Gone Birdin'

September 21, 2021

I left Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach last week with a list of over 20 bird species and a nice fix of sunshine. A three-mile loop right off the Pacific Coast Highway made for a truly relaxing day birdwatching. I parked at the Warner Street entrance (3842 Warner Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA 92649) and was greeted by several birders lined up along a bridge with their cameras pointed intently at the shore. I felt right at home. 

My day was off to a wonderful start after a Ridgway’s Rail briefly emerged from plant cover. I’m crazy about how the morning glow highlights his rusty plumage and ruby-red eye in the photograph above. I feel so lucky every time I see one of these birds that everything else is a mere bonus.

It seemed like every bird I passed had a fish in its bill as I made my way across the reserve. The Double-crested Cormorant above was no exception. He dove swiftly for a fish and held it momentarily before consuming it whole.

Although female Ruddy Ducks lack the males’ baby blue bills and white cheek patches, I find them just as captivating. Speaking of Ruddy…

Any day I’m able to add a new bird to my life list is a good day. I’d never seen a Ruddy Turnstone before birding Bolsa Chica, so I was excited to finally encounter this species. They spend the winter on coasts all around the world and breed in the arctic tundra. This guy will eventually develop bold black markings throughout his face and breast but is currently in his patchy nonbreeding plumage.  

My face was beginning to feel tender from the sun by the afternoon. Sauntering back to the parking lot, I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron standing motionless. This species is found primarily on the East Coast and along the coast of Mexico, so seeing one in Huntington Beach, California is not an everyday occurrence.  

I must have taken 200 photos of this bird. I literally had to pry myself away; five more minutes and my face would have been burned to a crisp. Call me crazy, but it would have been worth it!

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