Volume 75, Number 5 May/June 2009

WESTERN
TANAGER
a publication of Los Angeles Audubon www.laaudubon.org

How To Learn Bird songs

—by Tom Stephenson

En ha nc e Yo ur B i r d i n g B y
Learning A Lo t o f S o n g s
One of the great joys of birding
comes from walking thru the woods
during a spring warbler fallout and
hearing all of our “old friends”
singing again. Our heightened
awareness, coupled with the
recognition of all of the songs we are
hearing, is very rewarding. But when
we travel to a new birding
destination, that sense of recognition
is usually replaced by frustration and
confusion. No longer do we
recognize the birds that are singing.
Instead we are confronted with a
cacophony that gives us no map of
the birds around us, and no way to
focus on which species we might
want to pursue.
After experiencing this
frustration a number of years ago, I
vowed that I would try and find a
way to learn as many bird songs as I
could. My goal was to have that
same satisfying sense of recognition
I have during my home town spring
migration. If I knew the songs for the
new area, the birding would be much
more satisfying, and I would also be
better prepared to find the key birds I
wanted to see.
My own memory is nothing
Pygmy Wren-babbler, Photo by Tom Stephenson
special. I don’t remember many
birthdays, people’s names are
forever escaping me, and I’ve lost
plenty of keys, gloves and
umbrellas. So my work was cut out
for me. I began with a brief study
of how the memory works,
researching what skills I might
acquire that would help with the
memorization process. I then
worked out a system specific to
learning bird songs. Using this
system I have been able to learn
100 or 200 songs or even more for
my next trips, whether I was
visiting a new state or a new
country. Knowing many of the local
songs made these trips much more
fulfilling and exciting for me, and
was definitely well worth the time
and energy spent. More
importantly, I discovered that it
really didn’t take as long as I feared
it might to learn all those songs.
In this article I’d like to discuss
what techniques I have found to be
helpful in this process and to offer
suggestions and encouragement to
anyone who might want to increase the
number of songs they know, whether
for their local area or some new
location. The process of learning the
area’s songs will enhance your field
guide studies and help you achieve a
“no-bird-book-needed” skill level for
your trip. For the purposes of this
article, “song” or “songs” refers to
all bird vocalizations, including call
notes, that can be learned from
recordings.

WESTERN TANAGER
Published by
Los Angeles Audubon Society,
a chapter of National Audubon Society.
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Knowing what you are hearing
can help you focus on the area’s
target birds. The skills you develop
learning bird songs can be used for
any type of memorization you
might need in other areas of life. If
you can dedicate 15 minutes a day
for even 30 days, I guarantee that
you can learn at least 100 songs and
probably many more (or your money
back..!). That’s way less time than
you probably spend watching
commercials on TV. The key is
making the commitment and then
taking advantage of the techniques
and technologies that make learning
lots of bird songs possible. As you’ll
see from the studies sited below, you
can do it no matter what your age.
The realities of memory
One of the common myths
these studies have “busted” is that
the ability to memorize a lot of
facts or associations is an innate
inherited ability that only a special
few possess. This position is
reinforced by public showings of
“memory experts” who can
reproduce the telephone number of
anyone in the NYC phone book, or
tell you the day of the week of any
date in the last 1000 years.
In study after study, it has been
shown that almost all people have
the same basic capacity for memory.
It’s much more likely that you have
bad memorizing techniques than that
you have a “bad” memory.
There is no such thing as a
“photographic memory”. Several
studies have focused on people who
had well developed memorization
skills and were able to reproduce
information from magazine pages
in an almost “photographic” way.
However when presented with
these same pages turned sideways
or upside down, they were not able
to recall much information at
all…So much for photographic
memories. These folks just had well
developed memorization skills.
Many studies have shown that,
while it takes people older than 50 a
bit longer to memorize things, the
retention ability of old and young
people seem to be about the same†.
There’s also a myth that by
learning some things you are
removing other things from your
memory; the first in, first out
myth. This is similar to the belief
that there may be some detrimental
(sorry, pun intended...) effect from
trying to memorize too much. Both
of these myths just aren’t true.
Many studies have shown that
people seem to have an unlimited
capacity to memorize, given the
motivation and proper technique†.
Basic memory theory
People who study memory have
found a range of techniques and
skills that aid in the memorization
process. Let’s explore some of these
that are important if you are going to
learn bird songs.
Use visual images
Research has shown that
memorized connections are stronger
and easier to recall if visual imagery
is used. Let’s say you want to
associate the words fish and bicycle
(no doubt an association you have
had to make at some point in your
life...) In other words, visualizing a
fish trying to ride a bicycle is much
more effective for the recall process
than just repeating “fish, bicycle;
fish, bicycle”.
And the more associations you
make, the stronger the memory will
be. If you can add a second image
of your neighbor riding a bicycle,
E2 Western Tanager Vol. 75, No. 5

Chestnut-sided Warbler, Photo by Scott Whittle
bringing home a fish, the
association will be stronger. This
discovery about the technique of
visualization for stronger
memorization applies particularly
well to the abstract process of trying
to associate a song and the name of
a bird.
Form an image that connects the
song with the bird's name
Let’s apply this first
memorization tip to learning bird
songs. It does you no good to just
recognize a song. You want to
associate a song with a bird’s name
and hopefully an image of the bird as
well. To do this, especially if you
want to learn a lot of songs fairly
quickly, you must find a way to
associate the bird’s name with the
song. One of the most efficient
ways, then, is to create some visual
image that connects the name of the
bird with the song. This image can
come from the shape of the song, or
maybe the rhythm or pitch of the
song. Since this is such an important
part of the process, let’s examine it a
bit more.
The Common (Maryland)
Yellowthroat sings a song often
thought of as “Witchity Witchity
Witch”. It’s a good first step to
create this transliteration of the
song itself. But you also need to
find a way to create some
association between the song and
the name of the bird. One way to do
this would be to visualize a bird
traveling from Maryland to Wichita.
Then, to strengthen the connection,
make the mode of transportation a
broom, and the bird a witch named
Mary. This may sound complicated
but try it…it definitely works.
The Chestnut-sided Warbler
sings “Please, Please, Please to
Meet you”. Visualize a gentleman
dressed in a chestnut-colored vest
and a yellow cap greeting guests.
And they’re entering by a building
by the side door.
The Barred Owl calls “Who
cooks for you?” Connect the call
to the name by visualizing a
cook behind bars. Then visualize
a party that has barred the cook
from coming in…so who will
cook for the party…?
The Lincoln’s Sparrow sings a
song that cheerfully climbs through
several phrases but then ends
abruptly on a mournful down turn.
To connect this song to the name,
picture Lincoln rapidly climbing to
the pinnacle of Presidential power,
followed by his sudden, sad demise.
Of course the images you use will
of necessity have to be personal.
Often it is easiest to find an image for
a song by listening without trying to
connect the song to the name. Once
you have a clear visualization of the
song’s shape and content, then you
can more easily find a way to connect
that to the name of the bird. Creating
these images and visualizations of the
songs can actually be a lot of fun.
Only tackle a few songs at a time
Here’s the second important
memorization fact: Learning also
takes place more efficiently if you
take things in small “bites”. The
process of starting with just a few
associations, testing them very soon
after the first session, and then
having frequent additional reviews,
has proven itself in many studies to
be very effective in learning any
group of associations†. Other
research has shown that you can only
handle learning 7-12 things in one
session. So if you spend time going
over 30 or 40 songs in a row, you are
really wasting a lot of that time.‡
Test yourself almost immediately
The next step after forming a
few of these associations is to
test yourself. This is absolutely
the most important part of the
learning process.
A key discovery in the science of
memory is that for effective
memorization, the management of
time is extremely important. Most
loss of memory happens within the
first few minutes of the learning
process.† So, an effective
memorization technique must include
a review of the associations and
images you have created fairly soon
after the first attempt to memorize
them. And “testing” the memory
often and soon after the first
associations increases the pathways
for retrieval and is an important part
of learning things quickly.
Actively recall the bird's name
yourself during the tests
This testing process is really the
key to memorization success. When
learning bird songs you must test
yourself soon after learning the song.
And this testing process requires that
Western Tanager May/June 2009 E3

