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Bird Song & Acoustic Motifs | NPR & NAS
[Posted by Chuck Almdale, suggested by Lillian Johnson]
A recent study has found that birds world wide have only eight basic patterns of song, called “acoustic motifs.” Each of the more than 11,000 species of birds have their own special songs, croaks, burps, gurgles, wing-beating, foot-stomping or feather-whistling, but among the songsters in the passerine order, it’s only eight basic types. The NPR show Short Wave has a brief discussion of this study beginning at 7:50 on the recording below (preceded by an interesting discussion of avocado genetics). They play several sample bird songs and there’s a transcript available.
There is a longer article from the National Audubon Society, which also includes song snippets so you can hear the various motifs.
The team analyzed more than 116,000 songs from 3,160 passerine species, the diverse group that includes all songbirds and more than 60 percent of all birdlife. Their analysis revealed the eight “building blocks” that all these birds draw from when they sing: slow, fast, and ultrafast trills; flat, slow-modulated, and fast-modulated whistles; harmonic stacks; and chaotic notes. The Eastern Wood-Pewee’s “pee-ah-wee,” for example, illustrates the slow-modulated whistle, which sounds like a smooth, plaintive curve of sound, with just a gradual pitch change. The Bohemian Waxwing, meanwhile, offers a great case of the ultrafast trill: high-pitched, rapid-fire pulses that blur together.
Many years ago, there were Birding By Ear audio tapes available to help in learning bird songs, Eastern and Western versions. One point that stuck in my mind and remains useful is that both American Robin and Black-headed Grosbeak had slow rolling musical songs of similar pitch, but the robin’s was slightly faster.
Read and listen. I guarantee you’ll never hear birds the same way again.
The original paper is The global biogeography of passerine songs by Quentin Bacquelé, Jean-Yves Barnagaud, Cyrille Violle, Frédéric Theunissen and Nicolas Mathevon, published by Science, 23 Jul 2026, Vol 393, Issue 68. It’s behind the usual paywall, but if you have access, here it is.
Editor’s summary
Birds sing to attract mates and ward off rivals. The form of these songs can vary from single, repeated notes to complex melodies. Bacquelé et al. explored the relationships among song, environment, and latitude from birds across the world (see the Perspective by Briefer). They found that in regions where forests are thick, and thus sound transmission is slower, bird songs are simpler and more effective for transmission across vegetation-impeded landscapes. By contrast, in temperate regions, where sound is less impeded and sexual selection is especially strong due to seasonal limitations, birdsong is much more complex, likely being a better indicator of singer condition. —Sacha Vignieri
Abstract
Although bird songs are classic models for understanding the evolution of vocal communication, their global diversity has long made the development of a unifying framework challenging. By analyzing the acoustic architecture of songs from more than 3000 passerine species worldwide, we show that this acoustic space can be structured around eight elemental motifs. The differential use of these motifs is driven by a combination of species’ biological traits (social organization, morphology, and mating system) and the physics of sound propagation. In tropical rainforests, environmental filtering for transmission efficiency favors structurally simple motifs, such as flat whistles. Conversely, in temperate regions, where high population densities facilitate close-range communication and short breeding seasons intensify sexual selection, the balance shifts toward complex, information-rich motifs, such as ultrafast trills, despite their susceptibility to acoustic degradation. Ultimately, the global geography of birdsong reflects a spatially varying equilibrium between physical environmental constraints and the biological drive for complex communication.
Getting a different perspective on things?
Always the 4th (not last) Sunday of the month, 8:30am & 10 am
Pacific Coast Highway: There are still reportedly lane closures as fire recovery work continues.
- 25 MPH between Temescal Canyon Rd. & Sunset Blvd.
- 35 MPH between Sunset Blvd & Carbon Beach Terrace
- Watch for workers & vehicles. (Active work on Sunday morning at 8am? Take a picture.)
Special Attractions: Like dinosaurs? Want to see a dinosaur? Our feathered dinosaurs have no teeth and won’t bother you, although if you happen to have a small snail or fly in your pocket, they might be interested.
Some of the great birds we’ve had in July are:
Gadwall, Pied-billed and Eared Grebe, Anna’s & Allen’s Hummingbirds, Snowy Plover, Whimbrel, Wilson’s Phalarope, Spotted Sandpiper, Wandering Tattler, Willet, Ruddy & Black Turnstones, Red Knot, Surfbird, Western Sandpiper, Heermann’s & Western Gulls, Black Skimmer, Least, Caspian, Royal & Elegant Terns, Reddish Egret, Great Blue Heron, Brown Pelican, Red-shouldered Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Oak Titmouse, Rough-winged, Barn and Cliff Swallows, Wrentit, Northern Mockingbird, American Robin, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Savannah & Song Sparrow, California Towhee, Hooded Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat.
(Marie Barnidge-McIntyre 7/28/24)
Weather prediction as of 22 July
Temp: 71-74°F; Wind 2-7 mph from SE; Sky Cover: 28%
Tide: medium, little change: Low: -0.2 ft. @ 3:09am High: +3.49 ft. @ 9:49am
June 28 trip report link
Adult Walk 8:30 a.m., 4th Sunday of every month. Adults, teens and children you deem mature enough to be with adults. Beginners and experienced, 2-3 hours, meeting at the metal-shaded viewing area between parking lot and channel. Species range from 35 in June to 60-75 during migrations and winter. We move slowly and check everything as we move along. When lagoon outlet is closed we may continue east around the lagoon to Adamson House. We put out special effort to make our monthly Malibu Lagoon walks attractive to first-time and beginning birdwatchers. So please, if you are at all worried about coming on a trip and embarrassing yourself because of all the experts, we remember our first trips too. Someone showed us the birds; now it’s our turn. Bring your birding questions.
Children and Parents Walk, 10:00 a.m., 4th Sunday of every month: One hour session, meeting at the metal-shaded viewing area between parking lot and channel. We start at 10:00 for a shorter walk and to allow time for families to get it together on a sleepy Sunday morning. Our leaders are experienced with kids so please bring them to the beach! We have an ample supply of binoculars that children can use without striking terror into their parents. We want to see families enjoying nature. (If you have a Scout Troop or other group of more than seven people, you must call Jean (213-522-0062) to make sure we have enough binoculars, docents and sand.) It’s a good idea to call Jean anyway so she knows to expect you. If you’re late, they’re probably heading towards the beach.
Directions: Malibu Lagoon – street address is 3999 Cross Creek Rd. – is at the stoplighted intersection of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Cross Creek Road, just west of Malibu Pier and the bridge, 15 miles west of Santa Monica via PCH. Turn towards the ocean at the stoplight, opposite the Shell station. We gather in the metal-shaded pavilion area near the parking lot. Look around for people wearing binoculars and hats. Do NOT go to 23200 PCH, the address for Adamson House, east of Malibu Creek bridge, and a 5-10 minute walk away, plus 20-40 minutes to get into their surfer-packed parking lot.
Parking: Parking machine in the lagoon lot near our meeting area: 1 hr $3; 2 hrs $6; 3 hrs $9, all day $12 ($11 seniors); credit cards accepted. Annual passes accepted. You may also park (read the signs carefully) either along PCH west of Cross Creek Road, on Cross Creek Road, or on Civic Center Way north (inland) of the shopping center. Lagoon parking in shopping center lots is not permitted.
(Ray Juncosa 7-27-25)
[Written & posted by Chuck Almdale]
June is for Jumpers: Malibu Lagoon: 28 June 2026
(Chris Tosdevin 6-28-26)
[By Chuck Almdale; photos by Ray Juncosa, Armando Martinez & Chris Tosdevin]
This is what June Gloom looks like. Some people complain about it (“It’s summer! It’s supposed to be sunny here!”) but it keeps the temperatures down, and if any Night Herons are around, you can see them out and about instead of hiding in thick tree foliage to protect their eyesight. Surfrider’s Beach, the southern border of Malibu Lagoon, looks extremely thin in this photo below. In reality it’s several hundred feet from lagoon to ocean.
The world’s ten species of night heron are misleadingly named. They have large eyes (for a heron), but they don’t seek the darkness of night; they like crepuscular light, the twilight of dawn and dusk. A Gloomy June day will also do.
Their eyes evolved to see best in dim light, but a gloomy day also works well for a hungry bird. They do like to hide and hunt for small fish and invertebrates in reed beds, but you can also see them on the shorelines when it’s sufficiently gloomy.
But our featured fauna this month is not a bird, but a fish. It’s a Mullet, Mugil cephalus to be specific. I prefer the name Jumping Mullet because…well look below. But they have many names, as often happens with common fish. In English alone there are at least 28 names for this Mullet: Black, Black True, Bright, Bully, Callifaver, Common Gray, Common, Flat-head Gray, Flathead Gray, Flathead Gray-, Flathead, Gray, Haarder, Hardgut, Hardgut River, Jumping, Longaram, Mangrove, Poddies, Poddy, River, Sand, Sea, Springer, Striped, Stripped, Yellow-tailed, and just plain Mullet. The most widespread and “official” English name is Striped Mullet. In all languages there are over 500 different names. It’s a common, widespread fish along coasts around the world.
I’ve never seen so many jumping Jumping Mullet in the lagoon. I started counting their jumps and within 45 minutes I’d gone over 100 and decided to quit keeping track, but within a few seconds it was 110. The most simultaneous jumps were three, and the fastest “run” was 7 jumps in 10 seconds.
There was an enormous mullet die-off in Malibu Lagoon back in August 2018. High ocean temperatures, high lagoon water temperatures, and just plain high temperatures lowered the oxygen level in the lagoon to a lethal level, and withing a week perhaps 3000-5000 dead mullet were floating on the surface. No one (to my knowledge) knew that there were that many in the lagoon.
Some interesting Mullet factoids:
- Their common size is 10-20″ and 1-3 lbs., but can grow as large as 47″ and 18 lbs.
- Mugil cephalus translates to “suck head.”
- They have a segments in their stomach that function like a bird’s gizzard. They feed by slurping up sediment, detritus and algae, and the sand and mud help grind up the plant material.
- They are notorious for jumping out of the water; theories abound as to why (see below).
- They are euryhaline, able to easily tolerate very different levels of salinity, from hypersaline coastal lagoons to ordinary sea water to brackish water and to freshwater rivers.
- The adults migrate offshore in late fall and early winter to spawn in massive schools. The hatched juveniles later migrate back to shore and into food-rich, low-salinity estuaries like Malibu Lagoon to grow.
- In the coastal waters of SoCal and Baja California the large schools of mullet can attract large “sportfish” to feed on them, themselves attracting boats filled with sportfishermen.
Above, clockwise from upper left: Mullets at lagoon’s edge (Jim Kenney 9/28/15), Jumping Mullet (Randy Ehler 9/27/15), Necropsy of lagoon Mullet, nothing negative discovered (Karina Johnston, Bay Foundation 8/24/18), Over 200 dead Mullet (Larry Loeher 8/26/18, Great Egret & dead mullet (Grace Murayama 8/24/18)
These are some of the theories why they jump. I suspect there’s a Ph.D. waiting for anyone who solves this question.
- Display to attract a mate
- Escape a larger predator
- Gulp some oxygen
- Catch an insect it sees in the air
- Shake off loose parasites or growths on its skin
- Catch an invertebrate it sees at the water’s surface and momentum carries them into the air
- Communicate location to other fish or other schools
- Show off to the other fish what a great jumper they are
- It’s fun and feels great slapping back down (my favorite explanation)
It’s probably all of the above, depending on the situation. Fish can be versatile.
Back to the birds.
The Hooded Orioles seem to nest at the lagoon every year now, although we often don’t see them and we rarely find their nests. They prefer to suspend their woven nests from the underside of the central shaft of a palm frond. You’d think they’d be easy to find, but they aren’t. I’ve seen only two, maybe three such nests at the lagoon. Today we were lucky and manage to find four orioles, probably the entire family, in the trees at the back of the Malibu Colony. Here, and in the trees around the parking lot, are their usual locations.
Willets, when they fly, can look quite spectacular.
When then settle down, the stripes disappear. But this time of year, still in some of their breeding plumage, they are attractively spotted. In the winter, all that disappears and they are plain, plain gray.
Was this Whimbrel startled? Chasing something? Being chased? We don’t know.
…and study this bird for a while before reading the caption. Do you know what it is?
We have more swallow species than just “the Swallow.” This is not the one that mythically returns to San Juan Capistrano on March 19, St. Joseph’s Day. That’s the Cliff Swallow and they frequently begin reappearing in SoCal in February, back from their sojourn in sunny Argentina.
The Heermann’s Gulls are definitely back from breeding on Isla Rasa in the Sea of Cortez.
Most of the Glaucous-winged Gulls we get at the lagoon are first-year birds. This one looks like a two-year old, with the two-tone bill and the pale gray back. It’s a bit early for it to be back from the arctic, so it probably never bothered to fly north this year.
We didn’t get a picture of it, but one of the passerines that rarely show up at the lagoon made an appearance. It likely was a young bird and didn’t know any better. This Black-headed Grosbeak was only the fourth one we’ve seen at the lagoon in 348 visits. They prefer brushy hillsides and leafy trees to sparse brush, thus their relative rarity at the lagoon.
And for you butterfly mavens, what is this? Tell us what and why, and we’ll correct this posting with your name credited. Fame and fortune will no doubt rapidly ensue, and you will be able to retire to a lifetime of butterfly-watching.
Malibu Lagoon on eBird as of 7-01-26: 9494 lists, 3107 eBirders, 323 species
Most recent new species seen: Canyon Wren, 06/11/26 by Judith Olsen (no photo).
Birds new for the season: American Coot, Long-billed Curlew, Willet, Glaucous-winged Gull, Black-crowned Night Heron, Green Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, American Robin, Black-headed Grosbeak. “New for the season” means it has been three or more months since last recorded on our trips.
Many, many thanks to photographers Ray Juncosa, Armando Martinez and Chris Tosdevin.
Upcoming SMBAS scheduled field trips; no reservations or Covid card necessary unless specifically mentioned:
- Malibu Lagoon, Sun. July 26, 8:30 am (adults) & 10 am (parents & kids)
- Malibu Lagoon, Sun. Aug 23, 8:30 am (adults) & 10 am (parents & kids)
- Malibu Lagoon, Sun. Sep 27, 8:30 am (adults) & 10 am (parents & kids)
- These and any other trips we announce for the foreseeable future will depend upon expected status of the Covid/flu/etc. pandemic, not to mention landslides, fires, local flooding and atmospheric rivers at trip time. Any trip announced may be canceled shortly before trip date if it seems necessary. By now any other comments should be superfluous.
- Link to Programs & Field Trip schedule.
The next SMBAS Zoom program: Tuesday, October 6, 7:30pm; TBA
The SMBAS 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk has again resumed. Reservations not necessary for families, but for groups (scouts, etc.), please call Jean (213-522-0062).
Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
9/23/02 Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon
Aerial ‘film’ flying north over lagoon
More recent aerial photo
Prior checklists:
2025: Jan-June, July-Dec
2023: Jan-June, July-Dec 2024: Jan-June, July-Dec
2021: Jan-July, July-Dec 2022: Jan-June, July-Dec
2020: Jan-July, July-Dec 2019: Jan-June, July-Dec
2018: Jan-June, July-Dec 2017: Jan-June, July-Dec
2016: Jan-June, July-Dec 2015: Jan-May, July-Dec
2014: Jan-July, July-Dec 2013: Jan-June, July-Dec
2012: Jan-June, July-Dec 2011: Jan-June, July-Dec
2010: Jan-June, July-Dec 2009: Jan-June, July-Dec
The 10-year comparison summaries created during the 2012-13 Lagoon Reconfiguration Project period, remain available—despite numerous complaints—on our Lagoon Project Bird Census Page. Very briefly summarized, the results unexpectedly indicate that avian species diversification and numbers improved slightly during the restoration period June’12-June’14. We also have a newly-refurbished slide show of the reconfiguration from just before it started until the recent 13-year celebration.
Many thanks to Marie Barnidge-McIntyre, Armando Martinez (our new chapter president), Chris Tosdevin and others for contributions made to this month’s census counts. June is typically the month with the fewest birds and lowest diversity.
The species list below was re-sequenced as of 12/31/25 to agree with the eBird sequence. If part of the right side of the chart below is hidden, there’s a slider button inconveniently located at the bottom end of the list. The numbers 1-9 left of the species names are keyed to the nine categories of birds at the bottom. Updated lagoon bird check lists can be downloaded here.
[Chuck Almdale]
| Malibu Census 2026 | 1/25 | 2/22 | 3/22 | 4/26 | 5/24 | 6/28 | |
| Temperature | 47-55 | 49-63 | 65-76 | 55-64 | 60-63 | 61-66 | |
| Tide Lo/Hi Height | L+1.31 | L+0.65 | L-0.31 | H+4.32 | L+0.42 | H+3.35 | |
| Tide Time | 0846 | 0655 | 0640 | 0624 | 1126 | 1034 | |
| 1 | Brant (Black) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 1 | Cackling Goose | 1 | |||||
| 1 | Canada Goose | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 1 | Cinnamon Teal | 2 | |||||
| 1 | Northern Shoveler | 2 | |||||
| 1 | Gadwall | 34 | 35 | 15 | 25 | 18 | 10 |
| 1 | American Wigeon | 4 | 4 | 6 | |||
| 1 | Mallard | 5 | 7 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 15 |
| 1 | Northern Pintail | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 1 | Green-winged Teal | 11 | 8 | ||||
| 1 | Surf Scoter | 3 | 6 | 1 | |||
| 1 | Red-breasted Merganser | 6 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2 | Feral Pigeon | 4 | 2 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 2 | Mourning Dove | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2 | Anna’s Hummingbird | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 2 | Allen’s Hummingbird | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| 3 | American Coot | 50 | 55 | 4 | 3 | ||
| 4 | Black Oystercatcher | 3 | |||||
| 4 | Black-bellied Plover | 34 | 20 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 4 | Killdeer | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Semipalmated Plover | 6 | |||||
| 4 | Snowy Plover | 17 | 4 | 1 | |||
| 4 | Hudsonian Whimbrel | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | |
| 4 | Long-billed Curlew | 1 | |||||
| 4 | Marbled Godwit | 3 | 4 | 1 | |||
| 4 | Long-billed Dowitcher | 1 | |||||
| 4 | Willet | 7 | 3 | 4 | 9 | ||
| 4 | Ruddy Turnstone | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Sanderling | 35 | 10 | ||||
| 4 | Least Sandpiper | 20 | 20 | 8 | 3 | ||
| 4 | Western Sandpiper | 13 | 29 | ||||
| 5 | Bonaparte’s Gull | 3 | 1 | ||||
| 5 | Heermann’s Gull | 22 | 75 | 2 | 18 | ||
| 5 | Ring-billed Gull | 17 | 4 | 3 | |||
| 5 | Western Gull | 45 | 41 | 61 | 40 | 22 | 29 |
| 5 | American Herring Gull | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 5 | California Gull | 275 | 140 | 95 | 110 | 6 | 1 |
| 5 | Glaucous-winged Gull | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 5 | Caspian Tern | 3 | 11 | 3 | 5 | ||
| 5 | Elegant Tern | 24 | 750 | 185 | 3 | ||
| 5 | Royal Tern | 12 | 28 | 34 | 18 | 3 | 3 |
| 6 | Pied-billed Grebe | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 6 | Western Grebe | 45 | 4 | 24 | 4 | 35 | 1 |
| 6 | Clark’s Grebe | 2 | |||||
| 6 | Red-throated Loon | 2 | |||||
| 6 | Pacific Loon | 1 | 45 | 1 | |||
| 6 | Brandt’s Cormorant | 35 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | |
| 6 | Pelagic Cormorant | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
| 6 | Double-crested Cormorant | 28 | 15 | 18 | 26 | 25 | 10 |
| 6 | Black-crowned Night-Heron | 3 | |||||
| 6 | Snowy Egret | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 6 | Green Heron | 2 | 1 | ||||
| 6 | Great Egret | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| 6 | Great Blue Heron | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | Brown Pelican | 13 | 10 | 30 | 395 | 28 | 64 |
| 7 | Turkey Vulture | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 2 |
| 7 | Osprey | 2 | 1 | ||||
| 7 | Sharp-shinned Hawk | 1 | |||||
| 7 | Red-shouldered Hawk | 2 | |||||
| 7 | Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 8 | Belted Kingfisher | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 8 | Downy Woodpecker | 1 | |||||
| 8 | Nuttall’s Woodpecker | 1 | |||||
| 7 | Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 8 | Nanday Parakeet | 2 | |||||
| 9 | Western Flycatcher | 1 | |||||
| 9 | Black Phoebe | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| 9 | Say’s Phoebe | 1 | |||||
| 9 | Cassin’s Kingbird | 1 | 3 | 1 | |||
| 9 | Hutton’s Vireo | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 9 | California Scrub-Jay | 2 | 1 | ||||
| 9 | American Crow | 11 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Common Raven | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 9 | Oak Titmouse | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||
| 9 | Tree Swallow | 3 | |||||
| 9 | Violet-green Swallow | 2 | |||||
| 9 | No. Rough-winged Swallow | 25 | 5 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 9 | Barn Swallow | 8 | 12 | 15 | |||
| 9 | Cliff Swallow | 25 | 20 | 3 | |||
| 9 | Bushtit | 20 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 25 |
| 9 | Wrentit | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 9 | Swinhoe’s White-eye | 2 | 2 | ||||
| 9 | Ruby-crowned Kinglet | 1 | |||||
| 9 | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | 1 | |||||
| 9 | Northern House Wren | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 9 | Bewick’s Wren | 1 | |||||
| 9 | European Starling | 1 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 6 | |
| 9 | Northern Mockingbird | 1 | |||||
| 9 | American Robin | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 9 | House Finch | 7 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 7 |
| 9 | Lesser Goldfinch | 7 | 2 | 6 | |||
| 9 | Dark-eyed Junco | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 9 | White-crowned Sparrow | 6 | 5 | 10 | |||
| 9 | Song Sparrow | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| 9 | California Towhee | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 9 | Hooded Oriole | 2 | 4 | ||||
| 9 | Red-winged Blackbird | 2 | |||||
| 9 | Great-tailed Grackle | 10 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 8 | |
| 9 | Orange-crowned Warbler | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 9 | Common Yellowthroat | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 9 | Yellow-rumped Warbler | 6 | 6 | 4 | |||
| 9 | Black-throated Gray Warbler | 1 | |||||
| 9 | Black-headed Grosbeak | 1 | |||||
| Totals Birds by Type | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | |
| 1 | Waterfowl & Quail | 67 | 74 | 48 | 42 | 35 | 25 |
| 2 | Doves, Swifts & Hummers | 3 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 21 | 6 |
| 3 | Rails & Coots | 50 | 55 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Shorebirds | 128 | 74 | 44 | 54 | 6 | 22 |
| 5 | Gulls & Terns | 349 | 214 | 247 | 1005 | 221 | 60 |
| 6 | Grebe, Loon, Heron, Pelican | 134 | 47 | 134 | 435 | 105 | 91 |
| 7 | Hawks & Falcons | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 3 |
| 8 | Kingfish, Peckers & Parrots | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Passerines | 86 | 77 | 116 | 70 | 92 | 96 |
| Totals Birds | 825 | 558 | 608 | 1625 | 491 | 306 | |
| Total Species by Group | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | |
| 1 | Waterfowl & Quail | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 2 |
| 2 | Doves, Swifts & Hummers | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| 3 | Rails & Coots | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Shorebirds | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| 5 | Gulls & Terns | 4 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 7 |
