Rare Birds Of The Oceanside CBC
Uncommon, declining, rare, unusual or hard-to-find birds
on the Oceanside Christmas Bird Count
Notable species status of the past 12 Oceanside CBC counts (1998 – 2009)
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This list is intended to represent a digestible summary of possible rarities and declining species to watch for on the Oceanside Christmas bird count. It is not intended to be a definitive list of every vagrant or accidental reported over the past 11 years.
It is assumed by many CBC participants that nature preserves and lagoons offer the "best" birding, but clearly that does not hold true. It has become clear that we have under-appreciated the rich bird habitat afforded by our residential neighborhoods, parks and golf courses. These areas are ideal habitat for wintering birds, offering food, water and shelter. Senior Wings leader and national birding expert Paul Lehman has demonstrated over the past several winters just how many species we may be missing from our counts as he continues to find orioles, tanagers and warblers all over the county in residential neighborhoods and parks. His following comments are enlightening.
'Thanks for this tabulation of Oceanside CBC goodies. Very illuminating! Seems as though your totals for 'rare' land birds are substantially lower than they "should be" for certain groups, e.g., fewer orioles and tanagers and rare warblers (both in terms of diversity and overall numbers) than the count circle undoubtedly harbors. Certainly a result of limited coverage of many of the better parks, golf courses and residential areas that must exist scattered throughout the circle. Heck, one spot that stood out in your tabulation was Brengle Terrace Park - a place I've never heard of, much less been to!) with its multiple tanagers and orioles, and I see that it is well inland in Vista. Also, Twin Oaks Golf Course in East San Marcos had a Plumbeous Vireo last year! So who knows what is lurking in similar sorts of places?!'
For tips on how to bird "Lehman-like" in these areas, visit the How To Bird Like Paul Lehman link and see San Diego and Oceanside with new eyes. We urge you to seek out and find those flowering and insect-infected eucalyptus and fruiting myoporums and see what birds are there.
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Compiled by Terry Hunefeld
GEESE & DUCKS
Greater White-fronted Goose: 1 reported in 2003. One at La Costa Golf Course pond 2008.
Snow Goose: One reported on 4 of the past 11 counts.
Ross's Goose: One reported on 7 of the past 11 counts. 2 at Guajome Lake 2008.
Brant: Reported twice: 2 in 2005, 3 in 2006.
Wood Duck: Reported on about 60% of the counts. High count of 16 in 2007.
Eurasian Wigeon: Reported on about 60% of the counts. High count of 3 in 2004. One at Bataquitos Lagoon 2007. One at Easy Street Pond 2008.
Blue-winged Teal: Reported on about 60% of the counts. High count of 15 in 06 and 07.
Common Goldeneye: One reported in 2004.
Common Merganser: Last reported 2004. Regular at Lake San Marcos through the 1990's.
Hooded Merganser: Average 4 - 6 a year.
Red-breasted Merganser: Last missed in 2001. Average 6 per year.
LOONS & GREBES
Horned Grebe: Average about 8 per year; missed in 2001, 2003, 2004.
FULMAR & SHEARWATER
Northern Fulmar: Reported in 2000 and 2003.
Pink-footed Shearwater: Reported in 2000, 2005 and 2007.
Sooty Shearwater: Reported in 2000, 2005 and 2009.
Short-tailed Shearwater: Reported in 1998, 2000 and 2001
PELICANS & CORMORANTS
Pelagic Cormorant: Reported each year (2-3) since 2003.
HERONS-BITTERNS-IBIS
American Bittern: One reported in 2005.
Least Bittern: missed in 2005 and 2007.
Reddish Egret: One at Santa Margarita River mouth in 2007, 2008, 2009.
Cattle Egret: Missed in 2002, 2005 and 2007.
White-faced Ibis: missed in 2004.
VULTURES-HAWKS-KITES-FALCONS
Ferruginous Hawk: Seen every two - four years. Last reported 2007 east of Guajome Park after a gap of 3 years.
Zone-tailed Hawk: One at Camp Pendleton (Robert Patton) 2008.
Golden Eagle: Reported in 2002 and 2009.
Merlin: Usually 1-3 each year, missed in 2000.
Peregrine Falcon: Usually 1-3 each year, missed in 1999 and 2008.
RAILS-PLOVERS
Clapper Rail: Reported on 4 of the past 11 counts. One reported from Batiquitos Lagoon 2007. One from Buena Vista Lagoon 2008.
Virginia Rail: Usually 5-10 reported each year.
Sora: About 10 reported each year.
Snowy Plover: Seen on 9 of the past 11 counts. Usually 10-30 individuals. Only 2 reported in 2005. Missed in 2007. 35 from one sector (Camp Pendleton) in 2008. 11 fromone sector, Camp Pendleton in 2009.
SHOREBIRDS-PHALAROPE
Wandering Tattler: One or two reported annually.
Lesser Yellowlegs: One reported in 2000. One at Santa Margarita River mouth 2008.
Black Turnstone: Seen on 5 of the past 10 counts. Missed in 2008 and 2009.
Red Knot: 6 reported in 2004.
Dunlin: Seen on 8 of the past 11 counts. 5 total seen in 2007 in Agua Hedionda. 4 seen at Santa Margarita mouth 2008. Wilson's Snipe: Usually 5-9 seen annually; missed in 2002. Only one was reported in 2007 from Batiquitos Lagoon. 5 reported in 2008. One in 2009 from Buena Vista Lagoon.
Red Phalarope: Seen on 6 of the past 12 counts. Recorded in 2006; 10 seen in 2009.
GULLS-TERNS-JAEGERS
Mew Gull: 6-10 reported 8 of the last 11 years; missed 2006 -2008. Two seen in 2009, one in Oceanside Harbor, one at Guajome Lake. One seen two weeks prior to the 2009 count on Buena Vista Lagoon.
Thayer's Gull: 1-2 reported on 5 of the past 10 counts. Reported in 2006 & 2007. Missed in 2008 and 2009.
Glaucous-winged Gull: Usually 3-5 a year; missed in 2005. "Invasion" in 2008 produced 8. 2 in 2009.
Herring Gull: One reported in 2009.
Caspian Tern: Reported on about 50% of the counts. 2 reported in 2005. 1 at Oceanside Harbor 2008. 1 in 2009 at Batiquitos Lagoon.
Black Skimmer: Reported in 2004. 7 in 2008 and 10 in 2009 at Agua Hedionda Lagoon.
Pomarine Jaeger: Reported on 80% of the counts. Missed in 2009.
Parasitic Jaeger: Reported on 80% of the counts. 3 in 2009.
ALCIDS
Common Murre: Reported in 2000. 4 in 2008. Missed in 2009.
Xantus's Murrelet: Reported in 2000 and 2002.
Cassin's Auklet: 2-5 reported on 5 of the past 12 counts. Reported in 06 and 07. Missed in 08. 286 in 2009.
Rhinoceros Auklet: 1-5 reported on 6 of the past 12 counts. 7 reported in 2008. 20 in 2009.
PIGEONS-DOVES
Common Ground-Dove: Usually 4-10; missed for the first time in 2006. 4 reported in 2007 and 2 in 2008 and 3 2009 from Bonsall/Morro Hill sector. Check all open and agricultural areas off San Luis Rey River.
OWLS-NIGHTJARS
Barn Owl: Usually 1-3; missed in 1998. 6 in 2009.
Western Screech-Owl: Usually 1-3; reported on 8 of the past 12 counts. 2 reported from Dawson Creek 2007 - 2009. 4 in 2009.
Great Horned Owl: Usually 1-3; 11 reported in 2007, 9 in 2008, 7 in 2009.
Burrowing Owl: Extirpated? Last reported in 1998.
Common Poorwill: 2 responded to a tape in 2007 from Gopher Canyon North.
SWIFTS-HUMMINGBIRDS
Vaux's Swift: Seen on 5 of the past 11 counts. Last seen in 2006, then (1) in 2008 at Camp Pendleton. Missed in 2009.
Costa's Hummingbird: Usually 1-2 reported. Seen in very small numbers on 9 of the past 11 counts. Missed in 2007. 2 in 2008. 1 in 2009.
Allen's and/or Rufous/Allen's: Zero for decades, then one per year for a few years, then suddenly 17 in 2007 and 23 in 2008. 90+ in 2009.
Rufous Hummingbird: One at Calavera in 2009.
WOODPECKERS
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: One reported 1998. One in 2007 - 2009 at Guajome.
Red-naped Sapsucker: Usually 1-2. Occasionally missed. 3 reported in 2007. One in 2008 on Little Gopher Canyon Road. Missed in 2009.
Red-breasted Sapsucker: 1-3 reported each year. 1 in Gopher Canyon and 1 in Guajome 2008. 5 in 2009.
FLYCATCHERS
Pacific-sloper Flycatcher: 2 in 2009.
SHRIKE-VIREOS-LARKS-SWALLOWS
Loggerhead Shrike: About 5 a year.
Plumbeous Vireo: Reported on 5 of the past 11 counts. Reported from Twin Oaks Golf Course (East San Marcos) in 2007. One at Guajome 2008. One in Calavera sector 2009.
Cassin's Vireo: Reported from San Luis Rey golf course Bonsall/Morro Hill 2008.
Horned Lark: Missed in 2003; 11 reported from 2 sectors in 2007. 46 reported from 3 sectors in 2008. 25 in 2009.
Tree Swallow: Annual. Missed only in 2003. One in 2009.
Violet-green Swallow: Seen on 5 of the past 11 counts. 3 reported in 2007 from Whelan Lake. Missed in 2008 and 2009.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow: Reported in 2006 and 2008 from Whelan Lake. Missed in 2009.
Cliff Swallow: (4) reported from Camp Pendleton (Tim Burr, Kirsten Winter) at Camp Del Mar in 2008.
