Thursday Bird Festival Events

Date

Thursday, March 4, 6 am to 6 pm

Description   

This popular trip is a whirlwind tour of San Diego County 's hottest birding spots to find 100 species. Bring your lunch (or you can order one from us), as there is no stopping for anything but birds. Phil Pryde has been birding and teaching birding classes for San Diego Audubon for more than 20 years. He is a retired professor from San Diego State University, is the author of “San Diego , An Introduction to the Region,” and leads many of San Diego Audubon's Avian Adventures birding trips. Peter and Millie Thomas are experienced birders and lead trips for San Diego Audubon; Peter is the President of San Diego Audubon.

Cost

Leaders

Phil Pryde, Peter and Millie Thomas

Date

Thursday, March 4, 6 am to 3 pm

Description   

This trip into the Tijuana River Valley along the Mexican border will explore fabled birding hotspots like Dairy Mart Pond, Border Field State Park, Bird and Butterfly Garden, Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge and the Imperial Beach Pier. Every border trip sees 85 to 100 species including shorebirds, raptors, and other winter visitors. Special efforts are made to find local specialties such as Wrentit, California Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher and California Towhee. Other possibilities include Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, eight species of raptors, many species of ducks, and if we're lucky, our on-again, off-again Crested Caracara and Black-throated Magpie Jay. Guy McCaskie has been called the “godfather” of California birding. He created the California Bird Records Committee and has been mentoring young birders for 50 years. Michelle Matson is a skilled birder.

Cost

Leaders

Guy McCaskie and Michelle Matson

Date

Thursday, March 4, 6:30 am to 6 pm

Description 

This trip to Mexico will visit La Bufadora, the Estero Punta Banda, with a lunch stop and birding at Estero Beach Hotel Resort (pay for your own lunch at the hotel or bring one). There will be many productive stops at beaches, tidal mudflats, fresh and saltwater marshes, sage scrub, and grasslands. Trip participants can expect to see Western Grebe, Reddish Egret, Cinnamon Teal, White-tailed Kite, Black Oystercatcher, Cassin's Kingbird, and several "California" birds, such as California Gull, California Quail, California Thrasher, California Towhee, California Gnatcatcher, and perhaps the Gray Thrasher that is endemic to Baja California. Kurt and Cindy Radamaker lead many trips throughout the Southwest and Mexico and are authors of the Field Checklist of the Birds of Baja California. PLEASE NOTE: You will need a passport valid six months after the date of this trip. Consider how much gear you are bringing—you will have to carry it across the border on your return.

Cost

Leaders

Kurt and Cindy Radamaker

Date

Description   

On this trip you will visit Lake Hodges, designated as a Globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy. Visit some of the other excellent birding spots in the  Lake Hodges area. Finish up at Kit Carson Park, where you might peek at artist Niki de Saint Phalle's Queen Califia's Magical Circle, near the duck pond. Possibilities are Greater Roadrunner, Coastal Cactus Wren, California Thrasher, California Gnatcatcher, Western and Clark's grebes with young, Ring-necked Duck, Osprey, White-tailed Kite, Cassin's Kingbird, and maybe some early migrants. The Nails are active members and trip leaders for Palomar Audubon.  

Cost

Leaders

Doug and Mickey Nail

Date

Thursday, March 4, 7 am to 1:30 pm

Description   

Join us for a boat trip on the comfortable 85-foot live-aboard Grande to view migrating California Gray Whales as they make their way to the warm lagoons of Baja California to breed and give birth. This majestic, once endangered species is now making a wonderful comeback. We expect to see whales, two to four species of dolphins, and numerous seabirds including fulmars, shearwaters, auklets, murrelets, and jaegers. On last year's Thursday trip we all enjoyed a rare Blue-footed Booby flying around the boat. A SeaWorld marine mammal naturalist will be on board as an interpreter.

Cost

Leaders

Terry Hunefeld and others

Date

Thursday, March 4, 7 am to 3 pm

Description   

San Diego's coastal wildlife refuges are located at the south end of San Diego Bay. During the winter season a diverse variety of land and water birds can be observed at such places as South San Diego Bay NWR and the Tijuana Slough NWR. Expected species are Eared Grebe, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Surf Scoter, Black-bellied Plover, Black Skimmer, Caspian and Forster's terns, Willet, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, and maybe even a Peregrine Falcon. We will finish up at the Chula Vista Nature Center, located on the Sweetwater Marsh NWR, to see raptors including Bald and Golden eagles as well as a presentation on the Light-footed Clapper Rail captive-breeding program.

