Gaulala

[MichaelLong]

I'll be staying at Gaulala next weekend and want to know what places would be good for birding, I already know about salt point but I want to know what else to look for. My main targets will be Allen's Hummingbird, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Hutton's and Cassin's Vireos, Bullock's Oriole, Warblers, Tanagers, Grosbeaks, and everything else lol. 

[Charlie Spencer]

For the benefit of others who had no clue, Gaulala is on the CA coast, about 50 or 60 miles north of SF.

"We looked it up so you won't have to."

[MichaelLong]

@Connor Cochrane @DLecy I know you guys are farther south but do you know of any other spots worth creaking out? I know Sea Ranch and Gaulala Point are pretty good but I'm wondering about spots further inland (although most of the birds there are probably similar to thoughts along the coast

[DLecy]

Sorry, I don't creak out that much any more, I pretty much gave it up in my 30's and especially now that I have a kid.

Near where you are staying I would bird Gualala Point Regional Park (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L895395), but I would hit up Russian Gulch (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L3056276), and perhaps Willow Creek Rd. (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L3056276) on my way to Gualala.  As you already stated, there is Salt Point (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L381873), and just up the road there is lots of good birding around the Point Arena, including Minor Hole Rd. (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L764898).

I wish "Al' was still around (https://ebird.org/checklist/S12596306)(https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/127981471). RIP.

[Connor Cochrane]

6 hours ago, MichaelLong said:

@Connor Cochrane @DLecy I know you guys are farther south but do you know of any other spots worth creaking out? I know Sea Ranch and Gaulala Point are pretty good but I'm wondering about spots further inland (although most of the birds there are probably similar to thoughts along the coast

I've never been inland up there, but it might be interesting if you could head in. You'd might have chances for something like Sooty Grouse or Hammonds Flycatcher

[Charlie Spencer]

What’s ‘creaking out’?

[lonestranger]

On 5/21/2021 at 9:07 AM, Charlie Spencer said:

What’s ‘creaking out’?

I'm curious if it was a typo for 'checking out' that got played upon, or if it's an expression I'm not familiar with.

[MichaelLong]

typo

[AlexHenry]

Bodega Bay area on the drive up or back? I know that area gets a lot of coverage, but its the main area I've birded in Sonoma. Not sure what its like in late spring though, probably not as good as fall or winter.

[MichaelLong]

Day 1 : After a night of being disappointed I couldn't go set up my blacklight, I woke up to the sound of seagulls screaming at the top of their lungs. At the back of the motel I was staying at, there was an outdoor deck and an access to the Gaulala Bluff Trail. Along the trail I came across many swallows of different species, the most abundant being NRWS. After a unsuccessful seawatch, We then drove south to Sea Ranch where we explored the tide pools at Tide-pool Beach, and I explored a 3.3 acre property while my parents talked with a real estate agent about buying said property. At tide pool beach I found the expected such as black oystercatcher, lifers such as osprey, and the unexpected such as the highlight or the day, a breeding plumaged Red-necked Grebe. At the 3 acre lot I found bluebirds collecting food, swallows collecting food, and a deer carcass being food, all while Steller's jays and Cicadas tormented me with noise. After spying on my parents conversation for two hours, my family and the agent drove up to another lot, this time in anchor bay in the north. This lot was noticeably alot less birdy, with the only birds being a singing Bewicks Wren and Anna's Hummingbird. After heading back to Gaulala to eat lunch, we went off to Gaulala Point. However one thing about California beaches in the afternoon is that they get horribly windy. So we hike through the park, admiring the flowers and the sheep lawn movers and wind trough a dense patch of lupine and pop out... into the beach. Where we get promptly get sandblasted by delightful 45 kph winds. After noping out of the beach to prevent involuntary dermabrasion we headed to the river which was not much better in terms of wind and birds. After heading back to the motel to waste the next hour and a half contemplating how I took 500 photos in one day, we got hungry and headed out to go get Pizza, at the Pizza place we found No.2 bird of the day, a Peregrine Falcon, most likely looking for some tasty bird pizza or like us, on a trip up north.

Day 2 coming soon 

[floraphile]

On 5/20/2021 at 11:24 AM, Charlie Spencer said:

For the benefit of others who had no clue, Gaulala is on the CA coast, about 50 or 60 miles north of SF.

"We looked it up so you won't have to."

I still had to look it up so I would know how to pronounce it.

[MichaelLong]

Ah yes "soon"

Day 2 : After yet another unsuccessful sea-watch from the motel patio, my family and I left to the Mendocino coast. However my moms ipad had mysteriously vanished over the night, and we had to look for it. The ipad turned out to be part of some sort of ipad stealing operation, as the window near the electronic charging station had no screen, and could open freely from outside. The police ended up being contacted, while my dad stuck a flashlight between the window and the wall to prevented from opening. After that was taken care of, we headed off to Bowling Ball Beach. At the beach we were greeted by a pair of Osprey and a large flock of Gulls (with some terns tagging along). In the tidepools were Sculpins and Hermit Crabs, and under piles of seaweed were thousands of beach hoppers. After spending 2 hours there exploring the tide pools, we headed up to Point Arena. At point arena we were greeted with 30 mph winds and a Botta's Pocket Gopher. Once we reached the lighthouse I started a sea-watch that was actually successful. The most common birds were Pelicans and Gulls, but I also found cooler birds such as Pacific Loon and Common Murre. After checking out the museum I hiked to this little gazebo west of the lighthouse, on the rocks below the cliff there were many Harbor Seals and a foraging Belted Kingfisher. After eating lunch we headed  south to the Stornetta Public Lands. There we saw Pigeon Guillemots nesting on the Sea Lion Rocks and a large group of Harbor Seals chilling on the beach below. Above on the bluff top, colorful Brodiaea terrestris were growing, eye candy indeed.

After dinner at the motel, I went to the deck to finally get some pictures of stupid purple martins 😠 ...which I saw none of, just about 100 cliff swallows doing swallow things above the city.

[Kevin]

On 6/9/2021 at 5:53 PM, MichaelLong said:

However my moms ipad had mysteriously vanished over the night, and we had to look for it. The ipad turned out to be part of some sort of ipad stealing operation, as the window near the electronic charging station had no screen, and could open freely from outside. The police ended up being contacted, while my dad stuck a flashlight between the window and the wall to prevented from opening.

So what happened? Somebody really stole it!?!

[Seanbirds]

1 minute ago, Kevin said:

So what happened? Somebody really stole it!?!

That’s California for you. @MichaelLong should move to Texas. 😉

[Kevin]

29 minutes ago, Seanbirds said:

That’s California for you. @MichaelLong should move to Texas. 😉

In the country, most people don't even lock their cars a lot of the time. Houses aren't lock except at night. But that's starting to change. 

Now is you go somewhere like Dallas, it's like a different world from out here.

[Seanbirds]

Just now, Kevin said:

In the country, most people don't even lock their cars a lot of the time. Houses aren't lock except at night.

Same here.