A recurring theme in my posts has been how birding rewards us with visits to great places, meeting terrific people and seeing wonderful birds.  My adventures always provide at least one of those three rewards and on the best days, I am fortunate to get all three.  I recently returned from a hardcore visit to California and there were rewards a plenty.  Six days, 1500 miles and 150 bird species including 8 ABA Life Birds and  11 ABA Life photos.  With so much great material, there will be a number of posts, but I want to start with visits with some truly marvelous people that I met along the way.  Sure there were birds involved as well, and each of those brought smiles, but the people really made this trip special. First an overview for perspective and then the people stories.

Overview

This trip was prompted by three factors:  Credit on Alaska Airlines from my earlier visit to San Diego; the opportunity to add new ABA life birds, life photos and year birds continuing towards birding goals I had set earlier in the year; and a need for a change of scenery to get away from some changes in my personal life that had me a bit down.  Intense birding and Southern California seemed the perfect distraction from the latter and would provide an opportunity for those other factors as well.  The basic plan was put in place the first week of November and as reports of some very special rare birds came in, I wished I had planned to leave earlier – but unable to change flight plans without a great expense – I kept fingers crossed that these special birds would stay until I could visit.

The basic plan was to start in San Jose and work my way south (with a lot of east and west as well) and end up in San Diego to return to Seattle 6 days later. Without giving away all the birds that were seen where, the basic route is shown on the map below.  Arrive at 8:00 a.m. on November 29 and depart at 5:00 p.m. on December 4 – with each night in a different place and definitely not enough sleep.

Itinerary

Since this initial focus is on people, this will necessarily not be in strict chronological order.  But there is a beginning and this person’s presence remained throughout the trip.  That is Melissa Hafting – “BC Birdergirl”.  She has made it into many blog posts before – great person, great birder, great resource and a great supporter.  She provided lots of help in identifying places to go for some of my target species that helped in my planning effort before I left and then continued to provide specifics and encouragement along the way.  Ebird and Listservs are great help but there is nothing better than personal advice from someone who has been there.  Thank you as always Melissa.

Melissa Hafting (with Ilya Polyaev – another great birder)

My first notable interpersonal interaction on the ground in California was with a gal who was a heavy equipment operator at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park – in the Big Sur area (No. 5 on the map).  I was on a quest to see my first ever California Condor.  Advice from Ebird and details from Melissa said a great place was at Nepenthe on Highway 1 in the Big Sur area within the park.  The problem was that due to landslides and fires, Highway 1 was closed seemingly just at or perhaps just south of the Nepenthe “hot spot”.  I pulled into the Park Visitor Center hoping for some information and dreading that the closure would preclude me from finding a Condor, I found it too was closed and a crew was preparing to go out to work on that closed road. I was worried.

A lot of adrenaline had built as I neared what I was hoping was the place where I would finally find this important bird – symbolic with the Whooping Crane as great conservation success stories, bringing back species from near extinction.  Finding a California Condor was the original major motivation for taking this trip.  The sign of the road closure and then the Visitor Center closure were real downers.  Would this all be for naught?  The only folks around were that road crew – about to go to work.

“Val” (not her real name), was about to climb up on a grader, but she gave me a big smile as I approached her figuring I might get better info on the road closure.  She wasn’t a birder, but she knew her Condors and gave me very specific suggestions about where to go – which was just about where Melissa had recommended and was only a mile or so away, and yes just before where the road was closed.  We had a really fun 5 minute visit talking about Condors, the Park, roadwork and the best place to get breakfast.  And she confirmed that yes I would not be able to continue south (my original plan) and would have to retrace my steps 35 miles north back to Monterey.  Not great news – but who cared so long as I found my Condor. This interaction reversed my ebbing spirits and that elated sense of anticipation that had been building before the road closure sign, returned and grew.

A few minutes later I went to “Val’s Spot” and not more than 2 minutes after parking, three California Condors flew right overhead.  WOW!!!  They are huge. They are iconic and now they were on my Life List.  The light wasn’t perfect but I got nice photos as I watched them glide effortlessly less than 100 feet above me.  It was one of those sublime and perfect moments – one of my best in birding.  I had had excellent birding the day before (remember this is not chronological) and now day 2 instead of being a failure was off to a fabulous start.  The birds were gone within a few minutes and I decided not to stay and hope for more.  As I turned and headed back north, I passed the road crew and gave Val a big thumbs up.  Her smile was almost as big as mine.

California Condor

Skipping some stops, some great birds and many miles, my next wonderful interactions all relate to my visit to Santa Cruz Island.  Part of the Channel Islands National National Park, Santa Cruz is the largest of the Islands across the Santa Barbara Channel about 30 miles from Ventura.  Island Packers Cruises runs a passenger only high speed boat service to two landing spots on the Island – taking campers, kayakers, and day visitors like me.  The crossing provides opportunities to see both avian and mammalian sea life and on this day was smooth and very comfortable with many sightings of whales, dolphins and seabirds – details to be provided in a later post.

Everything about the Island Packers operation was terrific including helpful staff and our bird savvy boat captain, Dave Corey.  Although the main bird target for the trip was the Island Scrubjay that is endemic to Santa Cruz Island, my planning had also included the hope for a Black Vented Shearwater on the passage over.  Melissa had almost guaranteed that I would see this ABA Lifer from the boat but I had not found it reported on the trip on Ebird for early December.  Before embarking I asked some of the Island Packers staff about it and they said – just tell the Captain of your interest.

Once on board I stationed myself next to the Captain’s wheelhouse and when I had a chance told Captain Dave of my interest.  He was busy with many details before leaving but said we would most likely see the Shearwaters and other good birds and he would call one out if need be.  Need be never arose as there were many Shearwaters beginning not long after departure, but his confidence and openness to help were a great help and relief and often on the trip over and during the return, I visited with him, shared stories and pictures and greatly enjoyed his company and expertise.  He also did a superb job navigating the admittedly calm seas and getting us great views of dolphins and whales.  He made a great trip even greater.

Captain Dave Corey – Island Packers Cruises

Black Vented Shearwater

Volunteer naturalists accompany each group to Santa Cruz Island.  Once again – very positive personal interactions.  One naturalist had great suggestions on how best to find the targeted Island Scrubjay.  I followed her advice and was successful.  I bumped into her midday and she was seemingly almost as happy as I was about my success, had lots of stories and was just a very positive, good person.  I had a fun talk with another of the volunteers waiting for the boat to take us back to Ventura.  He was about my same age (old!!) and although not a bird person was knowledgeable from his training program.  I learned a lot about the interesting history of the Island and its flora and fauna but more interesting was our shared reminiscences of our youths and especially the impact of the horrible Vietnam War on our generation.  I learned of his much earlier near hippie life, how he “medicated” himself to flunk his draft physical etc.  Simple person to person contact that added depth and texture to the trip. Of course if I had not seen the Island Scrubjay, that depth may not have counted for as much.

Island Scrubjay

Among other places the next day I ventured to Barstow where a very rare Rufous Backed Robin had been hanging out for the past week.  This was one of those much sought after ABA Lifer opportunities that had not been on my radar during the initial trip planning but sure was once I learned of its presence and fingers were crossed it would remain.  As I have often  written, when chasing a rarity it is a good rule to look for the other birders already in the area and see if they were on the bird.  This was brought home very quickly at the Barstow Community College when I walked towards the grassy area where the bird had been most often seen.  There were several birders there with cameras and binoculars trained on two robin like birds that were on the ground between me and them.  I grabbed my camera and began taking pictures without first identifying the birds.  Was it really going to be this easy?  Well, no.  When I finally looked at the birds, I discovered that they were only cousins of the targeted Rufous Back Robin.  One was an American Robin and the other was a Varied Thrush.

Once I could do so without disturbing the birds I walked over to the birders and learned that I had missed the Rufous Backed Robin by ten minutes, that it had a pattern of coming down to feed every so often and then returning to the trees.  It would surely return but in the meantime this Varied Thrush, while very common in my hometown Seattle, was quite rare here and was a treasured find.  I recalled an Ebird report that said it took the observer more than an hour before he finally found the Rufous Backed Robin down on the grassy spot I was looking at with this group so I figured I would just have to wait.

American Robin and Varied Thrush Share a Shrub

This gave me a chance to talk with the group and I learned it was a San Bernadino Valley Audubon Society trip led by Gene Cardiff who was obviously much admired and revered by his group.  They were very helpful in providing information about other birds in the area and I learned that a couple were transplants from the Pacific NW.  And we waited for the Rufous Backed Robin – and waited some more.  Since they had all already seen it, the Audubon group departed for the next stop on their trip maybe 15 minutes later.  One birder remained.  He had the largest camera set up and seemed very intent on getting a good photo.  He had driven up from San Diego to see this bird this morning – had already seen it but the light had not been good so he was waiting for more and better.  Especially since we now shared the same goal, we engaged easily and quickly.

My new friend was Mel Senac a fairly recent but very dedicated and enthusiastic convert to birding.  Now retired he had taken on this avocational pursuit with what I am sure is the same passion, intensity, skill and intelligence that made him a successful Pediatric Radiologist.  Very personable and likable, we began trading birding stories including his observations on the behavior of the Rufous Backed Robin and his certainty it would return.  I have to acknowledge that his complimenting my daughter when I told him she was a Pediatric Neurologist at Boston Children’s Hospital made it impossible not to like him.  (Yes I am very proud of her and yes she is amazing!!)

