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No salesman will call, at least not from us. Maybe from someone else.
A Comment on Binos
[Posted by Chuck Almdale]
As we’re a bunch of hot-shot, know-it-all birders, we’re always getting questions about binoculars, telescopes and whatnot when we’re out and about prying rarities out of the bushes. We don’t mind, really.
I was renewing my (free, I think) subscription to Cornell Labs What About Birds? newsletter and they were giving away a couple of prizes for re-subscribing, one of them being a new (to me) Zeiss binocular, their Terra ED line, which comes in six versions from pocket-sized 10×25 to 10×42. Zeiss has long made great optical equipment so I googled for reviews on it and found Optics4Birding review of the 42mm version. It’s an excellent (in the sense of very informative) review, a paragon of reviews, in my opinion. I recommend anyone to it, especially people who write binocular reviews, as it mentions just about everything that anyone would like to know about a binocular before buying it, and it’s (IMHO) fair and objective.
My own best advice for anyone who is in the market for a binocular has been the same for about 30 years: go on a couple of bird walks and when you see a binocular that looks interesting, ask the owner if you may look through it. Your own comfort is of paramount importance and there really isn’t any way to know that without hands-on use. Birders are [generally] helpful, friendly sorts. Follow whatever instructions/suggestions/requests they offer. They’ll also tell you what they like/dislike about their binocular while you try it. If they don’t, ask. But don’t hog it and give it back immediately if a “good bird” comes along. Don’t forget to ask the price.
What you should be willing to pay depends: the vast range of possible cost ($25 to $2000), how long you’ve been birding, how certain you are that you wish to continue, the size of your wallet, your comfort level. Avoid “fixed focus” or “fast focus” which are suitable for football games and little else. Binoculars are a bit like cars: you get what you pay for but on a hyperbolic curve, i.e. lower end = big improvements for little bucks, upper end = little improvements for big bucks.
That said, if you read the review linked to above, you’ll have an excellent idea of what to look for in a binocular while you’re holding it in your very own hands.
We have four prior postings about binoculars & their use:
My New Binoculars June 2014
Binoculars: What Are All the New Features and What Do They Mean to Me? July 2019
Everything You Wanted to Know About Using Binoculars (But Were Afraid to Ask) Dec 2019
Advice on Binoculars June 2023
The recording of this program from 2 Apr 2024 is now available online
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You are what you eat: Stable isotopes reveal dietary variation in Great Black-backed Gulls, with Dr. Kristen Covino
The presentation argues for the need to study diet in gulls and presents current and ongoing research on the diet of Great Black-backed Gulls. In this research we include the use of stable isotope analyses of the feathers to investigate variations in adults and chicks. We will review recent findings which indicate that adult gulls may differ in what they feed their chicks, and may preferentially feed the first-to-hatch chick higher quality food items.
Dr. Kristen Covino earned her B.S. degree in Biology from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, her M.S. in Biology/Zoology from the University of Maine, Orono, and her Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi where she investigated physiological breeding development in migrating songbirds. She is currently an Associate Professor of Biology at Loyola Marymount University. Her research ranges from in depth studies of avian physiology and endocrinology to continental-scale migratory movements. Professor Covino’s pedagogical interests include integrating active and team-learning activities into traditional lectures, incorporating science communication into her courses, and mentoring undergraduate researchers. She teaches a summer Field Ornithology course at the Shoals Marine Laboratory (Cornell University) on Appledore Island, Maine, where she also co-manages the Appledore Island Bird Banding Station and collaborates with the Gulls of Appledore Research Group. Dr. Covino also partners with the Friends of Ballona Wetlands and the Bear Divide Banding Station group on several LA-based research projects. Professor Covino’s research has been published in numerous professional journals including Hormones and Behavior, General and Comparative Endocrinology, AUK: Ornithological Advances, and The Journal of Ornithology. Dr. Covino receives funding from the Foster (SMBAS) endowment at Loyola.
Correct Announcement Morongo Valley & Black Rock Field Trip: Sat. & Sun, 4-5 May, 2024
If you’re interested in this trip, we suggest you get your motel reservation (or Joshua Tree National Park campsite) as soon as possible. Rooms do fill up this time of year.
The leaders will be staying Saturday night at the Best Western Motel (Sure Stay Plus) in Yucca Valley (56525 29 Palms Highway, Yucca Valley, California 92284-2863; 760-365-3555) or national Best Western 800-780-2734.
