Monthly Archives: November 2024

First off, minor news for Weds AM is a Plumbeous Vireo at the very rarely birded west end of Mount Hope Cemetery, to the west of Greenwood Cemetery. A meager two Western Tanagers at Greenwood and the nearby Educational Cultural Complex.

As winter approaches, we are entering the season when plenty of rarity stakeouts remain for long periods of time. Folks eBirding these birds should always include something along the lines of “continuing” or “known stakeout” or “found on Date X by Person Y” (more on this latter topic below). (Same is true in posts to the listserve.) This helps us reviewers and record-keepers more easily keep track of what’s going on. It also is helpful or can be even a requirement that some level of details or photos also be included. It depends on the species and on how long it has been since there have been other (documented) reports. Tougher IDs and species for which there has been an appreciable gap in dates since the previous reports are more likely to receive extra scrutiny from us reviewers compared to some bird that you saw the same day or within a day or two of other people. But best to play it safe and include some level of details/photos. You may or may not be surprised to learn that there are a fair number of reports of known stakeouts that include photos that then show that the bird was misidentified.

The above topic is also a segue into mentioning that for all the many, many birders who chase stakeout rarities found by others, it is a nice gesture from time to time to thank or congratulate the finders in your comments or if you see them in the field. As well as thanking those who provided info that assisted your finding it, or may have helped show you the bird in the field–especially if you would have probably missed it otherwise. A simple courtesy from time to time. Some folks are great at doing this. For some it seems that the words “thank you” are not in their vocabulary. Chasing and seeing stakeout rare birds found by others, sometimes or all the time, is not an entitlement.

The current early-morning oriole show in the coral trees bordering the Zoo parking lot is not something new (known for over 15 years when the trees are blooming in winter), but the current situation does set a new record number of oriole species at one time (by one–the Scott’s). The rather tortured history of these current birds, for those who care to know, sort of starts on 29 Oct when Trent Stanley reports the two adult male Orchards (one or both likely returning birds) from inside the zoo, and then on 4 Nov when I find them at the now infamous “Meerkat” coral trees in the early morning. People continue to see one or two male Orchards on a regular basis on subsequent dates, and then on 12 Nov Nathan French reports a female Hooded Oriole as well, which also may be a returning bird. At some point a Bullock’s is added to the mix, as are several Western Tanagers. A Summer Tanager has been noted so far only inside the Zoo and not yet out on the parking lot edge. Way back on 17 Oct, Joanne Sherif finds a young male Scott’s Oriole to the east in the Morley Field area of Balboa Park, which later in the day Nathan sees flying way off in the general direction of the Zoo–sort of. Then on 29 Oct, Trent finds a similar-plumaged bird (so, likely the same) inside the Zoo, which then is seen for the first time on the parking lot edge on 23 Nov by visiting birders Curtis Marantz and Sylvia Afable. Then, on 26 Nov, Justyn Stahl finds the Baltimore Oriole, which is probably a young male (but be aware that some older females can attain some limited amount of black splotches). And finally on 27 Nov, TWO Hooded Orioles are reported (continuing female and a new immature male), with some confusion as to what is continuing and what is new–so wise not just to always “assume” you are seeing a stakeout rather than a new bird, so check to see what any stakeout actually looks like before you go see it. Hopefully, this oriole show will continue in the early AM as long as the coral trees stay blooming. Sunny dawns needed.

–Paul Lehman, San Diego

On 22 Nov I had a Red-breasted Nuthatch at Friendship Park in Chula Vista. Given the total lack of R-b Nuts on the move this fall–as part of the total lack of ANY irruptive species on the move this season!–there is a very high probability that this is the same individual that lingered there from last winter into early summer, last reported in early July. So, one of the very few fully summering records for the lowlands in the county away from Point Loma and perhaps La Jolla (where still quite rare and irregular).

Minor stuff the past few days include:

–male “Slate-colored” Juncos on the west side of Balboa Park (south of the magnolia grove) and along the southeast edge of Balboa Park

–adult “dark-lored” White-crowned Sparrow on the 25th in the mini-park at corner of Maple X Albatross in the Bankers Hill neighborhood of San Diego

–my only Black-thr. Gray Warbler in weeks in North Park today–substantially fewer than normal in late fall

–continuing Summer Tanagers at both the Tierrasanta substation and in South Park

–presumably ca. 10 wintering Western Tanagers: at cen-w. Balboa Park (3+), ne. edge Balboa Park, Golden Heights, Grape St. dog park, Point Loma Nazarene, and Tierrasanta (3)

–Sweetwater Reservoir has had Prairie Falcon, continuing Loggerhead Shrike, several continuing Wilson’s Snipe (upper end), and late-season “inland” Semipalmated Plovers (5) and Dunlin (2) which are somewhat regular there–perhaps the only inland site where regular in late fall and winter if habitat appropriate

–Paul Lehman, San Diego