Abbotts Lagoon

A very quick there-and-back walk and certainly somewhere I’d like to revisit and spend more time. The roar over the hills sounds like a rush-hour 101 (imagine a rush hour with moving cars) but is the Pacific Ocean. I didn’t get to see the breakers – maybe next time. But here are a few of the sights I did see, and some new birds added to my list.

The California Quail was the first I’d seen in California, though I’d seen plenty in Washington. I can’t recall if I ever saw a Northern Harrier in the UK (they are seen in East Anglia) but this was the first in the US. The Savannah Sparrow the third of the new ones. I also saw a Pacific Wren, but was too slow with the camera, but the picture in my mind and by the sound it made, I think that was what it was. As you get closer to the lagoon then more shore birds and ducks to see – as well as herons and egrets! I caught the Cormorant just as it was striking its familiar pose – but caught it looking like some Halloween Ghoul!

Green-winged Teal (I think) were also a new one for me. The Great Blue Heron was more interested in finding something to eat than what I was doing – and got quite close. On the way back to the car I stumbled upon a beetle – some kind of stink beetle apparently.