Category Archives: CA birds

Del Mar Neighborhood Birds

We are in California for a few days seeing our son Robb and his family. What a nice change from the barren “stick season” of Vermont; we awoke early the first morning due to the time change to birdsong and rose bushes in bloom. I have taken some morning walks and while I think it is unusual to have a guy walking around the neighborhood with binoculars and a camera, only one person stopped to ask what I was looking at.

Del Mar is a bedroom community north of San Diego with tropical plantings and lots of birds.

Del Mar is a bedroom community north of San Diego with tropical plantings and lots of birds.

There are hundreds of hummingbirds flitting around — I think most are Anna’s but I did see an Allen’s bronzed back the other morning.

This young Anna's (I think) flew in a perched in the shade of a picture. I was only ten feet away.

This young Anna’s (I think) flew in a perched in the shade of a picture. I was only ten feet away.

Two days ago, I came across a kingbird doing its flycatcher routine, returning to a nearby wire. I took a few shots with little success but thought I had a Western Kingbird. In reviewing eBird reports and my photos, I realized that it was a Cassin’s Kingbird — fairly common here but a life bird for me.

The lighting on this photo is poor but the field marks are clear in some others.

The lighting on this photo is poor but the field marks are clear in some others.

I had a bit of trouble identifying one of the common birds here this time of year: Black Phoebe. I’ve seen a few before but they were always on low branches, doing their bug-catching routine. Here, they perch at the top of conifers, come down to the swimming pool for lunch, and work from rooftops and chimneys.

BPhoebeW

Western Scrub-Jays are noisy and I suspect, pests at time. Here’s one I saw yesterday morning working up in a palm tree, oblivious to my presence (or just ignoring it.)Scrub-jayW

Some of the other birds I’ve seen in this built-up area are: American Kestrel, all sorts of warblers including a Townsend’s Warbler (Life Bird), and dozens of House Finches. This White-crowned Sparrow posed nicely for me on yesterday’s walk.WCSparrowW

I’m not doing a lot of serious birding here, spending more time with the grandkids and just enjoying summer-like temperatures. I have seen some nice ducks and waterfowl and will put together another post in the next day or two. Then back to New England and the reality of November.

 

2016 Trip Planning

I was watching the clock on my computer, waiting to try to reserve a site for our February visit to San Diego, as the February sites opened up at 8:00 AM August 1st (11:00 EDT). I knew that the South Carlsbad State Park was closing for repairs in mid-February so had planned a week’s stay just ahead of that closure date. What I did not know was that much of the park was already closed and that very few sites were open.

As 11:00 clicked on, I counted to ten and loaded a page I had pretty much ready-to-go but could not find any sites in the area we had stayed before. There were only about 30 sites available and as I selected one and hit return, it would be gone. I lost about five along the beachside this way and soon only a couple on the opposite side of the road were available. I got one and locked it in and took a deep breath.  I had heard of folks fighting for Florida sites as soon as they became available but had not run into this before — too much tension but ten minutes later all were booked and I felt fortunate to get one.

This site is closed during our February visit but we'll be rather close and happy to have a campsite.

This site is closed during our February visit but we’ll be rather close and happy to have a campsite.

It turns out that California has a restriction that you can not reserve a campsite more that seven months away. New Mexico has a six-month restriction. Most other states we visit do not.

I have locked in a couple of weeks at Patagonia Lake State Park in Arizona prior to our California visit and then about ten days at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park after we leave Carlsbad.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is great for birding, hiking, and desert flora and fauna. Photo courtesy of Roger Smith.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is great for birding, hiking, and desert flora and fauna. Photo courtesy of Roger Smith.

 

We wanted to get back to Arizona for birding and see the kids in San Diego so that formed the backbone of our first half. Then we need to ride out Texas school spring break which ties up their parks and hopefully visit our Ohio gang on the way home. The trip is pretty much planned (Mapquest routes, spreadsheets, some reservations) leaving in early January and returning in mid-April but very well may change. It’s nice to have a game plan and to have locked in those crucial California dates. Stay tuned.

Birds of San Eligo Lagoon

The San Eligo Lagoon just south of our California camping sites, is a favorite of many local birders (although I met none in three visits but did meet a good birder from MA) and it is easy to see why. An innovative reclamation site for treated wastewater, it has great trails and a wide variety of birds. Here are some that I saw while there.

The Anna’s Hummingbird was fairly common but a wonderful feisty hummer:

The Allen’s Hummingbird was a lifer for me:

As was this Western Gull:

Mourning Doves are common friends nearly everywhere we go:

The Willets in the west are lighter but still give their Willet-wing display when they fly:

Black Phoebes are fun to watch as they actively forage for insects:

The lagoon had dozens of American Wigeons like this handsome dude:

Northern Pintails, like this pair, are in lovely plumage:

And lastly, I’m including a fellow whose eastern cousins will be visiting Vermont this Spring. What’s not to love about Buffleheads?