This was how my husband and I had the pleasure of meeting Steve Byland a couple of months ago in the Hearts Desire Beach parking lot in Point Reyes. We spent a couple of hours birding around the lot with Steve, and were blown away by his digital camera. He mentioned to us that he posts his photos on Flickr, and when we got home that night, we were even more blown away by the exquisite quality of Steve’s work.

Get ready to join us in becoming Steve Byland fans. This man has the talent, the eye and the
serendipity of a truly great bird photographer!

1) Steve, we met with you at the Point Reyes National Seashore here in Northern California. That’s a long way from your home state of New Jersey. Can you tell us what you like best about the birding opportunities here on the west coast?

There are so many things I really love about the west coast – birding is just one of them. The scenery is wonderful and the people are so friendly that it makes it a very special place to visit. The birds are just a great bonus. For me, the nicest thing about the birds is the opportunity to see a number of species that rarely, if ever, can be found closer to my home in New Jersey. Add to that the beauty of the mountains, the desert and the rugged ocean and I feel like I’m in heaven.

One of my favorite birding spots in California is Mines Road and Del Puerto Canyon Road, south of Livermore. Every time I visit the Bay area, I make a point of stopping there at least once. Combine that with a stop at Point Reyes and a short trip to Yosemite and you will have memories to last a lifetime.

2) Cape May, New Jersey is one of the most important places for birds in North America. It even has a warbler named after the area. Can you tell us a bit about your experiences in this famous area and the birds you’ve seen there?

A trip to Cape May is certain not to disappoint! It is a large peninsula at the southern tip of New Jersey and acts as a funnel point for migrating birds. This makes it one of the best places in North America to find a huge number of different bird species in a very small area. One day in a small field, I saw a Brown-chested Martin (one of only a handful ever seen in North America), along with a MacGillivray’s Warbler and Western Tanager which are extremely rare on the east coast. It is not at all unusual during migration for the birds in Cape May to number in the hundreds of thousands. There are so many really outstanding birders in Cape May that, when something interesting shows up, the word gets out fast.

3) You talked with us in person a bit about your experiences with the World Series of Birding. Can you explain more about your involvement with this annual event and tell us a favorite memory you have from taking part in this competition?

The whole idea of the World Series of Birding is to find as many different species of birds as you can in a 24 hour period. You can go anywhere in the state or limit yourself to a specific geographic area. I’ve done the state-wide event a couple of times, but it is really punishing physically and uses a lot of gas. I now do an area limited to the 7,600 acre Great Swamp National Wildlife. We usually find somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 different species of birds and have a lot of fun doing it. Once, in the middle of the night, I was trying to slow down to make a turn and the clutch failed and would not disengage. We just about ended up in the water.

4) While birding with us in Point Reyes, you mentioned to us that you are a raptor man. Where is the best place to see raptors in New Jersey and what it is the birding like there?

Cape May in the fall is one of the best places to see huge numbers of hawks up close and personal. They get upwards of 40,000 raptors between September and November. Many people bird the local fields in the morning and then spend the afternoon at the hawk watch platform. Mid-September through the mid-October is the best time to visit. The Montclair Hawk Lookout is another outstanding place. Located in a suburban neighborhood, it has a fabulous view of the New York City skyline and is one of the best places to watch the spectacle of the Broad-winged Hawk migration during mid-September. Both places are fantastic spots to watch for migrating songbirds as well.

5) Your wildlife photographs on Flickr are simply amazing. Your detailed close-ups of both birds and animals are absolutely beautiful. Can you tell us about the cameras and equipment that you use and have used in the past? Any recommendations on equipment for beginning birders on a budget?

I use a Canon 20d body with a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS Zoom. This package is a bit pricey at a bit over $2,000 now, but it is really versatile. Unfortunately, birds are small and quick which can make them really tough to photograph. I have tried photographing them with less expensive equipment, but I wasn’t happy with the results. With my equipment, I can get shots that can be almost as good as what I could take with a $10,000 package – it just takes a bit more work and luck.

6) What are some other birding spots in America that you have traveled to? Any other well-known spots that birders are familiar with, or perhaps some special places not generally known to birdwatching?

Florida is an incredible place to go birding. In late winter to early spring, the weather is fabulous and the number of birds is staggering. I think everyone knows about Ding Darling and the Everglades, but some of my favorite places are around the West Palm Beach area (Green Cay, Wakodahatchee, Loxahatchee). You can get so close to birds and wildlife that you have to see it for yourself to believe it.

7) You gave us some demonstrations of a birding technique known as “pishing”, whereby you can get more secretive birds to come out into the open by making some noises that draw them out. You also mentioned that this practice yields better results on the east coast than out here in the west. Can you tell some of our new birding readers about how this works, and on which birds it works best?

