Oceanside Big Year (7th Day)

Today was a strange day bird watching.

The Brown Pelican was displaced from his assigned seat, and unhappy about it.

He was having a really bad day.  

Someone painted his toe nails...

Also, there were Clark's Grebes as far as you could see from the end of the pier.

You never know what you are going to find!  No new species, but interesting nonetheless.

Oceanside Big Year (6th Day)

#22- Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii)

Fun day walking around Oceanside, bird watching with my sisters!

#23- Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)

Butterflies and Wine

It wouldn't be spring without a trip to the Butterfly Jungle at the Safari Park.

They always go to the one who is indifferent.  

The poor girls would probably grow a beard if they could guarantee that it would be a butterfly magnet!

We had a big crew on this time.  Steve's sister, Jerry, my cousin, Marc, and Raya and Josh all happened to be visiting from out of state.

The park's new ploy for extra money this year is selling little pieces of watermelon.  Their plan doesn't work though, when someone is about to leave they don't throw it away as instructed, they give it to someone else.  Plus, what a waste of plastic!

When butterflies attack!

Eric, meet Eric the Rhinoceros.

The next part of the plan was Cordiano Winery, our new favorite place to go in Escondido.  

The pizza and views are wonderful.

Cheers!

Oceanside Big Year (5th Day)

#20- Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

Mockingbirds are so pretty!  I love the white wingbars.

(Thank you to Jenny the Birder for helping me with the identification!)

Rules aren't for the birds.

#21- Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

When these birds are on the ground they are not even as fabulous, their red wings look more like an orange streak.

Thanks for scaring them Eric!

Or is that not allowed?

Well, I didn't do it.  

I just thanked the culprit... 

Look!  The osprey is on its perch again!

Elle and Ruby had never seen one before.

Oh, and now they want to do a Big Year!  It is contagious! 

Oceanside Big Year (4th Day)

Get on your galoshes girls, its time to go to the cemetery!

Oceanview Cemetery (previously known as I.O.O.F- Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery) was established in 1895.  This is my first time here.  It is a two-fer for me, I am on a birding mission.

#15- Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)

#16- Red-crowned Parrot (Amazona viridigenalis) 

I ALMOST wasn't going to count this but it is in my Stokes Field Guide so...  

This non-native species endemic to Mexico has lived in California for over fifty years so is considered by Fish and Wildlife as a naturalized species.  

Our next stop was Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center in Oceanside (established in 1987).

There is a short nature walk attached to the nature center which leads out into the lagoon.  

#17- Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)

This is a female.  The males have a beautiful magenta head.  

#18- Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Achilochus colubris).  Male.

#19- Mallard (Anus platyrhynchos).  Male.

Bike parking.

On top of the nature center is a lookout platform which provides a nice view of the lagoon.  

The free-to-use binoculars are a bonus.

Back in the nature center we had a great time looking at all of the local species.  

Before computers, this circuit board was all you needed.  If you complete the circuit by touching the animal name and the picture of the animal the lightbulb lights up.

Now we all have birds on the brain.