Directing a Friend to the Nelson's "Telescopically"

Waiting for the clouds to clear and for the tide to recede, I was quite late for my walk to the San Elijo Lagoon this morning. Again, no new arrivals on the north side of the lagoon. I walked to the south end to scan the channel for bird subjects, lol, still looking for the "hoodies"...

As I scanned the Peninsula trail from the Cardiff side of the lagoon I saw a birder at the very end of the trail by the benches. Looking through my camera with a 400mm lens, I could see it was Eve Martin, my birding friend & administrator of this blog. To verify, I called her on her cell as I looked through my lens and I could see her answering her cell. I laughed and asked, "Are you looking for the Nelson's"? She said, "Yes!". I said, "I will talk you over to the exact spot from my cell". The tide was going down and if she was going to see the elusive Nelson's Sparrow, it would have to be now.

Looking through my lens, she was standing by the benches facing southwest. I just had to give precise directions and guide her to the exact spot that I had last seen the Nelson's Sparrow.  "Stay on the trail and walk south over a few steps by the little pond on the west side of the trail". I can see her searching the area for the sparrow through her binoculars as she walked, "Now take a few strides past the pond and you will see a narrow path between the dead bushes".  I can see through my lens that she had found the narrow path. "Now go to the end of the tiny path that leads to the small snag..." All of a sudden I hear laughter and a voice on my cell saying, "He just flew in!!  He's right in front of me!" 

 

LOL!  Wow, what luck this lady has in birding, I can't tell you how many hours I have spent waiting to finally get a shot of the Nelson's "Sharp-tailed" Sparrow! I was amazed and happy that my friend finally got to see the Nelson's and I hung up immediately so we didn't disturb the little guy with chatter. Eve called back and said she had to leave but had seen a couple of California Gnatcatchers at the top of the peninsula trail on her way out. It was time for me to get some shots of the California Gnatcatchers on the Rios Avenue trail.

It takes about 15-20 minutes from San Elijo Lagoon on the Cardiff side to the Rios Trail on the Solana Beach side. Sure enough, as soon as I arrived at the lookout leading to the Peninsula trail, I spotted a California Gnatcatcher!

Close-up shot. California Gnatcatcher Polioptila californica.  Gnatcatchers are small songbirds 4.5 inches long with a wing span of 5.5 inches. They have been on the federal endangered list for a while. They are on the possible extinction list... At one time there were 2.5 million acres of chaparral that stretched from the coast of Ventura to the Mexican border... Now there is only 10 percent of the habitat left for these birds.

Got himself a bug. They have a distinctive call, it sounds like a little kitten... Nee-eew. The first time I heard one, I thought there was a lost kitten in the bush. The California Gnatcatcher mates for two to five years and may be ousted by an intruder winning over their mate. Gnatcatchers clutch twice in the breeding season. Eggs hatch in about 2 weeks but the young are born almost featherless and blind. Parents need to sit on them to keep them warm. After two weeks the young fledge but the parents still take food to them for another 2 to 4 weeks. But after that... they are driven out of the parents' territory.  But their territory is small, only about two acres. Both male and female build the nest, both take care of the young and both protect their territory.

A good look at his wings.

These Gnatcatchers flutter from bush to bush looking for insects. Nice look at the top of his tail. See the white is only at the outer edge of his outside tail feathers.

I have noticed on the California Gnatcatchers and the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher that there is a faint barring on its tail feathers that shows up in certain light as in this photo of the California Gnatcatcher.

The proof of identification is on the tail. A good look at the marking on the tail identifies a California Gnatcatcher from the Blue-gray. As you can see on this California Gnatcatcher, the white on the outer tail feathers is just around the outer edge and the curve of the tip, whereas the Blue-gray's tail is mostly white underneath.

Got a gnat! It's time for me to go search the Pole Trail for some more bird subjects.

Scanning the area with my lens, I spot the Great Blue Heron perched on a side of the square "man-made" berm that surrounds a area I call the "salt flats". I decide to go there and see if I can get a few close-ups of the GBH. But when I approach the GBH from the west side of the berm, he flies and all I got was a tail shot of his departure. Looking to see what else may be around, I spot a Red-breasted Merganser swimming from the tiny channel that runs east west of the square berm. I wonder if this little guy was what the GBH was hunting? The Red-breasted Merganser is way too big for the GBH to swallow but could easily kill or injure him. The Merganser swims out to the main channel that runs north to south along the square berm and gives me a good profile shot.

At first the Merganser appeared nervous but soon settled and relaxed.

He swam over to a quiet spot in the main channel right across from where I was standing and took a nap, leaving me in charge of watching out for raptors and, lol, yes, that Great Blue Heron with a taste for birds.

Enjoying the quiet time watching over the Merganser as it naps. I noticed a female or a juvenile Bufflehead landing near-by. It swims over to check on the sleeping Merganser but hears my camera clicking and turns and swims south but staying nearby to dive and preen.

I look around to see where the Great Blue Heron is and find him at the far end of the berm trail, the same one I am standing on.

  

He alerts to something over his shoulders.

Walks over to the edge of the berm and surveys his kingdom. He really is a very majestic looking bird.

 A close-up...

Now I see what got his attention. It's the female Northern Harrier gliding past. She heads over the railroad tracks. That is a very target-rich environment for raptors.

The Harrier flying by startles the Bufflehead and it is ready to fly...

  

Starts running on water...

An unusual angle for me to photograph this bird. It's coming straight at me.

 

Now it veers to its left.

Up and flying, low and fast.

A good look at the wing markings.

  

It zigzags flying low and fast. I lose sight of it quickly.

I pick up the Bufflehead in flight but it has made a huge circle and is now heading north, probably to the San Elijo side.

  

Watching the Bufflehead fly north and disappear, I was ready to head for home. As I walk along the berm trail going west, I am startled but very pleased to see the Red-breasted Merganser in front of me. He must have panicked when the Harrier made her appearance  and flew into hiding in this tiny channel.

He keeps swimming towards me... getting closer and closer.

He is full frame.

My goodness, he is just below where I am standing! LOL... I love, love that hair-do.

In front of him a few feet away is a log that he will have to hop over, he may decide to fly at that point but I am in a awkward place for a flight shot.

One last close-up. What an awesome bird.

He reaches the log and it turns into a a flap, jump, splash and scooting past the area right before the big channel. Only shot I manage with his quick maneuver is a shot of his wing and it confirms that this is an adult male Red-breasted Merganser.

 

There is the wake of water from his hyper scooting, flapping maneuver! He is wet from the extra splashing and water disturbance.

He has entered the big channel and I am ready to say goodbye for today.

But wait... looks like he is going to say goodbye with a wing flap. He puffs his chest out.

Out with his wings.

And I get a shot of the "flap". What an adorable bird.

  

Showing off the underside of his wings.

Folding it back up.

  

Today has turned out to be a wonderful day for photographing this charismatic bird.

Now it is really time for me to go. I reluctantly leave the Merganser to his feeding and preening and head for home.

Have a wonderful day everyone.