One late afternoon I was watering my secluded back yard. In one thick and gnarled tree I heard a faint and compelling “chirp,” a sound from a bird who seemed to be “testing” the grounds. It was more of a question than a chirp.
Rare Bird Alert - March 12, 2021
"Eurasian" Green-winged Teal | Spotted Dove | Common Ground Dove | White-winged Dove | American Oystercatcher | Pacific Golden-Plover | Neotropic Cormorant | American Bittern | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Little Blue Heron | California Condor | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Ash-throated Flycatcher | GREATER PEWEE | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond's Flycatcher | Dusky Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | WHITE WAGTAIL | Grasshopper Sparrow | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed "Pink-sided" Junco | Dark-eyed "Gray-headed" Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott's Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Nashville Warbler | American Redstart | Summer Tanager | Black-headed Grosbeak
Rare Bird Alert - March 5, 2021
"Eurasian" Green-winged Teal | Common Ground Dove | American Oystercatcher | Mountain Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Little Blue Heron | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond's Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Bell's Vireo | WHITE WAGTAIL | Grasshopper Sparrow | Clay-colored Sparrow | "Red" Fox Sparrow | Dark-eyed "Gray-headed" Junco | Dark-eyed "Pink-sided" Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Yellow-headed Blackbird | Hooded Oriole | Scott's Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy's Warbler | Nashville Warbler | American Redstart | Painted Redstart
March 10 and April 14, 2021: Online Speaker Presentations
Western Tanager, Mar-Apr 2021, Vol. 87 No. 4
Amateurs and Experts — Ballona and Bulldozers
At the moment, the State has approved a plan that would disrupt much of the Ballona Wetlands and that is a ‘restoration’ in name only. A section of habitat, known as Area A, is slated to be bulldozed beyond recognition in a misguided attempt to “reconnect” the wetlands to the open ocean. However, historical records indicate that Ballona Creek only very occasionally reached all the way to the sea, and only during extremely heavy rain years. The plan, known as Alternative One, would create a full tidal habitat that never existed previously on the site.
Rare Bird Alert - February 26, 2021
White-winged Scoter | Black Scoter | Long-tailed Duck | Inca Dove | Vaux's Swift | American Oystercatcher | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | American Bittern | Little Blue Heron | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | California Condor | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Short-eared Owl | Northern "Yellow-shafted" Flicker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Brown-crested Flycatcher | GREATER PEWEE | Tropical Kingbird | Dusky Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Grasshopper Sparrow | Clay-colored Sparrow | "Red" Fox Sparrow | Dark-eyed "Gray-headed" Junco | Dark-eyed "Pink-sided" Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Baltimore Oriole | Scott's Oriole | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy's Warbler | Nashville Warbler | American Redstart | Palm Warbler | Summer Tanager | Black-headed Grosbeak
LA&OC - Snowy Plover field tech positions available
Birds of the Season — February 2021
Los Angeles is one of only two counties in the state— indeed in the country— that span the breath of habitats from offshore waters to coastline to mountains to deserts. The other is San Diego County; geographically next door to us. This situation naturally translates to a high diversity of birds, with both counties being closely matched and both having recorded over 520 species. The layperson is unlikely to think of Los Angeles as a great birding destination, but it is certainly that. Every year and every season demonstrate that clearly.
Rare Bird Alert - February 19, 2021
Barrow's Goldeneye | Inca Dove | Vaux's Swift | Broad-billed Hummingbird | American Oystercatcher | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Little Blue Heron | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | California Condor | Rough-legged Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Brown-crested Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | GREATER PEWEE | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin's Vireo | Bank Swallow | Grasshopper Sparrow | Clay-colored Sparrow | "Red" Fox Sparrow | Dark-eyed "Gray-headed" Junco | Dark-eyed "Pink-sided" Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Baltimore Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | American Redstart | Palm Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Black-headed Grosbeak