Day 3

June 12, 2015

What a difference a night with no assholes makes.  I slept fairly well.  My noise-canceling earbuds helped to keep out the sound of the crashing waves.

I saw a report the night before that a Yellow-Green Vireo had been spotted recently at Sabal Palm Audubon center, so I decided to head out to the jungle.  In Texas, Sabal Palm is about as close to a jungle environment as you can get.  Walking along the paths, I can imagine myself in Central or South America.  Alas, I don’t find the vireo, but I’m not too bummed.  It wasn’t a planned bird anyway.

The rest of the day consists of a long haul drive out to Big Bend National Park.  I’ll be traveling along the Rio Grande the whole time.  I have a few stops planned to pick up just a few more birds.

Stop one is Salineno.  I’ve birded here before in the winter and spring, but never summer.  The spot is never birded much in the summer.  It used to be a reliable spot for Brown Jays, but they haven’t been seen in some time.  Maybe a summer trip will be productive (it wasn’t).  I am able to pick up a Ringed Kingfisher and Gray Hawk.

#355 – Gray Hawk

#356 – Ringed Kingfisher

Ringed Kingfisher

Next stop is a little down the road in San Ygnacio.  This seems to be the best reliable spot in the US for the White-Collared Seedeater.  I find the birding place, get out, and the very first bird I see is a Seedeater.  So much for being hard to find.  I walk around for a bit on the chance that a Red-Billed Pigeon shows up (known to be in the area), but none does show up.

#357 – White-Collared Seedeater

White-Collared Seedeater

The rest of the day is a long-ass drive to Big Bend.  What I find fascinating is to watch how the terrain and habitat changes as I go along my drive.  I start the morning at the coast, then head to the jungle, then to the Tamaulipas brushlands, and as I head north, I get to a drier habitat, and then about an hour out of Laredo, the habitat suddenly becomes lush and verdant again.  I’m now in a riparian zone.  I finally hit the Chihuahua Desert outskirts close to Del Rio.  The drive from Del Rio to Marathon is one of the most breathtaking drives I’ve ever made.  I had no idea this place even existed.  Neither does anyone else.  The road was mostly empty.  As I drove in the no-man’s-land, a violent thunderstorm started brewing.  The lightening against the dry, rocky landscape was a thing of awe and beauty.  The storm passed, and I drove into the sunset.  It glowed red and fiery orange.  I saw the world burn away behind the mountains.  And night slowly fell in west Texas. I still had a way to go.  The Lesser Nighthawks started swooping about as the last light of the sun dissipated.

I reached the park about 10 that night.  Big Bend is nothing if not big.  It was more than 30 miles from the park entrance to the campground at the Chisos Basin.  I had one more surprise as I drove in.  A large night bird swooped down in front of me.  My first thought was it was a Great Horned Owl, but something seemed off.  There were distinct with patches on the tip of the either side of the tail.  I checked my guide book.  No owl has this marking.  Only one bird fits the description, a Mexican Whip-poor-will.  Lifer!

#358 – Mexican Whip-poor-will (lifer 474)

I get in to camp about 10:30, set up as quickly as I can, and fall asleep under a sky bright with stars.

Day 2

Boom boom boom. What the actual fuck?  Who the hell decides to have a real Pow Wow at 2 in the fucking morning.  Boom boom boom. Dude, the beach is deserted and you decide to pull up next to me blaring some shit music on our car’s stereo at 2 in the goddamned morning?!

I go into my car to try and drown out the noise.  Then, miraculously, by 2:15, they leave.  God dammit.

I try to get some sleep, but it’s hard.

My alarm goes off at 6:00.  It’s time to get up.  At least I wake up to this.

It’ll be a good day.

My first stop, after packing up camp, is to drive out to Laguna Atascosa to try and find White-Tailed Hawks and the Aplomado Falcon I dipped on yesterday.  No luck on either, but I did pick up Bronzed Cowbirds for a new year bird.

#349 Bronzed Cowbird

Bronzed Cowbird

Oh well, I can still get the birds of prey before I leave.

The real target for the day is the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl.  I had an appointment to see the owl and was gauranteed a sighting.  As I drive in to the ranch, I have a great look at a Northern Bobwhite in flight.  I’ve never gotten good looks at the bird before except in a zoo.  I also pick up Groove-Billed Ani on the way in.

#350 Groove-Billed Ani

Groove-Billed Ani

I pull up to the main house and am greeted by the owner.  There’s another birder there already looking at the owl.  It’s there posing for us!

#351 Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Lifer 473)

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

Also, while I’m there, I have 3 female Nilgai run across the road.  Unexpected for sure, but a nice addition to my mammal list.  Alas, I got no photos of them.

Before I left, I finally heard a calling Blue Grosbeak.  I thought this bird might elude me, as every time I searched for it, I missed it.

#352 Blue Grosbeak

From here, I headed to Estero Llano Grande one of the great birding sites in the US.  My two main goals here were the Brown-Crested Flycatcher and the Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet.  Both were to be found in the tropical zone of the park.  I did however miss the McCall’s Eastern Screech Owl and the Ringed Kingfisher.

#353 Brown-Crested Flycatcher

Brown-Crested Flycatcher

#354 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet

Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet

As I write this, I’m sitting in a lovely, but crowded Starbucks.  I’m exhausted.  Several hundred miles of driving and only a few miserable hours of sleep will do that to you.

Oh yeah, I got word that the pelagic trip has been officially canceled.  Part of me is relieved.  That money can be used for other purposes.

Before the evening closes out, I plan on hitting Old Port Isabel Road again to give the Aplomado one more shot.  Then, back to the beach and maybe some sleep.

Book Talley

As of the middle of day two, I’m nearly done with 3 audiobooks.

1. Allan Quatermain – H. Rider Haggard
2. The First Men in the Moon – H.G. Wells
3. Sylvie and Bruno – Lewis Carroll

Day 1

June 10, 2015

As I write this, I am laying in my wind-swept tent on the beach at South Padre Island.  With this wind off the gulf, I don’t know if I’ll sleep well tonight or not.

(Post Script: I did not)

I was growing antsy.  My original plan was to set forth on the 11^th.  That’s tomorrow by my reckoning.  However, there was nothing keeping me grounded at home, so I set forth a day early.  I’ll get more stops in this way.

On a down note, it looks like my pelagic birding trip will probably be canceled due to weather.  It’s supposed to rain all day on Saturday.  On the up side of this, it will save me some money for later in the trip.

I left my place around 7:30 this morning.  I finished packing and headed out.  The trip seemed shorter than any other time I had done this trek before.  I know that can be accounted for due to the fact that I road birded the entire trip.  I kept a list of every bird I saw in each county.  Each list was small, 4-8 birds, but I should have a nice swath of counties marked out on my county map after this.

I got into the Valley at 3:30 and knew this was a terrible time to bird, so I went to the Gladys Porter Zoo.  At one time, I raved about this little zoo, but now, it seems sad and dilapidated.  Yes, they still have a great collection, but the facilities are falling apart and the exhibits are poor at best.  I got some good photos of the rarities and headed out.

Long-Nosed Potoroo

West African Bushbuck

Sun Bear

My first birding stop was Old Port Isabel Road.  This is a terrible road for travel purposes, but great for birds.  It’s pretty much all dirt with huge ruts that will cause your car damage if you aren’t careful.  Here I was able to pick up some good birds starting with a lifer heard in a brushy area, a Botteri’s Sparrow.  As I kept driving, I picked up a Common Ground-Dove and a Gull-Billed Tern both needed on the year.

#343 Botteri’s Sparrow (Lifer 472)

#344 Common Ground-Dove

#345 Gull-Billed Tern

From here, I needed parrots, and the best place to get them is at dusk at Oliviera Park in Brownsville.  The park was bustling, but I decided not to pay any attention to the throngs of people.  I wandered around the park for some time listening and watching.  First thing I picked off was a Mexican Ground Squirrel.

Mexican Ground Squirrel

Then I found several Tropical Kingbirds.  Finally, a lone Green Parakeet came in (late I saw 8).  I know I had seen this bird earlier, but evidently I never ticked it off my year list.  Come to think of it, maybe it was on my trip in December and not in February.  Anyway, the real goal was the Red-Crowned Parrots.  Right at dusk, three flew in.

#346 Tropical Kingbird

Tropical Kingbird

#347 Green Parakeet

Green Parakeet

#348 Red-Crowned Parrot

Red-Crowned Parrot

There is considerable debate as to where these birds came from.  Are they escapees or are some from the wild in Mexico.  On-going study will soon answer this, but for my take, these birds now represent one of the largest, and most stable, populations of either species.  They have essentially become the northern extension of what was originally two Mexican only species.

