Who are you looking forward to seeing in San Jose at Netroots Nation?
Our locals welcome you to San Jose. I'll do my part to help you meet as many of them as possible. First, greetings from our State Bird....
California Quail - recently molted topknot growing back.
Though the Bay Area may not offer quite as many "target" species as southern Arizona, Florida, Texas or Alaska, it is a great place for birding. Most counties in the area have a "300 Club" - people who have seen at least 300 species within that county. Just over the hill in Monterey, there's a "400 Club" with 19 members; one member has 460 species in Monterey County alone. Our area's dense mix of habitats - ocean and bay, redwoods, oak woodlands, coastal scrub, sage scrub, grasslands, tidal marshes and more - gives birds a lot of options.
At Netroots Nation, we will try to introduce you to as many of them as possible. There will be an "official" birding trip on Sunday after things wrap up at the convention, but I'm up for early morning and lunchtime quick trips whenever it works. There's a lot to see within minutes of the convention center. Any local Kossacks who aren't able to attend NN13 are still welcome to join in any walks or trips - Kosmail me.
Without further ado, let's meet some locals. We can start with the less-common and more highly sought-after birds.
Without further ado, let's meet some locals. We can start with the less-common and more highly sought-after birds. Some of these can be found just 5-10 minutes away from the convention center (by car). Pretty much all of them can be found within a one hour drive, though you may have to spend a little time looking. Still, if you've got a few hours free after you arrive, you can see some amazing stuff.
Golden Eagle with nesting material.
Lawrence's Goldfinch
Lewis's Woodpecker
Yellow-billed Magpie
Phainopepla
Black Skimmer
American Dipper
California Thrasher
Burrowing Owl
This one is genuinely rare, and high on many people's lists, but it's more of a drive (at least 2 hours each way), but the drive does take you to one of the most beautiful places in California, Big Sur.
California Condor
These birds are fairly common; so common that I almost forgot to include them. But if you live east of the Rockies (and especially if you live east of the Mississippi), these are anything but "garden variety" to you. In San Jose, you can probably see several of these species right at the convention center.
Brewer's Blackbird
California Towhee
Anna's Hummingbird
Western Bluebird pair
Western Scrub Jay
Northern Flicker (red-shafted)
Peregrine Falcon - they're all over the country now, but people sure like seeing them.
Is there some specific you'd like to encounter here?