| 6 | Grebe, Loon, Heron, Pelican | 9 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| 7 | Hawks & Falcons | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 8 | Kingfish, Peckers & Parrots | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Passerines | 17 | 22 | 23 | 16 | 21 | 19 |
| Totals Species | 55 | 66 | 67 | 52 | 51 | 49 |
[Posted by Chuck Almdale]
(Chris Tosdevin 6-22-25)
Always the 4th (not last) Sunday of the month, 8:30am & 10 am
Pacific Coast Highway: There are reportedly lane closures for fire recovery work this weekend. PCH from Temescal Canyon Rd to Sunset Blvd has a reduced speed limit of 35 mph, and from Sunset Blvd to Carbon Beach Terrace PCH has a 25 mph speed limit. Watch for workers & vehicles. (Active work on Sunday morning at 8am? That’s debatable.)
Special Attractions: Like dinosaurs? Want to see a dinosaur? Then come to Malibu Lagoon. Birds are small dinosaurs, we now know, once rulers of the world, now the last of their kind! Think about that the next time one approaches you, grinning and sparkly-eyed, looking for a handout. At least they lost their pointy teeth somewhere alongside their path of evolution.
Some of the great birds we’ve had in June are:
Brant, Canada Goose, Gadwall, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, White-throated Swift, Anna’s & Allen’s Hummingbirds, Black-necked Stilt, Black-bellied & Snowy Plovers, Killdeer, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Wilson’s Phalarope, Black Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin, Least & Western Sandpiper, Common Murre, Heermann’s Gull, Least & Caspian Terns, Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Blue Heron, White-tailed Kite, Red-tailed Hawk, Cassin’s Kingbird, Rough-winged, Barn & Cliff Swallows, Mockingbird, House Finch, Song Sparrow, California Towhee, Hooded & Bullock’s Orioles, TRed-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, and Common Yellowthroat.
Weather prediction as of 24 June
Temp: 60-63°F; Wind 7-10 mph from South; Sky Cover: 62% > 50%
Tide: Rising from very low: Low: -0.51 ft. @ 3:57am High: +3.35 ft. @ 10:34am
May 24 trip report link
Adult Walk 8:30 a.m., 4th Sunday of every month. Adults, teens and children you deem mature enough to be with adults. Beginners and experienced, 2-3 hours, meeting at the metal-shaded viewing area between parking lot and channel. Species range from 35 in June to 60-75 during migrations and winter. We move slowly and check everything as we move along. When lagoon outlet is closed we may continue east around the lagoon to Adamson House. We put out special effort to make our monthly Malibu Lagoon walks attractive to first-time and beginning birdwatchers. So please, if you are at all worried about coming on a trip and embarrassing yourself because of all the experts, we remember our first trips too. Someone showed us the birds; now it’s our turn. Bring your birding questions.
Children and Parents Walk, 10:00 a.m., 4th Sunday of every month: One hour session, meeting at the metal-shaded viewing area between parking lot and channel. We start at 10:00 for a shorter walk and to allow time for families to get it together on a sleepy Sunday morning. Our leaders are experienced with kids so please bring them to the beach! We have an ample supply of binoculars that children can use without striking terror into their parents. We want to see families enjoying nature. (If you have a Scout Troop or other group of more than seven people, you must call Jean (213-522-0062) to make sure we have enough binoculars, docents and sand.) It’s a good idea to call Jean anyway so she knows to expect you. If you’re late, they’re probably heading towards the beach.
