My only Santa Barbara birding highlight has been the Black Skimmers seen on several trips thru the area. All three times they were located just east? (towards LA) of the Santa Barbara pier maybe 100 yards from the pier, viewable from the paved path, on a sand bar with many gulls, not 100 feet from the path. Only Black Skimmers I?ve ever seen.

Al from Tacoma
alndonna at wamail.net



From: Marc Hoffman
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 1:17 PM
To: Clare McLean ; Tweeters
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] RFI: Santa Barbara/Ojai

Hi Clare,

When I visit my brother in Santa Barbara (technically he lives in Goleta, just north) there are a few places we always go. One of them is just south of the airport--I've walked there rolling my carry-on luggage: Goleta Beach County Park. Google it. After you walk or drive over a small bridge taking you into the parking lot, turn left, park, and continue walking. There's a great little inlet that will now be on your left. Lots of egrets, herons, dowtchers, sandpipers, etc.

There are also White Kites, generally rare but fairly common in Santa Barbara if you know where to look. You may see them at Santa Barbara Shores County Park, which includes trails up along the bluff overlooking the ocean. I've seen kites, vultures, lots of passerines, hummingbirds, and, in the water, dolphins.

Of course the great thing about Santa Barbara is you can count on balmy weather for walking as much of the day as you like.

Marc Hoffman
Kirkland, WA
www.songbirdphoto.com

At 12:35 PM 2/11/2014, Clare McLean wrote:

Hello,

Please feel free to share any suggestions re good birding/nature sites for mid-March in the areas surrounding Santa Barbara.

Many thanks,

Clare McLean
clareishere at hotmail.com
Seattle, WA