Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from San Diego Birding List > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Sunday, March 14 at 11:53 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Tree Sparrow,©David Sibley

15 Mar Laguna Mt area ["uwviper" ] 15 Mar East County Locations 3-14-10 ["ERIC" ] 15 Mar Sorrento Directions ["Waldo" ] 14 Mar Sunday pelagic trip highlights ["lehman.paul AT verizon.net" ] 14 Mar Tecolote Canyon ["bicyclebirder" ] 14 Mar Sorrento Location ? ["Waldo" ] 14 Mar Tamarisk Grove [Catherine Zinsky ] 14 Mar Around Point Loma & Tierra Santa Today ["Finatic" ] 13 Mar Borrego Springs and San Ysabel Birds March 11-13,2010 [] 13 Mar county lake check = tame geese ["lehman.paul AT verizon.net" ] 13 Mar Simpson's Nursery Jamul ["bicyclebirder" ] 12 Mar Tierrasanta, Del Mar, and MTRP birding, 3-12-10 [Jay K ] 12 Mar Borrago Springs Sage Thrashers ["cglacy" ] 13 Mar Upas/Florida Canyon and Famosa Slough 3-12-10 ["ERIC" ] 12 Mar RFI's for late March trip to San Diego ["william.blackburn AT ymail.com" ] 11 Mar Zone-tailed Hawk in Oceanside [Kevin Clark ] 12 Mar leucistic/partially albino (i don't know...) red-tailed hawk ["miceelf7" ] 12 Mar Plumbeous Vireo ["bicyclebirder" ] 11 Mar Borrego trip [Bob Miller ] 11 Mar Probable Cooper's Hawks ["Waldo" ] 11 Mar Mountain Woodpeckers ["bicyclebirder" ] 10 Mar L. Longspur and Horn Larks ["Jean" ] 11 Mar East County 3-10-10 ["ERIC" ] 11 Mar Thrushes in the mountains ["bicyclebirder" ] 10 Mar FS: Canon 15x50 IS Binoculars ["Trent R. Stanley" ] 10 Mar Florida & Upas Getting Birdy ["wlemlin" ] 10 Mar Cassin's Finch at William Heise park ["florockets" ] 10 Mar 4 Black-footed Albatross, Laysan Albatross ["thunefeld" ] 09 Mar Pelagic March 14, Nine-Mile Bank and Coronado Is [sunbelt ] 09 Mar Pelagic March 14, Nine-Mile Bank and Coronado Is [sunbelt ] 9 Mar Re: LJ Cove Tuesday morning [Jay K ] 09 Mar Glaucous Gull Sunday March 7 at 7th Street ["lazulibuntings" ] 09 Mar LJ Cove Tuesday morning ["peterginsburg" ] 09 Mar results of Mon 8 March San Elijo monthly bird count ["rtpatton02" ] 8 Mar LJ Cove, Monday afternoon [Stan Walens ] 08 Mar SD Bird Festival Photos ["Finatic" ] 08 Mar Nine Mile Bank Laysan Albie; San Diego Black-footed Albie & Brown Booby ["thunefeld" ] 08 Mar Birding in the rain in Ramona ["d_lewi" ] 07 Mar Thursday's Pelagic 4MAR2010 ["thunefeld" ] 06 Mar PT. LOMA 3-6-10 ["ERIC" ] 06 Mar Eurasian Wigeon ["Gary G" ] 06 Mar female hooded oriole and others at Florida & Upas ["wlemlin" ] 6 Mar Bird Festival Palomar/Lake Henshaw highlight ["Geoffrey Rogers" ] 06 Mar Varied Thrushes ["mmcclitgif" ] 5 Mar Few recent birding pics [Keerthana R ] 06 Mar San Diego Bird Festival Pelagics are a "go" for Saturday and Sunday ["thunefeld" ] 05 Mar REMINDER: MTRP Photo Exhibit Reception Invite ["hooverhorn" ] 4 Mar spring arrivals, continuing rarities ["lehman.paul AT verizon.net" ] 05 Mar San Diego County Black-footed Albatross ["thunefeld" ] 4 Mar FW: spring arrivals, continuing rarities ["lehman.paul AT verizon.net" ] 4 Mar Pt Loma Thur. afternoon [thomas meixner ] 05 Mar Little Gull at lake Perris (THREAD CLOSED) ["Doug" ] 04 Mar Little Gull at Lake Perris ["tburr155" ] 4 Mar LITTLE GULL at Lake Perris - Yes [Timothy Burr ] 04 Mar LITTLE GULL at Lake Perris - Yes ["tburr155" ] 04 Mar Little Gull at Lake Perris ["tburr155" ] 04 Mar turkeys in Cuyamaca ["patricia fishtein" ] 4 Mar Birding the SD Floodway for the Bird Festival ["Claude Edwards" ] 3 Mar Nome-banded WESA found in San Diego! [Kate Goodenough ] 3 Mar South Bay scouting, Wed. afternoon [phil Pryde ] 3 Mar Summer Tanager & Painted Redstart ["Roger Uzun" ] 3 Mar Pt Loma Wed morning [Joe Sweeney ] 03 Mar sightings of Aviara tundra swan? ["rtpatton02" ] 03 Mar next San Elijo monthly bird count Monday 8 March ["rtpatton02" ] 03 Mar request for info on banded sandpiper sightings ["rtpatton02" ] 03 Mar Little Gull at Lake Perris ["tburr155" ] 2 Mar Tierrasanta Birds: Common Poorwills etc. [Jay K ] 02 Mar Banded Terns ["bicyclebirder" ] 2 Mar 2009 - present posts searchable again ["Matt Sadowski" ] 02 Mar Bird Festival Pelagics Begin This Week ["thunefeld" ] 1 Mar Another Summer Tanager; Lewis's Woodpeckers [Barbara Carlson ] 1 Mar Allens Hummers start nesting at S.D. (Quail) Botan. Gardens, Encinitas,3/1/10 [] 1 Mar Black Oystercatcher in North County [Kenneth Weaver ] 01 Mar Continuing Summer Tanager (and others) at Florida & Upas ["wlemlin" ] 01 Mar LEWIS' WOODPECKER - DESCANSO- FEB 28, 2010 ["wngit2" ] 01 Mar LEWIS' WOODPECKER - DESCANSO- FEB 28, 2010 ["wngit2" ] Subject: Laguna Mt area From: "uwviper" <UWVIPER AT aol.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:47:22 -0000 While out scouting for an upcoming orienteering race, Nancy and I managed to do a little birding in the meadows and forest around Big Laguna Lake. Western Bluebirds were everywhere as were Dark-eyed Juncos and Steller's Jays. The usual suspects were around also; Red-tailed Hawks (courting), Acorn Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, White-breasted Nuthatches, Brewer's Blackbirds, Mallards, Common Ravens and Violet-green Swallows. Also saw a couple Horned Larks, Pine Siskens, and a lone male Bufflehead on the Big Laguna Lake. Probably the best bird of the day was seen at the intersection of Sunrise Highway and Hwy 79. Nancy spotted a dark colored raptor perched on a snag, and unfortunately I only got a few second look at in the scope and through binos. But I believe it was a dark morph Ferrugionus Hawk. If any one else happens to be in the area and sees it again, please let me know what you think. Good Birding! Jeff Coker Oceanside, CA Subject: East County Locations 3-14-10 From: "ERIC" <eric AT trs-sandiego.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:56:06 -0000 Trent R. Stanley & I started out this morning on a thrasher hunt in Borrego Springs. In the dune area off of Old Springs Road we found what we estimate to be 12+ Sage Thrashers in groups of 3-5 birds. Could not find a LeConte's. The Hawk watch produced 4 Swainson's Hawks while we were there. This is a rather low number. We looked for the oddball hummer at Club Circle and for our efforts found one male Costa's and a common ground dove. Several of the locals were interested in our search but could offer little information that we could consider helpful. At the old sewage ponds we found a small flock of about 10 Lawrence's Goldfinches. At Tamarisk Grove we searched for the owls without success. There is a large deposit of pellets under the canopy just to the right of the gas pumps. At Little Blair Valley Trent spotted a male Ladder-backed Woodpecker. Mesa Grande provided the best treat -Trent spotted and counted 7 (seven!) Lewis' Woodpeckers at the exact spot Sue reported yesterday - the bridge at the berry thicket 3.6 miles from the State Highway. This is an accurate number of birds and not an estimate. Here are the coordinates 33.16097475,-116.72473921 or try this link : http://goo.gl/ninU At Rangeland Road we found one Ferruginous Hawk, a Yellow-headed Blackbird, several Mt. Bluebirds and a golden eagle soaring above. a few pics of the thrashers, Lewis' etc. at the usual spot: http://egk.smugmug.com/Photography/RECENT-PHOTOS Subject: Sorrento Directions From: "Waldo" <bonitarick AT aol.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:45:03 -0000 Thanks for the directions, everyone! SD birders are a VERY helpful bunch! Regards, Rick Subject: Sunday pelagic trip highlights From: "lehman.paul AT verizon.net" <lehman.paul@verizon.net> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:39:32 -0400 SDBirds: On Sunday, March 14, there was a pelagic trip to Nine-Mile Bank and the Coronado Islands, organized by a group from the El Paso area. A number of us San Diegans attended as well. In addition to the expected species--Pink-footed, Sooty, and Black-vented Shearwaters, Pomarine Jaegers, Xantus's Murrelets, and Cassin's and Rhinoceros Auklets--the following highlights were seen: BROWN BOOBY: a new record-high count of 42 birds at colony on Middle Rock at Los Coronado Is., plus a bird on the southern Nile-Mile Bank only a half mile south of the U.S.--Mexico border COMMON MURRE: THREE birds in Mexican waters, where quite rare, with an alternate-plumaged bird 4-1/4 nmi NW of North Coronado Is. and single basic-plumaged birds 5.6 nmi and 7.6 nmi NW of North Coronado CINNAMON TEAL: male swimming around in the ocean 14 miles west of Tijuana NORTHERN FULMAR: one on Nile-Mile Bank west of Point Loma LONG-TAILED DUCK and single AMERICAN X BLACK and Black OYSTERCATCHERS continue a Ballast Point --Paul Lehman, San Diego -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://link.mail2web.com/mail2web Subject: Tecolote Canyon From: "bicyclebirder" <speteren AT cox.net> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:48:21 -0000 Lots of birds, but nothing out of the ordinary. Well, the awakening rattlesnakes were attention getting, but they were moving pretty slow. JimPea, SD, CA Subject: Sorrento Location ? From: "Waldo" <bonitarick AT aol.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:21:42 -0000 I've read reports on it for a long time... but... will someone, please, tell me where is the "Sorrento Pump Station" ? Thank you! Rick Phillips Bonita bonitarick AT aol.com Subject: Tamarisk Grove From: Catherine Zinsky <Catherine.Zinsky AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:57:04 -0700 *Went to view the desert wildflowers---which were spectacular, especially the Arcutt Desert Aster--and naturally birded while enjoying the desert floor. * *The ranger at Tamarisk Grove mentioned that two Long-eared Owls had been seen there, but I did not see them, nor did two other birders searching the Grove. The one bird of note that I did site was a Scott's Oriole high in one of the Tamarisk's. * -- Waggin' tails, Catherine Competitive Obedience Toolbox: www.gettoready.net web album: http://picasaweb.google.com/Catherine.Zinsky Int/Mex Am Ch. Castle Butte's Masked Bandit, CDX, U-CDX, ASCA-CDX, PC ('Huckleberry') Ch.OTCH Trumagik Step Aside, UDX 15, OM7 ('Kyle' a.k.a. 'Lord Fauntleroy') Ch Borderfame Soul Train ('Kellan the Felon' a.k.a. 'Sir Lickalot') Cache and Carry ("Cache") [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Around Point Loma & Tierra Santa Today From: "Finatic" <finaticphoto AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:20:17 -0000 I bounced around Point Loma today looking for whatever I could find. Nothing much of note. Fort Rosecranz had lots of Dark-eyed Junkos, White-crowned Sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Cabrillo had the normal birds, Orange-crowned Warblers, Brandt's Cormorants and Brown Pelican were all in decent numbers. Just off the cliff (where NO Oystercatchers were) there was a full alternate plumaged Red-breasted Merganser dodging the waves. Around Tierra Santa this afternoon with Jay Keller we found plenty of Wrentits, at least 3 California Gnatcatchers, 1 Hutton's Vireo and a Sharp-shinned Hawk along with other expected species. I did shoot a bit of video of the birds coming into The Drip and bathing. If you care to see it yo can find it at the following link: http://www.finatic-photography.com/Videos/Bird-Videos/10861511_DmZxE#809450133_WHjiW BJ Stacey Santee, CA Subject: Borrego Springs and San Ysabel Birds March 11-13,2010 From: seiurus AT aol.com Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:16:36 EST Between the subject dates, in addition to a flock of 6 SAGE THRASHERS seen at Old Springs Rd turnout (as Char Glacey reported previously), large numbers of SWAINSON's HAWKs, many catching insects in mid-air, passed through AB desert (Hal Cohen has numbers), the female HOODED MERGANSER remains at the Borrego Springs Resort pond off the dining room, and the flowers, tho slowed by the cold spell, are making a great show. Char Glacey and I also followed up on a interesting report of a purported White-eared Hummingbird area seen in the Club Circle area on March 8. We had heard of this report first from others at the hawk watch, but location was unclear (Christmas Circle area?), but later browsing at the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association shop, we found the original report (I guess) that placed it "half-way around Club Circle East in the triangle of natural vegetation between the houses and golf course". Thinking that the White-eared might have been a Xantus' (reported once before from AB), Char & I searched that area twice--but came up empty. Am posting in case anyone else wants to check, though it may have been a red herring report. Another interesting find was a pair of interacting LEWIS' WOODPECKERS found today 3/13/10 along Mesa Grande Rd at the blackberry bridge (between MP 3.0 and 3.5). The two birds were associated with each other, following and chasing each other, one bird repeatedly vocalizing, giving chittering and churr calls, also alarm squeaks, with head -bowing displays. This is the first time I have ever hear these birds vocalize or display here on the wintering grounds. I think these two birds have been around most of the winter. I looked at Phil Unitt's Bird Atlas and add the last tidbit from that: "The occurrence [of Lewis' Woodpecker ] on 1 June 2000 was the latest ever for San Diego County; on that date a Lewis' Woodpecker got trapped and died in the shed for donations to the Salvation Army in Descanso (P20; G. Wynn, SDNHM 50439). Apparently departure time of Lewis' varies from year to year, being anywhere between April and June. Sue Smith seiurus AT aol.com Del Mar, CA 92014 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: county lake check = tame geese From: "lehman.paul AT verizon.net" <lehman.paul@verizon.net> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:37:02 -0500 SDBirds: Saturday morning Barbara Carlson and I checked a number of lakes in the south/central county. Heck, what else is there to do in mid-March?! It was mostly good for seeing tame geese. Our first stop was Lake Murray, where there is a tame adult SNOW GOOSE, plus 10 Redheads. Then on to Lindo Lakes, where the tame adult GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE present for well over a year is still present, plus 5 Am. White Pelicans. And then it was to Lake Miramar, where the TWO tame adult GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE continue. Could it get any more exciting than this??! Well, we tried the Sorrento pump station, and there are at least 30 ibis hiding out in the marsh, and then to the SD River mouth at Robb Field where the LAUGHING GULL is now sporting a full black hood. --Paul Lehman, San Diego -------------------------------------------------------------------- myhosting.com - Premium Microsoft® Windows® and Linux web and application hosting - http://link.myhosting.com/myhosting Subject: Simpson's Nursery Jamul From: "bicyclebirder" <speteren AT cox.net> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:12:53 -0000 Ravens are nesting in the top of the tall palm where an owl is also nesting. Shock to see 3 acres cleared out for SDG&E, but the trees were moved uphill. Many oak forest type birds at the intersection of Lyons Valley road and Honey Springs/Skyline truck Trail roads. Open pasture land allows birds to be seen flying back and forth (important to hearing impaired birders). JimPea, SD, CA Subject: Tierrasanta, Del Mar, and MTRP birding, 3-12-10 From: Jay K <azure.jay AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:26:41 -0800 (GMT-08:00) SD-Birders, Early this morning when I walked outside here in Tierrasanta, I was greeted with the calls and a song of four different PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS. There was actually one here on March 8 that I didn't detect in following days. One of the local BARN OWLs flew overhead a few minutes ago, the first I have detected any in the last several days. I then visited the Rimini Rd area in Del Mar by 6:15 and had a COSTA'S HUMMER, another PAC-SLOPE, a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, and a heard-only bird at the intersection of Cuchara and Luneta that had to be a HERMIT WARBLER with that somewhat ethereal light chip note. I could not get a view so will keep it at "probable" status to be on the safe side. A mid-afternoon visit to the Kumayaay Lake and Padre Dam areas of Mission Trails RP was fairly productive with the below 50 species noted in 90 minutes. Kumayaay Lake is extremely high which blocked access to the trail around the north side of the lake. Gadwall 6 Mallard 7 Ruddy Duck 1 California Quail 1 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Osprey 1 White-tailed Kite 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 American Kestrel 1 American Coot 5 California Gull 1 Rock Pigeon 1 Mourning Dove 11 Anna's Hummingbird 12 Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird 1 Nuttall's Woodpecker 6 Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1 Black Phoebe 7 Cassin's Kingbird 1 Hutton's Vireo 3 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) 2 American Crow 4 Common Raven 5 Tree Swallow 37 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4 Bushtit 44 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Bewick's Wren 4 House Wren 7 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Hermit Thrush 1 American Robin 2 Wrentit 4 Northern Mockingbird 5 European Starling 84 Cedar Waxwing 2 Phainopepla 4 Orange-crowned Warbler 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 19 Common Yellowthroat 7 Spotted Towhee 4 California Towhee 11 Song Sparrow 9 White-crowned Sparrow 6 Red-winged Blackbird 9 Hooded Oriole 2 House Finch 17 Lesser Goldfinch 22 Jay Keller, San Diego Subject: Borrago Springs Sage Thrashers From: "cglacy" <cglacy AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:26:30 -0000 Sue Smith and I saw 6 Sage Thrashers at the Old Springs Road pullout area. We dipped on LeCounts but watched the Sage Thrashers migrating through and singing. Char Glacy San Diego Subject: Upas/Florida Canyon and Famosa Slough 3-12-10 From: "ERIC" <eric AT trs-sandiego.com> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:22:48 -0000 The orioles reported by Wendy were out this morning. The bright male hooded was joined by a shy female. Two male Bullock's also seen way high up in the eucs. Several Townsend's Warblers too. The plumbeous vireo reported by Jim Pea at Famosa was in the willows at the south end exactly as advertised. A few pics at the usual spot. http://egk.smugmug.com/Photography/RECENT-PHOTOS Eric Kallen Normal Heights Subject: RFI's for late March trip to San Diego From: "william.blackburn AT ymail.com" <william.blackburn@ymail.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:13:07 -0000 Hi all, My girlfriend and I are planning on coming out to San Diego for spring break from the 20th to the 27th and were looking to do some light birding. We are from Colorado and neither of us have been to the West Coast. We were wondering if y'all could help us with a few questions: We are currently planning on staying in the Mission Bay/Seaworld area for the trip. Is the bay itself worth birding? Would it be safe/fun to canoe in the bay or is there a lot of boat traffic/waves? Any good birds in the bay itself? We are also wondering where we could find a close-by rocky beach that might have turnstones, tattlers, and other rocky shorebirds. Are these guys even around this time of year? We're between winter and summer. Will there still be Brant in the county around that time? Where would be a good place to look? We were really hoping to see some pelagics, murrelets, cormorants, etc but it looks like there are no specific pelagic trips going out during our stay. Does anyone have any recommendations for whale watching tours that might cater to birders? (message me that one off board) Anything local that we should check out? (rare visitors [any1 relocate that Eurasian Widgeon?], easy local specialties, must-sees, etc) Are California Quail as active and easy to find as Gambel's are in Tuscan? We are also particularly interested in woodpeckers. Any comments on where to find Nuttal's, Acorn, or sapsuckers in San Diego county? Thanks. We're trying to minimize our birding to only 2 or 3 days out of the trip so anything within an hour to an hour and a half out of Mission Bay would be preferable. Thanks again, Bill Blackburn Boulder, Co Subject: Zone-tailed Hawk in Oceanside From: Kevin Clark <kevin.b.clark AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:52:40 -0800 (PST) Thursday morning, March 11, at about 9:45 AM a Zone-tailed Hawk was seen circling over Windmill Lake at the Camp Pendleton/Oceanside boundary. The banded tail, black head, and yellow cere were clearly visible. It continued westbound along the boundary line. Kevin Clark Mira Mesa [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: leucistic/partially albino (i don't know...) red-tailed hawk From: "miceelf7" <miceelf7 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:17:35 -0000 today (3/11) at 4pm, i saw the above mentioned hawk directly north of camel mountain rd. where it intersects freeport rd. it was soaring above the chaparral covered hillside north of the rancho penasquitos skatepark. from the little i could see of this bird it was almost all white, with two or three dark primaries and a red tail. i'm not sure if this bird has been reported before, but this is the third time i've seen him in about six months. the first two times i wasn't sure what i was seeing, since i was driving east on the 56 and couldn't stop. today i decided to go looking for it while i was in the area, and i was able to confirm what i thought i saw. it would be cool if anyone interested in this bird could post some pics, because my camera can't handle the job. thanks, curtis battle, clairemont Subject: Plumbeous Vireo From: "bicyclebirder" <speteren AT cox.net> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:53:43 -0000 Well, I guess this one is correct. Plumbeous vireo at Famosa Slough this afternoon, south end under the willows. Only pintails left were at the Slough. JimPea, SD, CA Subject: Borrego trip From: Bob Miller <bob.miller AT mindspring.com> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:58:01 -0500 (EST) Hi all, Slightly off topic I know but if anyone has pictures of the bus stuck in the desert incident I sure would like to see some of them! Jeff lugging the living room carpet, piles of concrete, Clay digging deep, tow truck on two wheels, etc... Please respond off group to me. Thanks! (!__!) (0V0) HAPPY BIRDING {}~~{} BOB MILLER ='''='''== Southwest Birders Brawley, CA. 92227 Imperial County 760-455-1413 http://www.southwestbirders.com bob.miller AT mindspring.com Subject: Probable Cooper's Hawks From: "Waldo" <bonitarick AT aol.com> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:58:13 -0000 This afternoon, there was a pair of Cooper's (best guess based on photos) hawks in the eucalypetus trees right in front of the tennis club at Florida and Upas. Rick Phillips Bonita Subject: Mountain Woodpeckers From: "bicyclebirder" <speteren AT cox.net> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:05:12 -0000 OK, OK, OK, I may have mis-spoke. I'll look at the photos. Thanks for advice on itch treatments. And it was a BIG mountain lion... JimPea, SD, CA Subject: L. Longspur and Horn Larks From: "Jean" <jgwindsong AT rangeweb.net> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:18:13 -0800 Oh well if it has to snow, it sure brings in the birds. We have over 200 Horn Larks at the crack corn in the driveway in front of the house. Best of all we picked out 1 Lapland Longspur with them. A few Crows, Gray-crown Rosy finches,Pine siskins, and House sparrows are at my feeders. Everyone is seeing Bluebirds but me. But I do have what I think is my 2 Starlings back. If they are my 2, they have been coming back for years now. Only 2 thank you. Jean, Sundance, Wy. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: East County 3-10-10 From: "ERIC" <eric AT trs-sandiego.com> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:58:52 -0000 Mesa Grande and vicinity was cold, windy and wet this afternoon with only a few birds worth mentioning. Two pairs of hooded mergansers in the newly filled pond on the south side of the road about 5 miles in from the State Highway. One prairie falcon sparing with a red-tailed hawk above the Santa Ysabel Asistencia. Ramona was only slightly better. The pond along the highway just east of town had one common moorhen. Rangeland Road had two ferruginous hawks and a mixed flock of about 200 mountain bluebirds and American pipets. In one of the puddles along the road were two greater yellowlegs. No pics - bad light. Bad. Eric Kallen Normal Heights Subject: Thrushes in the mountains From: "bicyclebirder" <speteren AT cox.net> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:24:49 -0000 I was in Julian so went by the park. Did not see the thrushes. Saw a determined birder and he didn't see them either. Walked the Cedar trail up and over the hill. There's something about very fresh mountain lion tracks that gives a new meaning solo hiking in desolate areas in winds so strong you can't hear much else. I've also started my itch treatments for poison oak. I did see one bushtit, one spotted towhee, one ladder-backed woodpecker, three brown creepers, five juncos, and a half dozen band-tailed pigeons. Do they still sell calamine lotion? JimPea, SD, CA Subject: FS: Canon 15x50 IS Binoculars From: "Trent R. Stanley" <trent.stanley AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:19:22 -0800 Hi All, I'm selling my Canon 15x50 IS (image stabilized) binoculars to help pay for a thermal night vision scope I'd like to get for owling, etc. Here's a link to my Ebay auction: http://goo.gl/8Jff The Canon 15x50 IS binoculars are like having a portable spotting scope and have generated lots of WOW's from people looking through them over the years. The thermal vision scope I want sees body heat, so even the most camouflaged birds cant hide from it. Here's the info on it: http://goo.gl/4MkT Thanks, Trent -- Trent R. Stanley PO BOX 3666 SAN DIEGO CA 92163-1666 trent AT sdbirder.com http://www.sdbirder.com Subject: Florida & Upas Getting Birdy From: "wlemlin" <wele AT cox.net> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:29:29 -0000 The woods are alive with the sounds of bird calls! This AM I had 3 Bullock's Orioles, a bright male Hooded Oriole, Townsend's Warbler, several Western Bluebirds, an Orange-Crowned Warbler, and what I'm 90% sure was a Black-Throated Gray Warbler (it was flitting through the very leafy trees and just caught a glimpse). Also, the usual multitudes of Lesser Goldfinches, Yellow Rumped Warblers, Song Sparrows, Anna's Hummingbirds, etc. Wendy Lemlin Balboa Park wele AT cox.net Subject: Cassin's Finch at William Heise park From: "florockets" <florockets AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:12:05 -0000 Went to look for the Varied Thrush at William Heise park posted on 3-5 and easily spotted them near the bridge on the Cedar trail. while there I also spotted and photographed(confirmed by Doug Aguillard) 2 Cassin's Finches. Also seen were 10+ Brown Creepers and 1 Golden Crowned Kinglet. Ward Cummings Carlsbad Subject: 4 Black-footed Albatross, Laysan Albatross From: "thunefeld" <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:40:23 -0000 Greetings, From March 4-7, 2010, the San Diego Bird Festival conducted three day-trips to the Nine Mile Bank and just over the border to Mexico's Los Coronados Islands to see the Brown Booby colony. We were prepared to take what mother ocean gave us – and she was bountiful. A total of 5 near-shore albatrosses – Black-footed and Laysan – were unexpected. Three species of alcid were seen daily including more than 30 Xantus's Murrelets on Sunday. Photos by participants and leaders, GPS trip tracks showing the underwater topography, complete species lists, video and full trip report are posted at: http://www.socalbirding.com/tripreports/sdbirdfest467mar2010.html Join us on April 17, 2009 when we do it all again on Grande: http://www.socalbirding.com/trips/sandiegoapr172010.html Grande's virgin 56-hour weekend trip to the San Juan Seamount in search of pterodromas is coming up May 15-17. http://www.socalbirding.com/trips/sandiegomay15172010.html Search for Tropicbirds, Shearwaters and Blue, Humpback and Fin Whales in style on Memorial Day weekend aboard the luxury live-aboard Searcher: http://www.socalbirding.com/trips/searchermay29312010.html W. Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Life is short. Seabird often. In memory of Luke Cole "Come on out with us to see what's out there." Southern California Seabirding Trips by: Buena Vista Audubon Society http://www.SoCalBirding.com Los Coronados Islands & Nine Mile Bank all the way to the edge of the Continental Shelf Subject: Pelagic March 14, Nine-Mile Bank and Coronado Is From: sunbelt <sunbelt AT whc.net> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:39:08 -0700 Just a reminder. Pelagic tour on the Grande. Boat leaves Point Loma Sportfishing , San Diego at 8 am dst.(remember it is daylight savings this weekend)and will be back at 5 pm. Be there between 7 and 7:30 am. Matt Sadowski and Paul Lehman are our leaders so far. We still have more room. The cost is $75.00 cash. E-mail me at sunbelt AT whc.net. Thanks -- Dan Allen Belcher Sunbelt Construction 7101 N. Mesa #355 El Paso, TX 79912 Cell: 915-727-8077 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Pelagic March 14, Nine-Mile Bank and Coronado Is From: sunbelt <sunbelt AT whc.net> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:39:08 -0700 Just a reminder. Pelagic tour on the Grande. Boat leaves Point Loma Sportfishing , San Diego at 8 am dst.(remember it is daylight savings this weekend)and will be back at 5 pm. Be there between 7 and 7:30 am. Matt Sadowski and Paul Lehman are our leaders so far. We still have more room. The cost is $75.00 cash. E-mail me at sunbelt AT whc.net. Thanks -- Dan Allen Belcher Sunbelt Construction 7101 N. Mesa #355 El Paso, TX 79912 Cell: 915-727-8077 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: LJ Cove Tuesday morning From: Jay K <azure.jay AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 17:55:40 -0800 (GMT-08:00) There was virtually nothing of note offshore from LJC this afternoon either. I stayed for maybe 30 minutes starting at 4 PM before I realized the wind was switching directions occasionally so it was actually coming from the south at times. There were three species of shorebirds on the rocks north of Stan's bench: a Wandering Tattler, a Spotted Sandpiper, and 10 Black Turnstones. It appears that more winds are predicted starting tomorrow at about mid-day, though that could obviously change. Jay Keller, San Diego -----Original Message----- >From: peterginsburg >Sent: Mar 9, 2010 11:33 AM >To: SDBIRDS AT yahoogroups.com >Subject: [SDBIRDS] LJ Cove Tuesday morning > >For those expecting wonderful birds to appear at the cove during these strong on-shore winds--lower your expectations. I was among several disappointed birders there this morning. A few jaegers (mostly Pomarine) were flying by near the kelp line and there were even fewer Black-vented Shearwaters. Shortly before leaving there was one Common Murre flying south. Perhaps the most unexpected occurrence was an unusually large number of Pelagic Cormorants flying to and from the nearby cliffs. > >Peter > > Subject: Glaucous Gull Sunday March 7 at 7th Street From: "lazulibuntings" <lazulibuntings AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:02:41 -0000 SD Birders: In reviewing the trip lists for the SD Bird Festival, I was somewhat surprised that a bird we reported on the Sunday "Birding 100" trip was not reported on any other trips. Because I am leaving town and will not be available to respond to any questions (the trip was planned -- I'm not running away), I am belatedly posting this description of the sighting of a Glaucous Gull at 7th Street. We arrived at the end of 7th Street at approximately 2:30 pm, Sunday, March 7. The rain had stopped, but it was still cloudy. As we walked west on the bike path between ponds 10 and 10A, I called the groups' attention to a fairly low-flying gull passing almost directly overhead that appeared very large and all white. There were Western Gulls flying around at the same time which allowed comparison, confirming that it was a large gull. As the gull flew west, it gained altitude and banked several times, giving good binocular views of its upperside and underside. There were no dark feathers anywhere, including the wing tips which looked as white as the wings. The bird did not look tan like most immature Glaucous-winged Gulls; it looked ghostly white. I followed the bird with my binoculars as it passed over the Silver Strand Highway and then turned south as it approached the beach and flew out of sight. I was not able to discern the color/pattern of light/dark on the bill. I do not have any photos. Karen Jones and others in our group also saw the bird. And now I am going to go pack, so I can go birding in Chiapas tomorrow! Millie Basden Thomas Tierrasanta lazulibuntings AT yahoo.com Subject: LJ Cove Tuesday morning From: "peterginsburg" <pagins AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:33:44 -0000 For those expecting wonderful birds to appear at the cove during these strong on-shore winds--lower your expectations. I was among several disappointed birders there this morning. A few jaegers (mostly Pomarine) were flying by near the kelp line and there were even fewer Black-vented Shearwaters. Shortly before leaving there was one Common Murre flying south. Perhaps the most unexpected occurrence was an unusually large number of Pelagic Cormorants flying to and from the nearby cliffs. Peter Subject: results of Mon 8 March San Elijo monthly bird count From: "rtpatton02" <rpatton AT san.rr.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:57:01 -0000 116 species were recorded at San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve & Cardiff State Beach on the 8 March monthly bird count. The next count will be Monday April 12th. Thanks to all who volunteered their time & braved the weather: Steve Brad, Bob Chaddock, Gail DeLala, Linda Jones, Bill Jones, Jayne Lesley, Steve Perry, Geoffrey Smith, Paula Theobald, John Top, Jim Wilson. (I apologize for any mis-spellings) A good diversity of raptors, shorebirds, & waterfowl were seen, including arriving spring migrants. Notable species included black-vented shearwaters & Brandt's cormorants offshore, adult little blue heron & snowy plovers E of the RR tracks, American bittern & white-faced ibis in flight west of the powerlines, blue-winged teal both sides of the RR tracks, turkey vulture over the E basin, peregrine falcon perched north of Rios, clapper rail near Las Olas restaurant, an elegant tern at the lagoon mouth, downy woodpecker W of El Camino Real, violet-green, cliff, barn, & rough-winged swallows among tree swallows over the E basin dike. Species included: loon sp., pied-billed grebe, black-vented shearwater, brown pelican, double-crested cormorant, Brandt's cormorant, American bittern, great blue heron, great egret, snowy egret, little blue heron, black-crowned night-heron, white-faced ibis, green-winged teal, mallard, northern pintail, blue-winged teal, cinnamon teal, northern shoveler, gadwall, American wigeon, canvasback, lesser scaup, surf scoter, bufflehead, ruddy duck, turkey vulture, osprey, white-tailed kite, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's hawk, red-shouldered hawk, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, peregrine falcon, clapper rail, Virginia rail, sora, American coot, black-bellied plover, snowy plover, semipalmated plover, killdeer, black-necked stilt, American avocet, greater yellowlegs, willet, spotted sandpiper, whimbrel, long-billed curlew, marbled godwit, ruddy turnstone, black turnstone, sanderling, western sandpiper, least sandpiper, dunlin, long-billed dowitcher, Heermann's gull, ring-billed gull, California gull, western gull, royal tern, elegant tern, Forster's tern, rock dove, Eurasian collared-dove, mourning dove, white-throated swift, Anna's hummingbird, belted kingfisher, Nuttall's woodpecker, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, black phoebe, Say's phoebe, Cassin's kingbird, tree swallow, violet-green swallow, N. rough-winged swallow, cliff swallow, barn swallow, western scrub jay, American crow, common raven, bushtit, Bewick's wren, house wren, marsh wren, ruby-crowned kinglet, blue-gray gnatcatcher, California gnatcatcher, western bluebird, wrentit, northern mockingbird, California thrasher, American pipit, European starling, orange-crowned warbler, Audubon's yellow-rumped warbler, common yellowthroat, spotted towhee, California towhee, Belding's savannah sparrow, song sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, red-winged blackbird, western meadowlark, great-tailed grackle, house finch, lesser goldfinch, American goldfinch, house sparrow, nutmeg mannikin. Robert Patton San Diego, CA Subject: LJ Cove, Monday afternoon From: Stan Walens <swalens AT ucsd.edu> Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 20:22:14 -0800 Went out to the Cove after 'work' today, in the hopes that the strong WSW winds might have blown a very very large black-brown-and-white tubenose that was seen on Sunday's pelagic trip into the vicinity. No such luck. In half an hour, saw 5 parasitic jaegers (including 2 really snazzy adults) and hundreds of gulls streaming south, including a first-year Thayer's Gull, the only Thayer's Gull I've seen in San Diego this winter. Also, a small Fin Whale not far offshore, and dozens of common and white-sided dolphins. Strong W to NW winds are projected for tomorrow morning; 15-25 mph offshore, 12-17 mph near shore. Could be interesting; might not be. But I'll be there. FYI: first usable light is about 6:00 a.m. And the wind is cold. Stan Walens Current whereabouts unknown Subject: SD Bird Festival Photos From: "Finatic" <finaticphoto AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:15:09 -0000 Three pelagic trips and one to the desert is how I spent the past four days birding as part of the San Diego Bird Festival. Great birds were found everyday. Photos can be seen at the following link: http://www.finatic-photography.com/Bird-Festivals/2010-San-Diego-Bird-Festival/11450296_omDRJ#805131970_TVFWX Neither bus driver problems nor weather issues could keep the guides from delivering good times. Thanks to everyone who helped put this together. BJ Stacey Santee, CA Subject: Nine Mile Bank Laysan Albie; San Diego Black-footed Albie & Brown Booby From: "thunefeld" <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:41:06 -0000 Greetings The Saturday and Sunday San Diego Bird Festival pelagic trips to the Nine Mile Bank and Coronados Island on Grande yielded a fantastic array of species including a San Diego County Black-footed Albatross 6 miles south of Point Loma and 5 miles west of Imperial Beach, a San Diego county Brown Booby 2.5 miles south of Point Loma and a crowd-pleasing, jaw-dropping Laysan Albatross on the Nine Mile Bank in Mexico just 4.5 miles northwest of North Coronado Island, 11 miles west of Tijuana. Also seen Sat & Sun, Long-tailed Duck in the harbor, Humpback Whales, Fin Whales, Gray Whales, Risso's Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Northern Fulmar, Black-vented Shearwater, Pink-footed Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, possible Short-tailed Shearwater (needs more photo study and discussion), Mew Gulls, Bonaparte's Gulls, Herring Gulls, Black Oystercatchers, hybrid American x Black Oystercatcher, multiple Wandering Tattlers. Photos by a number of participants, GPS trip tracks, species list, video and trip report will be posted to www.SoCalBirding.com tomorrow afternoon or evening. Join us on April 17, 2009 when we do it all again on Grande. Can't beat their breakfast burritos. http://www.socalbirding.com/trips/sandiegoapr172010.html W. Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Life is short. Seabird often. In memory of Luke Cole "Come on out with us to see what's out there." Southern California Seabirding Trips by: Buena Vista Audubon Society http://www.SoCalBirding.com Los Coronados Islands & Nine Mile Bank all the way to the edge of the Continental Shelf Subject: Birding in the rain in Ramona From: "d_lewi" <d_lewi AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:04:11 -0000 My wife and I went out to Ramona this morning and started out at Ramona Community Park. We didn't see the palm warbler, but while looking for it, we did see several tricolored blackbirds and a merlin perched in a tree. After the park, we headed down Highland Valley Road where we saw two ferruginous hawks. Dave and Stephanie Lewis Carmel Valley Subject: Thursday's Pelagic 4MAR2010 From: "thunefeld" <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:52:47 -0000 Photos, trip list and trip track of the March 4 San Diego Bird Festival pelagic aboard Grande. Photos by Steve Howell and Matt Sadowski. http://socalbirding.com/tripreports/sandiegomar42010.html Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Subject: PT. LOMA 3-6-10 From: "ERIC" <eric AT trs-sandiego.com> Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:44:43 -0000 Trent Stanley & I birded residential Pt. Loma and Cabrillo NM this morning. At the east end of Dudley (just east of Albion) Trent heard a Red-breasted Nuthatch calling. The bird posed patiently for about 15 minutes. Later, we could still hear the bird(s) calling from some distance away. A female western tanager was also seen but she was a bit shy and would not pose for photos. Numerous red-masked parakeets. At Cabrillo NM the Drip and vicinity was active with Fox Sparrow and four Golden-crowned sparrows. A few pics posted at the usual spot. http://egk.smugmug.com/Photography/RECENT-PHOTOS Eric Kallen Normal Heights Subject: Eurasian Wigeon From: "Gary G" <ggrantham AT san.rr.com> Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:54:55 -0000 This morning (Saturday) at about 0815, Kathy Estey and I while doing the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve bird count saw an Eurasian Wigeon among the flock of American Wigeon in the Los Penasquitos Lagoon. It was seen from Carmel Valley Road just opposite from Roberto's Taco Shop. Gary Grantham Scripps Ranch Subject: female hooded oriole and others at Florida & Upas From: "wlemlin" <wele AT cox.net> Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:10:18 -0000 Had my first F. HOOR of the season this AM in the willows next to the creek that runs along Florida St, at the end of the block near Morley Field Dr. This is the same area that I've been seeing a first year male Bullock's oriole almost daily. The bright male summer tanager and several Townsend warblers continue to frequent the flowering euc. on the north side of Upas St. (across the street from the grassy area) and also the area between there and a pepper tree on Wilshire Terrace (which which doesn't quite intersect Upas St, although it does on paper. The euc tree would be in the middle of it if it did go all the way through). Wendy Lemlin Balboa Park Subject: Bird Festival Palomar/Lake Henshaw highlight From: "Geoffrey Rogers" <oreortyx AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 07:06:08 -0800 The San Diego Bird Festival trip to Palomar Mountain yesterday (March 5) had good weather (high in the 50s) but nothing of note on Palomar Mountain itself. On return we stopped at Dudley's Bakery in Santa Ysabel. In the fields to the northwest were TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS (at least 7 adult males and roughly that many female types) within a large starling/blackbird flock. A scope was helpful for best views. There were a few Western Bluebirds here also but we didn't see any Mountain. A note on Palomar Mountain State Park: Although the state park is roughly 75 percent closed, the area south of State Park Road/Harrison Grade (Silvercrest, Boucher Trail, etc.) is open. The ranger on duty told us that full entry fees still apply. Geoff Rogers San Diego, CA oreortyx AT earthlink.net [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Varied Thrushes From: "mmcclitgif" <mmccli AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:22:58 -0000 This afternoon (03/05/10) there was a pair of Varied Thrushes at William Heise park. The birds were calling from a large pine to the west of the Cedar Trail and just before the small bridge that crosses the creek. Mike McClintock Mission Valley Subject: Few recent birding pics From: Keerthana R <keerthana_me AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2010 20:42:53 -0800 (PST) Hi All,   Here are few pics we took in Feb. It took some time to get to it, as usual. All taken in San Diego County.   http://www.kirankeerthana.com/Photography/Recent/11232028_sTLSX Keerthana + Kiran Sastry. UTC, San Diego -------------------------------- We are ZERO before Nature http://www.kirankeerthana.com -------------------------------- [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: San Diego Bird Festival Pelagics are a "go" for Saturday and Sunday From: "thunefeld" <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:35:32 -0000 Greetings, We may have a shower in the afternoon (take rain gear) but forecasts for waves, swells, seas and winds are all safe and comfortable for Sat and Sun. Additionally, Grande has a nice comfortable galley with big restaurant style booths and large picture windows to sit out any showers. A Black-footed Albatross on Thursday was a lifer for some and and San Diego Co lifer for others. On May 16 of 2009, we saw 3 at the Nine Mile Bank from Grande, and on May 21, 2009 we saw 2 out closer to the Thirty Mile Bank (about 30 miles offshore) but still in San Diego waters on a trip with Dave Povey. It will be interesting to see what mother ocean gifts us this weekend. W. Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Life is short. Seabird often. San Diego Bird Festival "Come on out with us to see what's out there." Southern California Seabirding Trips by: Buena Vista Audubon Society http://www.SoCalBirding.com Los Coronados Islands & Nine Mile Bank all the way to the edge of the Continental Shelf Subject: REMINDER: MTRP Photo Exhibit Reception Invite From: "hooverhorn" <birdman AT bird-friends.com> Date: Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:17:09 -0000 "Soaring! The Bird Photography of Scott Streit" You're invited to the reception for Scott Streit's photographic exhibition on March 6, 2010 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Mission Trails Regional Park Visitors Center Refreshments will be served An exhibit showcasing Scott's recent work will be on view in the Mission Trails Visitor Center Gallery daily from 9:00 to 5:00 p.m. February 27 to March 26, 2010. The Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center is located at: One Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego, CA 92119. Scott Streit birdman AT bird-friends.com Subject: spring arrivals, continuing rarities From: "lehman.paul AT verizon.net" <lehman.paul@verizon.net> Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 21:59:36 -0500 SDBirds: Yesterday, March 3, I had a singing Pacific-slope Flycatcher in the nw corner of Balboa Park. The fact it was singing makes it more likely a "spring" arrival than an over-wintering bird, I think. This ties the earliest arrival date listed in the SD Atlas, although I think there might have been an earlier arrival in one of the past several years. And this morning, March 4, Hooded Oriole had returned to our yard in Tierrasanta. On the rarity front, the Laughing Gull continues today in the San Diego River channel as seen from Robb Field, and it now sports a half black hood. And many people got to see the continuing Hepatic Tanager and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons today in Imperial Beach. Paul Lehman, San Diego -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://link.mail2web.com/mail2web Subject: San Diego County Black-footed Albatross From: "thunefeld" <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:43:10 -0000 Bird Festival Pelagic Preliminary trip report A beautiful sunny windy rolling SoCal winter day at sea for the first day of the Bird Festival. A 6 hour trip to the Nine Mile Bank, all in San Diego Waters. Black-footed Albatross on the Nine Mile Bank (1) Pink-footed Shearwater (2) Sooty Shearwater (1) Sooty/Short-tailed Shearwater (1) Xantus's Murrelet (2) Rhino Auklet (36) Cassins's Auklet (20) Fin Whale (3) W. Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Life is short. Seabird often. In memory of Luke Cole "Come on out with us to see what's out there." Southern California Seabirding Trips by: Buena Vista Audubon Society http://www.SoCalBirding.com Los Coronados Islands & Nine Mile Bank all the way to the edge of the Continental Shelf Subject: FW: spring arrivals, continuing rarities From: "lehman.paul AT verizon.net" <lehman.paul@verizon.net> Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 22:42:18 -0500 SDBirds: Yesterday, March 3, I had a singing Pacific-slope Flycatcher in the nw corner of Balboa Park. The fact it was singing makes it more likely a "spring" arrival than an over-wintering bird, I think. This ties the earliest arrival date listed in the SD Atlas, although I think there might have been an earlier arrival in one of the past several years. And this morning, March 4, Hooded Oriole had returned to our yard in Tierrasanta. On the rarity front, the Laughing Gull continues today in the San Diego River channel as seen from Robb Field, and it now sports a half black hood. And many people got to see the continuing Hepatic Tanager and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons today in Imperial Beach. Paul Lehman, San Diego -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://link.mail2web.com/mail2web -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web.com – What can On Demand Business Solutions do for you? http://link.mail2web.com/Business/SharePoint Subject: Pt Loma Thur. afternoon From: thomas meixner <tlmeixner AT att.net> Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 17:25:31 -0800 (PST) For those who might be interested doing the Bird Fest& are around the Cabrillo Tide Pools I had 5 Black Oystercatchers & 1 American (type) Oystercatcher on the rocks below parking lot #2 - that is thew middle lot. I had to walk down the trail and at the bottom turn left until the trail ends. It was high tide (appx 2:30pm) and the birds were huddled together near where the rocks fall off to the ocean. After watching them for about 10 minutes all 6 birds decided to take flight and flew north around the cliffs where the pelicans and cormorants roost. I also had there 16 Black Turnstones, 14 Least Sandpipers and 3 Spotted Sandpipers.   This is defininetly redundant but the Painted Redstart was in the Corral Tree on Albion at about 1:45pm along with a Sharp-shinned Hawk that was being harrassed by a rather pesty American Crow.   May God be your birding co-pilot!   Tom "Mt. Goat" Meixner Mira Mesa [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Little Gull at lake Perris (THREAD CLOSED) From: "Doug" <dwaguillard AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:08:38 -0000 This subject does not meet the guidlelines for SDBirds. This thread is closed. Douglas Aguillard SDBirds Listowner doug AT basiclink.com Subject: Little Gull at Lake Perris From: "tburr155" <tburr AT san.rr.com> Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:55:39 -0000 Gary Grantham, Bill Thompson and I (later joined by a husband/wife duo from Ramona) drove up to Lake Perris today to try and locate the LITTLE GULL among all the scattered groups of Bonaparte's Gulls at the east end of the lake. We arrived about 1040 and spend the next hour and a half scanning the BOGUs scattered over the east end. We went to parking lot 12 where it had been seen from on March 1. (The lake is closed on Tues and Wed). Finally, Gary spotted the bird on the far side of the lake over 1000 yds away. But even at this distance, the dark underwing color and white wing tips and trailing edge was clearly visible with a scope. We were able to keep our eyes on it from about 1205 to 1240 as it wheeled and dove over the lake. Tim Burr Poway Subject: LITTLE GULL at Lake Perris - Yes From: Timothy Burr <tburr AT san.rr.com> Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 15:32:23 -0800 Sorry for the double posting - I thought I was posting to CALBIRDS. Tim Burr Poway Subject: LITTLE GULL at Lake Perris - Yes From: "tburr155" <tburr AT san.rr.com> Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:05:00 -0000 Three of us from San Diego drove up to Lake Perris this morning to try and pick out the LITTLE GULL from all the scattered Bonaparte's gulls at the east end of the Lake. We arrived at parking lot 12 about 1030 and spent the next 1.5 hours scanning the near bay and the far side (from us) of the lake. It wasn't until about 1205 that the LIGU was seen, but even tho it was over 1000 yds away (yes, you definitely need a scope) the black underwings were clearly visible. Although it flew a little closer, close enough to clearly see the light wing tips and white trailing edge of the wing, it did not fly into the bay in front of us. We had it under almost constant view for a good 35 min. Tim Burr Poway, CA Subject: Little Gull at Lake Perris From: "tburr155" <tburr AT san.rr.com> Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:55:04 -0000 Gary Grantham, Bill Thompson and I (later joined by a husband/wife duo from Ramona) drove up to Lake Perris today to try and locate the LITTLE GULL among all the scattered groups of Bonaparte's Gulls at the east end of the lake. We arrived about 1040 and spend the next hour and a half scanning the BOGUs scattered over the east end. We went to parking lot 12 where it had been seen from on March 1. (The lake is closed on Tues and Wed). Finally, Gary spotted the bird on the far side of the lake over 1000 yds away. But even at this distance, the dark underwing color and white wing tips and trailing edge was clearly visible with a scope. We were able to keep our eyes on it from about 1205 to 1240 as it wheeled and dove over the lake. Tim Burr Poway Subject: turkeys in Cuyamaca From: "patricia fishtein" <pfishtein AT cox.net> Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:13:02 -0000 Wednesday afternoon, while driving back from Anza Borrego, nowhere near peak wildflower bloom, we were about 3-4 miles south of Cuyamaca Lake and saw folks stopped and looking with binocs. There was a rafter, group, of turkeys scrambling up a hill. There were at least 20-25 birds. In Palm Canyon on Tuesday, there was a beautiful Black-throated Sparrow singing his little heart out from his rock perch. Pat Fishtein San Diego Subject: Birding the SD Floodway for the Bird Festival From: "Claude Edwards" <keps1 AT flite-tours.com> Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 12:24:42 -0800 Birding By Sound – Pre Class Experience Observed by Claude G. Edwards Thursday, 04 March 2010 (0800 to 1100 Hours) San Diego River Estuary / Flood Control Channel, south of Sea World and SD Bird Festival Site, San Diego, CA Mostly-cloudy, moderate to gusty north breezes, ±56ºF. The following 64 birds were recorded a short time before my “Birding By Sound” workshop presented as part of the San Diego Bird Festival, noting which were ‘heard to illustrate how important being familiar with bird sounds can be.’ brant Observed green-winged teal Heard & seen mallard Observed northern pintail Observed blue-winged teal Observed cinnamon teal Observed northern shoveler Observed gadwall Heard & seen American wigeon Heard & seen lesser scaup Observed bufflehead Observed red-breast merganser Observed ruddy duck Observed pied-billed grebe Observed eared grebe Observed horned grebe Observed western grebe Heard & seen Am white pelican Observed brown pelican Observed double-cr cormorant Observed great blue heron Observed great egret Observed snowy egret Observed little blue heron Observed green heron Observed osprey Observed American coot Observed black-bellied plover Heard & seen semipalmated plover Heard & seen greater yellowlegs Heard & seen willet Heard & seen spotted sandpiper Observed whimbrel Heard & seen long-billed curlew Heard & seen marbled godwit Heard & seen ruddy turnstone Heard & seen western sandpiper Heard & seen least sandpiper Observed dunlin Heard & seen short-billed dowitcher Heard & seen long-billed dowitcher Heard & seen ring-billed gull Heard & seen California gull Observed western gull Heard & seen Caspian tern Heard & seen royal tern Heard & seen Forster's tern Heard & seen rock pigeon Heard & seen Anna's hummingbird Heard & seen belted kingfisher Observed black phoebe Heard & seen Say's phoebe Heard only American crow Heard & seen horned lark Heard & seen bushtit Heard only European starling Heard only orange-crown warbler Heard only yellow warbler Heard only yellow-rump warbler Heard & seen California towhee Heard only Belding sav sparrow Heard only song sparrow Heard only house finch Heard only house finch Heard and seen This is an impressive variety of birds for a three-hour effort at a location adjacent and accessible to Bird Festival participants. Of these, 37 species, or 58 percent, were identified in part or entirely by sounds they made. During this time Jim Pea stopped to check on what I had found as he led a “Birding By Bike” trip with about a dozen people on the south side of the flood channel. His bird list will be substantially similar to this one. Good birding, Claude Edwards West Of Kensington [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Nome-banded WESA found in San Diego! From: Kate Goodenough <shorebirdgirl AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 08:25:21 -0800 (PST) Hello fellow birders! A colour-flagged Western Sandpiper was seen in the San Diego River mouth on 17-18 Feb 2010. This bird was marked by (and resighted by) members of the Western Sandpiper research group at the Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia. It would be of great value to our research to learn about how long this bird remains at his wintering site. We would like to enlist the aid of San Diego birders in resighting the Western Sandpiper over the next few months in order to estimate a time of departure on spring migration, or even if he returns to this site next winter. The sandpiper is marked as follows: R upper = metal L upper = dark green flag with white-letter code "P5" The flag is fairly obvious if you are scanning through a flock of small sandpipers. While it would be ideal to confirm the flag code during your resighting effort, it is not necessary. The sandpiper was seen in February roosting and foraging with several hundred other WESA, DUNL, and SEPL. He was best viewed from the foot/bike path west of the Sunset Cliffs Blvd bridge, and was mainly seen on the sandbars which are also accessible by foot. The Google map link below shows the location where he was seen: http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=102943105124497773934.000480e6c8d65fbc7af9a&ll=32.759165,-117.238584&spn=0.0096,0.013797&t=h&z=16 *Contact information* Please email Samantha Franks, sfranks (at) sfu.ca, with the following information if you resight this bird: 1) Date resighted 2) Flag code (if you can read it) 3) Location (lat/long coordinates, or a google map link with the location marked) Thanks for your assistance San Diego birders! Samantha Franks [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: South Bay scouting, Wed. afternoon From: phil Pryde <PhilPinSD AT cox.net> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 17:05:39 -0800 Here's a quick summary of some South Bay area sightings this afternoon, in preparation for tomorrow's Bird Festival trips; nothing exceptional: Caspian Way: the Hep. Tanager was in its favorite coral tree south of the trailer at 1:55. No observations of Y-C Night-heron TJ Visitor Center: male Harrier; at south end of trail into the estuary: 1 Clapper Rail, both Cin. and G-W Teal in the channel that extends northward at the end of the trail 7th St. - ponds on both sides of the bike path were virtually deserted; water level was high Biol. Study Area - few birds in the big pond, 1 female R-B Merg. On the large mudflat just north of the BSA at 3 p.m. there were approx. 15 White Pelicans Silver Strand St. Beach - Bay side: at 3:20, about 60 Skimmers, and in the sandy field at least 3 Horned Larks. On the ocean side, in the surf (debris) line right beyond the parking lot just north of the rest rooms, one Snowy Plover in good breeding plumage was standing just 20' or so beyond the low brick wall. When I returned there after visiting the Bay side, he was gone. Phil Pryde San Diego Subject: Summer Tanager & Painted Redstart From: "Roger Uzun" <uzun AT san.rr.com> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 14:47:57 -0800 If someone (like myself) wanted to see and photograph a painted redstart and Summer Tanager tomorrow, would the best bet be to head towards Dudley St early in the morning, like around 7AM and wait to see if the Redstart showed up in it's favorite coral tree between Silvergate and Albion? Then head over to Balboa park near Florida and Upas and/or the area north of the lawn bowling in Balboa park north of El Prado? Can anyone attest to the most promising times of day to find either a male Summer Tanager or any Painted Redstarts in this area? Additionally it seems I rarely see any owls in the area, does anyone know of a semi reliable spot to view any sort of Owls in San Diego? Thanks in advance. -Roger Uzun San Diego, CA uzun AT san.rr.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Pt Loma Wed morning From: Joe Sweeney <sweeneyfit AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 13:49:37 -0800 (PST) This morning, 3/3/10, between 8am and 9:30am, in Pt Loma neighhorhood: 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets (in tall pines at corner of Silvergate and 3600 block of Dudley) 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch (on Albion, south of Dudley, second house on the right) 1 Painted Redstart, as usual (in Coral tree on Dudley between Albion and Silvergate) Joe Sweeney South Clairemont sweeneyfit AT mac.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: sightings of Aviara tundra swan? From: "rtpatton02" <rpatton AT san.rr.com> Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:57:24 -0000 Victoria Calhoun was told by staff at Aviara that the over-wintering tundra swan was depredated approx two weeks ago. To document the date of last sighting, if anyone observed the swan in recent weeks but didn't report it, would you please post your date of last sighting? Thanks, Robert Patton San Diego, CA Subject: next San Elijo monthly bird count Monday 8 March From: "rtpatton02" <rpatton AT san.rr.com> Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:42:32 -0000 Please spread the word - San Elijo Lagoon monthly bird count Monday March 8th (& 2nd Monday of each month, rain or shine) Meet at the north end of Rios Ave. in Solana Beach at 7:30 a.m. (from I-5, exit on Lomas Santa Fe & head west, turn north on Rios Ave. which is just east of Highway 101 & the railroad tracks). Bring a lunch or pick up one nearby & we'll meet to compile at noon at the nature center (SE of the intersection of Manchester Ave & San Elijo Ave). Thanks! Robert Patton San Diego, CA Subject: request for info on banded sandpiper sightings From: "rtpatton02" <rpatton AT san.rr.com> Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:40:51 -0000 I was asked to pass along the message below & it seemed very appropriate for SDBirds. Thanks, Robert Patton San Diego, CA A colour-flagged Western Sandpiper was seen in the San Diego River mouth on 17-18 Feb 2010. This bird was marked by (and resighted by) members of the Western Sandpiper research group at the Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia. It would be of great value to our research to learn about how long this bird remains at his wintering site. We would like to enlist the aid of San Diego birders in resighting the Western Sandpiper over the next few months in order to estimate a time of departure on spring migration, or even if he returns to this site next winter. The sandpiper is marked as follows: R upper = metal L upper = dark green flag with white-letter code "P5" The flag is fairly obvious if you are scanning through a flock of small sandpipers. While it would be ideal to confirm the flag code during your resighting effort, it is not necessary. The sandpiper was seen in February roosting and foraging with several hundred other WESA, DUNL, and SEPL. He was best viewed from the foot/bike path west of the Sunset Cliffs Blvd bridge, and was mainly seen on the sandbars which are also accessible by foot. The Google