The Great Backyard Bird Count is Almost Here

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. The annual four-day event engages bird watchers in counting birds. Participants count birds for a little as 15 minutes, or as long as they want during each day of the event. The counts are entered and tallied to create a real-time snapshot of where birds are.

This year hallmarks the 16th annual bird count and the first international snapshot of avian populations. Traditionally checklists were accepted only from North America and Hawaii, but now you can participate from anywhere in the world.

Scientists can learn a lot from knowing where birds are. Bird populations are in constant flux. No single scientist or group of scientists could possibly collect and document the movements and distribution of the almost 1,000 bird species found across North America and Hawaii, let alone the 10,000 species found throughout the world.

Data collected by the GBBC can be viewed by anyone with internet access. Participants can explore data from their home town, state, or the entire continent. They can compare data from the current year with those from past counts. They can view top ten lists of the most numerous birds, the most frequently reported birds, as well as which regions reported the most species.

Check out some of my images from previous Backyard Bird Counts:

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

Del Rey Lagoon Park

Playa Del Rey, CaliforniaFebruary 19th, 2012

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Huntington Beach, California

February 21st, 2011

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Huntington Beach, California

February 21st, 2011

My Favorite Places

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Huntington Beach, California

February 21st, 2011

One of my favorite places to go birdwatching in Southern California is Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach. It consists of over 1,200 acres of coastal wetlands and chaparral scrub and over a mile of trail that loops through the reserve. A walk through the reserve will allow you to observe native flora and fauna of Southern California. Throughout the year over 300 species birds migrate through or nest in the wetlands including the endangered California Least Tern. The reserve is also habitat for several mammal and reptile species including cottontail rabbits, Beechey ground squirrels, Pacific rattlesnakes, and Western fence lizards. If you find yourself in or near Huntington Beach, California I suggest you visit Bolsa Chica.

Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve

Los Angeles County, California

November 21st, 2010

Another one of my favorite places to go birdwatching is Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve in Van Nuys. The wildlife reserve consists of a 225 acres of riparian habitat,  chaparral scrub and an 11 acre lake. Late fall to early spring is the best time to visit the reserve for the purposes of birdwatching. According to the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserves website over 200 species of birds make migrate through the reserve yearly, many are actually found here year round. I personally have counted over 100 species during my many trips to the reserve. Besides birds you may also see several species of mammals and reptiles including  Beechey ground squirrels, Western fence lizards, and cottontail rabbits. Because of the proximity to my house this reserve is one of my most frequented locations. If you are in the area it is a great place to visit.

Del Rey Lagoon Park

Playa Del Rey, California

February 2011

Another place I love to visit, like Bolsa Chica is also near the coast. Playa Del Rey is a small beach community south of Marina Del Rey. At it's center is Del Rey Lagoon Park with a saltwater lagoon that ebbs and flows with the tide. I like to stroll around the lagoon looking for waterfowl and shorebirds. I then walk along the jetty watching the pelicans and other sea going birds, as well as the many fishermen fishing among the rocks. Occasionally I will walk along the beach path and check out the gulls and, in the right season, the terns who hang out on the sand. During the fall and spring migrations over 200 species of birds have been observed including several endangered and threatened species like the California least tern and the snowy plover. 

Just east of Del Rey Lagoon Park is the Ballona Wetlands which consists of both brackish and freshwater marshes as well as a riparian area. The sensitive estuarine and brackish areas are only open for visitation by appointment or during schedules community events. See the Friends of Ballona website for more details regarding community events or visits. The Freshwater marsh and riparian zone are open to the public. You can enter this portion of the wetlands at the corner of Jefferson and Lincoln east of Playa Del Rey. Since Playa Del Rey and the Ballona Freshwater marsh are so close to LAX, I will often visit here before or after picking up friends or family from the airport.

The Charismatic "Mesofauna" of Bolsa Chica

Spermophilus beecheyi

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Huntington Beach, California

May 29th, 2010

On my way back to the car from my birding trip to Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, I came across this very charismatic Beechey Ground Squirrel. I couldn't resist stopping and taking a few photographs. The squirrel was so photogenic I had to insert another memory card to finish the shoot. I couldn't believe how tame this squirrel was, normally they are quite shy and run into the scrub as soon they see you.

There are 23 species of ground squirrels and 119 recognized subspecies in the United States. Throughout California there are at least 5 native species, with one source listing as many as 18 (including subspecies). The Beechey Ground Squirrel (or California Ground Squirrel) is the most common species observed in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. 

Since this squirrel was so charismatic I have included a few bonus images below.

Nesting Terns at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Sterna antillarum browni

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Huntington Beach, California

May 29th, 2010

This weekend I went birding at one of my favorite Southern California locations, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. The reserve is located just east of PCH and is bordered to the north by Warner Avenue and to the south by Seapoint Avenue. The reserve consists of approximately 1,200 acres of wetlands and several miles of trails. It is an amazing place to bird. Historically over 320 species of birds have been spotted here, with many, including terns, plovers, and herons nesting in the reserve. I have personally observed over 50 species between the months of February and May this year alone. If you would like to learn more about the ecological reserve or plan your own birding trip click here.

The California Least Tern (Sterna antillarum browni) is one of three least tern subspecies that breed in North America. All three of which are listed as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act. One of the reasons they are endangered is that they nest along the sandy shoreline and have to compete with humans for territory. As their preferred nesting locations disappear, they have been forced to nest on  flat gravel roofs of building, or in mudflats. Unfortunately these nesting locations are not ideal, a roof can heat up causing tar to seep through the gravel sticking to fledgling birds, and mudflats can make the birds more prone to predation. Additionally, over-crowding of ideal nesting locations can also make the birds more vulnerable to predation. 

Since 1970, when the California Least Tern was listed as an endangered species, conservations efforts have been somewhat successful. The population has grown from 225 nesting pairs to over 6,561 pairs recorded in 2004. Biologists though, are still worried that the distribution of the species is limited and without future management may not be viable. With an increase in public awareness and future conservation efforts maybe these little terns will have a better chance.