Today Global Big Day I went birding in Mitchell Canyon at Mt. Diablo State Park with seven other birders from the Masterbirding program. Between us we saw 50 different bird species. We also saw six butterfly species, A Valley Oak with many California Wasp Galls and at least 21 native wildflowers in bloom. There are still many Mt. Diablo Fairy Lanterns in bloom.
Click Read More to see our species lists from today
Bird List – 50 species
California Quail 6
Wild Turkey 8
Turkey Vulture 3
White-tailed Kite 1
Sharp-shinned/Cooper’s Hawk 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Mourning Dove 3
Anna’s Hummingbird 10
Acorn Woodpecker 6
Nuttall’s Woodpecker 3
Olive-sided Flycatcher 1
Western Wood-Pewee 1
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 1
Black Phoebe 2
Ash-throated Flycatcher 2
Hutton’s Vireo 2
Cassin’s Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 3
Steller’s Jay 3
California Scrub-Jay 6
American Crow 3
Common Raven 1
Violet-green Swallow 12
Oak Titmouse 8
Bushtit 12
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
House Wren 2
Bewick’s Wren 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 In oak at picnic area.
Wrentit 2
Western Bluebird 3
Swainson’s Thrush 2
California Thrasher 1
European Starling 4
Phainopepla 1
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1
Townsend’s Warbler 3
Wilson’s Warbler 4
Dark-eyed Junco 3
Song Sparrow 1
Butterfly List
Western Tiger Swallowtail
Pale Swallowtail
California Sister
Chalcedon Checkerspot
Northern Checkerspot
California Ringlet
California Wasp Gall
Wildflower List
Blue-eyed Grass
Mt. Diablo Fairy Lantern
Soap Plant (in bud, blooming soon)
Ookow
Ithuriel’s Spear
Poison Oak (in fruit)
Cow Parsnip
Narrow-leaf Bush Sunflower/Ericameria linearifolia
Blue Elderberry
Snowberry
Deerweed
Lupine
Common Vetch
Erodium
California Buckeye
Yerba Santa
White Nemophila
Pitcher Sage
California Poppy
Wind Poppy
Miner’s Lettuce
Woodland Star
Chinese House
Also California Wasp Gall on a Valley Oak
Natural History Wanderings 
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