My nerves are frayed. Route 299 from Aecata to Redding was a harrowing experience. Rock slides, no guard rails and 3400 foot elevation. The drive to Arcata was along the Avenue of the Giants. WOW! Even in the rain it was stunning.  I did pee on a Redwood.
After Weaverville I stopped along a stream to try to spot an American Dipper. I walked into the forest to pee and looked up and there it was, watching me pee-Dipper! I said thank you and zipped up and got back in the car.
 I am at the Desmond House B&B in Redding. Beautiful valley. Sacramento River across the street has salmon running-Chinook. Sundial Bridge is interesting. I am here to see the Yellow-billed magpie. People say they are here in a park. As soon as the rain lets up I am off to find this bird. Not leaving the valley until I see it. Mount Shasta is a 1.5 hour drive north. I Think I will stay tonight in Weed, Ca. Think I'll find pot-heads there? Gotta pee-bye for now.

Another day spent with binoculars around my neck. Saw some otters in the surf and thought they were sea otters. No sea otters near here, they were river otters. Watched  the parents feed their pups for an hour. Walked the nature trail up in the mountains for 2 hours and met the man who built it. Bear tracks everywhere. Black Sand beach was interesting. Hiking trail goes 25 miles up the coast. Some people never come back. Some should not. I am still in Humbolt county and the people under 50 suck. Pot-head white trash. I feel sorry for the teenagers here. One jumped off the cliff and swam out to sea last week.
Finally saw a Bewicks wren. California quail are abondanza. Fox squirel are lightly colored.. The stars are so clear when the breeze is off the Pacific. Rain today and I am off to Redding. 5 hour drive today. Inn of the Lost Coast is a must for everyone. Picture below is my hotel and off my balcony. I hope I can return. The ocean is very rough this morning. Sounds like a train.

What a day!  Rob Fowler bird guide was phenomenal. fowleropebirding.com  He showed me every special bird I was looking for. I added 16 species this morning. MacGillavray's warbler, damn! Pacific loom, common murre, on and on, all the ones I wanted. Well worth $100.
Left Arcata at 2 and arrived Inn of the Lost Coast at 4. Redwoods galore, 40 minutes to go 15 miles on a winding road up to 1500 feet, then down again.  No pics of redwoods yet- too hard to pull over. Posted pictures on my jwerick Flickr. Airstrip here has black-tailed deer nibbling on grass. I do believe this was one of the best days of my existence.  Harbor porpoise at the jetty and seals below my balcony as a write. Oh, forgot the 400 surf scoters at the jetty! Golly damn. Tomorrow I am going to kiss a 1800 year old tree. I peed on a Bush but would  never pee on a redwood.  Sensory overload, off to bed.  Nighty night, seals.

Spent the night at the B&B pictured below. Very nice sleep. Found out why there are so many hippies here. Marijuana is the largest business for Humbolt county! Really! Humbolt State University has one of the best environmental programs in the country. Add  pot to that and who wouldn't send there kid here? My bird guide has arrived. Off to the jettys.

Spent the night in Gold Beach, Oregon. Nice room overlooking Pacific with wood burning fireplace. Built a fire and listened to the waves.  Driving down from Ya-hats, saw hundreds of  Stellars and California seals.  They are on the rocks in the last picture bellow. There is a vista every 2 miles it seems.
My 500th bird was a Western meadowlark. I have added 20 birds to my list so far.  Arrived in Arcata, California via the Redwood Highway 101.  Spectacular trees. They make lovely picnic tables here. Saw elk along the road. Animals are smarter here. I have only seen one dead opossum in the road.
Hired a bird guide and meeting in the morning. Humbolt Univ is in Arcata and it happens to be their 100th anniversary. Never saw so many hippies in my life! Staying at the Lady Ann B&B\ built in 1888. Very California.
I am exhausted. Will write again soon

Yachats, Oregon

I arrived yesterday in Portland after a long day in the air. I drove 4 hours to the coast and found the Pacific was not very pacific. Had not seen it since Costa Rica in 2004. As I write I am watching the waves slam into the rocks below my room in Yachats (Yahats). California and Western Gulls are  sleeping just above the splash zone. I am at 498 on my life list and as soon as the sun comes up I will get my 500th lifer. I am hoping for something such as a perching bird but I will probably see one of the local cormorants.
Yachats reminds me of  Bodega Bay, 600 miles south. There are hundreds of crows and gulls at the mouth of the Yachats River. Went to the local bar and expected to see Mrs. Bundy. Instead I met Mary who welcomed me to Yachats  with sincerity.  The sun came out and provided a rainbow over the little hamlet. Y will have to see my Flickr page for pictures.   jwerick on Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/84231798@N07/