by Jon Fisher
And the rains came... La Nina years such as this are generally drier than normal, but this winter proved to be an exception. By the end of the January most areas were close to normal precipitation for the entire season. Another massive winter storm came at the end of February, putting us comfortably above normal. The sheer volume of water also altered many birding locales. To put things in perspective, this winter will be only the fourth to have above much average precipitation since the blockbuster winter of 2004-2005.
There is nothing like spring following a wet winter; and spring comes early to coastal southern California. In contrast to most of the country, signs of the season were noticeable by February. The landscape was lush and breeding activity was prevalent among resident birds well before most spring migrants start to arrive.
Though it was generally not a notable winter for irruptive species, American Robins were present in well above normal numbers throughout southern California. These events are most frequently caused by the presence or absence of food sources driving birds outside their regular ranges. Quite rare in comparison to robins, but also noted in above average numbers on the coastal slope were Townsend’s Solitaires and Brown Creepers.
Of course, there were plenty of interesting birds to be found and chased; no surprise there. Los Angeles County is very productive for birding, with a wide variety of habitats promoting species diversity and a considerable number of birders ensuring fewer birds go undetected.
A Tundra Swan was briefly at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas on January 8 (Austin Gonzalez).
Diving ducks of interest included up to two White-winged Scoters and up to five Black Scoters were off Dockweiler State Beach in El Segundo from January 21-25 (Richard Barth) and a Long-tailed Duck that ranged between the Ballona Creek mouth and Dockwelier from January 3-February 1 (Naresh Satyan, Chris Dean).
A White-winged Dove was in Duarte near Encanto Park from January 15-February 10 (Tracy Drake), with two there on January 19 (Tom Miko).
First seen on December 29 at the Rio Hondo Spreading Basins in Pico Rivera, a remarkably long-staying Sandhill Crane remained through February 14, sometimes moving to the San Gabriel Coastal Spreading Basins less than a mile away.
American Oystercatchers included birds at the Los Angeles Harbor through January 15, at the Ballona Creek mouth in Playa del Rey from January 28-February 18 (Bob Packard) and at Malibu Lagoon on February 15 (Naresh Satyan). Several other likely hybrid American x Black Oystercatchers were also reported.
The returning wintering Pacific Golden-Plover along lower Ballona Creek was present through February 4. At least five Mountain Plovers continued near Palmdale in the Antelope Valley through January 5 and up to fifteen were in the east valley near 110th Street East and Ave. I from January 25- February 3. Also of note was a Red Knot at the Ballona Creek mouth reported through January 8.
Nine Lesser Black-backed Gulls were reported during the period, though some of these certainly represent repeat sightings of the same individuals.
Pelagic birds of note included a rare Tufted Puffin off the Palos Verdes Peninsula on December 26 (Jess Morton) and a Brown Booby off the Palos Verdes Peninsula on January 21 (Jon Feenstra, et al).
Seventeen Neotropic Cormorants were recorded in total, but since these birds move around, the total number of birds is somewhat lower.
Yellow-crowned Night-Herons numbered thirty-one, though these birds were concentrated at just two locations; Alamitos Bay and near the Ballona Creek mouth. Notably, eighteen were at Burton Chace County Park in Marina Del Rey on January 16 (Lynzie Flynn, Henry Witzken).
Small numbers of California Condors- with a high count of six- were reported from December 28-February 21 along the I-5 corridor between Castaic Lake and Frazier Park.
Forty-five Swainson’s Hawks at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas on January 6 was a notable number so early in the season (Keith Condon). A half dozen Zone-tailed Hawks were reported over the period, with some of these sightings likely pertaining the same bird(s).
A Short-eared Owl on San Clemente Island on December 29 was the only one reported (Kandace Glanville).
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were on Santa Catalina Island on January 8 (Laura Vandezande) and at Veteran’s Park in Sylmar through February 20. A half dozen Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flickers were also present during the period.
A Merlin of the pale “Prairie” subspecies (richardsonii) was near the Rancho Sierra Golf Course in the east Antelope Valley on February 12 (David Bell).
Dusky-capped Flycatchers included a bird at Peck Park in San Pedro from December 28-January 14 (Brian Daniels) and a returning wintering bird at the Sepulveda Basin in Van Nuys from January 16-February 23 (Jon Fisher). Equally rare in winter was an Ash-throated Flycatcher at the Sepulveda Basin from January 6-29 (Nurit Katz, Adam Long). Rarer still was a wintering Brown-crested Flycatcher back at the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes Estates and reported from January 1-4 (Nancy Salem).
Six Tropical Kingbirds were present this winter. A particularly good county bird was a Thick-billed Kingbird first seen in Griffith Park on October 31 last year (Curtis Marantz) and spotted again at the Los Angeles Zoo on February 13 (Mario Pineda). Common as a migrant and summer visitor but still rare in winter was a Western Kingbird at Madrona Marsh in Torrance through February 23.
A returning wintering Least Flycatcher was at the West San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail in Lakewood from February 4-21 (Christine Jacobs). Six Hammond’s Flycatchers were present over the period as were seven Pacific-slope Flycatchers.
Eastern Phoebes were at Scherer Park in Long Beach through January 19, at Lake Lindero in Agoura Hills through February 9, at Castaic Lagoon from December 25-Febuary 21 (Joel Moser, Jeffrey Fenwick), and at Malibu Creek State Park on January 15 (Colin & Jo Drummond).
A Bell’s Vireo was a Rio de Los Angeles Park in Los Angeles from January 25-26 (Mark Wilson) where one was present last February. It seems possible that this bird wintered locally.
Cassin’s Vireos were at Alondra Park Reservoir on January 7 (Becky Turley, Merryl Edelstein, Christine Jacobs), at Birdcage Park in Long Beach on January 25 (Benjamin Ewing) and in the Sepulveda Basin from January 31-February 18 (Rebecca Marschall).
A very early spring migrant Cliff Swallow was at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas on January 26 (Keith Condon).
Pacific Wrens were at Little Santa Anita Canyon above Monrovia on December 27 (Darren Dowell), continuing at Temescal Gateway Park in Pacific Palisades through January 5, below Switzer’s Picnic Area in the San Gabriel Mountains on January 28 (David Wooley) and at La Mirada Park from February 23-24 (Jonathan Rowley). This last bird as initially thought to be a much rarer Winter Wren, but vocalizations ultimately appeared to be a better match for Pacific. Far rarer- and only the second found in the county- was a Sedge Wren continuing at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB through January 19.
Three Lapland Longspurs were in the east Antelope Valley on December 26 (Kimball Garrett), with up to five being reported there through February 12. Up to eleven were in the west valley near Neenach in early February (Richard Crossley) and as many as sixteen Chestnut-collared Longspurs were concurrently in the same area (Richard Crossley).
Possibly a continuing bird, a Grasshopper Sparrow was seen at Malibu Creek State Park on February 21 (William Buswell).
Clay-colored Sparrows were at the Rio Hondo Spreading Grounds in Pico Rivera from January 6-7 (John Rodgers), at Pierce Brothers Cemetery in Westlake Village on January 15 (Dan Cooper) and at the Westwood Recreation Center on February 21 (Richard Hayes).
Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Juncos were at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena through January 31, at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas through January 2, in Monrovia through December 27 and at Satellite Park in Cerritos on January 19 (Charles & Thomas Lopez). Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Juncos were at Highridge Park in Rolling Hills Estates on December 28 (Lucas Stephenson), at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas through February 22 and in Juniper Hills from February 25-26 (Kimball Garrett).
A Harris’s Sparrow was in Beverly Hills from January 29-February 22 (William Tyrer). A notable thirty White-throated Sparrows were also recorded.
Rarely documented in the county was a Sagebrush Sparrow in the west Antelope Valley in early February (Richard Crossley). Separating this species from the closely related Bell’s Sparrow offers challenges, with some overlap in characteristics.
Swamp Sparrows included one at Colorado Lagoon through January 1, up to four at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas through February 23 and one along the Los Angeles River in Glendale through January 11.
Wintering Green-tailed Towhees were at the Dominguez Gap Wetlands in Long Beach from December 25-January 20 (Jack Wickel) and at the West San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail in Lakewood through February 22.
A Scott’s Oriole continued in Crystalaire through February 18 and six Hooded Orioles- common in spring and summer but quite rare in winter- were found on the coastal slope of the county.
Baltimore Orioles were at the San Gabriel Coastal Basin Spreading Grounds in Pico Rivera from December 26-January 15 (Catherine Eldridge, John Drayer) and at the Los Angeles Country Club on January 1 (Kimball Garrett).
Five Black-and-white Warblers were recorded during the period, while Tennessee Warblers were at Colorado Lagoon in Long Beach on January 12 (Joyce Brady) and near Birdcage Park in Long Beach from January 25-February 23 (James Maley). A Lucy’s Warbler was at Col. Leon H. Washington Park in Los Angeles on February 15 (Chris Dean) and an above average nine Nashville Warblers were found.
A true rarity in the county was a Cape May Warbler back for its second winter at Loyola Marymount University in Westchester from January 1-February 21 (Calvin Bonn). This very cooperative bird was enjoyed by many birders.
A Northern Parula was at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park in Harbor City through January 2 and a Palm Warbler continued along the lower Los Angeles River at Avila Park in Long Beach through February 21. A late season find was a Pine Warbler at La Mirada Regional Community Park in La Mirada from February 13-20 (Jonathan Rowley).
Painted Redstarts continued near Birdcage Park in Long Beach through February 23 and in Brentwood through January 25.
About sixteen Summer Tanagers were recorded over the period and Black-headed Grosbeaks were at the Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia on December 27 (Peter Beck) and at the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library in Los Angeles on January 25 (Rebecca Marschall).
January and February certainly had plenty to offer, but now that most of winter is behind us, it’s difficult to imagine any birder not anticipating the onset of spring migration. In fact, this has already begun, albeit slowly. The number and variety of migrants will increase in March and April and rewarding “first of spring” sightings, visiting migrant hotspots such as Bear Divide, and the occasional vagrant will all contribute to the enjoyment birders find in this season.
The southern foothills and canyons of the San Gabriel Mountains can offer great spring birding for Neotropical migrants, as can the deserts. Coastal promontories will also be worth checking, not for landbirds, but for loons, scoters, Brants and others heading to much more northerly breeding areas. Adding to that, surprises can turn up almost anytime and anywhere.