Western Roof-Owl in its right-looking behavioral morph

Everything you ever wanted to know about our local owls, and more, presented by local owl specialist, Lance Benner.

Directions: We meet at the Ken Edwards Center, 1527 4th Street (between Colorado and Broadway), Santa Monica, located on the east side of the street across from Santa Monica Place indoor mall, easily accessible from the 4th Street offramp of the westbound #10 Freeway.

Meetings begin at 7:30 sharp with a little business, and then our main presentation.  Refreshments will be served.  We meet on the first floor – the room number will be posted.

Parking:  Parking under the building has become difficult in recent months. Metered spaces are free after 6:00 p.m., and there are numerous free Visitor Parking spaces on the lower levels.  However, shoppers visiting the mall across the street have begun parking there and it has become very difficult for those actually using the center to park there.  You may have to find street parking or use the city parking structures ($5 flat rate).
Link to real-time Santa Monica Parking map 
Map to Meeting Place
*******************************
[Chuck Almdale]

Some of the great birds we’ve had in January are: Gadwall, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Surf Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Red-throated, Pacific & Common Loons, Horned, Eared & Western Grebes,  Brandt’s & Pelagic Cormorants, Osprey, Red-shouldered & Red-tailed Hawks, Peregrine Falcon, Sora, Virginia Rail, Snowy Plover, Black Oystercatcher, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Least Sandpiper, Heermann’s, Herring & Glaucous-winged Gulls, Royal, Elegant & Forster’s Terns, Black Skimmer, Anna’s & Allen’s Hummingbirds, Belted Kingfisher, Black & Say’s Phoebes, Bewick’s & House Wrens, Common Yellowthroat, Spotted & California Towhees, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Lesser & American Goldfinches.

Bird Lists for January-June 2011
Bird Lists for January-June 2010
Bird Lists for January-June 2009

Adult Walk 8:30 a.m. – Beginner and experienced, 2-3 hours. Species range from 40 in June to 60-75 during migrations and winter. Over the bridges, down to the shore, and if the lagoon outlet is closed, around the lagoon to Adamson House. We put out special effort to make our monthly Malibu Lagoon walks attractive to first-time and beginning birdwatchers. So please, if you are at all worried about coming on a trip and embarrassing yourself because of all the experts, we remember our first trips too. Someone had to show us the birds, and it’s our turn now.

Children and Parents Walk 10:00 a.m. – One hour session. We start at 10:00 for a shorter walk and to allow time for families to get it together on a sleepy Sunday morning. We will have kid-experienced leaders so please bring the kids to the beach! We have an ample supply of binoculars that children can use without striking terror into their parents – we want to see families enjoying nature. (If you have a Scout Troop or other large group of kids please call Mary (310-457-2240) to make sure we have enough binoculars.)

Directions: Malibu Lagoon is at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Cross Creek Road. We meet in the traditional place, at the first footbridge on the main trail to the beach. (The bridges will be there for the foreseeable future). Parking in the official lagoon lot is $12+ or by annual pass. You may also park either along PCH north of Cross Creek Road or on Cross Creek Road itself but be careful – some parts of PCH are off-limits (read the signs carefully). Lagoon parking in the shopping center lot is not permitted.
Map to Meeting Place
Chuck Almdale]

Birders gather on 1st footbridge (C. Almdale 12/25/11)

Many years ago on Christmas Day I woke up with a start, realizing that no one had volunteered to lead that day’s lagoon field trip. So off I went to make sure the trip took place.

Meanwhile, Maja Block awoke, thinking the same thing. She jumped in her car, binos in hand, and we discovered each other at the lagoon. No one else came! So we led each other around the lagoon. It was very cold and clear: ice rimmed the edges of the lagoon, believe it or not. The beach was empty, very peaceful, and loads of birds made the best of the lack of humans.

Today couldn’t have been more different. About 20 people showed up, much to my surprise. Temperatures rose to about 66°, and we had to remove clothing layers. Surfers surfed; walkers walked and resters zoned out on the beach. High tide waves were washing over a stretch of beach into the lagoon. The only similarity was bunches of birds.

Loads of ducks: 10 species in all.

Osprey (C.Bragg)

Only 12 Brown Pelicans, but far out on the sea were hundreds of Black-vented Shearwaters cruising along to the west on stiff wings. One Cattle Egret poked through the pickleweed with a couple of Snowy Egrets – this species usually follow grazing animals (hence the name) around, eating insects stirred by the animals’ hooves, and they’re appear at the lagoon about 1 out of 8 visits, mostly in Nov-Dec. Black-bellied Plovers remain relatively abundant, and the Osprey continues the every-other-month appearance schedule he’s maintained since June.

Species and numbers are probably under-counted, as many birds stayed to the inland side of the sandy island, visible only from inland. At that distance it’s difficult to identify and count them and they can and do move around by the time we get to the beach. So I just don’t count them when I can’t see them.

New arrivals were: 9 Northern Pintail, 1 Lesser Scaup, 1 Red-throated Loon, 200 (at least) Black-vented Shearwaters far out at sea, 1 Cooper’s Hawk, 1 American Avocet, 1 Mew Gull, 1 Marsh Wren, 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and 2 Western Meadowlarks.

Luck was ours, as the cold and windy weather of the week before had disappeared, providing us with an absolutely beautiful day: clear, windless, with temperatures beginning in the 40’s and ending in the high 60’s.  As always, the plains were very quiet and peaceful. Wow!

Soda Lake was dry, at it has been for many years. The staff at the nearby Carrizo Plains Education Center told me that even when water is present, there isn’t much for the Sandhill Cranes to eat as there are no longer crops being grown in the nearby fields. When the crops were harvested, the process left lots of grain on the ground. Food for cranes! Alas, no more. You’ll have to go over the hill to the San Joachin Valley, or down to the Imperial Valley to find cranes these days.

We had a very nice variety of raptors, especially falcons. Eagles were notably missing (although we know they’re there).  As always, there were plenty of ground birds: American Pipit, Horned Lark, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Western Meadowlark, House Finch, and a variety of sparrows, particularly White-crowned Sparrow.  Mountain Bluebirds were present, but not abundant. We never saw any large flocks of them as we often do; instead, they were scattered around in small groups of 1-6 birds.

The Burrowing Owl was at the south end of Soda Lake Rd., standing in his hole among the Ground Squirrels. We hadn’t seen any there in 4-5 years, so it was nice to see one out-and-about. Loggerhead Shrikes– a species increasingly difficult to find anywhere – were common, as is usual in the Carrizo in Winter.

We had a long lunch break at the abandoned farmstead, located a couple of miles north of Soda Lake Rd. down a two-track side road. What with doodling and diddling around, it was almost sunset by the time we got to the San Andreas earthquake fault zone, which always amazes those who think they are standing on solid ground in California.  [Chuck Almdale]

Your usual reporter wasn’t present, so this month’s data is supplied by Lucien Plauzoles. Temperatures were warm, about 70°, and there was a 10-15 mph breeze. Human turnout was good with 25 persons.  The avian species count of 51 was a bit low for November, as the average is closer to 62. Nothing particularly unusual showed up, but the 9 Canada Geese were nice to see. The Black-bellied Plover count of 263 was down from last month’s estimate of 700, but that was an estimate of flocks continually coming and going.

The new arrivals were: 9 Canada Geese, 8 Bufflehead, 9 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Cattle Egret, 1 American Kestrel, and 1 Glaucous-winged Gull.

Two female Buffleheads cruising down the creek (J. Kenney 11/12/11)

Incidentally, on 6 Dec., 9:15am, Chuck & Ellen counted 67 Snowy Plovers gathered around the western life guard station, which appears to be an all-time high. This included two returning banded birds – GG:AR; NO:WW.  GG:AR is a young bird, banded last summer at its nest site at Oceano Dunes (near Pismo Beach), and first showing up at Malibu in September. NO:WW, on the other hand, is an old-timer, first appearing at Malibu in October 2009, after being hatched at Vandenburg Air Force Base that summer. He (or she) apparently likes Malibu, as it was there in Nov. 09 – Feb. 10, Dec. 10 – Feb. 11, and now Nov. 11.

I presume that everyone had a wonderful time as I have heard no complaints. [Let’s keep it that way.]

Long term lagoon resident, Snowy Plover NO:WW, catches a few rays (C.Almdale)

Our next three field trips: Malibu Lagoon – 25 December (yes!, Christmas Day);  Antelope Valley Raptors – 14 January;  Malibu Lagoon – 22 January
Our next program: Tuesday, 7 February, 7:30 pm – Owls of Southern California, presented by Lance Benner.
The usual reminders will be emailed from the blog.

As a reminder to those coming to our 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk, it meets at the beach trail footbridge closest to the parking lot.

Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon from 9/23/02.
Prior checklists: Jan-June’11, July-Dec ’10, Jan-June ’10, Jul-Dec ‘09, and Jan-June ‘09.
[Chuck Almdale]

Although rain had been predicted, it was cloudy on Saturday morning and we met in the park as planned.  We began by birding some of the shrubbery around the edge of the lower parking lot.  Although there did not appear to be many birds in the area we spotted some Purple Finches, which are always a treat to see.  We left the parking lot, crossed Las Virgenes Creek and followed the Crags Road trail in the direction of the Visitors’ Center.

There were a few periods of light drizzle as we walk toward the Visitors’ Center and we took advantage of the cover provided by some of the large oaks along the trail.  Despite the drizzle, we were able to see White-crowned Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos in the Coyotebush and other shrubs near the trail.  We saw a flock of Western Bluebirds, an American Robin and a large number of House Finches in the trees on the top of the ridgeline.  Although better weather would have meant better light for viewing and photography, the cool, damp weather apparently discouraged hikers and cyclists so the park was very quiet.  Because it was quiet, we were able to hear the soft “pew” notes of the Western Bluebirds when they flew over and we heard many Yellow-rumped Warblers calling around us.  We found (and heard) many of the species typical of this habitat, including Acorn Woodpecker, Band-tailed Pigeon, Oak Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Bewick’s Wren.  There were a few species including Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot, Mallard and Bufflehead on Malibu Creek.

Two female Bufflehead cruising down the creek (J. Kenney 11/12/11)

Immature Cooper's Hawk spreads his tail (J. Kenney 11/12/11)

Weather conditions were not ideal for soaring raptors but a perched raptor proved interesting.  Its posture and small size puzzled us at first so we spent some time discussing the equally-wide light and dark bands on the tail, which are typical of Accipiters.  Since we wanted to see its wing-length, we walked a bit farther along the trail to a spot from which we could see that it, indeed, had the short wings of an accipiter.  We did not see it fly since, as raptors often do, it disappeared while we were not looking at it.

In the Chinese Elms near the Visitors’ Center, we found a couple of active Nuttall’s Woodpeckers and two Red-breasted Sapsuckers, one of which was perched in the open so we were able to see it very well.

Red-Breasted Sapsucker in his usual spot near the Visitor Center (J. Kenney 11/12/11)

From there we went back to the parking lot and walked around the lower edge of the campground.  Among the birds we saw were one Allen’s and one Anna’s Hummingbird that were foraging in the oaks near the amphitheatre.  By then it was time for lunch so we decided to try the picnic area near the park entrance.  That proved to be a good choice because there were a lot of birds in the area.  While we ate, we saw 2 Loggerhead Shrikes, several American Kestrels, some Western Bluebirds, Dark-eyed Juncos, and White-tailed Kite that perched nearby and provided an auspicious end the day.   [Cindy S.]

Acorn Woodpecker at the nest-hole (C.Bragg 5/11)

This is always a lovely walk with one of the best collections of Live Oaks in the area.  We are likely to see resident species such as Western Bluebird, Dark-eyed Junco, Band-tailed Pigeon, Acorn Woodpecker, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawk.  There is a good chance that we will see winter visitors such as Red-breasted and Red-naped Sapsucker, as well as Lark, Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrow.  In past years we have had good looks at some uncommon species such as White-tailed Kite, Merlin and Loggerhead Shrike.  Mule Deer are common in the park and we often see Coyotes.
Link to:   November 2010 trip report
Family guide: 2-3 miles walking on pavement and dirt trails. Morning temperatures start cool.
Lunch:  If you would like to join us for lunch after the walk, pack a picnic.

[Directions] Ventura Fwy (#101) to Las Virgenes Rd. South on Las Virgenes Rd, 3 miles to Mulholland Hwy intersection (traffic light). Park entrance is 0.25 mile south of this intersection on Las Virgenes Rd /Malibu Canyon Rd.
Coast Route: From PCH, take Malibu Canyon Road inland. About 3/4 of a mile past the entrance to Tapia Park section of the park, watch for the entrance on your left. Go past the park gate ($12 per vehicle day-use fee without CA State Park pass) to the last (2^nd) parking lot (left turn before the sign reading “Campers only past this point”) and look for us near the building (restrooms).  Either way, allow 45 minutes travel time from Santa Monica.
Meet at 8:30 a.m. in the parking lot.
For additional information, e-mail: <smbas [at] verizon.net>
Link to: Meeting Location and possible walking route
Aerial View of the meeting area: http://mapq.st/nhqKAq

The Loggerhead Shrike population has declined more than 70% within the past 50 years, (K.Garrett Nov'10)

Superimposing some of the most intensive and expansive urbanization on the planet in an area of great bird diversity has resulted in dramatic changes over the last century in bird populations in the Los Angeles region. Some species have disappeared, others have thrived, and still others have moved in from elsewhere (with or without direct help from humans). This talk will look at some of these changes and explore the ways we learn about shifting bird populations, from museum collections to massive databases such as eBird.

