February 20, 2022
GBBC Stats

Sepulveda Basin (8:30am-11:10am)

Total 2.6 hours, 2.19 miles covered
Habitat: Grass field, marsh, lake
eBird Checklist: Sepulveda Basin

Background

Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve covers 225 acres. The hallmark of the park is the 27 acre Lake Balboa. The Lake is filled with water from the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant located 0.9 miles northwest of the lake. Along side Lake Balboa runs Bull Creek, a 9.6 mile long tributary starting in Bull Canyon and joining with the larger LA River.

On the Way to the Lake

My mom parked the car along Woodley Avenue. We got out and began walking west towards Lake Balboa, passing a large oak tree that was attracting Bushtits, White-crowned Sparrows, and a California Towhee. Along the way, we also spotted Audubon’s Warblers, more White-crowned Sparrows, and a Dark-eyed Junco. Gulls (Larus sp.) flew above our heads in great numbers. As we walked, we saw Bull Creek flowing to our right. Reeds, mule fat, and a variety of other plants grew along the creek. These plants were attracting numerous birds, such as Song Sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a Great Egret.

Eventually, we reached a bridge that crossed to the lake. Many Red-winged Blackbirds called from their perches high up in trees. Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) are commonly found around water bodies, from large freshwater marshes and parries to patches of marsh vegetation found near lakes and ponds. This blackbird species expresses a fantastic example of sexual dimorphism (differences between the sexes other than reproductive organs). Male Red-winged Blackbirds are black with a red and yellow patch at the wrist (bend) of the wing, the species’ namesake. Females are brown and heavily streaked near the head and below. Females have a pale eyebrow and will have orange epaulets in their definitive plumages. They are also about 50% lighter than males. Red-winged Blackbirds also exhibit variation in behaviors based on the sex, such as territoriality. Males will aggressively defend territory during the breeding season, which can shift as time progresses. While territorial aggression surrounding females is somewhat controversial, some have reported that they attempt to defend small sub-territories. However, it has been found that female territory can greatly overlap with other females.

Birding Lake Balboa

Once we made it to the lake, my mom and I were spotting new species to add to the eBird checklist left and right. We spotted a few Great Egrets perched in trees across the way. Double-crested Cormorants were found preening feathers not far from an egret. American Coots grouped together in large numbers, making their grunting and croaking sounds. Male and female Mallards swam together in pairs, some even performing courtship dances by flicking their head, dipping their bills into water, and beating their wings vigorously.

As we walked around Lake Balboa, we encountered Song Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows in large numbers. Their sweet calls were absolutely beautiful and very inviting. At one point, we decided to stop at a lookout that had a perfect vantage point of the lake. Soon, we heard a Belted Kingfisher and tracked it down to a tree that required us to pass through some shrubbery. While there, we also spotted a small flock of Bushtits and a stunning adult male Common Yellowthroat.

My mom and I spotted a small red finch perched in a tree. The sun was bright, the encounter was brief, and the angle was terrible. We had initially assumed the finch was a House Finch. Once I got home and offloaded the photos to the computer, I immediately realized it was not the humble House Finch based on the beak shape and extent of red plumage. I then knew it had to be either a Cassin’s Finch or a Purple Finch, both of which I had never met prior to this encounter. I consulted iNaturalist, an ID video from a past Los Angeles Birders webinar, and my fellow birder friends. It was explained to me that the finch was a Purple Finch based on the absence of an eye ring (present in Cassin’s Finches) and some other field marks. Purple Finches are also a lot more common at Sepulveda Basin than Cassin’s Finches. Purple Finch: lifer! I’ll meet you one day Cassin’s Finch…

We continued down the path and eventually spotted a small immature hawk land in a tree. I was getting Sharp-shinned Hawk vibes, but also considered the possibility of the bird being a Cooper’s hawk. My ID was later confirmed by iNaturalist. This was one of the few times where I actually had a good look at a Sharp-shinned. I’ve seen them in my neighborhood before, but Cooper’s Hawks are far more common. Both Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks are relatively small hawk species, with the Sharp-shinned being smaller than the Cooper’s. In flight, helpful field marks to differentiate the two include the tail shape and level of head protrusion. The Sharp-shinned Hawk has a square shaped tail and a head that doesn’t protrude much. The Cooper’s Hawk has a longer, more rounded tail and the head sticks out more. Other differences include head size, neck length, and subtle plumage variations.

Not long after, a Red-tailed Hawk swooped in and landed on a tree further down the path. Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are some of the most widespread birds in North America, spanning all three of the countries. Their name refers to the red tail present in adults.
My mom and I admired the raptor for a short while before other birders showed up. We watched the magnificent hawk for a while before moving onto another part of the park.

