Field Journal Entry 6
Date & Location
October 11, 2023
Pt. Reyes Bird Observatory – Palomarin | 37°55’47.5″N 122°44’08.2″W | 200 ft
Site Description
The Palomarin Field Station at Point Reyes Bird Observatory is located across Marin County, just passing by Bolinas Bay. It is a great place for birdwatching in addition to getting to learn about birds, conservation and seeing bird banding demonstrations. The topography of the Palomarin Field Station is rolling hills, coastal bluffs and flat in some areas. The habitat is a mix of conifer forest, grassland and coastal scrub and some key bird species are California Scrub Jays, White-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos and Purple Finches.
Species Account
Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus
Hermit Thrushes are medium-sized songbirds that are native to North America and are also short distance migrants. Their plumage is mostly brown on its head and back with a reddish tail. They have a lightly-colored belly, a white throat and white spots on their wings and breast. Hermit Thrushes live in forests and woodlands where they often spend their time foraging for insects, berries and seeds. These birds are shy and secretive but they are known for their year-round songs that they sing throughout the year. They are monogamous species and both sexes pair bond for a single breeding season. Luckily enough, we were able to see the team at Point Blue band a Hermit Thrush and learn more about bird banding!
Narrative
We left for Point Blue at 8:15 am and after a long, windy drive, we arrived at around 9:30 am. It was a beautiful drive with lots of scenic views even though Fiza, Paavani and I got thrown around in the back but we survived. Once we arrived, we were greeted by the team and learned a lot about the history behind Point Blue and their work. We were lucky enough to be able to see them band a Hermit Thrush! It was cool to see how they collected the data quickly and efficiently without hurting the bird. We learned about the bands and tools they use for different sizes and bird species. After, we saw them release the bird and starting walking out along the trails where they set up their mist nets. It was sunny but there was a windy breeze which made it feel cold. It was shocking to see how thin the nets were because at some points, I didn’t notice that some of the nets were there. On the way back, our car vibed to different types of music and we saw a coyote running along the road! Finally, after a long drive, we got back to school around 12:40 pm.
Sources
¹ Hermit thrush – ebird. https://ebird.org/species/herthr
² Hermit thrush identification, all about birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology., All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hermit_Thrush/id
