looked like the best prospect for the day I left early and headed out there for the second time this week.  I arrived without incident about 745AM and took up a spot standing on a large rock near the creek bed.

There was a good level of activity with birds coming to the water.  Within just a few minutes I saw a rather dull brown warbler with a bright yellow area under its tail - the Palm Warbler!  It flew down onto a rock about 10 feet from me, pumping its tail as Palm Warblers do.  It took off before I could get my camera on it.  I did see it again later but it was no more cooperative for the camera the second time around.  Palm Warbler joins the list at #255!

Within moments of sighting the Palm Warbler I noticed a smallish light-breasted sparrow coming to the water.  It was not close and kept hopping around among the plants but I did get good looks at it.  It had a clean light breast, gray nape, patterned face and thin white stripe down the center of its crown.  I got some rather poor photos which I studied a bit to confirm this is a Clay-colored Sparrow.  An unexpected bonus bird and #256 for the year!  In fact this is the first Clay-colored Sparrow I have seen anywhere.

I was not the only one thinking it would be a good idea to visit Refugio State Beach today.  By the time I left around 9AM there were at least 4 other birders enjoying the steady stream of birds coming to the water.

Also today I surpassed the 3,000 mile mark for the Green Big Year.

Another fine morning with the birds!

Some photos from this morning:

Clay-colored Sparrow

Clay-colored Sparrow.  Note gray nape (back of neck)

Lincoln's Sparrow

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

After the addition of this 2 species, the year's total stands at 256

Today I rode a total of 48.2 miles

More later,

Glenn

Day 275 - Great Horned Owl

This morning I was undecided about where to go look for birds.  By habit I headed out to Goleta, stopping first at the Coronado Seep.  Still hoping for those unusual migrant warblers.  There has been some brush clearing done here lately which has opened up the viewing area quite a bit.  The birds still come to the water but since there is less cover they seemed to be more skittish.

I stayed at the seep for about an hour.  There was a pretty good flow of birds coming through but nothing new or rare.  There was a visit from a Red-breasted Nuthatch, and later I heard two of them calling simultaneously.  Perhaps this will be a year when we will see many of these birds in the coastal lowlands.  

While watching at the seep Nick Lethaby stopped by on his morning scout of the surrounding area.  He pointed me to a Great Horned Owl resting in a tree - hiding out in the open.  This is a species I have heard this year but not yet seen.  The Owl was cooperative with the camera as nearby wrens, jays, and even hummingbirds made their displeasure with its presence known.

On my way home I had time for a brief stop at Goleta Beach.  The most notable birds here were an American Avocet, a Dunlin, and 3 Common Terns.  These terns seem to be actually becoming somewhat common!

Some photos from today:

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch 

Townsend's Warbler

Western Tanager

Dunlin (Left) and Western Sandpiper (Right)

After today the year's total still stands at 254. 

Today I rode a total of 25.9 miles

More later,

Glenn