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Quiz Time! – Birds Large & Small
First: factoid-of-the-day.
Birds are usually measured in grams.
A nickel weighs 5 grams. Just to refresh your memory…1 gram is one thousandth of a kilogram (2.2 pounds) or… a box of 333 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (@ 3 grams each) would equal a kilogram or a smaller box of only 150 Ruby-throats would equal a pound. Remember that next time you’re at See’s Candies looking for chocolate-covered treats!
Female Belted Kingfisher
(C. Bragg 11/25/12)
Island Scrub-Jay
(Stephen Francis Oct. ’07)
Now for the quiz! Which bird weighs more?
Belted Kingfisher or Western Scrub-Jay ?
American Goldfinch or Yellow Warbler ?
Mourning Dove or Yellow-billed Magpie ?
European Starling or Northern Mockingbird ?
Female Cooper’s Hawk or Female Peregrine Falcon ?
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European Starling – noted cavity nester (J.Kenney 3/13/10)
Northern Mockingbird
(J.Kenney 3/13/10)
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ANSWERS
A – American Goldfinch (13 grams) vs. Yellow Warbler (9.3 grams)
[Ellen Vahan]
Local Fish Divers
There has been a lot of coastal fishing going on lately. Jim Kenney, Pacific Palisades resident, photographer and SMBAS member captured some of this activity.
Offshore Brown Pelican flock on 10/3/13 Palisadian-Post
(Jim Kenney photographer)
The gathering of seabirds in Santa Monica Bay went on for many weeks. Frequently commented on within the local birding community, it also made it into the local press.
Meanwhile, activity in Malibu Lagoon had picked up.
Brown Pelicans diving in Lagoon west channel
(J. Kenney 10/14/13)
Despite comments on the lagoon’s green algae to the contrary, underwater films (on EcoMalibu) have documented the active life under the water’s surface. The Brown Pelicans have independently discovered this fact. Their preferred prey are probably the large Mullet.
Jim Kenney reported: “One of these [pelicans] had a blue tag labeled P06. I sent it to Bird Rescue.”
Jay Holcomb of International Bird Rescue reported back: “P06 was rehabbed at our Northern California center and released on November 2, 2012 in Sausalito (under the Golden Gate Bridge) after being treated for fishing tackle injuries. Looks like its doing well. Thanks again!”
Things can get pretty testy when two of them spot the same fish.
Brown Pelicans dive lagoon’s west channel (J. Kenney 10/14/13)
They’re not the only ones finding food in the west channel. Fish too small for pelicans to bother with can be just right for an Eared Grebe.
Eared Grebe in Malibu Lagoon west channel with fish
(J. Kenney 10/19/13)
Thanks, as always, to ace photographer Jim Kenney.
[Chuck Almdale]
Bolsa Chica Reserve Field Trip Report: 12 October, 2013
Another glorious day in Southern California…. a smiling group assembled in the parking lot to see what we could see. We had some of the usual suspects – our White-tailed Kite was there and eventually performed, as did a male Belted Kingfisher and many Forster’s Terns…. so when a kite does it (it being hovering over one spot in the water) it is called kiting, but do we call it “terning” or “kingfishering”, no… it is still called kiting… just commenting.
Reddish Egret – the dance of the hunt (A. Douglas 10/12/13)
Other than several flotillas of Ruddy Ducks with a Pied-billed Grebe or two trying to pass, we were duckless. We had a few Reddish Egrets; they did their happy dance that Nat. Geo. calls lurching and Mr. Sibley describes as running, jumping and spinning – they are distinctive and just fun to watch.
Great Blue Heron in deep water (A. Douglas 10/12/13)
The Great Blue Herons were sporting handsome dark plumes – breeding plumage already? One decided to take a dip, something not usually seen. We had American White Pelicans and Brown Pelicans, Plovers Semipalmated and Black Bellied,and Ruddy Turnstones turning over mud looking for lunch. Long-billed Curlews, Whimbrels, Marbled Godwits, Greater Yellowlegs and several Dunlin were in the mud as well. Interesting discussion about telling the difference between Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers – eye placement – have to see if it works the next time I see a Dowitcher (and if I can remember). (Short-billed has the eye above the line made by extending the bill and Long-billed is on or close to the line). My lesson for the day – thanks, Chuck!
The great part about shorebirds is that they are visible – no hiding behind leaves or branches, no warbler neck – the less great part is that they have a rather similar palate of colors…. white, grey, black and brown – have to love Yellowlegs, the orange legs of Turnstones and other color hints.
A lovely day in the sun and a saunter around the wetland….we have have birdier days there, but I, for one, was very glad to be there. [Ellen Vahan]
Link to prior Bolsa Chica field trips: October 2012, October 2011, October 2009.
Map to Bolsa Chica
| Bolsa Chica Reserve | 10/12 | 10/6 |
| Trip List | 2013 | 2012 |
| Brant | X | |
| American Wigeon | X | |
| Mallard | X | |
| Blue-winged Teal | X | |
| Cinnamon Teal | X | |
| Northern Shoveler | X | |
| Northern Pintail | X | |
| Green-winged Teal | X | |
| Ruddy Duck | X | X |
| Pied-billed Grebe | X | X |
| Eared Grebe | X | X |
| Western Grebe | X | X |
| Double-crested Cormorant | X | |
| American White Pelican | X | X |
| Brown Pelican | X | X |
| Great Blue Heron | X | X |
| Great Egret | X | X |
| Snowy Egret | X | X |
| Reddish Egret | X | X |
| Green Heron | X | |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | X | |
| Turkey Vulture | X | X |
| Osprey | X | X |
| White-tailed Kite | X | X |
| Northern Harrier | X | X |
| Red-tailed Hawk | X | X |
| American Coot | X | X |
| Black-bellied Plover | X | X |
| Semipalmated Plover | X | |
| Killdeer | X | X |
| Greater Yellowlegs | X | X |
| Willet | X | X |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | X | |
| Whimbrel | X | X |
| Long-billed Curlew | X | X |
| Marbled Godwit | X | X |
| Ruddy Turnstone | X | X |
| Red Knot | X | |
| Sanderling | X | X |
| Western Sandpiper | X | X |
| Least Sandpiper | X | X |
| Dunlin | X | X |
| Short Billed Dowitcher | X | X |
| Ring-billed Gull | X | X |
| Western Gull | X | X |
| California Gull | X | |
| Black Tern | X | |
| Forster’s Tern | X | X |
| Royal Tern | X | |
| Elegant Tern | X | X |
| Rock Pigeon | X | X |
| Mourning Dove | X | X |
| Anna’s Hummingbird | X | |
| Allen’s Hummingbird | X | |
| Belted Kingfisher | X | X |
| Nuttall’s Woodpecker | X | |
| Downy Woodpecker | X | |
| American Kestrel | X | X |
| Peregrine Falcon | X | |
| Black Phoebe | X | X |
| Say’s Phoebe | X | X |
| Loggerhead Shrike | X | |
| American Crow | X | X |
| Bushtit | X | |
| House Wren | X | |
| European Starling | X | X |
| American Pipit | X | |
| Common Yellowthroat | X | X |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | X | |
| California Towhee | X | |
| Savannah (Belding’s) Sparrow | X | |
| Savannah Sparrow | X | X |
| Song Sparrow | X | |
| White-Crowned Sparrow | X | X |
| House Finch | X | X |
| Total Species – 75 | 51 | 69 |
Creatures from the Green Lagoon
EcoMalibu has now posted four films of the underwater life in the new channel. Fish, both in singletons and in schools, crabs, shrimp-like things – perhaps amphipods – and other stuff utterly alien to me, all swimming, floating or crawling around and through the algae under the water.
1. Aug. 7, 2013 Length 1:48 minutes
2. Aug. 12, 2013 Length 9:20 minutes
3. Aug. 26, 2013 Length 3:53 minutes
4. Sep. 9, 2013 Length 4:55 minutes
Link to EcoMalibu video page. Dragonfly videos, interviews and much more. Also a ton of information on the history of the lagoon and surrounding area.
Meanwhile, above the water, the Sierra Club Trail Crew did a third Saturday of weeding. This time we worked over the area between the parking lot and the main lagoon towards the PCH bridge. Some of the workers, including SMBAS member and permanant Trail Crewite Jim Kenney, made heavy inroads into thinning out the Mulefat between the path and the channel. A few others, including SMBAS member Mary Prismon and yours truly, pulled, dug, and pried out St. Augustine grass and ‘devilweed’ from the area alongside the brush bordering PCH. Based on this exercise, St. Augustine, in my book, has got a lot to answer for.
[Chuck Almdale]
Malibu Lagoon Trip Report: 22 September, 2013
Good numbers, both of birds (1208) and birders (30+), but species diversity (53), not counting humans, was down a bit, as September was only the 3rd month below-10-year-average for the past year. (See our Lagoon Census Summary Page for clarification of the 10-year data). Weather was breezy and a nice 64-73° and tide was almost at the high: waves crashed over the offshore rocks and one wave washed over our feet as we checked out the terns and Snowy Plovers.
Warbling Vireo (J. Waterman 9/22/13)
A Warbling Vireo popping through the fence-clinging vines alongside the colony was the surprise bird of the day; my only other record for it on a Sunday walk is a singleton on 5/26/02. It was annoyingly elusive and not everyone managed to see it, despite much pishing and moaning, but photographer Joyce Waterman was quick on the draw and snagged a shot.
Closeup (a bit fuzzy) of two Least Sandpipers, adult in basic plumage behind juvenile (J. Waterman 9/22/13)
A few of the Least Sandpipers, adults in basic plumage, looked almost like Pectoral Sandpipers – well…sort of almost – but it was Not To Be. The above photo led to an email discussion of plumages, sizes, bill length and photographic optical illusions. One of the beach terns had red legs, giving us brief hope for an oddity, but everything else about it said “I’m an Elegant Tern, don’t mess with me.”
Elegant Tern – an unusual red legged version (J. Waterman 9/22/13)
The count of 37 Snowy Egrets was second only to the all-time-high of 40 seen 7/26/09. Everywhere you looked, especially on the east end of one channel sand island, Snowy Egrets stalked the shallows. Incidentally, the Brants (geese) have now been at the lagoon for the past 3 months, and one Brant or another has been there eight out of the last eleven months, including 15 of them last February. If this is indicative of something, I don’t know what it is. Perhaps they like floating algae.
The Snowy Plover count was up to 47 birds, most of them actually within the Snowy Plover enclosure, for a shocking change, including newbie RB:YG. First seen at the lagoon on 9/9/13, this individual was born and banded at Fort Ord this past summer. Welcome to the sunny southern climes of Malibu!
Snowy Plover RB:YG (A. Albaisa 9/22/13)
New birds for the season were: American Widgeon, Northern Shoveler, Pelagic Cormorant, American Kestrel, Marbled Godwit, Long-billed Dowitcher, Ring-billed Gull, Say’s Phoebe, and Warbling Vireo.
Our next three scheduled field trips: Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, 12 Oct, 8:30am; Butterbredt Spring Fall Campout & Pumpkin Carving Contest 26-27 Oct, 8:30am; Malibu Lagoon, 27 Oct, 8:30 & 10am.
Our next program: Tuesday, 1 Oct., 7:30 pm. Peru, presented by Mary Deutsche.
NOTE: Our 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalks meet at the shaded viewing area.
Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon from 9/23/02.
Prior checklists: July-Dec’11, Jan-June’11, July-Dec ’10, Jan-June ’10, Jul-Dec ‘09, and Jan-June ‘09.
Comments on Bird Lists Below
Total Birds: September total birds of 1208 are 23% above the 6-year average, a continued improvement from the Jan-Jun’13 period; pelican numbers continue high; Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Snowy Egret, Black-bellied Plovers, Heermann’s Gull, Elegant Terns and Rock Pigeon were all above average.
Summary of total birds from the 6-year average so far: Jun’12 +36%, Jul’12 -9%, Aug’12 -9%, Sep’12 +12%, Oct’12 +3%, Nov’12 -5%, Dec’12 +30%, Jan’13 -20%, Feb’13 -29%, Mar’13 -30%, Apr’13 -34%, May’13 -37%, Jun’13 -24%, Jul’13 +83%, Aug’13 +37%, Sep’13 +23%.
Species Diversity: September 2013 with 53 species was moderately below (-14%) the 6-year average of 62.
