Santa Monica Bay Audobon Society - Malibu Lagoon Trip Report, Feb 23, 20145

http://smbasblog.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/malibu-lagoon-trip-report-23-february-2014/

At the start of these bird walks, I always tell everyone to ask whatever questions they like.So, of course, I was immediately hit with what – in my book – is unanswerable: “What unusual birds might we see today?” “Well,” I think to myself, “if it’s unusual, how can I know in advance what it’ll be? Kiwi, Andean Cock-of-the Rock, Wandering Albatross – those would certainly be unusual, although not likely.” I may have replied, “Wait and see,” or perhaps the ever-truthful, “I don’t know.”  Life is mysterious: wonders and surprises abound.

Peregrine Falcon on PCH light pole (L. Johnson 2/23/14)

Unusual, certainly, were the six species of raptors which appeared, especially the great show put on by thePeregrine Falcon who flew around and perched in several locations so close to us it seemed to be demanding that attention must be paid. The gulls, ducks and shorebirds, while less admiring than were we, certainly paid attention.

The Peregrine was first spotted perched far off in a tree in Malibu Colony. It then flew by us, under the PCH bridge, and up onto a light pole.

Peregrine Falcon (R. Ehler 2/23/14)

Then back and around to perch in a tree over the path to the beach.

Peregrine Falcon (R. Ehler 2/23/14)

DNA analysis recently revealed that the Falcons are far more closely related to Passerines (crows, sparrows, etc.)

Peregrine Falcon with harassing crow (R. Ehler 2/23/14)

than to the Hawks & Eagles, and the order of Falcons (along with the Parrots who were found to be the Falcons’ closest kin), were relocated between the Woodpeckers and the Passerines. For now. Who knows what the next round of DNA analysis might reveal – perhaps hummingbirds and swifts really are insects as some fool claimed last April Fool’s Day. But I still consider falcons to be ‘raptors’: today we had 2Osprey and one each of Red-shouldered & Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin andPeregrine Falcon.

One of the two Ospreys (R. Ehler 2/23/14)

When we first arrived, and as in previous months, we saw many gulls on the east end of the beach, but by the time we’d gotten there, most had flown off to feed far out on the ocean. Although fog was thin, it was heavy enough to obscure the horizon, rendering the far-off flock difficult to see. It might have contained pelicans and terns; we couldn’t be sure.

It’s surprising (and unusual) how some birds have hung on at the lagoon this winter: an Orange-crowned Warbler has (intermittently) been seen since last August, an even-more-uncommonTownsend’s Warbler since October, and 3 (or more) Western Meadowlarks, also since October.  The warblers prefer the foliage and the swale along the back of the Malibu Colony houses.  The meadowlarks prefer sandy areas with sparse vegetation; when they get onto the sand islands, they’re nearly impossible to see. This month’s Hermit Thrush was in the brush fringing the parking lot, rather than by the colony wall as were last month’s duo.

Marbled Godwit at lagoon outlet (R. Ehler 2/23/14)

Birds new for the season were: Surf Scoter, American Kestrel (usually found at Legacy Park),Black Oystercatcher (unusual and irregular lagoon visitors), Eurasian Collared Dove, and Tree Swallow.

Black Oystercatchers with Malibu Pier in background (R. Ehler 2/23/14)

Our next three scheduled field trips:  Hiker Lu’s Santa Monica Mountains adventure, 8 Mar, 8:30am; Malibu Lagoon, 23 Mar, 8:30 & 10am; Wilson Canyon or Walker Ranch, 5 Apr, 8:30am.
Our next program:  Tuesday, 4 Mar., 7:30 pm. Antarctica:, presented by Chuck & Alice Bragg.

NOTE: Our 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk meets at the shaded viewing area.

Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon from 9/23/02.
Prior checklists: July-Dec’11, Jan-June’11, July-Dec ’10, Jan-June ’10,Jul-Dec ‘09, and Jan-June ‘09.

Comments on Bird Lists Below
Total Birds:   February total birds of 1139 is 28% below the 6-year Feb. average of 1585, due primarily to the departure of gulls before they were counted.
Summary of total birds from the 6-year average so far:  Jun’12 +36%, Jul’12 -9%, Aug’12 -9%, Sep’12 +12%, Oct’12 +3%, Nov’12 -5%, Dec’12 +30%, Jan’13 -20%, Feb’13 -29%, Mar’13 -30%, Apr’13 -34%, May’13 -37%, Jun’13 -24%, Jul’13 +83%, Aug’13 +37%, Sep’13 +23%, Oct’13 +41%, Nov’13 -58%, Dec’13 -49%, Jan’14 -62%, Feb’14 -28%.
Species Diversity:  February 2014 with 66 species was 10% above the 6-year Feb. average of 60.
Summary of species diversity from the 6-year average so far:  Jun’12 -10%, Jul’12 +10%, Aug’12. -6%, Sep’12 -20%, Oct’12 +5%, Nov’12 +2%, Dec’12 -4%, Jan’13 +2%, Feb’13 -8%, Mar’13 +9%, Apr’13 -2%, May’13 +3%, Jun’13 +13%, Jul’13 0%, Aug’13 +11%, Sep’13 -14%, Oct’13 +19%, Nov’13 -3%, Dec’13 -6%, Jan’14 -2%, Feb’14 +10%.
10-year comparison summaries are available on our Lagoon Project Bird Census Page.   [Chuck Almdale]

Malibu Census	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
February 2009-14	2/22	2/28	2/27	2/26	2/24	2/23
Temperature	60-70	55-61	45-60	48-64	55-65	60-65
Tide Lo/Hi Height	H+5.5	H+6.19	L-0.41	H+3.37	H+5.50	L+0.31	Ave.
Tide Time	0728	0835	1243	1136	0802	1104	Birds
Snow Goose				1			0.2
Brant					15		2.5
Canada Goose			6				1.0
Gadwall	18	35	22	35	13	30	25.5
American Wigeon	16		4	8		20	8.0
Mallard	20	13	24	30	14	18	19.8
Cinnamon Teal	5						0.8
Northern Shoveler	28		2	35	22	25	18.7
Northern Pintail				8	2		1.7
Green-winged Teal	23	2	17	38	1	12	15.5
Surf Scoter	6	4	8	40		3	10.2
Bufflehead	8		2	4	14	8	6.0
Common Merganser					6		1.0
Red-brstd Merganser	5	5	8	8	3	6	5.8
Ruddy Duck	12	14	33	24	41	70	32.3
Red-throated Loon		1		2			0.5
Pacific Loon	2	1	1	3	2	1	1.7
Common Loon	1			1			0.3
Pied-billed Grebe	1		2	2	2	4	1.8
Horned Grebe	1					3	0.7
Eared Grebe				2		3	0.8
Western Grebe	9	6	12	40	2		11.5
Brandt’s Cormorant	3	2		15	4		4.0
Dble-crstd Cormorant	25	21	37	28	40	33	30.7
Pelagic Cormorant	2	1	3	2			1.3
Brown Pelican	107	81	23	12	10	5	39.7
Great Blue Heron			1		1	2	0.7
Great Egret	4	3	1	2	1	4	2.5
Snowy Egret	10	4	9	8	1	8	6.7
Blk-crwnd N-Heron			1				0.2
Turkey Vulture	1				1		0.3
Osprey						2	0.3
Red-shouldered Hawk				2		1	0.5
Red-tailed Hawk	1	3			2	1	1.2
American Kestrel						1	0.2
Merlin						1	0.2
Peregrine Falcon						1	0.2
Virginia Rail			1				0.2
Sora	2	1	3	3			1.5
American Coot	152	175	175	285	82	210	180
Blk-bellied Plover	42	59	65	93	50	93	67.0
Snowy Plover	49	49	59	54	36	24	45.2
Semipalmated Plover		1					0.2
Killdeer	1		4	10	1	6	3.7
Black Oystercatcher			1	2		2	0.8
American Avocet	2	2		1			0.8
Spotted Sandpiper	3	2	2	1		2	1.7
Willet	8	15	7	2	1	5	6.3
Whimbrel	2		5	2		3	2.0
Marbled Godwit	24	17			2	3	7.7
Ruddy Turnstone	9	11	5	13			6.3
Sanderling	130	172	135	100	170	140	141
Least Sandpiper	4		18				3.7
Boneparte’s Gull			13	1			2.3
Heermann’s Gull	19	7				3	4.8
Mew Gull			1				0.2
Ring-billed Gull	20	42	250	35	120	35	83.7
Western Gull	125	74	120	55	40	70	80.7
California Gull	1360	45	1050	360	280	110	534
Herring Gull	1						0.2
Glaucous-wingd Gull	12	3	3	2	2		3.7
Forster’s Tern				1			0.2
Royal Tern	8	32		1	3	6	8.3
Elegant Tern		1					0.2
Black Skimmer		5	3				1.3
Rock Pigeon	6	4	4	4	1	4	3.8
Eur. Collared-Dove						1	0.2
Mourning Dove	2			2			0.7
Anna’s Hummingbird	2	3	2	2	1		1.7
Allen’s Hummingbird	3	3	3	1	3	4	2.8
Belted Kingfisher			1	1	1		0.5
Downy Woodpecker	1						0.2
Black Phoebe	4	5	5	4		6	4.0
Say’s Phoebe	1	1				3	0.8
Cassin’s Kingbird				2		1	0.5
American Crow	6	4	4	8	7	4	5.5
Common Raven					1		0.2
Rough-wingd Swallow	20	1		2			3.8
Tree Swallow	180				10	1	31.8
Barn Swallow			3				0.5
Cliff Swallow			1		12		2.2
Bushtit	16	5	6	4	10	2	7.2
Bewick’s Wren				1		2	0.5
Marsh Wren	1		1				0.3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet				2		2	0.7
Hermit Thrush				1		1	0.3
Northern Mockingbird	1	3	2	2	2	2	2.0
European Starling	12	41	35	15	52	35	31.7
Ornge-crwnd Warbler					1	1	0.3
Yellow-rumpd Warbler	10	4	2		2	28	7.7
Townsend’s Warbler						1	0.2
Common Yellowthroat	2	1	2	2		5	2.0
Spotted Towhee		1			1		0.3
California Towhee		1	1	2		1	0.8
Savannah Sparrow				2			0.3
Song Sparrow	5	6	8	8	2	18	7.8
White-crwnd Sparrow	3	4		4	4	15	5.0
Red-winged Blackbird			4	15			3.2
Western Meadowlark		1				3	0.7
Brewer’s Blackbird				1			0.2
Great-tailed Grackle	2			8	5	3	3.0
Brwn-headed Cowbird						2	0.3
House Finch	6	3	3	10	3	8	5.5
Lesser Goldfinch			4		2	12	3.0
Totals by Type	2/22	2/28	2/27	2/26	2/24	2/23	Ave.
Waterfowl	141	73	126	231	131	192	149
Water Birds-Other	305	289	257	395	142	259	275
Herons, Egrets	14	7	12	10	3	14	10
Raptors	2	3	0	2	3	7	3
Shorebirds	274	328	301	278	260	278	287
Gulls & Terns	1545	209	1440	455	445	224	720
Doves	8	4	4	6	1	5	5
Other Non-Pass.	6	6	6	4	5	4	5
Passerines	269	81	81	93	114	156	132
Totals Birds	2564	1000	2227	1474	1104	1139	1585
	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Total Species	2/22	2/28	2/27	2/26	2/24	2/23	Ave.
Waterfowl	10	6	10	11	10	9	9.3
Water Birds-Other	11	9	9	12	7	7	9.2
Herons, Egrets	2	2	4	2	3	3	2.7
Raptors	2	1	0	1	2	6	2.0
Shorebirds	11	9	10	10	6	9	9.2
Gulls & Terns	7	8	7	7	5	5	6.7
Doves	2	1	1	2	1	2	1.5
Other Non-Pass.	3	2	3	3	3	1	2.5
Passerines	15	15	15	19	15	23	17.0
Totals Species – 104	63	53	59	67	52	65	60