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Patty

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Peter Connan

Great going @@Patty!

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My first new species of the month was seen at the race track today :)

 

88) Cliff swallow, Laguna Seca Raceway

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I'm not sure how they can stand the noise but at a glance there were half a dozen species at this pond including some cute goslings.

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And does having a wing qualify? Porsche 959, very rare specimen, only 345 ever lived :D

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Peter Connan

@@Patty, who knew you are a motorsport fan?

When i was a boy, i owned a 959. Well, a radio-controlled model of one anyway.

 

It seems as if birds are often found in areas of intense noise. I have not been for a long time, but remember that Kyalami race track had a very healthy population of lapwings, and birds are often a problem on airports.

 

Many years ago Hoedspruit Air Force Base had an innovative program for controlling bird populations using trained raptors.

Edited by Peter Connan
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@@Peter Connan, it's more like being married to one and absorbing knowledge through osmosis :P

 

Very interesting about birds and noise.

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elefromoz

@@Patty, yes, have a fantastic trip and good luck with the sightings, hope all creatures, Great and Small, furry and feathered come out for you.

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Same wishes also from my side. And of course, we will read that upcoming trip report with up most interest :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks @@dlo, @@elefromoz and @@xelas! We had a great time with several bear sightings and a very lucky wolf sighting crossing the road in front of us in the Grand Tetons. Unfortunately I became easily distracted and only managed to come home with 28 new bird species :D

 

The following are from our road trip to Yellowstone/Tetons this month. We drove from Carmel so a few were taken at various locations on the way out or back.

 

89) Common merganser, Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho

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90) Common loon, Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho

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91) Yellow-headed blackbird, Yellowstone

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92) Lesser scaup, Yellowstone

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93) Harlequin duck, Yellowstone

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94) Common raven, Yellowstone

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95) Black-billed magpie, Yellowstone

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96) Bald eagle, Yellowstone

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97) Brewer's sparrow, Yellowstone

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98) Cinnamon teal, Yellowstone

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99) Townsend's solitaire, Yellowstone

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100) Mountain bluebird, Yellowstone - my hundredth bird, woohoo!

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Edited by Patty
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Yellowstone/Tetons continued...

 

101) Trumpeter swan, Yellowstone

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102) Green-winged teal, Grand Teton

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103) Red-naped sapsucker, Grand Teton

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104) Barn swallow, Grand Teton

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105) Dusky grouse, Grand Teton

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106) Sora, Grand Teton

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107) Brown-headed cowbird, Grand Teton

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108) Barrow's goldeneye, Grand Teton

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109) American wigeon, Grand Teton

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110) Ring-necked duck, National Elk Refuge, Wyoming

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111) Redhead, National Elk Refuge, Wyoming

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112) Gadwall?, National Elk Refuge, Wyoming

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113) Loggerhead shrike, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada

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114) House finch, Murphys CA

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115) Fox sparrow, Sequoia National Park CA

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116) Green-tailed towhee, Kings Canyon National Park CA

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Edited by Patty
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@@Patty

That was quite a trip! Well done on passing 100 species. That Blue Grouse is spectacular.

The Gadwall does look very much like the Gadwall we get (but I am not a birder!)

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Thanks @@TonyQ! It was quite a treat to see the displaying grouse. And I just found out Blue Grouse was split into Dusky Grouse and Sooty Grouse after my bird book was published so I technically have a Dusky Grouse and have amended it. That gives me a chance to possibly get an extra species I didn't know about :) Thanks for confirming the gadwall.

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@@Patty

Impressive diversity on your trip! Those Harlequin Duck must be among the most beautiful ducks in the world! I'd love to see them one day. The displaying Grouse was something special, too!

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My only other local bird for May is what I believe to be a female bushtit which was in my front yard a few days ago.

 

117) Bushtit?, Carmel CA

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michael-ibk

Congratulations on passing 100, Patty! I especially like your thread because most of the birds in your corner of the world are pretty much unknown to me. Sorry, system didn´t allow me to "like" any more this day.

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  • 3 weeks later...

@@Patty, awesome start to the year. I just stumbled upon this little competition and you are off to a great start!

 

I do have some ID's for you. One of your first birds was a "House Finch?" and you are correct. The one below that is indeed a Pine Sisken but I think TonyQ already helped with that one. Above you have another "House Finch" but it is really a "House Sparrow" or "English Sparrow" (coincidentally one that TonyQ also has in his thread).

 

I think that's it. You have seen a great diversity of birds so far this year.

 

Now, I need to get off my butt and start a thread of my own for this year. It's not too late to start...right?

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@@Atdahl, thanks for confirming the house finch and pine sisken. Good catch on #114. I meant to type sparrow, oops!

 

Join the party!

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New sightings have really slowed down coupled with the fact that I didn't get out as much as I would've liked last month means I have only one new species to add for June. I am however very much enjoying seeing all of the chicks and juvenile birds at this time of year. Now I need to wait patiently for the fall migrants. Who knew there were different birds at different times of year? ^_^

 

118) California Towhee, Palo Corona Regional Park

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@@Patty

We have a similar situation with few new birds at this time of year -and we are also enjoying seeing chicks and juveniles. Many of these I have never seen before. Migration patterns are new to us as well!

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  • 4 weeks later...

On Friday we went on a wild condor chase in Big Sur going as far south as Limekiln State Park (50 miles from here). Unfortunately the condors continue to elude me but inspired by @@michael-ibk's recent series, I thought I'd also post some photos of the scenery where we bird. The following are actually from different trips as I didn't take many photos this time. The morning started out with lingering fog near Garrapata State Park in the northern part of Big Sur. Little did we know that a small wildfire had started deep in the canyon that morning that would balloon to over 10,000 acres in 2 days :(

 

McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

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The ocean side of Garrapata State Park from Whale Peak

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The inland side of Garrapata State Park aka Sobranes Canyon

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Farther inland is a redwood grove

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Unfortunately what makes this area great for hiking also makes it very difficult for firefighting. Containment isn't expected for at least another week and I fear what will be lost.

Edited by Patty
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Bad news about the fire Patty. Here is hoping it gets contained quickly.

 

Thanks for sharing the pics. I always wanted to go to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park but never made it. Just one more reason why I need to get back to the coast!

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Bad news about the fire Patty. Here is hoping it gets contained quickly.

Yeah the news this morning isn't getting better. Close to 15,000 acres with 5% containment. 20 homes lost. State parks from Garrapata to Julia Pfeiffer Burns are closed. The sky is starting to get an orange tinge at my house.

Edited by Patty
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michael-ibk

I hope they will manage to contain the fire soon, Patty. A shame about the gorgeous landscape (lovely photos!), and tragic for the people losing their homes. :(

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