Perhaps an over-wintering bird in /around the Tijuana River Valley region (?), a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was on a utility wire on Monument Rd late this morning, just west of Hollister Rd, perhaps a first-spring bird.
Paul Chad
University City
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
This morning at 10AM (4/1/1’9) I watched a kettle of Turkey vultures rise just northwest of the entrance (people entrance not auto entrance) to the Safari Park in the San Pascual Valley. I was trying to pick out a Zone-tailed hawk but couldn’t find one. But at the bottom of the kettle was a light adult SWAINSON’S HAWK (dark chest, white below, darkish tail, dark remiges, leading half of the wings white) .
Jim Roberts
University City
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
I birded Mission Valley Preserve (near YMCA on Friars) this morning for the first time and saw and heard a Bell’s Vireo, and what was a probably a “bright” Cassin’s Vireo but possibly a Blue-headed Vireo. Photos and recordings of both here:
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
Around 10 this morning I birded the GMP. A couple of Townsend's warblers sang from the pines east of the pond (which was bereft of waterfowl or even a black phoebe). The Sefton obelisk had most of the action, though by this hour, things were generally not very birdy. First, I saw a female oriole high in the canopy of the tree immediately east of the obelisk, yielding mostly underneath looks. It looked a bit small for a hooded, and the tail a bit short, but I never got a definitive look at this bird, much less a photo.
Almost as uncooperative was the Black-Throated Green Warbler found in the next trees east, near the pavement. Despite half an hour of loud pishing, softer pleading, and whispered cursing, the bird would not hold still in unobstructed view in decent light. I did get some bad photos, a couple of which do at least show no yellow whatsoever below the indistinct black throat, which should rule out Townsend's.
I'll put up photos in my eBird list tonight.
Regular readers of the list will recall such a bird being reported in this exact spot a number of times through early winter, but I think it's been missed since mid-December. It will probably leave soon, so get out there if you have to have one.
Tuck Russell
Hillcrest
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
I birded the Kitchen Creek Road /creek crossing this morning
Hooded Oriole M/F
Ash-Throated fly
Western Kingbird 6
Oak Titmouse 4
OC Warbler
California Quail
The PCT east of the road was not particularily birdy… a single Black-Chinned Sparrow…
but the wildflowers were excellent.
I stopped by the Sandy Creek Ranch ( just east of Old 80 on La Posta TT)
American Robin 4
Blackbirds mostly too distant, but one female tricolored was in the group
Junco 5
Stellar’s Jay 2
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports
Completely different bird population from last week. The feeding frenzy is gone, and most wintering birds seem to have moved out.
Highlight of the morning, from 6:45–7:30 was a torrential movement of Elegant Terns northwards. I have no idea whether they were migrating or foraging.
Passed by at the rate of about 2/second for nearly an hour. That would make somewhere between 6500–7000.
Otherwise:
Heermann’s gull: 9, all first winter
California gull: 0
Boobies: 0
Horned puffin: 0
Black-vented shearwater: 40
Bonaparte’s gull: 30, all far out.
Also, the pinniped biologist photographed a banded brown pelican a few weeks ago. Blue band, #A23.
Wants to know where to report it.
Please let me know, off-list.
Finally, the dead whale I saw last week was very likely the same individual removed from the beach at San Onofre a few days earlier.
Photo comparison indicates that the pattern of decay was very similar.
Stan Walens, San Diego Adjacent
April 1, 2019; 8:50 am
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports