Pacific-slope Flycatcher perched on thin branch with green leaves in background

Spring Birding at Santa Rosa Creek Trail

Last week, we enjoyed a wonderful and warm day of birding along Santa Rosa Creek Trail. Wildflowers have popped and the trees are relieved to have begun re-leafing.

Man with ballcap and backpack standing on trail lined in tall grass and wildflowers with oak trees
Santa Rosa Creek Trail

A quick peek at the creek yielded a look at a solo river otter. As it cruised past some vegetation, a Green Heron abruptly flew out squawking its protest.

River otter swimming in mucky shallow water
River otter

Migratory birds are returning to the area to breed, and our hearts jump for joy at the sight of each old friend. This Warbling Vireo was our first sighting of the year, and we stopped to relish its song.

Warbling Vireo perched on skinny branch surrounded by willow leaves with blue sky in the background
Warbling Vireo

Listen below to the warbling tune this vireo is named for.

A hawk swooped in and landed on a nearby branch. Can you tell which hawk these fluffy white undertail coverts belong to?

Cooper's Hawk perched on thick branch showing fluffy white undertail coverts and orange feathered legs
Hawk derrière

They belonged to this gorgeous adult Cooper’s Hawk!

Cooper's Hawk eating prey while perched on thick branch showing fluffy white undertail coverts and orange feathered legs
Cooper’s Hawk

Much to our delight, we discovered its stern-looking mate perched nearby as well.

Cooper's Hawk adult with red eyes perched on thick branch
Cooper’s Hawk – note the red eyes of an adult

Take a look at the hawk’s nictitating membrane – you can still see the red iris underneath.

Close up of Cooper's Hawk adult with nictitating membrane covering red eyes
Cooper’s Hawk

Then, we watched in amazement as the two birds came together for a few seconds to copulate. Listen below to the vocalizations emitted during the mating process.

Here’s to hoping we’ll see some juvenile Cooper’s Hawks terrorizing the trail later this summer!

Cooper's Hawk adult perched upright on thick branch
Cooper’s Hawk

This Hutton’s Vireo was also paired up, and we watched as they bopped through the oaks just feet from each other making quiet contact calls back and forth.

Hutton's Vireo perched on branch surrounded by leaves
Hutton’s Vireo

Swallowtail butterflies are so showy – the Anise Swallowtail does not disappoint!

Anise Swallowtail perched on a plant
Anise Swallowtail

As we sat and ate a snack at Delta Pond, we watched a pair of Tree Swallows bringing twigs into the nest box they had claimed.

Tree Swallow with nesting material in its bill perched on barbed wire with green background
Tree Swallow
Gravel trail lined in tall grass and wildflowers, trees lining trail, and blue sky
An idyllic section of trail

Later, we discovered a handful of birds hanging out in a farm pond: Mallards, a couple Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, and Black-necked Stilts.

Greater Yellowlegs walking at edge of pond with blue sky reflected in the water
Greater Yellowlegs

This barring on the flanks and belly of a Greater Yellowlegs develops during its transition to breeding plumage.

Greater Yellowlegs walking at edge of pond with blue sky reflected in the water
Greater Yellowlegs
Black-necked Stilt walking at edge of pond with blue sky reflected in the water
Black-necked Stilt

Suddenly, the Killdeer erupted in alarm, setting off a bevy of bird alarms all around the pond. A Cooper’s Hawk had flown into a nearby oak!
 
Listen below to the repetitive “kip-kip-kip” call of the Black-necked Stilt. A higher-pitched Killdeer alarm is prominent in the beginning of the recording as well.

This White-crowned Sparrow appeared to be molting its head feathers.

White-crowned Sparrow juvenile molting its head feathers perched in dry reeds
White-crowned Sparrow

A jackrabbit hopped around in the grassy field adjacent to the trail. Watch out for hawks!!!

Jackrabbit running in green grass
Black-tailed Jackrabbit

This Pacific-slope Flycatcher perched out in the late-afternoon sunshine. We’re happy these little darlings are back in town.

Pacific-slope Flycatcher perched on thin branch showing its green back, wings and tail
Pacific-slope Flycatcher

We like to imagine long eyelashes on this adorable guy or gal, it feels like it would really work with this look.

Pacific-slope Flycatcher perched on thin branch with green leaves in background looking directly at camera
Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Ahh, there’s nothing like the soft light of the descending sun at the end of a warm spring day of birding!

Paved trail and tree tunnel lined in green grass and wildflowers with sunlight streaming through
Just us and the birds!

10 thoughts on “Spring Birding at Santa Rosa Creek Trail

  1. Again ! This is so pleasant to be brought into your birding sessions. Great pictures and recordings as usual. Thank you so much.
    André

  2. Wonderful post. Love the Cooper’s Hawk sequence. (Where’s the photo of the mating though?) Please say where this trail section is.

  3. I love your blog. You are so generous to share your adventures with us. I walk many of the same trails…hope to meet someday!
    When will your “live” tours return?

  4. What a wonderful post, thank you! BTW, down here in SoCal my local group of White-crowned sparrows seem to have gone for northern migration. But 1 or 2 stragglers have been left behind since last week. Do you think they can’t make the trip this year? They’re hanging out with a team of finches.

  5. Thanks for your post! The only photo I would have liked to have seen would have been of the “owner/operator” of Santa Rosa Creek Trail, Brian Webb!

Please say hello!