Sub-regional Compilers

David M. Compton (Santa Barbara), Sammy Cowell (Ventura), Tom M. Edell (San Luis Obispo), Kimball L. Garrett (Los Angeles), Kelli K. Heindel (Kern), Chris and Rosie Howard (Inyo), Alexander E. Koonce (San Bernardino), Guy McCaskie (San Diego and Imperial), David Rankin (Riverside), Larry Sansone (photo editor), Justyn T. Stahl (San Clemente Island), Ryan S. Winkleman (Orange).

Abbreviations: N.E.S.S. (north end of the Salton Sea, Riverside); S.E.S.S. (south end of the Salton Sea, Imperial). Museum collections abbreviated in the text are: LACM (Natural History Museum of  Los Angeles County), SBMNH (Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History), and SDNHM (San Diego Natural History Museum).

Because most rarities in s. California are seen by multiple observers, only the observer(s) initially finding and/or identifying the bird are included. Documentation for species on the California Bird Records Committee (C.B.R.C.) review list (see www.californiabirds.org) is forwarded to the C.B.R.C. and archived at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo. The symbol # indicates that a specimen has been deposited in the indicated collection.

Tropical Storm Hilary

It is a rare event when Southern California is in the path of a hurricane, but such an event occurred on 20 August when Hurricane Hilary, downgraded to a tropical storm and then a “post-tropical low” as it entered the region, moved northward across southern and southeastern California after coming ashore on the Pacific Coast of northern Baja California. The storm brought with it a large number of seabirds, mostly Least and Wedge-rumped Storm-petrels, depositing them in the coastal lowlands from San Diego to Ventura Counties, in the mountains of San Diego, Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, and throughout the interior from Imperial County northward through Riverside, Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, to Kern and Inyo Counties.

All reports below are from 21 August unless noted otherwise. All were seen and/or photographed by multiple observers unless indicated otherwise. Numbers in parenthesis for both the Least and Wedge-rumped storm-petrels are the largest numbers reported from the cited locations.

The majority of the displaced seabirds were Least Storm-Petrels. At least 30 were seen along the immediate coast of San Diego County, with most at La Jolla and Torrey Pines State Beach, and 20 at Newport Beach in Orange County, with two at Cabrillo Beach and another at Santa Monica in Los Angeles County being the northernmost. Selected locations of occurrences inland in the lowlands included Lower Otay Reservoir in San Diego County (3), the Santa Ana River near Anaheim in Orange County (1), Lake Elsinore in southwestern Riverside County (62), Castaic Lagoon and Reservoir in Los Angeles County (7), Riverside, in Riverside Co (1), and Lake Piru in Ventura County (3). Locations in the mountains included Lake Henshaw in the mountains of San Diego County (52), Bouquet Reservoir in the Angeles National Forest of Los Angeles County (2), and Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains of San Bernardino County (20 including #SDNHM 57576). Farther inland one was in residential Borrego Springs (#SDNHM 57577) in eastern San Diego County and on the Salton Sea at least 12 were at the south end in Imperial County and at least the same number were at the north end in Riverside County. Larger numbers were farther north in the area of the Antelope Valley as indicated by 50 on Lake Palmdale (including #LACM 124086), four at the Lancaster Water Treatment Plant and two along the California Aqueduct near Neenach in Los Angeles County, and 17 on Spring Valley Lake and 25 at Silver Lakes in San Bernardino County. Farther east at least six were on the San Bernardino County side of Lake Havasu. The farthest north in California were at least eight on Lake Isabella in Kern County. Farther to the east along the Colorado River at least 35 were on Lake Havasu in Arizona and one as far north as Lake Mead in Nevada.     

Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrels, a species previously known in California from 15 individuals along the coast, mostly over deep ocean waters, were in unprecedented numbers. One near the 9-Mile Bank off San Diego (Jimmy McMorran) was the only one reported offshore, and one at Point La Jolla in La Jolla (Alison Heirs), another on south San Diego Bay (Matt Sadowski) on 22 Aug, up to five at the Newport Beach Pier in Orange County 20–21 Aug and one at the Cabrillo Beach Fishing Pier in Los Angeles County were the only ones on the immediate coast. Locations of occurrence inland in the lowlands included one on Lower Otay Reservoir on 20 Aug in San Diego County, three on Lake Elsinore 21–23 Aug, and single birds on Lake Perris and Mystic Lake (David Goodward) in Riverside County, one on Puddingstone Reservoir in Los Angeles County, two on Lake Sherwood in Ventura County, and four on Castaic Lagoon and Reservoir in Los Angeles County. Locations in the mountains included one on Lake Henshaw, San Diego County and two on Bouquet Reservoir in the Angeles National Forest.

Farther inland at least three Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrels were at the S.E.S.S. (Lack & Grubel and Obsidian Butte), two were at the N.E.S.S. (near North Shore) on 20 August, one was near Desert Center (John Yerger) and another was at the Palo Verde Diversion Dam north of Blythe in Riverside County, and one was on the San Bernardino County side of Moovalya Lake in San Bernardino Co on 23 Aug (Eric Hough). Larger numbers were farther north in the area of the Antelope Valley and the southwestern Mojave Desert, with nine on Lake Palmdale, one on Elizabeth Lake and one along the California Aqueduct near Neenach in Los Angeles County, five on Spring Valley Lake (David Goodward; including #SDNHM 57575), and six at Silver Lakes and one more at Newberry Springs (David Goodward) in San Bernardino County. Farther north eight were on Lake Isabella in Kern County (John Schmitt; one to #SBMNH AV11995) with one still present 22 August (Eric Smith Jr.), one at Panamint Springs in Inyo County (Adam Otten) and another at Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley National Park (April Stiltz; #SDNHM 57662). In addition, two were in the San Joaquin Valley just north of our region near Tulare Lake in southern Kings County (Mark Stacy). Along the Colorado River three were reported on the California side of Lake Havasu along with 15 on the Arizona side, and one was farther north at the extreme southern tip of Nevada. In addition, individuals were reported as far north as Walker Lake in western Nevada and east to the area around Phoenix in Arizona. Salvaged birds were of the smaller Peruvian subspecies kelsalli rather than the nominate subspecies from the Galapagos.

The only other storm-petrel was the Black Storm-Petrel with single birds on Lake Henshaw (Allan Muise and Trysten Loefke), Lake Elsinore (Charity Hagen) and Lake Sherwood (Sammy Cowell), four on Lake Palmdale (Jon S. Feenstra), and four more on Lake Isabella (Sasha Robinson), along with one photographed on Lake Havasu in Arizona, and an additional bird at S.E.S.S. (Obsidian Butte) on 22 Aug (Sasha Robinson). The only shearwaters were a Sooty Shearwater on Lake Henshaw on 21 Aug (Trysten Loefke) and another at the S.E.S.S. (Lack & Grubel) on 23 Aug (Curtis A. Marantz).

In addition, an adult female Magnificent Frigatebird was over Senator Wash Reservoir on 20 August (Chris McCreedy) and another was at Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mts. 21–25 Aug (Alla Shumko); a “flock” of 11 were on the Arizona side of the Colorado River at Imperial Dam on 20 Aug (Chris McCreedy). Single Red-billed Tropicbirds were “grounded” near Anza in Riverside County on 20 Aug (Project Wildlife at Sea World in San Diego), 9.2 km east of Valley Center in San Diego County on 21 Aug (Project Wildlife at Sea World in San Diego), and in Azusa in Los Angeles County on 21 Aug (Debbie McGuire; housed at Wetlands and Wildlife in Orange County and then to Project Wildlife in San Diego), along with two on Lake Elsinore on 21 Aug (Charity Hagen) and one in Arizona on the Colorado River above Parker Dam on 21 Aug (Chris McCreedy). Apart from the tubenoses, these two species were the only obvious storm related seabirds carried inland.

Waterfowl through Grebes

The Tundra Bean-Goose originally found near Lancaster, Los Angeles Co 6 Mar moved to nearby Apollo Park where it remained with semi-domesticated waterfowl through 8 Jul. It then moved, or was possibly transported, to Earvin Magic Johnson Park in Willowbrook where present 13 Jul–22 Nov. It was captured by Wetlands and Wildlife Care for rehabilitation on the last date, and the California Department of Fish and Game intends to move it to a sanctuary in another state if found incapable of migration flight. A Brant in Bakersfield 13 Sep (John C. Wilson) probably summered locally since the earliest fall migrants don’t reach California until late October. Two Tundra Swans at Desert Center, Riverside Co 5 Nov (Logan Kahle) were the earliest of the few reaching Southern California this fall.

Only nine Eurasian Wigeon were reported, all in the coastal lowlands after 16 Oct. Single birds believed to be Mexican Ducks were at S.E.S.S. (Wister Unit) 27 Sep (Chris Dean), Rancho Jurupa Park in Jurupa Valley, Riverside Co 5–21 Nov (Luca Cinus), and on the Colorado River at Big River, San Bernardino Co 15 Oct (Matt Brady). The only Harlequin Ducks known to have reached Southern California were single birds at Morro Strand Beach 25 Nov (Ann M. Stockert) and Port San Luis, San Luis Obispo Co 6–30 Nov+ (Tom M. Edell). Single Surf Scoters at Owens Lake, Inyo Co 14–18 Oct (Jon L. Dunn), Piute Ponds, Los Angeles Co 7 Nov (Chris Dean), and Bombay Beach, Imperial Co 5 Nov (Andrea Bennett), along with up to three at N.E.S.S. 1–15 Nov (Robert L. McKernan), were well inland, but a flock of 40 on Lake Hodges 24 Nov (Denise M. Kowal) was on the coastal slope about 22 km inland. In addition, up to four White-winged Scoters were at N.E.S.S. (North Shore) 8–15 Nov (Robert L. McKernan). A Black Scoter flying south with Surf Scoters at Point La Jolla in La Jolla, San Diego Co 23 Oct (Gary Nunn) was the earliest of the fall migrants. A Long-tailed Duck flying with southbound Surf Scoters at Point La Jolla 24 Nov (Nancy Christensen) was the southernmost of the seven known along the coast.

The only Red-necked Grebe reported from the coast was one at Port San Luis, San Luis Obispo Co 22–30 Nov+ (Nick Varvel), but three were inland, where much rarer, with single birds on Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino Co to 13 Sep (Charity Hagen), Wiley Reservoir near Westmorland, Imperial Co 11 Nov (Gjon C. Hazard), and on Young Reservoir near Calipatria, Imperial Co 12 Nov (Guy McCaskie).

Pigeons through Cranes

A Band-tailed Pigeon in University City, San Diego Co 20 Nov (Paul Mulholland) was close to the southern coast where unexpected. An Inca Dove in the Tijuana River Valley, San Diego Co 11–13 Oct (Paul Chad) was on the immediate coast where very rare. At least fifty White-winged Doves were found west of the coastal mountains, with one at Whale Rock Reservoir, San Luis Obispo Co 28 Aug (Kaaren Perry) being the northernmost.

A Black Swift, rarely reported in fall, was over Moreno Valley, Riverside Co 3 Sep (David Rankin). A Ruby-throated Hummingbird well photographed near El Centro 11–14 Sep (Jon S. Feenstra, Kenneth Z. Kurland) was the first in Imperial Co. A female Black-chinned Hummingbird in Tierrasanta, San Diego Co 3 Nov (Paul E Lehman) was exceptionally late since most are gone by mid-September and very few have been documented present in October. A Broad-tailed Hummingbird, very rare in California away from the few nesting locations in extreme central eastern California, was on the coast in Coronado, San Diego Co 4 Oct (Christina Kidd). An unprecedented sixteen Broad-billed Hummingbirds were known, with single birds in Bishop, Inyo Co 29 Sep–1 Oct (Nancy J. Overholtz) and San Luis Obispo 4 Nov (Herb D. Elliott), six between Goleta and Carpinteria, Santa Barbara Co between 19 Sep and the end of the period, along with eight more in San Diego Co between 22 Sep and the end of the period.

Two Sandhill Cranes in Los Osos, San Luis Obispo Co 5 Oct (Gregory P. Smith), along with single birds at Owens Lake, Inyo Co 11 Oct (Eric A. Smith Jr), Mystic Lake, Riverside Co 19–24 Nov (Joshua Joun and Pema Zonglo) and flying south near Lakeside, San Diego Co 9 Nov (Steve Lima) then settling in the Tijuana River Valley, San Diego Co 11 Nov–23 Dec (Dan Hayes) were far from areas where expected.

Oystercatchers through Jaegers

What appeared to be “pure” American Oystercatchers were in La Jolla, San Diego Co 5 Aug–2 Oct (m. ob.), Dana Point, Orange Co 28 Oct+ (Tyler Greenly), Los Angeles Harbor 17 Sep (Brandon Stidum), and (same bird?) at nearby Point Fermin, Los Angeles Co 21 Oct (Brian E. Daniels).

At least fifteen Pacific Golden-Plovers were along the coast after 1 Aug, with some remaining to winter locally. The only American Golden-Plovers were single birds at the Morro Bay Estuary, San Luis Obispo Co 29–30 Sep (Jim S. Royer) and the Santa Ynez River Estuary, Santa Barbara Co 22 Sep (Nick A. Lethaby). Twenty Mountain Plovers at Soda Lake in Carrizo Plain National Monument, San Luis Obispo 30 Nov (Kevin J. Zimmer), 164 near Delano, Kern Co 3 Nov (William Rockey), and ten near Palmdale 1 Nov (Kimball L. Garrett) were at known wintering locations, but one near Oxnard, Ventura Co 29 Oct–2 Nov (Russell Campbell) and another at Dockweiler Beach, Los Angeles Co 19 Oct–18 Nov (Kevin Lapp) were evidently late migrants away from areas of known occurrence.

