I'm back home in the Bay Area for Christmas with the family and it feels great! Not only is it awesome getting to see my friends and family but I get to enjoy the beautiful outdoors while I'm here. The wonderful thing about the East Bay is the wide variety of ecosystems that can be found right next to each other. Riparian and chaparral areas blend right into wooded hills and lush streams. Along with the changing terrain comes a change in observable wildlife, it's amazing the different animals one can see on a short hike.
Today, I decided to take a break from working to stretch my legs and harass some of the local wildlife and see if I could get some nice photos. I waited til about 2pm, when the sun was finally warm, to head out and take a nice walk down a path near my parent's place. It's about 3 miles round trip and took me about 2 hours to explore. This is not the first time I've adventured down this particular path, it lies right next to a small creek that I used to climb into during the spring and summer, but I've never taken my time exploring in the winter and I wanted to see how the wildlife differed with the seasons. It turned into quite a fun and peaceful afternoon.
...I'm going to do my best to identify some of these songbirds, but it's really not my forte...and those dang sparrows all look so similar. Feel free to correct me in the comments section below because I need to learn these :)
First sighting!!...what are you?!
First off, I noticed a change in the vegetation. Most of the leaves have fallen and it was brown and dry most everywhere I looked. But I soon realized that doesn't stop animals from going about their business. I loved the rough texture of these oak trees and later would see many critters foraging through the cracks for bugs and places to store their extra food.
I started on the path and often crossed through fields to sit quietly and wait for wildlife to stir and come out for a close up. The dried leaves on the ground made it difficult to move quietly like I could in the summer. There were many Western Scrub-Jays out picking through the fields and making all sorts of noise in the underbrush. They have a very characteristic vocalization that is full of mischief, just like the jays. As I would try to get in for a closer shot, I'd notice the jays calling out to each other when I got a certain distance from them, as if to warn their friends of my approach. While this was discouraging at times, it was also kind of cool for a bird nerd like me ;)
Every once in awhile, a Turkey vulture would cruise up and over the canopy and swoop low into the fields. They are always much larger than I expect them to be, which is silly because I have worked with them numerous times. Something about seeing a bird of prey in flight is always much more impressive.
Among the branches I would catch the sudden knocking of woodpeckers (most likely Acorn woodpecker) drilling through the bark to look for insects, or perhaps making new cubbies for their newest acorn.
Small sparrows rustled through the undergrowth, foraging for seeds and bugs. If I sat quietly enough, they'd come through in small groups, moving along a piece of ground, methodically searching for the smallest morsel. Often, one or more would alight on a nearby twig or branch and take a look around.
Even caught sight of a couple fox squirrels easily maneuvering through the tree tops. Nimbly picking their way from tree to tree and quickly out of sight.
I don't know if it is because I've been learning a lot of mosses this semester or what, but I loved looking at the different lichens and mosses growing everywhere. Such cool textures and striking colors.
About a quarter mile down the path, you hit some ponds that seasonally fill and drain. Depending on the season (and temperature/humidity...that sorta thing) you can find so many different species of water fowl and reptiles in these small ponds. Today, I happened on millions of Killdeer (fast little buggers) and a couple very leisurely Great Blue heron. The killdeer do such a wonderful job of blending into their surrounds that I didn't even notice they were there until one sent out the alarm and a whole bunch would take to the air. I crept around the pond and tried to sneak up on this bad@$$ bird.
And then he was off too :)
The sun was getting closer to the ridge so I knew I had to quit being so curious and hustle it to the end of the path so I could turn around and head home. Much to my surprise and delight, I turned to my left and suddenly saw this adorable Black Phoebe. They are perhaps my favorite little passerine around. These agile flycatchers are so amazing to watch on the hunt and to watch chirp and bob their long tails.
Futher down the path I came across a huge flock of sparrows moving through trees and bushes that lay along the creek. There were perhaps hundreds everywhere, it was pretty noisy. I enjoyed watching them perch on the branches, sometimes upside down or completely sideways.
From another pond nearby, I saw ducks take flight in pairs or small groups. I wish I could have gotten closer to them but the pond they were hanging out in was fenced off. When I'm feeling like trespassing, I'll have to hop over there and harass them :)
Came across a few more little song birds. A little Bushtit top) and a Yellow-rumped warbler (bottom). Two birds that I'm very unfamiliar with but that I see so often. Learn more about them at the allaboutbirds.org links I provided. :)
Made it to the end of the path as the light was beginning to fade and it set the brush on fire (not literally). Such a beautiful place I grew up in, every time I come back and get to explore I appreciate it more and more.
Back down the path I saw this little cat hopping in and out of the brush. He caught me peeking at him and froze, I looked away to take some more pictures, turn around and he's gone. Off to catch more little critters for dinner....or fun.
I suppose these little White-throated sparrows were what he was after. Not much of a meal but fun little toys I bet.
There's nothing like the excuse of holiday break to get outdoors and check out the local wildlife, breathe some fresh air and get a little exercise. What kind of birds are you seeing in your town?
Get out and explore!!
Happy Holidays everyone!
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