Field guide index
Birding
Explore birding through our San Diego field notes. Find practical guides, coastal context and links to the official information you need before heading out.
Snowy Plover Ocean Beach Searches: A San Diego Bird Guide
A small shorebird with a big need for undisturbed sand. Learn what to watch for without approaching nests or resting flocks.
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Brandt's Cormorant: A San Diego Coast Identification Guide
Look for a substantial seabird with a hooked bill, diving behavior and a vivid blue throat during breeding season.
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Famosa Slough: San Diego Wetland and Birding Guide
Visit Famosa Slough for an urban wetland walk, birdwatching and salt-marsh habitat, with guidance from the city and local stewards.
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San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center: Trails and Visitor Guide
Start at San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center for exhibits, an accessible loop and wetland birdwatching. Learn how it differs from Annie's Canyon.
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Natural Lagoons in San Diego: Los Peñasquitos and Wetlands
Start with the landscape: coastal lagoons are living wetland systems, not swimming lakes. Los Peñasquitos makes that distinction clear.
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Los Penasquitos Lagoon: Preserve and Access Guide
This coastal estuary is a State Marsh Natural Preserve. Plan around permitted edge access rather than assuming a trail circles the lagoon.
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Best San Diego Birding Hotspots on the Coast
Compare coastal San Diego birding hotspots, from Famosa Slough and San Elijo Lagoon to Point Loma and the Tijuana estuary.
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Agua Hedionda Lagoon: Discovery Center and Trail Guide
Start at the Discovery Campus, then choose a lagoon-side walk that fits your group. Separate trailheads make a little advance planning worthwhile.
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