winter southern california

WINTER SOUTHERN

CALIFORNIA

JANUARY 21–27, 2018

LEADERS: BRENNAN MULROONEY & ERIK BRUHNKE

LIST COMPILED BY: BRENNAN MULROONEY

VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC.

2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003

AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746

WWW.VENTBIRD.COM

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours - 1 - Winter Southern California, 2018

WINTER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

January 21–27, 2018

By Brennan Mulrooney

Sunny and 75 degrees…just like the San Diego Tourism Authority advertises. While the East Coast

has been getting hammered all winter with Aidens, Benjis, Graysons, and who knows what other

named winter storms, the southwest has been experiencing unusually warm and dry conditions. That’s

exactly what we encountered on our Winter Southern California tour this year. No snow in the

mountains, no rain on the coast, warm daily high temperatures, and an unusual number of wintering

rare birds.

We started our birding in the coastal sage scrub of San

Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve. The native vegetation

here is home to many California specialty bird species,

many of which are named for the state. We started with

California Towhee and California Thrasher sitting out

in the early morning sun. Soon after that we had

amazing views of a pair of California Gnatcatchers out

in the open where they seldom spend very much time.

Wrentits were calling all around us, and we eventually

had excellent looks at these supremely skulky little

birds. Similar in appearance, though smaller and

certainly more cooperative, were a thundering herd of

Bushtits that came by to say hi. Allen’s and Anna’s

hummingbirds chased each other in circles as we hiked

through the fragrant sage scrub, and California Scrub-

Jays watched it all at a safe distance.

Our next stop was La Jolla Cove, where we enjoyed

stunning views of the Pacific Ocean as we scoured the

rocky shoreline, finding rocky shore specialists like

Black Turnstone, Wandering Tattler, and Black

Oystercatcher (normally not present). Offshore we got

repeated views of California Gray Whales as they

worked their way south to the calving lagoons of Baja. Close at hand on the cliffs we enjoyed stunning

views of Brandt’s Cormorants (on nests already!), “California” Brown Pelicans, Heermann’s Gulls,

and California Sea Lions.

Further along we visited Mission Bay where we found a wonderful diversity of waterbirds including

California Gulls; Clark’s, Western, Eared, and Horned grebes; and a number of different shorebird

species. A very unusual visitor was also here—a Painted Redstart—returning for its second winter at

this location. On a spoil island in the middle of the bay we found a Short-eared Owl that has been

wintering in the weedy scrub there.

California Towhee © Brennan Mulrooney


We ended our day birding the

mudflats of the San Diego River.

We found a tremendous number

and diversity of waterbirds here

with ducks of all description, gulls,

terns, herons, and shorebirds to sort

through. A male Eurasian Wigeon

was a nice bonus foraging with his

American cousins. A Little Blue

Heron, rare in California, provided

nice views. American Avocets

were quite elegant in black and

white with their distinctive

upturned bills. Blue-winged,

Cinnamon, and Green-winged teal

all dabbled along the shore

practically at our feet. Long-billed

Curlews stabbed their improbably

long bills deep into the mud and, to

top it off, we found a Burrowing

Owl sitting at the entrance to its winter home just feet off the side of the road.

Our second day along the San Diego coast was full of highlights as we worked our way south of the

city and around the bottom of San Diego Bay. We started with two flycatchers that would normally be

found well to our south, a Greater Pewee and a Tropical Kingbird. Later on we found another fancy

flycatcher, a brilliant male Vermilion Flycatcher.

Continuing with the theme of red, we located a Red-

throated Pipit that had turned up in December and

decided to spend the winter. At the Tijuana Slough

National Wildlife Refuge we managed to get wonderful

views of a Ridgway’s Rail right at our feet. But perhaps

the highlight of the day, and most certainly the rarest

bird of the trip, came later in the afternoon when we

finally located a Nazca Booby that we’d been searching

for off and on since the morning. Nazca Boobies aren’t

normally found anywhere closer than extreme southern

Mexico. There are only a handful of records for the

ABA area, so needless to say, it was quite exciting to

see one here.

In the mountains we continued to have fantastic weather

and wonderful birds. We had amazing views of

Ferruginous Hawks and Mountain Bluebirds in the

grasslands outside of Ramona. In the pine forests of the

Cuyamacas we found Pygmy Nuthatches, “Thick-

billed” Fox Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, and

Acorn Woodpeckers. At Lake Cuyamaca we found

Tricolored Blackbirds and Cassin’s Finches. Nearby in

the Lagunas we found a small group of Lewis’s

Tropical Kingbird © Brennan Mulrooney

Short-eared Owl © Brennan Mulrooney


Woodpeckers foraging among fire-killed snags. Their pink bellies, green tinged wings, and cherry-red

faces drew “oohs” and “aahs,” and they ran away with the favorite bird of the tour vote.

In Anza Borrego Desert State Park we

found a strikingly different environment

from the coast. Plants like creosote,

ironwood, smoketree, saltbush, agave,

cholla, and ocotillo held birds like Black-

tailed Gnatcatcher, Black-throated

Sparrow, Verdin, and Phainopepla. In the

Imperial Valley we located a flock of

Mountain Plovers in a bare dirt field.

Their sand-colored backs helped them

blend perfectly into their surroundings. In

a park in Brawley we enjoyed great looks

at Abert’s Towhee, Gambel’s Quail, Gila

Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, and

a very cooperative Great Horned Owl.

Our evenings at the Salton Sea were

magical, with huge numbers of birds

coming to freshwater ponds to roost.

Massive flocks of Snow Geese held

lesser numbers of Ross’s Geese sprinkled

in. Hundreds of Sandhill Cranes filled the

air with their prehistoric-sounding

vocalizations. Thousands of gulls drew long wavy lines in the sky as they made their daily migration,

and waterfowl covered the surface of every pond.

In all, we tallied 197 species in 5 days of birding in mid-winter—not too shabby! We saw an amazing

diversity of habitats and enjoyed wonderful weather. I can’t wait to see what next year has in store for

us.

ITINERARY:

January 21 - arrival in San Diego

January 22 – San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve, La Jolla Cove, Mission Bay at Crown Point,

eastern shore of Mission Bay, Fiesta Island, San Diego River along Sea World Drive

January 23 – Balboa Park, Pepper Park, Bayfront Park at J Street, Chula Vista kingbird spot (Poggi

Creek), Tijuana River Valley at Sunset Ave Ball Fields, Berry Park, Tijuana Slough National

Wildlife Refuge (Seacoast Dr), Silver Strand at Coronado Cays and Attu Ave, Sunset Cliffs,

San Diego River Mouth at Robb Field

January 24 – South Mission Beach, Mission Trails Regional Park at Old Mission Dam, Santee Lakes,

Brennan’s House, Ramona Grasslands, Ramona Pond, Yaqui Well, Unit 1 of the Sonny Bono

Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge (SBSSNWR)

January 25 – Sheldon Reservoir, Mountain Plover field on Forrester Rd, Brawley neighborhoods and

Cattle Call Park, Southeastern Shoreline of the Salton Sea at Obsidian Butte, SBSSNWR

Headquarters (Rock Hill Trail), Niland, Keystone Rd Wetlands

January 26 – Sunbeam Lake, Fig Lagoon, Laguna Mountains and Cleveland National Forest via

Sandhill Cranes coming to the roost © Brennan Mulrooney


Sunrise Highway, Pioneer Mail Trail, Cuyamaca Lake, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (Paso

Picacho Campground)

January 27 – Departures for home

KEY:

S = San Diego and surrounding areas

M = Mountains, Anza-Borrego Desert

SS = Salton Sea and surrounding agricultural areas of the Imperial Valley

SBSSNWR = Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge

bold-faced species indicate birds of rare, casual, or accidental occurrence

underlined species indicate birds of very uncommon occurrence or species which occur regularly

but in such low densities as to be easily missed

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME NOTES

Waterfowl Anatidae Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons S, SBSSNWR

Snow Goose Chen caerulescens SBSSNWR

Ross's Goose Chen rossii SBSSNWR

Brant Branta bernicla S

Canada Goose Branta canadensis M

Wood Duck Aix sponsa S

Gadwall Anas strepera S,M,SS

Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope A single male in the San Diego River

American Wigeon Anas americana S,M,SS

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos S,M,SS

Blue-winged Teal Anas discors S

Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera S,M,SS

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata S,M,SS

Northern Pintail Anas acuta S,M,SS

Green-winged Teal Anas crecca S,M,SS

Canvasback Aythya valisineria M

Redhead Aythya americana S

Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris S,SS

Greater Scaup Aythya marila S

Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis S

Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata S - spectacular views in San Diego Bay

Bufflehead Bucephala albeola S,M,SS

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator S

Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis S,M,SS

New World Quail Odontophoridae Gambel's Quail Callipepla gambelii SS

Pheasants and Allies Phasianidae Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo M


Grebes Podicipedidae Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps S,SS

Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus S

Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis S

Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis S,SS

Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii S

Pigeons and Doves Columbidae Rock Pigeon (I) Columba livia S,M,SS

Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata M

Eurasian Collared-Dove (I) Streptopelia decaocto S,M,SS

Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina SS

White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica SS - small winter population in

Brawley

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura S,M,SS

Cuckoos Cuculidae Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus SS

Swifts Apodidae

White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis S

Hummingbirds Trochilidae Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna S,M,SS

Costa's Hummingbird Calypte costae SS

Allen's Hummingbird Selasphorus sasin S

Rails, Gallinules and

Coots

Rallidae

Ridgway's Rail Rallus obsoletus S - point blank views in the Tijuana

Slough

Sora Porzana carolina SS - several were heard, one was seen

by some

Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata SS

American Coot Fulica americana S,M,SS

Cranes Gruidae Sandhill Crane Antigone canadensis SS

Stilts and Avocets Recurvirostridae Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus SS

American Avocet Recurvirostra americana S,SS

Oystercatchers Haematopodidae Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani S - 3 at La Jolla, rare in San Diego

County


Plovers and Lapwings Charadriidae Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola S,SS

Snowy Plover Charadrius nivosus S

Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus S

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus S,M,SS

Mountain Plover Charadrius montanus SS - we were very fortunate to find a

flock in a bare dirt field early on our

day at the Salton Sea. This declining

species can be very difficult to locate in

the vast agricultural area of the Imperial

Valley

Sandpipers and Allies Scolopacidae Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus S

Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus S,SS

Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa S,SS

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres S

Black Turnstone Arenaria melanocephala S

Red Knot Calidris canutus S

Surfbird Calidris virgata S - way out on the Mission Bay Jetty

Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus SS - glimpsed in flight only

Sanderling Calidris alba S

Dunlin Calidris alpina S

Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla S,SS

Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri S

Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus S

Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus S,SS

Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius S,SS

Wandering Tattler Tringa incana S

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca S,SS

Willet Tringa semipalmata S

Gulls and Terns Laridae Heermann's Gull Larus heermanni S - Simply beautiful gulls

Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis S,SS

Western Gull Larus occidentalis S

California Gull Larus californicus S

Herring Gull Larus argentatus S,SS

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia S,SS - quite uncommon on the coast in

winter and now getting rare at the

Salton Sea as the water has become too

salty for most fish

Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri S

Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus S

Loons Gaviidae Common Loon Gavia immer S


Gannets and Boobies Sulidae Nazca Booby Sula granti S - MEGA rarity; we saw one of the

continuing birds that have been hanging

around San Diego Bay for almost a

month

Cormorants Phalacrocoracidae Brandt's Cormorant Phalacrocorax penicillatus S - spectacular views of breeding birds

on the cliffs at La Jolla

Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus S,M,SS

Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus SS - Now resident in small numbers

Pelicans Pelecanidae American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos S,SS

Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis S

Herons and Egrets Ardeidae Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias S,M,SS

Great Egret Ardea alba S,SS

Snowy Egret Egretta thula S,SS

Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea S - breeding in very small numbers in

San Diego now

Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens S - one or two are seen every year in

San Diego

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis SS - first found breeding in the Imperial

Valley in 1969, now abundant

Green Heron Butorides virescens S,SS

Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax S

Ibises and Spoonbills Threskiornithidae White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi SS

New World Vultures Cathartidae Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura S,M,SS

Osprey Pandionidae Osprey Pandion haliaetus S,M,SS

Hawks, Eagles and

Kites

Accipitridae

White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus SS

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus M

Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus S,M,SS

Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus S - a single high soaring bird

Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii S,M,SS

Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus S

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis S,M,SS

Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis M,SS - amazing views of an adult in


Ramona

Owls Strigidae Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus SS - point blanks views of a roosting

bird in Brawley

Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia S,SS

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus S - maybe a first for this tour

Kingfishers Alcedinidae Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon S,SS

Woodpeckers Picidae Lewis's Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis M - not present every year; we were

fortunate to get great looks at 4 or 5

together in the Laguna Mtns; runaway

winner of favorite bird of the tour

Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus M

Gila Woodpecker Melanerpes uropygialis SS

Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis SS - one in Brawley and a second bird

in the Cuyamacas that didn't allow us

good enough looks to properly ID

Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris SS

Nuttall's Woodpecker Picoides nuttallii S

Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens S

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus M

Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus M,SS

Falcons and Caracaras Falconidae American Kestrel Falco sparverius S,M,SS

Merlin Falco columbarius S,SS

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus SS

Tyrant Flycatchers Tyrannidae Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax S - a tough bird to see in AZ, let alone

CA, a tour first

Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans S,M,SS

Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya S,M,SS

Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus S - annual in small numbers in San

Diego

Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus S - very rare in winter in CA

Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans S

Shrikes Laniidae Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus SS

Vireos Vireonidae Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii SS - Joe photographed one in Brawley

Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni S


Crows, Jays and

Magpies

Corvidae

Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri M

California Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica S,M

American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos S,M

Common Raven Corvus corax S,M,SS

Larks Alaudidae Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris S,M,SS

Swallows Hirundinidae Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor S,M,SS

Northern Rough-winged

Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis SS

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica SS

Chickadees and Tits Paridae Mountain Chickadee Poecile gambeli M

Oak Titmouse Baeolophus inornatus M

Penduline-Tits Remizidae Verdin Auriparus flaviceps SS

Long-tailed Tits Aegithalidae Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus S,M

Nuthatches Sittidae Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis M

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis M

Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea M

Wrens Troglodytidae Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus M

House Wren Troglodytes aedon S,M,SS

Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris SS - heard only

Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii S,M

Gnatcatchers Polioptilidae Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea S,SS

California Gnatcatcher Polioptila californica S - maybe the easiest they've ever been,

we'd barely gotten out of the vans!

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Polioptila melanura M,SS

Kinglets Regulidae Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula S,M,SS


Old World Warblers Sylviidae Wrentit Chamaea fasciata S,M

Thrushes and Allies Turdidae Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana S,M,SS

Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides M - nice views of males in Ramona

Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus S,M

American Robin Turdus migratorius S,M

Thrashers and Allies Mimidae California Thrasher Toxostoma redivivum S,M

Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos S,M,SS

Starlings Sturnidae European Starling (I) Sturnus vulgaris S,M,SS

Waxwings Bombycillidae Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum S

Silky-flycatchers Ptiliogonatidae Phainopepla Phainopepla nitens S,M

Waxbills and Allies Estrildidae Scaly-breasted Munia (I) Lonchura punctulata S - breeding birds in my yard

Old World Sparrows Passeridae House Sparrow (I) Passer domesticus S,SS

Wagtails and Pipits Motacillidae Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus S - regular in fall in coastal CA, but

extremely rare in winter; great looks at

one in Imperial Beach

American Pipit Anthus rubescens S,M,SS

Siskins and Allies Fringillidae House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus S,M,SS

Purple Finch Haemorhous purpureus M - a single female in the Lagunas

Cassin's Finch Haemorhous cassinii M - absent most years, we saw a few at

Lake Cuyamaca

Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria S,M

New World Warblers Parulidae Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata S

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas S

Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata S,M,SS

Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi S

Painted Redstart Myioborus pictus S - we had great close up looks at this


flashy local rarity

Sparrows and Allies Emberizidae Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus S,M

California Towhee Melozone crissalis S,M

Abert's Towhee Melozone aberti SS

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina SS

Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus M

Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata M

Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis S,M

[Savannah Sparrow

(Savannah)]

Passerculus s. [sandwichensis

Group]

S,M

[Savannah Sparrow

(Belding's)]

Passerculus s. [guttatus

Group]

S - the resident race restricted to

saltmarsh habitat

Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca S,M

[Fox Sparrow (Thick-billed)] Passerella i. [megarhyncha

Group]

M - we had a couple individuals of this

race giving their distinctive call note;

we did not identify other Fox Sparrows

to race

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia S,M,SS

Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii SS

White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys S,M,SS

Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla S,M

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis M,SS

[Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-

colored)]

Junco h. hyemalis/carolinensis SS - one in Brawley

[Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)] Junco h. [oreganus Group] M,SS - the expected west coast race

[Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-

sided)]

Junco h. mearnsi SS - one in Brawley

[Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-

headed)]

Junco h. caniceps SS - one in the Lagunas seen by some

Troupials and Allies Icteridae Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus S,M,SS

Tricolored Blackbird Agelaius tricolor M - both in Ramona and at Lake

Cuyamaca

Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta S,M,SS

Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus

xanthocephalus

M - one with a mixed flock in Ramona

Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus S,M,SS

Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus SS

TOTAL: 197

MAMMALS

Squirrels Sciuridae

California Ground-Squirrel Spermophilus beecheyi

Pocket Gophers Geomyidae


Botta's Pocket Gopher Thomomys bottae

Rabbits & Hares Leporidae

Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii

Dogs Canidae

Coyote Canis latrans

Sea Lions & Fur Seals Otariidae

California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus

Seals Phocidae

Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina

Deer Cervidae

Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus

Gray Whale Eschrichtiidae

Gray Whale Eschrichtius robustus

BUTTERFLIES Taxonomy follows Butterflies

and Moths of North America

website:

www.butterfliesandmoths.org

White Checkered-Skipper Pyrgus albescens

White sp. Pontia sp.

Monarch Danaus plexippus

Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa

Lady sp. Vanessa sp.

SIGNIFICANT OTHERS San Diego Bay views from Bali Hai

Boll Weevil!

The weather!

Birding below sea level

winter southern california

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