KEY SPECIES

Dowitchers, Western and Least Sandpipers, Black Turnstones, Surfbird and Wandering Tattler. Raptors are not under-represented here, either, with American Kestrel, White-tailed Kite, Redtailed and Red-shouldered Hawks all possible. Indeed, it is hard to describe this site without reeling off a mouth-watering bird list. Near to Ballona is Sand Dune Park. It’s an unlikely site as it is a tiny wooded coastal slope with a children’s play area on the inland side. Despite being heavily used by the locals it attracts truckloads of migrants especially the American warblers, plus Summer Tanager and several of the vireo species are regular. Another amazing migrant trap is Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park, simply known as Harbor Park by the locals. It is the third largest park in the LA area and is very popular for recreational purposes. Yet birds abound. Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teals are commonplace and passerines such as Marsh Wren, Common Yellowthroat and Red-winged Blackbird can be found. Los Angeles has many parks and open spaces, ranging from a myriad of pocket parks and sports fields to Griffith Park, the largest park in the city at 4,310 acres. Almost all are potentially good birding patches. Among my favourites is Madrona Marsh Preserve in Torrence. It is one of the last remaining urban wetlands in the city. WESTERN GULL The Western Gull is arguably the default larid in LA. They can be frequently seen lazily flapping overhead almost anywhere in the city. The species is listed as a marine gull and is therefore more prevalent along the coasts where they often form lounging flocks. To the European eye, they strongly resemble Lesser Black-backed Gulls with similarly hued dark grey wings with black wing tips. However, beware the paler, grey- mantled northern occidentalis race that can often be mistaken for a slightly dark American Herring Gull. They are around the size of a Herring Gull but seem to have shorter wings with a stout, barrel chested body. Yes, identifying gulls is certainly a vexing subject, but at least you can rest assured knowing that the Western Gull is the only dark-backed gull to be regularly found in the city. The species has a restricted range that hugs the western coast of North America stretching from British Columbia to Baja California in Mexico. Although it is not rare, it is vulnerable, given its small worldwide range. It has got one major claim to infamy as being featured as one of the main antagonists in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film The Birds. Is there a gull species anywhere that has a positive reputation? Naturally, waterbirds feature majorly here with Snowy Egret and Pied-billed Grebe being regulars. It is also a good place to look for the scarce Tricoloured Blackbird. Finally, if you are based in West Hollywood, then Franklin Canyon is always worth a visit. This valley is great for Acorn Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, Spotted Towhee and the occasional California Quail. CALIFORNIA NEVADA