Nearby Yucca Valley has several motels and Joshua Tree National Monument has several campgrounds. Campsites at Mission Creek Preserve, several miles south of Morongo Valley, must be reserved at least a week in advance. (60550 Mission Creek Road, Desert Hot Springs, CA. 760-369-7105)
Joshua Tree National Park Camping
Black Rock Campground: LINK 877-444-6777, www.recreation.gov
— We bird at Black Rock on Sat. afternoon; 16 miles from Morongo Valley Reserve.
Indian Cove Campground: LINK 877-444-6777, www.recreation.gov
— Between Joshua Tree town and 29 Palms; 29 miles from Morongo Valley Reserve.
Our long-term go-to restaurant (La Casita) closed and we haven’t yet figured out where to eat dinner Saturday night. Someplace that serves beer (desert birding can be hot work!). Call Jean if you have a recommendation.
Map of motels in Yucca Valley, the nearest town to Morongo Valley: [prices are from Google map. They may be wildly inaccurate but also may reflect typical price difference between motels.] America’s Best Value Inn ($94), Bungalows Homestead ($304), Super 8 Wyndham ($84), Sure Stay Plus Best Western ($127). Map also shows motels for Desert Hot Springs (17), Joshua Tree (4), 29 Palms (9).
(taken before the June, 2005 fire)
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is one of the finest birding spots in southern California. It is best-known as a springtime migrant trap, frequently catching rare eastern migrants, hummers and orioles at the feeders, but also has regular local specialties such as Vermilion Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Summer Tanager and Yellow-breasted Chat. On a busy day, the trees and bushes are filled with migrating birds, especially warblers. Many local desert species are also seen such as Gambel’s Quail, Costa’s Hummingbird and Verdin. Reserve hours are 8:00 a.m.-sunset.
Saturday, 3pm – Black Rock Campground near Yucca Valley: For those staying overnight Saturday, we meet at the Campground Visitor Center and bird in and near the campground, looking for Gambel’s Quail, White-winged Dove, Roadrunner, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Pinyon Jay, Verdin, Scott’s Oriole and whatever else is around. If you’re late, just drive around until you spot some birders. The campground is nearly always fully occupied Saturday night. Know how to get there as local signs are not well marked. Allow at least 2.5 hours – better yet, three hours, for the 140-mile trip from Santa Monica.
Google Map to Black Rock Campground
Brief Directions: I-10 or I-10/I-60/I-10 for about 2 hours to Exit 117, Hwy 62 North. [Do NOT go south to Palm Springs on Hwy 111.] North on #62 (Twenty-Nine Palms Hwy) about 30 minutes through small Yucca Valley business area to intersection with Old Woman Springs Rd (#247) to left / Joshua Lane to right, and turn RIGHT (south) onto Joshua Lane. Follow signs about 5 miles to Black Rock Campground (unit of Joshua Tree Nat. Park). Meet at campground HQ. If you’re late, drive around the campground and South Park Rd. (to NW past the ranger buildings – see map closeup) until you find us.
Leader: Jean Garrett (213-522-0062) Please call Jean if you are going. It helps to know whom to expect.
(L. Johnson 5/3/08)
Sunday, 7:30 am – Big Morongo Canyon Preserve: We officially start at 8am in the Preserve’s parking lot. If you arrive early, birding at Covington Park just south of the Preserve is also great. Some neighbors put out feeders and water, especially the corner house across from Covington Park and the house just past that, so a short stroll is a good idea. After the preserve opens, we’ll walk around the large reserve until we’re too hot, tired, thirsty, hungry or all of the above to continue, then have lunch. Allow a minimum of 2 1/4 hours for the 125-mile trip from Santa Monica. Special birds of the area are Brown-crested Flycatcher, Vermilion Flycatcher and Summer Tanager, plus Yellow-breasted Chat, MacGillivray’s Warbler and most of the local desert birds, plus whatever migrant passerines happen to be arriving or stayed overnight. It can be very birdy, but it’s the luck of the draw and the local winds.
Google Map to Morongo Reserve
Brief Directions: I-10 or I-10/I-60/I-10 for about 2 hours to Exit 117, Hwy 62 North. [Do NOT go south to Palm Springs on Hwy 111.] North on #62 (Twenty-Nine Palms Hwy) about 11.5 miles into Morongo Valley and passing partway through small Morongo Valley town. Angle right onto Park Ave. Turn left on Vale St., passing Covington Park on your right, then bear right through several turns until you reach Covington Dr., the entrance to the preserve. If the preserve is not yet open (7:30am), retrace your path back to Covington Park where the birding is great. [Chuck Almdale]
Leaders: Jean Garrett (213)-522-0062
Family Guide: Can get quite hot; not for younger children. 1-2 miles of boardwalk, cinder and hard dirt paths. Dress in layers & hat. Bring water. Lunch near the cars.
