Birds of the Season—March 2026
February and early March offered typically pleasant weather, with many continuing rare birds and a handful of new ones, as well as the arrival of a few Neotropical migrants. By late March these migrants were becoming more obvious and widespread, with some already on territory. Breeding activity for resident birds was underway well before that.
In mid-March, a ridge of high-pressure began to dominate our weather with temperatures skyrocketing to summer levels. Not only was this an unpleasant reminder of things to come, but it dried vegetation and soil well ahead of schedule. Thankfully, at the end of March it appears a more regular spring-like pattern is set to take hold.
The California Bird Atlas- in just the first two months of its existence- revealed some very interesting data, with over one hundred species already confirmed as breeding in the state by the end of February.
Due to its huge population, Los Angeles County has more than its share of birders contributing to the atlas. Data entry for the county- and indeed statewide- has far exceeded expectations.
Compared to our own landmark Los Angeles County Breeding Bird Atlas (pre-datingeBird), with data collection from 1995-1999, technology and the internet have revolutionized how projects like this can be implemented and managed. If you haven’t already joined the Atlas effort, there’s no time like now. We’re just three months into a five-year project and there are a lot of atlas “blocks” to cover.
Here's a summary of interesting and notable sightings from late January through March.
Waterfowl of note included Eurasian Wigeons near Gorman through January 31 and on Santa Catalina Island on February 1 (Laura Vandezande). A “Eurasian” Green-winged Teal was near Hansen Dam in Lake View Terrace on March 15 (Brad Rumble) and the Barrow’s Goldeneye at Quail Lake continued through February 2.
Solitary Sandpipers continued at Hansen Dam through March 17 and along the Coyote Creek Bikeway in La Mirada through March 11.
Unusual close to shore were two Ancient Murrelets at the Ballona Creek mouth on February 15 (Preston Hinds).
A Black-legged Kittiwake was at the Ballona Creek mouth on February 19 (Steve Quarteri), a Sabine’s Gull was off San Pedro on March 16 (Mark Wilson) and a Laughing Gull was at the Rio Hondo Spreading Basins in Pico Rivera on January 23 (Chris Dean).
Potentially seven Lesser Black-backed Gulls were reported over the period, with the usual caveat that some of these sightings probably represent the same individuals.
Red-throated Loons were at the San Gabriel Coastal Basin Spreading Grounds in Pico Rivera on February 22 (Jon Fisher, Sarah Ngo) and at the Earvin Magic Johnson Recreation Area in Willowbrook from February 22-March 7 (Richard Barth).
Rare inland, Brown Pelicans were at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas on March 9 (John Holderness), at Reseda Park on March 15 (Sam Vincent) and at Lake Hollywood from March 17-18 (Andy Birch).
Up to twelve California Condors were observed along the Old Ridge Route north of Castaic Lake through February 8 (Jonathan Nakai, et al).
Zone-tailed Hawks were in Monrovia through March 2, above La Canada on February 26 (Jack Wickel) and over Pasadena on February 27 (Todd Easterla). It’s possible these sightings all pertain to a single bird.
Short-eared Owls were in the Antelope Valley, with up to five near 60th Street West and Ave B from February 1-March 7. Substantial early season rains likely created attractive habitat for these birds. How many others may have wintered in the valley we’ll never know. There is plenty of good habitat here, much of it difficult to access.
A Williamson’s Sapsucker continued at Brand Park in Glendale through March 8 and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was at Kenneth Hahn SRA in Baldwin Hills from January 25-March 16 (Preston Hinds).
The Dusky-capped Flycatcher at Vincent Lugo Park in San Gabriel was seen through March 1, while seven Tropical Kingbirds were present over the period.
Very rare were two Thick-billed Kingbirds continuing in Griffith Park, one through February 14 and the other through March 5.
Equally scarce were continuing Greater Pewees in Monrovia Canyon Park through February 28 and at Sycamore Canyon in Whittier through February 9.
Wintering Hammond’s Flycatchers were at Arcadia County Park in Arcadia on January 28 (Caled Peterson), at El Nido Park in Redondo Beach on February 2 (Tom Miko), at Tournament Park in Pasadena from February 7-10 (John Rodgers), at El Dorado Park in Long Beach from February 20-24 (Brian Daniels).
Western Flycatchers were at Country Hollow Park in Walnut on January 31 (Brandon Landsman), in Zuma Canyon on February 14 (Walter Sakai), at Murphy Ranch Park in Whittier on February 26 (Jonathan Rowley).
