New Year's Pelagic
1 Jan
2006
by
Henry Detwiler
Helga & Al, and Suzanne & I spent a weekend at the Salton Sea and in San
Diego to finish out 2005 and start off the New Year!
68
species -- bird list is at the bottom of the page
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized photos. 
| We started out our New Year's Eve tour of the Imperial
Valley at the Nature Trail at Wister Waterfowl Management Area, We
missed the Rufous-backed Robin, but had fine looks at Dusky-capped
Flycatcher and American Redstart. |
Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Wister WMA
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"Blue" Goose, Wister WMA
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At the mouth of Salt Creek, lots of interesting waterfowl were
bobbing about. One female Barrow's among many Common Goldeneyes, a
single female Red-breasted & two Common Mergansers, and one Surf
with two White-winged Scoters were all present. Al picked out the
Tri-Colored Heron feeding on the far shore; it later did a close
fly-by along the beach in front of us. Next was Wister
Waterfowl Management Area; thousands of Snow Geese were a beautiful
sight. |
| At Red Hill Marina we ate lunch under the watchful eye of a Peregrine
Falcon. Shorebirds in the area included Marbled Godwit, Dunlin, Willet, Avocet,
Long-billed Dowitcher, and Black-necked Stilt.
Willet, Red Hill Marina
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Marbled Godwit, Red Hill Marina |
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The trip over to San Diego was a wet windy, and cold one--we worried
that Sunday's pelagic boat ride might be cancelled due to high seas.
Once there, we had a fine fish dinner at Anthony's in San Diego and
brought in the New Year early with some bubbly back in our rooms on
the Naval Training base.
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Short-tailed Shearwater, San Diego
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The following morning was beautiful! It was literally
the calm before the coming day's storm. We climbed on board our
fishing boat at 8:30, a charter with a capacity for 150 persons. A
couple of Common Loons saw us depart the harbor, and it wasn't long
after before we saw our most common pelagic bird of the trip--the
Black-vented Shearwater. Later on we added a second shearwater
for the trip--a Short-tailed!
Black-vented Shearwater, San Diego |
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Trailing a stream of popcorn which attracted a small horde of gulls,
we soon had a Pomarine Jaeger investigate us, to be followed by many
more during the course of the morning. A few of these striking birds
came right up to the stern.
Bonaparte's Gull, San Diego |
Gulls, San Diego
Most of the gull herd consisted of California, Ring-billed, and
Heerman's, so a dainty Bonaparte's Gull was a captivating sight.
On the way back to the dock we had a Rhinoceros Auklet slip by,
and we found a Red-necked Phalarope even closer to shore.
Heerman's Gull, San Diego
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Short-tailed Shearwater, San Diego
Brandt's Cormorants, San
Diego |
Lunch was a sandwich overlooking the San Diego Flood Control
Channel, where we picked up some additional ducks (mostly
Buffleheads), and a few shorebirds (including Snowy Plover).
Pomarine Jaeger, San Diego |
|
From San Diego, we traveled over the Laguna Mts. hastily, picking
up a few birds along the road: Wild Turkey, Western Scrub jay, and
Dark-eyed Junco. The reason we didn't want to spend too much time in
the mountains was our desire to reach the Tamarisk Campground in
Anza Borrego prior to dusk. |
Long-eared Owl, Anza Borrego
State Park |
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Long-eared Owl - Sony DSC |
The moment we got out of our vehicles Helga turned around and
spied a whole tree full of Long-eared Owls just behind the
ranger's office. 15 owls! We walked all around the Athel Tamarisk
and got excellent looks at most of them, a few staring us down. We
found a few more of these owls along the edge of the campground,
as well as a single fluffy Barn Owl.
The last new bird for the day was a California Thrasher fleeing
down a wash. It was a fine start for the new year!
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