This post is about the 3rd week class of 2020 Birds of the Santa Barbara Region: Intermediate.
We started at 8 am at the end of Coronado Drive near the entrance to the Monarch Butterfly Reserve in Goleta. Our group identified 37 bird species.
Our greeting committee: Bushtits and...
... a pair of Northern Mockingbirds.
As we worked our way through the Eucalyptus forest, Acorn Woodpeckers were very active while a Red-tailed Hawk was having a rodent for breakfast.
The temperature increased by 10 degrees when we got to the grassy plains of the Elwood Mesa Open Space. Once we reached the bluffs, we scanned shoreline and ocean and only noticed a few Western Gulls, Willets and Marbled Godwits.
While walking along the bluffs, we got a close look at Western Meadowlarks.
Hummingbirds, Warblers, Finches, Sparrows, and Hawks were also present.
Male (bottom) and female (top) Western Bluebird.
Female (left) and male (right) House Finch.
A Cooper's Hawk was scanning the horizon for its next meal.
A Merlin flew away from us while a Red-shouldered Hawk whistled above our heads.
As the end of the class neared, we walked back through the Preserve, we identified a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and heard Chestnut-backed Chickadees.
