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A Walk at Seal Beach, California (1 Viewer)

SueO

Well-known member
After spending most of the morning on BF reminiscing about birds I'd seen, I thought I'd go and look at some birds in real life. It was already after 1:00. I didn't want to go to Bolsa Chica and be with the crowds or traffic noise, so I opted for an almost non-birding walk on the beach. I decided to go to the mouth of the San Gabriel River. Usually not many birds--but I liked the idea of walking barefoot in the sand. Besides, you never know, I did get a lifer there a few years ago while walking with my granddaughter--black oystercatcher. On the way down to the beach, I scanned a small area planted with shrubs and native sages. Mostly House Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows. Saw an Orange crowned Warbler, an Allen's Hummingbird and American Goldfinch in the mix. A few Western Gulls hung out on the rocks of the jetty that lines the river. A Double-crested Cormorant flew over. At the end of the jetty, a lone Black-bellied Plover hunted. I got to see it so close up. Usually, I see these block-heads at a distance. He was so pretty and such big eyes! More gulls; California, Ring-billed, some I'm not sure about and I left my Sibley's at my daughter's! No Heerman's, which was strange. A lone Willet walked lazily and Brown Pelicans flew low over surfers and breaking waves. A young Western gull was feeding on a skate of some kind. I didn't want to disturb it by getting a closer look. Fifty feet down the beach lay another deceased skate. It's poor little face looked really unhappy. Wonder what caused two, so close, to be dead. I will have to research what they were. On the way back, I saw some Heerman's bathing and drinking at the freshwater 'pond' created by surfers and sandy kids rinsing off. As I walked up, I saw a small, slender bird pump its tail: an American Pipit! I certainly didn't expect that. All in all, a nice hour and a half.
 

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That sounds like a nice afternoon. Also I like your pipit photos!
Thanks, Kevin. It was a nice walk. 72 (22c), but the sun was out, so t-shirt and flip-flop friendly. What part of Texas are you from? EDIT: Must be the Gulf. I went to your photos. Very nice birds and great shots. I need to get my Sibley's back from my daughters to IDs some of them. I saw some wrens that look like what I'd see in Mexico.
 
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Wow, Caracara, Wood Storks, Mangrove Cuckoo. I guess I need to visit my sister and take my time getting to Houston! Maybe beyond to Caddo Lake and Sabine area. Dreamin'. I think I must be sick of being in lock-down. lol
 
Wow, Caracara, Wood Storks, Mangrove Cuckoo. I guess I need to visit my sister and take my time getting to Houston! Maybe beyond to Caddo Lake and Sabine area. Dreamin'. I think I must be sick of being in lock-down. lol
I have been to Caddo Lake, last October. A lake with a forest in it is pretty impressive, We kayaked out to goat iland and it had some good birding on it, as long as you don't mind going through the brush.
I don't keep up my Google photos very well so here is eBird. https://ebird.org/media/catalog?mediaType=p&searchField=user&includeUnconfirmed=T&userId=USER1188965&q=Kevin S. Long
 
I have never seen Wood Storks or a Mangrove Cuckoo, though I would like to. I think you were seeing Yellow-billed Cuckoos and perhaps Brown Pelicans?
I don't know what happened? I was sure I saw a Wood Stork. Very distinctive bird. I thought the cuckoo was mangrove--didn't look it up. Maybe when I googled the area I saw a stork? I have seen both. I think the Wood Stork was Panama and the Mangrove Cuckoo was one the the Carribean Islands. At any rate Texas looks like a great area(s) to bird. EDIT: I saw it here when I checked out your area. The 10 Most Exotic Birds Observed in the DFW Metroplex – DFW Urban Wildlife
 
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I have been to Caddo Lake, last October. A lake with a forest in it is pretty impressive, We kayaked out to goat iland and it had some good birding on it, as long as you don't mind going through the brush.
I don't keep up my Google photos very well so here is eBird. https://ebird.org/media/catalog?mediaType=p&searchField=user&includeUnconfirmed=T&userId=USER1188965&q=Kevin S. Long
I've been in a few wild places. I read about Caddo. It's a large Bald Cypress forest. Maybe one day.
 
What a lovely visit you had, Sue.
Thanks, Kits. Have only irregularly birded for the last few years. BF is inspiring me (yet again). I think I am so spoiled with birding in such beautiful, quiet places that I am not as passionate as I used to be. A few of my friends called me 'obsessed'. Maybe I was, but now I just enjoy when I can.
 
Well then tell them all to call you a "Bird Nerd" ;)

Now your great granddaughter sounds like she might latch on to birds if she hangs around you long enough ;)
 
Well then tell them all to call you a "Bird Nerd" ;)

Now your great granddaughter sounds like she might latch on to birds if she hangs around you long enough ;)
Actually, my kids and grandkids are all nature lovers. My kids grew up being made to pick up trash and soda cans on every trail I took them on (how can people throw their garbage out in places like Yosemite?) They cried and whined and hated me. Now, they only remember going on an adventure (I always got them up in the wee hours), being out in the wilds and sleeping under the stars. They remember loving it. I can't be a 'bird nerd'. That sounds like somebody who is really savvy about something. I'm not. I just love the natural world, I try to absorb it. I floated through some of the best birding places on Earth. Birding was something that just evolved because I love nature and wanted to know what I was seeing. Then I just became 'obsessed' and wanted to 'hunt' and list every bird I saw. :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
Sounds like you've done a great job with your kids and something they will always remember you for it ;)
 
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