By Andrew Birch

For Los Angeles Audubon Western Tanager July–August 2020 Vol. 86 No. 6

Once in a while, it’s good to celebrate a conservation success story on public land, right in the heart of the city. Rio de Los Angeles State Park appears to be a real success story in terms of re-wilding a small section of a park that sits within an intensely urbanized setting. The park is located in northeast Los Angeles, approximately 2.5 miles north of downtown and is located next to the former Union Pacific Rail Yard called the Taylor Yard complex, which is also under active long-term planning as a city park.

When the park was conceived, a small area (less than 10%) was set aside for riparian habitat creation/restoration that would be managed by the California Parks. Through habitat management and kudos to Debs Park Audubon Center who has enlisted volunteers to help, this area has been allowed to grow without the excessive maintenance that is all too familiar at the rest of LA’s city parks.

From the early days, this little patch of habitat has shown potential with the occasional BELL’S VIREO stopping off for a day or two in the spring to sing and a returning pair of breeding BLUE GROSBEAKS in 2017 and 2018. But this year, as the habitat has matured, no doubt helped by the recent winter’s rains and a lack of foot traffic, it has really shown its value. Despite its diminutive size, it is a case of build it and they will come for rare breeding riparian birds. There are currently, 4 singing BELL’S VIREOS and I’m hopeful at least one of these birds will breed. Even more excitingly, there is now also a pair of YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS. You can hear the chats singing their raucous song as soon as you step out of the car. Other uncommon migrants this spring have also included WILLOW FLYCATCHER.

When I have seen workers doing habitat management this spring, it has been pleasing to see that they have been careful to leave the riparian habitat untouched and have just done minimal grass clearing taking great care not to disturb the native plantings. If the same vision, care and consideration can be extended to the adjacent Taylor Yard plans and an even larger section of undisturbed riparian habitat could be created and annexed, the city could gain a critically large area of restored habitat for more of these endangered species. It would make it one of the most important areas for rare breeding riparian birds in the county. All within a few miles of downtown.

I’m a local birder that has lived and birded in LA for over 20 years. I’ve illustrated books and many birding/wildlife magazines over the past 30+ years. I hung up my brushes and binoculars when we had kids but have recently started to get back to painting and doing more birding —Andy