Santee's Bird of the Month

October's Bird of the Month is a mourning dove perched on the lodgepole fence at Town Center Community Park.

Santee is a exceptional place for birding  because of the variety of habitats found here. Raptors, flycatchers and songbirds of many varieties can be seen in the riparian zone along the San Diego River.

The chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitat common to the hills surrounding Santee are home to native species such as the California gnatcatcher, scrub jay, and the state bird, the California quail.

Many species of migratory ducks, including colorful wood ducks, can be found at the 180-acre Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve.

If you have sharp photo of a bird taken in the city of Santee, email it to the Community Services Department at trodgers@ci.santee.ca.us and we'll post the best pic at the end of the month along with your name in the Santee Review, our online newsletter.