Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - December 5, 2025

Eurasian Wigeon | Surf Scoter | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | American Bittern | Western Cattle-Egret | Manx Shearwater | Swainson’s Hawk | Short-eared Owl | Williamson’s Sapsucker | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | GREATER PEWEE | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Western Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Lapland Longspur | Thick-billed Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Sagebrush Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Yellow-headed Blackbird | Hooded Oriole | Baltimore Oriole | Ovenbird | Black-and-white Warbler | MacGillivray’s Warbler | American Redstart | Cape May Warbler | Northern Parula | Blackburnian Warbler | Chestnut-sided Warbler | Palm Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Scarlet Tanager | Black-headed Grosbeak | Indigo Bunting 

Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - November 22, 2025

Pacific Golden-Plover | Red Phalarope | Lesser Black-backed Gull | American Bittern | Western Cattle-Egret | White-headed Woodpecker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Western Warbling-Vireo | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Hooded Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Blackburnian Warbler | Palm Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Scarlet Tanager

BIRDS OF THE SEASON
Susan Castor
Birds of the Season — November 2025

Following a comparatively mild summer on the coastal slope, mid-October brought some unusually early substantial rainfall to the county. November added significantly to that total. That’s a definite plus for bird habitats and should also greatly reduce the potential for wildfires.

Los Angeles County’s active birders found a remarkable number and diversity of vagrants this fall. The deserts, mountains, coastal slope and offshore waters and islands were all productive for notable birds. In large part, increased coverage is responsible for an increase in the rare birds detected, especially since the populations of many of these birds are in decline.

Inaccessible to the public, San Clemente Island has long been the envy of southern California birders due its impressive annual list of fall vagrants, including some mega-rarities. But increasing coverage of nearby Santa Catalina Island in fall has proved very worthwhile. By contrast, this island has easy public access and hosted a long list of rare birds this October and November.

Many parks and natural areas on the coastal slope held interesting passerines. The Piute Ponds, though coverage suffered due to closure during the government shutdown, still managed a number of good birds.

Birds of the Season — November 2025
Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - November 15, 2025

Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Red Phalarope | Leach’s Storm-Petrel | Western Cattle-Egret | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Pacific Wren | Red-throated Pipit | Lapland Longspur | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | American Redstart | Palm Warbler | Grace’s Warbler | Back-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert
Jon Fisher
Rare Bird Alert - November 7, 2025

Surf Scoter | Pacific Golden-Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Eastern Phoebe | Lapland Longspur | Chestnut-collared Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Tennessee Warbler | American Redstart | Cape May Warbler | Palm Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Painted Bunting

, , ,

Ballona Wetlands Learning Experiences

, , ,
Ballona Wetlands Learning Experiences

As Director of Outdoor Education for Los Angeles Audubon, I routinely see over 3,000 students a year on field trips to the Ballona Wetlands and Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area. For the most part, we only see these students on one or two field trips, and then they are off to the next grade level and onward.

It is difficult to really quantify the impact of the students’ experience from these trips, but occasionally a past attendee resurfaces, and we find that their field trip(s) really did have an impact on their lives and learning experiences. Ethan Greenberg is one such student, and I had the delightful experience of re-connecting with him last year as he worked on a special project for students deprived of a field trip due to the pandemic. Ethan graciously agreed to be interviewed about his experience at Ballona and the effect that it has had on his life. I am thrilled to share his thoughts with you, and to see that our mission to connect young people with wildlife can be quite substantive.

Rare Bird Alert - January 21, 2022

Red-necked Grebe | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Solitary Sandpiper | Red Knot | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Dusky Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

Rare Bird Alert - January 14, 2022

Red-necked Grebe | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Laughing Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | “Black” Merlin | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Western Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Gray Catbird | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Hooded Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Palm Warbler | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

, , ,

Until Next Time ... Goodbye Sadie

, , ,
Until Next Time ... Goodbye Sadie

This past July has been a difficult and sad month for me as my dearest dog passed away in my arms. As many of you know, the heartache and the loss of a beloved pet can be absolutely devastating, and the grieving takes lots of time, as it cannot be rushed.

, , ,

Trial Winter Bird Atlas Underway

, , ,
Trial Winter Bird Atlas Underway

Longtime Los Angeles birders will remember the massive volunteer effort that went into the Los Angeles County Breeding Bird Atlas. Fieldwork for that project was from 1995 to 1999, which will be 30 years ago in 2025. Given the time that has passed and the changes in the county, birders are thinking about an update of the Atlas.

Rare Bird Alert - January 7, 2022

Long-tailed Duck | White-winged Dove | Pacific Golden-Plover | Laughing Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Red-footed Booby | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Ash-throated Flycatcher | GREATER PEWEE | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | American Pipit (japonicus) | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager

, ,

Island Hopping—Birding the U.S. Virgin Islands, Part 3: St. Thomas — Gateway to the Caribbean

, ,
Island Hopping—Birding the U.S. Virgin Islands, Part 3: St. Thomas — Gateway to the Caribbean

This is the third in a series of three articles on birding in the U.S. Virgin Islands. I headed there recently to learn about the birds on St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas, and the ecosystems that nurture them. — St. Thomas: Gateway to the Caribbean

, ,

Birds of the Season — December 2021

, ,
Birds of the Season — December 2021

September and October of 2021 were indeed impressive for vagrants, but good birds continued to turn up through December, though admittedly at a less impressive pace. Los Angeles County’s numerous active and diligent birders are a productive bunch.

Rare Bird Alert - December 31, 2021

Mountain Plover | Laughing Gull | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Zone-tailed Hawk | Rough-legged Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | American Pipit (japonicus) | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Black-and-white Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | American Redstart | Black-throated Green Warbler | Painted Redstart | Black-headed Grosbeak | Painted Bunting

Subscribe

Sign up to join our mailing list to receive our newsletter and updates on upcoming events.