Waterfowl

A Brant at S.E.S.S. (Unit 1) 5 Nov (Bobby Figarotta) provides one of the very few records of a fall migrant inland in Southern California. Two Tundra Swans at Piute Ponds, Los Angeles Co 4 Nov (Will Tyrer), one at Pyramid Lake, Los Angeles Co 29 Nov (Adam Jackson), and two at S.E.S.S. (Unit 1) 28–30 Nov (David Kane) were the southernmost of the few reaching Southern California. Single Surf Scoters on Tinemaha Reservoir, Inyo Co 24 Oct (m. ob.) and Klondike Lake, Kern Co 27 Oct (m. ob.) along with three on Lake Isabella, Kern Co 25 Oct (Cameron Tescher) were the only five reported inland. A White-winged Scoter on Diaz Lake, Inyo Co 24 Nov (Bob Atwood) was the only one inland. White-winged Scoters continue to be rare in Southern California with one at the Huntington Beach pier, Orange Co 25 Nov (Dessi Sieburth), two off Newport Beach, Orange Co 29 Nov (Peter Nguyen), and one on south San Diego Bay 27 Dec+ (Matt Sadowski) being the southernmost. The Long-tailed Duck present on San Diego Bay through the summer was last reported 2 Oct (Matt Sadowski); four together on Lake Ming, Kern Co 20 Nov (Karen Evans) were the only ones reported inland, and a total of five were along the coast after 3 Nov with one at the Tijuana River mouth 18 Nov (Matt Sadowski) the southernmost.

Five Red-necked Grebes were reported from the coast after 6 Oct, with one at Huntington Beach, Orange Co 22–30 Nov+ (Roger A. Schoedl) the southernmost.

Doves through Hummingbirds

An Inca Dove in La Mesa, San Diego Co 3 Oct (Millie and Peter Thomas) and another in the Frogtown stretch of the Los Angeles River in the Elysian Valley, Los Angeles Co 14–24 Nov (Naomi Mansfield) were two of a very few ever known in the coastal lowlands.

An impressive sixty White-winged Doves were reported from along the coast and on the offshore islands after 1 Aug; elsewhere one near Weldon, Kern Co 16–17 Aug (Denis LaBerteaux), another at Furnace Creek Ranch, Inyo Co 6 Sep (Gabriel Mapel), and two at China Lake, Kern Co 18 Aug (Meghan and Melanie Branson) were somewhat northeast of the species’ range.

A Groove-billed Ani photographed in Carlsbad adjacent to Batiquitos Lagoon 30 Oct (Jane Mygatt) was the second known in San Diego Co and the 15th ever in California. Five Black Swifts, scarce as fall migrants, were over the Ventura Settling Ponds near Ventura, Ventura Co 19 Sep (Marc Better), and another was over the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Riverside Co 16 Sep (Chet McGaugh). A migrant Chimney Swift was over Ventura 17 Sep (Matt Brady) and three rather late migrants were over the Kern Water Bank, Kern Co 2 Nov (Todd Easterla).

A somewhat late-staying Black-chinned Hummingbird was in Cayucos, San Luis Obispo 29 Sep (Curtis A. Marantz) and an exceptionally late-staying individual remained at a feeder in Tierrasanta, San Diego Co to 24 Oct (Paul E. Lehman); virtually all have departed California to the south by mid-September. A female Calliope Hummingbird photographed at Valyermo, Los Angeles Co 9 Sep (Kimball L. Garrett) was one of only a handful of fall migrants ever documented on the region’s deserts.  A Broad-tailed Hummingbird in Barstow, San Bernardino Co 26 Oct (Arthur and Linette Davenport) and another in Idyllwild, Riverside Co 22 Aug (Adam Roberts) were a little to the west of the species’ range. Six Broad-billed Hummingbirds were reported, with one in Cayucos, San Luis Obispo Co 14 Nov–1 Dec (Bill Stanley), another in Goleta 21–27 (Lynn Scarlet), and four more at feeders in coastal San Diego Co between 10 Sep and the end of the period.

Rails through Sandpipers

A Black Rail photographed walking on an asphalt pathway near Mesa and Los Carneros Rds. in Goleta, Santa Barbara Co 29 Sep (Toby Fowler) was completely unexpected and one of the few migrants ever known in the region. Four Sandhill Cranes over San Bernardino 5 Nov (Anthony Metcalf), one at Zzyzx, San Bernardino Co 8 Nov (Dessi Sieburth), and another at Piute Ponds, Los Angeles Co 5–8 Nov (Grigory Heaton) were unexpected.

Since virtually all black and white oystercatchers on the Southern California coast are believed to exhibit some Black Oystercatcher traits, though some show very little, there may be no known “pure” American Oystercatchers; however, single birds in La Jolla, San Diego Co 30 Oct (Timothy White), at Dana Point, Orange Co 28 Oct–16 Nov (Tyler Greenly), on San Clemente Island 18 Sep (Kandace Glanville et al.), and on Anacapa Island 20 Oct (Sammy Cowell) very closely match “pure” American Oystercatchers.

