Ballona Freshwater Marsh: 3 November, 2018
Cinnamon Teal male (Ray Juncosa, Ballona FWM, 11-3-18
Did you know or did you remember that years ago what is now the Freshwater Marsh was a weedy field and a center of contention among land owners in Playa del Vista, developers and advocates of the Ballona Wetlands?
Cassin’s Kingbird with his or her white chin
(Ray Juncosa, Ballona FWM, 11-3-18
It was completed as the Freshwater Marsh in February of 2003 and wow! Look at it now!
A tiny dragon momentarily perches (AKA Variegated Meadowhawk – Sympetrum corruptum) (Ray Juncosa, Ballona FWM, 11-3-18)
Our annual “stroll” around the marsh in lovely sunny weather was marked by seeing 47 different species – a far bigger number than seen in 2002.
Greater Yellowlegs (Ray Juncosa, Ballona FWM, 11-3-18
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Audubon’s subspecies (Ray Juncosa, Ballona FWM, 11-3-18
The group was quite interactive – everyone found something wonderful to show to the rest of us. One highlight was a Virginia Rail skulking in the reeds.
Virginia Rail caught mid-skulk (Ray Juncosa, Ballona FWM, 11-3-18
Another was a selection of Kingbirds – the expected Cassin’s and Western and a Tropical! There were discussions about a Yellowlegs (Greater or Lesser) and Dowitchers (Short-billed or Long-billed) – which and why.
Long-billed Dowitcher (Ray Juncosa, Ballona FWM, 11-3-18
A grand day and a grand group. [Ellen Vahan]
| Ballona FreshWater Marsh | November 3, 2018 |
| American Wigeon | Belted Kingfisher |
| Mallard | Northern Flicker |
| Cinnamon Teal | American Kestrel |
| Northern Shoveler | Black Phoebe |
| Green-winged Teal | Say’s Phoebe |
| Ruddy Duck | Tropical Kingbird |
| Pied-billed Grebe | Cassin’s Kingbird |
| Western Grebe | Western Kingbird |
| Great Blue Heron | Bushtit |
| Great Egret | House Wren |
| Snowy Egret | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher |
| Green Heron | Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | Hermit Thrush |
| Turkey Vulture | Northern Mockingbird |
| Osprey | Orange-crowned Warbler |
| White-tailed Kite | Common Yellowthroat |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Yellow-rumped Warbler |
| Virginia Rail | CaliforniaTowhee |
| Sora (Heard only) | Savannah Sparrow |
| American Coot | Song Sparrow |
| Greater Yellowlegs | White-crowned Sparrow |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Red-winged Blackbird |
| Mourning Dove | Great-tailed Grackle |
| Anna’s Hummingbird | |
| Allen’s Hummingbird | Total: 48 species |
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SANTA MONICA BAY AUDUBON SOCIETY BLOG 
Hi, so fun to see this, after having been on that walk. Hopefully my email was received about the birds I saw the next day, that we had heard but not seen on Saturday. Question regarding the Sunday Malibu walk: I would like to join in, but I will have to leave at 10:30 sharp in order to get home and to another commitment. Is it appropriate to leave mid-walk if needed?
Thank you – Anne
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Anne – You can leave anytime you like. You’re never more than 10 minutes walk from the highway and it would be extremely difficult for you to become lost.
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