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Monthly Archives: October 2023

Burrowing Parakeets in Hillcrest

12:09 pm

About 11:15-11:30 am Monday, 10/30, I got some very close views of four Burrowing Parrots circling between Crestwood Lane and Indiana Street in Hillcrest. 18 inches from beak to tail-tip, long, pointed tail, mostly dusky olive above, conspicuous yellow rumps and bellies with darker reddish patch center belly, lighter grayish chest, conspicuous white eye patch on an otherwise gray/olive face/head.

They were homing in on the large, thick-trunked date palm near 3681 Indiana Street, just south of Robinson. They were still in the palm (audible, not visible) when I went inside at 11:30am.

Caron Andregg
Hillcrest, San Diego, CA

Red-breasted Nuthaches in Encinitas

10:43 am

After being away for most of the last two weeks, I was delighted to find at least six red-breasted nuthatches scattered around Olivenhain on my daily walking trails. Tally to-date (north to south): One near 3135 Dusty Trail, three near 3694 Copper Crest Road, one near corner of Copper Crest and Wishbone, and one near 980 Via Felicita. One mountain chickadee was also present near 3694 Copper Crest; they are usually a bit to the east near Country Rose circle.

Betsy Miller Vixie
Olivenhain

Varied Thrush in Balboa Park

8:25 am

Monday morning at 8:15. There’s a female plumaged Varied Thrush and Balboa Park along the west edge lawn of the Pepper Grove Picnic Area, which is just south of the Fleet Science Center and across Park Boulevard from the Navy hospital. This is where a Hammond’s flycatcher wintered last year. This is right along the edge of a canyon that on the other side is the Japanese Tea Garden, so of course if this bird merely drops down into the canyon it will be unfindable.

Paul Lehman, San Diego

More on the Thick billed Kingbird, minima Cackling Geese, mis

9:49 am

The Thick billed Kingbird down in the Tijuana River Valley, first reported earlier this morning by Paul Marvin, later on was a little farther east along Monument Road near mailbox 2473. This is almost certainly a returning bird from last winter, which early in the season was also seen in exactly this same area, but then later as the winter went on was only seen sporadically farther north in the area of Nestor Park and adjoining school properties and sometimes only findable associated with kingbird roost sites fairly late in the day. 
Also, at the TRV this morning, the Plumbeous vireo and Black and white warbler continue at the B&B.
Also today, at Sweetwater Reservoir there were four Cackling geese along with four White fronts at the bottom end of the reservoir, and the Cacklings appeared to be of the subspecies minima, which is very rare in the county.  They have dark purplish- brown breasts and no neck ring. A similar looking bird was photographed up at Guajome Regional Park earlier this month. At the upper end of Sweetwater was a typical Aleutian Cackling goose with a few Canadas, and one other White front, and a Yellow-headed blackbird, probably continuing.
Paul Lehman, San Diego

Fiesta Island Longspurs 10/29

9:24 am

A number of us saw a Lapland Longspur this morning. Further searching by Dan J, Nick B, and I revealed 2 Laplands and 1 Chestnut-collared Longspur. All seen in the field approximately here:

(32.7710251, -117.2247149)

They flush frequently as more dogs show up.

Nathan French
Hillcrest

Re: Swamp Sparrow in Borrego Springs

8:36 pm

We also had a Green-tailed Towhee at the wastewater treatment plant. 

We may add additional photos of other species over the next day or so. 

-Gjon
On Oct 28, 2023, at 4:34 PM, Robert Theriault via groups.io <rtheriault13@…> wrote:



Gjon Hazard and I saw a Swamp Sparrow (already confirmed by Paul L.) at the NE pond at the Borrego Springs Resort today. Gjon mentioned that someone may still be looking for their “year bird”, so here’s the notice! 
Bob Theriault, Borrego Springs

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– – –
Gjon Hazard 
Encinitas 

Swamp Sparrow in Borrego Springs

4:34 pm

Gjon Hazard and I saw a Swamp Sparrow (already confirmed by Paul L.) at the NE pond at the Borrego Springs Resort today. Gjon mentioned that someone may still be looking for their “year bird”, so here’s the notice! 
Bob Theriault, Borrego Springs
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