The only American Golden-Plovers reported were single birds at Malibu Lagoon, Los Angeles Co 2–12 Nov (Will Black), along the Los Angeles River in Bell 28 Sep (Mark Wilson), and at the San Diego River mouth, San Diego Co 3 Oct (Nathan French). At least thirty Pacific Golden-Plovers were known along the coast after 4 Aug, with at least five appearing settled for the winter. Forty-six Mountain Plovers at the Carrizo Plain National Monument, San Luis Obispo Co 18 Nov (Herb D. Elliott), eight in the Kern Co portion of the Antelope Valley 22 Nov (Charles Hathcock), and up to forty-two near Westmorland, Imperial Co 22–30 Nov+ (Gjon C. Hazard) were at known wintering areas, but single birds at Owens Lake 2 Nov (Steven Brad), Sandy Valley, San Bernardino Co 16 Oct (Todd Easterla), Oceano, San Luis Obispo Co 4 Nov (Stephanie Little), and near Oxnard, Ventura Co 27–28 Oct (Jayna and T. Jay Adams), along with two at Bolsa Chica, Orange Co 5 Oct (Peter Knapp), at least four around San Diego, San Diego Co 30 Oct–9 Nov (m. ob.), and five on the shore of the Salton Sea at Salt Creek, Riverside Co 6 Nov (Robert L. McKernan) were migrants.

A juvenile Hudsonian Godwit, a very rare to casual visitor to California, was photographed at S.E.S.S. (Lack and Lindsey) 16 Aug (Derek Heins), and another juvenile remained at the Santa Clara River Estuary, Ventura Co 11–16 Aug (Noah Arthur). A Black Turnstone, a very rare migrant inland, particularly so away from the Salton Sea, was on Lake Elsinore, Riverside Co 20 Sep (Charity Hagen). Single Ruffs at Ormond Beach, Ventura Co 6 Aug (Tina Tan and Michelle Townsley), at the Ventura County Game Preserve near Oxnard, Ventura Co 15–18 Sep (Larry Sansone), and on the upper Santa Ana River, Orange Co 26 Aug–14 Sep (Don R Hoechlin) were migrants, but one in Ontario, San Bernardino Co 3–30 Nov+ (Eugene A. Cardiff) was the same bird present here last winter. Single Stilt Sandpipers at the Kern Evaporation Ponds, Kern Co 13 Aug (Todd Easterla), Owens Lake, Inyo Co 3 Oct (Christine Jacobs), the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Riverside Co 23 Aug–1 Sep (Anthony Metcalf), Bolsa Chica, Orange Co 7–8 Aug (Brian E. Daniels), and on Camp Pendleton, San Diego Co 4 Sep (Peter A Ginsburg) along with up to four in Long Beach, Los Angeles Co 1–14 Sep (Jeff Boyd) were all away from the Salton Sea. A Sanderling at Owens Lake, Inyo Co 11 Sep (Nancy Overholtz) was the only one reported inland away from the Salton Sea. Baird’s Sandpipers appeared less numerous than usual with no more than one hundred reported between 9 Aug and 27 Sep. A Little Stint was photographed on south San Diego Bay 26 Aug (Matt Sadowski), and another was there for its 7th winter 21 Oct+ (Matt Sadowski). Like Baird’s Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers also appeared less numerous than expected with about eighty reported between 22 Aug and 5 Nov. Twenty-six juvenile Semipalmated Sandpipers were reported 3 Aug–4 Sep, with all along the coast except for one at the Boron Water Treatment Plant, Kern Co 16 Aug (Steve M. Ritt) and another on Owens Lake, Inyo Co 3 Aug (Chris and Rosie Howard). An injured American Woodcock was found in Coronado, San Diego Co 16 Nov and taken to Sea World where it succumbed (fide Maria Gonzalez; #SDNHM). This is only the third known in California, the previous two being at Iron Mountain Pump Station, San Bernardino Co 3–9 Nov 1998 and at Desert Center, Riverside Co 8–11 Nov 2006. Solitary Sandpipers were more numerous than expected, with close to 100 reported 1 Aug–17 Oct; one in Pico Rivera, Los Angeles Co 29 Nov (Logan Bradley) may have been attempting to winter locally and another at Whelan Lake, San Diego Co 24 Oct+ (David Theobald) was the same bird present last winter.

Skuas through Gulls

A South Polar Skua 32 km west of Point Loma 13 Oct (Paul E. Lehman) was closer to the coast than usual. Six Parasitic Jaegers at the S.E.S.S. 5 Sep–16 Oct were the only ones reported inland.

A Guadalupe Murrelet about 45 km off San Diego 28 Sep (Paul E. Lehman), five more in that same area 13 Oct (Paul E. Lehman), and an additional five near San Clemente Island 18 Aug (Naresh Satyan) were the closest to shore of the few reported. Two Craveri’s Murrelets off Ventura, Ventura Co 13 Oct (Chris Dean) were the latest reported in Southern California’s pelagic waters this year. Five Ancient Murrelets were reported with single birds off Point Mugu, Ventura Co 27 Oct (Georgia Wyatt), at Dana Point 22 Nov (Dawn Garcia), flying south off Point La Jolla, San Diego Co 15 and 17 Nov (Dan Jehl and Gary Nunn), and off Mission Bay, San Diego Co 22 Nov (Steven Lima).

At least 30 Sabine’s Gulls were found scattered throughout the interior including high counts of five at Tinemaha Reservoir, Inyo Co 26 Sep (Jon L. Dunn) and three at Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley National Park 3 Oct (Scott B. Terrill), and unexpectedly one over open desert near Joshua Tree, San Bernardino Co 28 Sep (Matthew A. Grube). Franklin’s Gulls continue to be far less numerous than formerly with only three reported inland and eight along the coast 19 Aug–27 Nov. A Heermann’s Gull at Desert Center, Riverside Co (Alexis Miaux) was certainly far inland. An adult Western Gull at Fort Irwin, San Bernardino Co 14 Oct (Matthew Gould) was well inland and away from the Salton Sea. A Yellow-footed Gull well photographed at Diaz Lake 24 Aug (Russell Kokx) provides the first record for Inyo Co.

Loons through Cormorants

A Pacific Loon at Quail Lake, Los Angeles Co 11 Nov+ (Samuel Bressler) was the only one reported well inland.

Single Red-billed Tropicbirds 40 km west of Pt Loma, San Diego Co 7 Sep (Ed Corey), 10 km off La Jolla 22 Sep (Steven Lima), 12 km east of San Clemente Island Los Angeles Co 2 Aug (Jimmy McMorran), and off Orange Co 22 Sep (fide Ryan S. Winkleman) were the closest to the coast of the few reported. Two Red-tailed Tropicbirds 300 km southwest of San Nicolas Island 29 Nov (Michael Force) were far off the coast where probably expected.

A Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, rare over Southern California’s oceanic waters, was well off San Luis Obispo Co 28 Sep (Brian L. Sullivan). Least Storm-Petrels were much scarcer than expected with one near Anacapa Island 25 Aug (Nick Lethaby) and two at the 30-Mile Bank off San Diego Co 3 Aug (Paul E Lehman) being the only three reported. A few Cook’s Petrels were reported from well offshore, but a recently dead Cook’s Petrel was picked up at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station 8 Aug (fide Jimmy McMorran; #SDNHM). A Streaked Shearwater, very rare to casual off California, was photographed 8 km south-southwest of Santa Rosa Island 10 Aug (David Pereksta). A Wedge-tailed Shearwater, also very rare to casual off California, was photographed over the San Pedro Channel 27 Oct (Naresh Satyan), establishing the first record for Los Angeles Co. The only Flesh-footed Shearwater reported was one photographed off Orange Co 19 Oct (Thomas A. Benson). A Short-tailed Shearwater photographed off Mission Bay, San Diego Co 21 Nov (Nancy Christensen) was the only one reported. Far more than expected were 14 Manx Shearwaters reported over oceanic waters from off San Diego north to off Ventura Co 20 Aug–29 Oct. Single immature Magnificent Frigatebirds were at Crystal Cove State Park, Orange Co 11–12 Aug (Michael Bunnell), over the coast of Camp Pendleton, San Diego Co 11 Aug (Misha Favorov), and at the San Diego River mouth, San Diego Co 5 Sep (Matt Whitbeck). Two Nazca Boobies were reported, with single birds off San Diego Co 5 Aug (Steven Lima) and 8 Sep (Paul E. Lehman) along with a Masked/Nazca Booby off Orange Co 10 Aug (Mike Meyer). A Blue-footed Booby was at Newport Beach, Orange Co 16 Sep (Jake Xia) and the two long-staying birds at Santa Barbara Island were still associating with Cocos Boobies there 11 Oct (Dave Pereksta). A Red-footed Booby 146 km southwest of San Miguel Island 24 Nov (Michael Force) was the only one reported. A flock of 12 Neotropic Cormorants in Bakersfield, Kern Co 28 Nov (John C. Wilson) were the northernmost in this region.

Herons through Falcons

The Little Blue Heron first seen at Mojave Narrows Regional Park, San Bernardino Co 20 Jul remained through 2 Sep (William R. Deppe); one in Long Beach, Los Angeles Co 17 Aug–20 Oct (Kaitie Soto and Robert A. Hamilton) and another at Bolsa Chica, Orange Co 14 Oct–29 Nov (m. ob.) were the only others away from coastal southern San Diego Co where resident. A Tricolored Heron at Goleta, Santa Barbara Co 27 Jul–2 Aug (Betsy Mooney), another (or the same bird) around Oxnard/Ventura 14 Oct–24 Nov (Russell C. Galipeau and Margie Steigerwald), Long Beach, Los Angeles Co 20 Nov (James Earles), and at Bolsa Chica, Orange Co 19–20 Oct (Lam-Son Vinh) along with about eight scattered around San Diego, San Diego Co during the period (m. ob.) were all on the immediate coast where rare, but one inland at Bonelli Regional Park, Los Angeles Co 22 Nov (Keith Condon) was far more unusual. A Reddish Egret at the Palo Verde Ecological Reserve, Riverside Co 9 Nov (Adam Panto) was far inland. A Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at the Mojave Narrows Regional Park, San Bernardino Co 2 Aug (Johnny C. Bovee) was one of less than half-a-dozen ever found inland in Southern California.

