[By Chuck Almdale; photos by Ray Juncosa, Armando Martinez & Chris Tosdevin]

The Santa Monica Mountains were filled with fog; the beach was well under that layer and while not sunny, was clear, with very little breeze. Quite suitable for a shirt & t-shirt combo. Lagoon and channels were extremely dry due to the minus 0.31-foot tide at 6:40am. Small center channels 2-10 ft. wide drained what little water remained. Bird abundance was not great at 608 birds, but 67 species was well above average for March, probably due to lots of expert eyes and ears inspecting every nook and cranny. Thirty-two birders appeared.

Turkey Vultures may now be migrating north. One took over the “Osprey post” on the westernmost sand island, only to be displaced by another vulture.

The white on the vulture’s feet is his own poop. American vultures, like storks, defecate on their feet and legs.

Malibu Lagoon get plenty of Red-breasted Mergansers: they’re present on more than half our visits, we have seen them in every month of the year, and 85% of their visits are November through April. But the males look like this only in the spring, as young males are almost identical to the females.

We haven’t had any Northern Pintails at the lagoon since October’22, and I think we’d all forgotten what they look like, and we stood there wondering just what was that pale duck. I think it was Femi who finally recognized it as a female Pintail. It didn’t have much of a ‘pin-tail’ but did have a slender graceful neck. The mottling on the back is much brighter than illustrated in my NGS field guide which shows only shades of brown.

Allen’s Hummingbird were relatively abundant. This one looks like a red stoplight among yellow caution lights.

Whimbrel – now Hudsonian Whimbrel due to the recent species split from (now) Eurasian Whimbrel – is another “almost-always-here” bird, reliable in small numbers ten or eleven months of the year.

I did a little research on this Whimbrel split as it is relatively new to me.

The first specimen (holotype) of Numenius hudsonicus was collected somewhere between 1825 and 1828 on the voyage of HMS Blossom [Gilbert & Sullivan, how did you miss this one?], and it was then classified as a separate species from the (Eurasian) Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus. By the 1930’s most authorities considered it part of the N. phaeopus taxon, and they were officially lumped. In 2011, a paper by Sangster, et.al. “Taxonomic recommendations for British birds: Seventh report,” raised it back to species rank on the basis of “diagnostic differences in plumage and mean morphometric differences” plus mtDNA divergence of 3.6%.

A mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) divergence of 3.6% means that 3.6% of the nucleotide bases (A, T, C, or G) in the analyzed mtDNA sequence differ between two compared samples. Standard molecular clock rates are roughly 2–4% per million years depending on species and DNA region, and 3.6% divergence – while a possibly acceptable variance within a single species – points towards reduced gene flow between the two lineages and probable biological species separation. Other papers have pointed out that while the N. hudsonicus and N. phaeopus have plenty of opportunity to interbreed, they still show “extremely low rates of gene flow, suggesting a pattern of reproductive isolation.” But there is evidence of extensive gene flow among the several forms of Whimbrel distributed across Eurasia, indicating these should be (and are) considered conspecific. – Adapted mostly from Birds of the World (link) systematics write-up for the two species.

So if you’ve seen Whimbrel in Eurasia, you now have an additional species on your life list. But if you saw your foreign Whimbrel in South America, you don’t.

In springtime we begin to see ‘our’ birds in their breeding (aka alternate) plumage. As Brandt’s (and Pelagic) Cormorants don’t like to come into the lagoon – waaay too far inland for them – we see them only when they’re offshore, either on the rocks or paddling through the waves, and our views of them are rarely earthshaking. So the photo below is particularly (in my estimation) fortuitous, as it shows both the white whiskers on the side of the neck and the blue breeding patch on the chin, embedded within the small beige gular pouch which is definitely not large and yellow-orange as with the Double-crested Cormorant. They don’t have these field marks most of the year, and even when they do, you can’t see them well, if at all.

The superficially similar Pacific Loon was also present. [Birders often confuse loons and cormorants when they’re hundreds of yards away, dark birds disappearing behind waves or diving to chase fish underwater.] We had three swimming eastward through the waves out past the offshore rocks. Later we saw them (or another group of three) just past the surf zone towards Malibu Pier, and then – [drumroll] we spotted a long flotilla farther east. In the scopes we counted 45 birds, all swimming north towards the pier and all of them Pacific Loons. [In 1914 an additional collective noun for loons was coined: An asylum of loons. Seems appropriate.] I thought this would certainly be a lagoon record, but it wasn’t, as we had 80 Pacific Loons on 4/23/17. These two sightings alone comprise 42% of all our Pacific Loon sightings since 1979.

