Palomar Audubon Society

08/13/2026

It was a beautiful morning to walk the Whelan Lake property on Saturday, August 8th. We had 30+ participants in hot weather and had great views of numerous heron & egrets on the lake. Lots of young Bell’s Vireos, Song Sparrows & House Finches. A few Northern Yellow Warblers, a Wilson’s Warbler and a Western Tanager also made an appearance. The hunt for views of the reported Rose Breasted Grosbeak was unsuccessful! But, a great group of hunters!

Thanks to the Walkley’s for the refreshments. A small group stayed in the shade and bird watched in comfort.

Thanks to Steve for keeping the list.

Denise Riddle, trip leader.

08/02/2026

On June 6th, 22 early-rising birders made their way up Palomar Mountain to enjoy the mountain air, beautiful trees of the forest, and observe the birds. We missed our leader, Sally, who couldn’t join us, but her daughter came and shared her knowledge of the plants, early native occupants, and the birds; we were lucky to have our own personal trail guide. We started the walk with an introduction to the California Breeding Bird Atlas project and made sure to note all observed breeding bird behaviors we could during our walk, and we were happy to contribute to such a great project, of which Palomar Audubon Society is a sponsor. A highlight was the opportunity to watch a pair of Hairy Woodpeckers coming to and from their nest cavity to feed their young, which definitely got noted on our bird list. Of course, Steve dutifully kept track of all of the birds observed; our photographers documented those birds beautifully; and Beth noted and added the breeding codes to the list.
If you are interested in helping add data to the project, check it out here: California Bird Atlas
And please enjoy our list of fabulous birds and gorgeous photos. https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S354232583 and https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S354227939
Happy Trails,
Beth

07/19/2026

On Saturday July 4th, 9 birders gathered for a very nice walk out into Laguna Meadows. It was overcast with a cold breeze till almost noon. We got to see
all the regular mountain birds, including great views of male and female Purple Finches. Watching the feeding of cute baby Coots is always a treat. Thanks to Mac and Haru for the great photos.

Steve.

Here is the link to the eBird checklist: ebird.org/checklist/S367654771

07/19/2026

On Saturday, June 27th, 12 of us headed out to the Laguna Mountains to find mountain specialties like Chickadees, Pygmy Nuthatches, Cassin’s Vireo, and Band-tailed Pigeons, and we were not disappointed. The day was sunny and cool with a breeze that occasionally aspired to be wind, but for most of the time we were on the trail, it was not that strong. However, by the time we stopped for lunch, it was legitimately windy. We saw a total of 31 species of birds, and highlights included nesting Western Wood Pewees, Band Tails cooing, and, honestly, tracking down Cassin’s Vireos, who were being very tricky. It was a beautiful day made better by a magnificent group of people. Thanks always to Steve for keeping the list and now also the breeding codes. eBird List: https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S365078147
Happy Trails,
Beth

06/30/2026

On Saturday, June 20, twenty five of us met at the Paso Picacho lot in the Cuyamaca mountains. It was a pleasant day with clear skies and a light breeze. The azalea loop took us through varied habitats and we encountered expected birds and some less so. Near the entrance to the park we heard a Purple Finch calling loudly, could not see it. Very soon on the same trail we found Lazuli Buntings, Ash Throated Flycatchers and Purple Martins. I found a Lesser Goldfinch nest in an oak tree which many of us found interesting.
We walked about three miles and had a nice time eating lunch together on the park picnic tables. We encountered some really good mountain birds, please peruse the ebird list which I have attached below.
Thanks to our photographers and everyone that helped make this a good trip.
Gerry and Linda.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S360600112

06/06/2026

On Saturday May 30th, 27 birders enjoyed a great day birding in 4 spots along the Kitchen Creek road. The target bird for this area was the Gray Vireo which we were finally able to see really well at the last stop. We had a couple of Scott's Oriole and a brief view of Mountain Quail backsides as they flew away from us, see the picture. We ended up with 34 species which is pretty good for that area this time of year.
Thank you to all the photographers who got some great pictures.
To see the pictures and the complete list of species, see the links to the ebird checklists below.

Steve.

ebird.org/checklist/S349727660
ebird.org/checklist/S349727658
ebird.org/checklist/S349727657
ebird.org/checklist/S349727656

06/03/2026

On Saturday morning, May 23, 2026, twenty‑eight participants joined us for the scheduled field trip at Ramona Grasslands. The weather was overcast and seasonal, providing comfortable conditions for birding.

Raptors were active throughout the morning—hawks and kestrels were plentiful—and Lark Sparrows could be both heard and seen. Doves and Acorn Woodpeckers rounded out the expected species for this grass‑and‑oak, pasture‑like habitat.

En route to Rangeland Road, we were treated to views of two Burrowing Owls. (Thank you, Denise, for sharing your spotting scope.) The gate at Old Survey Road (off Rangeland Road) was open, allowing us to park there and walk past the pond into the oak woodland. On the pond, two Eared Grebes in breeding plumage were present, and we enjoyed sightings of two Vermilion Flycatchers—always a delight. All in all, it was a very enjoyable morning of birding.

Thank you for the great turnout and for allowing us to lead today’s walk. Many thanks to Steve for keeping track of the species seen, and to the multiple photographers—we look forward to seeing your posted pictures that will add to the report.

Gerry and Linda

See eBird reports for full species lists.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S345006224
https://ebird.org/checklist/S344999767

05/30/2026

Dear Bird Enthusiasts. It was a beautiful day in the valley Saturday May 16th. The San Pasqual Valley has a lot to offer being part of the San Dieguito Watershed, close to Safari Park; plus, there are grasslands and agricultural fields nearby. The Santa Maria and Santa Ysabel Creeks just to the north of our route provide great habitat for our summer breeders like Hooded and Bullock's Oriole, the Black-headed and also Blue Grosbeak, and the Yellow-breasted Chat which were among the colorful and thrilling birds that we saw. One Bell's Vireo made itself known only by its song.

There were also a few other special treats. Paul and Tom shared with us their scope views of two Golden Eagles atop a cliff face looking down upon us. We also had good views of a White-tailed Kite in flight as well as three Wild Turkeys, one male in full display. Cactus Wrens were busy in the re-established Opuntia patch (prickly pear) and were quite cooperative and photogenic. There was a brief glimpse of a Common Ground Dove which is a rarity in the county, but known to be occasionally seen in this valley.

We found temperatures in the high 60s upon arrival, and it remained steady in the mid-70s with partly cloudy skies throughout most of our walk making for a very pleasant day. Fifty-eight species were found and about 161 individuals were counted.

Thank you all for your contributions, and special thanks to Steve for your expertise and managing our eBird checklist along with those taking photos to document our sightings and enhance our experience.

Please check out our eBird checklist below.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S340420471

Bird On!

Mary Jo
Escondido, CA

05/28/2026

On Saturday, May 9th, a fabulous group of birders gathered at Dairymart pond to explore the area in hopes of spotting some of the resident bird species as well as migratory birds that come through the area as part of the Pacific Flyway. We were not disappointed. We saw 43 species total including a Broad-winged Hawk who flew overhead shortly before we moved over the ranger station where we saw 19 species including a Northern Cardinal, and eventually to the Bird and Butterfly Garden where we saw 24 species. At the B&B Garden, which is much improved since last year's redesign, the first part of our group was treated to great views of a Magpie Jay, while the lollygaggers missed it entirely. The disappointment did not linger because we were treated to a Common Ground Dove cooing in a tree and a Calliope Hummingbird feeding in the garden in addition to several Hooded Warblers and other great birds. Overall, the weather was great, the birds were a delight, and the friendly group, wonderful as always.
Thanks to Steve for the eBird lists and thank you to our photographers that capture these beautiful moments.
Dairy Mart: https://ebird.org/checklist/S336765005,
Ranger Station: https://ebird.org/checklist/S336764167
Bird and Butterfly Garden: https://ebird.org/checklist/S335921970.
Happy Trails,
Beth

Submitted by Beth Pearson.

05/26/2026

On Saturday May 2, twenty birders met up at the La Jolla Cove. The weather was overcast, cold and windy but we had a wonderful day. We found 23 species, including lots of Brant's Cormorants, Elegant Terns, and Brown Pelicans. Several of the Brant's Cormorants had nests with juvenile birds and we were treated to some very entertaining feeding sessions. Other great sightings included a Red-crowned Amazon Parrot, Pelagic Cormorant, Black Oystercatchers and Wandering Tattlers.

Complete checklist and photos @ https://ebird.org/checklist/S331224908

Jim Beckman, trip leader