"Easy Birder" Driving Routes
San Felipe Grade (S2)
Paved all the way
Approximate Length: 17 miles
Approximate Birding Time: 3 hours (4 with the two optional hikes)
Traffic: Moderate, but can be noisy as this is the most popular grade with the big trucks...
Facilities: None along this route, but there are restrooms at the two Cuyamaca campgrounds on the way up and restaurants in Santa Ysabel on the way home.
Directions: To avoid Ramona and Julian, take I-8 east to the Descanso/Japatul Road exit (highway 79) and turn left (north) under the freeway. Follow 79 through Cuyamaca State Park (note that 79 makes a hard left a couple of miles from the freeway) up to where it Ts with highway 78 near Julian. Go right, and follow 78 down the grade to S2 (locally known as Scissors Crossing). Turn left (north) on S2 (note that it zigzags) and start birding here at the crossing.
Early morning at Scissors Crossing
Optional hike: PCT @ Scissors Crossing
+ (there's a mild rise
at one point, but otherwise it's flat). Just past where S2 heads north,
the PCT picks up on the south side of highway 78. You'll see a turnoff for
the Sentenac Birding Trail on your left, which is an hour long loop, part of
which goes through soft sand or water (depending on if the creek is running), so
if you prefer a shorter, easier walk continue straight along the PCT, which
eventually dumps out along S2, where you can simply follow the road back to your
car. If there's water in the creek and you prefer to keep your feet dry,
you may want to skip the trail altogether and just walk the bridge down to the
"southbound" S2 and back. Any way you take it, this area can be quite productive, as this
lush riparian area houses birds from the foothills not usually found in the desert. Here, look for both Nuttall's and Ladder-backed Woodpecker
(knowing their unique vocalizations helps here; beware of hybrids!), Northern Flicker, Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher, Wrentit, Western Scrub Jay, Common Yellowthroat, Black
Phoebe, and Song Sparrow year-round; Yellow-rumped Warbler and White-crowned Sparrow
in winter, and Bullock's Oriole and Bell's
Vireo in summer. Look for Western Tanagers and other migrants in the
spring; even herons are possible! Other desert-related
species can also be found here, such as Black-throated and Brewer's
(winter) Sparrows, White-winged Dove, and Verdin.
Chaparral species which are also found in our deserts include California
Thrasher and Towhee, Ash-throated Flycatcher (summer), and
California Quail. Check for migrating swallows as well; one year a
large flock of Lawrence's Goldfinches had the place staked out! For
the first few miles up S2 the riparian area remains lush; listen for Blue
Grosbeak, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, and the newly-colonized
Summer Tanagers in (appropriately) summer. Although I missed it for
purposes of this project, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo showed up during the summer of
2006, so they're worth keeping an ear out for!
Southbound PCT
San Felipe Creek
Further up the road the big trees die out for awhile, and the habitat becomes more open and scrubby, good for Loggerhead Shrikes, Northern Mockingbirds, and Scott's Orioles (summer). Across the street the cactus and scrub are good for Phainopepla, Cactus and Bewick's Wrens, and Black-tailed Gnatcatcher. Keep an ear out for Rock Wrens along the hillsides, and watch for Greater Roadrunners crossing the road. Further up the grade listen for Mountain Quail in spring.
Optional Trail: San Felipe Valley Wilderness Area 
(Very mild incline on the way down to and up from the valley, where the trail is
flat.) At about mile 5.5 (from
Scissors Crossing) there's a parking area on the left and a short trail down to
the creek; the Pines Fire of 2002 devastated much of this area, but vegetation
is coming back and so are the birds (particularly Lazuli Buntings in
spring and summer). This hike might yield some
birds otherwise hard to get from the road, such as Common Ground Dove, as
well as sparrows and migrating
warblers (Black-throated Gray Warbler and Indigo Bunting has been
kicked up in here). Dark-eyed Juncos seem to like this area in
winter, and Lark Sparrows start flocking here in late summer. Listen for Costa's Hummingbirds zinging in early summer.
Willow Flycatchers have been reported from deep within the partially burned
willow riparian area, but have not yet been heard from the road.
Burned area
After a rare snow in the Volcan Mountains
Desert habitat on the east side of the road
Continuing on, you eventually reach oak savannah habitat and start picking up expected birds such as Black-headed Grosbeak (summer), Western Bluebird, Red-shouldered Hawk, Western Scrub Jay, Oak Titmouse, Acorn Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Chipping Sparrow. Black-chinned Sparrows are repopulating the burned chaparral areas in summer, to be replaced by Fox Sparrows in winter. Past the turnoff to Montezuma Grade, the rolling grasslands of the Vista Water District come into view; unfortunately the Mataguay Fire of 2004 took out much of this area as well, but there's still enough habitat to support Western Kingbirds in summer, American Pipit and Vesper and Savannah Sparrows in winter, and Lark Sparrows and Horned Larks year round. Look for American Kestrels and other raptors (keep an eye out for specialties like Ferruginous Hawk and Prairie Falcon in winter and rarities like Swainson's Hawk in migration). The riparian area along Buena Vista Creek was spared, however; listen for Bullock's Orioles, Blue Grosbeaks (both summer) and other riparian birds, and check the very small marsh for nesting Tricolored Blackbirds (Brewer's and Red-winged can also be plentiful in here, as well as Western Meadowlark). Check the larger trees for nesting Great Blue Heron. A stand of pines down the road is often good for Lawrence's Goldfinch, and possibly Mountain Chickadee, and the willow woodland that comes up to the road can have Yellow Warblers in summer. The route ends at the intersection with highway 79.
Oak savannah habitat
View from the summit
Grasslands of the Vista Water District
Pines and willows near the end of the route
Personal Checklist ●=small numbers █ = large numbers (10+)
Please keep in mind that these lists are NOT comprehensive, and that some months may have had poor overall coverage. Species in red indicate vagrant or irruptive species and are not to be expected.