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 - October 20, 2023

TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE | Pacific Golden-Plover | Red-billed Tropicbird | Manx Shearwater | Nazca Booby | Zone-tailed Hawk | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Tropical Kingbird | Pacific Wren | Gray Catbird | Clay-colored Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Prothonotary Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - October 13, 2023

TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE | White-winged Dove | Solitary Sandpiper | Red-billed Tropicbird | Cattle Egret | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Broad-winged Hawk | Zone-tailed Hawk | Tropical Kingbird | Lapland Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | Black-and-white Warbler | Prothonotary Warbler | Blackpoll Warbler | Magnolia Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Dickcissel

Rare Bird Alert - October 6, 2023

TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Cattle Egret | Zone-tailed Hawk | Brown-crested Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Yellow-throated Vireo | Sage Thrasher | Lark Bunting | Clay-colored Sparrow | Bobolink | Orchard Oriole | Northern Waterthrush | Black-and-white Warbler | Prothonotary Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Virginia’s Warbler | Northern Parula | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Blackpoll Warbler | Palm Warbler | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - September 29, 2023

TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE | Pacific Golden-Plover | Dunlin | Sabine’s Gull | Common Tern | American Bittern | GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER | Eastern Phoebe | Pinyon Jay | Red-throated Pipit | Vesper Sparrow | Orchard Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Virginia’s Warbler | American Redstart | Magnolia Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Blackpoll Warbler | Summer Tanager | Painted Bunting | Dickcissel

Rare Bird Alert - September 22, 2023

TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE | American Oystercatcher | Pacific Golden-Plover | Common Tern | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Tropical Kingbird | Eastern Kingbird | Purple Martin | Lark Bunting | Northern Waterthrush | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Virginia’s Warbler | American Redstart | Magnolia Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Blackpoll Warbler | Summer Tanager | Dickcissel

Rare Bird Alert - September 15, 2023

TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE | White-winged Dove | Pacific Golden-Plover | Red Knot | Black Tern | Common Tern | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER | Tropical Kingbird | Eastern Kingbird | Purple Martin | Red Crossbill | Lark Bunting | Northern Waterthrush | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Virginia’s Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Canada Warbler | Summer Tanager

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