July 21, 1993
I spent the day birding with my mom in the Malibu area. Our first stop was Malibu Lagoon State Beach, which is a fantastic place to watch birds! We walked along edge of the Lagoon and a bit on the beach, and saw loads of great things. Then we headed slightly north and inland to Solstice Canyon, where we saw a different array of wildlife.
At Malibu Lagoon, I saw one of my favorites of the California trip: a ☆Western Osprey☆ that flew to a perch over the Lagoon, stirring up most of the several hundred birds who had been settled on the beach. I was able to view the Osprey for approximately half an hour, witnessing a variety of behaviors: diving for prey, stretching wings. Magnificent!
I saw a couple of tern species: Least Tern, which I was able identify based on the size difference between these birds and the larger (probably Forster’s) species. The larger birds were seen in a flock of gulls and California Brown Pelican. I think they were probably Forster’s, but wasn’t able to make a certain ID. At least a dozen attractively-colored ☆Black-bellied Plover☆ were on a sand bar in the center of the Lagoon. At the time, I wasn’t completely certain of the ID, but in looking at iNaturalist, there wasn’t any other species that this was likely to be.
One of the birds I’d hoped to see were ☆Cliff Swallow☆. They evaded me for much of the morning, but near the end of our stay, I finally spotted a few flying over the Lagoon. Distinctive markings and shape of tail distinguish them from the more familiar (to me) Barn Swallow. A Belted Kingfisher was also seen at the Lagoon.
After leaving the Lagoon, we crossed the highway and drove a short way into the hills to Solstice Canyon. We took the Dry Creek Trail, and saw quite a few birds that were new to me. ☆Oak Titmouse☆ allowed us to come quite close, although I was confused at first by their call – it sounds a lot like the chickadees back home! I also saw my first bright, cheerful little ☆Common Yellowthroat☆. I saw – or rather noticed for the first time – ☆American Robin☆, and I was excited to see a ☆Red-shafted Flicker☆ high in a tree near the river. It was fun to see the western race of this favorite bird. I was able to identify ☆Bewick’s Wren☆, American Bushtit, and Black Phoebe, and I also saw a flycatcher that I was not able to identify on the day, although it was most likely a Pacific-slope Flycatcher.
Species List
Malibu Lagoon: American Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Western Osprey (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis), Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri), Least Tern (Sternula antillarum), California Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus), Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
Solstice Canyon: Red-shafted Flicker (Colaptes auratus collaris), American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis), Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus affabilis), Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus), American Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus), Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans semiater), Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii charienturus)
Let me know what you think!