Field Trip Report Malibu Lagoon May 22, 2016

It may have been early in the month for our 4th Sunday, but for us it seemed quite late in the migration cycle. On a comfortable but gray Sunday we saw very few birds, especially in the wader category. One new arrival was a solitary Brant. Don’t let this rather low total (41 species) discourage you from visiting our favorite hot spot. Since that outing a number of interesting birds have shown up at the Lagoon, including a colorful female Wilson’s Phalarope, southward bound I’m told, spotted by Grace Murayama last week (June 8th). See you June 26th!  [Lucian]

Brant (Branta bernicla)  1
Gadwall (Anas strepera)  8
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  4
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)  1
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)  7
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)  14
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  2
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  1
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)  2
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  1
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) 6
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  6    ( Incl. 4 immature)
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)  16
Heermann’s Gull (Larus heermanni)  8
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  26
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)  23
California Gull (Larus californicus)  3
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  9
Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)  48
Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans)  10
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon))  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Allen’s Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) 2
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)  1
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)  2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 4
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)  6
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  4
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) 4
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus)  2
Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)  1
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)  2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  4
Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)  12
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)  3
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  7
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  3
Species Total: 41