Date: 1/8/25 9:04 pm From: Ralph via groups.io <sharks_hockey_maniac...> Subject: [StanislausBirds] East county grasslands birds
Today I decided to spend the afternoon in the grasslands of eastern Stanislaus County.
The day got off to a good start when I stopped at Wendys in Oakdale and heard a Phainopepla call from the mistletoe-laden tree next to the entrance to the parking lot. It officially became a good day when I saw the male Phainopepla perched at the top of the tree when I walked back to my car after getting my burger.
Then I headed for Willms Road. It was very slow birding from 108 to the Willms Road pond and the pond itself was almost completely devoid of bird life (2 each Pied-billed Grebe and coot, one Killdeer and one each Red-winged and Brewer's Blackbirds were all I could turn up there). There was a Rock Wren (new for my year list) just south of the pond, though.
A little further down the road I found two Ferruginous Hawks, a Prairie Falcon and two more Rock Wrens and then I had my first surprise of the day, a SAGE THRASHER at the metal corral at 37.7702199, -120.6203486. This bird was not very cooperative, though, and dropped down off its perch after I squeezed off one burst of photos and I did not relocate it. At the intersection of Willms and Rock River Road I also had a single Tricolored Blackbird in a huge flock of mostly Brewer's Blackbirds.
Next I drove up Rock River Road (RRR) to the county line. On RRR I found two Bald Eagles (one adult and one third year), another Ferruginous Hawk, a Prairie Falcon (possibly the same one I saw on Willms, they both had similar looking prey items and the Willms Road bird had flown east after I took my photos) and my second surprise of the day: another SAGE THRASHER! This thrasher was at 37.7588250, -120.5624256 and was almost exactly three miles from where I had seen the first one. It was much more cooperative, however, and stayed along the fence line and only moved a few yards away from the fence when a couple of Jeeps went roaring past. When I came back from the county line this bird was in the exact same spot where I originally found it.
Lastly I drove down Cooperstown Road until it started getting dark. I found a Lewis's Woodpecker, and while I was trying to photograph it another Bald Eagle flew past. I saw one each Barn and Great Horned Owl on the way home, too.
All in all, a very good day. But it's always a good day when you see a Phainoplepla.
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Happy birding, and, as always, may the light be with you,
Ralph Baker, Riverbank, CA
