This is my first trip report - to Vasona Lake County Park, in Los Gatos, CA, on August 23, 2013. Vasona Lake provides good riparian, oak woodland, and lake habitat. I wouldn't bird the oak woodland habitat on this visit. Species seen are in CAPITALS.
First, I would be birding the south side of the park along Los Gatos Creek Trail - riparian habitat. Los Gatos Creek originates in the Santa Cruz Mountains, flows through Lake Elsman and Lexintgton Reservoir, through the city of Los Gatos, through Vasona Lake, through the city of Campbell, and finally runs into the Guadalupe River. The first birds I saw were plentiful CANADA GEESE and AMERICAN CROWS on a lawn in the park. In late spring and early summer this lawn hosts plentiful Violet-green and Barn Swallows, but none were to be seen today. The next birds be spotted were some of the most common forest birds in the San Francisco Bay - CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, along with some calling DARK-EYED JUNCOS. A pair of OAK TITMICE were also seen at the same location. As I worked my way up the creek trail, I found more chickadees, titmice, and juncos. In a tree in the middle of a field to the left of the trail, I heard the familiar trill call of the NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER - a California specialty, but one of the most common riparian birds in the Bay Area. After locating the pair of woodpeckers in the tree, I moved to the opposite side of the field to bird the forest with Eucalyptus trees. Thinking it would be productive to pish here, I promptly did so. Out popped a female HOODED ORIOLE, along with the usual cascade of curious chickadees. After a minute or so, I was rewarded with a female YELLOW WARBLER - my second time seeing one this year, and my first alone (not on a Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society field trip). Also on the field were found a BLACK PHOEBE and four AMERICAN ROBINS. In the creek just before the lake I observed a female PIED-BILLED GREBE feeding her two young. As I crossed the bridge over the creek (with its usual ROCK PIGEONS), I noticed a bird flitting about in the trees on the bank. It turned out to be my FOY (first of the year) YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER! I then moved onto the lake habitat. There were plenty of AMERICAN COOTS on the lake (along with more female and juvenile Pied-billed Grebes), as well as several SONG SPARROWS on the banks. I walked along the east side of Vasona Lake to the dam, spotting many more Black Phoebes, and also watching CASPIAN and FORSTER'S TERNS fish the lake. An interesting observation of mine were several DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, not perched on the island or telephone wires, but soaring high above the lake. On yet another field, I found several juvenile WESTERN BLUEBIRDS. Near the dam, I found a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD in the reeds and cattails. Usually, Vasona Lake is one of the best places to go in Santa Clara County for herons and egrets, but I found my only heron today, a GREAT BLUE, perched in a tree as I walked back down the east bank. Nearing our car, I pished one last time in a wooded area near a highway, which produced a BEWICK'S WREN, our most common wren in the Bay Area. This time, I didn't have my camera with me. Next time, I'll try to post some photos. This concludes my report for Vasona Lake County Park.
Stats:
# Birds Seen: 29
Lifers: 0
FOYs: 1
Life List Count: 144
Year List Count: 124
Good birding!
P.S. - My current big day record is 32. If I could go out now and get my common neighborhood birds, I will most likely break that record. Unfortunately, I don't think this new record will stand long, with fall migration starting...
First, I would be birding the south side of the park along Los Gatos Creek Trail - riparian habitat. Los Gatos Creek originates in the Santa Cruz Mountains, flows through Lake Elsman and Lexintgton Reservoir, through the city of Los Gatos, through Vasona Lake, through the city of Campbell, and finally runs into the Guadalupe River. The first birds I saw were plentiful CANADA GEESE and AMERICAN CROWS on a lawn in the park. In late spring and early summer this lawn hosts plentiful Violet-green and Barn Swallows, but none were to be seen today. The next birds be spotted were some of the most common forest birds in the San Francisco Bay - CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, along with some calling DARK-EYED JUNCOS. A pair of OAK TITMICE were also seen at the same location. As I worked my way up the creek trail, I found more chickadees, titmice, and juncos. In a tree in the middle of a field to the left of the trail, I heard the familiar trill call of the NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER - a California specialty, but one of the most common riparian birds in the Bay Area. After locating the pair of woodpeckers in the tree, I moved to the opposite side of the field to bird the forest with Eucalyptus trees. Thinking it would be productive to pish here, I promptly did so. Out popped a female HOODED ORIOLE, along with the usual cascade of curious chickadees. After a minute or so, I was rewarded with a female YELLOW WARBLER - my second time seeing one this year, and my first alone (not on a Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society field trip). Also on the field were found a BLACK PHOEBE and four AMERICAN ROBINS. In the creek just before the lake I observed a female PIED-BILLED GREBE feeding her two young. As I crossed the bridge over the creek (with its usual ROCK PIGEONS), I noticed a bird flitting about in the trees on the bank. It turned out to be my FOY (first of the year) YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER! I then moved onto the lake habitat. There were plenty of AMERICAN COOTS on the lake (along with more female and juvenile Pied-billed Grebes), as well as several SONG SPARROWS on the banks. I walked along the east side of Vasona Lake to the dam, spotting many more Black Phoebes, and also watching CASPIAN and FORSTER'S TERNS fish the lake. An interesting observation of mine were several DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, not perched on the island or telephone wires, but soaring high above the lake. On yet another field, I found several juvenile WESTERN BLUEBIRDS. Near the dam, I found a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD in the reeds and cattails. Usually, Vasona Lake is one of the best places to go in Santa Clara County for herons and egrets, but I found my only heron today, a GREAT BLUE, perched in a tree as I walked back down the east bank. Nearing our car, I pished one last time in a wooded area near a highway, which produced a BEWICK'S WREN, our most common wren in the Bay Area. This time, I didn't have my camera with me. Next time, I'll try to post some photos. This concludes my report for Vasona Lake County Park.
Stats:
# Birds Seen: 29
Lifers: 0
FOYs: 1
Life List Count: 144
Year List Count: 124
Good birding!
P.S. - My current big day record is 32. If I could go out now and get my common neighborhood birds, I will most likely break that record. Unfortunately, I don't think this new record will stand long, with fall migration starting...
