Another yankee gull pic

Another image of a gull which is probably only of interest to a very small number of people on the opposite side of the world, once again, feel free to move onto the next inconsequential ornithological blog on your regular round of interwebbery.

Colour-ringed adult California Gull (left leg - white code '366' on black darvic; right leg - federal metal band, partial code '055-10177'), Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve, 13th September 2010; this bird is in active primary moult hence the 'stubby' rear end, and had less extensive head streaking than most being fed by the Hispanic guys in the parking lot near the Lucy Evans Interpretive Center. Finally, the mantle appears paler than it was due to the angle, and strength, of the sun.

[Addendum: dead impressed with the response time of the BBL/USGS/CWS the gull had originally been caught by a bander from the Coyote Creek Field Station on 9th May 2009, so I guess it hadn't come too far and won't be breaking any longevity records.]

Californian Franklin's

Just uploading these awful record shots in case they are of interest to Palo Alto and/or Santa Barbara birders. For those from elsewhere - move along please, move along, there's nothing to see here.

Franklin's Gull, 1st-winter/1st cal-year, Palo Alto Baylands (on slough between Embarcadero Road and The Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center), the bird was present loafing in the gull flock on the evening of 12th September 2010.

Franklin's Gull, 1st-winter/1st cal-year, Mission Creek Outfall, Santa Barbara, the bird was bathing for a short period on the evening of 23rd September 2010.

Franklin's Gull, 1st-winter/1st cal-year, Mission Creek Outfall, Santa Barbara, in flight as the bird moved off at dusk, 23rd September 2010.

West coast gulls are a lotta fun

Got Burrowing Owl and a (early?) Glaucous-winged Gull on the way to the airport. At some point I'll write this trip up properly and may well 'infill' the blog with information on the post-free days, feel free to check back every now and again.

Looks like an adult Glaucous-winged Gull in active post-breeding moult to me but, given the rampant hybridization this taxa enjoys, it might be a single/double/triple backcross or a seagull.

Bottled

The third pelagic (fourth boat trip) proved the least successful, swell, a strengthening wind and an increasing proportion of participants 'feeding the fishes' meant we remained quite close in. We were all fine, so the lack of anything better than a close encounter with a big pod of Risso's Dolphin, was a bit of a disappointment. Did tick Mark Beaman though, must have seen him in the past, but hadn't put name to face.

A late afternoon seeking out Surfbird along Sunset Drive and Point Pinos produced four moulting adults amongst tonnes of Black Turnstone.

Sea Otter

Up to a million hairs per square inch,... toastie!

From the Monterey Bay Aquarium website - "... despite decades of federal and state protection, the population of southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) which resides along the California coast, struggles to survive at a fraction of its historic numbers. No one knows why the population isn’t recovering. Pathogens and parasites, possibly linked to coastal pollution, can weaken otter immune systems. And the risk of a major oil spill remains a serious threat." More information here.

On up Highway 1

Today's highlights were Tropical Kingbird at Oso Flaco Lake (just beyond the lake, off to the left of the boardwalk) and a headless Californian Sea-lion on the beach at Devereux Slough, although Sea Otter at Morro Bay this evening gave both a good run for their money, this is not a photo of any of the aforementioned,...

On the waves again

Mother and baby off the ferry to Santa Cruz Island.

Black Skimmers skimming [Geddit? Ho-ho,... ohhhhhhhh] away from the Mission Creek Outfall at dusk.

Kelso Creek/Valley, etc. (again)

More of this sort of thing,...

Kelso Creek/Valley, etc.

After a morning at the Kern River Preserve it was into the desert with Greater Roadrunner, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Cactus Wren, Sage Sparrow and the like.

A hummingbird feeder, the easiest way to make any camera toting goombah look good.

These guys are a little more tricky, not a lot, just a little.

Very very dry

The road's gone all wibbly-wobbly,...

... and everything is brown (mostly burnt sienna or burnt umber), even the phoebes are joining in.