Franklin’s Gull, misc high totals
Franklin’s Gull, misc high totals
By {authorlink} – 1:19 pm
The Franklin’s Gull found earlier this morning (Weds) by Michelle Haglund at the San Diego River mouth mudflats, as viewed from Robb Field, was still present just before noon–although the tide was coming in and would soon drown most of said mudflats. This bird is an adult, and thus is NOT the same bird seen yesterday by Dan King flying south past Torrey Pines, as that bird was a first-year. In contrast the Long-tailed Duck which flew south past La Jolla yesterday in the AM was in the same male plumage as the bird seen later in the day off Silver Strand State Beach, so it may or may not be the same individual.
With the finding of a few more White-throated Sparrows and Summer Tanagers over the past few days, the fall (Sep-Nov) totals for those two species in the county sit at 36 White-throated Sparrows and 61 Summer Tanagers. Both are by far new seasonal records.
Seems to be the usual uptick in finding Bullock’s Orioles and Western Tanagers in late Nov versus what one can see between mid-Oct and mid-Nov. Seems to be the case every year.
Yesterday’s morning totals of 5000 Pacific Loons and 4000 Surf Scoters heading south past La Jolla are illustrative of what is migrating by in November and early December on probably quite a few days.
–Paul Lehman, San Diego