Re: [MDOsprey] California Birding

quiltbird@annapolis.net
Mon, 28 Jun 1999 22:25:51 -0400


>Dear Ospreyers,
>
>This week I will be heading out to California for a family
>vacation/birding trip (at least for me).  We're heading to LA, Barstow,
>Death Valley, Lone Pine, Devil's Postpile, Mono Lake area, Yosemite, San
>Fran, Monterrey, Ventura (hopefully the Channel Islands), and then fly
>out of LA again.  Any tips on locations in these areas for good birding?
>Thanks a million.
>
>Scott Guzewich
>Bel Air

In the Mono Lake area, at the north end of the lake is a small county park
with a boardwalk out to the edge of the lake.  It goes between tufa
formations. ( I've been told that great horned owls nest in the tufa.)
there were quite a few "dickeybirds" in brushy growth along path once when
I was there.  Good place for close looks at avocets, stilts, sometimes
phalaropes  and to watch the California gulls doing their dail "flight
training".  This is quite interesting I thought.  Each day after the young
gulls are fledged, a small number of adult gulls take the entire group of
young gulls up for flying time.  Stragglers get urged to catch up by
squawks and sometimes pecks.  As the young birds get older and stronger
they fly further --read  more trips up and down the lake.  Eventually they
are ready for the big test, over the Sierras to the coast for the winter.
I have no idea if the same adults do training duty every day or if they
rotate.
Don't miss a stop at the visitor center on the west side.  The employees
were very knowledgable birders when I was last there.  They'll know where
the regular birds are and if any rarieies are in the area.

The White Mountains are facscinating area.  The bristlecone pines growing
there are I believe the oldest known plants. ( Boreal chickadees, pygmy
nuthatches, golden eagles, and I think mountain bluebirds.) If you have
non-birders in your group, these kind of things help keep the interest going
.
Elkhorn Slough in the general vicinity of Monterrey is supposed to be great
birding.  Summer can be very foggy in that area. An early morning timing
was a poor choice.

The beaches north of San Diego at Torrey Pines State Park were full of
birds, mostly curlews.  There is an area just east of the park entrance
that is birdy--it's wet, a major attraction for wildlife, but not as
heavily used by humans as the park.

Says phoebes aren't too hard to find, but if you don't have one yet when
you go to Death Valley, they nest at Scottie's Castle. Nighthawks fly over
the pool at the motel at  ?? Furnace(not the big hotel comples with the
green grass in 120 degree heat)  This is from memory and it's failing me.
Also large bats.

You didn't mention Salton Sea.  Another fascinationg area. Snowy plovers
nest here.  Roadrunners abundant. And a rarity spot.

We didn't have very good luck at the oases in Anza Borrego and Twenty-nine
Palms, but we hit them in mid-day during a heat wave--even for them, it was
115 most days.

In Yosemite when you're finished at the visitor's center where the Native
American exhibit is out back) in the valley, walk out the door, turn left
and wander along the path, taking north or east forks when/ if it branches.
When you come to a bridge over a stream, stop.  I've had dippers here on
two different trips, (both mid-summer) terrific views as the bird walks in
water practically under your feet.  Acorn woodpeckers en route.

Beg, borrow or buy the Lane Guides for California.  The one that I have is
somewhat dated,  but I wouldn't go without it and the DeLorme Atlas. If you
are a member of ABA , take your membership list, or copy the pages on
California.  Questions? I'll try to answer.   These are just the things
that I recall off the top of my head.

Enjoy!
Linda Baker
quiltbird@annapolis.net