The Hot Spotters Birdathon Trip Report

“The Hot Spotters” ventured out yesterday on a 24-hour “distributed team” Birdathon effort. Team members included Matthew Dodder, Raminder Bajwa, Jim Dehnert, Bridget Sheils, and Cynthia Berg. It was a great day, despite the circumstances. They will each share their stories separately and posted on the Birdathon stories page of our site: https://scvas.org/spring-birdathon-2020-stories

Canyon Wren

Canyon Wren

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I was in charge of the south county area while the others were sprinkled around the east hills, west hills, bay and urban. Here’ show my day went. I woke up at 6:00 and quickly loaded my car for the drive down to San Felipe Road outside of Gilroy along Hwy 152. Lots of snacks! Even though the drive to this area was extravagant and would cut into the time I would have elsewhere, I had several important target species I wanted to get for the team’s day: Cassin’s Kingbird and Lawerence’s Goldfinch, both of which showed up rather quickly. A bonus birds, I found a Black-headed Grosbeak, both Orioles, the remaining two Goldfinches, and a pair of Hooded Mergansers flying near the creek.

Next I drove up Cañada Road toward Gilroy Hotsprings and Coyote Lake Park. Along the way, I found a small flock of Tricolored Blackbirds on the beautiful Jamieson Road. The bridge at the end of Gilroy Hotsprings Road produced a singing Black-throated Gray Warbler, and on my way to Coyote Lake Park, a rather late Varied Thrush flew across the road in front of me. These backroads were utterly deserted… it was quite peaceful and quiet.

Bald Eagle at Coyote Lake Park

Bald Eagle at Coyote Lake Park

Coyote Lake Park was very productive with Common Merganser, Canyon Wren and Bald Eagle being the highlights. The campground was closed, and there were very few anywhere in the park, mostly people fishing here and there along the shore. There was no fee taken.

Next I headed north toward Coyote Valley, but stopped in at Anderson Lake Park below the dam. No fee was taken. Wood Duck was my target here, but I ended up adding other species like California Thrasher and Golden Eagle as well. Anderson had a few people, but we were able to keep our distance.

Coyote Valley OSP was quite crowded, and an attendant at the entrance online the rules for hiking. I told here I was going to stay just long enough to find Rock Wren was just above the parking area. A bit later along Laguna Avenue there was a dark Swainson’s Hawk high overhead. Flying near it were several Vaux’s Swifts.

A detour to Rancho Cañada del Oro brought me face-to-face with Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black-headed Grosbeak, White-breasted Nuthatch, Warbling Vireo and a number of other woodland species. The parking lot was almost full, but I only saw two other hikers along the trail.

The view from the top of Stile Ranch Trail — Mount Umunhum is visible in the distance

The view from the top of Stile Ranch Trail — Mount Umunhum is visible in the distance

I stopped at the Stile Ranch Trailhead along McKean Road specifically to look for Rufous-crowned Sparrows which were not cooperative at the Coyote Lake dam. Sure enough, three appeared rather quickly. On my way up to the grassy area, I also found 2 Lark Sparrows and a Horned Lark. My real goal was Grasshopper Sparrow which sang a few times and finally perched in full view on a barbed wire fence.

By now it was getting late and I had still not found very many waterbirds for my list. I made a quick stop at Shoreline Lake and Charleston Slough. My teammate Raminder was also pulling up nearby and we yelled at each other. Together (about 10 feet apart) we scanned the lake for Black Skimmer and both Lesser and Greater Scaup, Bufflehead, Surf Scoter and Common Goldeneye. We also had a single alternate plumaged Horned Grebe, and later Eared Grebe as well. The Black-bellied Plovers were in beautiful formal wear, and the Western and Least Sandpipers were showing off nicely. I had planned to stop by Emily Renzel for Common Gallinule, but I didn’t need to because two popped into view at the Coast Casey Forebay along with several Black-crowned Night-Herons.

I ended my day at about 6:30, with 136 species that will be added to the team's final compiled list. Exhausted, but happy!

The Team Total reached 142 species!

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~Matthew Dodder

Jim Dehnert’s story

I had a great time yesterday, hot-spotting my way through the east valley hills, gone a bit over 12 hours, seeing half as much as Matthew :-), and coming home pleasantly exhausted.

I started at Ed R Levin CP, in the Sandy Wool Lake area.  I hopped out my car to the immediate appearance of a Bullock's Oriole, one of my targets!  After a look around the area, I headed up the hill to the fabled Sycamore Grove, guided by a pair of very friendly young women (maintaining appropriate distance) who seemed concerned that I might be exhausted the whole way. :-)  I spent time there, seeing a number of hummingbirds but only identifying Anna's.  It was exciting to see one of them on a nest!  I returned downhill, and explored the dog run and the end of the lake.  While there, an uproar alerted me to an arriving Great Blue Heron, that I discovered feeding a juvenile up in a Eucalyptus with its mate.  Highlights were the great Oriole views, the spring displays from the Red-winged Blackbirds and Great-tailed Grackles, and the nests!  https://ebird.org/checklist/S66836490 

From there, I went to the Spring Valley unit of Ed Levin CP, and walked around the lake, getting a great view of a Red-shouldered Hawk from the parking lot, and my FOY Western Kingbird at the other end of the lake, as well as a mixed flock of Lesser and American Goldfinches working the trees.   https://ebird.org/checklist/S66836501 

Next a bit of driving.  Marsh Road was beautiful and nearly empty, as usual, but with no surprises.  https://ebird.org/checklist/S66836519.  After lunch, I continued up Felter Road, to Sierra Road (my first time on that route), to Sierra Vista OSP.  With little traffic, I could go slowly and watch, but no surprises there either.   https://ebird.org/checklist/S66832918 

Around the last curves into Sierra Vista, a Golden Eagle appeared, slowly patrolling the hills.  The Aquila Loop Trail also produced a dark morph Red-tailed Hawk, a Rock Wren, Lark Sparrows, and vocal Western Meadowlarks, along with another view of the Golden Eagle.  https://ebird.org/checklist/S66836479

Continuing down Sierra Road and up Mt. Hamilton Road to Joseph D Grant CP produced my only American Kestrel and Northern Mockingbird of the day -- go figure!  The ranch house area (broadly) at the park was good for lots of expected sparrows plus a Chipping Sparrow and a Brown Creeper, to go with a cacophony of Acorn Woodpeckers (not the first of the day) and a beautiful view of a soaring Red-tailed Hawk.  https://ebird.org/checklist/S66846477.  A walk around Grant Lake below the gathering clouds was good for a beautiful view of the resident Bald Eagle, a Pied-billed Grebe working on a fish as big as its head, a Common Yellowthroat, and a chorus of Red-winged Blackbirds.  https://ebird.org/checklist/S66846489

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On my way home, I stopped to see the Penetencia Creek Trail.  With light fading fast, I just took a quick walk around the settling ponds, with little to see besides American Coots, Mallards and a cluster of young Buffleheads.  Clearly, the waterfowl have mostly decamped to points north.  https://ebird.org/checklist/S66846377

Then, it was time for dinner!

Cheers,

Jim

Bridget Sheils’ checklists and selfie at Rancho San Antonio

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