California Sierras to Seacoast
September 23 – October 1, 2007 - Trip Report
Greg Smith, Guide, with seven participants

Sun., Sept. 23 Arrival in Sacramento / Point Reyes
After meeting at the airport mid-day we took a short trip to the University of California at Davis Arboretum. We spent the next hour birding the grounds looking for birds and any other wildlife of the area. High cumulus clouds were all that were left of an early California storm that saved the local plant communities from further desiccation. Although birds were scarce at this mid-afternoon location, we were able to find two flocks of Cattle Egrets on duty as they patrolled the grounds. An almost-handsome pair (the male was a bird of the year and just starting to molt into the alternate plumage) of Wood Duck were mixed in with the Mallards and Canada Goose flock. One goose was significantly larger than the rest and appeared to be the Dusky Canada Goose.

We got back into the van and headed toward the coast along Interstate 80. California’s ubiquitous raptor, the Red-tailed Hawk, was found throughout most of the habitats we drove by on our way to Point Reyes. As we started our eleven-mile drive over the north end of San Francisco Bay, large flocks of roosting Black-necked Stilts waited for the tide to recede to resume the daily foraging.

We arrived at the nicely appointed Point Reyes Seashore Lodge, where a few folks stepped out back and got to see a buck Fallow Deer grazing on the field out back. Other birds seen perching in the tops of broken alders included Western Wood Pewee and Western Tanager. All this was going on while Red-shouldered Hawks screamed in the background!

Dinner was next door at the Farm House Restaurant where incredibly tasty meals were had by all at our welcome dinner!!!

Mon., Sept. 24 Point Reyes
A few of us started the day early with a little birding around the visitor center for Point Reyes National Seashore. Numerous Acorn Woodpeckers greeted us with their laugh as we searched for them high in their Douglas Fir granary. We followed this with a quick breakfast back at our lodge before we all headed out to “The Point”.

Our first stop by the oyster farm found a large flock of Turkey Vultures cleaning up a sea lion that had floated up the estero. They were being watched by an amused Osprey that had no interest in what was happening other than to guard her perch.

A small pond a little further up the road provided numerous Red-necked Phalaropes swimming in circles as they foraged. This stop was a precursor to our drive out to the lighthouse where we met up with Keith Hansen and his tour. As we worked the trees out to the tip of the point we saw six different raptors, along with White-throated Sparrow and Red-breasted Nuthatch all of which were second to the incredible weather. It was short sleeves for everyone as the red-roofed lighthouse contrasted with the intensely blue sea.

We had lunch on the water’s edge at Drake’s Beach as we searched through the loafing gulls for anything different. Not finding anything, we headed to the north point where Western Bluebirds dueled for top attention with a bull Tule Elk and his group of females. Great looks at the birds, the elk and the ocean on a beautiful coastal day!

Tues., Sept. 25 Limantour / Bolinas / Five Brooks & Owling
Our day started with a drive out to Limantour Spit, which provides a barrier from the ocean for lush emergent wetlands. Highlights on the beach were Elegant Tern, W. Snowy Plover and views of a glassy flat ocean.

After hiking down the beach, we turned inland and followed a path that paralleled the wetlands. After watching a Northern Harrier spook many of the birds, we came across an American Bittern out in the open stalking its prey. It never retreated to the cattails, so we got excellent looks, just as we did on the big, green mantis we came across earlier.

We had lunch at Keith’s place on the water of Bolinas Lagoon. Swallows, shorebirds and the deck were shared with a group from Elder Hostel. The lunchtime goal was to figure out a way to determine if the large, brown shorebirds were Curlews or Godwits – not an easy task when their heads are tucked in their back.

After a visit to Keith’s gallery, we headed up to Five Brooks where we got see to a male Wood Duck (and a female too) in full alternate plumage! One of everyone’s favorites…

After dinner in Point Reyes Station, we went owling out on the north point. Driving slowly along the single, narrow-track road, we looked intently for owls sitting atop the wood fence posts. Our drive produced great looks at Great-Horned Owl and Barn Owl. A great to end another outstanding day!!!

Wed. Sept. 26 Bodega Bay
Another gorgeous day of weather awaited us as we headed north to Bodega Bay. Our first stop was Sonoma County’s Dolan Beach Park with a view of the estuary. A Red Knot mixed in with a flock of Black-bellied Plovers was the highlight for this stop.

A little deeper into the park we walked the beach and added more shorebirds and glassed the flat Pacific looking for pelagics. Small flocks of Surf Scoters were swimming contently as numerous Brown Pelicans started diving into the water. If they came up with a fish (and sometimes not) they were immediately attended by their pesky neighbors, the Heermann’s Gull.

We drove up State Highway One with the sun at our back, which only enhanced the already dramatic view of the coast and the numerous islets. Frequent stops produced great looks at rocky shorebirds, with a highlight being flocks of Surfbirds and individual Black Oystercatchers.

Our drive north ended at the small community of Jenner, which sits high atop a bluff where the Russian River empties into the Pacific. We were standing atop a coastal cliff where you could look down on huge flocks of water birds, along with a group of hauled out Harbor Seals. The mass of wildlife, the stunning views and the perfect weather were followed by an outstanding dinner at the Farmhouse Restaurant!

Thurs., Sept. 27 Coast to Sierra Drive / Mono Lake
We started off early from Olema as we headed east towards the great Sierra Nevada. A little early morning traffic commute to San Francisco allowed us the opportunity to get to know the community of San Anselmo. From there on to our first Sierra stop went quickly as we stopped at Echo Lake where we added Townsend’s Warbler, Brown Creeper and Sooty Grouse (found by Barbara) which was a life bird for everyone.

After a lunch break we continued onto Mono Lake where our first birding opportunity on the north shore treated us to flocks of water birds feeding on brine flies and brine shrimp. As a Merlin blew by, numerous birds to the east of us took flight. In the late afternoon light, the flying birds and tufa mounds created an image that will last for quite a while in everyone’s mind.

We finished the day of with an excellent dinner at the Mono Inn and watched the full moon rise over Mono Lake. Stunning!!!!

Fri., Sept. 28 Crowley Lake / Bishop / Mono Tufa
Today was clear with a stiff breeze from the south as we headed to different birding locations. Our first stop was the Mono Community Park where we were greeted by outstanding views of a male Red-naped Sapsucker. He was busy setting up rows of holes in the bark of a large willow. The tapping was so subtle, it all of us a while to locate him 15 feet up in the tree.

A quick stop along Highway 395 at a rest area surrounded by trees produced a small flock of Chipping Sparrows including a wayward Clay-colored Sparrow. Loosely associated with this flock were Mountain Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatch and Yellow-rumped Warblers.

The Owens River delta had migrated west, so our long distance looks at Forster’s Tern, American White Pelican and Prairie Falcon were good enough for identification purposes, but not quite there for photography. Our drive in and out the sagebrush flats turned up one of three “Sage” species sitting on a barbed wire fence – Sage Thrasher.

After stops in Bishop for birding and lunch, we headed north and continued our drive through sagebrush flats looking for the other two “Sage” species. We had no luck with them, but did get outstanding views of the Azure-breasted Prairie Hoverer (aka Mountain Bluebird) and Western Meadowlark.

Next stop was the Mono Tufa Reserve where calcium carbonate deposits left by springs that were formerly submerged created huge spires poking skyward. With the 1995 court settlement, the southern part of the state agreed to allow more water to flow into Mono Lake. The brief appearance of these tufas will probably last another 25 years as the water level increases to former levels.

Our drive out of the reserve by a back road produced the day’s highlights. First a Great Horned Owl was perched atop a shrub right next to the road and during broad daylight! Everyone got great looks and outstanding photos as we left this nighttime raptor perched while enjoying the late afternoon sun.

Next on the road within thirty meters of one another were a Loggerhead Shrike and Merlin. Neither seemed to pay any attention to one another or to us as we all got to study both birds and get photographs of the Merlin. A great way to finish the Day!!!

Sat., Sept. 29 Bodie / Lake Tahoe
As we headed to Bodie we continued our quest for the two remaining “Sage” species – Greater Sage-Grouse and Sage Sparrow. Driving the gravel roads through the sagebrush flats produced a fleeting look at a group of Pinyon Jays flying to the east.

We pulled up alongside a small willow riparian site where we were treated to outstanding looks at Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Common Bushtit and Orange-crowned Warbler. We finally found the second of the “Sage” species, the Sage Sparrow that had come down to the water source to quench its thirst. Finally!

Bodie Ghost Town is set at 8300-feet and our walk into town showed us just how cold it was, a 15-inch icicle on the drinking fountain! The town is kept in a state of arrested decay, which allows the character of the community to be preserved as it was found after abandonment. Mountain Bluebirds were about the only bird present, but they were active as they hovered over the short grass.

The drive from Bodie to Lake Tahoe was one of the prettiest of the trip. The narrow rocky canyon as we drove out of Bodie and then along the east side of the Sierra Nevada produced stunning views. And then there was Lake Tahoe!

Our final stops were along the shore of the lake. Pygmy Nuthatches, Mountain Chickadees and various sparrows on this cool, sunny day with a backdrop of the mountains and lake were invigorating. An Osprey carrying a fish back to its perch finished the day in a late afternoon lighting that made the lake glow!!!

Sun. Sept.30 Brockaway Summit / Martis Reservoir / I-80/ Auburn Bridge / Davis
Today was the day we headed back to lower elevations. Our first stop was a 20-minute drive from the Granlibakken Resort where a number of us enjoyed Eggs Benedict from the morning breakfast buffet. Our goal was to search a small section of burned forest for Black-backed Woodpecker. After a fifteen-minute search we found a male slowly working a burned pine for grubs. Recently burned forest is the niche this bird regularly inhabits. The bird was extremely cooperative giving everyone long looks and the opportunity to photograph this golden-capped forest driller!

Next we were off to two aspen groves, one for Williamson’s Sapsucker (where we could hearing faint tapping but were unable to locate the bird) and the second with blazing orange fall colors. This second grove was backlit, which only enhanced the already outrageous colors!

Martis Reservoir provided us with great looks at White-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatches, along with Say’s Phoebe. After a brief Asian food stop we headed east along I-80 and looped through some habitat adjacent to reservoirs created by the Bureau of Reclamation. Great looks at Clark’s Nutcracker at one location were followed by even better views of various bird species drinking out of a hose at a closed campground. This was the local watering hole for Western Bluebird, Steller’s Jay and Yellow-rumped Warbler as individual after individual came down to quench its thirst.

It takes about 57 miles to drop from 6000’ elevation to 500’ along I-80. During that drive we made one stop at the end of the 750-foot high Foresthill/Auburn Bridge. Our goal was to find California Thrasher and any late swifts. The chamise habitat adjacent to the bridge was ideal for thrasher and most of us got to hear one individual singing relentlessly. But it would not cooperate to point of letting any of us catch a glimpse of this mustached ground gleaner.

A walk onto the steel arch bridge by a few of us provided a dizzying view on the American River below, but not a swift was in sight. After returning to the car we drove the last 30 minutes to our excellent lodging at the Davis Palm Court Hotel.

Mon., Oct 1 Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge / Colusa NWR / Vic Fazio Wildlife Area
Today was all about wildlife refuges. Our drive up the Sacramento Valley showed us that crops were being harvested and that autumn was definitely in the air.

Our first stop was Sacramento NWR, a sprawling complex of refuges that encompass wetlands and grain fields ripe for the winter’s incoming waterfowl population.

All three wildlife sites provided us with excellent views of the different waterfowl that were arriving daily. White-fronted Goose was the common goose at all of the sites visited, while Mallard, Gadwall and Northern Shoveler were the primary duck species found in the area.

Sacramento also provided us with excellent views of Ring-necked Pheasant roosters and different raptors. Colusa helped us find our trip Common Moorhen and our second American Bittern. The afternoon lighting was ideal as we watched waves of geese take off and land within the refuges!!!

We finished the evening with a delicious meal at the Spanish restaurant Aioili Bodega Espanola, which was located three blocks from our hotel. Great tapas, entrees and reminiscing were a fitting end to our trip, as tomorrow would begin most everyone’s trip home!

Photos: Barn Owl, Peg Abbott ; all other photos by Greg Smith.

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