[By Chuck Almdale; Photos by Femi Faminu, Lillian Johnson, Ray Juncosa & Armando Martinez]

It was quite foggy at the start with temperature at 54°F., but as usual the fog burned off by mid-morning and the temperature rose all the way to 64° by noon. We saw a lot of species but because there were virtually no gulls there – 29 birds in five species, barely edging out Bushtits and House Finches – it wasn’t crowded. Duck species dwindle down to those that nest, with six Cinnamon Teal the only waterfowl out of the ordinary. A pair of Canada Geese kept taking off and landing, probably the same pair as last month, and they may well stay and nest.

The first unusual sight were five White Pelicans, two in the channel and three on the inland side of the PCH bridge. They later came into the lagoon and all five floated around for quite a while. We expect Brown Pelican, whose average presence on our lagoon trips rounds off to 100%. They nest on Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands and Malibu Lagoon is one of the closest mainland points to their nesting grounds, but White Pelicans are typically inland birds in SoCal. They like calm waters where they can surround a school of fish or corral them next to the shore. Brown Pelicans are famous for their plunge diving directly into the sea.

White Pelicans grow their bill knob for breeding season. It falls off after the eggs are laid.

We caught the lagoon at a middle dropping tide: high was +4.15 ft. at 4:33 am, low was +0.07 ft. at 12:55 pm.

Slightly to the right (west) of the photo above is the temporarily dry end of the north channel.

We found a few peeps down by the rocks exposed by the retreating tide. One of them was a little larger than the others.

The smaller ones are Western Sandpipers which are 6.5″ long, but what exactly was the larger one with the larger, droopier bill? The next-larger peeps from Westerns are the Baird’s or White-rumped at 7.5″, but they have short bills and aren’t here in March (White-rumped is an eastern bird, less-than-casual and only in summer). Next up are Curlew and Stilt Sandpipers and Dunlin, all at 8.5″, and all have longish droopy bills. Sandpipers slightly larger than that have relatively short bills. So our “larger bird” should be a Dunlin, Curlew or Stilt Sandpiper. Stilt Sandpiper looks more slender and the visible tibia (between belly and tibiotarsus joint (the “backward knee”) is longer, these two features combining to give it that “stilty” look, so that narrowed it down to Dunlin or Curlew Sandpiper. Of the two, Dunlin is far more common, as the Curlew is an Eurasian bird occasionally showing up on both east and west coast.

But something about it just didn’t look very Dunlin-like. The upperparts were a bit more colorful than the drab gray-brown Dunlins I usually see in winter and many of the covert feathers had pale edges, the bill seemed a bit slender, the slight curve seemed only at the tip, the supercilium (white above the eye) was quite modest. Probability of presence said it had to be a Dunlin, but it wasn’t that long ago we found a Red-necked Stint at the lagoon, so you never know what will show up.

We looked at this bird for a long time and were finding it difficult to decide which: Curlew or Dunlin. Just to show you 1) how variable these two birds are, and 2) how much they can resemble one another, here’s a couple of pages from the book Shorebirds: An Identification Guide (Hayman, Marchant & Prater, 1986). First the Dunlin, which gets a whole page with 28 separate illustrations.

There is a lot of variability in Dunlins: plumage, bill length, thickness, curvature…well, just about everything. The illustration above at center top (k) shows variability in possible bills. Just right of that (j) is an adult non-breeder looking how I expected our winter Dunlins to look, and I didn’t think our bird looked sufficiently like that. I was leaning towards Curlew Sandpiper.

Of course we didn’t have the benefit of the Shorebirds book with us at the time. Below is the Curlew Sandpiper page with a mere 14 paintings on half a page. [Ignore the top head; that’s a Stilt Sandpiper #208 which is on the top half of the page.] Again, the bill can be quite variable.

