Yellow-billed Magpie, endemic to California

Our West Coast USA Tour (in Washington State & California)
September 2005


Link:

List of Birds during our West Coast USA Tour - Sept. '05


The following narrative was written by Armas Hill, the leader of the tour.

During the second week of September in 2005, we did our 13th West Coast USA Birding & Nature Tour, that included portions of Washington State & California. As usual, the first part of this tour of just over a week was in Washington State, while the second part was in California.   
   
One of the days during the California portion of the tour, September 17, '05, was for us a very good day at sea, during a pelagic trip, that lasted a good part of that day, out of Monterey.  
A true rarity was seen, an Hawaiian Petrel. It's rare for North American waters, rare for California (only a couple times or so), and a rare bird overall. In Hawaii, the only place where this threatened species breeds, the total population is estimated at 4 to 5 thousand pairs. The population of this bird on Hawaii was formerly considered as part of the Galapagos Petrel. But, differences in molecular data, vocalizations, and morphology have shown the Hawaiian Petrel to be a distinct species.

Also, during the pelagic trip, there were some tremendous looks at Marine Mammals. Among them, there was a group of 8 Baird's Beaked Whales, with 4 of them floating on the surface of the water close to the boat. 

Baird's Beaked Whale

And there were also Humpback Whales, with 8 of them with their breaching out of the water, including such activity by a mother with her calf (apparently learning how to do it). 
Again, as noted, it was a very good day for us at sea.

Humpback Whale

Other aspects of the tour were certainly good too. In all, in both Washington and California, we saw 186 species of birds, and a nice assortment of mammals.

In Washington State, we traveled in the southwest portion of the state, and then east over the Cascades, before returning west to the Seattle airport.

Just about two hundred years earlier, in late 1805, another group traveled into what's now Washington State.
The Lewis & Clark Expedition, after coming west from the Mississippi, went (as we did) into the southwest portion of Washington State, along the Columbia River to the Pacific, to Cape Disappointment, before returning east back over the Cascades. (No, they didn't make their way, as we did, back to the Seattle Airport.)  
But it was recorded that they saw a California Condor during that part of their journey, along the Columbia before the Pacific. We, of course, could not enjoy such a sighting, but Cape Disappointment was not a disappointment for us. From the lighthouse there, atop a bluff overlooking the Pacific, we looked out on the ocean and saw: Pacific Loons, Western Grebes, Sooty Shearwaters, Pelagic Cormorants, all 3 species of scoters, Parasitic Jaeger, Black-legged Kittiwake, and an assortment of other gulls, and terns. 
In all, there were lots of birds, and, no, Cape Disappointment was not that for us at all. 
On the bluff where we above the ocean, in the trees there were Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Purple Finches keeping us company. Flickers and Robins were migrating south along the coast, as they would that time of year. 
Shortly after our tour, in our money back at home, there began to appear a new version of the 5-cent coin, a nickel with the image of the lighthouse at Cape Disappointment, where we were, depicting the trees where there were, with us, chickadees, above the ocean where we saw the shearwaters and other birds. That nickel, of course, commemorated the arrival of Lewis & Clark at their westernmost point by the Pacific. It was a nice experience for us to be there 200 years later. (And to remember each time we'd see that new nickel.)

North of Cape Disappointment, along the Washington Coast, the previous day of our tour was another good one. We drove that day along the beach for a few miles, and there were many shorebirds for us to see. 
Among them, we had some nice encounters with Snowy Plovers (a rather rare bird in Washington State), and there were a few  Pacific Golden Plovers near a large number of Black-bellied Plovers. 
Of all the shorebirds, it was the Sanderling that was in the largest numbers. 
Other shorebird species included: Red Knot, Willet, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, Black Turnstone, Western Sandpiper, and both dowitchers.

Inland in Washington, there were, for us, more nice encounters with birds. 
Early one morning, in a magnificent old evergreen forest we shared an untraveled road with only Varied Thrushes. We saw well a dozen or more of them there, on the road just outside our vehicle. 
One afternoon, in an isolated grove of deciduous trees, mostly aspen, near the Columbia River, there were many warblers. Most of them were Black-throated Grays (we saw more than any of us ever saw at any one place in our lives), but there were also Orange-crowned and Yellow Warblers, and for us a single Hermit Warbler. All of these, of course, had picked that particular grove of trees as a resting spot during their southward migration.

East of the Cascades in Washington, we visited another spot that birds chose as a resting and feeding place on their way south. It was a small, shallow pond surrounded by a mudflat. 
There we saw Pipits of one kind and Sparrows of various sorts, and shorebirds that included: Pectoral, Baird's, Least, and White-rumped Sandpipers. The last of these is an uncommon migrant in Washington State. 
As we were watching these and other birds in the area, we were distracted that afternoon by the numerous California Quails, in groups, running about and calling. With the calls of the quails, the place had the sound rather like an old Western movie.

Then it was on to California, for the second half of the tour, and to one of our favorite locales there, the Point Reyes National Seashore, along the Pacific Coast, north of San Francisco. It is truly one of the most picturesque places in North America, or anywhere. And it is one best anywhere for birds. About 425 species of birds, overall, have been recorded there. Large numbers can be present, and particularly in September (as when we were there), with all the groups well-represented: waterbirds, landbirds, shorebirds, seabirds, and raptors.
We saw many of each. 
Notable for us were the raptors, with large numbers of Red-tailed Hawks, some with interesting "western plumages", in the terrain of open fields on the peninsula, where also there were harriers and numerous kestrels, in addition of other species such as Golden Eagle and Red-shouldered Hawk.

Entertaining for us at Point Reyes were the many Red-necked Phalaropes spinning about on virtually every shallow pool of water. 
Other migrants included Flycatchers on their way south, mostly Willow, but also Pacific Slope, and Swainson's Thrushes, that resting by the side of the road early in the morning after a long flight from the south.
American White Pelicans were seen, during the day, flying in, also to rest, on the water of the channel above the San Andreas Fault.

"Western" birds, of course, migrate through Point Reyes in September in numbers, but actually, every year, "Eastern" birds are to be expected there as well. We saw on a wire an Eastern Kingbird (by the way, we saw no Westerns), and at one feedlot we saw both Black-headed and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks feeding together. Most Eastern Kingbirds and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are many, many miles to the east of coastal California.    

On our way to Point Reyes, instead of avoiding the city of San Francisco, we traveled through it, and we made some stops before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. 
Out over the bay, by Alcatraz, we saw strings of Brown Pelicans in flight. "Alcatraz", of course, is a word that means "pelican". 
In the city, atop Telegraph Hill, we stopped to view the flocks of Red-masked Parakeets (from South America) that have become established there, and when doing so, had a good look or two at an Anna's Hummingbird. The parakeets there are, needless to say, "exotic", and the whole San Francisco experience was rather so as well for those of us from the eastern US.

Another place we visited in California during the tour was also quite "different" for us. It was the town of Gilroy, known as the "Garlic Capital of the World". And you knew it when you were there. 
It was, however, for us a rather fine place (especially when the windows were closed). Just east of Gilroy, we had some fine birding in the San Joaquin Valley. 
We go there, for about a day, during all of our September West Coast Tours. We went to an area this time where, during another tour, we had seen thousands, yes thousands, of Long-billed Curlews and White-faced Ibis feeding together on an alfalfa field. We saw no such thing this time. Conditions each year are different, due to weather or for whatever reason. But we did, in September  '05, find a wetland, where among other birds we found  American Bitterns and Sora, two species that are always nice to find. While birding there, we flushed more than a half-dozen bitterns. 
Also there, we saw a single Sandhill Crane (apparently one that stayed) in an area where thousands would be during the winter.
And the other bird we always like to see in San Joaquin Valley, we saw - the Yellow-billed Magpie. It's a species that's endemic to California. The Tricolored Blackbirds that we saw there are nearly so.

