CASTAIC LAGOON and LAKE, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA

                               © Callyn Yorke

                              

Index to Bird Surveys

November 7, 2018

October 22, 2016

October 13, 2016

November 25, 2015

September 19, 2014

December 31, 2013

October 23, 2013

October 3, 2013

September 13, 2013

August 30, 2013

July 11, 2013

November 1, 2012

December 4, 2010

March 9, 2010

December 17, 2009

October 11, 2009

 

  Castaic Lagoon viewing southwest from the eastern side, October 23, 2013.     

                                                                                                                                                                                                    © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

 

November 7, 2018 Castaic Lagoon and Lake (53 Species)

 

Weather: Fair; 48F to 65F; wind WNW 0 - 12 mph, increasing by 1000 hrs..

Time: 0712-1222 hrs.

Areas Covered: 1) East Castaic Lagoon (ECL): I walked from the main parking lot, northward through the campground and back, surveying pines, eucalyptus, lawns, coastal sage scrub, shoreline and open water. There were a few fishermen and campers in addition to a porta-potty clean-up operation (0712-0747 hrs.).  2) West Castaic Lagoon (WCL). From the nw parking lot, I walked south to the shoreline adjacent to Grasshopper Canyon and back through the park, surveying lawns, mature conifers, eucalyptus, maple and other trees, shoreline (inundated) and open water. Several people were walking leashed dogs through the park during my survey; otherwise the park was quiet and undisturbed, except for the onset of watering from automatic sprinklers (0754-1038 hrs.). 3) Southwest Castaic Lake (CLK). I walked through the parking lot adjacent to the lifeguard station, surveying eucalyptus, lawns, coastal sage, rock embankment, shoreline and open water. A few speedboats were moving across the lake; one fisherman was on the sw shore (1047-1122 hrs.). 4) Aquatic Center at Paradise Cove (AC). I walked around this area, surveying lawns, trees, shoreline. freshwater marsh, open water and a small drainage culvert with surface water adjacent to a sw exit driveway and parking area (1130-1222 hrs.). Although Castaic Lagoon was at high water volume, waterfowl and shorebird diversity was low. Shoreline vegetation was largely inundated, leaving only a narrow margin of exposed mudflats. Drought conditions continue in the region, resulting in a preponderance of dead, dry and burned vegetation in the surrounding hills.

 

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Greater White-fronted Goose (1 - cont.?), Common Merganser (1), Merlin (1), Western Gull (1), and Swamp Sparrow (1).

 

BIRDS NOTED

 

 

Greater White-fronted Goose 1 (ad)  - cont.?   with large flock of CAGO foraging on lawn, WCL (photo).

 

        Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) West Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County CA   7 November 2018

             

                                                                                                                                                              © 2018 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

Canada Goose  70    gregarious;  foraging on lawns in several loosely connected flocks,  WCL.

Green-winged Teal  5  (m,f)  near shore; flushed as I approached.

Common Merganser 1 (f) resting on edge of dock below lifeguard tower, CLK (photo).

 

        Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) female     SW Castaic Lake, Los Angeles County CA  7 November 2018

        

                                                                                                                        © 2018 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

Pied-billed Grebe  2 swimming near shore and in open water with AMCO WCL; 2 CLK.

Western Grebe  30  vocal; diving in open water, WCL; CLK.

Clark's Grebe  2  diving in open water, s-central lagoon, WCL.

Mourning Dove   4  in pines and eucalyptus, ECL.

American Coot  200  gregarious, ubiquitous; many staying in shallows near shore.

Ring-billed Gull  1 (ad) flying over lagoon, WCL.

Western Gull 1 (ad)  resting on dock, CLK.

Double-crested Cormorant  10 (ad, imm) gregarious; on shore and barrier piling; several on dock; one swimming CLK.

Great Blue Heron  2  on shore, CLK.

Great Egret  2  on shore, WCL.

Snowy Egret  1  standing on dock, CLK.

Black-crowned Night Heron 1 (imm) roosting in eucalyptus at edge of parking lot, CLK.

Accipiter sp.  1 seen briefly in flight near entrance, ECL.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 (ad) flushed from eucalyptus grove, AC.

Red-tailed Hawk   3 (ad)  one in a tall eucalyptus; two circling together over CLK connector road, ECL; WCL.

Belted Kingfisher  2   vocal; flying; perched on poles near shore, ECL, CLK.

Nuttall's Woodpecker  1 vocal;  in willows of riparian drainage of Grasshopper Canyon, WCL.

Northern (RS) Flicker  4  vocal;  ubiquitous in wooded areas of ECL, WCL.

Merlin  1 (imm) relatively light phase plumage; perched for several minutes in top of leafless eucalyptus on east ridge, ECL.

Black Phoebe  2    vocal; 3-8 ft. perch on limbs over lawns, WCL, ECL.

Say's Phoebe  2  one sallying to ground for insect, WCL.

Cassin's Kingbird  3  vocal;  in eucalyptus and pines, ECL, WCL.

American Crow 30  gregarious, vocal; a large flock (about 20), separating into smaller flocks; a feeding frenzy on ground in WCL parking area; harassed by a much larger aggregation of Common Raven. The crows bunched up together when large numbers of ravens arrived. Ravens and crows would jump up off the ground, sometimes taking flight to an adjacent area, then returning to the same location under a grove of eucalyptus. Both species engaged in "aerial drop ins" when large numbers of birds were present. It was unclear what the birds were eating, possibly fallen, recently hatched insect larvae, ECL; WCL (photo).

 

        American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and Common Raven (Corvus corax), west Castaic Lagoon, LACO CA 7 November 2018

                 .

                                                                                                                            © 2018 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Common Raven  60  vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; a feeding frenzy with AMCR (see above photo) in WCL parking lot. Ravens clearly had the size and power advantage, sometimes showing brief antagonistic behavior toward AMCR, i.e. staring, crouching, lunging. Crows tended to clump together in the presence of large numbers of ravens at a feeding area. Both species mostly kept their distance (i.e. pecking range) from each other. Nearby the mixed flock feeding frenzy, a smaller group of crows and ravens were on a lawn. There, one raven guarded its food (something in a rodent burrow) by lunging at crows which approached within about 12 inches.

 

The juxtaposition of these two similar species (often misidentified by beginning students) provided a convenient opportuntity for comparisons. Intraspecific variation in size was apparent in both. Some large AMCR were nearly the size of a relatively small CORA. However, other features, e.g. bill, tail shape, voice, are readily distinguished when the two species are in close proximity WCL (photo).

 

    Common Raven (Corvus corax) left;  American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) right, Castaic Lagoon, LACO CA    7 November 2018

               

                                                                                                                            © 2018 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Oak Titmouse 3  vocal; riparian patch, WCL.

Bushtit  10  gregarious, vocal; foraging on dried flowerparts of herbaceous plants on shore, WCL.

Rock Wren  2   one going under parked car; probing into edge of sidewalk and lawn (photo); another on side of connector road, CLK.

 

 

          Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) SW Castaic Lake, Los Angeles County CA  7 November 2018

     

                                                                                                               © 2018 Callyn Yorke

 

       

Bewick's Wren  3  vocal; a pair in underbrush at side of lawn, WCL.

Blue-gray Gnatchatcher  6 calls; gregarious; small flocks and individuals foraging quickly in a variety of plants from ground level to 10 ft. agl, WCL, ECL.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  8  vocal, gregarious; one agitated individual displaying large orange-red patch on crown; often in msf with YRWA; foraging in a variety of plants from 2-15 ft. agl., ECL, WCL.

Wrentit   3   a pair moving silently through, low through dense brush, but maintaining about 8-10 ft. distance between themselves; another foraging at the edge of the lawn and sage scrub, 1- 2 ft. agl. WCL  (photo).

 

         Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata) nw Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County CA  7 November 2018

       

                                                                                                                  © 2018 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Western Bluebird  5   (m,f) gregarious; sallying to lawns from fences and low tree limbs, WCL.

Hermit Thrush  2  vocal; one foraging on clusters of toyon berries; another coming to drink from a puddle, WCL.

California Thrasher  2  active at edge of sage scrub and mowed lawn; one taking toyon berries as HETH, WCL.

Northern Mockingbird  1  sallying from brush pile to ground, WCL.

European Starling  3  flying w through park, WCL.

House Sparrow  vocal (unseen) garden in front of AC.

House Finch  10 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler  20  (m,f) vocal (calls) gregarious, ubiquitous.

Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler  1 (f) with other YRWA in maple tree at edge of park, WCL.

Common Yellowthroat  1 vocal (unseen) marsh at edge of south spillway, AC.

California Towhee  10  pairs and individuals foraging at edge of sage scrub and lawns, ECL, WCL.

Lark Sparrow  5  gregarious; foraging on lawn, AC.

Savannah Sparrow  6  gregarious; foraging in msf with LASP, WCSP, on lawns, WCL, AC.

Song Sparrow  2  in dense riparian ravine, WCL.

Lincoln's Sparrow  3  at edge of coastal sage, foraging on lawns and bare ground with WCSP, WCL.

 

                 Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) nw Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County CA  7 November 2018

           

                                                                                                                               © 2018 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Swamp Sparrow  1 Foraging on ground with WCSP and SASP in picnic area at edge of mowed lawn and coastal sage-riparian patch, bordering and overlooking Grasshopper Canyon; flushed by a leashed dog. Returned a few minutes later and continued foraging alone on nearby lawn; fairly confiding; intently preoccupied with foraging, WCL (photo).

 

 

                  Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  nw Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County CA  7 November 2018

               

                                                                                                                                                               © 2018 Callyn Yorke

 

       

 

 

 

 

White-crowned Sparrow   40  (ad, imm) gregarious, vocal, ubiquitous; foraging on ground and lawns.

Dark-eyed Junco  3  often with WCSP at edge of brush and lawns, WCL.

Western Meadowlark  8  gregarious; foraging on lawn beneath pines, WCL.

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

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October 22, 2016  Castaic Lagoon (52 Species)

 

 

Weather: Fair; 50F to 89F; winds calm.

Time: 0720-1135 hrs.

Observers: UCLA Extension Autumn Birds of Southern California class (9 students) and I.

Areas Covered:  1) Southeast Castaic Lagoon (SECL). We walked pathways along the east bank of the lagoon, surveying parkland, rocky shoreline, open water and hillside chaparral habitats. Bird life became increasingly abundant as the sunlight reached the tops of the pines along the east bank of the lagoon. A few campers were present in this area and  2-3 small, hand-powered boats were on the lagoon. A remote-controlled model airplane was being operated over the adjacent hillside ( 0720-0905 hrs.).  2) Northwest corner of Castaic Lagoon (NWCL).  We walked pathways and along the edge of riparian patches through this section, beginning and ending at the northwest parking lot. Habitats surveyed were: parkland, riparian, hillside chaparral, freshwater marsh, shoreline and open water. A few waterbirds were in the narrow channel beneath the concrete spillway. NWCL area was quiet and mostly undisturbed by human activities during our survey (0911- 1135 hrs.).

 

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Greater White-fronted Goose (1),  Lesser Scaup (2), Surf Scoter (5), American Pipit (3), Black-throated Gray Warbler (1), Vesper Sparrow (1), and Lawrence's Goldfinch (2).

 

BIRDS NOTED

 

 

Greater White-fronted Goose  1   observed from SECL, swimming near shore, NWCL.

Canada Goose  20  vocal, gregarious (probably a flock of permanent park residents) ; flew in low, from west; alighting in lake, NWCL.

Gadwall   3  (m,f) swimming in spillway channel, NWCL.

Mallard  8  (m,f) gregarious; swimming near shore, SECL, NWCL.

Cinnamon Teal   6  (f)  swimming near shore; readily flushed as we approached along the shore, NWCL.

Lesser Scaup  2 (f) swimming with SUSC, open water on sw side of lagoon.

 

Surf Scoter  5  (imm)   with two fem. LESC, swimming quickly, steadily southward; occasionally diving; a cohesive flock, followed by several EAGR  in open water on sw side of lagoon; observed from east bank through spotting scopes; identifiable photos made by students.

 

Ruddy Duck  1 (m) swimming in spillway channel; possibly more in distant open water at base of the dam, NWCL.

Pied-billed Grebe  2  diving; open water and near shore, SECL.

Eared Grebe  8  gregarious; diving; following flock of SUSC  in open water, swcl.

Western Grebe  2  vocal;  open water in middle of the lagoon.

Double-crested Cormorant  2   swimming, diving in spillway channel; flying low over lagoon,NWCL.

Great Blue Heron  2;  1 on e shore; 1 (ad) flying low from nw, over shoreline, NWCL

Great Egret  1 in shallows, NWCL.

Red-tailed Hawk  1 (ad) observed for several minutes perched on outer branch of tall eucalyptus at base of hillside, SECL.

American Coot   250 (conserv. est.)  vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous in the lagoon.

California Gull  3   one C3  flying over, SECL;  two perched on outer swimming area markers off the beach, NWCL.

Eurasian Collared Dove  2;  SECL, NWCL.

Anna's Hummingbird  6 (m,f)   hovering around outer edges of pines, SECL;  in and around tamarisks on shore and in parkland pines, NWCL.

Belted Kingfisher  3 (m)  vocal; flying around shore; one perched on spillway fence, NWCL.

Nuttall's Woodpecker  2  calls; flying between eucalyptus and pines, SECL;; 1  calls from pines, NWCL.

Northern Flicker   3   calls (unseen), SECL, NWCL.

Black Phoebe  4  sallying to ground and weedy areas from low perches; vocal in tree tops, SECL, NWCL.

Say's Phoebe  1  flying between low perches and to ground, SECL.

Cassin's Kingbird  4  pairs and individuals; vocal in tree tops; sallying out over open hillsides and edge of riparian patches, SECL, NWCL.

American Crow  8  vocal;  flying around shoreline; foraging on ground around trash cans, SECL

Common Raven   6  vocal;  near AMCR , SECL;  flying over park, SECL, NWCL.

Oak Titmouse  2   vocal;  active in cottonwoods and pines, SECL, NWCL.

Bushtit    16   2-3 separate, vocal flocks foraging in a variety of shrubs and trees, SECL, NWCL.

Rock Wren   3    one on rocky shoreline next to dock, SECL; a vocal pair in a pile of concrete blocks at botom of hillside and riparian ditch, NWCL.

Bewick's Wren  1  vocal (scolding calls) in pines with YRWA foraging nearby, SECL;  1  vocal in riparian ditch, NWCL.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  6  vocal, individuals and pairs foraging in conifers and deciduous trees, SECL, NWCL.

Western Bluebird 4 (m,f)   with YRWA; foraging on lawns and ground at edge of picnic and parking areas, NWCL.

Northern Mockingbird  1  vocal (unseen) riparian-eucalyptus patch adjacent to parking lot, NWCL.

European Starling  2  in tall pines; flying across park, SECL.

American Pipit  3   individuals foraging with SASP in open field of low weeds, NWCL.

Yellow-rumped Warbler  80 (m,f)  vocal (calls), gregarious, ubiquitous; foraging at all vegetation height levels. Often in msf with other species, e.g. WEBL, HOFI, SASP, RCKI.

Black-throated Gray Warbler  1 (m) foraging in outer foliage of tamarisks along shore, NWCL.

Common Yellowthroat  3  (m,f)  flushed from dense herbaceous marshy cover along shore, NWCL.

California Towhee   6  vocal; often in pairs; shrubby areas, NWCL (photo).

 

 

California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County CA  22 October 2016

                                                                                                                                                © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

 

Vesper Sparrow  1  foraging in open field of low weeds with SASP, NWCL.

Lark Sparrow  1 vocal; flushed to small ornamental tree at edge of parking lot, NWCL.

Savannah Sparrow  20  gregarious; foraging on ground on rocky embankment, SECL;  flushed from dense, marshy cover along shoreline (photo), foraging with AMPI in open weedy field, NWCL .

 

 

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) Castaic Lagoon LACO CA 22 Oct. 2016

        

                                                                                                         © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Song Sparrow  2  vocal (calls) in dense marshy cover along shore, NWCL.

Lincoln's Sparrow   6  vocal (calls) flushed from dense marshy cover along shore, NWCL.

White-crowned Sparrow    30  (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; foraging on ground in brushy areas.

Dark-eyed Junco  3  (m,f) gregarious; foraging around wooden platform on ground, SECL.

Great-tailed Grackle  2 (m- bsc. plmg.)  occasionally vocal; together on fishing dock, SECL.

House Finch  30  (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; often in msf with sparrows and goldfinches.

Lesser Goldfinch  4  vocal; pairs in deciduous and evergreen trees, NWCL (photo).

 

Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) male  Castaic Lagoon LACO CA  22 Oct. 2016

  

                                                                                                © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

Lawrence's Goldfinch  2   (m)  in sapling live oaks and on ground at edge of parking area, NWCL (photo),

 

 

Lawrence's Goldfinch (Spinus lawrencei) male  Castaic Lagoon, LACO CA  22 Oct. 2016

        

                                                                                                        © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

 

House Sparrow  4  (m)  on trash can, NWCL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 13, 2016  Castaic Lagoon and Lake (65 Species)

 

 

Weather: Mostly fair with patchy stratus; 50F to 72F; wind WNW 2 -5 mph.

Time: 0801 - 1200 hrs.

Areas Covered:  1) Southeast corner of Castaic Lagoon (SECL). I walked the pathways overlooking the southeast corner of Castaic Lagoon, including open water, rocky shoreline, riparian, chaparral and parkland (lawns completely dried up) with mature pine and eucalyptus. A few fishermen were on shore; two paddleboats were on the lagoon. Otherwise, there was very little noise and disturbances due to human activiites (0801-0900 hrs.).  2) I drove from SECL to the main park entrance off Ridge Route Rd. on the west side of the lagoon, and continued to the northern parking lot area. From there, I walked pathways down to the northwest corner of the lagoon, surveying parkland (currently watered by many sprinklers), pines, and an extensive riparian strip bordering exposed mudflats and open water. Due to the relatively low water level in the lagoon, much muddy shoreline is exposed, especially in the northwest corner  (NWCL   0915-1125 hrs.).  3) My last stop was the parking lot adjacent to the lifeguard tower overlooking the southwestern portion of Castaic Lake. I walked the pathway between the south service road (No Trespassing signs posted here) and the lifeguard tower. Patches of green lawn beneath mature eucalyptus were the most productive areas for land birds, though birds were generally scarce due to drought. Birds on and near shore were identified with a 10x42 binocular from this vantage point. There was only one speedboat seen moving across the lake during the survey; the lake, shoreline and picnic area were quiet and undisturbed by human activity (SWCLK).

 

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Horned Grebe (2), Merlin (1), Dowitcher sp. (3), Caspian Tern (2),  Red-breasted Nuthatch (1), Marsh Wren (1), and Vesper Sparrow (1).

 

 

BIRDS NOTED

 

 

Canada Goose    15  foraging on lawn at main entrance, NWCL.

Gadwall  4 (m,f)  dabbling near shore, NWCL.

Mallard  2 (m,f) resting on dock, SWCLK.

Northern Shoveler  2 (f) swimming from shore into open water, NWCL.

Pied-billed Grebe  5  diving in cove, SWCLK.

Horned Grebe  2  diving in cove and near shore; PBGR and EAGR nearby, SWCLK.

Eared Grebe   6  diving in cove and near shore, SWCLK.

Western Grebe   15  vocal, NWCL;  30  in open water, SWCLK.

Clark's Grebe  1  open water, central lagoon, SECL.

Double-crested Cormorant  6  flying low over lagoon around dam, NWCL.

Great Blue Heron  3  on shore, NWCL; SWCLK.

Great Egret  3  on shore,  NWCL, SWCLK.

Snowy Egret  1  on shore, NWCL;  1 on dock with gulls, SWCLK.

Black-crowned Night Heron  4  (1 ad; 3 imm) roosting together in eucalyptus trees over picnic area, SWCLK (photo).

 

 

        Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) adult, Castaic Lake LACO CA  13 Oct. 2016

               

                                                                                          © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

 

Osprey  1 (ad) flying low, northward over lagoon, NWCL.

Red-shouldered Hawk  calls (unseen) SECL.

Red-tailed Hawk  1 (ad) circling low over parkland; alighting in eucalyptus canopy, NWCL.

Merlin  1 (appearing to be a relatively pale subspecies in distant harsh lighting) flew to perch in canopy of a largely leafless eucalyptus tree on w hillside, SECL (photo).

 

 

Merlin (Falco columbarius ssp.) Castaic Lagoon LACO CA 13 October 2016

  

                                                                                            © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

American Coot  350 gregarious, ubiquitous near shore and in open water esp. abundant in the lagoon.

Killdeer  calls (unseen) SECL.

Dowitcher spp.  3  foraging in shallows adjacent to mudflats, NWCL.

Ring-billed Gull  10  (ad, imm) resting on shore NWCL; flying low over lagoon and lake.

Western Gull 1 (ad) resting on shore, NWCL.

California Gull   12  (10 ad; 2 C1, C2)  resting on shore and dock, NWCL, SWCLK.

Caspian Tern  2  (ad, imm)  immature making begging calls next to adult on shore, NWCL.

Eurasian Collared Dove  2  near main entrance, NWCL.

Mourning Dove  1 perched in eucalyptus,  SECL.

Anna's Hummingbird  6 (m,f)  vocal; chasing each other around outer branches of pines, SECL (photo).

 

 

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) male,  Castaic Lagoon LACO CA 13 October 2016

                                                                                                                              © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

 

Allen's Hummingbird  1 (m)  with ANHU in and around pines, SECL.

Belted Kingfisher   1  fly, call; diving near shore, NWCL.

Nuttall's Woodpecker  3  (m,f) vocal; active in a variety of mature trees, SECL, NWCL.

Northern (RS) Flicker  2  vocal; flying around riparian patch, NWCL.

Black Phoebe  5  sallying from low perches; usually near water, SECL, NWCL.

Say's Phoebe  1  sallying to lawn from low branch and fence, SECL.

Cassin's Kingbird 5  vocal; perched 10 - 60 ft. agl in eucalyptus, SECL, NWCL.

Loggerhead Shrike  1  from medium to high perches (photo), scanning surroundings; making short flights to ground; gleaning insect from ruderal patch; also using fence top perch, SECL.

 

 

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) Castaic Lagoon LACO CA 13 October 2016

                                                                                                                 © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

 

Western Scrub-Jay  1  flying from hillside chaparral into park, NWCL.

American Crow  10  vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Common Raven  2   vocal;  in same area with AMCR; overflowing trash cans nearby, SECL.

Tree Swallow  2  flying low, back and forth over riparian patch and shoreline, NWCL.

Bushtit   20   vocal, gregarious; foraging in shrubs and low tree branches, SECL, NWCL.

Red-breasted Nuthatch  1  called briefly from pines (unseen) , SECL.

Rock Wren  1  on boulders near shore, SECL (photo).

 

 

Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) Castaic Lagoon LACO CA 13 October 2016

                                                                                                              © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

Bewick's Wren  1  agitated sounding scold calls in pines with HOFI, ANHU and RCKI,  SECL (photo).

 

 

Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) Castaic Lagoon LACO CA 13 October 2016

                                                                                                                         © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

Marsh Wren  1  flusned from weedy area adjacent to mudflats, NWCL.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1  calls (unseen) hillside chaparral, SECL.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  12  vocal, gregarious; active in pines and other trees  along pathway, SECL.

Western Bluebird  4 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; sallying to ground from low branches, SECL; NWCL.

Northern Mockingbird  1  vocal; flying through eucalyptus grove, NWCL.

California Thrasher  vocal (briefly)  chaparral-riparian patch, NWCL.

Orange-crowned Warbler  3 calls; foraging in pines and deciduous trees, SECL;  3 in weedy border of mudflats, NWCL

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 20  (m,f) vocal (calls) gregarious, ubiquitous; foraging at all vegetation height levels.

Common Yellowthroat   6  vocal (calls) in weedy riparian border of mudflats, NWCL.

California Towhee  3  vocal; on ground in ruderal areas and open chaparral, SECL;  3  NWCL.

Vesper Sparrow  1  flushed from weedy border of riparian-tamarisk patch, NWCL  (photo).

 

 

Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)  Castaic Lagoon LACO CA 13 October 2016

                                                                                                                 © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

Lark Sparrow   8   vocal, gregarious; foraging on lawn in picnic area, SWCLK.

Savannah Sparrow  10  gregarious; flushed from weedy border of mudflats; this is the same location where a LeConte's Sparrow occurred last year, NWCL.

Song Sparrow  4  flushed from same weedy area with other sparrows, SASP, VESP, LISP, NWCL.

Lincoln's Sparrow  10  repeated calls; flushed from weedy area with other sparrows, SASP, VESP, SOSP, NWCL (photo).

 

 

Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) Castaic Lagoon LACO CA  13 Oct. 2016

                                                                                             © 2016 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

 

White-crowned Sparrow   30  vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous in small flocks; brushy areas, including edge of mudflats and shoreline.

Red-winged Blackbird  16  (m,f) vocal (calls) gregarious; riparian strip near dam, NWCL.

Western Meadowlark  2  on shore, edge of weedy riparian patch, NWCL.

House Finch   30 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; often in msf with sparrows.

Lesser Goldfinch  4  vocal; pairs with HOFI and LAGOm in pines and other trees, SECL, NWCL.

Lawrence's Goldfinch  10 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; in pines and deciduous trees; foraging in flocks on ground, NWCL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Novermber 25, 2015  Castaic Lagoon (64 Species)

 

 

Weather: Mostly fair with increasing afternoon clouds and wind; 48F to 52F; wind ESE 0-2 mph.

Time: 0750-1330 hrs.

Area Covered: Initially, I walked from the nw parking area down to the shoreline at the nw edge of the lagoon and spillway where about dozen birders had located a LeConte's Sparrow. I stayed at this spot for about 40 minutes, briefly observing and photographing the vagrant LESP. Subsequently, I walked south through the park to Paradise Cove; returning to the nw parking area along the western border of the park. The main lake (north of the dam and spillway), eastern and southern portion of Castaic Lagoon, were not surveyed today.

 

Following a break (1034-1105 hrs), I returned to the LESP location (1105-1200 hrs), but failed to observe the bird again. I surveyed the pond below the spillway in the nwc of the lagoon, open water of the lagoon, shoreline and riparian edge, before returning to my vehicle in the parking lot, visually covering a total of about 120 acres. Twelve additional bird species were found during the second survey (1100-1330 hrs). Conditions were generally good for identifying bird vocalizations; the park was largely undisturbed by human activities; only about 15-20 non-birders were in the park during the survey; two or three fishermen were in boats in the lagoon and/or on the east shore; heavy trucks and machinery were being used in the northwestern section.

 

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Hooded Merganser (1), Red-necked Grebe (1), Tree Swallow (15), LeConte's Sparrow (1) and Pine Siskin (8). Additional species I did not observe but reported by others today included, Peregrine Falcon (1), Merlin (1) Plumbeous Vireo (1) and Townsend's Warbler (1).

 

 

BIRDS NOTED

 

 

Canada Goose  7  walking together along pathway, w-central.

Mallard  7  (m,f)  seen in flight, w.

Ring-necked Duck  1 (m) swimming with AMCO in spillway pond, nw.

Lesser Scaup  10  resting in a cohesive flock in open water, e.

Hooded Merganser  1 (f) swimming near rocks in spillway pond, nw.

Ruddy Duck   25  (m,f) most resting in open water; one diving in spillway pond, nw.

Pied-billed Grebe  5   in spillway pond, nw; near shore, e.

Horned Grebe  2  diving, open water, nw.

Red-necked Grebe  1 (apparently a regular late fall-winter visitor to CL)  swimming near shore with WEGR and AMCO, e.

Eared Grebe  1  diving, open water, nw.

Western Grebe  60  vocal, gregarious; open water and near shore.

Clark's Grebe  2  (possibly more) open water with WEGR; many Aechmophorus sp. with heads resting on back and difficult to identify.

Double-crested Cormorant  4  flying; swimming, nw.

Great Egret  1  on shore, nw.

Snowy Egret  1  on shore; foraging in shallows near GREG, nw.

Osprey  1  standing in shallows; calls, w.

Northern Harrier  1 (f) flying low over riparian edge, nw.

Red-tailed Hawk  2  (ad) perched on utility pole, w; flying low along hillside, nw.

American Coot  250  (conserv. est.)  gregarious, ubiquitous in open water and near shore.

Spotted Sandpiper  1  foraging on edge of mudflats, nw.

Greater Yellowlegs  calls (unseen) nw.

Ring-billed Gull  2 (ad) flying over lagoon, nw.

Western Gull  6  (ad, C1) one foraging on fish remains on shore, defending its food from a CAGU; others resting in open water, central.

California Gull   35  (ad, C1, C2) flying over lagoon; resting in a cohesive flock in open water, central.

Mourning Dove  6  flying through the park; foraging on ground and in weedy areas throughout the park.

White-throated Swift   10   a loose flock flying over lake (0- 200 ft. agl), sometimes dipping into surface.

Anna's Hummingbird  8  (m,f)   vocal male display flights over riparian patches and elsewhere in the park.

Belted Kingfisher  1  flying over shore, nw.

Nuttall's Woodpecker  3  vocal; foraging in a variety of trees throughout the park.

Northern (RS) Flicker  6  vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; often foraging on the ground.

Black Phoebe  10  vocal, ubiquitous.

Say's Phoebe  5  vocal, ubiquitous but usually in more open,drier habitat than BLPH, with which it occasionally had aggressive, vocal interactions, e.g. competing for isolated perches (signs, snags) on open mudflats, nw (photo).

 

 

Say's Phoebe (Sayornis sayi) Castaic Lagoon Los Angeles County CA  25 November 2015

  

                                                                                    © 2015 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

Cassin's Kingbird  2  vocal;  aerial sallies from high, exposed perches (30 ft. +) in trees, parkland, w.

American Crow  12  vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous but generally avoiding areas with CORA.

Common Raven   15  vocal, gregarious; flying above park; exposed perches in tall trees, w.

Tree Swallow   15-20   a loose flock flying low, back and forth, dipping into the lake; some flying 100 ft. + with WTSW. , w

Oak Titmouse   1 repeatedly vocal; wooded area, sw.

Bushtit   20   at least two vocal flocks of 8-10 individuals; foraging in young tamarisk bordering mudflats, nw; elsewhere in a variety of shrubs and trees; often accompanied by YRWA and RCKI.

White-breasted Nuthatch 1  repeated calls; pines, nw.

Rock Wren  1   in rocks near shore of spillway, nw.

Marsh Wren  2-3  vocal (unseen) patches of marsh, nw.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1  in riparian patch at edge of shore, nw.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet   60  vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; foraging on and near the ground.

Wrentit  1  repeated song (unseen) riparian- coastal sage patch, nw.

Western Bluebird  2  vocal, gregarious, s-central area of park.

European Starling   vocal (unseen) w-central.

American Pipit  6   loosely gregarious while foraging on mudflats and adjacent low herbs; vocal when flushed (photo).

 

 

American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) Castaic Lagoon Los Angeles County CA  25 November 2015

 

                                                                                              © 2015 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler  60-70 (m,f)  vocal (calls), gregarious, ubiquitous; often in msf.

Common Yellowthroat  4  vocal (calls); active in riparian patches; young tamarisk and cattails at edge of mudflats, nw.

Chipping Sparrow  4   foraging with DEJU and WCSP on lawns beneath pines and other trees, central, nw.

Lark Sparrow   5  pairs foraging on lawns; perched in trees, central, nw.

Savannah Sparrow   5   gregarious; foraging on lawns, in riparian patches, edge of mudflats, central, nw.

 

LeConte's Sparrow 1 (discovered here by Luke Tiller and David Bell on November 22, 2015 - evidently the 3rd LACO record). Together with about a dozen birders, I observed and photographed this bird for only a few seconds at about 0830 hrs, while it was largely obscured by tall, dry grasses and marsh herbs. ID:  A fairly typically proportioned and handsomely marked Ammodramine sparrow: Contrasting dark and light streaks on crown; broad, bright orange-buff supercilium and malar, contrasting with gray auricular, post-ocular black eye line, white lores and broken eyering; buffy throat and upper breast; white lower breast; heavy brown streaks on sides and flanks; mantle light gray-buff, slight pinkish-violet tint, with contrasting dark brown and white streaks;

 

The bird remained silent and kept low and largely out of view in a  ca 50 ft. long x 20 ft. wide patch of dry grass, herbs with a bordering stand of young tamarisk and willow-riparian-coastal sage scrub. This relatively remote location borders the sw spillway of Castaic Lake. I returned to this location in the early afternoon, met another, smaller group of birders, but failed to relocate the bird. This bird apparently responded to the successive waves of intruding birders (some approaching for photos to within about 8 ft.) by becoming increasingly shy and reclusive, yet reluctant to fly and abandon its small favored patch, despite much of it having been recently trampled by enthusiastic birders.

 

 

LeConte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) same individual in both images; northwest Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County CA  25 Nov 2015

   

                                                                                                      © 2015 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

Song Sparrow    4   in riparian-marsh patch, nw.

Lincoln's Sparrow   5  in riparian-marsh patch, including the tamarisk border, nw.

 

Swamp Sparrow  1 ? (unseen) gave a brief series of 2 or 3 distinctively loud alarm call notes as I walked through a dense patch of young tamarisk and cattails; contrastingly different sounding calls were nearly simultaneously given by SOSP, LISP and COYE, seen in the same general location. I returned to this place twice in the early afternoon but failed to find any sign of SWSP. Apparently, SWSP was not observed by other birders in this area today.

 

White-crowned Sparrow  80  vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; often foraging on the ground in msf with HOFI, DEJU and other sparrows.

Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco   20  vocal (mostly contact calls), gregarious; small flocks foraging on the ground and in pines throughout.

Red-winged Blackbird  1 (f) flushed from tamarisk-marsh edge of mudflats, nw.

Western Meadowlark  1  in marsh at edge of mudflats, nw.

House Finch   15  (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; often in msf with sparrows.

Pine Siskin    8  vocal, gregarious; foraging on dry fruits of alder and sycamore, nw (photo).

 

 

Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) Castaic Lagoon LACO CA  25 Nov 2015

                                                                 © 2015 Callyn Yorke

 

 

 

Lesser Goldfinch 2-5  vocal, gregarious; in deciduous and evergreen trees, nw.

House Sparrow  3  vocal, gregarious, sw.

 

 

   

 

  

 

 

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September 19, 2014  Castaic Lagoon and Lake (40 Species)

Weather: Partly cloudy; 63F to 73F. Wind WSW 2 mph.

Time: 0820-1117 hrs.

Areas Covered:  1) East Castaic Lagoon (ECL): I walked from the southeast parking lot, south to the spillwater and back; the eastern campground and shoreline was partially covered but only visually from the south side. The lagoon water level was low, exposing 20 to 50 ft. of shoreline around the entire perimeter. Two or three motorboats were on the lagoon (0820-0845 hrs.). 2) West Castaic Lagoon (WCL): I walked from the northwest parking lot (Lot #13) at Shady Acres Picnic Area, south along the bluff overlooking the lagoon. A new chain-link fence with No Tresspassing signs blocks access of the entire western shoreline of the lagoon. The only unposted access to the shore is via a maintenance road originating opposite the Shady Acres Picnic Area that leads to a narrow footpath down a rocky slope and through a patch of willow riparian habitat adjacent to a drainage culvert. From this area, I visually surveyed the receeding northwest shoreline and shallows of the lagoon. The latter area was the only section of the lagoon that appeared suitable for waterbirds. The morning light was harsh and without a scope, my visibility was limited for identifying birds on the opposite side of the lagoon. I also survyed the lawns and mature trees (deciduous and evergreen) along the pathways around the picnic area. The central area was not surveyed (0852-1000 hrs.).  3) I drove north about one mile to the West Boat Launch parking area in the southwestern corner of Castaic Lake (SWCL). I walked the sidewalk connecting the parking lot with the life guard station, surveying parkland, shoreline and open water. The lake water level was very low, exposing multiple terraces in on the perimeter. A few speedboats were operating on the lake during my survey (1025-1055 hrs.).  4) Aquatic Center and Paradise Cove (AC). I walked around the picnic area, surveying parkland, riparian and open water (1105-1117 hrs.). Conditions were good throughout for identifying bird vocalizations. Migratory landbirds were few; overall numbers and diversity low throughout the park. Drought conditions (parched, dead and diseased vegetation) continue to prevail in this area.

BIRDS NOTED

Canada Goose  65  swimming and on shore, ECL.

Gadwall   5  swimming, dabbling in shallows, WCL.

Mallard   10  (m,f) swimming and on shore, ECL, WCL.

Northern Shoveler   7  flying low over the lagoon; dabbling in the shallows, ECL, WCL.

Cinnamon Teal   3  dabbling in the shallows, WCL.

Pied-billed Grebe   5  in the shallows, WCL.

Double-crested Cormorant  1  flying low over the lagoon, WCL.

Great Egret   4  on shore and in the shallows, WCL.

Black-crowned Night Heron  2 (ad, imm) in their usual eucalyptus tree roost above the picnic area, SWCL.

American Coot   200   in the shallows, WCL.

Killdeer  4  on shore, WCL.

Gull sp. 1  (probably CAGU) on w beach, WCL..

Eurasian Collared Dove  1  on ground beneath pines, AC.

Greater Roadrunner  1  running across roadway near sw park entrance, ECL.

Anna's Hummingbird  1 (m) hovering around a large pine, WCL.

Selasphorus sp.  3  (m,f) hovering and interacting around large evergreen at the edge of a riparian patch, WCL.

Nuttall's Woodpecker  calls (unseen) n WCL.

Black Phoebe  5  sallying from low perches, WCL, SWCL.

Say's Phoebe  1  calls; on roof top and in garden around lifeguard station, SWCL.

Cassin's Kingbird  5    vocal; one pair sallying to marsh and over lagoon, WCL.

American Crow  12  ubiquitous, vocal.

Common Raven  20  ubiquitous, esp. WCL and AC.

Oak Titmouse  2  vocal, active in eucalyptus and pines, WCL.

Rock Wren  1 vocal  on rocky slope next to spillway, WCL.

Bewick's Wren  5  vocal, ECL, WCL.

Wrentit  1  song (unseen), hillside chaparral, WCL.

European Starling  15  vocal flock in eucalyptus (live and dead), WCL.

Orange-crowned Warbler  2  calls (unseen) parkland trees, WCL.

Yellow Warbler  calls (unseen) riparian patch, WCL.

Yellow-rumped Warbler  2  calls (unseen) tall parkland evergreens, WCL.

Common Yellowthroat  2  calls  riparian-marsh, WCL.

Wilson's Warbler   2 (m,f) a pair coming to the shore at the edge of marsh and lagoon, WCL.

Western Tanager  1 (f) in crown of eucalyptus, WCL.

California Towhee   10  brushy areas and lawns, WCL.

Lark Sparrow  20  on lawns and in tall trees, WCL, AC.

Savannah Sparrow  calls, edge of chaparral-parkland, ECL.

Song Sparrow  2  vocal in dense herbaceous patch on shore, WCL.

House Finch   30  vocal, ubiquitous; visiting a leaky drinking fountain at picnic area, WCL.

Lesser Goldfinch  15  vocal, ubiquitous, WCL.

House Sparrow  5 vocal   around garden and buildings next to west entrance, WCL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2013 Castaic Lagoon and Lake (60 Species)

Weather: Fair; 42F to 71F; wind calm.

Time: 0805-1350 hrs.

Areas Covered:  1) East Castaic Lagoon (ECL). I walked the shoreline from the southern boat launch area to the northern terminus of the shoreline trail. Habitats surveyed included hillside chaparral and grassland (very dry), parkland (eucalyptus, pines and lawns), patches of riparian (willow, mulefat), shoreline and open water. This section of the park was very quiet (only two campers at the north end) and conditions were excellent for identifying bird vocalizations (0805-0945 hrs.).  2) West Castaic Lagoon (WCL). From the northwest parking lot, I walked the pathways leading down to the shore, surveying parkland, riparian, grassland and chaparral (very dry), shoreline (50-70 ft of exposed grasses and herbs; mud sand; very low water level in the lagoon), freshwater marsh and open water . Aside from a parade of cyclists, the area was quiet and undisturbed by human activities (0958-1150 hrs.). 3) Castaic Lake at the southwest corner (SWCLK). I walked from the lifeguard tower and gardens, south on the pathway at the edge of the picnic area overlooking the lake. This area had a few visitors and maintenance workers, but was largely quiet and undisturbed. A few motorboats were on the lake. Surrounding hillsides (predominantly chaparral) on the west side still show evidence of the combination of fire and drought (1203-1245 hrs.). 4) Aquatic Center (AC). I surveyed parkland, freshwater marsh, riparian and ruderal roadside areas around the AC at the southwest corner of Castaic Lagoon.. This area was largelyquiet and undisturbed by human activities (1252-1350 hrs.).

Generally, I found relatively low numbers of landbirds throughout the survey area today, especially on the west side. Notable absences included, California Quail, Eurasian Collared Dove, Western Bluebird, Oak Titmouse, Common Bushtit and Spotted Towhee (c.f. surveys of Dec. 17, 2009 and Dec. 4, 2010).

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Greater Scaup (6), Hooded Merganser (2), Red-necked Grebe (1) Osprey (1), Western Gull (1), and Rufous-crowned Sparrow (3).

BIRDS NOTED

Canada Goose  21  swimming together, sw

Gadwall 1(m)  swimming with AMCO and NOSH, s ECL.

Mallard   (m,f) 10 ECL; 15 WCL;  30 SWCLK; all dabbling near shore.

Northern Shoveler  150  (m,f) ubiquitous; dabbling near shore.

Green-winged Teal  8 (m,f) dabbling near shore, WCL.

Canvasback  1 (m) resting with other ducks, ne ECL.

Scaup sp.?  10  too distant for positive identification,  swimming near dam, ECL.

Greater Scaup  6  (m,f) diving near shore, ECL (photo).

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) male   East Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County CA  31 December 2013

                                                                                                                   © 2013 Callyn Yorke

Bufflehead  6 (m,f) diving, open water, ECL.

Common Goldeneye  3 (m)  two swimming together, s ECL; one alone at north end in open water, ECL.

Common Merganser  15  (m,f)  diving in open water and near shore, ECL.

Hooded Merganser 2 (f) swimming together, se corner near boat ramp, ECL.

Ruddy Duck   60  (m,f) most resting around edges of the lagoon, ECL, WCL.

Common Loon  1  diving, open water, ECL.

Pied-billed Grebe   25  vocal; open water and edges of the lagoon, ECL, WCL.

Horned Grebe   13  swimming and diving together, open water and near shore, ECL.

Eared Grebe  30  swimming and diving together in pairs and small flocks, open water, ECL.

Western Grebe  40  in loose flocks with CLGR, ECL, WCL.

Clark's Grebe  25  in loose flocks and pairs with WEGR, ECL.

Red-necked Grebe 1 (bsc. plmg.showing some pinkish tones on face and neck) swimming near shore with other grebes and coots, ECL (photos). Initially reported at this location about two weeks ago.

Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) below and right (same bird in both images); Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) above; East Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  31 December 2013.

  

                                                © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Double-crested Cormorant   20  scattered around the lagoon; some resting on the dam, ECL.

Great Blue Heron  2  on shore, ECL, WCL; 1 on rock embankment, SWCLK.

Great Egret  2   one on shore with SNEG, WCL.

Snowy Egret   2  foraging in shallows with GREG, WCL.

Osprey  1 (ad) in cottonwood overlooking the northeast corner of ECL (photo).

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) East Castaic Lagoon, LACO CA 31 Dec 2013

                                                                   © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Red-shouldered Hawk  calls, roadway through parkland between WCL and AC.

Red-tailed Hawk  3  on utility poles overlooking adjacent riparian drainage, s ECL.

American Coot   300 ubiquitous around edges of the lagoon and lake, and in open water.

Killdeer  4  on shore, WCL.

Least Sandpiper  1  on shore with killdeer, WCL.

Ring-billed Gull  2 (C1 and adult) on beach, WCL.

California Gull    50 (ad, C1, C3) most resting in open water, ECL, WCL.

Western Gull 1 (C3) on white buoy near beach, WCL.

Mourning Dove  1 fly, call, ECL.

Anna's Hummingbird  6  vocal, ubiquitous, ECL, WCL.

Selasphorus sp.  calls; active in a eucalyptus parkland habitat with ANHU, along the fence line, AC.

Belted Kingfisher  1  dove near shore, WCL.

Nuttall's Woodpecker  calls, ECL.

Northern (RS) Flicker  10  vocal; ubiquitous in wooded areas.

Colaptes sp. 1 seen briefly but clearly in an eucalyptus (no photo image obtained). This bird looked nearly identical with one I photographed in this general area on December 4, 2010. Noted gray face,  rusty-brown crown; no cheek mark; relatively narrow black bands on back; no obvious coloration of the feather shafts (remiges and rectrices) when perched or in flight.

Black Phoebe  2  vocal; in trees and low vegetation in the park, ECL; 2 WCL.

Say's Phoebe  1  in small trees across from the parking area and restroom at the top of the hill overlooking the dam, SWCLK.

Cassin's Kingbird  1  calls, mature trees, parkland, WCL.

Western Scrub-jay  roadside tree between WCL and SWCLK.

American Crow  20  ubiquitous.

Common Raven   6  pairs in trees near shore, ECL; fly, calls, WCL.

Rock Wren  1  roadside boulders between WCL and SWCLK.

Bewick's Wren  1  active in shrubs near shore, ECL;  2  calls; brushy edge of riparian near shore, ECL, SWCLK.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1  calls, active in pines, ECL;  3  active in a variety of trees and shrubs, WCL.

Wrentit  1  in shady shrubs beneath mature plantings of conifers, WCL.

California Thrasher  1  in garden next to lifeguard tower, SWCLK.

Yellow-rumped(A) Warbler  5  calls; active at all heights in many types of vegetation, ECL;  12  many active in eucalyptus, WCL.

Yellow-rumped (M) Warbler  1 (f) active in eucalyptus with 2-3 other YR(A)WA's, AC.

Common Yellowthroat  1 (m) active in seedling tamarisk at edge of mudflats, WCL.

California Towhee  4  pairs vocal, active on ground in brushy areas around the campground, ECL;  6  vocal, active in pairs on ground, gardens, riparian.

Savannah Sparrow  1  calls from grassy area next to shore, WCL.

Song Sparrow  1  in a sandbar willow near shore (photo);  4  calls; active in vegetation near shore, WCL.

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) East Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  31 December 2013

                                                                                                                                                  © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Lincoln's Sparrow  1 calls; active in low shrubs near shore, ECL.

White-crowned Sparrow   12 (ad, imm) active in small, loose flocks on lawns and edge of chaparral, ECL;  15 riparian edge, WCL

Rufous-crowned Sparrow  3  staying together in ruderal roadside at theedge of rock embankment; contact calls when flushed toward shore, s ECL (photo).

Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps) East Castaic Lagoon, LACO CA 31 Dec 2013

                                                                                            © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco  6  calls; foraging  beneath pines in picnic area, ECL.

House Finch   5 (m,f)   vocal; in pines and eucalytpus, ECL;  12  vocal in riparian and on lawns, WCL.

Lesser Goldfinch  2  calls, flying; parkland, WCL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 23, 2013  Castaic Lagoon and Lake (62 Species)

Weather: Fair; 39F to 70F; wind W 0 - 5 mph.

Time: 0740-1237 hrs.

Areas Covered: 1) East Castaic Lagoon (ECL): From the day-parking area next to the kiosk (se entrance), I walked north through the campground and along the shoreline to the northeast terminus at a No Tresspassing sign. Except for a couple of park maintenance workers and vehicles, the survey area was quiet and undisturbed. (0740-0917 hrs.).  2) I drove to the northwest corner parking area of Castaic Lagoon and did a walking survey of the hillside overlooking the lagoon, parkland savannah, patches of riparian, shoreline, beach and open water. Adjacent chaparral was visually surveyed while walking pathways through the park (WCL). A few people with dogs (one unleashed) were present during the survey. Conditions were otherwise quiet and excellent for detecting bird vocalizations (0930-1130 hrs.).  3) I drove to the Lifeguard Station parking area at the southwest corner of Castaic Lake (SWCLK), doing a walking survey of the hilllside overlooking the lake, parkland savannah picnic area. gardens, shoreline and open water (1137-1215 hrs.). 4) My last stop for the day was at the Aquatic Center (AC) at the southwest corner of Castaic Lagoon, where I did a brief walking survey of the shoreline, picnic area and small riparian patch next to the roadway and bridge (1222-1237 hrs.).

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Greater Scaup (2), Sphyrapicus sp.(1) and White-throated Sparrow (1) and a possible Siberian American Pipit (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Canada Goose  15  on the main beach, WCL.

Gadwall  8 (m,f) swimming in pairs near shore, ne ECL.

American Wigeon  4 (m,f)  swimming together near dam, ECL.

Mallard   8   (m,f) on and near shore, ECL, WCL.

Northern Shoveler   1 (f)   swimming near shore, WCL.

Redhead     6 (m,f) swimming together near the dam, ECL.

Ring-necked Duck  8 (m,f) swimming together among many AMCO, ECL.

Lesser Scaup  1 (m) amongst coots, ECL.

Greater Scaup  2  (m,f)  one male observed with rounded, glossy green head and large bill, resting with a female, presumably GRSC.

Ruddy Duck  3  resting amonst many coots, e ECL.

Pied-billed Grebe  5  vocal; swimming near shore and in open water, e ECL.

Horned Grebe  4   diving near shore, ECL (photo).

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) Castaic Lagoon Los Angeles County CA  23 October 2013

                                                                                                                                                © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

.

Eared Grebe  2   ECL;  5 swimming together in open water, SWCLK.

Western Grebe  10   vocal; swimming in open water, ECL.

Clark's Grebe   25  vocal; swimming in open water and near shore, ECL, WCL.

Double-crested Cormorant   1  swimming near shore, ECL;  2  resting on and near shore at base of dam, SWCLK.

Great Blue Heron  1  on lawn, picnic area ECL;  1 on shore, WCL.

Great Egret   2  on shore, WCL.

Snowy Egret  1  on shore near GREG, WCL.

Black-crowned Night Heron  1 (ad) in eucalyptus, picnic area roost site, SWCLK.

Osprey  1 (ad) on buoy near dam, SWCLK.

Red-tailed Hawk  1 (ad)  on light standard, WCL.

American Coot   1,500 (conserv. est.)  ubiquitous, esp. in lagoon near the dam.

Killdeer  4  vocal; on shore, SWCLK.

California Gull 1 (ad) resting, open water in middle of lagoon.

Mourning Dove  2  calls, flying, ECL.

Anna's Hummingbird   2  calls, eucalyptus, ECL;  2  calls, parkland, WCL.

Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus sp. c.f. S. nuchalis and S. varius)  1 (imm) noted overall dark coloration, initially suggesting S. nuchalis; close-up   inspection of images showed relatively pale head with light streaking on crown (e.g. S. varius), yet dark wings (S. nuchalis);   flushed from isolated cottonwood on beach, WCL (photos).

Sphyrapicus sp. (same individual in both images)   west Castaic Lagoon  Los Angeles County, CA  23 October 2013

 

                                                                    © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Nuttall's Woodpecker   2  calls, riparian, WCL.

Northern (RS) Flicker  5  fly, call; one in pyracantha, eating ripe berries, WCL.

Black Phoebe 3  vocal; savannah and riparian,  ECL; WCL.

Cassin's Kingbird  2  vocal, parkland savannah,  nw WCL.

American Crow   30  vocal, ubiquitous,

Common Raven   10  vocal; soaring together on thermals, WCL.

Oak Titmouse 1 in riparian patch, WCL.

Bushtit  35  vocal, ubiquitous in foraging flocks using a variety of shrubs and trees.

Rock Wren  1  on lawn in picnic area, ECL (photo).

Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) east Castaic Lagoon Los Angeles County, CA  23 October 2013

                                                                                                                                          © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Bewick's Wren  10  vocal, ubiquitous; foraging on the ground and at various heights in a variety of shrubs and trees.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  calls (unseen) riparian, WCL.

Western Bluebird    calls; flying between trees,in parkland savannah   ne WCL.

Wrentit   calls (unseen) riparian-chaparral, WCL.

California Thrasher  1  vocal (chirping calls as I approached) ; foraging on lawn at edge of riparian patch, WCL..

European Starling   4  calls, on light standards, ECL, AC.

 

Siberian American Pipit  ssp. japonicus ?   2 ; one imm. on mudflat around pond; noted pink tarsi, white wing bars; faint streaking on back and bold black neck line and heavy black streaks on breast; gave unusual-sounding (i.e.  slightly coarse, high-pitched) alarm call when flushed, SWCLK (photos).

Siberian American Pipit (Anthus rubescens ssp. c.f. japonicus) same individual in both images:   Castaic Lake Los Angeles County CA  23 October 2013

                                         

                                                                                                  © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

                                                               

Orange-crowned Warbler  1  foraging in pines, ECL..

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler  35  vocal, ubiquitous; foraging at all height levels and in a variety of vegetation.

MacGillivray's Warbler  1 (m) foraging on ground in grass at edge of riparian-chaparral patch, WCL (photo).

 

MacGillivray's Warbler (Geothlypsis tolmiei) west Castaic Lagoon Los Angeles County CA  23 October 2013

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                                                                                                                                                         © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Common Yellowthroat  1  calls (unseen) riaprian patch near shore, WCL.

California Towhee   25  vocal, ubiquitous.

Chipping Sparrow   6  flushed from lawn in picnic area, SWCLK.

Vesper Sparrow  1  flushed from edge of riparian patch, WCL.

Savannah Sparrow  3  brushy areas at edge of riparian; one individual with highly contrasting black streaks on white underside, WCL.

Song Sparrow   5   edge of riparian and lawns; foraging with WCSP, ECL; WCL.

Lincoln's Sparrow  4  vocal; foraging in ruderal areas at edge of lawns, WCL.

White-crowned Sparrow  60  (ad, imm) vocal, ubiquitous, esp. in small flocks at edge of riparian and on lawns.

White-throated Sparrow 1 (ad) foraging in gravel on roadway next to toll booth at se entrance to ECL. Several WCSP and CATO nearby (photo).

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) se Castaic Lagoon Los Angeles County CA  23 Oct 2013

          

                                                                                                                                             © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Golden-crowned Sparrow  1 (imm) foraging at edge of riparian with WCSP, WCL (photo).

Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) immature   west Castaic Lagoon  Los Angeles County CA  23 October 2013

                       

                                                                                                                                                                      © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Dark-eyed Junco    12   small flocks foraging on lawns and bare ground in shaded areas, WCL.

Western Meadowlark  13  a loose flock foraging in short grass and shaded areas, WCL; 4 together in picnic area, SWCLK.

House Finch   20  (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch  2  call, fly; parkland savannah, WCL.

House Sparrow  calls,  ECL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 3, 2013  Castaic Lagoon and Lake (67 Species)

Weather: Fair; 55F to 73F; wind W, WNW 5 -15 mph.

Time: 0745-1338 hrs.

Areas Covered: 1) East Castaic Lagoon (ECL). From the day-parking area next to the kiosk (se entrance), I walked north on the paved roadway to the northeast shoreline and No Tresspassing signs. The automatic sprinklers were on throughout most of the picnic grounds, resulting in a deviation from my usual route through the park. I surveyed parkland, eucalyptus, hillside chaparral, ruderal roadsides, shoreline, a small patch of freshwater marsh and open water. A few tents and campers were present at the north end of the property, but otherwise there was little human activity. Two small boats with fishermen were in the lagoon. Conditions were generally good for identifying bird vocalizations (0745-0857 hrs.).  2) I drove to the northwest corner of west Castaic Lgoon (WCL) and walked southward on paved paths and across lawns to the main beach. Habitats surveyed included parkland savannah, riparian, ruderal roadsides, hillside chaparral, a small patch of mature conifers, freshwater marsh, exposed mudflats (20 ft wide in places) with early successional marsh vegetation (the lake water level appeared to be significantly lower today, compared with September 13, 2013), shoreline, sandy beach and open water to the main dam separating Castaic Lake and Castaic Lagoon. A road crew was busy with heavy machinery in the west-central section. Otherwise, the park and adjacent areas were quiet and undisturbed by human activities (0902-1041 hrs.).  3) I drove north from the aforementioned site to the parking area adjacent to the LACO lifeguard station overlooking the southwest corner of Castaic Lake (SWCLK). I walked south to the No Tresspassing signs next to the main dam, then back to the lifeguard station, surveying open water (whitecaps on the lake with increasing winds), a narrow strip of parkland savannah, rocky breakwater, wetlands around the southwest corner of the dam, gardens (at the lifeguard station), hillside chaparral (recently burned),and roadside ruderal areas. Increasing winds made observations difficult (1050-1152 hrs.). 4) My last stop for the day's survey was the aquatic center at the southwest corner of Castaic Lagoon (AC). I surveyed parkland savannah (the south picnic area was undergoing an attack by a crew with a leafblower), shoreline, the rocky CL outlet (dry), the adjacent south entrance to the lagoon with a small patch of conifers, lawn and chaparral, small patches of freshwater marsh along the southern border of the lagoon and a mature riparian strip  in the creek bed below sandstone cliffs (1209-1338 hrs.).

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Western Gull (1), Western Wood Pewee (2), Palm Warbler (1), Fox Sparrow (1) and Vesper Sparrow (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Canada Goose  60  a cohesive flock on and near shore, ne ECL.

Gadwall  6 (m,f) swimming with AMCO, ne ECL, WCL.

Mallard  50  (m,f) ubiquitous.

Redhead 1 (m) swimming with AMCO, near the rocky shore, SWCLK.

Ruddy Duck 1 (f) swimming with AMCO, ne ECL.

Pied-billed Grebe 10 swimming near shore, WCL, ECL

Eared Grebe  3 swimming together in open water, SWCLK; 1 diving near shore s AC.

Western Grebe  1-2  seen at great distance near nw corner of lagoon, WCL.

Clark's Grebe   6  swimming in open water and near shore, ECL, WCL.

Double-crested Cormorant  2  on wall below dam, WQL.

Great Blue Heron  1  shore of wetland near dam, SWCLK; 1  under gangway to dock, AC.

Great Egret  3  in cottonwoods on shore below dam, ECL;  5  together in wetland, SWCLK.

Snowy Egret  1  with GREG in wetland, SWCLK.

Black-crowned Night Heron  calls (unseen) in mature eucalyptus (traditional roost site), picnic area, SWCLK.

Red-shouldered Hawk  2 (ad)  cottonwood near shore;  vocal; flying over shore, EQL.

Red-tailed Hawk 2 (ad)   vocal; aerial courtship behavior over riparian woodland, AC.

American Coot  800  ubiquitous around edges of lagoon and lake.

Killdeer  5  picnic area, SWCLK.

Spotted Sandpiper  1  on mudflat, WCL.

Ring-billed Gull  1 (ad) flying over lake, SWCLK.

California Gull  1 (C2) on beach, WCL.

Western Gull  1 (ad) on beach next to aquatic center, AC (photo); generally restricted to the outer coast but WEGU has occurred at Castaic Lake and lagoon for several years, sometimes in high numbers, evidently attracted to nearby landfills.

Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) west Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  3 Oct. 2013

                                                                                                                           © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Eurasian Collared Dove  2  flying through park, AC.

Rock Pigeon  4  on utility lines in adjacent southern fields, AC.

Mourning Dove  3  flying over trees in picnic area, ECL.

Anna's Hummingbird   8  vocal; common in eucalyptus, ECL;  5  riparian and parkland trees, WCL.

Belted Kingfisher  3  fly, calls, ECL; WCL.

Nuttall's Woodpecker  2  vocal; in ornamental trees, ECL;  calls, WCL.

Northern (RS) Flicker  2  fly, call, ECL;  3  fly, call, WCL.

Western Wood Pewee 2   occasional calls; sallying from crown of ornamental trees, WCL (photo).

 

Western Wood Pewee (Contopus sordidulus) west Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  3 Oct. 2013

                                               

                                                                                                           © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Willow Flycatcher 1  in the subcanopy of a eucalyptus. No empid tail movements or vocalizations noted. Subsequent review of this and other (blurry) photos showed marks consistent with Willow Flycatcher in worn fall plumage..

Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) sw Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County CA 3 Oct. 2013

                       

                                                                              © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Cassin's Kingbird  2  vocal; sallying from 10-15 ft. perches in a variety of ornamental trees, WCL

Black Phoebe  10  vocal, ubiquitous.

Say's Phoebe  1  on fence beneath eucalyptus grove, AC

Warbling Vireo  1  foraging with YEWA, OCWA and COBU in a grove of eucalyptus, AC (photo).

 

Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) sw Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County CA  3 October 2013

                                                                                                                                      © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

American Crow   30  vocal, ubiquitous.

Common Raven  12   in pairs and singles in trees, on lawns in picnic areas, WCL;  flying over shoreline, SWCLK .

Oak Titmouse  2  calls, riparian woodland, WCL.

Bushtit  15  vocal; foraging together in a eucalyptus and other trees, AC.

Rock Wren  1  on rocky edge of lake, SWCLK (photo).

Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) sw Castaic Lake Los Angeles County CA  3 October 2013

                                                                                                                                 © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Bewick's Wren   8  vocal, ubiquious at the edge of chaparral and riparian areas.

Hermit Thrush  1  at the edge of a shady patch of conifers, flying up to snatch red pyracantha berries, WCL.

Western Bluebird  3  (m,f)  in lower branches of eucalyptus and on fence and in garden of adjacent SOCAL Edison yard, AC.

Northern Mockingbird  2  calls, gardens and edge of ruderal roadside, SWCLK, AC.

California Thrasher  6  ubiquitous at edge of chaparral and riparian areas.

European Starling  4  calls,  AC.

Orange-crowned Warbler  10 vocal, ubiquitous in eucalyptus and other ornamental trees, WQL, AC.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 65 (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous in loose flocks, foraging at all height levels and vegetation types.

Yellow-rumped (M) Warbler 1 calls; foraging in eucalyptus with OCWA and YEWA, AC.

Yellow Warbler  2  foraging with OCWA and COBU in eucalyptus, AC.

Palm Warbler  1  heard first, then seen;  the bird was initially motionless and difficult to find when only about 20 feet from me on outer mudflat with sparse herbaceous cover; it gave a series of  distinctively loud, sharp TSISK call notes then flew low to the west and out of view. The brief view I had of the bird in flight showed a white belly, suggesting the western subspecies  S. p. palmarum

Common Yellowthroat  2  marsh next to the mudflat, WCL.

Wilson's Warbler  20 (m,f) calls; ubiquitous in a variety of vegetation types and heights.

Califronia Towhee  16 vocal; ubiquitous.

Chipping Sparrow  2  under conifers and on the roadway at the south entrance to lagoon, AC (photo).

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) south Castaic Lagoon LACO CA 3 Oct. 2013

        

                                                                             © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Vesper Sparrow  1  bathing with WCSP in puddle, WCL (photo).

Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) west Castaic Lagoon Los Angeles County CA  3 Oct 2013

    

                                                                                                                                    © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Lark Sparrow   20  vocal, ubiquitous in parkland and edge of riparian.

Savannah Sparrow  2  calls; edge of riparian;  5  vocal, edge of marsh and riparian, WCL.

Fox Sparrow  1 gave a series of sharp two-syllable chip calls; on lawn in picnic area, ECL (photo).

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) east Castaic Lagoon Los Angeles County CA  3 October 2013

                                                                                               © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Song Sparrow   20  vocal, ubiquitous in marsh and riparian areas.

Lincoln's Sparrow  2  foraging on mudflats with sparse vegetation, WCL.

Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow  60 (ad, imm)   vocal, ubiquitous; foraging on bare ground and on lawns; bathing in puddle (photo).

 

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) west Castaic Lagoon Los Angeles County CA  3 October 2013

                   

                                                                                                                                                                   © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Western Tanager calls (unseen) mixed riparian conifer patch, WCL.

Western Meadowlark  1  landed briefly on mudflat, calls, WCL.

Brewer's Blackbird  2  fly, call, ECL.

Bullock's Oriole  calls (unseen) , mature cottonwood in riparian patch, WCL.

House Finch    30 (m,f)   vocal, ubiquitous.

House Sparrow   calls, in trees around buildings, AC.

 

 

 

                                                                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 13, 2013  Castaic Lagoon and Lake (64 Species)

Weather: Fair; 59F to 94F; wind SSW 2 - 12 mph.

Time: 0705-1319 hrs.

Areas Covered: 1) West Castaic Lagoon (WCL). I parked in the northwest lot bordering the southwest section of the main dam separating Castaic Lagoon from Castaic Lake. Following the paved path, I walked south, surveying parkland-savannah with scattered maple, eucalyptus and pine; patches of riparian (willow, mulefat, cottonwood) on the northwest shore of Castaic Lagoon. Continuing south, I walked on the sandy beach, then returned to the nw lot using the same route. Additionally, I surveyed adjacent hillsides (mostly burned), patches of coastal sage and open waters of the lake. The majority of bird species found today (40 species) was in this area (0705-0855 hrs.).  2) I drove north along the Castaic Lake road connecting to the main lake and passing the dam. I parked in a hillside lot overlooking the dam, where I briefly surveyed the southwest corner of Castaic Lake, including the north face of the dam. This area was covered again on foot (see following section). 3) Continuing downhill, I reached the west boat ramp parking lot next to the life guard station and picnic area. I walked the shoreline road south to the southwest corner of the dam, surveying shoreline, open water, the northwest face of the dam and adjacent meadow. Returning the same route, I continued walking through the parking area to the west boat ramp, surveying a parkland-savannah strip with picnic benches and the garden around the life guard station. I am including this entire area as one survey section of the southwest corner of Castaic Lake (SWCLK - 0925-1123 hrs.)  4) Returning by car to the aquatic center, located at the southwest corner of Castaic Lagoon, I walked to the bridge over the spillway, surveying a small patch of freshwater marsh, rocky stream bed (mostly dry), parkland-savannah and ruderal fields (AC - 1133-1228 hrs.).  5) My final stop for today's survey was the east side of Castaic Lagoon, where I surveyed parkland-savannah (mostly eucalyptus and pines), ruderal fields, shoreline, patches of riparian and freshwater marsh, and open water (ECL - 1239-1319 hrs.).

Most of the western park was vacant, except for a jogger, two cyclists and  four people with leashed dogs. Heavy equipment was being used in the western section, but this did not interfere with my survey. A few small boats (wind and oar-powered) were on the lagoon; several speedboats were operating in the main lake. The area immediately next to the southwest corner of the dam was protected by connected buoys.  This area and the adjacent meadow and shoreline was undisturbed by human activities during my survey. A few fishermen were on and offshore in the southwest corner of Castaic Lake.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Common Merganser (49), Buteo sp. (1), Canyon Wren (1), and Spizella sp (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Canada Goose  50  scattered in small flocks on shore, WCL.

Gadwall  4  (f)  swimming together near shore and marsh, WCL.

Mallard  80  (m,f) ubiquitous in CL.

American Wigeon  2 (f) resting in streambed of spillway, AC.

Common Merganser  44 (f; imm. m) initially found resting on the lower edge of the sw corner of the main dam (north-facing slope); moved to the water, staying together, SWCLK (photos). Five more female-type individuals were found resting on rocks at in the spillway (same location where I found 12 of them during the previous survey), AQ. The total count for Common Merganser was 49. As far as I know, this is an unprecedented record for September in Los Angeles County.

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) part of a large flock including 37 ( an undetermined number of females and immature males) on the sw corner of the Castaic Lake dam, Los Angeles County, CA  13 September, 2013.   

      

                                                                                                                                                    © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) same flock as shown above: 44 individuals; viewing north from the southwest corner of the dam. Castaic Lake, Los Angeles County, CA  13 September 2013.

          

                                                                                                                                                      © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Pied-billed Grebe  2    calls; WCL; diving in the at the junction of the spillway and lagoon, AC.

Eared Grebe  1  diving, open water near AMCO, WCL.

Clark's Grebe  2   swimming together in open water, WCL.

Double-crested Cormorant  5  on lower south side of dam, WCL; 1 on buouy, SWCLK.

Great Blue Heron  1  wading in meadow pond, SWCLK; 1 on shore, ECL.

Green Heron  1  on shore, WCL.

Black-crowned Night Heron 2 (ad)  in ecalyptus trees appearing to be a regular roost site, picnic area, SWCLK.

Turkey Vulture  10   together on utility line tower; circling above dam, SWCLK.

Cooper's Hawk 1 (ad) flushed from wooded ravine, WCL.

Red-shouldered Hawk  1 (ad) flushed from cottonwood on the ne shore, ECL.

Buteo sp. 1 (imm)  seen briefly in ventral views only; evidently a light morph Buteo, overall ventral coloration initially suggesting B. regalis but with Osprey-like, narrow wing profile; variegated brownish-red markings on throat and belly; no contrasting dark marks on thigh feathers; elongate dark carpal patches and leading margin of inner wing; relatively long, pointed wings and flight profile similar to B. swainsoni; tail (as seen from below) without conspicuous dark bands; flying ne about 100 ft. agl; chased by crows, WCL (photo).

Buteo sp.    west Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County CA  13 September 2013

                                                                                     © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Red-tailed Hawk  1 (ad) perched on hillside shrub; flew to eucalyptus SWCLK.

American Coot  350  ubiquitous on lagoon; a few near dam, SWCLK.

Killdeer  2  on lawn in picnic area, SWCLK;  calls, WCL.

American Avocet  1 in shallows next to sandy beach, WCL.

Spotted Sanpiper  5    on shorelines throughout area; vocal; one pair chasing over shoreline, WCL; SWCLK; ECL.

Ring-billed Gull 1 (C2) on sandy beach, WCL.

California Gull  2 (ad; C3) on shore, open water, WCL.

Western Gull 3 (ad) on and near shore, WCL.

Caspian Tern 3  vocal, circling lagoon; dip-diving on surface, AC.

Eurasian Collared Dove  3   vocal; eucalyptus-parkland, WCL, ECL.

Black-chinned Hummingbird  4  (f) two chasing on outer edge of pines and cottonwoods, WCL, AC.

Anna's Hummingbird   12  vocal; in riparian and parkland-savannah areas throughout.

Rufous Hummingbird  1 (m) around pines, WCL.

Selasphorus sp. (f) on outside of pines and cottonwoods, WCL.

Belted Kingfisher   2   vocal; flying over the shore, WCL.

Nuttall's Woodpecker   2  vocal; riparian area, WCL; 1 calls, ECL.

Black Phoebe  10 ubiquitous, parkland and open shoreline.

Say's Phoebe  2  parkland-riparian edge, WCL, ECL.

Cassin's Kingbird   5  vocal; parkland savannah;  2  in cottonwoods, ECL.

Warbling Vireo  2  in subcanopy of large cottonwood, AC.

American Crow  30  vocal; ubiquitous.

Common Raven  10  vocal; ubiquitous, esp. WCL.

Oak Titmouse  2  calls, riparian, WCL; 1 calls, ECL.

Bushtit  30  vocal; ubiquitous in wooded areas; flocks 10-15 individuals.

Bewick's Wren  10  vocal; ubiquitous in understory of riparian; gardens.

Canyon Wren  1   foraging in gopher hole next to concrete pad and picnic table; responded to my vocal imitiations by flying to picnic table, then resumed foraging in gopher hole for small beetles (photo).

Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus) southwest Castaic Lake, Los Angeles County, CA  13 September 2013

                    

                                                                                                         © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

 

California Thrasher  3   foraging on ground (including lawns) in patches of coastal sage-riparian edge, WCL.

European Starling  calls,  eucalyptus and pines, AC.

Orange-crowned Warbler  3  calls, active in alders, cottonwoods, edge of riparian strip, WCL.

Yellow Warbler  2  in canopy of large cottonwood, AC.

MacGillivray's Warbler 1 calls (unseen) dense riparian understory, WCL.

Common Yellowthroat  8  calls; ubiquitous in lakeside scrub and riparian patches.

Wilson's Warbler  25  calls; ubiquitous in a variety of shrubs and trees.

Spotted Towhee  2  calls, dense riparian woodland, WCL.

California Towhee   25  calls; ubiquitous, esp. parkland picnic areas.

Chipping Sparrow  3  active on lawns and in small trees, SWCLK.

Spizella sp. (c.f  S. passerina and S. pallida)   1 (noted broad buffy supercilium, white eyering; vaguely dark lores and gray collar; relatively short tail; foraging on pavement at edge of meadow, SWCLK. One reviewer of these photos judged this bird to be a Chipping Sparrow (S. passerina)

Spizella sp. sw Castaic Lake, Los Angeles County CA  13 September 2013

   

                                                                      © 2013 Callyn Yorke

Brewer's Sparrow  1  flew from weedy roadside into a shrub, SWCLK.

Lark Sparrow   30  calls; ubiquitous, esp. parkland-savannah.

Savannah Sparrow  3   calls; flushed from brushy meadow, SWCLK.

Song Sparrow   20  vocal; ubiquitous, esp. near water (photos).

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) two individuals, sw Castaic Lake, Los Angeles County, CA  13 September  2013  

                                                                                                                                                                     © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Lincoln's Sparrow   1-2  calls (unseen; possibly the same individual) brushy areas bordering a riparian strip, WCL.

Rufous-crowned Sparrow  4 (ad, imm)   two foraging gregariously in parking and picnic area, SWCLK (photos).

         Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps) three individuals, sw Castaic Lake, Los Angeles County CA  13 September 2013

            

                                                                                      © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

 

Western Tanager   2 (f) in deciduous and evergreen trees, parkland-savannah, AC.

Black-headed Grosbeak  1 calls (unseen) shoreline cottonwoods, EQL.

House Finch   80 (m,f)  vocal; ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch    10  vocal; canopy of cottonwoods, riparian and parkland, WCL, AC.

House Sparrow  calls,  AC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 30, 2013 (50 Species)

Weather: Partly cloudy; 77F to 93F; wind WSW 2 mph.

Time: 0721-1115 hrs.

Areas Covered:  1) East Castaic Lagoon (ECL): From the toll parking lot in the southeast corner, I walked through the park along the main campground road, surveying hillside chaparral, mature eucalyptus and pine; riparian (sparse), rocky shoreline and open water. Someone was operating a remote-controlled plane over the hills to the southeast. A few fishermen were on the shore; several small boats (kayaks and motorboats) were on the lagoon. The campground was mostly empty and conditions were good for identifying bird vocalizations, this Friday morning of Labor Day weekend   2) West Castaic Lagoon (WCL). I parked in the lot in the northwest corner and walked south on pathways and across rolling hills planted to lawns, sycamore, alder, pines and maple. A patch of riparian vegetation extending from the northern parking lot south and east along the shoreline was fairly productive for birds.  3) Southwestern aquatic center and lagoon outlet (AC). I parked at the southern end of the aquatic center lot and walked through a patch of tules to the western edge of the lagoon outlet. I also surveyed the riparian strip with mixed plantings of mature trees (eucalyptus, maple, pines) at the edge of a small picnic area adjacent to the road in the southwest corner of the park.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Common Merganser (12), Western Gull  (18), and Willow Flycatcher (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Canada Goose    8  fly over the lake; calls, ECL.

Mallard  40  (m,f) ubiquitous around the edges of the lagoon.

Cinnamon Teal  2 (f) resting on rocks in the outlet, AC.

Common Merganser   12 (m, ad, imm; bsc. plmg.)   Individuals initially found resting on rocks in the outlet;   more individuals were present but not seen until flushed to the lake as a cohesive flock (photos a & b)).  These birds probably summered in the lagoon (see previous survey notes of July 11, 2013). Evidently, this is an unprecedented occurrence of Common Merganser for August in Los Angeles County.

a) Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (same flock in both photos) south Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  30 August, 2013

                                                                                                                                              © 2013 Callyn Yorke

(b) Twelve Common Mergansers in south Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County. CA   30 August 2013

                                                                                                                                              © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Pied-billed Grebe  2  swimming near shore, ECL; WCL.

Western Grebe  1  (seen at a great distance with CLGR in same area), swimming in open water, ECL.

Clark's Grebe  2  open water, central lake, ECL.

Great Blue Heron  1 (ad) on lawn, ECL.

Green Heron  3 (ad) on shore and dock, WCL; one foraging in rocks of outlet, AC.

Turkey Vulture  1  soaring over n hills, WCL.

Red-shouldered Hawk  1 (ad) flushed from riparian strip; landed in nearby tree, WCL.

Killdeer  1 calls, shoreline, ECL.

California Gull   8  (ad; C2, C, juv.) swimming together, open water, WCL.

Western Gull  18 (90% ad; 1 juv.) resting on rocks of outlet; swimming near shore, WCL; AC.

Eurasian Collared Dove  4 vocal; trees and lawns, AC.

Mourning Dove  4  flying; foraging on ground, ECL, WCL.

Anna's Hummingbird  7  (m,f) vocal; mostly in and around eucalyptus, ECL, WCL.

Belted Kingfisher 1 fly, call, ECL.

Nuttall's Woodpecker  3 (m,f) vocal; riparian patches, ECL, WCL.

Willow Flycatcher  1  sallying to lawn from low pine branch, ECL (photo).

Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) e Castaic Lagoon, LACO CA  30 Aug 2013

            

                                                             © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Black Phoebe   4  low perches at edge of riparian and shore, ECL; WCL.

Cassin's Kingbird  1 vocal; perched in mid-level outer branches of pines and deciduous trees, WCL.

Warbling Vireo  1  foraging with COBU and YEWA in subcanopy of a large deciduous tree, AC

Western Scrub-jay  calls, WCL.

American Crow  60  vocal, ubiquitous.

Common Raven  25  vocal; ubiquitous, esp. WCL.

Oak Titmouse  1  calls from pines, ECL.

Bushtit   50  vocal, ubiquitous; foraging in shrubs and trees.

Bewick's Wren  5  vocal; edge of riparian and chaparral, ECL; WCL.

House Wren  1 vocal; flew to low branch of pine, WCL.

Western Bluebird  10  vocal; ubiquitous in parkland habitat.

Wrentit  2  vocal; active in mulefat and riparian-chaparral edge, WCL (photo)/

 

Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata) west Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  30 August 2013

                                                                                         © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

California Thrasher  calls, riparian-chaparral edge, WCL.

European Starling   30  vocal; in trees and on ground, AC.

Orange-crowned Warbler  3  vocal; in pines and deciduous trees, ECL; WCL.

Yellow Warbler  1 (m) foraging in subcanopy of a large deciduous tree with COBU and WAVI, AC.

Common Yellowthroat  1  calls, dense tule marsh bordering outlet, AC.

Wilson's Warbler  25  (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous in several vegetation strata and types.

Spotted Towhee  3  vocal; active in dense riparian understory, WCL (photo).

Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) w Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  30 Aug 2013

                                                                                             © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

California Towhee   16  vocal, ubiquitous in a variety of vegetation types (photo).

California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) w Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  30 Aug 2013

        

                                                                                         © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

Lark Sparrow   5  scattered around the park on lawns, WCL.

Song Sparrow   9 (possibly two subspecies; one with distinctly larger bill (b);   foraging on lawns and on ground at the edge of riparian areas, ECL, WCL (photo).

               Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) two individuals;  e Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  30 August 2013          

         

                   a)                                                              © 2013 Callyn Yorke                             b)

                                                                                    

 

Black-headed Grosbeak  1 (imm male) drinking in puddle next to riparian patch, WCL (photo).

Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) w Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  30 Aug 2013

                         

                                                                                                                                         © 2013 Callyn Yorke

Great-tailed Grackle  9  (m,f) vocal, active in pines near shore, ECL.

Brown-headed Cowbird  calls, WCL.

Bullock's Oriole  3  (f) vocal; drinking from puddle next to riparian patch, WCL.

Hooded Oriole  1 (f) drinking from puddle next to riparian patch, WCL.

House Finch   80  (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch   20  vocal, ubiquitous; foraging on sycamore fruits, ECL, WCL.

House Sparrow  2 (m,f) in garden around buildings, AC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 11, 2013 (44 Species)

Weather: Overcast with intermittent light rain; 72F to 76F; wind WSW 2 -5 mph.  A subtropical weather system originating in southwestern Mexico has been affecting the Southern California region during the past 48 hours.

Time: 0845 - 1140 hrs.

Areas Covered1) East Castaic Lagoon (ECL): From the toll parking lot in the southeast corner of Castaic Lagoon, I walked through the park and along the shoreline to the No Tresspassing sign adjacent to a small fresh water marsh in the northeast corner. This area includes mature plantings of pine and eucalyptus; naturally occurring cottonwood, willow and hillside chaparral. Several campers and a few fishermen were in this area during my survey (0743-0838 hrs.).  2) West Castaic Lagoon (WCL): I walked the trails and shoreline from the aquatic center parking area in the southwest section, to the riparian strip near the spillway of the main dam. This area includes more of the same habitat found in ECL, with significantly larger riparian patches in the northwest section and much more open parkland habitat than ECL. Groups of noisy children (summer camp) were largely confined to the southwestern portion of WCL. A few small boats ( some with motors) and swimmers were in the lagoon during my survey. I briefly surveyed the southern outlet of the lagoon from the road bridge (CLO). Conditions were generally favorable for identifying bird vocalizations. I spoke briefly with the Castaic Lagoon manager, John Van Arsedale, who mentioned that the lake is periodically treated with chemicals to control algal growth.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Common Merganser (2), Western Gull (2) Western Tanager (1) and Indigo Bunting (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Canada Goose  36 (ad, imm)  on sandy beach and adjacent field, WCL.

Mallard    45  (m,f) around the edges of the lake; a few in the middle.

Common Merganser  2 (m, bsc. plmg.)  resting on rocks and in shallows of outlet; noted: well-defined border between neck and breast; contrasting white throat; relatively short crest and deep base of bill, CLO ( 3 photos).

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) note contrasting neck, white chin and short crest. Castaic Lagoon, LACO CA 11 July 2013

 

                                                                                      © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

California Quail  2  running across the road above entrance to ECL.

Pied-billed Grebe   4   vocal; edges of the lake; one diving repeatedly in open water.

Great Blue Heron  3 (ad)   on shoreline, ECL, WCL.

Great Egret  2  (ad) on shore and in shallows, ECL, CLO (photo).

Green Heron  1  moving quickly around rocks on the shore, CLO.

Red-shouldered Hawk  1 (ad) flying low through the park, WCL.

Red-tailed Hawk  1 (ad) flying low through the trees; chased by crows, WCL.

American Coot  100 (conserv. est.) mostly confined to northern section near dam, ECL.

Killdeer  1  vocal; in rocks, CLO.

Western Gull 2 (ad) resting on beach with CAGU, WCL.

California Gull 1 (C2) resting on beach, WCL.

Mourning Dove  4  vocal, ECL, WCL.

Anna's Hummingbird  3 (f) hovering at edge of pines and cottonwoods, WCL.

Nuttall's Woodpecker  3   vocal; flying to pines and deciduous trees, ECL; WCL.

Black Phoebe  4  vocal, sallying from low perches over lawn, WCL.

Say's Phoebe  3  sallying from low perches over lawns and ruderal fields, WCL.

Cassin's Kingbird  5  vocal; on top of mature and small trees, ECL, WCL (photo).

Cassin's Kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans) west Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  11 July 2013

                                                                                                      © 2013 Callyn Yorke

 

American Crow   30  vocal, ubiquitous.

Common Raven  3  flying over hillside and park, WCL.

Tree Swallow  1 (imm) flying back and forth, low over edge of lake, WCL.

Cliff Swallow  4  flying low, back and forth over edge of lake, WCL.

Oak Titmouse   1  calls (unseen) pines, ECL.

Bushtit  3  calls; active in riparian patch, WCL.

Bewick's Wren  4  vocal; active in shrubs, ECL, WCL.

Western Bluebird  5 (ad, imm) sallying to lawn from low perch in trees, WCL.

Wrentit  2  repeated song, chaparral adjacent to riparian patch, ECL, WCL.

European Starling  4   in pines, ECL.

Yellow Warbler  2  vocal, active in willow-cottonwood riparian patch, n WCL.

Spotted Towhee   1  responded to psshing; dense riparian understory, n WCL.

California Towhee  20  vocal, ubiquitous.

Lark Sparrow  30  vocal; foraging in flocks on lawn and in ruderal fields throughout, WCL.

Song Sparrow  12 (ad, imm) foraging on bare ground at edge of riparian and chaparral, ECL, WCL.

Western Tanager 1 (m, imm) vocal in cottonwood; flew to pines, n ECL.

Black-headed Grosbeak  1 (f) in garden around temporary trailer, n WCL.

Blue Grosbeak 1 (m) repeated song from concealed location in willow-cottonwood riparian patch, n WCL.

Indigo Bunting 1 (imm/f) foraging in ruderal area with HOFI; noted finely streaked breast, distiinguishing it from a LABU.

Brewer's Blackbird  8 (m,f) foraging on lawns, n WCL.

Brown-headed Cowbird  3  vocal;  one female foraging on lawn with BRBL.

Bullock's Oriole  1 calls (unseen) in mature cottonwoods, n WCL.

House Finch  60  (m,f; ad, imm) vocal, ubiquitous; often foraging on lawns and bathing in roadway puddles.

Lawrence's Goldfinch   5 vocal; staying in tops of deciduous trees, WCL.

 

 

 

 

November 1, 2012 (54 Species)

Weather: Fair; 52F to 72 F. Winds W 0 - 2 mph.

Time: 0925 - 1217 hrs.

Area Covered:  1) After paying the discounted entry fee ($5) at the southeast entrance to Castaic Lagoon, I walked through the park and down along the shoreline to its northern terminus (ECL). I surveyed birds on lawns, in assorted plantings of evergreen and deciduous trees, open water, shoreline and hillside chaparral, totaling about 30 acres. Four fishermen and one other couple were the only park visitors during my survey. Conditions were good for identifying bird vocalizations. 2) I parked and walked north through the western portion of Castaic Lagoon to the northwestern spillway. This part of the lagoon park includes at least three times the acreage of the same habitats as noted above in addition to mudflats, sand (artificially deposited) beach, riparian and weedy fields (WCL). A small sailboat was the only watercraft in the lagoon. Only about four other visitors were in the park during my survey; the swimming beach was closed.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included,  White Pelican (2), Western Gull (1), Bonaparte's Gull (2), Red-breasted Nuthatch (2) and Swamp Sparrow (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Canada Goose   8 foraging on lawn, WCL.

Gadwall   22 (m,f)  swimming near shore and in open water, ECL, WCL.

Mallard  4  (m,f)  near shore, flying, ECL.

Cinnamon Teal  2  (m,f)  near shore, WCL.

Northern Shoveler  1 (m) near shore, WCL.

Green-winged Teal   3 (f)   on and near shore, WCL.

Canvasback   35 (m,f)  open water near the dam, ECL, WCL.

Redhead  2  (m,f)  with CANV, ECL.

Ruddy Duck   50 (m,f)   around the edges of the lagoon, n, ECL, WCL.

Common Loon  1  diving, flying, ECL, WCL.

Pied-billed Grebe    3  open water with AMCO, WCL, ECL.

Western Grebe  3 (ad, imm)  resting, diving, open water near dam, WCL.

Double-crested Cormorant   3  fly; diving, open water, WCL.

American White Pelican  2  swimming together near shore, WCL.

Great Blue Heron  1  standing on hillside near shore, ECL.

Great Egret   1  wading near shore, WCL.

Snowy Egret  1  wading near shore, WCL.

Green Heron  1  foraging on shore, WCL (photo).

Green Heron ( Butorides virescens) adult  west Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  1 Nov. 2012

                                                                                                                          © 2012 Callyn Yorke

Cooper's Hawk  1 flying to cottonwood near shore, ECL.

American Coot  2,000 (conserv. est.) crowded at north end of the lagoon.

Spotted Sandpiper  1  on shore, nw WCL.

Western Gull 1 (ad) resting in open water, WCL.

Bonaparte's Gull  C1 ; one in the water; calls; flying near shore, trying to catch a moving lure and snagging some of the attached fishing line (photo), ECL.

 

Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) C1 east Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  1 Nov. 2012

          

                                                                                                       © 2012 Callyn Yorke

Eurasian Collared Dove  1  in pine, ECL.

Mourning Dove  3  flushed from small tree, ECL.'

Belted Kingfisher  2  flying along shoreline, ECL, WCL.

Nuttall's Woodpecker  2  calls, foraging in deciduous and evergreen trees, ECL.

Northern (RS) Flicker  2  calls, fly; one on a eucalyptus tree, ECL.

Black Phoebe  2  vocal; ECL;  4  WCL  on shoreline and in open fields.

Cassin's Kingbird  2  vocal; flying between small trees on w edge of park, WCL.

American Crow  10  fly, call, ECL, WCL.

Common Raven   4   fly, call; perched in pines, ECL, WCL

Oak Titmouse  1  calls, in pines, ECL.

Common Bushtit   10  calls, in small oaks, WCL.

White-breasted Nuthatch   1  calls, in pines, ECL.

Red-breasted Nuthatch  2  calls, in pines, ECL.

Bewick's Wren  2  edge of chaparral, calls, ECL.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2  calls, in pines, ECL;; 2 foraging in willows near ground, WCL.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1  calls, foraging in rabbitbrush and buckwheat on hillside, ECL (photo).

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) east Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  1 Nov. 2012

               

                                                                                   © 2012 Callyn Yorke

Hermit Thrush  1  taking fruits from pyracantha, WCL.

California Thrasher  1  ran across the roadway into hillside chaparral, ECL.

American Pipit   2  fly, call  shoreline nw WCL.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler   45  (m,f) ubiquitous at all height levels and many vegetation types.

Common Yellowthroat  1  calls, near shore, ECL;  2 (m,f) foraging together, calls, marsh-shoreline, WCL.

California Towhee   1  dense hillside chaparral and roadside, ECL.

Lincoln's Sparrow  1 calls, edge of marsh, WCL.

Song Sparrow  1  foraging on hillside above the shoreline with WCSP, ECL; 2 calls, marsh, WCL.

Swamp Sparrow  1` foraging on lawn under pines near north restrooms, ECL (photo).

Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  southeast Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA  1 Nov. 2012

                                                                                                                                    © 2012 Callyn Yorke

White-crowned Sparrow   40  (ad, imm) ubiquitous, vocal in small flocks.

Dark-eyed Junco   20  vocal, small flocks feeding beneath pines and other trees throughout the park.

Red-winged Blackbird  1 (f) foraging on lawns with BRBL, ECL.

Brewer's Blackbird  12 (m,f) foraging together on lawns and beneath pines, ECL.

House Finch   30  (m,f) small flocks, ubiquitous, vocal.

Lesser Goldfinch   8  calls, flying between evergreen and deciduous trees, WCL.

 

 

 

                                                                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 4, 2010 (44 Species)

Weather: Overcast, 57F; winds WNW 0-2 mph.Lake surface largely smooth.

Time:  0956-1227 hrs.

Observers: Ethan Yorke and I.

Area Covered:  We surveyed the west, south and eastern portions of Castaic Lagoon, using a scope, binoculars and DSLR camera. Habitats surveyed included parkland ( mature (pines and Eucalyptus - west side; Sycamore, Cottonwood, Alder, Olive, assorted exotic trees and shrubs),  adjacent chaparral hillsides - Encelia, Eriogonum, Bromus ) , riparian, freshwater marsh, shoreline (sandy and rocky), and open water from the dam to the south spillway. Waterbirds and landbirds were concentrated around the margins of the lake. A few fishermen were on shore and in small inflatable boats in the middle of the lagoon.The remainder of the park (including picnic and campgrounds) was quiet and almost entirely vacant. Conditions were very good for identifying bird vocalizations. We did not survey the extreme northern sections of the park, nor did we survey the upper (north) reservoir (Castaic Lake). The park entry fee of $11 was paid at the northeast entrance. Two unusual subspecific forms were found today: Pink-sided Junco (Junco hyemalis mearnsi) and an apparent hybrid female Red-shafted/Yellow-shafted Flicker (Colaptes auratus ssp.)

BIRDS NOTED

Snow Goose  2  foraging in a field of dry grass with CAGO, w.

Canada Goose  80  a tight flock foraging in a field of dry grass, walking quickly to the shore as we approached, w.

Gadwall   6 (m,f)   swimming offshore as we approached, e.

Mallard    10 (m,f)   west shoreline.

Pied-billed Grebe   near shore, w.

Western Grebe   20  resting, swimming, open water in middle.

Double-crested Cormorant   20 (ad, imm)  swimming, diving; resting on lower side of dam, n.

Great Blue Heron   2  shoreline, e and sw.

Great Egret  1  spillway, s.

Snowy Egret   4  shoreline, w.

Turkey Vulture  1  soaring over roadway, e.

Osprey  1 (ad) on pole near dam, nw.

Red-shouldered Hawk  1  calls, w.

Red-tailed Hawk  2 (ad)   soaring, e and w.

American Kestrel   1  on utility pole, e.

Spotted Sandpiper  1  shoreline, e.

Ring-billed Gull  3 (ad)  on beach, w.

California Gull   4 (ad, C1, C2) beach and flying, w.

Herring Gull  2 (ad) together on beach, w.

Western Gull  4 (ad, C1, C2)  on beach and swimming offshore, w.

Mourning Dove   10   in tall trees, e, w.

Anna's Hummingbird  4  in flowering Eucalyptus, calls, e.

Selasphorus sp.  2  calls (sounded like Allen's) ) in flowering Eucalyptus, e (unseen).

Northern Flicker  3  open woodland with olives, scrub oak; foraging on ground; calls, fly, w.

Colaptes sp.  1  same area as above: Features noted:  Intermediate, possibly hybrid or backcrossed REFL-YEFL female type, weakly yellowish underwing in flight; pale, finely barred upperparts. Cinnamon crown and brown nape contrasting with gray sides of head; relatively short tail, long winged profile. Silent. Feeding on ground when first found, flew w into trees and not re-found (3 photos).

   

Colaptes sp.  West Castaic Lagoon  4  December, 2010  © Callyn Yorke

   

                                                                                                                                               c.f.  Colaptes chrysoides  AZ  © James Jerome

 

Nuttall's Woodpecker  2 (m)    open woodland, e and w; calls.

Black Phoebe   4  edge of lake and parkland, e, w.

Say's Phoebe   2 open areas in park,  e, w.

Cassin's Kinbird  6  tall trees, calls, fly, e and w.

American Crow  6  fly, call, e.

Common Raven  8  fly, call, w.

Mountain Chickadee  1  mid-level in mature pines, calls, e.

Bewick's Wren   1  in olive tree grove, w.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet     4  in pines and other trees, calls, e,w.

American Robin   3  foraging beneath olive trees; fly call, e, w.

European Starling   50  flock staying together in trees and on ground, w.

Yellow-rumped Warbler 30 (1 f Myrtle)  shrubs, trees and lawns, e, w.

Common Yellowthroat  3 (m,f)   riparian shrubs and rocks, calls, e, w.

California Towhee   1  edge of lagoon and chaparral, calls, e.

Song Sparrow   2  marsh at sw corner, calls.

White-crowned Sparrow   10 (ad, imm)   edge of chaparral and beneath olive trees, calls and song, e,w.

Dark-eyed Junco  30 (1 Pink-sided, e side)  foraging on ground beneath pines and other trees, e,w

House Finch   20 (m,f)   brushy areas and open woodland,e, w.

Lesser Goldfinch   4  brushy area on hillside, e.

American Goldfinch   2  open woodland and lawns, w.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARCH 9, 2010 (50 Species)

Weather:  Partly cloudy, 45 to 55F;  steady WNW winds 20-30 mph. Whitecaps on lake.

Time: 1320 - 1710 hrs.

Area Covered: I entered Castaic Lagoon County/State Recreation area at the lower SE entrance (ECL), paid the $11 entry fee and parked in northern section. I was looking specfically for a YELLOW-BILLED LOON, reported here yesterday by Jim Abernathy and other birders on the L.A. County Birds Yahoo Group list server. Within minutes of my arrival another birder introduced herself as Nancy, and told me the YBLN had just been sighted north of the fishing pier on the east shore.  From a hillside overlook, we focused on the general area of the lake between the two spillways (the one on the W side was dry). Shortly thereafter the bird appeared briefly on the surface and made several dives lasting 3-7 minutes. I was able to obtain a few hand-held photos, using a Nikon D3X with an 80-400mm lens, from a distance of about 80 yards, facing directly into a steady 20 mph wind. All but one of my photos were suitable for species recognition, though predictably blurry. I returned to this spot after the other birders had left (around 2 PM), refound the bird, but it quickly dove and was not seen again during my survey.

I drove to the west side of Castaic Lagoon (WCL)and walked along the shoreline, surveying small patches of marsh, sandy beach, parkland and a riparian drainage at the north end. The west side, being partially sheltered from high winds, was more productive for birding than the east side.  In addition, the afternoon lighting was good from the west side, especially for scanning the lagoon. Bird species found on the west side and added to the survey list included Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, Canvasback, Greater White-fronted Goose, Spotted Sandpiper, Herring Gull, Red-shouldered Hawk, Cassin's Kingbird, Cedar Waxwing, Savannah Sparrow, Lark Sparrow and Red-winged Blackbird. Aside from a few fishermen and birders on the east side of the lagoon, the park was largely vacant during my afternoon survey.

BIRDS NOTED

1) Greater White-fronted Goose  2 (ad) with 2 Canada Geese on grass next to shore WCL; wary as I approached, and quickly entered the lake.

2) Canada Goose   6  on lawn and in shallows; calls. WCL.

3) Mallard  6  (m,f , including a domestic m),  ECL.

4) Canvasback   2 (m,f) diving in open water, WCL.

5) Lesser Scaup  2  (m) diving in open water, WCL.

6) Bufflehead   6 (m,f) diving in open water, WCL.

7) Common Merganser   14  (m,f)  swimming near shore, ECL, WCL.

8) Ruddy Duck   2  (m,f  in basic plumage)  diving in open water, WCL.

9) Yellow-billed Loon  (1335 - 1405 hrs) 1 (ad in non-breeding plumage) diving in open water about 80 -100 yards north of the eastern fishing pier (ECL); preening and swimming northward; partially submerging between dives; dives beginning with a quick upward lunge with underwater periods lasting 3-7 minutes, and apparently much longer (perhaps 20 minutes). No other waterbirds were near this individual, although several small groups of Western and Clark's Grebes were within 100 yards. Visible diagnostic features, such as the contrasting auriculars, and white sides of the neck; heavy, pale bill with sharply angled mandible, could be seen clearly with my 10x42 binocular. Later examination of  a series of about ten digital photos, also showed these features fairly well (see photo below). This is evidently the second record for YBL in Los Angeles County; the first being on 20 April, 1977 at Pt. Dume (Hamilton, R.A. et. al. 2007: pp. 76-78).

According to a park attendant, the lagoon was most recently stocked with fish on December 12, 2009. It seems plausible that artificial reservoirs, seasonally stocked with fish, may have become significant, if not obligatory, refueling stations for long-distance migrants passing through this region.

 

                                                         Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) in Castaic Lagoon, Los Angeles County, CA March 9, 2010

                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                            ©  2010  Callyn Yorke

 

10) Pied-billed Grebe  4 (ad)   near shore; ECL, WCL, calls.   

11) Eared Grebe  20  open water, ECL, WCL; one tight group of 8 swimming.

12) Western Grebe  12  (ad)   open water, ECL, WCL.  

13) Clark's Grebe   10 (ad)   open water, ECL , WCL.       

14) Double-crested Cormorant  18 (ad, imm)   ECL, WCL, swimming, diving, flying and resting on dock.  

15) Great Blue Heron  6  shorelines and parkland around the lagoon, ECL, WCL.  

16) Turkey Vulture   6 (ad)   flying over hillsides, WCL.

17) Osprey   2 (ad)    flying with fish pointed forward in talons; perched in trees and on poles calls, ECL, WCL.

18) Red-shouldered Hawk   1 (ad)   flushed from tree near marsh, WCL; calls.

19) Red-tailed Hawk   1 (ad)  soaring among ravens over east hills, ECL.

20) American Coot  40  around lake, especially in calmer waters near shore, ECL, WCL.

21) Killdeer  1  flying, calls, WCL.

22) Spotted Sandpiper  2   sandy shoreline, WCL.

23) Ring-billed Gull  20 (ad)   hovering in wave-splash zzone in SEC; several on beach; ECL, WCL.

24) California Gull 40  (ad, imm)  open water and on beach, ECL, WCL.

25) Herring Gull  1 (ad) resting in open water,  WCL.

26) Western Gull   15  (ad)  on beach and resting in open water, WCL.

27) Mourning Dove  2  flushed from trees near marsh and in parkland, WCL; calls.

28) Anna's Hummingbird   2   fence line and trees; calls, ECL and WCL.

29) Northern Flicker   3   flying low, landing in deciduous tree, parkland, WCL; calls.

30) Black Phoebe  10  shorelines and parkland throughout, ECL, WCL; calls.

31) Cassin's Kingbird   flew into tall deciduous tree, WCL.

32) American Crow   25  ubiquitous: parkland, shorelines, ECL, WCL; calls.

33) Common Raven   12   soaring over hillsides and flying, calling in parkland, ECL, WCL.

34) Tree Swallow  60 (70% imm) low over lagoon, back and forth for hours, ECL, WCL.

35) Northern Rough-winged Swallow    10  low over lagoon, mixed in with TSW, ECL, WCL.

36) Barn Swallow  4  slightly higher (>10 ft.) over water than other swallows; WCL.

37) Bushtit    20    small, noisy flocks in dense shrubs and trees, ECL, WCL.

38) Ruby-crowned Kinglet    5  in pines and deciduous trees ECL, WCL; calls.

39) Cedar Waxwing   8  flock flying into deciduous trees in west suburb, WCL.

40) Yellow-rumped Warbler   40 (m,f0    ubiquitous, small, noisy flocks in trees, shrubs and on ground, ECL, WCL.

41) Lark Sparrow   16  small flocks on lawns and in trees; calls and evening song, WCL.

