February 18, 2022
GBBC Stats

Santa Fe Dam (7:30am-10:00am)

Total 2.5 hours, 2.28 miles covered
Habitat: Grass field, lake, chaparral
eBird Checklists:
Just Grass Field and Lake
Just Chaparral Habitat

Birding the Grass Field and Lake

In general, the earlier you start birding, the more birds there will be.
While I have no problem waking up early if it means birds, my mom likes her sleep. After much discussion, we were able to compromise on getting to Santa Fe Dam by 7:30am. Sure enough, I started the eBird checklist right on schedule. From the car, we looked out onto the grass fields and lake, curious to know what birds we might find. We drove past the usual gangs of Canada Geese and startled sparrows (probably White-crowns) as the car passed bushes planted on either side of the road. We parked the car near the nature center situated near the water.

As the engine turned off, I spotted a trio of Cassin’s Kingbirds land in a large western sycamore. At the sight, I immediately rushed out of the car, camera already in hand. While some populations are migratory, the individuals residing in LA County can be found there all year long. The kingbirds were absolutely gorgeous! I love their yellow and gray feathers!

Eventually, the trio were off to somewhere else. I turned my attention to another sycamore that was attracting a lot of birds. There, I spotted a variety of birds feeding on the hanging seed heads: Bushtits, a rather large flock of Cedar Waxwings, and goldfinches. Initially, I had identified/somewhat assumed they were Lesser Goldfinches. That is until I uploaded the photos to iNaturalist, when people correctly identified them as American Goldfinches. In retrospect, I guess they did look a little off for a Lesser’s, especially the wing pattern. The American Goldfinches I spotted that day marked the first time I ever saw the species―a lifer!

Not long after, the flock of Cedar Waxwings made their exit from the sycamore. I, of course, followed them. I walked across the parking lot and met the group of waxwings as they slowly trickled into more western sycamores. Some were nice enough to perch in an area clear enough for a good photo. The grassy patch was also attracting numerous White-crowned Sparrows. They called to each other with their sweet songs and flew from bush to bush.

After a while, I decided to cross the parking lot and make my way to the lake (well part of the larger reservoir anyway). As my mom and I walked over, we could hear scratching sounds on the trunks of pine trees. Fox squirrels―common in parks (“park squirrel”), but nonetheless fun to watch!

Once we reached the water, we were immediately welcomed by American Coots, Ruddy Ducks, and Domestic Mallards. A trio of Clark’s Grebes swam in the water a distance away. My mom spotted a Great Egret on the opposite end of the lake. I kinda got my mom into birding. She’s my assistant wildlife spotter. On some birding excursions, she spots things I could have completely missed! I owe a few lifers to her spotting skills! 😉

Together, we walked up towards the sandy area of the water bank. On the way there, we passed a Spotted Sandpiper and a Ring-billed Gull. By some restrooms, we spotted a group of Mallards with two Rock Pigeons that looked very out of place with the ducks. There was what I’m calling a “coot cluster”, American Coots huddling together to preen feathers as a group.

On our way back towards the way we came, my mom and I passed our Spotted Sandpiper friend from before. This time, the bird was mingling with the Domestic Mallards. A short distance away was an eye-catching duck with a bold yellow iris. I wasn’t sure on the ID at first, so I took a picture with my camera and then had Merlin Bird ID quickly identify it for me (heh heh, technology these days, much lighter than a field guide). Merlin gave two options: the Greater Scaup and the Lesser Scaup. Upon further investigation, I ID’d the bird as a Lesser Scaup based on the head shape and overall plumage color (ID later confirmed by people on iNaturalist). Lifer! I watched the scaup as they meandered about the dock, even watching them dive down and grab a small fish!

Birding the Chaparral Habitat

Satisfied with my endeavors on that side of the park, my mom and I decided to head into the chaparral habitat. The area is dotted with a variety of cacti and native plants, perfect for a good diversity of birds. We (not surprisingly) heard California Scrub-jays and Wrentits first, followed by White-crowned Sparrows and Mourning Doves. There was another sound that I couldn’t seem to pinpoint an ID on, so we decided to track the bird down. Of course, that adventure was put on hold once we spotted an Osprey perched in a tree. The Osprey had a perfect vantage point of the lake below, where they undoubtably hunt for fish and perhaps birds and amphibians.

About 10 minutes later, my mom and I had finally tracked down the bird that was making the beautiful call―a Cactus Wren. Cactus Wrens are known for their aggressive calls, usually given my a male defending territory. The adult song can be quite varied, with at least 32 known variations which can fluctuate in length and rate. The call of the female is characterized as being more subtle and high pitched. The Cactus Wren I spotted was perched in some sumac and was singing to another wren somewhere else (middle picture).
Listen to their conversation below:

This was only the second time I had ever met a Cactus Wren (first back in 2021 at Bonelli). It was so exciting! Their bold black throat pattern and speckled body is so eye-catching. Cactus wrens are highly adapted to living in desert environments stretching from California to Texas in the U.S. and many parts of Mexico. Because of this, Cactus Wrens are able to survive on very limited water. To stay hydrated, the wren is able to fulfill their hydration needs through food intake alone (insects, small reptiles, fruit pulp, seeds, cactus juice).

As my mom and I walked through the cactus (prickly pears and cholla) looking and listening for Cactus Wrens, I spotted two California Quails. I really wanted a picture of them, but they could practically disappear in an instant. Audubon’s Warblers were plentiful, as well as both Anna’s and Allen’s Hummingbirds. Song Sparrows were heard, but we never saw them.

Eventually, my mom points out something in a cactus that I had just walked past. A Cactus Wren nest! Pretty soon we were finding a whole bunch of nests wherever we went. Of the five we located, all were built in buckhorn cholla cactus. The nests were dome shaped and hollow inside. Each nest was made up of dried grasses, fluff, and bird feathers, though each was unique in its proportion of materials.

Before heading out, my mom and I decided to check out an area where we once spot a Sora along the water bank. This time, no Sora. But, there were more Audubon’s Warblers, White-crowned Sparrows, and a Hermit Thrush! As we passed the lake and grass field one last time, I added Pied-billed Grebe to the checklist.

The Takeaway

I would say that the Great Backyard Bird Count is off to a great start! Let’s see what Day 2 has to offer!