BIRD SURVEYS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Area Covered: I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road, except in the nw and se sections. The entire lake area was quiet; several fishermen were on docks in the north, west and south sections of the lake. There was no inflow from the Palmdale Ditch in the se section. The lake continues to be at nearly the maximum water level, leaving little or no exposed shoreline.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Common Goldeneye (1 -cont.), Aechmophorus sp. (1) Northern Rough-winged Swallow (1) and Verdin (3).

BIRDS NOTED

Mallard 8 (m,f) swimming and flying near shore, s, se.

Canvasback 1 (m) resting in slough with RUDU, se.

Lesser Scaup 4 (m,f) swimming in open water, n, ne.

Bufflehead 10 (m,f) individuals and small flocks diving throughout.

Common Goldeneye 1 (f) - cont. swimming near docks, s.

Ruddy Duck 120 (m,f; some m in trans. alt. plmg.) resting in large flocks near the marsh throughout.

California Quail 10 (m,f) a covey running across the PWD road by the interior gate.

Pied-billed Grebe 6 individuals diving throughout the lake.

Eared Grebe 5 individuals and pairs diving near shore around the lake.

Aechmophorus sp. 1 diving at the edge of a flock of CAGU resting in the center of the lake.

Double-crested Cormorant 5 resting on stirring platforms, central, n.

Cooper's Hawk 1 (ad) flushed from a stand of creosote bushes, n.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1- 2 repeatedly vocal; 1 ad circling abobe tall cottonwood (nesting?) se.
Red-tailed Hawk 3 (ad, imm) perched on utility poles on property adjacent to LP; 1 in willow above lake, s.

Sora 1 repeated calls from marsh at edge of slough, s.

American Coot 80 gregarious, ubiquitous around edges of the lake.

Killdeer 1 vocal; flushed from dam, e.

California Gull 45 (2 imm) an increasingly large flock resting in open water; flying to and from the adjacent (nw) Palmdale landfill.

Eurasian Collared Dove 2 vocal; on utility poles and lines, s.

Mourning Dove 12 ubiqutious.

Anna's Hummingbird 2 (m,f) vocal; in trees and junipers, nw, se.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 3 (m,f) vocal; foraging in cottonwoods, s.

Northern (RS) Flicker 3 individuals on ground and in cottonwoods, n, w, s.

Black Phoebe 2 vocal, n.

Say's Phoebe 2 vocal; open fields and low perches in sapling cottonwoods, e, n.

Western Scrub-Jay 2 vocal; juniper-sage scrub, nw; calls, e.

Common Raven 10 soaring at 300 ft agl + over the lake.

Tree Swallow 40 vocal; pairs in cottonwoods and willows, s; flying low over the lake.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1 flying back and forth over creosote bush patch and cliff, n (fos).

Oak Titmouse 2 a pair in vocal contact while foraging/ nest site exploring? in cottonwoods, s.

Verdin 3 two maintaining vocal contact in junpers, w; one repeated calls from juniper-joshua patch, se.

Bushtit 12 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous in brushy areas.

Bewick's Wren 8 vocal, ubiquitous in brushy areas.

Marsh Wren 1 repeated song from dense marsh, s.

Hermit Thrush 3 one in same area beneath creosote bush patch, n; two on ground with AMRO, around junipers, s.

American Robin 2 individuals foraging in shady areas beneath cottonwoods and junipers, sw, s.

California Thrasher 1 repeated song, juniper-joshua patch, se.

European Starling 10 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp. n, s.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 50 (m,f) some in alt. plmg. vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Savannah Sparrow 2 on jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 5 vocal in riparian-marsh around the lake.

White-crowned Sparrow 50 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Red-winged Blackbird 30 (m) vocal, gregarious; males on territories in marshes around the lake.

Great-tailed Grackle 40 (m,f) males in alt. plmg. vocal, displaying in leks on jetty and in trees, n, s.

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

House Sparrow 10 vocal, gregarious; around the clubhouse and gardens, n.

February 11, 2016 (47 Species)

Weather: Fair; 48F to 60F; wind NNW 0-2 mph.

Time: 0735-1012 hrs.

Area Covered: I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road, except in the nw section. The entire lake area was quiet; two fishermen were on the docks in the sw. The lake water level is nearly at capacity, leaving little or no exposed shoreline. Water was flowing in the Palmdale Ditch inlet in the se area.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Common Goldeneye (1), Canvasback (16), Tree Swallow (20), and Red Crossbill (calls). Note: Both Western and Clark's Grebe were absent from Lake Palmdale this morning.

BIRDS NOTED

Mallard 6 (m,f) swimming and resting near shore, nw, se.

Canvasback 16 (m,f) one resting alone amongst RUDU in s slough; others together swimming away from dam as I approached, s, ne.

Lesser Scaup 6 (5 m; 1 f) swimming together, open water, n.

Bufflehead 10 (m,f) singles and small flocks in open water and near shore throughout.

Common Goldeneye 1 (f -cont.) swimming near docks, s (photo).

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 11 February 2016

Ruddy Duck 120 (m,f; trans. alt. plmg.) several flocks resting near the marsh around the lake.

Pied-billed Grebe 3 vocal; swimming in open water, n.

Eared Grebe 4 swimming and diving near the marsh, nw, sw.

Double-crested Cormorant 2 resting on stirrer platform, n.

Great Blue Heron 2 edge of marsh, n, se.

Osprey 1 with a CORA in the canopy of a willow overhanging the slough, s.

Red-shouldered Hawk repeated calls (unseen) tall cottonwoods, se.

Red-tailed Hawk 4 (imm, ad) in trees and on utility pole, s, se, ne.

American Coot 30 scattered around the lake margins in relatively low numbers.

California Gull 30 (1 C1) a cohesive flock resting in open water, central.

Eurasian Collared Dove 3 vocal; in tall cottonwoods; on utility lines, n,s.

Mourning Dove 14 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Anna's Hummingbird 1 (m) displaying gorget from perches on tall shrubs, nw.

Belted Kingfisher 1 repeated calls, n.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 (f) vocal, active in cottonwoods, s (photo).

Nuttall's Woodpecker (Picoides nuttalli) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 11 Feb 2016

Northern (RS) Flicker 5 vocal, gregarious; often foraging on ground, s.

Black Phoebe 2 vocal; s. ne.

Say's Phoebe 4 vocal; active in open fields; sallying from low perches, s, n.

Western Scrub-Jay 5 vocal; flying over juniper fields and into riparian patches, nw, s.

Common Raven 6 vocal; pairs and singles, n, e.

Tree Swallow 20 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; foraging over lake surface; perched in willows and cottonwoods around the lake.

Oak Titmouse 2 vocal, cottonwoods, sw, se.

Bushtit 12 two small, vocal flocks foraging in shrubs, n, ne.

Cactus Wren 1 repeated song (unseen) adjacent yards, sw.

Bewick's Wren 6 vocal, ubiquitous in brushy areas.

Marsh Wren 2 vocal in dead cattails, w.

Hermit Thrush 1 on ground beneath creosote bush patch, n.

American Robin 1 flew to ground beneath creosote bushes, nw.

Northern Mockingbird 1 in junipers and other shrubs alongside clubhouse entrance road, n.

California Thrasher 5 highly vocal from exposed perches in trees and shrubs, nw, s, se.

European Starling 20 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

American Pipit 1 walking on floating marsh cuttings on shore, n.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 20 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Common Yellowthroat 1 calls (unseen) cattails at edge of jetty, nw.

Savannah Sparrow 3 foraging on jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 10 vocal; pairs and singles; marsh-riparian around the lake.

White-crowned Sparrow 50 several small flocks foraging on the ground throughout.

Red-winged Blackbird 40 (90% m) vocal; on territories in cattails and marsh-riparian patches around the lake.

Great-tailed Grackle 20 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, nw, s.

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

Red Crossbill - cont.? repeated calls (unseen) in dense foliage of Aleppo pines -- same place where they were found during the previous survey, ne.

House Sparrow 10 vocal, gregarious, n.

February 4, 2016 (52 Species)

Weather: Mostly sunny with scattered clouds; 37F to 46F; wind NW 1-3 mph.

Time: 0735-1037 hrs.

Area Covered: I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road, except in the nw section. The entire lake area was quiet and undisturbed by human activities during the survey. The lake water level has increased to near capacity, leaving little or no exposed shoreline.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Common Goldeneye (1), Horned Grebe (1), Osprey (1 - cont.), Herring Gull (1), Tree Swallow (30), Cliff Swallow (1), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1), Townsend's Solitaire (1 - First Record for LP), and Red Crossbill (5 - First Record for LP).

BIRDS NOTED

Mallard 14 (m,f) around the edges of the lake, esp. se.

Northern Shoveler 1 (m) open water, e-central.

Canvasback 36 (m,f) resting in open water near the dam, se.

Lesser Scaup 2 (m) with CABA, se.

Bufflehead 20 (m,f) pairs and singles throughout the lake.

Common Goldeneye 1 (f) swimming away from docks, s.

Ruddy Duck 200 (m,f) gregarious, ubiquitous, esp., close to the marsh.

Pied-billed Grebe 3 open water, n, s.

Horned Grebe 1 swimming near flock of gulls in open water, central.

Eared Grebe 6 individuals scattered around the lake in open water.

Clark's Grebe 2 a pair swimming near the docks, sw and into open water, central; A precipitous decline in numbers during recent surveys; no WEGR found today.

Double-crested Cormorant 6 (ad, imm) flying over lake; swimming, diving near shore, n, s.

Great Blue Heron 2 on shore, se, w.

Osprey 1 flushed from cottonwood overhanging lake, nw.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 (imm) flushed from riparian patch, w.

Red-tailed Hawk 4 (ad, imm) perched in willows near shore; on utility pole, se, ne.

American Coot 80 scattered in small flocks in shallows around the lake; numbers have declined since most recent surveys.

Killdeer 2 vocal; on dock, nw; calls, e.

California Gull 60 (90% ad) resting in open water, central.

Herring Gull 1 (ad) resting in open water near flock of CAGU, central.

Eurasian Collared Dove 4 pairs perched high in cottonwoods, n, sw.

Mourning Dove 8 flushed from trees and shrubs, ne.

Anna's Hummingbird 1 vocal; in and around Aleppo pines, ne.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 repeated calls; foraging in willows, s, ne.

Northern (RS) Flicker 5 vocal; in trees and on ground throughout.

Black Phoebe 2 vocal; low perches near water, s, ne.

Say's Phoebe 1 sallying from low perches in picnic area, n.

Common Raven 6 fly, call, n, ne.

Tree Swallow 30 a loose flock and individuals flying low over lake surface throughout.

Cliff Swallow 1 flushed from edge of jetty, then returning (photo); about a month earlier than expected at LP.

Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) Lake Palmdale, Los Angeles County CA 4 February 2016

Oak Titmouse 1 calls (unseen) around pines and cottonwoods, ne.

Cactus Wren 1 repeated song from edge of park n ride, nw.

Bewick's Wren 6 vocal; ubiquitous is shrubby areas.

Marsh Wren 4 repeated song from patches of cattails, nw, sw.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 - cont.? vocal; in same saltbush-creosote bush habitat near the road, where found on 24 Dec. 2016, nw.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 vocal; active in cottonwoods, s.

Townsend's Solitaire 1 perched briefly in canopy of cottonwood; flew e and out of view (photo - first documented record for LP).

Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) Lake Palmdale, LACO CA 4 February 2016

Northern Mockingbird 2 vocal, n,s.

California Thrasher 1 vocal from exposed perch in juniper field, nw.

European Starling 30 vocal, gregarious; in tall cottonwoods throughout.

American Pipit 2 vocal when flushed from the edge of shore, nw; e.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 5 (m,f) calls; foraging in shrubs and trees around lake.

Common Yellowthroat 3 (m,f) vocal; in marsh-riparian patches, n, w.

California Towhee 4 pairs in juniper scrub, nw; foraging beneath Aleppo pines, ne.

Song Sparrow 5 vocal; in marsh and riparian patches around the lake.

White-crowned Sparrow 100 large flocks foraging on road gravel, nw, s.

Red-winged Blackbird 40 (m) vocal; on marsh territories around the lake.

Western Meadowlark 2 vocal (unseen) s, ne.

Great-tailed Grackle 20 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

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

Red Crossbill 5 (m,f) repeated calls and clicking sounds from foraging; moving within and between adjacent pines; a male vocalizing in canopy of an adjacent cottonwood; individuals foraging on immature and mature cones of Aleppo pines, nw (photos - first record for LP)

Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) male (l); female (r), Lake Palmdale, Los Angeles County CA 4 February 2016

House Sparrow 5 vocal; around clubhouse, n.

January 21, 2016 (49 Species)

Weather: Partly cloudy; 43F to 52F; wind WNW 5 mph.

Time: 0733- 0950 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the north shore adjacent to the PWD outlet and Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked the standard counter-clockwise route around the entire lake using the interior shoreline road, except in the northwest, where I walked the concrete drainage road through a Big Sagebrush-California Juniper field. About twenty fishermen were moving around the lake in vehicles before settling down on southwestern and southern docks. The survey area was otherwise quiet and undisturbed by human activities. The lake water level had risen substantially since my previous survey (Dec. 24, 2015), significantly reducing and/ or eliminating exposed shorelines and mudflats. Cattails and other marsh vegetation had also been removed from several locations around the lake since the last survey.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Common Goldeneye (3), Horned Grebe (3), Osprey (1- cont.), Herring Gull (1), Verdin (1) and Cactus Wren (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 1 (m) swimming near shore, se.

Mallard 3 (m,f) flushed from edge of marsh, se.

Canvasback 40 (m,f) two fairly cohesive flocks resting in open water; a few individuals (including one injured female) swimming near the marsh, n, central.

Lesser Scaup 20 (m,f) a cohesive flock resting in open water, nw.

Bufflehead 16 (m,s) pairs and individuals diving throughout.

Common Goldeneye 3 (f) individuals swimming near shore, n, se.

Ruddy Duck 120 (m,f) loose flocks and a few individuals in open water; some diving.

California Quail 8 vocal, gregarious; brushy knoll next to PWD yard, n.

Pied-billed Grebe 1 swimming and diving at edge of marsh in slough, s.

Horned Grebe 3 a pair diving near shore, n.

Eared Grebe 2 individuals swimming near shore, n.

Western Grebe 10 resting in open water, central.

Clark's Grebe 20 loose flocks and individuals in open water, central, nw.

Double-crested Cormorant 8 individuals diving near shore, n; resting on stirrer platforms, central.

Great Blue Heron 2 on shore; flying, e, ne.

Osprey 1 flushed from tall willow; flying around lake, nw, se.

Cooper's Hawk 1 (ad) flying low over field, nw; another (possibly same individual) alighted in tree, ne.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 (adult) flushed from willows, nw.

Red-tailed Hawk 5 (ad, imm) individuals perched in tall trees and on utility poles around the lake.

American Coot 80 small flocks scattered around the lake near shore.

Killdeer 4 two pair vocalizing near shore and the dam, ne, n.

California Gull 5 (ad, imm) resting in open water; flying toward landfill, nw.

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

Eurasian Collared Dove 6 pairs in and adjacent to riparian areas around the lake.

Mourning Dove 30 large and small flocks around the lake.

Belted Kingfisher 1 fly, call, n.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 vocal; cottonwoods, se.

Northern (RS) Flicker 2 vocal; riparian areas, w, se.

Black Phoebe 1 flying low over open field, ne.

Say's Phoebe 1 flying to post in parking area, nw.

Western Scrub-Jay 5 vocal; active in a variety of habitats around the lake.

Common Raven 20 a large flock of pairs and individuals on e side of dam, ne.

Verdin 1 repeated calls from brushy edge of park n ride lot, nw.

Bushtit 30 a vocal flock moving quickly through a sage-juniper field, nw.

Cactus Wren 1 flying low along fence line, ne.

Bewick's Wren 2 repeated song from brushy fields, nw, e.

American Robin 2 (f) perched atop tall cottonwoods, n, nw.

Northern Mockingbird 1 vocal, n.

California Thrahser 1 vocal in juniper field, w.

European Starling 20 vocal, gregarious, n, ne.

American Pipit 2 one foraging on mudflat, se.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 3 (m) foraging on shore, n.

California Towhee 2 calls, brushy areas, w, se.

Song Sparrow 5 vocal; individuals and pairs in cut-over and intact marsh-riparian patches around the lake.

White-crowned Sparrow 30 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Red-winged Blackbird 6 vocal, gregarious; males establishing territories in patch of marsh, ne.

Great-tailed Grackle 16 (m,f) vocal, gregarious - esp. males, nw, s.

House Finch 8 foraging on ground in skeet range, ne.

House Sparrow 10 vocal, gregarious, n.

December 24, 2015 (66 Species)

Weather: Partly cloudy; 33F to 48F; wind WNW 0-1 mph.; high winds (40-60 mph) in the Antelope Valley for the past two days.

Time: 0700- 1015 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the north shore between the PWD outlet and the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked the standard counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using primarily the interior shoreline road. I walked the outside perimeter road along the concrete drainage channel in the northwest and west. Three or four autos were moving about on the interior road; several fishermen were on the shore and docks, shifting their locations in the north, northwest and south. Otherwise the survey area was quiet and undisturbed by human activities. The lake water level continues to be relatively low, exposing shoreline nearly everywhere around the lake. The Palmdale Ditch inlet in the southeast had water flowing into the adjacent slough.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Common Merganser (1), Common Goldeneye (5), Horned Grebe (1), American White Pelican (2), Osprey (1-cont.), Greater Yellowlegs (4-cont.), Herring Gull (1), Red-breasted Sapsucker (1-cont.), American Crow (1), Tree Swallow (4), Barn Swallow (5), Verdin (2), and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 4 (m,f) swimming near shore ne.

Mallard 6 swimming near shore, n, ne.

Northern Shoveler 2 (m,f) swimming near shore, n, ne.

Green-winged Teal 5 (m,f) dabbling near dam, e.

Canvasback 19 (m,f) most resting together in open water, e-central.

Lesser Scaup 120 (m,f) loose flocks scattered in open water.

Bufflehead 4 (m,f) diving near the dam, ne.

Common Goldeneye 5 (m,f) diving near the dam, e.

Common Merganser 1 (f) swimming near the dam, ne.

Ruddy Duck 500 (m,f) loose flocks scattered around the lake.

California Quail 14 two flocks on ground in shrubby areas, n, w.

Pied-billed Grebe 20 individuals and pairs scattered around the lake.

Horned Grebe 1 diving near shore, ne.

Eared Grebe 10 two cohesive flocks in open water.

Western Grebe 50 scattered around the lake.

Clark's Grebe 20 scattered around the lake with WEGR; noticably fewer birds than in the previous fall months.

Double-crested Cormorant 18 resting on stirring platforms; diving in open water around the lake.

American White Pelican 2 flying over the lake; not seen on the lake today.

Great Blue Heron 2 on shore; shy and easily flushed, nw, e.

Great Egret 3 on shore; shy and easily flushed, nw, se, ne.

Snowy Egret 2 on shore with GREG, nw; shy and easily flushed.

Osprey 1 flying with a large-mouthed bass in talons (photo), nw; calling from a tree-top perch holding a fish, w.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Lake Palmdale, Los Angeles County CA 24 Dec 2015

Red-tailed Hawk 3 (light and dark morphs), nw, sw, ne.

American Coot 600 scattered around the lake; noticably fewer birds than previous survey of Dec. 3, 2015.

Killdeer 5 pairs and individuals on shore around the lake.

Greater Yellowlegs 4 - cont. vocal and easily flushed; on shore, nw, n, se.

Least Sandpiper 12 small flocks scattered on mudflats around the lake.

Ring-billed Gull 3 (ad) flying over flocks of CAGU, central.

California Gull 120 (90% ad); most resting in open water, central.

Herring Gull 1 (ad) resting in open water away from flock of CAGU, central.

Eurasian Collared Dove 1 on utility pole, sw.

Feral Rock Pigeon 1 flying n, e.

Mourning Dove 12 two cohesive flocks in brushy riparian area, ne.

Anna's Hummingbird 1 in Aleppo pines, ne.

Belted Kingfisher 4 (m,f) vocal, solitary; ubiquitous around the lake.

Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 flushed from pines, ne.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 vocal; flying toward Lake Una, se.

Northern (RS) Flicker 8 (m,f) vocal, gregarious and solitary around the lake.

Say's Phoebe 1 flying low over skeet range, ne.

Western Scrub-Jay 2 repeatedly vocal; one perched atop a leafless cottonwood, nw.

American Crow 1 ID high pitched calls and a relatively narrow, square tail; flying nw, over jetty, nw (second confirmed record for LP).

Common Raven 20 in a loose flock on and around the dam, e.

Tree Swallow 4 flying low over lake; perched on pipes next to jetty, nw (photo).

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) Lake Palmdale, Los Angeles County CA 24 December 2015

Barn Swallow 5 (1 ad; 4 imm.) a small flock perched on edge of jetty; easily flushed; flying low over the water and returning to jetty (photo).

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Lake Palmdale, LACO CA 24 Dec 2015

Verdin 2 vocal; active in creosote bushes with BUTI, n; vocal; active and vocal in Aleppo pines, ne.

Bushtit 4 vocal; active in creosote bushes, n.

Bewick's Wren 1 vocal; active in saltbush and creosote bushes, nw.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5 vocal; ubiquitous; often in trees and shrubs with other species, e.g. HOFI and YRWA.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 gave distinctive nasal calls twice while remaining mostly concealed in creosote and saltbush scrub, nw.

Hermit Thrush 2 skulking beneath creosotes bushes, n.

Northern Mockingbird 2 vocal; n, s.

California Thrasher 2 repeated calls from an exposed perch on a juniper snag; joined another individual nearby when flushed, nw.

European Starling 15 flocks on utility lines and in trees; vocal (including multiple imitations of other bird species, e.g. NOMO, CEWA; BEWR?), n,, s.

American Pipit 3 (bsc. plmg.) vocal when flushed from shore and edge of dam, n, e.

Cedar Waxwing repeated vocalizations (unseen) around clubhouse, n,.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 5 (m,f) vocal; several feeding with HOFI and NOFL on fallen olives in caretaker's yard, n.

Common Yellowthroat 4 (m,f) a pair active in creosote and saltbush, nw.

California Towhee 5 vocal; pairs and individuals in dense juniper-sage scrub, nw.

Savannah Sparrow 5 a cohesive, vocal flock flushed from s edge of jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 5 vocal; individuals and pairs in riparian-marsh areas around the lake.

White-crowned Sparrow 50 vocal; gregarious; foraging on ground near puddles in concrete drainage, w.

Red-winged Blackbird 1 vocal atop a large cottonwood, n.

Great-tailed Grackle 20 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; nw, s.

House Finch 40 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiqutious; often in msf.

Lesser Goldfinch calls (unseen) s.

House Sparrow 10 vocal, gregarious; around clubhouse and garden.

December 3, 2015 (58 Species)

Weather: Overcast to partly cloudy; 41F to 55F. Winds calm.

Time: 0719-1030 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the north shore, I walked a reverse route (clockwise) around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road. Two vehicles with PWD and F&F personnel were present in the survey area; a fisherman was on the north shore next to the PWD outlet. The survey area was otherwise quiet and undisturbed. Spent shotgun shells were on the shore in several places around the lake, e.g. in the northwest next to the jetty. Waterfowl hunting season continues at LP on Wednesday and Sunday through January, 2016. Most of the waterbirds, e.g. ducks and grebes were in the central portion of the lake during my survey. The water level continues to recede (the Palmdale Ditch inlet in the se corner is still dry), leaving an extensive mudflat shoreline around nearly the entire lake.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Horned Grebe (5), White Pelican (2), Virginia Rail (1), Greater Yellowlegs (6), Wilson's Snipe (4), Red-breasted Sapsucker (1) and Barn Swallow (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 10 (m,f) a cohesive and wary flock, e-central.

American Wigeon 8 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, e-central.

Mallard 3 (m,f) e-central.

Northern Shoveler 25 (80% fem.) gregarious, e-central.

Green-winged Teal 2 (m,f) swimming together near the marsh, se.

Canvasback 20 (m,f) gregarious, s-central.

Lesser Scaup 250 (m,f) gregarious, ubiquitous; most in central area of lake.

Bufflehead 80 (m,f) in pairs and small flocks throughout the lake.

Ruddy Duck 500 (m,f) gregarious, ubiquitous; most resting.

Pied-billed Grebe 8 individuals scattered over the lake.

Horned Grebe 5 gregarious and individuals swimming, diving, central.

Eared Grebe 5 gregarious, s-central.

Western Grebe 30 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Clark's Grebe 25 gregarious; vocal young, central, n.

Double-crested Cormorant 30 many resting on stirring platforms; small flocks diving, s-central.

American White Pelican 2 swimming together, central.

Great Blue Heron 1 easily flushed several time; on shores around the lake, e.

Great Egret 3 easily flushed from shores around the lake.

Black-crowned Night Heron 1 (imm) easily flushed from marsh at n edge of slough, s.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 (unseen) repeated calls, se.

Red-tailed Hawk 5 (ad, imm) vocal, ubiquitous; one pair of ads.on utility pole, ne.

Virginia Rail 1 (unseen) repeated calls while concealed in marsh, n side of slough, s.

American Coot 1,500 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; occasional intraspecific aggression.

Killdeer 10 vocal; easily flushed; pairs and individuals on shore around the lake and settling ponds.

Greater Yellowlegs 6 vocal; pairs and individuals on shore around the lake.

Spotted Sandpiper 1 flushed from shore, e.

Least Sandpiper 10 two flocks foraging on mudflats, n, se.

Wilson's Snipe 4 3 foraging on mudflats at edge of marsh, nw; an individual doing the same, se.

Ring-billed Gull 2 flying over the lake, central.

California Gull 60 (ad, C1, C2) flying to and from the landfill in nw; resting on lake, central.

Eurasian Collared Dove 1 on utility line, n.

Feral Rock Pigeon 1 flying over, n.

Mourning Dove 6 individuals and pairs, ubiquitous.

Belted Kingfisher 4 perched on poles and railings of docks around the lake.

Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 flying to cottonwood, se.

Northern (RS) Flicker 4 gregarious; foraging on ground, se, sw.

Black Phoebe 6 ubiquitous near water.

Say's Phoebe 1 calls; flew to fence, nw.

Western Scrub-Jay 1 on mature juniper, w.

Common Raven 8 vocal; individuals and pairs flying over lake and dam, e.

Barn Swallow 1 flying low, back and forth over shore and jetty, nw.

Oak Titmouse 3 vocal; with NOMO and RCKI responding to within a few feet to my pshing scold-call noises, se.

House Wren 1 repeated scolding calls from a mature willow, nw.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Hermit Thrush 2 calls; on ground and in lower branches beneath mature junipers, sw.

Northern Mockingbird 2 vocal; n, se.

California Thrasher 1 repeated calls from atop shrubs; ran across roadway, se.

European Starling 12 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

American Pipit 5 individuals on shorelines around the lake; vocal when flushed.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 10 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, though less conspicuous than in previous survey.

Common Yellowthroat 6 (m) vocal; individuals on mudflats and in adjacent marsh throughout.

Savannah Sparrow 1 calls (unseen) e.

Song Sparrow 5 calls; active in marsh-riparian and on adjacent mudflats around the lake.

White-crowned Sparrow 30 (80% ad) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Red-winged Blackbird 1 (m) flushed from marsh, sw.

Great-tailed Grackle 25 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; nw, sw.

House Finch 50 (m,f) contact calls, gregarious, ubiquitous.

House Sparrow 10 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; around buildings and garden, n.

November 19, 2015 (63 Species)

Exposed mudflats in the southeast corner of Lake Palmdale; note flock of eighteen Greater Yellowlegs, 19 November 2015

Weather: Fair; 47F to 54F; wind ENE 2-5 mph.

Time: 0715-1050 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the north shoreline between the lake outlet and bluff next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked the standard counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road. A fisherman and his dog were on the north shore of the lake; otherwise the survey area was quiet and undisturbed by human activities. The lake water level continues to recede, exposing an increasingly wide mudflats, e.g. in the southeast corner (photo).

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Canada Goose (13), Canvasback (20), Lesser Scaup (160), Common Merganser (1), Horned Grebe (2), Osprey (1-cont.), Greater Yellowlegs (18), Wilson Snipe (1), Herring Gull (1), and Mountain Chickadee (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Canada Goose 13 a cohesive flock swimming in open water, n-central.

American Wigeon 18 (m,f) a scattered flock in open water, e.

Mallard 8 (m,f) swimming close to the marsh, se, ne.

Northern Shoveler 12 (m,f) with other ducks in open water, e.

Green-winged Teal 1 (f) near the marsh and decoys, se.

Canvasback 20 (m,f) swimming in open water with other ducks, e, central.

Ring-necked Duck 1 (f) swimming near shore, e.

Lesser Scaup 160 (m,f) a loose flock scattered in open water, e-central.

Bufflehead 18 (m,f) scattered around the lake.

Common Merganser 1 (f) swimming with other ducks near shore, ne.

Ruddy Duck 400 (m,f) ubiquitous on the lake.

Pied-billed Grebe 8 individuals scattered around the lake.

Horned Grebe 2 swimming near shore, n (photo).

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 19 Nov 2015

Eared Grebe 2 swimming in open water, n-central.

Western Grebe 50 (ad) vocal; in pairs and singles around the lake.

Clark's Grebe 90 (ad, imm) mostly silent; in pairs and singles around the lake.

Double-crested Cormorant 30 resting on stirrer platforms; swimming diving throughout the lake.

Great Blue Heron 4 on shore around the lake.

Great Egret 4 on shore and perched in trees around the lake.

Snowy Egret 2 on shore, se, ne..

Black-crowned Night Heron 8 (ad, imm) individuals flushed from edge of marsh in south slough, s.

Osprey 1 perched on tall snag, s.

Cooper's Hawk 1 flying across road, n.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 vocal; riparian area, s.

Red-tailed Hawk 4 (ad, imm; 3 light and 1 dark morph - photo) in trees around the lake.

Dark morph Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Lake Palmdale, LACO CA 19 Nov 2015

American Coot 1,500 gregarious, ubiquitous on the lake.

Killdeer 10 pairs scattered around the lake on bare ground and mudflats.

Greater Yellowlegs 18 most foraging together on or near mudflats; individuals swimming in shallows, se (photo).

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 19 November 2015

Spotted Sandpiper 1 on boat ramp, nw.

Least Sandpiper 4 on boat ramp, nw.

Wilson's Snipe 1 foraging on mudflats, se.

Ring-billed Gull 10 (ad) flying over lake; alighting in open water, central.

California Gull 80 (ad, imm) flying over lake; resting in open water; commuting to and from Palmdale landfill in nw.

Herring Gull 1 (ad) flying with CAGU, central.

Eurasian Collared Dove 2 around clubhouse, n.

Mourning Dove 20 gregarious, ubiquitous.

Belted Kingfisher 4 fly, call, ubiquitous.

Northern (RS) Flicker 6 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Black Phoebe 10 vocal, ubiquitous.

Say's Phoebe 1 flying low, se.

Common Raven 40 vocal, gregarious; many on dam, e.

