Field Trip Report for Tijuana Estuary

Birders,
Here is one part of the ebird reports I made today.
Great day, not to be duplicated anytime soon. Sonia may share some video of the feeding frenzy.

 

Sally Sanderson

 

Subject: eBird Report – Tijuana River mouth, Jul 12, 2014
Tijuana River mouth, San Diego, US-CA
Jul 12, 2014 9:35 AM - 11:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments:     This was a Palomar Audubon sponsored walk. We walked from Sea 
Coast Dr. to the Tijuana River mouth. We viewed 1000's of sea birds feeding on 
anchovies near the surf and a short distance off shore.
30 species

Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)  X
Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus)  1
Black-vented Shearwater (Puffinus opisthomelas)  X     100's of birds, one 
apparent leucistic bird, all white head and body, some black on the wings.
Brandt's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus)  X
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)  X
Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus)  X
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)  X
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  X
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  X
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)  X
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  X
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  X
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)  X
Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus)  X
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  X
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)  X
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)  X
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)  X
Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni)  X
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)  X
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)  X
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  X
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)  X
Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)  X
Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans)  X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  X
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)  X
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)  X
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  X
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  X

Subject: eBird Report - Tijuana Slough NWR--North McCoy Trail, Jul 12, 2014

Tijuana Slough NWR--North McCoy Trail, San Diego, US-CA
Jul 12, 2014 8:00 AM - 9:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments:     This walk was sponsored by Palomar Audubon Society
23 species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  X
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)  X
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)  X
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  X
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)  X
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)  X
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)  4
Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris)  2
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)  X
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)  X
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  X
Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans)  X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  X
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)  X
Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin)  X
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya)  X
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  X
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)  X
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  X
California Towhee (Melozone crissalis)  X
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)  X
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)  X
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  X

Subject: eBird Report - Tijuana Slough NWR--Seacoast Dr., Jul 12, 2014

Tijuana Slough NWR--Seacoast Dr., San Diego, US-CA
Jul 12, 2014 9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments:     This was a Palomar Audubon sponsored walk.
11 species

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)  X
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)  X
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)  X
Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris)  X
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)  X
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)  X
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  X
Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans)  X
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)  X
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Domestic type))  X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  X

Subject: Leucistic Black-vented Shearwater

The odd bird we had in the huge flock of Black-vented Shearwaters at IB Saturday was, in fact, a leucistic shearwater.  Here’s a link to some photos in case you haven’t already seen them: https://flic.kr/p/oik5kZ.

Tom Blackman suggested it could have been a Manx Shearwater, although that would be very unlikely.  But my research shows the Manx with a dark head.  This guy had a snow-white head and body.

Jack Friery


 

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