Mel Senac (Not in Birding Mode)

While our talk was intense, it was not too intense to miss the Rufous Backed Robin when it returned to the ground after everyone but he and I remained.  We had it all to ourselves for 20 minutes and were able to get great photos.  I most likely would have found the Rufous Backed Robin alone but it was definitely a plus to have the help of Mel and others.  Moreso it was great just to spend quality time together and to share a special bird with a special person.

Rufous Backed Robin

Time to skip some stops again to get to two more terrific folks whose company and spirit were greatly enjoyed on this trip.  I was in the San Diego area.  No more Life birds to pursue but I was looking for some new ABA Photos and some ABA year birds.  A key spot was the Tijuana Slough NWR.  One target was a Ridgway’s Rail which I had first seen in my earliest days as a birder in Palo Alto more than 40 years ago when I played hooky from Stanford Law School and visited Baylands Park.  Back then it was called a Clapper Rail but by the next time I saw one – at this same Tijuana NWR location earlier this year – it had been split off as a separate species from the Clapper Rail of the East Coast – but no photo.  This was also a good spot for Nelson’s Sparrow a new ABA Bird for the year.  The rails are easy to find at least to hear, but visuals and especially photos can be hard. The sparrows require both luck and some expertise.  Timing the tide is important and the best time is on an incoming high tide.

I got to the NWR just about at the peak of a good high tide.  I had a general sense of where to look but planned to stop at the Visitor’s Center to get some specific help.   Unfortunately it was closed that day.  That was the bad news.  What turned out to be very good news and probably the most special of the intersections on the trip was that I could see a birder with a scope about a quarter mile down one of the trails.  The plan quickly became to make contact with him or her as quickly as I could and hope for some local expertise and help.  As I approached I waved and got an acknowledgement back.  And it was definitely a “her” (more on that later).  My first words to her were “Can you guess what I am looking for?”  She quickly established her knowing expertise with the response “How about Nelson’s Sparrow and Ridgway’s Rail“.  But way beyond expertise, she established immediate rapport and my gratitude when she added, “Come on I will show you.”  Now understand she had finished her birding and had been heading back to the parking lot when I intruded.  So this was a significant act of kindness.

We walked out towards where she had just been and not more than two minutes later she continued to rise on my gratitude and respect scales when she said, “There’s a rail on the path!” She had spied one just ahead of us – in the open and quickly got me on it for a distant but “good enough for the record” photo.

Ridgway’s Rail

She added, “The Sparrows should be in that bush across from the rail.”  Right again.  We got closer to the shrub and could see movement as small birds scurried about – usually buried in the dense bush.  She had a scope and I had left mine in the car.  She got her scope on what turned out to be one of at least two Nelson’s Sparrows in that bush and the others nearby and gave me a view.  I moved ahead and got my photo as she worked to get her digiscoped photo.  We continued to watch and photograph the sparrows for the next 10 minutes as the tide receded and eventually the sparrows flew off to other favored spots in the estuary/marsh.

Nelson’s Sparrow

OK – this had been about as good as it could be – quick success finding and photographing my two target birds – with the help of a generous local expert.  But it got better.  A small group of school kids joined us with a ranger from the NWR and they asked questions about what we were doing, birds, birding etc.  It turns out that my new best birding friend, Shirley Reynolds, was a recently retired teacher and it was great fun as each of us answered the kids’ questions.  Great kids – alive, energetic and enthusiastic.  The experience reminded me of what I most enjoy about birding – the interaction with nature and with others especially combining the two.  When the kids left, Shirley and I had a wonderful wide ranging talk about birds, each other’s experiences and activities.  I was with an expert indeed as Shirley is doing a California Big Year and similar to my own first Big Year in Washington in 2013, it had not started as a planned goal but had evolved from just being in the field and noticing that a lot of birds had already been seen so why not go for more.  The Nelson’s Sparrow that day had been her California species number 450 for the year – an astounding number that has her second on the Ebird California list.

We visited for almost an hour and it really was a highlight of my trip as her tremendous spirit and passion raised my spirits as well and gave me the energy to try some more birding spots later that day.  A photo I took of her at the Slough is below. Yes a very striking lady (very very) but who would have guessed that there was so much more below the surface and I was very fortunate and appreciative personally and birding-wise to have had this intersection.

Shirley Reynolds

One more special intersection – another great person and this one with a definite small world aspect.  A Hooded Warbler had been seen in the Ruette Le Parc development in Del Mar north of San Diego.  I had seen this species in Washington and had a photo but had not seen it this year so it would be a good ABA Year Bird – and, a male in breeding plumage, it would be gorgeous.  I got to the area, parked and began looking around.  The directions were fairly good but it was a large area and the Ebird reports had described different specific spots to look.  After just a few moments I saw another birder down the street.  After the great success at the Tijuana Slough with local help, I headed his way.  This began another great intersection with yet another terrific person. Dave Trissel lived pretty close and had seen the Hooded Warbler the previous day.  We hit it off immediately and in a repeat of my experience with Shirley, he said “I’ll show you where I had it yesterday.”  Not as lucky this time as the Warbler was not found – and in fact we never did find it although odds were good that it was somewhere around as it was refound the next day.  But that took nothing away from the enjoyment of the visit as we traded story after story for an hour or so.

Dave is bright, high energy and engaging.  And just to be gender fair, just as striking a guy as Shirley is a gal.  Not doing a big year like she was, but a passionate birder and lister with an ABA Life List similar to my own and with some of the same foreign travel that I have been fortunate to take.  And one of his stories was especially amazing.  In September this year my home town of Edmonds, Washington was the place to go to see what may be the ABA Bird of the Year – a Swallow Tailed Gull (See my blog post    ).  I had seen the Gull the first day it was found by Ryan Merrill at Carkeek Park.  Later, when it moved up to Edmonds, my buddy Deb Essman and a friend came over from Ellensburg to look for it and I took them to the Edmonds Pier from which it could be seen.  We found however, that it could be seen better from a different spot in the marina and we headed off to look.  On the way we met a birder from San Diego who had come up that day specifically to see this incredible rarity.  He was headed out to the pier, but I said – come along this way as it can be seen better from another spot.  Yep, that was Dave Trissel.  A small world indeed.  I guess what goes around comes around.

Dave Trissel

Hooded Warbler (Yes in Washington/No in California)

Swallow Tailed Gull

There were lots of other good folks on this trip.  A naturalist at Anza Borrego State Park (the largest in the U.S.) who helped with hummingbird identification clues and suggestions for finding a Le Conte’s Thrasher.  A birder at the San Elijo Lagoon who was just fun to talk to and who pointed me towards a California Thrasher. Two guys at a car wash who were as enthusiastic at their jobs and as friendly as you could ever want.  Staff at some of the hotels (6 in 6 nights) and at Fox Rental Car both checking it out and bringing it back in.  Others I am sure I am forgetting.  Each of these people added to my enjoyment and to the success of the trip just as Melissa Hafting, “Val”, Dave Corey, Mel Senac, Shirley Reynolds and Dave Trissel had.  I know my path will intersect with Melissa again.  I hope there will be intersections with each of the others as well.  Somehow I expect that will be the case.  Great special folks.  Many thanks to all.

Last Sunday I attended a wonderful birding event – a surprise 80th birthday party for Dennis Paulson.  There is nobody in Washington who has done more good for the birding community than Dennis – his Master Birder Classes, his scholarly work, his curatorial work, his other teaching roles.  There is probably nobody in Washington who knows more about birds than Dennis either.  It would be great to do a blog (or two or three) about Dennis – but I am not sufficiently talented to do it right and as he would deserve so I will pass.  At the party, turning the tables on the Master, Dennis was shown a number of photos of just parts of birds and challenged to identify them from the limited data.  Not surprisingly Dennis got most of them right – an amazing performance.  Since the birds were not limited to birds of Washington, Dennis asked “where was this taken” to aid his deliberations.

Dennis Paulson

With Dennis’s question in mind, on the long drive home from a fun trip to Neah Bay, I pondered a variation on the photo I.D. challenge:  wondering if anyone could answer “where are we” when showed a combination of photos – adding that they were all from the same state and would have to be within some limited specified time – rather than just pick photos from a lifetime of possible surprising finds in an area.  The original plan was to sort through my Ebird reports and come up with some possible challenging combinations.  However, when I was later editing some recent photos on Flick’r, the task became easier.  I could take the most recent 15 photos I have posted there, show them to a good well traveled birder – say from Missouri, tell him/her the photos were all from the same state and ask, “Where are we?”

Here is the list from the most recent photos backwards in time:  Northern Pygmy Owl, Clay Colored Sparrow, Painted Bunting, Snowy Egret, Snowy Owl, Black Phoebe, White Winged Crossbill, Zone Tailed Hawk, Sharp Tailed Sandpiper, Northern Shrike, Barn Owl, Harlan’s Red Tailed Hawk, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker,  and Bar Tailed Godwit.   (I have omitted Western Meadowlark as it would immediately bring focus to the Western states).

