Annotated Bird List for San Diego County November 16-24, 2025
Callyn Yorke
KEY
Survey Locations: See Annotated Regional Map
Bird Behavior: greg. = gregarious; MSF = mixed species flock; agl = estimated height above ground level (ft.); voc. = vocalizations, i.e. calls and/or song; HO = heard only.
Numerical Abundance and Distribution: Usually, the highest number of individuals found at first listed location, when a species was observed at multiple locations. Actual counts when less than 20 individuals; estimates when more than 20, e.g. counted in tens; ubiq. = ubiquitous in appropriate habitat(s).
Systematics and Taxonomy: Largely follows the current (2025) AOS usage. Common name acronyms (banding codes) are given as the first letters or a unique combination of paired of letters representing the English common name, e.g. Chinese (Swan) Goose = CHGO; Ring-billed Gull = RBGU; HASH = Harris’s Hawk, etc..
BIRDS NOTED
- Chinese (Swan) Goose (exotic, domestic.) 2 greg. with GLGO, GRP.
- Domestic Goose (exotic, domestic, albinistic) 1 with CHGO on shore, GRP.
- Brant 9 greg. feeding on floating aquatic vegetation in mid-channel, SDR.
- Black Swan (exotic) 2 greg. a pair swimming downstream in open water, eastern section, BL (photo).
- Muscovy Duck (exotic, hybrids) 2 swimming at edge of lake with MALL, GRP.
- Blue-winged Teal 4 (m,f) greg. dabbling in marshy shallows, west-central SEL.
- Cinnamon Teal 4 (m,f) dabbling in marshy shallows; low flights over west lagoon, SEL.
- Northern Shoveler 20 (m,f) greg. in open water, west-central SEL; 10 (m,f ) greg. swimming and resting at edge of lake, GRP (photo); 4 (3 m, 1 f) in Jacumba Lake, JAC.
- Gadwall 25 (m,f) greg. several pairs and small flocks (3-5 individuals) swimming in msf with AMWI and NOPI in marshy shallows and open water, west-central SEL.
- American Wigeon 500 (conserv. est.) (m,f) greg. large flocks on mudflats and in shallows extending for at least 200 yards on the northeastern edge of the lagoon, BL; 100 (conserv. est.) SEL..
- Redhead 1 (m) with AMWI in shallows on the northeastern edge of the lagoon, BL.
- Surf Scoter 1 (m) swimming next to a fishing dock, OH (photo).
- Bufflehead 6 in tidal channel on the west side of the RR tracks, west SEL; 4 (m,f) in open water, east BL.
- Ruddy Duck 30 (m,f; bsc. plmg.) greg. most birds resting in open water and shallows, SEL; GRP, BL.
- Feral Rock Pigeon 120 greg. perched together on utility lines; circling flights, MB; coastal towns and cities, ubiq..
- Eurasian Collared Dove 4 greg. pairs in flight; on utility lines, MB; UCC; JAC.
- Mourning Dove 20 greg., perched on snags and foraging on roadside at the east edge of town, JAC; ubiq. (photo).
- Greater Roadrunner 1 in a hillside field next to the lower parking area, SR (photo).
- Anna’s Hummingbird 3 (m) individuals in willows; hovering to hawk aerial insects, LCC; UCC; GRP.
- Allen’s Hummingbird 5 (m,f) individuals perched in a variety of tall shrubs and on lower limbs of large trees; one in a msf with BGGN and YRWA, LCC, UCC, GRP.
- Common Gallinule 2 walking on shore and swimming near the marsh, GRP.
- American Coot 200 greg. swimming, foraging mostly in shallows, SEL, GRP, ubiq. (photo).
- Black Oystercatcher 1 (imm) preening on a lower rock shelf, LC (photo).
- Black-bellied Plover 25 greg. at edge of marsh on peninsula, SDR; SEL.
- Killdeer 2 greg. a pair standing in the marsh in the southwest corner, SDR.
- Semipalmated Plover 2 with BBPL on mudflat islet west of RR tracks, SEL.
- Hudsonian Whimbrel 2 individuals foraging on outer shore, in marsh and on mudflats, MB (photo), SEL.
- Long-billed Curlew 10 greg. two separate, small flocks – one foraging on lawn of largest field; the other in the marsh at west end of river, SDR.
- Marbled Godwit 50 greg. most resting in marsh, partly concealed SDR; 1 foraging with HUWH on outer shore, MB.
- Short-billed Dowitcher 18 greg. foraging in shallows and mudflats with ; some resting with flock of MAGO, SDR.
- Spotted Sandpiper 2 in low flight over shore, SR; SEL.
- Willet 30 greg. most birds resting at edge of marsh in riverbed, SDR; 4 foraging together on outer shore, MB (photo).
- Greater Yellowlegs 2 greg. a pair resting, partly concealed in marsh, west-central, SEL; 1 foraging in cove backwater shallows with DUNL, SR.
- Black Turnstone 5 greg. active and resting on middle shelf with BRCO, above splash zone, LC.
- Sanderling 20 greg. a cohesive, highly mobile flock in frequent flight, foraging briefly on southern cove and islet shorelines; msf with WESA, LESA and at least one DUNL SR.
- Dunlin 1-2 individuals in msf with SAND, WESA and LESA, joining those birds in brief, circling flights to nearby shorelines for foraging, SR.
- Least Sandpiper 10 greg. highly mobile, foraging on shorelines in msf with SAND, WESA and DUNL, SR.
- Western Sandpiper 15 greg. highly mobile, foraging on shorelines in msf with SAND, LESA and DUNL, SR.
- Bonaparte’s Gull 25 (ad., imm.) greg. low flights nearshore, repeatedly dipping into the surf zone, circling area, MB (photo).
- Heermann’s Gull 20 (ad, imm.) greg., most resting on shore with WEGU, CAGU; immatures flying low nearshore; one C1 HEEG, showing behavior similar to a jaeger, in a relentless flight pursuit of a ROTE with a small fish (e.g. anchovy) in its beak; OH, SLR, LC (photo).
- Ring-billed Gull 10 (ad., C1 imm.) greg. most resting on beach; a few in flight offshore; usually keeping apart from other gulls on shore, MB (photo); OH, SLR; SR.
- Western Gull 80 (ad., imm) greg. on and offshore, ubiq..
- American Herring Gull 1 (C1 imm.) on shore with WEGU and CAGU, MB.
- California Gull 30 (ad. imm.) onshore with WEGU and HEEG; in flight nearshore, ubiq..
- Iceland Gull (Thayer’s) 1 (C1) on shore with WEGU and CAGU, MB (photo).
- Royal Tern 40 (90% ad.) greg. one imm. begging from adult on shore; largest flocks resting on shore individuals and loosely greg. flocks flying nearshore, sometimes joining BOGU, surface plunging in surf zone, MB; LC; OH.
- Elegant Tern 2 (ad.) greg. resting on beach with ROTE, MB (photo); 1 in flight nearshore, OH.
- Pied-billed Grebe 5 individuals in shallows and open water, SLR; ubiq..
- Eared Grebe 2 (bsc. plmg.) greg. a pair swimming in a backwater cove, SR.
- Western Grebe 25 greg. most resting in open water, SR; others outside surf zone, ubiq..
- Clark’s Grebe 2 swimming in open water with nearby flock of WEGR, SR.
- Brandt’s Cormorant 400 (ad., imm) greg. on cliffs, rock shelves; diving in cove and in low flights offshore, LC; MB.
- Double-crested Cormorant 20 loosely greg. most often seen. in low flights near and offshore, MB; LC; OH; SR.
- American White Pelican 7 partly greg., resting on shore; swimming in open water, SR; 1 on shore of channel with DCCO, east SEL.
- Brown Pelican 80 (ad., imm) greg. on cliffs and rock shelves; in flight nearshore, LC; MB; 200-300 on far western, outermost breakwater rocks OH.
- White-faced Ibis 22 greg. a cohesive flock on southern lakeshore with AMCO,GRP (photo).
- Black-crowned Night Heron 1 (imm.) on s lagoon shore, SLR.
- Reddish Egret 1 (ad.) individual wading in shallows and in the marsh, SDR; 2 individuals separated by about 100 yards: 1 (ad.); 1 (imm.) foraging actively – wing-raising and jumping in shallows, w-central, SEL.
