Volume 76, Number 4 March/April 2010
WESTERN
TANAGER
a publication of Los Angeles Audubon
FIRE ON THE CREST!
Aftermath of the Station Fire of Summer 2009
anta Ana Winds whip up
S
strong gusts of wind in
Southern California. Hell
breaks loose each year when fires
erupt on dry, chaparral-covered
hillsides. In August 2009, Los
Angeles County suffered the largest
wildfire in the county’s history.
The "Station Fire", presumably an
arson fire, burned over 167,000
acres of the San Gabriel mountain
range above Los Angeles. The fire
spread, not because of the Santa
Ana Winds but as a result of dry,
dense vegetation fueling it. Steep
Pyrocumulus Clouds over Los Angeles, August 2009 Photo by Joe Fuhrman
terrain and limited air support
opportunities were contributors.
Pyrocumulus clouds rising over the
top of rugged mountain ridges
resembled a volcano that had blown
its top. Lack of winds prevented air
support in many steep, inaccessible
areas as the fire spread. Unusually
rugged terrain prevented
firefighters from moving in
equipment to fight the inferno as it
marched to the east and north.
Nick and I scouted the Angeles
Crest on December 6, which was
www.laaudubon.org
—by Mary and Nick Freeman
three months after the fire started
and about five weeks after the
monstrous fire was finally
extinguished. We observed the
devastation firsthand. Due to snow,
the highway was only open as far
as Islip Saddle. Stopping along the
road was not permitted, and
vehicles left parked on the road
were ticketed. Many people
stopped to take pictures.
Temperatures were below freezing
at times during the day. We
ventured out to experience the first
30 miles of Angeles Crest Highway
to see what habitat remained. We
only got as far as Chilao
Campground and Newcomb Ranch
Restaurant. The fire stopped just
short of Buckhorn Campground.
Portions of the San Gabriel
Wilderness Area away from the
highway to the southeast had
burned. Mountain slopes above the
Crest had a barren, lunar look. On
ridges, large conifers such as
Bigcone Douglas-fir and Sugar
Pine were black skeletons. Live
Oaks also suffered the fire’s wrath,
showing only brown leaves now.
According to a forestry service
source, brush fires can raise the
internal heat within the trunk
causing the leaves of the tree to
turn brown. These brown trees may

Angeles Crest Highway, near Switzer picnic area.
Notice the burned out vegetation on the slopes.
Photo by Mary Freeman
have met their death, along with the
charred majority of oaks throughout
the chaparral and oak woodland
belt transected by the Angeles Crest
Highway. Whether these oaks have
survived will not be seen until
spring. Though fires are a healthy
phase in the progression of
chaparral, an intense fire such as
the Station Fire is mostly
detrimental to oak and coniferous
forest woodlands upslope in this
mountain setting.
Chaparral shrubs are already
showing signs of regeneration on
the bases of less-intensely burned
hillsides. Deep gullies and isolated
ridges survived the fire. California
Sycamores and Incense Cedars
stand among the burned vegetation.
The bottom of Switzer canyon, and
the far hillside appear as if they
might have weathered the fire. But,
as with all of the region's
camping/hiking areas, there is no
access at this time for this to be
confirmed. The east side of Mount
Wilson Road from Red Box was
fairly untouched as far as the
saddle. This was a particularly
welcome bit of good news, as this
is where we hope to eventually re-
find the Saw-whets. At Red Box,
we found (1) Ruby-crowned
Kinglet; (3) California Thrashers;
(2) Western Scrub-Jays; (1)
Wrentit; (1) Oak Titmouse; and (1)
Gray Squirrel.
California Thrasher at Red Box at the
Mt. Wilson Road turnoff. Photo by Mary Freeman
Barley Flats Road, was fairly
scorched, with the dead needles of
the trees beautifully covered with a
silvery hoar-frost. Other areas that
had suffering crown fires, showed
signs of woodpecker activity. We
observed Northern Flicker, Acorn
Woodpecker, Mountain Chickadee,
and White-headed Woodpeckers at
Barley Flats Road, and a pair of
Red-tailed Hawks soaring nearby.
Up the road, Upper Big Tujunga
Canyon Road was closed off, as the
road descended into heavily burned
habitat.
When the fall and winter rains
and snows end, giving way to
spring and summer sun, there will
be new growth. Mountain
wildflowers may spring fourth in
unprecedented numbers.
Ceanothus species, Chamise and
Mountain Mahogany may reclaim
chaparral in three to 10 years, and
Live Oaks may retake their place in
20 to 30 years, but the loose
networks of Bigcone Douglas-fir
and Sugar Pine, and denser stands
of Ponderosa and Coulter pines that
were lost will not return again in
our lifetimes.
2 Western Tanager Vol. 76, No. 4
 Thank You for sUPPORTING
lOS ANGELES AUDUBON!
The mission of Los Angeles Audubon Society is to
promote the enjoyment and protection of birds and We wish to acknowledge these “Friends and Supporters” of Los Angeles
other wildlife through recreation, education,
conservation and restoration. Audubon. Listed here are both new and long-time supporters, who have
recently shown their support. We hope to see you at our monthly programs,
Los Angeles Audubon is a non-profit volunteer
organization of people with a common interest in
field trips, bird walks, pelagic trips and other events.
birding and natural history. Los Angeles Audubon
maintains offices, a library, and bookstore, the The staff and volunteers at Audubon House are happy to assist with any
proceeds of which benefit all of its programs. questions about our chapter and our activities.
Los Angeles Audubon Society
Audubon House
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W. Hollywood, CA 90046-6694
Claire S. Becker Donna Matson
Mailing Address Henry Borenstein
P.O. Box 931057, Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057 Lucinda Mittleman
(323) 876-0202 (voice/messages)
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www.laaudubon.org Hilma Carey Sallie & Rob Neubauer
Board Officers
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Richard Castle Geoffry Oblath
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Treasurer Lisa Fimiani
Executive Past President Dexter Kelly Johanna Dawes Robert Ottus Pasnau M.D.
Programs & Activities
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Shirley Eckstein Robin Prather
Field Trips Nick Freeman
Bird Walks Eleanor Osgood George & Mary Flicker Judith Raskin
Pelagic Trips Phil Sayre
Membership Meetings Mary Freeman Susan Frank Cindy Rosene
Ornithology Consultant Kimball Garrett
Rare Bird Alert
Report Rare Birds
Jon Fisher
(323) 874-1318
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WESTERN TANAGER Dexter & Elizabeth Kelly
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Published by
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Rebecca Kuzin
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Western Tanager is published bi-monthly. For address changes or
subscription problems call (323) 876-0202, or write to Member
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Services, Los Angeles Audubon, PO Box 931057, Los Angeles, CA
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Proofreaders Hanna Hayman, Kimball Garrett