So where are we?  To even an intermediate level birder, a couple of the species jump out as probably geographic limiters.  But in every state there are inexplicable anomalies, a first ever record of some species that just does not belong there.  And there are some states – birding meccas like Texas, Arizona and California for example – which seem to have more than their share of such oddities.  Black Phoebe, Northern Pygmy Owl and Zone Tailed Hawk all point to Western states – but just how far west?  And what about those anomalies?  I found for example that a Zone Tailed Hawk showed up in Massachusetts within the 10 year time frame.

I did some research on Ebird and examined species lists for a number of “likely” states over the past ten years to see where such a list might be possible.  I concentrated on California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Texas, New York, Colorado (which always surprises me with its species diversity and records) and Massachusetts.

Since they are my photos, we already know that all of these species have been found in Washington, but I would not have presented the material to that representative Missouri Birder that way, so he/she would have to piece it together species by species.  I would have given him/her the 8 “possible” states and with that the analysis may have gone this way.

All of the states would have had Red Tailed Hawks (although I am not sure about the Harlan’s form), Northern Shrikes, Barn Owls and probably Clay Colored Sparrows.

Red Tailed Hawk (Dark Phase Harlan’s) – Skagit County, Washington – October 24, 2017

Northern Shrike – Wiley Slough, Skagit County Washington – October 31, 2017

Barn Owl – Three Crabs, Clallam County, Washington – October 24, 2017

Clay Colored Sparrow – Neah Bay, Clallam County, Washington – November 20, 2017 

Massachusetts – yes there was that Zone Tailed Hawk, but the other western species – Northern Pygmy Owl and Black Phoebe have not made it to the Bay State.  The same holds for New York.  Interestingly both had Bar Tailed Godwits – missing as we will see for some of the others.

Black Phoebe – Wiley Slough, Skagit County Washington – October 31, 2017

Northern Pygmy Owl – Chinook Bend, King County Washington – November 21, 2017

So Massachusetts and New York are out.  How about Colorado?  It too has a record of a Zone Tailed Hawk and it has both the Black Phoebe and the Northern Pygmy Owl, but despite having more shorebird records than I would have expected, neither a Bar Tailed Godwit nor a Sharp Tailed Sandpiper have shown up there in the past 10 years.

Bar Tailed Godwit – Westport Marina – Grays Harbor County Washington – September 21, 2017

Sharp Tailed Sandpiper – Hayton Reserve – Skagit County Washington – October 31, 2017

So Colorado is out as well.  Next up for consideration is Texas.  Yes for everything – except once again the Sharp Tailed Sandpiper.  Close but no cigar.  Since shorebirds are not its specialty, I expected that Arizona would fail also.  And it did – no Sharp Tailed Sandpiper and also no Snowy Owl (which had been seen in all of the other states above.)

Snowy Owl – Sandy Point – Whatcom County Washington – November 8, 2017

Running out of options, our Missouri birder would now have to consider the three West Coast states.  California seemed the most likely bet.  In fact with its 636 species seen in the past 10 years – more than any other state, it was the best guess even from the start.  Again close but no cigar as just like Texas, one species was missing.  And this was a surprise.  Unless Ebird was in error (or there was user error), no White Winged Crossbills were reported in California from 2007 through 2017.

White Winged Crossbill – Neah Bay, Clallam County, Washington – November 6, 2017 

California was out.  How about Oregon?  Once again, off by one.  No Zone Tailed Hawk has made it to Oregon in the past ten years.  All the others yes but one miss.

Zone Tailed Hawk – Neah Bay, Clallam County, Washington – November 6, 2017

So that left only Washington – but how could that be?  Not only did it seem impossible that there would have been a Zone Tailed Hawk, but some of the other species were also not likely there.  A Snowy Egret? – well maybe.  A Painted Bunting? – not so likely.  And even the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker should not be found there.   Yet as it turned out, as we know, all were.

Snowy Egret – Lower River Road, Clark County, Washington – November 18, 2017

Painted Bunting – LaConner, Skagit County, Washington – November 19, 2017

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker – Juanita Bay Park, King County Washington – September 22, 2017

Indeed Washington is the only state to have had all of these species in the past ten years – but way more impressive and rare than that is that all of these species have been seen (and obviously photographed) in Washington – indeed Western Washington in the past two months.  Our Missouri birder would have been very surprised.  I wonder how Dennis Paulson would have done…

This chart shows the birds seen (and not) over the past ten years in our option states.  It also gives the total number of species seen in each state over that period. (Source Ebird)

“Bunting” – What an interesting word.

To a baseball fan it is the act of laying down a bunt where the batter squares up to the pitched ball and if he can make contact either “drags” it along the first base line or perhaps pushes it towards the third base line.  The former is generally an attempt for the batter to get a hit and reach base safely himself.  The latter is more often a sacrifice bunt where the batter will be thrown out at first base, but in the process other base runners will advance – either from first to second or from second to third and will thus be in “scoring position”.  An extreme form is the “suicide squeeze” where the batter tries to bunt home the runner who is on third base.  Bunting has become a dying art in the home run happy world of modern baseball, but bunting is still an exciting part of the game.

Mickey Mantle – my All-Time Favorite – Drag Bunting

To a patriotic celebrant, bunting is a kind of decoration often made of cloth – particularly including for example the stars and stripes of the American flag used as decoration.  This kind of bunting is particularly popular at Fourth of July picnics and political conventions.

Patriotic Bunting

Much more importantly to me (now that Mickey Mantle is long gone at least) as a birder I now think of Buntings in taxonomic terms as any of various stout-billed passerine birds (families Cardinalidae and Emberizidae) of which some are grouped with the cardinal and some with the New World sparrows.  This blog post is prompted by the recent appearance of the aptly named Painted Bunting that obligingly continues to visit a feeder in LaConner, Washington.  It does not belong here and is very rare in our state.  Dozens of birders have made the journey to the feeder and have left very happy.  Accompanied by Steve Pink and Jon Houghton, we were able to see and photograph this “chased” bird approximately one minute after arriving on site.  It was THAT cooperative!

Painted Bunting – LaConner, Washington November 18, 2017

My last blog post was a response to the appearance of a Snowy Owl at Sandy Point in Whatcom County.  On Tuesday I joined 5 others from Pilchuck Audubon on a trip to Reifel Refuge in British Columbia.  It was a very windy and often rainy day and the birding was just OK but the company was excellent.  After Reifel Refuge, we went to a VERY windy and wet Boundary Bay hoping to see Snowy Owls.  As I wrote in that earlier blog, Boundary Bay was home to as many as 20 Snowy Owls in the last irruption year.  This year two have been reported.  In a driving wet wind, our group was fortunate to find one – hunkered down and distant.

Boundary Bay Snowy Owl – November 14, 2017

And if you think that owl was hunkered down, look at the next photo.  We decided to go for a Snowy Owl two-fer and stop at Sandy Point on our return trip to see if we could find Snowy Owls in two countries on the same day,  It was there – but in the heavy wind, it was almost impossible to find.  Look closely.

Sandy Point Snowy Owl – November 14, 2017

We did not find any Snow Buntings on this visit – probably just too windy.  But the two Snowy Owls  were not the only “Snow Birds” we saw in both countries as Snow Geese were observed in both countries as well.  Earlier today I was thinking about trips still ahead for 2017 and wondered about snow levels in the Okanogan as that trip is best when there is lots of snow.  That coupled with doing checklists for the visits to B.C. and Sandy Point led me to this blog post about more Snow Birds.

In the ABA Area, there are 5 species with “snow” in their names:  Snowy Owls, Snowy Plovers, Snow Buntings, Snowy Egrets and Himalayan Snowcocks.  Native to the Himalayan region of southern Asia, the latter was introduced as a game bird in the Ruby Mountains of northern Nevada beginning in 1963.  I do not expect to ever see one (or look for one) even though they are quite striking.   I guess they are as valid a countable species as other non-native introduced game birds like Ring Necked Pheasants, Gray Partridge and Chukars, but they seem even more exotic.  The other Snow Birds are very countable and appealing.  While all of these birds are “snow colored”, only Snowy Owls and Snow Buntings are very much associated with snow itself.  Snow Geese are generally seen in “the Lower 48” in the winter but not necessarily with any snow.  The “snow” in Snowy Plovers and Snowy Egrets is from their very snow white color.

Himalayan Snowcock – Picture from Internet

I saw my first Snow Bunting at Magnuson Park in Seattle in January 1974.  No photos from those days but I have seen many more in Washington since them including single birds at many spots and flocks of over 100 birds in the Okanogan (in snow fields).  The first photo is of one from a flock of 120 birds seen on Cameron Lake Road in the Okanogan in March 2012.

Snow Bunting

That bird is in winter non-breeding plumage.  My photo of one in Nome Alaska in June 2016, shows a much more contrasted Snow Bunting in full breeding plumage – very snowy looking indeed.

Snow Bunting – Breeding Plumage – Alaska June 2016

I saw my first Snow Goose in 1972 at the San Luis NWR in California in January 1972.  Since then I have seen thousands and thousands of them – mostly in the Skagit area but also in huge flocks  elsewhere in the State – sometimes in flocks of between 5000-10,000.  Feeding in the fields or in the familiar skeins in flight, they are a welcome sign that winter is on the way or already present.

