Coyote Valley spots

Ahead of an approaching storm I spent three hours on Tuesday January 3rd at some nearby hotspots in Coyote Valley. I began the day on Laguna Avenue where I quickly added six of my target birds - American Kestrel, Loggerhead Shrike, Say's Phoebe, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-billed Magpie and Red-winged Blackbird. I then drove to the Coyote Valley OSP under darkening skies and did not wander far. I saw 25 magpies and heard a California Quail's chi-ca-go call. Heading back down Palm Avenue I came across a large group of birds feeding in a muddy yard, mostly Brewer's Blackbirds but with at least one Tricolored Blackbird and a couple of Red-winged Blackbirds thrown in. A Eurasian Collared-Dove and some White-crowned Sparrows completed the mix.

Yellow-billed Magpie

California Quail

American Kestrel

I then made my first visit to the Ogier Ponds, following a lead from the list serve, and added three species of swallow - Barn, Tree and Violet-green to my year's list. I saw lots of coot and California Gulls in the ponds but could not find anything new. On the way out I had my only surprise of the morning when a male Purple Finch popped up among a group of White-crowned Sparrow, House Finch and Lesser Goldfinch.

Heading to the Bailey Avenue pond on the way back I decided to make a short detour back to Laguna Avenue, this time finding the Burrowing Owl - albeit a short glimpse before it disappeared down its squirrel burrow. I then added Snow Goose and Cackling Goose along Bailey Road.

I ended the day on 83 species for the year, with 76 of these in Santa Clara County.