Kimball Garrett has been the Ornithology Collections Manager at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County since 1982.  He has been birding in the Los Angeles region for almost half of the last century of change, and is the co-author of “Birds of The Los Angeles Region” and the long out-of-print “Birds of Southern California: Status and Distribution.”

Directions: We meet at the Ken Edwards Center, 1527 4th Street (between Colorado and Broadway), Santa Monica, located on the east side of the street across from Santa Monica Place indoor mall, easily accessible from the 4th Street offramp of the westbound #10 Freeway.
Meetings begin at 7:30 sharp with a little business, and then our main presentation.  Refreshments will be served.  We meet on the first floor – the room number will be posted.
Parking:  Parking under the building has become difficult in recent months. Metered spaces are free after 6:00 p.m., and there are numerous free Visitor Parking spaces on the lower levels.  However, shoppers visiting the mall across the street have begun parking there and it has become very difficult for those actually using the center to park there.  You may have to find street parking or use the city parking structures ($5 flat rate).
Link to real-time Santa Monica Parking map 
Map to Meeting Place
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Saturday, 12 November. Malibu Creek State Park.

Acorn Woodpecker at the nest-hole (C.Bragg 5/11)

This is always a lovely walk with one of the best collections of Live Oaks in the area.  We are likely to see resident species such as Western Bluebird, Dark-eyed Junco, Band-tailed Pigeon, Acorn Woodpecker, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawk.  There is a good chance that we will see winter visitors such as Red-breasted and Red-naped Sapsucker, as well as Lark, Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrow.  In past years we have had good looks at some uncommon species such as White-tailed Kite, Merlin and Loggerhead Shrike.  Mule Deer are common in the park and we often see Coyotes.
Link to:   November 2010 trip report
Family guide: 2-3 miles walking on pavement and dirt trails. Morning temperatures start cool.
Lunch:  If you would like to join us for lunch after the walk, pack a picnic.

[Directions] Ventura Fwy (#101) to Las Virgenes Rd. South on Las Virgenes Rd, 3 miles to Mulholland Hwy intersection (traffic light). Park entrance is 0.25 mile south of this intersection on Las Virgenes Rd /Malibu Canyon Rd.
Coast Route: From PCH, take Malibu Canyon Road inland. About 3/4 of a mile past the entrance to Tapia Park section of the park, watch for the entrance on your left. Go past the park gate ($12 per vehicle day-use fee without CA State Park pass) to the last (2^nd) parking lot (left turn before the sign reading “Campers only past this point”) and look for us near the building (restrooms).  Either way, allow 45 minutes travel time from Santa Monica.
Meet at 8:30 a.m. in the parking lot.
For additional information, e-mail: <smbas [at] verizon.net>
Link to: Meeting Location and possible walking route
Aerial View of the meeting area: http://mapq.st/nhqKAq
*************************

Sunday, 27 November. Malibu Lagoon.
Lots of migrants and wintering birds make it a great day for the lagoon. Usually sunny, sometimes cool. Forget Thanksgiving: see your birds here with us.

Some of the great birds we’ve had in November are: Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific & Common Loons, Horned & Western Grebes,  Brandt’s & Pelagic Cormorants, Osprey, American Kestrel, Merlin, Sora, Virginia Rail, Snowy Plover, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Boneparte’s Gull, Heermann’s Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Elegant Tern, Allen’s Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Say’s Phoebe, Common Raven, Bushtit, Bewick’s, House & Marsh Wrens, California Towhee, Great-tailed Grackle, Lesser Goldfinch.

Bird Lists for July-December 2010
Bird Lists for July-December 2009

Adult Walk 8:30 a.m. – Beginner and experienced, 2-3 hours. Species range from 40 in June to 60-75 during migrations and winter. Over the bridges, down to the shore, and if the lagoon outlet is closed, around the lagoon to Adamson House. We put out special effort to make our monthly Malibu Lagoon walks attractive to first-time and beginning birdwatchers. So please, if you are at all worried about coming on a trip and embarrassing yourself because of all the experts, we remember our first trips too. Someone had to show us the birds, and it’s our turn now.

Children and Parents Walk 10:00 a.m. – One hour session. We start at 10:00 for a shorter walk and to allow time for families to get it together on a sleepy Sunday morning. We will have kid-experienced leaders so please bring the kids to the beach! We have an ample supply of binoculars that children can use without striking terror into their parents – we want to see families enjoying nature. (If you have a Scout Troop or other large group of kids please call Mary (310-457-2240) to make sure we have enough binoculars.)

Directions: Malibu Lagoon is at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Cross Creek Road. We meet in the traditional place, at the first footbridge on the main trail to the beach. (The bridges will be there for the foreseeable future). Parking in the official lagoon lot is $12+ or by annual pass. You may also park either along PCH north of Cross Creek Road or on Cross Creek Road itself but be careful – some parts of PCH are off-limits (read the signs carefully). Lagoon parking in the shopping center lot is not permitted.
Map to Meeting Place
*************************

Saturday, 3 December. Carrizo Plains.

Mountain Bluebird (D. Paulson)

The Carrizo Plains is one of our favorite places in Southern California: big, open, quiet, few people, fewer cars, clean air, mountains, valleys, hills and ponds.  It’s also one of the best places in southern California to see a large variety of raptors, including Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle and Prairie Falcon.When there’s water in Soda Lake, the Sandhill Cranes winter here. We often find a flock of Mountain Plovers!   We also look for shrikes, eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, thrashers sparrows, larks, Tricolored Blackbirds, scintillating Mountain Bluebirds, coyote, fox, pronghorn, deer, elk, as well as more open and quiet space than anyone believes can still exist in SoCal.  We usually stop by the San Andreas Fault where it breaks through to the surface to check on how much it’s moved since last year.

Saturday, 10 December. Carrizo Plains rainout date. Everything else is the same.
Map of Route
Family guide: lots of car travel and stationary observation; young non-birders will be bored.
You must call leader to participate. No fee, but this trip is limited to 5 vehicles, with priority given to those who are carpooling. In the event of adverse weather or road conditions, the trip will be cancelled by the leader no later than Friday evening. Sign-up anytime but please contact the leader Chuck Almdale (webinfo49 [AT] att.net) during the week before the trip to re-confirm. The leader contacts the Carrizo Plains Ed Center on Friday afternoon just before the trip to check on weather and road conditions and then will inform all participants if it’s a go or not.

[Directions] Carpools will leave the North Hills (San Fernando Valley) area by 7:15 a.m. so we can be at the Maricopa re-grouping spot by 9 am.  Allow 1/2-hour drive time from Santa Monica to the carpool meeting place. Bring lunch, drinks, additional water and dress for the weather. You should fill up your gas tank in Maricopa as there are NO services in the Carrizo. If you have an FRS radio, bring it along tuned to Channel 11, privacy channel 22.

Information: Call Chuck at 818-894-2541)
Leave North Hills at 7:15 a.m.
Leader: Chuck Almdale (webinfo49 [AT] att.net)
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Evening Meeting – Tuesday, 6 December, 7:30 p.m.
Birds and Conservation in New Zealand, with John Montgomerie

Giant Haast's Eagle attacks New Zealand Moas (Wikipedia)

New Zealand is best known for its flightless birds – the Kiwi, the Takahe gallinule and the Kakapo parrot. How the flightless birds survived has not been well explained, although NZ essentially had no mammalian or reptile predators. After the arrival of humans the survival of flightless birds became precarious. Today NZ is a degraded ecosystem with major loss of forests. The main efforts for restoration in NZ have been on small off-shore islands where introduced species such as goats, feral cats and rats were cleared and native species reintroduced. Mainland ecological conservation areas have also been established, including several “ecological islands,” by means of pest exclusion fences. The use of annual poison bait operations for rats and possums have been very controversial.

John will discuss some of the popular areas birders visit to see other birds of interest such as Wrybill, Spotted Shag, Yellow-eyed Penguin and the Royal Albatross nesting colony near Dunedin.

John Montgomerie is a retired physician who emigrated with Deirdre and family from NZ to Los Angeles in 1969.

Directions: We meet at the Ken Edwards Center, 1527 4th Street (between Colorado and Broadway), Santa Monica, located on the east side of the street across from Santa Monica Place indoor mall, easily accessible from the 4th Street offramp of the westbound #10 Freeway.
Meetings begin at 7:30 sharp with a little business, and then our main presentation.  Refreshments will be served.  We meet on the first floor – the room number will be posted.
Parking:   Parking under the building has become difficult in recent months. Metered spaces are free after 6:00 p.m., and there are numerous free Visitor Parking spaces on the lower levels.  However, shoppers visiting the mall across the street have begun parking there and it has become very difficult for those actually using the center to park there.  You may have to find street parking or use the city parking structures ($5 flat rate).
Link to real-time Santa Monica Parking map 
Map to Meeting Place
*************************

Saturday, 17 December. Butterbredt Spring Christmas Count.
This is the one trip every year where you can count on meeting real birders, the kind that bring their cross-country skis when the weather turns iffy. No latté-sipping wimps on this trip! All seriousness aside, dress warmly, bring $5 for the compilation fee, pack a lunch and snacks and be ready to spend all daylight time (it gets dark around 4:30 p.m.) in the Butterbredt count circle as we do our part to count all the birds that were too macho to fly south for the winter.

