WILD GOOSE CHASE

Despite what you might expect, a Big Year's not all jet-setting, gin and tonics, fine dining and glamor. There's actually a lot of standing around and waiting involved. And it's not like you can read a book while you're waiting. Or catch up on the latest Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. But maybe it's made me a more calm and patient person? (Hmmm. No. I really don't think it has.) 

Today was a bit of a wild goose chase. No, wait, today was an *actual* wild goose chase! A Bean Goose chase. Or more of a Bean Goose wait. Nine hours of waiting for a bird that never turned up (there - I've given away the plot at the start!) I'm here with Chris Hitt, who's been birding CA and AZ recently, and who's making the wait more enjoyable. (Although an actual Bean Goose would have made it even more enjoyable.)

I'd flown home from California to Boston on Saturday after being away from home for almost a month. After Alaska and several pelagics in CA (including Bodega Bay - described below) I was ready for a long weekend of sleep, coffee, watching the Red Sox, sleep, enjoying what's left of the New England fall, sleep and spending time with Gerri and the cats. But mostly sleeping. But my R&R plans were ruined as soon as I landed and turned on my stupid phone: Bean Goose at the Salton Sea! That's a good bird. It's a goose - so could possibly stay all winter (one did back in 2010-11.) But I couldn't relax this weekend knowing it was out there. [Actually - there's also a Golden-crowned Warbler in Texas that gave me even less reason to let up and rest this weekend.) Reluctantly, I booked pretty much the next flight back out west.

And so, I'm back at the Salton Sea - which thankfully isn't as stupidly hot as it was back in the summer. (But "less than stupidly hot" is still hot!) There are lots of geese around. But apart from one Cackling Goose, they're all white - Snow Geese and Ross's Geese.

 Field of Geese (Snow and Ross's)

But despite the 9 hour vigil, the Bean Goose never appears. It wasn't seen yesterday either. It's probably in Mexico by now, knocking back Margaritas. 

Despite the disappointing goose no show, we did have time to see the now famous Blue-footed Boobies at nearby Obsidian Butte.

 Blue-footed Boobies (7 juveniles)

Part of the recent invasion of this species from Mexico.

Other highlights were American Bittern, Roadrunner (which apparently forgot how to make the "meep meep" call that of course all Roadrunners make) and the resident Barn Owl at the Sonny Bono visitor center. Oh - and lot's of honking Sandhill Cranes, newly arrived for the winter.

Sandhill Cranes - flying into the sunset

Last week, before the brief trip home, was also a bit of a wild goose chase - the goose was a Cackling Goose, and the chase a pelagic trip with Debi Shearwater out of Bodega Bay.

Cackling Goose - on the Cordell Bank, more than 25 miles out to sea.

Bodega Bay, in northern California, has more records of rare seabirds than any other US port - and so this was one trip I didn't want to miss. Jay Lehman joined me, as well as Brian Patteson and Kate Sutherland who run the pelagic trips out of Hatteras, North Carolina.

Despite the rarity history of this place, the Cackling Goose was the rarest bird we could pull out of the proverbial hat. (Debi thinks this is the first Cackling Goose she's ever had on a pelagic trip in over 30 years!) One nice surprise was a Brown Booby (adult) that flew over the boat several times,

 Brown Booby (adult) - my first for California.

as well as two Flesh-footed Shearwaters, and great looks at Short-tailed Shearwater on the water - a bird I've previously seen flying in the Bering Sea

Short-tailed Shearwater - previously called Slender-billed Shearwater

And another Laysan Albatross - a bird I've had on almost all of Debi's boats this year

Laysan Albatross. Individuals can be recognized by 

the unique black-and-white underwing patterns.

So new birds in Bodega, but still a fun trip.

After the Bean Goose chase today, I'm heading to Texas tomorrow for the Golden-crowned Warbler in the Rio Grande Valley. It's a very rare Mexican warbler (code 4)  that could well spend the winter here - but I'm not going to risk waiting any longer. Will I get the bird? Since I'm actually writing this post after getting back from Texas I could tell you know that I...Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!

