Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary, May 25, 2024

I was lucky to get this photo of an Eastern Wood-Pewee sitting on a small branch this morning as I walked around Mariton Wildlfe Sanctuary. They’re very easily recognized by their song which sounds like, “PeeeWeee”. You can read more about the Eastern Wood-Pewee by clicking on this link.

Leucistic House Finch, May 13, 2024

This House Finch was visiting the bird feeder at my house. It appears to have leucism. According to CornellLab: “Leucism refers to an abnormality in the deposition of pigment in feathers. There is some disagreement as to whether the condition is genetic or caused by pigment cells that were damaged during development. Whatever the cause, the condition can result in a reduction in all types of pigment, causing pale or muted colors on the entire bird. Or the condition can cause irregular patches of white, and birds with these white patches are sometimes described as “pied” or “piebald.”

Click this link to learn more

Annual Migratory Bird Census at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary, May 11, 2024

This morning I participated in the Annual Migratory Bird Census at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary. Preserve Manager, Zane Miller, guided the walk along with two other expert birders. Together we documented at least 41 different species. Some of the highlights included a worm-eating warbler who serenaded us as he sang out in the open on a sparce tree branch. Another treat was a beautiful symphony of Tennessee Warbler, Ovenbirds, Wood Thrush, American Redstart and Red-eyed Vireo. I added a few new lifers to my east coast list. The more time I spend listening, the more I’m learning to make confident auditory identifications. It was a great opportunity to be in the company of these experts. The census went from 7:30 am until about 11:30 am. Afterwards I spent another two hours hiking the hills and listening. I was happy to capture a photo of a Pileated Woodpecker using his very long tongue to get insects out of a dead tree.

Some of the birds we either saw or heard today are as follows:

Canada Goose, Mourning Dove, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Tree Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Carolina Wren, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, Veery, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Chipping Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Baltimore Oriole, Brown-headed Cowbird, Ovenbird, Worm-eating Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Song Sparrow, Black-throated Green Warbler

You can view more of my birding checklists on eBird.

Morning Bird Walk at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary, April 28, 2024

Today I went back to Mariton with the hopes of getting a photo of one of the many Piliated Woodpeckers I’ve been seeing around the preserve. A few weeks ago I got some really great video with my phone, but I wanted a proper photograph with a better camera. I could hear them drumming up high in the trees, and two of them flew across the open power line cutaway that divides the forest. Unfortunately, I was not able to get my photo. It will happen one of these days. The Ovenbirds are back. A sure sign of warmer weather. I could hear their distinctive calls echoing through the trees. As I hiked in deeper on the North Fox Trail I heard my first Wood Thrush of the season. Literally music to my ears. There is something about the Wood Thrush’s song that truly enchants me. I just find it so beautiful and extremely relaxing. I sat down on a large boulder along the trail and just listened. A beautiful, natural symphony of birdsong. What a great day!

Back to Birding! Leaser Lake, April 20, 2024

It’s been a while since I got out the birding camera. I have a Nikon Coolpix P900. It gets the job done; enough to make an I.D. and perfect for hiking and climbing without having to lug around a ginormous camera lens. This was my second time at Leaser Lake. I went once before in November of 2021. I’ve since come to learn that this is a birding hotspot. There’s a trail that runs all around the lake that’s about 4 miles total. It’s mostly flat and passes through several diverse habitats; woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. This time of year red-winged blackbirds are numerous and there are these space-aged looking nesting structures built specifically for Purple Martins. Right now it’s nesting season for the Purple Martins and the structure was filled. A few free-loading House Sparrows were also trying to take up residence in the structure. The meadows and woodlands that surround the lake also have nest boxes for other types of birds. I was impressed with the care taken to host our avian friends. We hiked around the lake once then stopped back at the car to get warmed up and have some coffee which I’d brought along. It wasn’t that cold, but the wind made it feel chilly. After I warmed up we hiked the lake again in the opposite direction. We ended up spending the whole day just walking and birdwatching. I refamiliarized myself with the eBird and Merlin apps. I’d forgotten how difficult it can be to photograph birds. It was a fun day and I was excited to add some new east coast birds to my life list.

Birdwatching at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, February 2, 2020

Today I went back to Ernest E. Debs Regional Park and got some really great photos of my favorite bird, the Common Raven, along with a few others. Later on in the afternoon, I headed out to Griffith Park and hiked the Toyon Trail and got a few more photos there. My total list of birds today include: At Debs Park - Mourning Dove, Anna’s Hummingbird, Red-tailed Hawk, Black Phoebe, California Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, California Towhee, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Bewick’s Wren. At Griffith Park - California Towhee, Anna’s Hummingbird, Mourning Dove, Acorn Woodpecker, California Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, California Thrasher, American Robin, Golden-crowned Sparrow. Here are my favorite photos from the day.