Snow Goose

Snow Goose Landing

Snow Goose Flock

Snow Geese usually first appear in October and are usually gone by April.  In the Skagit area they may share fields with Trumpeter and Tundra Swans – turning fields white in their great numbers.  In the Midwestern United States, they are often in the Blue Form but it is the same species.  This form is very rare in Washington.

Snow Goose – Blue Form

Especially when it is from non-birders, what I most often hear when I show Snowy Plover photos is “They are so cute!!”  Pretty hard to disagree.  They are found on sandy beaches along the coast and on salt flats – often in protected areas as they are declining.  I have seen them in California and Colorado in addition to many times in Washington.  Often I see just one but have seen as many as 12 scampering on the sand near Midway Beach.

Snowy Plover

Banded Snowy Plover

A close relative of the Snowy Plover is the Piping Plover.  I have seen this cousin in Maryland and Maine.  There is a single record for Washington – Medicine Lake near Spokane in 1990.  Miraculously one was seen in Boundary Bay (yes that same Boundary Bay with the Snowy Owls) in August this year.  Who knows – maybe someday in Washington again!!

Piping Plover Maine 2015

I have seen Snowy Egrets in eight states.  My first observation was in California in 1973 where they are very common.  They are not common in Washington although observations seem to be increasing.  I finally found my first one in the state on Lower River Road in Clark County in December 2015.   A distant terrible photo then.  A much better look was on July 30 last year of the one originally found by Bruce Labar in Fife.

Snowy Egret – Fife Pond – July 30, 2017

The picture below was taken in California and shows the incredible feathers – plumes that were once popular additions to women’s hats – and which threatened the species.

Snowy Egret – Bolsa Chica, California

That’s it for the Snow Birds in the ABA area.  I have one more Snow Bird on my world list, however.  But it is about as different from these Snow Birds as you can imagine.  It is the Snowy Crowned Robin Chat which I saw at the Kakamega Forest NR in Kenya where it is resident almost exactly 10 years ago.  I doubt that there has been any snow in the Kakamega forest in hundreds or maybe even thousands of years.  I did not get a photo of that species but do have ones of two closely related cousins from a trip to South Africa in 2014.

Snowy Capped Robin Chat

White Browed Robin Chat

White Throated Robin Chat

I think I should have stayed with the true Snow Birds instead of straying – but they are nice looking birds.  Just to close properly, however, a final photo of a Snowy Owl – after all this guy started it all.  It is appropriately on the snow – a small patch surrounded by clear fields in the Waterville Plateau.

Snowy Owl

In 2016 no Snowy Owls were reported on Ebird for Western Washington.  In 2015 there was a single report of two owls on Sandy Point in Whatcom County on December 1st.  There was no photo and I do not know if the record was accepted.  In 2014 a Snowy Owl was seen in Edmonds and was reported 19 times (including once by me).  2011 through 2013 were so-called irruptions year and Snowy Owls were seen in many locations in Western Washington but particularly at Damon Point in Ocean Shores where there were more than a dozen in 2011.  At that same time, there were 20 or more at Boundary Bay in British Columbia.   I saw Snowy Owls in both locations and those are among my favorite birding memories.

Snowy Owl Damon Point – Ocean Shores

On November 1st, Philip Calise reported a Rock Sandpiper at Sandy Point in Whatcom County.  I had already seen a Rock Sandpiper this year on January 16 at Rosario Beach – the same incredible day when we had a Falcated Duck at Padilla Bay.  The former is more regularly found at the jetties on the Coast but is still uncommon and a good bird.  The Falcated Duck is a mega-rarity and was a life bird for most of us who saw it.  Oh yeah on November 1st,  Phil Calise also reported a Snowy Owl…

The Mega-Rarity Falcated Duck – Padilla Bay January 16, 2017

Frank Caruso, lured more by the Rock Sandpiper, joined me visiting Sandy Point on Friday November 3rd with my target being the Snowy Owl – which would be new for Washington and the ABA area for 2017.  The weather was MISERABLE!!  It had snowed the night before “up north” and while there was no snow on most of I-5 itself, as we neared Bellingham, there was a beautiful dusting on some fields and trees and some not so beautiful icy patches on the Freeway.  It was not beautiful at all as we exited and headed off on Slater Road with lots of ice.  Suddenly a car maybe 100 yards ahead of us did a very scary skid and slide – first to the left and then to the right and then back to the left before being stopped by one of those divider wires put there for just that purpose.  I was able to slow and keep control of our car without hitting the brakes – steering through the problem.  Adrenalin levels did rise.

Further along we saw a car completely turned over on the side of the road – an obvious turn turtle from earlier that morning.  We continued on – maybe just the right conditions of snow and ice for a Snowy Owl.  When we arrived at Sandy Point, there was snow and ice on the road and the parking area and the beach.  Worse though was the wind.  Probably the cause of the ice on the road earlier, here it was howling – gusting over 40 mph and a pretty constant 20 mph plus.  The ambient temperature was below 30 degrees – who knows what the wind chill was – but it was COLD!!  We put on every piece of clothing we had (and we had brought a lot expecting the cold) and went out exploring.

The wind made it difficult to bird, impossible to use a scope and definitely suppressed the birds.  We found some Black Turnstones and not much else.  Another birder was there – he had seen the Snowy Owl the day before and had already been there for 30 minutes plus without a hint.  We braved the conditions for an hour and seeing no let-up and no Snowy Owl, we gave up and headed home.  There were lots of nooks and crannies among the rocks, logs, docks and homes.  The Owl was probably hunkered down out of sight.  Rats!! If the owl was relocated, maybe we would come back and try again.  On the way out, we saw an even worse scene of a car off the road completely on its top.

As it turns out the Snowy Owl was relocated at Sandy Point the next day, but per my preceding blog post: A Bazillion to One!!   (https://wordpress.com/post/blairbirding. wordpress.com/19347), events at Neah Bay took priority and thoughts of Snowy Owls were placed in the “Future File”.  Today the Future arrived.  The Snowy was reported again yesterday (Wednesday) and there was also a report of two Snow Buntings at Sandy Point.  The weather was good and projected to get worse later in the week.  There was no snow, no ice and light wind.  The temperature was projected to be around 40.  I would give it a try.

As I have often written, when chasing a rarity, it is often best to first look for the birders before the bird.  Often someone else is already there and already on the bird.  Such was the case today.  As I arrived at the tip of Sandy Point I could see two birders off in the distance looking at the spot where I expected the Owl to be.  Two more birders were returning to the parking area.  They confirmed that the Snowy Owl was there, hunkered down in the logs just across the narrow entrance to the Bay.

I went to the point – got a quick view and then worked to get a photo.  The Snowy was indeed hunkered down – partially hidden from our angle and with its back towards us.  I got a few “record” photos and was very glad that conditions had changed.  I asked the other birders if they had seen any Snow Buntings.  Two had been seen on the grass above the beach and along the path maybe 45 minutes earlier.  I turned my attention elsewhere hoping the Owl would move to a more photogenic position.

Snowy Owl – First View

The area was quite birdy – with birds on the grass, on the rocks and in the Bay.  First noted were two pairs of Black Scoters – uncommon but not rare.  Keeping the “Black is Beautiful Theme”, a small flock of Black Turnstones also flew in.  A search for an accompanying Rock Sandpiper yielded only a Dunlin.

Black Scoters

Black Turnstones

Suddenly another flock appeared – but not shorebirds – 30+ by estimation – what were they?  They teased us with flyovers and near landings but our only views were from below – a wonderful group of Snow Buntings – their striking black and white wing patterns clearly evident.  Not the hoped for close-up photo but a real treat and new State and ABA birds for 2017.

Snow Buntings

So both of the “Snow Bird” targets had been found – not great photos – but great birds and Snow Birds without the snow and ice and wind made for a wonderful morning.  Maybe the Owl would change position and provide a photo op.  But first another bird appeared – another flyover and one of the other birders called out that it was a Lapland Longspur.  This was a good spot to find one and it would have been another new year bird.  My interest turned to it and away from the Snowy Owl.  I was the only one to follow the bird as it finally landed and I was able to get on it and get a photo – confirming that it was – only an American Pipit.  Another nice but far more common bird – and also very habitat appropriate here.  Too bad it did not have a red throat.

American Pipit

My attention returned to the Snowy.  Four Western Meadowlarks flew onto logs just across from the Owl – a nice photo.  Some other birders had a arrived.  I showed one the Snowy through my scope – a life bird for her.  It was still mostly hidden though – an occasional head swivel at least showing the bright yellow eyes.

Western Meadowlark

Snowy Owl – a Better Look

I decided to give it another 15 minutes hoping for a better photo.  Other birds seen included some Common Goldeneyes, Surf Scoters, Red Breasted Mergansers, Buffleheads, Common Loons, Double Crested Cormorants, Glaucous, Mew and Ring Billed Gulls and Horned Grebes.  The Snow Buntings did not return.

Common Loon

Finally the Snowy Owl moved a bit but while more in the open, still not a full on facial shot.  I grabbed a last photo as it fluffed out its feathers – showing the insulation that keeps it alive in its normal harsh arctic environment.