Printed on Recycled Paper

Western Tanager March/April 2010 3

 birds of the season
his is what we call winter, and I’m
T not complaining. True, our
mountains and deserts experience
something akin to ‘real’ weather, but the
rest of the county must endure mild
conditions ideally suited for birding.
And the birds themselves did not
disappoint. Most often spring and fall
migration generate the most excitement,
but November and December were
remarkably productive.
A number of LA County Christmas
Bird Counts took place in the latter half
of December and early January and these
turned up another handful of good birds.
More importantly, the data from these
counts continues to document bird
numbers, including the increase or
decline of a number of species.
It’s been a good winter for
waterfowl, with Snow and Greater
White-fronted Geese and Hooded
Mergansers being present in above
normal numbers, while along the coast a
variety of rare ducks turned up.
Glaucous-winged Gulls- largely first
year birds– were present in significant
numbers last winter both inland and
along the coast, but this year they were
scarce everywhere.
Remarkably, vagrant warblers were
virtually non-existent this winter. There
was also little evidence of any invasive
or irruptive species, although numbers of
sapsuckers and Lewis’s Woodpeckers
were above average.
Here’s a look at what was around…
4 Western Tanager Vol. 76, No. 4
A Snow Goose was at Almansor
Park in Alhambra from November 19-
January 6 (Rick Swartzentrover) and
seven were along the San Gabriel
River in Pico Rivera on November 27
(Larry Schmahl) with what was likely
the same group seen at the Rio Hondo
spreading basins from January 1-5.
Two more were at Balboa Lake in
Van Nuys on December 17 (Jean
Brandt) and another was at Harbor
Park in Wilmington from December
23-29 (Ed Griffin).
Good numbers of Greater White-
fronted Geese both lingered and were
newly discovered on the coastal slope,
while up to ten Brant were at Cabrillo
Beach from December 27-January 2
(Tom Miko, Kathy Parker).
Three Cackling Geese were at
Harbor Park in Wilmington from
November 12-January 2 (Ed Griffin),
while another two were at Lincoln
Park in Lincoln Heights on November
19 (Tom Miko) and one was at the
Earvin Magic Johnson Recreation area
in Willowbrook on November 28
(Richard Barth).
A Tundra Swan was at Legg
Lake in South El Monte from
December 16-20 (Peter Sharp) where
it was eventually found dead. Three
more were at the Rio Hondo spreading
basins in Pico Rivera from January 1-3
(Jon Fisher). Another group of three
swans, possibly also Tundras, was
reported over Claremont on December
13 (fide Cathy McFadden)
—by Jon Fisher
Rare along the San Gabriel River
was a Wood Duck in Pico Rivera on
November 27 (Larry Schmahl).
Eurasian Wigeons were along the
LA River in Atwater Village from
November 20-November 28 (Richard
Barth) and at the Ballona Freshwater
Marsh on November 29 (Vic Warren,
Laurel Scott). A new bird was along
the LA River in Glendale from
December 2-5 (Richard Barth) and
another was at Hansen Dam on
December 6 (Kimball Garrett).
Females are certainly overlooked in
the region, but one was picked out of
the wigeon flock at the Woodley Lakes
Golf Course in Van Nuys on
December 17 (Jean Brandt).
A lone female Greater Scaup was
found at Almansor Park in Alhambra
on December 27 (Rick
Swartzentrover). As usual, they were
present in numbers on larger lakes and
reservoirs in the interior.
An ultra rarity in the county was
an immature male King Eider found
at Cabrillo Beach on December 27
(David Ellsworth). This cooperative
bird was seen by many very satisfied
birders as it remained through the end
of the period. There are only two prior
CBRC accepted records for the Los
Angeles County.
Quite rare in the county was a
Harlequin Duck in the Long Beach
Harbor area on January 2 (Bob
Schallmann). Unfortunately this bird was
in a restricted area, but it could well turn
up at a publicly accessible area nearby.
 A Surf Scoter was at Bonelli
Regional Park in San Dimas on
November 13 where they are rare but
somewhat regular (Andrew Lee).
The waters off Dockweiler State
Beach in El Segundo hosted several
Black Scoters and White-winged
Scoters from November 14-January 5
(Richard Barth). Another Black was
on Alamitos Bay on December 13
(Robb Hamilton). Elsewhere, a few
White-wingeds were at Torrance Beach
on December 28 (Kevin Larson) and
two were off Pacific Palisades on
December 29 (Richard Barth).
Long-tailed Ducks showed up at
Dockweiler State Beach on
November 29 (Dana Quincey) and at
Malibu Pier from December 20-
January 2 (Walter Lamb).
Though fairly common on our
interior lakes and reservoirs, few
Common Goldeneyes were reported
coastally. Single birds were at Del
Rey Lagoon on December 13 (Barbara
Johnson) and at Topanga Lagoon on
December 20 (Walter Lamb).
Hooded Mergansers seemed to
be everywhere and in good numbers,
marked by a high count of twenty-nine
at Hansen Dam on December 24
(Kimball Garrett).
Common along the coast, but
unusual inland was a Red-breasted
Merganser at Balboa Lake on
December 8 (Jim Hardesty).
Rare at any time, but even less
expected after October was a Brown
Booby off Torrance Beach on
December 28 (Kevin Larson).
With little good habitat available,
American Bitterns are rare on the
coastal slope. Just two were found
during the period, one at Harbor Park
in Wilmington on November 14 (John
Tomlinson) and another at Legg Lake
in South El Monte on December 17-28
(Steve Duncan).
Three White-faced Ibis were in
Pico Rivera at the San Gabriel River
spreading basins from December 4-28
(Larry Schmahl) and one was at El
Dorado Park in Long Beach on
January 7 (Maureen Sullivan).
Often overlooked, Legg Lake in
South El Monte was a hot birding
locale in December. An excellent
find here was a Wood Stork present
from December 12-21 (Mark & Janet
Scheel). Subsequently this bird
turned up at Bonelli Park in San
Dimas on December 24 (Gloria
Rosta) where it remained through
January 3 and finally apparently
moved on. This is the first coastal
slope record for the county since
1984, with an interior record from
Piute Ponds in 1988 being slightly
more recent. Historically this species
was much more common coastally.
A Golden Eagle was seen at
Bonelli Park on November 30 and
again on December 24. An adult Bald
Eagle was also at Bonelli from
December 2-January 3 and a sub-adult
was there on December 11 (all Rod
Higbie). Others were seen over
Claremont on December 11 (Pamela
King), on the Lancaster CBC on
December 19 (Mary Freeman) and at
Castaic Lagoon on December 27
(Kimball Garrett).
Other raptors of note were a
returning Ferruginous Hawk at Playa
del Rey from November 11-January 3
(Jonathan Coffin) and a probable
suckleyi type Merlin – the rare dark
subspecies— along the LA river near
Glendale on November 28 (Tom
Wurster, Liga Auzins).
Mountain Plover are regular in
the Antelope Valley in winter, with
thirteen spotted in one field (Jean
Brandt), and another ninety nearby on
November 28 (Andrew Lee). At least
forty were reported through early
January, all being in the vicinity of
Avenue I and J near 110th Street East.
Western Tanager
Always scarce in winter was a
Lesser Yellowlegs along the San
Gabriel River near Whittier Narrows
on December 19 (Jon Feenstra).
Unusual gulls included a first year
Franklin’s Gull at Legg Lake from
January 3-6 (Chris Akiyoshi) and a
very rare adult Lesser Black-backed
Gull at Torrance Beach on December
27 (Dave Moody).
A Common Murre off Dockweiler
State Beach on November 22 was the
only alcid reported (Richard Barth).
A Burrowing Owl continued at
Playa del Rey through November 15
and another was in Culver City from
November 18-December 9 (JoAnne
McKenzie). A third that was seen
through the period was found in early
December above Dockweiler State
Beach (Dean Schaff).
At least six Lewis’s Woodpeckers
continued at Jackson Lake near
Wrightwood through November 14,
while a single bird remained at the San
Gabriel Country Club. Several were at
Marshall Canyon near La Verne as of
November 28 (Cathy McFadden, Paul
Clarke) and one was at Malibu Creek
State Park through January 2 (Louis
Tucker). Another was in Santa Clarita
on December 27 (Mike San Miguel).
Always an unusual find in the
lowlands were Williamson’s
Sapsuckers at Mt. Sinai Memorial
Park near Burbank on November 23
(Richard Barth) and at Veteran’s Park
in Sylmar on November 30 (Richard
Sutton). Others were in Big Dalton
Canyon north of Glendora (Tom
Ryan) and at slightly higher elevation
at Henninger Flat on December 19
(Darren Dowell).
At least seven Red-naped
Sapsuckers were found on the coastal
slope between November 12 and
January 3, while Yellow-bellied
Sapsuckers included returning birds
at Lindberg Park (Don Sterba) and at
March/April 2010 5
Ed Vincent Park in Inglewood
(Richard Barth) on November 14.
Others were at Veteran’s Cemetery in
Westwood on November 15 (Jim
Abernathy, Dick Norton), in Arcadia
from November 8 on (Mike San
Miguel) and at Veteran’s Park in
Sylmar from December 28-January 2
(Jeff Allison, Larry Schmahl).
White-headed Woodpeckers
away from normal areas were found at
St. Andrew’s Priory near Valyermo on
November 14 (Mark & Janet Scheel)
and at Henninger Flat on December 19
(Darren Dowell) where they may be
regular in winter.
Also of interest was a Yellow-
