Southern California Trip ~ September 7, 1985

This would be my first West Coast trip. My wife, daughter, and I took a non-stop flight from Newark to Los Angeles, which got us into Los Angeles by late morning. We got our rental Chevette (after a disgustingly long wait) and headed for the Santa Ana Mountains. At first, the palm trees lining most of the streets were a strange sight. The first stop was Irvine Park where I saw my first Loggerhead Shrike and Acorn Woodpeckers. Along Santiago Canyon Road, I spotted a Brown Towhee in some brush.

Brown Towhee along Santiago Canyon Road near Silverado, California.

At Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, I saw Plain Titmouse, California Quail, Scrub Jay, Lesser Goldfinch, Band-tailed Pigeon, and Anna's Hummingbird along with a Wilson's Warbler. After leaving the Santa Anas, we headed back towards Los Angeles. Near the junction of Interstates 405 and 55, a Black-shouldered Kite hovered "Kestrel-like" over a farm field.

At Upper Newport Bay, the marshes and mudflats harbored Western Gulls and a Brown Pelican along with Cinnamon Teal, American Avocets, Marbled Godwits, Barn Owl, Caspian Tern, and Great Blue Heron.

Marbled Godwit at Upper Newport Bay near Newport Beach, California.

We spent the night near Disneyland in Anaheim.

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Southern California Trip ~ September 8, 1985

We headed north and went up into Santa Anita Canyon to look for American Dipper. Unfortunately, the trail to the falls was too far and too steep to take Robin along, so I birded around the parking lot, which held Steller's Jay. We left the canyon and headed north to Mount Pinos. At the intersection of Cuddy Valley and Mill Potrero Roads, I sighted Brewer's Sparrows, Western Bluebirds, and "Red-shafted" Flicker. Atop Mount Pinos, I found Pygmy Nuthatches, Mountain Chickadees, the "Audubon's" form of Yellow-rumped Warbler, and "Oregon" Juncos.

Looking northwest from Mount Pinos, west of Lake of the Woods, California.

West of Mount Pinos, at "The Sign", I saw one of the remaining six wild California Condors! This was one of the main objectives of the trip since the wild population was plummeting in numbers. Its immense size was obvious as it circled with three Golden Eagles over the southern edge of the San Joaquin Valley. While waiting for a Condor to show, I spotted White-throated Swifts, California Thrasher, Greater Roadrunner, Western Flycatcher, and a nice Prairie Falcon that flew overhead.

Along Highway 95, west of Mount Pinos in California.

The roadside birding yielded Brewer's Blackbird and Lark Sparrow near Ventucopa and Black Phoebe near Pine Mountain.

The Maricopa Highway, north of Ojai, California.

We spent the night near Santa Barbara.

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Southern California Trip ~ September 9, 1985

I checked out the Andree' Clark Bird Refuge in Santa Barbara. There, I found Ruddy Duck, American Coot, Double-crested Cormorant, Pied-billed Grebe, Forster's Tern, and my first California Gulls and Heermann's Gulls.

Heermann's Gull at the Andree' Clark Bird Refuge in Santa Barbara, California.

At the Santa Barbara Harbor, two new birds, Black Turnstone and Wandering Tattler, were with a Willet. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History's grounds held Hutton's Vireo, Bewick's Wren, and Bushtit.

North of Santa Barbara, I saw a Nuttall's Woodpecker at the Santa Ynez Recreation Area. Near Solvang, the Alisal Creek Golf Course had five Yellow-billed Magpies feeding by the clubhouse.

Yellow-billed Magpie at the Alisal Creek Golf Course near Solvang, California.

I found Cactus Wren near the Camarillo State Hospital after getting both legs full of thorns. Little did I know that I would see one from our motel window later in the week.

We headed south to Los Angeles and scoped the Playa del Rey jetty area. Among the numerous Brown Pelicans, I spotted Elegant Terns and a "dark phase" Western Grebe.

We then drove east to San Bernardino where we spent the night.

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Southern California Trip ~ September 10-11, 1985

September 10, 1985

Up we went into the San Bernardino Mountains. On Old Waterman Canyon Road, I found a MacGillivray's Warbler in the streamside brush. We drove along the appropriately-named "Rim-of-the-World Highway" with its fantastic views.

Route 18, also known as the "Rim-of-the-World Highway" above San Bernardino, California.

Among the tall pines at Green Valley Lake Campground were Western Wood-Pewee, Red-breasted Sapsucker, MacGillivray's Warbler, and a pair of Hermit Warblers. At Grout Bay Campground, located on the shore of Big Bear Lake, Violet-green Swallows fed over the marshy cove. The Baldwin Lake area had Western Sandpipers, Black-necked Stilts, a Mountain Bluebird, and a Say's Phoebe. Nearby, a noisy group of Clark's Nutcrackers scolded a Common Raven beside Route 38. Two Townsend's Solitaires were atop the stunted firs at Onyx Summit. I couldn't find any Black Swifts at Big Falls, probably because they had headed south just before the time of the trip.

