The San Dieguito Monthly Bird Count identified 116 species in December, with no new species. This leaves the cumulative species total at 243 after 10 full years of bird surveys.
The featured image of a Merlin was taken by SDRP trail user Sue Jakovac on the north shore of Hodges Reservoir in March 2015
Bird Count Leader Jayne Lesley reported there were several species of interest, including a Grace’s Warbler, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Golden-crowned Sparrows in Crest Canyon, Yellow-crowned Night-Herons still hanging around River Path Del Mar, a Merlin, a Loggerhead Shrike, and Tree Swallows in the area that includes Dust Devil Nature Trail, and more Tree Swallows and almost 200 Canada Geese in the area that includes the Surf Cup fields.
According to The Cornell Lab All About Birds website, Merlins are widespread and were used by Medieval falconers.
PDF document with the detailed monthly results from January 2010 through December 2019.
PAS Lake Hodges Bird Walk Results 2019