Jacumba: 6 Harris’s Hawks, “Prairie” Merlin, Plumbeous Vireo, late stuff

On Weds morning, 20 Oct, a trip to Jacumba in east county produced 6 continuing Harris’s Hawks all together, but this time in the very southwest part of town, dubbed by the road sign as “Snob Hill.” The birds probably spend a fair amount of the day on the Mexico side of the border. Another highlight was the “Prairie” Merlin (subspecies richardsoni) in town, a rare to very rare visitor in the county, and a Plumbeous Vireo. In the “getting late” category were a continuing Western Wood-Pewee, continuing Cassin’s Kingbird, 2 continuing Yellow Warblers, a continuing Western Tanager, and a Townsend’s Warbler (late-ish for the east county). Photos of the Prairie Merlin and other stuff in my eBird report.Locally, a Nashville Warbler in Coronado is likely a returning wintering bird.–Paul Lehman, San Diego