First Hawkwatch -- Aug 13, 2005
My first Hawkwatch as a volunteer with the GGRO (Golden Gate Raptor Observatory) was quite eventful for me despite Hawk Hill being entirely fogged in. Given our options due to the fog I subtley pressed for us hiking up Bobcat Trail to see if we could find the known nesting Great Horned Owls there. Sure enough we found one asleep in a Eucalyptus tree -- my first ever Great Horned Owl and only the second owl I've seen in the wild.
The other life birds for me on that day were rather common birds, but since my bird knowledge extends only to raptors right now -- and that fairly limited -- I needed the others in the group's expertise to tell me what I was seeing so as to fill out the everyday birds in my life list.
But even with that I think I discovered that one of the birds they ID'd was wrong. A group of three flycatchers was identified as olive-sided, but looking at my guide book at home I am fairly certain they were Ash-Throated Flycatchers. The ruddy tail tells me they were not olive-sided.
I also saw a Wilson's Warbler, Lesser Goldfinch, Song Sparrow, and a Heerman's Gull. But the most impressive addition was that of a Marsh Wren. A very recognizable song, but "You'll never see him, so don't even bother looking," they said. That just forced me to scan even harder through my binos. This was my first day after all. I've got to show them how stubborn I can be. Lo and behold I saw some of the reeds shaking in the exact spot the song was coming from. And then I saw him, sitting on a reed obscured by several other reeds. But while I was trying to describe his location to the others, he jumped up to about 3/4's way up a reed and clung there out in the open for a good 45 seconds before disappearing back into the marsh. Fortunately, everyone got a look.
We also spent some time trying to ID another warbler. They hadn't seen this little yellow guy before and we did not get too many good looks at it. But based on the type of dark grey/black cap, I think it may have beed a Tennessee Warbler which would be rare but not impossible for the California coast. It may not have been that though.
All in all I'm thrilled to be a part of the GGRO and their mission. Check them out: http://www.ggro.org/
Saturday, we field trip to the valley to see a few hundred Swainson's Hawks before they begin their trek to Argentina to feast on beetles. I'll keep you posted.
The other life birds for me on that day were rather common birds, but since my bird knowledge extends only to raptors right now -- and that fairly limited -- I needed the others in the group's expertise to tell me what I was seeing so as to fill out the everyday birds in my life list.
But even with that I think I discovered that one of the birds they ID'd was wrong. A group of three flycatchers was identified as olive-sided, but looking at my guide book at home I am fairly certain they were Ash-Throated Flycatchers. The ruddy tail tells me they were not olive-sided.
I also saw a Wilson's Warbler, Lesser Goldfinch, Song Sparrow, and a Heerman's Gull. But the most impressive addition was that of a Marsh Wren. A very recognizable song, but "You'll never see him, so don't even bother looking," they said. That just forced me to scan even harder through my binos. This was my first day after all. I've got to show them how stubborn I can be. Lo and behold I saw some of the reeds shaking in the exact spot the song was coming from. And then I saw him, sitting on a reed obscured by several other reeds. But while I was trying to describe his location to the others, he jumped up to about 3/4's way up a reed and clung there out in the open for a good 45 seconds before disappearing back into the marsh. Fortunately, everyone got a look.
We also spent some time trying to ID another warbler. They hadn't seen this little yellow guy before and we did not get too many good looks at it. But based on the type of dark grey/black cap, I think it may have beed a Tennessee Warbler which would be rare but not impossible for the California coast. It may not have been that though.
All in all I'm thrilled to be a part of the GGRO and their mission. Check them out: http://www.ggro.org/
Saturday, we field trip to the valley to see a few hundred Swainson's Hawks before they begin their trek to Argentina to feast on beetles. I'll keep you posted.
posted by Chuck Baldwin at 9:49 PM
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