Big Falls near Forest Falls, California.

After leaving the San Bernardinos, we passed through the town of Redlands, where Spotted Doves were on the power wires.

We then drove back to the coast and stayed overnight near Disneyland.

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September 11, 1985

Early Wednesday morning was spent at Averill Park near Point Fermin. A Western Tanager was in the group of oaks near the shore.

The rest of the day was spent at Disneyland. We spent the night at a nearby motel.

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Southern California Trip ~ September 12, 1985

We headed south for San Diego. At Sunset Cliffs, Brandt's Cormorants sat with Double-crested Cormorants on a rock outcropping. At the Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma, I spotted a Hooded Oriole.

Looking northeast from Point Loma, California.

A stop at the South Bay Marine Bio Study Area, below the Silver Strand, yielded my first Long-billed Curlew.

Long-billed Curlew at the South Bay Marine Bio Study Area in San Diego, California.

Also seen there were Black Skimmers, Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers, Great Egret, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Common Tern, more Elegant Terns, and the "Belding's" race of Savannah Sparrow. An Osprey was at the Imperial Marsh.

Near Border Field State Park, in the Tia Juana River Valley, were an Allen's Hummingbird and a pair of Wrentits. Also in the river valley, along Dairy Mart Road, were White-faced Ibis and Cattle Egrets. We watched them feed as the Border Patrol watched us!

We headed east from San Diego, stopping at the Old Mission Dam Historical Site. A Townsend's Warbler was there with Common Yellowthroat and Belted Kingfisher.

We spent the night much farther east in the town of Indio.

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Southern California Trip ~ September 13, 1985

I worked the Salton Sea area on Friday. A Common Moorhen was in Weist Lake. Common Ground-Doves and Burrowing Owls were found at a farm near the intersection of Kershaw and Rutherford Roads. The Finney Lake area held Western Meadowlark, Verdin, and Crissal Thrasher, along with Western Kingbird, Black Tern, and Virginia Rail.

Two Lesser Nighthawks perched in a tree at the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge headquarters building.

A Lesser Nighthawk at the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge near Calipatria, California.

The area around Red Hill Landing held American White Pelicans, Caspian Terns, and many Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets.

An American White Pelican at Red Hill Landing along the Salton Sea near Calipatria, California.

The "white-winged" race of Ring-necked Pheasant was seen at the Imperial Wildlife Area. Abert's Towhees and a covey of Gambel's Quail were present at the Whitewater River Levee. A small group of gulls at the Salton City Boat Launch area included some of the much-sought-after Yellow-footed Gulls.

We saw nothing new at the famed Morongo Valley Preserve, but it was a great little oasis for birdlife in the desert.

We spent the night in Yucca Valley.

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Southern California Trip ~ September 14, 1985

Early on Saturday morning, we toured the Joshua Tree National Monument. A Ladder-backed Woodpecker was seen on the trunk of one of the Joshua Trees and a Black-throated Sparrow was seen in the Pinto Basin. The Joshua Trees and the round rock formations were extremely unique.

The Hidden Valley Picnic Area at the Joshua Tree National Monument near Twentynine Palms, California.

We escaped the heat by traveling up into the San Jacinto Mountains. I couldn't locate White-headed Woodpecker in Idyllwild, but near Mountain Center, I did see a female Phainopepla. At the back of the Hurkey Creek Campground, I saw a small group of Lawrence's Goldfinches. A noisy flock of Pinyon Jays were along the highway just beyond the campground. I searched in vain for Rock Wren on the way down the mountain into Palm Springs.

We then drove back to Los Angeles and spent the night there.

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Southern California Trip ~ September 15, 1985

Before heading for the airport, I spent the morning birding nearby areas. I found only more Cinnamon and Green-winged Teal, and a Marsh Wren. Later, we returned the car and boarded our plane for the non-stop flight to Newark, New Jersey. Just before leaving the gate, the pilot announced that there would be a delay because someone forgot to put fuel in the plane! I thought it was nice of him to notice before we took off. We got into Newark late Sunday night after seeing 71 'lifers' and five new subspecies among the 162 total species.

Mammals seen on the trip included Coyote, Western Gray Squirrel, Ground Squirrel, White-tailed Antelope Squirrel, Chipmunk, Brush Rabbit, Desert Cottontail, Bobcat, and the "cinnamon phase" of the Black Bear.

