Abbreviations: N.E.S.S. (north end of the Salton Sea, Riverside Co); S.E.S.S. (south end of the Salton Sea, Imperial Co). Museum collections abbreviated in the text are: LACM (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County).

Because most rarities in southern 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.

Waterfowl Through Grebes

The only Brant inland were up to four summering at N.E.S.S. 8 Jun–31 Jul+ (Robert L. McKernan), two more at S.E.S.S. 25 Jul–13 Aug (Mike Ostrowski), and one at Borrego Springs, San Diego Co 15 May–22 Sep+ (Bridget Spencer). Three Greater Scaup at S.E.S.S. (New River mouth) 11 Aug (Victor Stoll) had clearly summered locally. A Surf Scoter, present inland at N.E.S.S. (North Shore) since May, remained through July (Robert L. McKernan). A Long-tailed Duck at the Santa Clara River mouth 6–30 Jun (Sangeet Khalsa) was clearly attempting to summer locally. A Hooded Merganser on Lake O’Neill at Camp Pendleton, San Diego Co 21 Jun–4 Aug (Peter A. Ginsburg) provides one of a very few records for summer.

A Horned Grebe on south San Diego Bay 1 Jul (Matt Sadowski) was evidently summering locally. The Red-necked Grebe inland on Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains was still present 4 Jun (Noah Price).

Doves through Hummingbirds

Single White-winged Doves were known along the coast in Lompoc, Santa Barbara Co 5 Jun (Lisa Walker-Roseman), Hueneme, Ventura Co 18 Jun (Noah Price), Fullerton, Orange Co 22 Jun (Mari B. Migliori) and in Carlsbad, San Diego Co 7 Jun (Blanche Ramswick).

A Yellow-billed Cuckoo found dead in West Los Angeles 20 Jun (Alicia Srinavas – *LACM), one known present at Piute Ponds, Los Angeles Co 28 Jun–14 Jul (Chris Dean), and a third photographed on San Clemente Island 13 Jul (Benjamin C. Stalheim) were all far from known nesting locations. However, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in Lone Pine, Inyo Co 4 Jul (Russell D. Kokx) and another along San Felipe Creek upstream from Scissors Crossing in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego Co on 20 Jul (Jacob Dioli) were in suitable breeding habitat, and up to six at the South Fork Wildlife Area, Kern Co during July (Annie Meyers) were at a known nesting area.

At least 12 Common Nighthawks were present around known breeding areas in the San Bernardino Mountains during the summer, but one near Needles, San Bernardino Co 26 Jul (Ryan O’Donnell) was unexpected. Mexican Whip-poor-wills were evidently absent from the suspected nesting area at Green Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains for the first time since found there in 2007. One or two Black Swifts over the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park throughout the period (Thomas Miko) were believed to be foraging from local nesting sites in the San Gabriel Mountains, and five at Monkeyface Falls in the San Bernardino Mountains 16 Jun (Dessi Sieburth) were at a known nesting site; however, four over La Canada Flintridge, Los Angeles Co 3 Jun (Michael Peralez) and one at Bonelli Regional Park, Los Angeles Co 13 Jun (Keith Condon) were likely late spring migrants. Up to four Vaux’s Swifts at the Water Treatment Ponds in Atascadero, San Luis Obispo Co 6–7 Jul (Roger H. Zachary) and another nearby 13 Jun–6 Jul (Steve and Janny Tillmann) were suspected to be nesting locally.

The only Calliope Hummingbirds reported near the extreme southern limit of this species’ breeding range in the San Gabriel Mountains, where now nearly extirpated, were one near Buckhorn Campground 12 Jun (Monte Neate-Clegg) and two more along the nearby Blue Ridge Road 18 Jun (Thomas E. Wurster). A Broad-tailed Hummingbird at Bishop, Inyo Co 17 Jun (Chris B. Howard) was a little to the west of this species’ limited breeding locations in California.

Rails through Jaegers

The presence of a Sora at the Madrona Marsh in Torrance, Los Angeles Co 15 Jun suggested that it was possibly summering locally, and one at Upper Otay Lake, San Diego Co 17 Jul (Paul E. Lehman) was an early fall migrant since this species is not known to nest anywhere nearby in Southern California.

The presence of a paired hybrid American x Black Oystercatcher and a Black Oystercatcher with a recently hatched chick at Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma 3 Jul (iNaturalist – Carmen) established the first successful oystercatcher nesting in San Diego Co. An American/Pacific Golden-Plover photographed at the San Mateo Creek mouth, San Diego Co 9 Jun (Diane Etchison) was evidently a late spring migrant.

A Ruff in Anaheim, Orange Co 16–19 Jul (Trish R. Gussler) was the same bird present here last fall. A Stilt Sandpiper on the Los Angeles River in Long Beach, Los Angeles Co 30 Jul (Merryl Edelstein) was the only one reported away from the S.E.S.S. A Baird’s Sandpiper on south San Diego Bay 22 Jul (Paul E. Lehman) was the earliest of the southbound migrants this fall. A Little Stint on south San Diego Bay 18 Jul (Matt Sadowski) was the same bird present there through the past four winters. Early fall migrant Pectoral Sandpipers were adults at Laguna Lake, San Luis Obispo Co 17 Jul (Sam P. Larkin), on the Los Angeles River in Long Beach 17–27 Jul (Jeff Boyd), and at Malibu, Los Angeles Co 23–24 Jul (Femi Faminu). A Semipalmated Sandpiper on south San Diego Bay 26–28 Jul (Matt Sadowski) was the earliest of the juveniles this year.

The first of the fall Solitary Sandpipers were single birds at Piute Ponds, Los Angeles Co 11 Jul (Kimball L. Garrett), in the Riverside Co portion of the Prado Basin 12 Jul (James E. Pike), and in Ramona, San Diego Co 15 Jul (Nancy Christensen). An adult Gray-tailed Tattler at the Chula Vista Wildlife Reserve, San Diego Co 12–16 Jul (Matt Sadowski) was the second to be found in California, and only the fourth along the Pacific Coast south of Alaska.

Three South Polar Skuas over the Santa Cruz Basin off Ventura Co 9 Jul (David Pereksta), one off Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo Co 21 Jul (Alvaro Jaramillo), and another near the 30-Mile Bank off San Diego 31 Jul (Gary Nunn) were the only five reported. Two Long-tailed Jaegers over the 30-Mile Bank off San Diego 16 Jul were the earliest of the fall migrants this year.

Alcids through Terns

Southbound Common Murres at Point La Jolla in La Jolla, San Diego Co on 11, 13 and 18 Jun (Paul E. Lehman) were earlier than expected. Two Pigeon Guillemots at Point La Jolla 20 Jun (Paul E. Lehman) were at the southern limit of this species’ range. A Guadalupe Murrelet 32 km west of Point Loma 16 Jul (Paul E. Lehman) and another near Santa Catalina Island 30 Jul (Mark Wilson) were the only two reported. However, remote cameras on San Clemente Island show a Guadalupe Murrelet at an artificial burrow 6–21 Mar, and two chicks leaving the burrow on 21 Mar (Mike Parker and Darrell Whitworth), documenting the first successful breeding in California and the United States. Counts of 77 Craveri’s Murrelets off San Diego 16 Jul (Paul E. Lehman) and 48 there 31 Jul (Gary Nunn) suggest more than the expected numbers moved north into California’s oceanic waters this summer, and four about 12 km south of Santa Cruz Island 9 Jul (Dave Pereksta) were the northernmost. A Rhinoceros Auklet near the 9-Mile Bank off San Diego 12 Jun (Paul E. Lehman) was undoubtedly attempting to summer locally since this location is well south of the southernmost known breeding site. A Horned Puffin, a casual straggler to California, was about 10 km off Morro Bay 21 Jul (Alvaro Jaramillo). Two Tufted Puffins off Morro Bay 21 Jul (Alvaro Jaramillo) were near the extreme southern limit of this species’ range.

Single Laughing Gulls around San Diego on 5, 14 and 22 Jun (Joe Alsadi, Sean Buchanan and Mel Senac) were on the coast where rare. A first-cycle Franklin’s Gull at S.E.S.S. (Rock Hill) 19 Jul (Nicole Koeltzow) was the only one reported. The only Heermann’s Gull inland was an adult associating with nesting California Gulls at S.E.S.S. (Rock Hill) 11 May–20 Jun (Nicole Koeltzow). A second-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull present on the Los Angeles River 3 Jul–4 Oct+ (David Bell) was one of the few to over-summer in the region.

A Least Tern at Piute Ponds 4 Jul (William Tyrer) was the only one reported well inland. The only breeding Gull-billed Terns known in California were 30 pairs on south San Diego Bay (Robert Patton) and a similar number at S.E.S.S. (Unit 1) (Nicole Koeltzow). An Arctic Tern off San Diego 31 Jul (Matt Sadowski) was the earliest of the fall migrants this year. An impressive 500+ pairs of Royal Terns nested on south San Diego Bay (Robert Patton). At least 17,220 pairs of Elegant Terns nested on south San Diego Bay (Robert Patton), but none nested at Bolsa Chica as in previous years and a colony in Long Beach Harbor largely failed.

Tropicbirds through Shearwaters

A Red-billed Tropicbird only 6.5 km off Point Loma 24 Jul (Gary Nunn) was the only one reported. A late spring migrant Red-throated Loon on Lake Isabella 3 Jun (David Yee) was only the fifth known in Kern Co. Two Common Loons inland on Lake Perris 12 Jul (Kathryn McGiffen) and one at N.E.S.S (North Shore) 29 Jun–6 Jul (Robert L. McKernan) were evidently summering locally.

A Laysan Albatross 5 km off Newport Beach 21 Jul (Kayla Smith) was exceptionally close to shore, and one near the 30-Mile Bank off San Diego 31 Jul (Matt Sadowski) had been banded on Guadalupe Island off Mexico.

Single Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, rare over Southern California’s ocean waters, were near the 30-Mile Bank off San Diego 10 Jul (Gary Nunn) and 8 km off San Pedro, Los Angeles Co the same day (Andrew Birch). A Townsend’s Storm-Petrel over the 9-Mile Bank off San Diego 16 Jul (Paul E. Lehman) was the earliest of the late summer/fall birds occurring annually off Southern California, and one 30 km southeast of Santa Catalina Island on 31 Jul (Naresh Satyan) was the farthest north. A Least Storm-Petrel off San Diego 24 Jul (Matt Sadowski) and seven counted over the San Diego and Los Angeles Co portions of the 30-Mile Bank 31 Jul (Gary Nunn, Andrew Birch) were the only ones reported.

Seven Cook’s Petrels well off Santa Barbara and Ventura Cos 9 Jul (David Pereksta) were in an area where expected, and up to six in a day (six on 26 Jul) near the 30-Mile Bank off San Diego between 8 and 31 Jul (Paul E. Lehman, Gary Nunn) were closer to the coast, but proving to be annual in that area. However, totally unexpected was a Cook’s Petrel present briefly well inland on the lake at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park near Escondido 10 Jun (Kris McMillan and Geoff Veith) and it had most likely flown overland northwestward from the Gulf of California; at least five at the Salton Sea between 1984 and 1995 provide the only other inland records in Southern California.

An unusually early Buller’s Shearwater was near the northeast end of Santa Cruz Island 28 Jun (Joel Barrett). A Flesh-footed Shearwater, rare over Southern California’s ocean waters, was photographed over the 9-Mile Bank off San Diego 26 Jun (Dan Jehl). Single Manx Shearwaters were photographed over the 9-Mile Bank off San Diego on 12 Jun (Paul E. Lehman) and 16 Jul (Nick Thorpe), off Orange County 24 Jun (David Pereksta), and a fourth was photographed over the Redondo Canyon off Los Angeles 17 Jul (Andrew Birch).

Storks through Cormorants

A Wood Stork at the Prado Basin, Riverside Co 1 Jun–13 Jul (James E. Pike) was the same bird known present at widely separated locations in Riverside and San Diego Cos since May 2020.

Single immature Magnificent Frigatebirds were along the coast over Santa Barbara 18 Jul (Margaret Taylor); in La Jolla 19 Jul (David Miller) and at the Santa Clara River estuary, Ventura Co 27 Jul (Andrew Hulm); and a fourth was inland at S.E.S.S. (Lack and Lindsey) 9 Jul (Trevor Wimmer)—numbers of this species reaching California have declined in recent years.

A sub-adult Masked/Nazca Booby was photographed off Mission Bay 24 Jul (Cody Pham). Single Nazca Boobies were at Point La Jolla in La Jolla 9 Jun (Paul E. Lehman), over the 9-Mile Bank off San Diego 10 Jul (Gary Nunn), and over the 30-Mile Bank off San Diego the same day (Gary Nunn), along with two adults together over the 9-Mile Bank off San Diego 26 Jun (Gary Nunn). Two Blue-footed Boobies were still at Santa Barbara Island (Sutil Island) 9 Jul (Dave Pereksta) and another flew south past Point La Jolla in La Jolla 30 Jul (Jay Desgrosellier). Single Red-footed Boobies over the 9-Mile Bank off San Diego 10 Jul (Gary Nunn), 1.5 km off Ocean Beach, San Diego Co 16 Jul (Paul E. Lehman), and about 30 km off Port San Luis, San Luis Obispo Co 24 Jun (Andrea Hammond) were the only three reported.

A pair of Neotropic Cormorants with three young at the Sepulveda Wildlife Area 4 Jun–23 Jul (Jon L. Fisher) documents the first confirmed nesting in the coastal lowlands, and one at Bardsdale, Ventura Co 4 Jun-12 Jul (Lukas Le Grice) was the northernmost.

Hawks through Woodpeckers

A young Bald Eagle at S.E.S.S. (Rock Hill) 21 Jul (Adam Panto) was only the fourth known at the Salton Sink in summer and suspected to have wandered west after leaving a nest in central Arizona rather than from the north. Single Mississippi Kites, rare vagrants to California, were photographed over Kit Carson Park in Escondido 26 Jun (Isa Dav), at the Cornucopia Community Garden in Ventura, Ventura Co 16 Jul (Frank DeMartino), and seen over La Mesa, San Diego Co 26 Jul (Paul E. Lehman). An adult Common Black Hawk was at the Palo Verde Ecological Reserve, Riverside Co 17 Jun–31 Jul+ (Loren Wright). At least seven Harris’s Hawks remained at Shelter Valley in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, and up to five remained in Jacumba, San Diego Co through the summer (Christie Sweeney, Paul E. Lehman). A pair of Swainson’s Hawks in the City of Cypress, Orange Co had one chick in their nest during July (Ben R. Newhouse), but failed to fledge. Since very few Zone-tailed Hawks have been found in the coastal lowlands in summer, an adult in Poway, San Diego Co 20-31 Jul+ (Dan Steussy) was unexpected.

A Lewis’s Woodpecker in Santa Ynez, Santa Barbara Co 30 May–24 Jun (Robert Eting) was the first ever in Santa Barbara County in summer. A Black-backed Woodpecker in the French Fire burn area in the Greenhorn Mountains, Kern Co 4 Jun (Nicolas Schleissmann) provides the southernmost record ever for this woodpecker.

Tyrant Flycatchers through Vireos

A Brown-crested Flycatcher at Mojave Narrows Regional Park, San Bernardino Co 15 Jul (Bill Deppe) was at western extreme of the species’ breeding range. An Eastern Wood-Pewee photographed and heard calling, but not voice-recorded, at California City, Kern Co 2 Jun is under CBRC review (Lucas Corneliussen, Derek Hameister, Lucas Stephenson, Mark Stephenson). A Western Wood-Pewee at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, San Bernardino Co 20 Jul (Adam Panto) was considered to be an early fall migrant. Casual in summer in the southern California mountains, a Hammond’s Flycatcher was at Bluff Lake in the San Bernardino Mts. 19 Jun (Gary McLarty).

A White-eyed Vireo remained in Bishop, Inyo Co 25 Jul–8 Aug (Rosie Howard). Up to two Gray Vireos in the Little Cowhorn Valley of the Inyo Mts., Inyo Co 20–29 Jun represented a northerly breeding range expansion in this range (Russell D. Kokx). Late spring vagrant Yellow-throated Vireos were at Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo Co 2 Jun (Brad K. Schram) and at Border Field Park in the Tijuana River Valley, San Diego Co 25–27 Jun (Matt Sadowski). A Warbling Vireo at

Ocean Beach, San Diego Co 15–16 Jun (Susan E. Smith) was at a coastal locality away from breeding areas. A Red-eyed Vireo in a Huntington Beach residential area, Orange Co 10 Jun (Ryan S. Winkleman) may be the same individual found three years in a row here; others were at Laguna Canyon, Orange Co 16 Jun (Jim E. Pike), Palo Verde Ecological Reserve, Riverside Co 25 Jun (Matthew Grube), and the Bird and Butterfly Garden in the Tijuana River Valley 12 Jul–17 Aug (Kale Worman).

Larks through Icterids

Large areas of juniper-Joshua tree woodland around Juniper Hills on the north slope of the San Gabriel Mtns., Los Angeles Co, burned in the “Bobcat” fire in September 2020; with a profusion of annual growth this spring (unlike the very dry winter and spring of 2021), Horned Larks moved in in large numbers, displaying and presumably breeding throughout the spring and summer. A high count of 250 was made on 4 Jul (Kimball L. Garrett) in an area where the species had rarely been recorded in four prior years of intensive coverage.

First-of-fall Bank Swallows were at Piute Ponds, Los Angeles Co 11 Jul (Kimball L. Garrett) and N.E.S.S. 20 Jul (Robert McKernan). A White-breasted Nuthatch at Laguna Niguel, Orange Co 9 Jul was unexpected in summer at this coastal locality (Robert B. McNab). A family group of Cedar Waxwings (two adults and up to two fledglings) in Vandenberg Village 10–17 Jul established the first breeding record for Santa Barbara Co (Miguel Christie) and one of the few for the region. A Swainson’s Thrush at Talbert Regional Park in Costa Mesa, Orange Co 20 Jun (Betty Kanne et al.) was a very late spring migrant. Gray Catbirds were in Inyo Co at Shoshone 1–2 Jun (two birds, with one remaining to 4 Jun; Adam Panto) and Bishop 22–25 Jun (Chris and Rosie Howard).

An American Goldfinch in Bishop 26 Jun (Chris and Rosie Howard) was unusual in summer in Inyo Co. Chipping Sparrows are surprisingly scarce and local in San Luis Obispo Co, so their presence at the Santa Rita Ranch west of Templeton 6 Jun–31 Jul, including an adult feeding fledged juvenile (Tom M. Edell) was noteworthy and the only county report for the period. A spring vagrant Clay-colored Sparrow was at Furnace Creek Ranch, Inyo Co 4 Jun (Jon S. Feenstra). The hybrid Dark-eyed Junco X White-crowned Sparrow remained in Los Osos, San Luis Obispo Co 5 Jun–9 Jul (Jay C. Carroll). A Golden-crowned Sparrow at Lake Los Carneros in Goleta, Santa Barbara Co 2 Jul–13 Aug (Richard Block et al.) was unexpected in summer, but the bird may have had a wing injury. A White-crowned Sparrow (subspecies not indicated) was near El Cajon, San Diego Co 5 Jul (Mandy Mathews). Somewhat out of range was a juvenile Rufous-crowned Sparrow at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve 2 Jul (Brad Rumble).

Following other Inyo Co reports in late May, Bobolinks were found at Furnace Creek Rach 1 Jun (three birds; Lucas Corneliussen) and Deep Springs College 2 Jun (Scott B. Terrill). The Baltimore Oriole at Shoshone, Inyo Co continued from 30 May to 3 Jun (Scott B. Terrill).

Wood Warblers through Cardinalids

As always, late spring wood warbler vagrants spilled over well into Jun. Examples include an

Ovenbird at the Palo Verde Ecological Reserve RIV 19 Jun (Russ Namitz), a Worm-eating Warbler at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve 8 Jun (Cameron Foreman), a Northern Waterthrush at Alta Sierra, Kern Co 23 Jun (William L. Rockey), and a Black-and-white Warbler at China Ranch, Inyo Co 2 Jun (Andrew Howe). A Prothonotary Warbler attending a feeder at Encinitas, San Diego Co 9 Jun–15 Sep (Neal Glasgow) established a unique oversummering record. A Tennessee Warbler continued at Furnace Creek Ranch from 31 May to 3 Jun (Chris Dean), and a late vagrant was at Huntington Beach, Orange Co 25 Jun (Brenda Schulte). A Mourning Warbler at Furnace Creek Ranch 1–3 Jun (Lucas Corneliussen) was the ninth to be found in Inyo Co.

A Hooded Warbler at Coronado, San Diego Co 12 Jun (Elizabeth Copper) was the only one reported this summer. Cape May Warblers were on the Owens River north of Bishop INY 17–19 Jun (Aidan Place) and at Solana Beach, San Diego Co 26 Jun (Steve Perry). The five American Redstarts during the period were at Butterbredt Spring, Kern Co 5 Jun (Scott B. Terrill, Ryan S. Terrill), California City, Kern Co 6 Jun (Mark Kudrav), Furnace Creek Ranch 7 Jun (Sonja Raub), and Big Morongo Canyon Preserve 17 Jun (Eric Heisey, Dessi Sieburth), along with a singing adult male at Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground, San Luis Obispo Co 5–29 Jun (Mitch Siemens). There wasn’t much of a showing of Northern Parulas, with one continuing from 20 May to 20 Jun at Montana de Oro SP, San Luis Obispo Co (m. ob.), and another at Butterbredt Spring 6 Jun (Brian Hofstetter). Chestnut-sided Warblers were at California City 6 Jun (Mark Kudrav) and Arrastre Creek in the San Bernardino Mts. 16 Jun (Eric Heisey, Dessi Sieburth). Two female Blackpoll Warblers were at Furnace Creek Ranch 1 Jun (Lucas Corneliussen). Late Yellow-rumped Warblers included a Myrtle at Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground 11 Jun (Liam and Kilian Hampl) and an Audubon’s at Lake Los Carneros in Goleta 1 Jun. A Townsend’s Warbler at Grandview Campground in the White Mtns. 23 Jul (Van Pierszalowski) established an unprecedented July record for Inyo Co. A Hermit Warbler was at West Meadow in the Laguna Mtns. 12 Jun (Mark Pecha); this species is not known to breed in San Diego Co.

Some 23 Summer Tanagers (not including birds at known breeding sites) were scattered around the region through the period, illustrating the complex status of this species – including both western cooperii and eastern nominate subspecies; far-flung reports included one at Wilson Cove, San Clemente I. 20–29 Jun (Kandace L. Glanville, Benjamin C. Stalheim), up to two at Furnace Creek Ranch 1–4 Jun (m. ob.), and one at Montana de Oro SP, Luis Obispo Co 10 Jun (Petra and Jack Clayton). A Scarlet Tanager at Balboa Park in San Diego 24–15 Aug (Jamie Lantzy) was undoubtedly summering.

Twelve Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were on the coastal slope 1 Jun–12 Jul, and another five were on the northern deserts 2–15 Jun. Cessation of farming in an area of the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, Orange Co led to the establishment of extensive weedy growth that was colonized by breeding Blue Grosbeaks – with an amazing count of 21 birds on 7 Jun (Karly Moore). Indigo Buntings were at Big Pine Mtn., Santa Barbara Co 13 Jun–7 Jul (Linus E. Blomqvist et al.), Forest Falls, San Bernardino Co 22 Jun (Sean Crockett), Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura Co 9–26 Jul (Mike Tiffany), and the Los Angeles River at the Bette Davis Picnic Area near Glendale, 26 Jul–19 Aug (Jon L. Fisher); a male remained in the Tijuana River Valley 4 May–14 Aug (Marcie Mason), joined by a female there 25 Jun–14 Aug (Barbara Wise) and a second male there 30 Jul (Martha Wild).

Report processed by José Ramírez-Garofalo, 24 Oct 2022.