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Our friend Tess told us about this wonderful 11-acre preserve 25 minutes from our house. The free tickets are limited and by reservation only for just a few hours on some Saturdays. We were thrilled to get some for this weekend.

We were greeted by a lovely host to get checked in. He welcomed us first-timers and humored us by sharing in our excitement about our family Big Year. Turned out he was born in Minnesota and lived there for a few years. He pointed to a notebook on the table that had a handwritten list of birds seen there recently and when I squealed about the Oak Titmouse – which we haven’t seen yet – he let me know they were nesting nearby. We were off to a great start!

Along the trail within the reserve boundaries, we experienced three native plant communities: Coastal Sage Scrub, Southern Willow Riparian Forest, Pond Habitat and Coast Live Oak Woodland. 

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We walked the loop twice during our 90 minute visit, leaving a little time to wait for that Titmouse to come feed it’s chicks. The host saw it minutes before, but we didn’t see it around the nesting box. I took a photo of this bird, but these are the only two shots, so unless someone here can ID from this blurry closeup, we won’t count it.

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When we didn’t have luck with the Titmouse, the host asked us if we’d seen the owls…

Also seen but not featured above: Mourning Dove, Bushtits, an unidentifiable Sparrow, Crows, Red-Tailed Hawk, and Hummingbirds.

Many thanks to Tess for the recommendation and we wish the hosts good birding along their own Big Year. We will have to head back soon!

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An update from the porch nest in Wyoming, Minnesota.

They are so big. – Sylvia

Remember the colorful Robin’s eggs on our porch?

They hatched!

When we took the quick pic of those cuties we didn’t notice that the mama was watching us, after we were done taking the pic she flew up to the nest and started protecting them it was so sweet.

We also have another nest on our back door.

– Sylvia

Same species, same loudness, very different habitat!

-Blair

While I waited for this one to come back out, another settled nearby. I tried to keep one eye on the nest while capturing these.

I continued to wait, but eventually had to meet Peter back at the car. I’m not sure if they exited out the back, or were just taking their time inside.

Until next time!

Bonus cuties out there too.

-Blair

Yesterday we reached the milestone of 100 with help from Dad and Mum while on a short hike on a local trail where we were not expecting “anyone” new. Dad spotted this bird flying into a tree and thought it might be significant. We tracked it and upon later review…it was the uncommon Blue Grosbeak – A new one for both of us!

We also saw these cuties among many other species:

Blair

4/17 – There is a birds nest in the making here:

4/28 – It’s a Robin’s nest and there are eggs now. They’re sooooo small. Like Cadbury eggs. We had a nest that had four before, none of them made it though. They were abandoned by the mama Robin. This is the new one. She laid two in the last two days.

When they hatch I will send you pics.

-Sylvia

Three teams have logged a Verdin so far! I thought it would be fun to feature them all together. Dean and Lynn sent an image of theirs via text the night before Peter and I were joining them at the Salton Sea. The next day Peter fulfilled his spotting responsibilities and directed us to the second one featured below. Ed Dahlberg added one to his list this past week! Both Blair and Ed’s photos show the rufous shoulders that are often not visible.

-Blair

Back in 2019 when we were heading to Florida to visit Everglades N.P. and Biscayne N.P., David suggested we keep alert for an Oystercatcher, a relatively rare bird seen only on the coasts. We didn’t see one on that trip, or since, but a name like that, and the image of a plump dark bird with a red-orange bill sticks with you.

Sunday during our outing to Surfers’ Point in Ventura, right as we got to the tide pools, there it was. Just one. Unmistakable. Mission finally accomplished.

Thanks for the heads up David.

Dean

Some quality time with my favorite Harrier.

-Blair