[Chuck Almdale]
Pelican & Plover, Over & Over*: Malibu Lagoon, 24 Mar. 2024
[Text by Chuck Almdale; photos by Ray Juncosa, Grace Murayama & Chris Tosdevin]
*Guess the inspiration for this title & win a prize. When you give up, read this.
The Crotch’s Bumblebee above, an uncommon visitor to the lagoon, is a near-endemic of California, with a few reports from Nevada and Mexico, and is declining in numbers. The California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) is seeking data and comments on this insect as they are currently deciding whether it should be listed as California Endangered. Grace Murayama took this photo on one of her & Larry’s regular expeditions to the lagoon to check up on the Western Snowy Plovers.
Moving beyond bumblebees, we had 58 bird species on our bird walk. The weather was nippy (46-54°F), windy (7-10 mph with gusts to 22 mph) and cloudy (~50%) but fortunately without rain. Some people were plumped up in faux down. I didn’t see any Uggs boots.
There’ll be a bird ID quiz following a closer look at two of our regular lagoon visitors, plus some humans.
Brown Pelicans
The Brown Pelicans are the early portion of their nesting season, and many of the adults were developing their bright breeding colors. It takes them 3-5 years to reach breeding age and they go through half-a-dozen or more molts before their definitive (alternate) plumage of breeding. According to the National Park Service their breeding season extends from January into October and their only west coast breeding areas are on West Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands., I’ve never visited the latter nesting area, but the Anacapa site consists of steep grassy slopes which they share with Western Gulls and no rats or other nest-robbing rodents.
Their nest building takes 4-10 days, egg incubation takes 29-32 days, and fledging occurs 11-13 weeks after hatching, depending on which expert you consult. Add that up and it can take 133 days or 4.5 months from the first nest stick to the last flight from the nest. Thus the long breeding season. Compare that to the Anna’s Hummingbird which spends about one-third that time (48 days) from start to finish. Size matters, and the Brown Pelican (48″ long, wingspan 84″, 5.9-11 lbs) is among our largest birds. The photos below display a variety of plumages and skin colors. The young are largely brown, but by the time they reach breeding age, their body plumage is really more silvery and the chocolate-brown is on their neck. The white forehead can become quite golden.
The leftmost bird below is probably one year old. The yellow-brown patch at the base of the adults’ necks appears as breeding season approaches.
Sometimes they get up just to fly and “stretch their wings,” but it might also be that one spotted a raptor in the distance. None of the birders present saw a raptor.
Western Snowy Plovers
Almost at the other end of the size spectrum at 6.25″ long are our Western Snowy Plovers. They’ve recently suffered name-changes (no, not for that reason) from Charadrius alexandrinus to Charadrius nivosus when they were split from the Kentish Plover, then changed again to Anarhynchus nivosus. Research in recent decades resulted in genus Charadrius becoming restricted to a small group of plovers (including Killdeer, Piping Plover & a few others). The remaining plovers ( including Wilson’s Plover, Snowy Plover and a bunch of Old World plovers), were transferred to genus Anarhynchus (“backwards bill”). This genus name was previously used monotypically only for the weird Wrybill (Anarhynchus frontalis) of New Zealand, but when Wrybill was actually found to be a part of this diverse clade of plovers, Anarhynchus was the oldest generic name and by the rules of nomenclature, the name that must be used.
Technically (I suppose) they’re still Snowy Plovers, but out here on the west end of the world near where the ocean plunges into the great abyss we prefer Western Snowy Plovers to distinguish them from the inland sort who nest in places like Utah, Texas and Kansas, before retiring for the winter to the balmy shores of the Gulf of Mexico. Our Western SP’s breed right here on our western beaches and winter here as well. There is a possibility (a good one, I think) they are actually sufficiently geographically separated from the inland version to be considered a separate species, I have read that the western & inland forms neither visit each other’s breeding areas or wintering areas. If they don’t share breeding areas or wintering areas and don’t interbreed, that’s allopatry (physical isolation from similar species) as far as I can see. But that’s not yet settled science either way, as far as I know.
I searched through dozens of photos online and checked Birds Of The World (BOTW) to find any mention of the faint reddish cap shown on this bird. Nothing. The closest (and not really close) comment was from (BOTW): “Sexes show similar aspects in juvenile and formative plumages, slight dimorphism in definitive basic plumage, and moderate dimorphism in alternate plumages.” So…who knows?…maybe Grace captured something that is distinctive of the Western Snowy Plover. Maybe this is a genetic hangover from the WSPs close relative Red-capped Plover (see cladogram above)?
Generally speaking, the more black on the forehead, ear patch and shoulder, the more “mature” the bird. It seems that the breeding male may have a bit more (or darker) black than the female. However, this species is at least semi-polyandrous (females take multiple mates in a single breeding season): female & male both tend the nest and eggs, but the female leaves within a few days after hatching to find another mate, while the male keeps an eye on their precocial young. There is a correlation between sexual dimorphism reversal [read this] in plumage (not in size) and polyandry. If it’s true that the breeding males are always a bit darker than the females, then this is the only example I’m aware of where a species is polyandrous but the males are more “colorful” than the females.
We had altogether 20 WSPs, and 21 in February, after missing them altogether in December and January. I think they were actually hiding among the driftwood on the east side of the lagoon. We didn’t go over there then because the lagoon exit channel was too wide with frigid rushing water and we were too lazy to walk all the way around via the PCH bridge. Now all the driftwood is on the south side of the lagoon, and it’s still very easy to completely overlook these birds even when they’re only 15 feet away, staring at you with their beady black eyes..
Fish Researchers
About 10am a few researchers arrived with nets. When I inquired as to what they were looking for, they replied “Whatever’s there.” An answer I can appreciate as I’ve used it many times myself. They proceeded to unfurl their nets and drag them around the edges of the south channel (very likely too deep in channel centers). I didn’t see what they were collecting, but if anyone who knows anything about this particular operation can put me in touch with them, I’d like to put something on the blog about it. Your chance for fame and glory, folks!
The Quiz
I liked doing the “quiz” on our last posting of Sepulveda Basin, so we’re doing it again. Now. If you don’t like these quizzes, let me know. I may include another ringer, like that Antpitta, so watch out.
Quiz Answers & credits
#1. Marbled Godwit (Grace Murayama 17 Mar 2024)
#2. House Finch male Grace Murayama 17 Mar 2024)
#3. Whimbrels (Grace Murayama 17 Mar 2024)
#4. Song Sparrow (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
#5. Caspian Tern (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
#6. Allen’s Hummingbird male (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
#7. Red-capped Plover [The Ringer] (JJ Harrison 25 Dec 2010, via Wikipedia)
#8. Green-winged Teal female (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
#9. California Scrub-Jay (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
#10. Canada Goose (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
#11. Bushtit (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
#12. Green-winged Teal male (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
#13. Whimbrels (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
#14. Lesser Goldfinch female or imm. male (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
#15. Black-bellied Plovers (Chris Tosdevin 24 Mar 2024)
Malibu Lagoon on eBird as of 3-25-24: 7585 lists, 319 species
Most recent species added: Red-breasted Nuthatch (31 October 2023, Kyle Te Poel).
Birds new for the season: American Wigeon, Caspian Tern, Red-shouldered Hawk, Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Spotted Towhee, Brown-headed Cowbird. “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, Grace Murayama & Chris Tosdevin
Upcoming SMBAS scheduled field trips; no reservations or covid card necessary unless specifically mentioned:
- Sycamore Canyon Sat Apr 6, 8:00 am, unless we decided creek level too high & relocate
- Malibu Lagoon, Sun. Apr 28, 8:30 (adults) & 10 am (parents & kids)
- Morongo Valley Sat 4 May 3pm; Sun 5 May 7:30am
- These and any other trips we announce for the foreseeable future will depend upon expected status of the Covid/flu/etc. pandemic 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: “Great Black-backed Gulls, their food, and stable isotope analysis,” with Dr. Kristen Covino of LMU, Evening Meeting, Tuesday, Apr 2, 2023, 7:30 p.m.
The SMBAS 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk is again running. 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
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, Chris & Ruth Tosdevin and others for their contributions to this month’s checklist.
The species lists below is irregularly re-sequenced 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 of the list. The numbers 1-9 left of the species names are keyed to the nine categories of birds at the bottom.
