Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge

This morning I visited the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge [http://www.fws.gov/refuge/san_diego_bay/] on San Diego Bay about two miles west of where I'm staying here in Chula Vista south of San Diego.

One of the new birds I saw was this Savannah Sparrow. Actually it's a protected local version called a Belding's Savannah Sparrow and is considered a rare subspecies.

For a complete list of the birds I saw:
www.ebird.org

The wildlife refuge has a way better pic of the Belding's Savannah Sparrow than mine on their websight.

Another new one for me was this Common Yellow Throat Warbler.

And I think now on I'll be able to recognize a Northern Mocking Bird when I see one.















I first came here a couple of weeks ago while on a bike ride and was a bit put off by what looked like a $14 entry fee and shuttle bus ride.  But after a phone call learned that I was free to take the shuttle bus in and hike the trails in the refuge without paying for the separate $14 nature center tour.  I'm sure I'll be going back.