My Birding Blog is all about birding (aka bird watching), birders, and wild birds of Orange County. Especially about birding in Orange County, California. Includes profiles of the birds of Orange County, the rare birds of Orange County, Orange County birding hotspots, and much more. (All pictures and text under copyright of the Karen McQuade,OC Birder Girl, unless otherwise stated)
I went to Carr Park in Huntington Beach with the goal of seeing if American Wigeons had returned. They disappear sometime in Spring to go to their nesting grounds. Neighborhood ponds had become very boring without the wintering waterfowl. Just Mallards and American Coots.
I saw one at the far side of the lake. But then I heard more and more whistling. I kept walking around the lake. Then as I rounded the corner, there they were.
Now it really feels like fall. I have missed these whistling Wigeons. The few months without them made the lakes feel really tame. Next on the list of fall and winter migrants: Northern Shovelers and Red-breasted Merganser. The stray Eurasian Wigeon . Who says we don't have seasons in Southern California?
You hear the honking of the geese overhead or see birds flying in a V formation overhead, and you know it's that time of year. Many animals and insects migrate. Mostly in spring and fall. Birds migrate for several reasons. To find more plentiful food sources, get to appropriate breeding grounds, and to go to a better climate. Some birds breed in one place and winter in another, milder climate. Many birds breed in Alaska and Canada because of the large, flat areas of land on which they can build their nests in large colonies. Huge numbers of birds migrate by flying hundreds and thousands of miles. They cross miles of land and water including oceans to get were they need to be. If you are a bird watcher, you need to know about migration so you will know where to bird in which season, and which birds to look for when you are out birding. Check the local Orange County Bird Checklists to see species that appear in winter or fall. Main rule of thumb is that water birds such as loons, shore birds, ducks, and geese winter in Orange County and begin appearing in the fall. (For example, Eared Grebes appear as early as September and American Wigeons in early October.) In Fall and Spring, Warblers are the main attraction. Successful birders know that to every bird species, there is a season.
Migration
Migration is the movement of animals or insects to wintering or breeding grounds. Many birds move from one place to the other in search of food or the most comfortable temperature. There are routes that birds follow that are the same every year.
Atlantic Flyway
The route up the Atlantic coast in which birds fly from Spring breeding grounds to Wintering grounds.
Pacific Flyway
The route up the Pacific coast in which birds fly from Spring breeding grounds in the North to Wintering grounds in the South.
California
California as well as other states in the West are in the Pacific Flyway.
Orange County
Orange County is smack dab in the middle of the Pacific Flyway. Migrants stop any place--including backyards that have food, water, and shelter.
Places that attract Migrants
In addition to Birding Hot Spots in Orange County, California, migrating birds are attracted to places they can rest, water, shelter, food. Just about any place on the Pacific or Atlantic Flyway that provides that will get some migrants from time to time. Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve are two areas that get thousands of migrants each year during the fall and winter months. In fact, in addition to being great stop overs for some migrating birds, these two places are locations that some birds spend the winter. For Fall and Spring migrants, Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach is a good place to go.
How you can help.
If you have a backyard that provides water, shelter, and food, you will provide a place for native and migrating birds.
Hazards to Migration
Hazards to Migrating birds include glass buildings, power lines, large glass areas such as glass walls, wind turbines in migration routes. Check out this International Migratory Bird Day page for more detailed information.
Wendy Paulson Discusses Neotropical Migratory Birds 1 of 2 International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF)
Wendy Paulson Discusses Neotropical Migratory Birds 2 of 2 International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF)
Great site with lots of articles, fact sheets, research, education, videos, photos and even games. Play the Migration Game. Answer questions about migration and help Wanda the Woodthrush migrate.
Great video about migration and wetlands. About 30 Minutes long. Lots of questions and answers about migration. Page down to see the video until you get to this title.
Please message me on my OC Birder Girl Facebook page rather than on my blog. I try to respond to every comment, but sometimes with life as it is, I miss a few comments. My apologies to anyone I have missed. Please note that I have zero tolerance for any comments unrelated to birding. I also have zero tolerance for thinly veiled sales pitches disguised as comments on this blog. And I report all spam.
Welcome to My Birding Blog. I'm glad you stopped by. Are you wondering where to go birding in Orange County? Scroll down into the the sidebar, and take a look at some of the Birding Hot Spots listed. You will find community parks, regional parks, nature centers, wilderness areas, and more. Or you can find a good place to birdwatch by clicking on Birding Hot Spots--Orange County. These are posts I have written about places I have birded in Orange County. Looking for a good field guide about birds? Check out my review of birding field guides. Have a comment you want to share? Feel free to post a message about birding in Orange County, comment on a post, vote on the lastest polls, or check the weather before you head out to bird. Scroll down the sidebar for lots of good links to birding information both local and national.
I created My Birding Blog to share · Information about the bird species of Orange County. · Where to go birding in Orange County. · Information about birding and birding skills in general. · My birding experiences and bird walks I have been on. · Attracting birds to backyards in Orange County.
The pictures and text on this site are under copyright and cannot be used without written permission from Karen McQuade, the OC Birder Girl.
I hope you will find birding (birdwatching) as amazing, relaxing, and just plain fun as I do. We who live in Orange County are blessed to have so many wild and natural places right here where we live. Let's get out there and enjoy these great places. Have fun birding in the O.C.!
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If you came here to read about the Glass Wall above Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, click here.
Legal notice: All pictures and text on My Birding Blog unless otherwise stated are copyrighted by Karen McQuade, the OC Birder Girl. Short quotes of text with proper credit are fine. Otherwise, you may not use any material on this blog without written permission from me. Thank you for understanding.
About My Posts
I update articles/blogs with more information and more pictures frequently. Since I put a lot of information in each post, the original date I start the blog is the post date, but it may not be the date I publish it. My focus is getting detailed, helpful information about good places to go birding and information about wild birds in Orange County. So check back, articles/blogs are updated and enhanced regularly.
I welcome all comments about birding, wild birds, feeding wild birds, gardening for birds birding in Orange County, California, birding hot spots, and other comments related to birding in Orange County. This blog is fully moderated, and so only appropriate, topic-related comments will be posted.
Red-tailed Hawk at Newport Back Bay
OC Birder Girl Shops
I have two great shops for birders. They are great places to find gifts for birdwatchers and for birders themselves.
Check out my Amazon OC Birder Girl Store . I have tried to include guidebooks, books on birds, CDs about birding by ear, and DVDs about birding in an easy-to-access format. If there is something you are looking for and cannot find, let me know and I will see if I can locate it for you.
If you like my photographs and would like a poster, mug, or other product with one on it, visit my OC Birder Girl Store at Cafe Press. I am just getting started and will be adding more as soon as possible.
Contact the OC Birder Girl
You can contact me by leaving a comment. Go to the end of a post and click on the comment link. It says the number of comments there already. Clicking on this link is how you comment or send a message to the OC Birder Girl. I moderate the comments and see your message. I am happy to answer questions about birding or about the posts. The comment will not be published if you request that it not be published. If you have a question and would like to ask for information about birding, wild birds, or feeding wild birds, go to Ask the OC Birder Girl and post your question. I will answer it on that page.
I have been a birder for a few decades. It all began when I took two classes about birding at a Community College. The classes were Inland Birds and Coastal Birds. There was a great teacher who would note a bird flying in with the comment: "Someone just flew in." We were skeptical and awed when a bird would whirl by and Bev would say, "sparrow," or some other bird family or species. Did she really see it? Or was she making up all these birds whirling past? Now I know she did really id them. Familiarity breeds recognition. Another friend and I began a birding journey in those classes that still goes on today. I even started an daily email at work about birds that got everyone interested in the the birds in the area. It is a great way to appreciate God's creation and to get fresh air and exercise. I am no longer a teen by any means, but I figure if my great aunts could be referred to as "girls" until they were in their 80's and beyond, I can be the OC Birder Girl. You can contact me about this blog by making a comment on one of the posts. I moderate all comments and will see your message.
Canada Goose 
Keeping an eye on me.
And lots of Mallards.
American Wigeons at last.