I don’t see either of these birds very often. From December 1979 to April 2023 I’d seen a total of 59 Dunlins in 32 appearances at the lagoon, and over the past 15 years they’ve shown up only 7% of the time. I’ve never seen the Curlew Sandpiper at the lagoon, and only twice in North America, once at the lower Los Angeles River and once at Bolsa Chica. So…not a lot of familiarity with that particular species. But my National Geographic Field Guide (6th Ed.) showed one way to be certain which was which: look at the rump. The Dunlin plate (top left illustration and in-flight) shows dark feathering running down from the back, over the rump and to the tip of the tail. The Curlew Sandpiper has a white rump (four in-flight illustrations above). In addition, The Shorebird Guide (O’Brian, Crossley & Karlson) page 297 has a photo showing the same difference in the rump, and the caption adds, “all plumages show white rump…”

We got lucky. The bird decided to take a bath and at one point was facing away from us with its wings spread. A dark band could be seen running from the back down to the tail, as shown in the photo below. No white rump. I could see pearly-gray tail feathers spread out on both sides of the dark band. At this point I realized it had to be a Dunlin and told the group. The disappointment was palpable.

Later, back at home, Armando sent his photos to iNaturalist which confirmed it a day or two later as Dunlin.

In the lagoon was our perhaps-resident American Herring Gull. Besides pink legs (can you see them?), streaks on nape, neck and breast, pale gray back, black primaries with white “mirrors” and medium-chunky yellow bill with a red spot, they have a very pale eye, visible (but not terrifically so) below. It seems to me much paler than the eyes of any gull known for pale eyes, including the Western Gull.

I ID’d the gull below as a hybrid Western x Glaucous-winged (aka “Olympic” as they are common around the Olympic Peninsula where the two breeding ranges overlap) because of it generally pale upperparts with darker brown flecks plus the darker brown in the primaries and tail. First-winter Westerns are generally darker while first-year Glaucous-winged have tail & primaries the same waxy-gray color as the back. Armando sent it to iNaturalist which ID’d it as a Western.

I don’t know if Armando suggested hybrid status to them or if they considered it. Looking at the photo you can see that the wing coverts have that shredded (aka “worn”) look – like someone ran a cheese grater over them – that they get before they molt, so Western is a distinct possibility. I then sent it off to a gull expert (far more knowledgeable than me, anyway) Chris Dean, who replied, “Olympic is possible, but late in the winter, a worn Western Gull cannot be ruled out. Larus sp. may be best option with photo.”

So…there you have it. Definitely a gull. I’m glad I’m not the only one who has difficulty at least once in an aeon – perhaps two aeons, perhaps even a kalpa* – sorting out these gulls. I’ll go even further out on a limb and say it’s definitely a large gull; a Western, one of its closely-related congeners, or a hybrid, which seem to be proliferating these days.

The terns are back with three species in small numbers. Last month we had only a few Royals. Some field guides have Caspian and Royal at the same length; my NGS guide says Caspians at 21″ are an inch longer than Royals, and they do look slightly longer to me. But they have that blood-red bill, usually with a dark tip, so in decent light they’re easy to differentiate.

Sometime during the course of the morning, Ray contemplated the elements of French cuisine which were crawling around in the vegetation at his feet. I’d seen these creatures over by the PCH bridge, but resisted any urge to pick one up and eat it, as they look too crunchy to me. As they say: There’s no accounting for taste. Or very little, at any rate.

As the inshore mussel-encrusted rocks emerged from the descending tide, more birds flocked to them.

We looked for Black Oystercatchers but none had yet appeared.

Around noon between inshore rocky areas we found this sea lion up on the sand, an uncommon sight. Sometimes they pull out onto the offshore rocks, but rarely onto the sand or inshore rocks. It was also acting strangely, swiveling its head and neck in a figure-8 manner. Close (through binoculars) examination revealed a fringe of foam around its mouth.

We considered calling one of the sea mammal rescue numbers, but a beach worker came along and put red cones between the sea lion and the higher beach to keep people away. Sometimes they attack. I presume he also alerted authorities. It turns out that this behavior, sometimes called a seizure, is typical of sea mammals with domoic acid poisoning. This is not the same thing as “Red Tide,” a generic term for algal blooms. “Domoic acid poisoning specifically refers to the toxic effects of a particular type of algae, Pseudo-nitzschia, that produces domoic acid.” [That’s Google AI talking there.] We recognize this as a sea lion rather than a seal because it has external fleshy ears, bigger rear flippers and walks on its flippers rather than using wormlike body undulations. Plus they get huge.

