"vagrant" Little Blue Heron, Common Tern glut

On Saturday the 11th, an adult Little Blue Heron "inland" at the upper (eastern) end of Lower Otay Lake was a real surprise, as this might be the most inland record ever for the county (?). It is also possible that this bird wandered up from Mexico rather than being one of the local, coastal resident breeders. Lower Otay Lake, as does Sweetwater Reservoir, has somewhat lowered water levels currently, so there is mudflat and short-grass habitat in several shoreline areas, especially at the upper/east end along Otay Lakes Road. Also on the 11th, there was a healthy onshore total (in recent decades, that is, when decreasing in numbers) of 53 Common Terns on south San Diego Bay, about half each adults and one-year-olds, with 36 birds on the drawn-down saltworks pond where the Semipalmated Sandpiper is, 8 at the J St. mudflats, and 9 at Emory Cove. The flock of 43 summering Surf Scoters continues off Camp Surf.

–Paul Lehman,  San Diego
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports