Date: 6th -13th September
Location: Monterey Bay & Anaheim, California
Weather: Monterey Bay - 14C to Anaheim - 30C
Species Highlights: Sea Otters, Orca, Humpback Whale, Wrentit, Sora, Loggerheaded Shrike
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Photographs Wayne & Lauren
Many problems and annoyances on this trip, this is how it started...
We started our trip leaving on the National Express to London Heathrow, but just outside Chippenham, the driver decided he had loaded too many cases onto the coach and stopped in a layby. After a few phone calls to his boss, they called taxis to take a few people off the coach and onward, we had to just wait and then carried on our journey around 1.5 hours later. Oh well, these things happen I suppose. We stayed in the Premier Inn overnight and after a great breakfast headed to the Airport, all good with boarding in fact early onto the plane, the Plane started to taxi to take off......
"Hello this is the captain speaking, I'm afraid we have a problem and have to return to the stand, it shouldn't be long"
Famous last words, 5 hours later we were loaded off the plane and trying to get another flight, it was Friday, and Virgin offered us a flight on Sunday!!!
We argued and managed a flight to Los Angeles instead of San Francisco, overnight in a hotel a few hours of sleep, and then 7am to San Francisco, all this time thinking our cases would be on the flight, this was not the case, after wasting many hours in San Francisco trying to get our cases back, with no help from anyone, we left the Airport with no clothes to get a taxi to Monterey Bay.
Promises of cases to be delivered and $65 dollars a day as compensation, to be continued......
We arrived in Monterey after a 100-mile Uber ride and at 4pm got to the Hampton Inn, Monterey to unpack. Oh wait that didn't take long!!
With a small lake on the doorstep, we did a quick wander around it produced our first birds of the trip, almost dark so no pictures, Great-Tailed Grackles, California Scrub Jay, Heermann's Gull, and Western Gulls. Food and early start for our whale trip.
We chose Monterey Bay Whale Watch for our trip. While waiting in the harbor there was plenty to see.
Brown Pelican
Southern Sea Otter
We'd been a few places before to see these, but mammal lifers for us all.
Brandt's Cormorant, just look at those eyes!
Western Gull, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, and Osprey amongst the other birds, a brief safety talk and onto the boat, seasickness tablets a must, and my Ginger sweets were working well.
Not far out of the Habour, the fog descended making viewing very difficult, but 15 mins into trip a group of 5-6 Orca's were seen, just. We waited for them to resurface but no further sign.
Common Guillemot, Gull's, and Sooty Shearwaters were appearing out of the mist, but our first Humpback was spotted.
Californian Sea Lion
The Fog was starting to clear giving us better views, there were thousands of Sooty Shearwater gliding over the water.
Pink-Footed Shearwater
The boat stays at a distance and the Whales come to the boats, no chasing of whales here.
Spy Hopping
Pelagic Cormorant and Whimbrel were seen as we returned to the harbor
A constant stream of Pelican flew overhead
The harbor walls were full of Sea Lion, and Cormorants
We hadn't really got the views we had wanted so re-booked for the afternoon trip, had dinner, and returned to the dock.
Brewers Blackbird feeding around the Crab Pots.
Osprey (carolinensis)
Again the fog was still there, a real shame as around the harbor the blue skies and warmth was beautiful, a few more humpbacks were seen. We really wanted that killer shot, breaching or a hunting Orca but although breaching was happening it was miles off, that being said the whales came very close giving us the opportunity to smell the whale's breath, mmmm.
Almost, but not quite.
It was an amazing experience, I'd definitely recommend Monterey.
We walked around Monterey Bay to find a restaurant, this Anna's Hummingbird showed extremely well, as they do.
San Carlos Beach is the beach the Sea Lions decided it was theirs and they descended on the beach in numbers, making the authorities having to shut down the beach, once popular with sun bathers, good on the Sea Lions!
The following morning another taxi to Monterey Airport and back to San Francisco, still no cases and more incompetence from Virgin. We left dis-heartened to fly to Los Angeles and carry on our trip, after a few visits to Target for clothes, the temperature was 104c so jeans and jumpers were not good.
The plan was for my Wife and girls to go to Disney and for me to go birding, perfect.
On Tuesday the 10th, I left at first light in a taxi to visit Irvine Regional Park, I'd been before and it was great. 7am I entered the park a large area that nestles at the base of hills/mountains
Cottontail Rabbit
Acorn Woodpecker, lots of these here
Plenty of evidence of their activity
California Towhee
Very pleased to hear the sound and the photograph this lifer, Wrentit
California Thrasher
Western Bluebird
Californian Quail
5 hours 37 species one lifer.
A huge fire was reported on the news, this the evidence from Irvine Park, which was 12 miles from the fire.
Airport Fire was in Orange and Riverside counties in Southern California.
The fire had burned 23,519 acres 36 squared miles.
37 species 7 miles walked.
When I arrived back at the hotel in Anaheim I was very pleased to contact my family who were in Disney to say our cases were Fedx overnight 5 days late.
I see a large compensation claim incoming!
The girls got back late from Disney, and I was in bed ready for another early start.
Huntington Central Park, again I've visited before but in January so it would be interesting to see a change of season.
7am and I was standing in the car park hoping for a good day.
Great Blue Heron
Snowy Egrets were scattered in the small ponds.
3 Green Heron also, much smaller than the previous
House Wren
Just shallow ponds here but there must be lots of fish as Osprey plus 3 species of Heron, 2 Egret species all in good numbers.
Female Vermillion Flycatcher
Lots of Black Phoebe catching flies.
Dark-Eyed Junco
Allen's Hummingbird
In the not so secret Garden here Allen hummers feed for a few seconds and then just sit perfectly for a few snaps.
On my previous trip I'd missed the Great Horned Owls, so I was determined to find them, luckily another birder was looking up, I checked in the canopy and saw one bird, despite walking around the large tall trees couldn't get a better view, but happy.
In numbers across California, Scaly-Breasted Munia another escapee.
Song Sparrow
40 species 3.5 miles walked.
I left the park and walked towards Bolsa Chicsa on the coast. About a mile away through a housing estate I would enter via the rear of the reserve.
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
Greater Yellowlegs
Snowy Egret
Killdeer
Killdeer in Flight
Double-Breasted Cormorant
Forster's Tern
White-Faced Ibis
Blue-Winged Teal
Turkey Vulture
Reddish Egret
Whimbrel
Loggerheaded Shrike
Long-Billed Curlew
Willet
Western Sandpiper
Willet
Marbled Godwit
More Willet, Marbled Godwit
The numbers here were, 15 Black-Necked Stilt, 22 Marbled Godwit, 4 Long-Billed Dowitcher, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 60+ Western Sands, 30+ Least Sands, 2 Grey Plover, White Pelican, Brown Pelican, 2 Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, 6 Turkey Vultures, 2 Osprey, Blue & Cinnamon Teal as you can see full of birds and great for photography too
Western Sandpiper
48 species 5 miles walked
Today was the last full day and Lauren, came with me, we decided on IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, A taxi ride, and again at 7am we entered the marsh.
Western Grebe there is also Clark's Grebe here along with a few hybrid
Caspian Tern
The fantastic Black Skimmer
My second visit but still haven't got them Skimming, Lauren did!
Californian Quail no fear.
Black-Necked Stilt
Very chuffed to find 2 Sora a life tick
Killdeer displaying
Californian Thrasher
Swinhoe's White-Eye another escapee that's taking over.
Black Phoebe, I'd say the most common bird on this trip
Turkey Vulture on the hunt
Black Skimmer
Fiery Skipper
66 species 7 miles walked
So that was California Sept 2024, 116 species seen 6 life ticks, lots of good and bad memories with the cases and Virgin Atlantic, but would I do it again...too right in fact researching for next year already.
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