Bird Surveys of Santa Barbara County, CA 2024

July 12, 2024  Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park; Andree Clark Bird Refuge: Rocky Nook Park and Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, Santa Barbara County, CA (48 Species) Callyn Yorke

Weather: Coastal low fog; 60F to 67F; winds light, WNW. Medium tide.

Time: (CSM) 0654-0855 hrs; (ACR) 0916-1050 hrs.; (RNP & SBM) 1105-1250 hrs..

Areas Covered: 1) Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park, Carpinteria, CA (CSM). From Ash Ave. (limited residential parking on the southeast border of CSM), I briefly surveyed the outer beach, then walked the pathways through the park, visually covering an area of about 12-acres. Habitats surveyed included, tidal saltmarsh, mudflats and adjacent shallows; tidal channel and coastal sage scrub.

CSM is the comparatively successful product of an ecological reclamation project begun in the mid 1990’s. Unlike other coastal wetland reclamation projects which have resulted in backwater stagnation and decrease in biodiversity, e.g. Malibu Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA, CSM continues to support a diversity of resident and migratory birds in significant numbers. That seems to be largely the result of engineering tidal inflow channels, which regularly resupply the wetland with oxygenated water and nutrients. Furthermore, a diverse network of trails through the wetlands allows easy viewing of birds and wildlife from the both interior and perimeter vantage points. Meaningful signage provides abundant and scientifically accurate information regarding the natural history of the wetland, including schedules and rationale for the reclamation project (photos).

Unleashed dogs were on the outer beach when I arrived and unsurprisingly, except for an emaciated first-cycle Western Gull and a few Heermann’s Gull in flight, birds were absent (photo). Thankfully, I did not encounter dogs within the boundaries of CSM. Evidently, the entrance signage is understood by the majority of visitors.

However, I did observe an adult feral cat in coastal sage-marsh on the northeastern perimeter trail, where there is an adjacent mobile home settlement. Cats are skilled predators of small birds and mammals; collectively they are responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.3 – 4 billion wild birds annually in the United States. I’m unsure if there is a feline removal program in place at CSM; there certainly appears to be a need for one, in addition to information signage regarding free-ranging cats.

2) Andree Clark Bird Refuge (ACR). From the single, undersized parking lot on Los Patos Way (northeast corner of the refuge), I walked the incomplete perimeter path around the refuge with occasional clear views of the freshwater lake. A well developed fringe marsh encircles most of the lake. Lake margins have undergone restoration and revegetation of coastal sage scrub. A total of about 25-acres was visually surveyed. Multiple cyclists and joggers were on the pathways during my visit; care was taken to avoid being run over. A new roundabout and sidewalk construction crew was working there as well, producing a great deal of noise, a partial roadblock and much traffic congestion adjacent to the SR 101 freeway overpass. In short, I had probably arrived on one of the least favorable days for a bird survey at ACR.

3) Rocky Nook County Park (RNP) and the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum (SBM). From the RNP picnic area, I walked pathways through the park, surveying about five-acres of closed-canopy coast live oak woodland and sycamore riparian woodland with a patchy shrub understory. At the conclusion of my walking survey, I stopped to chat with a park visitor, Greg, who was busy attending a well-equipped Volkswagen Westfalia camper van. The personalized California license plate read: “85 Westie.”

Greg, wearing plaid pajamas and a UCSB hoodie, might have been mistaken for a homeless itinerant living in a car. That would certainly not be an uncommon sight almost anywhere in coastal California. Nevertheless, I needed a diversion after completing a fairly energetic, though minimally productive bird survey in the park. This was an opportunity for a casual conversation with someone in my age group, who appeared to have had an interesting, possibly extraordinary life of travel and adventure. So what if he might actually be homeless, broke and living out of his van? He was friendly and approachable.

Initial impressions of strangers can be misleading. Greg was indeed well-traveled. As a retired school teacher with a home in Santa Barbara, he had led a fascinating, successful academic life and was determined to continue on an adventurous path. Once he got started talking about it there was no turning back. I was now like a hitch-hiker gratefully processing information offered by the driver. Without me contributing any more than an occasional smile and nod, one storied road led to another as Greg’s personal journey was revealed. It was as if he had been wound up like toy drummer for the moment when someone noticed the relatively uncommon VW model with the back hatch flipped up, featuring a poster image of John Lennon. His vehicle was a roll-back to free-spirited college days – those magical times many of us in the Boomer generation find unforgettable. And I had just stepped into Greg’s wheel house of recollections.

For about thirty five-minutes, Greg described his wanderings – Jack Kerouac style – throughout the US, Canada and Mexico. At one point he carefully unfolded an ancient roadmap of the USA, with a felt pen outline of a multi-month, cross-country automobile trip, complete with marginal notes for each stopping place (photo). Another map retrieved from the glove box, traced his route across America on a bicycle. It seemed that Greg had a perfect memory of every town and city he had ever visited, along with each person he had met, which doubtless included an impressive list of characters and locations, ordinary and obscure. Here was someone who not only had chosen his college major wisely (Geography), he continued to apply his education with unwavering enthusiasm. For an instant, I visualized him as that remarkable student from decades ago, dropping in for a surprise visit with a former professor.

Greg recalled how his young family had migrated from what his dad called the “awful climate of New Jersey” to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Greg spent a good portion of his youth (as had I ). Years later, with a Bachelor Degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from UCSB, Greg, like many college grads in those days, was unsure what the future would bring in the way of a career. He now had my full attention. Presumably, due to either a rare mutation or childhood developmental anomalies, both of us needed a job that would provide adequate time for lengthy journeys of discovery. A teaching career, including summer and winter breaks, could fulfill such a need. And there were other points of convergence in our lives. One of those had been the automotive object framing our present encounter.

Each of us had been Volkswagen owners — Greg still holding onto his now classic ’85 Westie,’ going through three engines and nearly 300,000 miles. I hadn’t been quite so enthralled with imported economy cars. The now Iconic VW’s were then simply cheap transportation – until they weren’t. Two out of three of my VW ‘bugs’ experienced blown engines (once just minutes after picking up a chatty hitch-hiker in Big Sur, CA), which I was financially hard pressed to have rebuilt before the troublesome car could be sold or traded-in for another used vehicle in questionably better condition. Greg admitted that he finally switched from the original VW air-cooled engine to a larger, specially ordered water-cooled motor. We agreed that an air- cooled VW engine in extremely hot weather, e.g. the current heat wave embracing the Southwest, was problematic, as in a ticking time-bomb. All the more reason I admired Greg for his tenacity of nostalgic spirit. This fellow, who seemed determined to obtain a Guinness World Record for mileage on his VW van, was living the life most American retirees may experience only on the Travel Channel.

My next and final ‘birding’ destination for the day was the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum (SBM), conveniently located across the street from RNP. The entry fee ($20) included access to the nest & egg exhibits, everything labeled and clearly presented (photo).

A small yet exquisite collection of nineteenth century bird engravings, lithographs and paintings (e.g. John & Elizabeth Gould, et. al. and J. J. Audubon) was a surprising attraction, one that I hadn’t seen during a previous visit with my UCLA Extension Birds of Southern California class in 2017. As an aspiring painter, I was humbled by the stunning anatomical detail rendered by those artists, long before hand-held cameras with telephoto lenses were available.

Another pleasant surprise at the museum was a brilliant Ecology and Evolution exhibit featuring Lepidopteran variation as an example illustrating Darwin and Wallace’s concept of Natural Selection. Wall mounts of butterfly specimens, combined with informative labels, appeared to reflect the classic study of melanism in the Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) made by H.B.D. Kettlewell in the 1950’s. Kettlewell’s findings indicated a numerical preponderance of dark colored Peppered Moths living in English forests affected by industrial air pollution. To further test the Industrial Melanism-Natural Selection hypothesis, Kettlewell initiated a series of experimental observations and discovered that birds preferentially captured moths resting on non-matching, i.e. contrasting, tree bark backgrounds. These findings appeared to provide unambiguous, conclusive evidence of Natural Selection in action, pretty much as Darwin and Wallace had postulated a century earlier.

Although Kettlewell’s methodology and results have been questioned and sometimes flat out rejected (e.g., by Creationists), the basic conclusions he reached have been repeatedly and independently validated by the scientific community. Darwin and Wallace can rest in peace. Furthermore, Kettlewell’s pioneering work continues to stimulate evolutionary studies focused on the effects of confounding variables, e.g. moth migration, sex ratios, population density, microhabitat selection, physiological ecology, balanced polymorphisms, molecular genetics, non-avian predation, and other factors possibly influencing Lepidopteran pigmentation patterns. Whereas Darwin and Wallace definitely had a handle on the fundamental concept of Natural Selection back in the middle 1800’s, recent evolutionary studies, across a broad spectrum of taxa – from unicellular to multicellular social hierarchies – often indicate that, almost as expected, refinements of the bedrock theory are required to explain slippery exceptions to the rule. Here’s the thing. Biology may be for many folks one of the toughest subjects to survive in school. But who among those students could truthfully describe it as totally boring?

After touring the museum exhibits, I strolled through the backyard briefly in search of whatever birdlife might be present in the streamside oak-riparian woodland (photo). Aside from an animated dinosaur surrounded by skeptical children, together with vocalizing Lesser Goldfinch somewhere in the tree canopy, not much avian activity was apparent. The coastal fog was clearing and air temperatures climbed into the mid 70’s. Siesta time.

This was my last full day in Santa Barbara before returning home to the foothills of the San Gabriels in northern Los Angeles County, where daytime temperatures had been in the triple digits during the past two weeks. Hanging out on the coast for a few days had been a welcomed relief for me, as well as the multitudes of other heat wave and wildfire refugees of the region. I was envious of folks like Greg who called this place home. There is probably no other location on the planet that has a more pleasant year-round climate than Santa Barbara.

BIRDS NOTED

• Mallard 30 (m,f) greg., mostly in and adjacent to tidal channel, CSM; 120 (m,f; domestics and hybrids on shore in parking area, ACR.
• Muscovy Duck 1 with flock of semi-domesticated MALL on shore, ACR.
• Ruddy Duck 50 (m,f) loosely greg. throughout lake, esp. near the marsh, ACR.
• Pied-billed Grebe 10 loosely greg. swimming near marsh and open shore, ACR.
• Eurasian Collared Dove 2 vocal in roadside trees, ACR.
• Mourning Dove 1 on ground in picnic area, RNP.
• Allen’s Hummingbird 1 (m) in coastal sage scrub, CSM; in adjacent garden shrubs, RNP.
• American Coot 20 loosely greg, throughout lake, most birds in and near the marsh, ACR.
• Killdeer 8 greg. on mudflats at edge of marsh, CSM.
• Whimbrel 1 vocal in flight over marsh, CSM.
• Least Sandpiper 5 greg. foraging on mudflats, CSM.
• Western Sandpiper 30 (several in alt. plmg.) greg. on mudflats but apart from LESA, CSM.
• Long-billed Dowitcher 2 (ad.) greg. vocal, a pair on mudflat at edge of marsh, CSM.
• Wilson’s Phalarope 1 alone, walking on mudflat and in shallows at edge of marsh, CSM.
• Heermann’s Gull 6 (imm., ad.) greg. flying 20-30 ft. agl, parallel to the shore on the outer beach, CSM.
• Western Gull 10 (imm. C1, C2, C3) greg. individuals and pairs in flight, to and from the outer coast, CSM; 5 (imm., ad. ) in flight around western margin of the lake, ACR.
• California Gull 2 (imm. C1) in flight toward the outer shore, CSM.
• Double-crested Cormorant 6 swimming in lake and perched on snags, ACR.
• Brown Pelican 4 flying low, eastward from shore, circling the lake, ACR.
• Great Blue Heron 1 in marsh on sw side of lake, CSM.
• Snowy Egret 6 greg, in shallows of small tidal inlet, ne, CSM.
• Green Heron 2 individuals on snags at edge of the lake and marsh, ACR.
• Black-crowned Night Heron 4 (ad, imm) at edge of channel in flight, CSM; 10 (ad., imm) in dense marsh borders around the lake, ACR.
• Cooper’s Hawk 2 (ad., imm) one adult alighted on path with the partial remains of a young cottontail rabbit, ACR (photo).

• Acorn Woodpecker 3 vocal, flying between Eucalyptus and palm trees along the roadway, ACR; 3 vocal, greg. in suburban gardens adjacent to SBM.
• Nuttall’s Woodpecker 1 vocal in oaks, RNP.
• Cassin’s Kingbird 1 vocal (unseen) in trees over pathway on north side, ACR.
• Black Phoebe 2 individuals sallying to ground from low perches on the side of the pathway, CSM; ACR.
• California Jay 1 vocal in streamside riparian woodland, RNP.
• American Crow 16 vocal, greg. ubiq..
• Tree Swallow 10 greg. in flight over adjacent hillside gardens, ACR.
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3 loosely greg. flying low over lake, ACR.
• Barn Swallow 8 loosely greg. flying low over marsh and tidal channels; lake, CSM; ACR.
• Cliff Swallow 20 loosely greg. flying 2 – 150 ft. agl over entire area, CSM.
• Oak Titmouse 6 greg. pairs and individuals in oaks, sycamores and brushy understory, RNP.
• Bushtit 22 greg. cohesive flocks foraging in coastal sage scrub and woodland understory, ubiq..
• White-breasted Nuthatch 1 vocal, on main trunk and subcanopy limbs of oaks and sycamores, RNP.
• American Robin 1 vocal (repeated song) (unseen) riparian-marsh on southwest side of lake (SB Zoo), ACR.
• Northern Mockingbird 1 vocal in adjacent garden, northeast side, ACR.
• European Starling 5 greg, in flight to and from roadside palms, ACR.
• House Finch 22 (m,f) vocal, greg. ubiq..
• Lesser Goldfinch 2 (possibly more) vocal (unseen), in streamside canopy of sycamores, SBM.
• Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco 10 (m,f) vocal, greg. on ground beneath oaks, flushed to upper levels of oaks and sycamores, RNP.
• Savannah Sparrow 3 (dark form) staying mostly concealed in saltmarsh, CSM.
• Song Sparrow 16 vocal, individuals and pairs in dense marsh and coastal sage scrub, CSM, ACR.
• California Towhee 8 vocal (contact calls) individuals and pairs on pathways in coastal sage scrub and edge of marsh, CSM; ACR.
• Hooded Oriole 3 greg, in adjacent roadside palms, ACR.
• Common Yellowthroat 10 vocal (repeated song), apparently territorial males remaining well concealed in dense marsh, ACR; 1 vocal (repeated song) coastal sage-marsh edge ,CSM.

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July 11, 2024 Nojoqui Falls Park; Zaca Station Rd.; Gaviota State Beach, Santa Barbara County, CA (55 Species) Callyn Yorke

Weather: Fair (smoke-filled skies at ZSR); 55F to 91F; winds light, ENE low tide @ 1000 hrs.

Time: (NFP) 0700-1005 hrs.; (ZSR) 1100-1115 hrs; (GSB) 1140-1310 hrs.

Areas Covered: 1) Nojoqui Falls County Park (NFP – Elev. 787- 985 ft. asl) – From the main entrance, I walked the perimeter and central sections of the park, including the trail up to the falls (photo). The park gates were opened at 0800 hrs., resulting in having to park on the main roadway near the entrance for the first hour following my arrival. Two other vehicles with several visitors arrived shortly after 0830 hrs.; one couple brought their unleashed dog on the falls trail, despite park signage indicating that dogs must be leashed (photo). Most of the park was quiet and undisturbed by human activities during my visit.

About fifteen-acres was surveyed in and adjacent to NFP, including mature, closed canopy oak woodland, riparian streamside with mature sycamore and alder (a low volume of water at the falls and about 100 yards downstream) and a ruderal field used for picnics and recreation.

2) Zaca Station Road (ZSR). From the SR 101 northbound exit at ZSR, I drove slowly for several miles northeastward to a road block at Foxen Canyon Rd.. Multiple vineyards and open oak savanna were the dominant features in this area. Air temperatures were in the low 90F range and the skies became progressively smokier to the east, where a large wildfire had been burning for several days in the Santa Ynez Mountains. Upon returning to SR 101, about 100 yards east of the northbound ZSR highway exit, I caught a brief glimpse individual Yellow-billed Magpies in flight between stands of mature valley oaks. Encountering this California endemic bird species, which is scarce in Southern California, was a highlight of the journey. I managed a distant, identifiable photo of one of the birds (see BIRDS NOTED). 

3) Gaviota State Beach (GSB). This is a comparatively small, congested state park ($10 entrance fee) reached from a hazardous exit on southbound SR 101. A narrow riparian corridor, apparently without trail access, includes a slow flowing- to- stagnant stream, located near the park entrance gate. I walked back through this area and on the upper, cliffside road overlooking the ocean. Habitats surveyed visually were, willow-riparian, coastal sage scrub, ruderal picnic area, outer beach, Eucalyptus woodland, cliffs, tidepools (at high tide) and offshore waters to a distance of about one-mile.

BIRDS NOTED

• Wild Turkey 13 (m,f) (ad., imm.) a cohesive cohort of three adults and nine young birds on the ground beneath a closed canopy oak-sycamore woodland (photo); a single adult male on the roadside near the NFP entrance. Evidently, a successful introduction or restocking of this North American endemic species, a sister taxon of the extinct California Turkey (Meleagris californica), the Holocene remains of which were discovered in the Rancho La Brea tar pits in Los Angeles.

