Date: 1/29/19 2:53 pm From: Wanda <wandadameron2...> [LACoBirds] <LACoBirds-noreply...> Subject: [LACoBirds] Least Grebe - More Detailed Directions
You're correct Kimball, I should have said Ballona Freshwater Marsh. I also changed that on the report. Should I include the entire below directions there? The group was small as many went to the weeks major location to Pixley NWR.
Driving directions: From the 405, we take the 90 fwy west, exiting at Culver Blvd. turning left crossing under the Lincoln Blvd. overpass to the 1st traffic light. Turn left for a very short distance (deadends) to W. Jefferson Blvd, turning left and park adjacent to the Marsh. Parking may be a bit limited as is a popular spot for the homeless to park mobile homes, but you can do a circle around and park a bit closer to the ocean just prior to the mobile homes if no spaces close to the corner.
Walking Directions: The path has recently been mulched so you don't have to walk in mud from the rains. From your car walk left along the path around the corner to your right, adjacent to Lincoln Blvd. It was seen at approximately half way from the corner to the path that cuts thru the inland end of the marsh. This spot has a wider view than many because of foliage, plus this section of fencing had at least the top board replaced w/noticeable fresh wood.
This spot has a view of an area of shady open water on the left portion beyond a near bank of low foliage. Some tall rushes start about mid view and continue right. The open water stretches back a ways but mainly cuts left and is sufficiently wide for a boat which also went through continuing on the back side of the rushes. The bird was seen in the shady open water to the left & a bit beyond the rushes swimming near a coot for at least 5 minutes, then swam right on the back side of the rushes & disappeared. It probably realized a boat was coming............
There are lots of Pied-billeds around but have a very different ovalish head shape what with the large triangular light colored bill w/a stripe.
Wishing you lots of luck, maybe even getting a picture!
Wanda Dameron West San Fernando Valley
On 1/29/2019 10:18 AM, Kimball Garrett wrote: > Thanks for the heads-up, Wanda. If there is a Least Grebe there, > I'm confident it will be refound and photographed. Could you > clarify where it was? I see it showed up on a Monday group > checklist from Ballona Freshwater Marsh, but you said "Ballona > Lagoon" (which may or not be the same place). I assume you meant > Ballona Freshwater Marsh, and you saw the grebe along the north side > (paralleling Jefferson)? > > Kimball > > Kimball L. Garrett > Ornithology Collections Manager > Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County > 900 Exposition Blvd. > Los Angeles, CA 90007 USA > 213-763-3368 > <kgarrett...> <mailto:<kgarrett...> > > > On Tue, Jan 29, 2019 at 7:07 AM Wanda <wandadameron2...> > <mailto:<wandadameron2...>> wrote: > > Dear Kimball, > > At Ballona Lagoon yesterday, I saw a Least Grebe. Yes, I know > it is not an expected bird in so Cal as first saw it in TX many > years ago and further south where a bit more common! It was > swimming in a small patch of shady open water on the north side > near a larger Coot. What caught my attention was this small > quite dark bird with a yellow eye and a small all blackish > pointed bill making the head seemed more rounded than a > Pie-billed. The bird was all quite dark/blackish with > extensive brown in the flanks/side area. > > I had decided not to continue w/the Mon. Birders (SWBSC) group > of 7 as they neared the spot to drop south to circle the main > lagoon. I was birding slowly back west toward the cars. As > it swam west from a shady open space to the far side of some > rushes, 3 other birders coming late approached, however it had > disappeared behind the rushes before they got a look just as a > larger obvious Pie-billed came in from the east. A boat came > through the area from the southeast then parallel to the fence > behind the rushes. I hung in this area and another open spot > just to the west for around half an hour hoping for another view > w/o success. It was located around half way on the north side > in a somewhat open spot where part of the topmost boards had > been replaced. Also look for a small patch of open water on the > left back w/more open water further back & east, w/rushes from > the near middle going right. > > Cheers, > > Wanda Dameron > > San Fernando Valley > > > <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient&utm_term=icon> > Virus-free. www.avast.com > <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient&utm_term=link> > > > <#m_-1287951712197150270_DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> >
