When our kids were growing up, we spent our summer vacations hiking. We drove to all the western states and provinces during these trips visiting the Cascades, Tetons, Sierras, Rockies, Sawtooths, Bitterroots, Wasatch, and San Juans. It was while hiking these miles and miles of mountain trails that I became a birder. I never seemed to be able to identify and remember the names of all the wildflowers I saw, but became quite adept at identifying the many birds.


Osprey in flight by philippietri at flickr.com

One thing I've enjoyed most about golf, is that I can continue to identify and admire these birds. During my rounds I've seen plenty of herons, egrets, kingfishers, nuthatches, creepers, wrens, hawks, seagulls, cormorants, kites, jays, sparrows, juncos, warblers, bluebirds, flickers, sapsuckers, woodpeckers and more. On my recent trip to Kauai, I even saw an Albatross at The Prince Course in Princeville!

Although my favorite bird, the American Dipper (Water Ouzel), won't be found on a golf course, a few of my other favorites can be. One of these is the Osprey.

I first identified an Osprey many years ago along the Snake River in Idaho, southwest of Jackson, WY. I watched this rather large fish-eating bird catch trout after trout from the river, and carry each catch to its young in a nest atop a dead lodgepole pine on the nearby hillside. I watched from a trail at a point above the nest and was treated to a great view of its two young. Their call is a series of sharp whistles, described as cheep, cheep, but near the nest, the call is a frenzied cheereek!

Recently, an Osprey appears to have moved in near Monarch Dunes Golf Course to fish in a lake along the 7th and 8th fairways. I've seen the bird several times now. During one round, I witnessed the Osprey swoop down and catch a 10-12 inch fish, then carry it to a nearby eucalyptus tree to feast. My tee shot just happened to end up right below the branch he'd landed on. I watched him eat for a few moments, then took my approach shot to the 7th green as he simply looked down and watched. By the time I walked by again on the 8th, he'd finished his meal and flown off.


Mute Swan, wikipedia.com

I've also seen Osprey several times along San Luis Creek on the back nine at Avila Beach Golf Course. Along this creek, I've also seen many Kingfisher, Night Herons, Great Blue Herons, Cormorants, and other common water birds. During one round, I saw six Mute Swans, apparently the first Mute Swans to visit our area.

During the spring, I look forward to watching the Red Tailed Hawks nesting in a eucalypus tree next to the 17th green at Monarch Dunes and the many Great Blue Herons nesting in a few huge eucalypus trees along the 11th green at Avila Beach. Unlike those unruly coots and geese, the hawks and herons don't seem to litter the greens with constant droppings.

Unless I'm having to putt over coot poop, I've found that during the rounds where I pay more attention to counting birds than counting strokes, I seem to always see more of one and experience less of the other!

Labels: Birding, Birds