Estero Bluffs Revisited

I am glad that many of the birds I have needed for my BIGBY are up Highway 1 from where I live because it is a beautiful and very comfortable ride. The map of my green year, linked on this blog, shows how little I have gone south beacuse the ride north is so much more bike friendly and scenic. That will change in the fall when I will be bicycle-camping at Oceano frequently. Today, 3/13, I took the 30 mile round trip ride to Estero Bluffs Sate Park, and locked my bike near the San Geronimo Creek/Road pullout (at the windmill north of Cayucos) so I could hike out to the bluffs to look for the male Harlequin Duck and some Ruddy Turnstones.
When I do such bike and hike trips I empty what is left in my handle bar bag (after I take out my binos, my camera, and my cell phone) into my pannier and put the pannier into the day pack, that was in the pannier, so I can hike and leave no valuables at the bike. My handlebar bag locks to the bike and I put my bike shoes somewhere inconspicous so I can hike in running shoes I brought. I take the tripod from my rear rack and my scope from the pannier and I am ready to go.
There are several access points to the Estero Bluffs and this is my favorite because the trail here goes out along the creek, goes across a short beach and back up onto the bluffs to the north. The bluffs can be windy, but the beach below is often sheltered from the wind. One particular cove to the north of San Geronimo Creek is particularly sheltered and the rocks offshore protect much of the cove from the waves. Harbor seals haul out here on the many rocks. Mergansers, grebes and scoters feed in the relatively calm waters. This is where I found the Harlequin Duck (BIGBY#210) - basking beautifully on a rock not too far from shore. I ate an early lunch at this cove and enjoyed these birds as well as the turnstones, Whimbrel, oystercatchers, pipits, and other birds as well as the unusual rock formations, flowers (Blue-eyed Grass was out in bloom), and clear blue sky and great visibility after the prior evenings rain.
I never could find any Ruddy Turnstones. I had over 60 Black Turnstones and at least eight other shorebird species, but no Ruddies. I had only one new BIGBY bird and I will have to return to find the Ruddy and maybe a Wandering Tattler. Not that I need a reason to return to this incredible spot!

BIGBY Chasing

Chasing rarities is a little more of a challenge when you have to cycle to a bird, rather than drive to it. I have more time invested in a chase if I have to cycle twelve miles and hike 3 miles rather than driving and hiking 3 miles. This was the case with a Sage Thrasher, which my wife and daughter found on the local December 19 Christmas count. It had not been looked for since (as far as I knew) so it may may or may not still have been there. It was a bird I might not otherwise have seen on my BIGBY.
So, I decided to spend much of my morning looking for it today. My wife agreed to pedal over with me and show me where it was found. We locked our bikes at the kiosk for the Point Buchon Trail (PG&E property), just south of Montana de Oro State Park, and hiked out to Disney Point. From that location, the bird had originally been seen about 1/2 mile south - next to a boulder and rock pile, with bushes. Today it was not there! We searched all of the brushy area to the south of the boulder without luck. Just as we were about to leave, Celeste spotted the above bird perched on a bush over 100 feet away. It was too far away for a good photo, so I am posting the photo taken by my daughter on December 19th. A bird that you have to really work for is even more satisfying to find! We watched it for about ten minutes as it repeatedly flew to the ground to feed and then flew back to an open perch.

Green Birding Categories and Records

There has been talk in birding circles about listing green birding categories for big days, big years, etc., but it has generally not been too specific as to what categories could/should be counted. I list the following categories just as a starting point for discussion. The ABA does not seem receptive and so I will try to put many of these categories on this blog. Please let me know if you know of high numbers for the categories listed (I list some numbers I am aware of).

1) Big Green Big Year (Bigby) – The number of species found in one calendar year without using any gas (walk, bike, canoe, etc.) and starting each birding trip at your regular residence or regular place of work. (See http://www.sparroworks.ca/CA/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=58&Itemid=66 for details). The most I have heard of is 295 in a year by Andy Kleinhesselink and Josiah Clarke of San Francisco.
2) Walking Bigby – Same as #1, but walking only. I do not know the highest total for this. (Should #1 and #2 be combined?)
3) Public Transit Assisted Bigby – the same as #1, but the counter can use public buses, subways and trains. Should other forms such as ferries be ok? (Planes are not allowed.)
4) Green Big Day – starting and finishing from home or your regular place of work, bird for a 24 hour day without using fuel. Should you be able to start or end somewhere else as long as you used no gas to get there and to return to home?
5) Semi-green Big Day – birding for a 24 hour day and using no fuel, but starting and finishing anywhere. Ted Parker and Scott Robinson had 331 species in Tambopata National Reserve, Peru, in 1982. I do not know the exact date.
6) Big Sit – counting all the birds you see and hear in one day from a 17’ diameter circle. (See http://birdwatchersdigest.com/site/funbirds/bigsit/bigsit.aspx ) I would propose not limiting this number to the official big sit count date in October. Cape May had 146 species in a day on 10/11/09, but I don’t know if one person saw all of the species. Anyone know? They may also have had more in the spring.
7) Big Foot Hour – How many species can you find in one hour without using any gas – should it be ok to get to the start point, or home from the finish, without using gas (e.g. by foot or bike)? Keith Hansen and Peter Pyle had 83 species in Bolinas, California, in one hour.
8) Wheelchair Big Green Big Year – I have no idea what numbers have been achieved and would like to hear from birders.
9) Wheelchair Green Big Day – again I have no idea but would like to hear what birders have achieved here.

Any of these categories could be listed by state, country or continent.