Everyone always assumes that a vacation in California means beaches and sunshine, sidewalks of stars and beautiful people; all the while racing down PCH in a convertible with the top down and the Beach Boys blaring on the radio. But yet I don't "vacation" like most people do.
We spent seven very long days running around California and into Oregon adding new birds for the year... I was passed out before 9 almost every night...The majority of the people we encountered were on a similar mission and not from CA either....Our rental car was littered with coffee cups, take out wrappers, guides and Pringles cans.... Once again I didn't pack the correct clothing and spent almost the entire time in the same sweatshirt and cargos. (keep those comments to yourself-I did remember deodorant). Not a vacation most people would enjoy.
It was cool, even cold at times, wet with rain and fog and windy as hell. There were only a few occasions where I was bitching about the sun but I was glad I had remembered the new Ray-Bans. No movie stars and no Beach Boys either. Just birds.
Seeing life birds (birds I'm seeing for the first time for those of you out there who still have no idea what I'm talking about) is always a great way to start off a trip. Tundra Bean-Goose and Rustic Bunting were a perfect kickoff to this one. Missing out on Falcated Duck and Brambling took a bit of the shine away but plenty of other birds and mammals made up for it. River otters and American badger were very cool to see.
Even though the weather and luck weren't completely on my side it still was a great expedition. There are groves of redwoods where the road winds through them that momentarily make you realize how very small we are in this world. The trees and forest floor were so thick with moss in some areas that sound barely carries and whether you want to or not, you can't help but to whisper. The endless horizon and clear blue water stretching out for miles while the waves and tides erase our footsteps can almost leave you speechless. Pelicans, gulls and seabirds rule this coast. I spent a fair amount of time with one eye closed tight while the other peered through the scope to identify everything winging by.
But the smell of the Pacific is different than the Atlantic to me. Mingled with freshness, evergreen and earthy smells that calm and refresh rather than the more stagnant, salty, humid eastern shores of Florida . It's one of those places that I never want to leave and each time I'm there I wish for more time. This was no exception.
55 new birds were added on this trip making it well worth it and bringing my year total to 307.
Upon our return to the frozen landscape of Cleveland I took a few days off to work and generally catch up on things.
I then decided to run around the northern part of the state just a little bit to pick up some birds that may be tricky to get later on. The Toledo area was hosting a few common redpolls and a Hoary redpoll which took two visits before finding them. The hoary is a good pick up because those birds can be difficult to track down and it saves me some ridiculous chase later on. The obliging northern saw-whet owl at Maumee Bay SP and the northern shrike were also fine additions. I went to see a snowy owl at Hopkins with my sister and then found another out in Lucas County on a drive-by. That evening the short-eared Owls at Ottawa didn't disappoint. Four owls put on a nice show over the Stange Road prairie just after sunset. All in all bringing my year up to 315.
I'll be headed to the southwest shortly to chase a few more rarities via Dallas. How do you pass up a $96.16 round trip flight. It will be my first timing using Spirit Airlines but as long as they get me there and back what the hell, right? I'm in the process of putting together an attack plan that will most likely include 5-6 states. Thank god for unlimited mileage on rental cars.
I'm going to try to work on putting a running list on the blog so you can see what's been seen....and let me know if something pops up that I should see. Thanks to everyone who has been helpful so far this year with directions and info. I appreciate all the help I can get.
I have missed a few of your posts, but I am getting caught up. Your Cali trip sounds about right for a Hardcore birder like yourself! The only picture missing in this post is you in Cargo shorts/Sweatshirt and those NEW RAY BANS! I am glad you were able to make it to my county/neighborhood and snag some owls. If it wasn't for your tips/coaching those owls would of NEVER been found. BUT I need to add that as you are driving in my neighborhood and our back to see some SEOWs in another county to snag a Snowy Owl on top of someone's house across from my old school proves what a MASTER you are! Keep it up :)
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