Summary of species diversity from the 6-year average so far: Jun’12 -10%, Jul’12 +10%, Aug’12. -6%, Sep’12 -20%, Oct’12 +5%, Nov’12 +2%, Dec’12 -4%, Jan’13 +2%, Feb’13 -8%, Mar’13 +9%, Apr’13 -2%, May’13 +3%, Jun’13 +13%, Jul’13 0%, Aug’13 +11%, Sep’13 -14%.
10-year comparison summaries are available on our Lagoon Project Bird Census Page. [Chuck Almdale]
| Malibu Census | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
|
| September 2008-2013 | 9/28 | 9/27 | 9/26 | 9/25 | 9/23 | 9/22 |
|
| Temperature | 72-80 | 70-79 | 61-69 | 73-80 | 64-73 | ||
| Tide Lo/Hi Height | H+5.7 | H+3.9 | H+5.54 | H+5.33 | L+2.88 | H+5.69 |
Ave. |
| Tide Time | 0917 | 0731 | 1055 | 0830 | 1021 | 1123 |
Birds |
| Brant | 5 | 3 | 1.3 | ||||
| Gadwall | 4 | 11 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 8.2 | |
| American Wigeon | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2.7 | ||
| Mallard | 16 | 22 | 48 | 48 | 34 | 43 | 35.2 |
| Northern Shoveler | 6 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 16 | 9.2 |
| Northern Pintail | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Greater Scaup | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Red-brstd Merganser | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Ruddy Duck | 15 | 8 | 5 | 4.7 | |||
| Pied-billed Grebe | 6 | 4 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 11 | 9.8 |
| Eared Grebe | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2.5 | |
| Western Grebe | 2 | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | |||
| Brandt’s Cormorant | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1.8 | ||
| Dble-crstd Cormorant | 17 | 14 | 38 | 47 | 45 | 56 | 36.2 |
| Pelagic Cormorant | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | |||
| Brown Pelican | 43 | 12 | 46 | 60 | 22 | 142 | 54.2 |
| Great Blue Heron | 10 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5.2 |
| Great Egret | 1 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2.5 |
| Snowy Egret | 16 | 14 | 14 | 23 | 8 | 37 | 18.7 |
| Green Heron | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | |||
| Blk-crwnd N-Heron | 4 | 10 | 12 | 4.3 | |||
| Osprey | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Cooper’s Hawk | 1 | 1 | 0.3 | ||||
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| American Kestrel | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Merlin | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 1 | 0.3 | ||||
| Virginia Rail | 1 | 1 | 0.3 | ||||
| Sora | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1.2 | ||
| American Coot | 95 | 147 | 230 | 410 | 270 | 195 | 224.5 |
| Blk-bellied Plover | 102 | 78 | 40 | 160 | 162 | 90.3 | |
| Snowy Plover | 45 | 33 | 62 | 62 | 46 | 47 | 49.2 |
| Semipalmated Plover | 2 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 2.7 | ||
| Killdeer | 4 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 4.7 |
| Black-necked Stilt | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Spotted Sandpiper | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2.5 |
| Willet | 18 | 33 | 56 | 7 | 3 | 25 | 23.7 |
| Whimbrel | 2 | 6 | 17 | 26 | 38 | 18 | 17.8 |
| Long-billed Curlew | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Marbled Godwit | 4 | 4 | 22 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6.0 |
| Ruddy Turnstone | 15 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 10.0 |
| Sanderling | 20 | 41 | 20 | 3 | 14.0 | ||
| Western Sandpiper | 1 | 28 | 4 | 5.5 | |||
| Least Sandpiper | 3 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 5.7 | ||
| Pectoral Sandpiper | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.7 | |||
| Dunlin | 2 | 2 | 0.7 | ||||
| Short-billd Dowitcher | 6 | 1 | 1.2 | ||||
| Long-billed Dowitcher | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | |||
| Wilson’s Phalarope | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Red-necked Phalarope | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Heermann’s Gull | 9 | 14 | 68 | 15 | 8 | 74 | 31.3 |
| Ring-billed Gull | 2 | 2 | 30 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 7.3 |
| Western Gull | 80 | 84 | 73 | 66 | 93 | 85 | 80.2 |
| California Gull | 20 | 15 | 22 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 14.3 |
| Herring Gull | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Black Tern | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Common Tern | 8 | 1.3 | |||||
| Forster’s Tern | 1 | 6 | 1.2 | ||||
| Royal Tern | 1 | 1 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 5.3 | |
| Elegant Tern | 8 | 5 | 40 | 4 | 87 | 67 | 35.2 |
