Natural History Wanderings

Black-crowned Night-heron

Today we went birding at Pt. Isabel Regional Shoreline in Richmond, CA. We walked the Richmond Bay Trail from Rydin Rd. to Meeker Slough. We saw 37 different species. The main trail was best for shorebirds and waders. Meeker slough was best for waterbirds. Best finds were the Black-crowned Night-herons that regularly hang out in the trees at the parking lot and one Black Oyster catcher.  There were more Yellow-rumped Warblers today than I have usually seen on this trail. Monarch Butterflies were flying about. California Fuchsia/ Epilobium canum ( formerly Zauschneria californica is in bloom. The amount of native plants continues to increase thanks to the twice monthly California Native Plant Society restoration project.

Mallard

Click read more to see eBird list for today

Great Blue Heron

Pt. Isabel Regional Shoreline Bird List, Contra Costa, California, US Oct 21, 2018 2:15 PM – 5:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling 3.0 mile(s)
Comments:     low tide, sunny, 60’s F, light breeze. From Parking lot at Rydin Rd. to Meeker Slough and back
36 species (+1 other taxa)

Northern Shoveler  2
American Wigeon  6
Mallard  30
Green-winged Teal  30
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  6
Mourning Dove  1
Anna’s Hummingbird  2
American Coot  50
American Avocet  1
Black Oystercatcher  1
Black-bellied Plover  10
Killdeer  6
Whimbrel  2
Marbled Godwit  6
Black Turnstone  8
Least Sandpiper  20
Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher  10
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Greater Yellowlegs  1
Willet  50
Ring-billed Gull  X
Western Gull  X
Double-crested Cormorant  10
Great Blue Heron  3
Great Egret  1
Snowy Egret  2
Black-crowned Night-Heron  3
Turkey Vulture  2
Black Phoebe  1
American Crow  10
European Starling  20
House Finch  4
White-crowned Sparrow  20
Golden-crowned Sparrow  2
California Towhee  2
Red-winged Blackbird  50
Yellow-rumped Warbler  10

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49360743