late-week miscellanea

The most out-of-place species I've seen the past few days was the adult and juvenile Elegant Terns well inland, where casual, at Santee Lakes on 22 July. And no surprise, the flightless Greater Scaup continues there at Lake #4 as well. A dozen Tricolored Blackbirds continue with the Red-wingeds at Lindo Lake. Arriving JUVENILE shorebirds included a slightly early Greater Yellowlegs on 23 July at J Street and 2 on-time Western Sandpipers on 24 July at the San Diego River mouth. On 23 July, the numbers of one-year-old Common Terns continue to creep upward, with a total of 10 at various sites around south San Diego Bay. Still a few Brown Boobies (and Black Storm-Petrels) most mornings off the Tijuana Estuary. A 24 July seawatch at La Jolla saw perhaps the fewest birds offshore I've perhaps ever seen there, although a very large Blue Whale (large even for that species!) put on an extended show well out. Also a single group of 5 Cassin's Auklets and continuing Black Oystercatcher.

–Paul Lehman, San Diego
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports