[Posted by Chuck Almdale]

I met Larry Allen way back, sometime in the late ’80’s or early 90’s. Western Tanager, the newsletter of Los Angeles Audubon Society, listed an upcoming trip as Gull-watching from Malibu Lagoon to Point Mugu. Or something like that. “Gulls,” I thought, “I can’t tell them apart. I gotta go on this.” And I did, and I repeatedly went for some number of years thereafter. Larry Allen was always the leader. He was fun and very knowledgeable. He had little hand-outs on telling gulls apart. He looked like a freak (which was a good thing, in case you’ve forgotten), as I used to look; still do, sometimes.

I think I have a mental block on gulls. I’m still trying to figure them out, and every time I think I’ve learned something, the next gull sets me back to zero. Larry never seemed to have that problem. But on the other hand…

After I began leading the Malibu Lagoon field trip, I was frequently stumped on gulls, and occasionally I’d email a photo to Larry for help. On my first photo to him he thought he knew what it was (I’ve since forgotten what) but then added, “…but the bill looks a little zaftig.” Zaftig? What the devil is that? Some sort of birder’s term, like Jizz, coverts, or remiges? Upon inquiry, he said, “it means a bit off.” Oh-kay. [Google now says “plump,” but what does google know.] I went with his conclusion, whatever it was. I knew he knew more than me.

We’d bump into Larry here and there — Mt. Piños, Antelope Valley, Angeles Crest Hwy, Morongo Valley, Bolsa Chica, South End Salton Sea, pelagics on the Vantuna, Audubon Quarterly Chapter meetings, Audubon annual meetings, pelagics in Monterey Bay, rare bird sighting stakeouts — but the next meeting of consequence was when the Las Angeles County Birding Atlas Project began in 1995.

Lillian and I went to Eaton Canyon for an orientation meeting for volunteer atlas bird censusers, taught by…guess who? Larry led a half-dozen of us up the canyon and together we figured out the numerous sighting codes for signs of nesting behavior — carrying building material, carrying food to nest, carrying fecal sacs away from nest, young in nest, fledglings on twigs, fledged young still lying on the couch, and so on. We learned the ropes and over the next five years, Lillian and I surveyed five blocks and felt quite volunteerish and accomplished about it. Especially the family of eight Burrowing Owls we found in the western Antelope Valley!

At some point in time Kimball Garrett, then at the L.A. County Natural History Museum and deeply involved in the atlas project, mentioned to me that Larry had done 79 of the 3 x 3.5 mile rectangular blocks, 55 as primary observer (13% of the entire county!) and 24 more as second observer. (See appendix H of the atlas.)

I think I lost a few teeth when my jaw dropped onto the floor. A great many of Larry’s census blocks were in the mountains where no one else was sufficiently willing or physically fit to clamber through the brush and trees, down cliffs and up slopes, perhaps without benefit of even a trail, looking for “signs of breeding.” The mind boggles in contemplation of such a feat! If you’ve hiked through the San Gabriel Mountains (highest point 10,064 ft), you’ll understand. Many others were in the sandy washes, stony slopes and occasional windbreak or woodlot of the eastern Antelope Valley. Following the finish of the five-year census, Larry spent the next fifteen years as the lead writer on the atlas, published in 2016.

Larry was very generous with whatever spare time he had, and he’d happily take people around the Pasadena area to see their flocks of wild-living parrots. Santa Monica Bay Audubon Society went with him a couple of times, and we probably saw a dozen parrot or parakeet species, numbering anywhere from a pair or two per species to flocks of thousands, covering the cars and lawns below with parrot poop.

Larry was also a member of Los Angeles Birders. He presented a program for them on Urban Tropicana: Parrots of Southern California in November 2021. Link Now you can see our parrots too.

Somehow, in the midst of all this working, birding, writing and editing, Larry managed to found the Harpsicord Society of Los Angeles, which later became the Southern California Early Music Society. Here’s a link to an article he wrote about the history of that society.

A man of many talents, good humor, abundant energy and immense good will. Those who knew him as a close friend are fortunate. Even a casual birding acquaintance like me are better for having known him.

He is missed.

Page three of the Pasadena Audubon Society’s newsletter The Wrentit for June-August 2025 has remembrances from other birders who knew Larry.

I had no idea Larry was an aficionado of harpsicords and Early Music, so much so that in his obituary below, birding is described as “another passion,” which amounts almost to heresy. It’s amazing what birders get up to when they’re not looking at birds, talking about birds, thinking about birds or writing about birds.

The Neptune Society also has his obituary as well as details on the June 19 Celebration of Life for Larry.
Western Field Ornithologists has his obituary and remembrances from members.

The following obituary was posted in the Los Angeles Times. There’s also a page for him on Legacy.com. It has a couple of suggestions should you wish to donate in his name.

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Larry Wayne Allen

October 26, 1946 – April 3, 2025. Larry was the eldest son of Harry R. Allen and Clara M. Allen who married and moved to California shortly after WW II. Larry grew up in Rosemead, attended school in the San Gabriel Valley and graduated from California State College Los Angeles in 1968 with dual degrees in Economics and Philosophy.

Larry continued his graduate studies in Economics at Harvard University.

After college, he took civilian employment with the US Navy. Larry planned that he would work full time for at most ten years, targeting his “retirement” in April 1984. He served as a civilian Contracting Officer for the US Army and the US Air Force.

Larry’s plan to retire came to fruition. He acquired rental income property in the Los Angeles neighborhood of El Sereno and retired to a frugal lifestyle in January 1982.

One of Larry’s passions was Early Music as performed and interpreted using period instruments and historically informed practices. He was a founding member of the Harpsichord Society of Los Angeles. When the Harpsichord Society became the Southern California Early Music Society, Larry joined its board and served for over 25 years, in every office, including President.

Larry volunteered for many additional Early Music organizations, including serving on the Boards of Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra (Treasurer and Secretary) and the Foundation of the Neo-Renaissance (President and Vice-President).

Larry had another passion.

Birding. During the first year of his retirement, Larry became aware of the great beauty and variety of avian life. He became deeply involved in birding, quickly became proficient and joined several professional ornithological organizations.

Later, he lectured, led field trips, and wrote widely on the subject. His most ambitious publication was as first author of the 660-page Los Angeles County Breeding Bird Atlas. In later years, Larry birded on all seven continents.

He traveled our country from one end to the other visiting friends, art museums, classical music events and remote points of natural interest including separate driving trips to the Bering Sea and Artic Ocean. The best of these adventures was with wife and lover Marilyn with whom he spent 30 years. Their last years were spent happily in Altadena, California. His home and its rich collection of Native American art, voluminous library, and a collection Allen and Wright family heirlooms were lost in the 2025 Eaton Fire.

To his friends, Larry was smart, quick-witted, well-informed, warm and loyal. The sort of man anyone would be lucky to call a friend.

Larry in Bhutan, 2nd from left, ready to see some birds. (Tom Stephenson)