shafted Flicker at Lindberg Park in
Culver City on November 14 (Don
Sterba). Plenty of intergrade type
flickers with yellow underwings are
present each winter, but very few of
these are pure Yellow-shafted birds.
Moving on to passerines,
Empidonax flycatchers included a
Hammond’s Flycatcher at El Dorado
Park in Long Beach on November 8
(Andrew Lee), another on the Long
Beach CBC on December 19 (Rich
Sonnenberg), and one on Pt. Dume for
the Malibu CBC on December 20
(Kimball Garrett). Silent “Western”
Flycatchers were at Banning Park in
Wilmington on December 1 (Richard
Barth) and on the El Dorado/Long
Beach CBC on December 19 (Rich
Sonnenberg). Last was a Gray
Flycatcher was near Magic Mountain
in Valencia on December 27 (Dan
Guthrie, Judy Sudgen)
Common as a migrant and
breeding bird, but quite rare in winter
was an Ash-throated Flycatcher that
turned up on the Long Beach CBC on
December 19 (Rich Sonnenberg).
An Eastern Phoebe at Kenneth
Hahn Park on November 29 (Ann &
Eric Brooks) was the only one
reported and a Dusky-capped
6 Western Tanager Vol. 76, No. 4
Flycatcher returned as of
December 2 to spend its third
winter at Creek Park in La Mirada
(Jonathan Rowley).
Identifying kingbirds can be
problematic. Western and Cassin’s are
readily separable, but Tropical and
Couch’s are extremely similar. While
only a single record of Couch’s has
been accepted for the state, any silent
bird could conceivably be of this
species. An unusual number of
presumed or confirmed Tropical
Kingbirds were present this winter.
Sightings included birds at Kenneth
Hahn Park on November 13, at
Lindberg Park on November 14 (both
Don Sterba), in Mar Vista on
November 24 (Dan Cooper), along the
lower LA River in Long Beach on
November 24 (Karen Gilbert), and at
Woodley Lakes Golf Course in Van
Nuys on December 17 (Jean Brandt).
The last one discovered was at Legg
Lake from December 19-January 5
(Jonathan & Libby Rowley).
Any swallow other than Tree is of
interest in winter. Thus six to eight
Violet-green Swallows at Hansen
Dam December 6-13 (Kimball
Garrett) and nearly two dozen
Northern Rough-winged Swallows
in Pico Rivera on December 28 (Jon
Fisher) were notable. Single Rough-
wingeds were also recorded at several
other locations.
A Brown Creeper was away
from expected areas at Heartwell
Park in Long Beach on November
15 (Robb Hamilton).
Numbers of Mountain
Bluebirds were in the Antelope
Valley and a few also made it to the
coastal slope. Up to three were at
Santa Fe Dam from November 20-
December 19 (Andrew Lee) and as
many as ten were present near
Brackett Field in La Verne from
December 19-26 (Rod Higbie). Two
more were between the desert and
coastal slope in San Francisquito
Canyon on December 27 (Russ &
Dorothy Stone), and a lone male
was in Glendale from January 5-6
(Jon Fisher).
Away from the mountains was a
Townsend’s Solitaire in the Antelope
valley on November 15 (Jon Feenstra).
Rare as a migrant away from the
deserts was a Sage Thrasher at Santa
Fe Dam on November 21 (Tom
Wurster, Liga Auzins). Another was
found in the Antelope Valley- where
rare in winter- on the Lancaster CBC
on December 19 (Mary Freeman).
Very few warblers of note were
reported. These included a
Nashville Warbler at Heartwell
Park in Long Beach on December 19
(Rich Sonnenberg) and a Virginia’s
Warbler in Brentwood on January 3
(Dan Cooper).
A Painted Redstart returned for a
fifth winter in Monrovia Canyon.
According to Nature Center staff it
was present since at least October 3,
but went unreported until November
22 (Darren Dowell). This bird wins
the prize for the longest-lived bird of
the Painted Redstart invasion of 2005.
Expected in small numbers in
winter were Summer Tanagers at
DeForest Park in Long Beach on
November 10-December 19 (Jeff
Boyd) and at Bouton Creek Park in
Long Beach on November 15 (Robb
Hamilton). Two more were in Elysian
Park on November 26 and one was in
the Legg Lake area through December
19 (both Mike San Miguel).
Two Vesper Sparrows were at
Santa Fe Dam from November 20
through late December (Andrew Lee)
and a surprising four were at Peck
Park in Arcadia on November 21
(John Garrett).
Still rare but increasingly detected
as a migrant in recent years was a
Grasshopper Sparrow at Peck Road
Water Conservation Park in Arcadia
on November 15. Another lingered
late at Santa Fe Dam from November
20-27 (both Andrew Lee).
A Swamp Sparrow at the Ballona
Freshwater Marsh near Culver City on
November 15 was the only one found
(Jon Fisher).
Over a half dozen White-throated
Sparrows in the county was a higher
number than in recent years. Single
birds were at DeForest Park in Long
Beach on November 10-December 19
(Jeff Boyd), in the eastern Antelope
Valley on November 15 (Jon
Feenstra), at the Ballona Freshwater
Marsh on November 26 (David
Haake) and at Pearblossom Park on
November 28 (Andrew Lee). Two
were at Placerita Canyon on December
14 (Bob Kaufman) and the last report
was of one in Mt. Washington on
December 21 (Julian Donahue).
Gray–headed Juncos have been
scarce in the county lately, with the only
report this winter being from La Verne
on November 5 (Dan Gregory). Rarer
still were two Pink-sided Juncos. One
was in the eastern Antelope Valley on
November 15 (Jon Feenstra) and the
other was at Elysian Park from
December 23-25 (Richard Barth).
Quite unusual coastally was a
Lapland Longspur heard flying over
Dockweiler State Beach on November
16 (Dan Cooper).
Grosbeaks included a female
Rose-breasted Grosbeak at DeForest
Park in Long Beach on November 10
(Karen Gilbert) and an immature male
in Baldwin Hills on November 22
(Ann & Eric Brooks). Late Black-
headed Grosbeaks were in the
Hollywood Hills on November 18
(Dave Surtees) and in Westwood on
November 23 (Dan Cooper).
Unexpected was a female Blue
Grosbeak at the Rio Hondo Basin
above the Whittier Narrows Dam on
December 14, the latest one ever
recorded in the county (Larry Schmahl).
Aside from the usual handful of
wintering Bullock’s, the only notable
oriole was a Baltimore Oriole at West
Los Angeles College on November 16
(Don Sterba).
It seems winter has hardly begun
before spring rolls around again. It’s
the one time of year that southern
California really looks lush and green,
especially so after a wet winter.
We’ve already had some significant
precipitation, with the bulk of the
season’s rainfall still expected to
come. If received in the proper doses,
a good year could significantly
improve habitat and help jump start
growth in burn areas without creating
a muddy mess.
Spring also means that bird
activity will be in high gear. Loons,
scoters and brant will be heading north
along the coast. Although shorebirds
won’t come close to matching the
spectacle of their autumn migration,
it’s nice to see them in more colorful
alternate plumage.
The lowlands will see migrants by
March, with swallows arriving in
numbers well before that. By May, the
mountains will be good as well.
Resident birds will be singing,
defending territories and raising
broods as these migrants stream north
with reproduction their singular goal.
There’s a rush of new life and
an undeniable sense of renewal...
it’s a very enjoyable time to be out
in the field.
Lastly, another plug for eBird…
if you don’t already use it, be sure to
give it a try. It’s a great way to keep
track of your trip, life and year lists
and it makes your data immediately
Western Tanager
available to others where it can be
put to good use. It’s really quite an
amazing tool, it’s fun and it’s
completely free. Visit www.ebird.org
bIRD wALKS
Bird Walks are geared for the begin-
ner/intermediate bird watcher look-
ing for an introduction to local birds
or a less strenuous excursion. Appro-
priate for young bird watchers age 6
years and older. Carpooling is en-
couraged. Binoculars are provided
on some walks as noted below. NO
sign-up, NO fees, just show up!
Topanga State Park Birdwalk
(Topanga, CA 90290)
1st Sunday of every month
March 7 & April 4 8am-12pm
Franklin Canyon Sooky Goldman
Nature Center
(2600 Franklin Canyon Dr., Beverly
Hills, CA 90210)
Second Sunday of the month
March 14 & April 11 8am-11:30am
Binoculars Provided.
Ballona Wetlands Bird Walk
(Playa Del Rey, CA 90293)
3rd Sunday of the month August
through May, with the exception of
December.
March 21 & April 18 8am-12pm
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
(Los Angeles, CA 90056) in Bald-
win Hills.
3rd Saturday of the month
March 20 & April 17 8am-12pm
Binoculars Provided
Complete details and directions to
Los Angeles Audubon’s Bird Walks
are available on our website:
www.laaudubon.org or call
(323) 876-0202 during our regular
business hours.
March/April 2010 7
 In May, 1907, a small band of bird lovers began to take bird walks in the hills and
canyons of Garvanza. Interest grew and numbers increased, and on March 2, 1910, the
group formed the organization that was to become the Los Angeles Audubon Society.
Although the Society’s original focus was recreation and providing programs for bird
enthusiasts, the Society also has a decades-long track record of conservation advocacy.
This advocacy included not only support for establishment of bird and wildlife
sanctuaries and preserves in Los Angeles, and indeed across the country, but all
legislation effecting the welfare of living things commanded the attention of the Society.

Today, the Los Angeles Audubon Society is a California non-profit 501(c)(3)

corporation. Our mission is to promote the enjoyment and protection of birds and
other wildlife through recreation, education, conservation and restoration. As we
enter our Centennial Year, we stand re-committed to our mission, and the following
examples demonstrate how our programs serve our mission:

RECREATION •Our GREENHOUSE INTERNSHIP

•Offer over 100 BIRD WALKS (an
introduction to birding for beginners and
intermediates) and FIELD TRIPS (a deeper
delve into identification, natural histories,
and interactions).
•Coordinate five to six PELAGIC, or
ocean voyages. in California waters to
watch sea birds.
•Conduct two to four INTERNATIONAL
BIRDING ADVENTURES to exciting
destinations like Costa Rica, Kenya,
and Ecuador.
•Present, in cooperation with California
Audubon and the Pasadena Audubon
Society, AUDUBON FILM FRIDAYS, a family
and multi-culture oriented open-air festival
of environmental films.
EDUCATION
•Los Angeles Audubon’s outdoor
classrooms provide K-12 students from
Los Angeles’s urban core opportunities to
explore local ecosystems in their “own
backyard”, through our education
programs at BALLONA WETLANDS,
SEPULVEDA BASIN WILDLIFE AREA, and
KENNETH HAHN STATE RECREATION AREA.
PROGRAM draws highly motivated
students from Dorsey High School to
conduct year-long, resume-building
scientific research on native plants at
the Baldwin Hills Greenhouse.
•LEO POLITI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has
partnered with Los Angeles Audubon to
expand the science-based nature activities
the school offers its students. Our premiere
initiative is installation of a native habitat
on 6,000 square feet of underutilized
school yard with a US Fish & Wildlife
Service grant of $18,000!
•Our annual SCHREIBER AWARD/RESEARCH
GRANT provides support to students and
amateur ornithologists, who are not able to
secure research funding through channels
available to professional ornithologists.
•Our MONTHLY PROGRAMS, open to
members and the public alike, offer
research highlights from leading
ornithologists from around the world.
•Los Angeles Audubon has recently
partnered with California State Parks to
develop docent-lead BIRD AND PLANT
NATURALIST PROGRAMS at the new
Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook State Park.

8 Western Tanager Vol. 76, No. 4

CONSERVATION
•THREATENED SPECIES PROGRAM - The
Western Snowy Plover, a federally
recognized threatened species, roosts on
Los Angeles County Beaches, but last
bred on our beaches in 1949! Working
with the US Fish and Wildlife Service,
the California Department of Fish and
Game, Ryan Ecological Consulting and
Santa Monica Bay and Palos
Verdes/South Bay Audubon Chapters,
Los Angeles Audubon is monitoring the
Snowy Plover in an effort to protect it
and provide opportunities for it to breed,
once again, on our county’s beaches.
•ENDANGERED SPECIES PROGRAM –
Los Angeles Audubon works with the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
California Department of Fish &
Game, and Ryan Ecological
Consulting to monitor the Least Tern
colony at Marina del Rey during the
nesting season, with volunteers
collecting valuable data on a weekly
basis, in an effort to increase fledge
success. In 2008, our site was the
most productive site on the entire
West coast!
•IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS – Important
Bird Areas, or IBAs, are sites that
meet rigorous criteria in an
international program to protect birds
and habitat. Los Angeles Audubon
participated in a systematic effort to
identify a network of important
conservation sites for birds. This
effort resulted in identification of 148
IBAs in the state, with 9 in Los
Angeles County, and the publication
of Important Bird Areas of California,
by Daniel S. Cooper.
•LOS ANGELES COUNTY SENSITIVE
BIRD SPECIES REPORT – Los Angeles
Audubon convened the Sensitive
Bird Species Working Group to
develop a list of at-risk species
tailored to Los Angeles County.
There were two underlying goals of
the endeavor. The first was to
examine the status of all bird species
occurring in the county by including
migrants and wintering birds. The
second was to emphasize species at
risk in the county that did not enjoy
protection (or at least attention) by
either a legal listing (as under the state
or Federal Endangered Species Acts)
or by recognition as a California
BSSC. Los Angeles Audubon
published the results of this
endeavor in its January/February
2009 Western Tanager.
•WIND POWER ADVOCACY –
Although Los Angeles Audubon
supports wind energy to offset the
effects of green house gas
emissions from coal powered
plants, since 2002, Los Angeles
Audubon has been a leader in
advocating to minimize the
impacts of wind power projects on
birds and bats by 1) participating
as a stakeholder in the creation of
the California Energy Commission
guidelines adopted in 2007; 2)
partnering with other Audubon
chapters on wind projects in Palm
Springs, Kern County and Santa
Barbara County; 3) advocating for
research funding to understand the
cumulative impacts of wind
energy, especially on sensitive
species of birds.
RESTORATION
•LEAST TERN COLONY
RESTORATION – During the non-
breeding season, when the Least
Terns have left their colony
enclosure on Venice Beach, Los
Angeles Audubon helps host
habitat restoration days. These
events are an opportunity for the
public to visit the normally off-
limits site and participate in
invasive plant and trash removal,
in preparation for the terns’ return.
•KENNETH HAHN STATE RECREATION
AREA NATIVE PLANT AND WILDLIFE
GARDEN – Since 2006, more than 100
volunteers from local neighborhoods
have helped remove plants not native
Western Tanager
to the area. This non-native
vegetation was replaced with young
plants and seeds representing the
members of the native coastal sage
scrub plant community. Los Angeles
Audubon has partnered with several
organizations to help fund and
manage this project, including
Earthworks, the Baldwin Hills
Conservancy, the Los Angeles and
Santa Monica chapters of the
California Native Plant Society, and
Friends of Baldwin Hills. Restoration
efforts continue in the hills.
•Through our RESTORATION LEADERS
PROGRAM, high school students from
the urban core receive hands-on
training in habitat restoration at the
new Scenic Overlook State Park and
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area.
Please be part of our mission and
help us celebrate our Centennial by
joining or contributing to Los
Angeles Audubon!
Help us celebrate our Centennial by
supporting our education and
conservation programs!
Here’s how you can help!
$50 Provides L.A. bird Identification
guides for an elementary school class.
$100 Provides art supplies for our after
school SCIENCE ILLUSTRATION PROGRAM.
$250 Provides one elementary class trip to
the LEAST TERN COLONY.
$300 Provides T-shirts for Dorsey High
School students participating in our
RESTORATION LEADERS PROGRAM.
$500 Provides one scope and tripod for an
elementary school science class.
$1,000 Sponsors one Dorsey High School
internship in our year-long BALDWIN HILLS
RESTORATION ACADEMY.
$5,000 Supports our LEAST TERN MONITORING
PROGRAMfor one year.
Don’t operate alone! Engage your friends,
neighbors, birding buddies, bridge club, choir,
Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts, to combine
resources and support Los Angeles Audubon’s
education and conservation programs!
For more information please contact:
Mary Loquvam, Executive Director,
(323) 664.1294,
maryloquvam@laaudubon.org
or Martha Balkan, Gift Administrator,
(323) 876.0202, books@laaudubon.org.
March/April 2010 9

