I remember in 2011 (see SLOCOBIRDING posts for 11/6,7,8/2011), driving my home from Hearst Castle to Cambria, and seeing a LOT of egrets and WTKI on a field just south of San Simeon State Campground. Without a camera or binoculars I continued home after talking with a man who was camping there. He said that the ranger noted there was a “vole explosion” and the man thought that there were over 50 birds coming in to roost at night in the willows (now gone with the treatment plant). I notified SLOCOBIRDING that night: 11/6/2011. The next night, with camera and binoculars in hand, I stopped at San Simeon Creek Road just below the campground and joined Kaaren Perry and Maggie Smith who were already there. We counted 107 WTKI coming in to roost that evening. It was quite the experience. A RSHA flew over and the WTKIs were unmoved, staying perched on the top of the willows. Then a RTHA flew over and the WTKIs all took cover.
