Date: 11/6/24 10:05 pm From: Wim van Dam via groups.io <wim.van.dam...> Subject: Re: [sbcobirding] Santa Ynez Valley Birding, Nov. 5-6
Last Sunday, November 3, I birded Happy Canyon Road x Alisos Road as well,
and I had a similar experience. There were lots of passerines in the form
of many sparrows (including VESPER SPARROW) and various expected
Icterids.Best raptor was a NORTHERN HARRIER. There was also a very pale
colored COLLARED-DOVE, but it looked too big to be a bona-fide African
Collared-Dove.
Wim
On Wed, Nov 6, 2024 at 5:45 PM Florence Sanchez via groups.io
<sanchezucsb11...> wrote:
> Yesterday I birded along Happy Canyon and Alisos Roads in search of
> wintering birds and fall color. The vineyards are not in full color yet,
> but the Santa Ynez River cottonwoods at the Highway 154 crossing are
> coloring up very nicely. As for birds, there were lots of sparrows and
> Western Meadowlarks in the dry field at the corner of Alisos and Happy
> Canyon, but they were hard to pick out once they dropped into the dry
> vegetation. Savannah Sparrows were the most common here. Closer to
> Westerly Farm, White-crowns predominated. I found a lot of Western
> Bluebirds all along Alisos Road, but no Mountain Bluebirds yet and no
> Lewis's Woodpeckers. Raptors were few. Best bird was a Loggerhead Shrike
> near the north end of Alisos Road.
>
> Today I walked along Quiota Creek on Refugio Road. There was a lot of
> bird activity all along the road and it was a very pleasant place to bird.
> Most of the birds were expected winter residents of Oak and riparian
> habitats, but I heard at least one Steller's Jay (there may have been two
> more). I also spotted a fly-over Golden Eagle.
>
> For fall color, I found it in the red poison oak and yellowing
> cottonwoods, but the big-leaf maples are just starting. They will be more
> colorful in another couple of weeks. The creek is still flowing.
>
> Florence Sanchez
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