Agua Hedionda Lagoon area CBC highlights (American Redstart)
Max Leibowitz, my mom, and myself covered the Agua Hedionda north area (main lagoon, residentially areas around, much of Tamarack Beach) and finished the day with 94 species. An early seawatch produced nothing too interesting, but there was at least 40 Black-vented Shearwaters milling about offshore, and a good count of at least 29 Heermann's Gulls which is the highest total I've had on the count in four years. The Pelagic Cormorant continues to feed/roost in the west basin of Agua Hedionda Lagon. While scoping the central basin of the lagoon at the end of Harbor Dr, seven Swinhoe's White-eyes flew by and briefly landed in a eucalyptus before continuing on. There was a lone Canvasback on the main east basin of the lagoon, and at least four Ridgway's Rails were present in the marsh (two visible, another two calling).
The best bird of the day was a female-type American Redstart at Chase Field (off Chestnut Ave, barely within our count area). It was foraging entirely on the south side of the park, in the trees bordering Palm Avenue. There was also a returning Black-throated Gray Warbler (the second of the day, the first in a residential area), Townsend's and Orange-crowned Warblers, a kinglet, and numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers. This tiny greenspace, which is almost entirely ball fields but bordered with trees, always has a surprising number of warblers. Pictures will be up on ebird.
Ryan Andrews
Valley Center
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports