BIRDS OF THE SEASON

Birds of the Season — March 2025

Birds of the Season — March 2025

Following the unprecedented disastrous fires of early January, the remainder of winter was downright calm.  We were spoiled the past two winters by above average precipitation, but the 2024-2025 season had a very dry start. 

At last we received measurable precipitation, with a handful of fronts passing through in late February and March.  These alleviated extremely dry conditions in the region, though we are still well below normal and unlikely to catch up.  As we enter April, we’re nearing the end of any significant chance of rain. 

Birds of the Season—January 2025

Birds of the Season—January 2025

Though we enjoyed two drought-busting winters in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, the current rainy season has been anything but.  In December and January, most of Los Angeles County was suffering from record dry conditions and extreme drought.  Vegetation, having increased significantly over two wet years, had not received any measurable rain for over eight months. 

Birds of the Season–September 2024

Birds of the Season–September 2024

Summer on the deserts is always hot, but on the coastal slope the summer of 2024 was relatively mild.  At least that was the case until early September when the first real heat wave of the season arrived.  Up to that point, the county had been left largely unscathed by wildfires, but things were about to change dramatically.

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Birds of the Season—July 2024

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Birds of the Season—July 2024

Spring migration largely ended in early June, but quite a few good birds continued to be found well after that.  As always, observers scoured various parts of the county looking for the unexpected, and their efforts were certainly rewarded. 

Birds of the Season- December 2023

Birds of the Season- December 2023

Mild temperatures and limited precipitation were features of fall this year, and so were many rare birds. Though the traditional vagrant season for passerines ends with October, that doesn’t mean the end of good birds. Increasingly, neotropical migrants are found well into November and later. Neither were these limited to songbirds; as always, the variety was ample. Additionally, Christmas Birds Counts, run from December 14-January 5, have already turned up more notable birds.

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Birds of the Season—August 2023

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Birds of the Season—August 2023

Following a relatively cool early July, summer finally arrived. Temperatures increased and some weak systems brought a modicum of subtropical moisture. Thankfully there were no significant wildfires locally thus far.

But the stunner from a weather and birding perspective was a very strong tropical storm- the remnants of hurricane Hilary— that hit the county on August 20. This event dumped five inches of rain or more in many locations and was accompanied by high winds in many places. The added precipitation from Hilary makes severe fires even less likely, but not out of the question.

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Birds of the Season — June 2023

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After peaking in late April, spring migration continued for the next two months at a reduced pace. This period managed to produce a satisfying number of vagrants which were found on offshore islands, the coastal slope and on the desert and were recorded into the third week of June.

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