Our West Coast USA birding in September '05 could have continued, of course, beyond the 10 days of the tour. There would have been more to see. But it had to end when our time was up. We could only look forward to doing it again, another time!   
     

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Our West Coast USA Tour (in Washington State & California)
September 2004

Link:

List of Birds during our West Coast USA Tour - Sept. '04

During this tour, September 9-19, 2004, in Washington State & central California, among highlights, there were these: 

In Washington State: 
4 species of alcids & a pod of orcas seen well from a boat in the Puget Sound, 
American Three-toed Woodpecker, Gray Jay, & Pine Grosbeak, in the Cascade Mountains, 
and further east, the Sooty Grouse (it was considered, at that time, the Blue Grouse).
 
In central California: 
In two fields, there were incredible gatherings of thousands of Long-billed Curlews & White-faced Ibises. With their similar beaks, both were feeding in the moist ground.

In all, exactly 200 species of birds were found during this week-long tour, the first half of which was in Washington and the second half of which was in California..  
 

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Our Pacific Coast Tour - Washington State USA 
(and adjacent British Columbia, Canada)
September 2001

This was the 11th annual FONT Pacific Coast Tour.

The Pacific Northwest conjures images of tall majestic mountains, huge evergreen trees, lots of moss, and tall ferns on the forest floor. That we had. Also conjured are cool, often damp, sometimes rainy days. That we did not have. There was no rain at all. Temperatures ranging from 70 degrees F to nearly 90 degrees farther inland.
September is an ideal month for birding in this part of North America, and this year, even with the unusually dry and warm weather, was no exception.

On our first day, we headed from Seattle southwest to the coast. Even though we saw birds of the shore and sea, the most memorable of the birds that day was the Chestnut-backed Chickadee, as bands of them flew between the trees with perfect light hitting their backs and sides.

The next day we participated, as we do each year, on a Pacific Ocean pelagic trip from Westport. The weather conditions were wonderful, as was the birding. Calm waters and cooperative birds made this one of the best of our pelagics. Alcids, such as Cassin's Auklet, opted to stay on the surface rather dive, providing us with some fine views. Equally cooperative was the Tufted Puffin who watched us watch him (or her).

All of the jaegers were seen well and in good numbers. There were 3 South Polar Skuas, at different times, all close to the boat. There were rafts of seabirds, mostly shearwaters. Good looks were had of Buller's, Pink-footed, Sooty, and 2 Flesh-footed Shearwaters, in addition to both light and dark morphs of the Northern Fulmar. Always present and also seen well were Black-footed Albatrosses. With the placid ocean, we also enjoyed wonderful views of Sabine's Gulls, on the water and in flight.

The Westport pelagic provided more than birds. For many, the sight of a Thresher Shark flapping its sickle shaped tail on the surface was new. 4 Ocean Sunfish were viewed closely. 3 Humpback Whales were fun to watch especially when one fluked its tail. We also passed by a Northern Fur Seal floating on its back, and for a time we were joined by a pod of Pacific White-sided Dolphins.

The next 2 days our base was Bellingham, the closest city of any significant size to the Canadian border. We traveled to Anacortes, a picturesque seaport on the northwest Washington coast. Ferries depart from there for the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island, Canada. We bordered our ferry for the 2-hour voyage to Sidney, British Columbia. While weaving through the San Juan Islands, in the upper Puget Sound, we saw Pelagic Cormorants, Pacific Loons, alcids including Common Murres and Rhinoceros Auklets, along with Bald Eagles perched on coastal snags.

Our target bird on Vancouver Island was the introduced Eurasian Sky Lark. There's been a population there for years. Our first attempt produced Savannah Sparrows. When we backtracked across a small part of the field that we had initially bypassed, 3 Sky Larks flushed up into sky, landing too far away to be seen. Another nearby field was much more productive, where we flushed over 30 birds, the most we've ever found during our annual tour. We were certainly pleased that conservation measures is paying off for the bird and bringing its population to a stable, higher number.

