Welcome to the Birdwatchers Club
This was an especially excellent birding day, with bright sunshine, temperatures in the 60s, and a light breeze. The walk around the pond at Dos Picos Park was especially enjoyable, with song sparrows singing, and a female wood duck and four elegant male ring-necked ducks paddling back and forth on the pond.
Dos Picos Park, Ramona Grasslands, Pamo Valley
January 13, 2015
Our time at the Ramona Grasslands was highlighted by observing a roadrunner perched on a boulder, a Ferruginous hawk sitting on the ground for a while before flying off, and another Ferruginous hawk on a nearby power pole. We were thrilled to watch the beautiful mountain bluebirds flying back and forth, splashing in a pool, and sitting on roadside fences. It was wonderful to hear the liquid music of the meadowlarks, as they sang so loudly that it seemed as though their notes were enhanced by megaphones. It was a pleasure to see all the grasslands and surrounding countryside lush green from the December rains – in contrast to last year’s drab and depressing brown.
We broke for lunch at the Boll Weevil of Ramona restaurant, where food and service were very good. We then headed to our final destination: Pamo Valley -- its beauty enhanced by the new carpet of green grass beneath the mighty live oak trees. The highlights there were catching sight of three deer (two were bucks) dashing up the mountainside and then spotting a bobcat – at first quickly glimpsed but later observed for a while as it relaxed in the shade of some shrubbery.
BIRDS IDENTIFIED--45 SPECIES
Canada goose – 100s – Ramona Grasslands (RG)
Crow – Dos Picos Park (DP), RG, and Pamo Valley (PV)
Red-shouldered hawk – 1 near DP
House finch – heard at DP
Cedar waxwing – a flock of 50+ at DP
White-crowned sparrow – heard at DP and saw a few at PV
Western scrub-jay – DP and PV
Mockingbird – DP
California towhee – DP and PV
Song sparrow – singing at DP and saw at PV
Mallard – a few on the pond at DP
Wood duck – 1 female on the pond at DP
Coot – a few on the pond at DP
Yellow-rumped warbler – DP and RG
Ring-necked duck – 4 males on the pond at DP
Gadwall – 1 on the pond at DP
Raven – DP and RG
Dark-eyed junco – DP and PV
Western bluebird – DP and RG
Marsh wren – 1 heard at DP
Red-tailed hawk – several at DP and RG
Mourning dove – RG
Western meadowlark – a few seen and heard singing at RG
Cassin’s kingbird – RG and PV
Greater roadrunner – 1 at RG
Turkey vulture – 1 at RG
American kestrel – several at RG and PV
Ferruginous hawk – 2 at RG
Black phoebe – RG and PV
Starling – RG and PV
Bald eagle – 2 at RG
Mountain bluebird – a few at RG
Tri-colored blackbird – a large flock of around 100 at RG
Red-winged blackbird – several at RG
Cowbird – a few at RG
Lark sparrow – a few at RG
Snow goose – 1 at RG
Northern shoveler – lots of them on pond at RG
Anna’s hummingbird – 2 at PV
Acorn woodpecker – a few at PV
Northern flicker – a couple at PV
Rock wren – 1 at PV
Say’s phoebe – 1 at PV
Ruby-crowned kinglet – heard at PV
American Pipit - 2 at PV