Costa's Hummingbird in Borrego Springs

The Costa's Hummingbird is the species that is most closely linked with the deserts of the American Southwest.

In San Diego County they breed throughout, but most abundantly in spring in the Anza-Borrego Desert and in summer in the white sage of the coastal slope. They follow flower blooming. That is seasonally and elevationally. They move into recently-burned areas as the flowers bloom, but are less common after a year or two as the brush grows up.

In wet winters they are more abundant in the desert as flowers bloom and they arrive before December, so "wintering" and spring breeding numbers are about the same. The Borrego Springs Christmas Bird Count often records the nation's highest numbers. On the coastal slope they are more numerous in winter in lower residential areas with ornamental plantings. (San Diego County Bird Atlas)

There is usually a pair at the ABDNHA Borrego Botanical Gardens (link). That's where I photographed this colorful male recently.

Costa's Hummingbird. Borrego Springs, California. November 22, 2018.

Greater Roadrunner in Borrego Springs

On November 22 Marlene and I took off for a day at Borrego Springs.

We enjoyed the drive up over the mountains past Lake Henshaw. Even in San Diego there's a bit of "fall color." The sycamore leaves turn yellow, then brown. Some ash trees in the stream beds provide some yellow-green. The live oaks are dark green. Many chaparral species have yellow stems. And the California buckwheat have rusty dried flower clumps.

It was a typical short-day trip for us: stopping first out in the desert at the waste water treatment facilities. Then we drove through the Borrego Springs and Club Circle resorts. We headed into town for a picnic brunch at the tiny little garden with the big name: Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association Borrego Botanical Garden (652 Palm Canyon Drive next to Carlee's restaurant). Web site here. Finally, we drove through the Roadruner Club and The Springs at Borrego RV Resort to see what birds were in the residential areas surrounding the golf courses.

We spotted this Greater Roadruner at the Club Circle Resort. The photos aren't that great, but it's always a fun bird to see.

Hermit Thrushes in Julian

At a cabin in Julian on November 4 I had 6 Hermit Thrushes at once come into a water feature for a drink. I've never had the opportunity to get so many good photos of this species before.

Usually this species is kind of shy. They respond to pishing (Read: The secret of my birding success) by coming in for a look and often then disappearing into the dense woody brush. Or, they may stay back away in the understory trees giving a soft but distinctive "chup" call.

Frequently I only spot a single Hermit Thrush, or just a few, in my winter birding in gardens, parks, and woodlots. But I've detected (mostly heard only) nearly 50 in a winter's day several times in dense forest along the Oregon Coast. Here in southern California, a dozen would be a good winter number in riparian corridors in oak-pine woodlands in the mountains, or even in chaparral tangles.

San Diego is at the extreme southern end of the breeding range for this thrush. They prefer dense shady high mountain forests as breeding habitat, late May to early July. But for most birders in San Diego County, this species is mostly detected as a migrant throughout the county, and a winter visitor in higher elevations.

The American Robin is a thrush, too. Seeing them this close together
is unusual so you don't often notice the large size difference.

Spotted Towhees in Julian

Earlier this November Marlene and I got a way for a weekend at a cabin in the woods. I photographed a single male Spotted Towhee several times on November 4 during the 10-1/2 hours I spent relaxing on the porch (oh why can't I be relaxing there now?). It was coming in to a water feature (rusty bucket), but I got many photos on more picturesque perches.

Compare the following two photos.

Head feathers raised.

Head feathers lowered.

American Robins in Julian

Without looking, describe the field marks of the head of an American Robin. This species is a common backyard bird throughout most of North America. But how well do you really know it?

What if a Rufous-backed Robin or Clay-colored Thrush showed up from Mexico? Would you immediately recognize an Asian stray such as Eyebrowed Thrush or Dusky Thrush? Would you pass off a European Redwing as just a juvenile American Robin?

Do you remember the shape of the eye ring? Bill color? Throat? Back color? Under tail coverts?

This is a reminder to really study the plumage, calls, and behaviors of common backyard birds. Then, when something rare shows up, you'll be prepared to recognize it and describe it so others can understand what you've seen.

What did you see?
An American Robin.
No, that's what you concluded. What did you see?

In San Diego County American Robins are patchily distributed. According to the San Diego Bird Atlas this bird started breeding regularly only in the 1940s. They breed in three habitats: mountains, orchards (avocado and citrus), and urban parks with shade trees and lawns (college campuses, etc.). They winter more widely, but are scarce some winters, abundant others.

Band-tailed Pigeons in Julian

Band-tailed Pigeons are native doves found from British Columbia, south in the western US, and mountains of Mexico through Central America. They are fond of lower conifer mountains and pine-oak woodlands. I especially like this silhouetted habitat shot.

Band-tailed Pigeons in typical habitat.
Julian, California. November 5, 2018.

A couple of birds visited a home-made bird bath/drip at a cabin we were renting in Julian earlier this month. The dove is stocky with a tail band like Eurasian Collared-Dove, but those city-dwellers rarely overlap into the pine-oak woodlands of the Band-tailed Pigeons.

Pigeon eyes are weird.

Compare the following individual.

Immature Band-tailed Pigeon: No white collar, back of the neck isn't very iridescent green, the iris is brown rather than red.

ID: Oregon and Slate-colored forms of Dark-eyed Juncos at Lake Cuyamaca

I spotted an obvious male Slate-colored Junco at Lake Cuyamaca on November 5th. It was feeding on some grain thrown on the ground at the bait shop. I have never really explored that part of Lake Cuyamaca as the $10 day use fee seemed more than I wanted to pay for a visit that would only last an hour-and-a-half. But, guess what? It seems somehow I am old enough to earn something called a "senior discount." I'm only worth $5 now.

I followed around a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos down by the shoreline hoping for Gray-headed, Pink-sided, or Cassiar juncos. But I didn't find any of those forms of Dark-eyed Juncos. The Oregon form is the common one here, but so pale compared to the dark rusty-brown ones I grew up with in Oregon. The sides, especially, are so pale and restricted compared to those northern birds. Here, let me show you from previous posts to my blogs:

Gray-headed, Slate-colored, and Oregon juncos in December 2016 in San Diego here.
Cassiar juncos in March and April 2011 in Oregon here.
Oregon junco in November 2007 in Oregon here.

So here are photos from Lake Cuyamaca.

First is a series of male Oregon juncos that match the resident form, thurberi, that is paler on sides and not as dark rusty brown on back as more northern races.

Here, then is a female Oregon Junco. It matches the male except the head is pale gray. Note the sides are pinkish-buff.

Next is the male Slate-colored Junco with dark slate sides. There is no contrast between the hood and back or sides (a mark that would indicate Cassiar Junco).

Finally is this pale female Slate-colored Junco. There is no sharp contrast between the head and back, so not Cassiar Junco. The sides are gray, so not Oregon or Pink-sided Junco. And the back is not bright rusty, so not Gray-headed Junco. Oh, and no white wing bars, so not a White-winged Junco.