On previous trips we’ve seen: Mountain & California Quail, Western Screech-Owl & Great Horned Owl, Ladderbacked & Nuttall’s Woodpeckers, Loggerhead Shrike, Steller’s, Western Scrub- & Pinyon Jays, Rock Wren, California & LeConte’s Thrashers, Black-throated, Sage & Golden-crowned Sparrows and Pine Siskins.nd 4:30 p.m.) in the Butterbredt count circle as we do our part to count all the birds that were too macho to fly south for the winter.
Family guide:   long car ride, possible cold weather; gotta love the birds
[Directions]  Contact coordinator Chuck Bragg (310-454-9662) for exact instructions (the count circle instructions are different from our regular field trips to Butterbredt). We’ll be happy to arrange carpools if you don’t want to do any driving. If you have an FRS radio, bring it along tuned to Channel 11, privacy channel 22.
Monday, 19 December. Christmas Count rainout date. Everything else is the same as above.
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Sunday, 25 December. Malibu Lagoon.
Here in Deep and Dark December, even (perhaps especially) on Christmas Day, it’s a great day for the lagoon. It’s often sunny, although once there was ice encrusted on the lagoon-edges. A veritable googolplex of species. Dress for cool weather and possible wind or fog.

Some of the great birds we’ve had in December are: Gadwall, Pintail, Cinnamon & Green-winged Teals, Surf Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated, Pacific & Common Loons, Eared & Western Grebes,  Brandt’s & Pelagic Cormorants, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Sora, Virginia Rail, Snowy Plover, Black Oystercatcher, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Least Sandpiper, Wilson’s Snipe,  Boneparte’s, Heermann’s, Herring & Glaucous-winged Gulls, Black Skimmer, Anna’s & Allen’s Hummingbirds, Belted Kingfisher, Say’s Phoebe, Bewick’s & House Wrens, Spotted & California Towhees, Great-tailed Grackle, American Goldfinch.

Bird Lists for July-December 2010
Bird Lists for July-December 2009

Adult Walk 8:30 a.m. – Beginner and experienced, 2-3 hours. Species range from 40 in June to 60-75 during migrations and winter. Over the bridges, down to the shore, and if the lagoon outlet is closed, around the lagoon to Adamson House. We put out special effort to make our monthly Malibu Lagoon walks attractive to first-time and beginning birdwatchers. So please, if you are at all worried about coming on a trip and embarrassing yourself because of all the experts, we remember our first trips too. Someone had to show us the birds, and it’s our turn now.

Children and Parents Walk 10:00 a.m. – One hour session. We start at 10:00 for a shorter walk and to allow time for families to get it together on a sleepy Sunday morning. We will have kid-experienced leaders so please bring the kids to the beach! We have an ample supply of binoculars that children can use without striking terror into their parents – we want to see families enjoying nature. (If you have a Scout Troop or other large group of kids please call Mary (310-457-2240) to make sure we have enough binoculars.)

Directions: Malibu Lagoon is at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Cross Creek Road. We meet in the traditional place, at the first footbridge on the main trail to the beach. (The bridges will be there for the foreseeable future). Parking in the official lagoon lot is $12+ or by annual pass. You may also park either along PCH north of Cross Creek Road or on Cross Creek Road itself but be careful – some parts of PCH are off-limits (read the signs carefully). Lagoon parking in the shopping center lot is not permitted.
Map to Meeting Place
*************************

Saturday, 14 January. Antelope Valley Raptor Experience.
This is the trip for the raptor enthusiast. We will be birding primarily the northwest and west end of the Antelope valley. The raptors we are most likely to see are Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Northern Harrier, Cooper’s Hawk, White-tailed Kite and Golden Eagle. Other possibilities include Rough-legged Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk and Long-eared Owl. We hope to find Mountain Plover, Long-billed Curlew and Mountain Bluebird. In addition, we will be looking for other species that are year-round residents or winter visitors.
Link to January, 2011 trip report
Family guide  -  Mostly driving, under ½ mile walking on roadsides. Probably boring for young children. Can be windy or rainy.

