California - Day 11 - 22/1/16

Santa Cruz Island was the objective today to hopefully see the Island Scrub Jay, though beforehand we had time to visit Surfers Knoll, Oxnard where I was extremely pleased to see two Black Skimmers. Also lots more to see here but time was against us to meet the island boat.

The journey over was superb for seabirds as well as close encounters with yet more Common Dolphins. 

Santa Cruz Island was nice, or at least the quarter of a mile we saw of it as all our targets were within the first two hundred metres. 

After four hours on the island, we returned back to mainland where yet again we had close encounters with the marine mammals, but this time somewhat larger in the form of five Grey Whales. Yet another great day, and for Richard his last day as tomorrow morning I drop him off at LAX, and I continue south to Orange County. 

Night in Ventura. 

Surfers Knoll

Black Skimmer - 2

Glaucous-winged Gull - 5

Lesser Scaup - 1

Willet - 5

Snowy Plover - 15

Northern Harrier - 4

Mew Gull - 2

Oxnard to Santa Cruz Island and return

Black-vented Shearwater - 1000+

Cassin's Auklet - 15

Brown Booby - 1

Pomarine Skua - 2

Screpps's Murrelet - 20

Pacific Diver - 500

Western Grebe - 1500

Black Oystercatcher - 2

Red-throated Diver - 6

Grey Whale - 5

Common Dolphin - 150

Santa Cruz Island

ISLAND SCRUB JAY - 3

Allen's Hummingbird - 5

Orange-crowned Warbler - 3

Wilson's Warbler - 1

Thayer's Gull - 1

Glaucous-winged Gull - 7

Lesser Goldfinch - 1

Hermit Thrush - 3

Heermann's Gull - 30

Santa Cruz Island Fox - 6

Monarch - 1

 Willet at Surfers Knoll

 a much wanted bird for me - Black Skimmer

 adult Western Gull at Surfers Knoll

 this Brown Booby was spotted at some distance, but then gradually got closer and closer

 Common Dolphin 

 Santa Cruz Island Fox - the top predator on this island

 another memorable encounter with the mighty Grey Whales

Black-vented Shearwaters on a flat calm sea - a lovely setting

 phone-scoped shot of an IslandScrub Jay -endemic to Santa Cruz Island

 first-winter Thayer's Gull on Santa Cruz

 a lovely sunrise at Surfers Knoll

 leaving Oxnard Harbour

 arriving at Santa Cruz Island

 this 'rare' looking valley held a Wilson's Warbler, Scrub Jays and quite a few Hummingbirds

 leaving Santa Cruz Island

Richard's last full day, and what a superb day it was. The sunset was equally superb.

California - Day 12 - 23/1/16

With a Hermit Warbler seen in LA two days ago, the both of us were keen to twitch this bird. Even more so it was in Dennis the Menace Park! We left early and arrived at first light. Although it took a while to find the Warbler, we thankfully did, despite the fact the park was tiny. Such a result and by the time this was done I dropped Richard off at the airport and continued the trip on my own.

As all targets had been seen I will be twitching for the next three days, and today couldn't have gone any better. I visited three further parks (after the Hermit) and had success at all. At one site, a bit of pishing brought in five species of Warbler into one view. Just magical stuff. Another highlight of today was finding an Allen's Hummingbird's nest with the bird occasionally settling there a few metres in front of me. 

I ended the day however dipping a Wandering Tattler, though this wasn't a surprise as I knew the beach would be busy, however I did see some sort of super model on the beach trying out various bikinis which was certainly worth the visit, and also a stunning sunset whilst having a paddle in the Pacific. 

Night in Laguna Beach. 

Dennis the Menace Park, LA

Hermit Warbler - 1

Townsend's Warbler - 2

Audubon's Warbler - 25

Bushtit - 20

Western Tanager - 2

Western Bluebird - 4

Cedar Waxwing - 18

Lesser Goldfinch - 5

El Dorado Park

Hutton's Vireo - 1 (fortunately very good views had to eliminate a Kinglet)

Wood Duck - 2

Townsend's Warbler - 1

Purple Finch - 2

Common Yellowthroat - 1

Allen's Hummingbird - 4

Fox Squirrel - 10

Mile Square State Park

Cassin's Kingbird - 5

Great-tailed Grackle - 8

Bullock's Oriole - 1 1w male

White-faced Ibis - 28

Huntington Beach Central Park

Nuttall's Woodpecker - 1

Downy Woodpecker - 1

Wilson's Warbler - 1

Townsend's Warbler - 2

Orange-crowned Warbler - 15

Audubon's Warbler - 50

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 25

Common Yellowthroat - 1

Allen's Hummingbird - 2

Say's Pheobe - 1

Sooty Fox Sparrow - 1

Hermit Thrush - 2

Green-winged Teal - 4

Crystal Cove

Black-vented Shearwater - 5

 Hermit Warbler at Dennis the Menace

 Common Yellowthroat at El Dorado

 Whilst phoning Paula, I spotted this Allen's Hummingbird on a nest

 Cassin's Kingbird at Mile Square - was pleasantly surprised on how many Kingbirds I saw, unfortunately all Cassin's

 American Coot at Mile Square

 Bullock's Oriole at Mile Square

 another Townsend's Warbler 

 one of a few Wilson's Warblers encountered - each one just as striking as the other

the less attractive of them all - an Orange-crowned Warbler

California - Day 13 - 24/1/16

I started the day at Dana Headlands where I very quickly got my first lifer of the day, a California Gnatcatcher. Unfortunately from here on the day didn't produce much in the way of change from yesterday. I spent plenty of hours at two different sites for Tricoloured Blackbird without success that left me far from where I had intended to end the day near the coast. Also a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher site didn't produce the goods, though it hadn't been seen for a few days previous.

Despite this it was another lovely day, and with tomorrow being my last full day, I expect there will be a certain amount of laying on a beach somewhere, though the morning has plenty to offer still in the way of new birds. 

Night in Imperial Beach. 

Dana Point Headland

California Gnatcatcher - 2

California Thrasher - 1

Cooper's Hawk - 1 fem

Laguna Niguel State Park

Townsend's Warbler - 1

Wilson's Warbler - 1

Common Gallinule - 2

Common Yellowthroat - 3

Cedar Waxwing - 15

American Bushtit - 10

Western Grebe - 4

Tree Swallow - 2

Lindo Lake

Belted Kingfisher - 1

Osprey - 2

Savannah Sparrow - 15

Chipping Sparrow - 4

Wood Duck - 6

White-breasted Nuthatch - 1

Vermilion Flycatcher - 1 fem

Cassin's Kingbird - 2

Western Meadowlark - 5

Greater White-fronted Goose - 1

Red-winged Blackbird - 30

Lower Otay Reservoir

Clark's Grebe - 2

Osprey - 1

Brown-headed Cowbird - 75

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher - 1

Bufflehead - 10

Lesser Scaup - 2

 female Cooper's Hawk at Dana Headland

 Wood Duck - after a tense ten days of not seeing one of these, it was nice to catch up with a few

Chipping Sparrow at Lindo Lake

California - Day 14 - 25/1/16

A much better day today full of highlights and an unforgettable black and white bird seen in the afternoon.

I started at Tijuana reserve south of San Diego where I aimed to clear up on a few targets, and this happened within a few hours. Also at high tide all of the Ridgeway's Rails had been pushed up to be in full view allowing a decent count. 

I drove north and re-visited Laguna Niguel Park where a Northern Parula was found three days ago, but no luck with this, though I wasn't disappointed when at the time for some random reason I was thinking about the Sussex Black-and-White Warbler, a Black-and-White Warbler appeared right in front of me. I was in complete shock but thankfully the bird wasn't bothered by me and I was able to watch this little critter acting like a Creeper for over half an hour. 

Last site was a park in LA where an unexpected lifer in the form of a Lark Sparrow greeted me.

With an hour left to dark, I rushed down to Newport Beach for my last spectacular sunset of the trip. 

Night in SE Los Angeles. 

Tijuana Estuary Reserve

Marsh Wren - 1

Ridgeway's Rail - 13 (a terrific count)

Blue-winged Teal - 6

Little Blue Heron - 4

Northern Harrier - 3

Cassin's Kingbird - 2

Savannah Sparrow - 10

Lawrence's Goldfinch - 15

Yellow-crowned Night Heron - 6

Laguna Niguel Park

American Goldfinch - 1

Nuttall's Woodpecker - 2

Red-shouldered Hawk - 1

Black-and-White Warbler - 1

Townsend's Warbler - 4

Empidonax Flycatcher sp. - 1 though presumed Gray Flycatcher. 

Carl Thornton State Park

Vermilion Flycatcher - 1 1w

Lark Sparrow - 1

Northern Flicker - 1

Western Bluebird - 6

Lesser Scaup - 15

Cedar Waxwing - 1

Newport Beach

Glaucous-winged Gull - 1

 Little Blue Herons at Tiguana

 Lawrence's Goldfinch

 Ridgeway's Rail at Tiguana - high tide is the best time to get these Rails as they all get pushed out of the marshy areas

 Yellow-crowned Night Heron at Tiguana

 this was my only American Goldfinch of the trip

Black-and-White Warbler at Laguna Niguel - a major highlight of the trip

 Lark Sparrow at Carl Thornton

 Western Bluebird

Northern Fliker

my last sunset - was worth rushing through the traffic to catch the last ten minutes

California - Day 15 - 26/1/16

My last morning in this wonderful state, and it couldn't have gone much better.

I started off at Huntington Central Park hoping for a dodgy claim of a Waterthrush. Unfortunately no sign of this despite walking through ideal habitat, and a couple of times thinking I had got it as Hermit Thrushes were running across the path in front of me. I did however find and get a good look at an Empidonax Flycatcher, and helpfully it dipped its tail regularly, allowing a positive id. as an American Grey Flycatcher. 

I returned to the car to check the bird book just to make sure on the Flycatcher. After checking the Internet for images and videos I felt fairly confident so I set off again around the park, this time jamming in on a Sora and House Wren at the same time, both being lifers for me. 

Feeling pleased I set off for Madrona Marsh. It was excellent here. Best of all was bumping into a mixed Sparrow flock containing nine species of Sparrow, as well as a lazuli Bunting. I really had filled my boots, so I headed to LAX, dropped the car off and voila. 

The two weeks produced 240 species of birds, of which 168 were lifers. 

Huntington Central Park

Green Heron - 1

Redhead - 4

Hermit Thrush - 5

American Gray Flycatcher - 1

Hutton's Vireo - 1 

Cooper's Hawk - 2

Belted Kingfisher - 1

Sora - 1

House Wren - 1

Lincoln's Sparrow - 1

Madrona Marsh

White-throated Swift - 20

Ash-throated Flycatcher - 1

Cassin's Kingbird - 2

Golden-crowned Sparrow - 3

Lark Sparrow - 12

Lincoln's Sparrow - 2

Fox Sparrow - 1

Grasshopper Sparrow - 3

White-crowned Sparrow - 50

Savannah Sparrow - 30

Chipping Sparrow - 4

Song Sparrow - 10

Lazuli Bunting - 1

Western Meadowlark - 50

 Black Pheobe at Huntingdon - a very common bird all over the state

 presumed American Gray Flycatcher - the above pic shows the slight dipping of the tail, but also the primaries are incredibly short, the eye-ring is insignificant, the tail appears long. When seen in the shade the underparts were very dull, and after looking up many pictures of Pacific Slope Flycatcher, I very much favour my opinion, though other opinions would be great.

 Hutton's Vireo at Huntingdon - pretty much identical to a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, however the thick bill, lack of black to the base of the secondaries and blue/grey legs confirm this as the former

 Monarch at Huntingdon

 Ash-headed Flycatcher at Madrona Marsh - another major surprise for me. Getting field notes for this bird was important for me as my photos I knew would be poor, but it was an easy id. due to the chestnut patch on the wing, yellowish tinge on the vent, and slight rufous hint to the crown and uppertail in flight. 

 Lazuli Bunting at Madrona Marsh - not that I knew it at the time, but this is the only known wintering bird in California

Grasshopper Sparrows at Madrona Marsh was my 14th Sparrow species of the trip

Tide Mills 8/1/16

A quick morning visit with Dad produced a good few yearticks. The Purple Sandpipers showed very well on the east pier, whilst the Spotted Redshank was still in the creek. A Jack Snipe and a male Black Redstart rounded off a productive morning.

With work this weekend and then going on to California for two weeks from Tuesday, this will be it from me for a while, though I'll try and update as the days go by.

 Purple Sandpiper on east pier

male Black Redstart

Splash Point, Cuckmere & Newhaven 7/1/16

At long last a happy new year. Finally got out after working most days and other things that don't need mentioning. Started the day with a sea watch but there wasn't much happening with the following seen flying east between 8.25-9.25:

Red-throated Diver - 10

Gannet - 5

Common Scoter - 4

Razorbill - 1

Auk sp. - 2

Shelduck - 1

I viewed the Cuckmere from Harry's Bush where very few Gulls were present though on the east side I could just about see two Red-breasted Mergansers and a single Brent Goose on the meanders. 

At Bishoptstone 220 Herring Gulls were roosting at high tide. 

After shopping in Brighton I scanned the low tide Gull roost at Newhaven Harbour. Despite there being hundreds of Gulls present, I couldn't pick out anything different other than a few argentatus Herring Gulls. I did also note a colour-ringed 3w Herring Gull in the roost. 

Yesterday the Great Northern Diver was still at Weir Wood.