BIRDS OF THE SEASON
Susan Castor
Birds of the Season — November 2025

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.

Birds of the Season — November 2025
Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - November 15, 2025

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

Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - November 7, 2025

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

Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - October 31, 2025

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

Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - October 23, 2025

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

Volume 89

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Western Tanager, Jul–Aug 2023, Vol. 89 No. 6

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Crested Caracara, photo courtesy of Randy Freeman.

PDF, V89 N6 Jul–Aug 2023
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Western Tanager, January–February 2023, Vol. 89 No. 3

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Western Tanager, January–February 2023, Vol. 89 No. 3

Inside This Issue

  • Pelagic Birding: A Birder’s Box of Chocolates, by Robbie Lisa Freeman

  • Ten Tips To Prepare for Your First Pelagic, by Robbie Lisa Freeman

  • Snowy Owl in San Pedro, by Andy Dowdell

  • Conservation Conversation, by Travis Longcore (Wildness in Our City, Farewell, P-22, Seeing the Wild at Silver Lake Reservoir, Wild Under Threat at Ballona)

  • Birds of the Season — December 2022

  • Christmas Count, by Linda Sheehan

  • January 11th Online Presentation — Scaring Birds for Science, with Mario Díaz presenting

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Western Tanager—Nov-Dec 2022

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This is the November–December 2022, Western Tanager, Vol. 89 No. 2.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Lead Article: Native-plant landscaping in residential yards provides habitat and refuge for birds in Southern California

CONSERVATION CONVERSATION, Goose in the Lights

Christmas Bird Count 2022

Birds of the Season–October 2022

Monthly Program Presentations

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