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California Trip List

1) Western Grebe* ("dark phase" bird)
2) Pied-billed Grebe
3) American White Pelican*
4) Brown Pelican*
5) Double-crested Cormorant
6) Brandt's Cormorant*
7) Black-crowned Night-Heron
8) Green-backed Heron
9) Cattle Egret
10) Snowy Egret
11) Great Egret
12) Great Blue Heron
13) White-faced Ibis*
14) Mallard
15) Green-winged Teal
16) Northern Shoveler
17) Cinnamon Teal
18) Ruddy Duck
19) Virginia Rail
20) Common Moorhen
21) American Coot
22) American Avocet
23) Black-necked Stilt
24) Semipalmated Plover
25) Killdeer
26) Black-bellied Plover
27) Marbled Godwit
28) Long-billed Curlew*
29) Willet
30) Greater Yellowlegs
31) Lesser Yellowlegs
32) Spotted Sandpiper
33) Wandering Tattler*
34) Short-billed Dowitcher
35) Long-billed Dowitcher
36) Ruddy Turnstone
37) Black Turnstone*
38) Sanderling
39) Western Sandpiper
40) Least Sandpiper
41) Heermann's Gull*
42) Ring-billed Gull
43) Herring Gull
44) California Gull
45) Yellow-footed Gull*
46) Western Gull*
47) Common Tern
48) Forster's Tern
49) Least Tern
50) Black Tern
51) Elegant Tern*
52) Royal Tern
53) Caspian Tern
54) Black Skimmer
55) Turkey Vulture
56) California Condor*
57) Golden Eagle
58) Black-shouldered Kite*
59) Northern Harrier
60) Sharp-shinned Hawk
61) Cooper's Hawk
62) Red-shouldered Hawk
63) Red-tailed Hawk
64) Osprey
65) American Kestrel
66) Prairie Falcon*
67) Gambel's Quail*
68) California Quail*
69) Ring-necked Pheasant ("White-winged" race)
70) Band-tailed Pigeon*
71) Rock Dove
72) Mourning Dove
73) Spotted Dove*
74) Common Ground-Dove*
75) Greater Roadrunner*
76) Common Barn-Owl
77) Burrowing Owl*
78) Lesser Nighthawk*
79) White-throated Swift*
80) Anna's Hummingbird*
81) Allen's Hummingbird*
82) Belted Kingfisher
83) Northern "Red-shafted" Flicker
84) Acorn Woodpecker*
85) Red-breasted Sapsucker*
86) Downy Woodpecker
87) Hairy Woodpecker
88) Ladeer-backed Woodpecker*
89) Nuttall's Woodpecker*
90) Western Kingbird
91) Western Wood-Pewee*
92) Black Phoebe*
93) Say's Phoebe*
94) Dusky Flycatcher*
95) Western Flycatcher*
96) Horned Lark
97) Tree Swallow
98) Violet-green Swallow*
99) Northern Rough-winged Swallow
100) Barn Swallow
101) Scrub Jay*
102) Pinyon Jay*
103) Steller's Jay*
104) Clark's Nutcracker*
105) Yellow-billed Magpie*
106) American Crow
107) Common Raven
108) Wrentit*
109) Plain Titmouse*
110) Mountain Chickadee*
111) Verdin*
112) Bushtit*
113) Brown Creeper
114) White-breasted Nuthatch
115) Pygmy Nuthatch*
116) House Wren
117) Bewick's Wren*
118) Marsh Wren
119) Cactus Wren*
120) Western Bluebird*
121) Mountain Bluebird*
122) Townsend's Solitaire*
123) American Robin
124) Loggerhead Shrike*
125) Northern Mockingbird
126) Crissal Thrasher*
127) California Thrasher*
128) Phainopepla*
129) European Starling
130) Hutton's Vireo*
131) Warbling Vireo
132) Orange-crowned Warbler
133) Nashville Warbler
134) Yellow-rumped "Audubon's" Warbler
135) Townsend's Warbler*
136) Hermit Warbler*
137) MacGillivray's Warbler*
138) Wilson's Warbler
139) Common Yellowthroat
140) Rufous-sided Towhee ("Spotted" race)
141) Brown Towhee*
142) Abert's Towhee*
143) Savannah Sparrow ("Belding's")
144) Song Sparrow
145) Lark Sparrow*
146) Black-throated Sparrow*
147) Chipping Sparrow
148) Brewer's Sparrow*
149) Dark-eyed "Oregon" Junco
150) White-crowned Sparrow ("Gambel's" race)
151) Western Meadowlark*
152) Red-winged Blackbird
153) Brewer's Blackbird* ("Canescens" and "Bell's" subspecies)
154) Brown-headed Cowbird
155) Hooded Oriole*
156) Western Tanager*
157) House Sparrow
158) Lesser Goldfinch*
159) Lawrence's Goldfinch*
160) American Goldfinch
161) Purple Finch
162) House Finch

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