Christmas Bird Count

Yesterday was the Christmas Bird Count at the Buena Vista Lagoon. All together we saw seventy-one different species.  Afterward, we had delicious chili.

Early in the morning, my dad and I stopped at the Vista Village Creek in Vista (which is in the watershed) to look for Hooded Mergansers. We found three; two females and a male. They've been here for most of the winter. Below are two photos of a male and a female.

Hooded Mergansers

Hooded Mergansers

Before heading over to the Nature Center, we also stopped by Hosp Grove Park. We saw Hermit Thrushes, a House Wren, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and a Green Heron there. We also found a beehive. The views were very beautiful in the eucalyptus grove in the early morning light. Below are three views of the park and one of the beehive.

The sky was bright and clear yesterday, though for most of the day, it was a bit chilly and windy. There weren't many birds around at first, but as it warmed up, more came out. Below are five views around the lagoon.

One of the first birds I saw in the morning was a lone Western Grebe. Below is a photo of it.

Western Grebe

There were quite a few House Finches around, singing and eating sycamore seeds. Below is a male house Finch.

House Finch

I would have thought that there would be a lot of California Towhees behind the Nature Center, because there are a lot of other birds scratching around (white crowned sparrows, song sparrows, etc.) and there are probably a lot of bugs for them to eat, but I actually see very few California Towhees anywhere around the lagoon. I don't know why this is. I did see one California Towhee behind the center yesterday, but it soon flew away into a neighborhood. Below is a photo of it.

California Towhee

There were a lot of Anna's Hummingbirds around, singing and chasing each other. There weren't very many Allen's Hummingbirds, though. Below is a male Anna's hummingbird.

Anna's Hummingbird

There were also a lot of Hermit Thrushes, more than I've ever seen before in one place. They seemed to be everywhere, sitting or rustling in the bushes. Below is a Hermit Thrush in the bushes.

Hermit Thrush

There is a small garden area beside the Nature Center full of native plants. There are a surprising number of birds there as well, even though it's a very small space. One of the birds I saw there was a little Townsend's Warbler. It would not stay still, but it did stay fairly low in the bushes, so I was able to take a photo. Below is the Townsend's Warbler.

Townsend's Warbler

In the garden area there was also a large flock of Cedar Waxwings, which we almost never see at the lagoon. They were going back and forth between a berry bush and a sycamore tree. They were very close to us and even when I walked into the garden they didn't fly away. I don't think I've ever been so close to them before. They're very beautiful birds. Below are four photos of them.

Cedar Waxwings

Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwings

Cedar Waxwings

Yesterday we saw the first American White Pelicans of the winter. There were only two, but it was nice to see that they're here again. Below is one of them flying.

American White Pelican

As it became warmer, more raptors came out. One Red-tailed Hawk we saw was being mobbed by about thirty American Crows. The Red-tailed Hawk in the photo below was lucky to not have a single crow after it.

Red-tailed Hawk

We don't often see Turkey Vultures at the lagoon, probably because they like more open spaces (not water), but we did see a couple of them yesterday. Below is a photo of one of them.

Turkey Vulture

There were a few Cassin's Kingbirds around. Below is a photo of one sitting in a tree.

Cassin's Kingbird

We headed down to the beach, where the waves seemed to be a bit higher than usual. Below are two views of the beach.

There was one Willet walking alongside the water.  It didn't seem to mind the people around or the water rushing over its feet.  Below are two photos of it.

Willet

Willet

There were five or six Eared Grebes down by the beach.  They were in their winter plumage and were all very fluffy with bright red eyes.  Below are two photos of them.

Eared Grebe

Eared Grebes

The usual American Kestrel flew in to perch on the telephone wire above us.  It must be the same kestrel every time; it perches in the same spot on the same wire every time we go down to the beach.  Below is a photo of it.

American Kestrel

There were quite a few Forster's Terns in their winter plumage (black eye-patches and black bills).  They were flying around and diving into the ocean.  Below are three photos of them.

Forster's Tern

Forster's Tern

Forster's Tern

There were a couple of Brown Pelicans around that would land in the water to rest, then fly up as a wave was about to crash over them.  Then they would land again to rest, then fly up as another wave came, and they would do this over and over again. Below is one of the Brown Pelicans.

Brown Pelican

There was only one Sanderling at the beach, which was odd, since they're usually in groups.  This Sanderling also acted oddly by sudden turning around and running across the sand away from the water toward where we were standing.  It didn't pause to pick for food; it just ran around.  After doing that for several seconds, it ran back to the water and resumed its normal Sanderling behavior.  Below are two photos of it; one of it by the ocean and one of it running towards us.

Sanderling

Sanderling

Yesterday was the first time I'd ever seen a loon at a bird count.  We saw three of them; two different species.  One of them was a Pacific Loon.  Pacific Loons are found along the Pacific coast from the tip of Baja California to southern Alaska in the winter, and all of Alaska and northern Canada in the summer.  In the summer, they have white bellies, dark backs with small white patches, gray necks, and black throats.  In the winter, they have white bellies, dark backs, and white throats and cheeks.  Below are two photos of the Pacific Loon.

Pacific Loon

Pacific Loon

The other two loons were Red-throated Loons.  Red-throated Loons are found along the east and west coasts of North America from Canada and Alaska to Baja California and Florida in the winter.  They are found in northern Canada and Alaska in the summer.  In the summer, they have black backs, white bellies, gray necks, and red throats.  In the winter, they have white bellies, black backs with white speckling, black caps, and mostly white faces and necks (the pattern of black and white on their heads and necks is similar to that of Clark's Grebes).  They are similar in appearance to the Pacific Loon (in winter), but they are more slender and have much more white.  Below are three photos; one of a Red-throated Loon and a Western Grebe, and two of just the loon.

Western Grebe and Red-Throated Loon

Red-Throated Loon

Red-Throated Loon

Buena Vista Lagoon November

This past Saturday was the bird count at the Buena Vista Lagoon.  It was bright, clear, and sunny, though not too warm.  We saw fifty-four different species.  Below are four views of the lagoon.

One of the first birds I saw in the morning was a little Pied-billed Grebe swimming all by itself in the water beside the road.  Below is a photo of it.

Pied-billed Grebe

There were quite a few hummingbirds (both Anna's and Allen's) and House Finches at the lagoon.  There were a few everywhere we went.  Below are photos of an Anna's Hummingbird and two House Finches, another Anna's Hummingbird singing, and an Allen's Hummingbird.

Anna's Hummingbird and House Finches

Anna's Hummingbird

Allen's Hummingbird

There were many American Crows around; sitting in trees, scavenging, and chasing a hawk.  Below is a crow sitting on the roof of the nature center.

American Crow

There were more Eurasian Collared-Doves on Saturday than I've ever seen at the lagoon before.  There were around thirty of them near the nature center.  We usually only see a few of them.  Below is a photo of the doves sitting on a telephone pole and telephone lines.  Although a few of them appear much paler than the others, they're all Eurasian Collared-Doves.

Eurasian Collared-Doves

There were a few House Sparrows around.  Most of them were cheeping under the tiles of roofs.  They like the curved tiles; they can hide in them and build their nests in the little caves.  Below is a male House Sparrow under a roof tile.

House Sparrow

There seemed to be more Western Grebes and Double-Crested Cormorants than usual.  There were large groups of them around.  The Double-Crested Cormorants seem to like swimming together in a V shape (no matter how many of them there are) and sometimes they all dive into the water at the same time.  Below are three photos.  The first is a Western Grebe and the second two are Double-Crested Cormorants swimming in V's.

Western Grebe

Double-Crested Cormorants

Double-Crested Cormorants

The Spotted Sandpiper was in its usual place under the bridge.  It flew back and forth once or twice along the edge of the water and ran around.  It didn't stay out in the open for very long, though, and I only managed to take one good photo of it through a fence.  Below is the Spotted Sandpiper.

Spotted Sandpiper

A Red-Tailed Hawk and a Northern Harrier were soaring very high up in the air (which is unusual for a harrier).  For a while they flew together peacefully, but then the harrier started to dive at the Red-Tailed Hawk whenever they came close to each other.  There was some long, stringy thing attached to the harriers claws that later fell off.  It can be seen in the photos below.  I'm not sure what it was.  Below are two photos; one of the Northern Harrier and one of the harrier and the Red-Tailed Hawk.

Northern Harrier

Northern Harrier and Red-Tailed Hawk

There were a few Snowy Egrets around.  Below is one of them sitting on what is probably a pipe in the lagoon.

Snowy Egret

Since we didn't see very many warblers earlier in the day, I went back behind the nature center a second time (I usually head back there when we first arrive).  Although I didn't see any warblers except for more Yellow-Rumped Warblers, I did see a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, which I hadn't seen in a long time.  Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo because was too high up in a tree.  I also saw a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, but it was in the same tree as the gnatcatcher; right next to it, actually.  The only bird I managed to take a photo of was a Mourning Dove that I accidentally flushed.  Below is a photo of it.

Mourning Dove

Although it isn't quite finished, the nature center has been remodeled.  It now has an observation deck.  There are stairs and (soon) an elevator.  The view is beautiful, and we can now see some parts of the lagoon we hadn't been able to see from ground level.  Although the center isn't open to the public quite yet, our group was able to go up on the deck.  Here's a sneak peek of it.  Below are photos of the view from the deck, the deck itself, the new staircase, and the nature center from the outside.