[Directions]  Carpools will leave the North Hills (San Fernando Valley) area by 7:15 am so we can be in the Palmdale area by 8 am. Allow 1/2-hour drive time from Santa Monica to the carpool meeting place. For directions to the meeting place or additional information, call Chuck & Lillian Almdale (818-894-2541) BY THURSDAY EVENING. This trip is limited to 5 vehicles, with priority given to those who are carpooling. In the event of adverse weather such as strong Santa Ana winds, the trip will be cancelled by the leader no later than Friday evening. Bring lunch, drinks, additional water and dress for the weather. If you have an FRS radio, bring it along tuned to Channel 11, privacy channel 22.
For additional information, e-mail leader at: <smbas [at] verizon.net>
Saturday, 21 January. Antelope Valley rainout date. Everything else is the same as above.
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Sunday, 22 January. Malibu Lagoon.
The depths of Winter and loads of birds. It’s frightening how many there are. I don’t even want to think about it! 60 to 75 species likely. A quiet beach on a cool, quiet day. Dress in layers.

Some of the great birds we’ve had in January are: Gadwall, Am. Wigeon, No. Shoveler, Green-winged Teals, Lesser Scaup, Surf Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Red-throated, Pacific & Common Loons, Horned, Eared & Western Grebes,  Brandt’s & Pelagic Cormorants, Osprey, Red-shouldered & Red-tailed Hawks, Peregrine Falcon, Sora, Virginia Rail, Snowy Plover, Black Oystercatcher, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Least Sandpiper, Heermann’s, Herring & Glaucous-winged Gulls, Royal, Elegant & Forster’s Terns, Black Skimmer, Anna’s & Allen’s Hummingbirds, Belted Kingfisher, Black & Say’s Phoebes, Bewick’s & House Wrens, Common Yellowthroat, Spotted & California Towhees, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Lesser & American Goldfinches.

Bird Lists for January-June 2011
Bird Lists for January-June 2010
Adult Walk 8:30 a.m. – Beginner and experienced, 2-3 hours. Species range from 40 in June to 60-75 during migrations and winter. Over the bridges, down to the shore, and if the lagoon outlet is closed, around the lagoon to Adamson House. We put out special effort to make our monthly Malibu Lagoon walks attractive to first-time and beginning birdwatchers. So please, if you are at all worried about coming on a trip and embarrassing yourself because of all the experts, we remember our first trips too. Someone had to show us the birds, and it’s our turn now.

Children and Parents Walk 10:00 a.m. – One hour session. We start at 10:00 for a shorter walk and to allow time for families to get it together on a sleepy Sunday morning. We will have kid-experienced leaders so please bring the kids to the beach! We have an ample supply of binoculars that children can use without striking terror into their parents – we want to see families enjoying nature. (If you have a Scout Troop or other large group of kids please call Mary (310-457-2240) to make sure we have enough binoculars.)

Directions: Malibu Lagoon is at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Cross Creek Road. We meet in the traditional place, at the first footbridge on the main trail to the beach. (The bridges will be there for the foreseeable future). Parking in the official lagoon lot is $12+ or by annual pass. You may also park either along PCH north of Cross Creek Road or on Cross Creek Road itself but be careful – some parts of PCH are off-limits (read the signs carefully). Lagoon parking in the shopping center lot is not permitted.
Map to Meeting Place
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Evening Meeting – Tuesday, 7 February, 7:30 p.m.
Owls of Southern California, with Lance Benner

Western Roof-Owl in its right-looking behavioral morph

Everything you ever wanted to know about our local owls, and more, presented by local owl specialist, Lance Benner.

Directions: We meet at the Ken Edwards Center, 1527 4th Street (between Colorado and Broadway), Santa Monica, located on the east side of the street across from Santa Monica Place indoor mall, easily accessible from the 4th Street offramp of the westbound #10 Freeway.
Meetings begin at 7:30 sharp with a little business, and then our main presentation.  Refreshments will be served.  We meet on the first floor – the room number will be posted.
Parking:  Parking under the building has become difficult in recent months. Metered spaces are free after 6:00 p.m., and there are numerous free Visitor Parking spaces on the lower levels.  However, shoppers visiting the mall across the street have begun parking there and it has become very difficult for those actually using the center to park there.  You may have to find street parking or use the city parking structures ($5 flat rate).
Link to real-time Santa Monica Parking map 
Map to Meeting Place
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[Chuck Almdale]

Lillian and I – with non-birding friend in tow – saw this move a couple of days ago and we all liked it. Yes, human relationships are important to the movie, but it definitely is also a ‘birding movie.’ I detected a number of sight and verbal gags that I think only a birder would get.

