Thursday, January 9, 2014

Bird photos:San Diego, California Bird photos

Birding on the warm side of the Dec/Jan Cold Wave


Photos of over 75 bird species of San Diego and Southern California. 


Birding in California during my three week stay in Escondido and Ramona. The temps most days were about 10 degrees above normal with average day time temps of high 60's to high 70's with a highs of 80 degrees (though evenings and early mornings were cool). All this while back home, and across much of the country record lows and ice storms were the beast of burden. Special thanks goes out to my wife Barbara, for feeding the wild birds in our backyard while I was in California. 




Walked the road and trails at Ramona Grasslands Preserve.
Viewed many Western Meadowlarks. Also, thanks to a birder (Iris Kilpatrick) who stopped along the road and guided me- I was able to view a Bald Eagle nest (She had sighted the Bald Eagle earlier.) And I was able to view a Ferruginous Hawk she ID'd for me. See some of her California bird photos at the bottom of this posting.

Read more about the Bald Eagles nesting at Ramona, CA @ http://ramona.patch.com/groups/around-town/p/bald-eagles-nesting-on-grasslands-preserve

Map of San Diego County Birding Hot Spots: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=112790893377775883827.00044214b7c31ce3db25a&dg=feature
SPECIAL NOTE: Below my Palomar Audubon Society walk and bird photos, VIEW  
PHOTOS  of the following birds taken by by Iirs Kilpatrick:
  
Acorn Woodpecker
American Kestrel
American Wigeon
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Bewick's Wren
Black-headed Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeaks
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Blue-winged Teal
Brown Pelican
Bufflehead
Burning Owl
California Quail
California Thrasher
California Towhee
Canvasback
Canyon Wren
Cassin's Kingbird
Chipping Sparrow
Cinnamon Teal
Crested Duck
Cooppr's Hawk
Dark-eyed Junco
Domestic duck
Ferruginous Hawk
Gadwell
Gila Woodpecker
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Green-winged Teal
Horned Lark
House Wren
Lark Sparrow
Lawerence's Goldfinch
Lazuli Bunting
Lesser Goldfinch
Lesser Scaup
Lincoln's Sparrow
Loggerhead Shrike
Mallard
Mountain Chickadee
Muscovy duck
Northern Flicker
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Nutmeg Mannikin
Nuthall's Woodpecker
Orange-crowned Warbler
Osprey
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Peregrine Falcon
Phainopepla
Prairie Falcon
Redhead 
Red-shouldered Hawk 
Red-shouldered Hawk - Western version
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-necked Duck
Roadrunner
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruddy Duck
White duck
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow 
Say's Phoebe
Song Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Steller's Jay
Tri-colored Blackbird
Western Grebe
Western Kingbird
Western Meadowlark
Western Scrub Jay
Western Tanager
White-crowned Sparrow
Wood Duck
Zone-tailed Hawk


Here is a preview...
 






On Saturday Jan. 4, I joined a group on a Palomar Audubon Society-walk at Dixon Lake in Escondido. http://palomaraudubon.org/ The Audubon folks and the guests were all great folks to bird with. 



















Greg Thomas- See Birds R Us on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/search/1380869638825528/photos-of








































                                                                 








                                             Canvasback







                                   




















                   


    


Sumac drew many birds including California Thrasher.























Counting up the sightings. Some 41 species for the group. See the listing @ http://palomaraudubon.org/field-trip-ebird-report-dixon-lake-jan-4-2014/  The Ruby Crowned Kinglet,  California Thrasher, and Wrentit were among my favorite sightings. Also happy to see some Vermont homeys like Hermit Thrush, Yellow Rumped Warbler, and Northern Flicker. 


I returned to Dixon Lake alone a day after the Audubon walk and picked up a few birds I had not seen the day before including these.

California Towhee


                                                                     Red Breasted Sapsucker





 Western Scrub-Jay 




Prior to the Audubon walk, I visited Lake Hodges.
                                 Too many Grebes to count. This one is a Western Grebe.  

                       

Least Sandpiper                                 

A cute couple. 







 This Black-necked Stilt kept just out of camera range. I followed it about for quite a while as it kept walking just a little faster than me, finally getting a few photos of this seemingly camera shy gal.









                                             
                                             I was being watched, just as I was watching. Say's Phoebe
                                                                         





                                                         White crowned sparrow.
                                                         Hidden in the reeds, thinking I could not see it.
                                         













                                     This Black Phoebe was spying on me, I think.







 These birds were viewed at downtown San Diego near the Midway aircraft carrier.                                                                 


                                                                                                                                  I think your mystery gull seen in downtown San Diego is an immature Heermans’s Gull: gorgeous and unusual-looking gulls. The immatures are uniformly dusky brown with buff edges to the wing tips, black legs, and a two-toned bill. ~Maeve









                               


  Brown Pelican











Well the first thing you know, Jed's a millionaire
Kinfolk said Jed move away from there
Said California is the place you need to be
So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly
Hills, that is
Swimmin' pools, movie stars

 and lots and lots of BiRdS


                                                                                       My thoughts were with folks back home












But as they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. I enjoyed the summer like weather. 
Song Lyrics being played outside the San Diego airport as I was departing:
 "It's not having what you want, its loving what you've got. 
Going to soak up the sun, before it goes down on me..."


Bird Photos below taken by Iris Kilpatrick of California.

Please advise me if I have incorrectly labelled the ID of any of the birds shown below. 


                                     California Thrasher







"{H}ere's a brown pelican and a California Thrasher.  You can post any of these photos on your blog if you wish.  If you have any requests for bird photos from this area, please let me know!  I have falcons, roadrunners, meadowlarks, California quail  - shots of most of the species found here." Iris Kilpatrick





Ferruginous Hawk


                                             



                                       Dancing Grebes



DUCKS
Taken at Lindo Lake, Lake Poway, Dixon Lake, Lake Hodges, Santee Lakes, Lake Jennings


Wood Duck









Northern Pintail






Ruddy Duck





White Duck






Lesser Scaup









Redhead






Northern Shoveler








Cinnamon Teal








Ring-necked Duck





Muscovy Duck








Bufflehead








Canvasback








Blue-winged Teal







Gadwall








American Wigeon








Green-winged Teal









Mallard






Crested Duck

    Domestic duck, descended from the Mallard.






American Kestrel

                                               
                                                @ Rangeland Road




                                          Peregrine Falcon


                                  Lake Poway and Barnett Ranch Preserve in Ramona




Prairie Falcon
                                            UP, 


                                                              UP, 


                                               AND AWAY




                                           Oh, to soar like a bird
                                            Rangeland Rd Grasslands

                               
                             

 
   Canyon Wren












Bewick's Wren















Ramona Grasslands, Growing Grounds Nursery Escondido hiking trail.






Cactus Wren
















Along side highway 78 near the San Diego Wild Safari Park




House Wren





Ramona Grasslands and Barnett Ranch Preserve, Ramona



    House Wren's frequently take up residence in a bird box close to our kitchen window in the spring. Their long (2-3 second) song makes them a great backyard bird. See some of the bird boxes I have installed @ http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/2012/04/bird-nest-box-vacancies.html  Bernie







Rock Wren? ID?








 El Capitan







                                     
  OSPREY

Shock and Awe 
LAKE POWAY





Roadrunners at Lake Hodges

No doubt on the look out for Wilie E. Coyote.







One of my (Bernie) favorite sightings at Ramona Grasslands, the Western Meadowlark.










             Its such a beautiful morning in sunny California.
                                   Just makes you want to sing your heart out.




The Western Meadowlarks (above) and Horned Larks (below) photos were taken at the Ramona Grasslands.


                            Here I come,  I'm coming to find you

                                                 Now where did you go?


                        With hardly a tree in sight, one can hide in only so many places.
         

                                              OH, there you are, you spooked me.





                              Hats off to you, dear sir, ...and to you madam.





Its a family affair




Two heads are better than one when it comes to watching over the little ones.





California Quail
doing the two-step


                       Lake Jennings and Ramona Nursery along Highland Valley Road





California Towhee seen almost anywhere and in every season in California.











 Spotted Towhee

                                                                                     Ramona Grasslands Preserve




                                              Mountain Chickadee  William Heise Park, Julian, CA



Western Scrub Jay



                                        Ramona Grasslands, the fence in my side yard, Ramona (Iris K.)




Steller's Jay




                                                                 William Heise County Park, Julian.





Gila Woodpecker 























                                              Dixon Lake Park




Nuthall's Woodpecker











                                                                        Ramona, some in my back yard. Iris K. 









Acorn Woodpecker






William Heise County Park in Julian



I watched as Acorn woodpeckers stored large nuts into single nut sized holes in a tree. Also viewed a stump about four feet high and about five feet in diameter that was chalk full of embedded nuts-presumably stashed there by Acorn Woodpeckers. I could not pull out the nuts. I was told that the nuts dry up and then become easier to pull out. Also this process brings in insects which the Acorn Woodpeckers and other birds take advantage.  Bernie







Zone-Tailed Hawk








  Lake Ramona Cliffs




Red-tailed Hawk

















































Juveniles and Dark morphs Redtails






























Red-shouldered Hawk












Red-shoulder Hawk-Western version








Ramona (Dos Picos Park) and near my house on wires and telephone poles, and
in Escondido (Highland Valley Road).




Northern Harrier







Lake Hodges Preserve, the trail that starts near the Ed Brown Senior Center





Cooper's Hawk 
(Adults and juveniles)






















In my back yard, Lake Jennings, Lake Hodges, and Luelf Pond Preserve. Iris K.




Tri-colored Blackbird





















Lazuli Bunting





































Ramona Grasslands Preserve








Ruby-crowned Kinglet
This bird never sits still.



















