Date: 6/9/25 7:43 pm From: Florence Sanchez via groups.io <sanchezucsb11...> Subject: [sbcobirding] More on June birding
I've birded several places over the past few days and am still finding lots of activity worth observing. Last week I walked Refugio Road at Quiota Creek and saw and heard plenty of species singing. Had some really great looks at Yellow Warbler, Bullock's Oriole, and Lazuli Bunting. I also saw the rare event of a Turkey in full flight (wings flapping, not just gliding).
Sunday I walked along Atascadero Creek between Patterson and Ward Drive and again saw and heard lots of species. The Myoporum bushes on the north side of the path are still full of berries, which was attracting several species including Black-headed Grosbeaks and Robins. Near the west end of the riparian area, I found a singing Wilson's Warbler, late for the species on the south coast.
Today I crossed county lines and birded Oso Flacco and I recommend it highly. The bird activity walking down the willow-lined service road to the ponds was almost overwhelming, with singing Swainson's Thrushes, Yellow and Wilson's Warblers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Warbling Vireo, and many more. The tules in the ponds had several Marsh Wrens singing their loud, buzzy songs with yellow beaks wide open. There was a hatch of some sort of gnat over the ponds and the coastal scrub beyond, which brought in a huge number of Swallows (mostly Cliff and Tree, followed by Barn Swallows). I could not begin to estimate the total, but at one point I counted 50 Cliff Swallows that stopped to rest on a fence. I had excellent looks at a male Northern Harrier and at the edge of a small estuary down on the beach, I found a Red-necked Phalarope. In the gull flock, I spotted a first-year Glaucous-winged Gull. All in all, a great morning. The only hoped-for species I didn't turn up today was Cinnamon Teal, which has nested here most years.
Florence Sanchez
