Date: 4/30/24 6:03 pm From: <thebrit1...> via groups.io <thebrit1...> Subject: [LACoBirds] Golden Triangle
It was another big one today. The winds were howling over the pass - 20 mph at 6.15am quickly increasing to a steady 30 mph. The relatively few birds that went north through the triangle were struggling over the grasses and headed to the first bushes for cover where 30 Western Kingbirds and other birds were hiding from the wind. I figured the flight was not going to be a big one.
I went to Copco Rd where birds were seemingly skirting the winds and not flying towards the triangle but flying straight west over I5 at Copco Rd and going through Hungry Valley along 'raptor' ridge. The winds are far less here. One minute counts here ranged from 26 to 122 per minute going over the highway at 9am (averaged 55 per minute - 3300 per hour). The photography was great.
At 10.15 I went to Old Ridge Route. At the start, just past Quail Lake, birds were steadily moving out of the Antelope Valley foothills (114 in 5 minutes) - this was steady over 20 minutes. I then went further into the chaparral (it was now 11 am) where there were birds moving but not so many including a few Hermit, BT Grays etc.
At the confluence of multiple geographical features and wind funnels, this area creates an incredible, and probably unique, opportunity to study migration. Understanding what goes on up here is impossible without multiple counts. It is always overwhelming on good days with different routes and different species make up. Overwhelming, frustrating and exhilarating all at once!
Probably 6-10k today. Lazuli's dominated everywhere again with flocks going past almost constantly. Western Tanagers were up a bit - seeing over 1000 of both in a day is not a big deal here. Lots of grosbeaks, Western Kingbirds: few warblers - much like yesterday. Plenty of other stuff and a steady trickle of raptors again.
Not expecting so many tomorrow. Hope I am wrong. Clearly these big movements go on all the way around LA - it's probably just as big crossing i15...
Richard Crossley
