Galileo - October 10th, 2004

Nick and Mary, just back from Peru, get the group together for introductions.

During the LA Audubon Society field trip to the Palos Verdes peninsula, Jon Feenstra had recommended I go to a place called Galileo, north of the desert town of California City. There was a resort there that attracted migrants and vagrants and John said I should be able to get Hammond's Flycatcher and Cassin's Vireo there. Another birder named Erwin suggested I join the LAAS field trip on October 10th. The problem was, I had a 14 hour pelagic scheduled for the 9th and it seemed unrealistic to do the two trips back to back. However, that all changed when the folks from the Condor Express called to say the pelagic trip was cancelled due to gale force wins.

I e-mailed trip leaders Nick and Mary Freeman to see if they had an opening and they responded almost immediately that they did. So off I went north into the desert. The Silver Saddle Resort at Galileo Hills really is an oasis, and a man-made oasis at that. Ponds, trees and green grass contrast sharply with the dry, desert surroundings and it is no wonder that migrating or lost birds are drawn to the location. As we gathered in the parking lot, a Belted Kingfisher was rattling over some nearby water and Red-breasted Nuthatches seemed as common as House sparrows. Nick and Mary led introductions and then we quickly got started.

A not so difficult quiz photo.

It took little time to relocate a Red-naped Sapsucker that had been spotted the day before. This was my second for the year, but a much better look than the flying bird I had in the rockies. We also spotted a Great-horned Owl right off the bat, along with Lincoln Sparrows and what must have been thousands of Horned Larks flying back and forth in great waves above the Golf Course. Everyone got great looks at a Yellow-shafted Flicker and a female Vermillion Flycatcher. We also saw an American Redstart and even some Golden-crowned Kinglets feeding in the grass.

I was walking a few paces ahead of the group when I caught a brief look at a Solitary type vireo in the trees lining one of the ponds. Having seen both Blue-headed and Plumbeous for the year, and having studied my Solitary Vireos the night before, my impression was definitely that it was a Cassin's. Unfortunately, just as I called the bird out to the group, I lost sight of it. Only one other birder, Darlene, got on the bird, and she could only confirm that she saw the distinct spectacle pattern of a Solitary type vireo. As we attempted to relocate the bird, Nick spotted a Blackpoll Warbler on the ground, and this, of course, took precedence for most of the group. Since I had many Blackpolls on the year but no Baybreasted, I made sure we ruled out the latter. We did not relocate the vireo, and when Mary indicated that any of the three Solitary type vireos were possible at Galileo this time of year, I debated whether or not to count it. But Nick later indicated that while the others were remotely possible, Cassin's was by far the most likely. That coupled with my own impression made me confident enough to count it, but it certainly was frustrating that the entire group didn't see it.

The rest of the day was simply good, fun birding with great people. many of whom I had met on previous trips. We checked out some hot spots in California City on the way home and picked up a Barn Owl that Nick spotted high in a Pine Tree near the abandoned Lakeshore Inn. Some of the group saw a MacGillivray's Warbler but I was on the wrong side of the bush.

I will end with a note that if you want to bird Galileo, be particularly sensitive to the fact that it is private property and birders are welcome thanks to the generosity of the management. Birders are encouraged to eat lunch at the facility to generate a little business in exchange for the great birding. There is a debate about whether to post rarities seen there on birding forums. Nick and Mary are of the opinion that rarities should not be posted and that's good enough for me. (None of the above mentioned birds are rare enough to generate flocks of birders swarming the grounds, so I think I'm OK there.)