Rainbows at Lake Murray

We've been getting a lot of welcome, but unexpected rain here in San Diego. It's been pretty nice. Today, while I was walking at Lake Murray, there were some thunderstorms. Right before the first thunderstorm hit, I took photos of this rainbow.

This picture is of the flirting ducks during a less severe rain session a few weeks ago:

One time, when it was raining, all the ducks started doing Yoga, lol:

Boo Parade 2016

Sorry this is a bit late, but last Saturday, October 29th, I finally got a chance to see the annual Boo Parade on El Cajon Blvd. I've always had to work on that Saturday, so I never got the chance. I was stationed at 62nd and El Cajon Blvd.

I took a lot of photos, but haven't had time to process them all. Here is a sampling of some of the photos I took.

Here is the beginning banner with Councilwoman Marti Emerald's photo. There was a narrator from a local radio station across the street from where I was :

Then the fire truck passed through. This is the truck from Station No. 10 which is on 62nd street.

I took this next photo before the parade started to show some of the diversity in the neighborhood. There were a lot of people there. Right behind me was a large black cat balloon. I wanted to take a photo of that, but there was always someone standing in front of it, so I didn't feel comfortable.

Lots of groups were there showing off their dance and marching moves. They came from various parts of the city.

My favorite part of a parade has always been the horses.

There were several in this group that had costumes on their horses, including these two with a lion's mane and a Pegasus wings.

Ken Kramer from "About San Diego" and other shows and news stations was the Grand Marshall.

Assembly member Shirley Weber was also there. Both Ken Kramer and Shirley Weber rode with
two classic car groups.












I had a bunch more photos of later parts of the parade, but didn't have time to process them. Across the street was a carnival which was pretty fun. There were people selling food, games and music there. It was very neat to see such a big event in this part of town.

Free Comic Con Events at Petco Park Yesterday

Comic Con ended yesterday. I decided to go down there to see some of the things going out outside the event. Most of those events took place around Petco Park and the library.

I was greeted with a lot of building wraps all over the downtown area. I can't wait to see Minority Report. I loved the movie.

Game of Thrones trailer, one of many in front of the convention center.

This was a free event just outside Petco Park. Mostly, it had to do with video games.

On the other side of Petco Park, the Nerd Carnival was going on. These Lego dinosaurs were right outside.

They were promoting the Jurassic World movie.

I went inside and there were all kinds of video games to try out. But there were lines to all of them. I used to like playing video games, but not so much anymore. I wouldn't know what to do if I had tried to play.

They also had panels going on. I think this lady (I forgot her name, sorry), is part of Amy Poehler's Smart Girls online community. She was talking about doing voice overs for several of the games and videos that Legendary puts out.

Here are some shots of the outside of Petco Park. (By the way, there were tons of people in all kinds of costumes walking around, even on the trolley.)

The Tony Gwynn statue:

The Jerry Coleman statue and photos:

I didn't get a photo of my favorite thing that I saw because it was copyrighted. The library had an art exhibit feature the history of Comic Con over the years. There were program covers, banners, and drawings from many of the famous artists that visited Comic Con over the years, including the artists who drew the Family Circus and Beetle Bailey. You also got to see how the famous Comic Con toucan developed before they changed the icon to an eye, instead.

Comic Con!

Comic Con in 2012
Kevin Dooley
Flickr/Creative Commons

Being in San Diego, I'm almost front and center for the world famous San Diego Comic Con. Unfortunately, getting a badge there is very difficult. There are other giveaways and you can volunteer, but even those opportunities can disappear faster than they come. It also turns the downtown area into a complete madhouse. So, it doesn't look I'll be going over there this year.

Luckily, our local media does hours and hours of live shows and interviews while Comic Con is going on. I swear they interview just about everyone there, plus they have a lot of inside shots and interesting facts. So, living in this town has some perks.

If you're planning to go down to gawk at all the people, please keep these tips in mind:

• The streets will be so packed that it will be hard for you to see anyone
• The front door area of the convention center is usually blocked from view unless you're on that side of the street, so you won't really see anyone
• There are also signs and exhibits that block views
• Many of the nearby restaurants will be packed and may have restricted access
• Off-site Comic Con presentations (like that at the library) usually require you to have a badge unless otherwise noted (the library does have one Comic Con presentation open to the public, but the rest are closed)
• Unless you have a badge, your chance of seeing a celebrity in that area is slim

So, your best bet is to watch the local news stations if you want to see anyone or anything interesting if you don't have a badge. However, you might want to go downtown if:

• You like to watch the gawkers
• You like the party atmosphere
• To tell people that you were there
• To perhaps see something interesting (by chance)

If you go, be aware that selfie-sticks are not allowed, even when viewing from across the street. Also, good luck getting there by car. Try taking public transport, which will probably be packed early in the morning.

Edit:

OK, a friend of mine pointed this out on her Instagram account. It's free and not too far from Comic Con if you want to go.

Nerdist Carnival

2015 San Diego County Fair

I went to the county fair at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and, sure, I can show you all kinds of boring photos of the fairway, rides, shops, etc like I've done thousands of times in my articles. Sometimes, I'll take photos of the animals in the barns, too. There was no poultry show when I went, so I have no poultry photos like last year. There were so many people, that I couldn't get any good photos of themed performers. Instead, I'll show you some other boring photos from the fair.

I like to look at the birds at the infield pond. This year, like last year, the area was fenced off and there was no access, so I couldn't see much. I heard a killdeer and some stilts, but saw no chicks or nests like I have in previous years. I did see this little ruddy duckling with his mom. They're the little spot in this photo.

I also like to go see the horses. I take pictures to use as reference photos for when I want to do horse paintings. Here is an American mustang at the World of Horses:

There were several competitions at the Charity Horse Show in the arena, including a western riding competition.

This year's theme was the 100th anniversary of Balboa Park and the World Fair of 1915. I saw this poster for 1915 rules for teachers posted in the art gallery. It's probably the only thing you're allowed to take a picture of in there. They don't like people to take any pictures of anything inside most of the exhibits, except, maybe, the animal and fair theme exhibit.

That's all I got. I didn't find anything extra interesting to photograph like a butterfly show or the Beatles theme like last year. The lighting wasn't that good, either. Next week, it's supposed to be really sunny and warm, so it might be good if you want to take nice pictures during that time. It's basically the same fair as usual with the same vendors. The day I went, the small music shows were good, but I didn't go to the grandstand shows.

The fair runs until July 5th and is closed every Monday. Be sure to arrive early, preferably on a weekday. I would recommend parking at the horse park as the parking in the fairground parking lot costs a lot of money. Plus, they drop you off right at the entrance.

Baby news, Ternwatchers, and people stealing wildlife

Gosling at Lake Murray

Sorry that it's been a while since I last posted. I've been dealing with other writing gigs and the like. Anyway, before I get started with a little news of what's going around San Diego and SoCal, I would like to make an announcement. If you enjoy researching birds and want to help with predator abatement of one of the world's cutest chicks, then you might want to be a Ternwatcher for San Diego Audubon. This program monitors and records predator interaction at the least tern nesting sites in Mission Bay. You can apply here. I am going to apply even though I am still having a hard time watching cute baby animals get eaten. I just witness a bunch of adorable ducklings at Lake Murray getting slaughtered by the herons. Plus, one of them was eating live squirrels, too. It's really hard to watch, especially when they're cute. Also, killdeer nest there, too, and I might faint if I see one of their babies carried off.

Speaking of baby animals, there are several baby goslings at Lake Murray right now and more of them on the way. All the babies from last year, now teenagers, are still hanging around, not knowing what to do. One of the babies, which was returned to the lake by Project Wildlife after it had disappeared last year, seems to have already found a mate for next breeding season. There are also baby squirrels at the lake, too, and about 30 ducklings have also made an appearance so far, but almost all of them have been eaten by herons and cormorants. But, more are to come.

What's up with people stealing wildlife, lately? Not only did I see a guy grab a nearly grown Canada goose at Lake Murray recently, but someone stole a baby seal in Los Angeles lately. I mean, seriously, what would someone want with a seal? The perps apparently harassed the mother and tried to grab both her babies, but the other one got away. I sure hope the baby they stole is doing OK because baby seals need a specialize diet and care. I can understand why people steal ducks and geese, but a seal has no useful purpose. 

If you love seeing the wildlife, don't take it with you. Let it be and you can enjoy it for the rest of its life.

Police searching for missing SDSU student at Lake Murray

Update: Right as I was posting this, they announced they found his body. Apparently, they found him while I was there, but I had left before they brought him out.

Many people who read my other blogs know that I frequent Lake Murray here in San Diego. I guess on Thursday morning, a set of clothes and other personal effects were found on the round concrete structure near the Kiowa Drive entrance. After searching all over the lake for the owner of these items, the police were called. There is currently a search going on.

Just to let you know, there is officially no fishing or any boat launching until the police are done in the area. They have the area completely closed off around the docks.

I don't know how much I want to say, but they are searching all areas of the lake, but are focusing just to the east of the booms at the dam and maybe near the dam.

The 18 year old man was a student at SDSU and did not show up to class on Thursday. Most of the school has been doing mid-terms all the last week as next week is Spring Break. One TV station has released his name and shown a picture of him, but I can't remember his name. But, I do know that he's from San Jose. His parents are very concerned about him and say he may have been under stress. According to some of the local media, a suicide note mentioning water and the lake was found.

There is talk by non-participants and observers that this might be a hoax. I think it might be wishful thinking. Bits and pieces are coming out through the media that indicate that this is something serious.

If you go to the lake, be aware that you may not be able to access certain areas or may be told to stay out of certain areas. Also, the noise from search helicopters is pretty loud. The helicopters were creating a wind that even blew a mother duck's tiny baby ducklings around.

Birdy weekend with a bird festival

OK, it's the weekend again!  And, it's birdy and the weather is awesome! If you want to help the least tern and visit an island in Mission Bay that you usually can't visit, then contact Christina Hirt of the San Diego Audubon Society at hirt@sandiegoaudubon.org or call 858-273-7800 x106 ASAP.

Basically, what you will be doing is removing trash and invasive plants from FAA island on Mission Bay. It's a known least tern nesting area that has been having some success since it started to be maintained. The event takes place THIS SUNDAY, March 8th, probably in the morning. You have to contact Christina to find out the time and location of where the boat will pick you up. Once you are there, you can't leave until everyone's done, which will be in about three hours. There's no restroom or anything you can use as a restroom, so don't drink any coffee or juice that morning. But, do bring a water bottle and sunscreen.

Unfortunately, I've been sick a lot lately and haven't had the energy to work on the least tern sites this year. But, I may go to the San Diego Bird Festival at Mariner's Point. This year, not only Sunday set aside as a family fun day, THE WHOLE WEEKEND is going to have free family-friendly events. Friday and Saturday's free events go on throughout the day. There will be a couple of free bird walks in the area as well as kid's art classes, a class on attracting birds to your garden, and an expo with optics and live birds. On Sunday, most activities start around noon, but the 'Big Sit' along the bicycle path starts early in the morning. There are some events that might require a fee.

The Big Sit bird numbers around mid-day last year

Mission Trails Regional Park will have an art reception on Saturday, March 7th from 1-4 p.m. in their visitor's center. They are currently exhibiting work for the Pastel Society of San Diego. They are located at 1 Junipero Serra Trail near Mission Gorge Road.

Unfortunately, I posted too late for an upcoming hike on March 7th from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve. They required RSVPs on March 5th, so it's too late to reserve a spot. I'm just mentioning it because I want people to be informed about the Reserve and keep their eyes open for the next hike. They usually have a hike at least once a month. They're located in Southeast-Central San Diego County (east of Spring Valley). If you want to ask what hikes they will be having next time, call 619-654-3793.

Don't forget the Great Backyard Bird Count is this weekend!

This is an osprey photo I took in 2011. I even did the GBBC back then.

February 13-16, 2015 is the Great Backyard Bird Count. This is a less formal bird count than the Christmas Bird Count which happens in December. Despite the name, you don't just have to count in your backyard, but you can if you want.

I plan to count somewhere for each day of the count. I like to do Lake Murray, around my home, Chollas Lake and somewhere in the South Bay. If you decide to count, try to pick an area where you are less likely to see people counting the birds. Be sure to count for at least fifteen minutes (of course you can count for longer periods).  You can sit by your window and watch birds come to your feeder if you like. After you count, go to the GBBC site and enter them on eBird through their link for them to count  If you're not familiar with eBird, visit the site and familiarize yourself with it.

It's important to get out there and represent San Diego with a high number of bird species. San Diego, and California, usually have some of the highest species numbers in the nation during the GBBC.  Some of the areas which may need some counters are the more remote areas of the desert and mountains. If you are planning to hike around this weekend, perhaps bring your bird journal with you so you can count the birds. Also, urban areas such as mid-city and southeast San Diego may also need counter. Southeast San Diego has a lot of birds, actually.

Don't worry if you don't know how to identify every bird you see. Just do the best you can.

Nature stuff going on around San Diego the weekend of January 31-Feb 1, 2015

Buena Vista Lagoon

I usually post my weekend events articles on Examiner, but thought I would post them here and see how they do. I may go back to posting them on Examiner in the future.

Saturday's weather is supposed to be a little wet, but may clear up in the afternoon. It should still be a nice weekend for most activities, though. Bring an umbrella for Saturday morning. Here are a few things going on this weekend.

Earth Discovery Institute: I like posting events for this organization. Mostly, they work with the east county preserves such as Rancho Jamul and Crestridge. This weekend, they will be having  the "Lilac 5k Fun Run and Kids Fun Run Fundraiser" on Saturday, January 31st from 7-11am. The actual race starts at 8:30am. and begins at the Crestwood Ecological Horsemill Road entrance at 1171 Horsemill Road in El Cajon. Unfortunately, pre-registration ends tonight. But, you can register at the day of the event. Entry fees for the race on the day of the event are $30, but Crest residents get $5 off. The fun run is $15 for the day of the race. Contact the Earth Discovery Institute at  619-447-4715 or email info@earthdiscovery.com for more information.

Mission Trails Regional Park: The park wants people to know that the south climbers trail is now open. It was damaged by fire last summer. This area is popular for climbers and is open from sunrise to sunset. Be prepared for a lot of people on the weekends. Also, if you want to learn about the basics of birding at Mission Trails, there will be a free class this Saturday at 1pm in the Visitor's Center. They are located at 1Father Junipero Serra Trail in east San Diego. Call them at (619) 668-3281 for more details.

Buena Vista Audubon: You can also learn about basic birding and participate in a bird count at the lagoon this Saturday beginning at 8am. The class starts at their nature center at 2202 S. Coast Highway in Oceanside. Joan Fountain at 760-729-1379 and Tom Troy at 760-420-7328 are the ones leading the class and count.

Update on "Mystery Goo": So far, no one knows what the goo is, but some of the bird patients that were being cleaned are being re-released in a different location. They have ruled out oil and PIB, the substance that killed hundreds of sea birds in Great Britain a few years ago. The little dunlin shown in the picture on this blog a few posts ago is said to be doing well.

On My Examiner.com page: Sorry that I haven't posted a Lake Murray birding update as I've been a bit under the weather. I may have to pass on it for this month and post it next month. 

West coast updates and news

Hi everyone!  Sorry I haven't posted much in the last month on any of my blogs. For one, I haven't been taking very many photos of birds and such.  Also, I haven't done a whole lot of artwork, either. I may write here more regularly now, though.

For those of you who have known me from Examiner.com may notice me posting a lot fewer articles. The main reason is money. I'm practically not getting paid anymore. I get paid for traffic and nothing else. I used to get paid every month, but not for a long time. I think it's due to overall changes in search engine criteria and the internet. It's also hard to get support when I need it. I'm planning on writing one article a week or less each month until page views there go up. I actually get paid more doing other things or even blogging.

Speaking of Examiner, I just published an article there about a massive goo problem in the San Francisco Bay Area. International Bird Rescue has been inundated with birds stuck with a sticky substance similar to rubber cement. Right now, it is not known what the substance is, but it is suspected to be the same substance that affected sea birds off the coast of Great Britain a couple years ago. You can read more about this in my Examiner article:   Mysterious substance coats sea birds in East San Francisco Bay.  IBR says it's up to almost 300 birds in need of care and that the goo may have made it to the west side of the bay.

Gunked up patient at International Bird Rescue
Credit: International Bird Rescue

They need a lot of donations because there is no one deemed responsible for the mess, yet, so they're paying for everything.  You can donate on their site or pick them as a charity to donate through Amazon Smile.

I haven't posted anything on the killdeer blog, lately. But, I do have a few pictures I've taken. When I was counting birds, I came across these rare guys at Lake Murray (horned grebes):

This weekend: If you are looking for stuff to do this weekend, the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve will be cleaning up junk in the Tijuana River Valley from 9AM to Noon this coming Sunday, the 25th. Meet at the entrance to Border Field Park at 1500 Monument Road. You must RSVP for this project.  You can do so here.

King Tides!!! Today was the second day of King Tides in San Diego! Today's was at 8:30AM. Tomorrow, it will be at 9:01AM.  A good place to see them is anywhere along the shoreline, or around San Diego Bay. If you miss tomorrow's tides, look for some in the middle of February.

Here are a couple photos I took last year of the King Tides. It went right over the bike path in the South Bay near the Silver Strand.

Christmastime in San Diego

I've been sick lately, so I've missed out on a few events before I could post them here in my blog.  We've already gone past December Nights and one week of the Parade of Lights. Don't worry, if you missed the Parade of Lights around Coronado Bay last weekend, there's more this weekend. It get pretty crowded and cold, so arrive early and bundle up. Perhaps an evening barbecue at Glorietta Bay Park in Coronado before the parade might help.

I love my neighborhood this time of year. Despite being a poorer, working class neighborhood, they take pride in it and the majority of people decorate their houses with lights and whatnot. I work at night, so it's so nice driving home and seeing all the lights. Back when a lot of homes were being foreclosed on, a lot of the neighborhood lights went dim. It took a few years before I started seeing a lot of lights again.

If you're wondering what's closed on Christmas, a lot more than on Thanksgiving. All government offices, libraries, etc. are closed on that day. Most stores and restaurants will be closed or only open a short time on Christmas Day for those last minutes gifts. Some parks and all rec centers will be closed, too. Lake Murray's gates are locked, but you can still go in and walk and see the ducks. Just be aware that it will be packed like on Thanksgiving. Please be kind to animals.

Speaking of Lake Murray, we have a poor male Pekin with injured or diseased feet. I see swollen joints on him and tears in his webs as well as bumblefoot. Pekins, being a meat duck, are bred to be disproportionate and often their legs can't handle the added weight. When they get bumblefoot, an infection in the feet, it can spread to other parts of the body and cause arthritis, especially as they get older. I keep an eye on the domestic ducks at the lake and if I can get them help, I do. But, I am unable to take them home or care for them myself. The added restriction of not being able feed them due to park rules and that people get upset if I try to catch them for treatment makes it harder. I can tell he's hurting sometimes, but seems better after a swim and walking on the sand rather than the rocky shoreline. In this photo, he seems to be feeling good, but his foot seems sore.

The Christmas weather is expected to be very warm up until Christmas eve and then seasonal for Christmas day and the next few days after. I hope it's good the following Sunday as I'm doing the Christmas Bird Count that weekend and don't want to be wet after being sick such much this season.

On New Year's, I plan to go out counting shorebirds in the South Bay.

Thanksgiving in San Diego 2014

Well, Thanksgiving is tomorrow and that's the start of the Christmas season, literally.  Many stores are doing big sales on Thursday.  I don't plan on doing any of those sales.  I don't know what to buy people anymore, anyway.  I've heard that many sales are really not that big of a bargain if you know when to buy things.  I also don't like the crowds.

There are several "Turkey Trots" around town in the morning.  Exercising is good on a day where you eat a lot.  There's the San Diego Turkey Trot and Food Run.  It's held at Rohr Park in Bonita.  Be sure you bring a non-perishable food when you run.  You can find out more at www.sdthanksgivingrun.com.  Father Joe's, a well known charity and shelter here in town, also holds their own turkey trot and encourage people to "move your feet before you eat".  You can find out more about their run at https://my.neighbor.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=411

Many places you might not expect to be closed tomorrow will be.  Lake Murray will be closed and there is no parking anywhere except the street.  It's also one of busiest days of the year at the lake.  Expect to have problems with parking and crowds.  Also, since the lake is closed, fishing will not be allowed.  Anyone who fishes on that day is poaching.  Please save your fishing for the days the lake is actually open.  You are free to walk and picnic at the lake.  Be aware that you will probably have to walk a long way to get to any picnic areas.

If you want to do some bird watching, or bike riding, the usual bike paths and hotspots will be open along the South Bay and San Diego River.

Small Town of Santa Ysabel

Though I have written this in August, 2013, nothing much has changed.  I've even been there several times since then, including during the Great Backyard Bird Count earlier this year where I saw the cute oak titmouse and a scrub jay right near the store.

There's a small town about fifteen miles east of Ramona, California that I've been visiting for more than two decades called Santa Ysabel. The area was formally part of the Mission Rancho system and still contains a mission chapel in the area that serves the community and the local Santa Ysabel reservation of Kumeyaay people known as the Iipay. For all the time I've been traveling to the area, I've never seen the population on the town's official sign say more than 400, but I think there's really more people that live in the area.

The town has one official center at the intersection of State Highway 78 and 79. Most people pass through there on the way to Julian, about seven miles away uphill. Here, there are several shops and stores as well as a gas station, artisans, a few houses and, I think, one apartment building.

The Julian Pie Company has a store there and popular stores include Dudley's bread,

Don's Market, and the Santa Ysabel General Store which also serves as a small historical center. There is a full-service restaurant that used to be called Apple Country, but is now under new ownership and may be changing the name and menu. Other amenities may be found at the recently built Santa Ysabel Casino just north of the town center on Highway 79 where they tout craft beers and a restaurant.

The area of Santa Ysabel is actually very large and extends for miles from the town center. Much of the area is used for cattle ranching, but there are people in the area who raise sheep and horses. There are also quite a few hiking trails in the area that are mostly unknown to outsiders. The biggest trail system, put in to place fairly recently, is the Santa Ysabel Preserve. There are two areas to easily access it. The main area is just off of Highway 79 north of the town center, but also can be accessed north of Julian on Farmer Road. 

The other access area, which has a parking lot and horse staging area, is west of the town center on Highway 78. Be aware that the trail passes through many cattle ranching pastures that are still frequently used and free-ranging cattle may be encountered on the trails. The park is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day during summer months. Winter hours are more restricted. There is also another, lesser-known smaller, trail system at the end of Mesa Grande Road which may be difficult to find.

The best time to visit Santa Ysabel is near the weekend due to the fact that several businesses are only open on the weekend, usually from Friday-Sunday, though a Dudley's bread is also open on Thursday. Don's Market and the Julian Pie Company are open 7 days a week.

Here are some helpful links for more information:

Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve 
Santa Ysabel General Store 
Santa Ysabel Asistencia 

Beach Birds of Mission Bay

In May of 2013, I wrote this article about the birds I see around Mission Bay, an easy place for people to visit here in San Diego.  Now that it's fall, it's a great time to go see these birds.

Assorted shorebirds

Godwits and Willets

I don't know how many people go to the beach or bay not to hang out, but to check out the local wildlife. In San Diego, there is a recreational area called Mission Bay where people don't usually sunbathe or swim (though a few can be seen doing so). This bay was dredged out so people can use jet skis, boats, fly kites, row or kayak, run their dogs loose (on Fiesta Island only), or play a game call "Over the Line" among other activities and events. But, Mission Bay is also a place for the birds-literally. 

Brant

Thousands of birds call the bay their home as they have done for thousands of years.

Before the bay was dredged for human use, it was more marsh-like and many birds populated and bred in it. There are still pockets of these marshes preserved throughout the bay and one of them, the Kendall-Frost Marsh, is fenced off from people. However, a good variety of birds can be found on the beach just outside the marsh. Other areas that are fenced off include several least tern nesting sites which are managed by the city of San Diego and the San Diego Audubon Society. Each year, the nesting sites have to be weeded because the disturbance of the soil from dredging allowed many invasive plants to take root. The California subspecies of least tern is endangered mostly due to loss of breeding habitat.  

Willet

Even in more disturbed areas, birds are abundant. Despite the fact that loose dogs run all over Fiesta Island, many birds don't seem too bothered by them. In the water, brant geese, ducks, and grebes continue to feed among the speeding watercraft. Willets and marbled godwits seem to be the most common type of shorebird along the beaches. Killdeer often nest in the least tern nesting habitats, usually well before the terns arrive.

Horned larks

When visiting the bay, be mindful of the birds around and don't intentionally harass them. Winter is the best time to see the most variety of birds with just about every type of shorebird that usually visits the San Diego area can be seen. In the summer, most of the birds seen are terns, gulls, raptors, sparrows, horned larks, and other small birds.

While I based this article on my own experiences, here's a few links that might be of interest to readers:

Natural Reserve System: Kendall-Frost Marsh 
San Diego History: Mission Bay Aquatic Park 
Mission Bay (Wikipedia)