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Allen’s Hummingbird. Pretty and local.
Allen’s Hummingbird is frequently on my client’s needs lists, due to its very limited range of coastal California up to southern Oregon. Allen’s Hummingbird is present year round in San Diego, with resident birds as well as some that migrate down to Mexico for the winter. EBird statistics and my own observations show that the resident population is on the rise, allowing for easy sightings any time of year.
Wrentit. Easy to hear, hard to see.
The Wrentit is another West Coast only resident. It shares the same sagebrush habitat as the California Gnatcatcher, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, California Quail, and many other species. I’m fortunate enough to live within short walking distance of this habitat. Many birders have heard their high pitched trilling call, but fewer have seen them. I find them from the coast all the way up into the mountains. I would say at least half of the birders I guided in the past year wanted to see them. In keeping with the norm for sagebrush residents they are drab in coloration, with dull grayish to brownish plumage, a short fairly thin bill, a pale iris, and long tail. They have no closely related species in the U.S., and the latest categorization has their closest relatives being the old world Warblers. Definitely a must see if you’re visiting the West Coast.
Drab but desirable.
It’s no wonder why the California Gnatcatcher is a top target for visiting birders. This small drab gray bird is only found in the coastal sage scrub of Southern California (in the U.S.) and down into Baja California. The U.S. population is estimated at 3,000 pairs, so it’s listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately this bird favors the same habitat as a lot of developers in Southern California. Field marks used to separate the California Gnatcatcher from the more common Blue-gray Gnatcatcher include a duller and darker plumage, much less white under the tail, and the mewing calls that the California makes.
Loud and clear.
The Red-shouldered Hawk is a bird that is often heard before it’s seen. The loud Kyeer, kyeer, kyeer call can’t be missed. Red-shouldered Hawks have an interesting range. They are found in the eastern states, and absent from most of the western states except California. So if I get a birder from Massachusetts they have already seen them, but a birder from Arizona or Nevada has not. And our California Red-shouldered Hawks are exceptional. They are of the elegans subspecies, which are the brightest colored of them all. They are present in most of our urban parks as well as our neighborhoods, and out through the mountains. A usual day birding will include two or three of them. I often see them with prey, such as lizards, snakes, Ground Squirrels, Cottontail Rabbits, other rodents, and even birds. The urban birds allow close approach, since they are habituated to humans. Back in he 1960’s and 1970’s the population took a big hit possibly from DDT, but numbers today are good, making them maybe the second most common hawk species in Southern California behind the Red-tailed Hawk.
We’re number one!
The bird most sought after by most of my clients in the past year was the Lawrence’s Goldfinch. Frustratingly nomadic, many birders had came to San Diego in the past, only to strike out with this one. I’ve been fortunate to have found Lawrence’s Goldfinch at several locations, and it is probably the most reliable “hard to get” species for me. I have 48 eBird sightings recorded, from the Tijuana River Valley all the way out to Kitchen Creek out near Campo, California. Two of my most recent sightings were at my backyard and at my HOA pool area. Goldfinch species in general are late nesters. Lawrence’s is no exception as I saw a pair nest building in the middle of July.
They’re baaaaack!
Usually high on the wish list of every Birder visiting from out of state is the Tri-colored Blackbird. Most of the year I can find a flock of them at local Lindo Lake, but spring and early summer is a different story. Most of the Tri-colored Blackbirds from Lindo Lake move over to their breeding colony over near Rangeland Road in Ramona. Breeding season must be winding down because I am seeing the flock building back up at Lindo Lake again. I’ve brought Birders to see them at both Lindo Lake and Rangeland Road, but I usually prefer seeing them at Lindo because it’s usually a more close up experience. At first glance Tri-colored Blackbirds resemble the much more common and widespread Red-winged Blackbird. But at close inspection a number of differences can be seen. The easiest to identify are the adult males. Their scarlet red and bone white epaulets ( shoulder patches ) stand out from the orange-red and yellow epaulets of the male Red-winged Blackbirds. The male Tri-colored also has more of a glossy black shade to the body, while the Red-winged has more of a dull black plumage. The bill of the Tri-colored tends to be thinner that that of the Red-winged. In females, both species are heavily streaked. But whereas the the female Red-winged tends to be a warmer brown color with some rufous tones, female Tri-colored tends to be a cold dark gray overall, with no rufous tones. The sounds of the Tri-colored are less musical and more cat-like than that of the Red-winged. Range is another consideration, as Tri-colored Blackbirds are on the extreme west coast only, mostly in Central and Southern California.
A few birds from the past week.
Burrowing Parakeet.
Black Phoebe.
