Day nine of our trip, we joined the day tour at Santa Margarita Ranch.
The trip started at seven and we started to drive in the pitch dark night. When we arrive, the trip leader Simon and Zac are already waiting for everyone at the meeting spot by the border wall.
The first surprise comes as they tell us to go to the bathroom, and the bathroom is on the other side of the wall! Even more surprising, they have the password to open the wall!
At seven, the tour started, and we walked through the door to the other side! We walked over a small hill and arrived at dawn on a bluff overlooking the border line between the US and Mexico: Rio Grande and vast forests on the Mexican side. Soon, we are looking at Mexican Ducks, Mottled Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mottled Duck, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead and Hybrid Ducks in the Rio. Sandpipers bob up and down in the river bed and Ringed Kingfishers shots over our heads. Soras wander near the reads and Vultures, Zone-tailed Hawks, and Gray Hawks roosts on bare trees far away above the Mexican forest. As the sun hits the forest, the canopy bursts with bird activities. Audubon’s Orioles, Altamira Orioles, Kiskadees, Phoebes, and Green Jays flew across the river and sang the dawn chorus. After a while, the sun finally hits the reeds under the bluff, Morelet Seedeater starts to sing, but they do not cooperate and never show themselves.
Suddenly, someone shouted: “Rose-throated Becard! Right there!” Everyone runs over and there it is, a beautiful immature male becard is standing in a bush!
The Becard slowly worked its way across the bushes in front of us giving every one a great view. After all the Vultures, Hawks, Harriers, Caracaras, and Kestrels took off from their roost, we worked our way back to the cars and drove to another door of the border wall with Scaled Quails on the side of the roads. Simon opened the door and we drove to the other side and parked to walk a trial to the feeding station.
Upon arriving at the station Simon unpacked his food. It is the most luxurious feeding station I have ever seen, the food even made me hungry: watery fruit, huge peanuts, sunflower seeds, and even marshmallows! Orioles, Woodpeckers, Green Jays, Kiskadees, and even another Becard showed up. It is amazing how many Becards we saw, but the Brown Jays are on Winter Break, and did not show up. After a hike by the river, we are free to wander around until four forty five for the Mottled Owl tour.
After checking Roma Landfill, exploring Selineño Preserve, and running into a flock of Northern Bobwhite on the road from Selineño to Santa Margarita, it is time for the exciting Mottled Owl trip!
The Mottled Owl tour is famous for being able to find the only Mottled Owl north of Mexico at an almost 100% successful rate. The tour also almost always produces (McCall’s) Eastern Screech-Owl and Common Pauraque, and even sometimes Barn Owl with Common Poorwill.
The spot the Mottled Owl was often spotted was on the same trail we walked on the day trip so as there was still enough light, we stopped at the feeding station. As we looked at the birds, two reddish pod-bellied pigeons flew over and Simon shouted “RED-BILLED PIGEON!!!”
After it was dark we settled at the Mottled Owl spot. At first it is just silence, then one Common Pauraque starts to sing, then more and more joined, then even several Eastern Screech-Owl starts to trill in the background.
But the Mottled Owl did not call and we waited for more than one hour. Simon starts to play its song, and after a long wait, a loud and clear hoot suddenly starts to reply! Everyone stood up with our heart beating quickly – the Mottled Owl is near!
Simon soon found the owl on a bare branch and shone the light. We then got several epic looks and got this amazing lifer!
On the way back, we saw an extremely cooperative Eastern Screech-Owl, a Barn Owl flying around us and a Common Poorwill called from the valley!
Ten lifers! What an Extraordinary Day!
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