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BIG YEAR LIST: 724 + 2 provisional (Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Common Redstart)

NEW YEAR BIRDS (0): 

I WISH THEY ALL COULD BE CALIFORNIA...GULLS

If it weren't for a gull with yellow feet, I wouldn't have driven 2 hours through the desert, and be getting out of the car into a very humid 113F to squint along a smelly shoreline. But I'm very glad that I did! The Salton Sea may not be on most people's vacation plans for California, but it's a sight worth seeing. Hey - where else can you visit a wildlife refuge created by a rock star?!

The Salton Sea is a bit of a mistake. Until 1905 it was a desert. And if it hadn't been for a massive flood in 1905 it would still be a desert. The Colorado River broke through a series of new canals designed to irrigate some of this land, and for a year and a half almost the entire river was diverted into this rift valley. With no natural outlet apart from evaporation, the lake is now the largest in California. It's also the lowest - at 226 ft below sea level. And the saltiest - more so than the Pacific Ocean. Since its creation it's been a huge magnet for birds - including the rare (though locally common) Yellow-footed Gull. If you want to see a gull with yellow feet in its name, you'll eventually end up here.

In the middle of the desert - The Salton Sea.

We arrive at the southern part of the lake in mid-afternoon. This is the optimum time of day to experience the heat and loneliness of the place. The Sonny Bono refuge HQ is empty - of staff, visitors and seemingly hope. The only sign of life are some pellets at the base of a palm tree…

And hidden above, tucked into the palm bark, is the source - a Barn Owl…

And that's not our only owl for the day. As we drive out to the edge of the lake, we spot this guy…

Burrowing Owl - the bird's hopping on alternating legs, 

presumably to avoid burning its feet on the baking ground!

Even before we see the lake, we glimpse Brown Pelicans flying above the horizon. Our first view of the lake is a shoreline covered in birds. And on that shoreline are some gulls. They have yellow feet!

Yellow-footed Gull (also has yellow legs and bill)

Gerri (sensibly) stays in the car, while I run out and get pics before my head starts melting. 

We spend the night at the base of the San Bernadino mountains - this time in a room (having firmly established that the rental car does not perform this function very well!) On the way back, we stop off at Monkey Face Falls for Black Swift. After searching through many distant White-throated ones, we finally get some all black birds. They're larger, with squarer tails, and seem to fly impossibly high.

While Gerri enjoys the comfort of a room with a bed and shower, I head out for another night of owling. This time high up in the San Bernadino mountains at a place called Whitehorse Meadows. But first, you need a forestry pass if you're going to park up there. For the San Gabriel mountains, you could buy this at local gas stations. Not here. At the third gas station I was told to "go to the jerkey store." At first I thought this was insult, and was about to tell *him* to go to the jerkey store too. Then realized he was being serious. So - I got back in my car, drove a little, and pulled over at the next store - indeed, a jerkey store.

The Jerkey Store - the place to buy your mountain pass.

I arrive at the mountain road as the sun is setting...

And this is the point where I realize it's not paved, but a rocky, dirt road. It takes me about 40 minutes to go 6 miles, and I'm terrified of breaking the car / falling off a cliff / both.

Wildhorse Meadow Road - no wild horses, but some pretty wild rocks and potholes.

I'm here for another try at Northern Saw-whet Owl and Flammulated Owl. After an hour and a half of complete silence - not even the heavy breathing of a Mountain Lion - I'm about to get back in the car, when I hear a funny noise. It's a distant Saw-whet owl calling. I try to mimic the call. And then suddenly the bird calls again right behind me. I'm not able to see it with my flashlight, and I'm still panicking about getting back down that awful road, so say goodbye, happy at least to hear the bird.

It's been another long day, and a reminder of how amazing this part of the world is. Today I've been in LA, up mountains, in the desert, through the Joshua Tree Park (awesome!) and at the shore of a massive inland sea. Oh - and inside a jerkey store.

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BIG YEAR LIST: 682

NEW YEAR BIRDS (5): White-headed Woodpecker, Black Swift, Barn Owl, Yellow-footed Gull, Northern Saw-whet Owl.