Pick Up the Thrush

Perhaps it was because of habit that we woke up at 5 am. Normally at this time on Saturday mornings we are either already on the way to a birding destination or getting ready for one. Today, however, we did not have any plans to go birding at all. The reason for that is we will be attending a discipleship seminar at Ortigas Center at 10. We looked at each other and I subtly broached the subject of a quick sortie at the La Mesa Ecopark, after all it's just 15-20 minutes away sans trafic - to which my wife hastily agreed. We skipped breakfast (another deviation from the norm) and were at the park by 6:30.

Our primary targets were 1) the Indigo-banded Kingfisher and 2) Brown-headed Thrush. Although both species had already been seen and even photographed by us, the recent postings in Facebook by our friends sort of inspired us to make the same pursuit.

One look at the pond and I knew the kingfisher would be a no-show: the area "residents" had just awakened and were doing their morning ablutions and preparing breakfast. So I decided to pick on the thrush by positioning myself near the fruiting MacArthur Palm tree. Only to realize the vanity of it all. How could a self-respecting bird withstand the joggers, bikers and noisy crowds passing underneath the source of its breakfast? 

Cynthia decided to roam around and try to look for other avian subjects. After an hour, she returned to where I was silently controlling my seething anger and told me that she got nada. Soon, our friend, Fr. Auckhs, came also with the intent of photographing the Indigo-banded Kingfisher. We apprised him of the situation but he had more confidence and patience than us.

At around 8, human activity waned to a tolerable level. I was still at the trail by the palm tree. I noticed some movement behind. It was the thrush I was hoping for. It was casing the joint, so to speak, trying to determine if it was already safe to pick some fruits. It was then that another boisterous crowd walked by and drove my target bird into hiding once again. Luckily I was able to get some shots, albeit a bit dark, before it was spooked.

At around 8:20, I told my wife that we have to go. We bade goodbye to Fr. Auckhs and informed him that we will go around the trail loop and head home from there. As I turned I saw the Brown-headed Thrush feeding on the palm tree! A short burst and then it flew off again. One shot turned out to be good enough. 

We had a quick breakfast at nearby Jollibees and then an hour-long patience-trying, trauma-inducing drive back through a horrific traffic jam. Considering that we still have to go home, wash up and change our clothing, my wife and I did some thrush talking to alleviate our building anxieties (we're both punctual persons and getting late is something that we absolutely hate). 

It was a miracle that we got to the seminar just in the nick of time.

Mission Accomplished

"Your mission should you decide to accept it is to locate and photograph the Bay-breasted Warbler seen at Whitter Narrows Recreation Area. Should fog or any misdirection of locale prevent you from accomplishing this mission, bird photographers all over Southern California will disavow any knowledge of you and your equipment."

After my failure to locate the bird last Friday and my decision not to chase after it during the weekend, I went back to Whittier Narrows Monday morning to try my luck at seeing, and maybe getting a few photographs of the Bay-breasted Warbler. I arrived a little after eight am. The place was covered by thick, soupy fog. I proceeded to the area where it was last seen. Next to the fenced children's playground, construction workers have begun their work. Engine noises and men yelling disturbed the idyllic scene. Not seeing any bird activity at the nearby trees, I went back to the warmth of my Jeep and dozed on and off for about an hour.

About 9:30 am I decided to give it another try. As I approached the area I saw a birder. He said that he had not seen the Bay-breasted yet but explained that he saw it yesterday in this place as he pointed to a clump of trees. Soon we were joined by Jim Moore of the San Fernando Valley Audubon and Jeff Webster of Whittier Audubon. Jeff led us to a huge maple tree where warbler activities were beginning to pick up. Soon I saw a Hermit Warbler pop-out among the dense foliage and I informed everybody about it. Not long after, I saw the object of our hunt and enthusiastically announced my discovery to the birders present.

The fog still had not dissipated at this time and getting photographs of the rare warbler was next to impossible. As the hours passed by birders came and went, each one able to lay their eyes on our avian visitor from the east. At around 11 am, the sun finally broke through giving joy to the birder/photographers (including myself) who patiently waited for such an opportunity.

A little after 12 pm with my 2GB flash card full (95% of which were Bay-breasted Warbler shots), my hands numbing from the cold, and developing birder's neck, I called it day. I took more than 200 shots that morning. From these, only 4 were what I considered acceptable. Four was good enough. Mission accomplished.