I enjoyed visiting Dixon Lake several times between 2004 and 2008. Sometimes I would hike the trails. Other times I would rent a boat and tour the shoreline. I usually carried my camera gear and looked for birds to photograph. I was still rather new to birding, and every meeting provided an opportunity to learn. I’m happy to say, I still feel that way.
Constructed in 1971, this 69 acre reservoir was built by the City of Escondido to buffer against drought. Anglers know this lake for the record-sized fish it has produced (Largemouth Bass). I appreciate this location for the habitat it preserves. The chaparral-covered slopes surrounding the lake sustain many native species, and the shoreline of the reservoir hosts migrating waterfowl each winter.
This lake was named for James B. Dixon because of his history as superintendent of the Escondido Water Company. He was a noted ornithologist and amassed an extensive collection of bird eggs. He and his brother, Joseph were born in Kansas but moved to Escondido, California at an early age. Joseph Scattergood Dixon was a good friend of his former teacher, Joseph Grinnell, and joined him at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at Berkeley when it was started in 1910 (or 1908). He took part in several landmark biological surveys with Grinnell and others.
Sora(Porzana carolina) |
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Description: Foraging in marshy wetlands is where these birds seem most comfortable. Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California USA 2015-05-08. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:05 18:18 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/180 |
File Name: JCD_0774Sora |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Sora(Porzana carolina) |
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Description: Foraging in marshy wetlands is where these birds seem most comfortable. Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California USA 2015-05-08. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:05 18:18 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/200 |
File Name: JCD_0775Sora |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Common Yellowthroat(Geothlypis trichas) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:06 17:22 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD_0806CommonYellowThroat |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dragonfly(unknown) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:06 17:59 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD_0815DragonFly |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Coot(Fulica americana) |
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Description: Juvenile at Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:08 16:56 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/180 |
File Name: JCD_0900AmericanCoot_Juv |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Blue-Winged Teal(Spatula discors) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California 2004-10-08. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:08 16:25 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 500 mm, f/13.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD_0885BlueWingedTeal |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black-Crowned Night-Heron(Nycticorax nycticorax) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California 2004-10-08. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:08 16:45 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/12.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD_0894BlackCrownedNightHeron |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
American Kestrel(Falco sparverius) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California 2004-10-08. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:08 17:55 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/13.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD_0914AmericanKestrel |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Winged Blackbird(Agelaius phoeniceus) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California 2004-10-08. |
Date Taken: 2004:10:08 18:42 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 600 mm, f/8.0, 1/60 |
File Name: JCD_0927RedWingedBlackBird |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Lesser Scaup(Aythya affinis) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California 2005-03-11. |
Date Taken: 2005:03:11 16:43 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/160 |
File Name: JCD0016LesserScaup |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Ground Squirrel(Otospermophilus beecheyi) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California 2005-03-11. |
Date Taken: 2005:03:11 14:31 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 440 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD0020CaliforniaGroundSquirrel |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma californica) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California 2005-03-11. |
Date Taken: 2005:03:11 14:34 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: Cut_JCD0045ScrubJay |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Song Sparrow(Melospiza melodia) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California 2005-03-11. |
Date Taken: 2005:03:11 15:22 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD0092SongSparrow |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Spotted Towhee(Pipilo maculatus) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California 2005-03-11. |
Date Taken: 2005:03:11 15:36 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/350 |
File Name: JCD0117SpottedTowhee |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Rufous-Crowned Sparrow(Aimophila ruficeps) |
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Description: Dixon Lake. Northern Escondido, San Diego County, California USA 2008-02-23. |
Date Taken: 2008:02:23 14:20 |
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Location:
Dixon Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 400 mm, f/4.0, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD3478RufousCrownedSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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