Advice for Torrey Pines Reserve Birding in San Diego? (1 Viewer)

[hojpoj]

Hi everyone,

I'm going birding next week at the Torrey Pines Natural Reserve in San Diego. Has anyone ever been birding there? Will I see any migrants this time of year? Any advice on which trails are the best?
http://www.torreypine.org/activities/hiking-trails-2.html

I would especially love to see some waterfowl as well as any birds on this recent sighting list:
http://www.torreypine.org/activities/bird-sightings/bird-sightings-oct09.html

Thanks!

 

[lmans66]

Ask Gentoo here on the forum. He was from those parts and really knows what is going on in the SD area..... a great resource.

 

[Mysticete]

I lived 3 years in San Diego, and honestly never went to Torrey Pines during that time, although I believe it is a pretty good spot for Wrentit.

Generally, in that area I would bird either the La Jolla shoreline (great place for rocky coast shorebirds, as well as harbor seals and seawatching) or San Elijo Lagoon (great for rarities...my lifer Ruff was here, and good spot in general for waterbirds as well as coastal chapparal birds. One of the more reliable locations for instance for California Gnatcatcher).

I think most of your birds that you wanted to see are viewable at San Elijo Lagoon, and probably easier

 

[hojpoj]

Thank you Imans66 and Mysticete! I will try to track down Gentoo on the forum. San Elijo Lagoon is an excellent suggestion. I will for sure try to spend at least part of my time there! Thanks so much for the advice.

 

[lmans66]

la jolla

Thank you Imans66 and Mysticete! I will try to track down Gentoo on the forum. San Elijo Lagoon is an excellent suggestion. I will for sure try to spend at least part of my time there! Thanks so much for the advice.

I have been at La Jolla and birded the coastline....I must admit it is a wonderful spot to bird...the sun is out and the birds just pop out at you, ....I will never forget that birding expedition...

 

[Mysticete]

If you do Torrey Pines might be best to do it early as you can in the morning...IIRC it's popular with runners and such, so might not be very productive later in the day

 

[hojpoj]

If you do Torrey Pines might be best to do it early as you can in the morning...IIRC it's popular with runners and such, so might not be very productive later in the day

What is "IIRC"?

So, I only have one day in La Jolla -- shall I do Torrey Pines early in the morning, check out the coastline around lunchtime, and then head to San Elijo Lagoon in the afternoon? Or do I have to only pick one spot? So many cool birding spots, so little time, as I have to leave in the early evening.

I'm so sad I don't have an SLR camera yet to photograph the birds, BUT, I'm really excited because I just ordered new Bushnell Natureview 8x42 Porro bins. They're coming in a few days and I can't wait to try them out!

 

[Mysticete]

well....my preferred strategy would be to do the La Jolla shoreline first (starting in the vicinity of the Children's pool), then move on to San Elijo, than maybe do Torrey Pines after that...I think all three sites are doable in a day.

I recommend La Jolla first because parking can be a nightmare and it's best to get there early. Also if you are not fond of seawatching you can cover the rocky shoreline areas pretty quickly. Odds are, depending on the weather there will be some people with scopes set up. I have gotten Jaegars and Black-vented Shearwater here (distantly), and brown booby is fairly regular.

Between La Jolla and San Elijo there are probably few birds you will miss that are easily seen at Torrey Pines

IIRC = IF I Recall Correctly

 

[CurtMorgan]

At Torre Pines look for Whimbrels, Ravens and Long-billed Curlews, and be sure to keep your eyes out for the Peregrines on the sandstone cliffs (see sharpeyesonline.com); white backwash just below a cliff opening is a sure sign of a falcon's presence. Drive through the park and to the top of the cliffs, stop at the reserve lodge and ask about recent sitings and the best trails to take down to the beach and back--it is a beautiful and invigorating hike (be sure to take your hat and some water with you!). At LaJolla make sure that you look for at least two species of seals, watch the ground squirrels eating the aloe, look for Anna's Hummingbirds at flowers, stay on the lookout for Lesser Goldfinches and don't overlook the Brant's cormorants with their skyblue throats. There are many great birders on this BF site from the San Diego region; check out their galleries especially Will Sooter's site mentioned above; send him a PM from his BF gallery.

