NONBREEDING SURFBIRD, BALLONA CREEK & BEACH AREA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 12/20/2023 - NEW LIFE SPECIES

   We can ID this sandpiper as a nonbreeding Surfbird as follows:

• Mostly plain gray with a white belly having black streaking
• Dull yellowish legs and feet
• Whitish eye ring
• Short, dark bill with yellow base to lower mandible
• We cant see the base of the tail, but what we can see is blackish with a white tip.

   The Surfbird is a new species to our ebird Photographic Life List.  Our ebird Life List now stands at 1,106.

 

BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, BALLONA CREEK & BEACH AREA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 12/20/2023

 

BLACK TURNSTONE, BALLONA CREEK & BEACH AREA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 12/20/2023 - NEW LIFE SPECIES

   We can ID this sandpiper as a Black Turnstone as follows:

• Mostly a brown bird with a white belly and black flanks
• Orange legs
• Short, chisel-like bill that is slightly upturned (you can see this in second photo)

   The Black Turnstone is a new species to our ebird Photographic Life List.  Our ebird Life List now stands at 1,105.

 

WESTERN GULL, BALLONA CREEK & BEACH AREA, LOS ANGELES, 12/20/2023

 

WHIMBREL, BALLONA CREEK & BEACH AREA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 12/20/2023

 

RING-BILLED GULLS, BALLONA CREEK & BEACH AREA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 12/20/2023

 

MALE LESSER GOLDFINCH, BLUFF TRAIL PARK, S BLUFF TRAIL RD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, 12/20/2023 - NEW LIFE SPECIES

 We can ID this bird as a male Lesser Goldfinch as follows:

• Black cap
• Yellow underparts
• Greenish face with yellow throat.
• Conical bill
• Short, notched, black (at notch and above it) and white (between black and undertail coverts) tail.  

   The Lesser Goldfinch is a new species to our ebird Photographic Life List.  Our ebird Life List now stands at 1,104.