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 13, 2023

Tundra Swan | Sandhill Crane | Pacific Golden-Plover | Red Knot | Neotropic Cormorant | Zone-tailed Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | SEDGE WREN | Lapland Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Hooded Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - January 6, 2023

Long-tailed Duck | Sandhill Crane | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Red Knot | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Swainson’s Hawk | Zone-tailed Hawk | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Brown-crested Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Pacific Wren | Lapland Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Baltimore Oriole | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Northern Parula | Cape May Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - December 30, 2022

Sandhill Crane | Tufted Puffin | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | California Condor | Zone-tailed Hawk | Short-eared Owl | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Pacific Wren | Lapland Longspur | Chestnut-collared Longspur | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Green-tailed Towhee | Swamp Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Hooded Oriole | Baltimore Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler  | Nashville Warbler | Northern Parula | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Black-headed Grosbeak

Rare Bird Alert - December 23, 2022

Mountain Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Pacific Loon | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Zone-tailed Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Warbling Vireo | Pacific Wren | SEDGE WREN | Gray Catbird | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Hooded Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Nashville Warbler | American Redstart | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - December 16, 2022

Tundra Swan | White-winged Dove | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Red Knot | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Zone-tailed Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | “Black” Merlin | Tropical Kingbird | Western Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Warbling Vireo | Pacific Wren | SEDGE WREN | American Pipit (japonicus) | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | American Redstart | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - December 9, 2022

Tundra Swan | Barrow’s Goldeneye | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Tropical Kingbird | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Pacific Wren | American Pipit (japonicus) | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | American Redstart | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - December 2, 2022

Tundra Swan | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Zone-tailed Hawk | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Tropical Kingbird | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Cassin’s Vireo | Pacific Wren | SEDGE WREN | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Baltimore Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Northern Parula | Palm Warbler | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - November 25, 2022

Tundra Swan | Pacific Golden-Plover | Red-necked Phalarope | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Pacific Loon | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | California Condor | Zone-tailed Hawk | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Tropical Kingbird | Western Wood-Pewee | Hammond’s Flycatcher | SEDGE WREN | American Pipit (japonicus) | Lapland Longspur | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Baltimore Oriole | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white | Tennessee Warbler | Northern Parula | Blackburnian Warbler | Palm Warbler | Canada Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Black-headed Grosbeak

Rare Bird Alert - November 18, 2022

Black Scoter | White-winged Scoter | Red-necked Grebe | American Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | American Bittern | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Swainson’s Hawk | Zone-tailed Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Tropical Kingbird | Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | SEDGE WREN | American Pipit (japonicus) | Red Crossbill | Lapland Longspur | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Rusty Blackbird | Black-and-white Warbler | Northern Parula | Blackburnian Warbler | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - November 11, 2022

Black Scoter | Neotropic Cormorant | Red-necked Grebe | Pacific-Golden Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Red-footed Booby | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Swainson’s Hawk | Zone-tailed Hawk | Burrowing Owl | “Prairie” Merlin | Tropical Kingbird | Eastern Phoebe | Pacific Wren | Gray Catbird | Lapland Longspur | Chestnut-collared Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | “Large-billed” Savannah Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Northern Parula | Palm Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Indigo Bunting

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