Arrived at 7:28. Overcast, 65 degrees, very windy. Of course, the water was high like everywhere else. The lower part of the parking area was underwater but much of Bell Slough itself was okay.
The most significant finding was the Blue Grosbeaks. They were about two weeks early. They looked like first winter birds with the tan body and darker wings. I could not see the rufous wing bars but they were also cardinal sized with the large beaks of their species.
Besides the Grosbeaks, a Double-crested Cormorant apparently fell into the water behind me. I heard a big splash like a rock or chunk of wood being thrown. I turned and saw the expanding ripples and after a few seconds the cormorant stuck his head up and flapped madly to move away. I never saw him fly so he may have been injured before or in the fall. Left area at 9:09.
Species seen or heard:
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Canada Goose
• American Robin
• Great Egret
• Great Blue Heron
• American Crow
• Fish Crow
• Carolina Chickadee
• White-eyed Vireo
• Northern Cardinal
• Pine Warbler
• Dark-eyed Junco (brown adult variant)
• White-throated Sparrow
• Blue Grosbeak
• American Goldfinch
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Turkey Vulture
• Black Vulture
• Blue-winged Teal
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Eastern Phoebe
• Brown Thrasher
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Tufted Titmouse
• Horned Grebe
• Mourning Dove
• American Coot
