Santa Cruz Island.

Wells boys, after almost 2 full years living here in SB, I finally made the trip out to the Channel Islands. I was excited to make the trip out with Beth, and to take her parents out for a day-trip adventure. The islands have been part of the National Park family for,some time now - no doubt a product of the intensely important dynamic endemic population of thousands of flora, fauna, avifauna, and marine life found there. Basically, it's the North American Galopagos. I was most excited about finding a SANTA CRUISE ISLAND SCRUB JAY 379, and we we did -- and we worked for it. I will thank Bill Ellis here, for sticking with me through a 4 hour hike to an oak grove where we had a slim chance at spotting one. After not seeing or hearing any sign of a Scrub Jay for quite some time, I had about 10 seconds of searching left in me. I was ready to turn around and leave the oak grove. Suddenly, two SCISJ flew in all massive and blue. We were able to get great looks for about ten minutes, and call over Beth and her mom for some dramatic views too. YES!! Other good birds were: SOOTY SHEARWATER 380. (lifer) Common murre 381 Allen's hummingbird* (*island endemic subspecies) Pacific Slope Flycatcher* Bewicks Wren* Loggerhead Shrike* Rufous Crowned Sparrow* Song Sparrow* western meadowlark Rock wren Kessie rtha Red tailed Big ray - ven No flick Acorn wood Spotty tow Brown pelly Western gull D.c corm Hermit thrush House finch Peregrine falcon soaring and diving MODO whimbrel Black oystercatcher Barn swallow Caspian tern