september-october 2009 western tanager newsletter - los angeles audubon

8/8/2019 September-October 2009 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon

1/12

How much adversity can a

population of birds take

before its numbers are re-

duced to the point of no-return?

Habitat loss and fragmentation due

to development, urban sprawl and poor

land/water management, is the number

one cause of the decline of bird popu-

lations in Los Angeles County.

However, it is easy to ignore or

downplay other factors that contribute

to population declines. We go about

our daily lives in ways that cumula-

tively create a recipe for disaster formany of our bird populations.

Window panes without screens or

protective devices attached to them

kill millions of birds a year. This in-

cludes plate glass windows installed

on residential structures as well as

those on larger office buildings.

Fishing line and hooks that are left

to lie beside or within public lakes,ocean piers and streams by non-com-

mercial fishermen, entangle birds

which then die a slow death.

Trimming trees during the time

when most birds nest and raise their

young, (in Los Angeles County this is

March through September), only adds

to the toll. See Los Angeles

usually die of natural causes preda-

tors, disease, physical elements be-

fore the eggs hatch or the young have

left the nest. Of those that live to

leave the nest, as high as 90% will notmake it through their first year, either

because of predation or the trials of

migration, lack of food, or a myriad of

other reasons. That leaves, on aver-

age, only a very small percentage of

the birds hatched in any single year

surviving to breed and reproduce in

order to sustain the population.

In April, 2009, Los Angeles

County once again won the title ofAmericas Birdiest County 264

species. Los Angeles County is at a

crossroads of many migratory routes

having one of the most diverse habi-

tat types of any county within the

United States.

When all species are added up, in-

cluding the 120 or so resident species,

an additional 80 spring breeders, and

another 140 migrants passing through,they add up to a total of approximately

350 species inhabiting the county dur-

ing any one year. That does not in-

clude a variety of rare migrants and

vagrants that brings the countys

species total to 500 (matched only by

San Diego County.) Yes, we do live

in a birding paradise.

Audubons publication, Guide to Bird-

Friendly Tree and Shrub Trimming

and Removal. This booklet is avail-

able in print and online at

www.laaudubon.org.

Domestic outdoor cats are esti-

mated to kill millions of birds per

year. When cats live near or are re-leased into the coastal scrub or chapar-

ral of our local mountains, they de-

stroy the eggs and nests of ground

nesting birds.

An adult birds life is strenuous

and a young birds life is tenuous. On

average about 50% of a seasons nests

fail to produce a fledgling. The chicks

Volume 76, Number 1 September/October 2009

WESTERNTANAGER

a publication of Los Angeles Audubon www.laaudubon.org

Where Have All the Birds Gone?

What YouCan Do Before It Is Too Late!

by Eleanor Osgood

Guide to Bird-Friendly Tree and Shrub

Trimming and Removal


2/12

Keep your cat indoors the #3

killer of birds are outdoor cats.

Yes, that cuddly cat of yours does

have a wild side and will kill

birds just out of instinct. Get

more information from the

American Bird Conservancy,

www.abc.org; and spread the

word to fellow cat owners.

Put screens or other visibleitems on windows, especially on

large plate glass windows and on

sliding glass doors, so the birds

can see the glass instead of flying

into them. Keep bird feeders

away from windows.

Trim trees and do major

landscaping removal between

September and March; educate

arborists, landscapers and

neighbors as to when to trim treesor clear brush by passing out Los

Angeles Audubons Guide to Bird

Friendly Tree and Shrub

Trimming and Removalbooklet.

The booklet is also available in

PDF format on the Los Angeles

Audubon website:

www.laaudubon.org.

With all of us keeping the needs of

birds and other wildlife in our scopes,together we can help our local bird

populations survive.

Eleanor Osgood is a Board Member of the Los

Angeles Audubon Society and serves as the

Recording Secretary. She is also the Volunteer

Coordinator for the organization. Eleanor has

been birding since 1988, serving as a sector

coordinator for data collection for the Los

Angeles Breeding Bird Atlas, and volunteering

at the Natural History Museum since 1992

assisting Kimball Garrett . She served on theLos Angeles Audubon Committee which

recently produced the Tree Trimming Guide

mentioned in this article. The Tree Trimming

Guide is part of a campaign by Los Angeles

Audubon to alert the public to the hazards to

birds in urban areas. Much of the data in this

article was provided in consultation with

Kimball Garrett, the ornithology collections

manager at the Natural History Museum of

Los Angeles County.

So, one might ask, with such

species diversity, what is the problem?

The answer has to do with the

health of bird populations (the number

of individuals of each species.) For

those of us who have participated in

the local Christmas Bird Counts year

after year, or have birded the area for

many years and have read the histori-

cal records, we know that the numberof birds frequenting the various habi-

tats has drastically decreased for all

but a handful of bird species.

Individual decisions as to where

we house our domestic cats, where

we dispose of our fishing line and

hooks, what time of year we prune

our trees and shrubs, and even how

we build our houses, have an effect

on bird populations.

As individuals we can make a

commitment to changing how we go

about living our daily lives. We can

also make a commitment to educate

our family, neighbors and friends.

Here is how:

E2 Western Tanager Vol. 76, No. 1

The mission of Los Angeles Audubon Society is to

promote the enjoyment and protection of birds and

other wildlife through recreation, education,

conservation and restoration.

Los Angeles Audubon is a non-profit volunteerorganization of people with a common interest in

birding and natural history. Los Angeles Audubon

maintains offices, a library, and bookstore, the

proceeds of which benefit all of its programs.

Los Angeles Audubon Society

Audubon House

7377 Santa Monica Blvd.,

W. Hollywood, CA 90046-6694

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 931057, Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057

(323) 876-0202 (voice/messages)

(323) 876-7609 (fax)

[email protected] (general email)

www.laaudubon.org

Board Officers

President David De Lange

1st Vice President Garry George

2nd Vice President Paul Fox

Executive Secretary Linda Oberholtzer

Recording Secretary Eleanor Osgood

Treasurer Lisa Fimiani

Executive Past President Dexter Kelly

Programs & Activities

Conservation Garry George

Field Trips Nick Freeman

Bird Walks Eleanor Osgood

Pelagic Trips Phil Sayre

Membership Meetings Mary Freeman

Ornithology Consultant Kimball Garrett

Rare Bird Alert Jon Fisher

Report Rare Birds (323) 874-1318Volunteer Coordinator Eleanor Osgood

Library Dorothy Schwarz

Staff

Executive Director Mary Loquvam

Director of Interpretation Stacey Vigallon

Audubon House Administrator Martha Balkan

Membership Services Susan Castor

Audubon House Bookstore

Orders (888) 522-7428

Fax (323) 876-7609

Bookstore Manager (323) 876-0202

Hours Mon-Thurs 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

1st Sat. ea. month 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Online Nature Store

www.losangelesaudubon.org/store

WESTERNTANAGERPublished by

Los Angeles Audubon Society

Western Tanageris published bi-monthly. For address changes or

subscription problems call (323) 876-0202, or write to Member

Services, Los Angeles Audubon, PO Box 931057, Los Angeles, CA

90093-1057. Submissions are due the 1st of the month, two months

before the date of the issue. Please send submissions as Microsoft

Word or RTF documents, or plain text files, to Linda Oberholtzer at

[email protected].

Editor Linda Oberholtzer

Layout Susan Castor

Proofreaders Hanna Hayman, Kimball Garrett

Printed on Recycled Paper

Bird Guard, Window Decal

Birds fly into windows because they see a reflection

of the sky. The silhouette of this Accipiter Hawk helps

them to avoid the window. Sold at Los Angeles

Audubon Society Bookstore for $2.25 each.


3/12

Western Tanager September/October 2009 E3

INTRODUCTION TOBIRD WATCHING CLASS

Los Angeles Audubon will be

offering a 3 day introduction to bird

watching class, Oct./Nov., 2009 with

instructor Eleanor Osgood. Sessions

are geared towards participants with

beginning and low intermediate bird

identification skills. Binoculars and

field guides will be provided; bring

your own if you have them. The class

will include handouts, practice sheets,

and a Los Angeles Audubon

Bookstore coupon that is good for

10% off on non-sale items, and 5% off

on optics.

Areas to be covered:

Basic tools needed for bird watching:

Field Guides and Binoculars

Field Identification: Bird Families,

Field Marks, Habitat, Status and

Distribution

Conservation & Citizen Science

WHEN, HOURS, LOCATION

Sat., Oct. 31st 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 1st 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 7th 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Call Audubon House or check our

website for updated class locations.

Limited to 12 participants. Pre-

registration is required. Please provide

name, address, phone and email.

Fee:

$30.00 - Chapter Only Members of

Los Angeles Audubon. $50.00 - Non-members (includes a

new Chapter Only

membership in Los

Angeles Audubon.)

Write checks to Los Angeles Audubon,

and mail registration information to:

Los Angeles Audubon Registration

PO Box 931057

Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057

In Remembrance

Nellie Gryk passed away on

Friday, July 17, 2009, from a

severe stroke.

I'm not

sure if you

knew NellieGryk or not.

She was a gra-

cious lady

who was one

of our premier

volunteers for many years, in the Audubon

House Bookstore. Nellie helped get the

orders packaged and shipped out. Nellie

was well liked by everyone! After many

of our volunteers had moved on to other

activities, she remained, helping us once aweek until failing health began to take its

toll.

She was a participant in the Southwest

Bird Study Club's Monday birding

adventures, and had joined us on one of

our Los Angeles Audubon's Costa Rica

Tours in the early 1980's. Nellie was a

graduate of So. Hadley High School and

the University of the State of NY nursing

program. She was a registered nurse and a

Veteran of the U.S. Army serving duringWWII in the U.S. and abroad. Nellie

received an honorable discharge as a 1st

Lt. in 1952, and is registered in the

National WWII Memorial for Women in

Washington DC. Nellie moved to

California after the war and worked at the

VA hospital for thirty years before retiring.

She enjoyed a full life doing things she

loved. She was a long time member of the

National Audubon Society, The Southwest

Bird Study Club, The Sierra Club, The

Loganites, and of course enjoyed her

swimming at the YMCA. She traveled

around the world and had a great love for

nature, birds and the outdoors. Nellie was

a very independent lady who surrounded

herself with friends whom she considered

her family. Many families across the U.S.

enjoyed her company and her knowledge.

She led by example and has inspired so

many young people to achieve their goals.

MEMBERship

A special thank you to all the follow-

ing new and renewed Chapter Only

members!

NEW MEMBERS

Bruce & Carrie Anders, ElizabethBall, Candice Byers, Janine Coyle,

Kara Donohue, Jim Dunsford, Martha

Estus, Edmond Hewlett, Barbara

Hogan, Barclay Hudson, James

Krause, Sud Menon, Barbara Osborn,

Bob Parker & Laurie Allen, Denise

Perez, Nancy Popenoe, Emily Jane

Reed, Jill Roberts, Marsha Rosenberg,

Marlene Rotblatt, Edmund Segal,

Susan Shemin, Allison Shultz, Susan

J. Vitucci, David Warren, BarbaraWatson, Jack Wax M.D., Crispin

Whittell, Lori Winer-Hecht

RENEWED MEMBERS

Albert Ackroyd, Gina Albi, Jane

Anderson & Tess Ayers, Joseph

Andrews, Charles Armstrong,

Nicholas Armstrong, John Bassett,

Michele Bigelow, Eric Brazel & Mary

Renaker, Katie Brennan & Albert

Gasser, Betty Brown, Allan Compton& Miriam Tasini, Gloria and Murray

Cooper, Barbara Courtois, Linda

Dunn, Bridget Fitzsimons, Paul &

Carol Fox, Ethan Greenspan, Donna

Groman, Eric N. Hansen, Melissa

Haylock, Hanna & Gerald Hayman,

Annmarie Hunter & Souhail Kaspar,

Dr. Kathleen Komar & Ross Shideler,

Richard Krafsur, Dr & Mrs Emil M

Lichina, John McCoy, Susan

Mogilka, Irene Maupin Oppenheim,Ms Jean Pickus, Bud Plochere, Vivian

Ramirez, Bernhard Rohrbacher,

Heather Sabin, Mr. & Mrs. Harry

Santo, Judy & Robert Scharf, Bruce

& Joyce Schoppe, David Seay, John

Silvester, Bruce Spring, Laura Tooley,

Becky & Steve Turley, Catherine

Waters, Edward & Susan Wolin

Continued on page 9.


4/12

Migration almost al-

ways delivers a few

surprises. However,

as spring marched toward summer,

vagrant season was shaping up to

be a rather dull one. But even at

the end of May, the show was far

from over. June through early July

produced an array of notable sight-ings and a few exceptional rarities.

In southern California, a push

of southeastern species included

Yellow-throated and White-eyed

Vireos, Northern Parulas and

Hooded Warblers. All were present

in above average numbers and that

trend spilled over into LA County.

Each time it seemed thingsmight calm down, another good

bird turned up and vagrant passer-

ines were still being found as

southbound Least and Western

Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs

and others were arriving.

Despite low rainfall for yet an-

other season, habitat in the San

Gabriel Mountains was in good

condition, with plenty of activitythrough early summer. The com-

bination of the reopening of the

Angeles Crest Highway and good

habitat translated into an increase

in birding activity and reports

from the mountains.

It all added up to make for in-

teresting birding. Heres a look at

what was around

Brant are scarce migrants inland,

thus one at Balboa Lake in the

Sepulveda Basin from May 17-

June 10 was of interest (Mike

Stensvold). Coastally, Malibu La-

goon hosted seven Brant on May

17, and two were there through

June 14 (Jon Fisher).

The only other waterfowl of note

was a lingering male Ring-necked

Duckat the Lancaster Sewer

Ponds on June 13 (Jon Feenstra).

Rare but regular in the county was

an adult Little Blue Heron that

was reported frequently at Del

Rey Lagoon and vicinity from

May 31-July 4 (David Moody).

A White-faced Ibis, quite uncom-

mon as a migrant on the coastal

slope, was along the LA River in

Van Nuys on May 15 (Mike

Stensvold). Also recorded was an

early juvenile ibis on the LA River

in Long Beach on June 28 (Jon

Fisher). Already there are several

Glossy Ibis records for California,

thus its prudent to scrutinize anyPlegadis ibis in the county, and of

course to be aware of the field

marks of both.

After a number of reports earlier in

the season, the last migrant Swain-

sons Hawkwas one over Hansen

Dam on May 16 (Kimball Garrett).

An excellent and serendipitous

find was an Upland Sandpiper

that showed up in the Antelope

Valley on June 3 (Jon Feenstra).

By chance, the observer was mon-

itoring a construction site where

the bird was found otherwise

this spot would never have beencovered. This is only the countys

second Upland Sandpiper and first

spring record.

A number of shorebird species

linger through the summer in

small numbers. A Surfbird near

the Ballona channel on June 18

(Richard Greer) and three others-

there on June 12, fell into this cat-

egory (Michael Zarky).

Though rare as migrants, even

along the immediate coast, Red

Phalaropes occasionally turn up

well inland as evidenced by one at

the Lancaster Sewer Ponds on

June 13 (Jon Feenstra).

There was less activity at the Lan-

caster ponds this year than last

springand perhaps they receivedless coverage by birders. Aside

from the phalarope, reports were

limited to a single Franklins Gull

on May 26 (Tom Miko) and five

Bonapartes Gulls on June 13

(Jon Feenstra).

Nearby at the Piute Ponds on Ed-

wards AFB, a single adult Arctic


birds of the season by Jon Fisher


5/12


Tern on July 9 was noteworthy

(Mike San Miguel). Its also of

interest that one was present at the

same location almost exactly two

years ago.

Always scarce close to shore was a

Common Murre found literally on

the sand at Venice Beach on May 23(Dan Cooper). Obviously such birds

are distressed in some way, and this

one was feeding on crabs tossed to it

by beachgoers.

Remarkable was a Whip-poor-will

discovered high in the San Gabriels

on June 20 and reported through July

3 (Nick & Mary Freeman, Chris Tay-

lor). This marks the first county

record in over a decade. HistoricallyWhip-poor-wills were detected with

some regularity in the Big Pine and

Table Mountain area, but even there

they have gone unrecorded for many

years. Lack of observer coverage at

dusk and just before dawn when

these birds being calling, is undoubt-

edly a part of the equation.

Reminding us that autumn migration

starts very early for some species,was a first of fall Belted King-

fisher at Hansen Dam on July 3

(Kimball Garrett).

A Black Swift was observed on sev-

eral evenings north of Claremont be-

tween June 28-July 4 (Tom Miko).

With only two known breeding sites

in the San Gabriels, one wonders

where this bird was roosting and

whether it may have been a localbreeder. But since breeding birds are

known to forage widely in search of

food, it may have been from a loca-

tion many miles away.

Expected in fall, but less so in

spring, was a White-winged

Dove in Lancaster from June 13-

14 (Kumaran Arul).

In addition to the bonanza of

Bells Vireos at Hansen Dam

this spring, two were at

Schabarum Park in Rowland

Heights on May 26 (Dan Cooper)

indicating possible breeding

there. A handful of other Bells

were on territories along the San

Gabriel River in Duarte, alongthe Rio Hondo near South El

Monte and in the Santa Fe Dam

basin in Irwindale and no doubt

elsewhere. When assisted by

cowbird removal, this species

has proven very capable of

recovering where suitable habitat

still exists.

Several Red-eyed Vireos were

found with birds at the VillageGreen condos in Los Angeles

from June3-4 (Don Sterba), at

Lake Balboa in Van Nuys on

June 10 (Jim Abernathy) and in

lower Big Tujunga Canyon on

June 22 (Mike San Miguel).

A Plumbeous Vireo was on the north

slope of the San Gabriels along Big

Rock Creek on June 20 (Kimball

Garrett) where this species is knownto have bred in past years. Its likely

that a few pairs continue to do so,

making this the only location in the

county where both Cassins and

Plumbeous Vireos breed side by side.

Yellow-throated Vireos were at

Peck Pit in Arcadia from June 21-

22 (Jon Fisher) and at Hansen

Dam on July 3 (Kimball Garrett).

An above average number wererecorded in southern California

this spring so it wasnt surprising

that one or two eventually turned

up in LA County. In California

there is a noticeable pattern of

vagrancy in this species with a

spike in records every eight to

nine years.

An intriguing find was a Yellow-

billed Cuckoo along the Rio

Hondo near South El Monte on

June 28 (Dan Cooper). Formerly

common in the LA basin, this

species vanished long ago as a

breeding bird due largely to the

destruction of the specialized ri-

parian habitat it requires. Excit-ing as it is, the occurrence of a

single individual in appropriate

habitat may well be an anomaly,

though the possibility exists that

breeding might once again occur

in one or two riparian pockets .

The presence of an adult and a ju-

venile Red-breasted Sapsucker

along Soledad Canyon Road near

Santa Clarita on July 1 (DanCooper, Dave Bell) indicates local

breeding. This notable record

away from known or expected

breeding areas highlights how un-

explored some of our remaining

riparian corridors are.

Also quite interesting was a Wil-

low Flycatcherpresent at Hansen

Dam from June 13-23 (Kimball

Garrett). Vocalizations, plumageand a leg band suggested that this

bird belonged to the southwestern

race extimus and this date was

outside the spring migration win-

dow. This is yet another species

that had substantial historical pop-

ulations eliminated by the radical

destruction of riparian habitat, as

well as severe brood parasitism by

cowbirds. At present there are no

known Willow Flycatcher breed-ing sites in the county.

A juvenile Says Phoebe in the Sepul-

veda Basin on June 6 was probably the

result of local breeding (Jon Fisher).

This flycatcher has recently been

recorded breeding at several locations

on the coastal slope where it was previ-

ously absent, including Hansen Dam.


6/12


Now, in mid-August shore-

bird migration is in full stride.

All the usual spots will be well-

covered by birders the lower

LA River, Piute Ponds, Malibu

Lagoon and Playa del Rey. Sort-

ing through thousands of peeps

and others requires patience, butcan offer rewards. These areas

will produce a number of good

birds this summer and fall. But

rarities or not, the occurrence of

large numbers of shorebirds, es-

pecially on the easily accessible

LA River, is a spectacle that

should not be missed.

Southbound passerines will

lag behind shorebirds and will beevident by mid August. Many

will be moving through the

mountains and taking advantage

of cooler temperatures and food

resources when the lowlands are

especially dry and hot.

August and September are

months to try and beat the heat,

but its also a time when any

patch of wet or green in thedeserts can be worth checking

for migrants. Of course they can

also be found coastally and in

any number of city and county

parks.

Looking ahead, there are in-

dications that we may be headed

for an El Nio event this year

the first in nearly a decade.

Even an average season of rain-fall would be welcome at this

point.

An excellent find was a White-

eyed Vireo at DeForest Park in

Long Beach which was present

from July 2-4 (Karen Gilbert, Jeff

Boyd). That this bird was discov-

ered is remarkable, given the fact

that it was not singing. This sight-

ing would represent only the thirdaccepted county record.

Eleven Horned Larks seen flying

in off the ocean at Leo Carillo

State Beach on June 27 (Kimball

Garrett) were undoubtedly early

fall migrants. Although a lack of

suitable habitat makes this species

rather rare on our coastal slope, a

number of them certainly occur as

undetected flyovers.

Vagrant warblers were generally

in short supply this spring. The

exception was a wave ofNorth-

ern Parulas with at least nine in-

dividuals reported. With so many

birds showing up, it became hard

to keep track of which were new

and which were continuing birds.

The first two reports came on May

27 from the Ballona FreshwaterMarsh (Don Sterba) and the Vil-

lage Green Condos in Los Angeles

(Kimball Garrett).

A subsequent record of note

came from the Village Green

Condominiums with a male and a

female there from June 25-July 7

(Don Sterba). Interactions ob-

served between these two birds

indicated possible breeding atthis location. As counterintu-

itive as it seems, this southeast-

ern species is not only a vagrant

but also occasionally breeds in

the county.

Two Tennessee Warblers were

reported, with one in Long

Beach on June 13 (Sam Stewart)

and another at the Village Green

Condominiums in Los Angeles

on June 25 (Don Sterba).

Three Black-and-white Warblers

turned up during the period. One

was in Rolling Hills Estates on the

PVP on May 25 (Robb Hamilton),another was at El Dorado Park in

Long Beach on May 31 (Kevin Al-

caino) and a third was at Eaton

Canyon in Pasadena from June 18-

21 (John Garrett).

The lone American Redstart of

the spring was at the Ballona

Freshwater Marsh on June 22

(Denise Perez, Mary Staff).

A Hooded Warbler was at the

Loyola Marymount University

Campus in Westchester on June

10 (Dan Cooper). Others were

in San Pedro on June 13 (Bob

Beckler) and at Hahamongna

Watershed Park in Pasadena on

June 14 (Sue Horton).

A Summer Tanager was on the

USC Campus on June 2 (TomMiko), while two were along

Soledad Canyon Road July 1-4

(Dan Cooper, Dave Bell). The

upper Santa Clara River drainage

is one of only two locations in

the county where this species is

known to breed regularly, the

other being near Valyermo.

Three Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

were recorded, with one at El Do-rado Park in Long Beach on May

28-31 (Karen Gilbert), another in

Zuma Canyon on June 6 (Kimball

Garrett) and one in Long Beach

on June 13 (Brian Daniels).

A male Indigo Bunting near Cabrillo

Beach in San Pedro on June 1 was the

only one reported (David Ellsworth).


7/12


Christian Alvez, Leili Azizi, Ned Bader,

Tamara Ball, Michelle Black, Maureen

Bohler, Hank Borenstein, Clea

Bowdery, Allison Brandin, R.C. Brody,

Rocky Brown, Martin Byhower, Clara

Cartwright, Guy Commeau, Dan

Cooper, Barbara Courtois, Annie

Daly, Tracy Drake, Gianna Dryer,JoAnn, David and Maegan Fellner,

Lisa Fimiani, Sally Garcia, Garry

George, Candy Groat, Jessica Hall,

Tyler Hallman, Robb Hamilton, Cindy

and Jonathan Hardin, Tommye Hite,

April House, Karin Howard, Judy

Howell, Shirley Imsand, Meighan

Jackson-Dietenhofer, Robert Jeffers,

Jim Jennings, Laurel Jones, Allan

Kotin, Anne Laval, Nan Lehnert and

Family, Kiersten Lo, Amber Lomet andFamily, Mary Loquvam, Chris Lord,

Miguel Luna, Karen Martin, Ron

Melin, Richard Montijo, David Moody

Jess Morton, Julie Naylor, Margery

Nicolson, Don Nierlich, Mary ONeill

and Family, Kris Ohlenkamp, Eleanor

Osgood, Lu Pauzoles, Ann Perkins,

Christy Pierce, Lauren Platt, Marian

Porter, Mary Prismon, Calin Rusti,

Thomas Ryan, Laurel Scott,

Christopher Taylor, Vic Warren, KenWheelan, Shin-Yee Yau, Dr. Joan

Hackeling, Dr. Meredith Leonard, Dr.

Jonathan Campbell, and their classes a

Los Angeles Valley and Santa Monica

Colleges, Employees of the Toyota

Corporate Office in Torrance, The

Dorsey High School Eco-club, and

Leo Politi Elementary School.

We look forward to your renewed

commitments as well as to seeing newfaces. Because of your energy and

your time commitments, Los Angeles

Audubon is able to have the

environmental and conservation

impact that we have, and able to offer

the programs and events that we do.

You are Los Angeles Audubon!

Thank you all for your support.

President, Docents-in-the-Park; Nick

Freeman, Field Trips Coordinator,

Compiler for the Lancaster Christmas Bird

Count, Board member. Docents-in-the-

Park, Field Trip Leader; Kimball Garrett,

Breeding Bird Atlas Committee, L.A.

County Birds of Special Concern

Committee, Ornithological Consultant,Field Trip leader; Garry George,

Conservation Committee Chair,

Nominations Committee, Board Member;

Margot Griswald, habitat restoration in

Baldwin Hills; Dexter Kelly, Executive

Past President, Publicity, Outreach, Field

Trips Leader; Walter Lamb, Publicity

Committee, Docents-in-the-Park, Outreach

Committee;Mary Loquvam, Green House

Internship Program; Linda Navroth, Tree

Trimming Guide, Conservation Committee,Outreach;Linda Oberholtzer, Editor of

Western Tanager, Outreach, Board member;

Eleanor Osgood, Bird Walks coordinator

and leader, Docents-in-the Park, Volunteer

Coordinator, Tree Trimming Guide, Board

member; Antonio Paiz, Outreach;

Elizabeth A. Rinnander, Outreach; Judith

Ruskin, Bird walk leader and Conservation

Committee; Tom Ryan, L.A. County Bird

Species of Special Concern Committee;

Jose Santillan, Docents-in-the-Park,Outreach;Don Sterba, Bird walk leader,

Docent-in-the-Park;Rich Waters,

Outreach;Irwin Woldman, Field trip leader;

Dick Barnes, Dick Barth, Todd Battey,

Jean Brandt, Eric and Ann Brooks, Stan

Gray, Fred Heath, Howard King, Kris

Ohlenkamp, Ray Schep, Robert Shanman

and Irwin Wolman, have volunteered their

time to lead field trips. Jon Feenstra, Wes

Fritz, Terry Hunefeld, Todd McGrath,

Millie Newton, David Pereksta,and PhilSayre, have assisted in organizing and

leading the pelagic trips.

SNOWY PLOVER AND

LEAST TER N VOLUNTEERS

Greg Ainsworth, Aurelio Albaisa,

Sandra Albers, Alma Alegria, Jenny

Aleman-Zometa, Larry Allen, Chuck

Almdale, Lillian Johnson Almdale,

In this issue we would like to

acknowledge the kindred spirits

of Los Angeles Audubon who

volunteered their energy and knowledge

to help further the mission of Los Angeles

Audubon Society. Those acknowledged

on this page have volunteered at events,

participated on committees, helped withpublications and with the operations of

our chapter between September, 2008

and July, 2009.

NEW VOLUNTEERS

Rocky Baisden, Digital Scanning;Paul

Caplan-Bennett, Baldwin Hills Overlook,

Docents-in-the-Park, Publicity Committee;

Kara Donahue and her husband, Eddie,

L.A. River Event, Tree Trimming Guide;

Elizabeth Isenberg, Publicity Committee;Theresa Kim, Audubon House Bookstore;

Georgie Pettis, Outreach; Sophie Robinson,

Docents-in-the-Park, Publicity Committee;

Heather Sabin, Facebook Administrator,

Publicity Committee; Bill Slaton, Baldwin

Hills Overlook, Docents-in-the-Park; Cat

Waters, Centennial Committee,

Nominations Committee

SEASONED VOLUNTEERS

Hanna Hayman, Audubon HouseBookstore & Membership, Dorothy

Schwarz, Audubon House Librarian; Larry

Allen, Breeding Bird Atlas Committee, L.A.

County Birds Species of Special Concern,

Compiler for Malibu Christmas Bird Count,

Field Trip leader; Olga Clarke,

International Trips Chair, Hospitality,

Bookstore, Board Member; Dan Cooper,

L.A. County Bird Species of Special

Concern Committee, Compiler of the Los

Angeles Christmas Bird Count; David DeLange, Board officer and Acting President;

Lisa Fimiani, Green House Internship

Program, Baldwin Hills Overlook, Finance

Committee Chair, Board member,

Outreach;Jon Fisher, Birds of the

Season in the Western Tanager, Rare Bird

Report tape; Paul Fox, Data base support,

Board member; Mary Freeman, Programs

Chair, Field Trip Leader, Board Member-

Volunteer Corner Message from Eleanor Osgood and Stacey Vigallon


8/12


Interpreting Nature

Non-irrigated Versus Irrigated

Nassella pulchra: Who Will Be

The Last Plant Standing?

On November 25, 2008, I

planted 72Nassella pulchraplants

on a hillside in the Baldwin Hills to

test the survival of irrigated vs. non-irrigated plants, for gallon pots and

2-inch plug plant sizes. By the end

of the six months of my experiment

the total survival did not fall below

75% for any of the three irrigation

treatments (no irrigation, one-time

irrigation, regular irrigation), and

was as high as 100% for both 2-inch

and gallon regular irrigation

treatments as well as the gallon non-

irrigated treatment. It was

interesting to find that although

gallon plants had a better overall

survival rate, the difference between

gallon and plug survival was only

14%, not drastic. I am interested toknow if the survival rate would have

been the same had the experiment

been conducted during the summer.

Wanda Carter

Design of an Aesthetically Pleasing

Cactus Wren Nesting Structure

The objective of the Baldwin

Hills Greenhouse Internship

Program is to reintroduce native

plants and animals to the Baldwin

Hills area of Los Angeles,

California. My project dealt with the

Cactus Wren, a native bird whose

numbers are declining in Los

Angeles. I have designed and createda nesting structure to mimic the

natural nesting sites composed of the

Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia

littoralis), a California native plant. I

combined artistic and ecological

ideals to develop my sculpture. My

sculpture had to meet the nesting

requirements of the Cactus Wren: 5ft

tall, 7ft wide, providing protection

Baldwin Hills Greenhouse Program Interns from the 2008-2009 school year (from left to right):

Chris Simmons, Jesus Macias, Fonda Williams, Wanda Carter, Emily Cobar.

On June 10, 2009 students participating in the Baldwin Hills Greenhouse Program presented their

research at the Los Angeles Audubon general meeting. Interns conducted their projects during their

junior or senior year of high school, and their projects addressed real-world habitat restoration

issues. The information obtained through this work will be used by Dr. Margot Griswold,

Restoration Ecologist, for the in-progress restoration of the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook State

Park. Reprinted here are project abstracts

By Stacey Vigallon

Director of Interpretation


9/12


and support for the nest itself. I also

developed a survey comparing my

sculpture with a pre-existing similar

structure created by the Irvine Ranch

Conservancy (IRC). The survey was

one page with 10 questions and

included photos of my sculpture, the

nesting structure developed by IRC,

and an image of a standard gardentrellis as a control. The survey was

created with the idea that people

have their own opinions about

aesthetics, conservation, and

recycling. Respondents to the survey

deemed my structure to be more

aesthetically pleasing as well as

better able to fulfill the nesting

requirements of the Cactus Wren.

Jesus Macias

Do Fuel Types Affect

Opuntia littoralis Germination?

From November 2008 to April

2009 we measured the germination

rates forOpuntia littoralis seeds

exposed to fires fueled by native and

non-native plants in the Baldwin

Hills area of Southern California. O.

littoralis is often used as nesting

sites for the Cactus Wren

(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus),however, O. littoralis has an low

germination rate (13%). In our study

we had 0% germination in all

treatments including control. Future

researchers and conservationists

should consider more research on the

results of seeds bathed in acid and

those obtained from mature

O.littoralis fruits. These treatments

may yield a higher germination rate

than seeds exposed to fire.Chris Simmons

Germination ofOpuntia littoralis Seeds

in Three Water Treatments

From January-April 2009, I

examined the germination rate of

Opuntia littoralis in a greenhouse setting

at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook

State Park in Southern California. Cactus

Wrens rely on O. littoralis as a nesting

structure and ecologists want to restore

this native cactus species to this parkland

within the industrialized landscape of

Los Angeles. This cactus species has a

germination rate of 13%. I studied the

germination rate forO. littoralis seeds

that were leached and non-leached under

3 water treatments: 1500mL/week,150mL/week, and control (no water).

After a trial period of 89 days of

watering and monitoring, not one of the

898 seeds germinated. Future

researchers might be interested in

exposing seeds in acid to get a higher

germination rate or possibly working

with broken cactus pads.

Emily Cobar

Growth Rate and Root FormationofOpuntia littoralis

November 2008 to April 2009 I

conducted research on Opuntia littoralis

in the Baldwin Hills area of Los

Angeles, California to find a more

efficient way to grow O.littoralis. I

observed the growth and root formation

rate among three different treatments:

pre-rooted plants from gallon pots,

calloused cuttings placed directly in the

soil (planted) and calloused cuttingsplaced directly on the ground (surface).

This is to help reestablish the Cactus

Wren (Campylorhynchus

brunneicapillus) in the Baldwin Hills

area or other areas prone to their

settlement. Out of 180 cactus plants

100% (n=18) of those I extracted from

surface and planted treatments had

rooted within six months. Pre-rooted

cactus plants maintained the largest pad

width among the three treatments.Considering time and cost, using surface

cactus cuttings would be a more

efficient treatment when trying to

restore native habitats, although all

treatments had root growth. Annual

rainfall should also be taken into

consideration for any long-term projects.

Fonda Williams

Lifetime Membership

Amy Worell & Bob Walden

Donors

41 Pounds.org

Joe ChurchClif Bar Family Foundation

Robbin & Don Close, in memory of

Esther Shorr

Brian M Collier

William Cullen

Norine Dresser, in memory of Jane

Dicker Jones

Edmond Hewlett

Arthur Langton

Kurt Leuschner

Linda Navroth

Margery Nicolson

Eleanor Osgood

Larry Pasquali

Judy Gragg Scharf

Janice Schwegler

David Seay

Caryol Ann Smith

Lori Winer-Hecht

Member Acknowledgements

contd. from page 3.

Los Angeles Audubon

is able to accommodate

all forms of planned

giving including wills and

trusts, annuities, and

property donations. If

you are thinking of

leaving a legacy to local

conservation of birds and

their habitat, you might

be able to reap the

benefits now of planning

for later.

Contact:

[email protected]

with any questions regarding

planned giving to Los

Angeles Audubon.


10/12

Center. Meet E of the kiosk at 8:00 a.m

Bring a lunch. Send $15 fee to LAASs PO

Box 931057, Los Angeles CA 90093-1057

Sunday, November 1

Oxnard Plain

Leader:Mary & Nick Freeman. Meet a

the Hueneme sod fields at 8:00 a.m. to look

over the American Pipits for the Red-throated variety, as well as longspurs

Golden-Plovers are also possible. There

may be eastern vagrants to chase. Mugu

estuary, Sycamore Canyon, and loca

tamarisk stands are also possibilities

Directions: From the 101 N, drive S on

Rice Avenue to the end, then turn Rt. on

Hueneme Rd. Meet on the N (Rt) side of

Hueneme Rd. a few blocks west of this

turn, and just before Casper Rd. Scopes

helpful. Bring lunch and bird 'till we dropNominal donation to LAAS is suggested

envelopes will be provided.

Saturday, November 7

Lake Perris Area

Leader:Howard King. The Little Gulls

Ruddy Ground Dove, and Least and

Vermilion flycatchers of past years may

not be back, but surely something will take

their places! Last year, TWO Lesser

Black-backed Gulls! Directions:Take the10 or 60 Fwy E to the 215 Fwy S, exit E

at Ramona Expressway, continue E just

past Perris Blvd., and meet at the Farmer

Boys Restaurant on the S side of the road

Leave from here at 8:00 a.m.. Bring lunch

warm clothing and footwear for possible

mud. Possible entrance fee.

Saturday, September 26

Piute Ponds

Leader: Jim Moore. A good mix of

shorebirds and early waterfowl, with a

chance at LeContes Thrasher and

Pectoral Sandpiper. Possible extension to

Lancaster sewage ponds or Apollo Park

afterwards. Carpool at Denny's (Roxford

& I-5), leaving at 7 a.m., or meet at theAvenue C gate at 7:45 a.m. Directions:

Take Hwy 14 N to Avenue D, head E to

Sierra Hwy, head N to Avenue C, and go

a block E to the end. Bring lunch, water

and sunblock. Expect hot weather, and

afternoon wind. High clearance vehicles

may be a plus. No cameras on base! This

is a joint trip with SFVAS. To reserve call

Audubon House (323) 876-0202 by

September 23 with name, phone number,

and e-mail address. Limited sign-up of 15.No drop-ins.

Saturday, October 3

Malibu to McGrath Field Trip

Leader Barbara Johnson. Late

passerines and shorebirds should be

moving through coastal migration

spots, mixed with early wintering

birds. Possibly 100 species.

Directions: Take PCH N over the

bridge in Malibu, and turn right onCross Creek Road for free parking

along the road (and Starbucks), or turn

left into the fee lot. Cross PCH, and

meet at the kiosk by the lagoon at 7:30

a.m. for a full day of birding. There

may be one or two access fees at

McGrath, elsewhere. Bring lunch.

No sign-up or fee for the trip.

Saturday, October 10

San Diego Area Field TripLeaders:Nick & Mary Freeman. A good

portion of the morning will probably be

spent at Pt. Loma. Some odd birds have

been known to pop up here during late

migration. Other possible areas include the

Tijuana River marsh and nearby farm

fields. Directions: Take the 5 Fwy S about

three miles past Route 52 to the Clairemont

Drive offramp and head W into the small

lot adjacent to the Mission Bay Information

Field Trips

Field trips often require more time or

effort than do Bird Walks. They delve more

deeply into identification, natural histories

and interactions observed in the field. No

pets or small children, please. Contact

information will be released forcarpooling unless requested otherwise.

More details are available online at

www.laaudubon.org

Friday, August 28

Point Mugu NWS

Tentative trip cancelled due to

scheduling difficulties.

Sunday, September 13

Ventura County Game Preserve

Tentative trip cancelled due to

scheduling difficulties.

September 19 & 20

Galileo Hills and California City

Leaders:Nick & Mary Freeman. Galileo

is arguably the best fall migrant trap in the

state. Western warblers and flycatchers

should headline. Reptiles may be

encountered! Directions: Take Hwy 14

about 4 miles past Mojave, then turn right

on California City Blvd. Drive through

town about a mile past the shops, turn left

past the golf course on Randsburg-Mojave

Rd., and veer right on 20 Mule Team Rd.

Turn left on Rutgers Rd. at the Silver

Saddle sign before the hill, take your first

paved right, your first right again, into the

Silver Saddle Country Club, followed by

two paved lefts into the lot in front of the

building. Park by the pond. A little over

2 hrs driving time from L.A. Bring

lunches, sun block. Reserve a room in

Mojave, or inquire with Silver Saddle

Ranch & Club, (760) 373-8617 for

present weekend policy. Meet at 7:00 a.m.

on Saturday, and bird all day, and bird until

3-4 p.m. Sunday. Nominal donation to

Los Angeles Audubon is suggested;

envelopes will be provided. Call Audubon

House (323) 876-0202 to reserve. 12 max.


Saturday, December 19

Lancaster Christmas Bird Count

Contact compilerNick Freeman at:

(818) 247-6172 [email protected]

to be placed on a team or be given an

area.

Sunday, December 20

Malibu Christmas Bird Count

Contact compilerLarry Allen at:

(626) 288-2701 or

[email protected]

to participate.


11/12


Pelagic Trips

Pelagic Trip reservations are made by mailing

in your check and SASE, or by calling and

paying with your credit card. Detaile

information about each pelagic trip can be

found online at www.laaudubon.org. Ca

(323) 874-1318, Option 4, for specia

instructions or last minute cancellations tha

may have occurred.

Saturday, September 26, 2009Around the Northern Channel

Islands for rare Shearwaters

Departs 7:30 a.m. Santa Barbara Harbor

This 8 hour trip departs from the Santa

Barbara Harbor at 7:30 a.m. on the

catamaran Condor Express.. There is a

complete galley that serves breakfast and

lunch. Leaders: Terry Hunefeld, Todd

McGrath and David Pereksta. $115

Before setting out on any event, please call the LAAS bird tape at (323) 874-1318, Option #4,for special instructions or possible cancellations that may have occurred.

TO RESERVE MAIL SASE & FEE TO:Los Angeles Audubon, PO Box 931057 Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057

International

Birding Tours

Patagonia, Argentina

Oct. 23 - Nov. 7, 2009

Pre & Post Extensions to

Northwest Argentina & Iguazu Falls

This southern-most tip of the South

American continent, has such diverse

habitats as arid steppes, southern

beech forests and sea shores of the

Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A unique

opportunity to bird in superb

destinations, framed by incrediblelandscapes, such as the Perito Moreno

Glacier, the Beagle Channel and the

steppes of Patagonia.

Ecuador: Best of the Andes

Dec. 26, 2009 - Jan. 9, 2010

with Galapagos Extension

Jan. 8 - 13, 2010

Ecuador may be one of South

America's smallest countries, but for

phenomenal birding and spectacular

scenery, its extreme biodiversity

cannot be imagined. Visit seven

zones of different regions on this

serious but friendly excursion,

accompanied by a local expert guide.

For information and itinerary on

International Birding Tours, contact:

Olga Clarke [email protected]

Los Angeles Audubon, Travel Director

2027 El Arbolita Dr.

Glendale, CA 91208-1805

Ph/Fax: (818) 249-9511

Bird Walks

Bird Walks are appropriate for young

bird watchers age 6 years and older.Carpooling is encouraged.

Binoculars are provided on some

walks as noted below. NO sign-up,

NO fees, just show up! More detailed

descriptions are vailable online at

www.laaudubon.org

Topanga State Park Birdwalk

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Sunday, October 4, 2009

1st Sunday of every monthTime: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

An ideal trip for a beginning birder

or someone new to the area.

Leaders:Ken Wheeland

(310) 455-1401, [email protected]

and Chris Tosdevin (310) 455-1270

Upper Franklin Canyon

(Sooky Goldman Nature Center)


Leader:Eleanor OsgoodSunday October 11, 2009

Leader:Irwin Woldman

2nd Sunday of every month

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Join us as we take a casual walk

around the ponds and trails of this

urban oak woodland nature preserve.

Meet in the parking lot of the Sooky

Goldman Nature Centerand bird for a

few hours in the cool of native trees

and a pond. Binoculars provided.If you wish to carpool, or for more

information, contact Eleanor Osgood

at [email protected] call

(310) 839-5420.

Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Saturday, October 17, 2009

3rd Saturday of the month

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Leaders: Ann and Eric Brook

Eleanor Osgood This trip covers

landscaped parkland,lake and native

coastal scrub habitats and is paced for

beginning birders. Binoculars

provided. If you wish to carpool, or

for more information, contact Eleanor

Osgood at [email protected]

or (310)-839-5420.

Ballona Wetlands Bird Walk


Sunday, October 18, 2009

3rd Sunday of the month

(except for December)

Leaders:Bob Shanman and Friends

Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 P.M.

Contact: Bob (310) 326-2473;

[email protected]

Complete descriptions and directions for

each bird walk are available on our website

www.laaudubon.org. Please call the contact

number for additional assistance.


12/12

AUDUBON HOUSE HOURS

Hours: Monday - Thursday 9:30a.m.-4:00p.m.

Closed: Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Closed: Mon., September7th Labor Day

Open: 1st Saturday of the month, September 5th and October 3rd 10 a.m.-3:00p.m.

Open: 2nd Wednesday of the month, we are open 9:30 a.m until 9:45 p.m for those attending the Membership Program.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

"Birds, Bergs and Beasts:

A Southern Ocean Experience"

Dave Weeshoff, San Fernando Valley Audubon

Society Board Member, will present photos and quips of

his recent travels to the Antarctic Peninsula, South

Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Included will bepenguins, albatrosses, petrels, whales, cute seal pups, sea

lions, and other rascally creatures, as well as amazing

icebergs and landscapes of phenomenal beauty. Come

help him identify some of the mystery birds in his

photos. Dave is on the Board of Directors of the

International Bird Rescue Research Center and the San

Fernando Valley Audubon Society, and is a frequent

guest speaker on environmental issues for Heal the Bay,

an organization concerned with improving the water

quality off the Southern California coast, and the

Algalita Marine Research Foundation, concerned withthe plague of plastic in the oceans.

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

"15 years of bird banding in the Santa

Monica Mountains: What have we

learned?"

Walt Sakai has been banding birds in Zuma

Canyon the past 15 years. This chaparral-covered

canyon attracts many resident and migrant birdspecies. It has chaparral-covered hillsides, and

sycamore and oak trees dotting the canyon bottom.

What have been some of the more unusual birds

found? Do our chaparral species seem to be doing

well in this "typical" coastal chaparral canyon?

Are exotic parrots becoming more prevalent here?

Walt conducts regular monthly banding runs and

tonight, he will discuss the findings and trends of

the species found in this wonderful canyon.

mONTHLY pROGRAMSMeet at 7:30 PM in the Community Building in Plummer Park

7377 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046

"Nick Freeman holding a Yellow-breasted Chat at

Zuma Canyon" Photo by Mary Freeman."Dave Weeshoff with Kings" Photo by Dave Weeshoff.

september-october 2009 western tanager newsletter - los angeles audubon

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