Well, it was kind of a miserable day yesterday, muddy walking, always a light drizzle, a bit cold, a couple birders left early, one or two complained, but, all in all, a good birding day and a life bird was found by at least one of our group, the American Bittern. This was only the second time I have seen one here and by far a better viewing. I am not sure who was more surprised by the encounter, the bittern or us.
Please check out Sonja’s pictures. You can see some very wet birds and enjoy the different views of the snipe. How often do you get to see them so well and from the top of the head?
The Merlin on Davis Rd. near the alfalfa fields we omitted from the list. John’s Western Bluebird we changed to Mountain Bluebird.
Two additions to the list: a green heron and a hermit thrush.
It was amazing that the hermit thrush in Sonja’s photo looked so dry. We must have been munching on lunch and nobody heard me call out thrush? robin?
And it was also amazing that the least bittern seen by the Walkleys, which, after some research, I didn’t add to the list, morphed into a more likely green heron.
Thank you, Doug, for the great photo comparing the two species. You might want to share that picture or did you photoshop it?
Nov 27, 2016 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Comments: Cool, sprinkles and light rain throughout most of morning. No wind. Muddy walking conditions. This was a group effort, a Palomar Audubon sponsored bird walk. The object was not to do a bird count.
51 species (+2 other taxa)Gadwall (Anas strepera) 24
American Wigeon (Anas americana) 24
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 20
Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) 6
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) 30
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) 2
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 12
Redhead (Aythya americana) 6
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 22
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 20
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1
Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) 1
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 1
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) 1
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 4
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 1
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) 8
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 12 The most common raptor on the preserve, perched, flying, and a male mantling on ground.. A picture can be provided.
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) (Buteo jamaicensis calurus/alascensis) 2
Sora (Porzana carolina) 4
American Coot (Fulica americana) 500
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) 60
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 6
Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus/scolopaceus) 16
Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata) 4
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 12
Larus sp. (Larus sp.) 24
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Nuttall’s Woodpecker (Picoides nuttallii) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 6
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 7
Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya) 7
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) 2 Pictures of both vermilion flycatchers can be provided.
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) 4
California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 4
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 3
Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) 2
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) 1 Participant has a photo
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 1
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) 12
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) 2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s) (Setophaga coronata auduboni) 12
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 12
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 12
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 24
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) 1View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/
