The San Dieguito Monthly Bird Count identified 119 species in April. No new bird species were seen this month, so the cumulative species total remains at 236. Click here for the PDF document with the detailed monthly results through April 2018.

According to bird count leader Jayne Lesley, many migrating Western Kingbirds were seen throughout the lagoon, Least Bell’s Vireos were heard along the river in Horsepark and in the area south of Horsepark, Common and Red-breasted Mergansers were seen from the berm north of the river, a good assortment of ducks remained in the fresh water ponds below West Loop of Dust Devil Nature Trail (including a pair of Redheads), and a complete assortment of Swallows was seen from Dust Devil Nature Trail. The Cliff Swallows have also begun building their mud nests underneath the east side of the I-5 trail undercrossing.

SDRP Trail Patrol Volunteer Ginni Kitchen took the featured image of a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers from the Old Grand Avenue Bridge in February 2018.

Click here for more information about the San Dieguito Lagoon Bird Surveys.