I then headed to the beach north of South Padre Island where I currently am getting a crick in my neck writing this.  Tomorrow should be fun.

My County Birding Map 6-7-15

• Green 1-24 species seen
• Blue 25-49 species seen
• Yellow 50-74 species seen
• Orange 75-99 species seen
• Red 100-149 species seen
• Dark Red 150-199 species seen
• Purple 200+ species seen

This is how my bird map looks before I set off for my trip.  I should fill in a lot of blank spaces over the next few weeks.

Chasing the Green Violetear

Last yesterday, I saw reports of a rare Green Violetear being seen at Inks Lake State Park in Central Texas.  It was too enticing to pass up.  I knew I would be in the area next week to start off my road trip, but what if the bird weren’t there?

I got up early and headed to the Hill Country.  It was about a three hour drive mostly avoiding highways.  I got there about 10:30 and had to prod and pry the people at the Park to tell me how to get to the bird blind where the bird was reported.  There is a fantastic new bird blind only a few months old there.  Unfortunately, it is overrun with common House Sparrows.  I bet it has much higher diversity in times that aren’t summer.

Anyway…

The Green Violetear never showed.  I stayed there about two hours with no luck.  The folks who had been there longer hadn’t seen it all day.  Looks like it was a one day wonder.

But, I wouldn’t let the day go to waste.  I was in Golden-Cheeked Warbler country.  I still needed my Texas endemic for the year.  I was about 40 minutes from Balcones Canyonlands NWR, so I made the jaunt over there.

I drove some winding back country roads and listened for the call.  Then headed to the visitor center.  There was a little bird blind where the Black-Capped Vireo was scolding me.  Probably the closest I’ve ever been to that bird.  In the center, they said to head to a certain spot (Sunset Overlook) and the warblers should be there.  The overlook was situated on the top of a wooded hill overlooking the river down below.  Very scenic.

As I walk down the trail, I have a Yellow-Billed Cuckoo fly across my path.  It nestles itself in the juniper so that I cannot get a photo of it, but I do get good looks at this year bird.

#342 Yellow-Billed Cuckoo

Just a bit down the path, I hear warblers calling.  Only possible warblers this time of year are Golden-Cheeked and Black-and-White.  It’s definitely not the B&W.  I’ve got my Golden-Cheeked!

#343 Golden-Cheeked Warbler

This does mean that I will have to alter my plans on the road trip slightly.  Oh darn.  I have to spend an extra day in the Rio Grande Valley.  Shucks.

Planning my epic road trip – Glacier, Yellowstone, and Idaho

From Mount Rainier, I will travel back inland.

Day 24 (Monday July 6) – Turnbull NWR and Glacier National Park

• On the suggestion of my friend Steve, I’m going to make a stop at the Turnbull NWR near Spokane, Washington.  According to him, it is as close to a real taiga environment as I will see with peat-moss bogs and the chance for Moose and Porcupine.
• Target Birds
  1. Trumpeter Swan*
  2. California Quail
  3. Virginia Rail
  4. Western Wood-Pewee
  5. Black-Billed Magpie
  6. Black-Capped Chickadee
  7. Townsend’s Solitaire
  8. Red-Crossbill
• From here, on To Glacier National Park.  I plan on staying two nights here.

Days 24-26 (Monday July 6 – Wednesday July 8) – Glacier National Park

• Two days at Glacier NP.  I got a campground in Swan Lake (I’ll make sure to put some Tchaikovsky on my iPod).  This will be a lot of sightseeing, traveling the Going-to-the-Sun Road, and perhaps a little birding.
• Target Birds.
  1. Harlequin Duck
  2. Common Goldeneye
  3. Barrow’s Goldeneye*
  4. Ruffed Grouse*
  5. Common Loon
  6. Golden Eagle
  7. Vaux’s Swift*
  8. Rufous Hummingbird*
  9. Calliope Hummingbird
  10. American Three-Toed Woodpecker*
  11. Black-Backed Woodpecker*
  12. Olive-Sided Flycatcher
  13. Willow Flycatcher
  14. Hammond’s Flycatcher
  15. Cassin’s Vireo*
  16. Gray Jay*
  17. Black-Billed Magpie
  18. Clark’s Nutcracker*
  19. Violet-Green Swallow
  20. Bank Swallow*
  21. Black-Capped Chickadee
  22. Chestnut-Backed Chickadee*
  23. Pacific Wren
  24. American Dipper
  25. Townsend’s Solitaire
  26. Veery*
  27. Varied Thrush*
  28. MacGIllivray’s Warbler
  29. Wilson’s Warbler
  30. Vesper Sparrow
  31. Western Tanager
  32. Black-Headed Grosbeak
  33. Gray-Crowned Rosy-Finch*
  34. Evening Grosbeak

Days 26-28 (Wednesday July 8 – Friday July 10) Yellowstone

• Ah, Yellowstone.  The largest volcano in the world.  Full of wonder.  Full of sulfur.  Full of mammals.
• I’ve got two nights reserved here.  Well, I say here, it’s actually at the Snowbank Campground in Montana, but it’s as close as I could get.  Every single campsite in Yellowstone was booked solid.  So much for being late to the party.
• Target birds here should be nearly identical to those mentioned above, so I won’t bother to list them.
• I do plan to try some of the touristy stuff here.

Day 28 (Friday July 10) – Craters of the Moon

• It seems like a bit of back-tracking, but from Yellowstone, I plan to meet up with my friend Steve in Idaho.  I’ll most likely stay with him for a few days, before finally heading back home.
• I will meet Steve at Craters of the Moon sometime on the 10th.  He’s birded here before and knows the area well.
• It’s supposed to be a surefire spot to find American Pika.

Days 29 and 30 (Saturday July 11 and Sunday July 12) – Boise area

• Here I shall let Steve take the wheel (literally and figuratively) and we shall do some target birding to pick up a few species I will have missed (namely Sagebrush Sparrow and Prairie Falcon as well as a few others).
• The best part of this visit, will be not sleeping in a tent for the first time in a month!

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Mount+Rainier+National+Park,+WA/Turnbull+National+Wildlife+Refuge,+South+Smith+Road,+Cheney,+WA/Glacier+National+Park,+West+Glacier,+MT/Yellowstone+National+Park,+WY/Craters+of+the+Moon+National+Monument+%26+Preserve,+Arco,+ID/@45.9979955,-120.8818323,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m32!4m31!1m5!1m1!1s0x5490cde6eec94b87:0x5cf4a1fb4f91a418!2m2!1d-121.726909!2d46.879966!1m5!1m1!1s0x549e48652d753a73:0xf32880e3e6692a0a!2m2!1d-117.593762!2d47.41386!1m5!1m1!1s0x5368901555555555:0xaf16bc2215c55dec!2m2!1d-113.787022!2d48.759613!1m5!1m1!1s0x5351e55555555555:0xaca8f930348fe1bb!2m2!1d-110.588455!2d44.427963!1m5!1m1!1s0x54aa5f3acc0c2525:0x593b4ba65a2caf7b!2m2!1d-113.51665!2d43.41665!3e0

The Jaeger Hunt and the Piney Woods

The Jaeger Hunt

For about a week, I had been reading reports from the Bolivar Peninsula of a lone Pomarine Jaeger that had been sitting on the beach.  I hadn’t had the opportunity to chase it with school ending and trying to actually adult.

After taking care of some adultish type things in the morning, I decided to make my chase.  It would be a five hour drive there on the off chance that the bird was even still there.  I plugged in my iPhone, put on some podcasts, and hit the road.

On my way out of the DFW Metroplex, I got to see some of the floodwaters that hadn’t yet receded.  Rivers were swollen larger than anyone can remember due to the month of torrential rains.  That also explains why May was my slowest month of birding this year.  My parent’s home town of Gainesville received 28 inches of rain in May alone.

After several hours of driving, where I exhausted all my cache of podcasts (which I, oddly, always listen to at 2x speed), I got to the Galveston Ferry.  My hope here was to try and see a Magnificent Frigatebird, but luck wasn’t in my favor.

In fact, luck wasn’t in my favor at all.  I scoured the Bolivar Flats shorebird area where the Jaeger had been reported, but the flats were as void of birds as I could remember.  Granted, I had never birded here in summer before either.  I did manage 22 species before I left.  Only one was a new year bird: a Barn Owl sitting in a nesting box.

#334 Barn Owl

The Jaeger, it turns out, had been spotted the previous day some 20 miles further east just south of High Island.  I knew that this was my only other shot at the bird, and had planned on trying here as well.  Again, no luck.  I didn’t get the Jaeger.

The trip wouldn’t be wasted though.  For some time, I had been meaning to get to Boykin Springs campground in the Angelina National Forest.  I would drive two hours nearly due north, camp out, and try in the morning for the East Texas specialties.

On the way in, I noticed a lone crow by the side of the road.  I knew that in this area, Fish Crows were a possibility.  This crow did look a little odd.  It seemed small and had a rounded head.  All good signs for a Fish Crow

#335 Fish Crow

I write this first part under the chorus of night insects and frogs and a distant Chuck-Wills-Widow at Boykin Springs hoping tomorrow will be lucky.

The Piney Woods Specialties

Children suck.  One reason I don’t think I’ll ever go back to teaching.  Curfew at camp grounds is usually 10 PM.  There was one other group there.  From the sounds of it, all teenage girls who whooped and hollered well past midnight.  Made sleeping difficult.

I awoke, well, I use the term awoke loosely, at about 5:30 to a chorus of Pine Warblers.  I tried to go back (again, loose) to sleep, but couldn’t.  By 6:00, my camp site was packed up, and I was ready to get some birds.

This was a lot of ear birding.  I had studied the calls of the needed birds prior, so I knew what to listen for.  The main target was the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker.  This is the rarest woodpecker in North America and reliably found in Texas in only a handful of spots.  Boykin Springs has the largest stable colony in the state.

That said, I have stuck out here 3 times in the past.  It wouldn’t be a big deal if it weren’t four hours of driving one way to get the bird.

Luckily, this time I didn’t strike out.  I got in my car and slowly drove around the site listening for the call.

Then, I heard it.  I got out, and listened.  They were off in the distance.  The hard part of this site is that there are regularly 6 species of woodpeckers found here in June.  But, their call is distinct.  I saw at least three Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers, but was not able to get photos of any of them.  They were too far in the woods to get the camera on.

#336 Red-Cockaded Woodpecker

This wasn’t the only target bird.  There are two other specialties of the Piney Woods, the Bachman’s Sparrow and the Brown-Headed Nuthatch.

Then, I heard something unexpected calling off in the distance.  Two calling Northern Bobwhites.  These drastically declining birds are never predictable.

#337 Northern Bobwhite

I get back in my car after about 45 minutes of scanning and listening for the sparrow and the nuthatch.  I have my doubts as to whether or not I’ll get them.  Then, I spot a small sparrow flitting about in the brush by the side of the road.  There is only one possibility here, the Bachman’s Sparrow.  I get a few good looks at it, but mostly from the backside.

#338 Bachman’s Sparrow (Lifer #471)

Now, I’m feeling pretty good about the trip.  I can live without the nuthatch.  I can always get it a Tyler State Park, which is much closer.  I’m thinking about heading out to a spot near the lake where I’ve reliably gotten Red-Headed Woodpecker, when magically, one appears on a stump near the road.  This is the only year bird of the day I’m able to get photos of.

#339 Red-Headed Woodpecker

I still keep my ear open for the nuthatch, but it never comes.  I do hear an odd hollow call that I can’t recognize that I’ll have to ID later.  Maybe it’ll turn out to be a new bird.

I head back home.

Just before I get home, I decide to make a quick stop at the UT Southwestern Rookery.  I can easily pick up an Anhinga here.

#340 Anhinga

And with that, I decide I’m done birding for the day when a flycatcher appears.  Medium size.  Not an empid.  No tail bob.  Orangish bill.  Eastern Wood-Pewee.

#341 Eastern Wood-Pewee

Not too bad of a trip.  I missed the Pomerine Jaeger and the Brown-Headed Nuthatch, but at least one of those I can pick up later.

Total figures.

Year Total

• 341 (+8)

Life Total

• 471 (+1)

Texas Year Total

• 313 (+8)

I also added birds in a few new counties via highway birding (Henderson and Cherokee Counties) including a highway Pileated Woodpecker.

Planning my epic road trip – The Oregon and Washington leg

I’m still iffy on this part.  I’ve never visited this part of the country at all.  There are only a few must get birds in the area.  I think most of this part will be sightseeing the spectacular scenery.

