by Jon Fisher
Birds of the Season- March 2024
As Los Angeles County birders know well, every month offers excellent birding opportunities. February and March held up their end this year. Continuing wintering rarities were well represented, and notable new birds turned up at an impressive pace.
The fact that most of the coastal slope of the county is highly developed for human use certainly impacts a variety of species, but it is not a great impediment to avian diversity.
Though most of spring passerine migration has yet to occur, some species were already moving north; waterfowl, Turkey Vultures, Swainson’s Hawks and swallows among them. Other early arriving Neotropic migrants were noted as well, and numbers increased as we moved through March.
Spring breaks early in southern California, with warming temperatures and an irruption of plant and animal life. This is especially true following a wet winter. Early February delivered on the promise of El Niño with a major multi-day storm. More wet periods followed, taking us above normal for the entire season by early March.
Two out of every three years in the current century have experienced below average rainfall, so while this second wet winter in a row is welcome, the next drought period may be only a couple of years away.
Here's a look at birds of note in the county from late January through March.
A Red-necked Grebe at the Ballona Creek mouth through March 17 was the only one reported during the period.
First detected in mid-January, up to four Lesser Nighthawks continued through March 9 at Santa Fe Dam. The dates and number of birds constitute an unprecedented winter record for this species.
Quite scarce in winter were four Vaux’s Swifts in Pico Rivera from February 10-15 (Christine Jacobs, Kim Moore, Becky Turley), three in Silver Lake on February 10 (Otto Mayer) and two at Alondra Park Reservoir on March 7 (David Moody).
A nice county rarity was a Broad-billed Hummingbird at a residence in Glendora from February 10-March 24 (Kristin Joseph). Numerous birders availed themselves of the easy opportunity to view and photograph it.
The returning wintering Pacific Golden-Plover near the Ballona Creek mouth was reported through February 3 and a Mountain Plover continued on San Clemente Island also through February 3.
Rare away from offshore waters were Black-legged Kittiwakes at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro on March 1 and at Malibu Lagoon on March 23 (Omar Alui). A Laughing Gull was along the Los Angeles River in Maywood from February 17-March 3 (Mark Wilson) and a Franklin’s Gull was in the same area on March 16 (Luke Tiller). As evidence of their increasing presence in the county, about a half dozen Lesser Black-backed Gulls were reported during the period.
Rare inland was a Pacific Loon continuing at Quail Lake near Gorman through March 18.
A Brown Booby was in Santa Monica Bay off Marina Del Rey on March 7 (Jon Feenstra).
A Western Cattle Egret was at Quail Lake near Gorman on March 13 (Matt Brady) and over two dozen Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were recorded, primarily at Alamitos Bay and Ballona Lagoon.
Establishing just the third record for the county, a Glossy Ibis was at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB on March 21 (Jon Feenstra).
Ten California Condors along Templin Highway near Castaic on February 11 was a good number (Rebecca & Henry Marschall).
At least one Zone-tailed Hawk continued in Monrovia through March 23, while others were in Glendale on February 11 (multiple observers) and over Vincent Lugo Park in San Gabriel on February 22 (Caleb Peterson).
A Short-eared Owl was in the Antelope Valley at Ave. B and 60th Street West on February 24 (Otto Mayer, Jodhan Fine, Omar Alui).
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers continued at Descanso Gardens in La Canada through February 12, at Veteran’s Park in Sylmar through March 1 and on Santa Catalina Island through March 17. A Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker at the Village Green Condominiums in Los Angles on January 28 was the only confirmed pure bird of that subspecies (Don Sterba). Intergrades between “Red-shafted” and “Yellow-shafted” birds can be difficult to rule out.
A Crested Caracara, the second in two months, was at Alta Vicente Reserve in Rancho Palos Verdes on February 3 (Willie D’Anna). Aside from the oft encountered subspecies columbarius, a pale “Prairie” Merlin (richardsonii) was at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB on February 16 (Naresh Satyan), while a “Black” Merlin (suckleyi) was at the West San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail in Lakewood on February 10 (Joyce Brady).
Dusky-capped Flycatchers were at Vincent Lugo Park in San Gabriel from February 23-March 21 (Loren Wright) and at the Sepulveda Basin- returning for a third winter- on February 27 (Rebecca Marschall). An Ash-throated Flycatcher continued at Hansen Dam in Lake View Terrace through February 27, while a very rare Brown-crested Flycatcher continued near the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes Estates through March 2.
Four continuing wintering Tropical Kingbirds were present during the period while the much less expected Thick-billed Kingbird was in Griffith Park through March 23.
A wintering Hammond’s Flycatcher continued at Tournament Park in Pasadena through March 6 and a Dusky Flycatcher continued at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena through March 12. Western Flycatchers were at Eaton Blanche Park in Pasadena through February 19, at the Huntington Gardens in San Marino on February 14 (m. obs.), at Murphy Ranch Park in Whittier on February 14 and at Biola University in La Mirada on February 26 (both Jonathan Rowley).
Wrapping up the flycatchers was an Eastern Phoebe continuing at San Dimas Canyon Park through February 16.
Again this year, a very early Bell’s Vireo was at Rio de Los Angeles Park in Los Angeles as of January 26 (Marcus England). Another wintering at the Huntington Gardens in San Marino was reported through February 21. Quite unusual in winter was a Warbling Vireo continuing in Claremont Village through January 30 (Michael San Miguel Jr.).
Following a significant gap in reports, the Pacific Wren at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena was observed again on March 15. Another was near Mt. Baldy Village on March 9 (Benjamin Ewing). Far rarer was the Winter Wren continuing at Castaic Lagoon through February 11.
The first Purple Martin of the spring was recorded at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB on March 22 (Naresh Satyan).
Up to two American Dippers continued along the middle fork of the San Gabriel River near Mt. Baldy Village through March 15. This is now the only reliable location for this species in the county, though additional field work might turn up additional birds.
The Brown Thrasher at the West San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail in Lakewood was recorded through March 17.
Two Mountain Bluebirds at Pt. Vicente on February 11 were unusual along the coast (Merryl Edelstein).
A White Wagtail, establishing just the sixth record for the county, was found along the Los Angeles River in Glendale on January 25 (Eric Johnson). It was not seen again until February 21 when high water pushed it up onto the embankment and again from March 7-25 farther upstream near Buena Vista Park.
A lingering Lapland Longspur continued at Griffith Park through February 3.
An unusual number of Lark Buntings included birds in the Antelope Valley at Ave. O and 10th Street West on February 21 (Luke Tiller), at Ave. B and 60th Street West on February 24 (Omar Alui, Otto Mayer, Jodhan Fine), at 256th Street West north of Highway 138 on February 27 (Josh McLaughlin) and at Sheldon Arleta Park in Sun Valley from February 29- March 17 (Rebecca Marschall). These above normal numbers in the county reflected a trend in the region this winter.
The status of Sagebrush Sparrows in the county is still being worked out. Two were confirmed at Saddleback Butte State Park in the Antelope Valley on January 14 (Max Breshears, Luca Cinus, Aashay Mody), with additional records being evaluated. This species is almost certainly more common than records would indicate, but at present, good photographic documentation is a requirement for our understanding of distribution to evolve.
Clay-colored Sparrows included a continuing bird in Silver Lake through March 22, one at Vina Vieja Park in Pasadena from February 3-March 16, one in Valencia on February 13 (both Luke Tiller), one at Rio de Los Angeles Park from March 5-15 (Caleb P.) and another continuing at El Dorado Park in Long Beach through March 10.
Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Juncos were along Big Pines Highway on January 29 (Kimball Garrett), at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas from February 14-March 16 (Keith Condon) and continuing at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena through March 10. A Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco continued at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas through March 11 and others were in Griffith Park on February 11 (John McCormack) and in Signal Hill from March 9-15 (Merryl Edelstein, Christine Jacobs).
Eight Swamp Sparrows, most of them continuing birds, were present during the period, while eight Green-tailed Towhees were reported in the county this winter.
Orchard Orioles were at Culver City Park on February 25 (Kevin Lapp), at Banning Park in Wilmington from February 29-March 18 (Chef Ito) and at La Mirada Community Park from March 7-12 (Jonathan Rowley).
A wintering Hooded Oriole continued at the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena through February 12, as did one in Rolling Hills through February 25. Two more, possibly early migrants, were in the Hollywood Hills from March 1-6 (Fernanda Ezabella).
A Baltimore Oriole was at Polytechnic High School in Sun Valley on March 3 (Teresa Palos) and a Scott’s Oriole was at Crystalaire from February 17-March 7 where one has spent past few winters (Ruth Gravance).
Rusty Blackbirds included one continuing at the San Gabriel Coastal Basin Spreading Grounds in Pico Rivera through February 18 and one at the Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB from February 16-March 18 (William Tyrer, Kimball Garrett).
Black-and-white Warblers, expected as a scarce migrant and winter visitor, were represented by seven individuals. A Tennessee Warbler was at Mountain View Park in El Monte on February 29 (Chef Ito) and one continued at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena through March 19.
The American Redstart at Oakdale Memorial Park in Glendora was reported through March 10. Very rare at any time was a Cape May Warbler continuing at Loyola Marymount University in Westchester through February 18. Another was at Alhambra Park from February 20-March 21 (Chef Ito). A Northern Parula was at the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes Estates from March 12-20 (Manuel Duran, Alejandra Cedillo)
Chestnut-sided Warblers included a continuing bird at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena through March 9, one at Victory Park in Pasadena from March 13-24 (David Bell), one at Washington Park in Pasadena on March 16 (Jon Feenstra) and one at Vina Vieja Park in Pasadena on March 19 (Luke Tiller).
About a half dozen Palm Warblers were present during the period. Less expected was a Pine Warbler at Satellite Park in Cerritos from February 29-March 1 (Thomas Lopez) and a Black-throated Green Warbler at Vincent Lugo Park in San Gabriel from February 22-March 20 (Chef Ito).
Painted Redstarts continued in Brentwood through March 22, at San Dimas Canyon Park through March 9 and in Arcadia through March 6. Another was at Lake Elizabeth on January 26 (Will B.)
Quite rare in the county was a wintering Hepatic Tanager continuing in Griffith Park through January 27 and another at Banning Park in Wilmington from March 2-25 (Mark Wilson, Van Pierszalowski).
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were in Altadena on March 6 (Carrie Sweredoski) and at the LA County Arboretum from March 20-21 (Lou & Chris Orr).
We’re quickly rushing toward the peak of spring passerine migration in late April. Migrants will soon be everywhere. Both the coastal slope and the deserts can be very productive when conditions are right. Later in the season higher elevations will also see increasing activity.
Bear Divide near Santa Clarita rightfully has its devotees. An organized migrant census takes place each spring, a bird-banding operation is in place and there’s the potential for large numbers of migrants. It’s an excellent spot to observe the phenomenon of spring migration. The bonus of easy access and no walking required broadens its appeal further.
But there are many, many other places worth visiting in spring. With pleasant weather, lush green habitat beckoning and plenty of birds passing through, birders can be expected to maximize days in the field. No doubt a few unexpected birds will turn up among the numerous regular western migrants.