USA - SW - August 2023 (5 Viewers)

[foresttwitcher]

Those who have read my recent trip reports will realise I try to combine a birding trip with my other obsession. So it was, when the dates for a short encore US stadium tour were announced, I saw the opportunity for a visit to the south west of America for a bit of a road trip. This time it was to be a bit more multi-purpose in that I am also a great appreciator of iconic landscapes and as a forester like to seek out notable trees / interesting forests. So, with only three set dates to work around I began building a plan to fulfil as many of these desires as possible. I had done a 1 week birding trip to Florida, about 12 years ago (wow, I'm getting old), and some incidental birding on a couple of skiing holidays, plus twitched some US birds in the UK, but in the south west much would be new for me.

Flights were booked through Expedia and a car via Rentalcars. I considered hiring an RV to save on accommodation issues but they seemed expensive to hire, and I'm sure run, so I decided to go with a compact and use motels. Unusually for me I decided to find motels as I went rather than pre-booking; with the exception of booking motels (via Trivago) within walking distance of each of the three stadiums for convenience.

For a guide book I used a new (7th edition) National Geographic 'Field Guide to the Birds of North America' - a great book. As a site guide I took the ABA 'A Birder's Guide to Southern California' for the second part of the trip. For planning I bought the Reise Know-How maps 6 (USA, California) & 7 (USA, Southwest) and downloaded the relevant maps on Maps.Me for off-line navigation. RFIs on the Information Wanted and USA - California sub-fora garnered some useful information; thanks to Jos Stratford for reminding me about his excellent trip report and also to condor1992, Igonz1008, MelospizaMelodiaFan, Welsh Peregrine & denisparkes for their input. I also used ebird to look for August hotspots along the potential route.

I had obtained my US visa (ESTA) in plenty of time. However, on trying to check-in for my flight online the day before travel a pop-up informed this was not possible until I had also got an ETA, the Canadian equivalent, as I was travelling via Calgary. I assumed this was because on booking the tickets with WestJet it was made clear that it was not possible to do a simple transfer, event though both legs were with the same airline, but I would need to collect my bag, go through security and customs and then check-in again for the onward flight. So a panic ensued as I secured the ETA on-line but the system would not reflect this, despite email confirmation, and I still could not check-in on-line.

Tuesday 15th August:

A mid-morning taxi the short distance to Heathrow T4 got me there in plenty of time to check-in the old fashioned way and once it had been determined I had both ESTA and ETA I was informed that in fact the bag would transfer straight through. Early afternoon flight with WestJet to Calgary (8.75 hours) arrived early evening local time. Following instructions, I went through US security and customs here then on to the transfer area before a bit of a wait for second WestJet flight (2.75 hours) on to Las Vegas, arriving late-evening. As I had already cleared US security in Canada I was straight to the bag collection and out in no time followed by a short shuttle bus to the car rental area and a painless hire process - with upgrade from a compact to a Chevrolet Malibu saloon. After a brief tussle with Maps.Me navigation I found a near-by hotel to try and catch up on some sleep.

 

[3Italianbirders]

Can't wait for this!

 

[foresttwitcher]

As previously, I am still unable to format my posts so 'lifers' will be marked with an asterisk (*).

Wednesday 16th August:

Up and about early, despite yesterday's travelling, as keen to get birding but first, as I had no supplies, I felt obliged to make best use of the complimentary breakfast offerings. Then to the car to start a long drive for one of my target locations, soon picking up roadside Feral Pigeon and Mourning Dove.

After a hectic exit from the Vegas traffic I hit the more open road but soon noticed a sign for Lake Mead Visitor Centre so pulled in to have a first look about. The shock came as I opened the car door - the AC had been doing it's job as even though it was still early the temperature was already nearing 100F. There was a small trail around the immediate visitor centre area so after topping up with water I began a slow wander. The first birds I picked up were a pair of Black-throated Sparrow *, closely followed by a couple of House Finch * (including a yellow variant) and a Northern Mockingbird. But the prize was a covey of Gambel's Quail * with young. I relocated the car to another near-by car park and took a longer stroll along the start of a trail - a Turkey Vulture circled over and had a brief interaction with an unidentified hawk plus a couple of Raven were about. It was too hot to walk far in the open so I returned to the car and resumed the journey.

After a long drive into Arizona, I took a bit of a break in a parking area in the Joshua Tree Forest and walked a small interpretive trail, seeing only a single Loggerhead Shrike and the overhead wires along a long, straight rural road provided Red-tailed Hawk and American Kestrel.

A short (relatively!) distance further on I arrived at Grand Canyon West - a Hualapai 'resort' on the west rim. Just before the main car park I had a great view of a couple of Pronghorn Antelope by the road, including a fine male. I went to to the visitor centre to stock up on liquid and suss out the 'attractions'. I was not interested in the skywalk, zipline or helicopter and boat tours so paid for a General Admission ticket and caught the included shuttle bus to Guano Point. Great views from here with the bonus of White-throated Swifts * close in at eye level. After some time just sitting and wandering to take in the awesome (sorry for the over used word but in this case I think it is appropriate) scenery I took the shuttle to Eagle Point. More stunning views plus House Sparrow and more Raven around the buildings and along a short trail looking at reconstructions of traditional tribal buildings I had both Rock Wren * and Cactus Wren * within a few hundred yards. Back on a shuttle to Hualapai Point, where it was much quieter in terms of tourists, and I did a longer trail to another outlook where I had the view all to myself. On the way out I picked up a much wanted species just beyond the buildings - Say's Phoebe * and two Western Kingbird * shortly after plus a good look at a Desert Cottontail. On the return walk I saw a distant Horned Lark.

The sun was close to setting by now so I returned to the car and began the drive back west, finding a motel in the little settlement of Mead View.

Photos:
1. [...121] Joshua Tree Forest;
2. [...914] Grand Canyon looking west from Guano Point;
3. [...652] Grand Canyon looking north from Guano Point;
4. [...756] Desert Cottontail;
5. [...414] Grand Canyon from outlook at end of Hualapai Point trail.

 

[Jos Stratford]

👍👍👍👍👍

 

[foresttwitcher]

Thursday 17th August:

Started early to get the drive back to the LA area done as soon as possible. No prior plan today but I spotted a couple of likely looking hotspots on ebird so headed north west before reaching the city to Desert National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Centre. The centre was closed but I found a shady spot to park and a trail map and headed off around the Corn Creek Trail System. Not far in there was a flock of Violet-green Swallow * hawking over a pond and then the drier habitat provided Gambel's Quail, Western Kingbird and Loggerhead Shrike in the scrub, Mourning Dove on the buildings and Turkey Vultures overhead. On another of the path loops the vegetation was taller and alongside Northern Mockingbirds, and with some patience, I managed to find some great species: a single Woodhouse's Scrub-jay *, a female and then eventually a male Phainopepla * and a flock of Bullock's Oriole *. The final part of the trail went through a more wooded area with a small stream running through and some damp ground which produced more nice birds: a reasonably co-operative Anna's Hummingbird * (I'd had the very briefest of glimpses of un-ID'ed ones on both days but this was my first chance to look properly at my first Hummingbird), Western Wood-pewee *, a smart Yellow Warbler * and an Empid that perched long enough for me to confirm a Willow Flycatcher *. Walking back after this golden spell I flushed a Cooper's Hawk * that had been drinking from the stream.

It was by now very hot and looking for a little shade and altitude I headed back to a road sign I'd seen earlier and drove up a scenic and fine driving road towards Charleston Peak in the Spring Mountains, seeing Red-tailed Hawk & American Kestrel en route. In one of the parking areas I found the start of a trail up to the top of Cathedral Rock. The taller conifers at the start held a mixed group of White-breasted Nuthatch *, Yellow-rumped Warbler * & Townsend's Warbler * with a Hermit Thrush * perched up nicely on a fallen log a bit further up. In a more scrubby area there were a few Dark-eyed Junco on the path and a distant Golden Eagle circling the mountain peak. Once at the top of the crag I sat to eat and admire the view with White-throated Swifts swirling around, Ravens cronking overhead, a Norther Flicker calling from the top of a dead tree and a couple of Chipping Sparrow * foraging between the rocks at my feet. On the return walk I had another sparrow which was tentatively identified as a probable Chipping from a terrible photo, the Juncos in the same area and a posing Palmer's Chipmunk. Back to the car I headed downhill, stopping for a small group of Lark Sparrow * on the carriageway, and then headed back to Vegas to find a motel.

Photos:
1. [...533] Desert National Wildlife Refuge;
2. [...443] View from Cathedral Rock;
3. [...821] Charleston Peak from Cathedral Rock;
4. [...437] Palmer's Chipmunk.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Nice report so far. It's a great area for birding.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Nice report so far. It's a great area for birding.

Thanks Andrew, it certainly is.

 

[3Italianbirders]

Mouth-watering stuff!

 

[foresttwitcher]

Friday 18th August:

Needed to stay local today but I was still out early to take advantage of the cooler (it's all relative) temperatures - it had peaked at 103F & 105F the last two days respectively and made it to 108F today! I had noted a couple of hot spots on ebird in the suburbs that looked to have potential so set off to Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. Maps.Me took me to a municipal facility of some kind and trying to find an entrance I almost circled the site, going through scrub, newly cleared land, construction sites and brand new housing but not finding a way in. So I retraced my route and stopped and asked a city worker who directed me down an unlikely looking turning to the Preserve parking area. The chap behind the desk gave me some tips and I passed through the access building into a little oasis of green foliage and water in the desert and sub-urban landscape.

The first bird I saw was a hummingbird by some feeders but it was too fast for me and gone in a flash. A small bird did settle on another Hummer feeder but it was a cute little Verdin *. The area consists of a number of man made pools of various depths and marginal vegetation types with a network of track-topped bunds separating them and the development literally in some places right up against the boundary fence but it was full of birds. A pond with open water and tall, dense trees around the edge held Wood Duck * (my first 'real' one after a dodgy free-flyer on a pond above Kranjska Gora), Common Gallinule, American Coot and Green Heron. A more open reed-fringed one had loads of ducks: Ruddy Duck, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail and Cinnamon Teal *. Another had loads of Pied-billed Grebe, a single Western Grebe * and a lone drake Lesser Scaup on a spit with a few Mallard. Groups of Gambel's Quail wandered the bund tops but the next track provided a trip highlight for me with good views of a very wanted species - Greater Roadrunner *. Towards the farther end of the site I was obviously getting to the shallower scrape like ponds as the species now consisted of large numbers of Black-necked Stilt and American Avocet * with a few each of Long-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs and Wilson's Phalarope. A nervous flock of a half-dozen or so White-faced Ibis * kept getting flushed from the quieter corners of the pools as I wandered about. I spent the whole morning wandering around but as the site closed at mid-day I made my way back to the building; seeing Snowy Egret and Spotted Sandpiper on the last pool, a Lazuli Bunting * in some tall scrub and two Black Phoebe * hawking under the canopy of some trees over a damp, muddy patch. I took a last look at the feeders but they were empty, however, on turning round I glimpsed a hummer perched on a branch over the path that sat there long enough for me to confirm it as a Black-chinned Hummingbird *. What a great little site; I hope it is safe from the bulldozers!

I went on to Clark County Wetlands Park, seeing Feral Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, American Kestrel and Raven on the route, and parked at the Nature Centre. This area is equally man made as a wetland mitigation area but has been engineered to look as natural as possible with paved walkways along the numerous trails. The drier scrub had a couple of Western Kingbird and I eventually tracked down an acceptable view of a Blue-grey Gnatcatcher * in a dense bush. Taller trees in one particularly productive little patch held a small flock of Bullock's Orioles, a Yellow Warbler and a Gray Vireo * and when I thought I had re-found the warbler it came closer and turned out to be a different bird - a smart Wilson's Warbler *. As I crossed the Las Vegas Wash there were Northern Rough-winged Swallows feeding low over the water and a group of Great-tailed Grackles * picking through the stones on a braided part of the stream.

Late afternoon by now and it was time to head out of the heat, eat, and find the pre-booked motel within walking distance of the Allegiant Stadium.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Saturday 19th August:

Yesterday clouds had been building over the mountains to the south all day which had resulted in a distant lightening display and a few large rain drops in the afternoon, which became thunderstorms and heavy showers by the evening. It was still drizzly in the morning and I had begun to pay more attention to the reports about Hurricane Hilary heading my way. So I decided to head north to get out of the way a bit. I set off a bit later than normal, after a late finish last night, on a long drive up the Las Vegas and Death Valleys through some interesting scenery. The usual Mourning Doves, Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels seen along the journey.

As well as a travel day it was a bit of a tree twitch today so I headed over the state boundary into California to the Inyo National Forest and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Visitor Centre. It was nice and cool at this altitude when I got out of the car to go into the centre for a trail map and pay the fee - in fact I bought an annual pass that grants free access into all the Federal sites; worth it if you are planning on visiting three or more parks. In just the time it took to do this and return to the car to sort out a small bag to take, it had begun to rain which shortly into the trail turned into a massive thunderstorm with torrential rain that quickly became incredibly heavy, and very painful, hail that settled like snow. After a bit it became more showery with periods of dry and even sporadic sun between heavy hail downpours. So I persevered on the trail - unsurprisingly it seemed I was the only one! It was worth the soaking and slight chilling as in the drier spells I managed to see House Finch, Rock Wren, White-breasted Nuthatch, Hairy Woodpecker * and Pinyon Jay * in the forests and in a more open, heath-like area a couple of Chukar * - I know they are introduced but it has been a bogey species for me in its natural range so I'm having the tick!

In now drier conditions I got to the grove of Bristlecone Pines that are 3,000 - 4,000 years old and found Methuselah itself - believed to be the world's oldest living tree at 4,600+ years old! Well, it impressed me anyway.

I got back to the car early evening and dropped down into Bishop to find a motel for the night to try and dry things out a bit.

Photos:

1. [...820] Bristlecone Pine Forest;
2. [...833] Methuselah Grove;
3. [...819] Methuselah.

 

[MKinHK]

Sounds like you're off to a great start Pete.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Sounds like you're off to a great start Pete.

Thanks Mike, yes the first 4 days boded well for the rest of the trip...

 

[foresttwitcher]

Sunday 20th August:

I wasn't sure if yesterday's storms were a breakdown following the hot conditions or a prelude of unsettled weather being pushed before Hurricane Hilary. But in any case I decided to continue north as a precaution, this time with birding back as the priority and heading to a couple of ebird hotspots.

First up was Lake Crowley. Even though it was early the gatehouse to the fishing area at South Landing was manned but when I asked if it was OK to do a bit of birding I was waved through. I parked up and had a look over the marina area and the lake seeing small numbers each of Ring-billed Gull and California Gull *, some Mallard and a single Black-necked (Eared) Grebe, with Turkey Vultures and Red-tailed Hawks overhead. With little else around I decided to move on and on the way back down the access road a couple of Mourning Dove on the overhead wires were joined by a large flock of Violet-green Swallow for much closer views than I had previously.

Next stop was the South Tufa area of Mono Lake. Even from a distance on the approach I could see that this lake was full of birds. So I grabbed the scope and set off for the lake shore. There were indeed tens of thousands of birds, many very distant but also many close enough to ID and it turned out to be a mix of the same species seen earlier this morning but on a very different scale: thousands each of Black-necked Grebe, Ring-billed Gull and California Gull. Many of the fascinating tufa towers had perched Osprey and there were always some in the air or fishing - literally hundreds I would guess. On the beach a flock of Brewer's Blackbird were feeding on the hordes of alkali flies, which I assume was also the reason for the numbers of the above birds, and with them was a lone Yellow-headed Blackbird *, looking more brownish-headed. In dry scrub back from the shoreline there were more of both blackbirds plus a Say's Phoebe. I carried on around the lake to the Mono Lake Country Park car park and did the short boardwalk trail which, although it did not provide views of the water, did give me a great look at a perched Anna's Hummingbird, a Yellow-rumped Warbler and, after a long wait, a view of a Bewick's Wren * in a dense shrub that I heard and had been sound identified by Merlin. Back at the car I drove a bit further along the track but had to turn round as it was a dead-end but it was worth it as in my peripheral vision I caught sight of a shape on a leaning dead tree stem in the scrub and eventually managed an angle in the car to see a foraging adult and juvenile Lewis's Woodpecker *.

With the car radio weather reports still suggesting Hurricane Hilary was potentially a real threat and high clouds building I was keen to get over the mountains in case there was any chance of the high level road being closed. So I returned to Lee Vining and took the scenic road west but as the weather did not seem to be deteriorating further I took the side track up toward Saddlebag Lake. The trails at the end were closed so I retraced my route down the rough track and stopped at the small parking area near the Junction Campground and set off along the Bennettville Trail. Unfortunately there was no trail map or information at the start so I did not know if it was a loop or one-way and how long it was so I just kept going until I through it was time to turn back - some nice varied forest but not particularly birdy although I did add Mountain Chickadee, Red Crossbill and Spotted Towhee * to the trip list.

I slowly wound my way along the Tioga Road stopping off at various viewpoints to admire the scenery and finally arrived at the west side of the National Park as dusk was approaching. But I had to go to El Portal to find some accommodation that wasn't ridiculously expensive - not too surprising, I suppose, given the popularity of the location.

Photos:

1. & 2. [...216] & [...550] Tufa towers south Mono Lake;
3. [...245] Tioga Road view;
4. [...816] Half-dome from Tioga Road.

 

[Jos Stratford]

But what was the concert?

Edit. I've googled and found out ...even I have heard of them

 

[foresttwitcher]

Monday 21st August:

An early start this morning to get in to one of the places I had most wanted to visit before the crowds arrived, although I had hoped on a Monday and with the weather / forecast not looking so great it wouldn't be too touristy.

Not far in I stopped at the Bridalveil Fall car park to take in the view of El Capitan and decided to start wandering. The path to the falls was partly closed for 'habitat restoration' so after getting the best look I could I decided to set off along the Valley Floor Loop Trail and had it all to myself. The forests were interesting but a bit quiet bird-wise although I did see and hear plenty of noisy Acorn Woodpeckers * and Steller's Jays plus Norther Flicker, Dark-eyed Junco, Western Wood-pewee and a single Black-headed Grosbeak *. As there seemed to be few enough visitors to mean a few scattered parking spaces were still available I decided to short-cut the trail at Sentinel Bridge and return to relocate the car. Passing the more open meadows I picked up what was surprisingly the first American Crow of the trip, a perched Red-tailed Hawk and a small flock of Red-winged Blackbird. I followed a small animal path into one of the meadow areas to track down a call Merlin could no ID, which turned out to be a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel alarm call, but I did flush a Coyote (presumably the reason for the alarm call) from a few feet away - I'm not sure which of us was most shocked! A stretch where the path was close to the Merced River gave views of Mallard, Wood Duck and a couple of Goosanders (Common Merganser). After crossing the Pohono Bridge and heading back upstream the sketchy trail went through a wetter area of forest where I had first a small flock of a bit of a bogey US bird for me - American Robin * - and then a close-by American Dipper * in a wet flush. Shortly after a small herd of Mule Deer were on the edge of a meadow.

I moved the car up to the Curry Village parking; the hordes a bit of a shock as I had seen virtually no one on the trails all morning. I had a nice pizza and welcome cold drink on the Pizza Deck, entertained by scrounging Brewer's Blackbirds and squirrels, before heading along the trail to Mirror Lake and Happy Isles in turn. Pleasant walks but a bit disturbed and I did not see anything new. I did hear, and Merlin ID'ed, a pigeon but I could not see it in the canopy. To get a bit of a break from the heat and people I returned to the car and slowly drove back down the valley stopping off to admire the incredible scenery. Back near where I started I took the Wawona Road and the nice drive up to Glacier Point. There were fewer people up here, perhaps because I had driven through thick cloud for a short section of the route up, and the scenery was just stunning. The bird interest was provided by calling Ravens and a Green-tailed Towhee * furtling in the rocks and shrubs by the viewpoint. I dragged myself away from the view and headed downhill toward the south entrance. But first I parked at the Wawona Visitor Centre to get the shuttle bus to Mariposa Grove. I hadn't realised how late it was and noticed on the information sign that I had missed the last shuttle. When the bus did arrive after dropping off some returning passengers I spoke to the driver, telling him how keen I was to see the Giant Sequoias and he said he had two more runs to do after this to bring people back and as long as I didn't go far along the trails and was back at the bus stop by the time of the last shuttle it would be OK. So I didn't have too long to explore but the trees are just awesome. I made it back for the last bus as dusk was descending and back in the car headed to a motel in Oakhurst.

All I can say is what a great day in a stunning place.

Photos:

1. [...708] Bridlaveil Falls;
2. [...612] El Capitan;
3. [...919] Merced River;
4. [...635] View from Glacier Point;
5. [...900] Giant Sequoia Mariposa Grove.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Tuesday 22nd August:

Stepping out of my room to load up the car I was greeted by Acorn Woodpeckers and Steller's Jays. I needed to be in San Francisco this evening for the second pre-booked motel so it was an early start for a long drive west, passing through a different sort of rural America - industrial scale agriculture and grid pattern roads. The common roadside birds were seen again, with the addition of a lot of Eurasian Collared Dove and European Starling on the field-side overhead wires. Nearing the periphery of the city I still had plenty of time so having checked out a few possible ebird hotspots I carried on across San Francisco Bay and headed for Point Reyes National Seashore.