Cost

Leaders

Fish and Wildlife Service Staff

Date

Thursday, March 4, 7:30 to 3:30 pm

Description   

This trip will visit several of the birdier coastal sites that host a wide variety of waterfowl, herons, shorebirds, gulls, and terns. While we will study all species found, there will be a special emphasis on gulls, including handouts and field discussions covering gull identification, aging, and status in the San Diego region. Between seven and nine gull species are likely to be found, hopefully including the uncommon Thayer's and Mew gulls. Sites visited include the San Diego River Estuary, Mission Bay, J Street Marina in Chula Vista, and possibly Miramar Lake. Other species of interest may include Eurasian Wigeon and Blue-winged Teal, Little Blue Heron, and Black Skimmer. Paul leads bird tours throughout North America for Wings, Inc. and is an associate editor for North American Birds magazine. He has been a principal consultant on several popular field guides, most recently as the chief consultant for the range maps in “The Sibley Field Guides to Birds of Eastern and Western North America.” Barbara Carlson is an avid birder.

Cost

Leaders

Paul Lehman and Barbara Carlson

Date

Thursday, March 4, 8 am to 3 pm

Description   

Enjoy Southern California birding around Mission Bay by bicycle. We can expect to see from 50 to 100 species of shorebirds and waterfowl along the San Diego River Estuary, Mission Bay, and Fiesta Island. The route will begin and end at Marina Village. The terrain is flat and the route is almost entirely on bike/pedestrian pathways. The trip is set up to allow for a short six-mile ride, a 10-mile ride, or a 25-plus miles ride—you can drop out at the starting point when you wish. The ride could include spotting the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, exotic gulls and terns, Tricolored Heron, and Little Blue Heron. You may bring your own bike and helmet or rent a bike for $25 for the day with delivery, pickup, and helmet included in the price. Bring a lunch or money for one at the many Pacific Beach snack stands while we watch some beach birds. Helmets are required; sunscreen and water are recommended. Jim Pea is a regular biking birder and maintains extensive eBird records of observations in the Mission Bay area. Bring your own bike and helmet or rent them from us.

Cost

$70, plus $25 for bike and helmet rental if needed

Leader

Jim Pea

Date

Thursday, March 4, 1 pm to 5:30 pm

Description   

Join Phil Unitt, San Diego Natural History Museum's Curator of Birds and Mammals, for a behind the scenes look at the museum's extensive bird collection and a fascinating demonstration of bird skin preparation. Phil is the author of the comprehensive “San Diego County Bird Atlas,” published in 2004. Limited to 10 participants.

Cost

Presenter

Phil Unit

Date

Thursday, March 4, 9:30 to 11 am

Description   

San Diego County has many diverse habitats, each supporting a wide variety of plants. Margaret Fillius will discuss factors that define these habitats and present photographs of many of the plants you might expect to see here in March. She is the author of the much-lauded “Native Plants, Torrey Pines State Reserve and nearby San Diego Locations,” now in its second edition. Margaret has given numerous presentations on the topic of California native plants in the San Diego area. She is as a docent at Torrey Pines State Reserve and is an active member of the San Diego Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.

Cost

Presenter

Margaret Fillius

Date

Thursday, March 4, 11:30 am to 1 pm

Description   

The ocean is full of interesting bird species ranging from shearwaters to jaegers to phalaropes. In order to see these species well, a pelagic trip is required. This talk will cover many facets of pelagic birding from species identification to bird behavior to preparation for the trip. In order to fully enjoy the pelagic trip itself, we'll discuss protocol on board as well as other ways to gain the most from your pelagic experience. The talk will prepare you for our two pelagic trips to the Coronado Islands . Jim Danzenbaker has co-led over 250 pelagic trips for Shearwater Journeys and has led more than 15 neotropical birding tours to Panama, Venezuela, and Ecuador.  He will be leading the 2009 Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris tour to Panama.  Jim has served as a naturalist and leader on seven Antarctic tours. He currently lives in Washington State where he is the Sales Manager for Kowa Optics.

Cost

Presenter

Jim Danzenbaker

Date

Thursday, March 4, 1:30 pm to 3 pm

Description   

Digiscoping—the marriage of a spotting scope and digital camera to document wildlife sightings—is the hottest topic in the birding world. Clay Taylor of Swarovski Optik, N.A, who has been avidly digiscoping since 2001, will again this year present a seminar on digiscoping. Topics will include choosing the best camera and scope combinations for digiscoping, mounting options, and shooting tips and techniques in the field. Tips on using a camera behind the scope eyepiece will be included.

Cost

Presenter

Clay Taylor

Date

Thursday, March 4, 3:30 pm to 5 pm

Description   

One of the most interesting and challenging ways to identify birds is by their sounds. Most birders are able to recognize a few familiar species but want to become more proficient at ‘birding by sound'. You can start right now, or build on your existing skills, and learn more about the kinds sounds that birds make as well as methods and resources for becoming more capable and confident. Claude Edwards is an expert and enthusiastic birder and wildlife biologist based in San Diego .

Cost

Cost: $25

Presenter

Claude Edwards

Date

Thursday, March 4, 5 pm to 8 pm

Description   

Meet fellow birders, compare the day's experiences and have a beer and a slice. Chip Clouse of the ABA will be introducing and presenting a film.

Cost

Sponsor

American Birding Association