- RBA
* California
* Los Angeles RBA
* December 9, 2010
* CALA1012.09

-Birds mentioned

Snow Goose
Ross’s Goose
Cackling Goose
Tundra Swan (Ventura County)
Eurasian Wigeon
Common Goldeneye
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
American Bittern (Ventura County)
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Ancient Murrelet
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Least Flycatcher
Gray Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Vermilion Flycatcher
Pacific Wren
Northern Parula
Pine Warbler
Swamp Sparrow
Summer Tanager
Common Grackle

California Bird Records Committee (report rarities as appropriate on the rare
bird report form): http://www.californiabirds.org/

Enter your bird sightings on eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird

Hotline: Los Angeles Rare Bird Alert
Telephone Number: (323) 874-1318
E-mail reports to: Jon Fisher at JonF60@...
Coverage: Los Angeles County, Ventura County

-Transcript

This is the Los Angeles Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, December 9.

The male EURASIAN WIGEON continued through December 4 along the LA River in
Glendale, adjacent to the Bette Davis Picnic Area at the corner of Victory and
Riverside.

As of December 7, the LONG-TAILED DUCK and one female/immature BLACK SCOTER
continued in the Surf Scoter flock off Dockweiler State Beach in El Segundo.
View with a scope from near lifeguard station #58. Access this area from the
Hyperion parking lot between Imperial and Grand.

Another WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was seen off Santa Monica Beach on December 7.

An adult male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was at the north arm of Pyramid Lake on
December 4 along with a few COMMON GOLDENEYES. Exit the 5 Freeway at Smokey
Bear Road, cross under the freeway and turn left to the fee station.

Quail Lake off Highway 138 east of the 5 Freeway had a female RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER and very few COMMON GOLDENEYES- 13 to be precise- for that area on
December 4.

HOODED MERGANSER numbers had reached 17 (about half being males) at the El
Cariso Golf Course in Sylmar. The pond where the birds are can be viewed from
Eldridge Ave. southeast of the golf course entrance.

A third year BALD EAGLE continued at Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas through
December 2.

The juvenile BROAD-WINGED HAWK continued at the Sepulveda Basin in Van Nuys
through December 8. It has been in the southwest part of the field that lies
just northeast of Burbank and Woodley.

An ANCIENT MURRELET was in the Ballona Channel below the Pacific Ave. bridge
from December 5-7.

The YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER continued through December 8 at Ed Vincent Park in
Inglewood. Look for it near the Warren Lane parking lot exit, though it does
move around the area.

The LEAST FLYCATCHER at DeForest Park in Long Beach continued through December
8. It has been in the area just south of the tennis courts and park building
and can usually be located by its call.

A GRAY FLYCATCHER continues at Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena. It is
being seen north of the lower parking area along the dirt road/path on the east
side of the oaks.

The EASTERN PHOEBE at Harbor Regional Park in Wilmington was reported through
December 8. It is being seen near the dam along the south end of Lake Machado,
and nearby in the riparian area and near the observation tower.

Another EASTERN PHOEBE was at Malibu Creek State Park along the Braille Trail on
December 2. It was also seen in the adjacent field and by the path that runs
along the creek, all fairly close to the parking area.

A PACIFIC WREN (recently split from WINTER WREN) was in Big Santa Anita Canyon
above Arcadia on December 4. The bird is along the Gabrielino Trail past
Sturdevant Falls and just below where the trail crosses the stream and there is
a small waterfall. What was presumably (but not positively) the same bird was
later seen upstream by the Cascade Picnic Area.

A first year NORTHERN PARULA was at Oak Creek Park (aka La Mirada Creek Park) in
La Mirada on December 7. To get to the location where this bird was seen, park
on Los Flores and walk under Imperial Highway, crossing the first pedestrian
bridge. Bear left and then up to where a broken pipe is leaking and a number of
empty bottles are strewn about and check this general area.

The immature male PINE WARBLER at Hansen Dam in Sylmar was seen through December
8. Take the Osborne exit from the 210 Freeway and head southwest to the Sports
Center parking lot which is just off Foothill Blvd. The bird has been in pines
east of the parking lot and more often downhill from the parking lot by the
circular amphitheater.

A SWAMP SPARROW was at the northeast corner of Holiday Lake in the west Antelope
Valley on
December 4 along with four CACKLING GEESE and two flyover SNOW GEESE. Take La
Petite Road north from Highway 138 and go right on Elise, then east on West Ave
B-8 and left on Calcot.

A male SUMMER TANAGER was at LA National Cemetery in Westwood on December 8. It
was about 200 feet south of the “T” intersection of Shiloh and Antietam.

A COMMON GRACKLE was found at Earvin Magic Johnson Recreation Area in
Willowbrook on December 9. It was seen in the grackle and blackbird flock
around the south lake. Early morning or late afternoon may be best as the
flocks tend to disperse during the day. On the island in the south lake was an
immature female VERMILION FLYCATCHER, also on December 9.

VENTURA COUNTY—

At the Saticoy Spreading Ponds, two SNOW GEESE and a ROSS’S GOOSE were present
on December 3. An immature TUNDRA SWAN was there on December 4.

A BALD EAGLE was at the end of Arnold Road on December 8 along with a continuing
AMERICAN BITTERN.

This report is sponsored by the Los Angeles Audubon Society.

- end transcript

Jon L Fisher
Glendale, CA
JonF60@...

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