Birds I'm Watching: Spring Lake (November 10, 2010)

I joined a group yesterday for a quick morning walk around Spring Lake while waiting for work to come in. It was a warm and misty morning, but quickly cleared and there was a lot of activity. For some reason, there were ruby-crowned kinglets everywhere. I counted more than 20. In total, the group saw more than 30. One was rather cooperative as I took its picture (above). A Great egret was equally cooperative, posed (uncharacteristically) on a very high branch (below). Got excellent views of a sharp-shinned hawk and crow fighting overhead. Two female ring-necked ducks were unusual. There were nine buffleheads on the lake, first of the season for me. Winter is approaching.

Birds I saw were: Canada goose, Mallard (140), Ring-necked duck, Bufflehead, Ruddy duck, California quail, Pied-billed grebe, Eared grebe, Double-crested cormorant, Great blue heron, Great egret, Green heron, Turkey vulture, Sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered hawk, Merlin, Sora (heard only), Coot, Ring-billed gull, Belted kingfisher, Acorn woodpecker, Downy woodpecker, Flicker, Black phoebe, Hutton's vireo, Steller's jay, Scrub jay, Crow, Raven, Chestnut-backed chickadee, Titmouse, bushtits, Bewick's wren, Ruby-crowned kinglet (20+), Hermit thrush, Robin, Cedar waxwing, Yellow-rumped warbler (both Audubon's and Myrtle types), Townsend's warbler, Spotted towhee, California towhee, White-crowned sparrow, Golden-crowned sparrow, Purple finch, House finch, and American goldfinch. Forty-nine species in total.

The merlin was a first for me and the purple finch a first in Sonoma County for me. That brings my Sonoma County total to 190, my life total to 321.

For more information about bird watching in Sonoma County, see my Website Sonoma County Bird Watching Spots