Date: 5th September - 13th September
Location:
San Diego, Los Angeles
Birds Species Highlights
(See the end of blog for a full list of species)
A short flight from San Francisco and we landed in San Diego, checked in, and had food. The next day it was Whale Watching with San Diego Whale Watch but first, we stopped at Old Town.
Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Coopers Hawk, and Allen's Hummingbird were all in this authentic western town.
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A bus ride later and we arrived at Mission Bay for our watch-watching trip. It was roasting hot, and in the harbor the bird life was fantastic.
Great Blue Heron, Osprey, Pelican, and Snowy Egret to name a few.
Loved watching Elegant Tern hunting over the harbour.
This trip was to see Blue Whale and it didn't take long to see the biggest mammal in the world! At 82 to 105 feet and weighing up to 200 tons it was huge, only seeing a 3rd of it the majority was under water.
After the whale a Pod of Long-Beaked Common dolphins appeared all around the boat, this one had a calf with her.
A Red-billed Tropicbird was a highlight, spotted by me, the captain said in 4 years of sailing he'd only seen a handful, and the next day on the same trip it was full of twitchers looking for the bird!
Another Bird in good numbers was the Red-necked Phalarope.
Western Gull, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Bewick's Wren, California Towhee, and this cool-looking Western Fence Lizard kept us entertained
La Jolla was next on the itinerary, some 12 miles from San Diego a coastal site in which we walked along the cliffs and shore. It took a few buses and we arrived on a very warm day the humidity was high and the sweat was dripping off of us.
Royal Tern another lifer was posing along the cliff
California Sea Lion were swimming in the sea along with swimmers and snorkeling locals, Brown Pelican were in good numbers, and other birds of note included, Wandering Tattler, Western Sandpipers, and Black Turnstone. 3 species of Cormorant: Double-breasted, Brandt's, and Pelagic Cormorants were also here, a great spot for a wander.
The next stop was me on my own back in San Diego, it was a wet day as a hurricane was down the coast but it was not gonna stop me from birding, I headed to Presidio Park, a short tram ride.
My first bird was the introduced Scaly-breasted Munia a bird originally from India, Thailand but large numbers have made California their home
The rain was warm and constant, and my waterproof 7d mk2 was weathering the storm, I was very wet! same as this Western Bluebird
19 species were seen in this small parkland Western Wood Pewee, Pacific Slope Flycatcher, Orange Crowned Warbler, and Townsend Warblers included.
California Towhee
After 2 hours of walking in the rain, I took this Mourning Dove and packed the camera away, unfortunately, it was the last photo I took as the once waterproof 7d mk2 was no longer waterproof!! It didn't work once I got back to my San Diego hotel room, luckily I brought my old 7d mk2 and swapped it for the rest of the trip.
The next day the sun was shining and we headed to catch a bus for Anaheim, Los Angeles, driving up route 5 the San Diego freeway some 95 miles. The girls were going to Disney but the next morning we headed to Griffiths Observatory first to overlook Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign, but again birds and butterflies took center stage, as they do, for me anyway.
Anna's Hummingbird surrounding by people unaware of this tiny beautiful bird.
Turkey Vultures and Red-tailed Hawk circled above and this fabulous California Scrub Jay looked on.
California Thrasher (picture later) and this amazing Acorn Woodpecker were the stars though, both lifers. This chap filling his favorite tree with hundreds of Acorns.
I arrived at 8:30am and started my wander, the sound of waves crashing on Huntington beach and traffic faded as I entered this large reserve, Willet flying past and Kildeer were my first sightings.
Next, a lifer Say's Phoebe catching breakfast, no zoom on camera just a few feet from me!
A group of Savannah Sparrow we also feeding in nearby scrub.
4/5 Osprey were perched and flying around the reserve, with Forster's Tern hunting along the inlets, House Wren, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and American Kestrel and I have only just entered. Snowy Egret looks similar to our Little Egret in the UK.
Great-blue Herons, Marbled Godwits, and a distant Reddish Egret a bird I really wanted a closer look at. As I walked to get better views 30/40 Least Sandpiper landed just feet from me.
Looking to make sure it was just Least Sandpiper I noticed this Kildeer plus Semipalmated Plover, Ruddy Turnstone.
This Osprey flew directly overhead, didn't see them dive, they seemed content to sit in dead trees and fly around the reserve, other birds were not really taking much notice.
Finally came to where the Reddish Egret was feeding, it was on my must-see list so chuffed I got some decent shots.
Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall, Redhead, Mallard, and Pied Billed Grebe swam around the bodies of water.
Time for a rest as I walked half of the reserve, I sat in a good spot as a Belted Kingfisher was calling and flying around with a mate.
More Snowy Egret
Long-billed Curlew, look at that bill!!
Greater Yellowlegs, Black-necked stilts this Pied Billed came for a closer look, but what a place!
Forster's Tern
I ended the day doing a full loop of the reserve, could have spent many more hours there but having walked 8 miles in the heat and no water left, 7 hours was enough.
I spoke to a few American birders who all were friendly, giving advice on where to go tomorrow which as it turned out I'd already planned the same place. The last bird of the day was the same bird I started the day with, the Willet.
That evening I walked to meet the girls at Disney, 1000's of people were leaving Disney at around 9pm it was horrendous! I waited outside, but they didn't come out till 10.30pm, I waited patiently, and we then walked back to the Hotel.
The Next Morning they left again for Disney and I again waited for my Uber, today it was San Joaquin, apparently pronounced San Waa Keen, which is why yesterday talking to American birders, they didn't know what I was talking about!
San Waa Keen is a Sewage treatment plant and reclaimed marsh, on eBird it looked to have some great birds and I had high hopes.
Getting out of my Uber, and entering the reserve I could hear a beautiful bird song, California Thrasher, for such a plain bird its song was amazing.
The reserve is made up of some 8 ponds of different water levels attracting many different species, the first pond I came to had American White Pelican, Caspian Tern, Ruddy Duck and Night Heron.
Above the Reserves were at least 30 Turkey Vultures landing on some of the islands and surrounding trees.
The last of my wanna-see birds was the Black Skimmer and I could hear them calling a few ponds over, I was amazed to see so many, most just sat but occasionally flying around the small pond.
I walked around the pond to get better views of the Skimmers, seeing Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds, Bushtits, and this California Scrub Jay.
Passing some of the Turkey Vultures just a few feet above me, amazingly ugly but beautiful birds.
Finally, I came closer to the Black Skimmers and sat in an ants nest, just to watch them.
Feisty birds and very noisy, chasing each other around.
Around 50/60 birds were sat on a small island, they seemed to take turns to take off of and fly, none really skimming the surface, but I was very happy to sit and watch.
American White Pelican are freshwater birds unlike Brown Pelicans which we saw at San Francisco, which are Salt Water.
The next bird was a bird I'd never thought I would see, and the only time I'd ever seen one was on a Warner bros cartoon outsmarting a coyote!
The Roadrunner, just sat on a bench as I rounded the corner.
After taking a few shots and stepping back as it was so close the next pond came into view. A Cassin's Kingbird was sitting waiting to feed until an American Kestrel flew in briefly.
On this Pond, White-faced Ibis.
American Avocet, Lesser Yellowlegs, Blue-winged Teal plus Cinnamon Teal, 4 lifers here!
Around the pond was a couple of Say's Phoebe catching flies, always happy to pose.
Red-shouldered Hawk overlooking the reserve.
Western grebe with a chick and for comparison below
Chatting to other photographers there, they were saying that The Roadrunner is hardly ever seen but I saw this one 4 times on my visit.
Bewick's Wren was my last life bird of the trip taking me to 56 lifers.
Time was plodding on and I had to check out the Skimmers again, much more active, but still no skimming, maybe next time.
The Roadrunner was checking out a threat, and a few minutes later this Coyote wanders by, no Meep Meep
And that was the end of the day and the end of my trip.
San Joaquin was the best reserve I've ever been to, and if you're ever over that way I thoroughly recommend it, I'm going to be back this way in January 2023, and shall check it out again!
Here are a list of all species seen.
Birds 139
American Crow 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Anna's Hummingbird 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Belted Kingfisher 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Black Capped Chickadee 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Bushtit 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Canada Goose 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Caspian Tern 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Common Starling 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Double Crested Cormorant 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Feral Pigeon 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Glaucous Winged Gull 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
House Finch 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
House Sparrow 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Mallard 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Osprey 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Peregrine Falcon 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
White Breasted Nuthatch 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Pigeon Guillemot 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Surf Scoter 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
White Crowned Sparrow 28/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Purple Martin 28/08/2022 Port Edmonds
Red Necked Phalarope 28/08/2022 Port Edmonds
Rhinoceros Auklet 28/08/2022 Port Edmonds
Common Guillemot 28/08/2022 Port Edmonds
Bald Eagle 28/08/2022 Discovery Park
American Robin 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Baird's Sandpiper 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Band Tailed Pigeon 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Barn Swallow 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Bewick's Wren 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Brown Headed Cowbird 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
California Gull 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Chestnut Backed Chickadee 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Common Raven 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Cooper’s Hawk 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Dark Eyed Junco 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Great Blue Heron 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Least Sandpiper 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Northern Flicker 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Orange Crowned Warbler 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Red Breasted Nuthatch 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Sharp Shinned Hawk 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Short Billed Gull 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Steller's Jay 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Western Gull 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Wilson's Warbler 29/08/2022 Discovery Park
Black Turnstone 30/08/2022 Luna Park
Brandt's Cormorant 30/08/2022 Luna Park
Red Necked Grebe 30/08/2022 Luna Park
Surfbird 30/08/2022 Luna Park
Song Sparrow 31/08/2022 Myrtle Edwards Park / Centennial Park
Black Crowned Night Heron 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Brewer's Blackbird 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Brown Pelican 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Great White Egret 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Heermann’s Gull 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Killdeer 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Long Billed Curlew 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Red Shouldered Hawk 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Ring Billed Gull 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Snowy Egret 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Spotted Sandpiper 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Turkey Vulture 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Western Grebe 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
Willet 01/09/2022 Crissy Field Marsh
American Coot 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
American Redstart 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
California Towhee 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Black Phoebe 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Black Headed Grosbeak 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Brown Creeper 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
California Scrub Jay 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Cedar Waxwing 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Common Yellowthroat 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Hooded Merganser 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Lesser Goldfinch 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Mourning Dove 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Pacific Slope Flycatcher 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Pied Billed Grebe 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Pine Siskin 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Pygmy Nuthatch 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Red Winged Blackbird 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Townsend's Warbler 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Warbling Vireo 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Western Bluebird 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Nuttall's Woodpecker 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Western Tanager 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Wood Duck 02/09/2022 Golden Gate Park
Black Oystercatcher 03/09/2022 Sausalito
Vaux’s Swift 04/09/2022 Twin Peaks
Black Vented Shearwater 06/09/2022 San Diego
Red Billed Tropicbird 06/09/2022 San Diego
Blue Grey Gnatcatcher 07/09/2022 Cabrillo Monument
Pelagic Cormorant 08/09/2022 Point La Jolla
Royal Tern 08/09/2022 Point La Jolla
Western Sandpiper 08/09/2022 Point La Jolla
Allen's Hummingbird 09/09/2022 Presidio Park
Red Masked Parakeet 09/09/2022 Coit Tower
Scaly Breasted Munia 09/09/2022 Presidio Park
Western Wood-Pewee 09/09/2022 Presidio Park
Black-chinned Hummingbird 09/09/2022 Presidio Park | US-CA
Northern Mockingbird 10/09/2022 Embarcadero Marina Park South
Acorn Woodpecker 11/09/2022 Griffith Observatory
California Thrasher 11/09/2022 Griffith Observatory
Red Tailed Hawk 11/09/2022 Griffith Observatory
American Kestrel 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
American White Pelican 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Black Necked Stilt 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Cinnamon Teal 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Common/Arctic Tern 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Forster's Tern 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Grey Plover 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
House Wren 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Lesser Yellowlegs 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Long Billed Dowitcher 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Marbled Godwit 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Reddish Egret 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Redhead 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Ruddy Turnstone 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Sanderling 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Savannah Sparrow 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Say's Phoebe 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
Semipalmated Plover 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
White Faced Ibis 12/09/2022 Bolsa Chica
American Avocet 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
American Moorhen 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Black Skimmer 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Black Necked Grebe 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Cassin's Kingbird 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Clark's Grebe 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Downy Woodpecker 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Gadwall 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Great Tailed Grackle 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Greater Roadrunner 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Greater Yellowlegs 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Northern Shoveler 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Ruddy Duck 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Rufous Hummingbird 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Green Winged Teal 13/09/2022 IRWD San Joaquin Marsh
Butterflies Life ticks 14
Sandhill skipper-Polites sabuleti 29/08/2022 Discovery Park,USA
Gulf Fritillar-Dione vanillae 01/09/2022 San Francisco,USA
Umber skipper-Poanes melane 01/09/2022 San Francisco,USA
Western swallowtail-Papilio rutulus 02/09/2022 Golden Gate,USA
White-checkered skipper-Burnsius albescens 03/09/2022 Sausalito, USA
Gray hairstreak-Strymon melinus 03/09/2022 Sausalito, USA
Marine blue-Leptotes marina 07/09/2022 Cabrillo, USA
Mourning cloak-Nymphalis antiopa 07/09/2022 Balboa Park, USA
Funereal Duskywing-Erynnis funeralis 08/09/2022 La Jolla, USA
variegated fritillary-Euptoieta claudia 08/09/2022 La Jolla, USA
Western Pygmy-blue-Brephidium exilis 08/09/2022 La Jolla, USA
Giant swallowtail-Papilio cresphontes 08/09/2022 La Jolla, USA
Eufala skipper-Lerodea eufala 08/09/2022 Balboa Park, USA
Mournful Dusky-wing-Erynnis tristis 11/09/2022 Griffith Obs, USA
Dragonflies life ticks 7
Eight-spotted Skimmer-Libellula forensis 29/08/2022 Discovery Park, USA
Blue-eyed Darner-Rhionaeschna multicolor 29/08/2022 Discovery Park, USA
Cardinal Meadowhawk-Sympetrum illotum 29/08/2022 Discovery Park, USA
Western Meadowhawk-Sympetrum occidentale 29/08/2022 Discovery Park, USA
Pacific Forktail-Ischnura cervula 29/08/2022 Discovery Park, USA
Vivid Dance-Argia vivida 07/09/2022 Balboa Park, USA
Mexican amberwing-Perithemis intensa 13/09/2022 San Joaquin, USA
Notable other species
Orca 29/08/2022 Seattle, USA
Coyote 02/09/2022 San Francisco,USA
Blue Whale 06/09/2022 San Diego, USA
Long-beaked Dolphin 06/09/2022 San Diego, USA
Great Basin Fence Lizard 07/09/2022 San Diego, USA
So there it is Seattle to Los Angeles 2022, one of our best-ever trips despite Broken 7dmk2, ants nest, jet lag, and sea sickness. If you've any questions on locations, travel, or anything always happy to help.
Thanks For Looking!
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