Nearly all the hillside in this photograph was burned in the Palisades fire and is still accessible only to residents with written permits. The same goes for Pacific Coast Highway.

*Kalpa – One day (night not included) in the life of Brahma, or 4.32 billion years, a measure of time underused in the west.

Malibu Lagoon on eBird as of 3-26-25: 8480 lists, 2718 eBirders, 320 species
Most recent species added: Nelson’s Sparrow, 11/29/24 by Femi Faminu (SMBAS member).

Birds new for the season: Mourning Dove, Dunlin, Greater Yellowlegs, Caspian Tern, Elegant Tern, White Pelican, Black-crowned Night Heron, Cassin’s Kingbird, Oak Titmouse, Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Spotted Towhee, Great-tailed Grackle, Wilson’s Warbler. “New for the season” means it has been three or more months since last recorded on our trips.

Many, many thanks to photographers: Femi Faminu, Lillian Johnson, Ray Juncosa, Armando Martinez.

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

• Kenneth Hahn Recreation Area, Sat Apr 12, 8:30 am Lu Plauzoles.
• Malibu Lagoon, Sun. Apr 23, 8:30 (adults) & 10 am (parents & kids)
• Bear Divide & Walker Ranch, Sat May 3 or 10 (TBD), 8 am
• 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, 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: Resilience in Fire: Monitoring Bird and Bat Community Responses to Megafire in California Oak Woodlands and Shrublands, with Kendall Calhoun, PhD. Tuesday, 1 April, 7:30 p.m., Zoom waiting room opens 7:15 p.m.

The SMBAS 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk will resume when we can again schedule official monthly walks. Reservations not necessary for families, but for groups (scouts, etc.), call Jean (213-522-0062).

Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
9/23/02 Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon
More recent aerial photo

Prior checklists:
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 Marie Barnidge-McIntyre, Femi Faminu & Lillian Johnson for contributions made to this month’s census counts.