Before the Arctic Loon was split into the Arctic (Russian & Alaskan) Loon (Gavia artica) and Pacific Loon (G. pacifica) by the AOU in 1985, a birding ID tip was that about 80-90% of Arctic Loons had “chinstraps.” You can see this in the photo above. If I remember correctly, it turned out that all those with chinstraps were Pacific Loons, although not all Pacifics have the strap. The Arctic Loon doesn’t have them. On the bird below the nice back pattern shows up. This flying bird appears to be in full breeding plumage.

I wonder if our distant ancestors got the idea of making boats (and later surfboards and water skis) from watching large aquatic birds such as albatross, geese and pelicans slide to a stop across the surface of the water.

As you can see from the above two photos, adult Brown Pelicans aren’t particularly brown, but more of a gray, with blotches of white, yellow, red and cream. It’s the young birds that are brown, and it takes them 3-5 years to develop their adult appearance. This bird below was lying in the low dunes near a patch of dune plants, mostly motionless. It looked really sick, best left alone.

I wondered aloud if we were seeing another wave of Domoic Acid poisoning, such outbreaks often called “red tide.” The neurotoxin is actually produced by Pseudo-nitzschia, a fairly common marine planktonic diatom genus, dangerous and lethal to all sorts of wildlife, including humans.

This Glaucous-winged Gull below is another species that is here more often than not. Appearances June through October are few, with none at all in September. This bird has very “shredded” scapulars and coverts.

Boneparte’s Gull is always a welcome sight, diminutive (13.5″) and cute, half the length of a Western Gull. In 46 years of counting birds at the lagoon, I’ve recorded exactly 9,000 of them in 111 sightings. The month of March accounts for 2,785 (31%) of those sightings, the cumulative months of June-October accounts for 12. Their lagoon appearances have dropped drastically, with only 151 birds in the last 20 years. One of these days I’ll have to see if I can find out why.

Bathtime at the lagoon.

A Few Terns

For the past nine months we’ve had between 2 and 135 Royal Terns and for December through February we’ve had zero Elegant Terns (they all fly south to the Sea of Cortez). This makes discerning terns relatively easy. The ones with the big red bill are Caspian, the others are Royal. Oh, of course there’s the occasional Forster’s Tern, but they look completely different. And the far-less-common Common Tern hasn’t shown up for one of our walks since August 2016, so we need not concern ourselves with them. But every year in March – sometimes not until April – the Elegants show up to make our tern-counting more complicated.

Here’s a photo of your typical springtime Elegant Tern. Solid black head, long slender decurved top and bottom yellowish-orangish-reddish bill. A lot of them have this subtle, sometimes very subtle, rosy shade on their breast feathers. How could these possibly be confused with the larger, chunkier, thicker-and-less-curvy-billed and often semi-bald Royal Tern?

The breeding plumage Royal Tern, in front, the semi-bald not-yet-breeding-plumaged Royal right behind. These are 3-4″ longer than the Elegant (depending on what source you’re using), and larger and chunkier in every way.

Three more Royals, in varying stages of shock. Depending on a lot of things (angle, lighting, color, curvature of upper bill, curvature of lower bill, length) the bills of the Royals are quite variable.

And here’s the way you often get them, all mixed up, facing different ways, doing different things. I count 3 Elegants for sure, 2 Royals for sure, and 3 for unsure. Do the Royals look significantly larger than the Elegants; significantly less rosy-breasted?; significantly less curvy-billed? Yes, sometimes, maybe, no?

When I first got to the lagoon and looked at them far across the mudflats and towards the sun, I thought most of them were Elegants. By the time we left and I’d gotten much closer looks with the sun behind me, I’d reversed the proportions of which were which.

So it goes, as Kurt Vonnegut often wrote.

After writing the above sentence, I googled “Kurt Vonnegut quotes” and found many good ones, including this:

“True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.”

Malibu Lagoon on eBird as of 3-24-26: 9300 lists, 3036 eBirders, 322 species
Most recent new species seen: Nelson’s Sparrow, 11/29/24 by Femi Faminu (SMBAS member). When the newest species added to the list was seen on a date prior to the most recently seen new species, there is no way I can find to easily determine what that bird is. Another minor nit to pick about eBird.