Blackpoll Warbler, Photo by Steve Nanz
you actively recall the name
yourself. That means you must not
listen to the name of the bird before
hearing its song during the testing
process. This is critical.
When recalling a bird, it can
help if you actually say the bird’s
name out loud. This makes sure you
have definitively chosen a name
and creates an auditory
reinforcement for the connection.
By the way, as a more real life
corollary for this “speaking-out-
loud” technique, try saying out loud
“I’m putting my car keys on the
kitchen table” the next time you put
your keys down. By creating this
auditory connection, there is a much
greater likelihood that you’ll
remember where they are the next
time you need them.*
Correct your mistakes
Here’s another tip: If you make a
mistake and attribute a song to the
wrong bird, quickly find the right
song and compare the two. This will
help you strengthen the proper
name/song connection.
Forget about using
cassette tapes
I have witnessed people trying to
learn songs for an upcoming trip by
E4 Western Tanager Vol. 75, No. 5
playing a CD or cassette in their car
while they are driving. This method
violates several of the most
important rules of effective
memorization. It is almost
impossible to learn bird songs
efficiently by listening to a cassette
tape or a CD over and over. Instead
of studying only a few songs at a
time, the listener is inundating
themselves with 30 or 40 songs.
Many studies have shown that this
just doesn’t work well. And at least
some of the songs are irrelevant to
the trip. As for testing your
knowledge, when the name of the
bird is offered before the song, your
mind will take full advantage of this
“gift” and not bother to really test
itself and form the necessary
memory links you need. This
method just doesn’t work well at all.
And cassettes especially make it
very difficult to get quickly from
song to song.
Use Apple's iTunes
Apple’s iTunes application is a
great way to have very fast access to
a lot of songs. The program also
provides an easy way to create
playlists of various song
combinations. This program works
on both Mac and PC and is a very
easy-to-use tool that can really help
you memorize songs. In next
sections I’ll cover a program for
learning songs based on using iTunes.
Of course you can use the same
procedures with other media. But
iTunes is really easy-to-use, and it’s
free.
You can download and install the
program by going to Apple’s site and
following the links to iTunes.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
Compile the songs you want
to learn
Once iTunes is installed, you can
easily load bird songs from a CD
directly into the program by just putting
the CD into your computer’s CD drive.
The contents will show up in iTunes
and you can literally drag the songs to a
new playlist. There are lots of online
tutorials to help if you need it. The
names of the birds will show up for
each track, which is also helpful.
As an additional aid, there’s a
program called Bird Jam that loads
some of the most popular bird song
CDs into iTunes after removing the
spoken songs’ names.
If the songs you want to learn are on
a cassette, the process is more
complicated and beyond the scope of this
article. The basics involve using a USB
audio interface and recording the songs
directly into an audio program on your
computer. Cakewalk’s Sonar and
Adobe’s Audition work well. Once you
have recorded the material you can easily
separate the songs, remove the narration,
and load the songs into iTunes.
Make small playlists of your songs
Once the songs are in iTunes it’s
easy to make playlists of about 6-12
songs each. This is about the right size
for the song-learning process. And you
can make sure that the songs are just
those you want to learn. You can leave
out Herring Gull and American Crow,
for example, so you are
concentrating on just those songs
you don’t know. It’s helpful to place
similar sounding birds together. For
example, put owls in a list with other
owls. Put warblers that trill, such as
Pine and Worm-eating, together in
one list.
The great thing about a random
access player like iTunes is that you
can easily make new lists, change
the order of the song playback, and
create more test groups once you
have learned some of the songs well.
And as I mentioned above, being
able to instantly checking one song
against another is very valuable.
Now let’s review the typical
song-learning process using the
iTunes program.
Pick one playlist and get started
listening to the songs
Make a new playlist with 6-12
bird songs that have some similar
quality. Listen to each song in the
list, checking the name of the song
from the iTunes track name or by
listening to the narrated name. For
each song, stop and try and create an
image that connects the song to the
name of the bird. If nothing occurs to
you, don’t worry, just go on to the
next song. Sometimes, as mentioned
above, it’s easier to listen to the song
without thinking of the bird’s name
and see what kind of image the song
suggests. Then try and link that
image to the bird’s name.
Review
Take a break for a minute or
two then go back over the songs.
Review your images and see if
they still remind you of the
name/song connection.
Test yourself
Even if you have only now
listened to the songs twice, wait a
couple of minutes and then test
yourself. You’ll be surprised by how
many songs you will already be able
to recognize. And you’ll be able to
tweak your image once you have to
rely on it completely to recognize the
song. Remember that recalling the
bird’s name by testing yourself is
immediately reinforcing the image
you have created and your memory
of that song.
Be sure NOT to look at the name
of the bird or listen to the announced
name during the test. If the recording
has the name at the beginning, then
mute your computer’s audio using its
Mute Button when you first hit Play.
This is essential to the process. You
will not be able to learn a lot of
songs quickly if you “cheat” by
listening to the names when you are
testing yourself. It just won’t work!
By the way, if I say “Fish” what
image comes to mind?
Test yourself again fairly soon
After a break of an hour or
two, do the test again. If there are
songs you have missed, see if you
can refine your image. If you are
confusing two songs, try and find
an image that is more precise for
each. And be sure to compare the
songs during or right after the
testing process to see why you
confused them.
Here’s an example of how you
might extend or “tweak” the image
you have for a song in the context of
other, similar-sounding birds. Let’s
say part of the image you created for
a Willow Flycatcher contains the
sound “Fitz bew”. This works to
recall the song when the playlist only
contains other birds that don’t have a
similar sound. But if you add Alder
Flycatcher, which has a similar song,
you will need to refine the image.
The Willow song ends lower than it
begins. So you could picture a
weeping willow whose branches
sweep down into the water. The
Alder’s song ends up, so picture an
Alder tree that is growing straight up
towards the sky.
Use your field guide
Here’s another tip. Take your
bird book and find the pictures of the
birds you just studied. Look at the
picture in the book and recall your
image and its association with the
bird’s name. Try and visualize the
song, and even sing it if you can.
Work on another playlist
Once you have learned most of
the songs in your first playlist, go
on to the next one. Use the same
steps. After you have tested
yourself on the second playlist a
couple of times,, throw in a test for
the first as well. Again, you may be
really surprised at how quickly you
learn these new songs.
Shuffle each time you retest
yourself
iTunes (and iPods) have one
feature that is very important for the
testing process: Song Shuffle. When
you begin testing yourself on the
songs in a playlist, you need to
“shuffle” the order each time you
listen to the playlist. Otherwise you
will just learn the order of the list.
To “shuffle” the order of a playlist,
highlight it in iTunes and select
SHUFFLE under the CONTROLS
menu at the top of your screen. Then
every time you select that playlist the
playback order of the songs will be
randomly changed. Remember not to
look at the names in the song list!
Create new custom playlists
As you learn more songs, it’s a
good idea to create some custom
Western Tanager May/June 2009 E5

Bay-breasted Warbler, Photo by Steve Nanz
playlists to help refine and reinforce
the process. One playlist could
contain songs that you are having a
problem remembering. This will
save time during a testing session by
eliminating the songs you already
know. Another playlist could
contain songs that are very similar
and that you might confuse.
Here’s an example. Let’s say your
first warbler song playlist contained
Blackpoll Warbler, Black-and-white,
Chestnut-sided, Bay-breasted and
Common Yellowthroat along with a
couple of other songs. You’re 100%
with the Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll,
Yellowthroat and most of the others but
you’re having some problems
confusing the Black-and-white and
Bay-breasted. Create a new playlist
with just the Black-and-white and Bay-
breasted, and add to that the similar
sounding Cape May Warbler. After
working on some other playlists you
might decide to also add Swamp
Sparrow to this playlist. Making these
specialty lists can really help you learn
every song that is on your target list.
Mobile learning aids
If you want to learn songs or test
6 Western Tanager Vol. 75 No. 5 May/June 2009
yourself when you’re away from the
computer you can easily use an iPod
or a CD player. One thousand 1 or 2
minute bird songs in iTune’s native
audio format take up less than 1 gig
of memory. So a 4-gig iPod nano or
any other iPod will work fine. Other
MP3 players can work as well. You
may have to convert the files to MP3
format to load them into another
MP3 player, but this is very easy
using iTunes. iTunes can also burn
CDs of different playlists for review
and testing in a car or when you’re
away from your computer. Again,
you’ll have to find a way to mute or
just turn down the narrated names at
the beginning of the tracks when you
test yourself.
If you use a CD, here’s a
process to “randomize” your
playback. Start with the first song,
turn down the volume for a second
to miss the spoken name of the bird,
then listen to the song and guess.
Hit REW once to get to the top of
the track to check the name. Then
press the FF button briefly 3 times.
This will put you at the 4th song.
Test yourself, check, hit the FF
button 3 times again and continue.
Once you get to the end of the CD,
start with the second song and
continue the process again. This
will generate a sequence of song 2,
song 5, song 8, etc. At the end of
the CD start again with song 3 for a
sequence of song 3, 6, 9, etc. The
next time you use that CD, hit the
FF button 2 times or 4 times each
sequence. That ensures that you’re
learning the songs and not the
order of the songs! It also ensures
that you’ll test yourself on all of
the songs.
Summary outline of the song
learning process
In sum, here is a timeline of the
learning process, using the
techniques we’ve discussed above:
• Load your target trip songs into
iTunes.
• Break the master list of all of
your trip bird songs into very
small groups or playlists of 6-12
songs each.
• Start with one group only.
• Play the songs one at a time and
find an image that naturally
occurs when hearing each song.
• Find a way to associate that
image with the name of the
bird.
• Review the songs and images
after a break of a couple of
minutes.
• Then test yourself within 10
minutes by playing back the songs
in random order, without listening
to or reading the song names.
• Repeat this process a couple of
times.
• Once you can name all of the
songs accurately, start on a new
playlist.
• Review each learned list briefly
one a day, if possible. The faster
you are at recalling the image/bird
song name, the faster this review
process becomes.
 • If there are songs you misidentify
often, put them in a “problem
song” playlist.
• Once you have learned 5 or 10
playlists, create new playlists that
group similar-sounding birds
together.
• Test yourself on these playlists
along with the original lists and
update them with additional birds
as you learn more. These lists can
be much longer than the original
playlists, as they are songs you
now know.
• After you have gone through all
of your trip birds, review your
now learned playlists two or three
times a week.
The final rewards
You are going to find that this
song-learning process is much
easier than you ever imagined. And
you will most likely have a great
feeling of accomplishment after
learning your first 50 or 100 songs.
When you go on your trip, the great
news is that you will feel
immediately at home in your new
environment. You will recognize
songs and be able to begin targeting
birds you want to see. In some
cases, it may take a repetition or
two to “tune” your ear to the natural
song versus the taped song you have
been listening to on your computer.
But this adjustment is usually fairly
fast. I guarantee that it will be very
exciting when you ID your first new
singing warbler or any other target
species you have been studying!
Of course some species will have
alternate songs or variations that you
didn’t have on your source material,
so you will still be stuck with some
unidentified songs. But the good
news is that the song-learning
techniques you have been
developing will help you quickly
learn these new songs and again
enhance your birding experience.
Western Tanager May/June 2009 E7
Once you get home, with your
trip list expanded by all of the
birds you heard and identified from
your studies, you’ll be really
excited to start the process again
for your next journey.
And of course the skills you have
acquired learning these songs will be
available for any other memory tasks
you might have at hand.
Now, if I say “Fish” ...
References
* Kenneth L Higbee, “Your Memory:
How it Works and How to
Improve it”
† H. Lorayne and J. Lucas, “The
Memory Book”
‡ David A. Sousa, “How the
Brain Learns”
B i r d wa l k R e p o r t
—by Eleanor Osgood
FRANKLIN CANYON BIRD WALK
REPORT - MARCH, 2009
What a beautiful day we had!
And birdy! Seven people, all new to
the Franklin Canyon, saw 32 species
of birds. The highlights included: 6
species of chaparral birds foraging
together in a secluded but visible
area of underbrush providing us
over 20 minutes of close up
viewing; watching the antics of the
Acorn Woodpeckers and then being
able to compare them with two
Nuttall’s Woodpeckers; spotting 7
Spotted Towhees in one morning;
and finally, after much stalking and
a great deal of patience and
determination finding a Virginia
Rail foraging in the reeds beside the
lake. It was a day of good birds and
good company!
KENNETH HAHN STATE PARK BIRD
WALK REPORT - MARCH, 2009
This month’s KHP walk attracted
6 attendees and 38 species of birds.
We struggled with poor lighting from
an overcast day but still were able to
see the white outer tail feathers on the
one Western Kingbird that was present
among several Cassin’s Kingbirds.
The Osprey sitting in a tree on the far
side of the lake still gave us a thrill
despite the haze. The overcast day and
temperatures in the 60’s created a
pleasant day for walking to the upper
areas of the park and over to the
butterfly and hummingbird gardens.
There we spotted a pair of Saffron
Finches —small, yellow, caged-bird
escapees with faces dusted in rouge.
By this time, the sun had come out; the
yellow of the finch’s feathers was
striking in contrast to the browns,
blacks and whites of the chaparral
birds that were foraging on the ground.
LAAS News
—by Mary Loquvam,
Executive Director
BOARD SLATE 2009-2010
The Nominating Committee,
consisting of Garry George,
Chair, Nick Freeman, Cat Waters,
and David DeLange ex offico, has
nominated the following slate for
our Board of Directors for the
fiscal year 2009-2010.
President – David DeLange
1st VP - Garry George
2nd VP – Paul Fox
Treasurer – Lisa Fimiani
Executive Secretary
– Linda Oberholtzer
Recording Secretary
– Eleanor Osgood
Mary Freeman will return to the
Board as Executive Past
President, a non-elective position.
Members will be asked to vote on
this slate at the May 13th meeting
of Los Angeles Audubon. Please
plan to attend.

Author’s Urban Garden, Photo by Robert Waters
y friend, Linda
M
Oberholtzer, asked me
to write a few
paragraphs for the Western Tanager
about “my patch.” However the
honor is not mine alone. We, my
husband Robert Waters and I, share
this patch. Our patch, the place we
know best, the place where, for
over 30 years, we have avidly
birded, is mere steps from our
porch in Downey and one or both
of us can be found out there, with
beverage and bins in hand, at any
time of day or night since our patch
is our urban garden.
We have never tired of the ex-
citement of the yearly parade of mi-
gratory and stationary birds that
visit or live within this patch. It
continues to amaze us that so many
birds manage to hold their own
through the decades-long urban
crush surrounding us. Our patch’s
best times for birds are late March
through mid June; early August
through October; and December
through February. Butterflies are
here year round and if spiders and
insects are your game, March
E8 Western Tanager Vol. 75, No. 5
My Patc h
through November is best. Bats are
observed during May and June.
Over the years we have watched
our patch and learned. The spring
migrants come from the direction of
the Los Angeles and Rio Hondo
River, their ancient migratory route.
As dawn crowns they spread out to
feed, water and find a safe place to
rest, eventually reaching us. Our
Patch’s wave of migrants is
strongest from 10 a.m. to noon and
again from late afternoon to dark.
The birds come in low using local
shrubbery as their path or high,
crossing the distance from the trees
of the golf course to the beacon of
our Sapote Tree, one of the last her-
itage trees in the neighborhood.
Orange-crowned, Black-throated
Gray, Wilson’s (the most beautiful
shade of yellow there is),
MacGillivray’s, Nashville, Yellow,
Common Yellowthroat and
Townsend’s Warblers are the most
common spring birds to visit. In-
terspersed with them are Western
Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks,
and Hooded Orioles. Less flashy
and using different feeding tech-
—by Catherine Waters
niques are Western Wood-Peewees,
Pacific-Slope Flycatchers, Western
Kingbird, and Ash-throated Fly-
catchers. In fall there are fewer
birds, many dispersing juveniles,
and we can expect them at any time
of day from any direction. Often I
think they are nest mates learning
the ropes together.
With thirty years of notation
we’ve been able to see how avian
life in this tiny patch of Los Angeles
County has changed and remained
the same. We installed a large na-
tive plant garden and discovered that
we have a major hummingbird mi-
gration through this region that we
were unaware existed. Northern
Flicker and American Robin have
become birds of the past. Lesser
and American Goldfinch, sometimes
with the odd Pine Siskin in the mix,
appear to be the future. In a recent
dry year, a few Oregon Juncos and
Calliope Hummingbirds visited.
The Juncos returned. They joined
the wintering Fox Sparrows, Spotted
Towhees, White-crowned Sparrows
and Hermit Thrushes. Spotted
Doves, once common are rare and
normally seen as a pile of feathers,
evidence of the Cooper’s Hawks that
call our patch their patch.
Our yard bird list currently
stands at 100 —many are single day
wonders. You are welcome to visit.
Catherine Waters is currently the
president of Western Field Ornithologists.
Besides being an avid observer of birds,
she is active in networking among a group
of southern California Audubon Chapters.
Her interests are building chapter and
volunteer strength. Professionally,
Catherine is a licensed contractor and her
landscape design and consulting company,
Earthbound, specializes in sustainable
native plant landscapes. She can be
contacted at cpannellwaters@yahoo.com .
 Thank You!!!
The Membership Department at Los Angeles Audubon wishes to thank all of our members and donors, both
new and renewed! Your memberships help us to fulfill our mission...

The mission of Los Angeles Audubon is to promote the enjoyment and

protection of birds and other wildlife through recreation, education,
conservation and restoration.”

BOARD DONOR Mona Seymour & Dan Goldberg Dexter & Elizabeth Kelly
Linda Oberholtzer Rick Shaine Susan C. Krebs
Wayne Schwartz John & Irma Levine
DONORS Patricia Tarle Phoebe S. Liebig
The Johnny Mercer Foundation Ann Tegtmeier Mary Anne Lower
Ann Beeghly M. J. Tichacek Mary Lumkin
Newton Bernstein William S. Todman Anthony Maranville
Jeanette Rogolsky A. Nicole Trovato Michael McLaughlin
Melvin Sigman Roncie Weatherington Judy Medvitz
The Capitol Group Companies Clyde Williams Mary Ann Meyers
Charitable Foundation Ian Williams Cherie D. Miller
Pete Bloom Jim Moore
Wilson Vallett RENEWED Robert E. Munsey Jr.
Louise and Herb Horvitz Charitable Fund Edna Alvarez Linda Navroth
Lisa Fimiani Valerie L. Anderson Linda Oberholtzer
41 Pounds.org Martha Balkan Julianne O'Connor
Todd F. Battey Eleanor Osgood & Rich Waters
NEW Oscar Benitez Robert Perry
Newton M. Bernstein Nancy A. Blaine Bud Plochere
David Brady Peter H. Bloom Leslie H. Riley
Tim Bussell Marjorie Campbell Colleen Rooney
Dyanna Jene Claverie Olga Clarke Bradley Rumble
Melinda Crouch Tori Collender Melvin M. Sigman
Dr. Gabrielle du Verglas Wendell & Ginger Covalt Janet E. Sporleder
Darl J. Dumont Edwin Dewees Jane & Robert Stavert
Anthony Friscia Julian P. & Kathy Donahue Sarah Stone
Don & Mellie Gillman Brack Duker Stephen Tabor
Mr. & Mrs. H. Gurman Janice L. Feinstein John Thomlinson & Brynne Bryan
Lore Hilburg Joan Franco Harry & Shirley Tow
Dannie Hoffman Albert & Elizabeth Ann Garrison Wilson Vallet
Santiago Lozano Charles & Marjorie H. Goodwin John J. Vanderhorst
Stefan Lozano Gerry Haigh Charles P. Walker Jr.
Dr. & Mrs.Gerald Maisel Elwood Hain Geoffry White
JoAnne McKenzie Simone Heymann
LeRoy Russ Christopher Holabird
Western Tanager May/June 2009 E9
 birds of the season
he term winter hardly
T applied to January in
LA County. With an
abundance of warm days and
clear skies, it was more reminis-
cent of summer…at least away
from the mountains and deserts.
February brought cooler, wetter
weather and had limited success
making up our rain deficit.
While parts of the state were
still receiving plenty of snow, our
hillsides were covered with lush
green grass and the air was alive
with a growing chorus of bird
songs. Breeding activity is well
underway for many resident
species by February and March
and the change is palpable.
Turkey Vultures were on the
move by late January, with swal-
lows not far behind. A handful of
other passerine migrants— Bul-
lock’s and Hooded Orioles, West-
ern Kingbirds and Pacific-slope
Flycatchers— appeared pretty
much on schedule in early March.
Meanwhile, a number of early
winter vagrants continued
through February, illustrating the
appeal of coastal LA County’s
climate to birds generally long
gone by December. Of course
there were a few new discoveries
as well. Here’s a look at what
was around...
Though not even on the Cali-
E10 Western Tanager Vol. 75, No. 5
fornia state list, a Mute Swan on
the ocean a half mile off Point Vi-
cente on February 17 was cer-
tainly in an interesting spot
(Mike San Miguel).
A Snow Goose continued at
Earvin Magic Johnson Recreation
Area (EMJRA) in Willowbrook
through at least February 28
(Richard Barth). Mixed in with
the handful of Ross’s Geese in
the county were two probable hy-
brid Snow x Ross’s Geese. One
of these was at Santa Fe Dam
through February 21 (John Gar-
rett) and another was seen briefly
along the LA River in Long
Beach on January 19 (Jon Fisher).
Also present was an “Aleutian”
Cackling Goose at Harbor Park
in Wilmington seen through
March 8 (Martin Byhower).
Presumed migrants were three
Greater White-fronted Geese
along the LA River in Atwater
Village on March 10 (Richard
Barth) and a single Brant that
hung around at the Ballona Creek
mouth from February 18-March 4
(Richard Barth).
A Eurasian x American
Wigeon hybrid was at EMJRA in
Willowbrook from January 21-
February 28 (Richard Barth) and
pure Eurasian Wigeons were at
Hansen Dam Golf Course on Feb-
ruary 22 (Kimball Garrett) and at
—by Jon Fisher
the San Gabriel River Spreading
Ground ponds in Pico Rivera on
March 1 (Larry Schmahl).
Lake Hughes on the north
slope of the San Gabriels is a re-
liable location for wintering Can-
vasbacks, but 276 of them
counted there on January 31 was
notable (Kimball Garrett).
A Common Goldeneye con-
tinued through the period in Lin-
coln Heights (Tom Miko), and
two were at the SGR Spreading
Ground ponds in Pico Rivera on
February 27 (Larry Schmahl).
While water at these spreading
ponds can be ephemeral and un-
predictable, this spot hosts many
waterbirds when conditions are
right— this is the case with many
of our “wetlands”.
The county’s first inland
Black Scoter continued at Quail
Lake through January 31, as did a
female White-winged Scoter
(Jon Feenstra).
Hooded Mergansers contin-
ued to be found in good numbers
on the coastal slope, with 32
along the LA River near Glendale
on February 1 being a noteworthy
count (Jon Feenstra).
The only pelagic of note was
a good one— a Manx Shearwa-
ter off the Palos Verdes Peninsula
on February 28 (Todd McGrath).
This bird was found on the LAAS
pelagic trip and is one of only a
very few occurrences in LA
County waters.
Very scarce these days on the
coastal slope was an American
Bittern at the Sepulveda Basin
Wildlife Reserve on February 15
(Jon Fisher). Single birds occa-
sionally winter here, but it’s un-
likely that this bird escaped
detection all winter; thus it may
have been an early migrant.
After a few Brown Pelicans
turned up inland last summer and
fall, the only new report away
from the coast was at Bonelli
Park in San Dimas on February
14 (Rod Higbie). The lack of ad-
ditional inland occurrences was
undoubtedly a good sign as these
were thought to be due to unusu-
ally cold weather forcing these
birds south of normal wintering
areas as well as causing in-
creased mortality.
Notable raptors were made up
mostly of continuing birds. The
Ferruginous Hawk near Playa
del Rey continued through the pe-
riod and single Bald Eagles re-
mained at Legg Lake through
January 29 (Mickey Long) and at
Bonelli Park through February 14
(Rod Higbie). An interesting new
report was that of a possible
Zone-tailed Hawk in the Holly-
wood Hills on March 6
(Glenn Price).
The first Swainson’s Hawks
of spring were over JPL near
Pasadena on March 6 (Lance
Benner) and another was over
Duarte on March 15 (Ron Cyger,
Stephen Tabor). Many of these
migrants are undoubtedly missed
as they pass over between Febru-
ary and April—remember to keep
looking up.
Glaucous-winged Gulls
staged a major inland incursion
this winter, being widely re-
ported and in good numbers away
from the coast. A survey of 23
miles of the Los Angeles and San
Gabriel Rivers on February 7
recorded 234 individuals (Mike
San Miguel). The vast majority
in the interior have been first
year birds.
While not matching the num-
bers of Glaucous-wings,
Thayer’s Gulls also made some
inland appearances. Of note
were counts of eight at Bonelli
Park on February 17 (Andrew
Lee) and seven below the San
Gabriel River’s Valley crossing
on February 26 (Mike San
Miguel). Gull watching along
the river below Valley can be ex-
cellent, but with the caveat that
results are dependent on water
levels and time of day.
A remarkable rarity was the
first inland county record of
Lesser Black-backed Gull at the
Piute Ponds from February 21-
March 5 (Mark & Janet Scheel).
The only two previous records
were from Malibu Lagoon and
Zuma Beach.
Arriving just before deadline
was a report of a Glaucous Gull
found along Ballona Creek near
Lincoln Ave. on March 14 (Mar-
tin Meyers). As none had been
found in the county all winter,
this was certainly a migrant, and
a very rare one at that.
Following the few expected
White-winged Doves that turned
up in fall and early winter, the
only new report was one in Santa
Monica on January 18 (Brian
Sturges).
Unusual at Whittier Narrows
in South El Monte was a
Greater Roadrunner on January
29 (Mickey Long). This bird
was most likely a wanderer from
the nearby Whittier or
Montebello Hills.
A ‘new’ Yellow-bellied Sap-
sucker turned up at Exposition
Park in Los Angeles from March
5-13 (Kimball Garrett) while
three others continued through
the period at Village Green Con-
dos in Los Angeles, Ed Vincent
Park in Inglewood and Lindberg
Park in Culver City.
The first Rufous Humming-
bird of the spring was sighted in
Arcadia on February 6 (Mike San
Miguel). Adult male Rufous
hummers are easy enough, but
figuring out female Selasphorus
or determining which Allen’s
Hummingbirds are migrants or
residents can be a real problem.
Birds in the mountains and
deserts can safely be called mi-
grants, but on the coastal slope
it’s a real guessing game.
A wintering Pacific-slope Fly-
catcher at the South Coast Botanic
Garden (SCBG) continued through
January 31 while two apparent first
of spring migrants appeared near
Claremont on March 1 (Catherine
McFadden) and in La Habra
Heights on March 3 (Dan Cooper).
Other empids included two contin-
uing Gray Flycatchers, both re-
ported through January 23; one
was at Lacy Park in San Marino
(John Garrett) and the other was at
Bonelli Park (Rod Higbie).
Western Tanager May/June 2009 E11
 Other continuing flycatchers
were the Dusky-capped Fly-
catcher enjoying its second win-
ter at Creek Park in La Mirada,
and the Thick-billed Kingbird at
the South Coast Botanic Gar-
den— both were reported through
March 8. Newly discovered
though was an Eastern Phoebe at
Schabarum Park in Rowland
Heights on March 8
(Dan Cooper).
The only new Cassin’s Vireo
was at Creek Park in La Mirada
on January 3 (Jonathan Rowley)
but Plumbeous Vireos continued
to turn up here and there. The
wintering Bell’s Vireo continued
at the SCBG through March 8.
Two Varied Thrushes contin-
ued to be seen at the SCBG
through February 18 and another
was at Woodlawn Cemetery in
Santa Monica on February 14
(Richard Barth). They were quite
scarce in the county this winter.
A California Gnatcatcher
along the LA River in Long Beach
on February 7-8 (Mark and Janet
Scheel) was at an unexpected loca-
tion and undoubtedly a wander from
one of the small existing popula-
tions in the county— possibly from
the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Three
pair of California Gnatcatchers were
in San Dimas near Bonelli Park on
March 7 (Rod & Pat Higbie) where
a small population also persists.
Warblers included a Palm
Warbler at Hansen Dam in Syl-
mar from January 25-February 1
(Kimball Garrett) which was a
new mid-winter arrival at this
well-covered location. Elese-
where, a Hermit Warbler was in
Baldwin Hills on January 14
(Richard Barth).
E12 Western Tanager Vol. 75, No. 5
The LA River willows near
the 2 and 134 Freeways usually
support a good mix of wintering
warblers. These included the
continuing Yellow-throated
Warbler which was reported
through February 15. Obviously,
this is a spot well worth checking.
Painted Redstarts continued
at Bonelli Park through the pe-
riod and in Monrovia Canyon
through February 14.
Interesting sparrows included
a newly discovered Clay-colored
Sparrow at Creekside Park in
Walnut on January 28 (Mike San
Miguel) and a White-throated
Sparrow continuing at Eaton
Canyon in Pasadena through
February 24 (Judy Bass).
Also noteworthy were two
‘Red’ Fox Sparrows— one in
Lower Arroyo Park on February
3 (John Garrett) and the other
wintering in a Glendale backyard
(Olga Clarke). While often
thought of as “eastern” Fox Spar-
rows, in fact these rust-colored
races breed west to western Alaska.
Rare coastally at any time of
year was a Scott’s Oriole pres-
ent at the SCBG from January
18-March 8 (Martin Byhower).
Other wintering orioles included
a Baltimore Oriole at LA Na-
tional Cemetery present through
January 23 and a Hooded Oriole
at West LA College on January
18-19 (Don Sterba). Early
spring migrant Hooded Orioles
were in Santa Monica on March
1 (Richard Barth) and in Agua
Dulce on March 2 (Jim Moore).
The next two months are a
great time for birders. There’s
much to look at and most of us
will be trekking from the coast
to the deserts and everywhere
between in an effort to
experience as much of migration
as possible.
By April, birds will be
moving north in large numbers
and migrants can be found almost
anywhere. Any patch of green in
the desert can be lively in April
and May. Closer to home for
most, the oaks along our foothills
are often filled with migrants.
City parks and other artificial
habitats can also be good, and
may hold a surprise or two
among the more common species.
Coastal watch points offer
the spectacle of loons, scoters,
brant and others heading
northward. Also, though their
numbers will be waning,
waterfowl, gulls and shorebirds
will still be present.
In May, birdlife in the higher
San Gabriels will be changing as
summer visitors arrive, and one
can also enjoy the mosquito-on-
steroids sounds of motorcycles
racing down the Angeles Crest.
Most of us get to observe just
a tiny piece of this vast
migration puzzle. But take a
step back and we can
contemplate the great distances
and other obstacles that birds
overcome while armed with little
more than feathers. The fact that
most of them succeed in their
journey every spring and fall is
to me quite remarkable.
 C O N S E R VAT I O N C O N V E R S AT I O N
T HE DESERT HEATS UP
Sen. Feinstein (CA) stepped into
the conflict between solar and wind
energy and the fragile ecosystem of the
Mojave and Colorado deserts where
the Governor wants to put them. She is
sponsoring legislation to protect
800,000 acres of the Mojave Desert as
Desert National Monument and put it
off limits to energy developers. The
lands in question were donated or
purchased with the intent that they
would be protected forever. The
Wildlands Conservancy orchestrated
the government's purchase of the land
between 1999-2004 by negotiating a
discount sale from the real estate arm
of the former Santa Fe and Southern
Pacific Railroad and then contributed
$40 million to help pay for the
purchase. David Myers, the
conservancy's executive director, said
the solar projects would do great harm
to the region's desert tortoise population.
"It would destroy the entire Mojave
Desert ecosystem," he said.
But the Bureau of Land
Management considers the land now
open to all types of development,
except mining. That policy led the state
to consider large swaths of the land for
future renewable energy production.
"This is unacceptable," Feinstein
said in a letter to Interior Secretary
Ken Salazar. "I urge you to direct
the BLM to suspend any further
consideration of leases to develop
former railroad lands for renewable
energy or for any other purpose."
In a speech last year, Republican
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
complained about environmental
concerns slowing down the approval of
solar plants in California.
"If we cannot put solar power plants
in the Mojave desert, I don't know where
the hell we can put it," Schwarzenegger
said at Yale University.
But Karen Douglas, chairman of
the California Energy Commission,
said Feinstein's proposal could be a
"win-win" for energy and conservation.
The governor's office said Douglas was
speaking on the administration's behalf.
"The opportunity we see in the
Feinstein bill is to jump-start our own
efforts to find the best sites for
development and to come up with a
broader conservation plan that
mitigates the impact of the
development," Douglas said.
Douglas said that if the national
monument lines were drawn without
consideration of renewable energy
then a conflict was likely, but it's
early enough in the planning process
that she's confident the state will be
able to get more solar and wind
projects up and running without
hurting the environment.
Meanwhile, the California Desert
Coalition and others continue to
oppose the Los Angeles Department of
Water & Power permit application for
GREEN PATH NORTH, a
transmission line for geothermal
energy from the Salton Sea to Los
Angeles right through Big Morongo
Canyon. Opponents of the GREEN
PATH NORTH say a better alternative
would be to share existing transmission
lines with Southern California Edison
along the I-10.
Los Angeles Audubon supports
renewable energy provided that
decisions about the placement and
operation of the infrastructure are
based on sound science to substantially
limit adverse impacts on birds, wildlife
and their habitat. Since 2003, we have
been working to resolve the conflicts
between wind energy and birds,
including a year of effort with the
California Energy Commission and
—by Garry George
California Department of Fish & Game
to create guidelines in California to site
wind projects to reduce the impacts on
birds and bats, and work on wind
projects in Kern County and Santa
Barbara County that has yielded
precedent setting pre-construction
study protocol including radar analysis
and precedent setting mitigation
measures.
M ONTEBELLO DEVELOPMENT
RELEASES DEIR
A proposed project on 488
acres of coastal sage scrub in the
City of Montebello has released a
draft Environmental Impact report
that contains an analysis of the
impacts on California gnatcatcher
and other species of coastal sage
scrub. Los Angeles Audubon
Conservation Committee is
reviewing the documents.
C ITY OF LA LOSES ROUND ONE
The City of Los Angeles’ motion to
dismiss the lawsuit filed by Los
Angeles Audubon, Palos Verdes/South
Bay Audubon, Santa Monica Bay
Audubon and Urban Wildlands Group
was denied in LA court, allowing the
lawsuit to proceed. The Audubon
chapters and the non-profit group filed
suit against the City of Los Angeles
Animal Services Commission for
adopting a policy of Trap-Neuter-
Return for feral cats without
conducting a review of the
environmental impacts on Los
Angeles’ native wildlife and habitat as
required by CEQA law.
Read more and comment on Los Angeles
Audubon’s conservation issues at:
www.losangelesaudubon.org
Click Conservation Blog under Main Menu.
Western Tanager May/June 2009 E13
 1 0 9 t h C h r i s tm a s B i r d c o u n t
y dad bought me my
M first camera, an old
Minolta SLR with a
weak zoom and a "1984 Olympics"
carrying case at the age of about ten.
We drove down to Playa del Rey to
test it out. We were walking up the
bike path, photographing Willets and
Whimbrels when a little owl popped
up out of the rocks. I can't remem-
ber whether I managed to get off a
photo, but I definitely remember my
"lifer" Burrowing Owl! It was one of
the last of a resident population in
the area that vanished around the
same time (mid-1980s), presumably
finished-off by a burgeoning non-na-
tive red fox population as part of a
general, range-wide decline.
Since this had been the only spot
in west L.A. to find this owl for
many decades, one can actually trace
its history here by looking at totals
reported on the Los Angeles Christ-
mas Bird Count, one of the longest-
running Christmas Counts in the
state, conducted each year since the
1940s. Since then, the owl had had a
few good years, with 10 birds tallied
in the late 1930s and 1970s, but
more often just one or two birds each
year. Still, there were owls on nearly
every count until the mid-1980s,
when they just drop off the map.
This species joins Northern Pintail,
American Avocet, Greater Roadrun-
ner and several others as being still
fairly common in the region, but ba-
sically gone from the count circle.
On the other hand, you have
species like the Allen's Humming-
bird - one or two each year in the
1970s (with none before that, except
for 12 reported one year in the early
E14 Western Tanager Vol. 75, No. 5
1960s, a typo?), double-digits in the
late 1980s, and a surge past 100 in
the mid-1990s. This year found 346,
as it is quickly overtaking the ubiqui-
tous Anna's Hummingbird at feeders
and flowers around town. So you
and I could agree that Allen's Hum-
mingbird is getting more common,
but without data like these, our im-
pressions are simply that.
Last year, after compiling the
Santa Clarita Christmas Count for
six years, I asked to take over com-
pilation of the Los Angeles count
for Los Angeles Audubon Society.
After so many decades, the L.A.
count had a mixed history of partic-
ipation and organization, nearly
vanishing itself within the past ten
years, and I was curious - what if
we really worked this count hard,
getting the best birders in town out
to count, scouting for rarities and
hidden locales for weeks - or even
months - in advance, and trying to
saturate the count circle, hitting
every pocket-park, flowering euca-
lyptus clump, and brushy canyon in
town? Knowing that the count av-
erages around 140 species, and has
gone past 160 only twice, how
close to the record 170 species
(from 1978) could we get?
I started organizing early, realiz-
ing that the coastline and wetlands of
the Playa del Rey/Ballona area were
really the key to the entire count cir-
cle, which stretched north over the
Hollywood Hills to the L.A. River
near Toluca Lake, and east into Echo
Park. Despite the variety of habitats
provided by places like Griffith Park
and the Baldwin Hills, there are
probably more species wintering in
—by Daniel S. Cooper
the Ballona area than any other site
in the circle, and I aimed to "double-
up" coverage, assigning different
people to check specific sites - the
now-tidal Del Rey Lagoon or the jet-
ties at the mouth of Marina del Rey -
in both the morning and the after-
noon. Though this led to some con-
fusion and even resistance by
long-time counters, most people
played along, and on count day, I
was still getting new birds reported
as the sun was setting.
I also tried to round up new re-
cruits for the count, most surpris-
ingly several Santa Monica Bay
Audubon stalwarts who couldn't re-
member ever having done a Christ-
mas Count in their home turf (Santa
Monica) before! We had hikers high
on the ridges of Griffith Park, Spot-
ted Dove spotters east of Inglewood
(unsuccessful, alas), and a Wood
Duck patrol at Franklin Canyon
(yes!). Golf courses were especially
fun - a friend-of-a-friend somehow
got me a guided tour (via golf cart)
of the ultra-exclusive Bel Air Coun-
try Club (who had never, they let me
know, ever allowed birders), while
Garry George and Kimball Garrett
were able to wander freely on their
respective golf course territories...
but then we had the only Northern
Pintails at Bel Air (two!).
Unconventional efforts were
enthusiastically welcomed this year
- Mary Loquvam, Kara Donahue
and Lew Hastings led a group of 9
inner-city high-schoolers on their
first birdwalk through MacArthur
Park and environs (finding our only
Phainopepla, a pair which dropped
into an elderberry at the brand-new
Vista Hermosa Park), and Judy
Raskin deputized participants of
her monthly birdwalk at Echo Park,
who picked up our only Ross's
Goose (each dutifully paying their
$5 count fee).
Of course, there were misses.
We couldn't buy a Plumbeous Vireo,
despite having staked-out about a
half-dozen of these scarce-but-in-
creasing winterers. There were also
really no montane invaders like Red-
breasted Nuthatch or Pine Siskin.
And a (thankfully minor) heart at-
tack the night before the count side-
lined one of Ballona's best birders on
count day.
So how did we do? 172 species,
pending acceptance of all our rari-
ties, which would be a new record.
Highlights from count day included
a surprise Brant at Ballona Creek
and a fly-over Cackling Goose
nearby rounding out the rare geese,
three American White Pelican soar-
ing high above Westchester, three
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (includ-
ing one discovered on count day in
residential Culver City), three
species of swallows, a Hermit War-
bler at the Veteran's Administration
Hospital in Brentwood, and a White-
throated Sparrow in a big White-
crowned flock on the Westchester
Bluffs. Continuing birds found ear-
lier in the winter included a Ferrugi-
nous Hawk at the edge of the El
Segundo Dunes at Playa del Rey,
Yellow Warbler and Rose-breasted
Grosbeak at Playa Vista, and two
Baltimore Orioles coming to euca-
lyptus flowers.
As for lessons learned, next year
we'll put more of an effort in making
sure that the most localized species
are assiduously searched for so
they're not overlooked - our only
Greater Scaup, for example, was
found by a birder at Playa del Rey
who wasn't even aware the Christ-
mas Count was going on, and no one
- not even me - remembered to
record Dunlin. We also seriously
short-staffed the Santa Monica
Mountains with experienced birders,
which we'll try to beef-up in future
years, and "feeder-watchers" and just
plain old neighborhood birders will
be especially welcomed, as so many
unusual species tend to be found in
the winter-flowering trees and shrubs
of residential areas. Who knows, we
might break the record again!
Daniel S. Cooper was the compiler for the
2008 Los Angeles Christmas Bird Count.
He owns Cooper Ecological Monitoring
Inc. in Los Angeles, CA.
Volunteer Corner
—by Eleanor Osgood
D OCENTS - IN - THE -PARK
As many of you know, Los
Angeles Audubon has started a new
outreach program to bring nature
docents to our public parks. We are
entering our third month piloting this
program at Kenneth Hahn State Park
Recreational Area in the Baldwin Hills.
If you enjoy nature and sharing
your joy with children, their families
and the general public, I encourage
you to sign-up to become a Docent-
in-the-Park. The time commitments
are flexible. Each month we will
need between three to four people to
staff the tables and handle the
‘scopes. You do not need to be an
expert on birds and nature. In fact,
this is a great way to improve your
skills and knowledge.
Being a Docent-in-the-Park is
somewhat like sitting around a
swimming pool chatting with your
neighbors, except, in this case, your
neighbors are people spending a
leisurely day in a public park; you
will be sitting around a peaceful lake
chatting about the birds you see. For
two to three hours one time a month,
we set up spotting ‘scopes, make
available some binoculars, set up a
children’s activity table and share
our passion for birds and nature.
You will be amazed at people’s
positive responses!
I want to thank the following
people for their participation in the
January and February events:
Paul Caplan-Bennett
Mary Carmona Freeman
Nick Freeman
Jose Santillan
Walter Lamb
Don Sterba
Please become a Docent-in-the-
Park. Sign-up online to receive our
Volunteer Opportunities email alerts,
or contact me directly. I look
forward to hearing from you.
Eleanor Osgood, Outreach Chair
volunteer@laaudubon.org
(310) 839-5420
Tabling Event at Kenneth Hahn State Park,
Photo by Rich Waters
Western Tanager May/June 2009 E15
 I n t e r p r e t i n g N at u r e
—by STacey Vigallon, Director of Interpretation

Students present at the

Audubon California Assembly…

In March 2009, students from

the Baldwin Hills Greenhouse
Internship Program, Restoration
Leadership Program, and the
Dorsey High School Eco-club
attended the Audubon California
Assembly in beautiful Pacific
Grove. These six student
representatives gave a fantastic
presentation detailing the work
they’ve accomplished through
Los Angeles Audubon and it’s
partnership with
EARTHWORKS Restoration.
I’d like to let the accompanying
photos do most of the talking, Joyce Realegeno (left) and Jessica Sosa (right) give their portion of a presentation detailing student
but here are a few of the work with Los Angeles Audubon.

highlights from our trip…

Our students provided one of

several presentations, joining the
ranks of students from Audubon
chapters and centers throughout
the state. Assembly attendees were
extremely impressed and inspired by
the work these motivated high
schoolers have done.

For several of our students,

this Audubon California
Assembly trip was the farthest
they had ever been from home
and certainly the most rural
place they’d ever visited. To
give them greater exposure to the
beauty of the central coast, we Students from the Baldwin Hills Greenhouse Internship Program, the Restoration Leadership
Program, and the Dorsey High School Eco-club attend the Audubon California Assembly at the
took a trip to Point Lobos State Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California.
Reserve. With binoculars in
hand, students were able to
observe sea otters frolicking in
coastal waters, seals lounging on

E16 Western Tanager Vol. 75, No. 5

the rocks, and native plant
species adapted to a near-vertical
existence on the cliffs.

During our midnight hike

along the beach near the
Asilomar Conference Grounds
students saw more stars in the
night sky than they’ve ever seen
in their life.

On our final day of the

conference we got a behind-the-
scenes tour of the Monterey Bay
Aquarium – everything from the
vehicle used to carry sharks to the Students check out the sights at Point Lobos State Reserve.
aquarium veterinarian’s office!

Opportunities like this have a

tremendous impact on students
from inner-city schools like
Dorsey High School. Special thanks
to Dorsey High teacher, Robert
Jeffers, and EARTHWORKS
Restoration Principal/Senior
Restoration Ecologist, Dr. Margot
Griswold for accompanying the
students as well. Funding for the
trip was provided by a generous
donation to Los Angeles
Audubon and through the
Audubon California matching
funds program.

Want to learn more about the

fantastic work these students
have accomplished? Join us on
June 10th for an evening of
student presentations, and help
us celebrate the stupendous work
these students have completed
during the school year. (See Greenhouse Interns Wanda Carter (left) and Fonda Williams
Evening Program schedule on (right) visit some Monterey Bay tide pools.
the back cover.)

Western Tanager May/June 2009 E17


FIELD TRIP FEES UPDATE: Los Angeles Audubon has listened to feedback from our members and is changing
its policy on field trip fees. Starting in July, 2009, we will roll back the fees to cover only anticipated trip expenses.
Envelopes for voluntary donations to support Los Angeles Audubon and its field trips will be distributed on some
non-fee trips. Ralph M. Schreiber Research Grants will still be awarded, so please consider supporting Los Angeles
Audubon with your generous donations.
Bird walks are geared for the beginner /
intermediate looking for an introduction
or less strenuous excursion. Field trips
often require more time or effort, and
delve more deeply into identification,
natural histories and interactions
observed in the field. All are welcome
on either type of trip. No pets or small
children, please. Contact information
will be released for carpooling unless
requested otherwise.
FIELD TRIP
RESERVATION INSTRUCTIONS
Before setting out on any field trip,
please call the LAAS bird tape at
(323) 874-1318, Option #4, for
special instructions or possible
cancellations that may have
occurred.
MAILING ADDRESS:
Los Angeles Audubon - Field Trips
P.O. Box 931057
Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057
Include for each participant the
following:
1) SASE (Self Addressed Stamped
Envelope) (We will return in your SASE, the
reservation confirmation and supplemental
information flyer.)
2) Fee or Donation
3) Contact Information: Phone number
& email address. (Contact information
will be released for carpooling unless
requested otherwise.)
Phone Sign-ups:
Call (323) 876-0202
Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m
Sorry, at this time we are unable to
reserve field trips by credit card.
Note: DO NOT mail to our street address!
E18 Western Tanager Vol. 75, No. 5
field trips
April 29 to May 5 –
Kern River Valley
Spring Nature Festival.
Come visit "America's Birdiest Inland
County”, including the Globally
Important Bird Areas of Sequoia
National Forest, and South Fork Kern
River Valley. About 230 bird species
seen during the festival!
Trips spanning Central Valley/Giant
Sequoias/Mojave Desert /Owens
Valley. Check website:
http://kern.audubon.org/KRVSNF.htm
Sunday, May 3 –
Big Morongo Wildlife Preserve.
Leader: Dexter Kelly. Meet at 8:00
a.m. in the preserve parking lot, or
7:00 a.m. at Covington Park next
door. Breeding desert and oasis birds
such as Brown-crested and Vermilion
Flycatchers, Summer Tanager, Scott's
and Hooded Orioles, Yellow-breasted
Chat and migrating Empidonax
flycatchers. To get there, take the 10
Fwy E about 17 miles past Banning to
Hwy 62 N. Pass through the town of
Morongo Valley, take a right on East
Dr., then a left into the preserve (or
straight to Covington Park). Bring
lunch, water, sensible clothing and sun
block. Yucca Valley and Desert Hot
Springs offer nearby accommodations,
or camp at Joshua Tree NP.
No sign up, no fee. Nominal
donation suggested. Provide
carpool data to Audubon House
(323) 876-0202.
May 9 - 10 Weekend –
Galileo Hills and Butterbredt Springs.
Leaders: Nick & Mary Freeman.
These are two of the best spring
migrant traps in the state. Western
warblers and flycatchers should
headline. Reptiles may be encountered!
Saturday: 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 at
the Galileo Hills 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.
Park and meet at 7:00 a.m. by the first pond.
Sunday: Veer right heading north out
of Mojave, take Hwy 14 for about 20
miles over the river bed to Jawbone
Canyon Road on the left, and meet
right at the turnoff at the ranger station
parking lot at 6:30 a.m. We will
carpool to Butterbredt Springs, and finish
the day at California City or Piute Ponds.
Bring lunches, sun block. Reserve rooms
(Motel 6 or other) in Mojave.
Limit (12 max.) Sign-up mandatory!
Send $25 fee, a SASE with your
e-mail & phone to:
Los Angeles Audubon - Field Trips
PO Box 931057
Los Angeles CA 90093-1057.
Saturday, May 16 –
Hansen Dam Riparian Birds.
Kimball Garrett leads an exploration
of one of our region's premier
"Important Bird Areas". Expect
Bell's Vireos, Yellow-breasted Chats,
Blue Grosbeaks and a variety of
other birds of willow woodlands and
mulefat scrub, along with numerous
landbird migrants, waterbirds and
marsh birds. We will be walking up
to three miles, sometimes on narrow
trails. Meet at 7:00 a.m. in the
parking lot of the Hansen Dam
Recreation Center along Foothill
Blvd. just west of the Osborne/Lake
View Terrace exit off the 210 Fwy.
For those coming from the 5 Fwy,
exit at Osborne and go north on
Osborne to Foothill Blvd.; turn right
(east) on Foothill Blvd. and go about
half a mile to the entrance to the
Recreation Center.
(Note: Our meeting area is NOT the
main Hansen Dam Park that is reached
off Dronfield Avenue). We should finish
up around 11:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Sunday, May 17 –
Santa Anita Canyon.
Leader: Mary Freeman. Take the 210
Fwy toward Arcadia, and take Santa
Anita Avenue N to the parking lot at
the very end of the road. Meet at the
Gabrielino Trail trailhead at the
bottom of the lot. 4 mile RT
moderately strenuous walk through
oak and chaparral canyons. Good
selection of breeding and migrating
birds including warblers, Olive-sided
Flycatcher, Western Tanager, Band-
tailed Pigeon, three hummers and
Dipper likely. Pack in a lunch and
water. Meeting time 7:00 a.m. No sign
up. Nominal donation suggested.
Saturday, May 30 –
LA Audubon Annual Picnic.
Chilao Campground.
Sodas, water, bird walks and tall tales
of birding adventures provided. The
first bird walk will be at 7:30 a.m.,
and another will follow around 8:30
a.m. for latecomers. Lunch around
noon, with possible birding options
elsewhere later. Take the 210 Fwy to
Angeles Crest Hwy (Hwy 2) in La
Canada, and head up the hill for about
30 miles. It’s on the left side. Drive
in, across the stream bed, past the
visitor’s center, left across the stream
bed, and veer right until you see
familiar faces on your left. The biker
bar is too far. A Forest Service
Adventure Pass is necessary.
Sunday, May 31 –
Jawbone Canyon Lizards.
Image of Leopard Lizard, by Mary Freeman
LA Zoo herpetologist emeritus and
LAAS member Harvey Fischer will
lead our search for Leopard, Zebra-
tailed, Desert Horned-Lizard and
others seen in Jawbone Cyn. We will
briefly bird Butterbredt Springs, then
look for lively lizards. Meet at 8:00
a.m. at the message board 50 yards W
of the Hwy 14 intersection. Take
Hwy 14 out past Mojave and continue
north on Hwy 14 about 17 miles to
Jawbone Cyn. Rd. Head W to the
message board. Anticipate heat,
hunger, dirt roads and rock-hopping.
Red Rock Cyn. State Park 5 miles N is
good for camping. About 2 hours
driving time from L.A. Bring lunch,
liquids, lots of water, and FRS radio,
if you have one. Carpool from
Denny's at Roxford and 5 Fwy at 6:00
a.m. if you wish. Continue all day, or
until it is too hot.
Contact Nick Freeman at
mnfreeman @earthlink.net” to night-
drive for snakes on Saturday, if you
will be in the area.
Limited sign-up (15 max.) by phone
with LAAS (323) 876-0202. Nominal
donation suggested. Provide carpool
information to LAAS.
Saturday, June 13 –
Condors at Bittercreek NWR.
Jesse Grantham, California Condor
Coordinator and team leader for the
Condor Field Program in southern
California with the US Fish and
Wildlife Service, (and formerly a
biologist with National Audubon for
24 years), will be leading this trip to
view the reintroduction program of
the California Condor. We should get
good looks at California Condors,
possibly Golden Eagles, and a number
of other species. Biologists will give
us an overview of the program, show
us how radio telemetry and GPS
tracking units are helping to save the
bird, and talk about the future of the
species in California. Bittercreek
NWR was formerly the “Hudson
Ranch” and a home of the original
wild condors in the mid 1980’s before
all birds were taken into captivity.
The observation site will be
remembered by old timers as “The
Sign” on Cerro Noreste Road. We
will be west of Mt. Pinos and
southeast of the Carrizo Plain, not too
far from Maricopa. Today all 43
condors in our wild population visit
the area again. All new releases of
condors into the wild population occur
here. Take Interstate 5 north to Frazier
Park exit. At the stop sign make a left
and go under I-5. Meet in the parking
lot of the “Flying A” gas station at
8:30 a.m. Finish at 3 or 4:00 p.m.
Bring drinks, lunch, and FRS radio
and a scope if you have them.
Reserve your place with LAAS by
phone (323) 876-0202, provide your
phone number and email address,
whether you have a high clearance
vehicle that can accommodate at
least 4 people total (priority), or you
plan to ride with someone else. Wait
for confirmation. No fee, but
donations accepted to the Condor
Survival Fund.
Saturday, June 20 –
Evening Montane Birds with Owls.
Leader: Raymond Schep. Until dark
we will bird for montane specialties
such as White-headed Woodpecker,
Cassin's Finch, Pygmy Nuthatch and
Western Bluebird. After the sun
drops, we hope to hear and maybe see
Pygmy, Flammulated, Saw-whet, and
Screech owls, as well as Poorwill.
They’re all up there, but no promises!
Leave promptly at 3 p.m. from where
Western Tanager May/June 2009 E19
the 210 Fwy and Angeles Crest
Highway intersect in La Canada. Exit
the 210 at Angeles Crest Hwy N.
About one block up is a frontage road
on the right, where we will park and
carpool. Finish before midnight.
Bring a warm jacket, a full stomach,
lots of snacks, and a Forest Service
Adventure Pass.
To sign-up send $15 and a SASE
with your phone number, and e-mail
address to:
Los Angeles Audubon - Field Trips,
PO Box 931057
Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057
Limit (15 max.)
Fri. through Mon., June 26-29 –
Southern Sierra
Extended Weekend.
Leader: Bob Barnes. High deserts to
High Sierra. The most diverse,
species-rich region in the state.
Likely: Goshawk, Yellow-billed
Cuckoo, Pileated Woodpecker and
owls. 150 species likely in 4 days.
Joint trip with our good neighbors in
Sea & Sage AS. Dawn to dusk (and
more) birding ideal for enthusiastic
beginning to advanced birders. Meet
Friday at Union 76 station in
Inyokern. Reserve Fri-Sat-Sun
night rooms in Kernville area early
(listed in flyer). Lots of driving, so
bring a friend.
To reserve, and receive trip
information, send SASE with e-mail,
phone number and $15 for each day
attended ($60 for 4 days) to:
Los Angeles Audubon - Field Trips
PO Box 931057
Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057
Participation limited to (15 max.)
Thur. through Sun., July 2-5 –
Quaking Aspen Camping Trip for Owls.
Leaders: Mary and Nick Freeman.
Campground is above Springville,
near Ponderosa in the southwest
Sierras. A group campsite will be
reserved. Owling by night, bird walks
E20 Western Tanager Vol. 75, No. 5
by day! Must be a night owl. We may
also look at some butterflies! Hopeful
birds: Flammulated, Northern Saw-
whet, Spotted owls and others;
Pileated Woodpecker, Winter Wren,
Hammond’s Flycatcher and more.
Family of weasels last year! Some
meals will be potluck, others provided
or eat out. Tentatively meet Thursday
3 p.m. at Quaking Aspen Campground
(look for poster). No small children
or pets, please.
To reserve send $70, SASE with
phone number, email and carpool
information to:
Los Angeles Audubon - Field Trips,
PO Box 931057
Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057
(10 max., 4 min.) More details in flyer.
Saturday, July 18 –
Big Bear Lake Vicinity Field Trip.
Image of Big Bear, by Mary Freeman
Leaders: Nick and Mary Freeman.
Meet in the Aspen Glen Picnic Area
parking lot in Big Bear at 7:30 a.m.
Take Hwy 18 or 38 to Big Bear Lake,
then proceed about half way along the
south side of the lake on Hwy 18 and
turn south on Tulip Lane. The lot will
be on the SW side of this short street.
Target birds include Wm. Sapsucker,
Calliope and Rufous Hummers,
mountain finches and White-headed
Woodpecker. We may go to Arrastre
Creek (east) or Upper Santa Ana
River (south). It should be warm and
there may be bugs, so come prepared.
Bring lunch for a full day, and a
Forest Service Adventure Pass.
Those wishing to go owling with
Mary in the evening (probably near
Bluff Lake or Hart Bar Campground),
plan to eat with us, and get a room for
Saturday as well.
Sunday, August 16 –
Sweltering Salton Sea.
Leaders: Nick & Mary Freeman.
Anticipate 95-115°F. This is the
gauntlet of SoCal birding. We should
see Yellow-footed and Laughing
gulls, Wood Stork, Black Tern, Lesser
Nighthawk, Stilt Sandpiper, Abert's
Towhee, Gila Woodpecker. Slim but
real possibility of boobies, frigatebird,
etc. Too hot to camp. Meet at Cattle
Call Park at 5:30 a.m., and bird until
2 - 3 p.m. More information next
newsletter, and in mailer.
Limit 8 paid cars with two or more
in each. Find a friend, as singles
will be bumped if we fill up the trip.
To reserve and for the information
mailer, send $15 per person with a
SASE to:
Los Angeles Audubon - Field Trips
PO Box 931057
Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057
Sunday, August 23 –
Huntington Central Park and
Bolsa Chica Wetlands.
Leader: Irwin Woldman. Huntington
Central Park is excellent for migrating
