Newsletter - June 2025
Wild Birds Unlimited - San Diego Events:
Birdathon is a wrap...
Once again, thank you to all who helped us make the San Diego Bird Alliance Birdathon a great success! In total they raised over $33,000 which will go a long way toward supporting their conservation, education, and advocacy programs that benefit endangered birds and habitats.
We couldn't resist sharing a lovely post by a great friend of the shop, Abbey C., who, with a total of $245 raised from 7 donors, will receive our signed copy of Amy Tan's book The Backyard Bird Chronicles. She writes:
"As the Birdathon comes to a close, I find myself full of joy, a feeling of accomplishment, and gratitude.
"I’m not really sure when I started birding because it was always something casual for me. More noticing birds than seeking them out. I’d grown up observing birds at the feeder, but I never thought I could continue that fascination away from my backyard. That is until I bought my first “Beginning Birding” book from Wild Birds Unlimited in Poway in 2022, and my fascination took flight.
"I didn’t think I knew enough about the birds in San Diego outside my neighborhood to participate in an event like this. I almost didn’t sign up. But I’m so glad I did! With a final total of 115 San Diego birds spotted throughout the Birdathon (with 105 spotted in 24 hours) I exceeded my projected goal of 100 species.
"Thank you to everyone on the Wild Birds Unlimited team and at SD Bird Alliance who helped me along this journey and gave me the confidence to pursue this challenge. Thank you to each and every one of my sponsors who helped support my birding adventure. You are the wind beneath my wings. ❤️🪽
"Most of all though, I’d like to thank the birds. For always being there to enrich our lives, and helping us to find beauty, joy, and a connection to nature in an increasingly urban landscape."
Thank you Abbey for the enthusiasm, joy, and wonder you brought to our Birdathon! We look forward to seeing you again next year or at one of our upcoming events.
June Store Events:
June 21st at 10:00 AM – We are extremely excited to welcome Dr. Michael Perry, Assistant Professor at UCSD as a guest presenter to our store! He will talk about butterfly gardening, pollinators, how insects see the world and how that varies across species. Please join us for this intriguing and educational talk!
Quote of the Month:
“The presence of a single bird can change everything for one who appreciates them.”- Julie Zickefoose Spotlight:
The Buzz on Pollinators: San Diego's Unsung Garden Heroes
If you've ever admired a blooming flower, enjoyed a juicy tomato from your garden, or marveled at the vibrant colors of spring, you have pollinators to thank. These incredible creatures are the silent workforce behind the health of our ecosystems, and here in San Diego, we are lucky to share our environment with an astonishing variety of them.
What Are Pollinators?
Pollinators are animals that move pollen from the male part of a flower (anther) to the female part (stigma), enabling fertilization so that plants can produce fruits and seeds. This process is essential for the reproduction of over 75% of flowering plants and about 35% of the food crops we consume. Without pollinators, many of the foods we take for granted—such as apples, almonds, avocados, and berries—would become scarce and expensive.
Pollinators include more than just honey bees. Butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, birds, and even bats contribute to pollination. Each group brings unique behaviors and abilities to the task, enriching biodiversity and supporting healthy, resilient ecosystems.
Meet San Diego’s Pollinators
San Diego's Mediterranean climate and diverse habitats—from coastal chaparral to inland canyons—make it a hotspot for pollinator diversity.
1. Bees
- Native Bees: San Diego is home to over 600 species of native bees, including sweat bees, leafcutter bees, mason bees, and the striking blue orchard bee. Unlike honey bees, most native bees are solitary and nest in the ground or in wood.
- Honey Bees: While not native, honey bees (Apis mellifera) are prolific pollinators and are commonly seen in gardens and agricultural areas.
2. Butterflies and Moths
- Monarch Butterfly: San Diego lies along the migratory route of the monarch, which relies on milkweed plants to lay its eggs.
- Western Tiger Swallowtail and Mourning Cloak: These large, colorful butterflies are frequent visitors to nectar-rich gardens.
- Hummingbird Moths: Often mistaken for small birds, these moths are nighttime pollinators of native flowers.
3. Hummingbirds
- Anna’s Hummingbird: This resident species is a year-round pollinator in San Diego, flitting from flower to flower with dazzling iridescent plumage.
- Rufous and Costa’s Hummingbirds: Seasonal visitors that play an essential role in pollinating tubular flowers.
4. Beetles and Flies
- Soldier Beetles and Flower Beetles: These often-overlooked insects visit flowers to feed on nectar and pollen, aiding in pollination.
- Hoverflies: Sometimes mistaken for bees, these flies are excellent pollinators and also control aphid populations.
Why Pollinators Matter
Pollinators are more than just garden guests. They are keystone species, meaning their presence and activities have a disproportionately large effect on their environment. Here’s why they are indispensable:
- Food Security: Over one-third of global food production depends on pollination.
- Biodiversity: Pollinators support the reproductive success of plants, which in turn supports animals that rely on those plants for food and shelter.
- Economic Value: Pollinators contribute an estimated $20 billion annually to U.S. agriculture.
- Healthy Ecosystems: They help maintain healthy, functioning ecosystems that clean the air, stabilize soils, and support other wildlife.
Trouble in Paradise: Declining Pollinator Populations
Despite their importance, pollinators are in trouble. Global populations of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are declining at alarming rates due to several human-driven factors:
- Habitat Loss: Urbanization, monoculture farming, and the destruction of natural habitats have significantly reduced pollinator-friendly environments.
- Pesticides: Chemicals like neonicotinoids are harmful to pollinators, affecting their ability to forage, navigate, and reproduce.
- Climate Change: Changes in temperature and precipitation disrupt blooming times and migratory patterns, leading to mismatches between flowers and their pollinators.
- Diseases and Invasive Species: Pathogens and competition from non-native species, such as the varroa mite affecting honey bees, further strain populations.
How You Can Help
The good news is that anyone with a garden, balcony, or even a windowsill can make a difference. Here’s how you can support San Diego’s pollinators:
1. Plant a Pollinator Garden
- Use native plants like California buckwheat, Cleveland sage, toyon, and narrowleaf milkweed.
- Choose a variety of plants that bloom at different times to provide year-round nectar and pollen.
- Avoid hybrid plants that may lack pollen or nectar.
2. Provide Habitat
- Leave bare patches of soil for ground-nesting bees.
- Install bee hotels for solitary bees.
- Let some leaf litter and dead wood remain in your garden as nesting and overwintering spots.
3. Ditch the Pesticides
- Use organic and natural pest control methods.
- Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings.
4. Support Local Conservation Efforts
- Volunteer with local organizations that protect pollinator habitats.
- Participate in community science projects like the Great Sunflower Project or Monarch Watch.
5. Educate Others
- Share what you’ve learned with friends, neighbors, and schools.
- Host pollinator workshops or native plant garden tours.
Want to Learn More?
Here are some excellent resources to deepen your knowledge and get involved:
Pollinators are the vibrant threads that weave our ecosystems together. By learning about them and taking simple steps to protect them, we ensure that San Diego remains not only a haven for wildlife, but also a thriving, beautiful community for generations to come.
To learn more, stop by the store on Saturday, June 21st at 10:00 to hear Dr. Michael Perry, tell us about these amazing and important pollinators.
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Bird of the Month: California Quail
California Quail, Ramona Grasslands
Fun Facts About California Quail:
Appearance & Identification
- Distinctive Topknot: Both male and female California Quail sport a unique forward-drooping head plume, or topknot, composed of six overlapping feathers. In males, this plume is black; in females, it's brown.
- Size: They measure approximately 10 inches in length with a wingspan of about 14 inches.
- Coloration: Males have a black face with white stripes and a gray breast, while females are more muted in color, aiding in camouflage during nesting.
Habitat & Distribution
- Native Range: California Quail are native to the West Coast of the United States, predominantly found in California but also in parts of Oregon, Nevada, and Baja California.
- Preferred Habitats: They thrive in shrubby areas, open woodlands, grasslands, deserts, fields, and gardens.
- Introduced Populations: Due to their popularity, they've been introduced to other parts of the world, including Hawaii, New Zealand, and parts of Europe.
Diet & Foraging
- Primary Diet: California Quail primarily consume seeds, grains, and leaves.
- Insect Consumption: They also eat small insects like caterpillars, beetles, and millipedes, especially during the breeding season when protein is essential for chick development.
- Foraging Behavior: These birds forage on the ground in groups, scratching at the soil to uncover food, and are known to be quite social during feeding.
Breeding & Social Behavior
- Nesting: Female California Quail typically hide their nests on the ground amid grasses or at the bases of shrubs or trees. She occasionally places her nest up to 10 feet off the ground and lays clutches of 12 to 16 creamy white eggs with dark spots.