| Parasitic Jaeger | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Rock Pigeon | 6 | 4 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 25 | 9.3 |
| Mourning Dove | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1.7 | |
| Vaux’s Swift | 100 | 16.7 | |||||
| Anna’s Hummingbird | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1.7 | |
| Allen’s Hummingbird | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 3.3 |
| Belted Kingfisher | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | |
| Western Wood-Pewee | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Gray Flycatcher | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Black Phoebe | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 7.5 |
| Say’s Phoebe | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.7 | |||
| Cassin’s Kingbird | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | ||||
| Western Kingbird | 4 | 0.7 | |||||
| Warbling Vireo | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Western Scrub-Jay | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| American Crow | 6 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Rough-wingd Swallow | 4 | 1 | 0.8 | ||||
| Barn Swallow | 2 | 1 | 30 | 5.5 | |||
| Oak Titmouse | 2 | 0.3 | |||||
| Bushtit | 25 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 10.8 |
| Bewick’s Wren | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | |||
| House Wren | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 |
| Marsh Wren | 1 | 4 | 0.8 | ||||
| Northern Mockingbird | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2.5 |
| European Starling | 16 | 8 | 62 | 23 | 45 | 42 | 32.7 |
| Orange-crwnd Warbler | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.7 | ||
| Yellow Warbler | 2 | 0.3 | |||||
| Townsend’s Warbler | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Common Yellowthroat | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3.0 |
| Wilson’s Warbler | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1.5 | |||
| Spotted Towhee | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| California Towhee | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1.8 | |
| Savannah Sparrow | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.7 | |||
| Song Sparrow | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3.5 |
| White-crwnd Sparrow | 4 | 0.7 | |||||
| Blue Grosbeak | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Lazuli Bunting | 6 | 1.0 | |||||
| Bobolink | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Red-winged Blackbird | 7 | 14 | 18 | 8 | 7.8 | ||
| Western Meadowlark | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1.3 | |||
| Brewer’s Blackbird | 1 | 15 | 2.7 | ||||
| Great-tailed Grackle | 2 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 4.7 | ||
| Brwn-headed Cowbird | 1 | 3 | 0.7 | ||||
| Bullock’s Oriole | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| House Finch | 4 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 6.2 |
| Lesser Goldfinch | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2.2 | |
| Lawrence’s Goldfinch | 2 | 0.3 | |||||
| Totals by Type | 9/28 | 9/27 | 9/26 | 9/25 | 9/23 | 9/22 | Ave. |
| Waterfowl | 26 | 51 | 93 | 79 | 51 | 70 | 62 |
| Water Birds-Other | 164 | 185 | 339 | 542 | 363 | 414 | 335 |
| Herons, Egrets | 27 | 27 | 36 | 40 | 14 | 43 | 31 |
| Raptors | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Shorebirds | 116 | 243 | 325 | 161 | 279 | 293 | 236 |
| Gulls & Terns | 122 | 120 | 249 | 124 | 207 | 238 | 177 |
| Doves | 7 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 28 | 11 |
| Other Non-Pass. | 8 | 6 | 4 | 105 | 3 | 9 | 23 |
| Passerines | 83 | 61 | 176 | 133 | 90 | 112 | 109 |
| Totals Birds | 556 | 700 | 1237 | 1192 | 1013 | 1208 | 984 |
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | ||
| Total Species | 9/28 | 9/27 | 9/26 | 9/25 | 9/23 | 9/22 | Ave. |
| Waterfowl | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4.8 |
| Water Birds-Other | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7.5 |
| Herons, Egrets | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4.0 |
| Raptors | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1.5 |
| Shorebirds | 11 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12.7 |
| Gulls & Terns | 8 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6.8 |
| Doves | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1.8 |
| Other Non-Pass. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2.8 |
| Passerines | 19 | 18 | 29 | 23 | 15 | 15 | 19.8 |
| Totals Species – 108 |
59 | 62 | 78 | 68 | 51 | 53 | 61.8 |
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