Birders,
Fifteen brave birders attacked the hills and valleys of the Ranch in really warm conditions. It turned out to be a beautiful day which included a tour of the historic ranch house, now ready for weddings, and a few lessons on native plant species. Highlights included viewing two young coyotes at No-name Pond and masses of Monkey Flowers and Black Sage.
Fifteen brave birders attacked the hills and valleys of the Ranch in really warm conditions. It turned out to be a beautiful day which included a tour of the historic ranch house, now ready for weddings, and a few lessons on native plant species. Highlights included viewing two young coyotes at No-name Pond and masses of Monkey Flowers and Black Sage.
I decided not to call which Kingbird two of our group saw. The vireo I am calling just a vireo species. It was most likely a Cassin’s Vireo because of the very noticeable white spectacles and the location. The rest of the bird nobody could really describe, including me.
The White-tailed Kite was again missing in action as were many other species perhaps because of the heat, lack of water this year or ?
Thank you for all your help. As always, please email me with any additions or corrections.
Sally Sanderson
Trip Leader
Daley Ranch, San Diego, US-CA Comments: This was a Palomar Audubon sponsored walk. The weather was hot. The water level in the ponds was low. It was not a very birdy day. 37 species (+2 other taxa) Gadwall (Anas strepera) X Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) X California Quail (Callipepla californica) X Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) X Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) X Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) X Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) X Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) X Barn Owl (Tyto alba) X Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) X Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) X Nuttall's Woodpecker (Picoides nuttallii) X Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) X American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) X Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) X Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) X yellow-bellied kingbird sp. (Tyrannus sp. (yellow-bellied)) X vireo sp. (Vireo sp.) X Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) X American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) X Common Raven (Corvus corax) X Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus) X Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) X White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) X House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) X Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) X Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata) X Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) X California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) X Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) X Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) X Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) X Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) X California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) X Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) X Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) X Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) X House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) X Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) X View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S18200798
