When I was 16 years old, and starting to drive independently, exploring San Diego County’s remote back-country roads was one of my greatest joys. Boulder Creek Road was one of my favorites. It crosses some of the most primitive chaparral country in the county, from Pine Hills to Descanso. To its east rise the Cuyamaca and Laguna peaks. And to its west the foothills fall all the way to the Pacific shores.
Today, there are more homes settled along its route than there were in my youth. Fire is perhaps the single biggest deterrent to more severe over-building in this region of the county’s backcountry. In the fall of 2003, San Diego suffered the Cedar Fire. It took 12 days to ‘control’, but another month before firefighters could extinguish the last of its hot-spots.
Several years of study followed to assess the impact of the fire on the ecosystem. One scientist involved was my friend Phil Unitt of the San Diego Natural History Museum. In May-2008, I drove out to Boulder Creek to see for myself what birds I could find. The number of birds I found that morning impressed me. Within a few hours, I found Black-Chinned Sparrows, Lazuli Buntings, Bell’s Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, Western Bluebirds, Ash-Throated Flycatchers, Townsend’s Warblers, House Wrens, and my friend Phil.
Black-Chinned Sparrow(Spizella atrogularis) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 7:56 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1500 |
File Name: JCD5044BlackChinnedSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Lazuli Bunting(Passerina amoena) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:31 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD5060LazuliBunting |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Lazuli Bunting(Passerina amoena) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:31 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD5062LazuliBunting |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Sparrow(Artemisiospiza belli) |
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Description: (Amphispiza belli) A bird we met while studying the recovering habitat near Boulder Creek Road after the devastating Cedar Fire of 2003. In the foothills of San Diego County, California USA 2008-05-09. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:32 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD5065-BellsSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Sparrow(Artemisiospiza belli) |
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Description: (Amphispiza belli) A bird we met while studying the recovering habitat near Boulder Creek Road after the devastating Cedar Fire of 2003. In the foothills of San Diego County, California USA 2008-05-09. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:32 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD5066-BellsSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Sparrow(Artemisiospiza belli) |
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Description: (Amphispiza belli) A bird we met while studying the recovering habitat near Boulder Creek Road after the devastating Cedar Fire of 2003. In the foothills of San Diego County, California USA 2008-05-09. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:33 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: Cut_JCD5077-BellsSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Sparrow(Artemisiospiza belli) |
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Description: (Amphispiza belli) A bird we met while studying the recovering habitat near Boulder Creek Road after the devastating Cedar Fire of 2003. In the foothills of San Diego County, California USA 2008-05-09. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:34 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD5088-BellsSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Chinned Sparrow(Spizella atrogularis) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:36 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD5095BlackChinnedSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Chinned Sparrow(Spizella atrogularis) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:36 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD5105BlackChinnedSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Chinned Sparrow(Spizella atrogularis) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:36 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD5112BlackChinnedSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Chinned Sparrow(Spizella atrogularis) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:40 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD5136BlackChinnedSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Chinned Sparrow(Spizella atrogularis) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:41 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD5140BlackChinnedSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Chinned Sparrow(Spizella atrogularis) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 8:41 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/350 |
File Name: JCD5142BlackChinnedSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Sparrow(Artemisiospiza belli) |
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Description: (Amphispiza belli) A bird we met while studying the recovering habitat near Boulder Creek Road after the devastating Cedar Fire of 2003. In the foothills of San Diego County, California USA 2008-05-09. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 9:09 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD5153-BellsSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Sparrow(Artemisiospiza belli) |
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Description: (Amphispiza belli) A bird we met while studying the recovering habitat near Boulder Creek Road after the devastating Cedar Fire of 2003. In the foothills of San Diego County, California USA 2008-05-09. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 9:09 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD5158-BellsSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Bell's Sparrow(Artemisiospiza belli) |
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Description: (Amphispiza belli) A bird we met while studying the recovering habitat near Boulder Creek Road after the devastating Cedar Fire of 2003. In the foothills of San Diego County, California USA 2008-05-09. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 9:09 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD5159-BellsSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Lark Sparrow(Chondestes grammacus) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 9:19 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200 |
File Name: JCD5170LarkSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Lark Sparrow(Chondestes grammacus) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 9:24 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD5190LarkSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Western Bluebird(Sialia mexicana) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 9:26 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/5000 |
File Name: JCD5205WesternBlueBird |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ash-Throated Flycatcher(Myiarchus cinerascens) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 9:31 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: JCD5220AshThroatedFlyCatcher |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Lark Sparrow(Chondestes grammacus) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 9:48 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: JCD5224LarkSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Lark Sparrow(Chondestes grammacus) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 9:58 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: JCD5240LarkSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 10:09 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD5251Falls.BoulderCreek |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Townsend's Warbler(Dendroica townsendi) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 10:24 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1500 |
File Name: JCD5256TownsendsWarbler |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Lark Sparrow(Chondestes grammacus) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 10:34 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1500 |
File Name: JCD5265LarkSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Western Bluebird(Sialia mexicana) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 10:47 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/350 |
File Name: JCD5286WesternBlueBird |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
House Wren(Troglodytes aedon) |
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Description: Boulder Creek Road. In the foothills of San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2008:05:09 10:48 |
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Location:
Boulder Creek Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/160 |
File Name: JCD5294HouseWren.Nest_ |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
House Wren(Troglodytes aedon) |
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Description: Seen on drive through Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:06 13:01 |
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Location:
Zion National Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD5299HouseWren |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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