New toy: Birdcam

Back in March, one of my clients in the hills above Franklin Canyon (Beverly Hills) asked me to set her up with a "Birdcam", a small, motion-detecting camera designed for photographing birds at feeders.

I ordered it from Wingscapes, along with a few accessories (Wingscape memory card and reader, batteries), the whole package coming in at around $300.

After a few calls to customer service (an extremely helpful and friendly PERSON!), we were ready to go. The camera was installed about a foot away from a fountain in the backyard in early April, and ran for the next two weeks (4-19 Apr.). The camera works by snapping a (digital) photo when it senses heat and movement (hence, the moving water of the fountain doesn't register). You can set the interval between shots, and I set hers to take a photograph every 5 seconds. So, if a bird is on the fountain for 20 seconds, you'll get 4 photos of the bird. The camera automatically shuts down at night, and doesn't have a flash.

In all, over 2,000 images were captured. Around half were of one species, the Lesser Goldfinch (above), probably because of the dozens of Lesser Goldfinches attracted to the seed feeders at this particular yard.

The next more common capture, somewhat surprisingly since they're not that numerous, was the Hooded Oriole (below), which was photographed in around 12% of all images.



Nearly 200 shots were of Band-tailed Pigeons, often with multiple birds crowding into the fountain for a bath and drink.



Other common species (100+ images) included Allen's Hummingbird, Mourning Dove and House Finch. Below shows a sequence of an Allen's Hummingbird bathing, followed by a shot of its incredible gleaming-red gorget.






Of course, there were several surprises. A few species were only seen for a few seconds during the multi-week run, including this gorgeous Lazuli Bunting:



And this male Black-throated Gray Warbler:

Malibu Lagoon

Spent an hour here this morning looking for rarities (and not finding any). The ocean had apparently over-washed the sandbar, smoothing out the slope into the lagoon, and probably improving conditions for shorebirds. A row of about 20 Black-bellied Plover stood at the lagoon's edge, and at least 20 Snowy Plover were scattered from here east, most resting in footprint depressions on sand not washed smooth. I was surprised to could 16 Least Terns here, most roosting with Snowy Plovers, representing a variety of ages, but largely first-year birds. Other shorebirds included Sanderling (30+), Semipalmated Plover (5-10), Willet and Whimbrel. Mallard and Gadwall were again the only ducks still. A couple Western Grebes floated offshore, but nothing else was out there, like a couple weeks ago.

The only landbird surprise was a single Oak Titmouse on the back path. An Ash-throated Flycatcher may have been the same one that has been here since July. A couple Savannah Sparrows called overhead, and more called from the saltgrass/Salicornia "island" of the inner lagoon; these were about the only passerine migrants, aside from dozens of Cliff, Barn and NRW Swallows.

Malibu coast notes

Took a leisurely drive up PCH w/ a visiting birder today, making a first stop at Malibu Lagoon. Dozens of Cliff, Barn and Rough-winged swallows were swooping and feeding young. On the sandbar, 20+ Least Terns and a handful of arriving Snowy Plovers were loafing, the terns bringing fish to juveniles. Small groups of shorebirds were moving downcoast, incl. c. 30 Black-bellied Plovers. Offshore was dead - 1 Western Grebe and a few distant Elegant Terns were about it, but it was after 9am. The lagoon was a full bathtub, unfortunately. Mallard and a Gadwall or two were the only ducks.

Zuma Creek mouth had a few early-arriving Western Kingbirds perched on bulrushes, but otherwise only Mallards in the lagoon. About 20 Heermann's Gulls resting on the beach, various ages. Just one or two California Gulls (mainly Western). Many dragonflies and damselflies though - shoulda spent more time keeping track of them, but mainly blue darners and flame-type skimmers.

Scanned from Pt. Dume but had nothing, though Mugu Rock had several hundred Black-vented Shearwaters moving west nearly at the horizon. Mugu Lagoon was virtually bird-free, but it was hot and bright (and around noon) by then, so we had lunch up by the 101 and headed home. A quick drive through the sod farms yielded nothing, as did a check of Revelon Slough, but we ran into a family of Hooded Orioles clamoring through a weedy ditch at the Laguna Rd. tams (and little else).

Los Angeles S.H.P.

I took another walk at the newish L.A. State Historic Park at the former Chinatown Yards last week (5/13/08) and was a little surprised to see a female Yellow-headed Blackbird (see photo) foraging on the lawn with starlings. Single Wilson's (singing) and Yellow warblers rounded out the other migrants.

Also present was a family of recently-fledged Say's Phoebe (rare in the central L.A. Basin, esp. coastward), as well as a California Towhee carrying food along the weedy slope up to Mission Rd., along the Gold Line right-of-way.

Malibu Lagoon, chat etc.

Spent an hour at Malibu Lagoon this morning and found a few interesting things. A Yellow-breasted Chat was singing weakly in shrubbery near the "mini dune" just before you reach the beach.

Two Snowy Plovers, not necessarily a pair, were working the sandy beach ridge near the lifeguard tower.

The tide was as low as I'd ever seen it, and pelicans, gulls and dozens of (mainly Elegant) terns were roosting far out on the rocks/tidepools. A pair of Elegant Terns were engaged in courtship behavior (bringing fish). A Cattle Egret sailed in from the ocean and landed next to the pelican flock off the beach. A single (calling) Least Tern came down to land near the beach near the lifeguard tower but I was too far away to see where.

The lagoon was pretty quiet, as we're between major migration periods, so a Spotted Sandpiper was the only sandpiper here, with small #s of Sanderlings along the beach and on the rocks. Otherwise, two Black-bellied Plovers and a Black Turnstone rounded out the shorebirds. Three female Red-breasted Mergansers were loafing in the lagoon, maybe for the summer?

Great Egrets were again nesting in the (heavily-pruned) trees of Malibu Country Mart, with maybe 5 active nests visible as I drove past.

The new expanded parking lot and plantings has really changed the feel of the northern part of the park, with a lot more open space, less planted saltbush, etc.

Signs of spring: Turkey Vulture

The first one was heading north alongside the 110 (Harbor) Fwy. down around Manchester Blvd. on Feb. 4, with six circling over the 60 (Pomona) Fwy. near Garfield the next day.

The South L.A. bird is notable because they certainly don't winter in the "inner city" or (to my knowledge) along the coast between Palos Verdes and Malibu. My Ballona records show a peak in late Jan./Feb. and then again in mid-Oct. which are fall birds heading south, presumably into Mexico and beyond.

Also, right when the heavy rains in January let up, I started hearing Bewick's Wrens and Spotted Towhees singing at spots I frequent in the Santa Monica Mtns. (Franklin Cyn., Griffith Park).

Today was in the mid-70s and things were really stirring in Griffith in terms of insect activity (mainly gnats!). A nice change from the high-50s and rainy stuff...

Los Angeles CBC - Ferndell party

Yesterday I led a group of Griffith Park enthusiasts around Ferndell as part of the Los Angeles Christmas Bird Count held on 12/30. The L.A. CBC is part of a 108-year old, nationwide effort to census birds each winter around the country. Counts are held within 15-mi.-diameter circles, and run from midnight to midnight on count day. The L.A. circle is centered near Pico and Robertson, and takes in Playa del Rey/Ballona, the eastern part of Topanga Cyn. State Park, Griffith Park, and the Baldwin Hills.

Our group spent two hours birding Ferndell, a south-draining canyon in Griffith Park that crosses Los Feliz Blvd. near Western Ave. We started behind the Trails cafe, where we studied a flock of finches (Lesser Goldfinch, House Finch) feeding on the seeds of Chinese Elm. Other species dropped in from the surrounding oak woodland, including an obliging Oak Titmouse, a Yellow-rumped ("Audubon's") Warbler, a nervous Hutton's Vireo, and flock of Dark-eyed ("Oregon") Juncos, one of which fed in the open, allowing a good study of its solid-black head.

We continued up the canyon, but had little until we found a mixed flock in the pines around the upper parking lot, which included Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a group of Bushtits, and a lone White-breasted Nuthatch clinging to a trunk. A Red-breasted Sapsucker (see photo) was spotted silently drilling holes for sap in one of the pines, as Acorn Woodpeckers swooped past transporting acorns in their bills to chache in sycamores along Western Canyon.

As the sunlight warmed up the chaparral, it was as if someone tripped a switch, and birds were suddenly everywhere - Mountain Chickadee chattering from an oak, Spotted and California towhees scratching through dead leaves, a California Quail trotting past (seen by a couple people only), a Hermit Thrush posing on a laurel sumac root burl...

The action continued up canyon, where we checked off California Thrasher (Photo; singing away and allowing for prolonged scope views), Wrentit (amazingly, seen well while singing, tail vibrating to the notes), Golden-crowned Sparrow, and more Hermit Thrushes. A Sharp-shinned Hawk sailed overhead, and we were able to see the squared-off tail, the quick wingbeats, and the short neck making the head appear tucked-in to its shoulders.

By then, the canyon started warming up a bit, and we called it a morning, having tallied just over 30 species without breaking a sweat!

Birdlist (incl. birds heard by leader):

Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1
Red-tailed Hawk: 1
California Quail: 2
Yellow-chevroned Parakeet: 16 flying east high overhead
Anna's Hummingbird: 4
Allen's Hummingbird: 2 heard by leader
Acorn Woodpecker: 6
Red-breasted Sapsucker: 2
Nuttall's Woodpecker: 3
Black Phoebe: 6
Hutton's Vireo: 1
Common Raven: 8
Mountain Chickadee: 1
Oak Titmouse: 2
Bushtit: 15
White-breasted Nuthatch: 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 1
Hermit Thrush: 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet: 1 heard by leader
American Robin: 2
Wrentit: 2
California Thrasher: 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler: 43 (all Audubon's)
Spotted Towhee: 6
California Towhee: 9
Song Sparrow: 1 heard but not seen
Golden-crowned Sparrow: 1
Dark-eyed Junco: 10 (all Oregon)
House Finch: 28
Purple Finch: 1 singing early am
Lesser Goldfinch: 20
American Goldfinch: 5

Later, I walked around the edge of Roosevelt Golf Course, where I picked up:

American Kestrel: 2
White-throated Swift: 5
Anna's Hummingbird: 5
Nuttall's Woodpecker: 2
Northern Flicker: 2 ("Red-shafted")
Black Phoebe: 2
Western Scrub-Jay: 6
Mountain Chickadee: 1
Oak Titmouse: 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet: 3
Hermit thrush: 4
Wrentit: 3
Northern Mockingbird: 2
Yellow-r. Warbler: 30
Spotted Towhee: 3
California Towhee: 6
Fox Sparrow: 4
Song Sparrow: 3
Lincoln's Sparrow: 5
Golden-crowned Sparrow: 3