Barn Swallow: 1-7 reported in count circle on 70% of the counts. One reported in 2006. 2 reported in 2007 from Camp Pendleton. 26 reported from Whelan Lake and Camp Pendleton in 2008. Missed in 2009.
CHICKADEE-NUTHATCH
Mountain Chickadee: 1-18 seen annually. Missed in 2000. 9 reported in 2008. 6 in 2009.
Red-breasted Nuthatch: Seen on 2 of the past 11 counts. Last reported in 2004.
White-breasted Nuthatch: 1-6 reported on 90% of the counts. 3 reported in 2007. 7 reported in 2008. 12 in 2009.
WRENS
Cactus Wren: Missed in 1999. One reported in 2006 and 2007 from Camp Pendleton. 2 reported from 2 sectors in Camp Pendleton in 2008. One in 2009.
Canyon Wren: Only one per year seen from 2003-2006. Last reported in 2006.
Rock Wren: 1-2 seen 10 of the past 11 years. Missed in 2007. One at La Costa Quarry 2008. 2 in 2009.
KINGLETS-GNATCATCHERS
Golden-crowned Kinglet: 4 reported in 2004. 2 reported in 2007 from Gopher Canyon South.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: 10-25 reported each year. 25 in 2009.
California Gnatcatcher: 20-40 reported each year. 27 in 2009.
BLUEBIRDS-THRASHERS-PHAINOPEPLA
Mountain Bluebird: One reported in 2006. 3 reported in 2007 from Camp Pendleton.
Sage Thrasher: One reported in 1998 and 1999.
Phainopepla: 5-25 reported each year.26 in 2009.
WARBLERS
Yellow Warbler: Reported on 4 of the past 11 counts. One at Libby Lake 2006. 3 from Guajome Lake in 2007. 3 in 2008 from various sectors. One in 2009.
Nashville Warbler: Reported from La Costa Golf Course in 2009.
Black-throated Gray Warbler: One reported on 6 of the past 11 counts. One reported in 2005. One at Guajome in 2008. Missed in 2009.
Black-throated Green Warbler: Reported in 1999 and 2001.
Townsend's Warbler: 5-18 reported annually.
Pine Warbler: First CBC record at Guajome Lake in 2007.
Black-and-white Warbler: Reported on 4 of the past 11 counts. 3 reported from 3 sectors in 2008. One count week bird in Brengle Terrace 2009.
American Redstart: Reported on 5 of the past 11 counts. Last reported 2003.
Wilson's Warbler: Reported on 8 of the past 11 counts. Usually one seen per count, then 5 reported in 2007 from 3 sectors. 4 reported in 2008 from 4 sectors. 2 in 2009.
TANAGERS
Summer Tanager: One reported on 6 of the past 11 counts. One reported in Batiquitos Lagoon sector in 2007. One on Little Gopher Canyon Road 2008. 3 reported in 2009 (Gopher Canyon, Buena Vista Lagoon and Hunter Park).
Western Tanager: Reported on 6 of the past 11 counts. Five in 2007 (1 in Gopher Canyon North, 4 at Brengle Terrace Park in Vista). 2 at Brengle Terrace Park 2008. 2 in 2009.
SPARROWS-GROSBEAKS
Green-tailed Towhee: Once reported each year from 1998-2000.
Rufous-crowned Sparrow: 1-8 reported on 9 of the past 11 counts. One reported in 2007. 10 reported in 2008 from 2 sectors in Camp Pendleton. 3 from 2 sectors in 2009.
Chipping Sparrow: 2-45 reported on 9 of the past 11 counts. 3 reported 2006. 28 reported in 2007. 45 reported in 2008. 11 in 2009 only from Guajome Lake.
Sage Sparrow: (1) reported in 2001
Fox Sparrow: 1-9 reported annually. 3 reported in 2007 (1 in sector 3, Palomar College; 2 in sector 18b, Camp Pendleton). Missed in 2008. 2 in 2009.
Swamp Sparrow: (1) reported in 2003.
White-throated Sparrow: 2 reported in 2004. One reported on Batiquitos trail 2008. Paul Lehman saw one at Buddy Todd in the "valley" brush Dec 09 while scouting for the count, refound on count day.
BLACKBIRDS-ORIOLES-FINCHES
Tricolored Blackbird: Extirpated? Last reported in 2000.
Bullock's Oriole: One reported 1999. One reported in 2007 at Whelan Lake. 2 reported at Brengle Terrace Park and one at Buena Vista Lagoon 2008. Missed in 2009.
Purple Finch: One reported 1998. One in 2003. 3 reported from Buena Vista sector at Dawson Creek in 2008. Paul Lehman reported one at Poinstettia Park 15 Dec 2009 while scouting. Missed onthe 2009 count.
Lawrence's Goldfinch: 1-3 reported on 5 of the past 11 counts. 3 reported from Bonsall/Morro Hill sector in 2007. Two total from 2 sectors in 2009.
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