Go west(coast) young man.

Tyler and I headed out to the Silver Peaks Brewing Company on Monday night. They have a very good IPA. The next morning, I checked out the Galena Creek Regional Park. I went for about a 3-mile hike around the mountain, seeing many aggressive CLARK'S NUTCRACKER. My goal was to see two lifer woodpeckers: WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER and WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER. Oddly, I did find two, the WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER, and a suprising RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER.


I drove away from there, past Lake Tahoe, and through the Sierras. I made a couple stops in Sacramento to hazard a try at seeing a YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE, but no luck. At a softball park in the city, I did catch a long look at a lifer BLACK PHOEBE.


I got to Kevin and Kelly's house in Sausalito, CA at about 6pm last night. Kevin and I stocked up on supplies (beer), and made a couple pizzas. Their house has an awesome view of the bay.

This morning I went to Point Reyes National Seashore. On the way there, the Bolinas Lagoon was perfect for ducks and shorebirds, so I made stops for looks. I came across lots of NORTHERN PINTAIL, MARBLED GODWIT, and LONG-BILLED CURLEW. Amongst them, I also pulled out a WHIMBREL and STILT SANDPIPER.


I stopped at the Visitor's Center, and went on the Earthquake Trail, which is right on the San Andreas Fault. Immediately, I saw and watched these ACORN WOODPECKERS, which I think I'd like to nominate as coolest looking birds of my trip so far.


Further down the trail, I saw CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, lots of TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, a CASSIN'S VIREO, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, and OAK TITMOUSE.

I then drove to the Limantour Spit. On the beach, there were WESTERN GULL, SANDERLING, CALIFORNIA GULL, SNOWY PLOVER, and these incredible looking second year HEERMANN'S GULL.


In the afternoon, I checked out Five Creek Trail, which circled around a small pond. The pond was filled with AMERICAN COOT and AMERICAN WIGEON. On the trail, I got close looks at CALIFORNIA QUAIL and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW.


On the way back to the "K"s house, I drove through a cloud, which was nuts. Now the whole city is foggy. I'm exhausted.