Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - November 22, 2025

Pacific Golden-Plover | Red Phalarope | Lesser Black-backed Gull | American Bittern | Western Cattle-Egret | White-headed Woodpecker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Western Warbling-Vireo | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Hooded Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Palm Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Scarlet Tanager

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

Rare Bird Alert - January 28, 2022

Common Ground-Dove | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Solitary Sandpiper | Neotropic Cormorant | American Bittern | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Clay-colored Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | American Redstart | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - January 21, 2022

Red-necked Grebe | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Solitary Sandpiper | Red Knot | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Dusky Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - January 14, 2022

Red-necked Grebe | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Laughing Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | “Black” Merlin | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Western Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Gray Catbird | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Hooded Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Palm Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - January 7, 2022

Long-tailed Duck | White-winged Dove | Pacific Golden-Plover | Laughing Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Red-footed Booby | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Ash-throated Flycatcher | GREATER PEWEE | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | American Pipit (japonicus) | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - December 31, 2021

Mountain Plover | Laughing Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | American Pipit (japonicus) | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Black-headed Grosbeak | Painted Bunting

Rare Bird Alert - December 24, 2021

Tundra Swan | Red-necked Grebe | Mountain Plover | Solitary Sandpiper | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | “Prairie” Merlin | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Dusky Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Mountain Bluebird | Varied Thrush | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Hooded Oriole | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - December 17, 2021

“Eurasian” Green-winged Teal | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Solitary Sandpiper | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Rough-legged Hawk | Short-eared Owl | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Dusky Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | American Pipit (japonicus) | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Black-and-white Warbler | Nashville Warbler | American Redstart | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - December 10, 2021

White-winged Scoter | Long-tailed Duck | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Solitary Sandpiper | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Scripp’s Murrelet | Laysan Albatross | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Dusky Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | American Pipit (japonicus) | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | American Redstart | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Black-headed Grosbeak

Rare Bird Alert - December 3, 2021

Rare Bird Alert - December 3, 2021

Long-tailed Duck| Sandhill Crane | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Solitary Sandpiper | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Harris’s Hawk | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Short-eared Owl | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Palm Warbler | American Redstart | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Black-headed Grosbeak

Rare Bird Alert - November 26, 2021

Rare Bird Alert - November 26, 2021


“Eurasian” Green-winged Teal | White-winged Scoter | Black Scoter | Long-tailed Duck | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Solitary Sandpiper | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Harris’s Hawk | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Short-eared Owl | “Black” Merlin | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | American Pipit (japonicus) | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Nashville Warbler | American Redstart | Painted Redstart

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