Malibu Lagoon Trip Report, Picnic & Jan-June Bird Census: 26 June, 2011

The lagoon outlet to the ocean was a tiny

Snubbed by a Brown Towhee (C.Almdale 6/11)

rivulet, so for the first time in many months we walked the beach to Adamson House. We didn’t find much there, but we saw what the winter had done to the beach where most of the surfers and sunbathers go –  about 1/2 to 2/3rds of the sand  was gone. But it was a great surfing day; the waves were jam packed with surfers.

As typical for June, both numbers and species were at the annual low point. Many of the remaining species are local breeders – Black Phoebes, Cliff & Barn Swallows, and Mallards (ducklings in tow) were the most visible – joined by breeders resting from

Western (Roof) Gull in eponymous habitat (C.Almdale 6/11)

foraging (Western Gulls and the few terns), and gulls too young to breed. Surprise of the day was two alternate (breeding) plumage Western Sandpipers who flew in and began to forage. They ought to be much farther north, I think.

It’s always fun to watch the families of Barn Swallows line up on reed-stems. Often three or four pile onto the same reed, bending it over until it seems they should slide off, like pearls falling from a broken necklace.

Outlet closure always means reduced

"What happened to my pie?," cries Jean. (C.Almdale 6/11)

water circulation in the lagoon and – especially – the channels, quickly followed by the appearance of clumpy masses of ugly gray algae. This stuff eventually sucks all the oxygen out of the water, making it very hard for any fish and invertebrates that are struggling to survive. It’ll be a tough summer for them.

After we got the umbrellas and chairs arranged around the food canopy,

Black Phoebe came to picnic, but wouldn't share its Blue Dragonfly with anyone (C.Almdale 6/11)

we plowed into our picnic. Loads of delicious salads, fried chicken, several desserts (including Paula’s rice pudding, a personal favorite), bottled drinks and some homemade lemonade. We exchanged some books, mostly mysteries, and everyone loaded up on John’s blood oranges and gigantic grapefruit before heading home. [Chuck Almdale]

Our Summer field trips are both at Malibu Lagoon: 24 July, 28 August.

As a reminder to those who plan to come to our 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids birdwalk, they meet at the beach trail footbridge closest to the parking lot.

Who says you can't get blood from an orange? (C.Almdale 6/11)

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

Malibu Census 2011	23-Jan	27-Feb	27-Mar	24-Apr	22-May	26-Jun
Temperature	68-75	45-60	54-61	59-68	64-68	68-72
Tide Height	+4.94	-0.41	+0.05	+0.19	-0.13	+3.0
Low/High &Time	H:1117	L:1243	L:1216	L:1014	L:0816	H:0754
Canada Goose		6
Gadwall	15	22	32	24	3	5
American Wigeon		4
Mallard	24	24	30	22	48	41
Northern Shoveler	4	2
Green-winged Teal	12	17	10	2
Surf Scoter		8	8
Bufflehead	5	2
Red-brstd Merganser	6	8	4
Ruddy Duck	40	33	15	3
Pacific Loon	1	1	15	20
Common Loon			1	1
Pied-billed Grebe	3	2	1			3
Horned Grebe	1
Eared Grebe	3
Western Grebe	6	12	20	2
Brandt’s Cormorant			1	3
Dble-crstd Cormorant	57	37	90	19	46	54
Pelagic Cormorant	4	3	1	2
Brown Pelican	42	23	89	740	81	28
Great Blue Heron	2	1	1	4	1	4
Great Egret	1	1	1			5
Snowy Egret	8	9	5	11	3	8
Green Heron						1
Blk-crwnd N-Heron		1		1	2	1
Turkey Vulture			3
Osprey	1		1	1	1	1
Cooper’s Hawk					1
Red-shouldered Hawk						1
Red-tailed Hawk	1		2	2		2
Peregrine Falcon					1
Virginia Rail	1	1	1	1
Sora	4	3	4
American Coot	145	175	153	32	25	12
Blk-bellied Plover	1	65			3
Snowy Plover	60	59	42
Semipalmated Plover				25
Killdeer	3	4	2	8	2	5
Black Oystercatcher		1
American Avocet	4
Spotted Sandpiper	2	2	1
Willet	1	7	3
Whimbrel	1	5	1	3
Ruddy Turnstone		5
Sanderling		135
Western Sandpiper			2	12		2
Least Sandpiper	10	18	20	25
Short-billd Dowitcher				1
Boneparte’s Gull		13	4	2	1
Heermann’s Gull	62			3		15
Mew Gull		1
Ring-billed Gull	120	250	50	52	16
Western Gull	100	120	100	160	10	68
California Gull	2500	1050	1100	450	8	1
Herring Gull	1
Glaucous-wingd Gull	2	3		2
Caspian Tern			5	61	4	10
Forster’s Tern			1	1
Royal Tern			3			1
Elegant Tern			4	12	12
Black Skimmer		3	3			1
Rock Pigeon	5	4	2	4	8	4
Eur. Collared-Dove				1
Mourning Dove	2		2	4	1	5
Anna’s Hummingbird	3	2	2	2	1	1
Rufous Hummingbird			1
Allen’s Hummingbird	6	3	4	2	4	1
Belted Kingfisher	1	1	1
Black Phoebe	4	5	12	8	4	10
Say’s Phoebe	1		1
Cassin’s Kingbird						1
Western Kingbird			2
Western Scrub-Jay						1
American Crow	6	4	6	5	3	4
Rough-wingd Swallow			2	16	2	1
Tree Swallow	8			1
Violet-green Swallow					1
Barn Swallow	1	3		10	8	25
Cliff Swallow		1			31	15
Oak Titmouse						1
Bushtit	9	6	4			8
Bewick’s Wren	2		1	2
House Wren	1
Marsh Wren		1
Northern Mockingbird	1	2	1	2	2	3
California Thrasher				2
European Starling		35			40	21
Ornge-crwnd Warbler				1
Yellow-rumpd Warbler	6	2	8	4
Common Yellowthroat	4	2	3	6	2
California Towhee		1	1		1	4
Savannah Sparrow			5
Song Sparrow	8	8	12	10	4	3
White-crwnd Sparrow	4		3	2
Red-winged Blackbird	1	4	6	1	2
Great-tailed Grackle	1			2	16	3
Brwn-headed Cowbird			3		3	1
Hooded Oriole						1
House Finch	5	3	20	10	8	14
Lesser Goldfinch		4	4	1	4	4
American Goldfinch	8
House Sparrow						2
Totals by Type	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun
Waterfowl	106	126	99	51	51	46
Water Birds-Other	267	257	376	820	152	97
Herons, Egrets	11	12	7	16	6	19
Quail & Raptors	2	0	6	3	3	4
Shorebirds	82	301	71	74	5	7
Gulls & Terns	2785	1440	1270	743	51	96
Doves	7	4	4	9	9	9
Other Non-Pass.	10	6	8	4	5	2
Passerines	70	81	94	83	131	122
Totals Birds	3340	2227	1935	1803	413	402
Total Species	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June
Waterfowl	7	10	6	4	2	2
Water Birds-Other	11	9	11	9	3	4
Herons, Egrets	3	4	3	3	3	5
Quail & Raptors	2	0	3	2	3	3
Shorebirds	8	10	7	6	2	2
Gulls & Terns	6	7	9	9	6	6
Doves	2	1	2	3	2	2
Other Non-Pass.	3	3	4	2	2	2
Passerines	17	15	18	17	16	19
Totals Species – 102	59	59	63	55	39	45