Trip report: California, USA, october 1999
Trip report: California, USA, october 1999
10 november 1999
Sjaak Schilperoort, Voorschoten, The Netherlands;
sjaak@xs4all.nl
Sunset at Palo Alto Baylands
Trip description
From 14 to 23 october 1999 I was on a business trip to Santa Clara,
California, USA. During that period I had three days off, enabling me
to do visit some nice places. Furthermore, the Palo Alto Baylands were
close enough to enable me to do an hour birdwatching before working
hours. Some days I walked around Santa Clara before breakfast. The
jetlag helped me to rise early for at least a week.
On saturday 16 october I took a trip on saturday to Point Reyes, where
I joined an all day birdwatching excursion organised by the Audobon
Society and lead by Cathy Purchis. The main goal was to see fall
migration birds, especially migrant warblers often present at the far
west point of Point Reyes. It indeed produced some nice species, such
as the palm warbler. Together with raptors, woodland birds and
shorebirds I managed to see close to 90 species altogether.
Sunday 17 october I spent together with a non-birding collegue driving
through Diablo Mountains, looking for the yellow-billed magpie, a
Californian endemic. Due to usefull guidelines in rec.birds we found
them rather easily, along the road from San Jose (highway 130) to
Livermore (Mines Road). See below for a picture of the bird. The
afternoon we spent walking, birdwatching and enjoying the
summer-weather in the East Bay area around
Hayward Shoreline
Interpretive Center, close to the San Mateo bridge. This area was
very rich on ducks (over 5000 present, mostly pintails and shovelers).
Wednesday 20 october was our last day off. We went through the San
Mateo mountains (via Alpine Road) to the Pacific Coast. In the
afternoon we took Highway 1 to San Francisco, and spent the rest of
the day there. At friday 22 october we could spent the last part of
the afternoon in Santa Cruz and Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
We rented a car for the full period.
Sites visited
- 991014 - Santa Clara - 8:00-8:30
- 991015 - Palo Alto Baylands - 7:00-8:00
- 991016 - Point Reyes - 8:00-18:00
- 991017 - Diablo Mountains - 9:00-12:00
- 991017 - East Bay Area - 14:00-17:00
- 991018 - Santa Clara Central Park - 7:30-8:15
- 991019 - Palo Alto Baylands - 7:15-8:45
- 991020 - Western Mountains - 10:00-12:00
- 991020 - Pacific Coast - 12:00-15:00
- 991021 - Santa Clara Central Park - 7:30-8:15
- 991021 - Palo Alto Baylands - 17:30-19:00
- 991022 - Palo Alto Baylands - 7:00-8:30
- 991022 - Santa Cruz - 13:00-14:00
- 991022 - Big Basin Redwoods State Park - 15:00-16:00
- 991023 - Santa Clara - 7:30-8:30
The trip to Point Reyes consisted of visits to Five Brooks trailhead,
Limantour Beach, Oyster Farm, Drakes Beach, Chimney Rock and then
back to Bear Vally Visitor Center.
Literature
Bird species list
The bird names are taken from the AOU checklist of North American
birds. I have seen 123 bird species, 15 of which were
first-timers. I've made photographs of some of the birds I
encountered, using a Minolta X-700 and a Swarowski AT80HD telescope
with 800 mm adapter.
Dates are in ISO format (yymmdd).
- 1. Common Loon - Gavia immer
- Very common at the Pacific
coast. 991016: a group of more than hundred at Point Reyes/Drakes
Bay.
- 2. Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
- Common around Bay area.
- 3. Eared Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis
- 991021: 1 in winter plumage
at Palo Alto Baylands.
- 4. Western Grebe - Aechmophorus occidentalis
- Common on freshwater
and coastal area at Point Reyes.
- 5. Clark's Grebe - Aechmophorus clarkii
- 991017: 1 at East Bay Area.
- 6. American White Pelican - Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
- Common around
Bay Area.
991022: American White
Pelican
- 7. Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis
- Very common along Pacific
Coast.
991023: Brown Pelican at Santa
Cruz
- 8. Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus
- Common around
Bay Area and Point Reyes.
- 9. Pelagic Cormorant - Phalacrocorax pelagicus
- Common at Pacific
Coast.
- 10. Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias
- Several seen around Bay Area
and Point Reyes.
- 11. Great Egret - Ardea alba
- Common at both fresh water and salt
water areas.
991017: Great Egret
- 12. Snowy Egret - Egretta thula
- Common at both fresh water and salt
water areas.
