This was a working trip with Fr. Tom Margevicius from St. Paul, MN focusing on some of the typical southern California specialty species. From March 19-24 we traveled 1430 miles and recorded 183 species. Including the round-trip drive from home and scouting days, I started on March 17 and recorded 188 species while traveling 2730 miles. Overall we enjoyed good weather and good success and didn't miss any of the California specialties.

Targets seen (15): Cackling Goose, Brant, Pacific Golden-Plover, Yellow-footed Gull, Spotted Dove, Allen's Hummingbird, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Wrentit, California Gnatcatcher, Oak Titmouse, Island Scrub-Jay, Yellow-billed Magpie, Lucy's Warbler, California Towhee and Tricolored Blackbird.

Targets missed (6): Thayer's Gull, Lesser Nighthawk, Williamson's Sapsucker and Cassin's Vireo. We had also harbored some hopes of Black-vented Shearwater and Red Phalarope but the weather was too nice for inshore Pelagic species. Ironically, however, it was a windy day with choppy seas for the boat ride to Santa Cruz Island and the journey yielded virtually nothing.

By using the links above, you can find day to day details of the trip (in my journal); see the the overall trip list; and view all of the bird photos that I took in the photo list.

Notes on a few species:

Spotted Dove: This is a steadily declining species and I failed to find a bird on the Palos Verdes Peninsula for the first time in perhaps a dozen visits over the years. It was also missed for the first time on the most recent PV Peninsula Christmas Bird Count. We also checked several Long Beach locations without success. Local information revealed that the bird's range is becoming more and more restricted to the inner city and we eventually found some in east LA.

Island Scrub-Jay: This was my 6th trip to Santa Cruz Island (all to Prisoner's Harbor and most in fall). Compared to the previous five visits, the jay was completely silent and hard to find (missed by at least one other birder) and we ended up seeing just three birds. Their behavior indicated nesting. Tip: Don't rely on finding them by ear during the nesting season (gee, you think).

Yellow-billed Magpie: A surprise out of range sighting on Palos Verdes Peninsula was apparently the second here (previously March 1999). Local opinion was that the bird was "assisted" or was an escaped bird. "Real" Yellow-billed Magpies near the southern limit of their range in Solvang were easy to find.

Questions and comments welcome.