Category Archives: Birds
Fallbrook Adventure to Live Oak Park & Los Jilgeros Nature Preserve on March 6, 2022
Sixteen Birders turned up in what was forecast to be a cold windy day. And for the most part, it was. Our results, however, were formidable producing 37 species at Los Jilgeros and 28 at Live Oak Park. The ecology … Continue reading
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Santee Lakes Field Trip Results
Hi Friends, On Saturday morning February 26, twenty-three birders walked around Santee Lakes. Excellent weather, and we found 60 bird species. As with previous field trips at Santee Lakes, we found lots of American Coots, Mallards, Canada Geese, Northern Shovelers, and … Continue reading
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary Field Trip – 2/19/22
Hi Everyone,Yesterday morning, Saturday February 19, nineteen birders walked around San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, where we found 74 bird species.The weather was perfect and everybody had a great time. Lots of water fowl and a good mix of … Continue reading
Oak Hill Memorial Park Field Trip Results
Hi Birders, This morning February 12, thirty-six birders walked around Oak Hill Memorial Park in Escondido. The weather was warm but pleasant, as we managed to stay in the shade most of the time. Lots of old trees. We found … Continue reading
30% discount on our forthcoming release of the All About Birds California
Princeton University Press is celebrating the Great Backyard Bird Count by offering Audubon members a 30% discount on our forthcoming release of the All About Birds California edition by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. With an edition for every region in North America, … Continue reading
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Guajome Bird Walk, February 5, 2022
Welcome back birders!!! Yesterday was the first official Palomar birding outing in two years. So good to see so many old faces and delightful to see several new ones as well. It was a fantastic day with 62 species … Continue reading
Owl Pellets
Name:Janine Email:tominagaj9@gmail.com Message:Greetings,We’ve found some owl pellets at our house in Wildomar. We live at theend of the street next to a large open area so there are many birdsaround here. Hawks, road runners, ravens, or crows, (not sure). quail,humming … Continue reading
Now Open: 2022 Audubon Photography Awards
The Audubon Photography Awards Are Back! The 2022 Audubon Photography Awards are now officially accepting submissions! Starting today until Wednesday, March 9 you can enter your best bird photos and videos for a chance to win. For the second year, Audubon … Continue reading
Escondido CBC Preliminary Results
We held the Escondido CBC, sponsored by the Palomar Audubon Society, on Sunday, January 2. Currently, 163 species have been reported with three teams yet to report. Continue reading
Salton Sea Trip – Canceled
UPDATE on January 15, 2022 Salton Sea Field Trip Canceled Due to the increasing rate of the spread of the COVID-19 omicron variant virus, Palomar Audubon Society has decided to cancel the upcoming Jan 28-30 Salton Sea weekend field trip. … Continue reading
2021 ESCONDIDO CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT UPDATE
GOOD NEWS! After-birding picnic returns! 2021 ESCONDIDO CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 2022 Each year between December 14th and January 5th, thousands of birders and nature enthusiasts participate in one or more of the 2000+ Christmas Bird Counts held … Continue reading
2022 San Diego Bird Festival
The San Diego Audubon Society is excited to announce that the 2022 San Diego Bird Festival will be presented February 16-20, 2022. The festival will be returning to its live and in-person format and will be inviting birds of all … Continue reading
ESCONDIDO CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
SUNDAY, JANUARY 2 2022
Each year between December 14th and January 5th, thousands of birders and nature enthusiasts participate in one or more of the 2000+ Christmas Bird Counts held annually in the United States, Canada, and many other Western Hemisphere countries. This year … Continue reading
ESCONDIDO CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT – SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 2022
Each year between December 14th and January 5th, thousands of birders and nature enthusiasts participate in one or more of the 2000+ Christmas Bird Counts held annually in the United States, Canada, and many other Western Hemisphere countries. This year … Continue reading
How To Prevent Bird Window Strikes
Bird Friendly Yards How this “Bird-Friendly Yard” Site is Different Most bird-friendly yard websites only urge homeowners to add native plants to increase songbird survival. Of course, we do also. But the other sites do not show homeowners how to … Continue reading
THE ESCONDIDO CREEK CONSERVANCY SAVES 79 ACRES. CREATES NEW LEOMAR PRESERVE IN OLIVENHAIN.
The acquisition further supports preservation efforts that began with the Conservancy’s “Save 1,000 Acres” campaign in the upper Escondido Creek watershed, and honors two of the Conservancy’s founders.
The Escondido Creek Conservancy has continued its commitment to creating wildlife corridors in North San Diego County as part of its on-going Missing Lynx campaign. The recent purchase of 79 acres of land adjacent to the Gaty reservoir in Olivenhain will serve as the centerpiece of the Conservancy’s newest wildlife sanctuary, called LeoMar Preserve, named to honor Leonard Wittwer and Martha Blane, two Conservancy founders instrumental in the success of the now 30-year old land trust.
Escrow closed on May 7th, 2021. The purchase price was $2,054,000, consisting of a grant awarded to the Conservancy from the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board (propositions 68 and 84) and a sub-grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s section 6 of the Federal Endangered Species Act. The acquisition and conservation is a result of State, Federal, and local collaboration.
“Leonard and Martha understand the intrinsic value of the native coastal SoCal sage scrub and chaparral habitats that once covered most of southern California. They have committed a great part of their lives to ensuring that as much as possible continues to thrive. It is an honor for the Escondido Creek Conservancy to be able to name a preserve after them,” said Betsy Keithley, a member of the Escondido Creek Conservancy Board of Directors.
Leonard Wittwer has been on the Board since 1991. He has been central to the growth of the Conservancy’s land protection program, and currently serves as board president. Martha served as the very first board president, at a time when it was uncommon to see women in non-profit leadership roles. Both Leonard and Martha have devoted thousands of volunteer hours to the Conservancy over the past three decades. Their service is being acknowledged by the Board of Directors with the creation of this beautiful preserve in Olivenhain.
“Partners like the Escondido Creek Conservancy are key to helping the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fulfill its conservation mission,” said Jonathan Snyder, Assistant Field Supervisor for the Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office. “Conservation of this habitat will ensure plants and wildlife in the area continue to persist.”
The LeoMar Preserve is located in the lower Escondido Creek watershed in the Olivenhain community of Encinitas. It is home to sensitive habitats and threatened and endangered species including the coastal California gnatcatcher. Over the next few years, the Conservancy will be protecting additional properties and adding them to the LeoMar Preserve, managing the preserve for the betterment of California’s threatened and endangered species.
“Because of Leonard and Martha’s devotion to the Escondido Creek watershed, a piece of wild California will be preserved for all time, and will thrive, at the LeoMar Preserve,” said Ann Van Leer, the Conservancy’s executive director.
Visit www.escondidocreek.org to learn more about the Conservancy, to join the mission to enhance the lives of people and wildlife in the Escondido Creek watershed. More information about the Missing Lynx campaign can be found at: www.escondidocreek.org/special-projects.
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Escondido Christmas Bird Count on January 2, 2021 Report
Conducting a Christmas bird count during a pandemic was a challenge. Still, eighty-six observers divided into 35 teams participated. We were particularly fortunate in having Safari Park staff participate as the park was closed to the public. Many teams commented … Continue reading
San Diego County Avian Database 2002-2021 now available on-line
For the past year I have been working on a “San Diego County Avian Database 2002-2021.” With extensive assistance provided by Guy McCaskie and Phil Unitt, and also with much input from many additional San Diego County birders, past and … Continue reading