Swainson's Hawk living large

Dropping off some dry-cleaning this morning, I looked up to see a cluster of raptors circling over the Beverly Hills Four Seasons (Doheny/Burton Way). Three Red-tails and a Swainson's Hawk. I almost never see Red-tails south of Sunset Blvd. in the Hollywood/Farmer's Mkt area, so they caught my eye. They continued east in a straight line out of sight.

Back to Taylor Yards

Yesterday I checked out movement at midday along the L.A. River at the new Taylor Yards park, and had a late Western Kingbird in with a few Cassin's, along with what is probably the same White-tailed Kite from earlier in the fall, which is probably wintering (!). The kite was calling from a small pine tree in the southern portion of the park. The sump had lots of Savannah and a few Lincoln's sparrows, but I didn't have time to look more thoroughly.

Poor-will goes pelagic

I headed out to Malibu Lagoon post-rain this morning, and while watching Elegant Terns coming in off the ocean, I noticed something else flying down-coast several hundred yards out. It was about robin-sized, dark and plump, with long, rounded wings. Deep, powerful wingbeats. I couldn't fit it into any raptor, and it wasn't round-headed like a Burrowing Owl, but smaller.

With my mind racing and mentally ruling out families of birds it *couldn't be*, I was absolutely stumped until it approached the beach and "tilt-glided" down into some landscaping around the Adamson House just east of the lagoon - nightjar!

I raced over to the grounds of the house, and after poking around a bit, heard and saw the bird, a poor-will, batting against the plaster wall of a courtyard like a trapped moth in the house. It managed to find an opening and sailed over the house and out of sight.

Well, these birds do occur on the Channel Islands (and are on the move in October), but this ranks as one of my most baffling birding moments ever!

Phalaropes at Del Rey Lagoon, pre-storm

Yesterday afternoon around 4:30, about 60 Red-necked Phalaropes zipped into Del Rey Lagoon (Playa del Rey), wheeled about for about 5 minutes, and settled at the north end in a tight mass. This was just as the big winds started picking up (storm approaching off the Pacific). Rarely do these two coincide in fall (storms and RNPH). I didn't stick around to see what else came in. Stay tuned...

L.A. River parks

I've checked this new park at Taylor Yard along the L.A. River in Cypress Park a couple times, and it's getting better and better. The little weedy swale that had several dozen Yellow-headed Blackbirds for a day back in May was really birdy:

White-tailed Kite (hunting over marsh!)
Red-tailed Hawk
Say's Phoebe
Marsh Wren (2)
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat (6)
Lincoln's Sparrow (4)
Savannah Sparrow (20)
Brewer's Sparrow (3) - maybe not that unusual this time of year?
Orange Bishop (2)
American Goldfinch (2)
Lesser Goldfinch (5)

The Cornfields/L.A. State Historic Park had a smattering of migrants early in the week, all on the weedy knoll, incl. single Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Orange-cr. Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Lark Sparrow (juv.) and several Savannah Sparrows.

Yesterday there was a Brewer's Sparrow here and about 10 female Orange Bishops, a few Sav. Sparrows, but no other migrants. The big dirt/weedy area north of the knoll was devoid of birds.

Wilson's Warbler in yard!

Calling from ficus just a few minutes ago, possibly settling in for the night...

VA Hospital (near UCLA)

I stopped in here yesterday early afternoon because I was in the area. The hospital grounds are old, and landscaped with large eucalyptus and other "old L.A." trees (olive, date palm, ficus). They appear to be forgetting to water, which is great, because the eucs are getting water-stressed and the insects are providing food for migrants. The grass is also going to seed on the lawn - again, all good things for birds.

A smattering of warblers was following a large Bushtit flock, incl. Yellow, Wilson's, Orange-crowned, and Nashville (1 each). An Olive-sided Flycatcher and two Western Wood-pewees chased and were chased by the (resident?) W. Bluebirds. Several young Chipping Sparrows fed on the lawn, and a single, silent Oak Titmouse was working an olive tree. I wonder if this is as far south as titmouse gets in the L.A. Basin south of the Santa Monicas?