San Diego is a winter destination for many birds throughout the western United States. Right now, January, is the peak of winter birding as well as the beginning to early migration season. The South Bay salt ponds are a great place to watch migrating shorebirds pass through. Here are some of the birds that can be seen around the salt ponds, National Wildlife Refuge, Biological Study area and the South Bay Bikeway.
Sandpipers:
Most of the sandpipers in this area are least and western. An occasional spotted sandpiper can be seen as well. Other peeps include a large number of dunlins scattered around the newly restored mudflats as well as short and long-billed dowitchers. Sanderlings may or may not be present. There are also a good amount of long-billed curlews in the area. Godwits and willets are plentiful and occasionally small groups of red knot pass through from time to time. Both black and ruddy turnstones have been seen.
Plovers:
Mostly black-bellied plovers and killdeer are in the area. Currently, only a small handful of semi-palmated plovers are seen, but in the past they were reasonably plentiful.
Gulls and terns:
Mostly western and California gulls with some ring-billed and herring gulls mixed in. Once in a while, a glaucous-winged (or hybrid) or Bonaparte's gull can be seen passing through. A juvenile Thayer's gull has been spotted on a few times. Most of the terns in the area are royal terns with a few Forster's tern and even one Caspian tern.
Ducks and geese:
Black brant are the only species of geese seen. Ducks include common golden-eye, northern shovelers, ruddy ducks, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, northern pintails, American wigeon and even one Eurasian wigeon has been seen. Coots are plentiful near the bike path and a few surf scoters can be seen near the Biological Study Area on the silver strand.
Grebes:
Eared grebes, at least one horned grebe, western and clark grebes.
Mergansers and cormorants:
Red-breasted mergansers and double-crested cormorants are in the area. One common merganser has been seen in the southeastern part of the bay.
Raptors:
The peregrine falcon is always a favorite often roosting on the power plant and patrolling the area. There are also several osprey in the area. Cooper's hawks frequent the far south end.
Perching birds:
A large number of Belding's savannah sparrows are seen in the area as well as white-crowned sparrows. Pigeons and mourning doves are not uncommon and an occasional Eurasian collard dove can be seen. A western meadowlark was seen at the south end near the bike path. Black and Say's phoebe are frequently seen. The only hummingbird in the area are Anna's.
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