As we looked out across the section of lake we had reached, we spotted numerous American White Pelicans. At this time, the pelicans have formed what’s called an epidermal plate or bill horn. The plate is located at about one third the distance of the bill. While the function of this plate is not completely understood, it has been suggested to aid in courtship, pairing, and territory establishment. The plate is shed within the breeding period.

Also at the lake were three Green Herons. Green Herons (Butorides virescens) are small, stocky herons. When hunting, the Green Heron, like other heron species, will survey the water and patiently wait for their prey to arrive. Once prey has been located, the bird will strike. Green Herons have a comparatively heavy bill for their size, meaning they can catch larger prey such as frogs in addition to the typical small fish and invertebrates. The Green Heron’s plumage helps the bird camouflage in the surrounding vegetation.
The Green Herons were quite shy. Once I approached them, they would quickly fly off. My mom and I also spotted an individual hunting for prey. We kept our distance so as not to disturb the bird. Eventually, the heron walked off into some dense vegetation, undoubtably to look for a new hunting spot.

Also spotted were several Pied-billed Grebes. We even had the pleasure of seeing two grebes carrying fish in their bills (two separate instances)! Both would slap the fish against the water, then dive under repeatedly as they swam. We never saw the grebe actually eat the fish, but it was still a great experience no less!

In addition, we saw numerous resting Ruddy Ducks gathered in a large group of around 40 individuals. We could immediately tell they were Ruddy Ducks because of the white patch on their face and fan shaped tail that sticks out.

We also spotted an Eared Grebe and a Cinnamon Teal. Both were species I had only ever met once, so I was very excited!

Towards the end of the adventure, we spotted a pair of Great Blue Herons. They would chase each other and then go their separate ways. Great Blue Herons are pretty big birds with a wingspan of 5.5-6.5 feet. Having them fly not far above you was honestly a little frightening.

By the time we left Lake Balboa, my mom and I had encountered a total of 39 species. We tried to get to 40, but the walk back to the car proved uneventful species count-wise. We did however, spot a few more Western Bluebirds, bringing the total to 3 individuals. We hoped to spot an Oak Titmouse in the oak tree near the car, but the search only added a couple more Bushtits and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet to the checklist. Either way, we were both thoroughly pleased with the birds we had met at Sepulveda Basin as they shared a little snippet of their life with us curious birders.

Glendale Narrows Riverwalk (11:25am-12:31am)

Total 1.1 hours, 0.41 miles covered
Habitat: River
eBird Checklist: Glendale Narrows Riverwalk

After Sepulveda…

After leaving Sepulveda Basin, my mom and I planned to drive to Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena. Instead, my mom suggested Glendale Narrows as we approached the hotspot on the freeway. What a great idea! After getting our fill of LA traffic, we left the freeway and entered Glendale. We passed by Glendale Water and Power, glancing over at the segment of the LA River.
I conducted a research project at Glendale Narrows a while back in 2019 for a science fair project, so this spot was not new to me. While the focus of my project was aquatic macroinvertebrates, I had found the birds living there to be very interesting as well. (You can read about my project under the Additional Information menu!) Once I became a birder, I started coming back to Glendale Narrows to bird. The area has certainly surprised me!

Welcome to the LA River!

Glendale Narrows is somewhat of an anomaly when it comes to the LA River. Most segments of the 51 mile long waterway are covered in concrete. The river was paved in 1938 in the hopes of achieving better flood control. The project took 20 years and used around 3 million barrels of concrete to cover the bottom and sides.
Unfortunately for the city though, some segments of the river couldn’t be paved completely, if at all. Ground water was constantly present in these areas, so the concrete couldn’t be laid down. There are three of these special locations: the LA River at Willow Street, Sepulveda Basin, and Glendale Narrows. These segments are now treasured by birders and wildlife enthusiasts as they are able to host a variety of flora and fauna.
Glendale Narrows is partially paved— segments of the middle area are deep and have small “islands” of trees and other vegetation. However, the river is so wide at this location that some water does run over concrete. It is because of the vegetation that birds are attracted to Glendale Narrows. My mom and I had the pleasure of meeting some during our little excursion there.

Birding Glendale Narrows Riverwalk

My mom parked the car in the parking lot and we followed the bike path to the river. Most stop here, gazing down at the river and probably thinking of how gross it is before moving on. My mom and I however, walk down the steep slope to arrive at the river’s edge. We gaze out, taking in the sheer number of birds the spot was attracting while inhaling the faint odor the river gave off (LA sewage ends up in the LA River before flowing into the ocean, ya’ll). Nevertheless, with all its quirky features, I still can’t help but admire the fact that LA even has a river at all.

