Birding In the Local Patch

My local patch, that I regularly bird, includes not only my immediate neighborhood that I cover almost every morning with my dog, Nike, but also Montana de Oro State park and Los Osos. This includes adjoining areas within 4 or 5 miles (15 minute bike ride) from my house. Two days after I got back from my Kern County trip, I walked the dog around the nearby back bay and was back on my bike to Montana de Oro. (I try to get out as often as possible in May and June to cover as many good areas near the coast as possible - primarily listening for out-of-place calls or songs.) At the end of my street, in a place called Pecho Willows, I had my second Black-and-white Warbler (below) of the year. It was a female and stayed for 2 days in the same group of willows. (I guess there is no way to trade this sighting with another BIGBY birder for a species I haven't seen this year?)


At Montana de Oro I had this Gabb's Checkerspot butterfly (below) at Coon Creek, but no unusual birds there or at the campground. Both places were pretty quiet on this particular morning.