Birding Silverwood Lake in San Bernadino California

 

Silverwood Lake State Park - San Bernadino California

Part 1 - Trestles Beach - San Clement CA

Part 2 - (this post) Silverwood lake - Cajun Pass CA

Part 3 - Grand Canyon Birding -Williams AZ 

Hey Y'all,

I had a few birding and butterfly sightings on my most recent trip out to the southwestern corner of the USA.

During the last week my family visited a few spots in the southwest such as Phoenix AZ, Flagstaff AZ, Williams AZ then we moved towards California. Arizona is breathtakingly beautiful... as is California.

At Silverwood Lake ... some targets were:

Oak Titmouse

Mountain Quail

California Scrub Jay

Wrentit

The Oak titmouse was a big priority for me as one of the first sparkbirds for me was the lovable "tufted titmouse" back in Windsor.

California Thrasher

Acorn Woodpecker

Lewis's Woodpecker

Lewis's Woodpecker

Mountain Quail

California Scrub Jay

Western Bluebird

Oak Titmouse

Wrentit

Seeing a Lewis's Woodpecker (4!) Was a brilliant surprise! A lewis's woodpecker has dramic perch - flycatch - return flight... remenisent of an olive sided flycatcher.

This was a beautiful spot, and my son Micheal joined me here while my wife and my older boy spent the morning rail fannning.

Some butterlies seen here were: 

Sara Orangetip

Western Brown Elfin

Propertius Duskywing

Funereal Duskywing

Painted Ladies 

Others...

Propertius Duskywing

One the way to this park, I stopped along a valley bottom with scrub - desert- meadow habitat and the bird life was impressive.

Merlin picked up golden crowned sparrow, bells sparrowand a few other cool birds but I was unable to see them. 

I had also birded a park which was supposed to have Sonora Blue Butterflies but I was unable to find them. I did however pick out a Swainson's Hawk overhead. 

Silvery Blue (western)

Sara Orangetip

Swainson's Hawk

Bushtit

Another random beach that we visited on route to San Clemnte feature the following birds:

Rock wren

Loon Sp.

Spotted Sandpiper

Hudsonian Whimbrel

Good Birding!

Lifer summary: 

Oak titmouse 481

Mountain Quail 482

Wrentit 483

California Scub Jay 484

California Thrasher 485

California Towhee 486

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... but the the Heermann's Gull is stunningly unique with its grey colouration. 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

Behr's Metalmark

Western Pygmy Blue

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:

Allen's Hummingbird 473

Black Turnstones 474

Heermann's Gull 475

Hutton's Vireo 476

Nuttals Woodpecker 477

Scaly-breasted munia 478

Western Gull 479

Swinhoes white eye 480

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