western migrant numbers, shorebirds, miscellanea

western migrant numbers, shorebirds, miscellanea
By – 11:16 am

I have been out on a daily basis during all of August and now the first half of September and must say that I have found–with only a few exceptions–the number of western landbird migrants through this period to be somewhere between mediocre and awful. At least along the coast. Yes, there is the occasional single-site, one-day exception, but as a general rule…. As one example of the very lackluster numbers, it is now 16 Sep and I have still yet to see a coastal “wing-barred” warbler of any species! Yes, there have been some OK rarities found, but general numbers are mostly really low.

In contrast, shorebirds continue reasonably, including good numbers of several of our scarce species. Today (Friday) at Sweetwater Reservoir there were 6 Baird’s and 4 Pectoral Sandpipers, as well as continuing Bank Swallow, continuing Bald Eagle, continuing 66 “inland” Short-billed Dowitchers, Vaux’s Swift, and 2 getting-late Cliff Swallows. In the TRV, 5 Solitary Sandpipers continue at the southern, “stick” pond at Dairy Mart, although be aware that there are also at least 5 Spotted Sandpipers there to possibly cause slight confusion.

Yesterday, there was an immature/female Orchard Oriole at Jacumba, where 4 Harris’s Hawks continue and a continuing Vermilion Flycatcher. An adult male Black-chinned Hummingbird there, with another 2 adult males at Pine Valley, are getting late for that age-sex class. Several feeders around the county still have small numbers of female/immature Black-chinneds.

–Paul Lehman, San Diego