June is one of the dullest birding months over most of the L.A. area, as residents and summer visitors finish up nesting, and shorebirds and most waterfowl are elsewhere, mostly far to the north. An unmistakable American Robin livened things up on the 16th, the first photo of this species for the birdcam. Robins nest locally in town, usually around well-watered lawns like at public parks and golf courses, and pick the shadiest spots for their nests. Twenty years ago, a nesting robin away from the mountains was something of a rarity, but they've really increased throughout southern California (as a breeder) since then. This one probably bred somewhere in the neighborhood, and stopped by for a drink.
Phainopepla (below) also nests in small numbers in the area, especially in sites with large oaks and sycamores, and generally away from urban areas. This series shows a female, with the last image showing her distinctive red eye.
The most surprising find thus far was this streaky juvenile Dark-eyed Junco, a briefly -held plumage rarely seen far from the breeding grounds. For this reason, and given the time of year (juncos migrate late in the fall), it was almost certainly hatched locally. This species, like the robin, has increased greatly in the Santa Monica Mountains, probably responding to all the planted pine trees (formerly restricted to mountains and remote oak woodland in the higher Santa Monicas). Interestingly, it nests near sea level elsewhere in southern California, including La Jolla in San Diego Co.
