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Fall Birding | Santa Ynez River Estuary, Lompoc, CA

Updated: Dec 31, 2020


Distance: 0.5 mile | Duration: 90 minutes

Habitats: estuary, shoreline, sand, dunes, marsh.


Note: Ocean Beach Park is open from 8 AM to Sunset. Beach access is closed to the public from March 1st through September 30 due to the Snowy Plover nesting season.


We arrived right after 9 AM, it was foggy and the parking lot was nearly empty. A female Great-tailed Grackle ran away from us.

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Sweeping views of the Santa Ynez River estuary.

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Many shorebirds species where present either resting or actively feeding, like this Snowy Egret.

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California Gull taking it easy.

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Red-necked Phalarope.

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Double-crested Cormorants.

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Least Terns were resting on the opposite bank of the river mouth.

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Great Blue Heron.

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As the fog cleared, a Song Sparrow put its toes in the sand.

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We followed the short path under the bridge and admired sweeping views of the estuary.

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A juvenile Reddish Egret, a rare bird by the way, was very active.

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Black-bellied Plover.

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Greater Yellowlegs.

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Killdeer.

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Least Sandpipers.

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We walked along the beautiful fenced dunes for a little while.

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We turnaround as no birds could be seen and checked out the railroad tracks.

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Barn Swallow fledgling.

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Pied-billed Grebes, Loon, Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets

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Close up of the Common Loon.

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Black Phoebe on its favorite perch.

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Long-billed Curlew.

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We observed a total of 27 bird species including a Snowy Plover, a Anna's Hummingbird, a White-crowned Sparrow, Mallards, House Finches, Semipalmated Plovers, as well as Caspian Terns and Turkey Vultures in flight.


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Credits and Additional Information


SYRE is the acronym for Santa Ynez River Estuary.


Birding the Santa Ynez River Estuary was easy yet rewarding! We spotted Long-billed Curlew, Greater Yellowlegs, Least Tern species and even a rare Reddish Egret.

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