LeConte’s Thrasher

Spotted on our last trip to Cali!

The West Coast of the United States is a marvelous matrix of unique and beautiful habitats that host a diverse array of birds and other wildlife. Within just ten days, and a surprisingly small amount of travel time, we will journey from coastal chaparral and the off-shore oceanic banks of San Diego into the arid climate of California’s inland deserts around the Salton Sea and then back to the coast north of Los Angeles. The difference in the bird life between sea level and the montane forests outside of LA will make for a trip full of new surprises. We will look for many “California specialities” including California Scrub-Jay, Oak Titmouse, California Towhee, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, California Quail, Wrentit, and California Thrasher. The expedition includes a full-day pelagic trip out of San Diego where we will look out for Least Storm-Petrel, Pink-footed Shearwater, Sabine’s Gull, Red Phalarope, Craveri’s Murrelet and more. We will also take a day trip to Santa Cruz Island to see the endemic Island Scrub-Jay. Our time around the Salton Sea will be spent searching for the rare Yellow-footed Gull, as well as the numerous landbirds of this arid landscape, both resident and migratory.