Mark Holmgren and Glenn Kincaid invited me along on a mini-Big Day today, for the eBird Global Big Day. It wasn't THAT birdy, but we did see some good stuff, with the best birds being Summer Tanager, Yellow-headed Blackbird, and single White-faced Ibis at three locations. Our modest total of 114 species partly reflects that we stopped at about 11:30 and didn't bird outside the south coast and the Santa Ynez Mtns.
We started around 4:30am, owling our way up Refugio Rd (about 10 Great Horneds and at one or two screeches was not a great haul), made our way up to West Camino Cielo, then headed back downhill just after dawn. From there, we birded Refugio Creek Canyon and lower Refugio Creek, before heading back into Goleta to bird the Sandpiper Golf Course pond, Devereux Slough, Coal Oil Point (for a sea watch) and Sands Beach (from the bluffs), Area K at Goleta Slough, Goleta Beach, and Laguna Blanca.
Some details: West Camino x Refugio Rd Cassin's Vireo (the only one of the day)
Refugio Creek At least three Yellow-breasted Chats, a couple of Swainson's Thrushes
Sandpiper Golf Course Pond Two Yellow-headed Blackbirds, White-faced Ibis.
Devereux Slough Eared Grebe, SUMMER TANAGER female - Mark spotted the tanager at the half bridge by the southern turnout, sitting on a fence of all things, and then dropping down into the vegetation. It eventually flew up into the dead eucalyptus tree, where Glenn got some photos.
Coal Oil Point Wewere assisted here by Linus Blomqvist, who spotted a Parasitic Jaeger and pointed out the distant westward movement of Sooty Shearwaters. There was also a Pelagic Cormorant, which surprised me.
Goleta Slough, Area K A second adult White-faced Ibis, one Dunlin
Goleta Beach Two more Pelagic Cormorants, two Common Loons sitting in the water, a Bonaparte's Gull on the sandbar in the slough mouth.
Laguna Blanca Still a sprinkling of shorebirds here, in several small pools that shouldn't last much longer. We saw our only Canada Geese of the day and our third adult White-faced Ibis.
It was a fun morning. Thanks, Mark and Glenn, for inviting me along!
Dave