Mid morning arrival – Eastern Kingbird in Point Loma

[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2014] – My golden rule at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery paid off today – stick around until mid morning to see what unusual birds suddenly appear! For some reason mid morning seems particularly “hot” for rarities at this peninsular migrant trap. I had just been walking south along the west side with Pete Ginsberg when we came across a nice Sage Thrasher moving across the cemetery. A little while later Pete, who had walked over to the east side, waved me over in the southeast section where he had just found an Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus loosely associating with a mobile band of Cassin’s Kingbird. Nice! Many birders had already walked over this area earlier in the morning, so clearly it had appeared in the last hour.

This appears to be a hatch year bird with a more smoothly rounded outer primary (P10), tapered outer tail feathers, mixed, sort of brownish, feathers about the back, and I believe some slight orange gape coloration still visible at the base of the bill. The primary feathers also look glossy and in particularly fine condition without any visible wear. Whether or not it is the same Eastern Kingbird found one week ago a little ways north, in the wooded neighborhood of Point Loma, is anyone’s guess. I know I was very happy to cross paths with this one – a difficult bird to see in San Diego County! There seems to have been very few reports of this species in recent years. The San Diego County Bird Atlas (Unitt 2004) already noted that reports seemed to be on the decline. This trend seems to have continued unfortunately. San Diego Field Ornithologists considers this a Category B rarity in the county.

Eastern Kingbird – Point Loma, San Diego County, California 13 Sep 2014

Eastern Kingbird – Point Loma, San Diego County, California 13 Sep 2014

Eastern Kingbird – Point Loma, San Diego County, California 13 Sep 2014

Eastern Kingbird – Point Loma, San Diego County, California 13 Sep 2014

Eastern Kingbird – Point Loma, San Diego County, California 13 Sep 2014

Eastern Kingbird – Point Loma, San Diego County, California 13 Sep 2014

Eastern Kingbird – Point Loma, San Diego County, California 13 Sep 2014

Eastern Kingbird – Point Loma, San Diego County, California 13 Sep 2014

4 thoughts on “Mid morning arrival – Eastern Kingbird in Point Loma

  1. Hey Gary! Thanks for the birding tips and the wonderful looks at the Eastern Kingbird. Next time I’m allowed to go to FRNC I will definitely take your advice and keep moving. Sorry if it seemed rude that I had abruptly left you and Guy, my wife needed me home at a certain time. I really look forward to learning more from you and sharing some birding adventures. Thanks again, Tom.

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