2013 Dancing Grebe Trip - Day 1, Part 2

I can tell that it's going to be tough trying to blog while we're on vacation!  Another great day, a little more relaxed.  The weather is gorgeous - cool, a little cloudy.  But, we were talking about 7 new life birds yesterday...

At Lithia Springs Inn, we had our first two - BULLOCK'S ORIOLE and WESTERN KINGBIRD (see Part 1).

The first of our three stops yesterday was Agate Lake County Park.  There we picked up our 3rd new bird, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER.

Ash-throated Flycatcher

It was an amazing place - CANADA GEESE swam the lake followed by dozens of goslings.  A few DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS rested on logs, while a pair of RING-NECKED PHEASANTS walked the shore.  

Western Bluebird

In the oaks, WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, WESTERN KINGBIRDS, and ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS chased each other from tree to tree.  And in the air, OSPREY and CASPIAN TERNS fished the lake.  

Osprey

Next stop was the Ken Denman Wildlife Management Area - we weren't sure what to expect when we got out of the car at the parking area in the middle of a big deserted field.  But a few hundred yards down the trail was a marsh full of Swallows (wish I were better at ID'ing them), ducks and blackbirds.  

Straw Nest Boxes?

We were intrigued by the cylindrical straw nest boxes.

American Bittern

An AMERICAN BITTERN flushed and flew across the marsh, giving us our 4th new bird!

Our last stop for the day was Lower Table Rock Trail. We didn't complete the route, but were quite proud of our 1.2 mile climb (for a 2.4 mile total walk)!  And the birds - wow.  We netted: 

California Towhee

Oak Titmouse

Not one, but two little OAK TITMICE intent on gathering nesting material!

But my personal favorite was this tiny BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, yelling his lungs off at us!

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

And, even though we didn't make it to the top, the views were breathtaking!  But of course, there's more...