October 28, 2005
Davis birds: Chickadees galore, and Merlins return!
My birding has been limited to Davis this week, partly due to work and partly since the focus mechanism on my beloved Swarovski bins seems to have broken (boo hoo!). However, many good birds were still to be had. Willowbank Ditch holds at least 3 Chestnut-backed Chickadees, the continuing Winter Wren and a heard-only Western Tanager. Joan and I popped out to the Davis WWTP in miserable weather. In addition to good numbers of Herring Gulls, we saw this large, dark, 1st winter gull, which I suspect is a Western. This shot was all I could manage due to the distance and low light - any comments appreciated... (Postscript - local gull buff Jon King doesn't think this a Western based on structure and plumage. It's most likely 'just' a Herring Gull, but may have some Western genes in it).
Stephen and Carol, two friends of mine from Blighty with a mild interest in birds, came to visit today. They were pleased to get great views of the 2nd Street Burrowing Owls...
... and accompanying Jackrabbits.
Luck was on our side when we visited the Arboretum - the Chestnut-backed Chickadee followed us around for about 15 minutes and almost landed on us when we pished! Another bonus bird was a female/imm. Townsend's Warbler which gave equally eye-popping views, and we enjoyed great looks at a drake Wood Duck and singing Anna's Hummingbird. The two Cackling Geese and a Black-throated Gray Warbler were also still present this week, but alas, still no Varied Thrush...
This evening I biked up to North Pond, where an odd-looking Cackling Goose was consorting with the Canadas. Its plumage (including the cheeks and vent) seemed to be stained rusty-brown. Any ideas why? I assume from its prominent neck-collar that it's an Aleutian Goose.
Eyeing a flyover Red-tail...
I finally caught up with two of the 'urban Merlins' in Davis this evening (the second made a couple of passes at the perched bird before flying off east).
Here it is flinching from another attack, this time by an irritated American Crow.
