April 21, 2004
Putah Creek, 20th April
This morning I repeated last week's cycle through the UCD Arboretum to Putah Creek Riparian Reserve. Not much of note in the arboretum, but photographed a smart summer-plumaged Double-crested Cormorant (if only they looked like this when they turned up in Britain) and a White-crowned Sparrow.
A rather unexpected find in the picnic ground was a White-throated Sparrow keeping company with a Golden-crowned - I wonder if this is the same bird that was seen in early March? House Wrens and Ash-throated Flycatchers were again very vocal, as was a single Oak Titmouse. I bumped into two Black-headed Grosbeaks - an adult and 1st summer - another life bird! 13 flyover White Pelicans were a bike tick (yes, I'm sad enough to keep a bike list), while this Chipping Sparrow was a new county bird for me.
3 warbler species were seen (Yellow-rumped, Orange-crowned and Common Yellowthroat), while Swainson's Hawk and Western Kingbird were abundant. All in all not a bad start to the day!
The D-C cormorants have that plumage for a very, very short time: you're lucky to see it and be able to photograph it!
Posted by: Pica at April 21, 2004 1:20 AMyour kingbirds came out very nicely too.
Posted by: Ver at April 21, 2004 7:11 AMIs the creek seriously called that? It's a very naughty word in Spanish.
Posted by: Mad AZ Monk at April 22, 2004 9:09 PM