birding the zoo

i know i said in my last post that the next birding trip i took would be to find the TUNDRA SWAN at the aviara resort in north county, but, on thursday (1/14) i had a little time to kill between errands, and i decided to make a quick trip to the san diego zoo. i thought it'd be a good opportunity for me to pick up the male SUMMER TANAGER that had been reported there a few days prior. i got to the zoo a few minutes before it opened, and decided i'd bird around the entrance where there was some good looking foliage. i could hear a lot of birds in the picnic area just south of the zoo's exit gates as i approached. when i got there i spotted a very active mid-sized bird, which turned out to be a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, in the canopy of a short tree. while watching him, he worked his way around the tree and out of sight. i followed. when i got around to the other side i was surprised to find myself in the midst of a small group of about 15 feeding birds. at that one spot i had no less than 8 BULLOCK'S ORIOLEs, 4 WESTERN TANAGERs, and best of all, an adult male ORCHARD ORIOLE! i could hardly believe my luck. they were all so active - calling and feeding - that they hardly noticed i was there. i was able to get right up under the ORCHARD ORIOLE to watch him feed. it was so hectic that my count of 8 BULLOCK'S ORIOLEs is only an estimate - the birds just wouldn't sit still. it made no difference to me that i wasn't able to re-find the SUMMER TANGER afterward, because the ORCHARD ORIOLE is a rarity in san diego, and a lifer for me. my 2010 year list is now up to 104 birds.

ORCHARD ORIOLE: