Malibu Lagoon Trip Report: 23 March, 2014

BE SURE TO VISIT THE SLIDESHOW ON THE BLOG.

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Elegant Terns flying (R. Ehler 3/23/14)

Perhaps it was the shift to daylight savings time, forcing us to arrive an hour closer to dawn, but the gulls, terns, pelicans and cormorants were on the beach and in the lagoon, unlike the last four months when most were out to sea and beyond viewing distance. This pushed our total bird count up to 51% above the running 6-year average for March (82% above the 10-year average). As is usual for this time of year, the weather was cooperative – 62-70° with little wind – and the large group of birders had a good time. Oddly enough, we saw not a single raptor, whereas we’ve had 2-6 species per visit since last October.

We’ve got another nice collection of photos from Randy Ehler in the slideshow on the blog. Randy has become a regular attendee on our lagoon walks and he always has his camera, for which I am very grateful, as I am too busy spotting birds, pointing out birds, counting birds, answering questions and moving people along to even try to take a decent photo.

Brown Pelican dodging waves (R. Ehler 3/23/14)

Birds new for the season were: Long-billed Dowitcher, Caspian Tern, Elegant Tern (135!), Anna’s Hummingbird, Western Scrub-Jay, Rough-winged & Barn Swallows, Savannah Sparrow, and Red-winged Blackbird. The hummer and the jay are both year-round residents, yet we somehow managed to miss them for the past few months. Red-wings usually hang out across the street at Legacy Park, where they’re close to the food court where they can snag fries and burger bits from unwary eaters. The Savannah Sparrows were on the beach, gleaning bugs and whatnot (a scientific term) from the high-tide wrack. The Townsend’s Warbler was gone, but the three Meadowlarks were still there, now 6-months long. May they now qualify for residency and get a green card?

Marbled Godwit admiring its own reflection (R. Ehler 3/23/14)

Our next three scheduled field trips: Wilson Canyon or Walker Ranch, 5 Apr, 8:30am; Paramount Ranch to Malibu Creek S.P. 1-way hike, 12 Mar, 8:00am; Malibu Lagoon, 27 Apr, 8:30 & 10am.
Our next program: Tuesday, 1 April, 7:30 pm. Urban Crows & predation on Least Terns: presented by Dr. Peter Auger.

NOTE: Our 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk meets at the shaded viewing area.

Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon from 9/23/02.
Prior checklists: July-Dec’11, Jan-June’11, July-Dec ’10, Jan-June ’10, Jul-Dec ‘09, and Jan-June ‘09.

NOTE: WordPress (our blogsite host) recently did one of their periodic updates, following which many things won’t work properly for a while (or ever again in some cases). If this blog looks odd, blame them (or Canada, if you prefer).

Comments on Bird Lists Below
Total Birds: March total birds of 1564 is 51% above the 6-year Mar. average of 1034; for a change many gulls and pelicans were present as were many ducks, coots, and cormorants.
Summary of total birds from the 6-year average so far: Jun’12 +36%, Jul’12 -9%, Aug’12 -9%, Sep’12 +12%, Oct’12 +3%, Nov’12 -5%, Dec’12 +30%, Jan’13 -20%, Feb’13 -29%, Mar’13 -30%, Apr’13 -34%, May’13 -37%, Jun’13 -24%, Jul’13 +83%, Aug’13 +37%, Sep’13 +23%, Oct’13 +41%, Nov’13 -58%, Dec’13 -49%, Jan’14 -62%, Feb’14 -28%, Mar’14 +51%.
Species Diversity: March 2014 with 59 species was 6% above the 6-year Mar. average of 56.
Summary of species diversity from the 6-year average so far: Jun’12 -10%, Jul’12 +10%, Aug’12. -6%, Sep’12 -20%, Oct’12 +5%, Nov’12 +2%, Dec’12 -4%, Jan’13 +2%, Feb’13 -8%, Mar’13 +9%, Apr’13 -2%, May’13 +3%, Jun’13 +13%, Jul’13 0%, Aug’13 +11%, Sep’13 -14%, Oct’13 +19%, Nov’13 -3%, Dec’13 -6%, Jan’14 -2% Feb’14 +9%, Mar’14 +6%.
10-year comparison summaries are available on our Lagoon Project Bird Census Page.    [Chuck Almdale]
Note: Beginning July, we return to our pre-project bird list format, reporting the most recent 6-month period.