Total ABA Species Recorded During 2010 - 731



Sunday, March 21, 2010

Hook-billed Kites, Again

I returned to Santa Ana NWR for a morning of hawkwatching.  Mostly Turkey Vultures but a few Swainson's Hawks were moving.  Saw the Hook-billed Kites again.  They appeared and disappeared three times during the morning (web photo).  Managed a nice list of birds just standing there on the levee with maybe fifteen other birders.  It was fun, although nothing new for the year's list.  Drove to Salineno to take another crack at the Muscovy Ducks.  Got a room at the convenience store at Falcon Heights and went to nearby Falcon State Park where I chatted with Wendy, the volunteer bird person at the park.  I had met her in January when she showed us a few birds coming to her feeder operation behind her Winnebago.  Today she threw out some fresh seed and brought me and a couple from Kentucky up to date on what was around.  As far as new birds went not much was around.  So I headed to Salineno as did the couple from Kentucky.  Unfortunately, some noisy Salinenians did too.  After a couple hours of no ducks and much noise, I bagged it and went back to Falcon SP to look and listen for night birds.  Pauraques were sounding off and I showed one to two guys from Arizona.  It was singing from a cement post a foot off the ground, its eyeshine prominently showing.  When it flew, the eyes continued to shine and looked like giant fireflies as the bird moved around catching insects.  Went back to the room which had only one working light bulb.  The bed was comfortable though.  Peanut and jelly sandwich for supper.  Tomorrow I'll try for the ducks again and then figure out what to do.  No new birds today (sigh).

6 comments:

  1. Does anyone do Santa Margarita Ranch for Muscovy Ducks any more? They seemed reliable early in the morning there (from the bluff) not long ago, sometimes perched in the tall trees there.

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  2. Bob find another birder and try the roost area for the duck.

    Terry

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  3. Bob, I am really enjoying your blog and learning a lot too. At some point could you tell us where you are plannig on birding for the rest of the year? What is your goal? Good luck and Thanks for sharing with us!
    Phil Kenny

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  4. One lightbulb. Reminds me of that hotel in Uxmal with the giant toads and the clouds of june beetles.

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  5. I saw the first night heron today returned to Hospital Point here in Portsmouth. I am so thrilled to see them again. We are leaving in about 6 weeks and I really wanted to see them before moving. If you want to visit Hospital Point let me know! I'll take you around. We have an osprey nest here and I love watching all the animals.

    geraldinekiser@gmail.com

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  6. I had good luck seeing Muscovy Ducks fly along the river at Chapeno, near the El Rio RV Park, in the early morning. Good luck!

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