“Pishing” is essentially making a sound like “pshh pshh pshh” in an imitation of a scolding call used by Tufted Titmice. They are extremely common here which may be why this technique works better on the east coast. Other birds join in to scold and come out in the open. It doesn’t take them long to figure out that there isn’t anything of interest, but it may give you a quick peek at whatever birds are lurking nearby. It seems to work very well for common birds and not so well for whatever bird you really want to get a closer look at. It is also a good way to convince non-birders that you are truly nuts.

8) You’re a very experienced birder, but no doubt there are many birds here in the United States that you have yet to see. Any dream birds out there that you hope to see one day?

I’m partial to raptors and I’ve not seen a Swallow-tailed Kite yet. Generally, though, I try not to get my hopes up too high about seeing any one bird because I don’t want to introduce any disappointment into my hobby. I’m just happy to get a couple of new birds once in a while and get some nice photos along the way.

9) Of all the photographs you’ve taken of birds, which is your favorite?

This is an easy one. I took several pictures of an immature Northern Goshawk in flight last fall at Sunrise Mountain in New Jersey. The photos I got are probably some of the best that I’ve taken of any bird and this is a species that is rarely seen in my part of the country. There was a lot of luck involved – I had perfect light, a fantastic subject at close range and it flew by in the perfect pose. I had actually seen one earlier and messed up the shots badly. I was heartbroken and then I somehow got another chance. I guess my Karma was perfect on that day!

10) Do you keep a life list? If so, would you share your current count with us?

I have a modest life list of 483 birds. I would really need to travel to some different places like Arizona and Alaska to really boost the numbers, but that will come with time. Additionally, I keep a “yard list” with 148 different species of birds seen in my yard. I have also seen six different species of Parrots (not really countable) near where I live in Central New Jersey with three of them coming in my own backyard. That has to be some kind of record!

Steve, it’s been an immense pleasure talking to you, and we’re so glad we got to meet you on your trip out here to the west.

Please, birding readers, take a gander at Steve Byland’s photo stream. It’s a treasure trove of fabulous bird images!

Me: Good afternoon, Harry. We’re so delighted to be speaking with you. First things first. We love that your website URL is Towhee.net, Was there any special reason you picked the humble California Towhee as you domain name?

Harry: I wanted a website URL named for a local bird. California Towhee are regular in our tiny back garden and in the nearest park which is the Sutro Heights unit of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area not far from the Cliff House in San Francisco’s Richmond District. I might have gone for pelican but all those URLs were taken. The California Towhee is a solid, stolid, dependable creature. Usually seen in compatible pairs. One of the first landbirds up in the morning, one of the last to disappear after sunset. The questioning “chink” call of the curious towhee pairs in the San Francisco parks are a familiar sound for anyone who birds the city regularly. Sonoma has its Spotted Towhees, we have the “brown.” Spotteds appear to be only occasional over-wintering visitors. For a couple years we had a snow-white albino towhee at Sutro Heights.

Me: You live about 60 miles south of us, Harry, so the variance in birds isn’t too great, but you did mention that you’ve noticed a number of irruptive species in your area. Can you tell us what an irruptive species is, and which species you’ve noticed that fall under this category?

Harry: The AUDUBON SOCIETY ENCYCLOPEDIA OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS defines “irruption” as “An irregular migration…often a spectacular mass movement southward in fall and wainter of birds that normally live year-ropund in parts of Canada and Alaska.” The Varied Thrush is having an irruption year in the Bay Area. They’re abundant this winter. Some winters they can be quite scarce. Other birds prone to a greater and lesser degree include: Red Crossbills (which are erratic in all seasons across their range), Siskins, Waxwings, Northern Flicker. Some birds we occasionally get in Central California can be irruptive further north like Snowy Owl (I got to see the one near Suisun this year), Northern Shrike and Goshawk. It’s assumed that variation in weather and food supply have an effect on irruptive birds.

Me: Of all of the places you bird in N. California, which is your favorite, and why?

Harry: Land’s End and Sutro Heights in San Francisco because they’re a two hundred yard walk from my front door. They offer a rich mix of land and seabirds. Here’s my birding checklist for that small area: Outside of San Francisco I really like Palo Alto Baylands, Princeton Harbor, Sunol Regional Wilderness, Las Gallinas sewer ponds. Further afield Woodbridge Road west of Lodi for the Sandhill Cranes and Tundra Swans each winter. Further yet: Sacramento Wildlife Reserve for the wintering Ross and Snow Geese. Then there’s the Klamath River rest stop north on I-5 for Lewis’s Woodpeckers just off the freeway….

Me: San Francisco is such a busy place compared to the quiet of Sonoma County. Some people might even be surprised to learn that great birdwatching exists in and around the city. Would you tell us about one or two key birding spots in the San Franciso area?

Harry: Crissy Field and Lagoon have become a rich birding spot since the marsh has been partially restored. Red-necked Grebe offshore, Wilson’s Snipe, Snowy Plover and more common shorebirds, various grebe and ducks, herons and egrets. You can tick off forty species there in a couple hours. It’s the first place I take out-of-town birding clients. They are always amazed because you have the Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts and birds galore. Lake Merced is another favorite - breeding Clark’s Grebe are a big draw if I have birders from east of Denver. And it is a draw for migrating birds in the fall, waterbirds all winter. Residents rails are a draw and this winter we have an American Bittern, now rare in the city.

Me: One of the most excellent things mentioned on towhee.com is that you will take locals or visitors on individually-planned days out in the field. How does this work? Can you tell us a bit more about this?

Harry: Birders from out of town tend to find me through Google, or friends of friends. We often do our planning via email and then phone. Often it’s a birder or two on a family or business trip. They have a day, or just half a day. Some are listers with target species, others just want to see some Pacific Coast birds. Mostly it’s in the city. But if they really want Pt. Reyes or need Nuttall’s Woodpecker or Wrentit we’ll go to Marin or south to the Peninsula. If a visitor doesn’t want to pay, I try to provide them enough info for a self-guided tour, or refer them to the many free Audubon walks. I do a monthly walk at Land’s End for Golden Gate Audubon.

Me: We know that you are especially expert and passionate about the history of ornithology and that you’ve also authored a book entitled Now and Then which is a history of habitiat change in the San Francisco region. How did you first get interested in these fascinating topics, and why do they appeal to you so?

Harry: I was a history major in college and my interest in the changes of society or natural habitat over time come from study of history of all kinds. For me it’s fascinating to know that Pygmy Nuthatches have dispalced the Red-breasted in San Francisco. That many birds listed as common in Golden Gate Park in 1930 are now gone or rare, while others have invaded or simply returned to flourish. Especially successful now that they are no longer persecuted are the corvids. Ravens rule where I live. Fifty years ago they were not to be seen. Another aspect of historical interest for me has been the early explorers and scientists and the species they “discovered” for science. The only bird named for a Californian, by the way, is Allen’s Hummingbird which Allen collected near Nicasio in Marin County.

Me: What are the current birding projects/activities you are participating in that have you most excited at the moment?

Harry: I am teaching some classes this spring at Point Reyes Field Seminars. And I have a history of ornithology talk for Golden Gate Audubon in April in Berkeley. Also I’m writing a second edition of NOW AND THEN. I had a chance to do a lot more research at the British Library while we lived in London.

Me: Do you have a dream bird you’d love to see more than any other in the world?

Harry: Shoebill in Uganda. All the birds Darwin saw on the Galapagos. And I’ve only seen the little Blue Penguin in New Zealand. One can never see enough penguins. Roger Tory Peterson taught us that.

Me: Can you tell us how you came to be the founding member of the San Francisco Field Ornithologists and what the particular aim and work is of this organization?

Harry: There is a core of a couple dozen very good birders in San Francisco. The most experienced include Joe Morlan, Dan Murphy and Allan Hopkins. They and many other fine birders decided there needed to be a group to organize all the data that was being gathered through Big Year contests and just regular birding. The group did publish the data from the breeding bird survey that had languished for years. My NOW AND THEN booklet grew out of research I did for the habitat evolution piece I wrote for the atlas which is now here online.

Me: Please, share one of your most vivid birding moments with us - one of those moments you’ll always remember.

Harry: Sadly it was seeing two of the last four wild alala (Hawaiian Crows) on the Kona Coast about ten years ago. As of 2003 there are no Alala living in the wild and they are in grave danger of extinction despite a captive breeding program. Toxoplasmosis and habitat destruction may doom these guys, once abundant across the major islands of Hawaii. Further irony: the endangered Io (a small buteo) is their natural enemy and captive-raised birds do not have the innate skills to avoid this predator.

Me: Do you keep a birding lifelist? Care to share your current count with us?

Harry: US, including Hawaii: 559.
California. 379 (snowy Owl my most recent).
San Francisco 274 (several of my friends are well over 300 for the 49 square miles and offshore waters which shows what a rich birding spot SF really is despite its urban habitat and small size).
Europe 324.
United Kingdom 200 (where some life-lomg residents are proud to break 300)

I haven’t birded any real tropics yet so my global life list is still paltry. A couple weeks in Costa Rica could surpass my entire four years and numeorus vacations in Europe.

Me: Harry, that is simply a staggering lifelist! I’m dazzled. Awesome! This has been an amazing treat hearing about your unique interactions with the
world of birds. Thank you for chatting with us today…I surely learned a lot.

