Bicycle Birding Basics

In the last three years I have done a fair amount of bicycle-birding and have learned the following lessons (many the hard way):

1) Watch for cars, watch for cars, watch for cars (especially the ones with little cyclists painted on the side). Drivers do the most stupid, dangerous, inconsiderate, and asinine things. Watch for it and be prepared to react - it may save your life! Modify your behavior, especially if you are a male with elevated testosterone when you cycle. Its kind of like dealing with cops - try not to curse drivers or have an attitude (especially when they are completely wrong) because they have all the power. Avoid dangerous roads (e.g. Highway 41 from Cerro Alto to Morro Bay where there is no shoulder, falling rocks, and poor visibility due to curves), especially when the traffic is heavy. Pull well off the road when looking at birds - it is easy to focus on the birds and forget the cars whizzing by.

2) Wear a helmet!!! (Even for short trips.) I know several cyclist who have cracked helmets in cycling accidents, and so avoided cracking their heads.

3) Observe the rules of the road, especially stay on the right side, come close to stopping at stop signs, don't run lights, and signal your turns. Not only might this save you a ticket, but it gives drivers one less reason to hit you. When necessary in town, ride in a way where you are visible even if it means you are not all the way to the right. Do not weave around cars, be predictable and visible. When outside of town, stay as far right as possible in or out of bike lanes as some cars ride on the edge of bike lanes or off to the right more than is necessary. Pull into pullouts on narrow highways or whenever else it would allow fast cars behind to pass.

4) Don't wear cameras, binoculars, etc. around your neck when riding - it gets in the way and is uncomfortable on long rides. It may seem nerdy, but a handlebar bag that locks onto the handlebar is the best place to keep such items and cell phone where they are safe and handy. Especially avoid wearing binoculars in areas where rednecks or others are hostile to birders or nature lovers. It identifies you as a target!

5) Keep the weight of your load as light as possible (it makes a big difference on hills) and try to balance it so not too much weight is in the back or to one side. I f you use only one pannier, hang it on the ride side as wind will tend to push you to the right and not into traffic. If you don't need a scope on a particular trip, leave it at home.

6) Bring plenty of food and fluids for the road, and use them. Don't underestimate how much you should eat and drink on a long ride - take 2-3 times what you would normally eat in the same time period and drink more fluid then you think is necessary (don't wait till you are thirsty). Bike shops and Internet sites sell specialty endurance drinks and food. "Bonking" is no fun! Also make sure your water bottles are full before you leave a town with a long subsequent stretch that may have no water.

7) Progress slowly when increasing mileage or hills. It's like running or lifting or any other exercise - ease into it. Especially if you are an old fart like me! Even take it easy on a brand new bike; don't take a really long trip on a new bike till you are used to it.

8) Make sure your bike fits your body. Buy a bike that is the right height and length for your body. Have an expert at a bike shop help you select a bike and set the seat height, cleat placement on your clip-in shoes, and handlebar height.

9) Keep your bike well lubricated and adjusted (brakes and derailleurs). Have at least an annual tuneup by a local bike store. Learn to do basic maintenance such as adjusting cables, adjusting the derailleur, changing a flat, patching a tube, changing a spoke, etc., so you can do it yourself on a ride. On long rides especially, make sure you carry all the needed parts and tools for basic repairs. Flats are a drag. I have been using Bontrager tires with Kevlar belting with success. You can also try tire liners or tire sealant which you inject into the tire.

10) When purchasing a bike or panniers, or other cycling equipment and clothing, consult experts at bike stores and online. Many employees at bike stores know little about bike touring, so find one who does. ( see thetouringstore.com )

11) Wear appropriate clothing for cycling so that you are comfortable cycling and birding. Cycling shoes, shorts, jerseys, leg warmers, tights, gloves, jackets. etc. protect your body, make you more aerodynamic, wick away sweat, keep you from getting too hot or cold, make you more visible, and generally feel comfortable when cycling. Wear full gloves for cold weather (not cutoff finger tips). I wear a bicycle jacket with zip-up pockets and a color called "screaming yellow" which makes me highly visible for drivers. I take along a dull green shirt to put over it or change into (depending on the weather) so I am not birding in screaming yellow. An extra sweater or thermals are useful when birding along the coast, especially with a cool onshore breeze. In redneck areas, bike jerseys with an American flag may reduce abuse from drivers (not kidding). I have an equipment list for bike birding in another post.

12) Carefully check out bike routes before a trip for the shortest, safest route. "Google Maps" and other sources make it easy to check distance and terrain. Google maps are not always accurate about bike routes so check with local cyclists or bike shops when biking an unfamiliar route. Also, check weather reports carefully before rides, especially multi-day ones, and don't forget to check on wind direction and velocity as this can greatly effect cycling. Wind and rain suck big time.

13) When not cycling, it helps to lift weights for leg and overall body strength, cross train by running and rowing, stretch (also after rides), and keep your weight down (long rides help with this!).

14) Pace yourself on long rides. Take breaks, stop and smell the roses or look at or listen for birds, or take photos. Enjoy the rides!

15) Lock your bike to a pole or tree when it is out of your sight. Use a U lock that cannot be cut. Lock the pannier and helmet as well as a wheel and frame with the lock. Lock both wheels if you are going to be gone for a while. If hiking, bring a light backpack that fits a pannier so you don't have to leave it and the stuff in it. Have a handlebar bag that locks to the handle bar and don't forget to take valuables out of it when you leave.

16) Check your bike and other equipment right before each day's trip and after significant breaks. Make sure that the wheels are on tightly, that the tires are fully inflated, the brake pads don't rub the rims, derailleurs are adjusted, and rack bolts are tight. Make sure that your tool bag, panniers and pockets on your clothes are all zipped up and securely closed to prevent leaving tools, money, keys, etc. along the side of the road.  A few quick tweaks before a trip can make a trip much more pleasant.

Break from Green Birding

Leif Rydell and his family (photo left) visited us from Sweden, so I took three days off from my BIGBY to show Leif and his son Hannes some birds in my home territory. (Leif's wife and daughter did other things while we did most of our birding).


They arrived midday on June 19 so we birded nearby at Montana de Oro State Park (photo above). We went there to see Pigeon Guillemot (photo below) which nest in the cliffs at the park and which was new for them. We also had surprisingly good luck at the Bluffs Trail - finding five Pacific Rattlesnakes (photo), which Hannes really wanted to see. These snakes were very drably marked and acted very passively. That was a good thing since the snakes were all less than a foot off a very heavily used trail! I lifted one up gently with a tripod leg and it did not strike. It barely even rattled while sliding off into the weeds.



On the 20th, we went inland to Cerro Alto for birds which breed in riparian habitat away from the cool coast and for the slightly higher elevation which attracts birds like Olive-sided Flycatcher. At Cerro Alto, we met Ross and Mike Schaefer, and Aidan Briggs, from Templeton and Atascadero. They helped us to find many new birds for the Rydells, such as Black-headed Grosbeak, Western Wood-Pewee, a beautiful male Western Tanager, MacGillivray's Warbler (after some long looking for this bird that was singing in thick cover) and Pacific-slope Flycatcher. We also visited Whale Rock Reservoir where we found breeding Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, and Lazuli Bunting (a gorgeous male that flew over tantalizingly, before finally perching in the open for good looks). We were also surprised by an adult Bald Eagle (unseasonal, but they do breed at reservoirs within 30 miles, as the eagle flies). Leif and Hannes had seen over a dozen new species that they had not seen on their prior visit to the area (in the winter).

On the 21st, Leif and I (Hannes decided to sleep in a bit) found a group of very vocal ("chi-beer") Cassin's Kingbirds (they seem to often breed near our coast in eucalyptus groves) on the way to Atascadero, where we saw Wood Ducks at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Since access to the plant was denied, we viewed the birds from a hill on the outside of the fence.  While I couldn't really bird with these visiting birders on my bike, it was a fun bit of birding. I enjoyed birding with them and seeing the birds from their perspective. I was also glad that I didn't find anything I hadn't already seen on my BIGBY since I would not have been able to count it!

Lopez Lake - 2/20

I took a midday break from preparing my income tax return by riding south to Lopez Lake. It was a day of bright sun punctuated with the shade of large fluffy white clouds that passed over in the onshore breeze. The road south of San Luis rolled through picturesque farm land (like the vineyard pictured) and pasture, and then quickly up to the dam. Almost as soon as I could look down from the road onto the reservoir, I saw dozens of Common Mergansers (a brand new BIGBY bird). Nearby were cormorants, White Pelicans, and Buffleheads with other ducks and grebes. Acorn Woodpeckers called from some of the oaks, where they were busy moving acorns around. Ring-necked Duck (a target bird) was nowhere to be found on the still low water level lake. I also searched the sky and hillside perches for any Bald Eagles, but found only Osprey and Red-tails. I searched stands of trees along the park road for some new passerine since I was having no luck with 2 of my 3 my target birds. I did a Pygmy Owl whistle when I heard an odd call note, and was surprised when a Pygmy Owl answered. It called off and on for about 20 minutes, only showing itself briefly when it flew between pines. I also found a large oak tree with dudleya (a native succulent) growing on it, which is different than the rocky slopes the dudleya usually grow on. Happy with my brief look at year bird #2, I went to the lake store for lunch, but found out that they had no sandwiches, burritos or anything else for lunch other than snacks and drinks. I downed a carton of chocolate milk and some chips, and road back to work to continue on my taxes.

