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