Date: 04/15/20
Location: Mountain lookout in Valley Center, CA, 33.20210°N, -116.99170°W, elevation = 1,312′
Site Description: The mountainside Valley Center lookout served as an ideal location for me to complete a non-traveling session of bird spotting. Surrounding the lookout were large groups of pine and eucalyptus trees as well as medium sized trees and bushes. To the left side was an open wooden shed where a large group of Common Ravens loudly and chaotically gathered. Flatter sections of land were covered in tall grass where I noticed a few bird species traveling back and forth from. Although many of the birds in the area were very vocal, I was only able to identify 5 species making this a challenging day spotting. Some key species I was able to spot was a Downy Woodpecker and a few White-crowned Sparrows.
Species account: White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys. When shifting my gaze away from the trees towards the mountain floor I noticed a group of three birds weaving in and out of the tall grass. This foraging behavior reflected the same behavior seen in Sparrow birds that we have encountered in the past. Looking through my binoculars I was able to see distinct white streaks along the birds’ heads and immediately identify them as White-crowned Sparrows. These sparrows have a gray-ish brown plumage that makes them blend into their surroundings when their white crown is not visible. They are larger than many other Sparrow species and possess significantly larger tails. They are commonly found foraging in groups in low shrubs and on ground.
Narrative: I reached the mountain lookout at approximately 10:00Am on April 15th, 2020. The weather was sunny and clear skies with temperatures in the upper 70s. While at first I was only able to hear the calls of the birds in the surrounding region, I was able to locate a few species with my binoculars. Similar to my most recent excursions, I depended largely on the audible aspect of bird watching. I found it very challenging to identify all of the species that I heard, however familiarities in sounds allowed me to identify a few. The first bird I was able to physically spot, besides the Common Ravens, was a Downy Woodpecker which made me very excited. As for the Common Ravens, I found it very entertaining to see their somewhat aggressive and chaotic behavior demonstrated amongst a large group gathered in the open shed on the side of the hill. This behavior hinted to me that these birds can be very territorial at times especially towards non-Raven species.
eBird list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S67244953