Snowy Owl – Last Photo

Now it was time to head home.  It had been another great day birding – so much better than the earlier visit.  I will take Snow Birds over snow itself any day!!

Yesterday, Sunday November 5th, I was supposed to go to Neah Bay but something came up and I was not able to go.  A few hours after abandoning the trip I saw a post on Tweeters by Matt Dufort that a Zone Tailed Hawk had been seen at Neah Bay.  It was the first state record for this bird that belongs in Arizona or Mexico.  Are you serious?!?  Had my change of plans caused me to miss this incredible find?

It is 135 miles from my house to Neah Bay – a three hour trip considering the ferry ride and the winding roads.  Not a trip to take on a whim, but it is one I have taken many times in the last few years – chasing some of the incredible birds found there or hoping to find some of my own.  Just last week, Steve Pink and I had made the journey hoping for a Blue Grosbeak, another new state bird for us and another bird that belongs in Arizona.  We missed it (see   ).

Should I make the trek to Neah Bay on Monday and hope that unlike the Blue Grosbeak, the Zone Tailed Hawk would stay around?  What were the odds it would stick another day?  Birding friend Brian Pendleton was in Neah Bay and when I saw an Ebird report that he too had seen the Hawk yesterday, I got in touch and was at least encouraged. If found, it would be such a prize.  So unexpected that when Brian and Andy Stepniewski (both extraordinary birders) saw it Sunday they had thought it was a Turkey Vulture – which although a bit late for it to still be around – was very understandable and which in flight from below looks very much like the Zone Tailed Hawk.  I had recently seen a Zone Tailed Hawk (and also a Blue Grosbeak) in Arizona.  Yes I had missed the Blue Grosbeak in Neah Bay.  Missing the Zone Tail would be far more painful.

Zone Tailed Hawk (Arizona – Mt. Lemmon August 1, 2017)

Blue Grosbeak (Arizona Green Valley August 2, 2017)

The weather was projected to be fantastic and although a couple of others could not make the trip, Carol Riddell was up for the journey so we determined to make the 6:20 Ferry from Edmonds to Kingston and give it a try.   About 30 miles out of Neah Bay, I got word from Brian that he and Andy had seen the Zone Tailed Hawk again this morning – near the High School. YES!!!!  About 45 minutes later Carol and I were at the High School, but the Hawk was not.  But we did find Chuck Jensen and combined efforts exchanging phone numbers and going to different areas.

Not too much later Chuck called – he had found it, but it had flown,  We all continued the search. Finally about 11:00 as we retraced steps again, we saw three birders with scopes and bins looking at something up in a tree along Backtrack Road – an area Carol and I had just gone through 10 minutes ago. It was Chuck and Adrian Hinkle and Mary Lynn (Em) Scattaregia, the latter two who had first found the bird Sunday.  And the bird they were looking at was the Zone Tailed Hawk – perched in the open.  We got great looks and good photos.  A new State bird for Chuck, Carol and me.

Zone Tailed Hawk – Neah Bay November 6, 2017

We watched it for maybe 15 minutes and then it flew off.  I got a crummy flight photo which at least showed the trailing white on the primaries.

Flight Shot

It was great to meet Adrian and Em and even greater that Carol and I – and Chuck – all got the bird.  WOW!!

Riding our high, Chuck, Carol and I headed over to Hobuck Beach where we understood that White Winged Crossbills had been seen.  We stopped at the picnic area and slithered through the rail fence.  We saw lots of trees with heavy cone crops and searched with our bins.  A few minutes later I thought I heard one calling and raced over to the area and sure enough one was atop a spruce.  Then we found three or four more and all got good photos.  A life bird for Chuck and new year birds for Carol and me.  Had we missed the Zone Tailed Hawk this would have been a great consolation prize but now it was more like a wonderful topping on an astounding dessert.

White Winged Crossbill

Carol and I checked some more spots in Neah Bay and found nice birds but nothing unusual and nothing new for us for the year.  We were surprised not to see a Tropical Kingbird since last year on November 7th, I had 4 in Neah Bay.  We decided to head for home – very happy indeed.

It is impossible to say what the odds would have been to see a Zone Tailed Hawk in Washington – remember this was the first ever State record.  But whatever those odds would be, the odds would be far far far greater to see the last 5 birds I have added to my Washington State list – three of which have been in Neah Bay.  Those birds are:  Dusky Capped Flycatcher (Neah Bay –  November 21, 2016) – First State Record;  Falcated Duck (Padilla Bay – January 16, 2017) – Third State Record; Horned Puffin – (Neah Bay July 20, 2017) – approximately 10 State Records; Swallow Tailed Gull – Carkeek Park – August 31, 2017) – First State Record and only the 2nd North American Record; and now the Zone Tailed Hawk (Neah Bay – November 6, 2017) – First Record north of California.

Dusky Capped Flycatcher

Falcated Duck

Horned Puffin

Swallow Tailed Gull

Zone Tailed Hawk

It would be impossible to determine the odds for seeing any one of those five birds in Washington, but it is pretty clear that the odds of seeing all Five must be something along the order of  A BAZILLION TO ONE!!!!

It was fitting that the first bird we saw was a black American Crow.  It was also fitting that the first “special” birds we saw were American Pipits in a field of orange squash.  After all it was Halloween and Pilchuck Audubon was out on another of its Tuesday birding adventures led by Virginia Clark.  (It was also fitting that delicious squash bread joined the yummy cookies in the “treats” that Virginia always brings – reason enough to join the group.)

American Pipit

The day started cold and crisp but it got warmer and warmer and nicer and nicer – a brilliant day of birding in the Fir Island area in Skagit County.  Pilchuck Audubon has a trip every Tuesday mostly fairly local in Snohomish or Skagit County but sometimes ranging further afield even into British Columbia.  There are perhaps 20 “regulars” and you can always count on at least half of them being on any trip – great friendship shared with the also great birding – and the cookies!!

I have not been able to join the group as often as I would like – somehow other matters conflict with Tuesday too often, but it is always fun when I do.  And it is also always instructive as Virginia knows every back road and birding spot and has years of encyclopedic recall about what was seen where and when.  I go to places that are in my backyard so to speak but are still new to me.

I won’t try to catalog every stop and instead will concentrate on two special stops at Wylie Slough and Hayton Reserve but there were many birds on the back roads and our caravan enjoyed a diverse collection of raptors, passerines, waterfowl and shorebirds.  All told we found close to 70 species.  Not every bird was seen by every birder but the special ones were.

Raptors included Bald Eagles, American Kestrels, Red Tailed Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, a Merlin, Sharp Tailed and Cooper’s Hawks, Northern Harriers and a Rough Legged Hawk.  Unfortunately no owls (including a no show of the Barn Owl on Moore Road) and we also did not see the Prairie Falcon that had been reported at Hayton earlier this week.

Cooper’s Hawk

We also found a good variety of sparrow like birds: White and Golden Crowned, Lincoln’s, Song, and Fox Sparrow’s plus Spotted Towhee and Dark Eyed Junco.

Fox Sparrow

Unfortunately no White Throated Sparrow which would have been a FOY for me but I heard from several in the group that they had had this species visit their yards earlier in the year.  Maybe I can visit next year if they return.

It is still a little early in the winter but all through the day we had groups of Trumpeter Swans and Snow Geese – with a large flock of the latter at Hayton numbering over 1000.  There was also a single flock of Cackling Geese and a few Canada Geese.

Cackling Geese

I must admit that I too often take the geese and swans for granted.  The excitement of many of the birders in the group as they saw these beautiful birds for the first time this season reminded me just how fortunate we are to live so near to an area where they return in the thousands each fall.  Always a spectacular show.

We arrived at Wylie Slough in the Skagit Management Area just before 11:00.  A Black Phoebe had been reported from the area earlier.  One of the group had already seen it – or maybe not.  When he got home and looked more closely at his photos, the white undertail and conical light colored bill proved it instead to be a Slate Colored Dark Eyed Junco – actually even more uncommon than the Phoebe.  At first we saw no shorebirds in the mud or shallow water so we walked the trail and looked for passerines and then went to the blind to see what ducks we might find.  The Fox Sparrow photo above was from this area and we also had a small flock of Pine Siskins and another small group of Bushtits and two wren species – Bewick’s and Marsh Wrens plus more Sparrows and Towhees.

From the blind, we could see a small group of Ring Necked Ducks (please, please change the species name to Ring Billed Ducks), a pair of Hooded Mergansers, Green Winged Teal and Northern Shovelers.  In the fields behind the blind or in the distant trees in the slough we found Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Northern Harriers and a Sharp Shinned Hawk.

Then it got real exciting.  Just past the blind across from the dike we arrived at the area where the Black Phoebe had been reported (and where the Slate Colored Junco had also been found).  We looked and listened – nothing.  Another Peregrine was found and a Belted Kingfisher’s rattle announced its appearance.  I tried the “phee-bee” call of the Black Phoebe hoping it might bring a response – but there was none.  Whoa – maybe three minutes later, the Black Phoebe was spotted in a tree very near.  It did its flycatching thing and all got good looks and photos.