[Chuck Almdale]
| Malibu Census 2023-24 | 10/22 | 11/26 | 12/24 | 1/28 | 2/25 | 3/24 | |
| Temperature | 62-70 | 62-68 | 53-64 | 53-64 | 51-62 | 46-54 | |
| Tide Lo/Hi Height | L+3.34 | H+6.53 | H+6.20 | H+5.06 | H+5.06 | H+4.71 | |
| Tide Time | 1029 | 0740 | 0644 | 1008 | 0921 | 0936 | |
| 1 | Canada Goose | 21 | 8 | 9 | 7 | ||
| 1 | Cinnamon Teal | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1 | Northern Shoveler | 1 | 13 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 1 | Gadwall | 23 | 30 | 27 | 54 | 40 | 24 |
| 1 | American Wigeon | 5 | 14 | 4 | |||
| 1 | Mallard | 9 | 8 | 7 | 35 | 12 | |
| 1 | Green-winged Teal | 31 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 4 | |
| 1 | Lesser Scaup | 1 | |||||
| 1 | Surf Scoter | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 32 | 6 |
| 1 | Bufflehead | 5 | 18 | 12 | |||
| 1 | Red-breasted Merganser | 20 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 9 | |
| 1 | Ruddy Duck | 12 | 22 | 37 | 30 | 1 | |
| 2 | Pied-billed Grebe | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2 | Horned Grebe | 1 | |||||
| 2 | Eared Grebe | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Western Grebe | 28 | 13 | 18 | 14 | 240 | |
| 7 | Feral Pigeon | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 7 | Eurasian Collared-Dove | 1 | |||||
| 7 | Mourning Dove | 1 | 4 | ||||
| 8 | Anna’s Hummingbird | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 8 | Allen’s Hummingbird | 4 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 2 | American Coot | 157 | 230 | 280 | 148 | 46 | 63 |
| 5 | Black Oystercatcher | 1 | |||||
| 5 | Black-bellied Plover | 79 | 7 | 52 | 45 | 42 | 3 |
| 5 | Killdeer | 1 | 5 | 20 | 18 | 12 | 3 |
| 5 | Snowy Plover | 18 | 1 | 21 | 20 | ||
| 5 | Whimbrel | 23 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 39 |
| 5 | Marbled Godwit | 45 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 20 | 20 |
| 5 | Willet | 56 | 12 | 22 | 3 | 15 | 4 |
| 5 | Ruddy Turnstone | 10 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 2 | |
| 5 | Sanderling | 27 | 69 | 10 | 7 | 10 | |
| 5 | Least Sandpiper | 6 | 35 | 28 | 16 | 20 | 12 |
| 5 | Western Sandpiper | 8 | 20 | ||||
| 6 | Bonaparte’s Gull | 3 | |||||
| 6 | Heermann’s Gull | 55 | 71 | 22 | 12 | 60 | 16 |
| 6 | Ring-billed Gull | 4 | 42 | 34 | 25 | 200 | 18 |
| 6 | Western Gull | 45 | 68 | 64 | 30 | 85 | 58 |
| 6 | Herring Gull | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| 7 | Lesser Black-backed Gull | 1 | |||||
| 6 | California Gull | 7 | 220 | 425 | 270 | 400 | 170 |
| 6 | Glaucous-winged Gull | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
| 6 | Caspian Tern | 2 | |||||
| 6 | Elegant Tern | 2 | 1 | ||||
| 6 | Royal Tern | 5 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 4 | |
| 2 | Red-throated Loon | 1 | |||||
| 2 | Pacific Loon | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2 | Common Loon | 1 | |||||
| 2 | Black-vented Shearwater | 28 | |||||
| 2 | Brandt’s Cormorant | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2 | Pelagic Cormorant | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2 | Double-crested Cormorant | 48 | 37 | 47 | 18 | 28 | 32 |
| 2 | Brown Pelican | 12 | 26 | 72 | 26 | 300 | 171 |
| 3 | Black-crowned Night-Heron | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 3 | Snowy Egret | 2 | 20 | 18 | 7 | 6 | 3 |
| 3 | Green Heron | 1 | |||||
| 3 | Great Egret | 6 | 4 | 2 | |||
| 3 | Great Blue Heron | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 4 | Turkey Vulture | 1 | 2 | 2 | |||
| 4 | Osprey | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 4 | Red-shouldered Hawk | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 4 | Red-tailed Hawk | 2 | 1 | ||||
| 8 | Belted Kingfisher | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 8 | Downy Woodpecker | 1 | |||||
| 8 | Nuttall’s Woodpecker | 1 | |||||
| 8 | Hairy Woodpecker | 1 | |||||
| 8 | Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) | 1 | |||||
| 4 | Peregrine Falcon | 1 | |||||
| 8 | Nanday Parakeet | 2 | |||||
| 9 | Black Phoebe | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 9 | Say’s Phoebe | 1 | |||||
| 9 | Cassin’s Kingbird | 1 | |||||
| 9 | California Scrub-Jay | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 9 | American Crow | 44 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 4 |
