Laguna Beach, Venice Beach, and on to Santa Barba

Arriving home late the night before, everyone was exhausted so I left them in bed to take a stroll along the beach and take a few photographs before the harsh sun became too bright and the crowds arrived. A couple of new species were added: Pacific Golden Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Willet, Wandering Tattler and a Dark-eyed Junco. I then noticed a Common Dolphin close in to the shore. I went back to tell the others and this was enough to get them out of bed (Tom also needed Pacific Golden Plover).

After getting good views we left Laguna Beach for a long drive north along the busy Pacific Coast Highway. I was planning a stop at Rancho Palos Verdes to bird, but the drive took longer than expected and the main species to see there (the Gnatcatcher was already in the bag). We therefore carried on to our first destination at Venice Beach. The kids loved the surf here and whilst watching them, a Marbled Godwit flew over and circled the beach several times looking for a place to land among the surfers, bathers, and general weirdo's that inhabit this particular beach. Some Caspian Terns were also fishing offshore.

After several hours on Venice Beach we continued our drive north on the Pacific Coast Highway to Santa Barba where we arrived shortly after nightfall.

   

Laguna Beach
22 August 2012
Brandt's Cormorant, Brown Pelican, Pacific Golden-Plover, Wandering Tattler, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Black Turnstone, Heermann's Gull, Western Gull, Mourning Dove, American Crow, Barn Swallow, European Starling, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco

Venice Beach
22 August 2012
Mallard, Brandt's Cormorant, Brown Pelican, Whimbrel, Heermann's Gull, Western Gull, Caspian Tern, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, American Crow, Barn Swallow, European Starling, House Finch, Great-tailed Grackle

Los Angeles

A fantastic day, both birding and family stuff. Tom and I went out whilst the others slept to Crystal Cove. Our first proper birding was soon rewarded with California Towhee (the first bird we saw when arriving), quickly followed by California Thrasher (our second bird!) Other new birds included Anna’s Hummingbird, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Northern Mockingbird, and Wrentit. All this was in the upper section north of the road. We had spent too long here (mostly looking at a Hummingbird that was almost certainly Allen’s) as our main target was supposedly on the cliff edges south of the road. Just as we were leaving we found our first ever Greater Roadrunner sitting in a tree. Not the views we had expected.

 

We took the short drive down and pretty much the first bird we stumbled upon was indeed our target: California Gnat Catcher. We then birded the area for another half an hour or so (not adding too much more – a couple of distant American Herring Gulls following a close in trawler for example) before heading back to collect the others and head into Los Angeles.

On the drive in we saw our first Turkey Vultures and Red-tailed Hawks, and also several flocks of unidentified Parrots. Our first stop was Griffith Park. Being around midday, the temperature was now pretty hot. We did manage to see a few common birds here, including a new one for me, Lesser Goldfinch. Sam also found a couple of Acorn Woodpeckers who had completely filled a telegraph pole full of acorns.  We also saw Western Grey Squirrel and a few Monarch butterflies.

Then on to the excellent Griffith Observatory where some California Quails were seen, before we spent the rest of the afternoon driving and walking around the sites of Hollywood before heading off to Dodger Stadium to watch the Dodgers lose to San Francisco Giants.

 

Crystal Cove
21 August 2012
Brandt's Cormorant, Brown Pelican, American Kestrel, Herring Gull, Heermann's Gull, Western Gull, Mourning Dove, Band-tailed Pigeon, Greater Roadrunner, Anna's Hummingbird, American Crow, Oak Titmouse, Barn Swallow, Bushtit, House Wren, Northern Mockingbird, California Thrasher, European Starling, California Towhee, Song Sparrow, California Gnatcatcher, Wrentit

Griffith Park
21 August 2012
Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Mourning Dove, Acorn Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, American Crow, Barn Swallow, Lesser Goldfinch, House Finch, Brewer's Blackbird

Griffith Observatory
21 August 2012
California Quail, Turkey Vulture, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Common Raven, Barn Swallow

Laguna Beach

Having arrived in Los Angeles the evening before (no birds seen at all), we all awoke very early and a bit jet-lagged. At about 6am myself and Sam decided to get out of bed and walk along the beach. I was surprised at the large numbers of Heerman’s Gulls loafing about on the beach, along with the expected Western Gulls, and a single California Gull. Brown Pelicans were flying in formation up and down the coast and the rocky headlands held Brandt’s Cormorants, and a couple of Pelagic Cormorants whilst Black Turnstones were feeding

The others soon got up and we did the same stroll, this time adding Western Grebe to the list. The rest of the day was spent lazing around the beach. However, I did manage to see a distant Sooty Shearwater and a flock of seven Whimbrel flying south.

Laguna Beach
20 August 2012
Sooty Shearwater, Double-crested Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Brown Pelican, Western Grebe, Black Turnstone, Heermann's Gull, Western Gull, California Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, American Crow, European Starling, House Finch

Fowlmere

A couple of hours in the sun. Not much bird-wise, especially on the mere which probably wasn’t helped by 126 Greylag Geese. Highlights were the first Ruddy Darter and three Migrant Hawkers flying together, also the first of the year.

 

 

Fowlmere
12 August 2012 11:27 - 13:23
Mostly sunny 25C 11SE
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Teal, Mallard, Pheasant (heard), Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (heard), Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Coot, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay (heard), Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Great Tit (heard), Chiffchaff (heard), Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Wren (heard), Blackbird, Robin (heard), Dunnock, Chaffinch, Linnet, Bullfinch (heard), Brimstone, Green-veined White, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Common Blue Damselfly, Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, Brown Hare

Greenshank

Out of bed with the fairly usual Saturday morning hangover. When I came out of the shower I noticed three text messages and a voicemail on  my phone. Five Greenshank and  a Spotted Redshank at Fowlmere! I quickly got down  there and whilst walking along the broad-walk heard a Greenshank in flight. I peered through the trees and saw a solitary Greenshank flying away. Almost immediately I got a call to say that all the birds had flown off together. I’d just caught the last bird, with the Spotted Redshank at the front. A tick, but also a dip. I checked the mere, just in case they returned but they did not.

Swifts

Had a sleepless night, but didn’t hear the Swifts once. Think they must have left yesterday ahead of today’s rain. Summer over before it’s begun.

Botanic Gardens

Poor quality camera phone picture, but this Common Darter decided to join me on my bench for lunch.

Large sections of the gardens have been left to grow wild this year which is excellent. There are also areas that have been sowed with wild seeds. Not only do they look good but they also attract a good many invertebrae.

Cambridge Botanic Gardens
06 August 2012 12:09 - 13:13
Medium level cloud with few spots of rain 20C 8W
Mallard, Moorhen, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Swift, Green Woodpecker, Magpie (heard), Jay, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Wren (heard), Large White, Green-veined White, Comma, Meadow Brown, Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Emperor Dragonfly, Common Darter