Miscellaneous passerines of interest included a half dozen Cassin’s Vireos on the coastal slope, a Pacific Wren at Fern Dell in Griffith Park from January 23-27 (Joshua Mitchell) and a continuing Gray Catbird on the UCLA campus that was reported through February 6.
Clay-colored Sparrows were at Pan Pacific Park through January 28 and in the Whittier Narrows area in South El Monte on February 8 (Naresh Satyan). Vesper Sparrows were in Sylmar on March 15 (David Bell) and in Sun Valley on March 23 (El Rod).
A Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco continuing at Elysian Park through February 1 was the only one reported. Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Juncos were in Compton on January 26 (Richard Barth) and continuing at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena through February 27.
Over a dozen White-throated Sparrows were reported.
Sagebrush Sparrows included one in the Antelope Valley near 60th Street West and Ave. B from January 21-February 9 (Gregory Hachigian) and another in the east Antelope Valley on January 25 (Mark & Janet Scheel).
A Swamp Sparrow continued at DeForest Park in Long Beach through February 1.
Green-tailed Towhees included one in Signal Hill on January 23 (Chef Ito), one at Hopkins Wilderness Park in Redondo Beach through January 26, another continuing at Monte Verde Park in Lakewood through March 13 and one at Pomona College on March 5 (Eddie Monson).
An Orchard Oriole continued on Santa Catalina Island through February 14. Hooded Orioles were at the Veteran’s Administration garden in West Los Angeles on January 24 (Dessi Sieburth) and at the Huntington Gardens in San Marino through February 7. Early spring arrivals began to appear in late February.
Baltimore Orioles included a bird continuing at Kenneth Hahn SRA in Baldwin Hills through March 15 and two continuing in Elysian Park through February 1.
The very unusual wintering Ovenbird along the Los Angeles River in Long Beach continued through March 17.
Five Black-and-white Warblers were in the county in February and March. Tennessee Warblers included a continuing bird in Elysian Park through January 21 and one at Barnsdall Art Park in Los Angeles on February 18 (Joshua Mitchell).
Lucy’s Warblers were at DeForest Park in Long Beach from January 22-26 (Chef Ito) and at Vista Hermosa Park in Los Angeles on February 1 (Joshua Mitchell). In addition, over a half dozen Nashville Warblers wintered on the coastal slope.
The Cape May Warbler at Loyola Marymount University in Westchester was seen through March 7, a Blackburnian Warbler continued at Whaley Park in Long Beach through March 4 and the Chestnut-sided Warbler on the USC campus was seen through February 6.
Palm Warblers included one continuing at Belvedere Park Lake in East Los Angeles through March 21 and another at the Earvin Magic Johnson Recreation Area in Willowbrook on March 4 (Sara Boscoe).
Less expected was a Pine Warbler at Belvedere Park Lake from March 1-21 (Joshua Mitchell).
Notable was a Yellow-rumped x Grace’s Warbler at El Dorado Park in Long Beach from February 15-March 3 (Tracy Drake). A one hundred percent Grace’s Warbler continued at Wardlow Park in Long Beach through February 24.
The returning wintering Black-throated Green Warbler at William Andrews Clark Library in Los Angeles was seen through March 20 and another was at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena from March 7-12 (Darren Dowell).
Continuing Painted Redstarts were at Elysian Park through January 23, at Chavez Ravine in Elysian Park through February 12, at San Dimas Canyon Park through March 8, and in West Covina through February 21.
A Hepatic Tanager continued in Griffith Park through January 29 and over a dozen Summer Tanagers were reported during the period.
Up to two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks continued in Griffith Park through March 14, while an early Black-headed Grosbeak was in Bel Air on March 6 (Rhys Marsh).
April and May are months that birders rightfully anticipate. While southern California winters definitely can’t be characterized as boring, the onset of spring migration is a highlight of the bird year.
The main push of spring passerine migration is almost upon us. Large numbers of birds will be making their way north and almost anywhere in the county will be a good place to bird. Sufficient rainfall this past winter means lush habitats and above average reproductive success.
It should be noted that things are not as rosy elsewhere, with the Sierra Nevada snowpack currently sitting at less than twenty-five percent of normal for this time of year. Elsewhere in the west, things are even more dire as climate change increases heat and diminishes precipitation.
Late May will see diminishing numbers of birds continuing to head north, and a decent chance for vagrants. In spring the focus is mainly on eastern wood warblers, but there’s also potential for a variety of other wayward birds from our islands and offshore waters to the deserts.