Gold Country 2011

A friend and I decided to take another short trip to Gold Country during the holidays. We’d gone in 2008 for a longer stay. This time, we stayed two nights. After some searching for lodging, we decided on a house on 217 acres. We decided to take it instead of staying in town, as we’d be able to wander the property, which has trails, and we could wander at night if we wanted to.

We left around 10:25, and got to the New Melones Lake Visitors’ Center around lunchtime. Nearing our destination, we spotted a Bald Eagle flying over the hills.

We had lunch, while watching birds and a few honey bees. Acorn Woodpecker, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Lesser Goldfinch were plentiful, and we also saw and heard White-breasted Nuthatch, Western Bluebird, Black Phoebe, Northern Flicker, Oak Titmouse, American Robin, Dark-eyed Junco, Lincoln’s Sparrow and crowned sparrows. After lunch, we walked partway on the Norwegian Gulch Trail. It looked different. When the trail started to head downhill, we didn’t remember it being so close to water. We stopped and turned around, as there were some people with their dogs at the water, and we could hear them from where we were.

Since it was after check-in time, we decided to take care of that. We drove around the property to find the house and where to check in, and noticed a plethora of birds: Spotted Towhee, Cedar Waxwing, American Robin, European Starling, California Quail, Northern Flicker, Acorn Woodpecker, Western Bluebird.

After unloading, moving a millipede from the bathtub, and placing a trail camera, we headed over to Natural Bridges Trail. Our mistake last time was that we walked past the end of the drive rather than entering the actual trail, close to the gate. It was after 4:00, but since the trail was only .7 miles, we figured we had enough time. We left the trailhead at 4:25, and got to the stairs and We saw and heard many Hermit Thrush, Spotted Towhee, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Acorn and Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Wrentit, and California Towhee. We also saw some interesting plants, including Red Berry and Mountain Mahoghany.

We got down to the stairs and first bridge/outlet at 5:10.  After about 20 minutes of exploring, we started back up. I didn’t realize that the bridges were actually further, but it was getting dark anyway. We usually have our flashlights with us, but I wasn’t sure if they locked the gate. The crescent moon and Venus were close together, and we stopped to take photos. We were back at the trailhead at 5:55, then headed over to Murphy’s for dinner. We had a tasty meal, but it took a long time.

Natural Bridges Trail

Back at the house, we put a log in the fireplace and moved some chairs closer. We noticed something on the carpet–leaves? A closer look revealed two small Western Fence Lizards! They were mostly immobile. The smaller one did climb a little on my hand; both seemed calm and allowed us to look at their ventral sides. Another surprise was a small jumping spider (Salticid) on the wall.

I slept well both nights, and during the first night, I woke to hear a Great Horned Owl hoot quickly nearby, with a “wah” sound after. I’m not sure if that was the owl, or something else. I also heard, at another time, something walking through the fallen leaves. There was what appeared to be raccoon scat by the back walk.

The large blackberry tangle, that was the highlight of the picture window view, attracted many birds. After breakfast the next morning, we took a hike on the property to see what else was around, at 11:00. It wasn’t clear from the map where the start of the trail was, and we climbed over some old barbed wire where it appeared to be. Making our way through oaks, lots of Hermit Thrush called and sometimes made their appearances. Frozen dewdrops on the grass, and frosty leaves looked magical. We climbed up to the ridge,  finding different scats and shrubs, and a partial deer skull showing the complex sutures, along the way. We reached the opening of the woods at 12:30, and entered grassland. It took us another 20 minutes to explore and stop at a place that we could see part of New Melones Lake. Some dry Birdsfoot Fern, and a dragonfly interested us, and I found a louse fly in my pocket.

Besides some of the birds we’d already seen there, we added Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Black Phoebe, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Oak Titmouse, Lesser Goldfinch, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, White-breasted Nuthatch, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Bewick’s Wren, Hutton’s Vireo, Common Raven, and Red-tailed Hawk, Western Scrub-jay, and Northern Mockingbird.

We started down, and wandered to the right, ending up on the wrong side of a fence on the other side of which was our house. There were a couple of large, machine-dug holes. We picked our way through manzanitas, and refound the trail. At the same fence that we’d climbed over before, we found a mantid ootheca on the post.  We had a late lunch after arriving back at the house at 2:30.

As we left to go to town, a flock of Wild Turkeys moved around the barn. We paused to watch two of them lock heads. Arriving in Murphy’s close to 5:00, we found that most of the shops closed at that time. We walked to the end of town to work up an appetite, then picked a place that had a couple of interesting dishes on the menu. Unfortunately, they weren’t serving one of them, and what we picked for our entrees was disappointing and not what we expected.

After dinner, we stopped at the pond on the property. The water smelled somewhat stagnant, and there were no signs of life. There were a few dessicated mushrooms in the ground, and we found an odd styrofoam-feeling cocoon? partially wrapped in oak leaves. Something was loose inside.

Wednesday was our last day, and while we got our things together, the Wild Turkey flock walked around the house. Two of the turkeys scuffled, and one or two others seemed to get into the act also. They didn’t lock heads this time, but kicked. We looked at them more closely to try and figure out their genders.  They didn’t appear to be adult males, and at least a couple of them looked younger. More bird species showed up: House Sparrow and White-crowned Sparrow.

We stopped at the pond on the way out to find the cocoon again, and also found a fallen mud bird nest. Another interesting find was a pecked oak apple gall with a lacewing egg on the opened part! A few American Coots and Ring-necked Ducks floated on the water.

It was almost lunchtime, and we decided to stop in town. Mineral was open, which gave us wonderful, creative vegetarian meals.