- Egg Dumping: Some nests may contain up to 28 eggs due to a behavior known as "egg-dumping," where multiple females lay eggs in a single nest.
- Parental Care: Both males and females participate in raising the chicks, with one adult often standing guard while the others forage.
- Coveys: Outside the breeding season, California Quail form coveys—social groups ranging from 30 to over 300 birds—that provide safety in numbers.
Communication & Behavior
- Vocalizations: Their distinctive "chi-ca-go" call is commonly heard in their habitats and is used to maintain group cohesion.
- Antiphonal Calling: Mated pairs often engage in antiphonal calling, where the male and female alternate calls in a synchronized pattern.
- Flight Response: While they prefer to walk or run, California Quail can burst into short flights to escape predators, accompanied by a loud, unusual noise.
- Bathing: They take a daily communal dust bath, wriggling into indentations they create, flapping their wings to make a mini dust storm.
Adaptations & Survival
- Water Conservation: Adapted to arid environments, California Quail can obtain necessary moisture from insects and succulent vegetation, reducing their dependence on free-standing water.
- Digestive Aid: They harbor protozoans in their intestines to help digest vegetation. Chicks acquire these protozoans by pecking at adult feces, a behavior known as coprophagy.
- Age: The average lifespan is 2.5 years, but the oldest known California Quail was 6 years 11 months old.
Cultural Significance
- State Symbol: The California Quail was designated as the official state bird of California in 1931.
- Pop Culture: This bird has appeared in various media, including Walt Disney's "Bambi," highlighting its cultural prominence.
Attracting California Quail to Your San Diego Backyard
- Ground Feeding: Scatter birdseed or grains directly on the ground, as these birds prefer ground foraging.
- Shelter: Provide dense shrubbery or native plants to offer cover and nesting sites.
- Water Sources: Install a shallow birdbath or water feature to supply fresh water, especially during dry periods.
- Avoid Pesticides: Refrain from using pesticides, which can harm the insects that quail consume, particularly important during chick-rearing.
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What’s happening in San Diego:
San Diego Bird Alliance (formerly San Diego Audubon Society)
- Queer Hike: Marian Bear Hike + Pride Celebration
- Date: June 7, 2025
- Time: 8:30 AM – 12:30 AM
- Location: Marian Bear - Regents East Parking Lot, 5544 Regents Road - East side, San Diego
- Event Link
- El Monte Park Tree Care and Bird Walk
- Date: June 7, 2025
- Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Location: El Monte County Park, 15805 El Monte Rd, Lakeside
- Event Link
- Silverwood After Sunset: Moth and Owl Outing
- Date: June 13, 2025
- Time: 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM
- Location: Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary, 13003 Wildcat Canyon Road Lakeside
- Event Link
- Hanson Pond Bird Outing
- Date: June 14, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Location: Hanson pond, Lakeside (see website for parking details)
- Event Link
- Wander the Wetlands: Bird Outing
- Date: June14, 2025
- Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Location: Kendall Frost Marsh, Crown Point Drive, San Diego
- Event Link
- Art and Wellness and Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary: Natural Dye Workshop
- Bird Photography Club: Photo Stroll at San Elijo Lagoon
- Date: June21, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Location: San Elijo Lagoon, Cardiff(directions provided 48 hours before the trip)
- Event Link
- Birding Outing: Famosa Slough
- Date: June 21, 2025
- Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
- Location: 4285 W. Pt. Loma Blvd, San Diego
- Event Link
- Birding Outing: Marian Bear Open Space with Anitra Kaye
- Date: June 28, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Location: Marian Bear Open Space, 5544 Regents Rd., San Diego
- Event Link
- Wander the Wetlands: Work Party
- Date: June28, 2025
- Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Location: 2055 Pacific Beach Dr, San Diego
- Event Link
- Native Plant Invasion: Planting Party at The WorldBeat Center
- Date: June28, 2025
- Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Location: WorldBeat Center,2100 Park Blvd, San Diego
- Event Link
Palomar Audubon Society
- Agua Dulce Creek Field Trip
- Date: June 7, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
- Location: Agua Dulce Creek, Wooded Hill Road, Mount Laguna
- Event Link
- Tijuana Estuary
- Date: June 14, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
- Location: Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, 301 Caspian Way, Imperial Beach
- Event Link
- Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Field Trip
- Date: June 21, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
- Location: Cuyamaca Rancho State Park 11261 Highway 79, Descanso
- Event Link
- Palomar Mountain Field Trip
- Date: June 28, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
