Sunday, November 19, 2023

Yellow-Billed Magpie

 


Sunday October 29th

My recent birding tour out to California had basically revolved around a scheduled pelagic trip out of Ventura. Sadly, the pelagic trip was cancelled due to weather, but there was still lots to see.

Yellow-billed Magpie

On Zaca Station Road, near Los Olivos, a number of Yellow-billed Magpies were easily found. This bird is solely an endemic to California. Other species seen here included Acorn Woodpeckers, Oak Titmouse, California Scrub-Jays, Western Bluebirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Western Meadowlarks, a Kestrel and a Coyote.


Acorn Woodpecker 


eBird Checklist - 1 Oct 2023 - Zaca Station Rd. - 14 species






Coyote

Had also headed up to the Mt Pinos Campground in the Angeles National Forest. to look for White-headed Woodpeckers. It's a 100-mile drive from the coast to the top of Mt Pinos at 8000 feet elevation.

Mt Pinos Chipmunk

Found the White-headed Woodpecker, plus Steller's Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, Band-tailed Pigeon, California Scrub Jay, Cassin's Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Brown Creeper and Mountain Chickadee.

eBird Checklist - 28 Sep 2023 - Chula Vista Campground - 15 species

https://ebird.org/checklist/S150936978



Had made a couple of visits to Lake Los Carneros Park, just east from the Santa Barbara Airport

https://ebird.org/checklist/S150897710

California Ground Squirrel


https://ebird.org/checklist/S151200869

Found lots of western birds here to add to my life list including California Towhee, Cassin's Kingbird, Nuttell's Woodpecker, Acorn Woodpeckers, Anne's Hummingbird, plus White-crowned Sparrows, White-tailed Kites, Black Phoebe, Eared Grebes, Bewick's Wren, Mallards, Northern shovelers and the California Ground Squirrels.

Black Phoebe

American Crow

California Scrub-Jay

Northern Shoveler





Eared Grebe

Western Fence Lizard

Checkered White

Mallard

House Finch

Next to the Ventura Harbor were the Venture Settling Ponds. The ponds are active with a Sora, waterfowl, gulls, terns, pelicans, cormorants and wading birds. The grasses and scrubs hosted sparrows, finches, woodpeckers, a Bushtit and warblers. 

   https://ebird.org/checklist/S151100221 and https://ebird.org/checklist/S150964731

Western Side-blotched Lizard

Desert Cottontail



West Coast Lady

Gadwall





Western Gulls

California Gull


Ventura Harbor offered more lifers as well including Brandt's Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants, Wandering Tattlers, Surfbird, Western Gulls, Heermanns Gulls, Black Turnstones and Black Oystercatchers, plus Whimbrels, Long-billed Curlews, Ring-billed Gulls, Ruddy Turnstones, Sanderlings, Fosters Terns, Willet, Spotted Sandpipers, Western Grebe and Elegant Terns


Western Gull

Western Gull

Wandering Tattler



Wandering Tattler

Wandering Tattler

Ring-billed Gull

Heermann's Gull





Black Turnstone

Brewers Blackbird


Black Oystercatcher


Spotted Sandpiper

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