 

[hojpoj]

Mysticete, thanks for the great strategy on how best to use the time! I will follow your advice and do La Jolla shoreline, San Elijo, and then Torrey Pines after that.

Curt, thanks for more details on what birds I might encounter. Sounds like you've birded around there quite a bit! I checked out Will Sooter's site and his photos of Peregrines are just amazing! I hope I get to see one.

You guys are the best!!! I need to bring a printout of this thread. Later, I may need you guys' help with IDs when I get back. Can't wait!!!

 

[hojpoj]

OK so I'm back from my birding trip around La Jolla! Happy to report that I saw a bunch of birds. Thank you so much for the suggestions here on this forum. I have to say that I agree that San Elijo Lagoon is a MUCH better place to bird than Torrey Pines. I found Torrey Pines a bit crowded with people and didn't see too many birds either near the lagoon or on the trails, EXCEPT for a serendipitous Peregrine that I saw perched atop a tree.

Here is the list of birds I saw:

La Jolla Coastline:
Brown Pelican
Brandt's Cormorant
Western Gull (+1st winters)
Heermann's Gull (+1st winters)
Royal Terns (non-breeding)

San Elijo Lagoon
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
American Coot
American Widgeon
American Avocet (winter)
California Gnatcatcher
Canada Goose
Mallards
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
White-tailed Kite
Osprey
Gadwall
Black Phoebe
Least Sandpiper?
Red-shouldered Hawk?
American Kestrel?
Rufous-crowned Sparrow?
Red-tailed Hawk?

Torrey Pines
Ring-billed Gull
Willet
Snowy Egret
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
House Finch
Peregrine Falcon
Wrentit
Anna's Hummingbird
California Towhee
American Crow
Cactus Wren?

I hope I'm right about what I saw! If anyone has birded in these parts before, please confirm! Also, please check out the Bird ID forum where I will post some pics and field notes of some of the ones I'm not sure about.

Thanks!

 

[Mysticete]

I would be skeptical of the Rufous-crowned Sparrow...I don't recall really seeing them in coastal locations (not impossible though). San Elijo is a pretty good sparrow spot at times though

I would definitely double check the Cactus Wren...the Coastal subspecies of Cactus Wren is endangered and highly localized, and I don't recall them being ever recorded in the immediate vicinity. I had to do an Escondido Xmas bird count before finally getting one, and it was in habitat not found in Torrey Pines.

 

[hojpoj]

According to my Sibley guide to birds of Western N. America, it looks like the Rufous is up and down the Cali coast all year round. But you're right, very uncommon. The sparrow I saw may have rather been a Large-billed Savannah Sparrow, which was on the display board in the Lagoon. But I thought I saw an unpatterned breast...I could have been wrong! What sparrows have you seen there?

As for the Cactus Wren, yeah I'm not too sure about that, which is why I posted some field notes on the ID forum to see if anyone has any ideas. The particular area in which I saw him did indeed have a number of cacti around, but that may be inconsequential. Basically, I thought it was a sparrow at first because its head markings featured white streaks on both sides of his throat, so white malars and white eyebrows. It had a speckled breast, but when it turned around briefly, its tail stuck up very much like a wren. Any ideas?

 

[Mysticete]

off the top of my head, I have seen White-crowned, Golden-crowned, Chipping, Song, Belding's Savannah, and I think Junco. Don't ever recall seeing Rufous-crowned, but not impossible.

Not sure on the potential Cactus Wren...most of the options that are coming to mind would also be unusual for the area. You will have to let me know what the ID forum or wherever you posted has to say.