Mountain Chickadee calls (unseen) from adjacent pines at Lake Una se.

Bushtit 15 vocal, gregarious; in flowering rabbitbrush and riparian woods around the lake.

Bewick's Wren 5 vocal; brushy areas around the lake.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 20 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Hermit Thrush 1 beneath large junipers, s.

American Robin 5 (m,f) beneath large junipers, s.

Northern Mockingbird 2 vocal, around clubhouse yard, n.

California Thrasher 1 foraging beneath mature juniper, s.

European Starling 10 vocal, gregarious; around clubhouse, n.

American Pipit 1 on boat ramp, nw.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 50 (m,f) vocal (calls), gregarious, ubiquitous.

Common Yellowthroat 2 (m) calls; active at edge of marsh around mudflats, w.

California Towhee 1 calls, juniper-sage scrub, nw.

Savannah Sparrow 2 on jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 4 vocal; marsh-riparian areas around the lake.

Lincoln's Sparrow 2 flushed from brushy area next to marsh, nw.

White-crowned Sparrow 50 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Dark-eyed Junco 1 in pine, ne.

Great-tailed Grackle 30 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp, nw and s.

House Finch 25 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch 1 calls; in cottonwood canopy, se.

House Sparrow 12 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, around clubhouse and adjacent buildings, n.

November 5, 2015 (59 Species)

Weather: Fair; 47F to 54F; wind ENE 2 mph.

Time: 0715-1050 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the north shore between the PWD outlet and Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked the standard counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road, except in the northwestern section where I walked the road along the concrete drainage and fence line. There were four or five fishermen (employees of PWD) around the lake; one group with an unleashed dog. Otherwise, there was little or no human disturbance on or around the lake during my survey. Most of the waterfowl were crowded together in the southeastern portion of the lake. An extensive shoreline is now present around the lake due to the relatively low water level. The Palmdale Ditch inlet in the southeastern section was dry. Several groups of duck decoys were anchored near shore blinds around the lake. The 2015/16 waterfowl hunting season is October 24 - January 31. Hunting days at LP are Wednesday, Sunday and holidays. My bird surveys of LP are ordinarily on Thursday, when the lake is closed to everyone but a few employees of Fin and Feather Club and PWD.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Canvasback (5 - fos), Lesser Scaup (200), Horned Grebe (1-fos), Osprey (1-cont.), Sora (1), Greater Yellowlegs (2-cont.),

Bonaparte's Gull (1), Greater Roadrunner (1),Tree Swallow (6), Verdin (1), House Wren (1), and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1).

BIRDS NOTED

American Wigeon 2 (m,f) dabbling in shallows, se.

Cinnamon Teal 1 (f) swimming in slough, s.

Canvasback 5 (m,f) swimming together in open water with AMCO, s (first of the season at LP).

Ring-necked Duck 2 (m,f) swimming together near dam, se.

Lesser Scaup 200 (m,f) a large, fairly cohesive flock in open water, s, se.

Bufflehead 10 (m,f) pairs and small flocks around the edges of the lake.

Ruddy Duck 40 (m,f) ubiquitous; many resting.

Pied-billed Grebe 10 scattered around the edges of the lake.

Horned Grebe 1 swimming with AMCO and CLGR near the bluff, n (first of the season at LP).

Eared Grebe 10 individuals and pairs in open water around the lake.

Western Grebe 30 vocal, gregarious; often with CLGR around the lake.

Clark's Grebe 90 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; outnumbering WEGR at least 3:1; several 3/4- grown young with adults.

Double-crested Cormorant 1 flying low over lake, n.

Great Blue Heron 5 vocal when flushed; pairs and individuals on shore; flying around the lake.

Great Egret 3 individuals and pairs on shore around the lake.

Snowy Egret 2 a pair foraging in shallows, se.

Osprey 1 flying over the lake; chased by a CORA, e.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 (ad) vocal; chasing RTHA, s.

Red-tailed Hawk 5 (ad, imm) a pair soaring high above the western section; others in trees and on utility poles around the lake.

Sora 1 (unseen) repeated vocalizations from edge of slough, s.

American Coot 1,500 gregarious, ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Killdeer 5 vocal; pairs staying within a few yards of each other on shore around the lake.

Greater Yellowlegs 2 - cont. a pair foraging in shallows; vocal when flushed, se, ne.

Spotted Sandpiper 1 at edge of boat launch ramp, nw.

Bonaparte's Gull 1 (imm) resting in open water, n (photo).

Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) Lake Palmdale, LACO CA 5 Nov. 2015

Ring-billed Gull 1 flying low over the lake, n.

California Gull 30 (ad, imm) flying around the lake; a flock resting in open water, central.

Eurasian Collared Dove 1 on utility wire, n.

Mourning Dove 20 gregarious, ubiquitous.

Greater Roadrunner 1 on outer perimeter road; keeping about 30 yards between us, stopping and running for several minutes in and out of the shade, finally disappearing into dense shrubs (photo).

Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 5 November 2015

Anna's Hummingbird 5 (m,f) males on territory in shrubland and riparian patches around the lake.

Belted Kingfisher 3 fly, call; perched on docks around the lake.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 fly, call, riparian woodland, w, sw.

Northern (RS) Flicker 12 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; foraging on ground.

Black Phoebe 15 vocal, solitary, ubiquitous.

Common Raven 20 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; several soaring high above lake with RTHA; one chasing an Osprey over the lake.

Tree Swallow 6 (ad, imm) gregarious; flying low over central lake; one imm. flying low over slough; perched in leafless cottonwood overhanging water (photo).

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) imm. Lake Palmdale, LACO CA 5 Nov. 2015

Verdin 1 repeated calls from dense shrubs, fence line, nw.

Bushtit 40 a large, vocal, cohesive flock in sage scrub, nw.

White-breasted Nuthatch 1 vocal in mature Aleppo pine, se.

Bewick's Wren 5 vocal; ubiquitous in shrubby areas.

House Wren 1 attracted to my psshing calls in sage-rabbitbrush scrub, nw.

Marsh Wren 1-2 vocal in dense patch of cattails next to jetty, nw.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 25 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 (unseen) gave distinctive nasal call once from dense sage-creosote bush scrub next to roadway, nw.

Northern Mockingbird 3 vocal; brushy areas and around fruiting pyracantha, n, nw.

European Starling 20 vocal, gregarious; n.

American Pipit 2 vocal when alarmed; a pair foraging on e side of dam, e.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 60 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Common Yellowthroat 1 (f) flushed from shrubs at edge of riparian patch, n.

Savannah Sparrow 4 gregarious; on jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 5 foraging on shore, n; elsewhere vocal but rather secretive in marsh-riparian areas.

Lincoln's Sparrow 2 flushed from dense brush, nw.

White-crowned Sparrow 50 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Red-winged Blackbird 3 vocal, secretive in dense cattails, nw.

Great-tailed Grackle 30 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp, nw and edge of slough, s.

House Finch 25 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch 3 vocal, gregarious; in cottonwood, w.

House Sparrow 10 vocal, gregarious; around buildings, n.

October 22, 2015 (59 Species)

Weather: Fair; 52F to 74F; winds calm.

Time: 0709-1110 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the north shore next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked the standard counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road, except in the nw section, where I walked the concrete drainage levee. The lake was quiet and without human disturbances during my survey. The Palmdale Ditch inlet in the southeast had been shut off, leaving the streambed dry. The lake water level continues to be relatively low, exposing shoreline and mudflats on the perimeter. Several hunting blinds and groups of duck decoys were present around the edges of the lake.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Blue-winged Teal (1 -cont.), Bufflehead (10 - fos), Osprey (1-cont.), Greater Yellowlegs (2), Verdin (1), Cactus Wren (1), Rock Wren (1), Hermit Thrush (3), Black-throated Gray Warbler (1), Hooded Warbler (1 - new record for LP), and Evening Grosbeak (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 4 (m,f) swimming near the marsh, se, ne.

Mallard 80 (m,f) ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Blue-winged Teal 1 (f) foraging in shallows next to boat launch and jetty, nw.

Northern Shoveler 9 (f) a cohesive flock swimming near the marsh, se.

Ring-necked Duck 8 (m,f) a cohesive flock swimming and resting in open water, e-central.

Bufflehead 10 (6 m, 4 f) a cohesive flock swimming near marsh then into open water as I approached, ne (fos - photo).

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 22 October 2015

Ruddy Duck 120 (m,f) resting; swimming in loose flocks around the lake.

California Quail 4 vocal; juniper-Joshua tree scrub next to clubhouse, n.

Pied-billed Grebe 12 individuals scattered around the edges of the lake.

Western Grebe 30 (ad, imm) vocal, ubiquitous; adult individuals and with young (half and nearly full-grown) around the lake.

Clark's Grebe 80 (ad, imm) vocal, ubiquitous; adult individuals, pairs with young; some small groups of young (2-3) swimming alone, vocalizing.

Double-crested Cormorant 10 (ad, imm) flying low across the lake; swimming in open water around the lake.

Great Blue Heron 1 fly, call, n.

Great Egret 2 on shore, nw, e.

Green Heron calls (unseen) dense marsh next to lake outlet, n.

Osprey 1 on favored horizontal limb perch overhanging s slough.

Cooper's Hawk 1 flushed from cottonwood, n.

Red-shouldered Hawk calls (unseen) nw.

Red-tailed Hawk 2 vocal; one soaring among ravens at 300 ft. agl, n.

American Kestrel 1 perched on tall willow snag over s slough.

American Coot 1,500 vocal, ubiquitous, gregarious.

Killdeer 6 edge of settling pond; on dam and on jetty, n, e, nw.

Greater Yellowlegs 2 vocal; a pair together on shore of dam, e.

Spotted Sandpiper 1 foraging on shore next to boat ramp, nw.

California Gull 10 (ad) resting in open water; flying between LP and the Palmdale dump, nw.

Eurasian Collared Dove 7 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp. riparian areas and around buildings, n.

Mourning Dove 20 gregarious, ubiquitous.

Anna's Hummingbird 5 (m,f) vocal; individuals in cottonwoods around the lake.

Belted Kingfisher 3 (1 f; 2 ?) vocal, flying between perches on docks, n, s.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 vocal; foraging in cottonwoods, sw.

Northern (RS) Flicker 10 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous (photo).

Northern Red Shafted Flicker (Colaptes auratus) male Lake Palmdale, LACO CA 22 Oct 2015

Black Phoebe 10 vocal; sometimes in pairs; low perches near and distant from lake.

Say's Phoebe 1 repeated vocalizations, rabbitbrush scrub, s.

Western Scrub-Jay 2 vocal; flying over juniper scrub, nw, sw.

Common Raven 10 vocal, gregarious; soaring high (300 ft. agl), n.

Verdin 1 repeated calls (unseen) rabbitbrush-saltbrush edge of parking area, n.

Bushtit 30 2-3 vocal flocks affecting a variety of vegetation around the lake.

Cactus Wren 1 vocal, edge of Joshua Tree-juniper scrub, n.

Rock Wren 1 repeated vocalizations from concrete drainage area, s.

Bewick's Wren 12 vocal. ubiquitous.

Marsh Wren 1 repeated vocalizations from a dense patch of cattails, sw.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 15 vocal (calls), ubiquitous; often foraging in pairs and with YRWA.

Hermit Thrush 3 on ground and flushed to low branches of cottonwoods and junipers, s, se.

American Robin 2 flushed to cottonwoods from ground, sw.

Northern Mockingbird 5 vocal; individuals on territories with fruiting pyracantha, n, s.

California Thrasher 2 repeated song from juniper and saltbush fields, nw, e.

European Starling 15 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 60 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Black-throated Gray Warbler 1 (f) foraging in crowns of creosote bushes, n.

Common Yellowthroat 5 vocal; marsh-riparian areas around the lake.

Hooded Warbler 1 (f) observed and photographed for about 5 minutes (0940-0945 hrs.) ID based on behavior; proportionately long, white-marked tail; dark lores; distinctive call note. Initially seen on and near the ground beneath cottonwoods and junipers; moved to higher branches in the subcanopy of a cottonwood, s (first record for LP - photos).

Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina) female - same individual in both images, Lake Palmdale, Los Angeles County, CA 22 October 2015

Savannah Sparrow 3 flushed from ruderal patch on jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 10 vocal, pairs and individuals in marsh-riparian areas around the lake.

Lincoln's Sparrow 2 flushed from saltgrass to small willow at edge of jetty, nw.

White-crowned Sparrow 70 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Great-tailed Grackle 20 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, n,s.

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

Evening Grosbeak 1 perched atop a dead cottonwood at edge of marsh, n (one old, undocumented record for LP; first photo-documented record for LP).

Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) Lake Palmdale, LACO CA 22 October 2015

House Sparrow 20 vocal, gregarious; around the clubhouse and picnic area, n.

October 15, 2015 (67 Species)

Weather: 60-80% overcast; 67F to 77F; wind WSW 5 -10 mph.

Time: 0707-1108 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the north shore between the PWD outlet and Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road, except in the northwestern section where I walked the concrete drainage levee along the western fence line. The entire survey area was quiet and undistrubed by human activities. Conditions were good for identifying bird vocalizations. The Palmdale Ditch inlet on the southeast side, now with significant cover in the form of bullrush, grasses and assorted native herbaceous plants, has become a marsh-riparian stream feature with a narrow shoreline that is very attractive to small birds. The lake water level was relatively low, exposing significant mud-rock shoreline around the lake.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, American Wigeon (4), Blue-winged Teal (3 - cont.), Redhead (1), Ring-necked Duck (12), Lesser Scaup (13), Osprey (1-cont.), Common Moorhen (1), Greater Yellowlegs (1), Wilson's Snipe (1), Herring Gull (1), Possible Red-breasted x Red-naped Sapsucker (1), Verdin (1), Cactus Wren (1), American Pipit (1), Black and White Warbler (1), Chipping Sparrow (1) and Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 4 (m,f) dabbling in the shallows; wary; flushed to open water, se.

American Wigeon 4 (m,f) open water, e.

Mallard 80 (m,f) ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Blue-winged Teal 3 (imm m; f) pairs and an individual, nw, e.

Cinnamon Teal 1 (f) flushed from edge of dam, e.

Northern Shoveler 7 (f) gregarious; nw, se.

Redhead 1 (m) diving near dam, e.

Ring-necked Duck 12 (m,f) a tight flock in open water, ne.

Lesser Scaup 13 (m,f) a tight flock in open water, e-central (fos - photo).

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 15 October 2015

Ruddy Duck 120 (m,f) ubiquitous on the lake.

California Quail 4 running through rv parking lot, n.

Pied-billed Grebe 6 scattered around the edges of the lake.

Eared Grebe 1 swimming near the jetty, nw.

Western Grebe 20 vocal; pairs swimming in open water; one on floating nest, nw.

Clark's Grebe 80 (ad, imm) vocal; several pairs followed by young around the lake.

Double-crested Cormorant 1 swimming in open water, central.

Great Blue Heron 2 on shore, nw, e.

Snowy Egret 2 wading in shallows; resting at edge of marsh, ne.

Osprey 1 (ad) perched high on willow snag over slough; same area where found during the previous survey, s.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 (ad) flushed from cottonwoods, s.

Red-tailed Hawk 1 flying low over juniper woodland, w.

Common Moorhen 1 chased by AMCO at edge of slough, se.

American Coot 1,500 gregarious, vocal, ubiquitous on the lake and in marshes; one making a distinctive sound by slapping its foot repeatedly on water while perched at edge of marsh.

Killdeer 6 vocal; pairs on shore and edge of settling pond, nw, n.

Greater Yellowlegs 1 foraging in shallows at edge of marsh; vocal; flying over jetty, nw.