A Common Black Hawk was still present at the Palo Verde Ecological Reserve, Riverside Co 1 Oct (Sam Baxter-Bray). A Harris’s Hawk at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve in Murrieta, Riverside Co 26 Oct (Charity Hagen) was the only one reported away from the resident birds at Shelter Valley and Jacumba, San Diego Co. An adult Gray Hawk photographed at Mojave Narrows Regional Park, San Bernardino Co 8 Aug (William R. Deppe) was only the second identified west of the Colorado River. At least 80 migrant Broad-winged Hawks were noted along the coast 16 Sep–20 Oct, but one over Riverside, Riverside Co 15 Oct (Ed Harper) was the only one inland, and the long-staying immature present on San Clemente Island since January remained through 29 Sep (Ariel A. Gonzalez). Two Zone-tailed Hawks around Cedar Canyon in eastern San Bernardino Co 3 Aug (Mary Meyerpeter) were likely the pair present during the spring/summer; an adult at the Palo Verde Ecological Reserve, Riverside Co 18 Oct (Todd Easterla), an immature there 29 Oct (Todd Easterla), and another immature at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Riverside Co 30 Nov (John Pham) were well inland, while a Zone-tailed Hawk at Lake Casitas, Ventura Co 6 Oct and another in Ojai, Ventura Co 3 Nov (both Sangeet Khalsa) were the northernmost of 18 reported west of the coastal mountains.

A Flammulated Owl in La Jolla 30 Sep (Kristopher Fleming) was only the third migrant of this species known to have occurred on the coast of San Diego Co.

Two Williamson’s Sapsuckers in Lone Pine, Inyo Co 11 Aug–7 Sep (Russell Kokx) were unexpected. A Crested Caracara was near Ventura 10 Sep (Kevin Bock).

Tyrant Flycatchers through Shrikes

A Dusky-capped Flycatcher at Vincent Lugo Park, San Gabriel, Los Angeles Co 6 Nov–30 Nov+ (Caleb Peterson) had returned for its second winter. A brief visit from a Great Crested Flycatcher

at Piute Ponds 2 Oct (Chris Dean) established the first record for the desert portion of Los Angeles Co. A Brown-crested Flycatcher at Oasis, N.E.S.S. 7 Aug (Robert L. McKernan) was likely a post-breeding wanderer, as this species has not nested in that area since the late 1990s. A scattering of fall Tropical Kingbirds, some of which remained to winter, included some 40 birds on the coastal slope after the earliest on 18 Sep+ at Pacific Beach, San Diego Co (Dave Slager); on the deserts singles were at Mojave Narrows Regional Park, San Bernardino Co 25–26 Sep (William R. Deppe), Borrego Springs, San Diego Co 14–15 Oct (Zen Byla), and Salton Sea N.W.R. Headquarters at S.E.S.S. 30 Nov (Ruby Peng). Returning Thick-billed Kingbirds were at Griffith Park (L. A. Zoo/Wilson-Harding Golf Course area), Los Angeles Co 7 Nov+ (Joshua Mitchell) and Bellevue Memorial Park, Ontario, San Bernardino Co 12 Oct+ (Thomas A. Benson); on the southeastern deserts birds were at Bard, Imperial Co 20–22 Oct and Palo Verde, Riverside Co 22 Oct–30 Nov+ (both Todd Easterla). A late Western Kingbird was along the Los Angeles River in Frogtown (Elysian Valley) 5–20 Nov (Van Pierszalowski); additional birds were found in the region during the winter. Three Eastern Kingbirds were on the south coast of Santa Barbara Co 31 Aug–17 Sep and singles were in residential Beverly Glen in Los Angeles 10 Sep (Harvey Villarica), Lake Hodges, San Diego Co 19–22 Sep (Steven Lima), and Scholl Canyon in Glendale, Los Angeles Co 25 Sep (Dan Pierce), along with one on the eastern desert at Zzyzx, San Bernardino Co 7–10 Sep (Johnny C. Bovee). The only Scissor-tailed Flycatcher reported was at the Amargosa Flood Control Basin in Lancaster, Los Angeles Co 2 Oct (Peter Gaede).

A very late Western Wood-Pewee was at Palo Verde 22–25 Oct (Todd Easterla). The only vagrant Empidonax found this fall were Least Flycatchers at Mission Oaks Park in Camarillo, Ventura Co 20–29 Sep (John Mueller) and Avalon, Santa Catalina I. 22 Sep (Mark Scheel et al.). The earliest Eastern Phoebes were at Sandy Valley, extreme ne. San Bernardino Co 17 Oct (Todd Easterla) and Picacho State Recreation Area, Imperial Co 20 Oct (two birds; Todd Easterla); another ten were found on the coastal slope and four on the deserts through the remainder of the fall period. An apparent Black Phoebe x Eastern Phoebe hybrid was at Furnace Creek Ranch, Inyo Co 26 Sep–18 Oct (Dessi Sieburth, Gary H. Rosenberg). The explosion of Vermilion Flycatchers on the coastal slope was illustrated by a conservative record high total of 84 birds in Orange Co this fall (Ryan Winkleman).

