Light of Morn
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Audubon Christmas Bird Count, Calero/Morgan Hill
Casa Loma Rd. & OSA Rancho Property, 28 December 2003
Santa Clara County Open Space Authority
OSA's Lori Raymaker welcomes Bird Count volunteers with hot coffee and cinnamon rolls.
Brrrrr! It was a cold morning with heavy frost.
Undaunted by the cold, Bird Count volunteers fan out along Casa Loma Road.
Splitting into teams, our group covered the left side of Casa Loma Road.
Scenery along Casa Loma Road.
Birders look closely to correctly identify bird species.
Roadside color and curiosities.
Birders explored this old barn and found a Barn Owl dozing amid the rafters..
In addition to birds in flight, this atmospheric anomaly* attracted our attention.
*Parhelion or "Sun Dog": 1) a bright spot appearing on either side of the sun caused by the sun's rays
reflecting off atmospheric ice crystals. 2) a small rainbow sphere seen just off the parhelic circle.
Birders pause to thoroughly scan an area before proceeding.
A quick dash through a creek and up a trail heading for Lost Lake.
Birding along a narrow canyon trail on OSA's Rancho Property.
Birders work their way up a sheltered canyon below Hidden Lake.
View of Hidden Lake.
Sighting birds on the far shore of Hidden Lake.
Trail continues uphill towards the summit.
Two towering oaks near the summit above Hidden Lake.
Trailside mixed-oak woodland scenery..
This year's count included a new area to explore.
An extended loop that would bring us back to our starting point.
Birders pause beside an old water trough.
Scouring a winter-bare oak forest searching for birds.
Attempting to identify a dead raptor found along the trail.
Last creek to cross; Rancho's home meadow in the distance.
Returning to the trailhead, Lori goes over the list to tally-up the final count.
Birding team at the close of count.
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