I’ve always wondered what Attu looked like, and I assuming that the scenes set there were actually filmed there. But maybe not. It looked spectacular and very much like the descriptions I’ve read about it. Back in my early years of birding I though about going there and picking up some of those great Asian birds blown in on the winds. Once I read about the Quonset hut housing and birding conditions, I decided I’d rather see the birds in Asia, where they belong, and never made it to Attu.  [JoAnne, commenting later on our Facebook page, advises that 'Attu' was really Yukon Territory, as filming in Attu was far too expensive. Ah well.  Still beautiful.]

There were lots of other great shots and scenery, places I’ve been and places I’ve heard about. The Brownsville Dump. Pelagic birding and grinding up ‘chum’ with “Annie Auklet” (aka Debra Shearwater).  The pursuit of the Himilayan Snowcock in the Ruby Mtns. of Nevada was very reminiscent of our trip there just last year, except that our feet always stayed on the ground.

As someone said on BIRDCHAT, “It’s probably not the best film you will see this year, but it definitely is the best birding film you will ever see.”  It’s funny, it’s bittersweet. There were ‘birding moments’ when I thought, “Oh yeah, right! I’ll just bet!” (Such as that particular woodpecker who will remain unnamed.)  There were ‘relationship moments’ when I cringed and thought, “NO! Don’t do that! Big mistake!”  (When it comes to movies, I’ve never been accused of the inability to ‘suspend disbelief.”)

Sad to say, there were only 10 of us in the theater on a Saturday afternoon.  I hope these comments whetted your appetite for the movie. I recommend this film to all birders, novice or experienced, as well as to those who know and love birders but can’t figure out the obsession.  I suggest that you see it soon, before it disappears from the theaters.  [Chuck Almdale]

Eurasian Wigeon - female (Callyn Yorke 10/21/11)

We had a few more new faces: Ken, Dawn, Grace & Daniel, and Femi. Clara, new last month, returned, busily recording her sightings onto a thin rectangular electronic device, which I’ve been told is some sort of telephone.  News to me.  What’s next? Recorded bird calls you can dial up?

Notable among the many birds were the flocks of Black-bellied Plover which kept coming in and flying out. I guesstimated 700 total but it could easily have been well over 1000.  Down on the mud, hiding among the ‘Black-bellies’ were 3 Black Turnstone, which show up just about ½ as often as do Ruddy Turnstone, 10 of which were also present. If you go birding in England, our Ruddy Turnstone is known as “The Turnstone”.  I don’t know who Mr. The was, but there are an awful lot of British birds named after him.  And yes, as we are often asked, Turnstones are aptly named, as they often do flip over pebbles to see if anyone edible hides underneath.  Two Dunlin also showed up, wandering among the plovers and Killdeer.

The recent rain (with perhaps some help from the Surfers’ Midnight Shovel Brigade) opened up a channel through the west end of the beach. The water level was very low and dropping with the tide, so a great deal of mud was exposed throughout the lagoon and channels.  We did manage to find a couple of Virginia Rail and at least one Sora, who was very vocal, calling all morning at regular intervals.  The beach channel prevented us from reaching the Snowy Plover winter roost site and doing a census, but I did manage to find 5 of them at great distance through the telescope.

Malibu winterer Snowy Plover GG:AR (Cal Yorke 10/21/11)

Also notable were raptors: 2 Red-tailed Hawk perched in a dead tree across the road from the Adamson House, 1 Osprey which flew up-canyon, then back down-canyon about ½ hour later, and one each of Peregrine Falcon and Merlin, both of which – at different times – did very fast flybys of the lagoon.  Lagoon birds usually panic into flight when a Peregrine comes by, but they didn’t seem to notice this one.

Our next three field trips: Butterbredt Spring Campout – 29/30 October; Malibu Creek State Park – 12 November, Malibu Lagoon 27 November.
Our next program: Tuesday, 1 November – A Century of Change in Bird Life in Los Angeles, presented by Kimball Garrett.
Reminders will be emailed from the blog.

As a reminder to those coming to our 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk, it meets at the beach trail footbridge closest to the parking lot.

Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon from 9/23/02.
Prior checklists: Jan-June’11, July-Dec ’10, Jan-June ’10, Jul-Dec ‘09, and Jan-June ‘09.
[Chuck Almdale]