Date: 5/3/25 1:56 pm From: Hugh Ranson via groups.io <zonetail1...> Subject: [sbcobirding] Santa Cruz Island
On Wednesday, April 30th, Mark Bright and I birded the Prisoners Harbor area. There were surprisingly few migrants. We came up with a Virginia's Rail calling from reeds along the creek, and a Saw-whet Owl that called from willows at noon. Many years ago on the island I also heard Saw-whets calling in broad daylight; I haven't experienced this elsewhere.
We hiked to Del Norte Campground where we spent the night. At least 2 Saw-whets were calling here.
The next day, May 1st, we hiked to Scorpion Anchorage. We saw many Island-Scrub Jays along the way. On the way down to Scorpion we saw an adult Golden-crowned Sparrow.
On May 2nd there were a decent number of migrants in the Lower Campground at Scorpion; these were mostly attracted to eucalyptus blooms. We saw Black-headed Grosbeaks; Bullock's and Hooded Orioles; Western Tanager; Warbling Vireo; and Hermit, Yellow-rumped, and Yellow Warblers. Birds of prey included Bald Eagle, Merlin, and Peregrine.
The channel was pretty quiet apart from a few (paired) Scripps's Murrelets, Red-necked Phalaropes, and a couple of hundred Sooty Shearwaters.
