San Simeon and Monterey trip, 12/24/17 - 12/27/17

New species for life list

Mammals:
California Vole, Microtus californicus
Striped Skunk, Mephitis mephitis (dead, no photos) (my dad wouldn't pull over to the side of the road to let me photograph it as he said it smelled too terribly.)
Southern Sea Otter, Enhydra lutris nereis
Northern Elephant Seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Plains Zebra, Equus quagga

Birds:
Mew Gull, Larus canus
Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Poecile rufescens

Plants:
Monterey Cypress, Cupressus macrocarpa
Monterey Pine, Pinus radiata

Newly photographed species:
Harbor Seal, Phoca vitulina
Glaucous-winged Gull, Larus glaucesens
Royal Tern, Thalasseus maximus

Notable species previously photographed:
Coyote, Canis latrans
Pelagic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus
American Kestrel, Falco sparverius, (not unusual, but the number of individuals sighted on fenceposts and signs from San Luis Obispo to San Simeon and along the 101 freeway from Salinas south to San Luis Obispo was more than I have ever seen before in my life)
Wrentit, Chamaea fasciata (an exceptionally tame individual at Gaviota northbound rest area)
Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotricha atracapilla (a flock of over 25 at Gaviota southbound rest area, having previously seen only single individuals in White-crowned Sparrow flocks)

Publicado el diciembre 28, 2017 02:54 MAÑANA por ari10