• Band-tailed Pigeon 3 in sycamores and flying se, NFP.
• Eurasian Collared Dove 2 vocal in trees at edge of clearing, NFP.
• Mourning Dove 1 flying over clearing, NFP.
• White-throated Swift 5 loosely greg. flying wide circles @ 70 -300 agl over open areas, NFP.
• Killdeer 1 flying low, downstream, GSB.
• Heermann’s Gull 14 (ad., imm. C1, C2) greg. on elevated boat launch pier railings with WEGU and CAGU, GSB.
• California Gull 2 (imm. C1) on shore and pier, GSB.
• Western Gull 20 (imm., ad.) greg. flying around parking lot; on shore and pier railings, GSB.
• Double-crested Cormorant 12 (ad., imm) greg. preening while standing on railings of pier with WEGU and HEEG, GSB.
• Brown Pelican 25 (ad. imm) greg. on railings of pier; flying low offshore, GSB.
• Turkey Vulture 3 greg. individuals and pairs perched on snags; soaring, circling above clearings @ 30 -80 ft. agl., NFP.
• Red-shouldered Hawk 1 repeatedly vocal, flying e over streamside riparian woodland, NFP.
• Red-tailed Hawk 1 (ad.) soaring 80 ft. agl above an adjacent hay field, NFP.
• Acorn Woodpecker 25 (m,f) vocal, greg. active in acorn granaries, mainly dead trunks of sycamore and oaks with dieback, throughout, NFP.
• Nuttall’s Woodpecker 1 vocal, flying through riparian woodland, NFP.
• Northern Flicker 1 vocal, in flight to sycamore and over clearing, NFP.
• Peregrine Falcon 1 (imm) direct, rapid flight n over riparian strip and freeway @ 70 ft. agl. GSB.
• Ash-throated Flycatcher 1 on exposed sycamore snag, NFP.
• Cassin’s Kingbird 1 on utility line, ZSR.
• Western Kingbird 1 vocal, in cottonwood adjacent to hay field, NFP.
• Western Flycatcher 4 vocal (calls and song) exposed perches in streamside riparian woodland around the falls trail, NFP.
• Black Phoebe 2 sallying from low perches at edge of clearings, NFP; 1 on streambed snag, GSB.
• Hutton’s Vireo 5 (ad, imm.) loosely greg., vocal, cohorts foraging 1 -15 ft. agl in poison oak understory and live oak foliage at edge of clearing, NFP.
• Warbling Vireo 3 in msf with HUVI, oak foliage at edge of clearing, NFP.
• California Jay 2 vocal, greg. at edge of clearing and oak-riparian woodland, NFP.
• American Crow 12 greg. vocal, ubiq..
• Yellow-billed Magpie 2 (vocal) individuals in flight between mature valley oaks and adjacent vineyard, 50-100 yards east of SR 101 junction, ZSR (photo).

• Tree Swallow 2 greg. a pair flying over clearing, NFP.
• Violet-green Swallow 2 flying 10 -30 ft. agl over riparian woodland and adjacent clearings, NFP.
• Purple Martin 2 adults alternating with brief nest cavity visits in dead sycamore trunk; flying over large area and returning every 10 minutes or so with food for nestlings (unseen in nest cavity) NFP (photo).

• Cliff Swallow 20 greg. at least 10 active nests under eaves of a public restroom; individuals flying 2- 300 ft. agl throughout the area, GSB.
• Bushtit 8 greg. foraging in shrubs and trees at edge of clearings, NFP.
• White-breasted Nuthatch 2 vocal, individuals in subcanopy and low on main trunk of oaks, NFP.
• House Wren 3 greg. vocal in brush pile and on fallen oak limb at edge of falls trail, NFP.
• Bewick’s Wren 1 vocal (calls) at edge of riparian woodland and coastal sage, GSB.
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5 (ad., imm) greg. foraging low in shrubs and live oaks at edge of clearing in msf with HUVI, OCWA and BUTI, NFP.
• Wrentit 1 vocal (unseen) in hillside coastal sage-oak woodland, at edge of clearing, NFP.
• Western Bluebird 6 (m,f) loosely greg. pairs and trios sallying to ruderal field from adjacent trees, NFP.
• California Thrasher 4 (ad., imm) greg. vocal at edge of riparian stream woodland, GSB.
• Northern Mockingbird 1 on roadside shrub adjacent to a vineyard, ZSR.
• European Starling 3 greg. in sycamores at edge of clearing, NFP.
• House Finch 16 (m,f) greg., vocal, ruderal field and edge of riparian woodland, NFP; ubiq..
• Purple Finch 1 vocal (unseen) oak-riparian woodland, NFP.
• Lesser Goldfinch 2 vocal, greg. in sycamores adjacent to a ruderal field, NFP.
• Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco 18 (m,f) greg., vocal on ground in small flocks throughout, NFP.
• Song Sparrow 1 streamside understory, NFP; 2 streamside riparian – coastal sage, GSB.
• California Towhee 2 roadside shaded area under mature oaks, NFP.
• Spotted Towhee 1 vocal (unseen) roadside riparian woodland, NFP.
• Hooded Oriole 1 (f – imm.) snatch-gleaning insects from stream surface, next to a BLPH, GSB.
• Red-winged Blackbird 2 (ad, imm) edge of stream and small marsh near camping area, NFP.
• Brewer’s Blackbird 2 (m,f) on ground, roadside shade of large oak, ZSR.
• Orange-crowned Warbler 2 foraging in oaks and understory shrubs at edge of clearing, in msf with BUTI, HUVI and RCKI, NFP.
• Yellow Warbler 3 (m) vocal in sycamores and oaks, streamside of falls trail, NFP.
• Wilson’s Warbler 1 (m) (unseen -repeated song) in riparian woodland at edge of clearing, NFP.