| 9 | Common Raven | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 9 | Oak Titmouse | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 9 | Tree Swallow | 1 | |||||
| 9 | Northern Rough-winged Swallow | 5 | |||||
| 9 | Barn Swallow | 10 | |||||
| 9 | Bushtit | 22 | 50 | 12 | 12 | 2 | |
| 9 | Wrentit | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| 9 | Ruby-crowned Kinglet | 1 | |||||
| 9 | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 9 | House Wren | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 9 | Marsh Wren | 1 | |||||
| 9 | Bewick’s Wren | 1 | |||||
| 9 | European Starling | 12 | 22 | 28 | 2 | 19 | 5 |
| 9 | Hermit Thrush | 1 | |||||
| 9 | House Finch | 5 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 15 |
| 9 | Lesser Goldfinch | 2 | 6 | 20 | 20 | ||
| 9 | Dark-eyed Junco | 2 | |||||
| 9 | White-crowned Sparrow | 10 | 20 | 27 | 15 | 12 | 15 |
| 9 | Song Sparrow | 5 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 14 |
| 9 | California Towhee | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 9 | Spotted Towhee | 1 | |||||
| 9 | Red-winged Blackbird | 15 | 16 | 2 | 35 | 4 | |
| 9 | Brown-headed Cowbird | 2 | |||||
| 9 | Great-tailed Grackle | 20 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||
| 9 | Orange-crowned Warbler | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 9 | Common Yellowthroat | 4 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 9 | Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s) | 5 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 4 |
| 9 | Townsend’s Warbler | 1 | |||||
| Totals by Type | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | |
| 1 | Waterfowl | 51 | 134 | 155 | 149 | 144 | 72 |
| 2 | Water Birds – Other | 280 | 314 | 426 | 211 | 621 | 268 |
| 3 | Herons, Egrets & Ibis | 11 | 28 | 23 | 9 | 9 | 4 |
| 4 | Quail & Raptors | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Shorebirds | 265 | 139 | 162 | 103 | 156 | 121 |
| 6 | Gulls & Terns | 118 | 416 | 562 | 345 | 748 | 272 |
| 7 | Doves | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
| 8 | Other Non-Passerines | 10 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
| 9 | Passerines | 154 | 146 | 119 | 88 | 158 | 115 |
| Totals Birds | 897 | 1187 | 1464 | 917 | 1853 | 862 | |
| Total Species | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | |
| 1 | Waterfowl | 4 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 9 |
| 2 | Water Birds – Other | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
| 3 | Herons, Egrets & Ibis | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Quail & Raptors | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Shorebirds | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
| 6 | Gulls & Terns | 6 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 8 |
| 7 | Doves | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 8 | Other Non-Passerines | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 9 | Passerines | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 22 |
| Totals Species – 101 | 58 | 60 | 68 | 57 | 57 | 58 |
Sepulveda Basin Field Trip, 9 Mar 2024
[By Chuck Almdale, photos by Ray Juncosa & Chris Tosdevin]
Make sure you get to the quiz at the end. We’re testing a new format.
One could say the weather was better than last year – no hints of rain – but there were fewer birds. The trails were clear of all the fallen trees, but it seemed that a bunch of trees had disappeared from the center of the island in the pond, making it appear bare and giving fewer nesting spots for the Double-crested Cormorant flock and the various herons and egrets.
Our lead bird is every American birder’s bird-to-hate, the European Starling. This is one of those species that some guy in the late 19th century decided simply must grace America’s fertile lands because it is mentioned somewhere in the works of Shakespeare. So he dumped off dozens of species in the wilds of New York City’s Central Park. The only ones that prospered were this starling and the House Sparrow, and there are probably billions of them across America today. The other dumpees rapidly disappeared, except for the Eurasian Tree Sparrow which hangs on along the central Mississippi River. (Co-incidentally this sparrow is apparently vanishing from England.) This starling is our sole representative of the Sturnidae family, widespread in the Old World with almost 120 species, many of them stunningly beautiful, especially those in Africa.
