Date: 04/22/20
Location: Mountain lookout in Valley Center, CA, 33.20210°N, -116.99170°W, elevation = 1,312′
Site description: The mountainside Valley Center lookout once again served as an ideal location for me to complete a non-traveling session of bird spotting and my new familiarity with the area provided my with knowledge on where to spot specific groups of birds. Surrounding the lookout were large groups of pine and eucalyptus trees as well as medium sized trees and bushes. Like the two times before, many of the birds in the area were very vocal, however, I noticed that there was much less activity. The construction was more prevalent and much closer to the lookout which made it very more difficult to listen for nearby bird calls. Some key species I was able to spot were several Red-tailed Hawks and a few White-crowned Sparrows.
Species account: Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura. Shifting my gaze upwards at the clear blue sky, I immediately spotted a group of Turkey Vultures soaring in circular patterns which hinted to me that they were conserving their flight energy through their utilization of thermals. Turkey Vultures are large raptors that have dark black/brown feathers covering their entire body, lighter gray feathers under their wings, and a distinct exposed red head. Flight patterns are often wobbly with long periods of gliding upwards in thermals. Turkey Vultures tend to feast on dead prey whether it be roadkill or dumpster foraging.
Narrative: I reached the lookout area off of a mountainside in Valley Center at approximately 4:10PM on Sunday, April 22nd. Unlike the previous trips to this location, I wanted to observe the surrounding bird life at a later time in the day. The weather was still sunny and clear with a slight increase in winds and temperatures around the mid 70s. Due to the closer construction activity and louder disturbances, I was not able to identify any bird species based on their audible cues. The first bird I identified was based on their familiar gliding and circling flight pattern (Turkey Vulture). Additionally, I noticed a Red-tailed Hawk that was also circling in close proximity to the Turkey Vultures which demonstrated the antagonistic behavior I have observed previously in these birds. Soon after, two Anna’s Hummingbirds zoomed past me and I immediately recognized the distinct bright magenta coloration around one of their heads. Although I was in the area for almost two hours, I was only able to identify 5 bird species, all of which I have identified previously.
eBird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S67650280
