San Diego
Area
Jul.
29,
2002
Guide - Bob
Miller
A sunup to sundown day of birding and exploration with Cleveland Ohio
birders Bill & Mary Lou.
82 species (list follows at end
of page)
Click on
thumbnail pictures for full-sized shots.
Song Sparrow
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Our day began
right on the beach behind the historic Hotel Del Coronado. Black
Skimmers were a treat. Our next destination was up as we headed for
El Monte Canyon. We had California Thrasher and Towhees on the way
up. El Monte County Park gave us Western Bluebirds, Oak Titmouse and
Western Scrub-Jays.
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We had nice looks at
Wrentit, Bushtit and this Song Sparrow in between grand views of
El Cajon Mountain across the canyon and the stream beneath us. |
El Cajon Mountain
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El Cajon Mountain
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Black Phoebe
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Lindo Lakes held our attention with many new birds
and sounds. Nuttall's Woodpecker taunted us for the longest time
before we sighted it. This Black Phoebe stayed busy at our feet and
Snowy Egret perched in the tree tops.
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Rufous\Allen's
Hummingbird
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Snowy Egret
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This young Sharp-shinned Hawk snacked on a June Bug just above our
heads and a Red-shouldered Hawk buzzed over us a few minutes
later.
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Sharp-shinned Hawk
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California Ground Squirrel
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At Santee Lakes we had Wood Ducks in the first lake and comical
Ground Squirrels along the shores and on the islands. Ruddy Ducks
still in breeding plumage and Pied-billed Grebes here too.
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Down to the sea shore, the cliffs actually. La Jolla Cove held lots
of Double-crested and Brandt's Cormorants and Brown Pelicans at
close focus! A few Black & Ruddy Turnstones were neat.
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Black & Ruddy Turnstones
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Down the coast we stopped for lunch at one of my favorite cafes.
JR's was boarded up and gone! Subway was great though and the ice
cream desert hit the spot. We caught the San Diego River as the tide
was going out and the birds were just becoming active. As the sand
bars became exposed they came to life with birds. Least, Elegant,
Caspian and Forster's Terns came in good numbers along with three
more plovers to go with our Killdeer! The hoped for Little Blue
Heron was a no show. Heading south again, Dairy Mart was a real disappointment
as I did not realize that it was DRY! We stopped into Border Field
SP, the most SW point of mainland USA. The Bull Ring and lighthouse
in the background are in Mexico. Below the block wall (to our left)
is the beach and the border fence disappearing into the Pacific
Ocean.
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Bill & Mary Lou
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At Border Field State Park
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We had a Northern Harrier on our way out. At the
Tijuana Slough we had great looks at this Clapper Rail in the fading
light. Coming up the Silver Strand we had our last bird of the day.
An Osprey sitting atop a mast in the harbor across from the Hotel
Del as we said Adios.
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Clapper Rail
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