December 25, 2005
Goodbye California :-(
Well, my last week in California has been and gone. Frantic packing, finishing of work, goodbyes and some truly awful weather prevented me from doing a whole lot of birding. On the morning I was due to leave, a break in the weather allowed me to get out on my bike for one last hurrah. I looked at everything that moved, realising that every kinglet, junco and hummingbird could be my last for a very long time... A single Common Merganser was on the lake in the Arboretum.
Along Willowbank Ditch I was able to relocate the wintering Winter Wren (should be brushing these out of the way next week), while a final failed attempt to get looks at the Ovenbird yielded an extremely odd-looking Yellow-billed Magpie, with a bronze sheen to the wings and tail and a White Pelican-like protuberance on the upper mandible.
I raced home, moved the remainder of my furniture to the thrift store (thanks Alison!), and awaited my ride to the airport. As the airporter arrived, it started to rain, and I heard a flock of Tundra Swans calling over the house - a suitably evocative last memory of Davis. As my plane took off over San Francisco Bay, a mixed flock of Bufflehead, Scaup and Surf Scoter were my last US birds. I've had an incredible time out here - I shall really miss the people, places, and of course the birds - I hope it's not too long until my next visit!
Posted by rjhall at December 25, 2005 2:11 PM