What are huge and blubbery and make outlandish snorting sounds? And what were they doing on a beach in California?
We recently spent a week back in our old haunts—Silicon Valley, Monterey and Pacific Grove, the central California coast, southern California. Aside from some great times visiting friends and an abundance of scrumptious meals, the trip mostly reminded me how grateful I am to live in Colorado now. However, I do miss the ocean!
As birders, our goal when going birding is to see—birds! We may or may not have a target species we’re seeking, but a trip is generally rated as a success or a dud by the number of species we see. Rarities are a bonus.
But there’s another part of birding we might overlook. Just being out in the field means we have a shot at seeing other aspects of nature. Wildflowers and insects (especially butterflies and dragonflies) are garnering much attention these days, and for good reason. They’re just as interesting as birds, and more of a challenge. (Have you ever tried ID-ing a moth or beetle?)
To refresh your memory, here is the photo from March’s Bird Quiz. It was taken in California during the month of March. Don’t read any further if you want one last chance to identify this bird.
To refresh your memory, here again is the photo for Bird Quiz #2. Read no further if you still want to have a shot at identifying this bird.
I saw this bird in Santa Cruz, California in February. We were standing on the sea wall north of the pier, scanning the ocean for anything interesting. I took the photo through my scope in hopes of getting a better look, then pulled out the field guide.
(Make sure you also saw Bird Quiz #1 last month!)
Can you identify this bird? The photo was taken in Santa Cruz, California in February. This is exactly how I saw it from shore though my binoculars. The lower photo is cropped and enlarged in hopes of showing more detail. Sorry for the poor quality, but this is what I had to work with. My answer will appear next Monday.
I’m in California, and the birding is great! A generous friend gave my husband and I a pair of “buddy passes” on Alaska Airlines, and we used them to fly to Sacramento.
I ticked off Great Egret before the wheels even touched the runway. Not a bad start, even if it was pouring rain.
Keeping my notebook handy, I added a Yellow-rumped Warbler foraging outside the terminal and the huge flock of Brewer’s Blackbirds that filled the parking lot. Birding from the freeway is always a challenge, especially in a heavy downpour, but I listed 16 more species in the next 20 miles.
Also known as Garrett’s Firechalice and Garrett’s California Fuchsia, Epilobium canum* is a spectacular plant for the fall garden, no matter what you call it. Flaming orange-red flowers from early July until frost make California Fuchsia a focal point in any xeric garden. Low-growing mounds of narrow, grey-green leaves spread two feet wide. The brilliant blossoms are a hummingbird magnet, giving them yet another common name, “Hummingbird Trumpet.” Plants look especially nice in front of contrasting companions such as dark junipers, purple asters, or silvery Artemisias.
Mountain Plover 