- Snowy Egret 5 greg. in shallows and marsh, west-central, SEL;
- Great Egret 6 individuals standing in marsh and shallows throughout, SEL; 2 in flight, SDR; LC.
- Great Blue Heron 4 individuals in shallows and marsh throughout, SEL; BL.
- Osprey 2 vocal, individuals on posts in marsh; in flight, SEL 1 vocal on light pole over bridge, SLR; 1 on rooftop, MB.
- Cooper’s Hawk 1 in flight over a clearing, GRP.
- Harris’s Hawk 5 perched together on a utility pole (photo); on 11/23/25, five HASH (2 pair and a single bird) soaring north of Jacumba Lake on late morning thermals, going toward south hills; individuals seen earlier, perched on utility pole; another in a cottonwood, JAC.
- Red-shouldered Hawk 2 (ad.) perched on utility lines and poles; in eucalyptus; vocal in flight, UCC, LCC.
- Red-tailed Hawk 1 perched on a suburban utility pole, BL; 1 on a utility pole, east side of town, JAC.
- Belted Kingfisher 2 (m,f) individuals perched on posts in marsh; vocal in flight, SEL; SDR (photo); BL.
- Acorn Woodpecker 2 vocal, foraging in bark cavities of mature Eucalyptus, GRP.
- Nuttall’s Woodpecker 1 vocal, in msf with ALHU, RCKI, YRWA and BGGN, GRP; BL; JAC.
- American Kestrel 1 (fem.)on roadside fence post, SR; 1 flying to ground in marsh clearing, BL.
- Peregrine Falcon 1 (imm) perched on large shrub in marsh, west-central, SEL.
- Black Phoebe 5 vocal, individuals sallying to ground and lawns; often near water, ubiq. (photo)
- Say’s Phoebe 4 individuals sallying to ground in fields and large woodland clearings, ubiq.(photo).
- Vermilion Flycatcher 1 (m) sallying to pasture from a fence, east BL; 1 sallying from low cottonwood limb, in clearing near abandoned bath house, JAC (photo).
- Cassin’s Kingbird 2 vocal, individuals and pairs on utility lines and in canopies of tall trees, LCC, UCC; BL; GRP.
- Hutton’s Vireo 2 individuals active in oaks in mixed riparian woodland, loosely associated with RCKI and YRWA, UCC (photo).
- Loggerhead Shrike 1 flew to ground from brushy roadside ditch, JAC..
- California Scrub-Jay 5 loosely greg. in trees around hot springs and adjacent suburbs, JAC.
- American Crow 30 greg. vocal, pairs and small, loose flocks in flight over town, MB; ubiq..
- Common (Northern) Raven 2 vocal, in flight, BL.
- Verdin 1 foraging in shrubs at edge of hot springs, JAC.
- Bushtit 2 moving quickly between shrubs and willows at edge of marsh, GRP.
- White-eye (Zosterops sp.) 5 greg. vocal, in willows along stream bank, LCC.
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet 7 greg. pairs and individuals foraging in a wide variety of low-mid level foliage, often in msf with YRWA , WCSP and other bird species, LCC, UCC; ubiq..
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 individuals active in willows, goldenbush and a variety of shrubs and trees, low to middle level; msf with YRWA, RCKI, BEWR, GRP (photo).
- Bewick’s Wren 4 individuals active in low to mid-level riparian vegetation, LCC, UCC; GRP.
- European Starling 20 greg. vocal, in suburbs, ubiq..
- California Thrasher 2 vocal in Atriplex bordering a dry wash, JAC; 1 vocal (song) hillside coastal sage, sw SEL (photo).
- Northern Mockingbird 1 on utility wire, LCC.
- Western Bluebird 1 (m) sallying to ground from low cottonwood limb, near bath house, JAC.
- Hermit Thrush 2 vocal (calls) with WCSP in mature replanted coastal chaparral, northwest facing slope, LCC.
- House Sparrow 10 (m,f) greg. vocal, on ground in gardens, MB; suburbs, JAC.
- American (Buff-bellied) Pipit 22 greg. a scattered flock, cohesive when flushed, foraging on lawn and bare dirt and parking lot next to Robb Field, SDR.
