misc north county rarities 12-29-20

Was surprised not to encounter other birders post-storm at Pt. La Jolla this morning: just after 7am, there were 1000+ Bonaparte's gulls & good numbers of shearwaters way out on the horizon.  Had a few shift by a bit closer and was able to pick out at least 1 pink-footed and at least 3 dark shearwaters that I suspect were sooty but too distant for me to separate short-tailed; 1 pale fulmar swung by at moderate distance, 1 brown booby, at least  2 parasitic & 1 pomarine jaeger.  South of the Children's Pool 2 black oystercatchers were tolerating the gawkers tempting fate out on the rocks with the high tide & impressive surf.

Paul's Lucy's warbler continues at upper San Dieguito Park, around 8:40 being in the southmost Tipu tree on the west side of the parking lot straight south of the entrance gate.  The continuing male black-throated gray and other more common species also in the area.

A vesper sparrow was among a sizeable flock of savannah sparrows on the NW central portion of the eastern mesa (Stonebridge) at San Elijo around 10:15 (needle to haystack as vesper to savannahs in oat stubble…).
R. Patton
San Diego, CA
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports