Jan 22
A Curlew Sandpiper was reported in Imperial Beach but I
didn’t get down there in time to have much time to find it before the sun
set. I just hope that the bird sticks
around until the weekend.
 |
| Curlew Sandpiper |
Imperial Beach 7th St
Species to Date – 190
Jan 23
At lunch today I chased after a Solitary Sandpiper that had
been reported not too far from my office.
I got a bird in the scope and just as I was getting a good look at it
the mass of birds got startled and took flight.
When they settled I scoped through them quickly but wasn’t able to find
the one I was looking for. I had to
leave to get back to the office so that I can afford the rest of this year.
Rancho Santa Fe Polo Club, La Jolla Cove
 |
| Peregrine Falcon |
Species to Date – 190
Jan 24
A good friend called to say she was making an unexpected
trip to San Diego to look for a reported rare bird. After work I plowed through the golf
tournament traffic and joined Jennifer R at the southern end of San Diego. As the light was fading we noticed a bunch of
shorebirds flying and one had a solid white rump. We raced down to where they landed and found
our target, a CURLEW SANDPIPER! A lifer
for Jennifer and a totally surprising species for January. It doesn’t get a whole lot better than
birding with a friend and sharing great birds and good food.
Imperial Beach 7th St
 |
| Little Blue Heron |
Curlew Sandpiper, Merlin
Species to Date – 192
Jan 25
I squeezed in a bit of birding with Jennifer before she
headed up to Los Angeles for a conference and before I met my wife for her
doctor’s appointment. In the rain at
Otay Lakes we found a wintering Bay-breasted Warbler but missed the Prairie
Warbler. The Clapper Rail that has
recently moved in called from the reeds plus we had a California Gnatcatcher right
next to where we parked. Off to
Greenwood Cemetery. Jennifer found all
three of her targets: Pine Warbler, Plumbeous Vireo and Grace’s Warbler. From where I was standing I could hear the
Pine Warbler and see it moving through the branches but I wasn’t able to see it
clearly enough to count it. Damn. Time to time leave and be a dutiful and loving
husband. But I’ll trade any bird for my
wife. On the way home I made a brief
stop along the San Diego River where I ran into Jim P who pointed out the
target, a sleeping Wilson’s Snipe.
Lower Otay Lake, Greenwood Cemetery, San Diego River
Plumbeous Vireo, California Gnatcatcher, Clapper Rail,
Wilson’s Snipe
 |
| Hermit Warbler |
Species to Date – 196
Jan 26
A day of birding with my wife is my absolute favorite way to
spend a day. It rained almost all day but
we found pockets of temporary dryness.
The now-resident Cackling Goose was taking a nap at the library when we
arrived. We had plenty of other ducks
but the rain drops started to grow in size so we headed off without looking for
any landbirds. We headed over to La
Jolla where I added a Pelagic Cormorant to my year list but the waves were
crashing heavily against the rocky coastline and we were not able to find
either Wandering Tattler or Surfbird. In
Imperial Beach we saw the multiple-year winter male Hepatic Tanager as we
walked up to the blooming Coral Tree where it likes to spend part of its day.
Scripps Ranch Library, La Jolla Children’s Pool, Mission
Bay, Imperial Beach Sports Park, Rohr Park, San Diego River
Cackling Goose, Pelagic Cormorant, Hepatic Tanager
 |
| Red-necked Grebe |
Species to Date – 199
Jan 27
Barbara C and I spent today chasing after some of the
wintering rarities we hadn’t yet found.
We were joined in the morning by Elizabeth C who helped us find a Pine
Warbler in one of the residential areas of Coronado. Elizabeth’s ears also found a wintering
Wilson’s Warbler in the same block as the Pine Warbler. Even though I already had the Curlew
Sandpiper for the year, Barbara still needed it so we went over to 7th Street. It took a while to finally find it but that
gave me the chance to add a few year birds.
Barbara paid me back by helping me find a bird she already had on the
year. We walked about a half-mile along
the bay in downtown San Diego before I heard Barbara yelling my name. With the Midway in the background I was
finally able to photograph the Red-necked Grebe that had been moving around the
bay since December. At Pantoja Park I
found a Hermit Warbler but once again I was not able to find either of my other
warbler targets.
Coronado, Imperial Beach 7th St, Pantoja Park, Sunnyslope
Park, San Diego Bay, Morley Field
Pine Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow,
Red Knot, Ruddy Turnstone, Hermit Warbler, Red-necked Grebe
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