Re: [MDOsprey] California Birding

GREGORY.B.MILLER@bge.com
Mon, 28 Jun 1999 15:07:32 -0400 

Scott,

This week I will be heading out to California for a family vacation/birding
trip (at least for me).

*** How long are you going to be in CA?  Have you ever been there before?
Do you have any target species?  Do you have the ABA/Lane
guide to Southern California?  Do you have Jean Richmond's book
for Northern California (I think it's called Birding Northern California)?

We're heading to LA,

*** check Huntington Beach area for Spotted Doves (sitting on telephone
lines); Newport Beach for California Gnatcatcher


Mono Lake area,

*** check the South Tufa (on the South side of the lake) for some great
Great Basin birds like Sage Thrasher, Brewer's Sparrow, Sage Sparrow,
(Black-billed Magpies in the little town just to the Northwest), and
sometimes Pinyon Jays.

Yosemite,

*** if you brave the crouds you have chances for some good Montane species
including Cassin's Finch, Blue Grouse, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, Great Gray
Owl, Townsend's Solitaire, Black Swift (Bridalveil Falls), Black-backed
Woodpecker, Williamson's & Red-breasted Sapsuckers, Pine Grosbeak, Clark's
Nutcracker, Dusky & Hammond's Flycatchers...and I'm probably forgetting a
few off the top of my head...

San Fran,

*** check shoreline at Golden Gate St Pk for Brandt's & Pelagic Cormorants;
park can be good for Western Tanagers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees,
Nuttall's Woodpeckers, and Oak Titmouse; if you don't find Nuttall's, check
the Stanford Univ. Arboretum which also hosts the chickadees, Oak Titmice,
Bewick's Wrens and California Thrashers; there are a number of good little
parks along the Southwest side of S.F. Bay; a trip to the coast just south
of S.F. is in order--check Pescadero along the rocky coastline for Black
Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, and Surfbird; Pigeon Pt further south can
be good for Marbled Murrelet and Pacific Loon

Monterrey,

*** are you going on a pelagic trip?  check with Shearwater Journeys for a
trip out of Monterey at:

http://www.alink.net/~shearwater/shearwaterjourneys.html

Birding around Monterey can be terrific; from the harbor look for Elegant
Terns (possible), Red-necked Phalarope, and Heerman's & Glaucous-winged
Gulls; just beyond the stone jetty you have access to the rocks at Pt Pinos
where you might find Wandering Tattler and see Pigeon Guillemot in Monterey
Bay; near the airport is Jack's Peak Park where you can find California
Towhee, Western Scrub & Steller's Jays (together), Pygmy Nuthatches, Varied
Thrush (possible), and maybe a Hermit Warbler (East parking area) or a
Wrentit (you'll probably only hear these from this park).  If you have the
time, travel east of Monterey into San Benito County, head south on Rt 25
and take the East entrance into Pinnacles Natl Monument.  You might find
Lawrence's Goldfinches along the little creek near the park entrance.
Along Rt 25 south of the town of Tres Pinos to Pinnacles is a no-fail
stretch of road for Yellow-billed Magpie and a decent chance of seeing
Golden Eagle and Ferruginous Hawk.

Ventura (hopefully the Channel Islands),

*** Island Packers trip to Santa Cruz Island for Santa Cruz Island Scrub
Jay (it's beautiful) and don't forget to look for the Pacific-slope
Flycatcher here, since this may be split out in the future...  On your way
back to LA, if you get a chance to head over to Mt Pinos (old California
Condor location--North of Santa Clarita along Rt 5) it will be well worth
your time for White-headed Woodpeckers (McGill Camping area) and probably
one of your better chances at Mountain Quail.

Hope you get this in time,

Greg Miller
Baltimore, MD