[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2014] – On 18 Jan 2014 I ventured offshore San Diego with Dave Povey, Tom Blackman, and Mike Goldhamer in search of seabirds. Sea conditions were calm and with only a slight breeze the seabird action was a bit slow. However we were able to spot alcids at some distance particularly in the glassier looking areas of water. On this trip we found a total of nine Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata which is a high count here so far for the 2013/2014 winter period. In amongst the largest group, of three individuals together, we observed a peculiar behavior as one bird appeared to be actively carrying around a few strands of Eelgrass. I thought maybe it was tangled in the stringy vegetation but close examination of photographs seem to show it is actually gripping the vegetable matter at the mid point of its mandibles. We followed these three Rhinoceros Auklet around for several minutes and this bird refused to drop the vegetation eventually flying off with it! Searching around on the internet I found a photograph of an Atlantic Puffin carrying vegetation in a similar manner. Evidently these alcids bring nest lining material, such as grasses and feathers, to their burrows and can be seen flying around holding such things. Based on current knowledge we are some considerable distance from known nesting areas of Rhinoceros Auklet, which may breed as close as the southern California Channel Islands to the north. Perhaps this individual just has the uncontrollable urge to collect nest lining material? We were also in sight of islands to the south, Islas Los Coronados in Baja California, Mexico. Could this be a colonizer headed to those islands?

Rhinoceros Auklet carrying vegetation – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014

Rhinoceros Auklet carrying vegetation – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014

Rhinoceros Auklet carrying vegetation – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014

Rhinoceros Auklets – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014

Rhinoceros Auklet – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014

Rhinoceros Auklet – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014

We came across another Rhinoceros Auklet by itself which allowed quite a close approach for photography. This individual already has a fairly large grown horn at the base of the upper mandible and small yellowish-white plumes on the face.

Rhinoceros Auklet – offshore San Diego County, California 19 Jan 2014

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2014] – Visiting birding guide James Smith, on tour here with a group of clients, had the good fortune to spot two Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana on 11 Jan 2014 at Tecolote Canyon Natural Park. He also successfully found the Nutmeg Mannikins at this location which I had tipped him off about. I made a brief stop this morning 12 Jan 2014 and quickly refound one Swamp Sparrow near the entrance to the park (about one hundred yards from the entrance). It was easily located by its loud and flat sounding chip call as it moved through the Lemonadeberry bushes along the north side of the trail. However it proved difficult to entice into the open and photograph. For the most part it stayed well hidden, though often close to me, in the bushes beside the drainage culvert. I managed to get a few photographs from which the bird can be pieced together! Swamp Sparrow is about the most striking rufous marked sparrow we have here in the west I think. The rich rufous on the scapular feathers and wings looks eye popping in any light conditions! This would appear to be a first winter individual with generous yellow coloration of soft parts around the base of the bill and gape. Plumage characters of first winter birds like this one include only a little rufous color streaked into the crown, predominantly buffy auriculars and supercilium, and buffy flanks marked with thin but bold streaks.

Swamp Sparrow – Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, San Diego County, California 12 Jan 2014

Swamp Sparrow – Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, San Diego County, California 12 Jan 2014

Swamp Sparrow – Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, San Diego County, California 12 Jan 2014

Swamp Sparrow – Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, San Diego County, California 12 Jan 2014

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2013] – On 28 Dec 2013 I ventured up Hot Springs Mountain in northeast San Diego County in search of winter visitors. Overall the birding was pretty quiet up there around 6000-6500 feet elevation. A few mixed flocks of smaller passerines, dominated by Mountain Chickadees, and an occasional woodpecker. I quickly heard the unmistakeable call of a White-headed Woodpecker Picoides albolarvatus at the usual spot where I have previously found a pair of this species on Hot Springs Mountain Road (elevation about 6100 feet). I could only detect one individual however, an adult female, which was actively feeding at large pine cones in the tree tops. It came by overhead and investigated me for one or two minutes before noisily exiting the area. This is the third occasion in 2013 I have seen this species at this location (including during the summer). It would seem to be the only reliable place remaining in San Diego County where this species can be encountered with some regularity. Other woodpeckers in the area included calling Hairy Woodpecker and an inquisitive Red-breasted Sapsucker.

White-headed Woodpecker – Hot Springs Mountain, San Diego County, California 28 Dec 2013

White-headed Woodpecker – Hot Springs Mountain, San Diego County, California 28 Dec 2013

White-headed Woodpecker – Hot Springs Mountain, San Diego County, California 28 Dec 2013

White-headed Woodpecker – Hot Springs Mountain, San Diego County, California 28 Dec 2013

I can’t quite put my finger on it but there is something a bit strange about the Townsend’s Solitaire Myadestes townsendi. They always look a bit inanimate, but then suddenly spring to life swooping around gracefully! The favored mountain top location adds to the mystery factor (the occasional coastal wanderer excepted). I have seen quite a few singles in the mountains here in San Diego County in previous winters, but this was my personal best high count of three seen together at the top of Hot Springs Mountain on 28 Dec 2013. Hot Springs Mountain tops out at about 6500 feet elevation and holds plenty of large White Fir. Townsend’s Solitaire enjoys feeding on the berries of the Fir Mistletoe found living on this tree species. The solitaires were enjoying bush-top perches low down as well as frequent visits to the mistletoe laden crowns of the mature fir trees. At the mistletoe I watched them fluttering forcefully and pushing themselves into the thick yellow-green leafy clumps to retrieve the berries. Presumably all the exposed berries had already been picked off earlier!

Townsend’s Solitaire – Hot Springs Mountain peak, San Diego County, California 28 Dec 2013

Townsend’s Solitaire – Hot Springs Mountain peak, San Diego County, California 28 Dec 2013

Townsend’s Solitaire – Hot Springs Mountain peak, San Diego County, California 28 Dec 2013

Townsend’s Solitaire – Hot Springs Mountain peak, San Diego County, California 28 Dec 2013

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2013] – Amid the excitement of finding a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker yesterday morning in Point Loma I forgot about this interesting bluebird that I sighted at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. I found it in the far southwest section of the cemetery and thought it looked a bit strange all alone. I immediately noticed the plain monotone color of the bird overall and its upright stance with a kind of “stretched out” appearance. I approached from the front and snapped a few photographs. I hoped to skirt around and observe the back of the bird but it flew off towards the point, into the sun, and was gone! I suspected it might be a Mountain Bluebird and a view from the back would have been beneficial because this species typically shows off characteristic large black markings on the primary and tertial feathers forming black bars up the wings.

But I think the photographs from the front show pretty readily this is in fact a female Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides. It has white undertail coverts and lower belly, unlike the darker gray color shown by a female Western Bluebird. To my eye the bill has a slightly longer and thinner look to it than Western Bluebird and is completely dark colored with no sign of any pale marking near the base. Importantly it shows pale whitish feathering on the forehead, forming a little band over the bill, which gives it a sort of annoyed spectacled look when staring at my camera! Although hard to make out, viewed from the side angle, the greater and median coverts on the wing also have generous white edges. I would probably have passed over this Mountain Bluebird among the many Western Bluebirds that are usually around the cemetery. But the Westerns have dwindled in numbers here as we have gotten into the winter months, it is tough finding even a couple in the whole cemetery. It often pays to check out lone birds that seem a bit out of context! This is the first Mountain Bluebird I have encountered in Point Loma.

Mountain Bluebird – adult female Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, Point Loma, San Diego County 11 Dec 2013

Mountain Bluebird – adult female Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, Point Loma, San Diego County 11 Dec 2013

Mountain Bluebird – adult female Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, Point Loma, San Diego County 11 Dec 2013

Mountain Bluebird – adult female Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, Point Loma, San Diego County 11 Dec 2013

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2013] – I found this first winter male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius at the junction of Silvergate Ave. and Warner St. in Point Loma. In the cool temperatures and windless conditions today I could hear about every bird movement and leaf falling from the trees. Sure enough, a crackly sound overhead quickly revealed this sapsucker looking down at me from a pepper tree. After some hide-and-seek photography it then moved off to a mostly leafless maple tree (how convenient!) before flying away. Usually sapsuckers give me the runaround, but this one played friendly for the “flaparazzi”! This is a first winter male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and it appears very characteristic for this species at this time of year. It retains extensive golden spangled juvenile feathers on the nape and much of the back of the bird, kind of forming a brown back panel. These juvenile feathers would be replaced by adult feathers (black blotched with white) in any age or sex Red-naped Sapsucker at this calendar date. It also shows no sign of red feathering anywhere in the nape. On the bright red throat the black border appears wide and continuous as a frame running to the black chest band. Winter birds seem to have increased a bit in numbers in this neighborhood, just around the corner I also found two new Golden-crowned Kinglets and a Brown Creeper!