Black Phoebe (Note the small insects flying around the bird)

And then a juvenile Northern Shrike was spotted.  The Phoebe flew into brush near the slough and there was an almost immediate series of shrieks and rattles and chortles that turned out to be an adult Northern Shrike.  We thought that it was interacting with the Phoebe and – oh no maybe it was preying on it.  The juvenile Shrike had also flown into the area and we think that was the interaction.  It was also possible that there was a second adult Northern Shrike – as there were many visuals in different areas.  But there was so much activity and flying about that it was not clear if there were two or three Shrikes.

Northern Shrike

Some of us had gotten out to the area by the dike quite a bit ahead of the others.  The Shrikes and Phoebe were very obliging though and everyone got good looks and enjoyed the activity.  I also learned that while our earlier group had been out past the blind and before I used the Phoebe playback, one of the other birders had thought she heard what sounded like a Willow Flycatcher at least 150 yards further down the path – closer to the parking area.  Most likely she had heard the Phoebe with its “phee -bee” call not so different from the “fitz-bew” or “fitz-bee” call of a Willow Flycatcher.  So apparently my playback had drawn the Phoebe out to us from at least 150 yards away.  And the proof of the pudding so to speak was that as we returned to the parking area, we heard the Phoebe calling and relocated the bird there.  So it does cover quite a distance.  Phil Dickinson had seen the Black Phoebe that was first reported by Josh Adams on Fobes Road and this was his experience there as well – as he and David Poortinga found the Phoebe at least that distance from where Josh had it before.

Also on the way in, we got good looks at a small flock of Greater Yellowlegs that had flown in and we heard a Virginia Rail that responded to my “grunt” playback.

Greater Yellowlegs

Jon and Kathleen Houghton had come to Wylie just in time to get on the Black Phoebe our group had found.  They were soon to return the favor.  They headed off to Hayton Reserve while our group had our picnic at Wylie.  I asked Jon to call if he found the Sharp Tailed Sandpiper that had been hanging at Hayton for the past two weeks.  Maybe 15 minutes later I got the call – but Jon said the tide was out and there were no shorebirds.  After lunch (and more of Virginia’s cookies) we headed over to Hayton Reserve.  Just as we arrived I got another call from Jon – they had the Sharp Tailed Sandpiper.  I announced the find and a group of us charged up to path where I could see Jon and Kathleen.  Turned out that the Sharp Tailed was not quite that far out though and I stopped just in time to see it fairly close in on the mud just east of the bank.  It remained for several minutes affording good views and some photos for some of us before flying over the path and into the shallows on the other side  giving some more birders a view.  This was a life bird for most of the group.  Unfortunately it then disappeared and remained so as the tide came in much quicker than expected.

Sharp Tailed Sandpiper

Although the Sharp Tailed Sandpiper was definitely the star, there were lots of birds at Hayton:  hundreds of Dunlin, dozens of Greater Yellowlegs, Long Billed Dowitchers, Mallards, American Wigeon,  some Bufflehead and Pintails, and 1000+ Snow Geese.  We also had a single American Coot – our only one of the trip.

Dunlin

Long Billed Dowitcher

Two more stops.  We missed the Barn Owl at Moore Road (the same spot Steve Pink had shown me the previous week – when we in turn missed the Sharp Tailed Sandpiper at Hayton).  Then we went to the North Fork area where we did find the sought after American Bittern – only a distant flyby – but it was Virginia’s goal to get one for the trip so a fitting ending indeed.

It had been a really good day – good weather, very good birds and even better company.  Everyone departed happy – no tricks – only treats.  Happy Halloween.

How nice if I could write an excited blog about successful chases recently – finding the Little Gull at Point No Point, the Blue Grosbeak at Neah Bay, the Red Shouldered Hawk at Three Crabs or even the Golden Plovers at the West 90.  But alas, no can do.  I was batting zero – having failed at all of these recent pursuits.  If the Joy of Birding was measured as specific birds pursued and found, it would be an unhappy time indeed.  And while I am not going to pretend that there was no disappointment and unhappiness in each of those “misses”, fortunately there have been nice returns on the efforts in the field looking for those special birds.

Little Gull

The Little Gull was first found at the Point No Point area by Kelly Beach and others participating in a bird survey by boat on the morning of Friday October 13th.  Brad Waggoner was able to search for the bird later that morning and after several hours of diligence he was rewarded first with distant scope views and then with a close fly by giving him a chance to get some fabulous photos which I include below – taken from his Ebird report.

Little Gull – Point No Point – October 13, 2017 (Photos by Brad Waggoner)

With Bonaparte’s Gull – a Super Size Comparison

News of the sighting hit Tweeters on the afternoon of the 13th – too late to chase it that day but definitely something for the next day.  I had seen a Little Gull in Washington twice before.  The first was at the Everett Sewage Ponds on September 23, 1984 and the second was at the Point No Point location on October 7, 2013.  The gull was far from shore in 2013 and with the help of the Olivers, I was able to get a very poor distant photo.  That gull was first found by Matt Bartells the previous day and I was hoping this gull would also remain another day.

I got to Point No Point early on the 14th at 8:30 a.m.  I had alerted Carol Riddell to the Little Gull but she had received the message too late to join me at first.  She arrived maybe an hour later.  Ken Brown, a terrific birder from Tacoma was already there when I arrived.  It was a beautiful day and there were lots of gulls, but despite our thorough searching over many hours (almost 8), no Little Gull was to be found.  It would have been a new bird for the year – both in Washington and in the ABA for me – but at least I had seen and photographed it before, so the disappointment was somewhat tempered.  Brad’s photos were so terrific, I was mostly hoping to have a chance for one as well.

But as I have written before, there were consolations. There was the chance to visit with Ken and with Carol – enjoyable and educational.  And there were other good birds.  Sarah Peden and Jordan Gunn, both Master Birder Classmates, had also come to look for the Little Gull.  It was Jordan who first saw a Franklin’s Gull as we searched west of Norwegian Point.  Not nearly as rare as the Little Gull but definitely uncommon, it was the first one I have seen in Kitsap County.

Franklin’s Gull

And there were hundreds of Bonaparte’s Gulls as is usually the case here in the fall.  A treat among the Bonies was a good number of Parasitic Jaegers – chasing the gulls often working in pairs and making them disgorge their food – standard Jaeger behavior.

Bonaparte’s Gull

Parasitic Jaeger

I was also able to show Carol a California Scrub Jay I had found before she arrived – a new county bird for her.  It was in the same spot I had seen one two years ago.  So no Little Gull but a good day of birding – and there would be other chases on another day.

California Scrub Jay

Golden Plovers and Sharp Tailed Sandpiper

Over the next week plus as I wrote in my most recent blog post (See Dream Birds https://wordpress.com/post/blairbirding.wordpress.com/18761) I dreamed of birds instead of going to look for some.  I saw reports of a Sharp Tailed Sandpiper that was being seen at Hayton Reserve and of Golden Plovers seen at the West 90 among other places, but maybe the energy was low or I was just not motivated since I had seen these species earlier this year and had photos.  Eventually the good weather and inactivity weighed too heavily and I decided to look for these birds and who knows maybe something else like a Lapland Longspur or Snow Bunting in Skagit County.  Late morning on Monday October 23, I set off and called Steve Pink to see if he was interested in going.  It turned out that he was already out at the Tulalip Spit, another area I had considered, so we arranged to meet at Hayton Reserve.

At Hayton we saw hundreds of shorebirds – but there were no Golden Plovers or Sharp Tailed Sandpipers among the Dunlin and Dowitchers.  We left a car in town and then headed to other spots including a barn with a Barn Owl in a nesting box along Moore Road.  The Owl was tucked way in the back but we could at least identify it as such.   When we arrived at the East 90, we quickly identified the plowed field where the Golden Plovers had been reported for many days but there were no birds present at all.  The only consolation was a fly by of a Red Tailed Hawk that turned out to be of the dark Harlan’s form.

Red Tailed Hawk – Harlan’s

It was more of a disappointment for Steve since he had not seen Golden Plovers this year, but we were both a bit bummed.  And this disappointment was to be compounded.

Blue Grosbeak

Prior to setting out for Skagit County, I read a post on Tweeters from Ryan Shaw.  He was in Neah Bay with a big group of top birders and was looking at a Blue Grosbeak in brambles near the Minit-Mart.  I had seen and photographed the bird earlier in the year in Arizona and Florida but I had never seen one in Washington.  In fact this was only the second state record.  Randy Hill had found one in Neah Bay previously.  When I saw the post it was past 10:20 a.m.  If I hustled I might be able to catch the 11:10 ferry and possibly get to Neah Bay by 3:00 p.m.  I decided to wait and see if others reported the bird later and if so then to try for it the following day.

I told Steve of the report when we were out and it would be a new State bird for him as well but he had other plans for the following day and probably could not go.  It turned out that David Poortinga was then in Sequim and when he learned of the Grosbeak, he continued on to Neah Bay and he relocated the bird that afternoon.  This was all I needed to commit to a chase the next day.  After some family negotiations, Steve arranged to go as well.

The bird apparently had first been discovered by Bill Tweit.  The Washington Bird Records Committee had been meeting in Neah Bay and they all got a chance to see the bird.  Later David Poortinga and Alex Patia saw the bird and the photo below is from David’s report.

