Vega Gull, LA River, Nov. ’24
Vega Gull
In my last post, I wrote about taxonomy changes that resulted in an armchair lifers. Taxonomy changes also present the opportunity for new sightings. And hot off the heels of a split of Herring Gull into 4 different species, a keen birder in L.A. spotted one of the new birds on the L.A. River. Most of the Herring Gulls we see around L.A. in the winter became American Herring Gulls with the split. One of the new species is called Vega Gull. It breeds in Siberia and Alaska. It typically winters in Japan and China. But a few of those Alaska birds head down the Pacific Coast of North America. each winter
Gulls can be tremendously difficult to identify. Many species take 3 or 4 years to reach adult plumage. Before then, they go through many different looks. On top of that, gulls are incredibly variable in their coloration. Finally, the differences between one species and another can be slight. Maybe the bill is slightly larger, or thinner, or angled a bit different. Maybe the primaries are dark or pale. Maybe the tips of the primaries are tipped with white, or not, or just one or two primaries are tipped in white. Leg color might be the distinguishing feature.
All of which is to say, it’s pretty insane that somebody picked out a juvenile Vega Gull from amongst a roiling flock of gulls on the L.A. River. It took me 3 visits before I picked it out. The one gift for listers seeking to spot this Vega Gull was a beauty mark it had in front of its left eye. Find the juvenile Herring-type gull with the black spot in front of its eye, and you can be assured that you’d found the Vega Gull. Keen eyes could also see variable barring on the tail band, and more white edging on its scapular feathers (back) than on other juvenile Herring Gulls. Maybe someday I’ll spot a Vega in my 5MR.
Nelson’s Sparrow, Malibu Lagoon Nov. ’24
Nelson’s Sparrow
Good birds are often found over the Thanksgiving break. Part of it is some time off to wander. Part of it is winter vagrancy. And part of it is out of town birders with fresh eyes looking around. This year was no different. On Friday, just as night fell, an eBird report came in about a Nelson’s Sparrow in Malibu Lagoon. This is a Midwest and East Coast salt and freshwater marsh sparrow. There were only two previous sightings in L.A. in the last 50 years. It’s an elusive species, and the habitat at Malibu Lagoon for this species is marginal at best. So I wasn’t sure if the bird would stick around. And even if it did, it could be hard to find.
Luckily, there would likely be a lot of eyes looking. When I showed up at 6:45am, there were already 3 birders there. But they hadn’t seen the Nelson’s Sparrow. A high tide had reduced the muddy edge where the Nelson’s Sparrow was likely to be seen. And gusty winds were keeping birds hunkered down. With each passing 10 minutes, another birder or two showed up. And for 2 hours we looked without success for the little sparrow.
First look
Working the muddy shore
Once the tide receded enough to provide room to wiggle along the shore of the marsh, the Nelson’s Sparrow was spotted. It then gave short, but satisfying, views as it foraged around. The nerds with their cameras jostled for a shot. Once that frenzy died down, it was good moods all around. For most present (including me), this was a lifer. Five days later, it’s still hanging around.