On Saturday, July 19th, 29 members of the Palomar Audubon Society explored four birding hotspots in the southern San Diego border region. Our stops included Dairy Mart Ponds, the Tijuana River Valley Ranger Station, the Bird & Butterfly Garden, and the adjacent Tijuana River Valley Community Gardens. It was a mostly cool and partially overcast morning — perfect conditions for birding. The mild weather, along with the great company of fellow birders, made for an enjoyable and productive outing.
Dairy Mart Ponds – 33 species. We were treated to a view of a Peregrine Falcon perched across the pond while a blue-billed Ruddy Duck swam calmly nearby, offering excellent views. Though hidden in the dense foliage, the distinctive songs of a Bell’s Vireo and several Yellow-breasted Chats could be heard — and a few sharp-eyed participants caught brief glimpses.
Tijuana River Valley Ranger Station – 9 species. This site gave us great looks at flocks of Scaly-breasted Munias, always a crowd-pleaser. A lucky few also spotted a female Northern Cardinal, a lovely surprise in this area.
Bird & Butterfly Garden – 13 species. We spent time observing and comparing the plumage differences between female Lesser Goldfinches and female American Goldfinches, while admiring a brilliant male American Goldfinch at the drip. Another highlight was watching a female Anna’s Hummingbird dart through the falling water for a quick sip — a delightful and intimate view of bird behavior.
Community Gardens – 19 species. At our final stop, we enjoyed continued views of goldfinches and added a Black-chinned Hummingbird to our day list. The mix of flowering plants and vegetables, plus the feeders maintained by some of the gardeners, always seems to draw in a nice variety of species.
As always, we appreciate Steve Ellis for submitting our statistics to eBird (ebird.org/tripreport/395879), and to our photographer friends for enhancing our experience by sharing their beautiful photos! All in all, it was another wonderful birding excursion filled with interesting species, good weather, and the warm camaraderie of our Palomar Audubon Society friends.
Hal Benham, Leader