Orange-crowned Warbler







Please help ID me!
Found at the Tijuana Estuary
"The Tijuana Estuary is the largest coastal wetland in Southern California and it is located on the international border between the U.S. and Mexico." http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=669






Phainopepla



                                                                           El Capitan Preserve, Lakeside




Northern Flicker


My Favorite Vermont  backyard bird (pls don't tell the other birds, as I like them all). Bernie


































Ramona Grasslands 




Dark-eyed Junco

                                  William Heise County Park, Julian and Ramona Grasslands
 
                                                   Meat, its whats for dinner.






Pacific-slope Flycatcher


                                                                                                                    Lake Poway




Ash-throated Flycatcher




                                                                          Ramona Grasslands Preserve and Mission Hills Preserve




Western Kingbird




















Lake Hodges, Ramona Grasslands







Western Tanager 




























April and May (2013) at Lake Jennings in Lakeside, Ramona Grasslands, and Mission Trails.








Say's Phoebe






























                                                                                                     Lake Hodges Preserve





Burrowing Owl
2013 Audubon California Bird of the Year
Ramona Grasslands
                                              Just another day at the beach-without the water.
                                                   You won't catch me with my head buried in the sand.






Great Horned Owl

                                                                              Lake Jennings in Hermit Cove






Blue-gray Gnatcatcher?






















                                                                                                                            Taken at Lake Hodges Preserve






Nutmeg Mannikin taken on Highland Valley Road near Lake Hodges - the Growing Grounds Preserve in Escondido, part of theSan Dieguito River Park coast to crest trail system.
http://www.sdrp.org/trails.htm  I have shots of mule deer and coyotes from there as well! Iris K. 


During August of 2013, the California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) ratified the Nutmeg Mannikin (Lonchura punctulata) as an established exotic in California.
http://blog.aba.org/2013/09/aba-adds-nutmeg-mannikin-981.html





Loggerhead Shrike
Here's a photo of a Loggerhead Shrike, a natural killer but beauty here at the Ramona Grasslands.  These were taken at Lake Hodges. Iris K. 







Blue Grosbeaks
at Lake Hodges



                         This town is only big enough for one of us partner.                                    








Black-headed Grosbeak - female























Black-headed Grosbeak
Pair_Male and Female


Black-headed Grosbeak
Male






Taken in my back yard (Ramona) and at William Heise county park (Julian) except the photos of both sexes together was taken at the Growing Grounds hiking trail in Escondido. Iris K. 




Golden-crowned Sparrow






























Lake Poway trail and Mission Trails Old Dam Preserve (Escondido)






White-crowned Sparrow

































Ramona Grasslands, Lake Hodges, Lake Poway, Dixon Lake



         Don't you love seeing pairs, together. These two, like the best of us, are either having a spat or just need some time out. Or maybe they are simply looking out for each other. Another one of the joys of watching birds-personifying their behavior.





Lark Sparrow





























Ramona Grasslands Preserve





Rufous-crowned Sparrow

















Lake Poway







Lincoln's Sparrow


Ramona Grasslands Preserve




Savannah Sparrow


































Ramona Grasslands Preserve, Barnett Ranch Preserve


Song Sparrow


















Lake Hodges, Lake Poway, Ramona, Lake Murray



Chipping Sparrow






                                             Me thinks there is a lovely lady nearby.






          Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma and Lake Jennings, Lakeside

Lawerence's Goldfinch


                                                 What

might he



                           be looking for?

























Now we know what he was looking for. And he found her.




















                                    You take the high road, and I'll take the low road, and will both meet in...




                                                  we'll meet on that cow farm, you know the one.

On a cow farm fence along highway 79 traveling to Lake Henshaw just before the casino turn-off and that address is25575 California 79, Santa Ysabel, CA.  Lake Henshaw is on Highway 76. This is the only time and place that I've seen this species!  They were mixed in with a flock of Lesser Goldfinches. Iris K. 






Lesser Goldfinch





                                  Thistle dee, and Thistle do
















                                                       Thistle seed helps                                                        



                                                                       keep the whistle sharp and clean.





At various hiking locations around San Diego - Mission Trails, Santa Ysabel, Lake Henshaw area, Lake Hodges, Ramona Grasslands, Dixon Lake just pretty much anywhere year round but most abundant in Spring and early Summer. Iris K.



I think Cassin's Kingbird and not Western.  
Taken at Lake Hodges
Iris K.




Please leave a comment if you have a favorite among the bird photos shown here.

Iris Kilpatrick- Birder and photographer     http://sandiegobirdspot.com/

New Calif bird species. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/08/04/theres-a-new-bird-species-in-california-sort-of/

Bird Checklists of the US. Birding hotspot locations by state. By NPWRC

FOR VERMONT BIRD PHOTOS INCLUDING BIRD BOXES and one bird story, LOOK UNDER MY (BERNIE) TABLE OF CONTENT http://litterwithastorytotell.blogspot.com/p/contents.html under Birds, birding, and critters. Select postings as desired.

No comments:

Post a Comment

COMMENTS WELCOMED