songbirds. Flocks of shorebirds
should be heading south, with leftover
terns. Bring a lunch for a full day of
birds. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in the park
parking lot on the south side of Slater
Ave. just east of Golden West St. in
Huntington Beach.
No sign up, no fee.
 Bird Walks —May-June 2009
Bird Walks are geared for the beginner/intermediate bird watcher looking for an introduction to local birds or a less
strenuous excursion. Appropriate for young bird watchers age 6 years and older. Carpooling is encouraged. Binoculars
are provided on some walks as noted below.
U PPER F RANKLIN C ANYON
(S OOKY G OLDMAN N ATURE
C ENTER )
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Leader: Eleanor Osgood
Join us as we take a casual walk
around the ponds and trails of this
urban oak woodland nature preserve.
Our resident birds will have begun
nesting; migrants will be arriving,
some to stop and nest; others will
continue to more northern nesting
grounds. We are likely to see the
resident Wood Ducks and chaparral
species such as California Quail,
Spotted and California Towhees and
California Thrashers. This canyon is
a hidden treasure where the
surrounding urban residences of
Sherman Oaks and Beverly Hills
disappear from view. Meet in the
parking lot of the Sooky Goldman
Nature Center and bird for a few
hours in the cool of native trees and a
pond. Binoculars provided.
Directions from the 101 Freeway:
take Coldwater Canyon Blvd. south to
the intersection of Coldwater Canyon
and Mulholland Drive. Make a 90
degree right turn onto Franklin
Canyon Drive. There is no sign
indicating the entrance to the park; the
turn at Franklin Canyon Road reads
“Road Closed 800 Feet” and “Sunrise
to Sunset”; this is the park entrance.
Do not make a U-turn as this will take
you onto Mulholland Drive instead of
Franklin Canyon. Stay on paved road
to reach the Sooky Goldman Nature
Center.
Directions from Sunset: Take Coldwater
Canyon to Mulholland Dr. Turn left
on Mulholland. Make left turn at the
signal onto Franklin Canyon Dr. (refer
to directions from 101 Freeway).
If you wish to carpool, or for more
information, contact Eleanor Osgood
at volunteer@laaudubon.org or call
(310) 839-5420.
TOPANGA STATE PARK BIRDWALK
1ST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH
LEADERS: KEN WHEELAND AND
CHRIS TOSDEVIN
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Ken and Chris will lead participants
through this beautiful and diverse
coastal mountain area. An ideal trip
for a beginning birder or someone new
to the area.
Directions from Ventura Blvd: Take
Topanga Canyon Blvd 7 miles S. Turn
E uphill on Entrada Rd. Follow the
signs and turn left into Trippet Ranch
parking lot.
Directions from Pacific Coast Hwy:
Take Topanga Canyon Blvd. 5 miles to
Entrada Rd. Parking fee.
Contacts: Ken: (310) 455-1401,
ksafarri@aol.com;
Chris: (310) 455-1270
KENNETH HAHN
STATE RECREATION AREA
3RD SATURDAY OF THE MONTH
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
This trip covers landscaped parkland,
a lake and native coastal scrub
habitats and is paced for beginning
birders and members of the Baldwin
Hills community. We will look for
migrating warblers, flycatchers,
vireos, orioles and tanagers. We
should also see the coastal sage
residents as well as water birds such
as Black-crowned Night Heron,
Osprey, Great Egret which are
attracted to the lake. Directions: The
park entrance is off of La Cienega
Blvd. between Rodeo Rd. and Stocker
St. After passing the entrance kiosk
($4.00 parking fee), make a left at the
first turn which leads to the “Olympic
Forest”. Park in the frrst available
spaces. We will meet there.
Binoculars provided.
If you wish to carpool, or for more
information, contact Eleanor Osgood
at volunteer@laaudubon.org or
(310)-839-5420.
BALLONA WETLANDS BIRD WALK
3RD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH
(EXCEPT FOR DECEMBER)
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Leaders: Bob Shanman and
Friends
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 P.M.
Join us for a walk through L.A.’s
only remaining saltwater marsh
and the adjacent rocky jetty.
Wintering shorebirds and terns
should be present, plus the
resident Black Oystercatchers
frequent the rocky shores of
Ballona Creek. Meet at the Del
Rey Lagoon parking lot.
Directions: take the Marina Fwy
(90) to Culver Blvd and turn left
for a mile. Turn right on Pacific
Ave. The lot is on the right. Lot
or street parking is usually not a
problem. Three hour walk.
‘scopes helpful.
Contact: Bob (310) 326-2473;
wildbirdbob@cs.com
Western Tanager May/June 2009 E21
 Pelagic Schedule
Our leaders come from the following roster of excellent and experienced pelagic birders:
Dave Compton, Jon Feenstra, Kimball Garrett, Todd McGrath and Dave Pereksta, assisted by Bernardo Alps, Wes Fritz and Terry Hunefeld.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Land on Santa Cruz Island for the
Island Scrub Jay, and then
out-to-sea.
Departs 8 a.m. Oxnard Harbor
This 8 hour trip departs from the Island
Packer dock in the Oxnard Harbor at
8:00 a.m. on the m/v Vanguard. We
will land at Prisoner’s Cove where the
endemic Island Scrub-Jay is easily
seen. Then, we will cruise out to sea
for pelagic birding, returning by
Anacapa Island. Birds seen on prior
trips: Northern Fulmar; Sooty and
Pink-footed shearwaters; rocky
shorebirds; South Polar Skua;
Pomarine and Parasitic jeagers;
Sabine’s Gull; Pigeon Guillemot;
Xantus’s Murrelet. Uncommon birds
seen on prior trips: Flesh-footed
Shearwater; American Oystercatcher;
and Tufted Puffin. A Brown Booby has
been seen on Anacapa Island. A box
lunch, breakfast and dinner can be
ordered at the dockside deli, Latitude
34 (805) 815-4131.
Leaders: Jon Feenstra, Terry
Hunefeld, Todd McGrath and David
Pereksta. $95
Saturday, July 25, 2009
A deep water trip to the San Juan
Seamount and Santa Rosa Ridge
Departs 7 a.m.
Santa Barbara Harbor
This trip departs from Santa Barbara
Harbor on the catamaran Condor
Express at 7:00 a.m. and will return
approximately by 8:00 p.m. We will
cruise along the deep water shelf by the
San Juan Seamount. Birds previously
seen this time of year: Black-footed
Albatross; Northern Fulmar; Pink-
footed and Sooty shearwaters; South
E22 Western Tanager Vol. 75, No. 5
Polar Skua; Pomarine Jaeger; Black,
Ashy and Leach’s storm-petrels;
Pigeon Guillemot; Common Murre:
Xantus’s Murrelet; Cassin’s and
Rhinoceros auklets. This time of year
Cook’s Petrel and Red-billed
Tropicbirds have been seen in the area.
Mega-rarities to be looked for are
Dark-rumped, Stejneger’s petrels and
Wedge-rumped Storm-petrels. There
is a complete galley on board that
serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Leaders: Jon Feenstra, Kimball
Garrett, Terry Hunefeld, Todd
McGrath and David Pereksta assisted
by Wes Fritz. $195
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Around 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. Birds to
be expected: Northern Fulmar; Sooty,
Pink-footed and Black-vented
shearwaters; Black, Ashy, and Leach’s
storm-petrels; cormorants (3): rocky
shorebirds (up to 5); Red-necked and
Red phalaropes; Pomarine, and
Parasitic jaegers; Sabine’s Gull: Royal,
Common and Arctic terns.
Uncommon species or rarities to be
looked for: Buller’s Shearwater, Least
Storm-Petrel; Red-billed Tropicbird;
South Polar Skua, Long-tailed Jaeger;
and Craveri’s Murrelet. Whales and
dolphins can be seen this time of year.
There is a complete galley that
serves breakfast and lunch.
Leaders: Terry Hunefeld, Todd
McGrath and David Pereksta. $115
Pelagic Reservation Instructions
Option 1: Mail
Mail your check or Credit Card information and
a SASE (for trip confirmation and information
flyer) for each trip requested to:
Los Angeles Audubon - Pelagics
P.O. Box 931057
Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057.
Option 2: Call, pay with Credit Card
Call Los Angeles Audubon at
(323) 876-0202
Mon. - Thur. 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Option 3: Email or Fax, pay with Credit Card
E-Mail reservation request to:
laas@laaudubon.org
Fax reservation request to:
(323) 876-7609
You may now use
Mastercard | Visa | Discover cards
to charge your trip.
There will be a $5 handling fee.
Provide the cardholder’s billing name, card
number, expiration date, and the last 3
numbers (security code) from the reverse of
your card.
Provide the name(s), mailing address,
contact telephone number, and email address
(if used) for each person requesting a
reservation.
Notes:
*Insufficient Response Cancellations: If
there is insufficient response 35 days before
the trip departure, the trip will be cancelled.
* Destinations may be changed to maximize
bird sightings, or minimize rough seas. With
increased fuel costs there can be a $5 to $10
energy surcharge per person.
*Refund Policy: You may receive a refund
less a $4.00 handling charge if you cancel 31
days prior to departure, or if a paid
replacement can be found.
*Before setting out on any LAAS Pelagic
Trip, call (323) 874-1318 Option #4, for a
recorded announcement of possible last
moment changes or cancellations that may
have occurred.
*For more information about other
Southern California Pelagic Events
please visit
http://www.SoCalBirding.com.
 International Birding Tours
SOUTH AFRICA
BIRDING EXPEDITION
September 5 - 20, 2009
Upon your arrival in Johannesburg,
the country's largest city with ultra modern
skyscrapers, you will be whisked away to
a haven of peace and tranquility to a
country lodge facing a lake, and find
yourself in an unmatched environment,
surrounded by countless species of birds.
From then on, the excitement of
enjoying not only the great
infrastructure, but some of the most
varied country on the continent--truly
a birder's paradise. Spectacular
scenery awaits you every day of this
trip, along with the diverse wildlife
and unusual species of birds.
Experience untouched wilderness in
Kruger National park, with the
tradition of safari in the style of the
past. Set on the banks of the
Nwatswitswonto River. Views of
long-lashed Ground Hornbills, plus
comical birds with enormous yellow
or red bills, hornbills not toucans, and
colorful azure-winged beauties like
the Lilac-breasted Rollers, to name a
few of the common species.
The extension to Cape Town
offers incredible vistas of the Cape
Penninsula, Boulders Beach, Table
Mountain, Kirstenbosch Botanical
Gardens, along with specialities like
Jackass Penguins, Cape Cormorants,
Southern Black Korhaan, Blue Crane,
Cape Sugarbird, and others too
numerous to list here. Join us and see
for yourself, South Africa, "A World
in One Country."
The dates for the main tour are
September 5/20, 2009, plus the Cape
Town Extension from September
19th through 27th.
For information and itinerary, contact: Olga Clarke oclarketravel@earthlink.net
Los Angeles Audubon Travel Director 2027 El Arbolita Dr. Glendale, CA 91208-1805 Ph/Fax: (818) 249-9511
PATAGONIA ARGENTINA
Oct. 23 - Nov. 7, 2009
Pre & Post Extensions to
Northwest Argentina &
Iguazu Falls
First, enjoy cultured Buenos
Aires before exploring Patagonia, a
land of extremes, and bird species not
found further north in South America,
including about 50 endemics,
Magellanic Woodpecker, Magellanic
Plover, Magellanic Penguins to name
a few. 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 incredible
landscapes, such as the Perito Moreno
Glacier, the Beagle Channel and the
steppes of Patagonia.
Northwest Argentina, our pre-trip
extension to the Salta Province, closer
to Bolivia and Chile, is a special
itinerary presenting an enormous
contrast to places visited in Patagonia
on the main tour. Here, the Chaco
avifauna is completely different and
rich. From Yungas forests in the
foothills near Salta to rugged country
in the altiplano, birds and other
wildlife await you.
Post Extension to renowned
Iguazu Falls.
Iguazu Falls, Photo by Herb Clarke
ECUADOR:
BEST OF THE ANDES
Dec. 26, 2009 - Jan. 9, 2010
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. You must see for
yourself the constant parade of
unusual species of birds in these
renowned highland birding areas, the
Northwestern and Eastern slopes of
the Andes. Visit seven zones of
different regions on this serious but
friendly excursion, accompanied by a
local expert guide. Based at the
famous San Jorge De Quito Eco-
Lodge, only a 20 minute drive from
the airport in Quito, we'll be birding
the Yanacocha Reserve, Mindo,
Tandayapa Valley, Milpe, Papallacta
Pass, Yanayuca, the slopes of the
Antisana Volcano, and more. Dozens
of species of hummingbirds and fruit
eaters coming to feeders.
On the Galapagos Extension,
you'll walk some of the same trails
that Charles Darwin did as a
naturalist in 1831. With expert guides,
see Galapagos Tortoise, Green
Turtles, Galapagos Sea Lions,
Chatham Lava Lizard, several types
of reptiles, including the colorful
Marine Iguana and the oversized
Lava Lizard. Close views of Waved
Albatross, Magnificent Frigatebirds,
Galapagos Penguins, Blue-footed and
Nazca Boobies, Brown Noddies,
Galapagos Hawk and several species
of finches. Great photographic
opportunities throughout.
Western Tanager May/June 2009 E23
 Monthly Programs
Meet at 7:30 PM in the Community Building in Plummer Park
7377 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046

Members will be asked to vote on the Board Slate 2009-2010 at the May 13th meeting of Los Angeles Audubon.
Please plan to attend. See page 7 for details.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Donelda Warhurst presents:
Looking for Sparrows —1 year, 21 states, 21,000 miles
After Donelda took Sylvia Gallagher's Sparrow Class in 2007, she set out
to find and photograph all the sparrows that are regular in the ABA area of the
US, a goal which she nearly attained. Come and hear about her adventures,
view some of her sparrow pictures, and find out which sparrow she did not
see. She has an amazing knowledge of sparrow calls and songs that she will
talk about.
Donelda's program will focus on closeup shots of the sparrows with a few
other birds and animals thrown in. Most of the sightings were taken on the
breeding grounds or where the birds regularly spend their winters. (This
accounts for the 21,000 miles.) Savannah Sparrows, Photo by Mary Freeman

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Stacey Vigallon, Los Angeles Audubon Director of Interpretation and
Students from the Baldwin Hills Greenhouse and Restoration Leadership
Programs, as well as students who attended the Audubon California
Assembly present:
High School and Habitat Restoration: Students Help Restore the
Baldwin Hills
In a fantastic partnership with EARTHWORKS Restoration, Inc., the first
year of the Baldwin Hills Greenhouse Internship Program and the Restoration
Leadership Program commenced in the summer of 2008. Since then, students
from Dorsey High School have been hard at work learning about coastal sage
scrub ecology, conducting original native plant research, and leading their peers
and the community at habitat restoration volunteer events. Join us for an
evening of student presentations and help us celebrate the fantastic work these Students of Dorsey High, Photo by Stacey Vigallon
students have completed during the school year.

Los Angeles Audubon Society Bookstore Hours

P.O. Box 931057
Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057
www.laaudubon.org
DATED MATERIAL
Please Expedite Regular Hours are:
Mon. through Thurs. 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed: Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Exceptions:
Open: Sat., May 2, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Open: Wed., May 13, 9:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.
(Meeting Night)
Closed: Mon., May 25, (Holiday)
Open: Sat., June 6, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Open: Wed., June 10, 9:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.
(Meeting Night)