We first spot lots of Black-necked Stilts. They gather in such large numbers to feed that to me, they are like the ambassadors of Glendale Narrows, wading in the water and there to greet you when you look over at the river. Their characteristic black and white plumage, along with their long pink legs, are unmistakable. Black-necked Stilts are so fun to watch!

After the Black-necked Stilts, we soon spotted Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons. They were both rather skittish, especially the herons. Even when we were a good distance away, all but one would fly off. I’m going to use that as an excuse for having no good photos of the Great Blue Heron from this trip.

My mom pointed out a Spotted Sandpiper hanging out on a rock, while I pointed out the numerous Song Sparrows that were hiding in the vegetation growing along the “islands”. White-throated Swifts, Common Ravens, a few gulls, and a Red-tailed Hawk soared above our heads. Large numbers of Rock Pigeons have colonized the beams supporting the 134 Freeway. Suddenly, both my mom and I look up to find a trio of pigeons chasing a Cooper’s Hawk away from their nesting site!

Glendale Narrows is a fantastic spot for ducks! My mom and I spotted a good variety and even a few species that are less commonly seen. Mallards made up the vast majority of the duck species, with clusters of males and females hanging out together. The second most common was probably the American Wigeon. American Wigeons are a sexually dimorphic species, with the males having a white crown, black under tail coverts, and a prominent iridescent green patch that surrounds the eye and extends to the back of the duck’s head and neck in some cases. Females have no patch at all. Instead, the face is a mix of grays and browns. Both sexes have a speculum, the colored, and often iridescent, secondary feathers in dabbling ducks. In male American Wigeons, the speculum is an iridescent green bordered by black. In females, these feathers are mostly black with hints of green. When American Wigeons have their wings folded, it’s harder to see the speculum (but it’s obvious in mallards!) as they are largely tucked away. However, you can see a small part of it located right behind a white patch of feathers forming the upperwing coverts. Here’s two photos of a male American Wigeon for your reference that I labeled:

Other duck species included a pair of Blue-winged Teals and two Northern Pintail pairs. The Northern Pintail was a lifer for my mom and I and we had only seen a Blue-winged Teal once before back in 2021 at Mill Creek Wetlands (don’t recommend).

Further down the river, I spot a Greater Yellowlegs intermingling with the Black-necked Stilts. From a distance (and with the glare of the water), it was hard to spot the yellowlegs in the mix of stilts. It took a while for my mom to spot the yellowlegs (and honestly a bit of luck for the shorebird to move into a clear enough area so that I could give better directions for finding them). While the three Greater Yellowlegs we spotted were all observed solo, the species is known to congregate in flocks of 20-100 individuals. The species is migratory, but can be found in LA County all year long.

Canada Geese and American Coots were also present in large numbers. We also spotted a single Double-crested Cormorant and three domestic muscovy ducks. One muscovy was using a large pile of trash as hideout.

Reaching the end of the vegetation, my mom and I turned around and headed back to the parking lot. On our way there, we spotted a few Scaly-breasted Munias playing in the reeds and an adult male Common Yellowthroat. Four House Sparrows took a break from the city life and bathed in the running water. Numerous Black Phoebes called as we climbed back up the concreted slope.

My Backyard (1:24pm-10:00pm)

Total 5.2 hours, <1 mile covered
Habitat: Canyon

Birding My Backyard

After birding Glendale Narrows, my mom and I came home. My house is one of my favorite places to bird. Living up in the mountains, we get a wonderful variety of wildlife. Birds species make up the vast majority, with 67 species being in and seen from my home as of this blog post.

Audubon’s Warblers were numerous. They returned to my backyard in October after leaving in late March last spring. The Audubon’s warbler is the common local subspecies of the Yellow-rumped Warbler. Major differences include the Audubon’s Warbler having a yellow throat.

White-crowned Sparrows have been enjoying my yard since September and will be migrating north within the next few months. Adults have a black and white crown while immatures have a brown crown. The calls of the White-crowns are absolutely beautiful! Listen here:

Acorn Woodpeckers are a year round bird in Los Angeles. They have such great character, with communal living and strong relationships. Both males and females have a red crown, though located in a different order based on the sex. The Acorn Woodpeckers will dive from one tree to another (mostly pines) in an undulating fashion.

The night finished off with the calls of three Great Horned Owls, including a fledgling, at around 10pm.

The Takeaway

Day 3 of the Great Backyard Bird Count was fantastic, with two lifers (Purple Finch and Northern Pintail). Let’s see what Day 4 brings!