miscellanea (including Hepatic)

On 3 January, in the light rain, the returning male Hepatic Tanager continues in Tierrasanta. Unfortunately, ever since the end of November the bird seems to have vacated its known overnight roost site and is now roosting at site(s) unknown. This requires stumbling into the bird during the daytime, which is much more difficult. If I can re-find a reliable roost site, I will let folks know and try to set up a future viewing before it leaves in April. But until then….  Also in Tierrasanta this morning were the continuing Painted Redstart, Bullock’s Oriole, 3 Western Tanagers, a “Slate-colored” Junco, and over 300 Am. Robins. Just when I thought that robin numbers couldn’t continue to increase any more, they do! It is now fairly routine to make single-site counts of 100-250+, with a few larger counts having been made, up to Matt’s 1750 birds a week or so ago near Lake Hodges.

Yesterday at La Jolla Farms, in addition to the continuing Golden-crowned Kinglets and White-throated Sparrow at the LDS church yard, there was a presumably new Nashville Warbler a few blocks away along Idle Hour Drive.

The New Year’s morning seawatch at La Jolla, in addition to recording the Buller’s and Short-tailed Shearwaters, Leach’s-type Storm-Petrel, and Nazca Booby, also totaled some 1600 southbound Pacific Loons, with much smaller numbers of southbound Red-throated Loons, Brant, and Surf Scoters–giving an idea how late into the season these species can still be on the move in substantial numbers.

Paul Lehman, San Diego