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At the corner of the topographical water feature, a Black Widow Spider (R. Ehler 8/24/14)

 The big news today, and for the week that followed, was surf. Hurricane Maria off the south end of Baja sent up some record-breaking surf, and surfers blanketed the waves. Later in the week, as the surf grew, we saw surfers shooting between pier pilings, surfers flung into the air and under waves, 30-ft. waves at the Newport wedge, exhausted and frightened surfers and swimmers, hundreds of rescues, and at least one drowning. This human frenzy didn’t seem to bother the birds.

The returning shorebirds were numerous and busy; it was the passerines that were tough to find. Perhaps the heat of the past few weeks had sent them off to hidden shady glens. Fewer species and fewer of each species was the result.

The Snowy Plovers grew in numbers, now up to 39 birds with one ringed bird. GG:AR (left leg green over green; right leg aqua over red), our spy up at Point Blue (formerly Point Reyes Bird Observatory or PRBO) informs us, was one of three identically birds banded at Oceano Dunes in the summer of 2011. Lu Plauzoles pointed out that a lot of our banded birds of recent years are from Oceano Dunes, so they must be doing something right. I checked my records and discovered that GG:AR has wintered previously at Malibu, and we’ve seen him on the following dates: 2011 – 9/25, 12/25; 2012 – 1/22, 11/25; 2013 – 1/27, 7/28, 10/27. He (or she) may well have appeared on other dates, but if no one told me (hint, hint) I won’t have that record. The plover family was well represented. Black-bellied (Gray for our British readers), some of them still quite black; Killdeer, a local nester; and Semipalmated. Listening to birders argue about “just how much webbing do these bird actually have” is always a treat.

Snowy Plovers feed in the beach wrack (R. Ehler 8/24/14)

[Late Breaking News] Bill Crowe of Simi Valley reported seeing “at least 100 Snowy Plovers” at Malibu Lagoon, the following Sunday, Aug. 31, including GG:AR. The highest Snowy Plover count we’ve ever recorded on our monthly birdwalks was 81 birds on 1/22/12.

Birds new for the season were: Western Grebe, Marbled Godwit, Black Turnstone, Sanderling, and Wrentit. Lu thought the Wrentit (at Adamson house), a hillside chaparral-loving bird uncommon at the lagoon, may have fled the dry slopes in search of water.

Black Turnstones generally prefer rocky shores (R. Ehler 8/24/14)

Our next three scheduled field trips:   Lower Los Angeles River, 6 Sep, 7:30am; Coastal Cleanup, 20 Sep, 9am–noon; Malibu Lagoon, 28 Sep, 8:30 & 10am.
Our next program: Tuesday, 7 Oct., 7:30 pm. Black-backed Woodpeckers and the Ecology of Forest Fires, presented by Dale Hanson.

Lesser Goldfinches – breeding season is definitely over (R. Ehler 8/24/14)

NOTE: Our 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk meets at the shaded viewing area. Watch for Willie the Weasel.
Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon from 9/23/02.
Prior checklists:
2014:   Jan-July
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 project period remain available on our Lagoon Project Bird Census Page. Very briefly summarized, the results unexpectedly indicate that avian species diversification and numbers improved slightly during the period Jun’12-June’14.   [Chuck Almdale]