Birding Trestles Beach in San Clemente Ca

 

Heermann's Gull - a beautiful & threatened gull

I woke up early from my hotel in San Clemente California and headed out just 3/4 of a mile to a birding hotspot - Trestles Beach. Its named this because there is a train tressle allowing a train to go over the low lying wetlands and waterways at this beach. Using ebird's "bar charts' I was able to predict a few bird species that might be present in mid march. I must confess that I still struggle with gull identification... the the Heermann's Gull is stunningly unique with its grey couloration. Even your humble author can distinguish them without much difficulty.

Target birds: 

Allens Hummingbird

Nuttals Woodpecker

Huttons Vireo

Heermann's Gull

My time in SoCal was coming to an end and I still had a handful of birds I was hoping to see.

Amazingly, I found all these birds with relative ease. 

I also found some neat birds that were pleasent surprises. Such as 8 western snowy plovers. 

Nuttals Woodpecker

(Western) Snowy Plovers - struggling to survive on their native beach habitat

Hudsonian Whimbrel

Black Turnstones

Allen's Hummingbird

Huttons Vireo

Scaly-breasted munia

Western Gull

Not lifers, but I had also seen Annas & Costas Hummingbirds as well.

Later when I got back to my Hotel, I realized that the copper and rust coloured hummingbird was perched on the trees and telephone wires as I walked down to the beach!

Good Birding!

Lifer Checklist:

Superb Owl Sunday

 

Happy Superb Owl Sunday!

I was able to get out this morning to view a Snowy Owl out in Essex County this morning. It was difficult to find as it was hundreds of meters out. These photos are from the roadside with a 600mm lens.

I also saw a few flocks of Snow Buntings along the way.

I pair of Bald Eagles was also showing nicely out in Pleasent Valley.

Good birding,

Dwayne

Christmas Greetings

I want to wish my nerdy blog readers a Merry Christmas! I want to wish a happy winter solstice (a univeral holiday!) And a Happy New Year as well. 

I have not birded to much lately, but i had a few days off this week and attempted to bird out near Harrow this week. My trip out there gave me looks at Merlin, Eastern Bluebirds, Accipiter Hawks as well as a few other seasonal birds.

I also got lucky by finding a saw whet owl at the Ojibway Park complex area in West Windsor. I think this might be my first self found saw whet owl!

Wishing for peace, health and happiness and a prosperous new year.

Yours in birding, 

Dwayne

 

Only Brilliant Birders Can Solve this Pun