July 20, 1993
Visited Descanso Gardens with my mom, Robin, Max, and Jessicca, and saw a handful of birds. A group of at least twelve tiny ☆American Bushtit☆ was hopping around in a bush about four feet away from me. They were too close for me to use the binoculars! Adorable, friendly little birds. A Black Phoebe came very close to me, allowing me to have a great look. I was also alerted to the presence of a ☆Spotted Towhee☆ by a great commotion of scratching in the dirt and leaves under some bushes. I was rewarded by being able to see this close relative to my local Towhee, and notice the differences between the two.
For what it’s worth, this wasn’t my first visit to these gardens. Here is a photo of me taken by my mom at a previous visit, back in 1967.
Species List
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus), American Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus), Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans semiater)
Let me know what you think!