surfbirds.com
MONTHLY SKETCHBOOK
NOVEMBER 1999 - DECEMBER 1999
NOVEMBER 27TH, 1999
Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley, Southern California
A report of a Rufous-backed Robin at Furnace Creek tempts me out on the 200 mile drive through the desert to one of the hottest places on earth. I leave the house early and drive through some amazing scenery that looks like it should be on another planet and arrive at Furnace creek by 9am. Unfortunately, there are no other birders around but I feel pretty sure I know which garden I need to be looking in.
The warbler is a nice bright bird and shows well as it feeds on the lawn.
Eldorado Park, Long Beach, California
News of a Blue Mockingbird here broke early in the week. This Mexican stray has been recorded a number of times in the past in the winter both in Texas and Arizona so the credentials of this California bird look good. But as always, birders can make convincing arguments both ways about its origin and status. Regardless, myself and about fifty others wait patiently for over 3 hours before someone relocates it on the other side of the park.
Aldeburgh, Suffolk, UK
Ivory Gull had long been a dream bird of mine to see, so a return trip home at Christmas to see the family also proved a great way to catch up on this Arctic stray that had turned up at Aldeburgh about 150 miles north of London. My brother drove me up even though he had seen this bird the week before and we saw it immediately upon arrival with some other gulls around a frozen boating lake by the beach. We watched it for the next hour as it fed and sat around on the rooftops looking like a large white pigeon at a distance!