Me: Darren, we’ve recently learned that you are the co-founder, co-compiler, and area leader for the Wingo area of the Sonoma Valley Christmas Bird Count. Can you tell us what’s special about the Wingo area, and what you’ve learned about it through your work there?

Darren: The Wingo Area incorporates the southern part of the Sonoma Valley CBC circle. It is south of Hwy. 12/121 known as Fremont Drive. It has a very diverse habitat including reclamation ponds, marshes, wetlands, open vineyards and the Donnel Ridge including Wildcat Mountain.

Me: Do you have a favorite birding spot in Wingo that is open to the public?

Darren: The Ringstrom Bay Unit of the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area is one of my favorite spots that is open year round to the public. It is located off of Hwy. 12/121. Turn south onto Ramal Road and drive approximately 5 miles until you reach the entrance to the Hudeman Slough. There is a large hay barn on the right and a parking lot in front of the barn owned by the Sonoma County Water Agency which maintains Hudeman Slough. This is the northern edge of the Napa-Sonoma Marshes property. You can view ducks and raptors here. There have also been river otters and beavers spotted here.

Me: Do you have a favorite bird that birders should keep a lookout for in the Wingo area?

Darren: Driving along Ramal Road you will pass a large reclamation pond on your left. There you are likely to spot from the road, Wilson’s Snipe along the western bank along with Great Horned Owls and a large roost of Night Herons. If you look off the west side of the road there have been a pair Prairie Falcons in the eucalyptus trees.

Me: When we visit Wingo, there is a notable scarcity of folks there. Do you have an opinion
as to why so few people seem to be aware that this fabulous habitat is right next door?

Darren: The Wingo area has valuable habitat that is protected by The Department of Fish and Game. It also incorporates a lot of private land so access and permission is limited. There is also hunting allowed on certain days in the area. The south side of Wingo closest to Hwy. 37 is Skaggs Island and is government owned land that is closed to the public.

Me: When we’re out in the marsh, we’ve noticed a lot of distant gunfire. Can you clear up for us what this is all about?

Darren: Besides hunting season allowed by Fish and Game, there is a Pheasant Club on the south side and a target range on the east in the area.

Me: What is your favorite birding spot in Sonoma County, and why?

Darren: There are so many. The diversity of habitat creates the opportunity to view so many different types of birds. I think Shollenberger Park at the Petaluma Wetlands is one of the most abundant areas for spotting birds and is easy to access. It is also the home to The Petaluma Wetlands Alliance which offers bird hikes and recently PRBO has relocated their headquarters there.

Me: Do you keep a lifelist? If yes, will you share the number you’re at with us?

Darren: I actually am just in the process and compiling all my field notes and list now and putting a life list together.

Me: What other birding projects, apart from your CBC work, are currently most exciting to
you?

Darren: Tom Rusert has been busy working on some new projects which I will be supporting. The new VOM Nature Lecture Series in collaboration with The California State Parks, The Basic Birding classes offered at The Sonoma Community Center for adults and one separately for kids all beginning this spring and we hope to offer a CBC for kids this year as well.

Me: Can you tell us what kind of binoculars, scopes, or cameras you use in the field?

Darren: I purchased a pair of basic 10×40 binoculars many years ago but found that it was frustrating to never be close enough to actually make out the details of the bird so about 10 years ago I went to a Regal by Celestron 10×50 which if steady can be very rewarding. Also, I have discovered that water proof is a good choice as well. I have not acquired my own scope yet but use a small digital camera when possible.

Me: Have you been inspired, taught, or influenced by other birders? If so, who are these
special people and how have they enriched your life?

Darren: There have been so many people that have influenced my love of not just birding but nature in general. It seems that most birders are caring individuals and most have interesting and passionate lives which inspires me.

Me: How did you get into birding to begin with? Can you give us a brief recap of your
birding history?

Darren: I was born in Missouri but grew up in Houston, Texas and lived in Galveston for many years. As a kid in Missouri, I would climb a tree in spring just to view the color of the blue robin eggs in the nest. This was extremely fascinating to me. I also would try and put babies that fell out of the nest back in but remember my Mom telling me the old “wife’s tale” that if you touch the baby the mother will not take it back. Funny what we remember. I became very aware of the magnificent assortment of birds while living along the gulf coast and would sit on the beach for hours and learn to identify many different species. I soon started expanding my journey of birding to other areas and would visit the Whooping Cranes in Port Aransas all the way to the Louisiana marshes. The Roseate spoonbill was one of my favorite birds along the coast.

Me: Thanks for chatting with us, Darren. It’s been a pleasure learning about your unique love of birding!