The only Ruddy Turnstones reported away from the coast were at least five obvious migrants at S.E.S.S. between 23 Aug and 4 Oct (Guy McCaskie) along with five together at S.E.S.S. (Lack & Grubel) 18 Nov (Gregory Heaton) that may have been attempting to winter locally. At least two Black Turnstones were inland at S.E.S.S. (Lack Road to Obsidian Butte) 16 Aug–9 Sep (Guy McCaskie). A Ruff in Anaheim 3 Aug–14 Sep (David Telles) was the only one known on the coast, but three were found in Imperial Co, with single birds at S.E.S.S. at Unit 1 of Salton Sea N. W. R. 9 Aug (Guy McCaskie), near Westmorland 9–10 Sep (Guy McCaskie) and Young Road 25 Oct (Guy McCaskie). Away from the S.E.S.S., where expected, single Stilt Sandpipers were inland at Owens Lake 12–13 Aug (Jon L. Dunn) and 14 Oct (Jon L. Dunn), Boron, Kern Co 21 Aug (Logan Kahle), Mystic Lake 23 Sep (David Rankin), and at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area 19 Nov (David Rankin), and along the coast in Goleta, Santa Barbara Co 27 Aug (Nick A. Lethaby), Del Mar, San Diego Co 3 Sep (Paul E. Lehman), and in San Diego 16 Aug (Nick Thorpe and Matt Sadowski), along with at least nine in Ventura Co between 13 Aug and 24 Sep (fide Sammy Cowell), including six together at the Ventura County Game Preserve 13 Sep (Larry Sansone) and six more in Orange Co between 3 Aug–15 Sep (fide Ryan S. Winkleman). Twelve Sanderlings at Owens Lake, Inyo Co between 5 Sep and 5 Nov (fide Chris and Rosie Howard) were the only ones reported inland away from the Salton Sea. Even though about 120 Baird’s Sandpipers were reported, most observers considered it less numerous than expected. The Little Stint present on south San Diego Bay through the past five winters was again present 16 Oct–Nov 30+ (Matt Sadowski).

An adult White-rumped Sandpiper, a casual visitor to California, was at the Ventura County Game Preserve near Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station, Ventura Co 11–16 Sep (Larry Sansone)—juveniles appear to be unrecorded west of the Rocky Mountains. Over 150 Pectoral Sandpipers were reported after 21 August, including a flock of 35 near Brawley 23 Sep (Guy McCaskie), and the latest being one in Baker, San Bernardino Co 27 Oct (James E Pike). Twenty-seven Semipalmated Sandpipers scattered throughout the Region between 3 Aug and 24 Sep was clearly less than average. About 85 Solitary Sandpipers between 6 Aug and 10 Oct, along with a late migrant in Laguna Niguel, Orange Co 4 Nov (Tom F. Fangrow) and one at Whelan Lake in Oceanside, San Diego Co 15–30 Nov+ (Eve Martin) that is attempting to winter, is more than expected. A Red Phalarope at Harper Dry Lake, San Bernardino Co 10 Aug (Mark Dettling) was well inland.

At least ten South Polar Skuas were found well off the Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo Coast between 12 Aug and 1 Oct. A Parasitic Jaeger on the San Bernardino County side of Lake Havasu 15 Sep (Alexand E. Koonce) and five more S.E.S.S. between 1 Sep and 20 Oct (Christopher Collins, Guy McCaskie, Jim Gain) were inland, as were three juvenile Long-tailed Jaegers at Owens Lake 13–24 Sep (Nancy J. Overholtz) and single juveniles at S.E.S.S. 10 Sep (Jon L. Dunn) and 23 Sep (Guy McCaskie).

Alcids through Terns

A Pigeon Guillemot at Point La Jolla 13 Aug (Gary Nunn) was at the extreme southern limit of the species’ range. A freshly dead Scripps’s Murrelet at Cardiff State Beach 30 Nov (Steven Brad) was unexpected since very few have been documented this far south in November. Fifteen Guadalupe Murrelets were found far off Ventura and Santa Barbara 5–6 Sep (Dave Pereksta) where probably regular at this time of the year. At least 59 Craveri’s Murrelets in Ventura-Santa Barbara waters 5 Sep (Dave Pereksta) was an impressive number, six off Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo Co 12 Aug (Alvaro Jaramillo) were the northernmost, and two photographed south of Santa Cruz Island 4 Nov (Nick A. Lethaby) were the latest ever in California. An Ancient Murrelet at Point La Jolla, San Diego 24 Nov (Paul Mulholland) was the southern most of the few pushing south into Southern California oceanic waters. A Tufted Puffin photographed 6.5 km off Newport Beach 4 Aug (Delaney Trowbridge) is the first ever in Orange County waters.

At least twenty Sabine’s Gulls were reported from scattered locations inland after 18 Aug, with single birds in Atascadero, San Luis Obispo Co 26–27 Sep (Steve and Janny Tillmann) and at Piute Ponds, Los Angeles Co 27 Sep (Kimball L. Garrett) being the latest. A juvenile Little Gull was well photographed at the Kern Water Bank 22 Sep (John Sterling). Single Laughing Gulls were along the coast, where rare, on south San Diego Bay 7 Nov (Paul E Lehman), 1.6 km off south Camp Pendleton, San Diego Co 28 Nov (Brandon Stidum), in Santa Ana, Orange Co 21 Nov (Karen McKinley), and Oceano, San Luis Obispo Co 19–30 Nov (Zachary Loman). Franklin’s Gulls were decidedly less numerous than expected, with only nine reported from the interior and three along the coast. Single Heermann’s Gulls, rare inland, were near Imperial, Imperial Co 30 Aug (Guy McCaskie), on Lake Elsinore 21 Aug (David Rankin) and at Silverwood Lake San Bernardino Co 12 Oct (Steve Ritt). At least eight Lesser Black-backed Gulls were known in the Region, including a first-cycle bird at the Kern Water Bank 29 Oct (John Sterling).

A Least Tern well inland over Fig Lagoon near Seeley, Imperial Co 21 Aug (Guy McCaskie) may have been associated with Tropical Storm Hilary; one at the San Diego River mouth 18–20 Sep (Hanna Zhao) was unusually late since most have departed southward by the end of August but stragglers have been recorded to as late as 28 October. An Elegant Tern photographed along the Colorado River at Imperial Dam, Imperial Co 20 Aug (Alex Lamoreaux) may also have been associated with Tropical Storm Hilary.

Tropicbirds through Cormorants

Seven Red-billed Tropicbirds west of Cortes Bank 7 Sep (Dave Pereksta) was an impressive number; otherwise one 5 km southwest of Point Loma, San Diego Co 1 Sep (David Povey) was unusually close to the coast, and another (dead) on south San Diego Bay 4 Oct (Matt Sadowski) may have been a Tropical Storm Hilary casualty.

Three Pacific Loons, rare well inland, were in Inyo Co between 26 Oct and 21 Nov (fide Chris and Rosie Howard) along with one at Silverwood Lake, San Bernardino Co 29 Nov+ (Eric Tipton) and another in Lancaster, Los Angeles Co 10–13 Nov (Kimball L. Garrett)

The only Laysan Albatross reported was one over the San Diego Trough off San Diego, San Diego Co 7 Oct (Steven Dammer). A Wilson’s Storm-Petrel was near Santa Rosa Island 5 Sep (Dave Pereksta). A Townsend’s Storm-Petrel 16 km west of San Diego 2 Aug (Nathan French) was closer to the coast than expected. Five Cook’s Petrels were over the 30-Mile Bank off San Diego 6 Aug (Paul E. Lehman), one off Newport Beach 6 Aug (Curtis A Marantz) was the first known in Orange County ocean waters, and at least 45 were far from shore in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara ocean waters, where now expected, during August. A light-morph Wedge-tailed Shearwater, a casual straggler north to California’s oceanic waters, was photographed in the Santa Barbara Channel off Ventura 22 Aug (Robert Thoren) and another was 8 km west of Mission Bay in San Diego 26 Aug (Paul E. Lehman). The only Buller’s Shearwater reported was one west of the Cortes Bank 6 Sep (Dave Pereksta). The only Short-tailed Shearwaters reported were two near Santa Cruz Island 27 Nov (Dave Pereksta). A Flesh-footed Shearwater, rare in extreme Southern California, was well photographed off Ocean Beach, San Diego Co 16 Oct (Steve Lima), but another off Ventura, Ventura Co 4 Nov (Nick Lethaby) along with two in Santa Barbara Co ocean waters 5 Aug (Dave Pereksta), another there 4 Nov (Nick A. Lethaby) and one off Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo Co 1 Oct (Curtis A. Marantz) were where expected in very small numbers. Single Manx Shearwaters, rare off Southern California, were west of Mission Bay 23 Aug (Trysten Loefke) and 30 Aug (Paul Mulholland), off Orange Co 1 Sep (David Bell), over the Santa Barbara Channel 26 Aug (Dave Pereksta), and 23 km s of Santa Cruz Island 4 Nov (Nick A. Lethaby).

The long-staying and widely wandering Wood Stork at the Prado Basin 13 Oct (James E. Pike) returned to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park near Escondido, San Diego Co 19–23 Nov (Elizabeth Jones), and an adult photographed in Saticoy, Ventura Co 25–31 Aug (Allison Alvarado) was likely this same bird.

A Masked Booby, a species now outnumbered by Nazca Boobies off Southern California, was well photographed 10 km west of Point Loma, San Diego Co 18 Oct (Paul E. Lehman) and another was south of San Clemente Island 22 Aug (Jimmy McMorran). At least twenty-four Nazca Boobies, included five off San Diego on 10 Sep (Paul E. Lehman) were reported off the coast from San Diego north to the ocean waters off San Luis Obispo Co between 6 Aug and 18 Oct, along with eight Masked/Nazca Boobies unidentified to species during the same period. Two long staying Blue-footed Boobies were still associating with Brown Boobies at Santa Barbara Island 5 Sep (Dave Pereksta). A Red-footed Booby well photographed 8 km west of Mission Bay, San Diego Co 8 Nov (Tom Baxter) and another at the harbor in Santa Barbara 2 Oct (David Levasheff), were the only two reported.

The northernmost of the rapidly increasing Neotropic Cormorants were one in Ontario, San Bernardino Co 11 Oct (Bret Elgersma) and at least three at the Kern Water Bank 1 Aug–20 Nov (Todd Easterla).

Herons through Woodpeckers

An adult Little Blue Heron in Ridgecrest, Kern Co 13 Sep (Jon S. Feenstra) and an immature in Borrego Springs, San Diego Co 5–21 Aug (Robert Theriault) were well inland where casual at best; and one in Huntington Beach, Orange Co 24 Oct+ (Rachael Innes) was the only one found along the coast away from the resident population around San Diego. A Tricolored Heron at S.E.S.S. (Young Road) 15–18 Aug (Van Pierszalowski) was the only one known in the Region. A Reddish Egret, first seen at S.E.S.S. (Young Road) 14 Jul (Curtis A. Marantz) was still present 30 Nov and was last reported 28 Jan. Up to four Yellow-crowned Night-Herons on Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo 11 Aug+ (Larry Owens) were the northernmost.

A Black Vulture near Weldon 28–31 Aug (Sasha Robinson and Annie Meyers) was a species new to Kern Co. Up to five Harris’s Hawks remained at Shelter Valley in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park through 30 Nov (Russell Campbell), and five more were still present in Jacumba, San Diego Co 30 Nov (Paul E. Lehman). Twenty-seven southward migrating Broad-winged Hawks were noted along the coast between 23 Sep and 6 Oct, along with single birds inland near Bishop, Inyo Co 3 Oct (Eric A. Smith Jr) and at the Kern Water Bank 10 Nov (Todd Easterla). Thirty-seven Swainson’s Hawks near Mystic Lake, Riverside Co 30 Sep (Robert Packard) and thirty near Calipatria, Imperial Co 11 Oct (Guy McCaskie) were the largest flocks reported. Fifteen Zone-tailed Hawks, with most believed to be wintering locally, were along the coast and in the coastal mountains after early September, with single birds around Ojai Ventura Co 6 Sep–28 Nov (Jerry Maryniuk) and 5 Oct–14 Nov (Eric Culbertson) being the northernmost, along with up to two more along the Colorado River near Blythe, Riverside Co 10–20 Sep (Bruce Wayne) being east of the coastal mountains.

Small numbers of Lewis’s Woodpeckers were in the coast lowlands and foothills, with the largest number being up to 16 in Placerita Canyon, Los Angeles Co 5–29 Nov (Judy Matsuoka), but none were reported east of the coastal mountains. An Acorn Woodpecker at the harbor in Oceanside, San Diego Co 9 Aug (Donald Dehm) was on the immediate coast where unexpected. A Williamson’s Sapsucker in California City, Kern Co 8 Oct (Russ Namitz) and another in Aliso Viejo, Orange Co 16 Nov (Jami Josifek) were both well away from any areas of expected occurrence. A White-headed Woodpecker in Goleta 26 Oct–22 Nov (David Blue) was close to the coast where unexpected.

Flycatchers through Vireos

A Dusky-capped Flycatcher at Camino Real Park, Ventura Co 2 Oct (Dave Pereksta, Sandy Pereksta, Peter Svingen) represents the first October record for California, with all previous fall and winter birds appearing in November or later; others were at Kate Sessions Park in Pacific Beach, San Diego Co 26 Nov–16 Jan (Gary Nunn) and Escondido, San Diego Co 26 Nov (Mike Wittmer). A Great Crested Flycatcher, casual but nearly annual in the region, was at Loyola Marymount University in Westchester, Los Angeles Co 23–24 Sep (Henry Chiu). Even rarer on the coast, a Brown-crested Flycatcher was at Willow Springs Park in Long Beach, Los Angeles Co 28 Sep–5 Oct (Brad Dawson). A Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher at the Ventura Settling Ponds 21 Sep (Sangeet Khalsa) established only the second Ventura Co record, while another at Golden Shore Marina in Long Beach 10 Sep (Jeff Boyd, m. ob.) was only Los Angeles Co’s fourth. The regular fall “reverse migration” of Tropical Kingbirds was again in evidence, with some 53 birds on or near the coast after 20 Aug and an additional bird was at S.E.S.S. 30 Sep (Russell Campbell). A Thick-billed Kingbird was in the Tijuana River Valley, San Diego Co 29 Oct–30 Nov+ (Paul Marvin) and birds returning for their second winter were at Ontario, San Bernardino Co 14 Oct+ (Thomas A. Benson) and Griffith Park, Los Angeles Co 23 Oct+ (Mario Pineda). A late Western Kingbird was at Canada Larga in Ventura 21 Nov (Mario Borunda, Sangeet Khalsa). Eastern Kingbirds followed a predictable pattern of early fall occurrences, with eight occurring on the coastal slope and islands 21 Aug–19 Sep and another inland at Mojave Narrows Regional Park, San Bernardino Co 2 Sep (William R. Deppe). A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Chula Vista, San Diego Co 26 Nov+ (David Trissel) had returned for its eighth winter.

The latest report of a Western Wood-Pewee was at Lincoln Park in Los Angeles 15 Nov (Ed Stonick); this bird’s deformed bill might have explained its tardiness. A well-studied

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was documented by numerous observers at La Jolla, San Diego Co 19–21 Sep (Alex Abela). A Willow Flycatcher at La Mesa, San Diego Co 18 Oct (Barbara Wise) was the latest of the fall. The only two Least Flycatchers reported this fall were at Point Loma, San Diego Co 9 Sep (Lucas Stephenson) and on Santa Cruz Island 27 Sep (Hugh P. Ranson et al.). Very late Dusky Flycatchers were at Valyermo, Los Angeles Co 23 Oct–12 Nov (Kimball L. Garrett) and Piute Ponds 27 Oct–2 Jan (Kimball L. Garrett, William Tyrer). The earliest Eastern Phoebes were at Jurupa, Riverside Co 2 Nov+ (Kathryn McGiffen) and the Tijuana River Valley 3 Nov (Paul E. Lehman); five others appeared later in the period on the coastal slope along with one at Piute Ponds, Los Angeles Co 24 Nov (Naresh Satyan). Vermilion Flycatchers, now widespread in the region, remain scarce in San Luis Obispo Co, where the only report of the fall was at Santa Margarita Lake 25 Sep (Sam McMillian).

The summering White-eyed Vireo at Lake Murray in La Mesa, San Diego Co remained

from 27 May to 27 Sep (Matt Sadowski). A somewhat out-of-habitat Bell’s Vireo was singing in

a west Bakersfield residential area 12 Aug (John C. Wilson); late individuals included a greenish

bird (likely arizonae) in Riverside to 19 Nov (John Green), and singles at Salton Sea N.W.R. headquarters 17 Oct–30 Nov+ (Jim Gain), and Brawley 19 Oct–30 Nov+ (Chris Dean, Bridget Spencer). The singing male Yellow-throated Vireo from the nest-building pair in Oceanside, San Diego Co remained to 12 Sep, long after the nest attempt failed (Angela Johnson). Fall vagrants were at Satellite Park in Cerritos, Los Angeles Co 30 Sep (Thomas Lopez) and Mission Viejo, Orange Co 4 Oct (Loren Y. Wright). Exceptionally rare in late fall and winter on the deserts, a Cassin’s Vireo was at El Centro, Imperial Co 17 Nov+ (Kenneth Z. Kurland). Blue-headed Vireos were at Buddy Todd Park in Oceanside 21 Sep (Patti Koger) and Solana Beach, San Diego Co 6–8 Oct (Mel Senac). The long-lived Warbling Vireo returned for its eleventh winter at Bohnett Park in Santa Barbara 20 Oct–28 Nov, but was not observed after that; a late bird on the northern deserts was at Barstow, San Bernardino Co 11 Nov (James E. Pike). Fall vagrant Red-eyed Vireos were at Mission Viejo 3 Sep (Tom F. Fangrow), Point Loma 17–22 Sep (Jim Pawlicki), San Dieguito County Park, Solana Beach 22 Sep (Paul E. Lehman), and Pacific Beach 4 Oct (Gary Nunn), and in the interior at Twentynine Palms, San Bernardino Co 14–15 Oct (Johnny Bovee); one at the Kern River Preserve 8 Aug (Danny Tipton, R. J. Baltierra) was likely the same bird present in July. Yellow-green Vireos were scarcer this fall than Red-eyeds, with two widely separated birds at Point Loma 6 Oct—at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery (Gary Nunn) and Nazarene University (Nick Thorpe)—and a late bird at the West San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail in Lakewood, Los Angeles Co 22–29 Nov (Becky Turley).

Corvids through Nuthatches

Two Pinyon Jays were flying west at La Cumbre Peak in the Santa Ynez Mts., Santa Barbara Co 13 Oct (Hugh Ranson), and ten were at Piute Ponds 24 Sep (Jon S. Feenstra), with another there 20 Oct (Kimball L. Garrett). Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays outside their woodland breeding habitat were found at Baker, San Bernardino Co 20 Sep (Jim E. Pike), Ridgecrest Kern Co 8 Oct (Bob Barnes), and Fort Irwin, San Bernardino Co 14 Oct (Brian Sandstrom). There was a significant fall flight of Clark’s Nutcrackers outside of their breeding habitat; small numbers moved along the Santa Ynez Mts., Santa Barbara Co 13–31 Oct, with a high count of 46 at La Cumbre Peak 26 Oct (Sophie Cameron), and five were noted in the nearby San Rafael Mts. 12 Oct, with another the next day (Mark A. Holmgren); one in West Hills in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Co 29 Oct (Daniel S. Cooper) was at an unexpected locality, and to the south up to 20 were in the Laguna Mts., San Diego Co 25–28 Oct (David Trissel), one was at Twentynine Palms, San Bernardino Co 15 Oct (Johnny Bovee), and three more were near Palm Springs, Riverside Co 22 Oct (Andrew Keet); a flock of 27 along Blue Ridge Rd. in the San Gabriel Mts. 16 Oct (Catherine McFadden, Paul Clarke) was a very high count for that locality.

