

East County News Service
January 29, 2016 (Jacumba) — Eric Kallen, who runs the website www.JacumbaBirding.com has counted over 191 species of birds in Jacumba Hot Springs, a high-desert community in San Diego’s East County. “I’ve had 124 species in my backyard,” he says.
Now is a great time to go bird-watching there, since you can see wintering and year-round species as well as some early spring migratory visitors. Here are photos taken this January of a Scott’s Oriole, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, and Costa’s Hummingbird, with notes from Kallen on each:
Scott’s Oriole (adult male) - a wintering/year-round species. Breeds locally also.
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (adult male) - Jacumba is at the western edge of this bird's range. Usually we see the similar Nuttal’s Woodpecker
Costa’s Hummingbird (male) - First of the spring season birds. They are year-round in the lower desert areas.
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