Field Trip Report Jan. 24, 2016 Malibu Lagoon

We welcomed at least 7 first-timers today to our “home” at Malibu Lagoon and even though the weather and very high tide did not make for large numbers of birds, there were some special sightings.  We hope those first timers come back to see more birds next month.

Chris Lord’s Black-vented Shearwater was exceptional; usually these birds are at least a quarter-mile off the coast. A Merlin was repeatedly sighted, above the Adamson House as well as near the Malibu Colony tract. Late in the walk we spotted a Lincoln’s Sparrow at the Adamson lookout. Weather was brilliantly clear, with a light breeze. Temps started at 58 degrees F and ended at 70 by noon.

Horned Grebe, Winter plumage                        A. Douglas, Malibu Lagoon 1/24/16

49 species

Gadwall  3
American Wigeon  10
Mallard  15
Northern Shoveler  16
Northern Pintail  4
Green-winged Teal  8
Bufflehead  2
Red-breasted Merganser  3
Pied-billed Grebe  3
Horned Grebe  1
Eared Grebe  2
Black-vented Shearwater  1     Actually entered the lagoon, landed near a large gull flock then took off towards ocean. Chris Lord’s sighting.
Brandt’s Cormorant  1
Double-crested Cormorant  24
Pelagic Cormorant  2
Brown Pelican  30
Great Blue Heron  3
Great Egret  2
Snowy Egret  21
Osprey  1
American Coot  40
Black-bellied Plover  12
Snowy Plover  12
Killdeer  2
Willet  8
Whimbrel  3
Marbled Godwit  13
Heermann’s Gull  4
Ring-billed Gull  30
Western Gull  13
California Gull  400
Royal Tern  25
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  2
Anna’s Hummingbird  1
Allen’s Hummingbird  3
Merlin  1
Black Phoebe  3
Say’s Phoebe  1
American Crow  6
House Wren  1
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  110
Common Yellowthroat  1
White-crowned Sparrow  20
Song Sparrow  3
Lincoln’s Sparrow 1
Great-tailed Grackle  2
House Finch  1