map link below shows the location where he was seen: http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=102943105124497773934.000480e6c8d65fbc7af9a&ll=32.759165,-117.238584&spn=0.0096,0.013797&t=h&z=16 *Contact information* Please email Samantha Franks, sfranks (at) sfu.ca, with the following information if you resight this bird: 1) Date resighted 2) Flag code (if you can read it) 3) Location (lat/long coordinates, or a google map link with the location marked) Thanks for your assistance San Diego birders! Samantha Franks Subject: Little Gull at Lake Perris From: "tburr155" <tburr AT san.rr.com> Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:14:27 -0000 I am planning to run up to Lake Perris to try and find the Little Gull reported yesterday. Since the park is closed Tues and Wed, I will be driving up from the Rancho Bernardo area on Thursday morning leaving about 0900. I have 2 spaces available. If you are interested, contact me off-line. Tim Burr Poway Subject: Tierrasanta Birds: Common Poorwills etc. From: Jay K <azure.jay AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 22:11:22 -0500 (EST) SD-Birders, This year I've been spending more time birding my "local patch" which I neglected in 2009. At about 6:30 PM, I heard five Common Poorwills here in Tierrasanta at the corner of Calle de Vida and Colina Dorada Drive. One of them was singing right under the lightpost offering a rare opportunity to see one while singing (or at all). I'm not sure how long they've been singing this year, as it is the first time I have checked there recently. Along the trail extending from the east end of Tierrasanta Blvd, I saw three California Gnatcatchers, and adding to them the three I heard in another nearby area yesterday, makes six in the general vicinity, my personal high count in the area. Also there are a few Rufous-crowned Sparrows and at least one Golden-crowned Sparrow. Barn and Great Horned Owls frequent the area most evenings. Just to the west at the intersection of Colina Dorada, the wintering Western Tanager was calling from one of the trees on Sunday. A Merlin was also seen nearby diving into a feeder attempting a meal. Jay Keller, San Diego Subject: Banded Terns From: "bicyclebirder" <speteren AT cox.net> Date: Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:25:31 -0000 It's time to watch for those banded Caspian terns. Here is the info on the one hanging around the SDRiv "The bird you observed was banded as a chick at Goose Island in Pothole Reservoir near Moses Lake, WA in 2007." And as Matt Sadowski points out "All banded birds should be reported to: http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/ Can someone get the number off the tag on the redtailed hawk that hangs out near the river around PCHwy? I can see the band but not read it. JimPea Subject: 2009 - present posts searchable again From: "Matt Sadowski" <matt.sadowski AT cox.net> Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 09:33:43 -0800 I just noticed that Yahoo has FINALLY fixed the search function for their groups. Since March 2009 SDBirds had accumulated several thousand unsearchable and useless messages. This problem affected most of the other CA county groups, although the state group (due to its large 2000+ membership?) was not affected nearly as long. Matt Sadowski Encanto, San Diego, CA Subject: Bird Festival Pelagics Begin This Week From: "thunefeld" <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:16:16 -0000 Greetings, I just received an email from the San Diego Audubon that due to some last minute cancellations that there are 3 or 4 spots available on each of the three pelagic trips this weekend. The San Diego Bird Festival Pelagic trips to the Nine Mile Bank and Coronados Islands (2009 results: 25 Brown Boobies on the islands, two Manx Shearwaters in San Diego, 2 Mew Gulls and a San Diego Blue-footed Booby) are Thursday March 4, Saturday March 6 and Sunday March 7. I wonder if that San Diego county Red-billed Tropicbird is still hanging around the Nine Mile Bank? Hmmmm. Only one way to find out! ;-) Then Buena Vista Audubon Society has scheduled Grande to make another trip to the Nine Mile and Islands on Saturday, April 17. Always a surprise in April! Grande makes its virgin deep-water trip northwest waaaay off the edge of the continental shelf to the San Juan Seamount on a 56-hour weekend trip May 15-17 in search of Tropicbirds and Murphy's and Cook's Petrel. I'm excited. The deluxe, all-you-can-eat (for free!) live-aboard Searcher goes in search of Blue Whales and cool Seabirds on a 3-day Memorial Day weekend outing May 29-31. Details, information, past trip reports and registration/reservation links for the above trips and all SoCal pelagics scheduled for 2010 are posted at: http://www.socalbirding.com/upcomingtrips.html W. Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Life is short. Seabird often. In memory of Luke Cole "Come on out with us to see what's out there." Southern California Seabirding Trips by: Buena Vista Audubon Society http://www. SoCalBirding. com Los Coronados Islands & Nine Mile Bank all the way to the edge of the Continental Shelf Subject: Another Summer Tanager; Lewis's Woodpeckers From: Barbara Carlson <barbarac2003 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 15:23:11 -0800 (PST) SD Birders:   Another adult male Summer Tanager continues north of the lawn bowling area, which is north of El Prado/Laurel St.  He was actively feeding around 2:30 pm in one of the two coral trees in the area.   Visiting birder Michael Retter reports 4-5 Lewis's Woodpeckers also today (03/01) approximately 3-4 miles in on Mesa Grande Road.   Happy birding,   Barbara Carlson San Diego [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Allens Hummers start nesting at S.D. (Quail) Botan. Gardens, Encinitas,3/1/10 From: seiurus AT aol.com Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 16:06:11 EST This morning, on Rita Campbell's SD Botanical Gardens Bird Walk (first Monday of each month at 8 am), a female Allen's Hummer was seen on a nest in the same location that a female ALHU nested last spring. Last year (4/18/09) a female was observed and photographed on a nest in an Araucina bidwilli tree in the tropical garden; another nest was under construction nearby on 6/1/09, 6/26/09 (being built and visited by what appeared to be the same female, with fledglings noted nearby). Today's nest was very interesting in that it was a double-decker ----the new nest has been constructed directly on top of one of last year's old nests, in the same Araucina bidwilli tree. My count of Selaphorous hummers in the gardens this morning was 16, including 6 male Allen's hummers (adults with green on back). Sue Smith seiurus AT aol.com Del Mar, CA 92014 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Black Oystercatcher in North County From: Kenneth Weaver <gnatcatcher AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 12:56:02 -0800 (PST) I saw a single Black Oystercatcher near the Oceanside Beach about 1000 this morning.  The bird frequented the right side of the "Y" portion of the jetty or breakwater on the south side of the boat channel leading out of the harbor.   Ken Weaver Fallbrook gnatcatcher AT sbcglobal.net [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Continuing Summer Tanager (and others) at Florida & Upas From: "wlemlin" <wele AT cox.net> Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:57:14 -0000 The bright male SUMMER TANAGER has been playing around this AM in the flowering euc on the north side of the street, east of the Wilshire on the Park condo. I've seen him regularly in that area for the past week or so, along with several TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS. Down by the stream on the south side of the street (almost to Morley Field Dr.), a 1st year BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. A pair of COOPERS HAWKS are building a nest in a EUC along Upas St. up at Morley Field (north of the tennis courts). W. Lemlin Balboa Park wele AT cox.net Subject: LEWIS' WOODPECKER - DESCANSO- FEB 28, 2010 From: "wngit2" <wngit2 AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:23:56 -0000 Early this morning, there was a Lewis' Woodpecker on an oak snag 0.2 miles N of the house for sale at 9930 Hwy 79, Descanso. This is ~3.5 miles N of the 8 on Hwy 79. I was with Leo Miller and there was just enough room to pull the car off the road. Looked up and there it was, posing in the snag ~15' on the E side of the road. When we stepped out of the car, it flew from the snag disappearing into the surrounding oaks. It's all in the timing. Christine Harvey Santee, CA sdch AT cox.net Subject: LEWIS' WOODPECKER - DESCANSO- FEB 28, 2010 From: "wngit2" <wngit2 AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:01:53 -0000 Early this morning, there was a Lewis' Woodpecker on an oak snag 0.2 miles N of the house for sale at 9930 Hwy 79, Descanso. This is ~3.5 miles N of the 8 on Hwy 79. I was with Leo Miller and there was just enough room to pull the car off the road. Looked up and there it was, posing in the snag ~15' on the E side of the road. When we stepped out of the car, it flew from the snag disappearing into the surrounding oaks. It's all in the timing. Christine Harvey Santee, CA sdch AT cox.net