Spring Break Report — The Birds!

I will get to the most important stuff first . . . the birds! What a trip — to be honest, I did not see as many birds as I have on other trips. I should have — the campground we stayed in was right on the water and there was a wildlife preserve near by. I think a large part of the problem was the busy schedule we kept on this trip. (See my FMC blog report for a quick and dirty version!)

I have to break my bird report into two parts — domestic and exotic. Because we went to the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, and SeaWorld, I saw a fair number of exotic birds. They were wonderful and I loved seeing them but they aren’t “countable!”

So, domestic birds. Here are some pictures . . .

Great Heron at the Rookery at San Diego Wild Animal Park.

The Rookery at San Diego Wild Animal Park

Little Blue Heron, San Diego Bay

San Diego Bay

San Diego Bay

San Diego Bay

Raven, San Diego Wild Animal Park

Peahen, San Diego Zoo (Hey, it’s in my Sibley book! 🙂 )

Flamingo, also exotic but also in my Sibley book!

Vieing with the sealions and seagulls for fish!

House Finch fluffed up on a chilly morning

House Sparrow who joined us in the open air restaurant

Crows at the campground — adaptive critters, aren’t they?

Flock of Black Skimmers.

The List:

• Brant (Branta bernicla) LIFER!!!
• Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
• Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
• Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) LIFER!!!
• Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) LIFER!!!
• Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
• American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
• European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
• Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
• Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) LIFER!!!
• Black-throated Gray Warbler (Dendroica nigrescens) LIFER!!!
• House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
• House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
• Great Egret (Ardea alba)
• Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
• Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
• Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
• Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
• Common Raven (Corvus corax)
• Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
• Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli)
• Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)
• American Wigeon (Anas americana) LIFER!!!