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Monthly Archives: October 2021

Zone-tail, others, at Cuyamaca Lake

Yesterday afternoon (10/23) was a good time to be at Cuyamaca Lake.  Our group (Barbara Kus, Robyn and Gary Waayers, Janet and Steve Shields, and myself) found about a dozen Canvasbacks on the Lake, a W-T Kite in the field east of the Lake, and a Bald Eagle circling overhead, but the star of the show was a Zone-tailed Hawk on a low fly-by and then circling back to make sure we got a good pic of the underside of its tail. I think Robyn is going to post the photo on eBird.  Earlier in the day we had a Cackling Goose in the picnic area at the J St. marsh. 
Phil PrydeSan Carlos 

Continuing Hepatic, GWF Geese San Dieguito Co Park

10/23 – The Hepatic Tanager may be settling in for the duration. It was in the eucalyptus in the same general area (west end of the Upper Park summit eucalyptus grove). It’s looking for large insects under the loose bark. 32.998683, -117.237420The flock of 10 Greater White-fronted Geese are back on the golf course pond across the street (west) from the Upper Park main entrance. -Gjon– – – -Gjon HazardEncinitas

Lapland Longspur, Mission Bay F.I., 21 Oct 2021

A Lapland Longspur was at the Fiesta Island Dog Park, near western side, a bit north of north-end of ‘Least Tern’ fence.  Seen about 11:00 today. Also a continuing Vesper Sparrow.ID notes- looked to be winter-male.  Strong-dark-bordered auricular patch (boldest in back of patch).  Buffy supercilium extending behind auricular patch, then- otherwise mostly white underneath, with some blotchy black in top of breast.  Distinct rufous in tertial (and primary coverts) wing feathers.  Nape (still) showed trace of dark-red color.  White outer tail feathers (unlike Che-col and Thi-Bil) NOT very distinct, on flying bird or on the ground.  Not an expert on vocals, but- ‘tew’ call-note and ‘dry/flat’ rattle-call seemed best for Lapland.Paul ChadUniversity City

Jacumba: 6 Harris’s Hawks, “Prairie” Merlin, Plumbeous Vireo, late stuff

On Weds morning, 20 Oct, a trip to Jacumba in east county produced 6 continuing Harris’s Hawks all together, but this time in the very southwest part of town, dubbed by the road sign as “Snob Hill.” The birds probably spend a fair amount of the day on the Mexico side of the border. Another highlight was the “Prairie” Merlin (subspecies richardsoni) in town, a rare to very rare visitor in the county, and a Plumbeous Vireo. In the “getting late” category were a continuing Western Wood-Pewee, continuing Cassin’s Kingbird, 2 continuing Yellow Warblers, a continuing Western Tanager, and a Townsend’s Warbler (late-ish for the east county). Photos of the Prairie Merlin and other stuff in my eBird report.Locally, a Nashville Warbler in Coronado is likely a returning wintering bird.–Paul Lehman, San Diego

Blackpoll Warbler continues at Old Poway Park

If anyone is interested, the Blackpoll Warbler at Old Poway Park wasstill there this morning. Today it was seen in a couple of the biggerSycamores more towards the north portion of the grassy area. It was midlevel and higher when we saw it. I saw it a little after 8:00 a.m., butit was also seen earlier. I wandered around Old Poway Park and AubreyPark for a long time to see what else was around. I looked on and offfor the Blackpoll, but didn’t find it again. Warning: looking at/forWarblers in these two parks is a recipe for serious Warbler neck!List with the Blackpoll photos:https://ebird.org/checklist/S96443663<https://ebird.org/checklist/S96443663>Lisa RubySabre Springs– Lisa RubySabre Springs

2 T.K.’s, pugetensis, swallows & swifts

On Tuesday the 19th, a new Tropical Kingbird was along Saturn Avenue in the TRV, whereas a continuing, likely returning, T.K. was in the Dairy Mart area. An adult pugetensis White-crowned Sparrow, very rare in the county, was in Coronado. And as is often the case following Oct/Nov cold fronts, there were plenty of swifts and swallows over the TRV today and which included the clockwork Violet-green Swallows (10+) under such conditions and timing, as well as 20+ Barns, some 200 White-throated Swifts, and 1 typical-departure-date Vaux’s Swift. Reddish Egret continues at the J Street/Marina Parkway mudflats. A count of 305 Royal Terns at the saltworks was high, but only 5 Elegants amongst them.–Paul Lehman, San Diego

Plumbeous Vireo Old Poway Park

I believe I had a Plumbeous Vireo at Old Poway Park around 12:30 thisafternoon. I went to the park around 10:15 a.m. looking for theBlackpoll Warbler that has been reported there since the 15th, but hadno luck finding it. I saw in the eBird alerts that the Blackpoll wasseen a little before I got there this morning.The Vireo was in a smallish tree on the east side of the little creek,to the left of the white bridge. I don’t know where it went when it leftthat tree.List with photos of the Vireo (and maybe other birds if I get the photosposted before you look)https://ebird.org/checklist/S96406161<https://ebird.org/checklist/S96406161>Lisa RubySabre Springs– Lisa RubySabre Springs

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