Birds I'm Watching: Hermit Warbler at Bodega Bay

I drove out to Bodega Bay today on the spur of the moment, having heard that a couple of Hermit Warblers were present at Owl Canyon. I arrived in time to see one briefly before it flitted off (a first-fall female, I believe, because of the lack of black at the throat). This was my first sighting of this species. I got one decent shot before the bird left (above). A pair of American Redstarts was also reported at the same location, but I failed to see them--which is too bad, as that would have been two life birds in one day. I may run out there again tomorrow to try again. Other birds of note were a Peregrine Falcon flying by, a group of Wild Turkeys on the hill behind the canyon, and a Willow Flycatcher (I'm pretty sure).

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

Birds I'm Watching: Warblers at Bodega Bay (September 9, 2010)

Well, it's that time of year. Migration is under way. In the coming weeks there should be good opportunities to see unusual warblers and other birds passing through our area on the way to warmer climates to the south. One famous spot--famous among local bird watchers, anyway--for finding warblers at this time of year is Owl Canyon (not official; only bird watchers appear to know the place by this name), near Campbell Cove, at Bodega Bay (look for the eucalyptus trees on the right as you head out to the Cove).

For the last couple of days, a black-and-white warbler has been hanging out there. I went to find it yesterday--and succeeded. It was in a scraggly pine at the extreme right of the trees on that side of the entrance to the Canyon (the end away from Campbell Cove, a good 150 yards from the entrance). A very pretty bird. The day before, I saw a Macgillivry's warbler in the Canyon itself, low down and just inside the entrance. Two life birds in two days, bringing my total to 312, with 182 species in Sonoma County. Progress, but 312 is not even 3% of the number of bird species on Earth.

Illustration: Black-and-white warblers from The Bird Book, by Chester A. Reed, 1915 (public domain).

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

Birds I'm Watching: Bodega

Spent a very productive day birding at Bodega with a group from the Madrone Audubon Society, the first time I've ever been out with a group of people who know the area well. Usually I go out on my own. Saw a total of 35 species, six of which were first sightings for me--Vaux's swift, long-billed dowitcher, short-billed dowitcher, Wilson's warbler, semi-palmated plover, and pied-billed grebe. Other birds sighted were an immature red-tailed hawk, crow, American goldfinch, turkey vulture, scrub jay, song sparrow, Osprey, Western grebe, Western gull, whimbrel, willet, Western sandpiper, black turnstone, ruddy turnstone, black oystercatcher, brown pelican, white pelican, great blue heron, great egret, Brandt's cormorant, pelagic cormorant, double-crested cormorant, common murre, common loon, pacific loon, brandt, barn swallow, violet-green swallow, and black-bellied plover.