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 - November 4, 2022

Black Scoter | Pacific Golden-Plover | Heermann’s Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Pacific Loon | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Swainson’s Hawk | Tropical Kingbird | Pacific Wren | SEDGE WREN | Gray Catbird | Brown Thrasher | Grasshopper Sparrow | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Northern Parula | Black-throated Blue Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Indigo Bunting | Dickcissel

Rare Bird Alert - October 28, 2022

Pacific Golden-Plover | Franklin’s Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Zone-tailed Hawk | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Tropical Kingbird | Eastern Phoebe | Pinyon Jay | WOOD WARBLER | Pacific Wren | Gray Catbird | Chestnut-collared Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | FIELD SPARROW | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Cape May Warbler | CERULEAN WARBLER | Magnolia Warbler | Bay-breasted Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Magnolia Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Black-throated Blue Warbler | Palm Warbler | Summer Tanager | Scarlet Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - October 21, 2022

Pacific Golden-Plover | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Tropical Kingbird | Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | Least Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Philadelphia Vireo | Red-eyed Vireo | Pacific Wren | WOOD WARBLER | Gray Catbird | Sprague’s Pipit | Chestnut-collared Longspur | Grasshopper Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Clay-colored Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Magnolia Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Blackpoll Warbler | Black-throated Blue Warbler | Palm Warbler | Yellow-throated Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Indigo Bunting

Rare Bird Alert - October 14, 2022

Common Ground-Dove | American Oystercatcher | Pacific Golden-Plover | Franklin’s Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Nazca Booby | Brown Booby | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Broad-winged Hawk | Tropical Kingbird | Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | Chestnut-collared Longspur | Grasshopper Sparrow | Black-throated Sparrow | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Northern Waterthrush | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Connecticut Warbler | Mourning Warbler | American Redstart | Magnolia Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Blackpoll Warbler | Palm Warbler | Pine Warbler | Prairie Warbler | Painted Redstart | Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Dickcissel

Rare Bird Alert - October 6, 2022

Pacific Golden-Plover | Sabine’s Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Common Tern | Red-footed Booby | Neotropic Cormorant | Broad-winged Hawk | Tropical Kingbird | Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | Clay-colored Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Ovenbird | Black-and-white Warbler | Virginia’s Warbler | American Redstart | Magnolia Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Blackpoll Warbler | Summer Tanager | Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Indigo Bunting | Dickcissel

Rare Bird Alert - September 30, 2022

Pacific Golden-Plover | Common Tern | Masked / Nazca Booby | Brown Booby | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Tropical Kingbird | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | American Redstart | Magnolia Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Summer Tanager | Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Dickcissel

Rare Bird Alert - September 23, 2022

Pacific Golden-Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Common Tern | Nazca Booby | Red-footed Booby | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Tropical Kingbird | Eastern Kingbird | Yellow-green Vireo | Clay-colored Sparrow | Bobolink | Northern Waterthrush | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Virginia’s Warbler | Hooded Warbler | Northern Parula | Magnolia Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Blackpoll Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Summer Tanager | Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rare Bird Alert - September 16, 2022

White-winged Dove | American Oystercatcher | Red Knot | Semipalmated Sandpiper | Sabine’s Gull | Common Tern | Magnificent Frigatebird | Nazca Booby | Brown Booby | Red-footed Booby | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Tropical Kingbird | Yellow-green Vireo | Purple Martin | Lark Bunting | Clay-colored Sparrow | White-crowned Sparrow (dark-lored) | Baltimore Oriole | Northern Waterthrush | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Virginia’s Warbler | Hooded Warbler | American Redstart | Northern Parula | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Canada Warbler

Rare Bird Alert - September 9, 2022

White-winged Dove | Red Knot | Semipalmated Sandpiper | Sabine’s Gull | Magnificent Frigatebird | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Zone-tailed Hawk | Eastern Kingbird | Yellow-green Vireo | Purple Martin | “Large-billed” Savannah Sparrow | Northern Waterthrush | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Summer Tanager

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