Why don’t birders like it? They’re highly social, quite aggressive and use their sharp pointed bills and shear numbers and persistence to drive native birds from nesting cavities. Combine that with deforestation and our tendency to cut down dead limbs and trees lest they fall down and crush our cars, thereby removing many potential nest holes, and it’s part of the reason many of our native species have declined up to 95%. But…when these starlings are covered with fresh fall stars they are – as the Aussies say – quite a “specky bird.”
Probably the bird of the day (Ta-Dah!) was the Neotropic Cormorant which – after several years of just missing it or having poor and uncertain looks – we finally got a good, unmistakable look. It’s the smaller, leftmost cormorant below; the others are all Double-crested (save for the geese, of course). It was probably a life bird for some and certainly a County Bird for others.
Although the Neotropic is significantly smaller than the Double-crested – length 26″ wingspan 40″ versus length 36″ wingspan 63″, it’s surprisingly difficult to see this difference in the field. It helps a great deal when they’re standing erect right next to each other and all facing sideways in the same direction as pictured above. Put them up in a tree on different branches, crouching or snoozing, or lounging on a log in a lake and you might not find it quite so easy.
There are five other good field marks to look for, usually visible if not too far away. The Neotropic’s bill is smaller and the likewise-smaller gular pouch is a slightly darker orange. The angle of orangish flesh at the corner of the mouth gape is more acute. The white line edging the gape is (barely) present in juveniles and quite bold in adults in breeding, more extensive and brighter than in the Double-crested, which often doesn’t show any white at all. Lastly, the Double-crested always has yellow flesh above the dark loral stripe, brightest and largest in the adult. The Neotropic never has yellow in this location. Look closely at these three photos and you can see all these field marks. All this valuable information is in your handy paperbound field guide, of course, which you always carry into the field, of course, so it’s always close at hand. Of course.
Neotropic Cormorants have been veeeerrrry slowly invading California for well over 30 years. I saw my first one August 31 1986 in the Imperial Valley, probably on one of the small lakes southeast of the Salton Sea, on one of those scorching summer days when boobies and Wood Storks – possibly driven mad by the heat, upwards of 110°F – fly north into the U.S. Thirty-two years later we saw it on a San Gabriel valley reservoir and now, six years after that, they’re well on their way to becoming resident on many of our ponds and reservoirs and along our several rivers. They seem to much prefer fresh water over brackish or salt water, although I’m not sure that’s true in Central and South America.
At the end of the walk, we climbed into our cars and drove to a different location in the Sepulveda Basin. Here we followed Ruth and Chris Tosdevin to where they had somehow found a large Great Horned Owl and nest. The nest was near the top of a conifer, and was so cleverly located (those wily Owls!) that when I walked off more than 10 ft in any direction I could no longer see the nest, even if I went several hundred feet away, looking back to see if I could find birds in the nest. View of the nest was blocked off in all directions, save directly underneath! I don’t know how they ever found it. To top that, Ruth then located one of the owls in a nearby tree, high in a crotch and deep in the shade. This is not the first time I’ve seen Ruth do this with owls, and it verges on the miraculous.
Quiz time! Answers are buried in useful locations.