A bright Bell’s Vireo best fitting nominate/medius from the eastern part of the range was at North Island Naval Air Station, San Diego Co 5 Oct (Justyn Stahl). A Gray Vireo on San Clemente Island 24 Sep (Ben C. Stalheim) was the third to be well-documented for the island and fit the pattern of fall vagrancy to the islands; one at Crystal Spring 7 Sep (Levi Rehberg) was the first for southeastern Inyo Co and might have been a local breeder. The lone Yellow-throated Vireo found this fall was at California City, Kern Co 6 Oct (Scott B. Terrill). A Warbling Vireo at Bohnett Park in Santa Barbara 31 Oct–3 Dec had returned for a record 12th winter (Hugh Ranson). Red-eyed Vireos outnumbered Yellow-greens this fall, with six on the coastal slope 31 Aug–11 Oct and one on the desert at Baker 22 Oct (m. ob.); a summering bird was at Matilija Lake, Ventura Co 7–18 Aug (Lukas Le Grice, Rick Ridgeway). A summering Yellow-green Vireo remained at Balboa Park in San Diego to 9 Aug (Trent R. Stanley); additional fall vagrants were at Point Loma 30 Sep (Tom Baxter), Santa Barbara Island 6 Oct (Nick A. Lethaby), Buena Vista Lagoon, Carlsbad SD 30 Oct (window kill; #SDNHM), and Encinitas, San Diego Co 2–7 Nov (Manolo Turner).

An encouraging total of 36 Loggerhead Shrikes were noted in Orange Co; only 8-10 individuals of this declining species have been found in recent fall and winter periods (Ryan Winkleman).

Swallows through Wagtails

An apparent Black-billed Magpie was photographed in Placerita Canyon, Los Angeles Co 19 Nov (Ryan Carter); the photo does not reveal any plumage wear or signs of captivity, but in the absence of any fall southward movement of this species (which has declined greatly in the southern part of its range in California) it is best treated as a likely escapee—and escaped Old World magpies (e.g. Oriental, P. serica) can likely not be ruled out from the photo.

A Purple Martin at Atascadero 16 Sep (Steve and Janny Tillman) established the latest fall record for San Luis Obispo Co.

Only a few Golden-crowned Kinglets were noted in the lowlands, with outlying records at Piute Ponds, Los Angeles Co 8–9 Nov (Naresh Satyan) and Coronado, San Diego Co 30 Oct (Paul E. Lehman).

This fall’s six Gray Catbirds were on the coast at Wilson Cove, San Clemente I. 5 Nov (Susan T. Meiman), Dana Point, Orange Co 7–27 Nov (Gina Easley), and the Tijuana River Valley 10 Nov+ (Paul Marvin), and on the deserts at Shoshone, Inyo Co 12 Sep (m. ob.), Furnace Creek Ranch 14 Oct (m.ob.), and Twentynine Palms, San Bernardino Co 27 Oct (Johnny C. Bovee). Wandering Curve-billed Thrashers were at Rio Bend Golf Course, Imperial Co 21 Oct+ (Todd Easterla) and Baker 8–11 Nov (Dessi Sieburth). Brown Thrashers were found on the northern desert at Furnace Creek Ranch 14 Oct–14 Dec (Todd Easterla) and Shoshone 18 Oct (Emmett Iverson), and at Scorpion Cove on Santa Cruz Island 8 Nov (Alex Castelein). One of the few Bendire’s Thrashers to be found on the coastal slope in recent years was at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area near Lakeview, Riverside Co 5 Nov+ (Robert Packard). Six Sage Thrashers in coastal San Diego Co 13 Sep–31 Oct was an unusually high fall total for that area.

A widely seen Gray-cheeked Thrush, only the second for San Bernardino Co and the third in the region this century, was at Twentynine Palms 19–27 Oct (Johnny C. Bovee). There was little movement of Varied Thrushes into the region this fall, with the earliest of the handful reported being at Furnace Creek Ranch 22 Oct (m.ob.) and Los Osos, San Luis Obispo Co 2 Nov (Jim S. Royer).

It was a poor fall for Red-throated Pipits, with single birds along the Los Angeles River near Vernon, Los Angeles Co 23 Oct (Naresh Satyan, Mark Wilson) and at Tijuana Slough N.W.R., San Diego Co 16 Nov (Matt Sadowski). Sprague’s Pipits were west of Blythe, Riverside Co 19 Oct (Todd Easterla) and at Chula Vista (D Street Fill) 28 Oct (Matt Sadowski). The lugens White Wagtail found in summer along the Los Angeles River in Paramount remained to at least 23 Sep (Billy Weber, m.ob.). For only the second time (the first was in 2007), multiple Eastern Yellow Wagtails were found this fall, with one at the Ballona Freshwater Marsh in Playa Vista, Los Angeles Co 21–23 Aug (Jonathan Coffin, Kevin Lapp) and another at Hanning Flat on the northeast shore of Lake Isabella, Kern Co 22–24 Sep (Annie Meyer); the latter represents the only California record away from the immediate coast.

Finches through Orioles

Purple Finches are rare on the eastern deserts; this fall single birds were at Furnace Creek Ranch 27 Oct and Shoshone 10 Nov (both m.ob.). An unseasonably early American Goldfinch was at Bishop, Inyo Co 28 Aug (Eric A. Smith Jr); normal fall arrivals of this species are in October.

A typical scattering of Lapland Longspurs included eight on the coastal slope and islands, including an early bird on Santa Barbara I. 7 Oct (Nick A. Lethaby), and four on the deserts after 16 Oct. Similarly, seven coastal/island Chestnut-collared Longspurs were found starting on 19 Oct and five more were on the deserts 15 Oct–10 Nov. The only two Thick-billed Longspurs reported were at Sandy Valley 16 Oct (Todd Easterla) and west of Blythe 24 Oct (Chris Dean, Brian E. Daniels).

Six Lark Buntings on the coastal slope (and San Clemente I.) 10 Sep–16 Oct were exceeded by 11 in the arid interior and deserts 28 Aug–21 Nov. Clay-colored Sparrows are regular in small numbers in fall, with this year’s haul including 60 birds on the coastal slope and islands 13 Sep+ and 12 on the deserts 26 Sep–27 Oct.  Rare migrant Black-chinned Sparrows were at Point Loma 23 Sep (Gary Nunn) and near El Centro 22 Sep (Kenneth Z. Kurland); one at

Cottonwood Springs in Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside Co 29 Nov (Ken Reichner) might have been wintering. Field Sparrow is casual in California, but two were found this fall; at Furnace Creek Ranch 18 Oct (Emmett Iverson) and Oso Flaco Lake, San Luis Obispo Co 30 Oct (Herb D. Elliott). A summering White-crowned Sparrow was in El Cajon SD 26 Jun and 24 Aug (C. K. Staurovsky), and an adult white-lored bird, likely gambelii photographed at South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes, Los Angeles Co 27 Aug (Patty Drew) was exceptionally early for a fall migrant. A summering White-throated Sparrow remained at an Atascadero, San Luis Obispo Co residence to 11 Oct (Kevin J. Zimmer), and another summering bird at California City, Kern Co was seen as late as 24 Oct (Caleb Gordon); the earliest documented fall arrival was a bird at West Hollywood, Los Angeles Co 7 Oct (Kurt Studt). Only three Harris’s Sparrows were reported, all on the deserts at Furnace Creek Ranch 5 Nov (Adam Panto), Inyokern, Kern Co 20–21 Nov (Rachel Woodard), and Harper Dry Lake, San Bernardino Co 22–27 Nov (Arthur Davenport). The status of the cryptic, recently split Sagebrush Sparrow is still being worked out over much of the region; one in the Cuyama Valley 16 Nov (Alex Castelein) was only the second to be well-documented in Santa Barbara Co, and one on the Carrizo Plain (near Panorama and Elkhhorn Rds.) 18 Nov (Reef W. Comer, Herb D. Elliott) was in San Luis Obispo Co where the species is poorly known. A Vesper Sparrow at the Ventura River Estuary 26 Aug (Sangeet Khalsa) was very early for the coast. A Nelson’s Sparrow at Malibu Lagoon 29 Nov–5 Dec (Femi Faminu) was the first to be well documented on the Los Angeles Co coast since 1992; one at Mission Bay (Kendall-Frost Marsh), San Diego Co 14–18 Nov (Paul Mulholland) was at a more expected locality. Record early for San Clemente I. was a Savannah Sparrow on 10 Aug (Ben C. Stalheim). It was a relatively poor fall for Swamp Sparrows, with 18 birds on the coastal slope after 11 Oct and three others on the deserts 3–21 Nov. Two Rufous-crowned Sparrows at Heritage Point Park in the Signal Hill are of Long Beach 24 Oct (Nancy Salem, Robb A. Hamilton) were unusual in the southern coastal lowlands of Los Angeles Co.

The earliest Bobolink was at Mojave Narrows Regional Park, San Bernardino Co 9–12 Sep (William R. Deppe), with another three on the deserts, as late as 22 Oct at Furnace Creek Ranch (Emmett Iverson, Dessi Sieburth); on the coastal slope and islands some 26 birds were found between 16 Sep at Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego Co (Paul E. Lehman) and 3 Nov at Pico Rivera, Los Angeles Co (Caleb Peterson). A high total of 24 Orchard Orioles were found on the coastal slope and islands 14 Aug+, with 11 of these in San Diego Co; on the deserts birds were at Zzyzx, San Bernardino Co 7–15 Sep (Levi Rehberg) and Furnace Creek Ranch 18 Oct (Emmett Iverson). A Streak-backed Oriole was well-described from Goff’s Wash between Goffs and Fenner, San Bernardino Co 18 Oct (Brian Sandstrom, Rachel Woodward); there are now a dozen records of this Middle American species from California. An early Baltimore Oriole was at Earvin Magic Johnson Park in Willowbrook, Los Angeles Co 9 Sep (Richard Barth), with 14 more on the coastal slope 22 Sep+ and birds on the desert at Twentynine Palms 5 Oct (Matthew A. Grube) and Big Morongo Canyon Preserve 26–29 Sep (Karl Wirth). A late northerly Scott’s Oriole was at hummingbird feeders at Bear Valley Springs in the Tehachapi Mts., Kern Co 24 Oct–21 Nov (Connie Hallum). The declining Rusty Blackbird was represented by birds at Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch 10–26 Nov (Dessi Sieburth) and Baker 29 Nov (Andrew Lee).

