Birding at Castaic Lagoon and Summit Park in Los Angeles

The sun rose around 6 AM in Los Angeles. I recently moved back to LA from San Antonio where it rises closer to 6:50 AM, so it's been an adjustment bird-wise.

Castaic Lagoon

I got to Castaic Lagoon at 7AM. A few fishermen dotted the shore and I could see Western Grebes diving for fish and Snowy Egrets wading in the water. A gaggle of Canada Geese rested near the edge of the water. They made the occasional dramatic honk but were otherwise chill.

The lagoon is also used for boating and recreation. This place was on my radar because I listened to decent audio recordings taken here on eBird. LA has a lot of ambient sounds, so I've been trying to find places to record birds. There's a huge floating play structure on the water, so it probably gets busy with kids later in the day.

honk, honk, honk

I parked next the aquatic center and watched the Canada Geese for a while. Here are a few of their honks.

A flash of red

A small bird caught my eye as I walked along the western shore. I spied a the bright red of a Vermilion Flycatcher. It fluttered in a near by tree going from the ground back to a perch.

a perched vermilion flycatcher — The Vermilion Flycatcher perched on this grass sign.

Western Grebe calls

Out further on the water were Western Grebes. I heard them call a few times and wandered closer to the shore to get this quick recording.

Off in the trees were Turkey Vultures and Common Ravens foraging together on the ground. The vulture in the back has a pale head which means it's a younger one.

turkey vulture and ravens scavenge on the ground — The Turkey Vulture in the back with a pale head is a juvenile. Its head will turn pink when it's an adult.

A Black Phoebe sang its name from the trees near the walking path.

Summit Park

I visited Summit Park in Valencia after Castaic Lagoon. It has a nice park with trails that lead through the hills where you can see Great Horned Owls, California Quails, and California Scrubjays.

A walk on the trail through the hills

My favorite part of the park are the trails. It was a little later in the afternoon but the birds were still busy. There was a loud Red-tailed Hawk calling from a tree while a smaller bird shrieked from the shrubs.

The scrub jay on the ground in its habitat — The **California Scrub-ay**, like the **Blue Jay** is noisy and dramatic.

This male Acorn Wood was one of several woodpeckers at the park today.

male acorn woodpecker perched on a snag — The male **Acorn Woodpecker** has a red crown

One of the trees at the park was especially busy with bird activity so I sat down at the park table to watch.

A nuthatch minds its own business

The White-breasted Nuthatch minding its own business. — A **White-breasted Nuthatch** minding its own business.

There was this cute White-breasted Nuthatch with food from a neighborhood bird feeder. It stuffed a single seed into the tree bark and tried to eat. Then, trouble appeared.

The nuthatch loves to cling upside down. I think it sees something.

An Oak Titmouse showed up with its own seed and started immediate drama with the nuthatch.

One seed isn't enough. A million seeds aren't enough.

With no warning, the titmouse launches itself at the nuthatch and grabs its face. The two birds tussle on on the ground before separating and flying into the tree.

An oaktitmouse with it's claw on the face of a whitebreasted nuthatch — Give me yours.

Birds are so rude to each other.

Birding at Castaic Lagoon and Summit Park