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July 10, 2024 Lake Los Carneros; UCSB Campus: Devereux Slough and Coal Oil Point Reserve, Santa Barbara County, CA (61 Species) Callyn Yorke

Weather: Fair; 61F to 70F; winds light from NE; Low tide @ 0830 hrs. Seas moderate to choppy; surf 1-3 ft.

Time: (LLC) 0650-1000 hrs.; (UCSB – DVS & COP) 1009-1200 hrs.

Areas Covered: 1) Lake Los Carneros and Stowe House gardens (LLC): Beginning at the Stowe House parking area, I walked a counter-clockwise route around LLC to the north side adjacent to suburbs. I returned mostly using the same network of footpaths. Habitats surveyed included mature Eucalyptus woodland, riparian, freshwater marsh, lake and coastal sage scrub. A total of about 40 acres was surveyed.

Birdlife was found mainly near the lake margins, in Eucalyptus woodland and vegetated areas with relatively high moisture, e.g. the Stowe House gardens. About thirty visitors were in the area during the survey, including birders from a local retirement community.

2) UCSB Campus – Devereux Slough (DVS) and Coal Oil Point Preserve (COP). I drove slowly, westward on a narrow, winding paved road paralleling DVS -a brackish, seasonal wetland, stopping twice in small roadside areas with signage permitting parking for nature observation. The second stop was in a parking area for the COP Nature Center, which appeared to be abandoned. From the elevated roadside overlooking DVS, waterbirds could be easily observed at distances of 50-200 yards.

Continuing westward on foot from the COP Nature Center, I took a series of pathways through coastal sage scrub and ruderal fields leading to a cliff overlook of the rocky shoreline (COP). Signage there indicated a protected area for the Western Snowy Plover (SBCO header photo). I continued down to the shore, proceeding northeastward to a beach and estuary that supported a variety of waterbirds, including numerous Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, Heermann’s Gull and recently hatched Snowy Plover (photo). Dozens of visitors were present on the shore, including wildlife photographers and surfers on the point break. Multiple signs in the COP area indicated that dogs were prohibited in this area; no dogs were seen on the shore during my survey. A combined total of about 25-acres was visually surveyed on the UCSB campus and adjacent areas.

BIRDS NOTED

• Canada Goose 5 greg. edge of marsh in shallows, DVS.
• Mallard 30 (m,f) greg. on embankment and swimming at edge of lake, presumably fed by visitors, LLC.
• Ruddy Duck 4 (m) swimming at edge of marsh, LLC.
• Pied-billed Grebe 5 individuals swimming in open water and near marsh, LLC.
• Feral Rock Pigeon 6 greg, flying around marsh and parking area, LLC.
• Eurasian Collared Dove 1 vocal, in garden area, LLC.
• Mourning Dove 1 flying low over field, LLC.
• American Coot 6 (ad., imm) swimming near marsh, LLC.
• Black-necked Stilt 2 (ad.) loosely greg., at edge of lagoon; chased by GRYE, DVS.
• Killdeer 6 individuals and pairs on mudflats at edge of slough and marsh, DVS.
• Semipalmated Plover 1 on shore of lagoon, COP.
• Snowy Plover 40 (ad., imm. — at least 16 hatchlings) juveniles, often in pairs, running across sandy areas with adults nearby; foraging in wrak, COP (photo – see header).
• Whimbrel 8 greg. on shore of lagoon in msf with LBCU, COP.
• Long-billed Curlew 28 (ad, imm.) greg. most birds standing; a few sitting in sand on shore around lagoon, COP.
• Marbled Godwit 1 on shore of lagoon, COP.
• Willet 2 on outer shore, foraging among rocks, COP.
• Greater Yellowlegs 1 (trans. plmg.) edge of slough and in low flight over marsh; chasing a nearby BNST, DVS (photo).

• Heermann’s Gull 60 (ad, imm. C1, C2) greg. most birds on outer shore with WEGU, COP.
• Western Gull 30 (ad., imm — 85 %: C1- C4) greg. scattered over wide area, mostly on outer shore, COP.
• Caspian Tern 1 (ad.) on shore of lagoon, COP.
• Double-crested Cormorant 14 (ad., imm) most birds perched in dead tree at w edge of lagoon, DVS.
• Brandt’s Cormorant 6 greg. individuals and pairs flying low offshore, northeastward, COP.
• Brown Pelican 25 (ad, imm) greg. resting on shore of lagoon; flying low offshore, COP.
• Great Blue Heron 1 at edge of marsh, LLC.
• Great Egret 5 greg. individuals and pairs at edge of slough and perched in adjacent dead trees, DVS.
• Snowy Egret 15 greg. individuals and small flocks in shallows and perched in dead trees, DVS, COP.
• Black-crowned Night Heron 2 partially concealed in dense marsh at edge of lake, LLC.
• Turkey Vulture 1 soaring over open areas and eucalyptus woodland, LLC.
• Cooper’s Hawk 2 (ad., imm) an immature stationary for at least twenty minutes on a dead tree in a clearing; adult in flight, low at edge of woodland, LLC.
• Red-shouldered Hawk 2 vocal short flights between garden trees and lakeside woodland, LLC.
• Red-tailed Hawk 1 (ad.) circling at 50-80 ft. agl over a large clearing, LLC.
• Acorn Woodpecker (m,f) vocal, greg. in garden trees and lakeside woodland, LLC.
• Nuttall’s Woodpecker 3 (m,f) vocal individuals and pairs in adjacent garden trees, and Eucalyptus woodland, LLC.
• Cassin’s Kingbird 5 vocal perched on outer tree limbs at edge of clearings and marsh throughout, LLC.
• Western Kingbird 1 vocal (unseen) edge of Eucalyptus woodland and large ruderal field, LLC.
• Western Flycatcher 2 vocal (calls), perched on limbs 6 – 8 ft. agl. in open and partially shaded clearings between oaks and other garden trees, LLC.
• Black Phoebe 3 vocal (calls) low perches at edge of clearings and in shaded garden, LLC.
• California Jay 8 (ad., imm), vocal, greg. mostly in garden trees and adjacent clearings, LLC.
• American Crow 22 greg., vocal, ubiq..
• Tree Swallow 60 greg. loose flocks over lake and adjacent land throughout, LLC.
• Oak Titmouse 3 vocal in garden trees and oaks, LLC.
• Bushtit 16 (ad, imm) greg., vocal (soft contact calls), flocks of 6 -8 birds foraging quickly in oaks and a variety of other trees and shrubs throughout, LLC.
• House Wren 6 (ad., imm) greg. vocal, an active cohort flying across path; one young bird alighting briefly on the hat on my head, COP, LLC.
• Bewick’s Wren 5 vocal, greg. individuals and pairs in brushy margins of Eucalyptus woodland, marsh and gardens, LLC.
• Marsh Wren 1? (unseen) a brief, abbreviated song coming from dense, lakeside marsh, LLC.
• Wrentit 2 vocal (repeated song — unseen) in coastal sage scrub, LLC.
• American Robin 1 (ad) on lawn in garden, LLC.
• Western Bluebird 1 (m) on utility line over ruderal field, COP.
• European Starling 12 vocal, greg. on lawns and in garden trees, LLC.
• House Finch 32 (m,f) greg. in small flocks in ruderal fields, ubiq..
• Purple Finch 1 vocal (unseen) in trees adjacent to ruderal field, COP.
• Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco 4 (ad, imm) greg. vocal (calls and brief song) foraging on lawn in shaded garden area, LLC.
• Song Sparrow 10 (ad. imm) vocal (calls, song), greg., edge of marsh and riparian-marsh border, LLC.
• California Towhee 8 vocal (calls), greg. pairs and individuals at edges of clearings, LLC.
• Spotted Towhee 1 vocal (calls and brief song) in shaded garden, LLC.
• Scaly-breasted Munia 12 (m,f) vocal, greg. a cohesive flock foraging on terminal seed clusters of tall grass, LLC.
• Hooded Oriole 5 (ad, imm) vocal (calls) greg. in flowering garden trees; msf with OCWA, BEWR, EUST; intraspecific chasing between trees LLC.
• Red-winged Blackbird 10 (m,f) greg. flying over marsh, LLC.
• Great-tailed Grackle 1 (m) on UCSB campus building rooftop, El Colegiate Road near east entrance to DVS.
• Orange-crowned Warbler 1 vocal (calls and song) in garden trees, LLC.
• Common Yellowthroat 1 vocal (unseen –song) in dense, lakeside marsh-riparian edge, LLC.

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July 9, 2024 Santa Ynez River Mouth & Ocean Beach; Miguelito County Park, Santa Barbara County, CA (56 Species) Callyn Yorke

Weather: Coastal low fog; light (5 – 7mph) offshore winds; 55F; low tide @ 0720 hrs. (SYR; OB); hazy to partly cloudy skies inland, 68F with light ENE winds (MCP).

Time: (SYR; OB): 0652- 0900 hrs.; (MCP): 1042-1200 hrs..

Areas Covered: 1) Santa Ynez River mouth (SYR). At the public parking area of Ocean Beach Park (initially without other visitors), featuring natural history signage, I kept mostly stationary positions overlooking about fifty acres of the river bank, sandbars and adjacent saltmarsh-coastal sage scrub. A southbound Amtrak Coastliner passed through the site, crossing over an iron trestle bridge.

Subsequently, I met Florence, a Santa Barbara resident who has been surveying birds at this location intermittently since the 1970’s. She, like myself and presumably a significant number of well schooled biologists, refuses to enter her survey results in eBird, due to the platform’s systemic problems with misidentification and muddled survey methodologies. We agreed implicitly that eBird may well serve competitive sport birding interests but should absolutely never be relied upon in any serious scientific investigation.

Except for Ocean Avenue and the intersecting paved road leading to the parking lot and boardwalk viewing platform, this area is part of Vandenberg Airforce Base and is off-limits to the public. Consequently, as with other military bases with restricted access, e.g. Edwards AFB in LA/Kern County, wildlife and natural vegetation habitats are well protected and fairly easily observed from a safe distance. A spotting scope is almost a necessity at this location, due to the distance (about 200 yards) from the viewing area to the mid-river sandbars and upstream shallows, collectively supporting a large variety of waterbirds.

After the bird survey at  SYR, I drove back to Ocean Avenue at the intersection of the Ocean Beach Park entrance road, then southwest to the adjacent sea coast, accessible to the public at the  Amtrak Lompoc Surf Train stop (Outer Ocean Beach – OB – in the following species accounts). Walking down a sandy trail from the railway station, there is a stretch of about 0.1 mi. of accessible shoreline for observing birds. Beyond the signed fence markers, access to the waterline is prohibited, either due to the property being directly controlled by Vandenberg AFB and/or protected nesting sites for the Western Snowy Plover. Several people on the beach were in violation of the no trespassing signs during my survey. The largest concentrations of shorebirds were at the southwest end of the accessible area. Fairly heavy surf conditions rendered observations of offshore birds possible mainly from the elevated sand dunes near the railway station. There, a spotting scope would have been useful. About 5-acres of shoreline during an incoming tide were surveyed. My views of the offshore waters extended about 1-mile from the elevated dunes below the train station. Pods of dolphins were seen surfacing at about that distance from shore.

Following my observations at the coast, I drove back to Lompoc for lunch, then to an out-of-town site, Miguelito County Park – MCP. The park initially appeared suitable for birds of the an ecotonal riparian-oak woodland – coastal sage habitat. There, I walked the perimeter and central sections park, surveying birds, covering a total of about ten-acres, including a narrow picnic area and closed-canopy Coast Live Oak and Sycamore woodland. A shaded, shallow stream paralleled the main road and bordered coastal sage scrub hills and escarpments (photo). Birdlife was fairly diverse and abundant throughout the park, especially near the stream. Only about ten people, including several park maintenance workers, were present in the park during my visit. The surveyed area was largely quiet and undisturbed by human activities.

BIRDS NOTED

• Gadwall 4 (m,f) greg. on northwest riverbank and edge of sandbar, SYR.
• Mallard 2 (m,f) nw shallows near shore under rr bridge, SYR.
• Surf Scoter 8 (m,f) greg. resting on north riverbank and swimming adjacent waterway under the rr bridge, SYR; 2 (m,f) a pair near shore in heavy surf zone, OB.
• California Quail vocal (unseen) in dense cover at edge of escarpment near the picnic area, MCP.
• Pied-billed Grebe 2 individuals swimming at edge of river channel, SYR.
• Western Grebe 1 swimming in middle of river channel, SYR.
• Eurasian Collared Dove 1 on utility line at entrance to train station, OB.
• Black-necked Stilt 1 (bsc. plmg.) walking on shore of mid-river sandbar, SYR.
• American Avocet 1 (trans. bsc. plmg.) 1 walking on shore of mid-river sandbar, SYR.
• Killdeer 4 (ad., 2 imm) greg on riverbank under trestle bridge, SYR.
• Semipalmated Plover 5 loosely greg., individuals and pairs foraging on sandbar and mudflats, SYR.
• Snowy Plover 11 (4 ad., and at least 5 imm.) greg. on inner and outer beach adjacent to protected fenced area, OB (photo).

• Whimbrel 9 greg. a cohesive flock flying 60 ft. agl, sw, SYR; 25 greg. loose flocks with LBCU; individuals resting and foraging on inner and outer shore, OB (photo).

• Marbled Godwit 1 walking on midriver peninsula shoreline, SYR.
• Sanderling 1 (alt. plmg.) on outer shore with a captured copepod, OB (photo).

• Least Sandpiper 9 (possibly a significant underestimate) greg. seen at + 200 yards, a cohesive flock and individuals foraging on mid-river sandbar-mudflats, SYR.
• Western Sandpiper 1 (alt. plmg,) foraging on outer shore, OB.
• Long-billed Curlew 12 (ad, imm) greg. on inner and outer shore in msf with WHIM, OB.
• Greater Yellowlegs 2 (alt. plmg.) in on midriver sandbar and north riverbank mudflat, SYR.
• Heermann’s Gull 3 (imm) in flight sw, SYR; 20 (ad, at least 12 imm. C1) scattered flocks resting on on inner and outer shore, OB.
• California Gull 30 (imm. C1) greg. a cohesive flock on mid-river sandbar; individuals flying around; 15 (imm; C1, C2 many showing pale, worn plumage) greg. loose flocks and individuals in inner and outer shore with WEGU, OB.
• Western Gull 20 (ad., 80% imm. C1, C2, C3) greg. individuals, pairs in flight sw, SYR; 30 (ad. imm) greg. loose flocks on inner and outer shore; flying low over ocean offshore in msf with BRPE near fast-moving pod of dolphins, OB.
• Double-crested Cormorant 2 flying sw over estuary, SYR.
• Brown Pelican 60 (ad., imm) greg. on beach, river mouth area, and flying offshore around pod of dolphins, SYR; OB.
• Great Blue Heron 1 in shallows upriver, SYR.
• Snowy Egret 2 on north bank of river in shallows, SYR.
• Turkey Vulture 4 individuals soaring low over Ocean Ave. agricultural fields, SYR.
• Northern Harrier 1 flying low over Ocean Ave. roadside marsh, SYR.
• Red-tailed Hawk 1 soaring over Ocean Ave. in Lompoc.
• Acorn Woodpecker 6 vocal, greg. in oaks and sycamores; one at apparent nest cavity in a leafless vertical limb of sycamore; several sycamores used for acorn storage, MCP.
• Cassin’s Kingbird 1 on roadside utility wire, SYR.
• Black Phoebe 2 sallying to lawn and in creek on boulders, MCP.
• Loggerhead Shrike 1 flying low across roadside marsh, SYR.
• California Jay 6 (ad, imm) vocal, loosely greg. in picnic area and adjacent coastal sage scrub.
• American Crow 12 greg, flying low over Ocean Ave. agricultural fields between SYR and Lompoc.
• Tree Swallow 10 loosely greg. flying low over river around trestle bridge, SYR.
• Barn Swallow 4 loosely greg. flying low over marsh and river, SYR.
• Cliff Swallow 20 greg. on trestle bridge and flying 1- 70 ft. agl over entire area, SYR.
• Oak Titmouse 1 vocal (unseen) streamside riparian trees, MCP.
• Bushtit 6 greg. foraging in shrubs and trees throughout, MCP.
• White-breasted Nuthatch 1 vocal, in oak subcanopy with BEWR, MCP.
• Bewick’s Wren 1 exploring old squirrel nest in oak subcanopy, MCP.
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 (m) vocal, foraging in streamside riparian understory, MCP.
• Wrentit 1 vocal (repeated song – unseen) coastal sage -riparian edge, MCP.
• American Robin 3 on shaded lawn in picnic area, MCP.
• California Thrasher 1 running across Ocean Avenue into shrub border, SYR.
• House Finch 6 (m,f) greg. in coastal sage garden patch next to parking lot, SYR; OB.
• Purple Finch 4 (m, f) vocal in oaks and sycamores, also streamside understory; bathing in stream, SYR
• Lesser Goldfinch 2 vocal, flying low over coastal sage scrub, OB.
• Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco 2 vocal, on ground beneath oaks and sycamores, MCP.
• White-crowned Sparrow 2 (imm) foraging in ruderal patches between rr tracks on trestle bridge, SYR.
• California Towhee 4 vocal (calls), individuals and pairs on ground at edges of clearings, MCP.
• Spotted Towhee 2 (m,f) a pair in streamside riparian understory, MCP.
• Red-winged Blackbird 10 (m,) greg. flying between agricultural fields on Ocean Ave..
• Brown-headed Cowbird 2 on utility lines over agricultural fields on Ocean Ave.
• Black-headed Grosbeak 2 vocal in riparian streamside trees, MCP.

