Kay and I drove to the stakeout feeder near the Rios entrance at San Elijo Lagoon in San Diego county today to try again for a lifer for Kay and a first really satisfying view for me of this goldfinch. We got there at about 9:10 after moderate traffic on I-5 south from Fullerton, and Read More…
Category: California
Lifer # 689 Scripp’s Murrelet
Yesterday I travelled to San Diego to take the birding festival pelagic trip. The primary possibility for an ABA lifer on the trip was Scripp’s murrelet, and we had them many times in great light at close range both on the water and in flight. The trip was overall on modest swell with only moderate Read More…
Mt. Baldy Area Today
Kay was off to see the Chapman College art show with Fay, Mary and a couple of Fay’s friends today so I took off a bit after 8 AM to head towards the Mountains of Los Angeles County, specifically a hike near Mt. Baldy called Ice House Canyon Trail. The drive was easy, and I Read More…
LEOW and Black-and-white Warbler Today
Today Kay and I went to the Irvine area of Orange County first to look for Lawrence’s goldfinch (again) at William R. Mason Regional Park. It is a nice park in the city, near UCI, with a good riparian stand running along University Rd, and near the end of about 2 hours Kay located a Read More…
Hiltscher Park- Local AM Walk
This morning I decided not to drive, so just walked to the local micro-canyon trail Hiltscher Park and got out for a bit over an hour. It’s always nice to walk here, and today the highlight was a pair of Cooper’s Hawks apparently on territory calling repeatedly. I don’t remember hearing their Cah-cah-cah call, so Read More…
No LAGO at El Toro Today
Kay and I had a great half day of birding today, first visiting El Toro Memorial Park (read cemetery) about 20 miles but nearly an hour in AM traffic on I-5 in Lake Forrest, Orange County. We were hoping to find Lawrence’s goldfinch which had been seen there a few times over the last month Read More…
Peter’s Regional Park
When Kay and I used to visit So Cal we often stayed in Orange with Keith, and a favorite morning birding spot was Peter’s Regional Park just a couple of miles down the road. Draught in the west has changed lots, this place included. The reservoir is dry, so to large rafts of wintering ducks, Read More…
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary and Upper Back Bay Newport
If yesterday was exploring a new area, today was a visit with old acquaintances. I started at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary at about 8:20. From Fullerton took the 91 to the 55 to just past John Wayne Airport, and got off at Jamboree. It was very birdy in the earlier morning, much less so Read More…
Fullerton Arboretum
This morning Kay and I took an hour walk and birding outing at the Fullerton Arboretum. Best finds of the day were Townsend’s warbler, Allen’s hummingbirds everywhere, and an incredibly bright Song sparrow that had us studying it for a few minutes. Lots of habitat variation and plantings so a great place nearby to visit. Read More…
Santiago Oaks Canyon Hike with the Sisters
Kay, her sister Mary, and I went to Santiago Oaks Canyon for a hike today. Birding was a secondary purpose. We did the hike well, but re birding some notes to self: -Get there earlier. By about 9 AM when we started it was already hot and the birds were quiet. -Do the Santiago Creek Read More…