South Coast Botanic Gardens report for March 21, 2008
OK I had typed out 3-4 paragraphs and my PC took a dump on me. All of it was lost. GRRRR! First note to self: Save as you go!!
I had Good Friday off, so I decided to spend the morning bird watching.
I headed out to the South Coast Botanic Gardens in Palos Verdes, CA. I don't go there too often, it's a bit out of the way for me. Plus I don't seem to have much luck going to the gardens. One year I got hit with a lovely little migraine that cut my day short. Last year I was trying out new binoculars. In a word they sucked and the day was generally a wasted effort, and it started to rain.
I was about half way to the gardens when I realized I'd forgotten my digital voice recorder. UGH. I use my voice recorder to keep my list of birds seen. It's so much easier to speak into the recorder VS writing everything down. I stopped at an Office Depot in hopes of buying another voice recorder. They wanted way more $$$ then I was willing to spend. Instead I left with a spiral note pad and a pen. Second note to self: ALWAYS make sure I have the digital voice recorder before leaving the house.
As sonn as I entered the gardens I heard a woodpecker in a stand of trees. Of course I had no luck in spotting the bird. However, on my way out a few hours later, the bird was still knocking away. This time I did spot the little sucker. It was a male Downey.
I spent a few hours wandering around the gardens. It's a lovely place and it was an absolutely beautiful Southern California day.
No life birds were seen.
The list...
Downey Woodpecker, Common Ravens, Allen's Hummingbird, White-crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Hermit Thrush, American Crow, Western Scrub Jay, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Mockingbird, Mallards, Mourning Dove, Ruby-crownd Kinglet, Orange-crownd Kinglet, Black Phoebe, Song Sparrow, Common Yellow Throat, Bushtits, Brown Creeper, Rufous-sided Towhee, California Towhee, Red Shouldered Hawk, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, American Goldfinch.
I thought I heard a Hooded Oriole but never was able to spot the bird.
I did manage to get a half way decent photo of a male Common Yellow Throat. He was more intested in singing his little heart out, then he was in me. Still not the best photo, but better then the ones I got last year.
Attached photo of the above mentioned Common Yellow Throat.
Attachment(s): Common Yellow Throat March 2008.jpg