INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Rare Bird Alert - March 2, 2023
Sandhill Crane | American Oystercatcher | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Short-eared Owl | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Brown-crested Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Western Kingbird | Least Flycatcher | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Bell’s Vireo | Pacific Wren | Lapland Longspur | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott’s Oriole| Black-and-white Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager
Wed., March 8, 2023 — Monthly Program Presentation
Shorebirds are the champions of migration: their flights span hemispheres and defy our preconceived notions about what is possible. The shorebirds of the Pacific Flyway exhibit the most extreme of these migrations, but also a wide variety of other migratory strategies. This talk will highlight how shorebirds of the Pacific Flyway are altering their migrations and responding to global change, as well as what we can do to help them along the way.
Dr. Nathan Senner is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Following his undergraduate studies at Carleton College, he was awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to follow Hudsonian Godwits on their epic migrations. He then received his PhD from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University. Now, his research group continues to follow godwits, but has also branched out to study long-distance migratory shorebirds wherever they occur.
The meeting will be presented online at: https://bluejeans.com/702950886/5412
Cover art: Julian Garcia-Walther
https://www.laaudubon.org/calendar/2023/senner
Birds of the Season — February 2023
Birds of the Season - February 2023
by Jon Fisher
And the rains came... La Nina years such as this are generally drier than normal, but this winter proved to be an exception. By the end of the January most areas were close to normal precipitation for the entire season. Another massive winter storm came at the end of February, putting us comfortably above normal. The sheer volume of water also altered many birding locales. To put things in perspective, this winter will be only the fourth to have above much average precipitation since the blockbuster winter of 2004-2005.
There is nothing like spring following a wet winter; and spring comes early to coastal southern California. In contrast to most of the country, signs of the season were noticeable by February. The landscape was lush and breeding activity was prevalent among resident birds well before most spring migrants start to arrive.
Though it was generally not a notable winter for irruptive species, American Robins were present in well above normal numbers throughout southern California. These events are most frequently caused by the presence or absence of food sources driving birds outside their regular ranges. Quite rare in comparison to robins, but also noted in above average numbers on the coastal slope were Townsend’s Solitaires and Brown Creepers.
Of course, there were plenty of interesting birds to be found and chased; no surprise there. Los Angeles County is very productive for birding, with a wide variety of habitats promoting species diversity and a considerable number of birders ensuring fewer birds go undetected.
Rare Bird Alert - February 24, 2023
American Oystercatcher | Lesser Black-backed Gull | California Condor | Zone-tailed Hawk | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Western Kingbird | Least Flycatcher | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Grasshopper Sparrow | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager
Rare Bird Alert - February 17, 2023
Sandhill Crane | American Oystercatcher | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | “Prairie” Merlin | Tropical Kingbird | THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD | Western Kingbird | Least Flycatcher | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Lapland Longspur | Chestnut-collared Longspur | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Lucy’s Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Pine Warbler | Painted Redstart
Rare Bird Alert - February 10, 2023
White-winged Dove | Sandhill Crane | American Oystercatcher | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | California Condor | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Brown-crested Flycatcher | Western Kingbird | Least Flycatcher | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Cassin’s Vireo | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Scott’s Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager
Rare Bird Alert - February 2, 2023
Long-tailed Duck | White-winged Dove | American Oystercatcher | Pacific Golden-Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | California Condor | Zone-tailed Hawk | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Ash-throated Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Cassin’s Vireo | Pacific Wren | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | Harris’s Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Hooded Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager
Rare Bird Alert - January 27, 2023
White-winged Scoter | Black Scoter | Long-tailed Duck | White-winged Dove | Sandhill Crane | Pacific Golden-Plover | Mountain Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Brown Booby | Zone-tailed Hawk | Northern “Yellow-shafted” Flicker | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Western Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | Bell’s Vireo | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Hooded Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager | Black-headed Grosbeak
Rare Bird Alert - January 20, 2023
White-winged Dove | Sandhill Crane | American Oystercatcher | Pacific Golden-Plover | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Neotropic Cormorant | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Zone-tailed Hawk | Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Tropical Kingbird | Western Kingbird | Hammond’s Flycatcher | Eastern Phoebe | SEDGE WREN | Clay-colored Sparrow | Dark-eyed “Pink-sided” Junco | Dark-eyed “Gray-headed” Junco | White-throated Sparrow | Swamp Sparrow | Green-tailed Towhee | Baltimore Oriole | Black-and-white Warbler | Tennessee Warbler | Nashville Warbler | Cape May Warbler | Palm Warbler | Painted Redstart | Summer Tanager