Date: 10/26/26 4:14 pm From: Florence Sanchez via groups.io <sanchezucsb11...> Subject: [sbcobirding] Ocean Beach and Miguelito Canyon Park, Oct. 26
Nice morning at Ocean Beach but not a lot of birds to report, Mainly because I opened my car's trunk and found I'd left my scope at home! Therefore, I was not able to identify most of the ducks present as they were either swimming along the far shore (northern) of the estuary or far upstream. I walked out to the estuary outlet and was able to get good looks at the small flock of gulls and terns on the opposite bank. Nothing of note found among them. I had worse luck with a nice flock of mixed shorebirds as the small sandpipers in it were just too distant to identify clearly.
I checked out the feed lot across the entrance from Ocean Park and it has plenty of cattle, but in pens well-back on the property and that's where the blackbirds were. However, the entire flock took to the utility wires and though they were distant, I was able to make out most of to the species present: Brewer's. Red-winged, and Tri-colored Blackbirds, along with smaller paler birds that looked like juvenile Cowbirds. I did not find any Yellow-headed in the group and think their larger size alone would have been evident if they were present. But it's worth checking this flock with the proper equipment.
Miguelito Canyon Park had a moderate level of activity, the majority of it from Hermit Thrushes. I lost count of how many I saw or heard. There were also a few robins present but I did not find a Varied Thrush. That said, there were "check" calls in some places where I could not see or identify the maker. No Golden-crowned Kinglet, but several Ruby-crowned Kinglets were very active along with beautiful Townsend's Warblers. And surprisingly no Red-breasted Nuthatches were seen or heard.
Florence Sanchez
