Memories of the Bird and Butterfly Gardens

The Tijuana River Valley has its own special locations dear to bird lovers. The Bird and Butterfly Gardens is one such place. It’s easy to see why. The river-course on the north side of the park provides a rich riparian habitat and the plants, trees and flowers on the garden grounds provide plenty of feeding opportunities for travel-weary birds and butterflies to take advantage of. There are several drips stationed throughout the park that can be popular with warblers, finches and other thirsty birds.

A wide variety of warblers, flycatchers, vireos, and sparrows and other migrating or resident birds make regular or seasonal visits here. A colony of loud and boisterous Black-Throated Magpie-Jays will make several stops throughout the day as they make their rounds through the Tijuana River Valley. This is one of the few reliable places in San Diego County where Common Ground Doves hang out.

I regularly stop by when I’m touring the Tijuana River Valley. Border Field and Dairy Mart Ponds are nearby.

Black-Throated Magpie-Jay - Calocitta colliei — **Black-Throated Magpie-Jay**
*(Calocitta colliei)*

**Description:**
These exotic escapees have established a breeding colony near the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2015:07:02 9:02

**Location:**

Bird & Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
410.13 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/60

**File Name:** D3X1883-BlackThroatedMagpieJay

© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Pin It — **Black-Throated Magpie-Jay**
*(Calocitta colliei)*

**Description:**
These exotic escapees have established a breeding colony near the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2015:07:02 9:02

**Location:**

Bird & Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
410.13 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/60

**File Name:** D3X1883-BlackThroatedMagpieJay

© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis — **American Goldfinch**
*(Spinus tristis)*

**Description:**
Foraging at the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County USA 2015-01-27.
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**Date Taken:** 2015:01:27 10:00

**Location:**

Bird & Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
410.13 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000

**File Name:** D3X5587-AmericanGoldFinch

Â© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com

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Say's Phoebe - Sayornis saya — **Say's Phoebe**
*(Sayornis saya)*

**Description:**
The "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2015:01:27 10:08

**Location:**

Bird & Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
52.50 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000

**File Name:** D3X5608-SaysPhoebe

© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com

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Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe — **Eastern Phoebe**
*(Sayornis phoebe)*

**Description:**
This east coast bird spent this winter at the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2015:01:27 10:14

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
400.28 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250

**File Name:** D3X5630-EasternPhoebe

© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus — **Northern Harrier**
*(Circus cyaneus)*

**Description:**
Resident in the area, this bird was seen at the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2015:01:27 10:38

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
400.28 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000

**File Name:** D3X5704-NorthernHarrier

Â© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Cassin's Kingbird - Tyrannus vociferans — **Cassin's Kingbird**
*(Tyrannus vociferans)*

**Description:**
Resident in the area, this bird was seen at the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2015:01:27 12:59

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
400.28 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/1000

**File Name:** D3X5844-CassinsKingBird

Â© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Cooper's Hawk - Accipiter cooperii — **Cooper's Hawk**
*(Accipiter cooperii)*

**Description:**
The "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2015:02:01 9:24

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
400.28 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/1250

**File Name:** D3X6077-CoopersHawk

© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Western Tiger Swallowtail - Papilio rutulus — **Western Tiger Swallowtail**
*(Papilio rutulus)*

**Description:**
A day at the Bird and Butterfly Garden, south of Imperial Beach along the Tijuana River. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2016:08:28 13:05

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
32.81 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640

**File Name:** D723030-WesternTigerSwallowTail-Butterfly

© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Monarch Butterfly - Danaus plexippus — **Monarch Butterfly**
*(Danaus plexippus)*

**Description:**
A day at the Bird and Butterfly Garden, south of Imperial Beach along the Tijuana River. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2016:08:28 13:11

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
32.81 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640

**File Name:** D723149-Monarch-Butterfly

© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Orange Sulphur Butterfly - Colias eurytheme — **Orange Sulphur Butterfly**
*(Colias eurytheme)*

**Description:**
A day at the Bird and Butterfly Garden, south of Imperial Beach along the Tijuana River. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2016:08:28 13:43

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
32.81 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640

**File Name:** D723272-OrangeSulphur-Butterfly

© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Viceroy Butterfly - Limenitis archippus — **Viceroy Butterfly**
*(Limenitis archippus)*

**Description:**
A day at the Bird and Butterfly Garden, south of Imperial Beach along the Tijuana River. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2016:08:28 13:44

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
32.81 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640

**File Name:** D723276-Viceroy-Butterfly

© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea — **Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher**
*(Polioptila caerulea)*

**Description:**
Possibly a resident bird in the Tijuana River Valley. This one was found at the The Bird and Butterfly Gardens, where numerous water drips and many trees and flowering bushes have been planted to provide nourishment for migrating birds. Tijuana River Valley, near Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2019:09:06 13:21

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
32.81 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000

**File Name:** BlueGrayGnatcatcher_D5X7928-BirdButterflyGarden

© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Orange-Crowned Warbler - Oreothlypis celata — **Orange-Crowned Warbler**
*(Leiothlypis celata)*

**Description:**
Possibly a resident bird in the Tijuana River Valley. This one was found at the The Bird and Butterfly Gardens, where numerous water drips and many trees and flowering bushes have been planted to provide nourishment for migrating birds. Tijuana River Valley, near Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2019:09:06 13:31

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
32.81 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800

**File Name:** OrangeCrownedWarbler_D5X8139-BirdButterflyGarden

© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Townsend's Warbler - Setophaga townsendi — **Townsend's Warbler**
*(Setophaga townsendi)*

**Description:**
An early migrating bird at one of the "must see" locations in the Tijuana River Valley is The Bird and Butterfly Gardens. Numerous water drips and many trees and flowering bushes have been planted to provide nourishment for migrating birds. Tijuana River Valley, near Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County.
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**Date Taken:** 2019:09:06 13:30

**Location:**

Bird and Butterfly Garden
Tijuana River Valley, California
United States
32.81 ft above sea level

**Camera Information:**
NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200

**File Name:** TownsendsWarbler_D5X8066-BirdButterflyGarden

© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com

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Click map markers to reveal further information

Black-Throated Magpie-Jay

Calocitta colliei

These exotic escapees have established a breeding colony near the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.

Black-Throated Magpie-Jay

Calocitta colliei

These exotic escapees have established a breeding colony near the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

Foraging at the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County USA 2015-01-27.

Say's Phoebe

Sayornis saya

The "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.

Eastern Phoebe

Sayornis phoebe

This east coast bird spent this winter at the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.

Northern Harrier

Circus cyaneus

Resident in the area, this bird was seen at the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.

Eastern Phoebe

Sayornis phoebe

This east coast bird spent this winter at the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.

Cassin's Kingbird

Tyrannus vociferans

Resident in the area, this bird was seen at the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.

Cassin's Kingbird

Tyrannus vociferans

Resident in the area, this bird was seen at the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

The "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.

Cooper's Hawk

Accipiter cooperii

The "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.

Black-Throated Magpie-Jay

Calocitta colliei

At the Bird & Butterfly Garden in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, near Imperial Beach, San Diego County, California.

Black-Throated Magpie-Jay

Calocitta colliei

These exotic escapees have established a breeding colony near the "Bird and Butterfly Garden" in the Tijuana River Valley. Near San Ysidro, California. San Diego County.