Birdwatching at Griffith Park, January 26, 2020

It was late afternoon/early evening when I headed back out in search of more birds. This time I went to Griffith Park. I hiked the Skyline Trail to the Condor Trail and explored some side trails off the main path. In my travels, I saw plenty more birds including two beautiful red-tail hawks that were high up in the trees scanning the area for their evening dinner. After it became dark and I was hiking back down the Skyline Trail, I saw the silhouette of something big. I knew it could only be one thing… an owl. Sure enough it was a Great Horned. I watched in awe as he perched up in a tree calling before he flew off to hunt. I was able to get a few shots and brighten them up in post later. I was happy to have had the experience of seeing this beautiful owl and being able to capture an image. It was a very special evening and a great way to wrap up the weekend. Here is a list of the birds I was able to ID on my hike tonight: Anna's Hummingbird, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Acorn Woodpecker, California Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Northern Mockingbird, House Finch, Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Birdwatching at Descanso Gardens, January 26, 2020

This morning I participated in the Descanso Gardens Member Bird Walk. They offer it once a month. Our guide took us around the gardens and pointed out some of the local species. Interestingly enough, since I started birding just a few weeks ago, I actually knew most of them already! I did learn a few things though... Our guide pointed out two species that I would not have been able to Identify on my own, and I also learned how to identify a few birds by their song. It was a cloudy morning, but the birds were still active. After the walk which lasted about two hours, I stayed for another hour birdwatching and taking photos on my own. It was a good day. I saw 21 species and a couple of new ones to add to my life list. Below is a list of the birds I saw today: Mallard, Ring-Necked Duck, Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Red-Crowned Parrot, Black Phoebe, California Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Wrentit, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, California Thrasher, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch. White-Crowned Sparrow, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee

Birdwatching at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, January 25, 2020

I woke up before sunrise Saturday morning because I wanted to check out Ernest E. Debs Regional Park. I’d heard it was a great place for birding with hiking trails and also an Audubon Center. What a gem it turned out to be! Birds galore! And just like Griffith Park, another beautiful oasis surrounded by our sprawling city. It was a lovely morning. I spent at least four hours hiking the trails and birdwatching. I captured an amazing image of a Common Raven calling high up on top of a pine tree. He (or she) was spectacular! Ravens happen to be my favorite birds. When I’m hiking in the mountains, I see them all the time. They are incredibly smart and the male/females stay together as couples. I will most certainly be back again to this park for more birding and exploring! Below is a list of the birds I was able to ID today:

Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, California Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Bewick's Wren , Northern Mockingbird, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, California Towhee, Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Birdwatching at Descanso Gardens, January 18, 2020

I woke up early today to go birdwatching at Descanso. It was a great day for birds! Lots of them singing and out and about. Some of the birds I was able to photograph are: Bewick’s Wren, House Finch, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, White-Crowned Sparrow, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, California Towhee, Northern Mockingbird, Spotted Towhee, Golden-Crowned Sparrow, Red-Tailed Hawk, California Scrub-Jay, Dark-Eyed Junco, Black Phoebe

Birding at Grizzly Flat, Angeles National Forest, January 5, 2020

So today I wanted an easy hike close by so I could go birdwatching. The Grizzly Flat trail is where I like to come to photograph butterflies, so I thought it might be a good one for birds. The trail is an easy climb up a fire road and we hiked it to the base of Hoyt Mountain. On this day I didn't get the opportunity to photograph a lot of birds. I saw some Ravens, Red-tailed hawks and was able to get a few photos of a Bewick’s wren, a Golden-crowned sparrow and a House finch. I heard more of them then I actually saw. A lot of them were hidden away in the trees or a bit too far away. It was still a great hike and a nice day to spend outdoors on the trail.

Birdwatching at Descanso Gardens, December 29, 2019

So for Christmas this year, my husband got me a pair of binoculars.  Let me tell you it has opened up a whole new world into the lives of birds!  I see and hear birds all the time, but not in as much detail as the binoculars allow.  It’s as if a portal to a whole secret world has opened up. There are so many different species.  They’re very pleasant and interesting to watch. Here is a list of some of the birds I was able to photograph and identify today: American Crow, American Robin, California Scrub-Jay, California Towhee, Hermit Thrush, Golden-Crowned Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, California Thrasher, California Scrub-Jay, White-crowned Sparrow