Directions: Malibu Lagoon – street address is 3999 Cross Creek Rd. – is at the stoplighted intersection of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Cross Creek Road, just west of Malibu Pier and the bridge, 15 miles west of Santa Monica via PCH. Turn towards the ocean at the stoplight, opposite the Shell station. We gather in the metal-shaded pavilion area near the parking lot. Look around for people wearing binoculars and hats. Do NOT go to 23200 PCH, the address for Adamson House, east of Malibu Creek bridge, and a 5-10 minute walk away, plus 20-40 minutes to get into their surfer-packed parking lot.
Parking: Parking machine in the lagoon lot near our meeting area: 1 hr $3; 2 hrs $6; 3 hrs $9, all day $12 ($11 seniors); credit cards accepted. Annual passes accepted. You may also park (read the signs carefully) either along PCH west of Cross Creek Road, on Cross Creek Road, or on Civic Center Way north (inland) of the shopping center. Lagoon parking in shopping center lots is not permitted.
[Written & posted by Chuck Almdale]
Birders, How to park for free (almost) at Malibu Lagoon
[By Lu Plazoules]
It’s not easy these days to park at State Parks near a big city. Parking can cost $12 or more depending on where you want to go bird-watching. I’m a senior and my cost-of-living increases don’t seem to be keeping up with the price of gas (among other items) this year. So here are my solutions for a an inexpensive time at our local State Parks.
1. Advantages of getting old
If you are 62 or above, you can apply for the “Senior Golden Bear” pass from California State Parks. I have had one of these $20 +/- passes for years and I’ve used all the options for obtaining it. You can download an application, print it out on paper, send it in with a copy of your CA Driver License, and wait…especially if you’ve sent in a check with the application. Or you can get it online with a credit card and a pdf or jpeg of your ID (this never worked for me.) The option to use a credit card may be faster, but two years ago, I waited six weeks and then got billed twice for it, and got two passes from two different State Park offices.
By far the most reliable way to score this gem of a deal is to get it in person from the LA District office at Malibu Creek State Park. Just make sure that you call in advance at 310-457-8144 to ensure they have passes on hand and what hours they will be available. Theoretically the passes are available starting in December of the year preceding, however, there have been glaring exceptions. [This year they did not arrive at MCSP until mid-January.] The pass is valid at most State Parks from January through the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, then the day after Labor Day through the end of the calendar year. Well worth the drive to the Malibu crest. And you can go birding there with your new pass right away!
The office where you get them is near the front gate: turn left just past the front gate fence, drive about 1/20th mile, if that, and [legally] park. Walk a little bit farther to the office. Give them 20 bucks, sign something-or-other, and you now have your pass. DO NOT, repeat DO NOT walk the mile or so up the creek to the Visitor’s Center to get your pass. Tell the gatekeeper where you’re going and you get in free!
2. California State Library Bonus
What to do in summer when your senior pass is not valid? Or because your license doesn’t show that magic 62? For the past four years, funds from the Federal Libraries and Museums programs have been used by the State’s Librarian to give grants to libraries to purchase State Parks passes that are valid for the entire year and are available to library cardholders without fee for the regular checkout period of a book or other material from their local library. (That can be up to 4 weeks!) During the summer months when my Senior Golden Bear is not valid, I go to my Santa Monica Public Library and get a State Parks Pass. I can even reserve it online! That’s a good reason to make sure your library card is up to date! Just as a bonus, remember that most library systems allow you to get a library card as long as you are a resident of the State (not just the district!) That means that if you live in WLA/Santa Monica you can easily drive to Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey or Overland Ave CC (LA Cty. Libr) Brentwood or WLA/Sawtelle to get a State Parks pass as long as you have their card and supply is available. Time to get multiple library cards! BTW It would be great if you sent an email to your Assembly-member and House representative stating how you love to get this benefit, now that you’re old and your knees and hips are making odd worrisome sounds! The current Administration’s budget proposal once again wants to delete the entire Federal fund from existence.
I hope I’ve made your birding easier and less expensive. See you out there!
Don’t forget: Our Malibu Lagoon monthly walk starts at 8:30 am on the 4th Sunday (not necessarily the last Sunday).
Lu
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