The San Dieguito Monthly Bird Count identified 94 species in September, including the Cassin’s Vireo, which is a new species! This brings the cumulative total to 235. Click here for the PDF document with the detailed monthly results through September 2017.

According to bird count leader Jayne Lesley, some noteworthy birds were a White-winged Dove, Vaux’s Swift, White-tailed Kite, and Northern Harrier in the Horsepark/Polo Fields area; an immature Loggerhead Shrike and 2 singing Least Bell’s Vireos in the area south of the river and east of the freeway, 2 Least Terns in the area north of the river and east of the freeway; Cassin’s and Warbling Vireos in the area north of the river and west of the freeway to the ocean; and 2 Pacific-slope Flycatchers and a Flicker in the Crest Canyon/Grand Avenue Bridge area.

The featured image of a Cassin’s Vireo was taken by Glenn Bartley and was found on the Audubon Guide to North American Birds website. According to the website, Cassin’s Vireos are common in the woodlands between the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Ocean, often in oak trees near the coast.

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