After a walk around town, Calaveras Big Trees was our last hike. It was 3:40 when we got going again. We took the North Grove Trail, but because there were a relatively large number of people with loud kids, we split off and took the Grove Overlook Trail. We did manage to hear Red-breasted Nuthatch, Common Raven, and a White-headed Woodpecker. We couldn’t find that in the trees though.

Back at the lot at 5:25, only two other cars were left. As we pulled out of the parking lot, we saw the only snow we’d seen on the trip, a 15′ strip along one part of the lot. Without stops, it took us almost 2.5 hours to get home.

Here are more photos.

Christmas Bird Count 2011

This year, we had some help, so HF, CB and I passed on Hidden Lane and Lone Tree Cemetery, and Sulphur Creek Nature Center and Carlos Bee Park and the back part of Don Castro RRA to others.

We started off at 8:24 and got to Don Castro at 8:33. The far end of the lake was dry.

Don Castro RRA

On Friday, I’d only seen one duck, a Ring-necked Duck. There were only a few Mallards on count day, and we missed the two Belted Kingfishers, two Great Egrets, Hutton’s Vireos, Common Ravens, a Red-breasted Nuthatch, and a Townsend’s Warbler from Friday. Conspicuously missing were Cedar Waxwings, and there were much fewer American Robins and Northern Flickers. We heard a “Dairy” woodpecker (my name for an unseen Downy or Hairy), and I guessed Downy because that’s what we saw last year, but I was fooled. Looking back, we did have Hairy in 2009.

We made it halfway down the Ridgetop Trail to the bridge, and turned around to head to Five Canyons. We left the lot at 11:33.

Our next stop was the Shady Canyon Trail, arriving there at 11:49. We made it to the far side of the pond. The female Bufflehead was still there from Saturday. The Varied Thrush were difficult to discern, but we heard at least three. A surprise was another Hairy Woodpecker. Since it hadn’t rained much, there were only a couple small patches of old fungi. I did find a cluster of tiger beetle larvae burrows of various sizes on Saturday, and a Buckeye butterfly. We returned to the top at 2:04 and headed to lunch.

We made our afternoon run through Five Canyons. Our first stop, by accident, was Boulder Canyon at 3:35. This steep hill has a snag that almost always has a raptor, and this was no exception. An American Kestrel, as well as a Northern Flicker, were perched in the snag.

Next, we headed to where we meant to go, Century Oaks. It was almost 4:00 by then, maybe too late in the afternoon, as we found no Rufous-crowned Sparrows or Western Bluebirds. There was a Lincoln’s Sparrow though, and a Bewick’s Wren which had made a nest at the top of someone’s downspout.

We made a quick stop at Crestview Ct. at 4:45 to try to get some bluebirds. We heard none, but did hear at least one Great-horned Owl. A couple of deer were browsing, and a Red-shouldered Hawk flushed out of one of the near oaks. We left there at 4:58, finishing a cold, but dry day.

Here are more photos. And, the bird list is here.

Christmas Bird Count 2010

This year, HF, KP and CB joined me. We left my place at 8:45, having seen one Oak Titmouse at the feeder. It was rainy and around 50F, challenging conditions.

As usual, we headed over to MB’s place. She had previously told me that the birds were down, so we missed some things, but did see two Red-breasted Nuthatch. After about half an hour, we took a drive through Five Canyons. It was drizzling or foggy in parts, so there were some visibility issues. However, that didn’t seem to impact what we did see, which wasn’t a lot. Because of the ornamental pear street trees, there were a large flocks of American Robins and Cedar Waxwings. At the end of Boulder Canyon Dr., we took a short walk partway up the hill, and saw an American Kestrel on the snag. In our section this is probably the best raptor place.

We skipped the Shady Canyon Trail which would have been wet and muddy. On our scouting trip, we heard White-tailed Kite:

and Wild Turkey hens:

plus a couple of Varied Thrush, which we usually seem to miss. There were not as many fungi as last year.

We headed over to Don Castro and got there at 10:30.  KP and CB saw a Northern Flicker with yellow shafts, but didn’t get a look at the head. By this time, the rain had stopped so we walked around the lake and along the creek and back around. Waterfowl were mostly Mallards, with a couple of Ring-necked Ducks.  It started to rain when we were along the creek, so we turned back. HF spotted a Green Heron as we skirted the lake on the way back. We got back to the lot at noon.

After lunch at the usual spot, we drove through Lone Tree Cemetery at 1:50. A large flock of Rock Pigeons flew around, but we missed the bluebirds and Killdeer.

We continued on to Five Canyons park at 2:05, and got two Killdeer, then revisited Crestview Ct. to see if we could get bluebirds there. They still weren’t around, so we drove to Century Oaks Circle to look for Rufous-crowned Sparrow at 2:25. We missed those too, but the Western Bluebirds were there. We walked a short way up a trail behind the houses instead of walking from the Boulder Canyon entrance.

Close to 3:00 we decided to try some new places. We drove under the overpass on Castro Valley Blvd. for a quick check for any swifts hanging around underneath, then drove Palo Verde Road. This was in someone else’s section, but we did see some Wild Turkeys there.

At 3:15 we went to Carlos Bee Park. I have checked this park out while scouting but we’ve never actually counted birds there while I’ve done this. It did add some birds we didn’t see already, including a Townsend’s Warbler. We were there for about 45 minutes, and it remained dry.

Next, we stopped briefly at Sulphur Creek Nature Center at 4:10 to see if the Barn Owl was in the nest box. Unfortunately it wasn’t. Finally, at 4:30 we checked the back part of Don Castro from the Ursa entrance. There were fewer cattails on this side than there were last year, for some reason, and by 4:45 there were no blackbirds coming to roost. We didn’t hear any, either. KH told me that he had some at Cull Canyon around 4:15.

We arrived back home at 5:00.  It was a long, wet, day, but surprisingly, we got more species than we did last year!

List to follow…here.

Monte Bello OSP, Black Mountain campout

Having not backpacked since the last time we camped here in 2003, I decided it was time and got permits.

A group of a few friends hiked in from Waterwheel Creek on 9/5/10, taking the road. We started out around 6:00 P.M. It wasn’t uncomfortably warm, unlike our public overnight in 2002, but was around 70F.

An interesting sighting on the road was some lacewing eggs stuck to a broom stem. There was also an alligator lizard that, after pausing, ran into the grass. And, curvy tracks in the dust that we deduced was from a snake.

Poplars near the camp

We got to camp in about an hour, stopping here and there for interesting things (mostly scat). In one spot, we watched a rabbit browse by the side of the trail. A scrub-jay gave an alarm, which caused the rabbit to run for cover. We saw a large unidentified bird fly apparently out of some shrubs on the opposite side of the trail, near where the scrub-jay had called from. When we got up to that point, something hidden in the brush gave repeated calls. It seemed relatively near, and creeping to a few feet in front of the vegetation didn’t stop it from calling. We weren’t sure if it was a bird or something else; it wasn’t chirpy. Here’s a recording from KG’s phone:

A raven croaked at another, and a two rows of swallows perched on the telephone lines.

Lots of dragonflies hunted above our spot (they didn’t seem to make much of a dent in the eye fly population…) After setting up and filtering some water, we went up to the ridge to have dinner. Except for a few deer and a passing bicyclist, we had the place to ourselves. We enjoyed some delectables, and watched Venus and Mars appear. Later, Scorpius and Sagittarius with the Milky Way were visible.

After some relaxed stargazing, we went off to the other hill below camp to see if we could find any critters crawling around. We didn’t see anything, not even one darkling beetle. We looped around the hill on our return, and with the city light blocked, we found Andromeda.

We gave it one more try, the trail behind the camp. We listened to three different orthopteran sounds. Still nothing but a few bats hunting overhead. Back at camp, everyone was ready for some sleep. The crickets and katydids sang us to restless sleep.

During the night, the wind came up and kept flapping one corner of my tent. It was still mild enough for me to get a little warm and have my sleeping bag only partially over me.

In the morning, we had French press coffee thanks to JO. A Bewick’s Wren, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, and a Wrentit sang.

We left around 9:30. It was getting warm quickly.

At the ridgetop, more dragonflies hunted. We ran into a few people on the trail. While we were talking with a couple of young women who had come up Rhus Ridge, I saw a large, black insect hovering over the dry grass. It was 20-25 mm. long. JO took a photo, and we could then tell it was a fly, albeit a large one.

Big horse fly, Tabanid?

At the intersection of Waterwheel Creek, we turned right to take the trail we hadn’t on the way in. JO and SO decided to go drop their packs, taking the road, and then meet us on the creek trail. They heard a rattlesnake on their way to meet us. We saw another alligator lizard, fuzzy Clematis, and a gooseberry with big orange fruit. Where we met up, there were large funnel webs; one had a large Agelenid visible in it.

Southern Alligator Lizard

Going this way was something new. At least some of us decided we wouldn’t do it again, especially with a pack. When we got past the woods, it got very warm, and the sparse shade from coyote brush was welcome.

The harvester ant nests along this stretch had big piles of seed chaff.

Back at the lot, the thought of real food inspired us, and we headed off to Hobee’s.

See more photos here.

And here is information on obtaining a permit to camp.

Southeast Arizona

I’d been wanting to go back ever since I went in 2003, with a local birding tour. Since an opportunity came up with two bay area leaders, I jumped at the chance. Here is our itinerary:

08/06/10

My roommate and I arrived a day before the official start. We stayed at Quality Inn in Green Valley, about a half hour ride from the airport. There is a Walgreen’s across the street, and the median strip has interesting desert plants. Cactus Wrens, White-winged Doves, Gila Woodpeckers, and Great-tailed Grackles were among the motel parking lot birds.

08/07/10

Mission San Xavier del Bac. We couldn’t go inside because of a service. One of the courtyards had a nesting Curve-billed Thrasher.

Sweetwater Wetlands Park. We had a picnic lunch near Brown Mountain in Tucson Mountain Park.

Kinny Road

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. I have been there before, but didn’t get to see everything. The same held true this time, partially because I was getting too hot to go where I wanted to go, which was a longer walk.

BW’s trip details

08/08/10

Rio Rico
Kino Springs
Patagonia Roadside Rest Area
Patagonia Sonoita Creek Preserve
Paton’s Birders’ Haven
Patagonia Roadside Rest Area
Patagonia Lake

BW’s trip details

08/09/10

Florida Wash–interesting caterpillars
Proctor Road
Madera Canyon picnic area
Madera Canyon
Carrie Nation Trail–missed the Elegant Trogon, but there was an interesting green beetle ball
Santa Rita Lodge
Kubo Madera–a life bird, Scott’s Oriole
Continental School

BW’s trip details

08/10/10

Green Valley
Sonoita rest stop
La Cienega Grasslands
Environmental Operations Park, Sierra Vista
San Pedro National Conservation Area
Cave Creek Ranch
American Museum of Natural History Southwest Research Station
Portal

BW’s trip details

08/11/10

Cave Creek Ranch
Stewart Forest Camp
South Fork Cave Creek
Southwest Research Station road
Sunny Flat Picnic Ground
Herb Martyr Campground–lunch
John Hands Picnic Ground
Dave Jaspar’s feeders, Foothills Road
Paradise Road
Portal
Southwest Research Station–owling

BW’s trip details

08/12/10

Fire Road to Herb Martyr Forest Camp
Portal
AMNH
Herb Martyr Campground
Barfoot Park meadow
Rustler Park
Pinery Canyon Campground
Paradise Road 42
George Walker
Portal

BW’s trip details

08/13/10

Cave Creek Ranch
Douglas
Stateline Road
Wildlife Pond
Fort Huachuca, Garden Canyon, Sawmill Canyon
Ash Canyon B and B

BW’s trip details

08/14/10

Carr Canyon, Sawmill Springs  Trail
Sawmill Spring
Carr Picnic Area
Miller Canyon
Beatty’s

BW’s trip details

08/15/10

St. David, Holy Trinity Monastery
Cienega Creek Natural Preserve

BW’s trip details

 

Here are photos, broken down by subject.

08/06-15 Southeast Arizona General

08/06-15 Southeast Arizona Plants

08/06-15 Southeast Arizona Vertebrates

08/06-15 Southeast Arizona Invertebrates

 

The trip list is here.

 

When I get a chance, I’ll add some sounds.

 

==

For more, see:

Tucson Audubon
Southeastern Arizona Birding Observatory

Fungi of the Sierra Nevada

I took the SFSU field campus class, Mushrooms of the Sierra Nevada, from June 6-11, 2010. We left around 9:30 on Sunday.

We stopped in Auburn for about 1.5 hours, to try to see the Painted Redstart that had shown up there. Surprised at some giant Amazon archers that seemed very out of context while trying to find the location.
We didn’t have luck with the bird, but the site was interesting as there was a “creek” that ran along the road, in a culvert and ditch, in which horsetail and other water plants grew. The house near which the redstart hung around had a nice pond, and various dragonflies visited and oviposited.

Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)

We had lunch in Ashford Park. We used a picnic table near a small pool with water vegetation, large fish and bullfrogs. It was warm but pleasant.

Resuming our trip via 49, we arrived around 4:30 and had a little time to unload, unpack and walk around a bit.

After a vegetarian dinner by the new cook at the campus, we had our orientation meeting for the class.

Red-breasted Nuthatch, Steller’s Jay, Warbling Vireo, Cassin’s Vireo, Western Tanager, Mountain Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Western Wood-pewee, Dark-eyed Junco, and others sang in the morning and during the day.

On Monday the 7th, we had breakfast, made our lunches, and had lecture (as we did on all days, from about 8:00-10:30). We then headed across the road up the pine-debris-strewn hill to see what we could find. It was warm and sunny with a few clouds.
Besides mushrooms, we found a few Lycogala slime molds that look like small pink balls. Up near the road and vacation housing development were mushrooms that grow in burn areas.

We brought our collections back and had lab from 3-6:00. We used keys, dissecting and compound microscopes to view fungal basidia, cystidia and spores.

Dinner was another light one, Israeli couscous with salmon mixed in, and we saw a presentation after that.

The night was colder than the previous one. Tuesday the 8th took us to Wildplum Campground, 500’ lower in elevation. This area had a creek nearby, and we found a bonanza under one of the logs near the creek: small pink millipedes, and a crust fungus with slime mold fruiting bodies on it. There was also a small, soft polypore “cupcake”.

Small polypore (Oligoporus leucospongia)

After lunch, we went to Greenacre, across the road from Bassett’s. Dennis saw bear. We found a large custardy-looking slime mold on pine needles (Fuligo). On the way back to campus, we made an ice cream stop at Bassett’s.

Pasta with morels, and baked chicken was a welcome dinner.

The evening presentation was on Hawaiian fungi. Some of the stinkhorn fungi looked like tropical flowers or starfish, not like fungi at all.

On Wednesday, we went to Chapman Creek Campground. There was some snow, with a lot of snow melt. By the car was a large Gyromitra montana. We went up the trail and hill, and found many small, slight bumps in the ground which unearthed mushrooms. I saw something out of the corner of my eye then, and went over to investigate. It was a small pile of bear scat, adorned with orange eyelash fungi, Cheilymenia fimicola!

Cheilymenia fimicola

After our field lunch, we returned to the campus to look for fungi there. KS and I went up past the upper tents to the water tank area. We found some delicate Mycena that smelled like bleach, on a log. While removing some of those, we disturbed a Collembola and a click beetle.

Dinner was tasty, a Mexican-style black bean dish, with garlic-infused pork and salsa.

The evening presentation on fungi of Pohnpei in Micronesia was interesting, in particular the bioluminescent fungi.

Thursday’s morning lecture included spring Ascomycetes. I find those more interesting.

We headed off to a marsh area on Gold Lake Road. There was more water than usual, and I had to watch where I stepped to avoid having the water go into my boots. We were looking for matchstick fungi, but none of us found any. We did find small brown cup fungi beneath corn lilies, Sclerotinia veratri. Later in the lab, I picked off the moss and other plant material to expose the flat, black sclerotium. Looking in another area with moving water, I saw something small and red. Closer examination revealed a very small, colorless club fungus growing on the dead corn lily leaves. I found more. They reminded me of fertile horsetail, and later we found a few. Our Typhula specimens were dried in preparation for the herbarium because these were apparently fresh (sclerotia red instead of brown).

Before we left for Sand Pond and lunch, someone found Puccinia on the other side of the road. This rust causes the plant (Arabis, in this case) to produce a false flower which insects prefer over the real flower.

Mountain Quail could be heard at Sand Pond. I saw a couple of large tadpoles swim away, too fast to see what kind they were, but they were not black.

After lunch, we went partway around the pond trail. We didn’t find a lot, but I found a small cut branch with a lavender-colored crust, and small, black balls on the end, like some slime molds. Under the microscope, chains of spores showed up, and this meant it was a Pyrenomycete.

