Yesterday morning, I took a walk over to Torrey Pines Reserve Extension, a desert canyon area just a half mile from the house which is accessible only through residential neighborhoods. It’s a unique gem with a nice system of hiking trails and some good birds. 

You get some nice views of the ocean from the upper trails. The Pacific Coast Highway is in the distance.

I saw Bushtits, Northern Harriers, dozens of Yellow-rumped Warblers but the star of the walk with this little Allen’s Hummingbird who perched not far from the trail. He flew off for a bit, returned for more photos, and finally left. I was hoping that he might be a Rufous Hummingbird, a species I have not seen, but I don’t think so. This guy was special.

We leave for Boston this morning after a nice stint of Southern California weather and a chance to be with our kids and grandkids, who we see too infrequently. We hope to be back with the Airstream in early February.