#438 Stalking the Elusive Phainopepla
Monday, June 30th, 2008This weekend there weren’t any local Audubon trips so I decided to go after a specific bird, the Phainopepla, the only Silky Flycatcher whose range extends into the United States. One had shown up practically across the street from me at San Joaquin in March, but I didn’t hear about it until June, so I was going to have go a little further afield. Most of these hang around the mountains and foothills, especially favoring mistletoe. (That proved to be a valuable hint. Previously I didn’t even know we had mistletoe in Orange County.)
Saturday Beth and I tried the Oak Canyon Nature Center, where they’ve been found before, without much success. Lots of Acorn Woodpeckers, a few Western Scrub-jays, the usual Mourning Doves and House Finches, and a couple of Oak Titmice, but no sign of Phainopepla.
Sunday I went a little further out and drove down to San Juan Capistrano and then inland about 9 miles to Casper’s Wilderness Park. I got there about 9:15, and that was already too late. the sun was absolutely brutal. Memo to self: when birding in June in southern California, leave early!
I didn’t really know the area so I just pulled over wherever looked good. The first playground turned up California Towhee, House Finch, Mourning Dove, and Oak Titmouse but not much else. I continued down the road and found a sign to the Nature Center. This was a little better (though by this time it was even hotter.) Here I got California Thrasher, Turkey Vulture, Cooper’s Hawk, Anna’s Hummingbird, California Quail, and Wrentit!