991017: Snowy Egret
- 13. Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax
- Common at Palo
Alto Bay Area. 991021: in the evening over 30 birds seen flying off
from inland sites near Palo Alto to go feeding in the Bay area.
- 14. Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura
- Seen everywhere, mostly in small
groups of up to 10 birds.
- 15. Gadwall - Anas strepera
- Bay Area: several 100's present. 991016:
100 at Point Reyes.
- 16. American Wigeon - Anas americana
- Common in Bay area, 991017:
several 1000's at East Bay
- 17. Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
- Seen everywhere.
- 18.
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors
- 991019: 6 at Palo Alto Baylands.
991019: Blue-winged Teals, Cinnamon Teals and
Northern Shovelers
- 19. Cinnamon Teal - Anas cyanoptera
- 991016: 2 at Point Reyes, common
at Palo Alto Baylands
991020: Cinnamon Teals, together with
Northern Shovelers and American Coots
- 20. Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata
- Common in Bay area, 991017:
several 1000's at East Bay.
- 21. Northern Pintail - Anas acuta
- Common in Bay area and Point
Reyes, 991017: several 1000's at East Bay.
- 22. Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca
- Common in Bay area and Point
Reyes, 991017: several 100's at East Bay.
- 23.
Canvasback - Aythya valisineria
- 991021: over 50 at Palo Alto Bay
Area.
- 24.
Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris
- 991016: some 50 at Point Reyes.
- 25.
Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis
- 991021: 30 at Palo Alto Bay
Area.
- 26. Surf Scoter - Melanitta perspicillata
- Common at Pacific
coast. 991016: over 100 at Point Reyes/Drakes Bay, 991022: 1 female at
Santa Cruz/Lorenzo River.
- 27. Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis
- Over 1000 at Bay Area, forming
large groups.
- 28. Osprey - Pandion haliaetus
- 991016: 2 birds at Point Reyes, one
catching fish in the first dive, the second bird tried once on the
same spot but missed.
- 29. White-tailed Kite - Elanus leucurus
- 991015: 1 at Palo Alto Bay
Area, 991016: 1 at Point Reyes, 991017: 1 at East Bay, 991022: 3 at
Palo Alto Baylands.
- 30. Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus
- Several at Palo Alto Baylands
and East Bay area, 991016: 1 male and several females at Point Reyes.
- 31. Sharp-shinned Hawk - Accipiter striatus
- 991016: 3 at Point Reyes.
- 32.
Cooper's Hawk - Accipiter cooperii
- 991015: 1 at Palo Alto Baylands,
991016: 2 at Point Reyes.
- 33. Red-shouldered Hawk - Buteo lineatus
- 991016: 1 at Point Reyes,
991019: 1 at Palo Alto Baylands.
- 34. Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis
- Most common raptor, seen
everyhere including town centres.
- 35. American Kestrel - Falco sparverius
- Occurring everywhere, but
only small numbers seen.
- 36. Merlin - Falco columbarius
- 991015: 1 at Palo Alto Baylands,
991016: 1 at Point Reyes.
- 37. Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus
- 991016: 1 female at Point Reyes,
991017: 1 male at East Bay, 991022: 1 male at Santa Cruz (shortly
present on the beach).
- 38. Ring-necked Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus
- Several at Palo Alto
Baylands.
- 39. California Quail - Callipepla californica
- Common at Point Reyes
and Diablo Mountains.
- 40. Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus
- 991019: 1 at Palo Alto
Baylands.
- 41. American Coot - Fulica americana
- Common in all fresh water
areas.
- 42. Black-bellied Plover - Pluvialis squatarola
- 991016: 1 at Point
Reyes, 991017: 40 at East Bay, 991021: 30 at Palo Alto Bay, 991022: 40
at Santa Cruz.
- 43. Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus
- Present at most freshwater
water, even at very small pools
991019:
Killdeer
- 44. Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus
- Several present in the
Palo Alto Baylands, 991017: 20 at East Bay area
- 45. American Avocet - Recurvirostra americana
- Common in Palo Alto
Baylands and East Bay area, 991016: 4 at Point Reyes.
991019: American Avocets and a Cinnamon Teal at East bay
area
- 46. Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca
- 991016: 5 at Point
Reyes/Limantour Beach, 991017: 2 at East Bay area and 991019: 1 at
Palo Alto Baylands.
- 47. Willet - Catoptrophorus semipalmatus
- Very common in Bay area,
several seen along Pacific Coast.
- 48. Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus
- 991019: 2 along Pacific Coast.
- 49. Long-billed Curlew - Numenius americanus
- 991016: 10 at Point
Reyes/Limantour, 991017: several at East Bay area.
