"Tails" of a New Birder's Journey

Monday after work, I decided to bird at Haster Basin, the closest “birdy” park near me. I thought I saw a Great Egret fly overhead but wasn’t sure (its larger size is the easiest way to tell Great Egret from Snowy Egret). Then later, I saw both a Great and a Snowy in a tree so got Great Egret. 

Swallows are kinda hard to ID because they’re always “Swallowing about,” flitting to and fro like the aerial enthusiasts they are. So if they’re not making noise for Merlin to pick up and I can’t get a good look at it, I don’t include it. However, a Barn Swallow let out enough noise for Merlin so I counted it and I also saw some blue and peach. 

I was surprised I didn’t have Lesser Goldfinch yet (often referred to by its adorable banding code: LEGO) as they’re everywhere and they are also one of the few birds I know by sound (they make kind of a slide-whistle sound that rises or descends slightly at the end). 

There were tons of our “regular” gulls, the Ring-billed Gull, hanging out on the lawn, but Merlin picked up California Gull and I was able to see it. Cali gulls have red on their beaks vs Ring-billed that have a black ring on their beaks. Plus, Cali gulls have a distinct red ring around their eyes as if they’ve been smoking too much weed and are in desperate need of a Jack in the Box Late Night Munchie Meal.

The Mitred Parakeets (I call them Green Cheeks) were squawking up a storm and so was a Red-crowned Parrot. These are both introduced species. Merlin recognized them both but I couldn’t find Red-crowned Parrot in eBird, and assume it’s there as “Red-crowned Amazon.”

I don’t usually make note of “animals” other than birds, but I did see a baby opossum. A young girl sitting on the lawn held out her hand and beckoned it closer as her mom looked approvingly and I stood there in horror. Pretty sure they carry some type of disease. That’s Garden Grove for ya! Did I mention that not one, but two dead bodies were fished out of the Basin last year?

49. Lesser Goldfinch

50. Barn Swallow

51. Great Egret

52. Pied-billed Grebe

53. California Gull

54. Red-crowned Amazon