Birding San Diego and chasing some lifers
I’ve been in San Diego on business since last Saturday and my husb, Steve decided to tag along so he could do some birding. Before our trip Steve ordered Brad Schram’s A Birder’s Guide to Southern California, which he poured over for a whole week. So while I was in meetings at the Rancho Bernardo Inn, working on PowerPoints and making sure our meeting went without a hitch, Steve was traveling all over Southern California chasing his list of birds. It’s just as well that I didn’t see much of him, since I was working from 6:30 a.m. until past midnight every night. But his trips all over Southern Cali proved fruitful for him, though I was sorry that I couldn’t let him have the Nikon for all his birding–I needed it for my meetings. His lifers he found included the following:
- Nuttail’s Woodpecker (which he found just outside our suite at the Rancho Bernardo Inn)
- Wrentit (saw a group of them also outside our suite)
- Lawrence’s Goldfinch (about 20 of them at San Pasqual Nat’l Historic Park)
- Mountain Plovers (flock seen in the fields near Salton Sea)
- LeConte’s Thrasher (near San Anza-Borrego Desert State Park)
- Tri-colored Blackbird (seen at Kern National Wildlife Refuge)
- Oak Titmouse (East of San Luis Obispo)
- Yellow-billed Magpie (Los Alamos State Park)
- Black-shouldered Kite (Flying over the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Yesterday (Friday) my work was done at Rancho Bernardo and so I was able to relax for the weekend in the San Diego area before we were to head back to Utah on Sunday. So during the weekend Steve and I visited the San Diego Safari Park and spent today at Torrey Pines State Park and hung out in LaJolla where I was able to add a few lifers myself. Here’s my list:
- Black-shouldered Kite (Flying over the San Diego Zoo Safari Park)
- Brandt’s Cormorant (La Jolla)
- Western Gull (La Jolla)
- Heermann’s Gull (La Jolla)
I also got a good shot of a Great Blue Heron, some Turkey Vultures and some Brown Pelicans. Here are the highlights:
Western Gull
Brown Pelicans and a Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Cormorants with prime LaJolla real estate
Heermann's Gulls
Coming in for a landing (I'm always trying to perfect these shots.)
Heermann's Gull
Brandt's Cormorant
Brandt's Cormorant
Great shots! I love the colors and composition on the Western Gull. So glad you got to add to some to your list.
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Thanks, Joles! It was such a nice day today–the light was pretty cooperative. And I really didn’t have to do anything except just stand around and the lifers came to me. Imagine what I would have found if I actually had put some effort into it. 😉
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Looks like you’ve been busy. It’s gotta bi nice to have business and pleasure coincide–yet another bonus to the hobby of birding.
Those Cormorant colonies are very cool. I’ve never seen a Brandt’s, but my what a pretty bird.
I was in San Diego in the fall and didn’t see nearly the variety you all pulled in. Impressive!
Great photos too. Are you still dealing with your lens envy or have you caved and bought a big 500mm??? : )
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Hi Laurence! Nah, I haven’t gone 500mm yet. I keep weighing: Lens? Travel? Lens? Travel? And I go with travel all the time. We’re hoping to go to Panama this Spring. Plus, how do people travel with those 500mm lenses?
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Yeah, traveling with a 300mm beats out staying home with a 500mm any day. I guess it’s further investment to take along a 500mm too–gotta get one of those nice metal cases with all the shiny black foam and what not in it. Maybe’ it’s cheaper just to buy a satellite and get your photos that way.
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Wonderful birding pictures!
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Thank you visual river! That means a lot coming from you!
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You came to San Diego and didn’t call me? Well! I guess I know where I stand with you! lol
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It happens. 🙂
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