Field Trip Report

Mines Road
April 28, 2012

Canyon Wren - photo by Linda Koo

Eleven birders joined Sequoia Audubon Society's annual late spring birding trip to Mines Road and Del Puerto Canyon. We started at 8:00 a.m. at Murrieta's Well and followed Mines Road to the San Antonio Valley. We made a short trip down San Antonio Valley and then headed down Del Puerto Canyon to just beyond Owl Rock, where the trip ended about 4:00 p.m.

The weather was excellent, with temperatures between 50 and 75 degrees under sunny skies, and breezes that were never bothersome. My scouting trip on Thursday was cold, rainy and windy so I was grateful for Dave Quady's scouting on Friday. Thanks to all of you great spotters too! Highlights for me were Lewis's Woodpecker, Costa's Hummingbird, many singing Rufous-crowned Sparrows, a fleeting glimpse of Sage Sparrow, Lawrence's Goldfinch, astounding views of Canyon Wren and the surprise of the trip, Blue Grosbeak, bathing in the creek below the Costa's Hummingbird spot.

Lawrence's Goldfinch - photo by Linda Koo

During the trip, at least one participant noted these 82 species (including those seen on the scouting trip).

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler (4/26)
Ring-necked Duck
Common Merganser (4/26)
California Quail
Wild Turkey
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
American Coot
Killdeer
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
White-throated Swift
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Selasphorus (sp) Hummingbird (4/26)
Lewis's Woodpecker
Acorn Woodpecker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Western Kingbird
Warbling Vireo (heard)
Western Scrub-Jay
Yellow-billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Northern Rough-winged
Swallow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Oak Titmouse
Bushtit
White-breasted Nuthatch
Rock Wren
Canyon Wren
Bewick's Wren
House Wren
Western Bluebird
American Robin
Wrentit
Northern Mockingbird
California Thrasher
Cedar Waxwing
Phainopepla
Wilson's Warbler (heard)
Orange-crowned Warbler (heard)
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Sage Sparrow (heard)
Lark Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Blue Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Tricolored Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bullock's Oriole
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
Lawrence's Goldfinch
House Sparrow

– Leslie Flint