Wood Warblers

Vagrant wood-warbler totals were generally average to below average this fall, especially considering ever-increasing coverage by birders; exceptions were good showings of Lucy’s and Bay-breasted warblers. Ovenbirds were at Wilson Cove on San Clemente I. 22 Sep (Ben C. Stalheim, Kandace Glanville), Santa Barbara Island 8 Oct (Nick A. Lethaby), Huntington Central Park 18 Oct (Thomas E. Wurster), Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground 22–23 Oct (Connor Cochrane), and Coronado, San Diego Co 11 Nov+ (Paul E. Lehman), with others on the deserts at Barstow, San Bernardino 9 Oct (Todd Easterla), Zzyzx 24–26 Oct (Robb Brumfield, Caleb Gordon), and Big Morongo Canyon Preserve 1 Nov (Ron Burkert). The fall’s lone Worm-eating Warbler was a bird at Madrona Marsh in Torrance, Los Angeles Co enjoyed by some 30 birders during its one-day stay on 19 Sep (Mark Rubke). Fifteen Northern Waterthrushes were on the coastal slope and islands 31 Aug+ with another six on the deserts and arid interior 12–26 Sep. Nearly all of the 62 Black-and-white Warblers were on the coast and islands 19 Aug+, with the lone bird on the deserts at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve 28 Sep (Ethan Ripperger). Seven Prothonotary Warblers were found along the coast 14 Sep–2 Oct, with others on the desert at Ft. Irwin, San Bernardino Co 20 Sep (Matthew Gould, Brian Sandstrom) and Furnace Creek Ranch 26–27 Sep (Emmett Iverson).

Tennessee Warblers were widespread on the coastal slope, with some 46 birds 30 Aug–20 Nov, along with an additional six birds on the deserts 21 Sep–24 Oct. Lucy’s Warblers occurred in above average numbers west of their limited desert breeding range, with two in San Luis Obispo Co 3 Oct–12 Nov, a record 11 in Santa Barbara Co 28 Aug–9 Nov plus an overwintering bird 13 Nov+, four in Los Angeles Co 15 Oct–5 Nov, four in Orange Co 14 Aug–14 Nov, eight in San Diego Co 11 Aug–29 Oct, and one in Riverside, Riverside Co 17 Oct. Seventeen Virginia’s Warblers reached the coastal slope and islands 26 Aug–1 Oct, with birds on the deserts at Bishop 21 Aug (Eric A. Smith Jr.), North Shore at N.E.S.S. 28 Aug (Robert L. McKernan), and Ft. Irwin 20–21 Sep (Matthew Gould, Brian Sandstrom). Very late MacGillivray’s Warblers on the northern deserts were at Furnace Creek Ranch 22 Oct (Emmett Iverson) and California City 23–24 Oct (Dessi Sieburth, Emmett Iverson).