From Vancouver Island, we sailed on another ferry to the British Columbian mainland. Along the way, at Boundary Bay, we had close looks at Black Oystercatchers and Harlequin Ducks. Our standard location in downtown Vancouver City produced a top-notch view of an adult Crested Myna, one of the few remaining individuals of this introduced species in North America. We completed our Canadian leg of the tour on Iona Island observing waterfowl and shorebirds.

The following day we returned to Anacortes on the Washington coast. Here we had our best views ever of several pairs Marbled Murrelets. They were very close to us, and it was quite an experience to hear them calling to each other. Also up close and in good light were Pigeon Guillemot, Rhinoceros Auklet, Common Murres (parents and young), and Red-necked Grebes. All of this in front of us as a Winter Wren sang its beautiful song from the coniferous forest behind us. In view, during our time here, was the truly scenic backdrop of the Olympic Mountains.

After taking our group photo (above) in this picturesque area, we headed east to the Cascades Mountains. As we entered the foothills, numerous Violet-green Swallows used the rising warm air from the valleys to lift themselves to higher elevations, where they were joined by Vaux's Swifts soaring against a backdrop of 6,000-foot mountain peaks.

Just beyond Steve's Pass (at 4,000 feet) we were on a peaceful road in the  Snoqualmie National Forest. In the mix of firs, pines, and hemlocks, typical of the west slope of the Cascades, were corvid families of Gray and Steller's Jays, and Ravens. We spotted some Golden-crowned Sparrows with more numerous White-crowned Sparrows.

As we descended into the drier eastern side of the Cascades, the habitat changed to mostly Ponderosa Pine forest with an open understory. Along the Wenatchee River, an American Dipper gave us a look before going behind a rock for the evening. It was time for our first evening in the town of Ellensburg, in central Washington.

The next morning, Tuesday, we drove east to the Columbia River to bird the nearby sagebrush county. Between tall cliffs and the river, we heard the calls of Chukars and the sweet song of the Western Meadowlark. White Pelicans were grouped along the river. Campgrounds and irrigated fruit orchards provided an oasis for migrant birds, among them Western Tanager, Willow Flycatcher, Townsend's and Orange-crowned Warblers.

It was during a stop in this area for late breakfast that we learned of the disastrous terrorist attacks on the other side of our Country. The terrible events, of course, changed what would remain of the tour. This was to have been our last day in Washington, prior to flying to California. That flight was not to be, and so we would stay longer in Washington State.  

During our drive back to Ellensburg, at one stop we saw a Townsend's Solitaire, just a few feet away in a stand of trees. At another stop, we saw our most unusual raptor of the tour. With several soaring Red-tailed Hawks and Northern Harriers, a single large buteo was apparent. What initially appeared as a white rump of a harrier, was in fact the white on the upper tail of a Ferruginous Hawk. We were at the northwestern limit of its range, and it was a first for 11 years of FONT Pacific Coast tours.

The next day, as we had more time near Ellensburg, we went again for Chukar, aiming to see it. Enroute, in sagebrush, we saw 2 Sage Thrashers. Then, to the cliffs for the Chukars. But they were elusive. We saw & heard a Canyon Wren sing its beautiful descending song, and flushed a Great Horned Owl from the rocks. A Say's Phoebe pursued it, as nearby Rock Wrens chased each other.

After we crossed the Columbia River, we stopped at an overlook by the river where we could see its cut through enormous rock cliffs. At the Potholes Reservoir, we saw numerous Western Grebes, mostly with juveniles calling to be fed.