Three Chestnut-backed Chickadees continued at the species’ southernmost outpost at Rincon Creek on the Santa Barbara/Ventura Co border 29 Oct–12 Nov (Spencer Seale). A Verdin at Point Conception 22 Sep (Wes T. Fritz) was only the third for Santa Barbara Co and farthest west. Casual migrants in Inyo Co, single Purple Martins were north of Bishop 20 Aug and 21 Aug (Forest English). Swinhoe’s White-eyes are pushing farther into Santa Barbara Co, with one in Buellton 30 Nov (Wes T. Fritz), ten in the Goleta area 24 Sep–27 Nov (m. ob.), and five in downtown Santa Barbara 4 Nov (Noah Arthur); in the other direction, Riverside Co saw two in Menifee 31 Oct (Donna Little) and five in Corona 24 Nov (Bob Packard). There was a moderate scattering of Golden-crowned Kinglets with, for example, higher than average numbers in lowland Santa Barbara Co (David M. Compton); about ten were found in the Los Angeles Co lowlands after 2 Nov.

Red-breasted Nuthatches staged a major irruption into the region, as documented in several county summaries. In San Luis Obispo Co they were “widespread…and numerous,” with the earliest on 25 Aug and at least 215 in October alone; Santa Barbara Co experienced its largest invasion in at least 25 years, with the earliest lowland report near Lompoc 31 Aug (Josh McLaughlin) and the highest count of 25 at Summerland 11 Nov (Steve Colwell); in Los Angeles Co they were widespread on the coastal slope and Antelope Valley starting late August, with some reduction in numbers after October; over 400 birds were noted in Orange Co, and San Diego Co saw “many on the coast” after 5 Sep; an “island-wide invasion” on San Clemente I. 5 Sep–21 Nov included counts of up to seven birds in a day; in San Bernardino Co they were “widely reported outside of the mountains on the coastal slope and Mojave Desert, and in Imperial Co up to 15 were in the Imperial Valley 11 Sep+. Up to 16 Pygmy Nuthatches were found 16 Sep–24 Nov in San Luis Obispo Co away from their limited breeding areas, and Santa Barbara Co saw two reports in the Santa Ynez Mts. 19 Aug and 23 Sep (Conor McMahon). A few Brown Creepers moved into the coastal and desert lowlands, with one on Point Loma 9 Aug (Paul E. Lehman) being especially early.

Gnatcatchers through Finches

A California Gnatcatcher at Carpinteria 22 Aug (Eve Martin et al.) was the first ever for Santa Barbara Co and established the northwesternmost record for the species. A Rock Wren at S.E.S.S. (Rock Hill) 18 Aug (Mark Dettling) was the earliest ever found in fall in the Salton Sink. A rare but regular vagrant to the region, a Winter Wren was at Glacier Lodge, Inyo Co 23 Nov–14 Dec (Nancy J. Overholtz). Fourteen Cedar Waxwings at Carpinteria 12 Aug (Silvia Echavarria) were ten days earlier than the previous record early fall arrival in Santa Barbara Co.

Four Gray Catbirds on the coastal slope 9 Sep–26 Oct were complemented by seven on the deserts 19 Oct–10 Nov. Brown Thrashers were at Furnace Creek, Inyo Co 25–26 Oct (Adam Panto) and Lakewood, Los Angeles Co 16 Nov+ (Joyce Brady); another near El Centro, Imperial Co remaining from 27 Apr until 3 Nov (Kenneth Z. Kurland). Very few Bendire’s Thrashers are found away from the few remaining breeding areas in the region, so migrants at Desert Center, Riverside Co 12 Aug (Dave Goodward) and the Oxnard Plain, Ventura Co 19 Aug (Dave Pereksta)

were noteworthy. A Sage Thrasher at the Atascadero Wastewater Ponds, San Luis Obispo Co 19–21 Nov (Brian and Diana O’Kelly) was the northernmost report from the coast.

Casual in the region, a Wood Thrush was seen by many at Irvine Regional Park, Orange Co 16–21 Oct (Jasmine C. Kay et al.). An early migrant Varied Thrush was at North Lake, Inyo Co 11 Sep (Julie Szabo). Inyo Co’s fifth Rufous-backed Robin was at Furnace Creek Ranch 8 Nov (Logan Kahle); another was at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, San Bernardino Co 25 Nov+ (Dan Baumann).

A White Wagtail of the black-backed subspecies lugens at Goleta 11 Oct (Armando Aispuro) was only the sixth (and third lugens) for Santa Barbara Co. Surprisingly, only one Red-throated Pipit was found this fall—at Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale, Los Angeles Co 24 Sep (David Bell).

A moderate flight of Evening Grosbeaks brought scattered individuals to the region 20 Oct+, south to the Laguna Mts., San Diego Co 22 Oct–10 Nov (Alison Hiers, Nick Thorpe); a “small irruption” of these finches was noted at Mt. Pinos, Ventura Co starting 20 Oct (Allistair Skinner); “Type 1” Evening Grosbeaks birds were documented by recordings in San Bernardino Co 10 Oct–6 Nov at Twentynine Palms, Horse Thief Springs, the San Bernardino Mts., and Icehouse Canyon in the eastern San Gabriel Mts., and the latter locality also had a bird giving “Type 2” flight calls on 31 Oct (Michael Mavrovounniotis). For the first time, a small flight of Red Crossbills giving “Type 4” flight calls was noted in the region, with audio-documented birds at Covington Park in Morongo Valley, San Bernardino Co 2 Sep (Matthew Grube), Pearblossom Park, Los Angeles Co 7 Sep (Kimball L. Garrett), Summerland, Santa Barbara Co 11 Nov (Steve Colwell), and near Hart Park in Bakersfield 30 Nov (William Rockey); in some cases these birds were with the more common “Type 2” birds. The fall flight of Pine Siskins in the region was unexceptional; the species was widespread in San Luis Obispo Co starting in October, but numbers were small; Los Angeles Co experienced a “moderate” flight.

Longspurs through Icterids

Rather early Lapland Longspurs were at the lower Los Angeles River in Long Beach 6 Oct (Richard Barth) and Tecopa, Inyo Co 7 Oct (Logan Kahle); only four others were found, all on the coast 28 Oct+. A paltry four Chestnut-collared Longspurs were noted during the period, with one at Griffith Park (Toyon Landfill) 28–29 Oct (Jodhan Fine; two on the latter date), one at Fiesta Island in Mission Bay, San Diego Co 28–29 Oct (Thomas Ford-Hutchinson), and one at Lake Elsinore, Riverside Co 10–14 Nov (Charity Hagen).

