Peanuts In My Pocket

I went birding near the Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach Central Park. I say “near” because, although I arrived on a day it was supposed to be open, I found it closed for a private event, again. This was my third attempt. I’m sure I’ll eventually make it inside, but I won’t be planning any more birding trips until I can confirm the center will be open.

I had my grandson with me. He was disappointed but suggested we walk through the larger park instead. I told him I often think of it as “Bluebird Park” because of the large number of beautiful little bluebirds that gather in the open grassy areas. My bird counts usually include 10 to 15 bluebirds and around 30 Canada Geese. There were no geese this time, which was unusual, but there were far too many bluebirds to count. I stopped counting at 22.

We spotted a young Nuttall’s Woodpecker searching for food on a bare tree branch. I was able to show my grandson, and he got a clear view through his binoculars, although we didn’t see its mother.

Later, we saw several young Great Egrets sitting in a nest. Their mother was soaring nearby. We counted a total of six of these beautiful birds. Apparently, they nest in the nature center every summer.

I’ve been searching for bird number 127 as part of my 2025 Bird Nerd Project. My goal is 150 birds, so I’m getting close, but it hasn’t been easy. One surprisingly elusive species, the Bushtit, has dodged my camera all year. A flock visits my yard about once a week, but they’re so small and active that I’ve never been able to get a clear photo. I have dozens of blurry shots of tree branches to show for my efforts. It really shouldn’t be this difficult!

While walking through the park, my grandson spotted birds in a nearby tree, three small gray Bushtits! Two were fledglings, and the third was feeding them. I managed to snap a photo clear enough for identification and, boom! Bird 127, the majestic and tiny Bushtit, is officially on my list.

On to 128!