Galileo Hills.
Actually this place is owned by the Silver Saddle Resort Group. They have a small hotel and restaurant and activity areas that cater to those seeking refuge from the bustling city-life, such as archery, skeet shooting and even a petting zoo for the guest's children. But to southern California birders, this is Galileo Hills. How it came to be popularly know as such, I don't know. And frankly, I don't care. All I care is that this is a birder's paradise. It's verdancy in the middle of the desert wilderness made it a veritable migrant trap. Every spring and autumn this place practically oozes with quite a diversity of birds, sometimes including such rarities as an Arctic Warbler a couple of years ago.
That's why we were surprised at the apparent lack of bird activity when we got out of our Jeep. Except for a number of Swainson's Thrushes and scads of Brewer's Blackbirds, the place was disappointingly quiet. While Cynthia and I were pondering this glaring vagary of nature, Ken and Brenda Kyle, a kind and lovely birding couple from Bakersfield, came by. Ken agreed that this spring was not producing the expected number of migrants. However, they saw a Rose-breasted Grosbeak near the Pavillion this morning. Ken then showed us a picture of the grosbeak to give us the encouragement that we so badly needed.
Off to the pavillion we went and it wasn't long before my wife's uber sharp hearing led us to our quarry. Then came one of those propitious moments when the Rose-breasted Grosbeak flew down and started feeding on the ground not more than 20 feet away from us.
And it was one of those Bob-eats-crow moments when Cynthia's photographs trumped my best shots. When a 40D+300mm blew to pieces the 5D2+500mm+1.4x combo. To save face, at least I got some high definition video of the grosbeak.
Here is Cynthia's photograph of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I'm sure you too will say: Oh by gosh!
My video:For more lovely bird blogs and photos, please visit:
7 comments:
I like both the photo and the video - but the background music on the video had me really searching my memory - its been ages since I played that prelude! Very enjoyable!! Thanks!
Beautiful shot! I love the red bib, sometimes its not the equipment but the eye that gets the better shot. Pity about the lack of birds.
Mick, the music is Prelude in D Flat Major by Chopin.
Nice shot, Cynthia! I saw my first Rose-breasted Grosbeak (or, as the park ranger that was with us kept Freudianly slipping, "Big-breasted Grosbeak") just last month, and didn't get anywhere near as good a picture as that. The darn things just wouldn't come out of the branches or sit still long enough to focus good.
Great capture of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak Cynthia! And thanks for cluing me in on the (usual) diversity of birds in California City.
My mom owns some property down there that I have never seen. Perhaps my wife and I should take a little trip down to California City with my mom to search for some migrants this fall? When is the best time to go to Galileo Hills?
Larry, spring and fall are the best times to visit California City. September is usually the peak period in autumn. If you subscribe to the yahoo birding listservs, check out kerncounty for the latest sightings there.
Super photo Cynthia. Great post Bob. (*chuckles at the Bob-eats-crow moment)
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