Day 21 (Friday July 3) – Coos Bay

• Coos Bay is a well-known spot for sea birds.
• Target Birds
  1. Brandt’s Cormorant
  2. Pelagic Cormorant
  3. Common Murre*
  4. Pigeon Guillemot*
  5. Western Gull
  6. California Gull
  7. Glaucous-Winged Gull*
  8. Rufous Hummingbird*
  9. Peregrine Falcon
  10. Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
  11. Violet-Green Swallow
  12. Black-Capped Chickadee
  13. Chestnut-Backed Chickadee*
  14. Wrentit
  15. Wilson’s Warbler
  16. Black-Headed Grosbeak
  17. Red Crossbill
• From here, I will trek up to Mount Hood for the night.
• Target Birds
  1. Ruffed Grouse*
  2. Sooty Grouse*
  3. Golden Eagle
  4. Sandhill Crane
  5. Vaux’s Swift*
  6. Rufous Hummingbird*
  7. Red-Breasted Sapsucker*
  8. Pacific-slope Flycatcher
  9. Gray Jay*
  10. Clark’s Nutcracker*
  11. Violet-Green Swallow
  12. Black-Capped Chickadee
  13. Chestnut-Backed-Chickadee*
  14. Pacific Wren
  15. Varied Thrush*
  16. Hermit Warbler*
  17. Purple Finch
  18. Evening Grosbeak
• Camp at Mount Hood

Day 22 (Saturday July 4) – Oregon Zoo, Grays Harbor, and Olympic National Park

• I will finish birding the Mouth Hood area in the early hours and head on into Portland.
• As a zoo buff, I will be hitting up the Oregon Zoo on this morning.  I hope to be in and out quickly as the July 4th crowds will probably be hellish.  Looking forward to seeing their Bornean Elephant and a few other species.
• Hopefully by noon or 1, I will be on my way into Washington.  I’ve been informed that Grays Harbor is a great spot for birding.
• Target Birds
  1. Brant*
  2. Surf Scoter*
  3. White-Winged Scoter*
  4. Black Scoter
  5. Red-Throated Loon*
  6. Pacific Loon*
  7. Common Loon
  8. Sooty Shearwater
  9. Brandt’s Cormorant
  10. Pelagic Cormorant
  11. Black Turnstone*
  12. Surfbird*
  13. Red-Necked Phalarope*
  14. Common Murre*
  15. Pigeon Guillemot*
  16. Marbled Murrelet*
  17. Rhinoceros Auklet*
  18. Heerman’s Gull
  19. Western Gull
  20. California Gull
  21. Glaucous-Winged Gull*
  22. Rufous Hummingbird*
  23. Peregrine Falcon
  24. Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
  25. Northwestern Crow*
  26. Violet-Green Swallow
  27. Black-Capped Chickadee
  28. Chestnut-Backed Chickadee*
  29. Pacific Wren
  30. Wilson’s Warbler
  31. Purple FInch
  32. Red Crossbill
• From here, I will head up to Olympic National Park for the night.
• Target Birds
  1. Harlequin Duck
  2. Surf Scoter*
  3. White-Winged Scoter*
  4. Brandt’s Cormorant
  5. Pelagic Cormorant
  6. Common Murre*
  7. Pigeon Guillemot*
  8. Marbled murrelet*
  9. Rhinoceros Auklet*
  10. Western Gull
  11. Glaucous-Winged Gull*
  12. Northwestern Crow*
• Target birds leave out the birds I should have picked up by this point.

Day 23 (Sunday July 5) – Woodland Park Zoo and Mount Rainier

• The Woodland Park Zoo is one of the crown jewels in the world of zoo exhibit design, which I’ve been keenly interested in for some years.
• From here I will head to Mount Rainier for the night.
• Target Birds
  1. White-Tailed Ptarmigan*
  2. Sooty Grouse*
  3. Band-Tailed Pigeon
  4. Vaux’s Swift*
  5. Rufous Hummingbird*
  6. Olive-Sided Flycatcher
  7. Hammond;s Flycatcher
  8. Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
  9. Gray Jay*
  10. Violet-Green Swallow
  11. Chestnut-Backed Chickadee*
  12. Pacific Wren
  13. American Dipper
  14. Varied Thrush*

Life Bird 470 – Glaucous Gull

Yesterday, I was getting ready to head to my parent’s up north of where I live. As I was reading through my Facebook feed, I saw that a Glaucous Gull had been reported down at Lake Benbrook. I hadn’t chased a bird in a while, so I decided to make a run for it. Lake Benbrook is known for having some great birds, but I’ve never had the success there that others have.

It was about a 30 minute drive to the lake. I had to enter the pay area, which I’ve never done before. But, four bucks for a rare lifer is well worth it. Incidentally, the fact that I’ve never entered the pay area is probably the reason that I’ve never gotten the good birds at Benbrook.

In front of me while driving is another birder who I know is after the gull as well. We meet up and head to the spot. There are several cars there. A good sign that the bird is still there. I grab my camera, binoculars, and waders and walk down to the spot.

As I’m walking up, we can spot a large white bird sitting at the edge of the lake. We put our binoculars up, and there it is, just sitting there – the first Glaucous Gull ever seen in Tarrant County. Life bird #470 and year bird #333. The bird seems nonplussed. It’s hanging out with 3 Herring Gulls, themselves rare this time of year, and several Franklin’s Gulls. I put my camera up to get a picture only to realize that my SIM card is in my computer, which is back in my car. Ugh. I trek back to get it hoping that the bird won’t leave. On my way back, I have a very late Red-Breasted Merganser fly overhead. I get back, and the bird hasn’t moved. It stays in the same spot for at least 20 minutes. I’m able to get a few good shots before it finally leaves to feed.

Over the lake another of the birders spotted 3 Black Terns, another county bird for me. In fact, I’ve only picked up 3 county birds this year – two of them yesterday. I could have picked up another county bird yesterday, the Bullock’s Oriole, but at them moment I went to look for it, I split my only pair of jeans in half. It was time to quit birding for the day.

Glaucous Gull

Full checklist

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23592608

Planning my epic road trip – the Middle and North California leg

This has been the hardest part to plan so far.

Day 14 – Part 2 (Wednesday June 25) – Morro Bay

• From the stop of the ferry from Santa Cruz, I will head north to Morro Bay.  I will camp here for the night.
• Morro Bay is known for its large colony of Elephant Seals.
• Target Birds
  1. Brant*
  2. Surf Scoter*
  3. California Quail
  4. Red-Throated Loon*
  5. Pacific Loon*
  6. Common Loon
  7. Western Grebe
  8. Clark’s Grebe
  9. Brandt’s Cormorant
  10. Pelagic Cormorant
  11. Black Oystercatcher*
  12. Pigeon Guillemot*
  13. Western Gull
  14. California Gull
  15. Band-Tailed Pigeon
  16. Allen’s Hummingbird
  17. Nuttall’s Woodpecker
  18. Peregrine Falcon
  19. Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
  20. Hutton’s Vireo
  21. Violet-Green Swallow
  22. Chestnut-Backed Chickadee*
  23. Oak Titmouse*
  24. Bushtit
  25. Wrentit
  26. California Thrasher
  27. Wilson’s Warbler
  28. California Towhee
  29. Black-Headed Grosbeak
  30. Blue Grosbeak
  31. Lazuli Bunting*
  32. Purple Finch

Day 15 (Thursday June 26) – Morro Bay part 2 and Sequoia

• I plan to bird the Morro Bay area for the first half of the day.  From there, I will travel inland to Sequoia National Park.
• I will camp at Sequoia National Park
• Target Birds
  1. Mountain Quail*
  2. Sooty Grouse*
  3. Band-Tailed Pigeon
  4. White-Throated Swift
  5. Red-Breasted Sapsucker*
  6. White-Headed Woodpecker
  7. Western Wood-Pewee
  8. Hammond’s Flycatcher
  9. Cassin’s Vireo*
  10. Pacific Wren
  11. American Dipper
  12. Townsend’s Solitaire
  13. MacGillvray’s Warbler
  14. Hermit Warbler*
  15. Wilson’s Warbler
  16. Green-Tailed Towhee
  17. Western Tanager
  18. Black-Headed Grosbeak
  19. Purple Finch
  20. Cassin’s FInch

