Lynch Canyon raptor tours Nov, Dec, Jan

 

BIRDS OF PREY

Bird of Prey season is back!

Join Larry Broderick for the 2021- 2022 season at Lynch Canyon and Rush Ranch!

Each year from fall through late winter, raptor expert Larry Broderick of West County Hawkwatch leads weekend hikes and workshops so people can learn about the birds of prey that call the Solano Land Trust properties their home. 

During this viewing season, bring your binoculars and join a group to see the magnificent bids that rely on our protected agricultural open spaces for habitat. Birders of all levels of experience are welcome.

Dedicated to Ken Poerner

By request, Larry Broderick would like to dedicate this year’s Bird of Prey season in honor of our dear friend Ken Poerner, whose tireless dedication to conservation touched every aspect of Solano Land Trust’s work.  Ken passed in early June of this year after a ten-year battle with cancer.  It was Ken who first introduced the Solano Land Trust to Larry, and Larry’s expertise and passion have been an invaluable asset to the land trust and the community we serve for many years.

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Upcoming Hike Dates:

Registration for hikes are required.  Please click the links of the dates below to register.

The hike fee is $10 per person. 

Parking at Lynch Canyon is $8.00 during peak season (April – September) and $6.00 during the off season (October – March)

October 3rd [Sunday] Solano Land Trust Lynch Canyon

Nov 28th [Sunday] Solano Land Trust Lynch Canyon

Dec 18th [Saturday] Solano Land Trust Lynch Canyon

Jan 15th  [Saturday] Solano Land Trust Lynch Canyon

February (TBD)

March (TBD) 

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For a complete schedule of West County Hawkwatch events, visit the group’s website at: westcountyhawkwatch.com or its Facebook page.  Or you can email Larry directly at northcoastraptor@gmail.com 

*Photo credit: Pamela Hawken (Pamelarosehawkenphotography.com)

For more information: contact di@solanolandtrust.org or call 707-420-1041

Lynch Canyon 11-1-2020 _ Lynch Canyon Open Space Raptor Tour _ [West County Hawkwatch]

follow up on Lynch Canyon

Lynch Canyon 11-1-2020  _ Lynch Canyon Open Space Raptor Tour _  [West County Hawkwatch]

(all photos copyright to original photographers, use here for non profit and educational purposes only, photos here shown from WCHW photo pool and not of actual birds from the day, rather just references to help those learning, what we saw and how to tell what they are)

Lots of Red-tailed Hawks, most adult a few juvenile.

below is some Red-tailed Hawk photos, details under photos 

   Adult Red-tailed Hawk, dark hood, dark leading edge of wing, brick red tail, buteo form. 

(above) Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, bird has two tone brown and tan look, note barred tail  

Adult bird, good belly band, dark leading edge on wing, dark hood, brick red tail 

 

 

Juvenile bird, barred tail, with good belly band, dark hood, and dark leading edge on wing (patagial)

Adult bird, good belly band, dark leading edge on wing (patagial), dark hood, brick red tail

 

 

Adult bird, faint belly band, dark leading edge on wing, dark hood, brick red tail 

 

 Photo on right shows "scapular 'V' " the pattern of tan fathers on the birds middle to upper back 

^ Above Red-tailed Hawk details on age and morphs...

Different age and morphs of red-tailed hawks (above)

 We also saw quite a few American Kestrels[below]

 

 

American Kestrel, [male from female difference] Male on left, female on right 

 American Kestrels, male on left, female on right 

 American Kestrels, Female on left, Male on right 

American Kestrel Range amp above ^

We also saw lots of Harriers. (Northern Harrier)

[Male] below

 Male Northern Harrier 

 

 

         Female Northern Harrier 

 

 

                             range map Northern Harrier  

                                          Age and male/female Northern Harrier 

 

We had some views of a Burrowing Owl, lucky to get both in flight views and a perch view.  

      

 

  Golden Eagle hunting Burrowing Owl (just a visual to show the protection to burrows offer)

Good chance some of the burrows we had passed had owls or badgers in them 
Above photos Burrowing Owls, true to their form they love burrows.....  

 

All day long we had Turkey Vultures  

wings held at a dihedral or swallow V and primary feathers at the tips of the wings "fingered out" and small non bird of prey like head, more of a scavenger head.... 

We also had good looks at Golden Eagles, 2 adults and a juvenile

Adult Golden Eagle above

Sub adult Golden Eagles (above, notice white base of tail)

Hey! look whos on the WCHW logo! (Adult Golden Eagle)

So on the drawing above we have Golden Eagles right is adult, middle is sub adult and left is juvenile, aka first year bird.

We also saw White-tailed Kites. 

 ... and to finish out the day we had a Sharp-shinned Hawk. (Below) small woodland hawk, in the accipiter group, short winged, head doesn't get to far past wrists, usually shows a squared off tail. 

Book we mentioned that goes into detail on all these above raptors and highly recommend for the next step in Raptor ID if you are going to take it 

Its got three different covers here are the two most popular covers.

Please check out Facebook page, like and if possible recommend us based on your days experience: on Facebook  www.facebook.com/WestCountyHawkWatch

Check the website for upcoming events: official Web page www.westcountyhawkwatch.com 

And here on this page we post reports from past events, like the event we had at described above: on Google Blogger  http://westcountyhawkwatch.blogspot.com 

thanks for coming out, it was a fun day, Larry Broderick 

Estero Americano Tour... ... 2020 with The Wildlands Conservancy

You must register! Wait list can turn into a ticket in! If people cancel, you'll get a call! Also let em' know there is interest for this GUIDED hike. 

Even if it's full, sign up for wait list! 

Event Details: Witness the fall raptor migration from The Wildlands Conservancy's 548 acre Estero Americano Coast Preserve, located on the southernmost section of the Sonoma coastline in Bodega Bay.  While hiking through the grassy slopes above the Estero Americano, these remarkable aerialists will awe us with their acrobatics and grace as they make their annual migration south.  Larry Broderick, founder of West County Hawk Watch and the Jenner Headlands Raptor Migration Project, will guide us through the hills teaching us how to identify the raptors that we encounter. Make sure to bring your binoculars to catch all the action!

Be prepared to walk approximately three miles of steep and rugged terrain for this hike!  We will meet at 9:45 am at the Bodega Country Store, 17190 Bodega Highway, Bodega, CA.  We will caravan to the preserve from the store. 

The Wildlands Conservancy prioritizes the safety and health of our employees and visitors.  All hike participants are required to have a face mask and maintain at least a 6-foot social distance from others.  Participants must wear a mask when you cannot maintain a safe social distance.  It is recommended to bring your own hand sanitizer.  Stay home if you feel unwell. The hike is limited to ten participants. 

https://getinvolved.wildlandsconservancy.org/event/estero-americano-coast-preserve-or-coastal-raptor-migration-hike-october-24-2020/e298647

Updates on Lynch Canyon trip 10-18-20 Solano Land Trust outing...

 As promised some ID help on what we saw today 10-18-20 Lynch Canyon. 

Golden Eagle:

below is 1st year [left], sub adult [middle] and adult [right] from reports of team members we saw a sub adult 

Red-tailed Hawk. Large soaring hawk in the genus Buteo:

Dark hood, belly band, dark patagial bars (aka wing bars, on leading edge of wing) adult has brick red tail: 

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, Dark hood, good belly band, dark patagial, and finely barred tail 

White-tailed Kite, White, Grey, Black... It is a Kite, but similar to a falcon form (body shape)

Northern Harriers Male, Female, Juveniles

American Kestrels Male directly below, and Female below that.... notice the tails....