Date: 5/2/26 7:19 pm From: Ryan L. via groups.io <ryanbirding...> Subject: [southbaybirds] Field Notes: Ed Levin CP - Calera Creek Trail 5/2/26
This morning 9 brave birders joined Howard and me for an SCVBA field trip to Ed Levin. We started at the bathroom by the dog park and saw Great Blue Heron nests with young and a Black Phoebe nest. The park was filled with the sound of Red-winged Blackbirds, Great-tailed Grackles, and European Starlings. We saw Western Kingbird and Bullock’s Oriole before we even moved out of the starting location.
As we walked out toward the hang glider landing zone we found Red-tailed Hawks perched and Great Egrets hunting in the field. Toward the private property with the golf course we saw Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Mockingbird, and a male Hooded Oriole in a palm. High above we saw swallows and both White-throated Swift and Vaux’s Swift. Further down we found a singing Rufous-crowned Sparrow. On the trail we had more Mallards feeding in the mud and some California Quail.
We arrived to the field next to Calera Creek with a number singing or calling birds. A male Lazuli Bunting sang from the utility wire. A Black-headed Grosbeak sang further down. We heard an Ash-throated Flycatcher. As we continued along the creek we added Western Tanager, Western Warbling Vireo, Northern House Wren, Northern Yellow Warbler. On the way back we had a Cooper’s Hawk fly over. We observed four woodpecker species (Hairy, Acorn, Nuttall’s, and Northern Flicker) and four swallow species (Cliff, House, Tree, and Violet-green). At the lake we found Mallard, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe.
We didn’t reocrd any rarities this trip. One of the big highlights was a fledgling Great Horned Owl. We found 60 species total.
Checklist: https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S331319478 Trail Conditions: Dirt portions heavily rutted from cows walking in the mud, large patch of mud where water is flowing into Calera Creek
Conditions: Cloudy, 54º F, 85% Hm, 3 mph 209, AQI 35
Sunrise: 6:11 AM, Sunset: 7:58 PM
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Do not disclose information that identifies the location of nesting birds of any species, to minimize stress on the nesting birds and the risk of vandalism or abuse.
