Gnatcatcher (1 Viewer)

roxby

Well-known member

• Oct 27, 2014

• #1

Hi

I wonder if anyone can help with reliable sites for California Gnatcatcher Near LA, I will be travelling up to Ventura so could also visit sites en route. Any help would be nuch apreciated, also any nearby sites for Yellow Billed Magpie?

I'm really on an Arizona trip (post Hawaii) and will only have 2 or 3 days in CA.

Many Thanks

Malcolm

 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• Oct 27, 2014

• #2

I saw California Gnatcatcher near the Trump Golf Course on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. There are quite a few sites for them along the coast there.

For Yellow-billed Magpies, I'd recommend checking the latest sightings on eBird. You'll need to head north of Santa Barbara for those though.

 

dandsblair

David and Sarah

Supporter

• Oct 27, 2014

• #3

Gnatcatchers at Newport Eco reserve

We recently had Gnatcatchers at Newport Eco reserve not that far south of LA.
Nearest place to Ventura for Yellow-billed Magpie was Gonzales a small town near Pinnacles NP but probably safer to head to Pinnacles as that seems a more reliable site for them.

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Oct 27, 2014

• #4

Checking ebird and limiting the observations to only this month is a good way to find locations that are currently working.

Regarding the Gnatcatcher: always difficult, but more so later in the day, so be out early. It is a federally threatened species, playback is considered unethical with such a species, so learn their song to know where to phish for them. At this time of year, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher occurs in almost the same habitat - often the slightly less dry part of it. I saw and heard Cal Gnatcatcher a couple of days ago, but closer to San Diego. (and had Blue-grey within few hundred meters from the location of the Cal Gnatcatcher).

Niels

 

Last edited: Oct 27, 2014

J

jwreeves

Well-known member

• Oct 27, 2014

• #5

In May this year, had a pair of gnatcatchers at both crystal cove, in the last car park on the left(#4 I think?), and around the small car park on back bay drive, upper Newport bay. Both sites are in Orange County. Knowing the call helps but the local mockingbirds and thrashers also know it! Los alamos park, c1.5 hours northwest of Ventura, is meant to be good for the magpie, but I failed to see them there on a quick stop, but it was early evening and wasn't really looking for them as had seen them further north

 

wimvdam

Well-known member

• Oct 28, 2014

• #6

Solvang is the southernmost reliable spot for Yellow-billed Magpie in Santa Barbara County. Driving up and down Happy Canyon Road or Figueroa Mountain Road should produce several.

 

NNJFB-Rob

Well-known member

• Oct 29, 2014

• #7

Yellow billed Magpie will not be found south of Solvang. And then, can be very elusive. Or frigging annoyingly common… haha!

Cal. Gnatcatcher. There is a small colony of hard to find gnatcatchers behind LAX in the Blue Butterfly protected zones in El Segundo. The afore mentioned spots in Palos Verdes are usually pretty productive. I had one male CA gnatcatcher at Bonelli Park this weekend.

 

roxby

Well-known member

• Oct 30, 2014

• #8

Thanks so much to everyone who responded with useful advice, I really do apreciate it. I am now looking for sites as close to Los Angeles as possible for Mountain Quail and California Thrasher.

Again any help will be much apreciated.

Cheers

Malcolm

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Oct 30, 2014

• #9

Again, check the explore data option in Ebird.org

Niels

 

J

jwreeves

Well-known member

• Oct 30, 2014

• #10

Heard the quail in the San Gabriel mountains, about mile 40, from just past the red box station. The thrasher was easy at crystal cove