Date: 11/3/24 9:07 pm From: Dave Compton via groups.io <davcompton60...> Subject: [sbcobirding] Lompoc Sunday minor stuff
Hi everyone,
A friend and I birded several Lompoc area spots today, including the portion of San Miguelito Road through the Strauss wind farm, the Santa Ynez River estuary (aka Ocean Park), and Miguelito Park. Nothing of great interest, but here are notes from each location:
Strauss wind farm area: Yellow-headed Blackbird and White-winged Dove, both in an area around the farm complex on both sides of the road that you encounter as the canyon opens up and you first are among the turbines (so just before Sudden Road as you head up the road from Lompoc). It was a little disturbing to spend more than an hour here and not see a Red-tailed Hawk.
Ocean Park: no rarities - the gull flock at the river mouth was a nice size. One late-ish Elegant Tern and a half dozen Herring Gulls (likely an under count) were the closest thing to something interesting. We had a scope issue that hindered our ability to adequately scan the estuary, so we could've missed stuff. Besides the abundant Ruddy Duck and good numbers of shovelers, all we had duck-wise were a few Mallards and Gadwalls and a couple of wigeons. There were few shorebirds, with Black-bellied Plover and Sanderling being the most numerous.
Miguelito Park: We had a nice little flock at the upstream end of the park, including a Brown Creeper and a Chestnut-backed Chickadee.
