Following a comparatively mild summer on the coastal slope, mid-October brought some unusually early substantial rainfall to the county. November added significantly to that total. That’s a definite plus for bird habitats and should also greatly reduce the potential for wildfires.
Los Angeles County’s active birders found a remarkable number and diversity of vagrants this fall. The deserts, mountains, coastal slope and offshore waters and islands were all productive for notable birds. In large part, increased coverage is responsible for an increase in the rare birds detected, especially since the populations of many of these birds are in decline.
Inaccessible to the public, San Clemente Island has long been the envy of southern California birders due its impressive annual list of fall vagrants, including some mega-rarities. But increasing coverage of nearby Santa Catalina Island in fall has proved very worthwhile. By contrast, this island has easy public access and hosted a long list of rare birds this October and November.
Many parks and natural areas on the coastal slope held interesting passerines. The Piute Ponds, though coverage suffered due to closure during the government shutdown, still managed a number of good birds.
Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Red Phalarope | Leach’s Storm-Petrel | Western Cattle-Egret | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Pacific Wren | Red-throated Pipit | Lapland Longspur | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | American Redstart | Palm Warbler | Grace’s Warbler | Back-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager
Surf Scoter | Pacific Golden-Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Eastern Phoebe | Lapland Longspur | Chestnut-collared Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Tennessee Warbler | American Redstart | Cape May Warbler | Palm Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Painted Bunting
Lesser Nighthawk | Williamson’s Sapsucker | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Western Cattle Egret | Broad-winged Hawk | Short-eared Owl | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Sage Thrasher | Lapland Longspur | Chestnut-collared Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | American Redstart | Cape May Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Palm Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Summer Tanager | Indigo Bunting
Eurasian Wigeon | Common Ground Dove | Pacific Golden-Plover | Sabine’s Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Broad-winged Hawk | Short-eared Owl | Tropical Kingbird | Pacific Wren | Gray Catbird | Varied Thrush | Lapland Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | FIELD SPARROW | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Baltimore Oriole | Northern Waterthrush | Prothonotary Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Cape May Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Palm Warbler | Grace’s Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Painted Bunting | Dickcissel
Photo: Lewis's Woodpecker (melanerpes lewis), © Ian Routley, Courtesy of Macaulay Library
Birders are used to many types of change. Migration, increasing and decreasing bird populations, loss and gain of habitat, and varying access to favored birding locations are all familiar ones. Climate change adds an element that is transforming the distribution and habitats of birds, with the effects becoming more apparent every year.
I found a hummingbird on the ground where I live. I was afraid that the cats would harm it so I picked it up in the palm of my hand. It was alive but very still in my hand, giving me the opportunity to pet it and comfort it. The bird stayed in the palm of my hand for a short time. I walked with it (in my hand) inside my building and then transferred the hummingbird to an employee where I live. She walked with it (in the palm of her hand) through the hallway and outside where the hummingbird then flew away.
It was an incredible experience!
Yes, there are camels in California! It all started when the U.S. Army at Camp Verde in Texas imported several hundred camels from Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, and Greece to deliver supplies to the arid Southwest. The United States was on the cusp of the Civil War, and southwestern California was strategic, but had various local groups with questionable allegiance to the Union. A detachment of thirty-one camels ended up at Fort Tejon at the northern end of the Tejon Pass, also known as the Grapevine in Kern County, California. It was the western terminus of the experimental U.S. Camel Corps. From June 24, 1854, to its abandonment on September 11, 1864, Fort Tejon was home to U.S. Dragoons followed by California Volunteer Troops, including companies of the 2nd California Volunteer Cavalry.
Adapting to pandemic conditions has pushed many of us to seek outdoor adventures close to home, visiting spots we may have overlooked or even dismissed in the past. The Park to Playa Trail is an ideal candidate to visit for a walk in a local watershed here in Los Angeles, with 13 continuous miles traversing the Ballona Creek Watershed from the Baldwin Hills all the way to Dockweiler Beach. Plan it right, and you can have your own birding big day, visiting coastal sage scrub habitat, manicured parklands with established tree cover, paved and less-paved stretches of Ballona Creek, and then beach habitat. Basically, gnatcatchers to oystercatchers on a single urban trail.
WED., MAR. 9, 2022, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Coffee and Conservation
Link: https://bluejeans.com/418433012/1977
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Wed. , Apr 13, 2022
7:30 – 8:30 PM
Link: https://bluejeans.com/226548979/739
Photo: Lewis's Woodpecker (melanerpes lewis), © Ian Routley, Courtesy of Macaulay Library
Birders are used to many types of change. Migration, increasing and decreasing bird populations, loss and gain of habitat, and varying access to favored birding locations are all familiar ones. Climate change adds an element that is transforming the distribution and habitats of birds, with the effects becoming more apparent every year.
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