Savannah Sparrow at Bodega Head, Bodega Bay, California

Birding Sonoma County: Bodega Head and Harbor

Yesterday we enjoyed a runaround in Bodega Bay. The skies were gray most of the morning, but free of raindrops. We rounded the road into the Bodega Head parking lot only to discover we were the only folks around! It was just us and the Brewer’s Blackbirds. Continue reading “Birding Sonoma County: Bodega Head and Harbor”

ebird photo quiz

In Praise of the eBird Quiz

We’re bird quiz-aholics. If there’s a bird quiz online, chances are we’ve taken it. We pore through bird photo Flickr pages and cover up species names to quiz ourselves. On our laptop, you’ll find folders labeled “Wren Calls” and “Warbler Chips,” from which we frequently pop-quiz each other.

Say, which wren’s scold is this?

Okay, is this a Hermit or Black-throated Gray chip note?

Continue reading “In Praise of the eBird Quiz”

Pacific Wren in redwood forest in Sonoma County California

Pint-sized Pacific Wren Packs a Powerful Punch!

Yesterday while walking along the creek at Rancho Mark West, we spied our favorite, egg-shaped hermit of a bird popping in and out of crevices near the rushing water. He bopped his way downstream – appearing, disappearing, appearing, disappearing. We followed at a distance and smiled each time he hopped into view and bobbed his body up and down. Continue reading “Pint-sized Pacific Wren Packs a Powerful Punch!”

Anna's Hummingbird female sitting on nest at Foothill Regional Park in Windsor, California

Sonoma County Birding: Foothill Regional Park

Last week, we ventured out to Riverfront Regional Park only to find it still closed from the recent flooding. Our next stop, Shiloh Ranch Regional Park, was also closed due to recent storm activity. Taking this as a good prompt to explore somewhere new, we visited Foothill Regional Park in Windsor, California – a 200+ acre park featuring rolling oak woodlands and three ponds. Continue reading “Sonoma County Birding: Foothill Regional Park”