From a small car park I took the short trail through coastal scrub to Abbotts Lagoon. The first birds seen were Chipping Sparrows on the parking area gravel, a flock of Canada Geese (probably my first 'real' ones) flying nosily over, Barn Swallows hawking low and a couple of California Scrub-jay *. Just before the path reached the bridge there was a Great Blue Heron and some Great Egrets on the shore and Double-crested Cormorants and Brown Pelicans flying over low. I continued over the bridge along a path through the dunes, sat out of the wind and set up the scope. On the water of the lagoon were a few Mallards, hundreds of Pelicans and Cormorants on sandbanks with Ring-billed and Western Gulls *, in the shallows more egrets, Lesser Yellowlegs and feeding flocks of Western Sandpiper and over the water Forster's and Caspian Terns. I sat in the dunes for some time just enjoying the comings and goings. But it was time to move on and the return walk added some different species - both Northern Flicker and Downy Woodpecker looking a bit out of place in a shortish scrub habitat, a Black Phoebe, a few American Crows and a small flock of American Goldfinch *. Nearly back to the car park I had a couple of California Quail * in the tops of small, heathy bushes close to the path and whilst watching these a Coyote wandered by in the grass field just beyond.

I then headed to Point Reyes Bird Observatory but it was closed. So I drove along the very scenic coastal road and across the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco and to my motel - the navigation app taking me up one of the iconic steep streets and then into a bit of a confusing road system - but I made it in plenty of time to settle in and then take the walk to Oracle Park for part 2.

Terrible photos:

1. [...631] Coyote - Abbotts Lagoon;
2. [...446] California Quail - Abbotts Lagoon.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Wednesday 23rd August:

A bit of a late finish again last night but I wanted to be out of the city before the traffic built up. That plan failed miserably so it took a littler longer than anticipated to get to Hayward Shoreline Interpretative Centre. A slightly unpromising approach road but as I parked the number of Barn Swallows flying around and under the raised wooden building gave cause for some hope. The centre was closed but the trail open so I set off along the track across saltmarsh type habitat but it seemed almost bird-less. A little pool ahead looked promising; just as I was thinking of setting up the scope a Northern Harrier came across and flushed a few waders, circled a couple of times and perched on a post briefly before flying off never to be seen again. The slow start continued until I reached the shoreline of San Francisco Bay where I had apparently caught the tide right (by luck, of course) and it was a complete wader-fest and they were closer than I had anticipated or hoped for. The wet mud held hundreds of Western and Least Sandpipers and Pacific Golden Plovers; the shallow water similar numbers of Lesser and a few Greater Yellowlegs plus numerous Willet; in the slightly deeper water Dowitcher sp. and Black-necked Stilt but for me the highlight was hundreds of Marbled Godwit * and scattered Long-billed Curlew * - what a bill! On a small creek estuary I managed to pick out a few Semi-palmated Plovers * and picking around some exposed concrete blocks on the waters edge half-a-dozen Black Turnstone *. Slightly more distantly there were also Great Blue Heron, Great and Snowy Egret, Ring-billed and Western Gulls and Caspian Tern. Having wandered quite a distance and with the temperature rising I retraced my steps enjoying good views of the same species.

Back at the car I continued southward to Coyote Hills Regional Park, still in the Bay area. At the Visitor Centre I gabbed a parking spot under a shady tree and walked the Bayview Trail. There were a few American White Pelicans on the North Marsh and flying out to the Bay plus Mallards and some of the waders seen earlier on the Main Marsh pool. But the wetlands were a bit quiet as were the salt evaporation pools. The main interest on the trail were Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Raven and American Crow overhead, House Finch and Black Phoebe in the taller bushes and California Scrub-jay and California Towhee * in the shorter scrub. I did a couple of shorter trail loops from near the car park but with the increasing heat bird activity had died down.

So I retreated to the cool of the car and headed south again to another ebird hotspot, Natural Bridges State Beach. Without paying an entrance fee you can park for 20 minutes in the overlook car park. I took this option and it was the right decision as the target birds were just beyond the boundary fence and on the adjacent rocks - loads of Brandt's Cormorants * really close and a few Heermann's Gulls * mixed in on the top of the rocks just offshore. I caught a glimpse of a small wader I thought may be a Surfbird but I suspect it was just another Black Turnstone. Brewer's Blackbirds were poking around between the cars. With the free parking time coming to an end, and feeling a bit guilty / embarrassed about looking over the adjacent beach with optics, I continued south.

