summer&migrant shorebirds, boobies, Y-c Night-Heron nests

On Monday the 25th, Barbara Carlson and I checked for summer shorebirds at somewhat less-than-optimal tide times around South San Diego Bay. The results were a mediocre showing of over-summering and early-returning shorebirds. Hundreds of Willets are already back (the many ones in alternate plumage, in contrast to the many ones in basic plumage that over-summered locally), as are perhaps some of the Long-billed Curlews and many Marbled Godwits present. A flock of 17 Western Sandpipers contained 2 birds in alternate plumage, so those couple may or may not be returning migrants (some alternate birds sometimes over-summer anyway). Could find only 7 basic-plumaged, summering Short-billed Dowitchers (very low), a dozen summering Semipalmated Plovers, a couple Greater Yellowlegs, and only very small numbers of basic Black-bellied Plovers. The only "uncommon" summering shorebird we found was a single Ruddy Turnstone, present since back in May. There is a good-sized-for-summer flock of 40 Surf Scoters off Camp Surf, but no other species of scoters was with them.

Three Brown Boobies were seen well off the beach at the south end of Seacoast Drive (scope necessary). No surprise.

And lastly, there are at least 3, and probably 4, active Yellow-crowned Night-Heron nests in the I.B. Sports Park, all with mid-to-large-sized young in the nests. (There are also several Black-crowned Night-Heron nests with young.)

–Paul Lehman,  San Diego
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports