Today I headed for Irvine Regional Park, getting there just at 8 AM when it opened and was amazed at the que at the check in kiosk. Obviously a very popular place on a sunny Saturday morning. I was hoping to find a couple of first for me CA birds here, Lewis Woodpecker and White-breasted Read More…
Bolsa Chica
Today Kay had a date with Mary and Fay to visit a show at Cal State Fullerton, so I headed out to Bolsa Chica. I’ve been there plenty of times, but have never really walked to the back areas. Today I did a loop about 3.5 miles starting at the educational exhibit parking lot, walking Read More…
Lawrence’s Goldfinch Sucessful Stakeout Wait
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…
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…
Out of the Sick Bed- Barely
I’ve been laid low since Monday night with a flu-like illness, and today finally felt good enough to feel like some fresh air might help. I drove to Spanaway Marsh and took a pitifully slow stroll around looking for Pierce County FOY birds, found just 2, Wood Duck and Hutton’s Vireo, but not finding the Read More…