Blue Grosbeak (Hatch Year Bird) – Photo by David Poortinga

Steve and I caught the 6:10 a.m. Edmonds Ferry and were in Neah Bay before 10:00 a.m.  We went directly to the spot where the bird had been seen and searched hard for the next hour.  We were surprised that no other birders were already there.  Ken Lane showed up and he joined the search.  We had no success.  Sigh…

Steve and I continued to bird in Neah Bay for the next several hours returning often to the Minit Mart area but nothing changed.  The Blue Grosbeak had been a one day wonder.  Such is often the case – but it sure was a downer.  Steve and I had 50+ species in Neah Bay but nothing unusual.  We gave up and headed home planning a stop to see if we might find the Red Shouldered Hawk that had been reported at Three Crabs in Sequim.  It was getting late when we got to Helen’s Pond and in a car heading in the opposite direction was Brad Waggoner.  I enviously complimented him on his Little Gull photo and asked if he had seen the Red Shouldered Hawk – “Not today”.  Yikes – another miss?

We saw some birds with the best probably being two Eurasian Wigeon hard to pick out from the thousands of American Wigeon in the Bay.  We had seen a Sharp Tailed Hawk but otherwise no raptors at all.  As we started to leave I noted what might be a raptor in a tree behind Helen’s Pond – the area where the Red Shouldered Hawk had been seen.  As we got out of the car for a look, we both saw what we believed to be a Short Eared Owl fly out of a ditch and then continue hunting in the fields.  The bird in the tree turned out to be only a Red Tailed Hawk.  That was disappointing but the owl now had our attention and great interest.  Over the next 20 minutes we watched it hunt making several dives and flying both away and towards us in beautiful light.  Now we could see that it was a Barn Owl and we were enthralled by the show.  It was a County first for both of us and the experience made us forget about the earlier misses.  Like a hail Mary pass that snatches victory from the jaws of defeat in a football game, this was a great way to end our day.

Barn Owl – Three Crabs

So the owl was a treat – not really close to what the Blue Grosbeak would have been by some measures but it was great to share the experience with Steve.  Nobody else has reported the Grosbeak so at least we do not have to feel bad about that – but we did learn that the Golden Plovers we had missed at the West 90 had been seen two hours before we got there.  If we had started there and then went to Hayton – well who knows.

Hopefully my accounting of the missed Blue Grosbeak has not been taken as whining.  Maybe if I had followed my own Rule #1 the story would have been different.  Rule #1 for any “chase” is “Go now!” with Rule #2 being “If you fail to follow Rule #1, there can be no whining.”  What if I had taken the chance and gone to Neah Bay as soon as I read Ryan’s first post?  Odds are fairly good that I would have been successful (and very tired).  But if I had made that trip alone and failed to find the bird, it would have been a major downer – and there would have been no Barn Owl show.  Next time I will…

It happens every year about this time.  The rains return to the Northwest.  Migration is mostly over.   I have chased birds, traveled all over the state and especially this year all over the country.  I have seen lots of really, really good birds.  It is October 19th and most of the show is over as I have seen most of the birds in Washington that I am going to see for the year.  Of course I would like to see more.  But what? Where?

In the previous five years I have averaged almost 355 species in Washington each year.  With different priorities and goals, there will be far fewer this year.    In those past five years, after this date, I have averaged about 15 new species for the remainder of the year.  Maybe that will be the experience this year as well and with some luck, maybe some surprises and a trip or two to the always fantastic Neah Bay and maybe a visit to the Okanogan, at most I might see 325 species this year – and that will be terrific.  It has been a good year in Washington and especially elsewhere.  Now what?

As I sit here today on October 19th, there is nothing specific to go chase – just some spots that might be productive with some luck – no certainties to add to the list.  I have some time in the next week to go birding.  What to do?  Thinking about that got me to dreaming.  What if I could somehow will some very special birds to show up – what would they be, what would I most want to see?  And since this has been a year with goals beyond the borders of Washington, what if my dreaming could include all of the ABA area?  That exercise led to the following bucket list of my top 10 Birds to round out the year.  My Dream List (all photos are from others or by me not in Washington).

 1. Smew (Internet Photo)

I have mentioned this before.  A male Smew is at the very top of my bucket list.  Sure I would love it to be in Washington and there have been a couple of observations in Washington in the early 1990’s.  I have never seen one.  Maybe next year.  It has to be a male and I want a photo. (See https://wordpress.com/post/blairbirding.wordpress.com/7931)

2. Boreal Owl

This one does have to be in Washington.  It is my most wanted photo for the State.  I have heard many and had a very fleeting look at one.  This photo is by Dan Reiff and was at Sunrise at Mount Rainier where I had my only visual.  I tried again this year – unsuccessfully.  There is an outside chance to try once more.

3. Ivory Gull (internet Photo)

Maybe this year’s Swallow Tailed Gull means anything is possible, and an Ivory Gull was seen at Point Roberts in December 2001, but this is a tough bird to get anywhere – with Barrow Alaska being the most likely spot.  This photo is of one seen at Plymouth on Cape Cod (I was just there) in January 2009.  A real beauty.  It would be fantastic.

4. Red Legged Kittiwake

Continuing the gull theme, I would love to see and photograph a Red Legged Kittiwake in Washington.  There was one seen at Neah Bay in September 2015.  I chased it the next day unsuccessfully with Jon Houghton and Nathaniel Peters (See https://wordpress.com/post/blairbirding.wordpress.com/1900).  The photo is of the one I saw on my Adak pelagic trip last year . (See https://wordpress.com/post/blairbirding.wordpress.com/4254)

5. Spotted Redshank (Internet Photo)

I first saw this bird at the Mai Po Nature Reserve outside Hong Kong in December 1979 where it is common.  Just over a year later I saw another one in Oregon in February 1981.  It is extremely rare in the U.S.  One was seen by a few observers at the Jensen Access in Skagit County in late November/early December a couple of years ago.  Maybe it will return this year.  I would love to add it to my photo list and to my Washington State life list.

6. McKay’s Bunting

This photo was taken by Knut Hansen of the McKay’s Bunting found at Ocean Shores in February 2012.  With several other birders, I tried (and failed) to relocate the bird the following day.  I had previously seen one there 33 years earlier in February 1979.  So not a lifer or even a new state bird, but I would love to check it off of the birds seen but not photographed in the State. (See https://wordpress.com/post/blairbirding.wordpress.com/7931)

7.  Little Bunting

I will not go into details, but this bird holds the title of Bird I am Angriest to Have Missed in Washington.  It was seen on October 10, 2015.  The photo is by Ryan Merrill.  NOT a happy story.  Maybe someday.

The preceding birds are all ones I would like to see and/or photograph in Washington.  Three would be ABA Life birds and two more would be new State Birds.  The other two would be new State photos.  The next three are birds that would have to be seen elsewhere – two lifers and a life photo.

8. Whooping Crane (Internet Photo)

This would be an ABA Life bird.  We failed to find one in Florida this year and I have missed them on two trips to Texas.  I hope to return to Texas and see one next year.

9. California Condor (Internet Photo)

This too would be an ABA Life bird.  I am considering a trip to Southern California this year and if so will try to include Big Sur and hope to see one there if I do.  If not – then maybe the Grand Canyon next year.

10. Black Rail (Internet Photo)

This may be the most surprising bird on the list as it is not a super rarity and is not a reintroduction success story like the Whooping Crane and the California Condor.  But it holds a special place for me as it may be the bird that really got me hooked as a birder (See  https://wordpress.com/post/blairbirding.wordpress.com/2627).  The only one I have ever seen was at Baylands Park near Palo Alto in May 1973.  It is elusive and very small – hard to get a photo and that is what I want – to add to my ABA photos list.  Need a lot of luck – and a very high tide.

I imagine that most readers would love to see these birds as well but likely not all are in their Top 10.  As I made the list I also got to thinking about the Top 10 birds I have seen – and it is just too hard to make that selection – even if reduced to just those in Washington  or even just in any one year.  But going back to the start of the post and what put me in the mood, I wondered about the Top 10 birds I have seen “after October 19th”.  I came up with the following – a pretty good list certainly for the State of Washington – and many for almost anywhere.  I would be thrilled to see any of them again this year.

Emperor Goose – Sequim, WA – December 19, 2013

Northern Hawk Owl – Highway 28 – December 22, 2012

Rustic Bunting – Neah Bay – December 7, 2016

Eurasian Hobby – Neah Bay – October 30, 2014

King Eider – Ruston Way, Tacoma – November 4, 2015

Brambling – Neah Bay – October 30, 2014

Dusky Capped Flycatcher – Neah Bay – November 21, 2016

Summer Tanager – University District – December 9, 2012

Yellow Throated Warbler – Longview – December 16, 2015

Northern Wheatear – Westport – October 28, 2012

This post will have some birding content, but my trip was not about birds.  It was about going to the East Coast revisiting my past – looking back at places where I lived and went to school and spent my youth.  It was also about seeing my two children who live on that Coast – far from me in Edmonds, WA.  On the third day of the trip I turned 70 – how is that possible?  Really? – old people are 70 – so how can I have reached that age?  Guess I will have to reassess and think that people are not “old” until they are 80.  Hope I make it to that time to see for myself.

I grew up in Langley Park, Maryland from the time I was 4 until I left for college in 1965.  It was a post-war development in Prince Georges County not far from the District of Columbia .  My parents remained in that same house until the birth of their granddaughter prompted their relocation to Seattle in 1985.  So it was in 1985 that I last revisited Langley Park.  Now 32 years have passed and I wanted to see what had changed and to feel what this simple place that had seemed so idyllic to me back then felt like now.   I was part of the beginning of the post-war baby boom.  Our neighborhood of hundreds of simple brick ramblers and some apartments was full of families with kids.  None of the families made much money, but America was so wealthy after the War that standards of living were pretty good even for middle class (lower) families like mine.  We had simple wants that were met and frankly we did not know about or want much else.

My home was across the street from my elementary school with play fields and summer programs.  Just around the corner and down the street was “the Woods” with endless interactions with nature and our imaginations.  There were snakes and frogs and turtles and birds (although I had no sense of their appeal then).  Walking or riding our bikes with absolutely no worries of safety or foul play, we would spend hours reliving the “Civil War” from hills we called Confederate and Yankee lookouts, wading in “the Creek”, looking for arrowheads, or going to the Old Mill.  Our bikes or feet also took us to “the shopping center” – at first just a single strip mall and eventually many stores on all corners of the major intersection about a mile from my home.

I was not aware of it at the time, but the weather was miserable – temperatures and humidity in the 90’s in the summer and snow and moderately cold in the winter.  Kids don’t process weather – it was what it was and all we knew.  We played all day.  Repeating myself, there were kids everywhere.  An example was that on Halloween, hundreds of us would fill the streets receiving candy from every house – two shopping bags full as I remember – sometimes even whole candy bars – not the bite size we use today.   Little League was a half mile away.  There was a bowling alley not too far and we were only a short bus ride from Washington, D.C. where my father worked (a small optical store in a not so good area) and on my own even at a very young age, I could ride that bus, with a transfer at the “District Line” to get to Griffith Stadium to see the abysmal Washington Senators (bleacher seats were less than $1.00) or for a real treat go to “the Mall” to see the monuments for Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson, the National Gallery of Art and especially the fabulous Smithsonian.  All were free.  Dwight Eisenhower was President and in those much simpler times, we actually had picnics on the grounds of the White House.

Later I would go by bus (with all those other kids) to a Junior High School less than 3 miles from home and then later to a large high school about 5 miles away.  Enrollment in the High School tells the baby boom story.  In just grades 10 through 12 in three shifts, we had almost 3500 students – the place was bulging at the seams.  But I got a good education in the “Academic Track” and went on to college in Cambridge, MA – wonderful and confusing and challenging and at times bewildering years at Harvard as the 60’s ended with enormous change, rebellion, protests and no longer a naivete and innocence about a simple life where everyone had been in the same boat – relatively at least.

Life really was good – at least I thought so at the time and cannot remember it differently now.  My revisit did not change that memory but the place had certainly changed.  It was impossible not to notice the completely different racial/ethnic makeups.  My neighborhood had been 99% Caucasian and now was seemingly all Hispanic.  All of the familiar stores from the “shopping center” were gone and were replaced by smaller stores of unfamiliar brands with signs either bilingual or in Spanish only,  My high school had similarly been almost exclusively Caucasian.  Now almost entirely black.  The school itself seemed familiar with maybe a new auditorium but definitely not a shining new beacon of education.

My elementary school still had portables that may have been built in the last years I was there.  Then there were two separate buildings/schools: Langley Park and McCormick.  They are now combined into the separate and newer (meaning probably 1956) two story McCormick building.  The older Langley Park building seems to have been partially razed leaving an administrative building function only.  Neither place looked very appealing.

Not surprisingly, the Woods were the same – although they did seem smaller to my grown up eye.  The Creek ran clear, the trees had not yet donned their Autumn cloaks and while I doubt that young kids still play there without adults nearby, it was a pleasant and inviting area.  My guess is that there are (and were) birds there although my attempt to find and finally get a photo of a Tufted Titmouse was unsuccessful.

The Old Family Home

The High School

Continuing into D.C. I remembered the route first to my fathers old work place and then to the Mall.  Dad’s shop had been in the heart of one of the areas burned during the Martin Luther King riots in 1968.  It had escaped the flames although windows were damaged, but the area changed and went even further downhill – at least for awhile.  Not the case today as it is very upscale with expensive shops and clean streets.  Not recognizable at all.  Jeni’s Ice Cream has replaced 975 Optical Co.

Dad’s Corner

The Mall was the same but different.  I used to walk the length of it going from place to place.  We did a lot of walking this day, but it seemed so big.  And now there were additions: The Vietnam Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Martin Luther King Memorial.  A short visit to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum which was the same on the outside but with different and terrific exhibits on the inside although the giant African Elephant still occupies center stage.  I have wanted to see the Vietnam Memorial for a long while – very simple and very powerful.  A memory of a ghastly inexcusable war – a very bad time in my life.  I was alive during the Korean War but was just a toddler.  That Memorial is also very powerful as is the one to Martin Luther King.

Vietnam Memorial

Korean War Memorial

Martin Luther King Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial has always been my favorite.  It ranks with the Taj Mahal as the most emotionally moving buildings I have experienced.  Memories of climbing on Lincoln’s lap after my High School Prom add to its magic.

Lincoln Memorial

I cannot resist adding two more photos – the Washington Monument across the Reflecting Pool and the White House.  The former memorializes one of the true American greats and the latter currently houses one of America’s greatest disappointments.  Enough said.  Yes much has changed.

Washington Monument

The White House

After D.C. it was on to New York City – primarily to visit my son Alex.  I admit to not caring for New York – just too many people, too busy, crowded, impersonal etc.  It was great to see Alex and try to catch up on his world.  He has a difficult job with difficult people.  His standards and performance are so high I wonder if he can ever really find a comfortable place.  I wish it was easier.  He is buried preparing for a major event in Seoul, South Korea next month.  I just hope the nut job in the White House does nothing that will make Seoul disappear.  We also visited the new World Trade Center and 9-11 memorial, museum and the observation tower.  Not going to go into details or include pictures – incredible place – a horrible event that will never be forgotten and that has changed our world forever.

It was then on to Boston to visit my daughter and her husband and to revisit some of my college haunts.  Miya and Lester have just purchased a home in Newton and it was so exciting to see them in their own place – the spare bedroom was nice also!!  It was here that I had the highlight of the trip as I learned that after a very tough ordeal, Miya is pregnant and with continued good fortune, I can expect a first grand child in March.  There are no words that can express my joy and my happiness for them.  They are an incredible couple who are both engaged in academic medicine and have worked so hard to get where they are.

Before revisiting Harvard and seeing an off the wall street parade in Cambridge, we journeyed to Children’s Hospital in Boston, where Miya is now on the faculty and she got to show off her very new office – with a window and a door that locks – quite the treasure in her world.  Harvard seemed little changed since my graduation in 1969 and my last visit for her graduation in 2006.  At least on the outside.  I expect that the content of what is taught inside the walls is very different, as is the student body.  I would never get admitted today and doubt I would understand much of what is taught there as well.  Yet that continuity – strangely like “the Woods” at my childhood home and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.  was comforting.  Sound foundations are irreplaceable.

There was one more leg of the journey – this time not looking back and finally looking – even if briefly – at some birds.  We had time for a jaunt to the Cape – all the way out to Provincetown with the possibility of some new life birds if the shearwaters were around Race Point Beach as they often are at this time of year.  The weather on arrival was not great – but only a light rain and light wind.  Just before hitting Provincetown, there had been a pair of Mute Swans visible from Highway 6.  Not officially “countable” in Washington they are established and do count in Massachusetts.  They were ABA Area species number 500 for the year – so at last another of my goals was met.  A Greater Black Backed Gull greeted us at Race Point Beach for #501.  Also at Race Point were hundreds of shearwaters.  Without my scope or good camera, it was a bit frustrating but several Great Shearwaters flew close enough for a photo.  The Cory’s Shearwaters were further out but I had a good enough view to pick out the determining field marks.  Both were ABA life birds – numbers 692 and 693.

The next morning I returned early in great light and saw many thousands of birds – again both shearwaters plus hundreds of Northern Gannets, Common Eiders, and Common Terns.  Many Parasitic Jaegers harassed the terns and there were a few Manx Shearwaters in the mix.  A single Black Legged Kittiwake was the only other new bird for the year bringing me to 505.

Greater Black Backed Gull

Great Shearwater

So goals that I set out earlier this year as 1 through 6 have now been accomplished.  I wish there was a way to get to goal 7 – my 700th ABA species this year but I just don’t see it happening.  Some misses in Florida and again in Arizona might have changed the story.  I am considering one more out of state trip this year, but even four new ABA birds would require a lot of luck.  Guess I will have to wait (unless Neah Bay has even more surprises than usual.)

But I would not trade my visits to my kids and especially my daughter’s great news for any number of lifer’s.  There can be no greater goals than to see your children doing well – healthy and happy.   Makes me happy as well…