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – first winter male Silvergate Ave. neighborhood, Point Loma, San Diego County, California 11 Dec 2013

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – first winter male Silvergate Ave. neighborhood, Point Loma, San Diego County, California 11 Dec 2013

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – first winter male Silvergate Ave. neighborhood, Point Loma, San Diego County, California 11 Dec 2013

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – first winter male Silvergate Ave. neighborhood, Point Loma, San Diego County, California 11 Dec 2013

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – first winter male Silvergate Ave. neighborhood, Point Loma, San Diego County, California 11 Dec 2013

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2013] – First spotted by Dean DiTommaso, flying almost straight towards us, this first winter Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla ventured towards us over the kelp beds but then veered south and did not approach the point closely. The best photographs I could obtain were very distant as it flew just above the horizon and turned. This species has a buoyant almost tern like flight and appears very “white” or ghostly looking to my eye. The black smudgy marking on the nape, black markings outlining the letter M on the upperwing, and black tail tip can be seen as it turned and flew south away from us.

Black-legged Kittiwake – first winter individual Pt. La Jolla, La Jolla, San Diego County, California 08 Dec 2013

Black-legged Kittiwake – first winter individual Pt. La Jolla, La Jolla, San Diego County, California 08 Dec 2013

Black-legged Kittiwake – first winter individual Pt. La Jolla, La Jolla, San Diego County, California 08 Dec 2013

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2013] – Right now, late November to early December, it seems about every thousand or so Surf Scoters I see pass by Pt. La Jolla in San Diego County there will be a Black Scoter Melanitta americana tucked in with a southbound group. These individuals can be difficult to discern if the scoters pass by in a tight visually stacked (some in front of the others) flock. But often the scoter flocks have to turn slightly in their flight path to navigate around the point and this is when the small groups “string out” and some nice views, and photographs, can usually be obtained. This adult female Black Scoter passed by accompanying eleven Surf Scoters and came moderately close right over the center of the nearer kelp bed off the point. It shows off a full dark belly unlike juvenile/hatch-year males and females of this species which have a paler colored belly patch. In addition to the distinctive buffy cheek patch the Black Scoter also differs characteristically from the Surf Scoter by having a slimmer bill profile and more squared off or steeper forehead.

Black Scoter – adult female Pt. La Jolla, La Jolla, San Diego County, California 05 Dec 2013

Black Scoter – adult female Pt. La Jolla, La Jolla, San Diego County, California 05 Dec 2013

Black Scoter – adult female Pt. La Jolla, La Jolla, San Diego County, California 05 Dec 2013

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2013] – I made a quick sweep of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery late afternoon 02 Dec 2013 on the lookout for unusual winter birds. Numbers of birds seem to have diminished here, even the Yellow-rumped Warblers were down, but I did find a couple of mixed flocks with some nicer birds present. In the pines just north of the west side administration building (main entrance) I located the previously reported “doublet” of Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa which were easily located by their high pitched calls. Inquisitive as ever they both came very close to me in the low branches of the pine tree. In the same mixed flock a Brown Creeper Certhia americana also gave me a close pass and played hide-and-seek behind the pine tree trunk in front of me – always nice to see this species! Finally I checked around for “crowned” sparrow flocks but without much success. But a small gathering of sparrows in the far southwest corner of the cemetery did contain a single first-winter White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis which proved quite shy but eventually emerged at some distance for a couple photographs.

Golden-crowned Kinglet – Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, 02 Dec 2013

Golden-crowned Kinglet – Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, 02 Dec 2013

Brown Creeper – Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, 02 Dec 2013

White-throated Sparrow – Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, 02 Dec 2013