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Monthly Archives: June 2024

Indigo Bunting has moved

9:05 am

In case anybody was wondering what happened to the returning singing male Indigo Bunting in the Bird and Butterfly Garden area, which hasn’t been reported there now in a little over a month, it is because presumably the same bird has shifted a quarter mile to the south and is now in the riparian edge due west of “Ponyland”. It has been noted in that area on two or three previous occasions since I believe the beginning of May, and it was singing away there this morning around 6:30 a.m. 

Vermilion Flycatchers are summering again this year at Admiral Baker Golf Course.
Paul Lehman, San Diego 

Neotropic, summering RB Nuts, Swainson’s Thrush

6:57 am

The sub-adult Neotropic Cormorant first seen a few days ago by Barbara Wise on the power lines over the San Diego River just above the Mission and just below Friars Road continues on Monday morning, roosting with just a couple Double-cresteds. Same wires a Neotropic roosted on a whole slug of years ago. This morning the bird departed already at 6:05 a.m., although when Barbara had it, it didn’t leave until 7:40. How this bird fits in with the multiple Neotropics farther east at Lake Murray and Santee Lakes, is uncertain. 

Yesterday morning, there were one or two singing Swainson’s Thrushes along the San Diego River in the western extension of Mast Park, perhaps the only territorial Swainson’s known in South County this year. This is the very southern end of their breeding range. 
As almost everyone is aware, there is an unprecedented number of June Red-breasted Nuthatches at multiple sites near the coast this year. It would be worth trying to keep track of all these birds and see how long they actually stay, and at any site where there are multiple birds, try to determine if any nesting attempt occurs.

Paul Lehman, San Diego 

FALL migration begins!

11:32 am

Forget about all those pesky late-spring vagrant migrants the past few days like Eastern Wood-Pewee and Chestnut-sided and Blackburnian Warblers, etc. Today, June 14th, FALL migration kicked off with the return of three alternate-plumaged Willets at J Street. This is fairly regularly the first returning migrant I see most years. Today’s birds tie the earliest arrival date for returning Willets in the county, but they are somewhat regular by the 16th or 18th or so. Also at J Street were over-summering shorebirds (including numbers of basic-plumaged Willets), headlined by 2 Ruddy Turnstones, 16 Red Knots, and 110 Western Sandpipers. Also continuing 4 Bonaparte’s Gulls. Six first-cycle Ring-billed Gulls at dawn at Salt Works pond 22 is actually the most nonbreeders I’ve ever seen in South County in summer.
–Paul Lehman, San Diego

Chestnut sided warbler at FRNC

6:46 am

Chestnut sided warbler section O near thr fenceline ene of comiital shelter @0644 am. 

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=32.68496554,-117.24301275

Sue Smith, Del Mar CA
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

—
Susan Smith
Seiurus Biological Consulting
Del Mar, CA

Eastern Wood-Pewee #2 continues, Red Crossbill

8:19 am

Tuesday morning, the Eastern Wood Pewee in the northeast corner of Fort Rosecrans Cemetery continues. Frequenting much the same areas as the past 2 days, so along the hedgerows bordering Catalina boulevard, northward to the end of the cemetery where the pine trees are on both sides of Catalina, and then also on several occasions went northeast along the diagonal fence line that ends at the extreme north tip of the northeast corner. The bird only called a few times today that anybody heard, and it also disappeared for appreciable lengths of time, right after being seen in the pines along Catalina, so it may well be crossing to the west side of Catalina as well. In the dreary light and the fact it had just taken a bath, it looked somewhat darker than it has looked the previous days. But it did call several times.

Just after 8:00 a.m. I had a calling Red Crossbill fly over me on Dupont Street in residential Point Loma, heading southeast and showing no signs of stopping. 
Paul Lehman, San Diego 

Chestnut sided Warbler at frnc early Tuesday morning

6:18 am

A Chestnut-sided warbler is quickly moving through the trees along Catalina boulevard at the south end of Fort Rosecrans Cemetery, specifically several Norfolk Island pines and the one fairly large eucalyptus tree right along the main road near the South end.  Based on its rate of movement, it does not seem well settled yet and may easily move off to parts unknown.

Paul Lehman, San Diego 
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