Thursday, January 19, 2017

Oceanside, CA

Oceanside Pier

Belted Kingfisher female


We are living at Paradise by the Sea RV Resort in Oceanside for the month of January.  We are located about 2 blocks from the Pacific Ocean along the Loma Alta Creek.


The Oceanside Pier is the longest along the California Coast.  We walked the mile plus north along the beach and enjoyed lunch at Ruby's Diner at the end of the pier.

Black-necked Stilt catches a crayfish


A walk every day along the creek brings a surprise bird or two each day.  There is also a cemetery a few blocks away that is always a good place to find some birds.

Heermann's Gull preening

Gazania Daisy

Say's Phoebe with a caterpillar 

Pair of Lilac-crowned Parrots


Cinnamon Teal pair

Showing his colors


One of the best surprises was an Anna's Hummingbird building and sitting on a nest and then seeing her feeding 2 tiny babies, and here it is mid-January.


Young American Kestrel

Red-Shouldered Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk chased by Am. Crow

Cassin's Kingbird tosses insect over and over

Orange-crowned Warbler

Snowy Egret all ruffled up

Peregrine Falcon


Eurasian Collared Dove

Double-crested Cormorant

Pied-billed Grebe

Common Merganser

Gadwall

Western Bluebird


Most days are sunny and warm but God has blessed Southern California with record rain to help make up for the 5 and a half years of drought.


We have been enjoying worship services at New Song Community Church each Sunday.  Friendly folks make it feel like home.


We are heading south to San Diego for the first three weeks in February.

Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Long Beach, Bolsa Chica & Newport




Snow on the San Bernardino Mountains, first in 6 years, really made it feel more like Christmas in Southern California.
White-faced Ibis







After the worship service at Cottonwood Church we drove east to the Santa Ana River in Anaheim searching for some special birds.
White-throated Swift

Black Brant



We birded twice at Bolsa Chica State Ecological Reserve - Dec. 26 & Jan. 2.  Excellent place to end the year and start a new birding year.  We ended 2016 with 511 species for North America and have already hit 100 for 2017.
Long-tailed Duck

Reddish Egret

Time for a close-up

American Wigeon

Green Heron takes flight

Perfect Reflection - Northern Pintail drakes

Redhead Duck

America Coot grabs a Sponge

Belding's Savannah Sparrow

Ridgeway Clapper Rail

Osprey grabs a very large fish

Least Sandpiper



In our last two weeks at Long Beach, we found lots of interesting birds, even though we are in an urban area.  Hikes along the bike paths to the harbor and along the LA River bring many interesting finds.


Cinnamon Teal

Bufflehead gets a Polychete 

Double-crested Cormorant not happy with Ty

Crab grabs Willet Bill or?

American Avocets

Eared Grebe

American Goldeneye

Whimbrel makes a big splash

Blue-winged Teal

Common Loon in Newport Harbor




We had one more opportunity to join up with Travis and Tina at Newport Harbor for a fun Duffy Boat ride around this extensive area.  Travis was our captain and pointed out many interesting homes of Hollywood stars along the way.


This is where part of Gilligan's Island was filmed at the entrance to Newport Bay.

We are now in Oceanside for the month of January.
Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann