Eurasian Wigeon | Barrow’s Goldeneye | Common Murre | Laughing Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Zone-tailed Hawk | Short-eared Owl | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Williamson’s Sapsucker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | GREATER PEWEE | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Bell’s Vireo | Brown Creeper | Pacific Wren | Gray Catbird | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Sagebrush Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Baltimore Oriole | Ovenbird | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Palm Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager
The Los Angeles Christmas Bird Count was held on Jan. 2, 2026, the original date (Jan. 4) having been moved due to the predicted all-day rain. Most of our regular counters were able to switch to the new date; interestingly, only a few new participants made it out on the 2nd (but a big thanks to those who did!).
First, a special note about L.A. County: As counties go, Los Angeles is quite remarkable. Yes, there are a huge number of CBC’s in LA county (12!); but also, in all of the United States, San Diego County is the only other that can lay claim to pelagic birds, montane birds, and desert birds, all residing comfortably in their own ecosystems. Yes, seeing a Verdin, a LeConte’s Thrasher, and a Mountain Bluebird on one LA County CBC; then turning around the next day and seeing a Parasitic Jeager, a Black Oystercatcher, and a Lewis’ Woodpecker on another LA County CBC, is entirely possible - although not easy!
Barrow’s Goldeneye | Greater Roadrunner | Mountain Plover | Solitary Sandpiper | Ancient Murrelet | Black-legged Kittiwake | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Zone-tailed Hawk | Williamson’s Sapsucker | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | GREATER PEWEE | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Western Flycatcher | Gray Catbird | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Orchard Oriole | Baltimore Oriole | Scott’s Oriole | “Bicolored” Red-winged Blackbird | Ovenbird | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Northern Parula | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Palm Warbler | Grace’s Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Hepatic Tanager | Summer Tanager | Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Surf Scoter | Barrow’s Goldeneye | Solitary Sandpiper | Laughing Gull | Vega Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Pacific Loon | Zone-tailed Hawk | Short-eared Owl | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Western Kingbird | GREATER PEWEE | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Western Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Gray Catbird | Grasshopper Sparrow | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Sagebrush Sparrow | “Large-billed” Savannah Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Hooded Oriole | Baltimore Oriole | Ovenbird | Northern Waterthrush | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Nashville Warbler | MacGillivray’s Warbler | American Redstart | Cape May Warbler | Northern Parula | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Palm Warbler | Grace’s Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Hepatic Tanager |Summer Tanager | Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Black-headed Grosbeak
White-winged Scoter | Black Scoter | Spotted Dove | American Oystercatcher | Lesser Black-backed Gull | American Bittern | California Condor | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Brown-crested Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Evening Grosbeak | Clay-colored Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Black-and-white Warbler | American Redstart | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Black-headed Grosbeak
Leaders, Nick and Mary Freeman. Large to huge flocks of Snow & Ross' geese, White-faced Ibis and Sandhill Cranes. Stilt Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Gila Woodpecker all possible to certain. Although late summer is more reliable, this is the only place in the U.S. to see the impressive Yellow-footed Gull, which we might see! No limit, but sign up by phone, and send e-mail and cell ph# for more details. FRS radios & 'scopes helpful. Come and experience this jewel during the winter.
Barrow’s Goldeneye | Red-necked Grebe | American Bittern | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | “Prairie” Merlin | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | GREATER PEWEE | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Evening Grosbeak | Red Crossbill | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Hooded Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | American Redstart | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart
Leader: Kurt Leuschner. Peak time for both wildflowers and Swainson’s Hawk migration! Caravan through the State Park from the Colorado Desert up to Julian, with short forays to take in the sights and the wildlife. Kurt is a professor of desert ecology, and knows all of our deserts very well.
Tundra Swan | “Eurasian” Green-winged Teal | Barrow’s Goldeneye | Red-necked Grebe | Vaux’s Swift | American Oystercatcher | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | American Bittern | Swainson’s Hawk | Short-eared Owl | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Brown-crested Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | GREATER PEWEE | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Pacific Wren | American Dipper | Evening Grosbeak | Red Crossbill | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Orchard Oriole | Hooded Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager
Who claims we don’t have seasons in southern California? Though admittedly they are not as pronounced as they are elsewhere in the country, they are nonetheless distinct and the changes in avifauna that accompany them are significant. Aside from normal seasonal transformations, climate change is affecting and altering habitats and ecosystems.
Trumpeter Swan | “Eurasian” Green-winged Teal | Barrow’s Goldeneye | American Oystercatcher | Mountain Plover | Solitary Sandpiper | American Bittern | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Brown-crested Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | GREATER PEWEE | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Cliff Swallow | Pacific Wren | Clay-colored Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Orchard Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Nashville Warbler | American Redstart | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager
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