results of 11 Feb 2019 San Elijo Monthly Bird Count

Thanks to 12 participants for conducting the 11 February 2019 San Elijo Lagoon monthly bird count: Maryanne Bache (beach), Steve Brad (West Basin, nature center site); Elizabeth Venrick, Alys Arenas (Pole Rd); Jayne Lesley, Don Johnson, Jeff Clingan, David Carey, Kasey Cinciarelli (CBS= Rios to freeway); Kathy Aldern (EBS = La Orilla to Sta Inez); Patti Koger (EBE = Stonebridge Mesa); Robert Patton (EBNW = area of old dike; EBNE = Escondido Cr; Cardiff Cove, I-5 fill).

113 species were reported.  Species of interest included a horned grebe northwest of Rios Ave, continuing male Eurasian wigeon off the northwest shore of the nature center site, four ring-necked ducks near the El Camino Real trailhead, three common goldeneye off the southwest nature center site (then flying east), a greater roadrunner on the eastern mesa, a loggerhead shrike to the NW of the overlook NW off Santa Carina, and a rufous-crowned sparrows along the trail east of Rios Ave.

Species included:

Pacific loon, pied-billed grebe, horned grebe, western grebe, brown pelican, double-crested cormorant, Brandt’s cormorant, great blue heron, great egret, snowy egret, white-faced ibis, Canada goose, green-winged teal, mallard, northern pintail, cinnamon teal, northern shoveler, gadwall, Eurasian wigeon, American wigeon, ring-necked duck, lesser scaup, bufflehead, common goldeneye, red-breasted merganser, ruddy duck, turkey vulture, osprey, white-tailed kite, northern harrier, Cooper’s hawk, red-shouldered hawk, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, peregrine falcon, California quail, Ridgway’s rail, Virginia rail, American coot, black-bellied plover, snowy plover, semipalmated plover, killdeer, American avocet, greater yellowlegs, spotted sandpiper, willet, whimbrel, long-billed curlew, marbled godwit, ruddy turnstone, black turnstone, sanderling, western sandpiper, least sandpiper, dowitcher sp., Heermann’s gull, ring-billed gull, California gull, herring gull, western gull, royal tern, rock pigeon, Eurasian collared-dove, mourning dove, greater roadrunner, white-throated swift, Anna’s hummingbird, Allen’s hummingbird, Allen’s/rufous hummingbird sp., belted kingfisher, Nuttall’s woodpecker, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, black phoebe, Say’s phoebe, Cassin’s kingbird, tree swallow, swallow sp., California scrub jay, American crow, common raven, bushtit, Bewick’s wren, house wren, marsh wren, ruby-crowned kinglet, blue-gray gnatcatcher, California gnatcatcher, western bluebird, hermit thrush, wrentit, northern mockingbird, California thrasher, American pipit, cedar waxwing, loggerhead shrike, European starling, Hutton’s vireo, orange-crowned warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, common yellowthroat, spotted towhee, California towhee, rufous-crowned sparrow, Belding’s savannah sparrow, migrant savannah sparrow, song sparrow,  white-crowned sparrow, red-winged blackbird, western meadowlark, great-tailed grackle, house finch, lesser goldfinch, house sparrow.

The next San Elijo monthly bird count will be Monday 11 March.  Counts are conducted by volunteers on the second Monday of each month, rain or shine.  Please spread the word or join us if you can (no RSVP required).  Meet at 7:30 am at the north end of Rios Ave in Solana Beach (north from Lomas Santa Fe Dr, west of I-5) to divide into groups to cover different subareas.  A compilation generally follows around noon at the nature center on Manchester Ave (bring your own lunch).

Thanks,
R. Patton
San Diego, CA

Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports