Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - January 29, 2026

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

Christmas Bird Count
Travis Longcore
Los Angeles Christmas Bird Count Summary

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!).

Los Angeles Christmas Bird Count Summary
Christmas Bird Count
Susan Castor
2025 Lancaster CBC Breakdown

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!

2025 Lancaster CBC Breakdown
Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - January 22, 2026

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

Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - January 13, 2026

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

Rare Bird Alert - February 21, 2020

Red-necked Grebe | American Oystercatcher | MASKED BOOBY | Zone-tailed Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Brown-crested Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Pacific Wren | Gray Catbird | Evening Grosbeak | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | “Large-billed” Savannah Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Northern Waterthrush | Black-and-white Warbler | American Restart | Palm Warbler | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - February 7, 2020

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

FIELD TRIP: Salton Sea South—Winter 2020, Feb. 22

FIELD TRIP: Salton Sea South—Winter 2020, Feb. 22

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.

Rare Bird Alert - January 31, 2020

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

FIELD TRIP: Anza-Borrego State Park
, March 21-22, 2020

FIELD TRIP: Anza-Borrego State Park
, March 21-22, 2020

$20 LAAS MEMBER FEE / $40 FOR NON-LAAS MEMBERS, LIMITED SIGN-UP OF FIRST 20 PAID.

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.

Rare Bird Alert - January 24, 2020

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

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Birds of the Season – December 2019

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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.

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