Field trips often require more
time or effort than do bird
walks. They delve more deeply
into identification, natural
histories and interactions
observed in the field. No pets
or small children, please.
Contact information will be
released for carpooling unless
requested otherwise.
Before setting out on any event,
please call the LAAS bird tape at
(323) 874-1318, Option #4.
For a recorded message with
special instructions or possible
cancellations that may have
occurred. Updates will also be
posted on our website.
www.laaudubon.org
Sunday, March 7
Ventura County Game Preserve
Leader: Irwin Woldman. The private duck
hunting club in Ventura has a long history of
producing the kinds of birds that most rich,
well-birded and disappearing habitats can lay
claim to, including Sora and Virginia rails,
American Bittern, Eurasian Wigeon, dark
morph Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, and
one Lesser Sand-Plover. Emphasis on
shorebirds for this date. Get to the preserve
by taking the 101 Fwy W to Rice Avenue S,
following the Rice Ave. prompts to the T-
intersection, then take Hueneme Rd. west
just past the buildings on the right. Meet on
the side of the road at 7:30 a.m. Free. No
sign-up required. We will walk the property,
so good hiking/mud shoes with energetic
legs inside a plus. We may have one car.
Scopes & FRS radios helpful.
Sunday, March 14
Bonelli Regional Park
Leader: Rod Higbie. Bonelli Regional Park
is a remarkable island of habitat. It contains
extensive coastal sage habitat, along with a
large lake surrounded by park land. Birds
regularly seen in the past include: California
Gnatcatcher, Cactus Wren, dancing grebes,
and occasionally Golden Eagle. 200 other
species throughout the year. From LA, take
10 Western Tanager Vol. 76, No. 4
Field Trips
the 10 or 210 Fwy east towards San Dimas
to the top stretch of the 57 Fwy. Proceed N
from the 10, or S from the 210 on the 57
Fwy to the Via Verde exit just N of the 10/57
interchange (at the bottom of Kellogg Hill).
If coming from the N, turn left onto Via
Verde, and left into the "Park and Ride" lot.
If coming from the S, take the Via Verde
offramp and proceed Rt. to the "Park and
Ride" lot on the Rt. We will meet here at
7:30 a.m. to carpool since there is a $8.00/car
park entrance fee. Rod will continue after
lunch, if there is interest. There are picnic
tables and facilities. Bring lunch, if you plan
to bird past noon. No limit or reservation.
March 20 & 21 Weekend
Anza Borrego
Birds, Butterflies and Beyond
Leader: Fred Heath. High points over the
years: blooming desert evening-primrose
and indigo bush, chuckwalla, collared lizard,
desert bighorn (annual), Swainson’s Hawks,
LeConte’s Thrasher, Long-eared Owl
(hopeful). Suggested accommodations:
Tamarisk Grove Campground (reserve
through www.reserveamerica.com), or
Stanlund Motel in Borrego Springs (760)
767-5501. Anticipate a busy weekend, and
reserve camping (up to 3 months early) and
motels very early. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at
Yaqui Wells across from Tamarisk Grove
Campground. Limit 20 people. Reserve
with $15 fee, phone number, e-mail address,
& SASE to Los Angeles Audubon to learn
more details. Pleasant to warm days, cool to
cold nights (30-100°F!).
April 10 & 11 Weekend
Owens Valley Grouse Trip
Mary and Nick Freeman lead. Greater Sage
Grouse on the lek, Sooty Grouse hooting
from the tree tops (but hard to see!), Gray-
crowned Rosy-Finch, Golden and Bald
Eagles, and Swainson’s Hawk almost
guaranteed; and Red Crossbill, Black-
backed Woodpecker and Pinyon Jay very
likely. Breathtaking scenery always! Meet
early Saturday and Sunday mornings in
Bishop at Jack’s Restaurant. Limited to 20.
To sign up, send $55, phone number, e-mail
address, and SASE to Los Angeles Audubon.
More details in confirmation mailer/e-mailer.
Reserve rooms early. Motel 6, Mountain
View Inn, Bishop Elms are some of many
hotels in Bishop.
Saturday, April 17
Big Morongo Wildlife Preserve
Leader: Howard King. Breeding desert and
oasis birds such as Vermilion Flycatcher,
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. Meet at 7:30
a.m. in the preserve parking lot, and 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.
Friday through Sunday, April 23-25
America’s Birdiest County Weekend
Lance Benner will organize this annual
event, orchestrating forces where we need
coverage. Los Angeles county was national
champion in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, so
let’s penta-peat in 2010! If you are up for it,
contact Lance at lbenner@charter.net,
and tell him where your “county patch” is, or
asked to be assigned a spot.
May 1-2 Weekend
Kern River Valley Spring Nature Festival
Come visit "America's Birdiest Inland
County" ’04 -‘07. Over 200 bird species
seen during the festival! Trips spanning
Central Valley/Giant Sequoias/Kern River
Valley/Mojave Desert/Owens Valley. Check
website:
http://kern.audubon.org/KRVSNF.htm.
Organized by Audubon-California’s Kern
River Preserve.
Sunday, May 2
Hansen Dam Riparian Birds
Leader: Kimball Garrett. 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 a.m.
May 8-9 Weekend
Mojave Desert out of Baker
Leaders: Nick & Mary Freeman. Your
intrepid leaders will lead 12 durable birders
in search of migrating passerines and
flycatchers, as well as Scott's Oriole and
other desert birds. Should also be an
excellent time for herps like Chuckwalla,
Desert Iguana, Desert Tortoise, Horned
Lizard. Some rock-hoping and hiking, and
lots of driving on paved and dirt roads, so a
driving partner is advisable. Likely spots we
will visit include Tecopa, China Ranch,
Horsethief Springs, Kelso Station, Zzyzx,
and Baker sewage ponds. Meet in Baker at
7:00 a.m. Saturday, 6:30 a.m., Sunday, at
Pike’s Family Restaurant (formerly
Denny’s). Reserve your own room in Baker
for both nights (motel list in mailer). High
clearance strongly recommended. Bring
enough gas, food, a spare tire (check the air),
and water for the weekend. Reserve with
$20, phone number & email address,
have/don’t have high clearance, and SASE
(or e-mail for confirmation mailer). Contact
information will be released for possible
carpool/roomie information, unless
requested otherwise.
May 14-17 Long Weekend
Kern River Valley Spring Migrants
Leader: Bob Barnes. This trip will be
devoted to experiencing the waves of Spring
migrants that push up through the mountains
this time of year, as well as searching out
vagrants that frequently show up with them.
Reservations needed. This joint field trip is
being organized by Sea and Sage Audubon.
For more information and to reserve, see:
www.seaandsageaudubon.org.
Field Trips
Saturday, May 22
Tejon Ranch
Leader: Jim Moore. Los Angeles Audubon
has never before visited this working ranch
that was off limits to visitation until just
recently. This will be a joint venture with
our neighbors to the north, San Fernando
Audubon. It is still by special arrangement
with escort only, as one could easily get lost
on the web of dirt roads covering this huge
property. We will visit Big Sycamore
Canyon and Los Alamos Creek, probably
amounting to a few miles of easy hiking up
the future realignment of the Pacific Crest
Trail through the south-central portion of
Tejon Ranch. We will see magnificent oak
woodlands, stunning sycamore riparian
woodlands, late wildflowers, and diverse
chaparral vegetation communities, as well as
the birds that call these canyons their home.
Take Interstate 5 north to Quail Lake Rd.
(Hwy 138). Continue east for 8.7 miles to
300th Street West. Turn north and continue
on the paved road until it curves to the left.
At this point, leave the paved road and
continue on the dirt road until you come to
the Tejon Ranch gate. Registered
participants meet here at 7:30 a.m. Bring
lunch, as we will be out most of the day.
Those wishing to carpool can meet at the
McDonald’s on the east side of Interstate 5 at
Lake Hughes Road at 6:45 a.m. High
clearance vehicles recommended; we will
carpool into these at the ranch. Rain cancels.
Limit: 30 participants only. Everyone please
register with Los Angeles Audubon by phone
(323) 876-0202.
Sunday, May 23
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. This area was spared by
the recent Station Fire. Good selection of
breeding and migrating birds including
warblers, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western
Tanager, and Band-tailed Pigeon. Dipper
possible. Pack in a lunch and water.
Meeting time 7:00 a.m. No sign up.
Nominal donation suggested. A Forest
Western Tanager
Service Adventure Pass is necessary.
June 11-14 Long Weekend
High Sierra Breeding Birds
Leader: Bob Barnes. High deserts to High
Sierra. The most diverse, species-rich region
in the state. Meet early in Inyokern for
Friday morning's start. All other days start
early in Kernville. Likely: Goshawk,
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Pileated Woodpecker
and owls. 150 species likely in 4 days. Joint
trip with our good neighbors in Sea & Sage
Audubon Society. To reserve, and receive
trip information including lodging, send
phone number and $15 for each day
attended ($60 for 4 days), with e-mail
address or SASE. Lots of driving, so bring a
friend, and we will carpool when possible.
Contact info will be released for carpooling.
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, and Thursday in
Inyokern (all listed in flyer). Maximum 15.
Friday through Monday, July 2-5
Quaking Aspen Cabin Trip for Owls
Leaders: Mary and Nick Freeman. Quaking
Aspen is above Springville, near Ponderosa
in the southwest Sierras. Owling by night,
bird walks by day! Must be a night owl. We
may also look at some butterflies and
wildflowers! Hopeful birds: Flammulated,
Saw-whet, Spotted and other owls, Pileated
Woodpecker, Winter Wren, Goshawk,
Hammond’s & Dusky flycatchers and more.
Some are difficult, but all have been seen on
this trip! The only cabin at the campsite is
reserved, but only sleeps 6. Late sign-ups,
and frugal or rustic birders will want to
reserve their own campsites at
www.reserveamerica.com (soon!). For all:
our first dinner will be potluck, others
provided or eat out. Tentatively meet
Thursday 3:00 p.m. at Quaking Aspen
Campground (by entrance). More details in
flyer. To reserve, send phone, $95 check for
cabin (included) / $20 for campers (site not
included), and e-mail address or SASE. 4
sign-ups max. for the cabin, 3 min. 6
additional sign-ups max. for campers. No
small children or pets, please.
March/April 2010 11
 Interpreting Nature
For this issue’s Interpreting Nature column, I would like to introduce Alma Alegria. A 2008 Dorsey High
School graduate, Alma was one of the first Dorsey students to volunteer for Los Angeles Audubon,
participating in Least Tern colony clean-ups, Snowy Plover surveys, and habitat restoration at the Baldwin
Hills Scenic Overlook. Alma is currently completing her sophomore year at Yale University, has spent a
summer studying film in Paris, and visited Nepal in the spring of 2009. In the essay that follows, Alma
compares her experience with nature in Nepal to her experience growing up in Los Angeles.
“If you have to go anywhere at
night, please run to wherever you are
going; do not walk” – These
instructions – almost taken from a
horror movie -- were spoken to me and
my peers by the park ranger on the
night we arrived at Chitwan National
Park located in the South-Central region
of Nepal. The park guide’s warning
referred to the sloth bears, wild boars,
and other animals that might wander by
our cabins searching for food; moving
quickly at night would help avoid
unsavory encounters. Our cabins faced
the Narayani River amid a thin layer of
trees. Although tired from the day’s
journey and everyone else headed to
bed, my senses thirsted for the new
location. It was my first time being in
an actual “jungle” and Nepal’s
countryside. Here, the sound of traffic
ceased and the chime of crickets began.
I traded a 9th floor hotel room view of
the Kathmandu skyline strewn with
Tibetan prayer flags for soil beneath my
feet and vines dangling above me from
tree to tree. I stayed outside on my
cabin porch that night, filling my lungs
with clean air, while my eyes scanned
the star populations nestled in the
bluish-black sky. However, a teenage
girl’s shriek from next door tore through
this serene atmosphere and converted
Chitwan National Park into another
Camp Crystal Lake.
Some students awoke and ran with
me to her rescue, only to discover a
defenseless, though enormous, spider as
the culprit responsible. Shortly after
our discovery and annoyed with her
hysteria, a groggy colleague lazily
chucked his shoe and smashed the poor
spider.
This and other similar incidents
occurred on my trip to Nepal during my
Spring Break of freshman year (March
2009). The situations brought me closer
12 Western Tanager Vol. 76, No. 4
—Stacey Vigallon, Director of Interpretation
to reality, dissolved myths about the
third-world and made many first-world
inhabitants look quite pathetic, foolish,
weak, or inconsiderate.
I traveled to Nepal with nine other
undergraduates as part of a student-
founded and student-run organization
called Y(ale)Nepal. For three weeks we
volunteered at the Bal Mandir
Orphanage in Kathmandu. Our trip
served as a three-day break from the
city and I never imagined experiencing
nature walks, an elephant safari trip,
spotting rhinoceros, deer, crocodiles and
wild boar. We learned about the
neighboring tiger reserve and the black
sloth bear.
Even in Kathmandu, nature
constantly reminded us of itself through
the dust in the air, the water basins
around the city, the imagery in the
shrines, and the monkeys that inhabited
temples. Before Nepal, monkeys only
existed in TV and the LA zoo, where
they looked less energetic and lonelier
in their 6x9x8 foot cage.
Though interested in nature as a
child, I grew up in south-central Los
Angeles where few opportunities
supported my curiosity. Animal
encyclopedias, the Discovery Channel,
and miniature animal replicas exposed
me to nature. They provided enough
information for me to reenact the wild
with my toys in my own apartment;
however, as I grew older curricular
obligations determined my books.
Many of the sources to learn about
nature vanished and with time I learned
they were unnecessary and inconvenient
to pursue. As a young adult, I did not
wander into the Museum of Natural
History, despite it being a bus ride
away. I also became blind to the
greenspace next to my apartment, Jim
Gilliam Recreation Center. The trees
and grass were not worth the
interactions with racism, sexism, drugs,
homelessness, gangs and violence that
came with it. Otherwise, my experience
of nature was limited to lawns,
squarely-cut hedges, and trees whose
limbs would be hacked off every now
and then.
However, towards the end of my
high school career, the creation of an
environmental club and the revival of
the school garden certainly changed my
experience of nature. I was able to
participate in the Great Backyard Bird
Count, Plover monitoring along the
coast, and clearing sea rocket from the
Venice Beach Least Tern Colony.
Dorsey’s garden made me realize how
detached I really am from the
vegetables and fruit I consume everyday
and gave me an idea of the work it takes
to grow them. Being involved with the
Los Angeles Audubon Society taught
me about the delicate balance of
ecosystems (e.g. the snowy plover) and
the subtle differences between bird
species (e.g. many gull species exist and
there are no “sea gulls”). Previous to
this knowledge, I thought the gulls that
invaded the school cafeteria were
boring, silly birds that fought over
leftover food. By having a program that
involved nature in an institution that I
would interact with daily (school), I
took full advantage of the opportunities
it offered and I enjoyed learning about
the complexities behind the simple
things of every day life. These
complexities make me a more
wholesome person by making me
conscious of things other than my own
existence. The EcoClub also made me
take more initiative in learning about
my surroundings, answering the simple
questions that would cross my mind
rather than ignore them and continue on
my way. —Alma Alegria, Dorsey
High School Alumna
Conservation Conversation
A REPORT ON CONSERVATION EFFORTS BY LOS ANGELES AUDUBON
oliday joy and celebration was
H supreme at Los Angeles Audubon
over two major conservation
victories that have been years in the
making.
L.A. COURT RULES AGAINST
CITY OF LOS ANGELES ON
MANAGEMENT OF FERAL CAT
COLONIES
Los Angeles Audubon, Santa
Monica Bay Audubon, Palos
Verdes/South Bay Audubon, American
Bird Conservancy, Endangered Habitats
League and Urban Wildlands Group
won an important lawsuit in early
December, 2009 against the City of Los
Angeles and its Department of Animal
Services to stop the practice of
encouraging feral cat colonies until the
legally required environmental impact
reviews have been performed.
The Los Angeles Superior Court
found that the City of Los Angeles had
been “secretly and unofficially”
promoting “Trap-Neuter-Return”
(TNR), a controversial program
allowing feral cats to run free, even
while the Department of Animal
Services promised to conduct an
environmental review of the program.
In June 2005, the L.A. Board of
Animal Services Commissioners adopted
TNR as the “preferred method of dealing
with feral cat populations as its official
policy.” The Department issued coupons
for free or discounted spay/neuter
procedures for feral cats being returned to
neighborhoods and open spaces and
encouraged and assisted in establishing
new feral cat colonies at city-owned
properties, including parks and wildlife
areas. The Department also began
—Garry George
refusing to accept trapped feral cats, or
to issue permits to city residents to trap
feral cats.
The plaintiffs in this case wished to
ensure that the controversial TNR
program along with the maintenance of
feral cat colonies would not be allowed
until a complete public environmental
analysis (under the California
Environmental Quality Act - CEQA) has
been completed.
The City is now enjoined from
implementing, promoting or otherwise
encouraging the management of feral cats
through Trap, Neuter, Return. Further
proposals to implement such a program
must undergo objective scientific review
as part of the CEQA process. This
process has been designed to allow for
public comment and for an assessment of
significant impacts on parks, wildlife,
water quality, and human health that such
a program might have.
Los Angeles Audubon Conservation
Committee has been engaged in this effort
since 2005.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
OFFERS PROTECTION OF
SNOWY PLOVERS ON LOS
ANGELES COUNTY BEACHES
In the fourth year of our Endangered
Species program on the federally
threatened Western Snowy Plover coastal
population, Los Angeles County has
voluntarily erected a fence to protect the
population of Plovers on Dockweiler
Beach! This follows four years of science
conducted by Tom Ryan Biological with
Snowy Plover volunteers from chapters
along the coast that monitored and
mapped wintering populations on L.A.
Western Tanager
County beaches, and recorded the first
possible breeding behaviors since 1949.
The science inspired four years of
advocacy at the County, the California
Coastal Commission, U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service and California Department of Fish
& Game by Los Angeles Audubon’s
Conservation Committee. Los Angeles
County Department of Beaches & Harbors
has also indicated that they will issue
permits for an Los Angeles Audubon
docent program at the fenced site on
Dockweiler to inform the public on the
Plovers and the need to protect them.
THANK YOU!
Los Angeles Audubon owes a great
debt of gratitude to all of the Snowy
Plover volunteers as well as Stacey
Vigallon and Tom Ryan, to Los Angeles
County Department of Beaches &
Harbors new Director Santos Kreimann
and staff, and to Coastal Commissioners
Steve Blank (former Board Chair and
current member of Audubon California
Board), Bill Burke and especially Sara
Wan for their support of Western Snowy
Plovers on LA County beaches.
We also owe a sincere debt of
gratitude to Travis Longcore and
Catherine Rich of Urban Wildlands
Group, and former officers at Los
Angeles Audubon, who provided peer-
reviewed published science, great
leadership and a lot of volunteer time on
the lawsuit against the City of Los
Angeles on feral cat management.
Contributions to Los Angeles
Audubon support our conservation
activities. Give now and help protect
the birds you love!
March/April 2010 13
 Pelagic Trips
Saturday, May 1, 2010
A Condor Express Trip: A deep water
trip toward the San Juan Seamount.
This trip departs from the Santa
Barbara Harbor on the fast 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: Black-footed Albatross; Northern
Fulmar; Sooty and Pink-footed
Shearwaters: Ashy and Leach’s Storm-
petrels; Pomarine, Parasitic and
Long-tailed Jaegers; Pigeon Guillemot;
Xantus’s Murrelet; Cassin’s and
Rhinoceros Auklets. Uncommon species
seen on prior trips: Laysan Albatross;
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel; Red-billed
Tropicbird and Tufted Puffin.
A full galley serves breakfast, lunch and
dinner. Let us know if you want dinner.
Leaders: Jon Feenstra, Terry Hune-
feld, Todd McGrath, Dave Pereksta
and Dave Compton.
$195 Credit card or cash.
Reservations for this trip: Contact: Sea
Landing in Santa Barbara at (805) 882-
0088 or (888) 779-4253 for your reserva-
tions and trip status. 301 W. Cabrillo
Blvd. Santa Barbara 93101-3886
E-mail: info@sealanding.net
Saturday, June 5, 2010
A Los Angeles Area Pelagic Trip:
Land on Santa Cruz Island for the
Island Scrub-Jay & out to Sea.
This 8 hour trip departs from Island
Packers 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 go out to
sea and return by Anacapa Island. Birds
expected: Northern Fulmar; Sooty and Pink-
footed Shearwaters; rocky shorebirds; South
Polar Skua, Pomarine & Parasitic Jaegers;
Sabine’s Gull; Royal Tern; Pigeon Guillemot.
Xantus’s Murrelet. Uncommon birds seen
on prior trips: Flesh-footed Shearwater and
Tufted Puffin.
14 Western Tanager Vol. 76, No. 4
Leaders: Jon Feenstra, Terry Hunefeld,
Todd McGrath and Dave Pereksta
$95 Credit Card Payment or $90 for a
cash discount price.
Reservation for this trip: Send pay-
ment, a SASE (Self Addressed
Stamped Envelope), include complete
contact information to:
Los Angeles Audubon - Pelagics,
PO Box 931057, Los Angeles CA
90093-1057. Or pay with a credit
card (MC, Visa, Discover) by call-
ing Los Angeles Audubon at
(323) 876-0202.
Note: Destinations may be changed
to maximize bird sightings, or mini-
mize rough seas. With increased
fuel costs there can be an energy sur-
charge per person.
Los Angeles Audubon Refund policy:
You may receive a refund less a $5.00
handling charge if you cancel 31 days
prior to departure, or if a paid replace-
ment can be found.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
A Condor Express Trip:
A deep water trip to the San Juan
Seamount and Santa Rosa Ridge.
Depart from Sea Landing Dock in
the Santa Barbara Harbor at 7:00 a.m.
on the fast catamaran Condor Express
and return approximately at 8:30 p.m.
We will cruise along the deep water shelf
by the San Juan Seamount. Birds
expected: Black-footed Albatross;
Northern Fulmar; Pink-footed and Sooty
Shearwaters; Black, Ashy and Leach’s
Storm-Petrels; South Polar Skua;
Pomarine Jaeger; Pigeon Guillemot,
Common Murre, Xantus’s Murrelet.
Uncommon species and rarities seen this
time of year: Cook’s Petrel; Red-billed
Tropicbird. Mega-rarities that can be
looked for are: Dark-rumped and
Stejneger’s Petrels.
There is a complete galley that serves
breakfast, lunch and dinner. Let us know
if you want dinner.
Leaders: Jon Feenstra, Kimball Gar-
rett, Terry Hunefeld, Todd McGrath
and Dave Compton
$195 Credit card or cash.
Reservation for this trip: Contact Sea
Landing in Santa Barbara at (805) 882-
0088 or (888) 779-4253 for your reserva-
tions and trip status. 301 W. Cabrillo
Blvd. Santa Barbara 93101-3886. email:
info@sealanding.net
Saturday, September 18, 2010
A Condor Express Trip:
Around the Northern Channel Islands
for rare Shearwaters.
This 8 hour trip departs from the
Santa Barbara Harbor at 7:00 a.m. on
the fast catamaran Condor Express.
Birds to be expected: Northern Fulmar;
Pink-footed, Sooty and Black-vented
Shearwaters; Black, Ashy and Leach’s
Storm-Petrels; cormorants (3), rocky
shorebirds (up to 5); Red and Red-
necked Phalaropes; Pomarine and
Parasitic Jaegers; Sabine’s Gull; Royal,
Common and Arctic Terns; Common
Murre; Xantus’s Murrelet; Cassin’s
Auklet. Uncommon rarities that can be
seen: Buller’s Shearwater; Least Storm-
Petrel; Red-billed Tropicbird; South
Polar Skua; Long-tailed Jaeger; and
Craveri’s Murrelet. Great whales and
several species of dolphins are often seen
this time of year.
There is a full galley that can serve
breakfast and lunch.
Leaders: Jon Feenstra, Terry Hune-
feld, Todd McGrath, Dave Pereksta
and Dave Compton
$125 Credit card or cash.
Reservations for this trip: Contact Sea
Landing in Santa Barbara at
(805) 882-0088 or (888) 779-4253 for
your reservations and trip status.
301 W. Cabrillo Blvd. Santa Barbara
93101-3886
email: info@sealanding.net
 mONTHLY pROGRAMS
Meet at 7:30 P.M. in the Community Building in Plummer Park
7377 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Ed Pandolfino presents: Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Changes in the Winter Distribution of
Rough-legged Hawks in North America Greg Rubin presents
Bringing Native Ecology into the Habitat Garden:
A cold winter day in most any open country habitat Attracting Wildlife, not Fire
of northern California can be brightened by finding a
Rough-legged Hawk. These striking arctic-breeding Greg will be discussing how to create sustainable
raptors are always a treat to see. Like many of you, native chaparral landscapes that both attract appropriate
several years ago Ed noted that Rough-legged Hawks birds and butterflies while at the same time are defensible
seemed to be decreasing in California. Little did he against fire. This cutting edge presentation will describe
know that trying to answer the seemingly simple specific techniques and will show beautiful examples of
question, “Are Rough-legged Hawks really on the native landscapes. Greg has now installed over 500 native
decline here?”, would lead to years of intense data- landscapes in Southern California. Also, despite having
mining and some surprising conclusions. Ed will numerous clients with native landscapes directly in the
present the results of his work with Kim Suedkamp path of our major fire events, they have yet to lose a single
Wells that documents large scale changes in the winter home, despite neighors often burning to the ground. There
distribution of this hawk in North America over the past will also be information as to what specific birds are
few decades. Ed will also discuss some factors that may attracted to these gardens.
explain this shift.
Members of the Los Angeles Audubon Society will asked to vote on proposed Society By-law changes at the May 2010
monthly Member Meeting of the Society. Proposed By-law changes will posted on the Society's website by mid-February
2010 and will be read at the April 2010 monthly Member Meeting.
Please visit the website and/or attend the April meeting to learn about the proposed changes.

