This morning I observed quite a bit of activity just from the parking lot. While the Northern Pintail appears to be gone there was a beautiful Red-necked Phalarope in breeding plumage (I think male),

The Long-tailed Duck female was present in the exact same location as I last saw it on 4/14 just before leaving on my Texas trip. It was quite active, preening, swimming, and diving. At the main parki

This morning I birded a small area surrounding the Garden st. outflow on East Beach. Notable were a Barn Swallow gathering nesting material from the beach - many were flying over the small lagoon drop

This morning I spent some time walking toward the lake where I observed a Western Bluebird perching on and then entering a nest box. Another one busied himself eating a worm high atop a dead tree. At

I took a mid-to late morning walk out to the 3rd platform. An equal abundance of Mallards and Northern Shovelers and almost as many Ruddy Ducks, plus two adult male lesser scaup and one adult male Cin

There was a juvenile Greater white-fronted Goose just below the parking lot at the Bird Refuge this morning (around 10). Also, the two female Hooded Mergansers are still at the Alice Keck Park pond, e

This morning around 10 I had a few views of the Nashville Warbler I last saw on 12/31 in the same location from the concrete slab walkway behind the white stucco building. It was perching occasionally

A female Hooded Merganser and Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher at Whittier Pond (NCOS), which looks better after some rain - then back to Rocky Nook for better looks at the Painted Redstart, but no Summer Tanage

Seen in numerous locations near Stowe House, but best in euc and pepper trees southwest of house. Mac, a young UCSB zoology major, helped me track this rather rapidly movely bird. https://ebird.org/ch

I was at NCOS at the same time as Dave Compton - and we probably saw the same Tropical Kingbird. This is a distant shot I got while on the bridge at the Whittier Pond. There was very little other bird

Right now - one male and three females. photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/digolov/ Dika Golovatchoff, Santa Barbara https://japanimages2016.wordpress.com/ https://onwingsofsongblog.wordpress.com/

After the rain ended I decided to go down to the beach at the end of Garden St. to see if the storm had changed the bird population any. Notably both the Mission Creek Outflow and the Garden St, Outfl

After dropping off my ballot I stayed for some quite enjoyable birding. Just after I arrived there was a mass bird exodus when an immature Red Tailed Hawk flew in and perched high. Soon after it left

Although I saw a Canada Warbler (Cardelina canadensis) from the parking lot at Riviera Park yesterday (along with a Tennessee Warbler) through binoculars and/or spotting scope I finally got a couple o

In the last few days I've visited both places a few times. The Bird Refuge today was quite different from Sunday afternoon, which was heavily fogged in. Today the fog had burned off - the same birds w

Yesterday afternoon I briefly checked out the large water lily pond for bird activity and found my first of season female yellow warbler fly in, perch briefly on a rose bush, and fly off. Last spring

Now that the encampment is gone this is again a good spot for birds. I spent some time there this morning where I found close to 100 Black Skimmers of which 3 were Juveniles. Also the first large grou

I visited there this morning. At first the little blue was on the north bank and nearly impossible to see, but after a while a large group of egrets flew over to the dam. I had just seen the Phalarope

Many birders were looking for it today without success. However, a lot of people asked questions and I thought I'd share the images I took of one at this location in 2018 that showed the bird in its v

I was near several birders watching the Reddish Egret dance amongst the 12 Snowy Egrets. An Osprey was sitting on the sand and I was focused on it when Andrew standing next to me saw the Little Blue H