identification

2000: Hooded Oriole, Santa Clara

The missing description for my May 27 Los Altos Hills bird:

“Is this possible? I caught a glimpse of a large (i.e. bigger than a finch) lemon yellow bird with black foreparts flying over my house just now. I immediately thought of an oriole but the only one that fits that description is Scott’s. I notice that hooded may be yellowish but this bird was definitely very yellow. I guess that meadowlark is also a possibility but even with my brief look I’m sure I would have noticed the yellow chin.”

Finally more…

2008: Walpole-Nornalup National Park

My honeyeater tally rose to seven, with another lifer no less: western spinebill. Three families separate scrubbirds and honeyeaters at this prehistoric end of the taxonomic spectrum: bowerbirds; Australasian treecreepers; Australasian wrens. This last family then contributed lifer number 885 in the form of a more…

1999: Velvet Scoters, Lunan Bay

Last century’s October trip through Angus continued on the 2nd:

“First stop on my way north from Auchmithie was not far but the lure of velvet scoters was too great. Lunan Bay is backed by sand dunes, which give one some good height for scanning the sea. Sure enough there were black more…

2000: Mines Road, Santa Clara

Having read all the previous trip lists from this area, on May 29 I decided to go and fill my boots. Er, not quite.

I certainly got Lawrence’s goldfinches although they resolutely would not turn around to give me a frontal view. Yellow-billed magpies took my Santa Clara list up to more…

2000: Skyline Ridge, Silicon Valley

A tricky decision from May 28 at Los Trancos, which is bisected by the county line between San Mateo and Santa Clara.

“Many thanks to those who responded to my putative Scott’s oriole. It sounds like a yellow hooded oriole is the best explanation.

“I caught up with the more…

Hobby, RSPB Pulborough Brooks

The swifts were in, so this handsome little falcon couldn’t be far behind. Most years I pick hobby up before swifts but this time I had to wait before Saturday’s bird, perched distantly by the River Arun. In some previous visits several hobbies have entertained me at once, hawking insects above my head. The reserve is something of a hotspot for the species.

It’s also a nightingale hotspot but not a single one called during this brief stop. I’ll give it a longer go on my way back from Steyning, where more…

Portland Bill & RSPB Radipole

A bonanza for year birds at the end of the month. Guillemot, razorbill, kittiwake, fulmar and gannet at the Bill, which also held rock pipits galore and a couple of wheatears. I was watching the last when a large wader took off behind them.

Somehow the bird looked all whimbrel but I couldn’t say how, apart from having watched hundreds of curlews over the winter. And having spent a great deal of Tuesday dismissing them down the more…

Reed Warbler, Portishead

98th for the car-free year list and quite unexpected on my way to the Friday Market to buy some Glastonbury Twanger. The quick route takes me over what I think of as Portbury Rhyne (or perhaps Portbury Pill?) It runs from this side of Clevedon through the Gordano Valley and out to the Severn Estuary just by Portishead Marina.

Pedestrians can cross it near the Gordano Gate pub. (Is that the first mention of a pub in this blog? more…