TO: ALL BIRDERS! Sponsored by the Los Angeles Audubon Society, I have been leading exciting birding and
wildlife tours for the Society to many places in the natural world for over two decades. Each tour offers superb
birding and natural history experiences. We have excellent local tour guides in each of the countries we visit,
offering exceptional accommodations, good food, and our friendly tours are appropriate for experienced and new
birders. Watch for upcoming information about our adventures to far away places. –Olga Clarke

For information and itinerary on Los Angeles Audubon’s International Birding Tours contact:
Olga Clarke oclarketravel@earthlink.net Los Angeles Audubon, Travel Director
2027 El Arbolita Dr. Glendale, CA 91208-1805
Ph/Fax: (818) 249-9511

Western Tanager March/April 2010 15

 NONPROFIT ORG
Los Angeles Audubon Society US POSTAGE
PO Box 931057 DATED MATERIAL PAID
Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057 Please Expedite VAN NUYS, CA
www.laaudubon.org PERMIT NO. 1418

AUDUBON HOUSE HOURS

Regular Hours:
Monday - Thursday 9:30a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Regularly Closed:
Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Open: 2nd Wednesday of each month
9:30 a.m until 9:45 p.m.
for those attending the monthly
membership Program.
Saturday, Open 1st Sat. of the month
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

CENTENNIAL BIRDATHON
Help us celebrate our 100th birthday by joining the Los Angeles Audubon
Centennial Birdathon to take place during the week of May 1-8, 2010.
Here’s how you can participate:
1) Join one (or more) of our Centennial Super Star Teams starring:
Kimball Garrett Mike San Miguel Dan Cooper Robb Hamilton
Space is limited! Sign up now! $50 will secure you the privilege of birding with these stars!
Call Mary Loquvam (323) 664-1294 or Martha Balkan (323) 876-0202) to sign up now!

2) Sponsor a City Council Member or a local business partner as they venture into the field
with an experienced birder on a competitive hunt for the maximum number of species.
Accepting your minimum pledge of $1 per species now!
To sponsor them, call Mary Loquvam (323) 664-1294 or Martha Balkan (323) 876-0202.

3) Create your own team. Here’s how:

• Select a catchy team name.
• Select a venue that represents your interests or territory (Griffith Park, Ballona Wetlands,
or your own favorite bird spot!)
• Select 1 to 4 hours during the week of May 1-8, 2010 to conduct your count.
• Recruit colleagues, families, friends, and even neighborhood dogs and cats, to pledge $1
(or more) per bird species to be identified during your count.
• Conduct your Birdathon count.
• Gather your pledges and join Los Angeles Audubon on May 8th to determine the Big
Winner! (Venue and Time TBA)
Join teams from across Los Angeles to support
Los Angeles Audubon’s education and conservation programs
and to celebrate the creatures that share our urban habitat!

Los Angeles Audubon is available to help you coordinate your Birdathon Team!

For more information contact: Mary Loquvam, Executive Director, (323) 664-1294, maryloquvam@laaudubon.org
or Martha Balkan, Gifts Administrator, (323) 876-0202, books@laaudubon.org.