continuing Nestor rarities and other miscellanea

On Sunday, 31 March, the immature male ORCHARD ORIOLE continued along Leon Avenue in Nestor, a bird I had seen once before back on 10 February. Also on Leon Ave., an adult male SUMMER TANAGER on 24 March is almost certainly the same bird that was at Nestor Park in early winter but which hasn't been reported there in a long time. Despite the moderate distance between the two sites, I have noted a few individual passerine rarities over the years transiting between the two.

Also on 24 March, I had 5 Sharp-shinned Hawks in the TRV.  Given that my typical total in a morning's birding anywhere in the county is about 1 individual, this might suggest that there was a spring 'push' of them going on. There is relatively little data on spring migration of hawks in COASTAL San Diego County, in part because it is very difficult to document.

The PAIR of Vermilion Flycatchers at the southwest corner of the Mission Bay golf course continued on 23 March. Given the 'late' date for wintering birds, and the fact that a pair is present, they could well end up nesting there. So definitely worth keeping tabs on them and seeing if either bird is carrying nesting material or food.  Given that they are on a golf course, finding the actual nest might prove difficult.

The THREE Reddish Egrets at the San Diego River mouth on 19 March had dropped back down to the usual one bird on 28 March.  Some 100 Red Knots roosting on the saltworks island where the Little Stints hung out last Nov/Dec include a number of birds in full or almost full alternate plumage.

–Paul Lehman,  San Diego
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports