Tag Archive for: Bird count

Annual Christmas Bird Count at Echo Park Lake tomorrow

Join fellow bird lovers on Monday, January 2 for the 112th annual Christmas Bird Count at Echo Park Lake! Even though the lake is drained and undergoing construction, it’s important to keep track of what and how many bird species are still hanging around. Bird counters will be able to enter the construction site (with hard hats!) rather than just stay on the periphery.

Over 70 bird species have been counted at Echo Park Lake over the years – the last Christmas Bird Count saw 41 species (winter is usually a popular month for the migrating birds at the lake).

Meet at the Boathouse at 8:00 am for the two-hour count. Bring $5 to participate (make checks payable to the National Audubon Society)

For more information contact  judycalifornia@yahoo.com, or call (323) 663-6767.

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Results of the latest Echo Park Lake bird count are in!

Last Sunday (June 19, 2011), area residents and bird-lovers met up bright and early at Echo Park Lake for the final bird count before the lake construction begins this summer. A total of 26 species were counted, all of which we’ve listed below.

Jenny Burman of the Chicken Corner noticed the number seemed a little low compared to last January’s count, which noted 42 species at Echo Park Lake. So she asked bird count leader Judy Raskin, why the large drop? Here’s her answer, from Jenny’s column:

Hi, Jenny. The number of species at any time will vary. For example, the winter migrations are over, mostly, except for the occasional bird here and there. Most of the birds at the lake now either are resident or find their food and shelter within a swath that includes the lake. I’m surprised by the number of Canada geese here now, but I bet they will move on within a few weeks, maybe to the river, maybe to another lake. Most of the wild mallards are gone, as are virtually all of the American coots — I noticed only two yesterday. On the other hand, there were loads of bushtits, a species that we didn’t see much of in recent years.

Now, if you’re not giggling at the word Bushtit – it’s not a typo but an actual bird species (thank you, Wikipedia) – this should answer that question about spring/summer migrations at Echo Park Lake.

Raskin is hoping to do a Christmas Bird Count in December or January, which is an annual tradition for not just Echo Park Lake bird-watchers but also the National Audubon Society. We’ll see how the construction goes!

Here’s the list of birds counted at the lake last Sunday:

Read more

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For bird lovers: Great Backyard Bird Count on Sunday

Hey bird-lovers! The 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count is coming up on Sunday, February 20, 2011. Meet at the Echo Park Lake Boathouse at 8:00 am.

Discover the birds in your backyard, schoolyard or park. It’s fun, it’s free, and it helps the birds. All ages and skills welcome. Your checklist will contribute valuable information for science and conservation.

The bird count lasts about two hours. For more information, contact Judy Raskin at judycalifornia@yahoo.com or call (323) 663-6767.

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American Coot takes first place at Echo Park Lake

This year’s Annual Christmas Bird Count at Echo Park Lake brought almost 20 people to the boat house early on Sunday, January 2. All in all, 41 species of birds were counted, a new record for Echo Park Lake (the fall bird count saw 16 species). Bird lovers in Echo Park have identified over 70 species of birds over the last ten years.

The American coot took the crown with the largest population of 110, and the Western gull at second place with 104. Read the full list of the 41 species found at Echo Park Lake after the jump.

The next bird count is the Great Backyard Bird Count in February.

You can read about Jenny Burman’s account of the early morning bird count on her Chicken Corner blog.

Read more

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16 species counted at the Fall Bird Walk

Photo by Judy Raskin

The Autumn Echo Park Bird Walk took place recently, on Sunday, September 26. Ten bird lovers met up at the Echo Park Lake to document the many species of our local birds that hang out around the lake – 16 in all.  Those species include:

Pied-billed grebe
Double-crested cormorant
Black-crowned night heron
Ross’s goose
Canada goose
Mallard duck
Ruddy duck
American coot
California gull
Western gull
Rock dove
Common yellowthroat
Brewer’s blackbird
Great-tailed grackle
Brown-headed cowbird
House sparrow

The yellow-chevroned parakeet were also heard, though not seen, from high up in the trees. More bird species are expected around the lake in the coming months as this is just the beginning of the migration season.

The next walk is the annual Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, January 2, 2011.

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Will the pigeons win this time? Find out at the Echo Park Lake Bird Count

Flickr photo via BlackDaffodill

Last Christmas, pigeons trumped coots 240 to 239 at the annual Echo Park Lake Christmas Bird Count. Will they win this round?

The Autumn Echo Park Lake bird count takes place on Saturday, September 25 at 9:00 am (meet at the Boathouse!). Bird lovers in Echo Park have identified over 70 species of birds over the last ten years. You can expect to find species such as mallards, great-tailed grackles, robins, American coots, sparrows, finches, great egrets, black-crowned night herons, green herons, blackbirds, hawks and various gulls and doves, and more.

Beginning birders, including children, are welcome to the free bird walk. Binoculars are strongly recommended along with a bird guide if you have one.

For more information contact  judycalifornia@yahoo.com, or call (323) 663-6767.

See you at the bird walk!

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Annual Echo Park Christmas Bird Count

The annual Christmas Bird Count will be held on Sunday, January 3, 2010 at the Echo Park Lake at 8:00 am. Led by Echo Park’s chief birder Judy Raskin, the Bird Count helps identify and record the different bird species that visit the Echo Park Lake.

“Over the years we have counted more than 60 different species of birds that call the lake their home for all or part of the year. They include cormorants, ring-necked ducks, American wigeons, blue herons, great egrets, and Canada geese. This is the 110th annual Christmas Bird Count. Join more than 50,000 volunteers across the U.S., Canada, Central America, the Caribbean and the Pacific to help determine the health and diversity of local and migratory bird populations. The Echo Park Lake and Vista Hermosa teams are among those fielded by the Los Angeles Audubon Society. It compiles the local figures and sends them to the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, which does the master tally.”

Time: about 2 hours. Terrain: level, easy walking.

Participation fee: $5. per person (for one or both counts). Make checks payable to National Audubon Society.

Binoculars recommended, bird guide too. Take along a snack or water for betweenwalks. Beginners and children welcome!

Information: (323) 663-6767. On count day call (213) 361-7273. Or email judycalifornia@yahoo.com.

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