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California - Smoke break birding.
February 2006

Although not an offshore trip this was work related - visiting the Schilling Robotics
in Davis, California. As usual, and somewhat predictably, time was restricted and other than one 20 minute walk all the birds I saw were either from the car on the way to work or around the factory car park. 

Most of the birds seen were during "coffee" breaks taken in the factory parking park - still being a smoker there was no choice but to go outside and hence some birds were seen.  Smoking may not be the most politically correct of activities but without being "forced" outside I would have missed most of the species listed below.

There was obviously some good birding in the area - especially towards Sacramento where I saw some wetlands whilst being driven to the airport as I left......





Once again all pictures were taken using my binoculars as a telephoto lens. "Digibinning" rather than digiscoping - although I suspect digibinning is a better term for most of what I do as the vast majority of the pictures end up in the recycle bin.....The Nikon Coolpix is merely held up to lens of my binoculars and pictures taken that way; steadying the bins on a bench or a fence post helps but the pictures are not as good as those taken with a telescope. Chromatic abberation seems worse when attempting photography this way.


Cooper's Hawk Killdeer
Cooper's Hawk,  Accipiter cooperi Killdeer, Charadrius vociferous

 

Black Phoebe
Black Phoebe, Sayornis nigricans





Northern Flicker Western Scrub Jay
Northern Flicker, Coluptes auratus Western Scrub Jay, Aphelocoma californica


Northern Mockingbird White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos White-crowned Sparrow, Zontrichia leucophyrs

 

House Finch Mourning Dove
House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura


List of species noted 16-19 February 2006 in Davis, California

Great (White) Egret Ardea Alba Quite common in roadside fields between Woodland and Davis
Canada Goose Branta canadensis Common in roadside fields between Woodland and Davis
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Common 
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura Two seen well over the parking lot
Northern (Hen) Harrier Circus cyaneus Several over roadside fields
White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus
One seen hunting over the road between Woodland and Davis
Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperi
1-2 regular around the factory
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 2-4 regular around the factory
American Kestrel Falco sparverius One over wasteland near the factory
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Several displaying in the parking lot
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Seen in small numbers
Gull sp Larus sp.  A larger gull was regular. American Herring Gull?
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Occasional singles noted
White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis Small flocks of up to 6 seen over Davis
Northern Flicker Coluptes auratus One seen a couple of times in the parking lot
Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans
One seen near the factory
Western Scrub Jay Aphelocoma californica 1-4 seen in the factory parking lot
Yellow-billed Magpie Pica nuttalli Up to 4 noted in the parking lot
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos Very common
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos A few "always" around
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris Very common
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata A few noted in the vicinity of the factory
Western Meadow Lark Sturnella neglecta A flock of at least 20 on waste ground near the factory
Red-winged Blackbird Grallina cyanoleuca Very common roadside bird
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus Common
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Common on waste ground near the factory
White-crowned Sparrow Zontrichia leucophrys Common
House Sparrow Passer domesticus Small numbers around Davis, 30+ at Sacramento airport.







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