[SBB] Weekend birds

["Chuq Von Rospach" <[[email protected]]>]

Saturday, Laurie and I went off to shoreline for a walk and to see if we could see the Forster's Tern chicks that were reported (and the loon on the lake).

The tern island was a beehive of activity, with parents running around grabbing food and bringing it back. I was able to locate four chicks on the island with binoculars, but I'm sure there were more.

here's a picture of a couple of them (it's not great, lower left hand corner) with someone coming in to feed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/618929144/

The loon also cooperated nicely, floating very close to shore on the terminal road side. Only problem -- he was asleep and tucked under his wing. Fortunately, after a bit of a wait, he woke up to do some yawning:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/618935236/

and stretching

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/618331493/

and feather preening, then tucked his head and went back to sleep. 

The scoters were also around (laurie asked that despite there being pairs on the lake regularly, they don't seem to be breeding? anyone know?)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/618330403/

and across the path from the lake, decided to do a little wandering and see about dinner -- all the while mom sat four feet from the nest watching and screaming her lungs out... 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/618934228/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/618932506/

full set of photos are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/sets/72157600474274135/

also, as a side note, today we drove over 84 to the coast, then down the coast to castroville, stopping in santa cruz at the surf museum area. That's out of the area for the list, but one bird we noted down there was another Common Loon, this one quite black, but didn't seem to be in full breeding plumage, out at the far edge of the kelp. There were also pigeon guilemots that seemed to be nesting in the iceplant on the cliffs. 

There were loons last week at Pigeon Point, and a dead loon at Fitzgerald; I read a report of loons at Pillar Point this week, also. It seems to me  there are lots of loons in the area this year -- is that correct, or am I reading too much into this? 

Not that I'm complaining!



-- 
Chuq Von Rospach
([[email protected]]; http://chuqui.typepad.com)
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