Birding
Where I've been/What I've seen
Our next stop was out in Anza Borrego SP, Tamarisk Grove Campground. Here is one of the western-most places to get the San Diegan desert birds, and it wasn’t much of a drive from Cuyamaca. Did I forget to mention the breeding Long-eared Owls? We arrive and hear some hummingbirds calling, along with a few assorted bird calls. The urge to find a Long-eared Owl took over, and we headed straight for the spot where it had been seen in the morning. It was there and I took a few to many pictures. A Ladder-backed Woodpecker also flew into the same tree, and was a very good bird for being at the park. After this we walked around the campground where we ended up dipping on birds like Verdin and Black-throated Sparrow, but a Black-chinned Hummingbird and a few Pacific-slope Flycatchers kept up entertained. The next stop was a brief one at Twin Trails Neighborhood Park, where a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher has bred for two known years now with a Western Kingbird. When we finally arrived (it’s about an hour), it was found almost immediately, with it’s long, forked tail. It flew off into the neighborhood after about two minutes of watching, and after a few brief appearances, we decided to leave. We then decided to head to Flintkote Avenue in Torrey Pines Natural Reserve to get some coastal birds we were still missing. A Yellow-breasted Chat was one of the first to be noticed, along with a pair of Ash-throated Flycatchers. We walked to the end, picking up a Marsh Wren, a male Western Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, several Bewick’s Wrens, and a Warbling Vireo.
Our final stop was at San Elijo, west of the tracks as the Rios Ave. entrance was closed for construction. We walked about a mile down to check the ponds where we had Eared Grebes, a Forester’s Tern, White Pelicans, and Black-necked Stilts. Additionally offshore were some Sooty Shearwaters. Three expected gulls were present on the way out, Ring-billed, California, and Western. At this point BJ was picked up and left. Max and I on the way out had Elegant Tern. Additional Species Seen Separately: Rock Pigeon (seriously) seen by Max and I on the way to my house, Least Tern seen by BJ on the way back to his house, Horned Lark in my yard, and Common Poorwills, Lesser Nighthawk, and Barn Owl, heard by Max Our official total was 113 following ABA rules, and 119 unofficially. Not quite a PR, but still a great day for San Diego in May
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