Date: 10/3/26 4:52 am From: <lehman.paul...> via groups.io <lehman.paul...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] memorial for Guy McCaskie, Nov 14th (San Diego)
We are having a gathering to remember and honor our friend and mentor Guy McCaskie at 10AM on Saturday, November 14th, in San Diego at the Bird & Butterfly Garden (formerly Myer's Ranch) in the Tijuana River Valley, where Guy began his rare-bird exploration back in the 1960s. All are invited. This will be an INFORMAL get-together where we hope that many of you will briefly recount your favorite memories with, or about, Guy: what he meant to you, a shared event, a funny story or two. We will start with thoughts from several people very close to Guy, and then we'll open up the remembrances to everyone. Paul will be the informal emcee. No RSVPs needed. There is no set time limit for this gathering. As long as people have something to say.... For those of you who cannot attend, you are invited to send Paul any thoughts and stories you would like to share, and he will make sure they are read at the event. The Bird & Butterfly Garden is located in the Tijuana River Valley on the west side of Hollister Street, south of Tocayo Avenue (exit on I-5), and just a little south of Sunset Avenue, but north of Monument Road. 32.5539251, -117.0848769 . On maps it is likely labeled as "Tijuana River Valley Regional Park Bird & Butterfly Garden." Once the parking lot fills, there are scattered pullouts along Hollister Street, but the best additional parking is along Hollister immediately to the north, bordering the outside of the TRV Community Gardens vegetable plots. (Do not park inside the Gardens.) To reduce the number of cars and the potential for parking difficulties, car pooling is definitely encouraged.
--Paul Lehman, Elizabeth Copper, and Guy's family--Therese, Lourdes, et al., San Diego
This past weekend I was at MacKerricher State Park in Fort Bragg for
something other that birding. But, I was surprised to hear, then see a flock
of about 10 Evening Grosbeaks a couple of times. I also heard daily one or
more Red-breasted Nuthatches. Not being that familiar with what is expected
there, it didn't occur to me that this might be unusual, but it does fit in
with what Denise Hamilton reported.
Date: 9/15/26 5:06 pm From: Wim van Dam via groups.io <wim.van.dam...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] Clark's Nutcracker invasion, Santa Barbara County
It's probably worth sharing that Santa Barbara County is currently enjoying an unprecedented invasion/irruption of Clark's Nutcracker. The last few mornings, birders have observed hundreds of them at La Cumbre Peak. And yesterday, Rebecca Coulter counted 1200 nutcrackers, which must be some kind of a record. Lehman describes the status of CLNU in Santa Barbara County as *"Probably a very rare late-summer, fall, and winter visitor to the highest mountains ... Casual fall and winter visitor in [coastal area]."*
We don't know where they are coming from or where they are going to, so it would be interesting to see if other counties are (unknowingly?) experiencing this irruption as well.
