The seasons are shifting and everyone's on the move; the birds are settling into new homes for a spell. Humans too.
California for the memory bank.
A great friend is moving away. We've had a few adventures together over the years, shared some rough times but many more good times. I'll be sad to have so many miles between us, but happy for the reason behind his move. Before he starts packing in earnest, there was time for one more birding trip. And what a trip it was.
We went to Santa Ana Valley, just south of Hollister. It's not a particularly large area, but it supports a crazy number of wintering raptors, several of which are great rarities in his home-to-be. (I guess I should warn you now that this is mostly about hawks.)
After an initial trip down Santa Ana Valley Road, we headed for Pinnacles with hopes for condor glimpses (no luck) and other treats along the way. We had our first treat soon: A prairie falcon perched on a power pole near the road.
Just inside the entry road for Pinnacles, we saw a few cars pulled over and people staring intently into cameras and binos. We saw nothing in the trees or on the ground and finally asked. Ahh - something was in the grass. A well-camouflaged Bobcat, betrayed by its ear tufts.
The weekend was supposed to start with unsettled weather, and we had scattered showers throughout the day (one swept into Pinnacles as we headed out). The rain kept the air remarkably clear and heat-shimmer to a minimum. The clouds and their shadows, interwoven with bright sun on the hillsides, made for some dramatic backdrops.
We decided to make another pass through Santa Ana Valley. It was a good call - we'd gone about a quarter mile on Quien Sabe Road when my friend spotted another Prairie Falcon on a power pole. We followed when it flew off, soon to meet up with a second Prairie. The two interacted among the clouds, then went their separate ways. Continuing to the valley, I was just getting my digiscope setup focussed on this Ferruginous Hawk when it leapt from its pole.
After the hawk left its perch, it glided to the ground and grabbed a ground squirrel from its hole. It began devouring its prey, only to dash off and leave its meal behind. The reason? A golden eagle swooped in to to pirate the rodent. And then another. And another. In a matter of a couple of minutes, seven of them appeared. It was incredible. Eagles aren't small, yet we had scanned the area pretty well (we thought) and had not seen any of them until they flew in.
Five of the seven golden eagles
As they dispersed, a few flew in our direction and gave us incredible looks. I noticed motion in the field and realized it was a bobcat. The color was unusual - very grey and not very spotty - and at first I thought it might have been a fox. The cat hunkered down in the stubble close enough for photos. When it glanced our way, I was surprised to see that it was blind in one eye. Even so, it appeared to be doing okay.
A little further up the road, we saw a huge silhouette and were rewarded with another eagle - this one a subadult Bald.
The light in that photo looks almost unnatural, thanks to the weather's dramatic impacts. It made for scenes of almost surreal beauty all day long.
From there, we headed for the coast and enjoyed the play of the setting sun's light on some dramatic waves. It was a great way to wrap up a beautiful day.