Half an hour before the start of a full day conference yesterday, my phone rang, and the call display again said "Jeremy Gatten". This time, the bird in question was a Horned Lark, in the field between McIntryre Reservoir and McHugh Rd. Unfortunately for me, the conference was scheduled from 8:30am to 4:00pm, and I had absolutely no hope of getting out of it.
As soon as 4:00 came 'round, I made a beeline from the Union Club straight to Martindale without stopping to get changed, and I arrived at McHugh Rd with the weather alternating between sun and dark clouds threatening rain. The location where Jeremy had seen it turned up nothing, so I walked the perimeter of the field. An Osprey flew over, as well as a large flock of 150-200 Greater White-fronted Geese. Savannah Sparrows called from nearly every clump of grass, but the deep furrows in the field made it impossible to tell if there was anything else. Judging by the looks I got from passersby, it isn't often that someone in a suit wanders the fields at Martindale. In hindsight, maybe I should have left the cufflinks in the car.....
Just as I was finishing my loop, Jeremy G. pulled up, and we started through the field again. It didn't take long for Jeremy to call out "over there!" The bird in question had popped out of a furrow, and gave us great looks at its striking plumage! We admired #152 for five or so minutes, before leaving it be.
A further stop at Panama Flats, after fighting traffic on Carey Rd for 20 minutes yielded large numbers of shovelers, Green-winged Teal, swallows, and a Cooper's Hawk.
Just over 8 months and 100 species to go!
Good birding,
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