By Read Howarth | Photographer, Grace Wang

Western Tanager, Vol. 86 No. 2, Nov/Dec 2019

The Malibu Coast Field Trip was a success with 12 participants at 8:00 am at Malibu Lagoon. The day got off to a great start with a Black-throated Gray Warbler adjacent to the parking lot in a sycamore tree as we gathered under the shaded ramada overlooking the lagoon.

Irwin Woldman had agreed to guide us through the early part of the trip and first took us to the overlook platform south east of the parking lot where we were treated to a Belted Kingfisher, a Green Heron and a Sora, among other birds. Heading out to the beach we stopped at the platform overlook across the way just before reaching the beach where good views were had of several birds on the island looking back toward the parking lot.

There and on the beach we had Gadwall, Mallards, American Widgeon, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Rock Pigeon, Double Crested Cormorants, Brown Pelicans (no longer in breeding plumage) Marbled Godwits, Willets, Ruddy Turnstone, Black Turnstone, Snowy Plover, Black bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Sanderlings, Killdeer and others.

After the lagoon, we went to Legacy Park, across the Pacific Coast Highway, between PCH and the Malibu Library, where we saw a Red-tailed hawk being mobbed by crows, a Kestrel chasing a lbb. Irwin and Linda left after Legacy Park.

When the rest of us went to get sandwiches, we saw an Osprey over Malibu Creek along the south east side of Cross Creek Mall. After eating sandwiches in the shade next to Legacy Park, we headed up the coast.

We stopped first at Bonsall/Zuma Canyon where we saw two Cooper’s Hawks and another Red-tail hawk being mobbed, before heading to Zuma Lagoon.

At the Zuma Lagoon, beside the usual gulls, we saw Mallard, Eared Grebe, American Coot, Willet, California Scrub-jay, and sparrow. Also, we were treated to both Red-necked Phalarope and a Red Phalarope near the reeds close to the beach where we were standing.

Red-necked Phalarope, Photograph by Grace Wang

There was some tentativeness about making the identification of the Red Phalarope, so we consulted Kimball Garrett and Nick and Mary Freeman, who confirmed the identification.

Thank you to all who participated in making it a fun productive day, and especially to Irwin for acting as our guide to Malibu Lagoon and Legacy Park and Grace Wang for capturing such wonderful photographs and allowing us to share them.

Malibu Creek Lagoon and Zuma Lagoon — Link to share:

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOAyYCApStdbWuyqzsjx260l3n6VuzZn71_nqGHyROTqUKa3fktzova9aWIbkJ2NQ?key=WE10dEwxckdBQUV6RVZIUS1hSlVkNzctYkZ0Rjln (Owner: Grace Wang)