Today I led quite a team of folks for the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance spring birdathon. We had a vast array of skill levels which helped in gathering our species. This year I decided to mix it up by going out on a Sunday evening with the goal to find owls and poorwills.

We started at Rancho San Vicente Open Space Preserve at 4:30 PM. Our entire 4 hours was under dim, overcast conditions. Starting late in the day meant sacrificing the dawn chorus, but the bugs were here and so were the swallows including CLIFF, VIOLET-GREEN at BARN. We started our afternoon with a pair of LAWRENCE’S GOLDFINCH just off the parking lot near the picnic table north of the bathrooms. Once on the trail three WESTERN KINGBIRDS were rather cooperative. After listening to the WESTERN MEADOWLARK we finally observed just one on the fence.

A pair of LARK SPARROWS were easy to enjoy as they hung out on the trail in front of us. A distant GOLDEN EAGLE was being harassed by an AMERICAN CROW. And a WHITE-TAILED KITE was hunting.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S230328473

From there we drove over to the Harry Road entrance to the Calero-Creek Trail. We started with a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK sitting on a phone pole as we all parked. We first birded the area around the IBM entrance and found ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, SPOTTED TOWHEES, NUTTALL’S WOODPECKER, BLACK PHOEBE, RED-TAIL HAWK, WHITE-BREATED NUTHATCH and STARLINGS. All in all the birds were quiet and we missed species that have been reported lately, but our goal was to find owls and poorwills. As we walked south down the trail we had WOOD DUCKS fly over. We also found one male LAWRENCE’S GOLDFINCH on the top of an orchard tree. We also picked-up the distant hoot of a GREAT-HORNED OWL. That was the best we could do for that species.

Once across Santa Teresa Creek we found deer, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, calling WRENTITS and a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW. ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS and a WESTERN KINGBIRD were out too. We were now birding under low light and having a nice pair of binoculars comes in handy under such conditions. A found a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS and eventually had heard only LAZULI BUNTING. (Jack rabbits come out at this time too.) 

With the sun down we headed back and just after crossing Santa Teresa Creek we stopped to listen for anything and BINGO the COMMON POORWILL started to call (hallelujah). The call got louder and then we heard a 2nd poorwill calling from a distance down the trail where we had just been. After several minutes it got quiet. So we continued and soon saw a BARN OWL silently fly past the team. We could follow it and observed it hunting low over the field south/west of the area where the trail crosses Santa Teresa Creek. Later we heard the typical Barn Owl “scream”. What a great way to end our birdathon. Mission accomplished.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S230330935

I thank all that were on the team and those supporting our efforts. There’s a lot of people trying to raise money for SCVBA. Please consider sponsoring our efforts or another who is participating in the Spring Birdathon. There’s still time.

https://scvbirdalliance.org/event-calendar/birdathon-los-gatos-birdwatcher