2012-02-16 Chula Vista Bayfront Park

Red-Breasted Merganser at a bayside lagoon in Chula Vista, California. San Diego County.

I drove this Thursday morning to San Diego Bay at Chula Vista Bayfront Park. My favorite route to this destination is not direct. Rather, I take “F” street to Marina Parkway and stop where a natural channel connects a small wetland field to the bay. I’ve found this a good place to look for waterfowl and shorebirds. It’s not always fruitful, but sometimes yields a cool bird or two. Today it was a female Red-Breasted Merganser.

If I can get to “J-Street” before the sun climbs too high, and the tide is low, bird views to the south of J Street (here called Marina Parkway and Marina Way) can be amazing. On this morning the tide was in. Even with high tide there can be worthwhile birds to capture, but I chose to drive to the marina parking and walk to the shore to try for the birds on the bay approaching the shore. The lighting angles for this location can be very good, with sun behind your back until late morning. If the winds are calm, as they were this morning, the waters can be glassy, which is always welcome by those seeking to capture quality images.

Birds I met this day were Red-Breasted Merganser, Greater Scaup, Horned Grebe, Surf Scoter, Brant, Northern Pintail.