Answers to the top twelve:
1. Downy Woodpecker (Ray Juncosa 3-9-24)
2. Brown Headed Cowbirds (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24) Link to our zoom program
3. Acorn Woodpecker (Ray Juncosa 3-9-24)
4. Pied-billed Grebe (Ray Juncosa 3-9-24)
5. Monarch Butterfly (Ray Juncosa 3-9-24)
6. Osprey (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
7. California Towhee (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
8. White Pelicans (Ray Juncosa 3-9-24)
9. Anna’s Hummingbird, male (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
10. Canada Geese (Ray Juncosa 3-9-24)
11. Great Egret (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
12. Acorn Woodpecker (Ray Juncosa 3-9-24)
Answers to the bottom twelve:
13. Bewick’s Wren (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
14. Green Heron (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
15. Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Ray Juncosa 3-9-24)
16. White Pelicans (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
17. Spotted Towhee (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
18. Cundinamarca Antpitta (Photographer & date unknown, link ) not actually seen in Sepulveda
19. White Pelicans (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
20. Osprey (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24) The other side of the bird
21. Belted Kingfisher, female (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
22. Anna’s Hummingbird, male (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
23. Great Blue Heron (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
24. Western Bluebird, male (Chris Tosdevin 3-9-24)
Link to eBird report of this trip: https://ebird.org/checklist/S165077313
| Sepulveda Basin Field Trips | |||||
| English Name | 3/9/24 | 3/11/23 | 3/10/18 | 2/11/17 | 2/13/16 |
| Canada Goose | 30 | E | X | X | X |
| Egyptian Goose | 2 | A | X | X | X |
| Muscovy Duck | X | ||||
| Mallard | 25 | B | X | X | X |
| Hooded Merganser | A | X | X | ||
| Pied-billed Grebe | 4 | B | X | X | X |
| Neotropic Cormorant | 2 | 1 | |||
| Double-crested Cormorant | 15 | D | X | X | X |
| American White Pelican | 20 | C | X | X | |
| Great Blue Heron | 1 | A | X | X | X |
| Great Egret | 5 | B | X | X | X |
| Snowy Egret | 1 | A | X | X | |
| Green Heron | 3 | A | X | X | X |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | 6 | B | X | X | X |
| Turkey Vulture | 4 | C | X | X | X |
| Osprey | 2 | A | X | X | X |
| Cooper’s Hawk | A | X | X | ||
| Red-shouldered Hawk | A | ||||
| Red-tailed Hawk | 2 | A | X | X | |
| American Coot | 10 | D | X | X | X |
| Killdeer | X | ||||
| Gull sp. | 10 | ||||
| Western Gull | X | ||||
| Rock Pigeon | D | X | |||
| Eurasian Collared-Dove | 1 | ||||
| Mourning Dove | 25 | C | X | X | X |
| Great Horned Owl | 1 | X | |||
| White-throated Swift | X | ||||
| Anna’s Hummingbird | 8 | A | X | X | X |
| Rufous Hummingbird | 12 | X | |||
| Allen’s Hummingbird | B | X | X | X | |
| Belted Kingfisher | 1 | 1 | X | X | X |
| Acorn Woodpecker | 3 | A | |||
| Red-breasted Sapsucker | X | ||||
| Nuttall’s Woodpecker | A | X | X | X | |
| Downy Woodpecker | 2 | X | X | ||
| Northern Flicker | A | X | X | ||
| American Kestrel | 2 | ||||
| Merlin | 1 | ||||
| Yellow-chevroned Parakeet | X | X | |||
| Black Phoebe | 8 | A | X | X | X |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher | X | ||||
| Cassin’s Kingbird | A | X | X | ||
| Western Scrub-Jay | 2 | X | X | ||
| American Crow | 4 | X | X | ||
| Common Raven | B | ||||
| Tree Swallow | 15 | D | X | ||
| Violet-green Swallow | A | X | |||
| N. Rough-winged Swallow | C | X | X | ||
| Barn Swallow | 3 | ||||
| Cliff Swallow | B | ||||
| Bushtit | 8 | C | X | X | |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 1 | A | |||
| House Wren | X | ||||
| Bewick’s Wren | 2 | X | X | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | X | X | |||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | A | X | X | ||
| Western Bluebird | 9 | B | X | X | X |
| Mountain Bluebird | D | ||||
| Hermit Thrush | X | ||||
| American Robin | A | ||||
| California Thrasher | X | ||||
| Northern Mockingbird | 1 | A | X | X | |
| European Starling | 8 | C | X | X | |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | X | X | |||
| Common Yellowthroat | 8 | B | X | X | X |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | 80 | D | X | X | X |
| Spotted Towhee | 3 | X | X | X | |
| California Towhee | 3 | B | X | X | X |
| Chipping Sparrow | 4 | B | X | X | |
| Lark Sparrow | X | X | |||
| Savannah Sparrow | X | X | |||
| Song Sparrow | 16 | C | X | X | X |
| White-crowned Sparrow | 10 | D | X | X | X |
| Dark-eyed Junco | X | ||||
| Red-winged Blackbird | 3 | D | X | X | X |
| Western Meadowlark | A | ||||
| Brown-headed Cowbird | 10 | ||||
| Great-tailed Grackle | 2 | C | X | X | |
| House Finch | 20 | D | X | X | X |
| Lesser Goldfinch | 3 | D | X | X | X |
| Lawrence’s Goldfinch | D | ||||
| American Goldfinch | X | ||||
| Total Species – 82 + 1 taxa | 48 | 56 | 44 | 51 | 51 |
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