The San Diego Botanic Garden, and adjacent neighborhoods, are located in Encinitas CA off Quail Gardens Drive. SES
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
Over the past month, birders at the San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) have suspected that in addition to the wintering first winter ORCHARD ORIOLE (OROR) spotted by Manolo Turner December 20, 2018 along residential Mays Hollow Road across from the Botanic Garden, there may be additional Orchard Orioles at the Garden. On the Botanic Garden bird walk on March 4, two different-plumaged Orchard Orioles were briefly seen drinking nectar in the large blooming Coral Tree between the Seeds of Wonder Garden and the admin building, but we were unable to get photos. Manolo Turner continued during the month to monitor these orioles (which were also now sometimes associated with arriving and overwintering Bullock's and Hooded orioles). On March 21, Patrick Shipley was able to photograph, and he and Patti Koger were able to observe for some time, one of the immature male ORORs in the same SDBG Coral Tree. On March 25, I briefly stopped by the Garden and was surprised to see a female OROR in the Coral Tree, which suggested that there may be even three ORORs, but no one had yet gotten a good look at both young males together.
—
Susan Smith
Seiurus Biological Consulting
Del Mar, CA
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
On Sunday, 31 March, the immature male ORCHARD ORIOLE continued along Leon Avenue in Nestor, a bird I had seen once before back on 10 February. Also on Leon Ave., an adult male SUMMER TANAGER on 24 March is almost certainly the same bird that was at Nestor Park in early winter but which hasn't been reported there in a long time. Despite the moderate distance between the two sites, I have noted a few individual passerine rarities over the years transiting between the two.
Also on 24 March, I had 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks in the TRV. Given that my typical total in a morning's birding anywhere in the county is about 1 individual, this might suggest that there was a spring 'push' of them going on. There is relatively little data on spring migration of hawks in COASTAL San Diego County, in part because it is very difficult to document.
The PAIR of Vermilion Flycatchers at the southwest corner of the Mission Bay golf course continued on 23 March. Given the 'late' date for wintering birds, and the fact that a pair is present, they could well end up nesting there. So definitely worth keeping tabs on them and seeing if either bird is carrying nesting material or food. Given that they are on a golf course, finding the actual nest might prove difficult.
The THREE Reddish Egrets at the San Diego River mouth on 19 March had dropped back down to the usual one bird on 28 March. Some 100 Red Knots roosting on the saltworks island where the Little Stints hung out last Nov/Dec include a number of birds in full or almost full alternate plumage.
–Paul Lehman, San Diego
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
We gather to tally our results at noon at the Del Mar Public Works parking lot/picnic tables off Jimmy Durante Rd.
Jayne Lesley (cell phone: 858-663-6568)
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
Just had an adult Bald Eagle sitting on the mud flats of the San Diego river, Sea World section eating a small mammal or large bird. I first saw it as it flew to the mud flat. I was about 1/4 mile away and moved over to get some distant photos which will be posted soon. The eagle finished the meal and took off heading upstream to the east where I lost it.
John Bruin
Bay Park
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
There is still a large congregation of birds about 1.5 miles offshore from Pt. La Jolla.
Mostly gulls, pelicans and cormorants.
They start arriving around 7:00, from the south.
Not as many birds as 3 weeks ago, but still impressive. Maybe 4000 total.
Sometimes portions of the flock come close to shore, if the wind is onshore.
Especially so when it switches to onshore in the afternoon.
Bonaparte’s gulls are the most common species, numbering about 2000-2500.
Still hundreds of black-vented shearwaters.
A few boobies join the flock every morning.
Numbers of elegant terns migrating north have increased exponentially in the past few days.
In non-avian news, since a number of cetacean biologists are on this listserv:
There is a large dead whale of undetermined species, quite ripe-looking and covered with gulls, floating about 2 miles offshore at the outer edge of La Jolla Canyon.
From my bench, it was more or less in line with the 2-mile buoy to the north.
Stan Walens, San Diego
March 28, 2019; 8:20 am
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
The male Long-tailed Duck continues this morning, March 28, in Mission Bay. In the company of about 17 Surf Scoters and 7 Buffleheads. Interestingly, only 4 of the Surf Scoters were in adult male plumage, perhaps the adult males are elsewhere locally or may migrated.
Dan Jehl
San Diego
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports