Cool Malibu Lagoon morning, 24 October 2021

[Posted by Chuck Almdale]

Low morning light turns a Double-crested Cormorant and Great Egret into shadowbirds. The lowering lagoon level drapes their snag in dead algae.

Unlike last month, there were few waves and few surfers. Partly cloudy, it remained cool all morning: 54°F at 8:30 and only 63° at 11am. The beach available to beach-sitters was quite narrow. Lagoon water level was down below the tidal clock sidewalk, so probably about 5 ft. high in the lagoon, and even more covered with algae, although that hardly seems possible. About a dozen people showed up.

The American Coots were the largest group of the day with 240 of them all over the lagoon and channels, paddling through the algae. Among them were 5 Ruddy Ducks. These little diving ducks would swim below the surface, leaving a trail of quivering algae as they swam along, mystifying us, then pop up. At first I thought it was a Mullet roiling the water. Nope—it was a Ruddy.

Common Yellowthroats, both male and female, occasionally popped out of the brush, usually to quickly pop back in.

Sanderlings were the next most numerous, with 104 birds crammed into a small patch 8-10 ft. across. Probably resting from a long flight, these birds are not at all territorial now that breeding season has past. They’ll happily crowd together with Snowy Plovers and Western Sandpipers into a small portion of a great wide beach. Third most numerous were Black-bellied Plovers. They have all lost their alternate (breeding) plumage and none have black bellies, and the British name Gray Plover will be more appropriate until next spring.

In addition to the coots and ducks, several other species of swimming birds ploughed through the algae.

Two Grebes: (L) Pied-billed (R) Eared (C. Tosdevin 10/24/21)

Gulls and terns are again low in numbers—79 birds—although above last month’s all-time second lowest count of 25 birds. Where oh where are they all?

Great Blue Heron (R. Juncosa 10/24/21)

Out on the ocean were a few gulls and Brown Pelicans. Swimming among them were Brandt’s and Pelagic Cormorants, plus a dozen Western Grebes. I saw a dozen dark sea ducks flying directly towards us, very low over the water, a long way away. They dropped down and out of sight onto the water. They seemed like Surf Scoters, which I’ve yet to see this fall, so that’s just a guess.

This Pelagic Cormorant, landing on the ocean, appears very poorly assembled (C. Tosdevin 10/24/21)

Say’s Phoebe – (L) scouting for a fly | (R) spotted a fly (Chris Tosdevin 10/24/21)

 We had a few migrant passerines: House Wren, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet. The Say’s Phoebe, White-crowned Sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers have definitely returned and will likely be with us all winter. Local chaparral-dweller Bewick’s Wren made an appearance. Great-tailed Grackles amused themselves by pointing the sky out to one other, just in case they hadn’t noticed it. 

Shorebirds were there in good numbers, although the dowitchers and curlew left. Well, they don’t usually stay long anyway. Spotted Sandpiper was also absent (or just overlooked; sometimes they skulk). Aug-Oct is when they’re most likely to be present, although we’ve recorded them in every month except June, and just barely (3 birds total) in May.

Dunlin in dull gray-brown basic (winter) plumage. Not much to shout about in terms of “specky” plumage, but the long stout black bill with a droopy tip is distinctive. (C. Tosdevin 10/24/21)

Western Snowy Plovers were in their preferred location, at the southeast corner of the lagoon, resting in their assortment of heel-sized hollows on the beach, just inland of the berm (high point of the beach). They were more scattered than usual as an oddly-dressed person (draped in blanket or shawls, wearing many necklaces, feathers and various unidentifiable objects stuffed into their hair, had decided that the perfect spot to practice their Hatha Yoga asanas (the cobra, among others) was right in the middle of the flock of tiny—therefore inconsequential—birds. Grokking the universe in fullness and all that, no doubt. There were 34 WSP’s, just like last month, a most unusual repetition in numbers. I saw no bands, but I didn’t make them all stand up to be counted.

Western Snowy Plover – (L) resting in its little sand-dimple, its usual behavior | (R) standing and alert (C. Tosdevin 10/24/21)

Birds new for the season: Northern Shoveler, Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, Brandt’s Cormorant, Marsh Wren, Bewick’s Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-crowned Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Many thanks to photographers: Lillian Johnson, Ray Juncosa, Grace Murayama & Chris Tosdevin

The next SMBAS scheduled field trips: Maybe January 2022. Wear your masks, get your shots, and maybe someday we can have organized trips again.

The next SMBAS program: Zoom Evening Meeting, Birding the Horn of Africa, with Catherine McFadden, 2nd Tuesday! 9 November 2021, 7:30 p.m.

The SMBAS 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk remains canceled until further notice due to the near-impossibility of maintained proper masked social distancing with parents and small children.

Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
9/23/02 Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon

Prior checklists:
2021: Jan-July
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 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.

Many thanks to Lillian Johnson, Ray Juncosa, Chris Tosdevin and others for their contributions to this month’s checklist.

The appearance of the list below has changed slightly. I’ve added a column on the left side with numbers 1-9, keyed to the nine categories of birds at the bottom.
[Chuck Almdale]

	Malibu Census 2021	5/22	6/20	7/25	8/22	9/26	10/24
	Temperature	59-68	63-69	66-74	68-73	63-70	54-63
	Tide Lo/Hi Height	L+1.57	H+4.89	H+4.20	H+4.55	L+2.52	H+5.23
	Tide Time	0736	0627	1148	1034	0556	1105
1	Canada Goose	6	10
1	Northern Shoveler						2
1	Gadwall	18	65	48	12		4
1	American Wigeon					7	4
1	Mallard	22	40	37	9	18	3
1	Green-winged Teal					1	5
1	Red-breasted Merganser		1	1	1
1	Ruddy Duck				2	1	5
2	Pied-billed Grebe	1		2	1	3	5
2	Eared Grebe						1
2	Western Grebe						12
7	Feral Pigeon	15	9	15	6	8	6
7	Mourning Dove		2	4	3		5
8	Anna’s Hummingbird	1	1	1	1
8	Allen’s Hummingbird	2	1		3	1	3
2	American Coot	6	9	8	2	130	240
5	Black-bellied Plover	5	13	43	90	103	87
5	Snowy Plover			9	29	34	34
5	Semipalmated Plover			1	4	3	2
5	Killdeer	6	4	9	20	10	23
5	Whimbrel	19	9	51	17	8	4
5	Long-billed Curlew					1
5	Marbled Godwit				4	30	34
5	Ruddy Turnstone		2	2	8	3	6
5	Red-necked Stint				1
5	Sanderling				12	20	104
5	Dunlin				2		2
5	Baird’s Sandpiper				5
5	Least Sandpiper			8	35	12	9
5	Western Sandpiper			12	65	2	2
5	Short-billed Dowitcher				3
5	Long-billed Dowitcher					1
5	Spotted Sandpiper				2	1
5	Willet	1			40	14	25
5	Red-necked Phalarope			1	4
6	Heermann’s Gull	280		2	1	1	2
6	Ring-billed Gull					1	2
6	Western Gull	35	45	52	55	10	63
6	California Gull	10	4	1	4		9
6	Glaucous-winged Gull	1			1		1
6	Least Tern				1
6	Caspian Tern	13	3		2
6	Royal Tern		2	5		13	2
6	Elegant Tern	107	1	240	1
2	Brandt’s Cormorant						2
2	Double-crested Cormorant	26	26	52	27	35	67
2	Pelagic Cormorant				1	2	1
2	Brown Pelican	235	27	58	30	11	21
3	Great Blue Heron	3	2	5	4	3	3
3	Great Egret	1	4	11	4	1	3
3	Snowy Egret	1	6	22	24	14	11
3	Green Heron	1
3	Black-crowned Night-Heron			9	3	3	1
4	Turkey Vulture	1
4	Osprey	1				2
4	Cooper’s Hawk			1	1
4	Red-shouldered Hawk	2			1
8	Belted Kingfisher				1
4	Merlin					1
4	Peregrine Falcon					1
9	Black Phoebe	6		3	4	5	5
9	Say’s Phoebe					1	1
9	Western Kingbird	1
9	California Scrub-Jay			1	1		1
9	American Crow	4	3	4	4	4	6
9	Violet-green Swallow	2
9	No. Rough-winged Swallow	3			2
9	Cliff Swallow	8	4		4
9	Barn Swallow	30	18	40	25	3
9	Oak Titmouse	2		1	2
9	Bushtit	8	4	1	20
9	House Wren					1	2
9	Marsh Wren						2
9	Bewick’s Wren						1
9	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher						4
9	Ruby-crowned Kinglet						1
9	Wrentit				1
9	Northern Mockingbird	5	2	1	1		2
9	European Starling		8		30	40
9	American Pipit					1
9	House Finch	6	6	6	18	7	4
9	Lesser Goldfinch				2		1
9	Spotted Towhee				1
9	California Towhee	3			1		2
9	Song Sparrow	8	4	5	3	5	4
9	White-crowned Sparrow						5
9	Western Meadowlark					1	1
9	Hooded Oriole	1
9	Red-winged Blackbird	4		25
9	Brown-headed Cowbird		1
9	Great-tailed Grackle	6	8	20	5	1	4
9	Orange-crowned Warbler					1
9	Common Yellowthroat		4		2	5	4
9	Yellow Warbler	2
9	Yellow-rumped Warbler						6
	Totals by Type	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
1	Waterfowl	46	116	86	24	27	23
2	Water Birds – Other	268	62	120	61	181	349
3	Herons, Egrets & Ibis	6	12	47	35	21	18
4	Quail & Raptors	4	0	1	2	4	0
5	Shorebirds	31	28	136	341	242	332
6	Gulls & Terns	446	55	300	65	25	79
7	Doves	15	11	19	9	8	11
8	Other Non-Passerines	3	2	1	5	1	3
9	Passerines	99	62	107	126	75	56
	Totals Birds	918	348	817	668	584	871
	Total Species	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
1	Waterfowl	3	4	3	4	4	6
2	Water Birds – Other	4	3	4	5	5	8
3	Herons, Egrets & Ibis	4	3	4	4	4	4
4	Quail & Raptors	3	0	1	2	3	0
5	Shorebirds	4	4	9	17	14	12
6	Gulls & Terns	6	5	5	7	4	6
7	Doves	1	2	2	2	1	2
8	Other Non-Passerines	2	2	1	3	1	1
9	Passerines	17	11	11	18	13	19
	Totals Species – 95	44	34	40	62	49	58