Central California

Well, we couldn't have asked for a better day! I showed up at the community center at six, met my co-leader Marlin, grabbed a bite to eat and met the other handful of folks that was coming with us to look for sparrows on the Carrizo Plain! Noel was our driver, and was a big teddy bear of a guy who was great at getting us out there and back without causing any seasickness J and could spot the birds and position the van well, too. Magpies on the way out were nice.

We stopped for a picture perfect Ferruginous Hawk once into the valley, and at the fire station we had a very cooperative Loggerhead Shrike and some distant Whitecrowns. We headed on down to the visitor's center, and on the way a flock of Sandhill Cranes sailed in front of us and landed practically next to the van! That was the first miracle: what a show! Once at the center road we crawled slowly along and hit pay dirt: a Vesper and Savannah Sparrow sat up on the fence together, giving great comparative views! That was the second miracle! We also had some nice views of all ages of Whiteys at the potties, plus another Ferrugie on a distant pole.

           

                                                                                                                                    Sandhill Cranes                                                                                                       Ferruginous

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Hawk

He headed straight up to the Soda Lake Nature Trail after that, where right on cue, the Sage Sparrows came blasting in towards the end of the dirt trail! Several came very close for great views! The Avocet flock out in the lake was almost anticlimactic! We also had a California Gull sailing around for good measure, as well as a male Harrier doing acrobatics. Savannahs were also cooperative for those that didn't get enough views earlier...

 

Our Gang at the Soda Lake Nature Trail (and I hope I remembered the names correctly...)

L-R: Noel (helping Don out of the van), Madelyn, Jan, Ann, Emily, and Marlin Harms, my co-leader

 

       

 

The Sage Sparrows came through again; this is the intermediate "Saltbush" race, that looks like the "Bell's" but acts more like the "Desert"!

 

 

Sage Sparrow habitat at the lake

 

 

The crew enjoying a flock of Avocets out on the lake

 

From there we headed to Spraguehill Road (which on the street sign says San Diego Creek Road), where we stopped at some pinyons per Rosemary's suggestion, and after a couple of minutes another miracle: a big flock of Lark Sparrows came right into the tree in front of us and started singing! What a show! A Golden Eagle also flew overhead, but I got all excited about the Roadrunner singing in the distance! Eventually everyone got to hear him, and as we continued up the road Marlin actually spotted him, and most people got a good look. The Sage Thrasher was still around and gave everyone good looks, and we also had some nice looks at Horned Larks further down. The blackbirds were still hanging around an old piece of farm equipment, so we got to pick out several nice Tricoloreds for the folks.

   

                                Lark Sparrows                                                                            Marlin sifts through the blackbird flock for a Tricolored

Don tries to kick up more sparrows at a little draw

After that we headed out Gaviota and found the Mountain Bluebirds where they were the other day, plus a huge flock of Long-billed Curlews in the field! Around the corner the Golden Eagle was still on the fence post, but the Baldies must have left for other hunting grounds. We did spot a dark morph Ferruginous Hawk that gave great views, and while watching him Marlin saw a big mob of something in the background, and when we all finally got on it, the best we could figure was a flock of curlews, as not only were they brown but he figured geese were more organized than these guys!  A herd of Pronghorn was a nice mammal sighting as well!

   

We spot a massive Long-billed Curlew flock along Gaviota Road

       

Dark morph Ferruginous Hawk

  

We pause to enjoy a herd of Pronghorn

 

From there we headed up to the willows on 58 to see if we could spot any owls, but nada (got a Robin out of it). Headed back down Seven Mile Road, and Noel wanted to take us down Elkhorn for a shot at Mountain Plover, seeing as they had some back in there for the Christmas Count (I believe it was). We dipped on that, but on the way back to Seven Mile cutting across Arrowbear, we had a beautiful Prairie Falcon that flew by and posed on a post! Another big Golden Eagle gave us a great look as well!

Highway 58 heading towards the Tremblor Range

Riparian draw where owls apparently like to roost

                   

                                                        Prairie Falcon                                                    Desert Cottontail back at the visitor's center

We needed to be heading back by then, so we ran down to the visitor's center one last time, and the Ferrugie was still on his telephone pole! We thought that was pretty funny... We allowed a real quick stop at the farm pond on 58 where this time the Ross' Goose was resting peacefully with the domestics!

Headed back to town, a vanload of happy campers!
 

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