Looks like I'll be making a trek to southern California next month

[semillama]

With the assistance of our resident California bird expert, Xemasab, I'm gathering ideas and plans on how to maximize my limited time there, and it's looking like Ventura County is the place to be. My goal is to add 30 life birds to hit 500 species for the ABA area. Here's my revised target list taken from the Ventura Audubon society web page (arranged from common to uncommon):

Common birds:
California Quail
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Heerman's Gull
Mew Gull
Western Gull
California Gull
Pigeon Guillemot
Allen's Hummingbird
Nuttal's Woodpecker
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Western Scrub-jay
Oak Titmouse
Bushtit
Wrentit
California Thrasher
Californa Towhee
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Lawrence's Goldfinch

Fairly Common:
Brandt's Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Whimbrel
Long-billed Curlew
Black Turnstone
Surfbird

Uncommon:
Chukar
Mountain Quail
White-tailed Kite
Black Oystercatcher
Glaucous-winged Gull
Xantus's Murrelet
Cassin's Auklet
Rhinoceros Auklet
Spotted Dove
Rose-crowned Parrot
Western Screech-Owl
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Common Poorwill
Vaux's Swift
Lewis's Woodpecker
White-headed Woodpecker
Cassin's Vireo
MacGillivray's Warbler
Black-chinned Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Tricolored Blackbird

That's 48 species right there, so I think I have a shot...

[XemaSab]

1. Are you on e-birds?

You can go to their sighting maps and "cheat" if you're in a pinch. :D

[semillama]

2. I don't think I'll be bringing my computer

but i can check birdingonthe.net with my blackberry.

So, I've been looking through the Lane Guide and I think I'm going to start off with the Santa Barbara loop and if there's time, do the Mt. Pinos area as well. That should cover a wide variety of habitats.

[XemaSab]

3. Very cool

It's a nice area down there with good avian diversity.

I hit 200 for Santa Barbara county last year. :D