Dinner was also tasty on this night, consisting of Mahi-Mahi and baked halved yellow squash.

This was the last night, so it was a free night. I decided I’d read over the material, but fell asleep around 9:00. I think that was the coldest night, as I felt a little cold even with the cotton blanket I had over my sleeping bag.

After a blueberry pancake breakfast, we had our 42-question “final”. 23 specimens were laid out in the lab, and we attempted to answer questions related to each.

While on my way back to my tent to get my things together, I found a beetle with red elytra and legs on a stump. Later while pointing it out to PN, I found another on the same stump.

After saying goodbye, we left around 11:30, deciding not to go along on the informal foray. I wanted to visit Antelope Valley again. We only got a few miles in, as the road became very rutted. There were a couple of boards strewn in the road, under which were large black crickets, and a small lizard. We didn’t get to the area I wanted to stop at, but we had lunch among the brittlebush and pines. After lunch, we spent a little time looking at the flora, including the colorful lichens, and whatever insects we could find.

Returning via 80 south of Sierraville, we stopped at a rest stop (the Donner Pass one was closed) and at a truck stop. The gas station there had some surprising things for sale—for example Kettle Chips Spicy Thai, my favorite chips when I eat them, and gummy insects.

We got back to my house around 7:00. The weather here had been warm, but it was pleasant when we returned. I was glad to be home.

Here are some photos.

Costa Rica 2003

The following is my journal from this trip, edited recently.

1/3/03 – Checked in for Flight TACA 561, 12:15 a.m. at SFO
There was a long line, and I had to give up my insect repellent and small container of alcohol. I set off the metal detector and had to step to the side, remove my hiking boots, and get scanned.
Passengers were mostly Latino; an older woman in front of me said prayers in Spanish as we took off. “Snack” was a ham and cheese sandwich, plantain chips and a cookie.

Stop at San Salvador 7:55 a.m.—it was sunny
Coffee is expensive at the airport. Police with German Shepherds walked around. On the second leg, “snack” was another (warm this time) ham and cheese sandwich.

Arrived at La Casa que Canta at 10:30 a.m.
Brian, the host, and his laid-back pit bull, greeted me. There were lots of butterflies, and a parakeet in a cage. I wanted to walk around, but I soon crashed. At 2:00 p.m. Murrelet, Bob and Alberto stopped by. It felt like 5:00 but was really 12:00.
At dusk it rained.

We had the first in a series of great meals after Terry arrived.

La Casa dining room

1/4/03 – We picked up the rest of the group at the airport, then on to La Ensenada Lodge.
On the way, we stopped to pick up some drinks at a roadside shop (and learned that “servicio” is the word for bathroom there, and also learned what we were supposed to do with the toilet paper instead of flushing it).

A large iguana walked around the grounds at La Ensenada. Great Kiskadees called their names frequently. Geckos chirped in the cabana and waited by the light for bugs to come by. Staff found a small venomous snake (Fer-de-lance).
A gecko in the room (or just outside) chirped during the night; coyotes, three owl species, and Howler Monkeys called.

Iguana strolling the grounds

1/5/03 – 5:30 a.m. walk before breakfast
We saw a Turquoise-browed Motmot. White-throated Magpie-jays joined us at breakfast. After lunch we went to the salinas. It was hot and humid, strange to be by the ocean and warm. At the salinas, cracker butterflies made noise with their wings. A pensive howler monkey relaxed in a tree.
A late walk resulted in finding the Three-wattled Bell Bird, whose call resonates for a long distance.

Howler Monkey through the scope

1/6/03 – a.m. walk
A Ferruginous Pygmy-owl reminded me of [The Trouble With] Tribbles, a tiny puffball with big eyes. Later, we took a boat ride on Gulfo de Nicoya–a pleasant escape from the heat. Many fish jumped out of the water. The tide was so low that we couldn’t return to the dock. The guys pulled the boat onto the beach farther down. Mangroves lined the beach, and tide pools with hermit crabs and little fish were fascinating. Walking back, we had to watch our step for the many little hermit crabs moving around the beach. There were also lots of little interesting stones.

After lunch, at which an iguana strolled by, we went to the laguna, where a very secretive Boat-billed Heron was found. A crocodile displayed his open mouth near the birds on the far shore. The sunset reflection was beautiful on the water.
Later, listing the birds, Kiki, the all-purpose naturalist, appeared surprised that I wanted to try guaro, the local firewater [actually, I think this has been the reaction on at least my second trip, too!].

1/7/03 – To Hotel Punta Leona
In the restaurant while waiting for our rooms, we noticed bats hanging at the top of the inside walls. The rooms were air conditioned, and had regular hot water (water heater somewhere else). A Brown Jay was the first bird I discovered there. Another iguana strolled through our back yard, and quickly escaped my attempts to take a picture by running up a tree. Chestnut-mandibled Toucans were a striking sight.

1/8/03 – After watching for macaws and crocodiles at the bridge, to Carara Biological Reserve
There was yet more ham and cheese, cookies, fruit drink and an apple for breakfast. Along the trail we heard something munching—it turned out to be an agouti. Blue Morphos bounded along in the air, flashing blue when their wings opened.

Alberto refreshed us with much-needed cool pineapple and watermelon when we returned to the van. We stopped at a place where leaf-cutter ants crossed the trail, and peeped at the show that male Orange-collared Manakins put on at this lek, making popping sounds with their wings as they popped into the air like live popcorn.

After lunch, we went to the estuary, the mouth of Rio Tarcoles. On the way, we observed a caiman catching and eating a fish.

1/9/03 –A flock of chacalacas entertained us on the morning walk before the trip to San Gerardo de Dota, Cabinas el Quetzal.
Fiery-billed Aracari looked like they had bright yellow sweaters on. On the way we stopped at a park in the middle of a town, a surprise stop to view a pair of Black and White Owls. A highlight was a Two-toed Sloth, also in the park (and more than one sleeping dog).

