Birders,
Well, on recounting the list I came up with only 43 species. We were hoping to get one species for each of our 46 participants. As we were leaving the picnic area sharp-eared Martha heard a bird in the pines, a different-sounding song. I spied a Mountain Chickadee and we were able to put the bird and song together, our last species of the day. Highlights included the Red-breasted Sapsucker, almost our first bird of the day, and great views of the Ring-necked Duck and Lesser Scaup side by side in Jack’s Cove, a good teaching-learning experience. The Chaparral was pretty quiet, we only heard the California Thrasher and Wrentit and saw very little in the way of birdlife. The high level of fishing activity may have kept the egrets, herons, etc. from the area. We failed to find some of the expected species, in particular the Western Bluebird.
As usual, thank you for your help in hearing and spotting the birds. Any omissions or errors, please email me.
Sally Sanderson
Trip facilitator
Dixon Lake, San Diego, California, US
Jan 9, 2016 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments: This was a Palomar Audubon organized walk. The purpose was not to make a serious count of the species we saw. The weather was cool but mostly sunny. There was a lot of fishing activity on and around the lake.
43 species
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 4
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 6
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 12
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 20
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 40
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 24
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 2
Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) 4
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 4
American Coot (Fulica americana) 100
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 20
White-throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatalis) 6
Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) 10
Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) 3
Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 7
Cassin’s Kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans) 1
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 3
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 6
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 20
Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) 1
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) 12
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 8
Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata) 3
California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) 2
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) 1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 24
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 2
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 6
California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) 4
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 2
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 2
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) 1
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26811644
Birders,
Sharp-eyed Charlotte Morris found one more bird for Saturday’s list, a Nutall’s Woodpecker.
Thanks, Charlotte.
Sally Sanderson