First Multi-Day Bike Trip for 2010 - the Carrizo Plain

I had a four day holiday weekend Feb. 12 - Feb. 15, the weather report was great, and it was a good time of year to visit and bird the Carrizo Plain (in the far eastern part of San Luis Obispo County). I spent Friday on a check-out-the-bike ride, and I packed for the trip. Even with much planning, I was carrying 45 pounds of food and gear (clothing for cold morning temperatures and much food because there was no food in California Valley!). I decided to take my scope and tripod (9 pounds!), but not my SLR camera. I would try digiscoping with a point and shoot instead.
On Saturday - day one, I felt good in the beginning. My first 8 miles to Highway 41 took about 25 minutes (mistake #1 - I started off too fast - not at a pace for a 75 mile trip)(mistake #2 was taking a tough ride on a new bike's 2nd ride - the body needs time to get used to a new bike, even though I adjusted it almost identically to my old bike). When I hit Highway 41, I realized that a strong offshore wind was blowing - in my face. Hills + weight + head wind + distance = agony. I was tired in my first 15 miles - 1/5 of the way to the destination! I turned off 41, at Cerro Alto, to look and listen for the Pygmy Owl, Mt. Quail and Band-tailed Pigeon that live in this wooded canyon, but no luck (probably too windy).
This birding break from the hill climb helped and I was downhill into Atascadero before too long (25 miles in 2 hours from the start), with White-breasted Nuthatches (trip BIGBY #1)welcoming me from either side of the road. I took a loop around Atascadero Lake, and had a Mute Swan (non-countable escapee) and a Cackling Goose, which looked like a pipsqueak with the domestic geese. I continued on 41 and had some Band-tailed Pigeons (trip BIGBY #2) fly over me as I cycled in Atascadero. On the east side of town, a bunch of White-throated Swifts (trip BIGBY #3)chattered by and acrobatically fed on flying insects around the Salinas River Bridge. BIGBY #4, Common Raven, soon followed (from then on it was my most common bird). The cycling was not easy - every time I had a good downhill, a worse uphill followed! I realized as I left Atascadero that I only had one water bottle of liquid. (mistake #3 - always fill up water bottles before leaving town for the open country).
By the time I got to Creston, the wind and many climbs had me very hungry and very exhausted (only about 1/2 way to CA Valley and well after noon). I ate a hefty meal and went down O'Donovan to Highway 58 where I practically collapsed when I reached La Panza Road (I should have taken the shorter La Panza from 41 - mistake #4 was not checking route distances carefully enough). I took a 15 minute break lying on a south facing slope in the warm sun, messaging my tight and aching thighs, neck, arm pits, triceps and traps. This helped and I was still alert enough to see a Yellow-billed Magpie (trip BIGBY #5)flying between large bare live oaks along 58 as I restarted. The next stretch, including the last long hill before the descent into California Valley, had me doubting if I would really make it to the motel. But I had no choice - no back up plan since my wife was in L.A. and my kids were out of town.
I very slowly pedalled the rest of the way to California Valley, with just enough energy to notice a very loud flock of 200-300 Tricolored Blackbirds enjoying the last sunlight in the tops of some leafless trees at 58 and Bitterwater Road. I also, somehow, saw a quiet Ferruginous Hawk (trip BIGBY #6) take off from a pole next to the highway, as I approached Soda Lake Road. I reached the motel at about 5:30 PM, having ridden on fumes the last 4 mile level stretch. I rode about 75 miles in over 9 hours.(This was harder than my one and only marathon run!)
The owner manager was gracious and I was probably not. I said very little as I rolled my bike into my room and flopped onto the bed. The room was a little funky, but clean. The furniture looked like garage sale mismatch and slightly worse for wear, but it was comfortable and the remodelled bathroom was spotless. After a long hot shower and a huge dinner from the food I carried, I barely had enough energy to take some notes and set up for the next day's ride. I also cramped badly in the quads, hamstrings, calves and feet. (mistake #5 - more stretching and more electrolytes - something better than Gatorade next time).
After a good nights sleep, I felt fine, but day #2 started with fog! (I cycled all the way there for dense fog?!) I was on the road with all my cold weather gear (including fleece lined leg warmers and a face warmer - see photo), and could only see about 10 - 20 feet from the road! I did have a lighter bike with only one partly full pannier after leaving food and clothes at the motel. I also did see some Mt. Bluebirds from the road, but few raptors. The sparrows were not moving around much.
At about 9:00, it was clearing and at about 9:30 it was glorious! It warmed up, I peeled off layers, the birds were active, and I could see that the lake (Soda Lake) was full. Sage Sparrows (trip BIGBY #7) lined the path from the turnout near the lake overlook (see my map)and were joined by shrikes, Savannah Sparrows, Meadowlarks and White-crowneds. The Sages ran along the ground with their tails up, like little roadrunners. The lake had a couple hundred avocets wading out in the water. The plain was beautiful for the rest of the day - bright green hills and meadows with splashes of the yellow of early goldfields and pools of water reflecting the clear blue sky. The lush fields and jagged hills of Carrizo Plain contrasted with many rundown homesteads, which had a feeling of isolated desperation with their dead trees, dilapidated buildings and mobile homes, and yards with long-broken washing machines and other machinery, furniture and tires. I stopped at the Goodwin Education Center which had an informative interpretive display on the wildlife and geology, but what happened to the habitat there!?
The ride back north to the motel was birdy and Sage Sparrows were in almost every stand of brush along the road. Occasional Vesper Sparrows (trip BIGBY #8) were in several mixed sparrow flocks along the road - often showing their white outer tails in flight as I pedalled by. A Prairie Falcon (#9)flew from a low pole and away from the road as I cycled the mostly level Soda Lake Road, with a tailwind. The blue of the male Mt. Bluebirds seemed to almost glow in the bright sunlight as I passed a few small flocks. The Carrisa Plains School was alive with birds (e.g Tricolored Blackbirds) feeding on some fruit in the ornamental trees, but the dozen or more collared doves were an unpleasant addition. A flock of over 1,000(!) Long-billed Curlews fed out in a pasture behind the community center, with a few calling out their name as they moved to a new feeding spot. A Merlin took off from a fence post and quickly flew over the plowed field.
This would be a great place to drive and stay at the motel and then break out the bike in mid-morning for a beautiful and easy tour of the plain.
I road an easy 40 miles around the plain and got back to the motel feeling relaxed. I had no cramps in the evening, but I was bored after I cleaned up, took some notes and packed for the next day's ride home. There was no TV and I did not bring a book because of the weight. There was a radio which only has AM reception, with its Spanish-language stations, right-wing talk shows, and born-again broadcasts. I reluctantly threw out much of the unused food that I would likely not use on the ride back - to save weight and got to bed very early.
Day 3 started mostly clear at 6:30, but by 7:30 it was very foggy. I left at about 8:00 and started my ride home with some fear that drivers might not see me in the wet fog. I listen for the sound of tires over bots dots to let me know that approaching vehicles were going around me as there was no bike lane on 58. I had learned not to wear my binoculars on my bike as some pickup truck drivers appeared to pass and then purposely cut back in very close to me when I had the binocs. on my back on the day before.
I saw very little as I approached the hills on the west edge of the plain. As I got into the hills, the fog lifted and I enjoyed the sun, the tailwind, and the junipers dotting the grassy slopes. I heard the birds calling as I cycled past - a towhees "tink", a raven's "croak" and a magpie answered my Gatorade belch with a series of calls sounding like a nasally jay. What a difference a change in direction made from two days prior! I started at an easy pace and enjoyed the ride back to Santa Margarita. I stopped and photographed the fields of Shooting stars at Red Hill Road (see the photo). I heard the short and easily imitable "come here" whistle of Phainopeplas (BIGBY trip bird #10) in three locations between there and milepost 16. They hung out in the large bare valley oaks which had many yellow-green clusters of mistletoe. The yellow blossoms of fiddleneck lined the road in places. I was taking the shortest way back to Santa Margarita and home on 58.
After a good sandwich at the mercantile in Santa Margarita, I headed for Cuesta Grade. The start of the bike path before the 101 summit was not very obvious (just a littered drainage ditch) and the start of the dirt road/bike path at the summit seemed to be unmarked. At first, I saw no other bikes and wondered if I had gone the right way. As I sat fixing a flat, many other cyclists came by. (Good thing I had a patch kit and a spare tube as my new spare tube had a defective valve.) The flat, and a headwind on Los Osos Valley Road, were all I could complain about as I arrived home just before 4 PM, feeling tired but fine. On my next trip I will have a high pressure pump and different brake pads as the ones I had were not very quick to slow me. I may take my SLR and leave the scope, tripod,and point and shoot camera as the digiscoping was slow and cumbersome to set up when I spotted a bird and I missed the capabilities of my SLR.
The trip mileage was about 75 miles out, 40 miles on the plain, and 67 miles back. My bike did well (I used all the gears), I learned some lessons about touring, and I saw 10 new birds for my BIGBY! The Plain really is a beautiful place!

Spring Has Sprung?

The first wildflowers (like this Milkmaid) are blooming, the finches and sparrows are eating willow buds, and the first Allen's Hummingbird has returned. Spring must be near? No, I am living in coastal southern California and it is January 17. We do have four seasons (honest) - wet (winter), windy (spring), foggy (summer), and dry and mostly sunny (fall). It is wet now and all of the above things are happening.
I dash out to the seabird lookout (see map) at Montana de Oro on my bike - to get some birding in before the approaching storms. I pedal and a neighbor birder and his beginning birder friend meet me in their car. It is a beautiful spot, but the wind and prolonged observation of different colored specks that have different shapes and flight patterns is not the stuff to excite a beginning birder for long. Pacific Loons are streaming by to the south with Common Murres and a Rhino Auklet (new BIGBY). A nearby otter eating shell fish on its stomach and being harassed by a Western Gull provides some entertainment. We leave after less than an hour to try a quick hike at Coon Creek where it begins to rain and the birds are quiet. I then experience one of the downsides of bicycle birding - pouring rain.

Green Birding Every Day

"I have to walk the dog", was how I initially justified getting up a half hour early to my wife. Thanks to my dog, I started my daily 30-40 minute walks in my neighborhood about 3 years ago. I now look forward to this morning walk as a relaxing and uplifting way to start my day and a good therapy for the stress from my job as a criminal defense attorney. While my dog does get her walk, I also use this opportunity to bird, photograph, or just enjoy the new moon, the sun coming up from behind the clouds, or the fog draped around Morro Rock. I appreciate the fact that I live about 2 blocks from Morro Bay.

I have been rewarded with the goal of most birders - rarities - on my walks. I have found White-winged Dove, Tropical Kingbird, Eastern Phoebe, Bell's and Blue-headed Vireos, Prairie Warbler, Indigo Bunting, White-throated Sparrow, Summer Tanager, Scarlet Tanager, Orchard Oriole, etc. I enjoy finding birds which are out of range for this part of California, but I savor the every day observations such as where common birds roost, what birds hang out together, and the behavior of common birds such as the Snowy Egret (shaking one leg at a time to stir up sediment and find treats) or the Great Blue Heron (sitting motionless for longer than I have the patience to time), or the Blue-winged Teal (moving its bill through the sediment at low tide). I also watch the affects of the tides, the amount of daylight, and the weather, on the birds. Each year, I look forward to the arrival of the first Allen's Hummingbirds in February, the first migrant passerines in March and April, the arrival of the first shorebirds (after their summer absence) in early July, the arrival of migrant passerines from August through October, the return of the ducks in September, and last (but not least) are the Brant in early November.

A considerable part of my green birding involves these daily walks from home. They are a great way to observe birds, but perhaps more important is the positive effect they have on my piece of mind.