directions to Stockton birds

[Roostertael at aol dot com]

Turn due east at the gas station on the south end of town. Follow main road 2.3 miles to the first left turn after the pavement ends. You should see birds immediately. The main group was a mile down the dirt road at the pipe arch that goes over the road. The warblers and gnatcatcher and flycatcher were north of the road in the junipers. I parked by the stack of ties and walked back and forth between the arch and ties to see the warblers. The sparrows and kingbirds are in the fields. I went back Sunday to get directions. I arrived at 8:00 and was too early. Best times are from 9:00 to noon. : 8:00 golden eagle & northern goshawk
                             8:30 rock wren
                             9:00 blue-gray gnatcatcher  
                             9:30 black-throated gray warblers (several during the next 2 hrs)
                             9:30 lark sparrows and kingbirds and other sparrows were active                                                     in the fields
It was quite windy and I did not see the volume of birds that I saw Saturday. The variety was still good. The birds stayed more in the bushes and trees and not on the fence posts and wires. It was still worth the trip. On the way back I saw a loggerhead shrike and a family of mountain bluebirds in the sage close to town. The sage thrashers were seen 1.7 miles down the road from town in the field south of the road.

Jack