Photo by Robbie Lisa Freeman
Inside This Issue
A Splendidly Spooky Avian Encounter by Robbie Lisa Freeman
Birds Of The Season—October 2023 by Jon Fisher
A Splendidly Spooky Avian Encounter
Recently, at my home in Mar Vista, I began noticing some unusual sounds. As dusk fell and darkness drew its blanket across the sky, I’d hear intermittent hissing, cries, and croaking sounds. At times, the eerie sounds would increase with such intensity that I’d walk outside to listen. It seemed to be coming from the unlit alley behind our house. Was it some kind of Cicada? A rare type of tree frog? Frightful spirits rising up from the dead for Halloween? One night around 11 PM, I heard a bloodcurdling shriek and felt a chill go down my spine! What was going on in Mar Vista?
Western Tanager, Jul–Aug 2023, Vol. 89 No. 6
Crested Caracara, photo courtesy of Randy Freeman.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Crested Caracara Soars into the Spotlight, Setting New State Record at Ballona Wetlands
By Robbie Lisa Freeman
By Jon Fisher
Crested Caracara Soars Into the Spotlight, Setting New State Record at Ballona Wetlands
Adventures in Ecuador—On the Trail of Endemics, Eco-Heroes, and a Taste of Eden
Lek Leaders Celebrate 30 Years Guiding Birders to Owens Valley
When you sign up for a birding excursion with Mary and Nick Freeman, you may find yourself learning a lot more than you expected. In addition to bird identification by color, features, calls, and habitat, you may learn about flora and fauna, geology, biology, and even archeology. That’s because the folks who tend to go on their trips are amazingly diverse in their backgrounds and happy to share their knowledge. On a recent four-day Owens Valley sage-grouse trip led by the Freemans, the dozen attendees included two biologists, a geologist, an archeologist, and birders and photographers of all levels, including one world birder whose life list encompasses more than 7,700 birds!
The Great Lek Trek: Viewing the Bi-State Greater Sage-Grouse
It’s been a long, bone-jarring drive down a dark and dusty rutted road. But finally, our caravan of eight vehicles pulls to a stop and 14 birders tumble out of their cars. Tucked into down jackets, gloves, face masks, and boots, we’re hoping to keep the bitter cold at bay. But as we gather our gear and strike out on our path, the 22-degree chill seeps insidiously through the stitching of even the best-made gloves and parkas. Before long, my fingers tingle from grasping the aluminum legs of the tripod and camera slung over my shoulder. But we are moving towards our target and my excitement exceeds my discomfort.
Island Hopping—Birding the U.S. Virgin Islands, Part 3: St. Thomas — Gateway to the Caribbean
Island Hopping: Birding the U.S. Virgin Islands, Part 2: St. John — An Island Park
Island Hopping: Birding the U.S. Virgin Islands, Part 1: St. Croix
T he U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and dozens of minor islands – serve as a fuel and rest stop for hundreds of thousands of birds traveling north and south over the Caribbean Sea during spring and winter migration. In all, more than 140 species of birds have been recorded in the coastal wetlands, mangrove forests and salt ponds, dry and moist forests, and along the rocky cliffs and coves, making the USVI worthy of a birding adventure. I headed there recently to learn about the challenges facing birds on these remote islands and to discover exciting new birds for my life list.