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) Lake Palmdale, LACO CA 15 October 2015

Spotted Sandpiper 1 foraging on mudflats next to boat ramp and jetty, nw.

Wilson's Snipe 1 flushed from edge of marsh next to boat ramp and jetty, nw.

Ring-billed Gull 2 (ad) flying low around the lake.

California Gull 25 (ad, imm) most resting together on the lake, central; a few flying around the lake and toward the Palmdale land fill.

Herring Gull 1 (C1) ID by bill and wing shape, wing-stroke; white windows at base of primaries.

Caspian Tern calls (unseen) in flight over lake, nw.

Eurasian Collared Dove 5 vocal; gregarious, n, s.

Mourning Dove 20 gregarious, ubiquitous.

Anna's Hummingbird 5 (m,f) vocal; ubiquitous; active in and around cottonwoods and willows.

Red-breasted x Red-naped Sapsucker ? 1 (m) Note: indistinct black border of red patch on breast; partial white supercilium and moustachial stripe; foraging on the trunk in the subcanopy of a cottonwood, n (photos).

Red-breasted x Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber x S. nuchalis) ? same individual in both images, Lake Palmdale LACO CA 15 October 2015

Nuttall's Woodpecker calls (unseen) e.

Northern (RS) Flicker 8 occasionally vocal; gregarious; a pair interacting aggressively while foraging on edge of dam, e.

Black Phoebe 10 vocal, ubiquitous, esp. near water.

Common Raven 20 a loose flock soaring high above the dam, e.

Verdin 1 repeatedly vocal; moving with flock of Bushtits, n.

Bushtit 30 two or three vocal, cohesive flocks foraging in a variety of vegetation around the lake.'

Cactus Wren 1 repeatedly vocal; joshua-juniper patch in caretaker's yard, n.

Bewick's Wren 12 vocal, ubiquitous in brushy areas.

Marsh Wren 2 vocal response to my pshhing sounds made from the jetty next to a marsh.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 15 vocal; foraging in canopies of deciduous trees around the lake; often with YRWA.

Northern Mockingbird 3 a pair interacting in pyracantha hedgerow next to clubhouse, n.

California Thrasher 2 repeated song (partial) from atop junipers; individuals separated by 100 yards +, nw.

European Starling 15 vocal, gregarious, n, s.

American Pipit calls (unseen) settling ponds, n.

Orange-crowned Warbler 3 foraging in cottonwoods, n.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 50 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Black-throated Gray Warbler 1 (m) foraging alone in outer foliage of mulberry tree, n.

Black & White Warbler 1 (f) called once; seen briefly climbing on interior branches of a mature cottonwood; chased off by a YRWA, n.

Common Yellowthroat 5 (m,f) vocal; active in marsh-riparian areas around the lake.

California Towhee 1 repeated calls (unseen) dense rabbitbrush-juniper field, w.

Chipping Sparrow 1 (imm) drinking from shore of Palmdale Ditch inlet, e.

Savannah Sparrow 4 flushed from ruderal edge of jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 6 vocal; ubiquitous in marsh-riparian areas.

Lincoln's Sparrow 1 flushed from creosote bush stand with WCSP, n.

White-crowned Sparrow 60 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Dark-eyed Junco 1 in pines, ne.

Red-winged Blackbird 5 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; patches of marsh, nw, se.

Great-tailed Grackle 20 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; mostly at edge of marsh, nw, s.

Brown-headed Cowbird 1 (m) flying over riparian, s.

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

Lesser Goldfinch 8 foraging on dry sunflower heads next to Palmdale Ditch inlet, se.

House Sparrow 15 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; shrubs and trees around clubhouse, n.

October 8, 2015 (63 Species)

Weather: Partly cloudy and clearing; 62F to 76F; wind WNW 2 - 5 mph.

Time: 0640-1010 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the shore next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked the standard, counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road. The entire survey area was quiet and undisturbed by human activities. The lake water level continues to be relatively low, exposing mud and rock shoreline throughout. The southeast inlet (Palmdale Ditch) was running at medium to low stream velocity.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Blue-winged Teal (5), Ring-necked Duck (8), American White Pelican (2), Osprey (1), Forster's Tern (1), Barn Swallow (6), Verdin (2), White-breasted Nuthatch (1), Red-breasted Nuthatch (1 - new for LP list), and American Goldfinch (2).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 1 (m) swimming with AMCO and RUDU, e.

American Wigeon 1 (m) resting in open water, e.

Mallard 80 (m,f) ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Blue-winged Teal 5 (f) four swimming together near dam, e; one dabbling in shallows near boat launch at the jetty, nw.

Northern Shoveler 7 (f) swimming with AMCO and RUDU,nw, e.

Ring-necked Duck 8 (m,f) swimming together in slough, s.

Ruddy Duck 120 (m,f) ubiquitous on the lake.

California Quail 6 vocal; a small covey running between junipers near picnic area, n.

Pied-billed Grebe 10 individuals scattered around the lake.

Eared Grebe 4 two pair swimming in open water, n-central.

Western Grebe 80 vocal; mostly in pairs around the lake; at least two on floating nests, nw.

Clark's Grebe 70 (ad, imm) a pair of vocal adults followed by two young in slough (photo), s; others vocalizing; at least one on floating nest, nw.

Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) Adults and young; Lake Palmdale LACO CA 8 October 2015

Double-crested Cormorant 4 flying low over lake, central.

American White Pelican 2 swimming in open water, central.

Great Blue Heron 3 in marsh-riparian and on shore; flying around the lake.

Great Egret 1 perched in willow, se.

Osprey 1 perched on cottonwood branch overhanging slough, s.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 (ad) flushed from marsh-riparian, nw.

Red-tailed Hawk 2 a pair on top of metal tower in PWD yard, n.

American Coot 1,500 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Killdeer 6 vocal, gregarious, on shore and dam, nw, e.

Least Sandpiper 4 foraging at the water line in a settling pond, n.

California Gull 2 (ad) flying to center of lake.

Forster's Tern 1 (bsc. plmg.) circling the lake; occasionally plunge-diving.

Eurasian Collared Dove 5 riparian areas around the lake.

Mourning Dove 20 small to medium-sized flocks around the lake.

Anna's Hummingbird 5 (m,f) vocal; individuals hovering around outer foliage of cottonwoods and willows around the lake.

Belted Kingfisher 4 vocal, gregarious; pairs flying around edges of the lake and perching on posts and docks.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 4 (m,f) vocal; pairs foraging in separate trees, w, se.

Northern Flicker 4 vocal; semi-gregarious; riparian areas around the lake.

Black Phoebe 10 vocal; ubiquitous.

Western Scrub-Jay 1 atop a juniper, w.

Common Raven 15 individuals and small flocks flying over the lake.

Barn Swallow 6 gregarious; flying low over the lake, central.

Oak Titmouse 1 in cottonwood, sw.

Verdin 2 vocal; in shrubs and small trees lining park and ride, n; junipers, w.

Bushtit 20 vocal, gregarious; affecting a variety of vegetation types.

White-breasted Nuthatch 1 flying between willows and cottonwoods, s.

Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 giving distinctively weak nasal call repeatedly from subcanopy in a stand of mature cottonwoods with juniper understory and edge, s; adjacent yards with mature conifers (e.g. spruce, pines) flew to trees on other side of roadway. A regional flight year for this species; first record for Lake Palmdale.

Bewick's Wren 5 vocal, ubiquitous in shrubby areas.

House Wren 1 repeated scold calls (unseen) cottonwoods, s.

Marsh Wren 2 vocal; following each other in patch of cattails next to jetty, nw.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 foraging in subcanopy of cottonwoods and willows around the lake; often in msf with YRWA.

Northern Mockingbird 2 vocal; two individuals evidently holding separate territories in hedgerow of pyracantha, n.

California Thrasher 1 repeated calls and partial song (unseen) in junipers, w.

European Starling 15 vocal, gregarious; n, s.

Orange-crowned Warbler 4 calls; often in msf with YRWA, foraging in a variety of vegetation types around the lake.

Yellow Warbler 2 repeated calls from junipers and cottonwoods, n.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 40 (m,f) vocal (calls), gregarious, ubiquitous.

Black-throated Gray Warbler 3 (m,f) foraging in subcanopy of mulberry and cottonwood trees; YRWA nearby, n.

Common Yellowthroat 5 vocal (calls) in marsh riparian areas around the lake,

Wilson's Warbler 2 (m,f) a pair foraging together in willows, sw.

Savannah Sparrow 3 calls; edge of grassy field and shrubs, nw; near dam, e.

Song Sparrow 6 vocal; marsh-riparian areas around the lake.

Lincoln's Sparrow 1 calls (unseen) edge of saltgrass and saltbush, nw.

White-crowned Sparrow 40 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Red-winged Blackbird 5 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; marsh-riparian, nw, w.

Great-tailed Grackle 20 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, n, s.

Brown-headed Cowbird 1 (m) atop willow snag, w.

House Finch 60 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch 4 (m,f) foraging on sunflower heads with AMGO, se.

American Goldfinch 2 (bsc. plmg.) foraging on sunflower heads with LEGO, se.

House Sparrow 15 vocal, gregarious; around buildings and homes, n, s.

September 24, 2015 (64 Species)

Weather: Fair; 65F to 83F; wind WNW 0 - 2 mph.

Time: 0705-1030 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the north shore, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road. There were no human disturbances during the survey. The lake water level continues relatively low, though slightly higher than during previous surveys this month. A swift stream flow occurred at the southeast inlet from the Palmdale Ditch.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Blue-winged Teal (4), Northern Pintail (3), Eared Grebe (6), American White Pelican (7), Forster's Tern (3), Rufous Hummingbird (1), Downy Woodpecker (1), Barn Swallow (6), Mountain Chickadee (1), Yellow Warbler (10), Yellow-rumped Warbler (20), Black-throated Gray Warbler (1), Savannah Sparrow (2), Lincoln's Sparrow (3), White-crowned Sparrow (3), Black-headed Grosbeak (1), and Western Meadowlark (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 7 (m,f) swimming near dam, e.

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

Blue-winged Teal 4 (f) in a cohesive flock near the dam, e.

Cinnamon Teal 5 (m,f) swimming as individuals and in pairs; near marsh and dam, se, e.

Northern Shoveler 4 (f) swimming together near marsh, se.

Northern Pintail 3 (f) swimming together, e-central.

Ruddy Duck 80 (m,f) all in bsc. plmg; ubiquitous around edges of the lake.

California Quail 6 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, n.

Pied-billed Grebe 20 ubiquitous on lake.

Eared Grebe 6 trans. bsc. plmg. swimming, diving together, n and n-central.

Western Grebe 30 (ad, imm) vocal; a few pairs still on floating nests, nw.

Clark's Grebe 60 (ad, imm) a few pairs still on floating nests, nw.

Double-crested Cormorant 1 flying, n.

American White Pelican 7 (ad) a cohesive flock resting on shore near jetty, nw.

Great Blue Heron 2 on shore, n, se.

Snowy Egret 2 edge of marsh and on shore, se, e.

Black-crowned Night Heron 1 flew from marsh, s.

Cooper's Hawk 1 flying low, n.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 in willow, nw.

Red-tailed Hawk 1 (ad) on utility pole, ne.

American Kestrel 2 (m,f) perched on adjacent willow snags, s.

Killdeer 4 vocal; pairs on ground, n, ne.

Greater Yellowlegs calls (unseen) nw.

Spotted Sandpiper 1 (bsc. plmg.) on shore, e.

Least Sandpiper 3 edge of settling ponds, n.

California Gull 3 (ad, imm - C1) resting on lake, central.

Forster's Tern 3 circling the lake, occasionally surface plunging.

Eurasian Collared Dove 1 s.

Mourning Dove 20 ubiquitous in riparian areas.

Anna's Hummingbird 3 vocal; riparian and edge, n, w.

Rufous Hummingbird 1 (m - imm) showing substantial green on back and hastate rectrices #2 (photos).

Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) immature male (same individual in both images) with green back and hastate R2 Lake Palmdale LACO CA 24 Sep. 2015

Belted Kingfisher 4 vocal; flying around edges of the lake.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 vocal; foraging in cottonwoods, s, sw.

Downy Woodpecker 1 (m) vocal; foraging in willows, n.

Black Phoebe 12 vocal, ubiquitous around edges of the lake.

Say's Phoebe 1 sallying from shrubs to ground, nw.

Warbling Vireo 1 foraging in mulberry trees, n.

Western Scrub-Jay 2 vocal; flying over juniper scrub, w.

Common Raven 6 flying around lake, esp. dam, e.

Horned Lark 20 a cohesive flock on ground in ruderal field, n.

Barn Swallow 6 flying back and forth over lake and marsh, n, s.

Mountain Chickadee calls (unseen) in pines at edge of skeet range, ne.

Bushtit 20 two or three cohesive, vocal flocks in a variety of shrubs and trees around the lake.

Bewick's Wren 6 vocal, ubiquitous.

Northern Mockingbird 1 vocal, n.

European Starling 10 vocal, gregarious, n, s.

Orange-crowned Warbler 4 calls; foraging in a variety of trees and shrubs around the lake.

Yellow Warbler 10 calls; foraging in a variety of trees and shrubs around the lake.

Yellow-rumped Warbler 20 (m,f) calls; sallying and snatch-gleaning in loose flocks and with other warblers around the lake.

Black-throated Gray Warbler 1 (f) foraging in mulberry trees with other warblers, n.

Common Yellowthroat 10 (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous in marsh-riparian areas.

Wilson's Warbler 2 (m,f) foraging in msf with other warblers in junipers and mulberry trees, n.

California Towhee 2 vocal; on ground beneath shrubs, n.

Savannah Sparrow 2 calls; a pair on ruderal edge of jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 5 vocal, active in marsh-riparian areas around the lake.

Lincoln's Sparrow 3 calls; a cohesive flock flushed from saltbush/saltgrass area next to jetty, nw.

White-crowned Sparrow 3 foraging on ground next to picnic area, n.

Black-headed Grosbeak 1 calls (unseen) in cottonwoods, nw.

Red-winged Blackbird 5 (m,f) flying together; vocal in marsh, w, s.

Western Meadowlark 1 in salt grass near jetty, nw.

Great-tailed Grackle 8 (m,f) vocal; roosting in willows above tules, s.

House Finch 40 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch 5 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; in and around sunflowers, se.

House Sparrow 15 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; around picnic area and clubhouse, n.

September 10, 2015 (52 Species)

Weather: Partly cloudy; 75F to 88F; heavy showers yesterday from tropical weather system originating off the west coast of Mexico.

Time: 0715-1035 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the shore and bluff adjacent to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked the standard survey route around the entire lake using the interior perimeter road. The lake water level continues to be relatively low, exposing shorelines throughout. Vegetation and roadways were wet from recent rain. No other people were present during my survey; conditions were excellent for identifying bird vocalizations.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Blue-winged Teal (3), Northern Shoveler (3), Osprey (1), Spotted Sandpiper (2), Caspian Tern (14), Forester's Tern (1), Cliff Swallow (1), Verdin (1), Cactus Wren (1), Yellow Warbler (3), Yellow-rumped Warbler (3), and Black-throated Gray Warbler (2).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 5 (m,f) se.

Mallard 60 (m,f) ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Blue-winged Teal 3 (f) identified by white at base of bill and comparatively small bills; swimming , flying low with CITE, se.

Cinnamon Teal 20 (f) cohesive flocks and pairs foraging near marsh, sw, se.

Northern Shoveler 3 (f) foraging near marsh, se.

Ruddy Duck 8 (ad, imm) one adult female followed closely by four small ducklings, w.

Pied-billed Grebe 20 ubiquitous on lake.

Western Grebe 20 at least five conspecific pairs attending nests of floating marsh vegetation, nw, w.

Clark's Grebe 40 at least ten conspecific pairs attending nests in same areas with WEGR, nw, w.

American White Pelican 1 resting on floating stirrer platform, nw; flying low over lake to se.

Great Blue Heron 4 around edges of the lake.

Osprey 1 dipping into lake surface, nw.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 (imm) on post next to boat launch, nw.

American Coot 300 ubiquitous, flighty; around the edges of the lake in large flocks.

Killdeer 4 on shore and dam, nw, e.

Greater Yellowlegs 2 fly, call, nw.

Spotted Sandpiper 2 (bsc. plmg.) on jetty and flying low near dam, nw, e.

California Gull 1 (C1) flying low over the lake, n.

Caspian Tern 14 a cohesive, vocal flock flying low, dipping into lake surface, central.

Forster's Tern 1 resting on buouy at s end of jetty. Observed white wings in flight; could be same bird found here on 3 Sept 2015.

Eurasian Collared Dove 8 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Mourning Dove 20 solitary and gregarious; ubiquitous.

Anna's Hummingbird 4 (m,f) vocal; conspicuous perches in trees and shrubs around the lake.

Belted Kingfisher 6 vocal; often in pairs flying around the margins of the lake; one dead in tree, entangled in fishing line, se (photo).

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 10 September 2015

Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 (m,f) vocal; foraging in cottonwoods, w, sw.

Black Phoebe 12 vocal, ubiquitous near water.

Say's Phoebe 1 sallying from signs and other low perches near boat launch, nw.

Warbling Vireo 1 in cottonwood, sw.

Western Scrub-Jay 1 flew into cottonwood canopy, w.

Common Raven 8 ubiquitous, gregarious.

Cliff Swallow 1 flying with BASW, low over open areas, n.

Barn Swallow 10 flying low, back and forth over open areas and marsh-riparian, n,s.

Oak Titmouse 2 responded to my pshing calls, w.

Verdin 1 repeated calls; salt bush along roadway, nw.

Bushtit 12 two flocks affecting a variety of shrubs and trees.

Cactus Wren 1 calls; on chain-link fence next to settling ponds, n (photo).

Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 10 September 2015

Bewick's Wren 8 vocal, ubiquitous.

California Thrasher 1 foraging on ground beneath creosote bushes, n (photo).

California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 10 September 2015

European Starling 8 vocal, gregarious, on utility line and adjacent cottonwoods, n.

Orange-crowned Warbler 8 calls; foraging with other birds, e.g. BUTI and YEWA in cottonwoods and various shrubs around the lake.

Yellow Warbler 3 (m,f) foraging in canopies of cottonwoods, n.

Yellow-rumped Warbler 3 (f) foraging in canopies of cottonwoods and creosote bushes, n (fos).

Black-throated Gray Warbler 2 (m,f) foraging with YEWA and OCWA in canopies of cottonwoods and junipers, n.

Common Yellowthroat 10 (m,f; ad, imm) vocal; foraging in marsh-riparian and brushy perimeter of lake.

Wilson's Warbler 20 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; often in msf with other warblers and bushtits.

California Towhee 1 calls; on ground beneath creosote bushes, nw.

Song Sparrow 5 vocal, ubiquitous in marsh-riparian.

Western Tanager 1 (f) in cottonwood, n.

Red-winged Blackbird 10 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; marsh-riparian around the lake.

Great-tailed Grackle 10 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, nw, s.

House Finch 40 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

House Sparrow 10 vocal, gregarious; around clubhouse, n.

September 3, 2015 (52 Species)

Weather: Fair; 59F to 73F; wind WNW 10-12 mph.

Time: 0654-1024 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the shore and bluff next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road. The lake area was quiet and without human disturbances during my survey. PWD workers were removing sediments from one of the settling ponds next to the main gate. The lake water level continues to be relatively low, exposing shorelines and perimeter algal mats. Water was entering the southeastern corner of the lake from the Palmdale Ditch.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Blue-winged Teal (1), Cinnamon Teal (20), Northern Shoveler (2), Common Moorhen (2), Caspian Tern (2), Sterna sp. (1), Black-chinned Hummingbird (1), Ash-throated Flycatcher (1), Western Kingbird (1), Cliff Swallow (20), Yellow Warbler (15), and Western Tanager (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 5 (m,f) w, se.

Mallard 60 (m,f) ubiquitous around the margins of the lake.

Blue-winged Teal 1 (f) with a small flock of CITE, e.

Cinnamon Teal 20 (f) ubiquitous in pairs and small flocks around the margins of the lake.

Northern Shoveler 2 (f) a pair at the edge of the marsh, se.

Ruddy Duck 2 (f) edge of marsh, se.

California Quail 6 brushy edge of open field, n.

Pied-billed Grebe 20 (ad, imm) ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Western Grebe 20 (m,f) at least five conspecific pairs attending/constructing nests of floating marsh vegetation surrounded by algal mats, w, nw (photo).

Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) nw Lake Palmdale, Los Angeles County CA 3 September 2015

Clark's Grebe 50 (m,f) at least 12 conspecific pairs on nests in same areas with Western Grebe, w, nw.

Double-crested Cormorant 5 flying low across lake, n.

Great Blue Heron 2 (ad) edge of shore and marsh, n, e.

Great Egret 4 a flock flushed from edge of dam, flew to trees overhanging marsh, se.

Snowy Egret 2 edge of marsh, nw; one with GREG, se.

Cooper's Hawk 1 flying toward lake, se.

Common Moorhen 2 (ad, imm) foraging in algal mat areas, nw, se.

American Coot 200 ubiquitous around edges of the lake.

Killdeer 2 vocal, on dam, ne.

Greater Yellowlegs 2 calls; flying low over lake, nw.

Least Sandpiper 2 on shore, nw, e.

Caspian Tern 2 (ad) calls; flying together around the lake, e.

Sterna sp. 1 (alt. plmg.) with full black cap and narrow bill, suggesting COTE; relatively long legs; silvery white upper wings in flight - no dark wedge mark on primaries observed, suggesting FOTE. Flying around lake; alighting on bouy near jetty (ph).

Sterna sp. nw Lake Palmdale, LACO Sept. 3 2015

Eurasian Collared Dove 6 vocal, ubiquitous.

Mourning Dove 25 ubiquitous.

Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 (imm m) around flowering sunflowers and Penstemon at inlet of Palmdale Ditch, se (photo).

Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 3 September 2015

Anna's Hummingbird 8 (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous.

Belted Kingfisher 4 (m,f) vocal; pairs and individuals flying around edge of lake; alighting on docks.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 4 vocal; two pair, foraging on large branches of willows and cottonwood, sw, se

Black Phoebe 12 vocal, ubiquitous, esp. near water.

Ash-throated Flycatcher 1 in low shrub, chased by BLPH to adjacent fence, nw (ph).

Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) Lake Palmdale, LACO CA 3 Sept 2015

Western Kingbird 1 on exposed branch in canopy of a cottonwood, s (photo).

Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 3 September 2015

Warbling Vireo 2 foraging in foliage of mulberry and willows, n, nw.

Western Scrub-Jay 1 calls (unseen), w.

Common Raven 5 flying around dam and riparian areas, n, e.

Horned Lark 30 a cohesive, vocal flock in open field next to PWD interior gate, n.

Cliff Swallow 20 a cohesive flock resting on the concrete divider between settling ponds, n.

Barn Swallow 20 with CLSW and elsewhere around the lake.

Bushtit 15 two vocal flocks in creosote bush and cottonwoods, n, w.

Bewick's Wren 8 vocal; brushy areas and marsh-riparian around the lake.

California Thrasher 1 repeated song from atop a mature juniper, w.

European Starling 5 vocal; gregarious, n.

Orange-crowned Warbler 5 calls; foraging with YEWA and WIWA in mulberry trees, cottonwoods and other vegetation around the lake.

Yellow Warbler 15 (m,f) vocal (mostly calls), foraging individually and in pairs in a variety of shrubs and trees around the lake.

Common Yellowthroat 6 (m,f) marsh-riparian areas around the lake.

Wilson's Warbler 20 (m,f) calls; pairs and individuals, often in msf with other warblers, foraging in a variety of vegetation around the lake.

Song Sparrow 10 vocal; ubiquitous in riparian-marsh areas.

Western Tanager 1 (f) in cottonwood overhanging the shore, n.

Red-winged Blackbird 20 (m,f; imm; molting) ubiquitous (esp. n); small flocks in and around the marsh.

Great-tailed Grackle 10 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, nw, s.

House Finch 40 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch 10 (m,f) foraging on sunflower heads, Palmdale Ditch, se.

House Sparrow 5 vocal, gregarious with HOFI, around clubhouse, n.

August 27, 2015 (61 Species)

Weather: Fair; 72F to 91F; wind WNW 0-2 mph.

Time: 0655- 1015 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the shore and bluff next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, using the interior perimeter road. Although water was entering the lake from the Palmdale Ditch in the southeastern corner, the lake water level continues to be low, exposing a discontinuous mud and rock shoreline throughout. One fisherman was on a southern dock; a motorboat was on the lake near the end of my survey. Conditions were good for identifying bird vocalizations.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Blue-winged Teal (1), Common Moorhen (1), Greater Yellowlegs (1), Caspian Tern (2), Warbling Vireo (1), Yellow Warbler (8), Black-throated Gray Warbler (1), Savannah Sparrow (1), Western Tanager (1), Lazuli Bunting (1) and Tricolored Blackbird (5).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 1 (f) se.

Mallard 50 (m,f) ubiquitous; dabbling in thick mats of algae around the edges of the lake.

Blue-winged Teal 1 (f) ID by comparison of bill size and shape with nearby female Cinnamon Teal, e.

Cinnamon Teal 2 (f) nw, e.

Green-winged Teal ? 2 one showing faint green speculum; on shore and in shallows, nw.

Ruddy Duck 10 (m,f) scattered around the edges of the lake.

California Quail 12 two or three small coveys in brushy areas, n, w, se.

Pied-billed Grebe 15 (ad, imm) ubiquitous around edges of the lake; one adult with two small young, s.

Western Grebe 10 scattered around the edges of the lake.

Clark's Grebe 30 several individuals on nests (cont.) constructed of floating mats of cattails.

Double-crested Cormorant 8 (ad, imm) flying to and from the lake, nw; swimming near the jetty, nw.

Great Blue Heron 3 (ad, imm) vocal when flushed from edge of lake, nw, s, e..

Great Egret 1 flushed from edge of marsh; flew to perch above tules, s.

Snowy Egret 1 flushed from edge of dam, e.

Green Heron 1 (ad) walking around edge of marsh, nw.

Black-crowned Night Heron 1 (imm) standing on dock railing, s (photo).

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) immature Lake Palmdale 27 Aug 2015

Cooper's Hawk 1 chasing something and being mobbed by Barn Swallows in flight, se.

Red-shouldered Hawk 2 flushed from cottonwoods, se, ne.

American Kestrel 1 (m) perched on willow snag over marsh, s.

Common Moorhen 1 (imm) foraging in dense algal mat near jetty, nw.

American Coot 80 ubiquitous; foraging around edges of the lake in open water near algal mats.

Killdeer calls around settling pond, n; one on dam, e.

Greater Yellowlegs 1-2 repeated calls (unseen) n-central.

Spotted Sandpiper 4 together at base of dam, ne.

Least Sandpiper 6 individuals and pairs at edge of shore, dam and settling pond, n, nw, e.

Caspian Tern 2 (alt. plmg.) a vocal pair flying low, back and forth over the lake, dipping into surface.

Eurasian Collared Dove 8 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Mourning Dove 30 gregarious, ubiquitous.

Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 (f) flying around willow snags; perched, w.Anna's Hummingbird 12 (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous.

Belted Kingfisher 4 (m,f) a vocal pair interacting with display flights near shore and docks, n, s.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 (m,f) vocal; a pair maintaining contact while foraging in separate willows, nw.

Black Phoebe 10 vocal, ubiquitous; some in pairs.

Say's Phoebe 1 repeated calls (unseen), se.

Warbling Vireo 1 foraging in outer foliage of a mature black willow, nw.

Western Scrub-Jay 4 two pair; vocal, nw, se.

Common Raven 6 flying; perched on utility pole, n.

Barn Swallow 20 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Oak Titmouse 1 repeated calls from cottonwoods, s.

Verdin 2 repeated calls from juniper-cottonwood edge; creosote bush and saltbush, n, s.

Bushtit 20 at least two vocal flocks affecting a variety of shrubs and trees, n, s.

Bewick's Wren 10 vocal; individuals and pairs; ubiquitous in brushy areas.

Marsh Wren 2 repeated song between two individuals in marsh, sw.

Northern Mockingbird 1 repeated song; pyracantha lining entrance road, n.

European Starling 8 vocal, gregarious; in cottonwoods, n.

Orange-crowned Warbler 4 foraging in a variety of shrubs and trees, n, nw, s.

Yellow Warbler 8 (m,f) ubiquitous; vocal, pairs foraging in juniper and cottonwood foliage.

Black-throated Gray Warbler 1 (m) foraging in juniper next to picnic area,with OCWA and WIWA, n.

Common Yellowthroat 4 (m,f) vocal; staying well concealed in marsh-riparian areas around the lake.

Wilson's Warbler 2 vocal; one male foraging with OCWA and BTGR in juniper next to picnic area, n.

California Towhee 2 a pair staying on ground beneath creosote bushes and overhanging willows, nw.

Savannah Sparrow 1 flushed from weedy edge of jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 12 vocal, ubiquitous in marsh-riparian areas.

Western Tanager 1 (f) in cottonwood-willow riparian area next to boat launch, w.

Lazuli Bunting 1 (f) flushed from edge of Palmdale Ditch inlet; flew to exposed perch in cottonwood, se.

Red-winged Blackbird 4 (m,f) fly, call, n.

Tricolored Blackbird 5 (f, imm) a tight, vocal flock flying over riparian edge; alighting on willow snag, se.

Great-tailed Grackle 10 (m,f; imm) vocal, gregarious; a fledgling begging from an adult female on the railing of a dock, nw.

Bullock's Oriole calls (unseen) cottonwoods, n.

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

Lesser Goldfinch 2 vocal; in weedy sunflower patch at edge of Palmdale Ditch, se.

House Sparrow 3 vocal, gregarious; around clubhouse, n.

August 20, 2015 (48 Species)

Weather: Fair; 76F to 80F; wind WSW 10-15 mph; lake surface choppy.

Time: 0710-0950 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the shore and bluff next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake on the inside perimeter road. Only one boat with fishermen was on the lake. Due to the weekly closure (Thursday) of the Fin & Feather Club to all except employees, conditions were quiet and undisturbed by human activities during my survey. The lake water level continues to decline, leaving exposed shorelines of mud and rock everywhere. Extensive mats of green algae floated around the edges of the lake. Freshwater from the Palmdale Ditch was flowing into the southeastern section of the lake.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Northern Shoveler (2), Osprey (1), Common Moorhen (1), Caspian Tern (1), Verdin (3), and Tricolored Blackbird (2).

BIRDS NOTED

Mallard 50 (m,f) ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Cinnamon Teal 1 (f) swimming with mallards, nw.

Northern Shoveler 2 (f) swimming near the marsh, se.

Ruddy Duck 10 (m,f) resting near the marsh and docks, sw, w.

California Quail 12 two coveys, n.

Pied-billed Grebe 8 around the edges of the lake near the marsh.

Western Grebe 10 vocal; one conspecific pair on nest of floating vegetation, nw.

Clark's Grebe 30 vocal; at least five conspecific pairs on and around nests of floating vegetation, nw, w (photo).

Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) nesting at Lake Palmdale, Los Angeles County CA 20 August 2015

Double-crested Cormorant 3 (ad, imm) resting on floating stirrers, nw.

Great Blue Heron 3 (ad, imm) edge of marsh; flying; calls, n, nw, se.

Great Egret 1 flying across the lake to the se; in willows overhanging marsh, se.

Osprey 1 flying low over the lake, n.

Cooper's Hawk 1 flying to marsh with willows, ne.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 flying to cottonwoods, se.

Red-tailed Hawk 1 (ad) flying low over cottonwoods, n.

Common Moorhen 1 (ad) foraging on algae near marsh, se.

American Coot 80 ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Black-necked Stilt 2 vocal; a pair on the dock next to the boat launch, nw.

Spotted Sandpiper 2 on rocky shore of dam, e.

Least Sandpiper 2 walking and foraging on a dense algal mat floating near dam, se.

California Gull 1 (imm C1) resting in open water, central.

Caspian Tern 1 (ad) flying back and forth over lake; diving, ne.

Eurasian Collared Dove 2 flying over riparian area, n, sw.

Mourning Dove 16 ubiquitous.

Anna's Hummingbird 2 (f) edge of riparian areas, n, nw.

Belted Kingfisher 5 (m,f) fly, call; ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 calls; flying between cottonwoods, se.

Black Phoebe 16 vocal; ubiquitous.

Say's Phoebe 2 open fields, w, e.

Common Raven 10 vocal, gregarious; ubiquitous.

Cliff Swallow 1 flying low with several BASW over the bluff with creosote bush, n

Barn Swallow 20 ubiquitous, vocal, gregarious; often flying low over water, including one settling pond with water, n.

Verdin 3 repeatedly vocal; often with flocks of Bushtit in saltbush creosote bush, juniper and cottonwood, n, ne.

Bushtit 10 vocal, gregarious, n.

Bewick's Wren 2 repeated song, n, w.

California Thrasher 1 flushed from riparian patch next to roadway, w.

European Starling 5 on utility line, n.

Orange-crowned Warbler 5 vocal, ubiquitous in a variety of shrubs and trees; often in pairs.

Yellow Warbler 2 vocal; in cottonwoods near water, n.

Common Yellowthroat 5 vocal; marsh-riparian areas around the lake.

Savannah Sparrow 2 flushed from w side of dam, e.

Song Sparrow 12 vocal, often gregarious; ubiquitous.

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

Red-winged Blackbird 2 (ad, imm) marsh-riparian, n.

Tricolored Blackbird 2 (m) flying se toward lake, ne.

Great-tailed Grackle 8 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, nw, s.

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

House Sparrow 2 next to clubhouse, n.

July 16, 2015 (50 Species)

Weather: Fair; 71F to 80F; wind WSW 2-5 mph.

Time: 0701-0930 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the shore and bluff next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake on the inside perimeter road. Live trout (10-12 ") were being off loaded from a truck at the boat launch next to the jetty. Otherwise the lake was quiet and undisturbed by human activities. The lake water level was relatively low, exposing mud and rock shoreline around much of the shore. Surface algal mats occurred in the shallows everywhere. The settling ponds were mostly dry; some with a shallow layer of mud. Conditions were good for finding and identifying birds by their vocalizations.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Spotted Sandpiper (6), Least Sandpiper (5), Bonaparte's Gull (1) Forster's Tern (1), Orange-crowned Warbler (2), Yellow Warbler (5), Wilson's Warbler (2) and Tricolored Blackbird (1).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 1 (f) swimming alone, se.

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

Ruddy Duck 20 (m,f) sw, s, se.

California Quail 20 n.

Pied-billed Grebe 3 vocal, sw, s, ne.

Western Grebe 10 vocal pairs around the edges of the lake.

Clark's Grebe 30 pairs around the edges of the lake; some apparently on nests in the marsh, sw.

Double-crested Cormorant 1 (ad) diving near the jetty, sw.

Great Blue Heron 3 on shore of dam; in willows, e, se.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 repeated calls, se.

Red-tailed Hawk 1 (ad) flying low around Joshua Tree, n.

American Coot 25 ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Killdeer 8 pairs scattered around the shore of the lake and settling ponds.

Greater Yellowlegs ? a burst of several calls (unseen), ne.

Spotted Sandpiper 6 (alt. plmg.) individuals and pairs on the shore around the lake.

Least Sandpiper 1 (trans. plmg.) foraging on mudflats and edge of settling ponds, n.

Bonaparte's Gull 1 (bsc. plmg.) swimming in the ne corner of the lake near the dam.

Forster's Tern 1 (alt. pmg.) flying low over the lake; alighting on floating stirrer platform, e.

Eurasian Collared Dove 8 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Mourning Dove 20 pairs and individuals in riparian patches around the lake.

Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 (f) hovering around foliage of low branches of a cottonwood, n.

Nuttall's Woodpecker calls (unseen) cottonwoods, w.

Black Phoebe 8 vocal; pairs and individuals sallying from low perches around the lake.

Say's Phoebe 3 individuals sallying from fence lines and low perches, n, se.

Western Kingbird 5 (ad, imm) on utility wires and high perches in cottonwoods, n, nw.

Common Raven 12 flying; calls; gregarious on and around the dam, e.

Tree Swallow 20 (ad, imm) gregarious, vocal; in willows around the lake.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2 flying with CLSW, low over settling ponds with mud, n.

Cliff Swallow 30 (ad, imm) gregarious, ubiquitous.

Barn Swallow 10 (ad, imm) ubiquitous; flying low, back and forth over lakeshore and settling ponds.

Oak Titmouse 2 vocal; cottonwoods, w, sw.

Verdin 6 vocal, gregarious; creosote bush junipers, n.

Bushtit 20 vocal, gregarious; shrubs around settling ponds and lakeshore, n.

Bewick's Wren 2 vocal (unseen) juniper scrub, w.

Marsh Wren 1 vocal (unseen) marsh, ne.

Northern Mockingbird 1 vocal; flying between shrubs around settling ponds.

Orange-crowned Warbler 2 calls; foraging in juniper with Verdin and YEWA, n.

Yellow Warbler 5 (ad, imm) vocal; ubiquitous in riparian areas.

Common Yellowthroat 2 repeated song (unseen) , marsh, w.

Wilson's Warbler 2 repeated song (unseen) ; cottonwoods, se, ne.

California Towhee 2 on ground in buckwheat patch next to settling pond, n.

Song Sparrow 2 repeated song (unseen) , riparian, w.

Red-winged Blackbird 80 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp. in marsh-riparian areas.

Tricolored Blackbird 1 (m) perched in willow above marsh with a noisy flock of adult and imm. RWBL; possibly more unseen in marsh, ne.

Yellow-headed Blackbird 2 (imm m) edge of riparian-marsh, n, ne.

Great-tailed Grackle 35 (m,f; ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; many feeding on shore.

Brown-headed Cowbird 2 vocal; with RWBL in and around marsh-riparian areas, n.

Hooded Oriole 2 (imm.-m; f) vocal; a young bird following an adult female in cottonwood canopy, n.

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

House Sparrow 5 vocal, gregarious, n.

May 28, 2015 (53 Species)

Weather: Fair; 57F to 80F; no wind.

Time: 0657-1005 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the bluff next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, surveying all habitats.

Except for a boat with several PWD employees crossing the lake, there were no disturbances during my survey. The lake water level continues to be relatively high; the Palmdale Ditch inlet had no running water.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Bonaparte's Gull (1), Olive-sided Flycatcher (1), Western Wood Pewee (2), Gray Flycatcher (1), Verdin (2), Yellow Warbler (20), Wilson's Warbler (1), Western Tanager (3), and Tricolored Blackbird (4).

BIRDS NOTED

Mallard 12 (m,f; imm) around the edges of the lake.

Ruddy Duck 20 (m,f) around the edges of the lake.

California Quail 8 (m,f) brushy areas and adjacent open ruderal field, n.

Pied-billed Grebe 3 vocal, nw, s.

Western Grebe 30 pairs and singles around the edges of the lake, esp. w.

Clark’s Grebe 40 several pairs in courtship; ubiquitous.

Double-crested Cormorant 2 nw; flying low over lake, n.

American Coot 80 ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Killdeer 6 vocal pairs in open areas around the lake.

Spotted Sandpiper 3 on jetty; flying low over the shore, n.

Bonaparte’s Gull 1 – cont.? flying around jetty, nw.

California Gull 1 flying over jetty, nw.

Eurasian Collared Dove 2 w.

Rock Pigeon 4 flying over open field, n.

Mourning Dove 20 ubiquitous.

Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 in cottonwoods, se.

Anna's Hummingbird 2 nw, s.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 3 (m,f) vocal in cottonwoods, w, sw.

Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 sallying from tall willow snag, nw.

Western Wood Pewee 2 sallying from cottonwood branches (8 - 15 ft. agl), w, sw.

Gray Flycatcher 1 sallying from low perch at edge of cottonwood/juniper, sw.

Black Phoebe 4 ubiquitous.

Western Kingbird 6 vocal, gregarious, riparian woodland, n, nw.

Western Scrub-Jay 1 calls (unseen) se.

Common Raven 4 circling 200 ft. agl above the lake, n.

Tree Swallow 60 ubiquitous, gregarious, vocal; flying back and forth over the lake and adjacent habitat; perched in trees overhanging the shore.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 15 gregarious, ubiquitous; esp. open fields and perimeter road.

Cliff Swallow 50 ubiquitous, gregarious; flying from 5-150 ft agl.

Barn Swallow 40 ubiquitous; vocal; pairs and singles flying low over lake and open fields; entering and leaving concrete drainage box, se.

Oak Titmouse 1 repeated calls from cottonwoods, se.

Verdin 2 vocal; active in creosote bushes and other shrubs, n.

Bushtit 12 vocal, gregarious; small flocks in creosote bush and adjacent willow-cottonwood area, n,w.

Bewick's Wren 5 repeated song; brushy areas around the lake.

House Wren 1 repeated song from mid-level in cottonwoods; same place where found and photographed during previous survey, s.

Marsh Wren 2 repeated song from dense marsh, se.

American Robin 2 (ad, imm) foraging on ground at base of cottonwoods, sw.

Northern Mockingbird 4 repeated song, n, s.

California Thrasher 1 foraging on ground beneath cottonwoods and junipers, sw.

European Starling 25 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Yellow Warbler 20 (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous in riparian and edge.

Common Yellowthroat 10 (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous in marsh-riparian areas.

Wilson's Warbler 1 repeated song from cottonwoods, sw.

Song Sparrow 6 ubiquitous in wet vegetation; repeated song; active on shore.

Western Tanager 3 (m,f) vocal; m & f together in large cottonwood, se.

Red-winged Blackbird 100 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Tricolored Blackbird 3 (m, f) flying together over marsh, n.

Yellow-headed Blackbird 3 (m) repeated song from elevated perch in cottonwoods overhanging marsh, n.

Great-tailed Grackle 25 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp. nw, s.

Brown-headed Cowbird 10 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Bullock's Oriole 4 (m,f) vocal; canopy of cottonwoods, n, w, s.

House Finch 60 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch 8 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; ruderal fields, n.

House Sparrow 10 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; open fields and around buildings, n.

May 21, 2015 (61 Species)

Weather: Fair; 53F; wind WSW 15-25 mph; whitecaps on lake.

Time: 0705-1021 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the bluff next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, surveying all habitats. There was no human disturbance at the lake during my survey. Increasing winds made detection of birds and their vocalizations difficult. The lake water level has subsided slightly, leaving a narrow, exposed shoreline in places; the se Palmdale Ditch inlet was dry.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Bonaparte's Gull (2), Forster's Tern (4), Vaux's Swift (1), Olive-sided Flycatcher (1), Gray Flycatcher (1), Northern Waterthrush (1), White-crowned Sparrow (1), and Tricolored Blackbird (6).

BIRDS NOTED

Mallard 6 (m,f) pairs around the edges of the lake.

Ruddy Duck 10 resting near the edges of the lake and marsh.

Pied-billed Grebe 1 swimming near the jetty, nw.

Eared Grebe 4 swimming together near the jetty, nw.

Western Grebe 30 vocal; pairs and singles resting near the marsh, w.

Clark's Grebe 20 pairs and singles around the edges of the lake.

Great Blue Heron 1 flying near the dam, se.

Great Egret 1 in shallows near the jetty, nw.

Snowy Egret 1 in shallows near the jetty with a GREG, nw.

Green Heron 1 flying with a GRBH near the dam, se.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 (ad) flying over cottonwoods, se.

American Coot 80 ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Killdeer 4 two pair, n, ne.

Spotted Sandpiper 2 on shore and jetty, nw.

Bonaparte's Gull 2 (imm) flushed from the jetty, nw (photo).

Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 21 May 2015

California Gull 5 (imm) flying northwest together over the lake, w.

Forster's Tern 4 (alt. plmg.) on jetty; flying together, back and forth over the lake (photo); occasionally dipping into the surface.

Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 21 May 2015

Eurasian Collared Dove 2 repeated vocalizations, sw.

Feral Rock Pigeon 3 flying over PWD buildings, n.

Mourning Dove 16 pairs and singles; ubiquitous.

Vaux's Swift 1 flying low over PWD gardens with CLSW, n.

Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 (f) hovering around palo verde tree in PWD garden, n.

Anna's Hummingbird 2 (m,f) perched on top of shrubs, n , nw.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 4 two pair maintaining vocal contact in cottonwoods, n, s.

Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 perched on outer willow branch overhanging the shore, w (photo).

Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 21 May 2015

Western Wood Pewee 6 low perches in willows and cottonwoods around the lake.

Gray Flycatcher 1 sallying from barbed-wire fence in strong wind, n.

Pacific Slope Flycatcher 1 sallying from low perch (about 2 ft. agl) in juniper, w.

Black Phoebe 2 sallying from low perches, s, n.

Say's Phoebe 2 sallying from low perches to ground, se.

Western Kingbird 1 flying through understory of mulberry trees next to clubhouse, n.

Common Raven 10 (ad, imm) immatures highly vocal; following me as I walked beneath nesting area in cottonwoods, sw, s.

Tree Swallow 60 vocal, ubiquitous; in willows and cottonwoods with holes; flying low over the lake.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 15 ubiquitous; flying in pairs, low over open ground, marsh and lake surface amongst CLSW and TRSW.

Cliff Swallow 200 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; perched on utility lines (n); flying 2-100 ft. agl over all habitats.

Barn Swallow 50 gregarious, ubiquitous; several pairs nesting in a large, covered concrete drainage box, se.

Verdin 1 repeated calls in creosote bush with flock of Bushtits, n.

Bushtit 20 vocal, gregarious; foraging in shrubs and low branches of cottonwoods around the lake.

Bewick's Wren 3 repeated song, n, w, s.

House Wren 1 repeated song from subcanopy of cottonwood, s (photo).

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 21 May 2015

Marsh Wren 1 repeated song (unseen) marsh at se end of slough, se.

American Robin 2 (m,f) on ground at edge of marsh-riparian, n.

European Starling 10 (ad, imm) a flock in cottonwoods, n.

Orange-crowned Warbler 1 with WIWA in creosote bush, n.

Yellow Warbler 10 (m,f) ubiquitous in cottonwood and willow riparian; repeated song;

Northern Waterthrush 1 (unseen) gave a distinctive, loud call while concealed in marsh-riparian at the shoreline; same area as previous previous (Fall) LP sightings.

Common Yellowthroat 3 repeated song from marsh-riparian, n, w, sw.

Wilson's Warbler 80 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

California Towhee 1 repeated calls from PWD garden, n.

Song Sparrow 6 vocal; pairs foraging on shoreline, w,s, ne.

White-crowned Sparrow 1 calls (unseen) dense shrubs in PWD garden, n.

Black-headed Grosbeak 1 repeated song from cottonwoods, sw.

Red-winged Blackbird 80 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp. marsh-riparian areas.

Tricolored Blackbird 6 (m,f) flying together, ne over marsh, n.

Yellow-headed Blackbird 5 (m) repeated song from exposed perch on willows above marsh, n.

Great-tailed Grackle 25 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; nesting in marsh, n; flying back and forth across lake, esp. nw, s.

Brown-headed Cowbird 5 vocal, gregarious, n, w.

Bullock's Oriole 4 (m,f) vocal; pairs and individuals in canopies of cottonwoods around the lake.

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

Lesser Goldfinch 6 vocal, gregarious in cottonwoods, sw.

House Sparrow 1 (m) beneath pines, ne.

May 14, 2015 (65 Species)

Weather: Variable cloudiness and wind with an approaching storm front from the southwest; light rain beginning at 1140 hrs.; intermittent showers at 1300 hrs. 49F; wind WSW 10 - 25 mph.

Time: 0708 - 1120 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the bluff next to the Fin and Feather clubhouse, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, surveying all habitats. The lake water level continues to be nearly full, leaving little or no exposed shoreline. The lake was undisturbed by human activities during my survey. Increasing winds by 1100 hrs appeared to decrease bird activitity and detectability. Conditions were otherwise fair for finding and identifying birds by their vocalizations.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Bufflehead (2), Horned Grebe (1), Brown Pelican (1 - first record for LP), Osprey (1), American Avocet (1), Spotted Sandpiper (2), Ring-billed Gull (1), Caspian Tern (2), Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (1), Hammond's Flycatcher (2), Pacific Slope Flycatcher (1), Cliff Swallow (150), LeConte's Thrasher (1), Yellow Warbler (10), Tricolored Blackbird (6), Yellow-headed Blackbird (3) and Lawrence's Goldfinch (5).

BIRDS NOTED

Mallard 6 (m,f) around the edges of the lake.

Bufflehead 2 (m,f) individuals swimming on opposite sides of the lake, nw and se.

Ruddy Duck 20 (alt. plmg.) around the edges of the lake.

California Quail 8 vocal; pairs running across roadways and open areas.

Pied-billed Grebe 2 vocal; near marsh, w, se.

Horned Grebe 1 (alt. plmg.) swimming near dam, e (photo).

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 14 May 2015

Eared Grebe 1 (alt. plmg.) diving near jetty, nw.

Western Grebe 8 (ad) conspecific pairs and individuals resting; vocalizing near marsh, nw, w.

Clark's Grebe 20 (ad) conspecific pairs showing a variety of courtship behaviors (e.g. alternate preening, head turning, parallel swimming with outstretched necks); WEGR nearby, nw, w.

Double-crested Cormorant 2 resting in willows near dam, ne.

Brown Pelican 1 (ad) initially seen flying low over the lake near the jetty, nw; alighted on west and north side of lake after two or three short, circling flights. Last seen gaining altitude with a small flock of immature California Gulls high (200 ft. +) over the north side of the lake at 1030 hrs. First record for Lake Palmdale, the Antelope Valley, and possibly the northern deserts of Southern California (photos: A, B, C).

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) adult; same individual in all images, A, B & C; Note: Worn and molting flight feathers; Lake Palmdale, Los Angeles County CA 14 May 2015

(A) (B)

(C)

Great Blue Heron 1 (ad) on shore of dam, ne.

Green Heron 2 (ad) on dock adjacent to boat launch, nw; another individual flushed from willow-marsh edge, nw.

Osprey 1 perched in willow; flying around lake, ne.

American Coot 80 ubiquitous, gregarious around edges of the lake.

Killdeer 2 pair; vocal; rv parking area, n; shore, nw.

American Avocet 1 (alt. plmg.) foraging in settling pond, n.

Spotted Sandpiper 2 foraging separately on the edge of the jetty, nw.

Ring-billed Gull 1 (C2) on picnic table at s end of jetty, nw.

California Gull 6 (C1, C2) circling the lake; one alighted on the water, nw, n.

Caspian Tern 2 flying east, at about 50 ft. above the lake, s.

Eurasian Collared Dove 2 vocal; a pair in willows, s.

Mourning Dove 12 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

White-throated Swift 2-3 vocal; flying back and forth with CLSW at about 400 ft. agl over the dam, e.

Black-chinned Hummingbird 2 (f) hovering around tall shrubs and trees, n, nw.

Anna's Humminbird 4 (m,f) vocal; in shrubs and trees at edge of riparian and big sage fields around the lake.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 4 two pair; vocal; flying and foraging togther in cottonwoods, w, s.

Western Wood Pewee 4 vocal; individuals sallying from exposed perches in willows and cottonwoods around the lake (photo).

Western Wood Pewee (Contopus sordidulus) Lake Palmdale, LACO CA 14 May 2015

Southwestern Willow Flycatcher 1 (ID; no eyering; broad-based mandible; short wings; overall pale coloration); silent; sallying from low branch in cottonwood, se (photo).

Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 14 May 2015

Hammond's Flycatcher 2 vocal; separate individuals (sw, se); ID small bill; conspicuous teardrop white eyering; one individual with nearly uniform gray dorsal coloration, suggesting GRFL; another with brown wings and yellow belly; each sallying from low perches in junipers and overhanging cottonwoods, sw, se (photos).

Color Variation in two Hammond's Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) Lake Palmdale Los Angeles County CA 14 May 2015

Pacific Slope Flycatcher 2 separate individuals sallying from low perches in junipers and cottonwoods, w, sw (photo).

Pacific Slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) Lake Palmdale Los Angeles County CA 14 May 2015

Black Phoebe 2 sallying to ground in open fields, s, ne.

Say's Phoebe 1 repeatedly vocal; on fence line, ne.

Western Kingbird 2 vocal; one - cont. on same nest in mulberry, picnic area next to F&F clubhouse (see previous survey notes).

Western Scrub-Jay 1 calls (unseen), se.

Common Raven 10 (ad, imm) gregarious; several (adults and young) becoming vocal as I approached nest tree (large cottonwood), sw.

Tree Swallow 80 gregarious, ubiquitous, vocal; flying back and forth over lake surface in msf with CLSW, BASW and NRWS; several pairs in willows and cottonwoods, s.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 20 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; often flying low over open, brushy areas.

Cliff Swallow 150 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; foraging from 2-400 ft. agl.

Barn Swallow 50 gregarious, ubiquitous, esp. over edges of lake; often in msf with other swallows.

Verdin 1 repeated calls from shrubs under cottonwoods, se.

Bushtit 20 three separate small flocks; vocal; foraging in shrubs and trees in a variety of habitats.

Bewick's Wren 3 repeated song; brushy areas around the lake; one foraging at the lakeshore, w.

House Wren 1 repeated song (unseen) ; cottonwoods, s.

Marsh Wren 1 repeated song (unseen) from marsh at e end of slough, se.

Catharus sp. 1 flushed from beneath grove of junipers; flew to fence and adjacent suburban garden, sw.

Northern Mockingbird 1 repeated song, Joshua tree-juniper field next to entrance 5th St. entrance, n.

LeConte's Thrasher 1 running on ground beneath creosote bushes on hillside; flew low and out of sight; near where one was found two years earlier, nw(second record for LP).

European Starling 10 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; nesting in cottonwood cavities, s.

Yellow Warbler 10 (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous, esp. riparian and edge.

Common Yellowthroat 5 (m,f) vocal, ubiquitous in marsh-riparian areas.

Wilson's Warbler 80 (conserv. est.) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; foraging at all foliage height levels.

California Towhee 1 calls (unseen) n.

Song Sparrow 12 vocal, ubiquitous; wet vegetation; one foraging on shore in riparian-marsh near an active vole (Microtus sp.), w.

Western Tanager 3 (m,f) active in cottonwoods around the lake.

Black-headed Grosbeak 1 repeated song (unseen) n.

Red-winged Blackbird 80 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp. in cattails; often with GTGR.

Tricolored Blackbird 6 (ad, imm) vocal, gregarious; evidently a family group (ad f and young) staying together on and around the settling pond fence; nesting area not yet found at LP.

Yellow-headed Blackbird 3 (m,f) male doing a display flight around marsh and overhanging cottonwood, n; female foraging on shoreline of dam, e.

Great-tailed Grackle 25 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp, nw, s.

Brown-headed Cowbird 10 (m,f) vocal, gregarious (incl. pairs), ubiquitous; esp. near RWBL, COYE and YEWA.

Bullock's Oriole 4 (m,f) vocal; separate individuals in cottonwoods around the lake.

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

Lawrence's Goldfinch 5 gregarious; three fledglings on shore, w.

House Sparrow 10 vocal, gregarious, n.

April 30, 2015 (55 Species)

Weather: Fair; 70F to 83F; wind WNW 0 - 2 mph.

Time: 0655- 1015 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the bluff next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, surveying all habitats. Except for three vehicles and their occupants fishing on docks in the southwest, the lake was undisturbed by human activities. The lake water level has been nearly at the full mark for about a month, leaving little to no exposed shoreline. Only one settling pond (ne) had water; the remaining ponds had a shallow layer of dry lake sediment.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Bufflehead (2), Osprey (1), California Gull (1), Caspian Tern (2), Ash-throated Flycatcher (1), Phainopepla (3), Yellow Warbler (5), Savannah Sparrow (1), Western Tanager (4), Tricolored Blackbird (10), and Yellow-headed Blackbird (3).

BIRDS NOTED

Canada Goose 5 one resting on snag, ne; others vocalizing in flight over lake, w.

Mallard 15 (m,f) ubiquitous around the edges of the lake; one female swimming with several hatchlings, s.

Bufflehead 2 (m,f) one male in settling pond, n; one female near dam, se.

Ruddy Duck 60 (m,f) alt. and trans. plmg. ubiquitous around the lake.

California Quail 20 vocal, gregarious; brushy areas around the lake.

Pied-billed Grebe 5 vocal; edges of the lake near the marsh.

Eared Grebe 5 (alt. plmg.) diving throughout the lake.

Western Grebe 4 singles and a pair; one individual vocalizing near a pair of CLGR, n.

Clark's Grebe 6 pairs and singles around the edges of the lake.

Double-crested Cormorant 10 flying over the lake, nw.

Osprey 1 vocalizing from willow perch at edge of lake, w.

American Coot 200 ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Killdeer 1 vocal; dirt rv storage lot, n.

Spotted Sandpiper 2 foraging at the edge of the lake and dam, nw, e.

California Gull 1 (ad) resting in open water, central.

Caspian Tern 2 vocal, flying around the se corner of the lake.

Eurasian Collared Dove 10 vocal; pairs in riparian areas around the lake.

Mourning Dove 12 pairs flying low and on roadways around the lake.

Black-chinned Hummingbird 2 (f) on low branches in riparian areas, sw, ne.

Anna's Hummingbird 1 in cottonwood, s.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 calls (unseen) s.

Northern Flicker 1 calls (unseen) s.

Black Phoebe 3 sallying from low perches, w, s, ne.

Ash-throated Flycatcher 1 vocal (unseen) s.

Western Kingbird 4 vocal; one leaving and returning to nest about 15 ft. in mulberry tree next to clubhouse, n (photo).

Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 30 April 2015

Western Scrub-Jay 1 calls (unseen) sw.

Common Raven 10 flying around the lake, e , n.

Tree Swallow 60 pairs vocalizing and entering and exiting nest holes in willows, s and elsewhere around the lake; flying low over the lake and surrounding land.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4 two pair flying low over roadway and marsh, nw, ne.

Cliff Swallow 1 flying back and forth, low over the lake near the dam, se.

Barn Swallow 12 pairs and individuals flying low over the lake and marsh throughout.

Oak Titmouse 1 repeated calls, sw.

Bushtit 10 two small, vocal flocks in shrubs and trees, w, s.

Bewick's Wren 5 repeated song from juniper and saltbush fields around the lake.

Northern Mockingbird 4 repeated song, n, sw, s.

California Thrasher 1 fence line next to settling ponds, n.

Cedar waxwing 6 a small, cohesive flock in the mulberry trees next to the clubhouse, n (photo).

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 30 April 2015

European Starling 6 vocal; nesting in holes of cottonwoods, s.

Phainopepla 3 2m; 1 f calls; flying together, se.

Orange-crowned Warbler 2 active in cottonwoods, sw, s.

Yellow Warbler 5 (m,f) repeated song from willows and cottonwoods around the lake (photo).

Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 30 April 2015

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 8 vocal, gregarious; foraging in cottonwoods and willows.

Common Yellowthoat 10 vocal; active in marsh and edge of riparian around the lake.

Wilson's Warbler 12 vocal; pairs and singles in riparian areas around the lake.

California Towhee 4 vocal; active on the ground in brushy areas around the lake.

Savannah Sparrow 1 on rocky embankment of dam, e (photo).

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 30 April 2015

Song Sparrow 10 vocal, ubiquitous in moist vegetation around the lake.

Red-winged Blackbird 100 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; nesting in marsh-riparian areas around the lake.

Tricolored Blackbird 10 (m,f) three small flocks flying low over the marsh; one male giving repeated song with 2 cowbirds in same tree, n. (photo).

Tricolored Blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 30 April 2015

Yellow-headed Blackbird 3 repeated song from patches of marsh, n.

Great-tailed Grackle 40 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Brown-headed Cowbird 3 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, n.

Bullock's Oriole 6 (m,f) vocal; mature cottonwoods around the lake.

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

Lesser Goldfinch 2 (m,f) vocal; a pair in cottonwoods, s.

APRIL 16, 2015 (56 Species)

Weather: Fair; 47F to 54F; wind ENE 5-15 mph.

Time: 0707-1022 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the north shore, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake using the shoreline perimeter road and the drainage culvert roads in the northwest and southeast sections. There were about three fishermen and two vehicles being used on the jetty and adjacent northwest shore during the first hour of my survey. Otherwise, the survey area was quiet and the lake undisturbed by boating activity. Steady northeasterly winds appeared reduce landbird activity.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Bald Eagle (1 - wing-tagged), Willet (1), Yellow-headed Blackbird (3) and Tricolored Blackbird (15).

BIRDS NOTED

Mallard 10 (m,f) scattered around the edges of the lake.

Bufflehead 1 (m) diving near the boat launch at the jetty, nw.

Ruddy Duck 80 (m,f - many in alt. plmg.), resting near the marsh around the lake.

California Quail 6 vocal; running across roadways, n, nw.

Pied-billed Grebe 5 individuals and pairs swimming near shore around the lake.

Eared Grebe 5 diving in open water and near shore, nw, w, s.

Western Grebe 2 open water, n-central.

Clark's Grebe 1 open water, central.

Great Blue Heron 1 flying low across the lake next to the dam, ne.

Bald Eagle 1 (ad) with patagial wing tag number 02. Flying southeast from the edge of the lake, se (photo); a rare migrant at LP. According to a USGS band recovery report I received on 4/21/2015, and a subsequent email on 4/23/2015, regarding my sighting, this is a female Bald Eagle that was banded (#0629-29499) at the West End of Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County, CA as a prefledgling on May 29, 2000. This individual has reportedly nested at Lake Hemet, San Bernardino County, CA for the past 5-10 years.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) adult (wing tag #02) Lake Palmdale Los Angeles County CA 16 April 2015

American Coot 200 gregarious, ubiquitous around edges of the lake.

Killdeer 6 3 pair; vocal; staying on ground on roadside and in gravelly areas, n, nw, ne.

Willet 1 (alt. plmg.) standing on the northwest edge of jetty (photo); a rare migrant at LP.

Willet (Tringa semipalmata) Lake Palmdale Los Angeles County CA 16 April 2015

Least Sandpiper 8 foraging on the edge of a settling pond with water, n.; edge of jetty, nw.