42) Savannah Sparrow  4   short-grass shoreline, WCL; calls.

43) Lincoln's Sparrow   1 riparian shoreline, WCL, calls.

44) Song Sparrow   1  brushy riparian shoreline, WCL, calls.

45) White-crowned Sparrow   30  small flocks in brushy areas around lagoon, ECL, WCL; calls..

46) Dark-eyed Junco  6  beneath and in pines,  WCL; calls.

47) Red-winged Blackbird   10  marshy edges,WCL, calls and song.

48) Great-tailed Grackle    4  parkland, ECL, calls.

49) House Finch   6   parkland and chaparral edge, ECL, WCL, calls.

50) American Goldfinch   8  in tall, deciduous tree with flower buds; calls and song, WCL.

 

 

                                                                                               

                                                                                                    

                                                                                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

DECEMBER 17, 2009 (48 Species)

Weather:  Fair; 56 to 65F; WNW winds 5-20 mph.

Time: 1002-1340 hrs.

Observers: Merissa Mendez and I.

Area Covered:  (1) Castaic Lagoon, east and west sides. Paid $11 day-use fee on east side, which allowed us to walk around all areas around the lake. We walked from the parking area near the entrance, N along the E shore, scoping the lake, dam and spillway. We surveyed tall pines and Eucalyptus in and around the picnic and campground. Only a few visitors and one couple camping; conditions were good for detecting bird vocalizations until the winds picked up around 1100 hrs.  (2) Drove to the bridge at the S end of the lagoon and surveyed the spillway, riparian strip, pines and picinic area. (3) Continued by car to the Northlake entrance, where we walked around the picnic areas, surveying pines, oaks, exotic shrubs and adjacent sage chapparal, using binoculars. (4) Returned for a more thorough walk-through of the west shore of Castaic Lagoon after briefly visiting the overlook of the dam and north lake (largely devoid of birdlife today; many fishermen on the dam and west shore) and adjacent grassland with a small flooded area.

   Cassin's Kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans) at Castaic Lagoon, December 17, 2009.    ©  2009  Callyn D. Yorke                                                                                 

BIRDS NOTED

1) Canada Goose  12   W picinic area.

2) Mallard 30  around the edges of the lagoon.

3) Lesser Scaup   1 (m)  E side.

4) Bufflehead  5 (m,f)    open water, E.

5) Common Merganser   1 (f)   near E shore.

6) Ruddy Duck  20   around edges of lagoon.

7) Pied-billed Grebe  5  N and S lagoon.

8) Eared Grebe   4  S lagoon.

9) Horned Grebe  2  E lagoon; pair staying close; preening.

10) Western Grebe 25,  most at N end of lagoon beneath spillway; resting.

11) Clark's Grebe  4  resting at N end of lagoon.

12) Double-crested Cormorant  25 (ad, imm), most resting on spillway wall, N end of lagoon.

13) Great Blue Heron  5,  edge of lagoon and N lake.

14) Green Heron   1   below bridge in S spillway.

15) Osprey   3   circling over lagoon and picnic areas; calls; one with small fish in talons.

16) Cooper's Hawk   1 flushed from trees, E side.

17) Red-tailed Hawk  2  E and W side, in trees; circling.

18) American Coot   100 (est. ) ubiquitous around edges of lagoon and lake.

19) Ring-billed Gull 6 (ad)   W beach with other gulls; flying over lake.

20) California Gull  5 (ad, 2nd cycle)   W beach with other gulls.

21) Herring Gull 1 (ad) on beach with other gulls (see photo below).

22) Western Gull  5 (ad, 2nd cycle)  on beach with other gulls.

23) Mourning Dove  3   E side; flying over camp.

24) Anna's Hummingbird  (m)  E side, calls.

25) Nuttall's Woodpecker   1   trees, E side; calls.

26) Northern Flicker (red-shafted)    3   E and W side; calls.

27) Black Phoebe   5  E and W side; sally from low perch; calls from higher perches.

28) Say's Phoebe   4  E and W side; sally from low perch; calls from low perch.

29) Cassin's Kingbird   4  E(1), W  (3); active and conspicuous in tall trees; calls.(see above photo).

30) American Crow   3   W   calls.

31)  Common Raven   10  E and W; picnic area (W); calls.

32) Oak Titmouse 2  E and W side; calls.

33) Bushtit   10  E chaparral slope.

34) Bewick's Wren   1 E shrubs in campground.

35) Ruby-crowned Kinglet  5  E and W trees and shrubs.

36) Blue-grey Gnatcatcher   2   E chaparral; calls.

37) European Starling   10  E and W trees; calls.

38) Yellow-rumped Warbler  5  E and W, shrubs, lawns, trees; calls.

39) Common Yellowthroat   1 (m)  SW edge of lake; calls.

40) California Towhee  1   E shrubs around camp.

41) Song Sparrow   3  SW riparian; calls.

42) Savannah Sparrow   3  flooded field near dam, NW.

43) Lark Sparrow  12,   feeding on ground beneath pines near bridge and in field, SW.

44) White-crowned Sparrow  25  ubiquitous in brushy areas.

45) Dark-eyed Junco  30 (1 possible pink-sided, E side)    on ground and lawns beneath trees, E and W.

46) House Finch    35  ubiquitous.

47) Lesser Goldfinch  3  W, calls from trees; flying W.

48) House Sparrow   10  E and W; shrubs near buildings.

                       Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) at Castaic Lagoon, December 17, 2009.           © 2009 Callyn D. Yorke

            

 

 

 

 

October 11, 2009  (74 Species)

Weather: overcast, no wind (AM); changing to partly cloudy (PM), 53 to 60F; WSW winds gusting to 20 mph (PM).

Time: 0810 - 1410 hrs.

Area Covered:  Southbound on Lake Hughes Road, I turned on the southeast entry road of Castaic Lagoon and Lake County Park (see map). Paid day fee ($11) and parked next to the first campground. I walked slowly, stopping frequently for extended observations, N and S along the camp road, surveying chaparral, parkland with Aleppo and other exotic pines; lakeshore and open water of the south lake (SL) or " Castaic Lagoon", using a 10 x 40 binocular and 25-30x scope. Most of the south lake was visible from this west-facing slope. The park became increasingly busy throughout the morning, including a couple of remote-controlled aircraft buzzing over the SE hillside. After surveying here for about an hour, I drove back to the main road and parked in the water district lot (the south park entry was closed) and walked to the bridge over a spillway with a flooded, marshy area (photo). Continued on foot north through the southwestern section of the park about 0.1 mile, birding an open oak-plantain-pine savanna habitat with well-watered lawns. Surveyed a small riparian strip at the northern end of the picnic area and the sandy shoreline (an artificial beach) bordered by a coast live oak, laurel and Eucalyptus woodland without an understory. This part of SL was generally quiet; most of the picinic areas were vacant. After lunch in Castaic   (there were plenty of fast-food options), I drove to the entry of the north lake (NL) section of the park (i.e. north of a large dam separating the two lakes), and ended the survey on the hilltop where a lifeguard station overlooks NL. I scoped the SW part of NL, including an exposed island featuring an aggregation of gulls and egrets. Motor boats traversed NL, thus reducing bird activity in this large body of open water. By contrast, only small fishing boats floated quietly on SL, where the greatest concentrations of waterbirds were seen. Overall, the birding at Castaic Lagoon and Lake today was excellent (74 spp.); the highest diversity and numbers of birds being found in and around SL.

Area map showing location of  Castaic Lagoon and Lake survey site and route. Elev. approx. 1000 ft.     © Compass Maps
Area map showing location of Castaic Lagoon and Lake survey site and route. Elev. approx. 1000 ft. © Compass Maps

Viewing northwest from the southeast section of the southern Castaic Lagoon (SL).   © 2009  Callyn D. Yorke
Viewing northwest from the southeast section of the southern Castaic Lagoon (SL). © 2009 Callyn D. Yorke

Viewing north from the southern section of Castaic Lagoon (SL) at the bridge.   © 2009 Callyn D. Yorke
Viewing north from the southern section of Castaic Lagoon (SL) at the bridge. © 2009 Callyn D. Yorke

Viewing northeast from the southwestern corner of the north Castaic Lake (NL).  © 2009 Callyn D. Yorke
Viewing northeast from the southwestern corner of the north Castaic Lake (NL). © 2009 Callyn D. Yorke

BIRDS NOTED

1) Canada Goose  14: w SL, on grass; relatively tame.

2) Gadwall  20 (m,f): n SL, near spillway with large flock of coots.

3) Mallard  40 (m,f) : ubiquitous around SL.

4) Ruddy Duck (m,f) 12: tight flock in open water, SL.

5) Pied-billed Grebe  8: near shore and open water, SL and NL.

6) Horned Grebe 1: swc of NL, with CG's.

7) Eared Grebe 3: swc of NL, diving.

8) Western Grebe 3? (1- pos. ID), open water SL, calls.

9) Clark's Grebe  6? (3 - pos. ID), SL and swc of NL.

10) Double-crested Cormorant  10: n SL and swc of NL; most were inactive.

11) Great Blue Heron  6 (ad) :  on lawn (approachable to within about 50 ft.), and both spillways SL; island shore NL.

12) Great Egret  25: s and w SL; most on island swc of NL.

13) Snowy Egret  18: s and w SL; most on island swc of NL.

14) Osprey 1 (ad): flying over SL; calls from perch in pine tree nw SL.

15) Red-shouldered Hawk  1: circling low over adjacent town of Castaic.

16) Red-tailed Hawk  1: on electric tower cross-piece (60 ft.) w SL.

17) Buteo sp. (profileof Swainson's hawk) 1: flying south at about 200 ft. over SL.

18) American Coot  500 (est) : most at n end of SL in large concentrations near shore.

19) Killdeer  2: w shore of SL; calls.

20) Spotted Sandpiper  1: w shore of SL, near Killdeer.

21) Sandpiper sp. (possibly Western). 1: w shore of SL.

22) Ring-billed Gull  20 (ad, imm): swc of NL; most on island; a few flying over NL.

23) California Gull  35 (ad, imm): swc of NL; most on island; 2 flying over SL.

24) Western Gull 2 (ad): one SL (flew up to light pole); one on island NL.

25) Mourning Dove  4: se SL in pines.

26) Vaux's Swift  2: flying low and circling over SL.

27) Anna's Hummingbird  10 (m,f): pines and tree tobacco(Nicotiana glauca), SL and NL, calls; flycatching.

28) Belted Kingfisher  2: calls and flying near shore, se SL.

29) Nuttall's Woodpecker  1 (f): foraging in small, fallen elm tree, e SL.

30) Northern Flicker  1: foraging on vertical trunk of mature pine, sw SL, calls.

31) Black phoebe  4: parkland SL and NL.

32) Say's phoebe  1: low perch, nw SL.

33) Cassin's Kingbird (probably misidentified initially as WEKI)   2: pair chasing, calling in pines and Eucalyptus, nw SL.

34) Western Scrub Jay  1: calls from hilltop, swc NL.

35) American Crow  30: in and around picnic areas, SL and NL; flying with a large white, round object in beak.

36) Common Raven  10: mostly nw SL in picnic area; some flying over lake; not seen close to crows.

37) Tree Swallow  10: flying low over SL with VGS.

38) Violet Green Swallow  50 (probably a low est.) flying low, back and forth over n SL; some dipping.

39) Barn Swallow  4: flying low, back and forth, close to e shore of SL.

40) Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1: flying s at about 60 ft. over SL.

41) Mountain Chickadee  1: quite active in pines, nw SL; calls.

42) Oak Titmouse  6: pines and other trees, SL and NL.

43) Bushtit  10: n SL, flock in small live oak; calls.

44) White-breasted Nuthatch  1: calls from pines, n SL (unseen) .

45) Rock Wren  6:  rocky slope above dam and below lifeguard station, nw NL, brief song.

46) Bewick's Wren  6: edge of chaparral; lakeside scrub and gardens; pines, e, s and w SL, calls.

47) House Wren  2:  roadside pines, exotic shrubs and chaparral, se and sw SL;

48) Marsh Wren  1: seepage on s side of bridge, s SL.

49) Ruby-crowned Kinglet  6: n SL foraging quickly in pines and coast live oak; calls.

50) Western Bluebird  15 (m,f): nw SL, flock flying low through trees; foraging in short grass with WCS and HF.

51) European Starling  20: tall trees throughout park, SL and in town.

52) Cedar Waxwing  12 (est.) moving through Eucalyptus, w SL; calls.

53) Orange-crowned Warbler  6: n SL, gleaning foliage in coast live oak and low shrubs; mixed species flock (MSF) with BTGW and YW.

54) Yellow Warbler  4: gleaning in pines and oaks; MSF, calls.

55) Yellow-rumped Warbler 80 (m,f) (probably a low est.): ubiquitous, foraging (glean, sally-flycatch) everywhere on land, at all height levels; MSF; calls.

56) Black-throated Gray Warbler  1: n SL gleaning foliage in small, isolated coast live oak; MSF with OCW, YRW and YW; call.

57) Common Yellowthroat   8 (est.): ubiquitous where vegetation meets water around SL; calls.

58) Wilson's warbler  5 (m,f): n SL in parkland oaks and pines; MSF with YRW and RCK; calls.

59) Spotted Towhee 2: chaparral adjacent to campground, se SL.

60) California Towhee  9: chaparral and parkland, se, sw SL; sw NL; calls.

61) Chipping Sparrow  7:  sw and nw SL, parkland, foraging in short grass, conspecific flock and with HF, WCS and LS.

62) Lark Sparrow   8:  foraging in mixed species and conspecific flocks in short grass, sw and nw SL.

63) Savannah Sparrow   9: chaparral-parkland edge; foraging in grass and edge of shore, e, n and sw SL; calls.

64) Song Sparrow  5:  se SL and s SL, foraging in cattails and chaparral vegetation near water; calls.

65) Lincoln's Sparrow  3:  active in dense vegetation near water, s and se SL; calls.

66) White-crowned Sparrow  50 (est.) ubiquitous in chaparral edge, parkland, riparian and pines; calls and song.

67) Dark-eyed Junco  6: se SL in pines; 1 sw NL below pines; calls.

68) Red-winged Blackbird (imm. m, f)    15: se SL, parkland on ground with BB; calls.

69) Brewer's Blackbird  60 (m,f): ubiquitous, esp. parkland.

70) Brown-headed Cowbird  1 : se SL, calls in MSF with BB and RWB (unseen).

71) Great-tailed Grackle   30 (est.) (m, f (mostly): se, sw SL foraging on ground; calls.

72) House Finch  50 (est.) (m,f): ubiquitous; MSF with YRW, WCS, WB, among other spp..

73) Lesser Goldfinch  4: top of trees and forgaging on ground at edge of chaparral with WCS; se SL and w SL; calls.

74) House Sparrow  2: campground, se SL.

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