As yesterday, I misjudged both the busy traffic on all the journeys and the amount of time I spent at the earlier sites, so I arrived at Elkhorn Slough Reserve after the centre and car park had closed! In hindsight, I should have tried Moss Landing but I hadn't put the location on the satnav and forgot all about it as a potential location until later that evening. Instead, I set off inland to get closer to tomorrow's intended location and found a motel in Hollister.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Monday 21st August:

An early start this morning to get in to one of the places I had most wanted to visit before the crowds arrived, although I had hoped on a Monday and with the weather / forecast not looking so great it wouldn't be too touristy.

Not far in I stopped at the Bridalveil Fall car park to take in the view of El Capitan and decided to start wandering. The path to the falls was partly closed for 'habitat restoration' so after getting the best look I could I decided to set off along the Valley Floor Loop Trail and had it all to myself. The forests were interesting but a bit quiet bird-wise although I did see and hear plenty of noisy Acorn Woodpeckers * and Steller's Jays plus Norther Flicker, Dark-eyed Junco, Western Wood-pewee and a single Black-headed Grosbeak *. As there seemed to be few enough visitors to mean a few scattered parking spaces were still available I decided to short-cut the trail at Sentinel Bridge and return to relocate the car. Passing the more open meadows I picked up what was surprisingly the first American Crow of the trip, a perched Red-tailed Hawk and a small flock of Red-winged Blackbird. I followed a small animal path into one of the meadow areas to track down a call Merlin could no ID, which turned out to be a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel alarm call, but I did flush a Coyote (presumably the reason for the alarm call) from a few feet away - I'm not sure which of us was most shocked! A stretch where the path was close to the Merced River gave views of Mallard, Wood Duck and a couple of Goosanders (Common Merganser). After crossing the Pohono Bridge and heading back upstream the sketchy trail went through a wetter area of forest where I had first a small flock of a bit of a bogey US bird for me - American Robin * - and then a close-by American Dipper * in a wet flush. Shortly after a small herd of Mule Deer were on the edge of a meadow.

I moved the car up to the Curry Village parking; the hordes a bit of a shock as I had seen virtually no one on the trails all morning. I had a nice pizza and welcome cold drink on the Pizza Deck, entertained by scrounging Brewer's Blackbirds and squirrels, before heading along the trail to Mirror Lake and Happy Isles in turn. Pleasant walks but a bit disturbed and I did not see anything new. I did hear, and Merlin ID'ed, a pigeon but I could not see it in the canopy. To get a bit of a break from the heat and people I returned to the car and slowly drove back down the valley stopping off to admire the incredible scenery. Back near where I started I took the Wawona Road and the nice drive up to Glacier Point. There were fewer people up here, perhaps because I had driven through thick cloud for a short section of the route up, and the scenery was just stunning. The bird interest was provided by calling Ravens and a Green-tailed Towhee * furtling in the rocks and shrubs by the viewpoint. I dragged myself away from the view and headed downhill toward the south entrance. But first I parked at the Wawona Visitor Centre to get the shuttle bus to Mariposa Grove. I hadn't realised how late it was and noticed on the information sign that I had missed the last shuttle. When the bus did arrive after dropping off some returning passengers I spoke to the driver, telling him how keen I was to see the Giant Sequoias and he said he had two more runs to do after this to bring people back and as long as I didn't go far along the trails and was back at the bus stop by the time of the last shuttle it would be OK. So I didn't have too long to explore but the trees are just awesome. I made it back for the last bus as dusk was descending and back in the car headed to a motel in Oakhurst.

All I can say is what a great day in a stunning place.

Photos:

1. [...708] Bridlaveil Falls;
2. [...612] El Capitan;
3. [...919] Merced River;
4. [...635] View from Glacier Point;
5. [...900] Giant Sequoia Mariposa Grove.

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Fantastic localities 👍

 

[foresttwitcher]

Thursday 24th August:

I left the motel while it was still dark and driving up the Bear Valley as it got light I spotted a roadside lake complete with a lingering mist layer so I spun round and stopped to have a quick look: a flock of Canada Geese, a few each of Mallard, Common Gallinule & Pied-billed Grebe and a solitary Great Blue Heron. Back on the move, in addition to the usual roadside Mourning Doves and perched Red-tailed Hawks I saw first one and then a second Magpie fly across the road and it finally dawned on me that I was within the range where they may be something different so keeping a sharp eye out I paid more attention to a third bird seen just down the road - Yellow-billed Magpie *.