A Grasshopper Sparrow at the Kern Water Bank, Kern Co 28 Nov (John Sterling) was at an unusual locality. Black-throated Sparrows wandering to the coastal slope included two in the

San Gabriel Mtn. foothills of Los Angeles Co 5–14 Aug, one at Cypress, Orange Co 9–11 Aug (Loren Wright), and one at Torrey Pines S. P., San Diego Co 16 Oct (Leah Rottke). Eighteen Lark Buntings were found in all six coastal counties 5 Sep–28 Nov, including birds well inland at Jacumba, San Diego Co 2–25 Nov (Paul E. Lehman), Piute Ponds 13 Nov (William Tyrer), and Gillis Canyon southeast of Shandon, San Luis Obispo Co 23 Nov (Petra and Jack Clayton); another was on the desert at Twentynine Palms, San Bernardino Co 4 Nov (Johnny Bovee). It was a rather average fall for Clay-colored Sparrows, with 39 on the coastal slope 5 Sep+, and others at w. Bakersfield, Kern Co 20 Sep (John C. Wilson), N.E.S.S. (North Shore) 25 Oct (Robert L. McKernan), and Twentynine Palms 3 Nov (William R. Deppe). Remarkably scarce in the region away from their breeding grounds, Black-chinned Sparrows were at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park 22 Oct (Bridget Spencer) and Los Olivos, Santa Barbara Co 15 Nov (Peter T. Schneekloth). Brewer’s Sparrows were encountered on the northern deserts in greater than average numbers this fall, a trend that continued into the winter; exceptional were eleven reports of flocks of up to five birds in November in the Owens Valley, Inyo Co (Chris B. Howard). American Tree Sparrows well south of their regular winter range were at Switzer Picnic Area in the San Gabriel Mts. 10 Nov (William Tyrer) and Balboa Park in San Diego 23 Nov (Justyn T. Stahl).

The only “Red” Fox Sparrows reported were at Baker 10 Nov (Logan Kahle), Primm Valley, San Bernardino Co 14 Nov (Logan Kahle, Van Pierszalowski), and Piute Ponds 24–25 Nov (Naresh Satyan). A dark-lored (oriantha/leucophrys) White-crowned Sparrow at Los Osos 20–27 Oct (Ann M. Stockert) was only the second for San Luis Obispo Co. Of the roughly 82 White-throated Sparrows found on the coastal slope, two-thirds were in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Cos, indicative of the skew in records toward the wetter and more wooded part of the region; nevertheless, some 33 additional birds were in the inland counties, including 20 in Inyo Co 29 Sep–10 Nov. A LeConte’s Sparrow at Quail Hill in Irvine 12 Nov+ (Kiandra S. Mitchell) was only the second to be found in Orange Co and the first in 30 years. Fifteen Swamp Sparrows were found on the coastal slope 17 Oct+, with 12 more on the northern deserts 14 Oct+, three at the Kern Water Bank 11 Nov (Todd Easterla), and one at the w. shore of Lake Isabella, Kern Co 14 Oct (Annie Meyer).

There was another poor showing of Bobolinks in the region, especially away from Santa Barbara Co where up to 13 were near Lompoc 20 Sep–8 Oct (Nick A. Lethaby); just eight others were farther south on the coastal slope and islands and there were no reports from the deserts. San Luis Obispo Co saw a record total of eight Orchard Orioles at seven locations around Morro Bay, with the earliest being 6 Sep at Montana de Oro S. P. (Jim S. Royer); elsewhere on the coastal slope 26 additional birds were found 11 Sep–29 Nov. Thirteen Baltimore Orioles were all on the coast 15 Sep–26 Nov. The only Rusty Blackbird was at Furnace Creek Ranch 8 Nov (Logan Kahle), though additional birds were found in December.

Wood-Warblers through Cardinalids

Fall vagrant warblers were a mixed bag, with some species found in far greater than average numbers but many others well below average. The only Ovenbird reported was on Santa Cruz I. 5 Oct (Hugh P. Ranson); this species averages about seven individuals each fall. Among our rarest parulids, Louisiana Waterthrushes included Santa Barbara Co’s second ever at Goleta 21–22 Sep (Alex Castelein) and San Diego Co’s second at Santa Ysabel 5 Nov (Steve Lima). Twenty-eight Northern Waterthrushes were on the coastal slope and islands 30 Aug–1 Nov, with four on the deserts 29 Aug–22 Sep, one at Kernville, Kern Co 10 Sep (Sasha Robinson, Annie Meyer), and one at Jackson L. in the San Gabriel Mts., Los Angeles Co 13 Sep (Kimball L. Garrett). An ultra-rare Golden-winged Warbler was at Hilleary Park in Poway, San Diego Co 25–26 Sep (Lisa Ruby). Well above average were some 79 Black-and-white Warblers on the coastal slope 8 Sep+, with another five on the deserts 16 Sep–15 Nov and two in the Kern River drainage 12–30 Oct.

Prothonotary Warblers were at Lake Murray, San Diego Co 18–22 Sep (Matt Sadowski), Carlsbad/La Costa, San Diego Co 22–23 Sep (Jenny Asperslag), Laguna Lake Park in Fullerton, Orange Co 25 Sep–1 Oct (Jonathan Rowley), Silver Lake Reservoir, Los Angeles Co 6–14 Oct (Andrew Birch), Encinitas, San Diego Co 10 Nov (Jimmy McMorran), and on the desert at Borrego Springs, San Diego Co 23 Sep (Jim Pawlicki). Eighty-two Tennessee Warblers on the coastal slope 1 Sep+ and another five on the deserts 24 Sep–1 Nov was well above the recent ten-year average and marked the third straight fall with exceptional numbers; one wonders how much the explosive growth in vagrant birding explains such apparent increases. An exceptional 42 Lucy’s Warblers made it to the coastal slope 4 Aug–29 Nov, along with two on the northern deserts 9–17 Sep, three in the Kern River drainage 12 Aug–20 Nov, and eight in the Imperial Valley 2 Aug–23 Sep. Likewise, westward wandering Virginia’s Warblers included 20 on the coastal slope 24 Aug–21 Oct, four on the deserts 29 Aug–16 Sep, and one at Caliente, Kern Co 29 Sep (Sasha Robinson).