- 50. Marbled Godwit - Limosa fedoa
- 991016: 10 at Point
Reyes/Limantour, 991017: common at East Bay area.
- 51. Black Turnstone - Arenaria melanocephala
- 991019: 15 along
Pacific Coast.
- 52. Surfbird - Aphriza virgata
- 991019: 6 along Pacific Coast.
- 53. Sanderling - Calidris alba
- 991019: 50 along Pacific Coast.
- 54. Western Sandpiper - Calidris mauri
- 991016: 50 at Point
Reyes/Oyster Farm, 991017: 100's at East Bay area.
- 55. Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla
- 991016: 20 at Point
Reyes/Oyster Farm, 991017: 100's at East Bay area, 80 at Palo Alto
Baylands.
991017: Least
Sandpiper
- 56. Short-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus griseus
- 991017: 50 at East
Bay area, 991021: 50 at Palo Alto Baylands.
- 57. Heermann's Gull - Larus heermanni
- Common along Pacific Coast.
991023: Heermann's Gull at Santa Cruz
- 58. Mew Gull - Larus canus
- Common around Bay area.
- 59. Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis
- Common around Bay area.
991019: Ring-billed Gull
- 60. California Gull - Larus californicus
- Common around Bay area and
Pacific Coast.
- 61. Herring Gull - Larus argentatus
- 991017: present along Pacific
Coast.
- 62.
Thayer's Gull - Larus thayeri
- 991017: 2 at East Bay area
991017: Thayer's Gull
- 63. Western Gull - Larus occidentalis
- Common along Pacific Coast.
- 64. Forster's Tern - Sterna forsteri
- 991021: 3 in the evening at
Palo Alto Baylands, 991022: 10 above see at Santa Cruz.
- 65. Black Skimmer - Rynchops niger
- 991021: 7 birds resting and
hunting at Palo Alto Baylands, still present on 991022.
991021: Black Skimmer at Palo Alto
Baylands
- 66.
Craveri's Murrelet - Synthliboramphus craveri
- 991016: 1 at Point
Reyes/Drakes Bay, close to the shore and with oil patches.
- 67. Rock Dove - Columba livia
- Common.
- 68. Band-tailed Pigeon - Columba fasciata
- 991016: 6 at Point Reyes,
991019: 40 along Alpine Road.
- 69. Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura
- Very common, sometimes
gathering in large groups such as 991015: over 200 at Palo Alto
Baylands.
- 70. Barn Owl - Tyto alba
- 991021: 1 male, 2 female hunting at dawn
over Palo Alto Baylands.
- 71. Short-eared Owl - Asio flammeus
- 991017: 1 over East Baylands,
991021: 1 over Palo Alto Baylands.
- 72. Anna's Hummingbird - Calypte anna
- Common in Santa Clara and
other urban places.
991021: Anna's Hummingbird at Santa Clara
Central Park
- 73. Belted Kingfisher - Ceryle alcyon
- 991016: 1 at Point Reyes/Five
Brooks, 991019: 1 at Pacific Coast.
- 74. Acorn Woodpecker - Melanerpes formicivorus
- Common at Point Reyes
and mountainous areas, including redwood forrests.
- 75. Nuttall's Woodpecker - Picoides nuttallii
- 76.
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens
- 991018: 2 in Santa Clara/Central
Park
- 77. Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus
- Common, single birds seen in
Santa Clara, the Mountains and Point Reyes.
- 78. Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans
- Common, also occurring in Bay
area.
- 79. Say's Phoebe - Sayornis saya
- 991016: 1 at Point Reyes/Five
Brooks, 991017: 1 at Diablo Mountains, 991018: 1 in Santa
Clara/Central Park
- 80.
Loggerhead Shrike - Lanius ludovicianus
- 991019: Palo Alto Baylands: 1
- 81. Cassin's Vireo - Vireo cassinii
- 991018: 1 in Santa Clara/Central
Park
- 82. Steller's Jay - Cyanocitta stelleri
- Common in mountains.
- 83. Western Scrub-Jay - Aphelocoma californica
- Common and seen
everywhere.
- 84.
Yellow-billed Magpie - Pica nuttalli
- 991017: 20 seen along the road
between San Jose and Livermore (130, Mines Road)
991017: Yellow-billed Magpie
- 85. American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos
- Common
- 86. Common Raven - Corvus corax
- 991016: several at Point Reyes,
common in mountains.