Turning off the road I entered Pinnacles National Park and headed to Bear Gulch car park for a try at what was my most wanted avian species of the trip. The High Peaks Trail winds through nice valley woodland at first and pretty soon I had seen Acorn Woodpecker, Bewick's and House Wrens *, House Finch, Wilson's Warbler and Oak Titmouse *. Then I heard, ID'ed via Merlin, and eventually tracked down a Wrentit *. Higher up above the oaks and other broadleaved trees the pine / scrub mixture held California Quail, California Scrub-jay and California Towhee with the odd Crow and Raven. As the temperature rose Turkey Vultures appeared in large numbers making use of the thermals; the first one of the day had me going for a moment. This is a great trail even including a bit of via ferrata type terrain. I stopped at the top for some time to sit in the shade, eat, take in the scenery and scan the skies - but no sign of the target. A bit reluctantly I began to head downhill. A little way down Condor Gulch Trail I glimpsed something different soaring past a gap in the scrub. Rapidly repositioning to a more open vista I relocated it after what seemed an age and then, living up to the trail's name, there were not one but in the end three California Condors * circling to the north. They circled slowly closer and not too high up until two went almost overhead toward the core of the park and the third turned back and I watched it as it dropped slowly lower and settled to perch on the edge of a crag just below my level across the wide valley. Awesome birds. Elated and relieved I was much happier to continue the descent with the bonus of picking up a fairly close Nuttall's Woodpecker * on a dead snag just below the tree-line and and another loud Wrentit and a Western Tanager * in the valley woodland. Back at the car there were a few Brewer's Blackbirds.

I tried a few of the shorter trails from a couple of car parks but did not see anything new for the day. It had been a long hot morning/early afternoon in an interesting landscape with great scenery and I was well pleased with the day. So having seen my main target on the first realistic try I decided to fit in another tree twitch so did a long drive in the heat of the late afternoon down a nice driving road along an attractive valley and then back across the less enjoyable and less scenic San Joaquin Valley toward the Sierra Nevada and found a motel in Exeter.

Photos:

1-3. Pinnacles National Park scenery.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Friday 25th August:

Set off early for Sequoia National Park, seeing an apparently Wild Turkey on the approach road and, alongside the usual on-the-road suspects, a perched Red-shouldered Hawk. From the main parking lot I took the short trail downhill to admire General Sherman - a Sequoia which is supposed to be the largest (volume not girth or height) tree at 275' tall (although the top snapped out decades ago), 103' girth, 52,500cuft volume, 1,385 tons weight and 2,200 years old. Very impressive although some of its younger and smaller (stem circumference) but taller neighbours are even more impressive. On the way down the trail and back up again there were patches of bird activity, notably in the fir and pine groves rather than the sequoias, which comprised mixed flocks of mainly active Mountain Chickadee with a few each of Townsend's Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch * and Brown Creeper and a Western Bluebird * sallied out from the top of a dead tree.

Once back at the car I headed further in to the forest to another car park with the intention of doing the Long Meadow Loop Trail, which started well with Steller's Jay, California Scrub-jay, American Robin, American Crow, Raven and Acorn Woodpecker. But then the trail gradually disappeared and, as I didn't have a trail map, I decided to retrace my steps and then walked down the road to try to find the other end of the trail to see if I could follow it that way. But the only route off the road I found in the right sort of area went just a short way to what looked like an abandoned quarry. So I returned to the car and sat in the shade of some dense firs to eat; there was no one else around and a Mule Deer strolled right past the pic-nic benches. I took the car back down to a lower car park and did a couple of short trails from near the Giant Forest Museum. The first up the valley through stunning forest gave distant but good views of both Western Tanager and Pileated Woodpecker in the forest and a movement in a more open scrub area was ID'ed on call by Merlin and it eventually emerged and perched up - Fox Sparrow *. I then next did a slow circuit of a meadow area with great views of the spectacular trees and I just about heard and then saw a couple of hyper Golden-crowned Kinglets *.

Time to head south as I needed to be in LA tomorrow - motel in Lebec this evening.

Photos: Sorry about all the tree pictures!

1. [...128] General Sherman;
2. [...441] Giant Sequoia;
3. [...339] Mule Deer;
4. [...204] Sequoias on the edge of a small meadow - for a sense of scale if you zoom in there are some people at the base of the central tree;
5. [...103] Roadside Sequoia - again for scale there is an SUV parked just beyond the base.