By Jon Fisher
September and October are a time of almost endless potential and anticipation in the birder’s world in southern California, with a wide variety of migrants passing through. But it is also a time of uncertainly; each year is different and we never know exactly what to expect. What numbers of vagrants will turn up? What species will be above or below average? Will any ultra-rare Asian strays be found? To avoid any unnecessary suspense, I will state that the fall of 2022 did not disappoint.
After a comparatively mild summer, early September produced a memorable and extended heat wave; but nothing prevented birders from getting out and finding good birds. A few rarities had already appeared by late August, but that was just a modest appetizer for what was to follow. The combination of weather patterns, observer coverage, the birds themselves, and other unknown factors conspired to make this a fall to remember.
While shorebirds may have underperformed this fall (at least in terms of rarities); the opposite was true of passerines. In that regard it was a truly incredible fall. Literally dozens of vagrants were found in the county from late August through October.
As is so often the case, rarities that attracted numbers of birders ended up producing additional good finds at their respective locations. If every square mile of the county were subjected to equal scrutiny, we can only guess what might be discovered.
On October 16- a weather related fallout on Santa Catalina Island produced no fewer than thirteen vagrants in the area around Avalon. Mid-October also produced two species new to the state, one of which was a first record for Los Angeles County, and both of which were Old World Phylloscopus warblers.
In other birding news, a Los Angeles River shorebird census was conducted on August 27 and September 11. Though nothing unexpected was recorded, the survey created a snapshot in time of the birdlife along this important wildlife corridor. Plans are to expand and continued this survey in subsequent years.
We are still dealing with a prolonged drought, the impacts of which are substantial and widespread. Despite this, the Los Angeles River, city and county parks and much of suburbia manage to maintain good habitat for birds because of water imported for human use. These artificial green patches often become the best places to find migrants and vagrants.
Greater White-fronted Geese were present in above average numbers throughout the county and they seemed to be everywhere. A high count of 360 were at the Piute Ponds on October 14 (Kimball Garrett). Worthy of mention was a single lost and now famous individual that landed in Dodger Stadium in the middle of a Padres game on October 12.
A Common Ground-Dove was at the Dominguez Gap Wetlands in Long Beach on October 6 (Joyce Brady). Two White-winged Doves were at Malibu Bluffs Park in Malibu on August 26 (Jon Fisher), while others were in the east Antelope Valley from September 4-8 (Joseph Dunn) and from September 4-13 (Steve Harvey) and one was along the lower Los Angeles River in Long Beach on September 11 (Jeff Boyd).
A late Black-chinned Hummingbird was in Juniper Hills in the Antelope Valley on October 4 (Kimball Garrett).
An American Oystercatcher was at the Los Angeles Harbor on September 11 (multiple observers) and two were observed there on October 8 (Kimball Garrett)
The Pacific-Golden Plover at Ballona Creek mouth in Playa del Rey returned for its fifth winter as of August 28 (Layton Pace) and continued there through October 23.
Scarce as a migrant in the county was a Red Knot continuing at Malibu Lagoon through September 19. Another was at Topanga State Beach on September 24 (Ralph Carlson).
Semipalmated Sandpipers were tough to find this year, but single birds were at Malibu Lagoon through September 4, along the Los Angeles River in Glendale from September 4-8 (Andrew Birch) and along the Los Angeles River in Maywood from August 11-15 (Mark Wilson).
Sabine’s Gulls were at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB from September 5-13 (Femi Faminu) and on October 1 (Kimball Garrett) and a Franklin’s Gull off the Palos Verdes Peninsula on October 8 was the only one reported (Kimball Garrett).
A continuing Lesser Black-backed Gull was along the Los Angeles River in Long Beach from October 1-7, though it had not been reported there since August 27. Others were at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles from September 21-23 (Otto Mayer) and along the Los Angeles River in Maywood on October 12 (Mark Wilson).
Five Common Terns were at Quail Lake near Gorman on September 10 (Naresh Satyan), while others were at Pt. Dume in Malibu on September 10 (Andy Birch) and at Lake Balboa on September 11 (Candice Byers).
Los Angeles County waters hosted Red-billed Tropicbirds at San Clemente Island on August 28 (Ben Stalheim) and about thirty miles southeast of there on October 2 (Gary Nunn, et al).
If they are going to occur, summer and early fall is the time for Magnificent Frigatebirds to show up. This fall two were above the north Palos Verdes Peninsula on September 4 (Jonathan Nakai) and two more were there on September 10 (Mark & Janet Scheel); both sightings due to the effects of Hurricane Kay.
Nazca Boobies were in the Catalina Channel on September 11 and off the Palos Verdes Peninsula on September 13 (Jon Feenstra). Two more were at Thirty Mile Bank near San Clemente Island on September 15 (Dan Jehl), with one there on October 9 (Andy Birch). Another was west of San Diego on October 2 (Gary Nunn). Also of interest was a Masked/Nazca Booby near San Clemente Island on September 25 (Kevin Lapp)
Brown Boobies were in the Catalina Channel from September 7-11 and again on September 25 (Ken Reichner) and in San Pedro Harbor on September 11 (m. obs.). Six Red-footed Boobies were also recorded between August 28-September 16, with these records probably representing fewer than a half dozen individuals. Boobies, formerly quite unusual, now occur regularly in the Southern California Bight— which extends from Pt. Conception to San Diego— and offshore waters. Warming ocean temperatures- and resulting changes in food resources— are at least partly responsible for the increasing appearance of these tropical birds.
About a dozen Neotropic Cormorants were reported over the period and at least ten Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were present, with up to seven of these at Ballona Lagoon in Marina del Rey. The increasing occurrence of both these species in the county is also largely driven by climate change.
Broad-winged Hawks were at Las Flores Creek Park on September 27 (Aaron Kreisberg), at Buena Vista Park in Burbank on October 2 (Rebecca Marschall) and at Sycamore Grove Park in the Mt. Washington area on October 9 (Brad Rumble). Zone-tailed Hawks were at Eaton Canyon in Pasadena on September 9 (David & Holly Coates), in Monrovia from October 23-25 (Karen Suarez) and in Altadena on October 25 (Corey Husic).
An above average fifteen Tropical Kingbirds were found during the period. Less expected were Eastern Kingbirds at El Dorado Park in Long Beach on August 30 (Steve Turley), along the lower Los Angeles River in Long Beach on September 9 (Jeff Boyd), in Lunada Bay on the Palos Verdes Peninsula on September 18 (Naresh Satyan, onathan Nakai) and again along the lower Los Angeles River in Long Beach from September 18-19 (Jeff Boyd). Also of note was a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale from October 6-7 (Keith Condon).
A first record for the county was a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on Santa Catalina Island from October 16-17, while a rare but more expected Least Flycatcher was there on the same dates (Christopher Hinkle, Adrian Hinkle, Logan Kahle).
Eastern Phoebes were on Santa Catalina Island on October 19 (Chris Dean), at Lake Lindero in Agoura Hills on October 21 (Dan Cooper) and at Sunnyside Cemetery in Long Beach on October 23 (Naresh Satyan).
Rare vireos included a Philadelphia Vireo present from October 16-17 and a Red-eyed Vireo found on October 16, both on Santa Catalina Island (Christopher Hinkle, Adrian Hinkle, Logan Kahle). A Yellow-Green Vireo was seen by many at Eaton Canyon in Pasadena from September 6-18 (Mark & Janet Scheel).
Amid indications of an above average dispersal away from regular areas elsewhere in the state, five Pinyon Jays were seen passing over Juniper Hills on October 22 (Kimball Garrett). Despite being regular not that far outside the county, this species is extremely rare here. That said, they should certainly be watched for this fall and winter.
A Purple Martin at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas on September 5 (Keith Condon) and three there between September 9 and 10 were the only reports this fall (Keith Condon, Kimberly Dillbeck).
A Gray Catbird was on San Clemente Island from October 19-23 (Ben Stalheim, Kandace Glanville).
A stunning find was a Wood Warbler at Willow Springs Park in Long Beach on October 15 (Brad Dawson). This establishes the first California record and the first record for the lower forty-eight states. Though a long-distance migrant, to date there have only been a few documented in Alaska. Its nearest area of regular occurrence is 2,500 miles west of the 49th state. As would be expected, this bird attracted hundreds of birders and continued through October 24. Incredibly, a Willow Warbler— another state first- was discovered at Rodeo Lagoon near San Francisco on October 18. In the matter of a few days, California increased its bird list by two species.
A Pacific Wren was on Santa Catalina Island on October 16 (Christopher Hinkle, Adrian Hinkle, Logan Kahle) and four were along the south fork of Big Rock Creek on the north slope of the San Gabriel Mountains on October 23 (Corey Husic)
Very rare in the county was a Sprague’s Pipit in the west Antelope Valley on October 19 (Richard Crossley).
Chestnut-collared Longspurs were in Griffith Park on October 8 and on October 23 (Andy Birch) and five were in the west Antelope Valley on October 19 (Richard Crossley).
A Grasshopper Sparrow was at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas on October 9 (Caitlin Eldridge) and two were at Malibu Creek State Park on October 15 (Eric Shaphran). A rare Lark Bunting was at Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale on September 10 (Luke Tiller) and fifteen Clay-colored Sparrows were found during the period.
Another great find was a Field Sparrow at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB on October 27 (Chris Dean). This was just the third record for the county.
A Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco was at Grassy Hollow in the east San Gabriel Mountains on October 9 (Grigory Heaton). An early White-crowned Sparrow was at Willow Springs Park in Long Beach on August 23 and a dark-lored White-crowned Sparrow was at Colorado Lagoon in Long Beach on September 11 (Robert Hamilton).
White-throated Sparrows were at the Chilao Visitor’s Center in the San Gabriel Mountains on October 9 (Chezy Yusuf) and at the Piute Ponds on October 21 (Kimball Garrett). Two more were on San Clemente Island on October 21 (Ben Stalheim, Nicole Desnoyers, Kandace Glanville).
A “Large-billed” Savannah Sparrow was at the Ballona Creek mouth in Playa del Rey on September 1 (Chris Mortenson), while a Swamp Sparrow was at the Sepulveda Basin in Van Nuys from October 6-9 (Steve Grasmick), two were at the Piute Ponds on October 21 (Kimball Garrett) and one was at Peck Road Water Conservation Park in Arcadia on October 26 (Judy Hwa).
Scarce as migrants on the coastal slope, Green-tailed Towhees were at the West San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail in Lakewood from October 6-23 (Jeffrey Fenwick) and at Kenneth Hahn Park from October 17-26 (Eric Brooks).
A Bobolink was at Peck Road Water Conservation Park in Arcadia on September 20 (Mark & Janet Scheel) and another half dozen were found on San Clemente Island. A Baltimore Oriole was at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas on September 15 (Keith Condon).
An incredible twenty-five species of “vagrant” warblers were recorded, this in addition to our nine regular species. An Ovenbird was at the West San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail in Lakewood on October 5 (Joyce Brady) and a half dozen Northern Waterthrushes were reported over the period. About a dozen Black-and-white Warblers were found and a well above average twenty-two Tennessee Warblers were recorded.
Lucy’s Warblers were at Agua Amarga Canyon on the Palos Verdes Peninsula from September 5-18 (Mark & Janet Scheel), at Heartwell Park in Long Beach on September 16, at El Dorado Park in Long Beach on October 8 (Nancy Salem) and on Santa Catalina Island on October 16 (Christopher Hinkle, Adrian Hinkle, Logan Kahle). In addition eight Virginia’s Warblers were found.
A Connecticut Warbler and a Mourning Warbler— both exceedingly rare— were found on San Clemente Island on October 8 (Justyn Stahl, Nicole Desnoyers).
A Hooded Warbler was at Granada Park in Monterey Park on September 16 (Jon Feenstra) and ten American Redstarts were found.
Very rare was a Cape May Warbler in Pasadena on October 24 (Sequoia Ding) and a last-minute addition and county first Cerulean Warbler on Santa Catalina Island on October 28 (Laura Vandezande, Mitchell Bailey). This truly is a fall that keeps on giving.
Much more expected were Northern Parulas on San Clemente Island on September 12 (Ben Stalheim, Kandace Glanville) and in Elysian Park on September 20 (Otto Mayer).
Seven Magnolia Warblers were recorded and seven Blackburnian Warblers were tallied. A dozen Chestnut-sided Warblers were found, while Blackpoll Warblers were on San Clemente Island (Ben Stalheim, Kandace Glanville, Nicole Desnoyers), in Los Angeles on September 20 (Kevin Lapp), at Madrona Marsh in Torrance on September 22, at Santa Fe Dam on October 2 (Marky Mutchler), at El Dorado Park in Long Beach from October 8-9 (Nancy Salem).
A Black-throated Blue Warbler was at Polliwog Park in Manhattan Beach from October 19-27 (Layton Pace). Palm Warblers were at Stonehurst Park in Sun Valley from October 4-5 (Naresh Satyan) and at Woodlawn Cemetery in Santa Monica on October 14 (Becky Turley), in Long Beach on October 16 (Bob Schallman). Two more were at Sunnyside Cemetery in Long beach between October 16-22. Less expected was a Pine Warbler at Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale on October 11 (Jon Feenstra).
A Yellow-throated Warbler was on Santa Catalina Island on October 16 (Christopher Hinkle, Adrian Hinkle, Logan Kahle) and a Prairie Warbler was on San Clemente Island on October 10 (Justyn Stahl, Nicole Desnoyers). Black-throated Green Warblers were at Granada Park in Monterey Park from September 16-18 (Chris Dean) and at Lewis McAdams Riverfront Park from September 19-23 (Andy Birch).
Wrapping things up for the warblers was a Canada Warbler at Wardlow Park in Long Beach on September 13 (Kim Moore) and a Painted Redstart in Brentwood from October 12-16 (Mark Harris).
Thirteen Summer Tanagers were found and a much less expected Scarlet Tanager was on San Clemente Island on October 22 (Nicole Desnoyers, Susan Meiman). Nine Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were recorded and Indigo Buntings were at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena from September 11-October 2 (Darren Dowell) and on Santa Catalina Island on October 20 (Mitchell Bailey).
An above average five Dickcissels were found, with birds on Santa Catalina Island on September 25 (Naresh Satyan, Mark & Janet Scheel, Chris Dean), at Buena Vista Park in Burbank from October 2-3 (Rebecca Marschall), at Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale from October 5-6 (Chris Dean), at White Point in San Pedro on October 5 (Russell Stone) and at Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale on October 11 (Jon Feenstra).
A collective “phew” is warranted following this exhaustive list of birds. The fall of 2021 was particularly good in its own rite, but 2022 managed to surpass it. Despite the great haul of rarities, we can only imagine how many birds were missed. We know that we can only detect only a small percentage of the birds actually passing through.
The passing of fall migration is understandably a bit of a letdown. But though migration is largely over, it doesn’t mean birding will become dull. As we head toward winter, birders can watch for irruptive species such as Lewis’s Woodpecker (already noted in above average numbers), Red-breasted Nuthatches, Varied Thrush and Pine Siskin. Lingering and wintering neotropical migrants will continue to be found as we head into winter.
The county’s ever-increasing army of birders seems to ensure that no month passes without a number of notable sightings. In addition, digital cameras continue to confirm sightings that would have been “might be” birds twenty years ago.
The county’s inland lakes and reservoirs may harbor unusual waterfowl and the Antelope Valley hosts a number of wintering specialties that draw birders.
An interesting project for birders will be to find and document Sagebrush Sparrows in the county. The true status of this species is not well known and additional field work is needed.
Christmas Bird Counts aren’t far away, slated to begin on December 14. Participating is always rewarding and enjoyable and most CBCs are happy to accept additional counters. As valuable as our individual eBird trip list data is, the saturation of a CBC circle on a single day in early winter creates a unique snapshot of local birdlife; and one that is repeated year after year.
Regardless of where birding takes you, it is certain that Los Angeles County is more than capable of rewarding your endeavors.