Hi Friends,

On Saturday December 9, twenty-four birders checked-out San Elijo Lagoon. The weather was perfect and everyone enjoyed this favorite coastal location.  Because of trail closures, we were only able to hike the Rios East trail. For an additional substitute hike, we also birded the La Orilla trail which is east of the I-5 freeway.

We found 53 bird species and here is our list:

Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk*
Red-tailed Hawk
Ridgway’s Rail
Sora
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Willet
Whimbrel
Long-billed Curlew
Least Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Dowitcher sp.
Ruddy Turnstone
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Nuttall’s Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker*
Black Phoebe
Say’s Phoebe
Cassin’s Kingbird
American Crow
Bewick’s Wren*
Ruby-crowned Kinglet*
Wrentit
Hermit Thrush
California Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler*
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch*

*Found on La Orilla trail

Dave Cowan, trip leader. Jim Beckman, La Orilla trail leader.

For the photographers on the walk, please send photos you are willing to share to palomaraudubon@gmail.com……Thanks, Webmaster