Birding California: Sunnyvale Baylands Trip Report 9/15/2013

Here's my third trip report - to Sunnyvale Baylands Park in - you guessed it - Sunnyvale! I went on 9/15 looking for Western migrants in the park. Here is a view of the park entrance:


Sunnyvale Baylands Entrance

I had very high expectations for the park - mostly because of the rare warblers reported here every once in a while. I had hoped to be at the preserve by around 7:30 (still a late start). However, I started my walk along an alley similar to the one in the above photo, but narrower. In fact, here it is, on the right.

Double Cottonwood Alley

As I walked along this double row of Cottonwoods and also scanned the Eucalyptus trees to the left. The tops of the trees were abuzz with YELLOW WARBLERS, but they were much too high for a photo. As I continued past the picnic areas, I saw a female WILSON'S WARBLER. Unfortunately, it was low tide on the marsh, so no birds were present. As I approached an observation deck over the marsh, I noticed a robin-like bird sitting on one of the railings. Upon training my binoculars on it, I identified it as a SAY'S PHOEBE! I'd seen one before at Santa Teresa County Park in May of this year, but finding a not-so-common bird out of season is pretty cool! I remembered the YRWA I found out of season at Vasona last month. What am I, Mr. Out-of-season-winter-birds? In fact, there were two phoebes over the marsh and adjoining fence.

Say's Phoebe

Sunnyvale Baylands Scenery

I moved on to the test garden, near another parking lot. As I approached the garden, I noticed a medium-sized bird in one of the berry trees, that turned out to be a SWAINSON'S THRUSH. In fact, there were several of them scattered in and around the garden, along with BEWICK'S WRENS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, a WESTERN TANAGER, WARBLING VIREOS (new photo nemesis - I swear, as soon as I focus the camera for a good shot, it flies off), and PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS. Unfortunately, no Willow Flycatchers were found - only a drab Pac-slope. I'll finish off this bare bones (sorry) trip report with photos from around the test garden.