I signed up for the Searcher’s 5-day pelagic birding expedition out of San Diego about 18 months ago when I learned last year’s trip was already full, and have been excited about yet in a way havemdreaded the trip ever since. Excited about 5 days of potential rare sea birds, meeting some of the great Read More…
Author: Ed
Sanderlings Stuck Around for Me Today
Bruce and many others have been seeing a small flock of Sanderling’s at the Chamber’s Bay Beach Access area for the last week or so, and I thought I’d likely miss them, but my first chance after getting back today I went and tried. I was thinking maybe they had vamooshed but no, after a Read More…
Devereux Slough and Coal Oil Point
This (Sunday) afternoon I finally broke down and went for a birding walk. I am a bit sick of seeing the same things in the same places here in Santa Barbara Co. and was going to take a day off, but by 4 PM I gave in and went birding. Coal Oil Point is a Read More…
Bird Pals Comes Through
Today I took advantage of the cool web site that allows traveling birders to contact local birders for advice and even company birding. I found Rob Denholtz on the site, a Capinteria birder who agreed to meet me this AM for birding his “patch” in S. Santa Barbara County. We met a friend of his, Read More…
Goleta Slough and Beach and More Mesa Today
I had the morning off today, and decided to stay nearby and bird vs. drive and chase. First stop Goleta Slough and Goleta Beach County Park. The Slough was surprisingly not birdy. I’d hoped to find the Laughing Gull that has been seen there often, but didn’t find it. Aside from a few WESP and Read More…
Before and After Work in Santa Barbara Today
I had a short day at work today, not starting until 9 AM and getting off at 3 PM. This allowed me to go for a walk this AM at Devereux Slough (checklist) and this afternoon to check out the Goleta Wastewater Treatment Ponds (checklist) and Goleta Beach County Park after work. This morning Devereux Read More…
Shorebirding in Pierce Heating Up
Mid August is here and the juvenile vagrants are starting to show up in Pierce County. Yesterday I got out intending to do the usual Levy Pond, Fife Saddle Creek Oxbow, and 56th St. Stormwater Ponds loop, but got stalled at Levy Pond where I found a Solitary Sandpiper, and wanted to take plenty of Read More…
Arizona Second Spring Trip Summary
This was a long-awaited trip for my longtime friend and birding mentor Ken Brown and me. Although I’ve had more opportunity for travel than Ken, and therefore have a few more ABA life list birds, I make no pretense at being at Ken’s level as a birder. Still we always seem to bring out the Read More…
The Fife Sha-Dax Oxbow is Perfect Mud
Today birders of Pierce, King and likely other counties descended on the Fife Oxbow wetlands off 39t St where the Snowy Egret was relocated and Eastern Kingbird, Black Phoebe, Lesser Yellowlegs and more were found. I worked all day, but after dinner in waning light donned my rubber boots to check out the area. Usually Read More…
Snowy Egret in Pierce Today
Thanks to a call from Bruce Labar I dashed off to see the Snowy Egret he located at the industrial pond on 43rd St in Fife. It was a county first and a WA second bird for me. Nice! Ken dashed over from Green Mountain where he was watching Gray Jays, Diane Y-Q came over Read More…