Fourteen birders joined Harvey and Michelle at Jericho Beach at 8am on a bright and sunny Saturday for a morning of birding.  We began our observations right by our meeting spot when Harvey spotted a California gull lounging alongside some Ring-billed Gulls on the beach.  California Gulls share black wing tips with Ring-billed gulls, but have a large orange spot on their lower mandible rather than the black ring of the Ring-billed.

After preliminaries were concluded, we made our way to the edge of the east pond where we found a few ducks in eclipse plumage dabbling in what’s left of the water.  As we circled the pond we also found a Great Blue Heron, but unfortunately, none of the sparrows or shorebirds that have been seen along the pond’s edges over the past weeks.

From here we took the forest trail along the south edge of the west pond. The trees were quiet until we reached the pond’s west edge, where we finally found good numbers of birds in the trees and shrubbery.  There were at least 25 goldfinches, a warbling vireo, several Anna’s Hummingbirds, a Lincoln’s Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrows, a Brown Creeper, and a Spotted Towhee.  But the highlight was definitely the juvenile Cooper’s Hawk who landed just over our heads, giving everyone a good look at its squarish head, thick legs, and finely striped breast, all of which definitively identified it as a Cooper’s rather than a Sharp-shinned Hawk.

After a good look at the hawk we looped back into the forest and then around the backside of the pickleball courts on our way to the beach.  Again the forest was very quiet, although we did pick up a male Downy Woodpecker and a couple more Anna’s Hummingbirds here.   

By the time we reached the water, the day was warming up and there were many swimmers.  Only a single Pelagic Cormorant and a hungry Glaucous-winged Gull were brave enough to share the water with all of the humans, although the Ring-billed Gulls on the sand seemed unperturbed by the humans nearby.

Thanks to everyone for joining us, and apologies for the late notice about our meeting location — computer problems.

Two of the walk participants kept e-bird lists. Thanks to Kelvin and Helen for sharing.

Kelvin’s list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S194336905

Helen’s list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S194336899