Birds new for the season: Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Mourning Dove, Long-billed Dowitcher, Western Sandpiper, Bonaparte’s Gull, Heermann’s Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Caspian Tern, Elegant Tern, Green Heron, Oak Titmouse, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Bewick’s Wren, American Robin.  “New for the season” means it has been three or more months since last recorded on our trips..

Many, many thanks to photographers Ray Juncosa, Armando Martinez, and Chris Tosdevin. Welcome back Chris.

Upcoming SMBAS scheduled field trips; no reservations or Covid card necessary unless specifically mentioned:

• Bear Divide/Walker Ranch Sat. Apr. 18, 7:30 am, leader Armando Martinez, Reservation
• Malibu Lagoon, Sun. Apr. 26, 8:30 (adults) & 10 am (parents & kids)
• Black Rock & Morongo Canyon, Sat-Sun May 2-3.
• These and any other trips we announce for the foreseeable future will depend upon expected status of the Covid/flu/etc. pandemic, not to mention landslides, fires, local flooding and atmospheric rivers at trip time. Any trip announced may be canceled shortly before trip date if it seems necessary. By now any other comments should be superfluous.
• Link to Programs & Field Trip schedule.

The next SMBAS Zoom program: Tuesday, April 7, 7:30pm; TBD

The SMBAS 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk has again resumed. Reservations not necessary for families, but for groups (scouts, etc.), please call Jean (213-522-0062).

Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
9/23/02 Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon
Aerial ‘film’ flying north over lagoon
More recent aerial photo

Prior checklists:
2025: Jan-June, July-Dec
2023: Jan-June, July-Dec       2024: Jan-June, July-Dec
2021: Jan-July,  July-Dec       2022: Jan-June, July-Dec
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 Femi Faminu, Chris Lord, Armando Martinez, Emily Roth, Chris Tosdevin and others for contributions made to this month’s census counts.

The species list below was re-sequenced as of 12/31/25 to agree with the eBird sequence. If part of the right side of the chart below is hidden, there’s a slider button inconveniently located at the bottom end of the list. The numbers 1-9 left of the species names are keyed to the nine categories of birds at the bottom. Updated lagoon bird check lists can be downloaded here.
[Chuck Almdale]

	Malibu Census 2025-26	10/26	11/23	12/28	1/25	2/22	3/22
	Temperature	58-65	59-65	60-69	47-55	49-63	65-76
	Tide Lo/Hi Height	H+5.02	H+5.46	L+1.35	L+1.31	L+0.65	L-0.31
	Tide Time	1125	0939	1047	0846	0655	0640
1	Brant (Black)		1	1	1	1	1
1	Canada Goose		12	14	3	4	5
1	Cinnamon Teal					2
1	Northern Shoveler			4			2
1	Gadwall		14	20	34	35	15
1	American Wigeon			15	4	4	6
1	Mallard	26	1	12	5	7	14
1	Northern Pintail						1
1	Green-winged Teal			5	11	8
1	Surf Scoter	2	22	4	3	6
1	Bufflehead		4	4
1	Red-breasted Merganser		2	5	6	7	4
1	Ruddy Duck		5	11
2	Feral Pigeon			5		4	2
2	Mourning Dove	1		1			3
2	Anna’s Hummingbird	2	3			1	1
2	Allen’s Hummingbird	5	4	3	3	3	5
3	Sora		1
3	American Coot	4	25	25	50	55	4
4	Black Oystercatcher	1		1	3
4	Black-bellied Plover	88	64	62	34	20	6
4	Killdeer	8	10	4	4	6	5
4	Snowy Plover	40	40	7	17	4
4	Hudsonian Whimbrel	14	8	4	3	4	6
4	Marbled Godwit	21	8	10	3	4	1
4	Long-billed Dowitcher						1
4	Spotted Sandpiper			1
4	Willet	14	20	7	7	3	4
4	Ruddy Turnstone	6	4	3	2	3
4	Sanderling	13	23	14	35	10
4	Dunlin	1
4	Least Sandpiper	12	6	10	20	20	8
4	Western Sandpiper	1	2				13
5	Bonaparte’s Gull		1				3
5	Heermann’s Gull	2	49	10			22
5	Short-billed Gull			1
5	Ring-billed Gull	7	6	5	17	4	3
5	Western Gull	35	55	85	45	41	61
5	American Herring Gull		1	1		1	1
5	California Gull	116	410	650	275	140	95
5	Glaucous-winged Gull						1
5	Caspian Tern						3
5	Elegant Tern	2	3				24
5	Royal Tern	2	22	25	12	28	34
6	Pied-billed Grebe	2	3	6	2	2	3
6	Horned Grebe			1
6	Eared Grebe	6	3	1
6	Western Grebe	30	8	10	45	4	24
6	Clark’s Grebe		2			2
6	Red-throated Loon		2		2
6	Pacific Loon		1			1	45
6	Brandt’s Cormorant	5	2	1	35	5	3
6	Pelagic Cormorant	3	2	3		1	3
6	Double-crested Cormorant	28	38	17	28	15	18
6	Black-crowned Night-Heron	1
6	Snowy Egret	34	30	11	3	3	1
6	Green Heron	2	1				2
6	Great Egret	4	2	1	1	1	2
6	Great Blue Heron	6	4	5	5	3	3
6	Brown Pelican	138	13	3	13	10	30
7	Turkey Vulture		1	2	2	2	3
7	Osprey	1	1	1	2
7	Sharp-shinned Hawk					1
7	Red-shouldered Hawk		1			2
7	Red-tailed Hawk	1		2	1	2	1
8	Belted Kingfisher	1	2	1	1	1
8	Downy Woodpecker					1
8	Nuttall’s Woodpecker		1
8	Nanday Parakeet	9			2
9	Black Phoebe	2	3	1	3	3	2
9	Say’s Phoebe		1			1
9	Cassin’s Kingbird					1	3
9	Hutton’s Vireo				1
9	California Scrub-Jay	2		1
9	American Crow	10	7	6	11	10	6
9	Common Raven	1				1	2
9	Oak Titmouse	2	1	1			1
9	No. Rough-winged Swallow						25
9	Bushtit	35	4	19	20	5	8
9	Wrentit	2	4	1	2	2	1
9	Swinhoe’s White-eye					2	2
9	Ruby-crowned Kinglet					1
9	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher		2				1
9	Northern House Wren	2	1	1	1	1
9	Marsh Wren	1
9	Bewick’s Wren						1
9	European Starling	6	30		1	10	13
9	Northern Mockingbird	1		1		1
9	Western Bluebird	2		1
9	Hermit Thrush		2
9	American Robin						1
9	Scaly-breasted Munia		7
9	House Finch	2	5	15	7	10	12
9	Lesser Goldfinch		2	2	7	2	6
9	American Goldfinch			4
9	Dark-eyed Junco		3	1		1	2
9	White-crowned Sparrow	10	12	18	6	5	10
9	Savannah Sparrow			1
9	Song Sparrow	4	4	3	5	7	6
9	California Towhee	1	2	2	3	2	3
9	Western Meadowlark		2
9	Great-tailed Grackle	6	16	3	10	3	5
9	Orange-crowned Warbler	1	2	1	1	1	1
9	Common Yellowthroat	6	2	1	1	2	1
9	Yellow-rumped Warbler	25	10	8	6	6	4
9	Black-throated Gray Warbler	1			1
	Totals Birds by Type	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar
1	Waterfowl & Quail	28	61	95	67	74	48
2	Doves, Swifts & Hummers	8	7	9	3	8	11
3	Rails & Coots	4	26	25	50	55	4
4	Shorebirds	219	185	123	128	74	44
5	Gulls & Terns	164	547	777	349	214	247
6	Grebe, Loon, Heron, Pelican	259	111	59	134	47	134
7	Hawks & Falcons	2	3	5	5	7	4
8	Kingfisher, Peckers & Parrots	10	3	1	3	2	0
9	Passerines	122	122	91	86	77	116
	Totals Birds	816	1065	1185	825	558	608
	Total Species by Group	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar
1	Waterfowl & Quail	2	8	11	8	9	8
2	Doves, Swifts & Hummers	3	2	3	1	3	4
3	Rails & Coots	1	2	1	1	1	1
4	Shorebirds	12	10	11	10	9	8
5	Gulls & Terns	6	8	7	4	5	10
6	Grebe, Loon, Heron, Pelican	12	14	11	9	11	11
7	Hawks & Falcons	2	3	3	3	4	2
8	Kingfisher, Peckers & Parrots	2	2	1	2	2	0
9	Passerines	21	22	21	17	22	23
	Totals Species – 106	61	71	69	55	66	67