On the afternoon we arrived, back down to the Lee Ryan park and saw Dark Eyed Junco, a pair of Forster's Tern, Cormorant' American Crow and Raven.
Next day Mike was off to golf at Half Moon Bay so I google-planned a route along the coast to Pillar Point.The blue skies of the bay disappeared on the way over the hills to a grey and slightly chilly coastline.I reached the shore at Kelly Drive and from there through protected (for Snowy Plover) scrub along the beach. Brewers Blackbird, Cley Sparrow, Black Phoebe, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Barn Swallow in the scrub. Forsters Tern and Thayers Gull (the local Herring) in the air. Brown Pelican patrolling and diving. Jack Rabbit in the scrub, Grey Seal and Sea Otter. SNOWY EGRET at Miramar harbour. Willet and Sanderling wading and scurrying.
For lunch I found a gritty fish café (the famous - or at least that's what they say - Princeton Seafood 'we serve crabs and other fine customers') in a car park (my theory is that round here they started with one huge car park then built a few shops etc on it) and had a classic miscommunication: I ordered a Petite Salmon & Chips thinking that was some sort of young/small salmon - like a Slip Sole to a Sole at Mary's in Walberswick. In fact of course it meant a children's portion! Which was in fact just right as this is America.
On to Pillar Point salt marsh and harbour : Great Blue Heron, Common Loon and a flock of SURF SCOTERS (pictured) , Starling, Double Crested Cormorant, WANDERING TATTLER (pictured), WESTERN GREBE, Whimbrel, BLACK BELLIED PLOVER (pictured), MARBLED GODWIT.Up on to the cliffs behind and there's a Red-Shafted Northern Flicker in the woods. Back down to the marsh and a superb WHITE TAILED KITE hovering and diving. CALIFoRNIA TOWHEE in the scrub.
Next day Mike was off to golf at Half Moon Bay so I google-planned a route along the coast to Pillar Point.The blue skies of the bay disappeared on the way over the hills to a grey and slightly chilly coastline.I reached the shore at Kelly Drive and from there through protected (for Snowy Plover) scrub along the beach. Brewers Blackbird, Cley Sparrow, Black Phoebe, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Barn Swallow in the scrub. Forsters Tern and Thayers Gull (the local Herring) in the air. Brown Pelican patrolling and diving. Jack Rabbit in the scrub, Grey Seal and Sea Otter. SNOWY EGRET at Miramar harbour. Willet and Sanderling wading and scurrying.
For lunch I found a gritty fish café (the famous - or at least that's what they say - Princeton Seafood 'we serve crabs and other fine customers') in a car park (my theory is that round here they started with one huge car park then built a few shops etc on it) and had a classic miscommunication: I ordered a Petite Salmon & Chips thinking that was some sort of young/small salmon - like a Slip Sole to a Sole at Mary's in Walberswick. In fact of course it meant a children's portion! Which was in fact just right as this is America.
On to Pillar Point salt marsh and harbour : Great Blue Heron, Common Loon and a flock of SURF SCOTERS (pictured) , Starling, Double Crested Cormorant, WANDERING TATTLER (pictured), WESTERN GREBE, Whimbrel, BLACK BELLIED PLOVER (pictured), MARBLED GODWIT.Up on to the cliffs behind and there's a Red-Shafted Northern Flicker in the woods. Back down to the marsh and a superb WHITE TAILED KITE hovering and diving. CALIFoRNIA TOWHEE in the scrub.