The lone Hooded Warbler of the fall was at Silverado in the Santa Ana Mts., Orange Co 2–6 Nov (Patti Tennigkite). American Redstart was another parulid in above-average numbers, with 56 on the coastal slope 9 Aug–25 Nov, two in the mountains 3–24 Sep, and 13 on deserts 9 Aug–28 Nov; again such a showing likely reflects, in part, increasing coverage in densely-populated coastal areas. Four Cape May Warblers was the highest fall total in over two decades, with birds at Carpinteria, Santa Barbara Co 19 Sep (John B. Callender), South Coast Botanic Garden, Palos Verdes, Los Angeles Co 14–16 Oct (John Ivanov, Manuel Duran), and Santa Maria, Santa Barbara Co 23 Nov+ (Jamie M. Chavez), along with a returning bird at Loyola Marymount University in Westchester, Los Angeles Co 28 Oct+ (Kevin Lapp). Fifteen Northern Parulas on the coastal slope 6 Sep–22 Nov and five on the deserts 23 Aug–30 Oct were augmented by birds in the Kern River drainage at Wofford Heights 3–14 Oct (Sasha Robinson) and the Kern Water Bank 20 Nov (Todd Easterla). Magnolia Warblers included nine on the coastal slope 17 Sep–6 Nov and singles at Piute Ponds 8 Oct (Sona Conlin), Primm Valley 10 Nov (Logan Kahle), and Silver Lakes, San Bernardino Co 15 Nov (Keith Condon). In addition, an apparent Magnolia x Yellow-rumped Warbler hybrid was at Craig Regional Park in Fullerton, Orange Co 27 Oct–29 Nov (Ashley Hopkins).

The season’s only Bay-breasted Warbler was at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena, Los Angeles Co 22 Nov (Caleb Peterson). For the third consecutive fall Blackburnian Warbler numbers were well above average, with 17 birds on the coast after 15 Sep along with a very early bird on San Clemente I. 7 Sep (Kandace L. Glanville), one on the desert east of Lancaster 16 Sep (Joseph Dunn, Jerry Dunn), and one in the San Gabriel Mts. at Jackson Lake 17 Sep (Jon L. Fisher). The 26 Chestnut-sided Warblers were all on the coastal slope and islands 6 Sep–30 Nov except for one well inland at Wofford Heights, Kern Co 6–29 Oct (John Schmitt).

Blackpoll Warbler is one parulid that has not been reported in increasing numbers with a boom in observer effort in recent years—this year’s 29 birds on the coast and islands 6 Sep–18 Oct and single desert bird near Palm Springs, Riverside Co 20 Oct (Krista Oswald) was a bit below the mean number for the first decade of the current century. Only two Black-throated Blue Warblers were uncovered this fall, at Desert Center, Riverside Co 12 Oct (Dave Goodward) and Lake Murray, San Diego Co 17 Oct (Matt Sadowski).

The 72 Palm Warblers were all on the coastal lowlands and islands 30 Sep+ except for an outlier at Big Bear Lake 22 Sep (Derek Hameister); none was reported on the deserts. All of these were the expected nominate subspecies, but a “Yellow” Palm Warbler, less than annual in the region, was found in San Diego 23 Nov (Michelle Reilly). Two typically late Pine Warblers were at Buddy Todd Park in Oceanside, San Diego Co 17 Oct (Beth Fife) and Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara Co 23–29 Nov (Jamie M. Chavez). About average were five Prairie Warblers, at the Tijuana River Valley 2 Sep (Jim Pawlicki), Gilman Park in Fullerton, Orange Co 22 Sep (Rob Young), Morro Bay 15–17 Sep (Steve and Janny Tillmann), and Del Mar, San Diego Co 14 Nov (Sean Buchanan) along with one on the eastern desert at Primm Valley 13 Nov (Logan Kahle). A Grace’s Warbler at Laguna Lake Park in Fullerton 25 Sep (Loren Y. Wright) was only the third record for Orange Co; another was on the U.C.L.A. Campus in Westwood, Los Angeles Co 5 Nov (Chris Sayers), and six more were in San Diego Co 16 Sep+ including a bird returning for its sixth winter in Encinitas 19 Nov+ (P. Gretchen Nell) and one in the Laguna Mts. (Los Huecos Rd.) 7 Nov (Nancy Christensen).

An apparent Yellow-rumped x Hermit Warbler hybrid was at Silver Lake Reservoir, Los Angeles Co 6–8 Oct (Omar Alui). Always one of the scarcest eastern warblers in fall, only two Black-throated Green Warblers were found this fall, both in San Diego Co at Point Loma 7 Oct (Kimberly Sherman) and Santee Lakes 13 Oct (Brennan Mulrooney). Three Canada Warblers were all near the coast, at Santa Rosa Creek in Cambria, San Luis Obispo Co 4 Sep (Steve and Janny Tillmann), Rancho Palos Verdes 9 Sep (Tori Fay), and Sexton Canyon in north Ventura 10 Sep (Steve Ritt). A Red-faced Warbler was in a residential yard in Rancho Palos Verdes, Los Angeles Co 7–8 Sep (Tori Fay); there are only about ten fall records for the region. The fifteen Painted Redstarts on the coastal slope 15 Sep+ included two returning wintering birds; another was near Weldon, Kern Co 2–13 Nov (Alison Sheehey).

A Hepatic Tanager at Point Loma 15 Nov (Paul E. Lehman) was not refound, but one at Griffith Park in Los Angeles 20 Nov+ (Adam Cunningham) was wintering, and another at San Dieguito County Park, San Diego Co 31 Oct–12 Nov (Sally Veach) had returned for a third winter. Summer Tanagers continue to be widespread on the coastal slope, with this fall’s 102 on the coastal slope and additional 11 on the deserts being a typically recent haul. Four Scarlet Tanagers were found, all in October, on the coast: at Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo Co 3–8 Oct (Tom M. Edell), Meadow Park in San Luis Obispo 31 Oct (Nick L. Belardes), Point Loma 16–17 Oct (Sara B. Mayers), and Carlsbad, San Diego Co 28 Oct (Tito Gonzalez). Eighteen Rose-breasted Grosbeaks on the coastal slope included a very early or possibly over-summering bird at Point Loma 2 Aug (Paul E. Lehman), with the rest 24 Aug+; one was in the San Diego Co mountains at Pine Valley 27 Oct (Lisa Ruby) and another six were on the deserts 13 Sep–14 Oct. Five fall Indigo Buntings on the coast 10 Sep–7 Oct and others at Brawley, Imperial Co 2 Aug (Guy McCaskie) and Furnace Creek, Inyo Co 10 Nov (Forest English) were fewer than average. This was a record fall for Painted Buntings, with 21 on the coastal slope and islands 19 Aug–5 Oct, one well inland at Jacumba, San Diego Co 8 Sep (Paul E. Lehman), and 10 on the deserts (nine of these in San Bernardino Co) 24 Aug–10 Nov. Seven Dickcissels were detected on the coastal slope of mainland Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Cos 18 Sep–25 Oct, plus one at Avalon, Santa Catalina I. 21–30 Oct (Andrew Birch) and another on the desert at Twentynine Palms 7 Oct (Johnny Bovee).

Corrigendum

Additional photos of the small Pterodroma petrel at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park near Escondido on 10 Jun 2022 (see Summer 2022 Southern California report) show it was a Stejneger’s Petrel rather than a Cook’s Petrel; this would represent the 10th documented record for California.

Report processed by Andrew Keaveney, 23 Jul 2024.