Oceanside Big Year (10th day)

The first Saturday of each month the Buena Vista Audubon Society hosts a birding event at Whelan Lake in Oceanside.  The lake is part of the San Luis Rey watershed and is also an important 73-acre bird sanctuary.  Upon Ellen Whelan's death she donated the property to a Board of Trustees so the land could be protected and continue to be a sanctuary for migratory and resident waterfowl.  (Smart lady.)

The property is closed to the public except for birding events, or if you call the caretaker, Greg, at least 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment.

The ol' Whelan house.

Once again, the experts were impressed by the numbers of people that showed up, nine of us new to birding.

There have been 170 bird species sighted here. 

Perfect for the today's global event!

I really need a new lens, mine just doesn't do it for birding.  I feel like my pictures are blurry Bigfoot pictures, but they will just have to do.

#31- Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi)

This yellow warbler has two white wing bars.

#32- Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)

The warblers are so hard to photograph because they are constantly hopping around, eating insects.

#33- Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

#34- Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)

These birds are so pretty and tropical looking, even though they are found as far north as Canada.

They have a yellow body and a red head.

The ol' barn, where a barn owl supposedly lives.

#35- American Kestrel (Falco sparverius).

Apparently every farm has one.

#36- Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheuticus melanocephalus).

He is named because of his short, deep based bill.

#37- Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)

#38- Spotted Towhee (Pipulo maculatus)

In the far distance, barely visible are two Gadwalls, distinguished by the male's black butt.

#39- Gadwall (Anas strepera)

#40- White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)

Even while soaring overhead, you can tell this apart this primarily white kite by the black wrist patch.

I am up to forty!  I got a sarcastic applause from the caretaker of the property as most people saw more today than I have spotted all year but I don't mind.  I am not counting ones that I don't feel like I got a good enough look at.  Which SOME people would find commendable! 

Anyway, I am working on it, slowly but surely. 

Cheers to birding on this Global Big Day!

I will definitely be going back to Whelan Lake.