by Jon Fisher

By Jon Fisher

Spring migration largely ended in early June, but quite a few good birds continued to be found well after that.  As always, observers scoured various parts of the county looking for the unexpected, and their efforts were certainly rewarded. 

The month of May had already produced two birds new to Los Angeles County, but June was not to be outdone with two additional county firsts recorded.  Many other lesser rarities were also found.

Small numbers of southbound shorebirds appeared in early July and numbers increased as the month progressed, with the lower Los Angeles River and the Piute Ponds generally being the most productive spots.      

While we continued to enjoy the results of a wet winter, it was obvious that habitats were drying out as we moved from late spring into early summer.  The downside of above average precipitation is the proliferation of vegetation; especially non-native grasses that dry quickly and burn readily.  Fortunately, a 16,000 acre blaze in the Gorman area was the only fire of significance thus far. 

Late and lingering waterfowl included a Long-tailed Duck at Colorado Lagoon in Long Beach through June 4 and a Red-breasted Merganser- scarce inland- at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas from June 10-18 (Andy H.).

A few Inca Doves continued to be reported in Lake Los Angeles through June 10 with up to five present.  A tiny colony persists here.  White-winged Doves were at Alta Vicente Reserve in Rancho Palos Verdes on May 20 (Ezra Cohen), near Littlerock in the Antelope Valley on June 12 (Kimball Garrett) and at the Playa Vista Riparian Corridor on July 13 (Kevin Lapp).

A dead Yellow-billed Cuckoo, almost certainly the result of a window strike, was recovered at Occidental College on July 12 (Kelsey Reckling).  Though probably extirpated from the coastal slope as a breeder, migrants are occasionally noted.

Up to three Black Swifts were above Claremont from June 21-July 15 (Tom Miko).  This has long been a reliable spot to see them in the late afternoon and early evening in late spring and summer.

An American Oystercatcher at the Los Angeles Harbor in Long Beach on May 19 (Loren Wright).  A presumably returning Pacific Golden-Plover was at the Ballona Salt Pan in Playa del Rey from July 9-13 (Kristin Proctor, Thomas Archdeacon), while a Red Knot was at Del Rey Lagoon in Playa del Rey on May 27 (Layton Pace).

A fine-looking Ruff in alternate plumage was at the Ballona Salt Pan in Playa del Rey from July 8-10 (Sara Boscoe) and a Semipalmated Sandpiper was there on July 13 (Andy Birch).

A rather early Solitary Sandpiper was along the Los Angeles River in Long Beach on July 11 (Chris Dean).

Unusual was a South Polar Skua southeast of San Clemente Island on July 19 (Naresh Satyan), while a rare in summer Pomarine Jaeger was offshore west of the Palos Verdes Peninsula on June 4 (many observers).

Craveri’s Murrelets included three in the Santa Catalina Channel on June 1 (Mark & Janet Scheel, Naresh Satyan) and four west of the Palos Verdes Peninsula on June 4 (multiple observers).

A Sabine’s Gull was just offshore south of San Pedro on June 5 (Loren Wright), while Lesser Black-backed Gulls were at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles on May 24 (Andrew Birch) and along the Los Angeles River in Vernon on July 15 (Chris Dean).  Late Herring Gulls were at Golden Shore on June 7 (Naresh Satyan) and along the Los Angeles River in Maywood on June 10 (Chris Dean).

Very unusual inland were two Black Skimmers in the Sepulveda Basin in Van Nuys on May 20 (Alexander DeBarros) and one at the Piute Ponds on May 29 (Chris Dean).

A Red-billed Tropicbird was in the Santa Catalina Channel south of San Pedro on June 5 (Loren Wright).

Two Common Loons were at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas on May 23 (Keith Condon).

Five Cook’s Petrels were northeast of San Clemente Island on June 30 (many observers) for the first summer record in U.S waters this year.

Other seabirds of note included a Magnificent Frigatebird at Pt. Fermin in San Pedro on June 30 (Boris Droutman) and a Brown Booby west of the Palos Verdes Peninsula on May 23 (Jon Feenstra).

A Little Blue Heron was at Del Rey Lagoon in Playa Del Rey from June 9-16 (Timothy Aarons). Very rare in the county was a Tricolored Heron at Malibu Lagoon from July 11-12 (Alexander Yan).  Rare but more expected was a Reddish Egret seen briefly along the Los Angeles River in Long Beach on July 14 (David Bell). 

Ten Western Cattle Egrets were recorded in the county over the period and about the same number of Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were present, split between Alamitos Bay and the Ballona Wetlands area.

Broad-winged Hawks were on San Clemente Island from May 20-July 14 (Ben Stalheim, Kandace Glanville) and in Rolling Hills Estates on May 29 (Randy Harwood).

The continuing Yellow-headed Caracara was reported through July 14 in Lomita.  The origin of this bird is still unknown but possibilities include an escapee or ship-assisted passage; both more likely than a naturally occurring bird.

Four Eastern Wood-Pewees were found along the southern California coast in June, including a bird at Dominguez Park in Redondo Beach from June 9-11 (Tom Miko).  This bird established the first record for Los Angeles County.  Two more were found in northern California.  Increased observer coverage and awareness aside, something was clearly going on with this species.  There are only nineteen previous records for the entire state.

Another first for the county was an Alder Flycatcher at the Piute Ponds on Edwards Air Force Base from June 12-13 (Jon Feenstra).  To date only twelve of these eastern Empidonax have been confirmed for the entire state.

Red-eyed Vireos were on Santa Catalina Island on May 23 (Logan Kahle), at Entradero Park in Torrance on June 16 (Joshua Mitchell) and at the Los Angeles National Cemetery on July 18 (Isoo O’Brien).

Three Clark’s Nutcrackers were quite out of place at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB on June 21 (William Tyrer).  In Los Angeles County, this species is normally restricted to the high elevation forests in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Purple Martins included one at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB on May 22 (Jon Feenstra, Samuel Bressler) and two on San Clemente Island on June 5 (Ben Stalheim).

An above average number of Horned Larks were found on the coastal slope, with about a hundred individuals recorded.  Typically this species is largely absent in summer and scarce during the remainder of the year.

Up to six American Dippers were along the Burkhart Trail near Buckhorn Campground in the San Gabriel Mountains through July 17, with breeding confirmed (Steve Neely, Sylvia Afable).

A remarkable record was a White Wagtail along the Los Angeles River Long Beach from July 14-22 (Naresh Satyan).  This individual was of the “Black-backed” subspecies lugens, whose range is mainly restricted to Japan and adjacent areas.  Interestingly, the only other summer record of this species in southern California- an early August bird in Ventura County- was also of this subspecies.

Typically a desert species, two Black-throated Sparrows at Alta Vicente Reserve on the Palos Verdes Peninsula were unexpected on May 31 (Jeanette Repp).  A late White-crowned Sparrow was at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park in Harbor City on May 18 (Braxton Landsman, Connor Cochrane).

A Golden-winged Warbler, just the eighth ever recorded in the county, was on San Clemente Island on June 3 (Ben Stalheim).

Black-and-white Warblers were at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park in Harbor City on May 19 (Karen Suarez), on San Clemente Island on May 31 (Ben Stalheim), in Signal Hill on June 1 (Russell Campbell, Jodhan Fine, Omar Alui).

Prothonotary Warblers were on San Clemente Island on June 1 (Caroline Wolfe-Merrill) and at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB on June 26 (Jon Feenstra). 

Tennessee Warblers were at Piute Ponds from May 27-30 (Jon Feenstra, Jack Wickel) and at Banning Park in Wilmington on May 28 (Chris Dean) and a late MacGillivray’s Warbler was at the Piute Ponds on June 4 (Samuel Bressler).

American Redstarts were at the Piute Ponds from May 30-June 4 (Jon Feenstra), at Central Park in Playa Vista on June 8 (Andy Salinas) and at DeForest Park in Long Beach on June 8 (Mark & Janet Scheel, Naresh Satyan).

A Northern Parula was at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB on June 12 (Chris Dean).  Remarkable was a Tropical Parula at Switzer’s Picnic Area in the San Gabriel Mountains from July 4-22 (Hai-Dang Phan).  Based on vocalizations heard, this bird may have been present since late June.  It either establishes the second county record in three months, or is same bird that was found in the mountains above Glendora on May 12.  Regardless, Orange County boasts the only other record for the state.

A Magnolia Warbler was in Long Beach at Golden Shore Marine Reserve on June 6 (Nancy Salem).

Nine Summer Tanagers were found over the period and a much less expected was a Scarlet Tanager was on San Clemente Island on June 4 (Nicole Desnoyers).

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks included birds at Kenneth Hahn SRA on June 1 (Curry Knox), another at the Ballona Wetlands on June 1 (Mark Tracy) and one at Dominguez Park in Redondo Beach from June 10-16 (Steven Kurniawidjaja).

Indigo Buntings were on San Clemente Island on June 3 (Kandace Glanville) and on June 28 (Ben Stalheim), at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park in Harbor City on June 5 (Tom Miko) and at Mt. Wilson from July 1-15 (Jack Wickel).

The foregoing is a very respectable assemblage of rare birds for our typically slower summer months.  Some outstanding and unexpected vagrants were found in addition to many lesser ones. 

As we move through August and September, fall migration will get into full swing, with passerines following shorebirds.  These hot summer months have the potential to produce great birds, in addition to a wealth of regular migrants.  Unusual pelagic birds, strays from Asia and from Mexico and eastern North America are all possible.

Pelagic birding also offers great potential.  Though coverage is increasing incrementally, we still barely scratch the surface of what’s out there.

 Vagrants aside, late summer and early fall are a great time to enjoy migration of our more common birds.  Almost any place in the county can be good from our deserts, to the higher mountains and the coastal slope.  Coastal and near coastal parks and green patches are also good spots to check for migrants.