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Slater
Trad climber
Central Coast
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May 10, 2013 - 11:02pm PT
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Dee, nice sequence there! So pretty!
Thanks for the input Reilly.
I've been planning for this trip for months.
I got my hotels already!
Trying to sac up for the 10 hour drive! and heat.
Bird at altitude I was told.
Mt. Lemmon here I come!
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john hansen
climber
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May 10, 2013 - 11:12pm PT
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Mt Lemmon was great, got 5 or 6 lifers in one morning. Sabino Canyon for Broad bill hummer and cactus wren. Got to madera canyon but missed out on the sierra vista area and Pantagonia. Lots of good birding down there. I wish I would have spent a few more days down there.
Dee, is that a Skimmer?
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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May 11, 2013 - 12:27am PT
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Mt Lemmon isn't usually all that great except for owls.
They're all worked up in AZ cause they've a Ross' Goose. HaHaHaHa!
There's a Plain-capped Starthroat at Madera Cyn and a White-eared at Miller.
Now those are worth getting worked up over!
There's also a Mexican Whiporwill at Mt Tritle, wherever that is (looks near
Sedona).
BTW, y'all do know about Washington birders' dashboard, right? It's good
for the whole country.
Birders' Dashboard
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10b4me
Ice climber
Soon 2B Arizona
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May 11, 2013 - 12:55am PT
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I will be back in Arizona over Memorial Day, and Fourth of July weekends. Will be climbing, and birding on Mt. Lemmon
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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May 11, 2013 - 12:57am PT
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Tony
Trad climber
Pt. Richmond, CA
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May 11, 2013 - 01:57am PT
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Lots of good birds and photos since I last checked in.
I went on my first pelagic birding trip of the year out of Half Moon Bay last weekend. This is the earliest one I have been on, hoping for some rare spring migrants.
After watching a group of Pigeon Guillemots putting on show in the harbor with a lot of displaying and calling, we headed out to deeper water and I made sure to have my camera handy. I missed getting a good look at a couple of Scripp's (nee Xantu's) Murrrelets which were on the other side of the boat.
We next encountered a feeding mixed flock including many Bonaparte's Gulls and Sooty Shearwaters.
While we were checking them out, an Ancient Murrelet came very close to the boat. Very cute!
While admiring this guy, a Brown Booby flew toward the boat, circled around a couple of times, then joined the mixed flock on the water. This was the first one Alvaro had seen on one his trips.
Rhinoceros Auklets were growing their "horns".
There were still some Pacific Loons flying north.
Red and Red-necked Phalaropes were abundant.
Some of them were getting into their breeding plumage.
A few Sabine's Gulls were in transition.
After very light winds in the morning, they increased and more birds were flying. Sooty Shearwaters were the most numerous.
There were a few Pink-footed Shearwaters and Northern Fulmars (Werner's favorite).
Albatrosses are always a treat. We had at least 9 following the boat. They really like the "chumsicles".
While we heading to get a closer look at some Humpback Whales, a group of Orcas popped up and put on quite a show.
I sent in some photos and got IDs on the Orcas from a group that is studying various populations and has a database based on photos of scars, etc of different groups of Orcas.
[edit]I meant to include this photo of a Whimbrel that welcomed us back to the harbor.
It was a great trip and we are looking forward to several more this summer and fall.
By the way, I am headed to SoCal for a brief family visit. I plan at least one birding outing, probably to Bolsa Chica and/or San Joaquin Wildlife Refuge. Any other suggestions from you locals? I will be staying in Yorba Linda.
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Leggs
Sport climber
Is this a trick question?
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May 11, 2013 - 05:49am PT
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Amazing Amazing photos.... thank you so much for sharing the beauty of flight...
10b4me...I cannot wait for your next visit in just a couple of weeks. :)
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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May 11, 2013 - 06:20am PT
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The thread that keeps on giving.
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10b4me
Ice climber
Soon 2B Arizona
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May 11, 2013 - 01:19pm PT
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By the way, I am headed to SoCal for a brief family visit. I plan at least one birding outing, probably to Bolsa Chica and/or San Joaquin Wildlife Refuge. Any other suggestions from you locals? I will be staying in Yorba Linda.
Tony, I suggest sending a pm to dee ee, he is a local to oc
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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May 11, 2013 - 02:23pm PT
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Tony, and anyone else, let me know if you want to bird in OC. If available I would definitely love to go.
John, yes the Skimmers are back.
Reilly, thanks for the "Birders Dashboard."
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shady
Trad climber
hasbeen
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May 11, 2013 - 11:21pm PT
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Collard scops owls.
I've never seen a picture of them, till now. Unique!
Thanks Delhi.
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john hansen
climber
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May 11, 2013 - 11:44pm PT
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That owl looks like dried leaves in the forest.
Great stuff Tony.
Cool
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Tony
Trad climber
Pt. Richmond, CA
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May 12, 2013 - 01:56am PT
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Thanks, John.
Have you gone on any pelagic birding trips in Hawaii? There should be a lot of good birds. We couldn't manage one on our couple of trips to Kauai, but it should be easier from Oahu or Hawaii. Which island are you on?
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cyndiebransford
climber
31 years in Joshua Tree, now Alaska
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May 12, 2013 - 04:57pm PT
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I went to the Homer Bird Festival yesterday. My husband and I took a four hour boat cruise in Cooks Inlet and Katchemak Bay. We were looking for Eiders and Otters. We did see two pairs of common eiders, but never got close enough to photograph them. There were a lot of birds around Gull Island, rafts of probably 5,000 Common Murres. I saw about 25 species and the only new Alaska lifer was a song sparrow. I saw grebes, pigeon guillemot, common murre, red-faced and pelagic cormorants, harlequin ducks, an american pipit, pacific and yellow-billed loons, black-legged kittiwakes, glaucous and glaucous-winged gulls, red-necked phalaropes, tufted puffins, white-winged scoters, ancient murrlets, least, semi-palmated, western, pectoral sandpipers, dunlin, Goshawk, sandhill cranes, dowitchers, wigeon, green-winged teal, yellowlegs...Here are a few photos that I hope you will enjoy. We also saw porpoises and otters.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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May 12, 2013 - 08:43pm PT
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Nice Cyndie, love the Longspur and Puffins, and the rest.
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Slater
Trad climber
Central Coast
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May 13, 2013 - 02:37am PT
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Cyndie,
5 of those would be lifers for me!
Alaska here I come!
(after Arizona!)
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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May 13, 2013 - 09:47am PT
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Whoa. Just got a lifer and he came to me. I know not rare, but I'd never seen one before: A male Evening Grosbeak! He flew 10' from meet and enjoyed some drinks from my bird bath. Then he sat on top of a feeder for a minute...then moved to a tree.
Very cool.
How does one find out if that is unusual for this time of year (or any time of year) here in Boulder? Either way - it was super cool!
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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May 13, 2013 - 10:21am PT
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Crimpergirl, E-Bird (the Cornell Univ. bird site) has records for all species all over the US. It has tons of other cool features including animated migration maps, super cool and life list features for members. It's easy to join.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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May 13, 2013 - 10:50am PT
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Fairly common? Please don't harsh Crimpie's stoke.
So, Crimpie, when's the Chachalacalooza?
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