The lone Hooded Warbler of the fall was near the Nevada border at Sandy Valley, San Bernardino Co 17 Oct (Todd Easterla). A strong showing of American Redstarts yielded some 53 birds on the coastal slope and islands 1 Sep+ and 13 on the deserts 12 Sep+. A Cape May Warbler was near Inyokern, Kern Co 18–24 Oct (Susan Moore), and another returned for its third winter to Loyola Marymount University in Westchester, Los Angeles Co 19 Oct+ (Kevin Lapp). Ten Northern Parulas were found along the coast 31 Aug–4 Nov; additional birds on the deserts were at Barstow SBE 19 Oct (Matthew A. Grube, Alexander E. Koonce), Bard IMP 20 Oct (Todd Easterla), and Ridgecrest 2–9 Nov (Lee Sutton). The summering Tropical Parula at Switzer’s Picnic Area in the upper Arroyo Seco was last reported 26 Sep (Benny Jacobs-Schwartz). Well below average were the six Magnolia Warblers on the coast 15 Sep–26 Oct and another on the desert at Piute Ponds 12 Oct (Sona Conlin). By contrast, above average were the eight Bay-breasted Warblers at Santa Cruz Island 15–20 Sep (Noah Eckman), Carlsbad 29 Sep (Tito Gonzalez), Coronado 8 Oct (Gary H. Rosenberg), Kate Sessions Park in Ocean Beach, San Diego Co 11–13 Oct (Kimball L. Garrett), Riverside 24–29 Oct (David Rankin), Lakewood, Los Angeles Co 29 Oct (Joyce Brady), Peck Road Water Conservation Park near El Monte, Los Angeles Co 12 Nov (Caleb J. Peterson), and La Mesa, San Diego Co 24–25 Nov (Barbara Wise). Thirteen Blackburnian Warblers were on the coastal slope and islands 14 Sep–27 Oct, along with an early bird in the mountains at Switzer’s Picnic Area 3 Sep (Ezekiel Dobson) and one on the desert at Baker 27 Sep (Matthew Brady). Fourteen Chestnut-sided Warblers were on the coastal slope 8 Sep–11 Oct plus returning wintering birds at Santa Barbara 7 Nov+ (Florence Sanchez et al.) and Lake Murray, San Diego Co 28 Nov (Paul E. Lehman); on the desert birds were at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve 9–13 Oct (Becca Cockrum) and Borrego Springs 25 Oct (Matt Farley). If one were to factor in the dramatic increase in birding coverage, especially that directed toward detecting fall vagrants, the 26 Blackpoll Warblers found this fall likely represents a clear decline from numbers found three or four decades ago; this fall’s 24 coastal slope and island birds were found 15 Sep–22 Oct, with desert sightings at Deep Springs College 7 Sep (Chris and Rosie Howard) and Baker 27 Sep–5 Oct (Matthew Brady). A male Black-throated Blue Warbler that landed on an oceanographic vessel off Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo Co 11 Oct was still aboard the ship when it was off Guadalupe Dunes, Santa Barbara Co later that day (Cory Harper); others were at Joshua Tree, San Bernardino Co 14 Sep (Ethan Peck), Fenner, San Bernardino Co 15 Oct (Jake Mohlmann, Jason St. Pierre), and Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim, Orange Co 12 Nov (Peter Nguyen). Thirty-nine Palm Warblers on the coastal slope and islands 21 Sep–22 Nov and another eight on the deserts 28 Sep–10 Nov was a bit below the recent fall average. A Pine Warbler at Santa Maria, Santa Barbara Co 26–27 Oct (Todd Easterla) had apparently returned for a second winter, but was not seen subsequently; unprecedented was the presence of up to three birds at Mentone Basin Park, Grover Beach, San Luis Obispo Co 6 Nov+ (Herb D. Elliott, m.ob.). A very early Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler was at Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground 5–6 Sep (Ann Stockert), with an early Audubon’s there 7 Sep (Ann Stockert); an even earlier lowland Audubon’s was at Goleta 29 Aug (Nick Lethaby). The fall’s lone Yellow-throated Warbler was at Furnace Creek Ranch 14–15 Oct (Todd Easterla). About average was a count of six Prairie Warblers, coastally at Islay Creek Campground, Montana de Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo Co 24 Sep (Ann M. Stockert), Goleta 25 Sep (Sue Cook), Tijuana River Valley 5 Oct (Nick Thorpe), and Santa Barbara I. 19 Oct (Nick A. Lethaby), and on the San Bernardino Co desert at Hinkley 2–5 Sep (Ched Whitney) and Baker 27–28 Sep (Jake Mohlmann). A Grace’s Warbler was at Point Loma 28–31 Sep (Nick Thorpe) and returning wintering birds were at Arroyo Verde Park in Ventura 14 Sep–8 Nov (Spencer Seale), Encinitas, San Diego Co 4 Nov+ (Susan Smith; returning for seventh winter) and National City, San Diego Co 9 Nov+ (Paul E. Lehman; returning for second winter). Black-throated Green Warblers were at Normal Heights in San Diego 27 Sep (Brandon Stidum), Sorrento Valley, San Diego Co 29 Sep (eBird), Oxnard, Ventura Co 2 Nov (Manju Venkat), and Kildee Park in Camarillo, Ventura Co 4–10 Nov (David Pereksta). The only two Canada Warblers of the season were at Valyermo, Los Angeles Co 20 Sep (Kimball L. Garrett) and Fullerton, Orange Co 22–25 Sep (Mallika Scott, Cadeo Scott-Schipper). Fall vagrant Painted Redstarts were at Huntington Beach Central Park 22 Sep (Roger A. Schoedl), Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley, Orange Co 22–24 Sep (Thomas E. Wurster), Carlsbad 5–15 Oct (Tito Gonzalez), Lake Cachuma, Santa Barbara Co 29 Oct (Ben Spring), and Point Loma 13 Nov (Paul E. Lehman); returning wintering birds were at Tierrasanta, San Diego Co 27 Oct+ (Robert T. Patton; for sixth winter), Fay Ranch Road near Weldon, Kern Co 9 Oct–2 Nov (Alison M. Sheehey), West Los Angeles 12 Oct+ (Mark Harris), and San Dimas Canyon Park, Los Angeles Co 28 Oct+ (Paul Clarke).

Cardinalids

San Diego County hit the mother lode of Hepatic Tanagers, with a male and female at Fallbrook 29–30 Nov (Justin Hartsell) and returning wintering birds at Tierrasanta 18 Oct–18 Nov (Paul E. Lehman; for 7th winter), San Dieguito County Park 20 Oct–3 Nov (Mark Stratton; for fourth winter), and Wing Street in San Diego 21 Oct–27 Nov (Michelle Haglund; for second winter). Over 80 Summer Tanagers on the coastal slope was a typical total, with half of them in San Diego Co; four other migrants were found on the deserts 26 Sep–20 Oct. Scarlet Tanagers were at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve 7–14 Oct (Dan Baumann), Point Loma 27–29 Oct (Paul E. Lehman), Little Lake Park in Santa Fe Springs, Los Angeles Co 1 Nov (Jonathan Rowley), and Twentynine Palms 2 Nov (Johnny Bovee).

Twenty-seven Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were in the coastal regions 16 Aug–29 Nov, along with one in the mountains at Running Springs, San Bernardino Co 9–15 Aug (Scott Taylor) and four on the deserts 2 Oct–2 Nov. The latest of a handful of late fall Blue Grosbeaks was along the Los Angeles River in the Elysian Valley 19–23 Nov (Jon L. Fisher). Eighteen Indigo Buntings were on the coast and islands 11 Sep–20 Nov, with another seven on the northern deserts 8 Sep–17 Oct. It was a banner fall for Painted Buntings in the region, with at least 11 birds found on the coast and islands 16 Aug–25 Oct and eight on the deserts 1–28 Sep; additional birds continuing into the winter period were a returning male at Carpinteria, Santa Barbara Co 25 Oct+ (John Callender) and one in Morro Bay 29 Nov–5 Dec (Mary Robinson). Nine Dickcissels were on the coastal slope and islands 22 Sep–23 Oct, along with five on the deserts 1 Sep–14 Oct.

Report processed by Eric DeFonso, 14 Mar 2025.