September 28: Jon Dunn on his just-concluded tour of Southern California
Our southern California tour experienced warmer temperatures than normal, especially at the Salton Sea where it approached 110 degrees but we did find nearly all of the mainly resident chaparral (or coastal sage) and oak woodland species, most of which are largely endemic to California. These include California Quail, Allen’s Hummingbird (including adult males), Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, California Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, California Towhee, and Lawrence’s Goldfinch (some 25 birds noted at Green Valley Campground in the Cuyamaca Mountains).
Other highlights included all of the rocky shorebird species, numerous Yellow-footed Gulls at the south end of the Salton Sea and Le Conte’s Thrasher, numerous Bell’s Sparrows (canescens subspecies), and two Long-eared Owls in the Mojave Desert.
Le Conte's Thrasher
There were as always a few rarities: Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Painted Bunting (juvenile) at the Salton Sea, a Virginia’s Warbler in Orange County, two American Redstarts (Orange County and Galileo Hill), and an immature female Broad-billed Hummingbird at Chiraco Summit in the Colorado Desert.
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Perhaps our best day was the trip to Santa Cruz Island where we had great studies of the endemic Island Scrub-Jay and prolonged views of an Island Fox, but the big surprise came just before we arrived when a full adult Red-billed Tropicbird flushed in front of the boat. Fortunately it landed again and everyone on the boat, even the mostly non-birders, had fabulous views. Although this species is regular far offshore in late summer and early fall, it was unusual to see one in the Santa Barbara Channel only 3.5 miles off Scorpion Cove, Santa Cruz Island.
Island Scrub-Jay
Red-billed Tropicbird
Posted: September 28, 2015