Always the 4th (not last) Sunday of the month, 8:30am & 10 am

Pacific Coast Highway: There are still reportedly lane closures as fire recovery work continues.

• 25 MPH between Temescal Canyon Rd. & Sunset Blvd.
• 35 MPH between Sunset Blvd & Carbon Beach Terrace
• Watch for workers & vehicles. (Active work on Sunday morning at 8am? Take a picture.)

The migrating shorebirds are picking up in numbers and diversity, as are gulls and terns. Many may still have their bright breeding plumages. Snowy Plovers have returned from breeding. You never know what might blow, float or wander in.

Some of the great birds we’ve had in August are:
Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, White-winged Dove, White-throated Swift, American Avocet, Semipalmated Plover, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Short-billed Dowitcher, Red-necked Phalarope, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser & Greater Yellowlegs, Ruddy & Black Turnstones, Sanderling, Baird’s, Least, Pectoral & Western Sandpipers, Black Skimmer, Least, Forster’s, Royal & Elegant Terns, Brandt’s & Pelagic Cormorants, White-faced Ibis, Yellow-crowned & Black-crowned Night Herons, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Western Wood-Pewee, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Tree, Barn & No. Rough-winged Swallows, Bushtit, Savannah & Song Sparrows, Western Meadowlark, Red-winged & Brewer’s Blackbirds, Bullock’s Oriole, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow, Orange-crowned & Wilson’s Warblers, Western Tanager.

Weather prediction as of 18 August
Temp: 69-73°F; Wind 2-7 mph from W; Sky Cover: 50 > 24%
Tide: medium, little change: High: 3.64 ft. @ 8:58am, Low: +2.85 ft. @ 1:17pm
July 26 trip report link

Adult Walk 8:30 a.m., 4th Sunday of every month. Adults, teens and children you deem mature enough to be with adults. Beginners and experienced, 2-3 hours, meeting at the metal-shaded viewing area between parking lot and channel. Species range from 35 in June to 60-75 during migrations and winter.  We move slowly and check everything as we move along. When lagoon outlet is closed we may continue east around the lagoon to Adamson House. We put out special effort to make our monthly Malibu Lagoon walks attractive to first-time and beginning birdwatchers. So please, if you are at all worried about coming on a trip and embarrassing yourself because of all the experts, we remember our first trips too. Someone showed us the birds; now it’s our turn. Bring your birding questions.

Children and Parents Walk, 10:00 a.m., 4th Sunday of every month: One hour session, meeting at the metal-shaded viewing area between parking lot and channel. We start at 10:00 for a shorter walk and to allow time for families to get it together on a sleepy Sunday morning. Our leaders are experienced with kids so please bring them to the beach! We have an ample supply of binoculars that children can use without striking terror into their parents. We want to see families enjoying nature. (If you have a Scout Troop or other group of more than seven people, you must call Jean (213-522-0062) to make sure we have enough binoculars, docents and sand.) It’s a good idea to call Jean anyway so she knows to expect you. If you’re late, they’re probably heading towards the beach.

Directions: Malibu Lagoon – street address is 3999 Cross Creek Rd. – is at the stoplighted intersection of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Cross Creek Road, just west of Malibu Pier and the bridge, 15 miles west of Santa Monica via PCH. Turn towards the ocean at the stoplight, opposite the Shell station. We gather in the metal-shaded pavilion area near the parking lot. Look around for people wearing binoculars and hats. Do NOT go to 23200 PCH, the address for Adamson House, east of Malibu Creek bridge, and a 5-10 minute walk away, plus 20-40 minutes to get into their surfer-packed parking lot.

Parking: Parking machine in the lagoon lot near our meeting area: 1 hr $3; 2 hrs $6; 3 hrs $9, all day $12 ($11 seniors); credit cards accepted. Annual passes accepted. You may also park (read the signs carefully) either along PCH west of Cross Creek Road, on Cross Creek Road, or on Civic Center Way north (inland) of the shopping center.  Lagoon parking in shopping center lots is not permitted.

[Written & posted by Chuck Almdale]