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July 8, 2024 Goleta County Beach and El Capitan State Beach, Santa Barbara County, CA Bird Surveys (40 Species) Callyn Yorke

Weather: Coastal low fog; 59F; winds calm to light; low tide @ 0630 hrs.; seas calm, surf 1 ft.

Time: GOL: 0658 – 0850 hrs.; CAP: 0920 – 1145 hrs.

Areas Covered: 1) Goleta County Beach (GOL). I walked from the main (southwest) parking area along the shore and through the adjacent picnic area, including a survey of the slough and estuary. Increasing numbers of visitors began arriving by 0800 hrs. Construction activities at the pier continued throughout the survey period. About 20-acres of land, shoreline and nearshore waters were visually covered using a 10x 42 binocular. Photos of birds were made using a Nikon D850 with a Nikon PF 500mm lens. General scenery and signage images were obtained with a Google Pixel 7 Pro cell phone.

2) El Capitan State Beach (CAP). I walked the perimeter of the State Beach property ($10 entry fee per vehicle), and after obtaining permission from the guard, surveyed the adjacent entrance of the El Capitan Canyon Resort. A connecting streamside trail ran through private and State properties, featuring a coast live oak- mature sycamore – coastal sage ecotone (photo). Water flow was moderately swift through the natural streambed. The shore and adjacent nearshore waters were scanned to a distance of about 300m. About 35-acres of land, shoreline and nearshore waters were surveyed.

Birds Noted

• Surf Scoter 2 (m,f) greg. a pair swimming just beyond the surf zone, CAP.
• Feral Rock Pigeon 10 greg. flying around picnic area, GOL.
• Band-tailed Pigeon 1 vocal on upper limb of mature sycamore in parking area, CAP.
• Eurasian Collared Dove 4 greg. vocal, pairs in ornamental and native trees, GOL, CAP.
• Mourning Dove 1 in flight over parking area, CAP.
• Allen’s Hummingbird 1 (m) in elderberry patch next to the resort parking area, CAP.
• Long-billed Curlew 2 (ad., imm.) greg. a pair on outer shore, GOL (photo).

• Willet 2 (bsc. plmg.) greg. a pair in tidepools, GOL.
• Heermann’s Gull 40 (20 % ad.; 80% imm. C1, C2) greg. on shore, CAP; GOL.
• Ring-billed Gull 2 (imm. C1) greg. on shore, apart from larger gulls, CAP.
• California Gull 10 (imm., most in worn, faded plumage, C1, C2) greg. on shore, GOL, CAP.
• Western Gull (20 % ad; 80% imm. C1, C2, C3), greg. on outer shore and flying offshore, GOL, CAP.
• Caspian Tern 1 (ad) flying ne offshore, CAP.
• Common Loon 2 (ad. alt. plmg.; imm) greg. swimming, preening, offshore, CAP.
• Double-crested Cormorant 30 greg.. on and around nests in mature eucalyptus bordering the slough; a few diving near shore, GOL; flying low offshore, CAP.
• Brandt’s Cormorant 2 individuals flying ne, low offshore, CAP.
• Brown Pelican 30 ad., imm; individuals and loose flocks in water and flying around near shore and well offshore, ubiq..
• Snowy Egret 1 wading in estuary shallows, GOL , beneath bridge at water’s edge on slough berm, GOL.
• Turkey Vulture 2 flying low over canopy of riparian-oak woodland, CAP.
• Red-shouldered Hawk 1 vocal in canopy of riparian-oak woodland at main entrance, CAP.
• Acorn Woodpecker 1 in sycamore next to the parking lot, CAP.
• Nuttall’s Woodpecker 1 vocal (unseen) oak- sycamore woodland in Capitan Canyon Resort, CAP.
• Cassin’s Kingbird 5 (ad. imm) vocal, greg. – apparently a cohort of mostly young (HY) birds, sallying to ground from low snags and inshore scattered driftwood, GOL.
• Black Phoebe 4 vocal, individuals sallying to lawns and bare ground from shrubs and low limbs, ubiq..
• California Jay greg. vocal, in oak-riparian-coastal sage edge, Capitan Canyon Resort, CAP.
• American Crow 4 greg. , vocal, on ground and in trees near buildings and other developments, ubiq..
• Cliff Swallow 5 loosely greg. flying 2 – 80 ft. agl throughout the inland areas, ubiq.
• Wrentit 1 vocal (unseen) coastal sage-riparian edge, Capitan Canyon Resort, CAP.
• California Thrasher 1 vocal (unseen) in coastal sage-riparian edge at beach, CAP.
• Northern Mockingbird 2 (ad, imm) vocal (brief, partial song), flying to shrubs at edge of slough, GOL.
• European Starling 6 (ad, imm) greg. on lawns in msf with BRBL and BHCO, GOL.
• House Finch 10 (m,f) ad., im. vocal, greg. in driftwood area inshore, GOL.
• Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco 2 individuals on ground in clearings adjacent to dense cover, GOL, CAP.
• Song Sparrow 1 vocal at edge of riparian-coastal sage, Capitan Canyon Resort, CAP.
• California Towhee 6 vocal (calls), greg. individuals and pairs on ground at base of shrubs at edges of clearings, GOL, CAP.
• Hooded Oriole 5 (ad, imm) vocal (calls), greg. at edge of slough in coastal sage scrub, picnic area with ornamental palms, GOL.
• Red-winged Blackbird 20 (m,f) greg. small flocks on lawns and bare ground in msf with BRBL and BHCO, GOL.
• Brown-headed Cowbird 20 (m,f) greg. male pairs displaying in mobile leks on ground with females, picnic area, GOL (photo).

• Brewer’s Blackbird 30 (m,f) greg. on ground in picnic area, msf with RWBL, BHCO, GOL.
• Orange-crowned Warbler 1 active in elderberry -riparian edge, Capitan Canyon Resort, CAP.

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