It rained on the way over the mountain. Rodolfo and Marivel were our hosts. Five of us stayed in a two-bedroom cabina, with a scary-looking shower. We had our first experience with on-demand “hot” water…and falling bed slats in the middle of the night!

1/10/03 – After birding the area around the lodge, and breakfast, we birded along the road to San Gerardo, top down.
Smoke wafted from Junco Soda. The sky was clear, and the temperatures were pleasant during the day.

After a siesta, we walked to the Savegre Mountain lodge down the road (and browsed the gift shop). On the way down, Terri slipped. I managed to grab her walking stick, fearing she would go flying over the edge. Instead, she slid, seemingly in slow motion, against the barbed-wire fence. Along the road was a walking bit of lichen/moss with many legs, and it virtually blended into the background when placed on top of a moss-covered rock.

The fried cheese at dinner was yummy.

1/11/03 – The day of the Resplendent Quetzals
Led by Walter, we walked briskly to the area where they had been seen. Even partly hidden in the trees, the quetzals were breathtaking (but odd-looking). As we watched, spellbound, the male flew over to the avocado tree by Murrelet and plucked a fruit on the fly, before we realized what had happened!

Quetzal through the scope

On the way to breakfast, Walter explained that the long grass that I inquired about was in fact Equisetum (Horsetail). After breakfast, Walter led us through some land that his friend had bought to retire on. We birded our way through the meadow, and made our way toward the forest. We stopped to say hello to Walter’s “Little White”, the horse whose leg had been injured and that he was letting live its remaining life in peace in the meadow. We hiked through the forest on a narrow trail, ending by a stream.

1/12/03 – To Cartago and Orosi
We stopped for helado (ice cream–coconut, of course, for me) at a mall . There were fast food places here, as in the US malls. A Chinese fast food place advertised its menu in Spanish. There was a “Shuz” store, as well as a “Buuts” store, selling what their names sound like.

After helado, we stopped at a pond. There was a large spider in a web, which Bruce unknowingly walked into. [Looking back, it was probably a Golden Orb Spider (Nephila)]

The shopping mall

On to Orosi
We passed by coffee plantations and Murrelet explained how “shade grown” worked. There were a few abandoned lodges along the way. It was misty when we arrived at Kiri Lodge. This was the place in Costa Rica with the most rainfall, and it did indeed rain.

1/13/03 – To Parque Nacional Tapanti
We breakfasted outside the gate. After the park opened, we stopped at the visitors’ center then walked up the road. High in the air and among the wet plants sang a Black-Faced Solitaire, sounding hesitant and melancholy. Its song drifted through the air, and its beauty brought tears to my eyes.

I was struck by the diversity—tiny creatures and plants, to gigantic plants (we didn’t see any gigantic creatures).
The lodge was out of plantain, so I settled for a homemade coconut confection, which I enjoyed on the way to La Quinta Sarapiqui Country Inn. We drove through Parque Nacional Braulio Carillo to get to our next destination, and stopped at a pharmacia in rainy Puerto Viejo.

We sat in a meeting room to list the birds for the day. Noel’s chair suddenly broke, and we found that he was unhurt and laughing, on his back on the floor! It turned out to be rather humorous.

1/14/03 - It poured during the night, but let up later in the morning.
The nights were alive with sound—cicadas wailed like banshees, their chorus punctuated with the metallic calls of tink frogs.
We birded along the road into Organization for Tropical Studies at La Selva.
Walking around La Quinta later, I wondered what that weird, crazy sound was (it turned out to be Montezuma Oropendola).

1/15/03 – To La Selva Biological Station again, with Yehudi as our inside leader
Along the outside road, an agouti foraged. At the beginning of the suspension bridge, two large iguanas were close by in the trees. The higher one climbed down slowly, chasing the other away. He seemed to pose, magnificently, as Terri and I photographed him.

The secondary rainforest came first, then a siesta on the cool floor in front of the cafeteria, before hiking the primary rainforest.
We learned about Bullet Ants, so named because of their sting. I watched the Costa Rican equivalent of a pill bug scurry out of the path of some army ants. We crossed the path of a peccary, and those of us not in the front of the group missed the view but not the characteristic odor, pointed out by Yehudi. Other creatures along the trails were a Spider Monkey, Two-toed Sloth, Howler Monkeys, and Leaf Cutter Ants (which drop their leaves in their tracks, if it rains, making a green mosaic in the soil). Some of us also observed a transparent butterfly perched in a patch of sunlight on a leaf. Yehudi also enlightened us about Kapok trees, and Turkeytail trees (very rare, only two plus one young one in La Selva).
Only about a 2.5 Km hike, but exhausting nevertheless.

Leaf Cutter Ants

1/16/03 – I decided to sleep in, and later discovered Murrelet hurrying to tell us that the Sunbittern had been spotted (apparently by “Eagle Eyes” Terry).

Later, we found ourselves awaiting a boat trip on Rio Sarapiqui. Once aboard, we were treated to fresh passion fruit—an unusual fruit, with a brittle exterior and a thick, cottony lining that revealed a heart of what looked like frogs’ eggs, which one was supposed to slurp up. It was refreshing, slimy and crunchy, surprisingly good considering the way it looked. We passed Brahma cattle by the side of the river, bats resting on trees, more monkeys including a White-faced Capuchin, another caiman, along with various birds before we had to turn back because of the water level.

Terri and I decide to ask if the gate to the forest beyond our cabina could be left unlocked for a longer time. As night fell, we explored the area and ended up on the little island where we sat in the dark, listening to all the little voices, and watching the eyeshine along the shore. We discovered most of them were frogs, when a pair of eyes hopped. The moon was full, and reflected on the still water.

