Date: 4/13/26 11:21 am From: Geoff Veith via groups.io <veithlaw...> Subject: [SanDiegoRegionBirding] Some Info on Finding the Crissal Thrasher WTP/Borrego
For those interested in finding Crissal Thrasher, the following may be helpful. Margaret Brown and I heard and saw Crissal Thrasher at the Water Treatment Ponds in Borrego yesterday morning, 4/12. Generally, the bird (or birds, may be more than one) preferred the mesquite just north of the northern settlement pond and displayed a pattern of silence, interrupted by brief, unprompted singing. More specifically, we arrived shortly after 7 am and did not see or hear the bird for the first hour; there were two out of town birders also present. At 8:15-20 the thrasher began singing unprompted. Margaret and I heard it but could not find the bird as it was hidden by the mesquite. It sang for maybe two minutes then stopped. One of the out of town birders who had seen the bird from their vantage point came over and pointed the general area where they had seen the bird in the mesquite NE of the settling ponds. About 5 minutes later and in that same location, the thrasher popped up to the top of the mesquite and began singing very briefly and just as suddenly as it popped up, it stopped and dropped back down. It then sang unprompted about every 15-20 minutes and while we could hear it we could not find it. I walked to the NW portion of the mesquite and clearly heard a Crissal singing there and also thought I heard a brief response from the NE area. Margaret and I then walked to dirt road or path on the west side of the settling ponds. From that location, at about 9:30 am, we heard and saw the Crissal singing from the top of somewhat distant mesquite WNW of the ponds. One other detail, when perched up and singing, the Crissal seemed to favor mesquite with mistletoe.
If this pattern holds I would recommend getting to an elevated spot where you can see out over the mesquite and wait patiently for the bird to pop up and sing. Walking through the mesquite or using playback would likely reduce the chance of seeing this bird.
Geoff Veith
Solana Beach, CA
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