- 87. Violet-green Swallow - Tachycineta thalassina
- 991019: 40 seen
along Alpine Road
- 88. Chestnut-backed Chickadee - Poecile rufescens
- 991016: 1 at Point
Reyes/Five Brooks, 991018: 1 in Santa Clara/Central Park, 991019: 1
along Alpine Road.
- 89. Oak Titmouse - Baeolophus inornatus
- 991017: 1 at ?? observatory
- 90. Bushtit - Psaltriparus minimus
- Common, seen in Santa Clara and
Palo Alto Bay Area.
- 91. White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis
- 991017: 2 in Diablo
Mountains.
- 92. Brown Creeper - Certhia americana
- 991016: 1 at Point Reyes/Five Brooks
- 93. Bewick's Wren - Thryomanes bewickii
- 991016: several at Point Reyes
- 94. Winter Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes
- 991022: 1 at Big Basin
Redwoods State Park
- 95. Marsh Wren - Cistothorus palustris
- 991016: 1 singing at Point
Reyes/Limantour, 991019: 6 singing at Palo Alto Baylands.
- 96. Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula
- 991016: 1 at Point
Reyes/Five Brooks
- 97. Western Bluebird - Sialia mexicana
- 991017: several single birds
and one group of 40 at Diablo Mountains
- 98. Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus
- 991022: 1 at Big Basin
Redwoods State Park
- 99. American Robin - Turdus migratorius
- Common in Santa Clara,
991016: several at Point Reyes.
- 100. Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos
- Common in Santa Clara,
also seen in Palo Alto Baylands and Diablo Mountains.
- 101. European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris
- Common.
- 102.
Orange-crowned Warbler - Vermivora celata
- 991023: 1 in Santa Clara
- 103. Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia
- 991016: 1 in Point
Reyes/Drakes Bay. The excursion party wasn't unanimous about the
identification of this bird. At first sight it was a very yellow bird,
with an olive back. One person saw the head pattern of a Wilsons'
Warbler, and identified it as such. However, this identification
doesn't match the details that I saw. The bird was all yellow from
below, including the undertail feathers, which excludes Wilsons
(should have black undertail). Also, I saw an all yellow head with an
eye that stood out clearly. All this is in agreement with Yellow
Warbler.
- 104. Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata
- Common in Santa
Clara, Point Reyes and along Pacific Coast.
- 105.
Townsend's Warbler - Dendroica townsendi
- 991016: 1 at Point Reyes/Five
Brooks
- 106.
Palm Warbler - Dendroica palmarum
- 991016: 2 at Point Reyes/Drakes Bay
- 107. Spotted Towhee - Pipilo maculatus
- 991016: 2 at Point Reyes/Five Brooks
- 108.
California Towhee - Pipilo crissalis
- 991016: 1 at Point Reyes/Five
Brooks
- 109. Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis
- Very common in
Point Reyes/Limantour, Palo Alto Baylands and East Bay.
991022: Savannah Sparrow
- 110. Fox Sparrow - Passerella iliaca
- 991018: 1 at Santa Clara/Central
Park
- 111. Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia
- 991016: 1 at Point Reyes,
991019: 6 at Palo Alto Baylands
- 112. White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys
- Very common.
991022: White-crowned Sparrow in Palo Alto
Baylands
- 113.
Golden-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia atricapilla
- 991014: 2 at Santa
Clara, 991016: several at Point Reyes/Five Brook.
- 114. Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis
- 991016: 20 at Point Reyes/Bear
Valley
- 115. Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus
- 991016: groups of
200-1000 on Point Reyes, Drakes Bay.
- 116. Tricolored Blackbird - Agelaius tricolor
- 991016: 20 at Point
Reyes/Drakes Bay, in large groups of Red-winged Blackbirds.
- 117. Western Meadowlark - Sturnella neglecta
- 991016: 30 at Point
Reyes/Drakes Bay, 991022: 2 at Santa Cruz
- 118. Brewer's Blackbird - Euphagus cyanocephalus
- Common around
settlements
991018:
Brewer's Blackbird at Togo's
sandwiches, Santa Clara
- 119. Purple Finch - Carpodacus purpureus
- 991017: 2 at Mines Road,
991019: 10 at Palo Alto Baylands
- 120. House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus
- 991016: 1 at Point Reyes/Five
Brooks
- 121. Pine Siskin - Carduelis pinus
- 991014: 2 at Santa Clara, 991016:
20 at Point Reyes/Five Brooks.
- 122. American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis
- 991016: 2 at Point
Reyes/Limantour, 991017: 2 at Diablo Mountains.
- 123. House Sparrow - Passer domesticus
- Common