After joining back up with the group, some of us went to try to find the paraque, which turned out to be ridiculously easy.

1/17/03 – Back to La Casa que Canta, via La Virgen de Socorro, El Mirador in Cinchona (which has tragically been destroyed as a result of the earthquake in 01/09), and Cascada de Paz
Before leaving, I tried to take a picture of “Pops”, the white dog that stayed with us as we birded the grounds. I tried to get him to “sit”, and wasn’t getting anywhere, when I realized he didn’t understand English! “Mom” and “poopy” also wandered the grounds while we were there.

El Mirador was a rustic (as most were) shop, on the side of a mountain overlooking some falls. A Rhinoceros Beetle and some tarantulas were upon a table. The hummingbird feeders hung outside, with open bars instead of glass windows. Occasionally a hummingbird would fly through the bars, and back out. The feeders were so close that it was possible to feel the breeze from the birds’ wings when I put my hand outside. A parrot also had an outside perch, and said “Hola”. We ate our packed lunches (guess what, ham and cheese), and a chubby dog that smiled for food kept us company (until the owners decided that he didn’t need any more food). The Violet Sabrewings were large, and intensely colored, with curved bills. They were very fast in flight. An Emerald Toucanet commandeered the fruit on the table below the feeders. A Green Thorntail male, tiny compared to the sabrewings, did an enchanting air dance around and close to the perched female.

Arriving at Casa que Canta, I asked Brian if the pit bull could have my sandwich (I just couldn’t take another ham and cheese on Bimbo bread). He said I could try, and it disappeared in two gulps! Fortunately for me, I didn’t have my fingers in the way. Even though I know that pit bulls are strong dogs, with strong jaws, it still was surprising to feel.

Some of us took a walk around the property, and met Bill, the capuchin monkey who lived in the big treehouse. We continued down the trail to the river’s edge, and admired the stands of huge bamboo.

Giant bamboo stand

Instead of dinner at Luna de Valencia (the owner was in Spain), we were treated to dinner on the covered deck. Dinner was prepared by Alberto’s relatives, accompanied by live marimba music and wine, beer, and since I wanted to try it, “contrabando” (moonshine, prepared by a secret recipe, arrived in a small Welch’s grape juice bottle–and as I recall now, was almost like cough syrup).
This resulted in Terry telling us a joke about horses, which brought him almost to tears from laughing so hard!

Jupiter was large and bright, rising over the mountains, as the party went on.

1/18/03 – Shopping at Moravia, shopping for lunch at the supermarket, shopping, shopping, shopping…
I wish I’d bought more guanabana and cas pulp (and coffee, and coconut cocaditas, and cookies, and…)
On the way to the airport, there was some sort of street party with people dressed in costumes, causing the driver to worry. We somehow managed to communicate that my departure time wasn’t for three hours (Flight Taca 560, 5:00 p.m.). In the check-in line, many people had multiples of huge luggage. Security hand-checked both my bags. I took off my hiking boots this time, but I set off the metal detector anyway, forgetting that I had local coins in my hidden wallet.
Fortunately, the “snack” was a hot chicken and cheese sandwich.
…
I managed to keep “tranquilo” for a month or so after the trip, but I seem to have lost my cold tolerance!

3/28/2003
Other photos are here.

Christmas Bird Count 2009

The count happened this year on 12/20. HF, KG and I met around 7:30, and headed out around 8:00. Before we left, I checked the feeders, but there were only a couple of House Finches. It was overcast, and chilly.
We got to MB’s house around 8:15. A Red-breasted Nuthatch’s beeping greeted us. We missed Pine Siskin this year, but got a Fox Sparrow and a Hairy Woodpecker, with a total of 21 species.

Around 9:10, we arrived at Don Castro RRA. (In the past we’ve next gone to Lone Tree Cemetery, but my scouting turned up no Western Bluebirds anywhere.) We checked the spillway, then birded the swimming area and parking lot. I had found a way to get down to the pond below the spillway, but there was no point this time.
When I scouted the swimming area, a Red-breasted Sapsucker was chased off a dead tree by a Nuttall’s Woodpecker.

Nuttall

Pine Siskins called in the parking lot, and female Purple Finches foraged underneath some vegetation. A Downy Woodpecker took a liking to a pine just inside the swim area. A Greater Scaup was a little surprise, and so was a Green Heron.

We rejoined, then proceeded over the lawn, checking the corner of the lawn where there are some wooden steps. Last year, a Red-breasted Sapsucker was foraging on the corner tree on the other side of the fence. This year, there were piles of gray and black small body feathers on the steps. Perhaps a coot?

A pile of body feathers

The Shoreline Trail was next. From a high point, we found a Green Heron on the south side of the lake. Reaching the willows next to the creek, we took the inner path, as the one closest to the creek was rather overgrown. We heard Hairy Woodpeckers and Brown Creeper.
On my scouting trip, I watched the woodpecker on a stump. Nearby, I was able to watch the creeper go about its business. I also had heard an excited conversation between Hermit Thrushes.

Since we had gotten the Fox Sparrow at MB’s, and on my scouting trip didn’t see much in the way of new birds (not to mention the time), we skipped continuing on the Ridgetop Trail to the bridge and beyond, at the east end. We turned up the Ridgetop Trail, looping back. On the lawn east of the swim lagoon entrance, there was more activity since now there was sun. Two Oak Titmice came down to the ground near a barbecue. HF spotted a Golden Eagle to the north!
We had walked a little over a mile, plus the loop around the swim lagoon.

