Date: 26th August - 5th September
Location: Seattle, San Francisco, (see Part 2 cont.)
Birds Species Highlights (Bold are Lifers)
Belted Kingfisher, Bushtit, Glaucous Winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Surf Scoter, Rhinoceros Auklet, Bald Eagle, Baird's Sandpiper, Band Tailed Pigeon
Bewick's Wren, Least Sandpiper, Short Billed Gull, Western Gull,Surfbird, Long-Billed Curlew, Western Grebe, California Towhee, Black-Headed Grosbeak, Pacific Slope Flycatcher, Townsend's Warbler, Vaux’s Swift, Red Billed Tropicbird, Pelagic Cormorant, Royal Tern, Western Sandpiper, Allen's Hummingbird, Scaly Breasted Munia, Western Wood-Pewee, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, California Thrasher, American White Pelican, Cinnamon Teal, Long Billed Dowitcher, Marbled Godwit
Savannah Sparrow, Say's Phoebe, Semipalmated Plover
White-Faced Ibis, American Avocet, American Moorhen
Black Skimmer, Cassin's Kingbird, Clark's Grebe
Greater Roadrunner, Rufous Hummingbird
Butterflies - Other Wildlife
Sandhill Skipper, Gulf Fritillary, Umber Skipper
Western Swallowtail, White Checkered Skipper, Gray Hairstreak
Marine Blue, Mourning Cloak, Funereal Duskywing
Variegated Fritillary, Western Pygmy Blue, Giant Swallowtail
Eufala Skipper, Mournful Dusky-wing
Our 3 week trip certainly acquired a few lifers as the lists above show.
We walked 174 Miles, Flew 11,400 miles, Visited 5 Cities, Stayed in 4 hotels
Used 7 modes of transport, traveled through 8 time zones, and cost a few pounds!
Seattle 27th - 31st August
Seattle was our first stop and a total distance of 7,682.32 km (4,773.57 mi) away from Bath UK.
Taking off at 11:50AM we flew Virgin Atlantic 10+ hours, my longest flight. A few films, Dinner and tea on the plane, then touchdown.
We landed at 13:45 west coast time and headed to the hotel, Hyatt at Olive 8, it had a swimming pool so went for a dip, UK time was now 11:30pm but still had to unpack and have Tea, its best to get on local time as soon as possible.
After a night's sleep me & Lauren were awake at 5:30am, so what else birdwatching!
Myrtle Edwards Park, Centennial Park, and Olympic Sculpture Park which ran along Puget Sound, Elliot Bay, 1.7 miles.
Joggers and dog walkers were the only locals about when we reached Pier 66, camera and binoculars out and the first tick was Pigeon Guillemot.
It was still dawn and the light was awful.
As we walked along the Alaska way we spotted a Juvenile.
Other birds we added to our list were: American Crow
Anna's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Black Capped Chickadee
Canada Goose, Caspian Tern, Common Starling, Double Crested Cormorant, House Finch, House Sparrow, Mallard, White Breasted, Nuthatch, White Crowned Sparrow.
The next lifer was Glaucous Winged Gull, slightly smaller than the Herring Gull and very common along the walk.
Caspian Terns flew along the Puget Sound, with Surf Scoter, Osprey, and Canada Geese all these very common and our trip.
Lauren spotted Bushtit feeding in a large group of some 10/15 birds, they proved very difficult to get a good picture of, as they were constantly on the move, but lifers for me.
Very pretty eyes.
By 8am, we were hungry and agreed to meet my wife and other daughter (non-birders) at the Space Needle, this is where we walked this morning. This a view from the top of the Space Needle.
The picture was taken from Kerry Park in the evening, it's worth a visit.
While waiting, a Anna's Hummingbird appeared, so cameras were back out and a few snaps were taken, while taking pictures an American lady approached me and asked if I knew the Queen and if she really was 3ft tall! I put her straight and carried on snapping this little beauty.
After Space Needle and breakfast we headed to Edmonds 21.63 km (13.44 mi) from Seattle, in Harbor, Purple Martin, Red Necked Phalarope, and Osprey were seen we then boarded a Whale Watching Tour - Puget Sound Express, google it I can recommend this tour, fast, very smart boat.
We headed towards Canada and Friday Harbor to be precise and soon saw Orca or Killers Whales 4 in total an amazing sight to see.
We watched for around 1 hour.
All sorts of behaviors were seen from Tail Slapping and Spy hopping, the whales use these techniques to hunt the many Harbor Seals scattered along the shoreline.
Love this shot, one lucky kayaker. The shoreline was filled with locals all watching the whales.
Lauren took my favorite shot, just as we were leaving, almost a full breach!!
Common Guillemot, plus another Lifer, Rhinoceros Auklet were seen on the journey to and whales.
After returning to Edmonds and then Seattle a meal then sleep.
The next morning me and Lauren planned a trip to the massive Discovery Park in Seattle.
An early start paid off with so good birds seen from the start.
Bald Eagle, American Robin, Baird's Sandpiper, Band Tailed Pigeon.
This Anna's Hummingbird just catching a few rays of the early sun.
Bewick's Wren, Brown Headed Cowbird, California Gull
Chestnut Backed Chickadee, Common Raven, Cooper’s Hawk keeping a beady eye as we made our way down to the shore.
Wilson's Warbler another lifer, Orange Crowned Warbler, Anna's, and Jays all in the same tree.
Once on Discovery Park Beach Osprey at least 4 were fishing along the shoreline, a little distant for our 400mm but what a place for breakfast, we sat and watched the eagle diving for some time.
Fabulous birds and becoming the bird we've seen the most on the trip so far.
Mount Rainier is 103.50 km (64.31 mi) away and at 14,411 ft is a still active volcano.
While we sat Caspian Terns flew past.
Short Billed Gulls & Californian Gulls kept us company on the shoreline.
Glaucous Winged Gull.
30 species seen around our morning in Discovery Park, other times of year I'd imagine easily doubled with Warbler.
4 Northern Flicker were making a right racket in trees.
We left the park with 6 more lifers to add to our growing list.
The next morning we caught a ferry across to Luna Park, West Seattle.
Really beautiful with views across into Seattle
Still, the lifers were coming, my non-birder daughter said ooo look birds and Surfbird, and Black Turnstone were added.
Along with a few more Osprey, which were hunting and perching in between houses!
Western Gull, Red Necked Grebe it was a good walk along to Alki Beach.
We headed up to Kerry Park that evening for some night shots, very busy but with top views over this Fabulous city.
San Francisco 31st August - 5th September
After a short flight we arrived in San Francisco we were staying at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco, we've visited San Fran before and loved it, with its Trams & buses all offering amazing service, we'd planned to explore all of San Fran.
First Morning was the famous Pier 39 with its California Sea Lions basking in the morning sun it was fabulous with views across to Alcatraz.
Full of life, a constant stream of Brown Pelican fly past with Brandt's Cormorant, and Heermann’s Gull all are just feet from the busy pier.
Alcatraz is 1 mile from the pier... I think I could swim it 😀
Apart from birds The Golden Gate Bridge is just along coastline.
A few iconic Tram rides later, who remembers the "Streets of San Francisco!"
We walked to Crissy Park an eBird Hotspot, Surf Scoter, and Western Grebe we dotted along the 2.5 mile walk.
Western Grebe and Clarks Grebe were seen on our trip the difference is the black cap, Western covers eye and Clarks Grebe above the eye.
Long Billed Curlew a lifer
Along with Willet, Kildeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Brown Pelican, Caspian Tern, Snowy Egret and Turkey Vultures, it had some great birds.
The following morning me & Lauren were up early, and a bus ride later we were at Golden Gate Park, we visited in 2018 so we had high hopes for a great Day. We got off the bus and a heavy mist had descended I suppose it's what San Francisco is famous for, but we entered via the Botanical gardens, it's free before 9am, and we were first in.Black Phoebe
It's a very photogenic bird and poses whenever you see them.
Lesser Goldfinch.
Steller's Jay
Pied-billed Grebe
Another Black Phobe, the light, and mist was slowly improving.
Black-Headed Grosbeak a lifer for us both was added but the picture was less than fine, Californian Towee, Song Sparrow, and Summer Tanager were also seen, and we stopped for coffee and watched flocks of Red Winged Blackbird flying across Stow Lake. I had a feeling about Strawberry Hill, the mist was still low but we headed up the small hill in the center of the Lake. Lesser Goldfinch, Wilson's Warbler, and this beautiful Red Shouldered Hawk were seen.
Another lifer is this Townsend Warbler.
Anna's Hummingbird was feeding in the mist but while we watched we were both in for a surprise!
Just feet from where we were standing a Coyote just wandered past!! Signs were throughout the park, warning of the dangerous predator, but I am sure in some circumstances they may be dangerous, we didn't feel threatened it was a highlight of our trip!
Brown Creeper, Pacific Slope Flycatcher were also seen Lloyd Lake would be next, with some closeup views of this Great Blue Heron.
Wood Duck and a few Gulls were on the lake, we then headed across to Hellman Hollow, and eventually Spreckles Lake.
More Black Phoebe as you can see the light was much better now.
Dark Eyed Junco, were feeding around the picnic tables.
Bush Tit and Pacific Slope Flycatcher in the hedgerow.
We were a lot closer to this one and watched it hunt probably small mammals in bushes, it failed then wandered off licking its lips!
Onward toward the Bison enclosure, yes Bison!
First, we spotted this gorgeous Red-tailed Hawk feeding on a small rodent.
Western Bluebird is a top bird, a little distant but my views would improve in San Diego.
Cedar Waxwing, Pacific Slope Flycatchers, Western Tanager, Yellow Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Wilsons Warbler, Townsend Warbler, Orange Crowned Warblers, and even an American Black Redstart.
With 7 miles walked and 7 hours spent in the fabulous park we left onto Ocean Beach and sat watching hundreds of Heerman's Gull and Brown Pelican fly past.
That evening was spent watching a sunset at Golden Gate Bridge, Marshall's beach.
The next stop would be San Diego
Part 2
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