Met my guide - Catherine Hamilton - @6:30 turns out we were kindred spirits and had a lovely time birding together. She put together an assessable itinerary and it was fabulous! We started with Mitred Parakeets, Red-crowned Amazon (parrots) and Red-whiskered Bulbul. At the Santa Fe Dam Rec. Area had a very cooperative California Gnatcatcher & California Thrasher (actually several). Had a great visit with a Wrentit & a Rock Wren. Just kept checking things off my wish list – and got a photo of a hummingbird pooping!
Turkey Vulture Roost
Mitred Parakeet







Red-whiskered Bulbul


Red-crowned Amazon



Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area
Northern Mockingbird

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher



Northern Mockingbird

California Gnatcatcher




















Yellow-rumped Warbler


California Gnatcatcher








California Thrasher









Cassin's Kingbird

Anna's Hummingbird





Allen's Hummingbird




The coveted Poop shot!

Cactus Wren

Wrentit



White-crowned Sparrow



Rock Wren







Mountain View Cemetery
Nuttall's Woodpecker




Say's Phoebe needs a drink -- that is how dry it was...


Western Bluebird

Viña Vieja
Gopher

Western Bluebird


Unfortunately, after we parted she went home to prepare to evacuate from Altadena where she lives down the street from Eaton Canyon – which is where the Eaton Fire started. Miraculously her house is still mostly in tact in a neighborhood where almost every house was destroyed. Most of her art survived, but some is damaged, she is working through it, but who knows when they will be able to live in their house again.
Yet a glorious day with like-minded company on Monday - joyful & grateful. In San Diego now, hopefully outrunning the Santa Ana winds that are expected to kick up tomorrow…
Had dinner with Martha Wild an old friend from church who happens to be a birder. We caught up and made a plan for the morning.
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