Las Gallinas Ponds birding

Sarah & I had a nice walk today at Las Gallinas Storage Ponds in Marin, although the midday time and strong winds kept the bird numbers a little lower than they’d been on our prior visit to this area.

Despite the strong gusty winds blowing from the west, a fair number of waterfowl were visible on the ponds, mostly ducks, although there were a half-dozen Aechmophorus grebes (Definitely some Western, but I couldn’t positively ID any Clark’s – this time of year they often look rather similar!).

An American Pipit flitted about on the shoreline, with a Hermit Thrush nearby, and a couple of Greater Yellowlegs also nearby. A Black Phoebe practiced its flycatching from the rocky shore, and numerous Turkey Vultures soared overhead. One White-tailed Kite was perched on a tree, and a Northern Harrier hunted the fields to the north of the ponds.

On our southward return, we found the remains of an accipiter on the ground, thoroughly eaten, and we collected a few of its primary feathers (don’t try this at home – they can carry disease and it’s probably illegal to boot). When we’d had enough of the heavy winds, we returned to the car, stopping by China Camp SP on the way back to see if there was anything afoot – other than an Osprey (always fun to see!), there wasn’t.

This is a good place for morning birding, but it’s a little on the windy side in the afternoon. Also, being as these ponds are wastewater treatment ponds, they can be a little … uh … fragrant! Nonetheless, lots of birds congregate here, and I’ll surely be back at some point.

33 Birds seen:
– American Crow
– American Goldfinch
+ American Pipit
– Barn Swallow
– Black Phoebe
– Brewer’s Blackbird
– Buteo sp.
– Canada Goose
+ Clark’s Grebe
– Cliff Swallow
– Cinnamon Teal
– Common Raven
– Double-crested Cormorant
– Dowitcher sp.
– European Starling
– Gadwall
– Great Blue Heron
– Greater Yellowlegs
– Hermit Thrush
– House Finch
– House Sparrow
– Mallard
– Northern Harrier (F)
– Northern Shoveler
– Osprey
– Red-winged Blackbird
– Ruddy Duck
– Song Sparrow
– Tree Swallow
– Turkey Vulture
– Western Grebe
– Western Gull
– White-tailed Kite

+ = year bird