San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary birding
When: December 2017 Weather: Warm, 20C
Nikon P900 and Leica M240 35mm summilux
After arriving in LAX at 0615, sadly the traffic to the Island Hotel in Newport Beach was bad and I could only get there at 830and to the SJWS at 930am by which time it was getting warm and bright….not the best time for birding….getting to the sanctuary was straightforward….Jamboree to University…left into Campus Drive and then immediate right into Riparian View and the Audubon House is just a few hundred meters away on the left….a lovely little shop is there and the lady was most helpful sending me along my way….
Audubon House where there is a little shop and a very helpful lady manning it…
I saw quite a few things in the area around the house and on this adjacent path….
First bird of the day was the Audubon’s warbler…a lifer! Thanks to Bob Kaufman for ID
Anna’s hummingbird
and then this magnificent Western Bluebird appeared
with his family
House finch male
female house finch
song sparrow
white crowned sparrow
and walking alongside the ponds…
anumber of shy and very active common yellowthroats flitted in and out among the reeds
the egrets were unfazed by my presence
great blue heron
american coot
across the water, gulls, ducks and pelicans ….
American white pelican in flight…
and leaving a present behind!
In the distance a black necked stilt…
better view of the black neck…
American Avocet
Avocet
American Avocet with blue legs
perched up in the trees, lots of Western Kingbirds were raucous
western kingbird
Western Kingbird
house finch bathing
black phoebe
Cedar waxwing…thanks to BK for ID
Bushtit
and then I saw this little bird creeping up and down a wall like a tree creeper…
A lovely Bewick’s wren…thanks again to BK for ID
All in all, a fruitful outing to San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary for about 1.5 hours yielded a few lifers and an enjoyable time. I would say that the Back Bay loop which I posted on about a year ago had many more raptors and was more scenic so it would get my vote over SJWS if you had to choose….
The Natural Traveller 