Date: 11/10/24 11:54 am From: Phil Brown <pdpbrown...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Epic morning birding in Santa Cruz
On this chilly but bright morning Elisabeth and I set out to see some of the recent rarities. We started at Wilder and went to the PROTHONOTARY WARBLER spot and were rewarded quickly as Elisabeth spotted the bird and we got some great looks at what is an undoubtedly beautiful warbler. As we headed back a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK flew over. Inspired by this good start we decided to walk the Ohlone loop, and our first birds were a flock of CALIFORNIA QUAIL just on the edge of the parking lot, accompanied by some WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. Askew walked the trail out to the overlook we heard and then saw 3 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, otherwise that section was fairly quiet. Out ot the overlook though we could see large flocks of birds on the beach. There were WHIMBRELS, LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, MARBLED GODWITS, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS and hundreds of SANDERLINGS. Gulls included HEERMAN'S, RING BILLED, WESTERN and CALIFORNIAN. There were rafts of SURF SCOTERS off the beach and strings of BRANDT'S CORMORANTS and BROWN PELICANS. We also spotted an EARED-GREBE out in the waves. We bushwhacked up to the fence at the corner of the first field with the hopes of an AMERICAN PIPIT or 2 (we got 3) but other unexpected birds included 2 PACIFIC-GOLDEN PLOVERS out in a patch of green in the middle of the field, WESTERN MEADOWLARKS and a juvenile WHITE-TAILED kite perched on the fence (nice to see this bird back in the county). The waves were high so we did not see many shorebirds that favor the rock ledges but we did get some BLACK TURNSTONES and a pair of BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS. As we walked further along Elisabeth spotted a swallow, and we counted at least 18 TREE SWALLOWS flying quickly South. We added RED-TAILED HAWK and NORTHERN HARRIER to our list and just before returning to the warbler spot Elisabeth spotted a PEREGRINE FALCON. We had 52 species for the loop (some only heard). We decided to ride our luck and went to the LARK BUNTING spot on Lighthouse, where I managed to get us and a small group of other birders on the bird. Phil Brown and Elisabeth Foster.
