We are taking the day off today before we head over to the town of Leggett for our next school tomorrow. Last night we attended the Mendocino Coast Audubon Society monthly meeting where we got to meet a whole room full of local birders that wanted to hear about our project! We received a ton of support and were wished well on our travels. It always feels good to find support in new and foreign places.
After the meeting we got to stay with the club's education and outreach director--Sarah Grimes, who is doing some amazing work with the local kids including organizing a "Big October" where young birders in the area are trying to find as many species as possible this month. She also does a similar program to our where she visits local schools and teaches about birds. It was a great time sharing ideas and excitement around bird education with her. Thanks Sarah!
Check out what they are up to at their education
website!
This morning, we headed over to the local birding hotspot--Virgin Creek and took in the huge surf and the various shorebirds. It was a beautiful morning of birding. Check out our species list and the photos below!
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| A flock of Sanderlings |
Check out videos of Sanderlings online
here. They play the same game at the beach we used to play when we were young. They stand on the wet sand and run inland when each wave comes. They then return to the wet sand to feed on the small invertebrates that were disturbed and washed up in the sand.
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| Long-Billed Dowitchers |
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| Marbled Godwit |
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| You can't beat the CA coast! |
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| View from the bluffs |
Species List: Black Phoebe, White-Crowned Sparrow, Western Gull, Savannah Sparrow, Black Turnstone, Sanderling, Long-Billed Dowitcher, Dunlin, Willet, Marbled Godwit, Long-Billed Curlew, Common Raven, Surf Scoter, Brandt's Cormorant, Eared Grebe, Great Egret, Mallard, Red-Shouldered Hawk
