Hi Dan and Tweeters

Thanks Dan Logan for the info you sent me and tweeters on your trip to see
the ISLAND SCRUB-JAY. We just got back from our trip this weekend. We went
to the island on Wednesday the 15th form Ventura with the Island Packers.
Luckily we were not scheduled the day before since it was canceled due to
gale force winds but was rather calm the next day when we went. On the way
out we saw lots of SOOTY SHEARWATERRS and one BULLER'S SHEARWATER (they said
that was rare on the east side of the island). We also saw an ASHY
STORM-PETREL (lifer) right next to the boat which was also rare on that side
the island. We saw several XANTUS MURRELETS (lifer) and a couple CASSIN'S
AUKLET and the other more-so normal seabirds around there. On the island is
was a short trek up to the dry creek bed for the ISLAND SCRUB-JAY (lifer)
which we saw very quickly and then it came in to investigate us with in 12
feet or less. The trip to the island gave us 3 lifers and our friends 5. We
also saw a mother HUMPBACKED WHALE and her calf, a BLUE WHALE and RISSO
DOLPHINS (whale).

I was after lifers, photos & California list birds as our friends were after
lifers and my husband wanted California and year list birds. We had 177
species in 8 days of which many hours were spent driving 2856 miles from
Vancouver, WA and back. It was great trip and a few of the other places we
went were:
Kern River Preserve by Lake Isabella (east of Bakersfield) and Milepost
74 just down the road. Two great places. At the latter place we also saw a
RATTLESNAKE (our first one) hiding in a small bush.
Maricopa (Kerto Road) where a couple LECONTE'S THRASHER sang just long
enough for looks and disappeared and never showed again.
Quatal Canyon for CALIFORNIA THRASHER.
La Cumbre Peak (near Santa Barbara) This was one of our favorite places.
And we went back a second time. WRENTITS were singing all over the place. We
say lots of species here including CALIFORNIA THRASHER and BLACK-CHINNED
SPARROW (which had to be coached into view), and BELL'S SAGE SPARROW.
Malibu Creek St Park where M.A.S.H. was taped. Very pretty area. We had a
CALIFORNIA THRASHER just a few feet from us digging in the leaf litter and
nesting NUTTAIL'S WOODPECKERS.
Cystal Cove St Pk (near Newport) for CALIFORNIA GNATCATCHER (just down
the board walk toward the sea). We barely heard them on the way out and
started looking and then they started coming out. We also saw CALIFORNIA
THRASHER here too.

O> Sherry Hagen
_/_)_ Vancouver, WA
/ littlebirder at netzero.net