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Southwest USA during Spring Break

BlueJay

By BlueJay
in Birding Trips

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BlueJay

BlueJay

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My dad and I plan to take a birding trip to the Southwest in a couple months. We are flying into Phoenix, AZ on March 31. From there on out we are very flexible, and we will be flying back on the 6th or 7th of April. Our range is all the way out west to the Los Angeles Region as well as SE towards Tuscon, AZ. I know a lot of members from the forum are familiar with this region, so I would like some advice on which places in the area would be the best hotpots to hit while there. I don't really have any target species as this is the first time I will be on/near the West Coast and practically everything there would be a lifer. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

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IKLland

IKLland

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Posted (edited)
15 hours ago, BlueJay said:

My dad and I plan to take a birding trip to the Southwest in a couple months. We are flying into Phoenix, AZ on March 31. From there on out we are very flexible, and we will be flying back on the 6th or 7th of April. Our range is all the way out west to the Los Angeles Region as well as SE towards Tuscon, AZ. I know a lot of members from the forum are familiar with this region, so I would like some advice on which places in the area would be the best hotpots to hit while there. I don't really have any target species as this is the first time I will be on/near the West Coast and practically everything there would be a lifer. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Are you going to be able to head into Orange County, California? I could really help with that, as well as the surrounding areas.

Edited by IKLland
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BlueJay

BlueJay

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45 minutes ago, IKLland said:

Are you going to be able to head into Orange County, California? I could really help with that, as well as the surrounding areas.

Yeah, we will be able to.

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Bird-Boys

Bird-Boys

Posted
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Since you don't have any target birds, here is some info on birds in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties that are reasonable to be seen during early April that might be of interest;

San Luis Obispo county

  • Brant - Morro Bay Estuary (35.335998, -120.851327). Fairly easy. Scopable from strategic points in Los Osos (in Morro bay), preferably in the morning when the heat shimmers are minimal. 
  • Wood Duck - Atascadero Water Treatment Plant (35.478984, -120.641536). Reasonable. Scope is useful here. Park at the end of Gabarda Rd, and take the trail at the end on the left (35.483482, -120.644739). Immediately take the small side trail up to the first pond (35.483752, -120.644195) and follow it around to the rest of the ponds. There is no internal access here. Mornings are best to avoid heat shimmer.
  • Cinnamon Teal - Oso Flaco Lake (35.029782, -120.621981). Easy. There is a fee for parking here. Park in the parking lot (or on the street outside of it and you won't have to pay the fee) and walk the trail (road) and eventually take the boardwalk on the left. Scope is useful but not needed here. Put valuables and camera/binocular gear in trunk, as this is probably the most likely location that your car might be broken into in the county.
  • Greater Scaup - Morro Bay Estuary (35.335998, -120.851327). Difficult at this date. Scopable from strategic points in Los Osos (in Morro bay), preferably in the morning when the heat shimmers are minimal. Search amongst the flocks of Lesser Scaups.
  • Harlequin Duck - Port San Luis in Avila Beach (35.175655, -120.750064). Potentially hard. There is a male that has wintered here for many years. He doesn't always stay into April, but sometimes he does. Look for him amongst other scoters close to shore between the Cal Poly Pier and the Port San Luis Pier.
  • Surf Scoter - Fairly common offshore in the surf anywhere along the coast, usually in flocks. Fairly easy. Reliable locations include Port San Luis, Morro Bay Harbor mouth, off of Pismo Beach, and off of Morro Strand State Beach. Scope useful or required depending on location.
  • Mountain Quail - Cerro Alto campground (35.424001, -120.745351)/Boy Scout Trail /East Cuesta Ridge (35.391363, -120.709505). Fairly easy to hear, difficult to see. From the campground, listen for their loud "queearck" call. Note that the Boy Scout Trail is accessible from Cerro Alto. On the Boy Scout Trail, look for this bird on the side of the road early in the morning. The Boy Scout Trail is a hike.

More to come in the future...

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Zoroark

Zoroark

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Posted (edited)

Are you going to be stopping in Las Vegas? I could give you some pointers for the area if you're interested.

For the Tucson area, the Patagonia loop is essential. Be sure to hit Madera Canyon, Patagonia Lake State Park, and the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. Sections of the de Anza trail may be worthwhile as well, possibly starting from Ron Morriss Park in Tubac. If time permits, check out Las Cienegas NCA. It'll be a long day, so start early!

1308898434_Screenshotfrom2023-01-0921-42-41.png.9ca2ac767133aca822246e5859e4e322.png

Visit Sweetwater Wetlands and either side of Saguaro National Park as well, but not in the same day as Patagonia.

Edited by Zoroark
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Bird-Boys

Bird-Boys

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Posted

Continued...let me know if this is too much

  • California Quail - Islay Creek Campground (35.273871, -120.883161)/Elfin Forest Preserve (35.333415, -120.827233). Easy. For Islay, park in the parking lot by the Ranch House and walk the road in. They often hang out by the camp hosts office. Early in the morning is best, when the campers are still sleeping. For Elfin Forest, park along the street or in parking lots at the ends of 11th-17th streets. They often hang out right near the start of the trail, and often visit feeders here: (35.331747, -120.828995).
  • Chukar - South Temblor Range (35.116656, -119.559564). Extremely Difficult. There is a small population here, but most of it is too remote to reach. They could really be anywhere. To quote a friend of mine, "You basically have to drive as far as you can, then get out and walk as far as you can, and then you have a 10% chance of seeing one!" Note that you will need high clearance for any of these roads (They are all dirt) and will likely be impassible when wet.
  • Eared Grebe - Morro Bay Harbor Mouth (35.364357, -120.866066)/Santa Maria River Estuary (34.970328, -120.646974). Pretty easy. For the Harbor Mouth, scope the mouth from the viewing area at Morro Rock. Mornings are best to avoid heat shimmers. For the River Mouth, Park at the parking lot and walk the beach to the River Mouth, scope from there. This is the only place where they breed in SLO county. Note that Santa Maria River Mouth is partially in both SLO and Santa Barbara counties.
  • Western Grebe - Fairly common offshore, breeds on interior lakes (Santa Margarita Lake (35.329308, -120.488108), and Lopez Lake (35.192031, -120.475363)). Easy enough. Scoping anywhere offshore may produce this species. For breeding locations, numbers vary from year to year. At Santa Margarita Lake, you are likely to see them from this area: (35.324856, -120.479652). At Lopez Lake, the area that they hang out is no longer viewable from "shore" due to the drop in lake levels from the drought, so you might have to go by boat or kayak to get to where they are. At both of these locations, listen for their loud "cree creet" calls.
  • Clark's Grebe - Fairly common offshore, breeds on interior lakes (Santa Margarita Lake (35.329308, -120.488108), and Lopez Lake (35.192031, -120.475363)). Easy enough. Scoping anywhere offshore may produce this species. For breeding locations, numbers vary from year to year. At Santa Margarita Lake, you are likely to see them from this area: (35.324856, -120.479652). At Lopez Lake, the area that they hang out is no longer viewable from "shore" due to the drop in lake levels from the drought, so you might have to go by boat or kayak to get to where they are. At both of these locations, listen for their loud "creet" calls.
  • Band-tailed Pigeon - Residential Cambria (35.550013, -121.080828)/Cerro Alto Campground (35.424001, -120.745351)/Highway 41 and San Gabriel Road intersection (35.463125, -120.675237)/Atascadero Lake (35.464855, -120.666892). Should be easy enough. In residential Cambria, drive around the streets, they can often be seen visiting feeders and sitting in pines. At Cerro Alto Campground, park at the first parking lot (fee), and walk the road; you will likely see them flying over or hear their owl-like song. Highway 41 and San Gabriel Rd. Intersection is a roost site for this species. Big flocks can be seen flying off or arriving at dusk, and may be randomly seen as flyovers or lingering birds during the rest of the day. Note that this is one of the only two spots to see breeding arboricola (Western) Purple Martins in the county (they nest in the sycamores at this intersection and often sit on the powerlines here). At Atascadero Lake, look for them flying over or around the lake and high up in the sycamores in the park and picnic area here: (35.466750, -120.668609).
  • Eurasian Collared-Dove - you'll see em anywhere, can't miss them.
  • Greater Roadrunner - You can see these at a few spots in the county, but they are very irregular. You'll probably see them in Phoenix anyway.

More to come...

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