Spent the past week at as a sponsor at Ironwood junior camp in Newberry Springs, Ca. which is just north of Barstow. Busy with the kid’s activities during the days and nights, but did get a bit of birding from 5:15-6:00 am., and some from 6:45-7:30 am. Plus a lot of kid’s activities were at the lake, and in this high desert hot weather the birds frequent that area. First good sighting I had was an Eastern Kingbird. Definitely a rarity anywhere in Southern California. It hung around all day Tuesday at the lake, but disappeared after that. Tuesday morning a couple of Lesser Nighthawks were feeding over the lake. Turns out the nighthawks fly well into daylight there, and also come out early in the evening as I got my high count of six feeding over the grass game fields Wednesday well before sundown. I found all the basic desert birds during the week including Verdin, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Lucy’s Warbler, and Greater Roadrunner. A Cooper’s Hawk tripped the rarities filter.🙄 I think because most of the area is scrub desert with few trees. But the camp area is loaded with trees, grass fields, and general good habitat. Way out of place and also tripping the rarities filter was a Western Willet on Thursday at the lake. It was in full breeding plumage. Loggerhead Shrike was another good sighting at the lake. Say’s Phoebes were everywhere and I saw several recently fledged young. I spent a lot of my limited time studying and listening to the gnatcatchers, warblers, Lesser Nighthawks, Say’s Phoebes, and Verdins. I also had a Coachwhip Snake sighting and several species of lizards.
It’s rare that you can find such a cooperative life bird as this Franklin’s Gull. At La Jolla Shores on May 3, 2024.
Singing.
Sometimes we find other than birds while out birding. Found these Gopher Snakes Friday and Saturday.
TRV.
Visited the Tijuana River Valley for a quick check of the Community Gardens and the Bird and Butterfly Garden. Got a Goldfinch trifecta at the first plot going in, Lawrence’s, Lesser, and American, all in one tree. Saw Common Ground-Doves at both locations, a rarity in San Diego County, but expected in the TRV. There was a small flock of five feeding in the Bird and Butterfly Garden. Also got excellent looks at the Black-throated Magpie-Jays.
Went down to Rohr Park to get the male Baltimore Oriole that’s been hanging out near the Basketball and Fitness court area. Took almost two hours for the Baltimore to show up, but luckily there was a fitness court there where I could do sets of chin-ups in between walks over to look for the Oriole. Also got a surprise male Summer Tanager, that I literally first saw as I was doing chin-ups.
Went over to Lake Murray last Thursday morning to see the Chestnut-sided Warbler that’s been hanging out right at the entrance to the park. It took me a minute to find the Chestnut-sided, but its posture gave it away with its wingtips down and tail up posture. So much different than the multitude of Yellow-rumpeds and Orange-crowned Warblers that were in the same tree. I also got my first Hutton’s Vireo for that location, and my first of season Hooded Oriole. Couldn’t get a decent pic of the Chestnut-sided due to cloudy weather and it staying high in the tree.
Costa’s Hummingbird.
Saw this nice male Costa’s Hummingbird on my neighborhood feeder today. This spot is a slam dunk for Costa’s, and I’ve brought many clients by there for a quick five minute stop to see one. Bonus today was a migrating Rufous Hummingbird, my first of the year. Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of him. Costa’s Hummingbird prefers a drier, more open chaparral to desert type habitat, so you are more likely to find them in the east county and farther east into the Anza Borrego desert.
Finally got over to the east side of Lindo Lake Park.
Scoping Bayfront Park in Chula Vista, picking through the gulls looking for any rarities.
This Ridgway’s Rail was one of eight we saw or heard this morning on the San Diego Bird Festival’s Birding the Border ll Trip that I got to co-lead.
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Lawrence’s Goldfinch.
Tri-colored Blackbirds!
Burrowing Parakeet. A Provisional species here in San Diego, but the population is increasing and spreading throughout the county. Originally populated by escapees from the pet industry that is now breeding here in Palm Trees. The people that live in this neighborhood have been putting out feed for these birds here, so it is an easy task to find a flock at this location. I have also seen small flocks in parts of El Cajon, much farther east than this National City location. The pet trade name for these is Patagonian Conure, which is a reference to their native home.
Black Phoebe. A common mid sized flycatcher frequently seen in Southern California, especially near water. Numbers of them are high right now as many new young have fledged. I saw at least six this morning on a fitness walk I was doing around a small lake.
Little Blue Heron at De Anza Cove in San Diego.
California Towhee singing.
Lesser Goldfinch calling.
Canada Goose family. Dad wasn’t going to let me get one foot closer. Notice how he’s eyeing me up? 🚷
Franklin’s Gull, a rarity here in San Diego. At La Jolla Shores.
Singing.
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