Then, in the afternoon, we saw what we had hoped to earlier - a covey of no less than 10 Chukars crossing the road in front us. We all had a good look at them climbing an arid embankment next to the road. Then, along a creek, flowing through a mostly Ponderosa Pine forest with some Aspen,  we found a Blue Grouse. We heard a light tapping of a woodpecker. It was a Red-naped Sapsucker. Also with us were White-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatches and Mountain Chickadee in the pines. Several Western Bluebirds around us were showing their fly-catching skills.

As we were returning to Ellensburg we watched a Coyote, one of several spotted during the week. At a distance were 10 Wild Turkey. Near dusk, we found a Baird's Sandpiper, and a Common Nighthawk fly overhead.

The following morning, in an area of large open fields in the foothills of the eastern slope of the Cascades, we saw more Wild Turkey and a Mountain Bluebird. We continued north to a higher elevation. At about 4,000 feet, we found Clark's Nutcrackers and Hairy Woodpecker. Later, this day, we found Lincoln's Sparrow.  The day was Thursday. Overhead, we saw our first commercial airliner in 3 days. 

On Friday, we turned our efforts toward getting home. Four more species of birds were added: Swainson’s Hawk, Pine Siskin, Wilson’s Warbler, and Yellow-headed Blackbird. This brought the number of bird species during our 2001 Pacific Coast Tour to 158 - a tour this time during which we birded well in Washington State and adjacent British Columbia, but not California. We can look forward in 2002 to being in the West again, and finding the birds we seek in central California. 

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2000 was our 10th year for this tour, during a prime time for bird migration along the West Coast. Over the years, an avian rarity or two has been present at the time of the tour along with the more regular migrants.

At the beginning of our Sept 2000 tour, in Washington State, we viewed, at close range, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits amongst a large flock of Marbled Godwits. The full-day pelagic trip from Westport, Washington has always been productive for us, and was again this time. This is one of the most reliable of trips for the Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel. In addition to numerous seabirds, and some marine mammals, if the weather's clear, there's a fine natural setting of the distant mountains of the Olympic Peninsula as we're returning to shore.

There's yet more beautiful scenery, and even more good birds, during this tour, in the area of the Puget Sound. Our trip to Vancouver Island, Canada, by ferry, through the San Juan Islands provided fine views of seabirds and marine mammals. Among the seabirds, the Marbled Murrelet. On land, we saw 5 Skylarks on Vancouver Island. In the city of Vancouver, we saw another bird species introduced into North America years ago (and one that has been declining recently), the Crested Myna. Along the coast, in that area, we saw a Eurasian shorebird, the Ruff.

In the Cascade Mountains of Washington, we enjoyed a family of Gray Jays and 5 Varied Thrushes, on the wetter western slope. On the drier eastern slope, we enjoyed (as much, maybe more) a Ruffed Grouse and 5 Blue Grouse. This was our best PC tour for grouse. Red-naped Sapsuckers were again, as during other years, nice to see. A sighting rather unusual for us was a close view of a  Porcupine sleeping in a tree.  

During the second portion of the tour, in California, we had an excellent look at a pair of Golden Eagles. And we saw both Clark's and Western Grebes at one place, and all 3 of the North American goldfinches. There was a total of 7 White-tailed Kites, with two of them in an aerial display. An Ash-throated Flycatcher was seen in a river valley. In all, 207 species of birds were found during our September 2000 Pacific Coast tour, bringing the cumulative bird-list for the tour, over 10 years, to 320 species.

John Janowski, has led this tour for the past few years for FONT.

In the past, Mr. BJ Rose has also done a fine job of leading this FONT tour.
Armas Hill led the first FONT PC birding tour in 1991. Rare birds that have been seen during this tour, over the years, have included: Red-tailed Tropicbird (once, during the pelagic trip we do annually out of Monterey, California), Mongolian Plover (now called Lesser Sandplover), Little Curlew, Long-toed Stint, and White-winged Tern. In 1998, we saw the Xantu's Hummingbird that was visiting a feeder in British Columbia. That same year we saw Xantu's Murrelet out of Monterey - making it a 2-Xantus Tour!    

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