- House Finch 15 (m,f) vocal, greg. pairs and small, sometimes msf with WCSP flocks in woodland, clearings and ruderal fields, ubiq..
- Lesser Goldfinch 1 UCC (photo); 2 in garden shrubs and trees, LC.
- Lawrence’s Goldfinch 4 (m,f) greg. feeding on seeded Great Basin Sage, east border roadside ditch, JAC (photo).
- Chipping Sparrow 1 on ground, foraging in msf with WCSP and DEJU, small clearing between Old HWY 80 and abandoned bath house.
- Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco 13 greg. a small flock of about 10 birds in msf with WCSP on frosty ground beneath seeded sage, east border of community center park, JAC.
- Gambel’s White-crowned Sparrow 80 (conserv. est. at most of the surveyed locations, e.g. JAC) (ad., imm) usually foraging in flocks, often with other small passerines, on the ground in brushy areas and clearings bordering woodland and gardens with adequate cover. Along with YRWA, the most abundant and widespread migratory passerine in the submontane and coastal areas of Southern California, ubiq..
- Golden-crowned Sparrow 3 (imm) greg. on ground in Artemisia-Atriplex patches and beneath shady willows at edge of hot springs marsh, JAC.
- Large-billed Savannah Sparrow 10 loosely greg. in Salicornia marsh bordering tidal channels, SEL (photo); other subspecies, c.f. P. s. nevadensis – 2 vocal, flushed from lakeside, SR.
- Song Sparrow 6 vocal (calls and brief song) riparian edges and marsh, ubiq..
- Lincoln’s Sparrow 1 in msf with WCSP and LEGO in seeded sage, brushy roadside ditch, east side of town, JAC.
- California Towhee 4 greg. pairs on ground in riparian woodland, gardens and ruderal patches with heavy cover, ubiq..
- Spotted Towhee 1 vocal (unseen) trailside Eucalyptus woodland, BL.
- Western Meadowlark 12 greg. vocal foraging on ground in large ruderal field on east border of town, JAC; 5 greg. in hillside field, SR.
- Red-winged Blackbird 10 (m,f; imm.) vocal (calls) small flocks in bullrush and adjacent riparian woodland, ubiq..
- Tricolored Blackbird 1 (m) in early morning sunlight atop a utility pole with MODO and EUCD, east border of town, JAC.
- Brewer’s Blackbird 6 (m,f) greg. foraging on ground, roadside of Old HWY 80 and adjacent homestead on the east side of town, JAC.
- Great-tailed Grackle 20 (m,f) greg. vocal, in parking lots and throughout the harbor area, OH.
- Orange-crowned Warbler (predominately the nominate celata subsp.) 5 (ad., imm.) greg., pairs and individuals affecting a wide variety of vegetation types, often low to mid-level heights and in msf, e.g. with YRWA, TOWA, COYE, RCKI, BEWR, WCSP and other small passerines; two individuals in a msf with YRWA, and TOWA. taking winged termites (Reticulitermes sp.) from the ground, UCC; GRP, ubiq. (photo).
- Common Yellowthroat 4 (m,f) vocal (calls) individuals and pairs, usually staying low in marsh and adjacent riparian woodland; moist gardens; sometimes joining msf with YRWA, SOSP and WCSP, ubiq..
- Yellow-rumped Warbler 20 (m,f; imm) greg., vocal (calls) affecting a very wide range of native and exotic vegetation types, e.g. Coast Live Oak, Western Sycamore, Eucalyptus; ig. at all foliage height profiles (canopy to ground); often in msf with other small passerines, e.g. OCWA, RCKI, and sometimes with hummingbirds, e.g. ANHU and ALHU; several individuals in a msf with TOWA, OCWA and BEWR, hawking winged termites (Reticulitermes sp. – photo) on and near the ground in UCC; common and abundant at this season in coastal areas, ubiq.
- Townsend’s Warbler 2 (m) ig Eucalyptus foliage, msf with RCKI and YRWA, GRP; hawking winged termites in msf, UCC.
- Summer Tanager 1 (f) shy and easily flushed; briefly perched in subcanopy of a Sycamore, apparently attracted to a msf of passerines hawking winged termites, UCC.