On Tuesday, my spouse and I travelled 1750 miles (2,800 km) from our residence of thirty years in Morelia, to the area wherein I grew up, the San Mateo Peninsula of the San Francisco Bay Space in California. This isn’t a birding journey; we are attempting to cope with many logistical life points which have amassed over the previous a number of years. However will I chook? In fact I’ll!
In truth, I have already got.
Each time I’ve made this journey lately, I’ve hoped to have the ability to take part in a subject journey of the native Sequoia Audubon Society. And every time, my schedule and theirs didn’t mesh. However this time, it turned out that not one, not two, however 4 S.A.S outings had been deliberate for the times we’d be up right here.
I received’t be capable to go to all of those. However I used to be up vibrant and early on my first full day right here, for the primary obtainable subject journey. (The second, on this very Saturday morning, is anticipated to coincide with some heavy, late rains. I count on that nobody will probably be going.) We went to Woodside’s Jasper Ridge Organic Protect, and a restricted-access part, at that.
My solely different expertise with an Audubon Membership subject journey wherever, on a chilly October morning within the American Midwest, was frankly form of a bust. However this one was an exquisite expertise. Leaders Emily and Sonny have been very educated, and clearly had a lot expertise in making outings pleasurable for a mix of skilled and starting birders. And sure, a number of of the of the dozen or so “followers” have been additionally very educated. A pair of women appeared to know extra about vegetation and butterflies than about birds, which I loved.
Kudos additionally to Davena, who managed the signups for the journey and different logistics. She has been sharing all kinds of knowledge with me about seabird sightings alongside the San Mateo county Pacific coast, since she came upon that was a possible space of development for me. Based on my record, which in some way ended up being the official group record, we noticed 41 species in about 4 hours. 23 have been birds I might additionally count on to see in Michoacán, which would be the topic for a later publish. 11 have been new for my California lifelist. Of those, two have been “eBird lifers”. I had a lot hoped to see California Quails, which I noticed many occasions as a toddler rising up in California, however had by no means seen as an eBirding grownup. To my shock, I had additionally by no means included a Wild Turkey on an eBird record earlier than Tuesday. Each have been welcome additions.
Two different species additionally warmed my California-boy coronary heart. After I was a young person, Band-tailed Pigeons discovered my birdfeeder by the home wherein I lived. Their wingbeats seemed like clapping after they would take off. So by the point we had 30 of them coming for cracked corn, I’d hear thunderous applause each time I opened our residence’s again door. The neighbors, complicated these for undesirable Rock Pigeons, ultimately complained, and I needed to shut down the Band-tailed Pigeon buffet. (At Jasper Ridge, we noticed 20. In idea they are often present in central Mexico, however I’ve solely seen a pair there.)
And a giant a part of the soundtrack of my hill-climbing days needed to do with a little bit chook referred to as the Wrentit, a California specialty with a name like a pingpong ball bouncing down stairs. None have been seen at Jasper Ridge, however their name rang out in every single place.
After which there was my one true lifer for the journey. I had identified to my neighbors an odd cuk-cuk-cuk-cuk name as we got here round a bend within the path. Then we heard what could be drumming. Lastly, a birder up entrance cried out, “A Pileated Woodpecker!”, and all of us rushed up for a unbelievable view of this, the third-largest surviving woodpecker on this planet. It was busy knocking huge chunks of bark off a tree department, and didn’t appear in any respect involved about our presence. Davena cried out, “My nemesis!”
Sadly, this glorious encounter occurred simply after my “new” (used) journey digital camera ran out of cost. We’ve got far to go earlier than I’ll get that relationship so as, I can guarantee you. This publish’s small variety of pictures serves to verify that reality.
The 2 birds on the high of this publish are Double-crested Cormorants, seen on the Reserve’s reservoir.
On Sunday I’ll be off to the coast for my subsequent Audubon Society subject journey. I’m hoping to do higher with my “new” digital camera.