The species lists below was re-sequenced as of 12/31/24 to agree with the California Bird Records Committee Official California Checklist. 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 2024-25	10/27	11/24	12/22	1/26	2/23	3/23
	Temperature	64-68	54-59	56-62	57-59	57-70	54-64
	Tide Lo/Hi Height	H+4.75	L+2.06	L+2.47	H+5.49	H+4.79	H+4.15
	Tide Time	0742	1139	0939	0634	0526	0433
1	Canada Goose					2	2
1	Cinnamon Teal					5	6
1	Northern Shoveler				6
1	Gadwall	38	26	32	89	9	35
1	American Wigeon	13	12	35
1	Mallard	28	10	20	22	6	22
1	Green-winged Teal	4	1	10	5	16	6
1	Ring-necked Duck		3
1	Lesser Scaup				2
1	Surf Scoter			2		15	6
1	Bufflehead		9	10	23
1	Hooded Merganser	1
1	Red-breasted Merganser		10	13	12	8	3
1	Ruddy Duck	28	22	35	37	17	11
2	Pied-billed Grebe	10	8	5	4	7	8
2	Eared Grebe	4	1		1
2	Western Grebe	28		1	34	30	30
7	Feral Pigeon	4	4		6	5
7	Mourning Dove	1					1
8	Anna’s Hummingbird	2	1			3	3
8	Allen’s Hummingbird	2	1	3	1	5	6
2	Sora		2
2	American Coot	340	560	705	797	45	55
5	Black Oystercatcher		2	2
5	Black-bellied Plover	136	75	50	30	30
5	Killdeer	20	1	30	2	4	4
5	Snowy Plover	18	34	27	2	2	3
5	Whimbrel	7	15	4	8	5	8
5	Marbled Godwit		12	25	3	2	8
5	Ruddy Turnstone	4	6	4	2	4
5	Sanderling	5	200	100	22
5	Dunlin						1
5	Least Sandpiper	4	8	27	7	14	5
5	Western Sandpiper					16	34
5	Spotted Sandpiper			1	1	1	1
5	Willet	3	51	20	15	8	10
5	Greater Yellowlegs						2
6	Heermann’s Gull	79	29	2	7	1
6	Ring-billed Gull	12	15	19	12	12	6
6	Western Gull	27	65	35	90	55	20
6	California Gull	440	525	60	575	105	1
6	American Herring Gull		1	1	1	2	1
6	Glaucous-winged Gull					3	1
6	Caspian Tern						11
6	Royal Tern	6		2		5	10
6	Elegant Tern						2
2	Red-throated Loon					1
2	Pacific Loon				1		1
2	Common Loon	2				4	10
2	Brandt’s Cormorant	2	5		7	1	5
2	Pelagic Cormorant	2	2			2
2	Double-crested Cormorant	51	44	23	55	25	25
2	American White Pelican						5
2	Brown Pelican	30	260	35	23	29	200
3	Snowy Egret	10	5	5	5	6	5
3	Black-crowned Night-Heron	1	1	2			1
3	Green Heron	1	1
3	Great Egret	3	3	1	1	2	2
3	Great Blue Heron	5	4	4	1		2
4	Turkey Vulture		1
4	Osprey	1	1	1		2	1
4	Cooper’s Hawk					1	1
4	Bald Eagle					1
4	Red-tailed Hawk	1		1		1	1
8	Belted Kingfisher	1	1	1		1	1
8	Nuttall’s Woodpecker					1
4	American Kestrel	1
8	Nanday Parakeet			4		4
9	Cassin’s Kingbird	1					1
9	Black Phoebe	4	6	1	1	3	3
9	Say’s Phoebe	1	1			1
9	Loggerhead Shrike	1
9	California Scrub-Jay				1		1
9	American Crow	6	22	8	9	26	6
9	Common Raven	4	1			2	9
9	Oak Titmouse						1
9	Tree Swallow		12				5
9	No. Rough-winged Swallow						17
9	Barn Swallow			1			10
9	Cliff Swallow						3
9	Bushtit	30	12	50	4	5	25
9	Wrentit	1		2	1	1	4
9	Ruby-crowned Kinglet	1	3		1	1
9	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher		1			1
9	Bewick’s Wren	2	2	1	1
9	Northern House Wren	6	1
9	Marsh Wren	1
9	Northern Mockingbird	1	1	1		1
9	European Starling	12		7		1	10
9	Western Bluebird	5				1
9	Hermit Thrush		1
9	House Finch	8	4	6	8	9	26
9	Lesser Goldfinch		6	2		10	4
9	Dark-eyed Junco	1	2			1	1
9	White-crowned Sparrow	16	15	20	8	7	5
9	Song Sparrow	5	8	6	12	8	10
9	California Towhee	3	2		2	3	3
9	Spotted Towhee		1				1
9	Western Meadowlark			1
9	Red-winged Blackbird		1	2
9	Great-tailed Grackle	4	15	22			2
9	Orange-crowned Warbler	1	2		1	1	3
9	Common Yellowthroat	7	8	6	2	2	6
9	Yellow-rumped Warbler	15	15	14	6	8	3
9	Wilson’s Warbler						1
	Totals Birds by Type	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar
1	Waterfowl	112	93	157	196	78	91
2	Water Birds – Other	469	882	769	922	144	339
3	Herons, Egrets & Ibis	20	14	12	7	8	10
4	Quail & Raptors	3	2	2	0	5	3
5	Shorebirds	197	404	290	92	86	76
6	Gulls & Terns	564	635	119	685	183	52
7	Doves	5	4	0	6	5	1
8	Other Non-Passerines	5	3	8	1	14	10
9	Passerines	136	142	150	57	92	160
	Totals Birds	1511	2179	1507	1966	615	742
	Total Species by Group	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar
1	Waterfowl	6	8	8	8	8	8
2	Water Birds – Other	9	8	5	8	9	9
3	Herons, Egrets & Ibis	5	5	4	3	2	4
4	Quail & Raptors	3	2	2	0	4	3
5	Shorebirds	8	10	11	10	10	10
6	Gulls & Terns	5	5	6	5	7	8
7	Doves	2	1	0	1	1	1
8	Other Non-Passerines	3	3	3	1	5	3
9	Passerines	24	24	17	14	20	25
	Totals Species – 105	65	66	56	50	66	71