- Location: Palomar Mountain State Park 19952 State Park Rd, Palomar
- Event Link
Buena Vista Audubon Society
- Rancho Carrillo Trail
- Date: June 6, 2025
- Time: 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
- Location: Rancho Carrillo Trail, Carlsbad
- Event Link
- Whelan Lake Bird Sanctuary Walk
- Date: June 7, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Location: Whelan Lake, 3650 North River Road, Oceanside
- Event Link
- Kids’ Nature Clubhouse and Trail Exploration at the Nature Center
- Date: June 8, 2025
- Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Location: Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center 2202 South Coast Hwy., Oceanside
- Event Link
- El Corazon Garrison Creek (Oceanside)
- Date: June 11, 2025
- Time: 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
- Location: See link for directions
- Event Link
- Avian Community Response to the La Tuna Fire in the Verdugo Mountains
- Date: June 18, 2025
- Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Location: Zoom
- Event Link
- Birding with Barbara
- Date: June 21, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Location: See link for location
- Event Link
- Nature Journaling
- Date: June 22, 2025
- Time: 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
- Location: 215 W. K Street, Encinitas
- Event Link
- Preschool Nature Storytime at the Nature Center
- Date: June 23, 2025
- Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
- Location: Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center, 2202 South Coast Hwy., Oceanside
- Event Link
San Diego Botanical Gardens
- Bird Walk
- Date: June 11, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM
- Location: San Diego Botanic Garden, 300 Quail Gardens Dr., Encinitas
- Event Link
San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy
- Yoga at the Birdwing
- Dates: June 1, 14 and 15, 2025
- Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Location: Birdwing Open Air Classroom, 15737 San Andres Dr, Del Mar
- Event Link
- Creekside Critters with Critter Encounters
- Date: June 7, 2025
- Time:11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Location: Del Mar Branch Library, 1309 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar
- Event Link
- Natural Impressions: Art in Nature – Intro to Crocheting
- Date: June 8, 2025
- Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Location: San Dieguito Lagon Staging Area, 15648 San Andres Dr., Del Mar
- Event Link
- June Trails and Ales
- Date: June 10, 2025
- Time: 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
- Location: Mountain Meadow Road, Mountain Meadow Road, Escondido
- Event Link
- Visit SDRVC @ The ECO Hut @ the San Diego County Fair
- Date: June 11, 2025
- Time: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar
- Event Link
San Elijo Lagoon Nature Collective
- Discovery Tour
- Date: June 7, 2025
- Time: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
- Location: San Elijo Lagoon, Nature Center Loop Trail, 2710 Manchester Ave., Cardiff-by-the-Sea
- Event Link
- Wildlife Tour
- Date: June 14, 2025
- Time: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- Location: San Elijo Lagoon, Cardiff-by-the-Sea (location will be emailed)
- Event Link
Living Coast Discovery Center
- Plant Hike at Otay Lakes County Park
- Date: June 1, 2025
- Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Location: Ranger Station at Otay Lakes County Park, 2270 Wueste Road, Chula Vista
- Event Link
- Bilingual Sweetwater Safari Hike
- Date: June 7, 2025
- Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Location: Living Coast Discovery Center, 1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista
- Event Link
- Sweetwater Safari Hike
Tijuana Estuary
- Bird Walk
- Dates: June 1, 15 and 29, 2025
- Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Location: Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center, 301 Caspian Wy, Imperial Beach
- Event Link
- Nature Walk: An Eye-Opening Experience Without Sight
- Date: June 7, 2025
- Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Location: Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center, 301 Caspian Wy, Imperial Beach
- Event Link
- Explore the Colors of the Estuary: A Community Art Therapy Experience
- Date: June 8, 2025
- Time: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
- Location: Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center, 301 Caspian Wy, Imperial Beach
- Event Link
- Nature Walk
- Date: June 14, 2025
- Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Location: 5th Street & Iris Avenue, 5th St & Iris Ave, Imperial Beach
- Event Link
- Nature Book Club
- Date: June 28, 2025
- Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
- Location: Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center, 301 Caspian Wy, Imperial Beach
- Event Link
- Nature Walk
- Dates: June 28, 2025
- Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Location: Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center, 301 Caspian Wy, Imperial Beach
- Event Link
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