4.  Birds of San Elijo Lagoon

The ESP Café will be OPEN at 8:30. Join us for juice, coffee, light breakfast items and great conversation!

Recommended Reading: 

SAN DIEGO:  An Introduction to the Region by Dr. Philip R. Pryde

• Chapter 17: Keeping it Clean: Maintaining Environmental Quality.

• Chapter 18: Saving the Pieces: The Effort to Conserve San Diego’s Biodiversity.

COAST TO CREST AND BEYOND: Across San Diego by Car along the San Dieguito River

by Wolf Berger, Ph.D.

• Chapter 4: Lake Hodges and San Pasqual Valley: Pages 70 - 82.

• Appendix III: Birds of Lake Hodges: Pages 138 - 139.

Because of safety concerns for the aging Lake Hodges dam, the water level is too low for good birding. We will meet at the San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center at 8:30am and the presentation will begin at 8:45.  The Nature Center is located at 2710 Manchester Av, Cardiff-by-theSea, CA 92007, (760) 634-3026, SanElijoNatureCenter.  

We will meet at the San Elijo Lagoon Visitor Center in the upstairs Conference Room. After a brief introduction to bird watching and the types of birds we may see our class will be divided into 2-3 groups, each with a guide, and will search out the winter birds of the San Elijo Lagoon. Each group will have a spotting scope, however, to get the most benefit everyone is encouraged to bring binoculars. The lagoon trails are graded and near-level.  Each group will have a record keeper to tabulate the many birds that we see. (insert option from below) We think you will find yourself amazed at the number and diversity of species we observe.

Option 1: After a few hours of birding the Lagoon we will return to the Visitor Center and have our Reflection, then lunch. After lunch there will be an additional opportunity to continue birding.

Option 2: We will work our way to the trails south of the lagoon and have our Reflection and lunch. After lunch we will continue around the lagoon, arriving back at the Visitors Center.(Note - If we select Option 2 we will make a slow loop around the lagoon - and mot likely identify a greater number of species).

The 2-mile trail is rated easy, it's a flat loop meandering around the nature center and lagoon.

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Slader Buck at San Elijo Lagoon