[SBB] SCVAS Field Trip

Saturday's (5/6/06) SCVAS Field Trip to Del Puerto Canyon and San Antonio Valley proved to be popular with at least twenty-two birders spread out among thirteen plus cars. Finding adequate parking was a challenge and while some birds were not well seen (HORNED LARK) and others were only seen by a few (LARK SPARROW and GOLDEN EAGLE) most of the target species were well seen by all in the usual places. A BLUE GROSBEAK, male, was in the valley located east of Del Puerto Canyon Road with a view of traffic on Hwy. 5, a pair of ROCK WREN were found short of the usual places on a small rock wall, far side of the creek, short of the first row of Tree Tobacco Plants (another pair on the "Owl Rock"), a male COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD repeatedly returned to a favorite perch on bare limbs at the top of an Oak, far side of the creek at the curve in the road just before "Owl Rock," three to four male PHAINOPEPLA were a short distance further up the road, a couple male WESTERN TANAGERS and a couple LAZULI BUNTING were also spotted along del Puerto Canyon Road. After a short lunch/restroom break at Frank Raines Park we had several short sightings of singing CANYON WREN up the road where canyon walls steepen and the only available parking is on the "wrong side" of the road, nesting COMMON RAVEN were in the rocks above the parking area and one of the singing male Lazuli Bunting was in a tree above the creek. A LEWIS'S WOODPECKER was in a dead tree a couple hundred feet east of the road and perhaps a quarter mile south of the junction and LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH were in the Fire Station. Our big miss for the day was Sage Sparrow (only one birder got a brief look) even after a second "after the Field Trip" try at a known site a couple miles further north of the cattle guard. All in all a gorgeous day, weather wise, with a great bunch of enthusiastic birders.