California Gull 2 (ad) alighted on lake near jetty, nw.

Eurasian Collared Dove 8 vocal; pairs interacting in riparian areas around the lake.

Mourning Dove 12 pairs and individuals in riparian areas around the lake.

Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 (m) perched on mature juniper, se (fos).

Anna's Hummingbird 4 vocal; one performing aerial display over creosote scrub, n.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 vocal; active in cottonwoods, s.

Black Phoebe 3 vocal; sallying from low perches around the lake.

Western Kingbird 4 two pair; one on block wall next to settling pond; the other pair in cottonwoods, ne.

Common Raven 12 circling high above the lake in loose flocks, e, n.

Tree Swallow 60 gregarious, vocal; flying low, back and forth over marsh and open water around the lake.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 16 pairs and loose flocks flying low over roadways, fields and marsh around the lake.

Cliff Swallow 1 flying with NRWS, w.

Barn Swallow 12 in mixed species flocks (NRWS, TRSW) around the lake; individuals flying low over the settling ponds, marsh and lake, n, nw.

Verdin 1 repeated calls from concealed location in junipers, nw.

Bushtit 12 two small, vocal flocks moving through dense shrubs, nw, ne.

Bewick's Wren 5 repeated song and calls; brushy areas around the lake.

House Wren 1 repeated song (unseen) cottonwood riparian patch, se.

Hermit Thrush 1 (unseen) repeated calls in juniper-cottonwood patch next to pump station, s.

American Robin 1 on ground in riparian area near shore, n.

Northern Mockingbird 2 repeated song, n, se.

European Starling 10 vocal, flying around cottonwoods, n, s.

American Pipit 3 edge of settling pond, n; on short grass next to boat launch, nw.

Orange-crowned Warbler calls (unseen) in cottonwoods, sw.

Yellow Warbler 1 repeated song in subcanopy of cottonwood, s.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 10 vocal, gregarious; active in cottonwoods, s, sw.

Common Yellowthroat 10 vocal; active in marsh and adjacent vegetation around the lake.

Wilson's Warbler 6 highly vocal in riparian areas around the lake.

California Towhee 3 vocal; juniper-sage, nw, se.

Savannah Sparrow 1 calls (unseen) weedy margin of jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 5 calls; marsh and adjacent riparian areas around the lake.

White-crowned Sparrow 2 calls (unseen) ; creosote bush patch, n.

Black-headed Grosbeak 2 repeated song from cottonwoods, n, s.

Red-winged Blackbird 80 vocal, gregarious; males on territories in marsh around the lake; generally avoiding GTGR and YHBL areas.

Tricolored Blackbird 15 one male vocalizing in flight over the marsh, n. A flock of about 14 birds flying east, low over the marsh, nw.

Yellow-headed Blackbird 3 (m) repeated song from high perches over patches of cattail, n, w.

Great-tailed Grackle 40 vocal, gregarious; mainly confined to breeding colonies in cattails, nw, w.

Brown-headed Cowbird 3 calls; flying over riparian areas, n, nw.

Bullock's Oriole 3 (m) vocal; active in riparian areas around the lake.

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

Lesser Goldfinch 2 a vocal pair in riparian and adjacent ruderal fields, s.

Lawrence's Goldfinch vocal in pines next to skeet range, n.

House Sparrow 1 beneath pines next to skeet range, n.

APRIL 2 2015 (66 Species)

Weather: Fair; 53F to 60F; wind WNW 2 -15 mph. whitecaps on lake by 0900 hrs.

Time: 0706-1026 hrs.

Area Covered: I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, surveying all habitats. Except for two fishermen in the southeast corner, there was no human disturbance in or around the lake during my survey. Increasing winds made observations of birds difficult by 0930 hrs. The lake water level continues to be relatively low, exposing 3-10 ft. of shoreline around most of the lake.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Common Merganser (4), American White Pelican (3), Osprey (2), Black-necked Stilt (7), Bonaparte's Gull (1), Caspian Tern (1), Cliff Swallow (1), Stellar's Jay ? (1), Verdin (2), Wilson's Warbler (2), Black-headed Grosbeak (1), Tricolored Blackbird (10), Yellow-headed Blackbird (2) and Lawrence's Goldfinch (2).

BIRDS NOTED

Mallard 10 (m,f) often in pairs; ubiquitous around the edges of the lake.

Bufflehead 8 (m,f) individuals diving around the edges of the lake.

Common Merganser 4 (1 m; 3 f) swimming together in open water near the dam.

Ruddy Duck 150 (m,f; many in alt. plmg.) ubiquitous, gregarious around the edges of the lake.

California Quail 4 vocal; brushy areas, w, ne.

Pied-billed Grebe 3 diving near the marsh, nw, w. s.

Eared Grebe 2 diving near the jetty, nw.

Western Grebe 2 vocal; individuals in open water, nw, e.

Clark's Grebe 1 open water, n-central.

Double-crested Cormorant 12 most resting on stirrer platforms; a few diving, n.

American White Pelican 3 (alt. plmg.) swimming together near marsh, se.

Great Blue Heron 2 shoreline and jetty, nw, ne.

Osprey 2 (one molting outer secondaries); soaring repeatedly over the lake.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 vocal (unseen) tall cottonwoods, se.

Red-tailed Hawk 1 (ad) on utility pole with old nest, n.

American Coot 250 gregarious, ubiquitous on the lake.

Killdeer 6 vocal; pairs on gravelly substrate, e, n.

Black-necked Stilt 7 gregarious; on outer edge of jetty, nw.

Bonaparte's Gull 1 (bsc. plmg.) with flock of CAGU in middle of lake.

Ring-billed Gull 1 (ad) flying low over middle of lake near CAGU.

California Gull 20 (ad, imm) a cohesive flock in the middle of the lake.

Caspian Tern 1 vocal; flying high (200 ft. + agl) above the lake, w.

Tern (Sterna sp.) c.f. Forster's or Common Tern 1 flying low and dipping in the lake, n.

Eurasian Collared Dove 2 vocal, sw.
Feral Rock Pigeon 2 flyiing over adjacent suburbs, n.

Mourning Dove 12 pairs and individuals in riparian areas and on roadways around the lake.

Anna's Hummingbird 5 vocal; males on territories in trees and shrubs.

Selasphorus sp. (Rufous or Allen's) flying from willow riparian to creosote hillside, n.

Belted Kingfisher 1 vocal; flying to cottonwood, se corner.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 4 vocal; m drumming on dead cottonwood branch, n, s.

Black Phoebe 3 vocal; flying low near edges of the lake.

Western Kingbird 2 vocal; flying around mulberry grove in picnic area, n.

Western Scrub-Jay 2 vocal; active in juniper-riparian edge, w, s.

Stellar's Jay ? (unseen) distinctively loud, raspy, chattering alarm-call given from adjacent yard with mature pines, s. Note: To my knowledge, there are no documented occurrences of STJA at Lake Palmdale or anywhere else in the Antelope Valley; this relatively sedentary woodland/forest species is not expected due to lack of appropriate habitat, lack of an adjacent source population and relatively low elevation (though STJA does occur at a slightly lower elevation elsewhere in LACO, e.g. Placerita Canyon, Newhall (about 1,300 ft.); another population of STJA occurs a few miles west in the Upper Shake Canyon at an elevation of about 4,300 ft.).

Common Raven 12 gregarious, ubiquitous; soaring high above the lake.

Tree Swallow 120 (ad) vocal, gregarious (often in pairs in willows and cottonwoods); flying into wind, low over lake in loose flocks.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 5 pairs flying low over the lake with TRSW.

Cliff Swallow 1 flying back and forth, low over the lake with other swallows, se (fos).

Barn Swallow 5 a pair perched on a dock; others flying back and forth, low over the lake with TRSW.

Verdin 2 vocal; active in creosote and rabbitbrush scrub adjacent to parking area, nw.

Bushtit 4 vocal; individuals and pairs flying quickly between shrubs, w, s.

Cactus Wren 1 (unseen) repeated vocalizations, desert scrub adjacent to settling ponds, n.

Rock Wren 1 gave distinctive calls in vicinity of large boulders on dam, ne (fos).

Bewick's Wren 5 vocal in brushy areas around the lake (photo).

Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 2 Apr 2015 Lake Palmdale CA

House Wren 1 repeated song from cottonwood branch, s.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 foraging in lower branches of a mature cottonwood, w.

American Robin 2 flushed from the ground beneath mature cottonwoods, w.

Northern Mockingbird 2 repeated song, n, ne.

European Starling 12 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; individual entering cavity in mature cottonwood, s.

American Pipit 5 vocal, gregarious; on dam and in sediment cakes in settling pond, ne, n.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 20 (m,f) gregarious, vocal, ubiquitous.

Common Yellowthroat 10 vocal, ubiquitous in moist vegetation.

Wilson's Warbler 2 (unseen) both individuals giving repeated, distinctively high-pitched, rushed-sounding song from mature cottonwoods, s, ne.

Savannah Sparrow 4 flushed from jetty and dam, nw, e.

Song Sparrow 5 vocal; pairs and individuals in marsh-riparian vegetation around the lake.

White-crowned Sparrow 16 vocal, gregarious; brushy areas around the lake.

Black-headed Grosbeak 1 (m) flying between cottonwoods, s (fos).

Red-winged Blackbird 50 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp. marsh and edge; females gathering nest material on shore.

Tricolored Blackbird 10 (m,f) a cohesive flock (mostly males) flying low, fast from nw to se across the lake.

Yellow-headed Blackbird 2 (m) vocal in dry cattail patch at base of cliff, n (fos - photo).

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) Lake Palmdale CA 2 Apr 2015

Great-tailed Grackle 80 (m -alt. plmg.,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous; males displaying together on jetty, nw.

Brown-headed Cowbird 20 (m) vocal, gregarious (m) ; males vocalizing and displaying together (i.e. in a lek) atop a mature cottonwood; female observing on lower branch,w (photo).

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Lake Palmdale CA 2 Apr 2015

Bullock's Oriole 6 (m) highly vocal;ubiquitous in upper branches of mature cottonwoods and willows (photo).

Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) Lake Palmdale CA 2 Apr 2015

House Finch 50 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Lawrence's Goldfinch 2 repeated song from a pair in a mature cottonwood, ne.

House Sparrow 1 in a Joshua Tree next to the PWD headquarters.

MARCH 26 2015 (53 Species)

Weather: Fair; 39F to 64F; winds calm.

Time: 0710-1015 hrs.

Area Covered: After scanning the lake from the bluff next to the Fin & Feather clubhouse, I walked a counter-clockwise route around the entire lake, surveying all habitats. Only one fisherman was present on a dock in the northwestern section; one motorboat with several individuals was in transit briefly from the southern slough to the northeastern shore. There was no other human disturbance or activity in and around the lake this morning (Thursday), as the lake was closed to Fin and Feather Club members. Future surveys of Lake Palmdale are scheduled for Thursday mornings in an effort to obtain observations of birds under relatively undisturbed conditions.

Birds of seasonal and/or distributional interest found today included, Redhead (3), Clark's Grebe (1), Osprey (1), Greater Yellowlegs (2), Western Kingbird (1), Tree Swallow (100), Wilson's Warbler (1), Tricolored Blackbird (40) and Lawrence's Goldfinch (4).

BIRDS NOTED

Gadwall 1 (f) swimming at edge of marsh, se.

Mallard 15 (m,f) pairs scattered around the edges of the lake.

Redhead 3 (1 m, 2 f) swimming together near the dam, e.

Lesser Scaup 4 (m) swimming together near the docks, n; one resting on the east edge of the jetty, nw.

Bufflehead 10 (m,f) diving around the edges of the lake.

Ruddy Duck 150 (m,f; several in trans. alt. plmg.) ubiquitous in loose flocks resting near shore.

California Quail 12 (m,f) calls; a covey moving across the road, s.

Pied-billed Grebe 1 swimming near the marsh, se.

Eared Grebe 10 (several in trans. alt. plmg.) individuals diving around the edges of the lake.

Clark's Grebe 1 called once; swimming with RUDU near dam, e.

Double-crested Cormorant 8 resting on stirring buoy; flying over lake, e.

Great Blue Heron 1 (bsc. plmg.) edge of shore next to dam, se, ne.

Osprey 1 flushed from tree-top perch at edge of lake; flew around and returned to same area, se.

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 calls; flying low between cottonwoods, se.

Red-tailed Hawk 2 (ad) flying low, se, ne.

American Coot 250 ubiquitous, gregarious around edges of the lake.

Killdeer 6 vocal; pairs on shore, nw; lower dam road, ne.

Greater Yellowlegs 2 repeated calls; flying low and landing at edge of water in settling pond, n (photo).

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 26 March 2015

Least Sandpiper 8 a loose flock foraging at edge of settling pond; resting on concrete divider, n.

California Gull 25 (ad; C1, C3) a flock resting on the jetty and in open water in center of lake; flying toward Palmdale landfill, nw.

Eurasian Collared Dove 8 vocal, pairs around the lake in riparian areas.

Mourning Dove 14 pairs around the lake; some foraging in roadway.

Anna's Hummingbird 6 vocal males establishing territories around the lake.

Nuttall's Woodpecker 6 (m,f) vocal; active in riparian woodland around the lake.

Northern (RS) Flicker 1 foraging on large limb in subcanopy of cottonwood, s.

Black Phoebe 5 vocal; individuals on low perches around the lake.

Western Kingbird 1 repeated vocalizations from exposed canopy of mulberry trees next to clubhouse, n (photo).

Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 26 March 2015

Western Scrub-Jay 3 vocal; flying low over brushy areas, w, s.

Common Raven 8 gregarious; circling on thermals, n.

Tree Swallow 100 (conserv. est.) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous, esp. in trees and on docks near shore.

Barn Swallow 3 flying low over marsh, nw; 1 flying over settling pond, n.

Oak Titmouse 2 vocal; active in mature cottonwoods, sw.

Bushtit 14 vocal, gregarious; small flocks moving through stand of creosote bush, n; cottonwood understory, s.

Bewick's Wren 6 vocal; brushy areas around the lake.

Marsh Wren 2 vocal; edge of marsh, se.

Northern Mockingbird 1 vocal; area around PWD garden, n.

California Thrasher 2 repeated song; sage scrub next to rr tracks, e; on fence at PWD yard, ne.

European Starling 15 vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Yellow-rumped (A) Warbler 20 (m,f) loosely gregarious while foraging in trees and shrubs around the lake.

Common Yellowthroat 22 vocal, gregarious; marsh and edge of riparian around the lake.

Wilson's Warbler 1 repeated song from cottonwood-willow woodland, s.

Savannah Sparrow 1 in weedy edge of jetty, nw.

Song Sparrow 6 vocal in marsh and riparian edge around the lake.

White-crowned Sparrow 30 vocal, gregarious; brushy areas around the lake.

Red-winged Blackbird 50 (m,f) vocal, gregarious; males establishing territories in marsh around the lake.

Tricolored Blackbird 40 (m,f) several small flocks flying from the nw to se across the lake.

Great-tailed Grackle 80 (m,f) males and females in separate flocks around the lake.

Brown-headed Cowbird 20 (m,f) vocal, gregarious in tree-tops near flocks of RWBL, nw, w.

Bullock's Oriole 3 (m) repeated song from tree-tops, n, s (photo).

Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) Lake Palmdale LACO CA 26 March 2015

House Finch 50 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, ubiquitous.

Lesser Goldfinch 2 (m,f) in willows, s.

Lawrence's Goldfinch 4 (m,f) vocal; one pair in juniper-riparian edge, sw; another in pines, ne.

House Sparrow 10 (m,f) vocal, gregarious, n.