My BIG DAY of Birding - 90 Species!

Yesterday was one of the best days ever (now there's a PL phrase for you, lol) and I want to share my joy of this magical day.  I've been planning this day for over a month.  I had a successful day in finding 90 species in little over 12 hours.

It's been 2 years since I've had  a large number of species in one day on my own.   My previous record was 87 and it was just pure lucky timing that I found so many birds that day.  But yesterday was planned with specific locations and birds to be found there.  I missed some expected birds but passing my previous count by 3 birds was exciting.  I'm not in this for any competition.  It's just pure pleasure to see so many fabulous creatures in one day and also satisfying that my birding abilities have improved in part by my being able to identify birds by their calls and songs.  Out of the 90 birds, 20 of them were identified by sound only, though some of them I did eventually see elsewhere.

Reprinted from my FB page.

5/5/2015 BIG DAY

In order of appearance:

Start time 5:45 am

MOURNING DOVE, HOUSE FINCH, BLACK PHOEBE, MALLARD, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, HOUSE SPARROW, PINE SISKIN, ROCK DOVE, SCRUB JAY, GREEN HERON, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, TREE SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW, AMERICAN CROW, AMERICAN ROBIN, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, CLIFF SWALLOW, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, NUTTAL'S WOODPECKER, YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE, EUROPEAN STARLING, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, SWAINSON'S HAWK, SPOTTED TOWHEE, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, BELTED KINGFISHER, RED-TAILED HAWK, TURKEY VULTURE, HOUSE WREN, WESTERN KINGBIRD, KILDEER, WHITE-TAILED HAWK, GREAT BLUE HERON, GREAT EGRET, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, CHIPPING SPARROW, WESTERN MEADOWLARK, WHITE-FACED IBIS, WESTERN BLUEBIRD, NORTHERN HARRIER, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, AMERICAN KESTREL, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, SONG SPARROW, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, MARSH WREN, BEWICK'S WREN, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, BUSHTIT, AMERICAN COOT, AMERICAN AVOCET, CANADA GOOSE, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, LEAST SANDPIPER, BLACK-NECKED STILT, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, NORTHERN SHOVELER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, SNOWY EGRET, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, DOWNY WOODPECKER, WRENTIT, WILSON'S WARBLER, HOODED ORIOLE, LESSER GOLDFINCH, NORTHERN FLICKER, OAK TITMOUSE, PIED-BILLED GREBE, GADWALL, CALIFORNIA TOWHEE, RING-NECKED DUCK, AMERICAN WIGEON, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, CINNAMON TEAL, COMMON RAVEN, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, COMMON GALINULE, CATTLE EGRET, WOOD DUCK, OSPREY, BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD.

End time 6:00 pm

90 species

Visited 13 locations (2 were repeated)

I took very few photos and just enjoyed my in-the-moment experiences.  But some opportunities were too good to pass up.

House Wren with huge dragonfly in her bill for her babies.  (iPhone photo)

Juvenile White-Faced Ibis

(digi-scoped)

Cosumnes River Preserve Marsh Area

                                                



I was grinning all day.

One of 13 locations I birded yesterday.

Species #88: Wood Ducks.  These beauties were the ones that put me over my record!  Taken at Reichmuth Park.