Juvenile Golden Eagle

We headed off to Five Canyons Shady Canyon Trail around 11:45, arriving at 12:10. We did not detect much activity, and missed Varied Thrush. There was occasional movement, but it was too dark to tell what they were. We didn’t go as far as the pond, which now has a bridge. On my scouting trip, I went all the way around the pond. There weren’t any birds on the pond, but there were a lot of different mushrooms along the trail. Along with Don Castro, I heard Hutton’s Vireos here, but missed them today.
We walked a little over a mile here as well, and left around 1:15 for lunch at Buffalo Bill’s.

It’s always a dilemma, how to catch the peak activity in multiple places. This year I opted to concentrate on the places where we would get the most variety, then hit the spots where we might get special birds or birds we hadn’t gotten yet.

After lunch and a Starbuck’s stop, we headed back to Five Canyons to try for Rufous-crowned Sparrow above Century Oaks Circle. No luck there, but we usually get some raptors. This time, we had two American Kestrels and a White-tailed Kite. We left around 4:00, having spent around an hour.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Since I wanted to get back to Don Castro in time to watch the blackbirds come to roost, we skipped the other couple of cul-de-sacs in Five Canyons and took a quick drive through Lone Tree Cemetery. Still there were no bluebirds, and we didn’t spot the Red-breasted Sapsucker I’d seen in the morning while scouting.

Around 4:30, we took a new trail for us, off Ursa. There is a good view point of the cattails on the south side of the lake.
While scouting the day before I had arrived at the cattails around 4:20. Sunset was close to 5:00. A pair of Green-winged Teal floated near the cattails. Also that evening, a medium-large sized gray bird with a light band on its wings landed in the eucalyptus across the lake, but once in the tree, I couldn’t find it. I still don’t know what that was.

On count day, we did see two Great Blue Herons flying together. The blackbird flocks were gathering, flying back and forth over the lake, and when some unknown trigger occurred, a batch would dive into the cattails across the lake and right in front of us. The flock would continue to fly back and forth, build up again, and more would dive in. This happened several times, and the more birds in the cattails, the more settling noise and complaints. It was difficult to estimate the numbers while also trying to watch them to catch the light on their epaulets to see how many were Tricolored and how many were Red-winged.

Blackbirds gathering to roost

The last flock, perhaps two, were European Starlings. I could see no color, and they were making a “churr” noise. Once they dove in and everybody was settled, they all began to sing.

This was an experience, and I wished that I had a camcorder. We finished around 5:15.

After summarizing our counts, I headed to the post-count dinner. While we were inside, it had showered. After last year’s rain, we were happy that it had held off for us until now.

More photos here, including lots of mushrooms and fungi.

The bird list for this count is here.
—
Next year, we should include Sulphur Creek Nature Center at least for the owl box. We seem to have a difficult time finding our target birds at the Shady Canyon Trail, at least at the time of day we usually end up there.

Gazos Creek Road and Butano SP

KG and I joined our herp class scouting trip on 10/17/09. We met at Butano and carpooled to the first location. We walked uphill, passing Red Huckleberry and looking under logs. A few Ensatinas showed up. A yellow myxomycete plasmodium covered the end of a cut log.

Reaching a meadow, we searched for Black Salamanders, with no luck. There was a scorpion under a log and a Slender Salamander. Down the hill, white myxomycetes, and another meadow which turned up another scorpion, a katydid, a tree with many orb webs shining in the sun, and an Arboreal Salamander.

Little Butano Creek Trail

Heading on to Butano State Park, we found logs with piles of termite wings nearby, a result of the emergence after the recent first rain. A newt, another Ensatina, and the cutest tiny juvenile Ensatina were also found.

We finished up around 1:30.

Photos are here.

Nature Explorations: Hawk Hill, Rodeo Lagoon, and Marine Mammal Center

Wednesday, 10/7/09, took us to the Marin Headlands. The fog drifted in and covered the bridge.

We started out at Hawk Hill, and ran into several birding folks we knew. Two Common Ravens, Northern Flicker, Bewick’s Wren, Bushtits, Cooper’s Hawks, juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Western Wood-pewee were among the birds that made an appearance.

View from Hawk Hill

Hiking down and around the trees, we walked through one of the tunnels. There was artwork on the walls, reminiscent of cave drawings.

Tunnel

Once back at the cars on Conzelman Road, we headed down the one-way road to Rodeo Lagoon. We walked the loop around the lagoon. Lizardtail was abundant but no longer in bloom. A merganser preened, while Mallards, American Wigeon and other ducks dabbled and swam in the water.

Along the trail were some spider webs. I checked out three support threads, and then noticed a good-sized Shamrock Orbweaver in the middle of her web, wrapping what looked like a yellowjacket. We watched as she cut some of the threads to release the wasp, and made her way to her retreat, pulling the prey closer. Once in the retreat, she reeled in the wasp. There was a small yellow crab spider in a leaf retreat next to hers.

We had lunch on the beach, then proceeded through the beach plants (Beach Primrose, Alkali Heath, Heliotrope and others) to the road. Some of us made our way up to the Marine Mammal Center, while others headed to the visitors’ center and the cars.

The MMC building was relatively new. Sea lion sculptures adorned the outside area. In the lobby, there is a cast of a past sea lion patient, which when touched in specific places, brought up video on the computer screen. After that, we were sucked into the gift shop. A large plush octopus was a highlight.

Most areas have viewing stations. Upstairs gives a view of the pinniped pens.

Pinniped pen

There are also viewing windows for the Post-mortem Lab (“Viewer Discretion Advised”), the kitchen (including a back view of the “Herring-O-Matic”), and other areas.

After exploring and watching the sea lions at feeding time, we returned to the Marin Headlands Visitor Center, and home.

See more photos here.