Day 16-18 (Friday June 27, Saturday June 28, Sunday June 29) – Yosemite

• After the glory of the greatest trees in the world, I will venture to see yet another of the country’s great places.
• Most of this stop, like at Sequoia, will be sightseeing.
• Target Birds
  1. Mountain Quail*
  2. Sooty Grouse*
  3. Band-Tailed Pigeon
  4. White-Throated Swift
  5. Williamson’s Sapsucker*
  6. Red-Breasted Sapsucker*
  7. White-Headed Woodpecker
  8. Western Wood-Pewee
  9. Hammond’s Flycatcher
  10. Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
  11. Cassin’s Vireo*
  12. Violet-Green Swallow
  13. Chestnut-Backed Chickadee*
  14. American Dipper
  15. Townsend’s Solitaire
  16. MacGillivray’s Warbler
  17. Black-Throated Gray Warbler
  18. Hermit Warbler*
  19. Green-Tailed Towhee
  20. Western Tanager
  21. Black-Headed Grosbeak
  22. Cassin’s Finch

Day 19 (Monday June 30) – Monterey Bay

• From the giant trees, I head back to the coast.  This time to Monterey Bay.  In particular, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, considered by many to be the best aquarium in the country – perhaps the world.
• Target Birds
  1. Surf Scoter*
  2. California Quail
  3. Pacific Loon*
  4. Western Grebe
  5. Black-Footed Albatross8
  6. Sooty Shearwater
  7. Brandt’s Cormorant
  8. Pelagic Cormorant
  9. Black Oystercatcher*
  10. Black Turnstone*
  11. Common Murre*
  12. Pigeon Guillemot*
  13. Rhinoceros Auklet*
  14. Heermann’s Gull
  15. Western Gull
  16. California Gull
  17. Band-Tailed Pigeon
  18. Allen’s Hummingbird
  19. Nuttall’s Woodpecker
  20. Olive-Sided Flycatcher
  21. Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
  22. Hutton’s Vireo
  23. Violet-Green Swallow
  24. Chestnut-Backed Chickadee*
  25. Oak Titmouse*
  26. Bushtit
  27. Wrentit
  28. Wilson’s Warbler
  29. California Towhee
  30. Black-Headed Grosbeak
  31. Purple Finch
• Camp at Monterey Bay

Day 20 (Tuesday July 1) – Point Reyes National Seashore

• From one seaside paradise, to another.  This time, I will drive north to Point Reyes passing through San Francisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge.
• Target Birds
  1. Surf Scoter*
  2. California Quail
  3. Pacific Loon*
  4. Common Loon
  5. Western Cormorant
  6. Brandt’s Cormorant
  7. Pelagic Cormorant
  8. Common Murre*
  9. Pigeon Guillemot*
  10. Heermann’s Gull
  11. Western Gull
  12. California Gull
  13. Band-Tailed Pigeon
  14. Allen’s Hummingbird
  15. Nuttall’s Woodpecker
  16. Peregrine Falcon
  17. Olive-Sided Flycatcher
  18. Western Wood-Pewee
  19. Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
  20. Hutton’s Vireo
  21. Violet-Green Swallow
  22. Chestnut-Backed Chickadee*
  23. Oak Titmouse*
  24. Bushtit
  25. Pacific Wren
  26. Wrentit
  27. Wilson’s Warbler
  28. California Towhee
  29. Black-Headed Grosbeak
  30. Purple FInch
• I plan to camp at Point Reyes

Day 21 (Wednesday July 2) – Humboldt Bay

• From Point Reyes, I travel north to Humboldt Bay and the town of Eureka.
• Target Birds
  1. Brant*
  2. Surf Scoter*
  3. California Quail
  4. Common Loon
  5. Western Grebe
  6. Brandt’s Cormorant
  7. Pelagic Cormorant
  8. Virginia Rail
  9. Pigeon Guillemot*
  10. Rhinoceros Auklet*
  11. Western Gull
  12. California Gull
  13. Glaucous-Winged Gull*
  14. Band-Tailed Pigeon
  15. Vaux’s Swift*
  16. Peregrine Falcon
  17. Western Wood-Pewee
  18. Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
  19. Violet-Green Swallow
  20. Black-Capped Chickadee
  21. Chestnut-Backed chickadee*
  22. Pacific Wren
  23. Wrentit
  24. Wilson’s Warbler
  25. Western Tanager
  26. Black-Headed Grosbeak
  27. Purple Finch
  28. Red Crossbill*
• I need to find a good spot in the redwoods to find some birds as well.