Date: 10/11/24 9:05 pm From: Alex Castelein via groups.io <alex.castelein...> Subject: [sbcobirding] 10/10-10/11 - Red-eyed Vireo, more on Orchards, White Pelicans, Nighthawks, etc
Late this morning I birded San Miguel Open Space, which was fairly birdy overall but not amazing with migrants, until I spotted my lifer *Red-eyed Vireo*! The bird was foraging silently in the mid to upper canopy of the trees above of the bridge and upstream from there. Otherwise there wasn't anything noteworthy.
Yesterday morning I started in west Isla Vista, kinda hoping to refind the White-winged Dove spotted the previous day by Pam Viale. I failed to find it, but had yet another encounter with an *Orchard Oriole*, this one an adult male again. He was loudly and incessantly calling typical Orchard 'chuks' from pink trumpet flowers behind the barn on the south side of Estero Park. I talked to my icterid guy and this adult is definitely different from the patchy looking male I had 2 weeks ago (only 100 meters away), which means there have been at least 3 birds in the vicinity recently. I imagine it is likely we'll have this species overwintering here again, with all the good ornamentals.
After photographing the oriole, I went back to La Fortuna Ln where I had the adult male Orchard on Monday to see if there might be 2 around. No luck with an oriole there, but lo and behold the *White-winged Dove* decided to land on the wires right above me. It proceeded to fly slightly south and land on a wire right next to an immature Band-tailed Pigeon, another species that is very unusual in Isla Vista (of course very common elsewhere in the county). Two new columbids for me in Isla Vista!
A quick check at Patterson Open Space early this afternoon showed that there were still many birds feeding in the fruiting tree that Ryan Seppala discovered. I couldn't stay long but this would be a good spot to continue monitoring, as it could generate more scarcities. Any fruiting trees like fig or persimmon can be great this time of year for tanagers, orioles, grosbeaks, etc.
This evening I walked the COPR dune pond trail and had a few birds of note. First a *Tropical Kingbird* was trilling and battling some Cassin's close to Venoco Bridge. Next, I was surprised to see 6 *American White Pelicans* leisurely swimming around in Devereux Slough, a long overdue county bird for me! They're not that rare but have been few and far between on the South Coast in the last few years, so definitely worth a mention as they'll likely stay until tomorrow morning at least. Most of the same birds as last time remained at the dune pond (except the snipe), with additions of my first Ring-necked Duck of the fall. a third ibis, and 2 *Lesser Nighthawks *putting on a show.
Also I realized my dates were all off by 1 on my last post, sorry about that. As always photos, recordings, and details can be found on eBird.
