Ongoing Reports

This page is a place for ongoing reports of bird sightings on campus, and should hopefully help to keep the info on this site at least somewhat up-to-date. If you've seen any birds on or near the UCLA campus, please email me [ jrfinley AT uiuc DOT edu] and I'll totally post your sightings here, along with your name (unless you wish to remain anonymous). more reports are being added as I sift back through emails May 2nd, 2008. Linda Navroth: "I was down at Stone Cyn. Cr. two days ago & observed a pair of Black Phoebes going into the drain culvert to a nest. Then I saw the photo on Birds of Westwood—I reckon this is the same one!" Jan-March 2008. Bewick's Wren Sightings & Observed Behaviors of the UCLA Upper Campus Population by Linda Navroth BewickWren-UCLAcampus_sightings_3-14-08.doc "The wrens must have gone through a small population explosion since you were here. And I have not found them to be altogether ‘secretive.’ I have even had them pop out on the tops of hedges when I’ve walked by and give me a sound scolding, nearly face to face!" (from Linda Navroth, personal correspondence) March 14th, 2008. Linda Navroth: Here are some other recent and notable sightings: Oak Titmouse (in trees on trail that skirts the periphery of the Chancellor’s residence). Nuttall’s Woodpecker (on sycamore in sculpture garden) Townsend’s Warbler (in trees & shrubs behind Murphy; in tree on E. side of YRL) Cedar Waxwings (flock of 100+ in fig trees near Murphy—just yesterday) Copper’s Hawk (in big sycamore tree on N. side of Law. A pair of Black Phoebe’s flew around near it, scolding loudly, in what looked like an attempt to defend territory or a nest) Western Bluebirds (pecking around mistletoe in big sycamore on N. side of Law—several days in a row) Spotted Towhee (a pair has territory along the N. and E side of YRL) The campus is also alive with hummingbirds. I see them everywhere, but they seem to favor the eucalyptus trees on the E. and S. side of Murphy that have blossoms on them. Feb. 5th, 2008. Linda Navroth: I’ve seen the following birds around campus over the past couple months: White-breasted Nuthatch (in big pines on E. side of Royce) The White-breasted nuthatch was working over the bark of one of the big Cedrus deodara that flank the stone bench with the inscription “Trees of 1931” on the east side of Royce. It was moving downwards over the trunks stopping every so often to poke around in the bark to pull out insects. I watched for about fifteen minutes as it hunted on the bark. I was really surprised to see this little feller myself and was fortunate that I happened to have my binocs that day! I haven’t seen it since, though I do investigate that area often since I’ve seen so many interesting birds and behaviors there between n Royce and Haines—which is surprising considering the amount of foot traffic that goes through that particular corridor. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (in Shapiro Courtyard & on E. side of Royce) Townsend’s Warbler (in several different locations) Western Bluebirds (today—in big sycamore on N. side of Law) Amer. Goldfinch (mostly eating from seed pods on the sycamores) Cedar Waxwings (they love something that’s in the mistletoe hanging in the big sycamore on E. side Law) Nov. 29th, 2007. Linda Navroth: The past two mornings there have been about a dozen or so Yellow-rumped warblers feeding in the big spotted gum trees in the math/science patio. There have also been a lot of Bushtits in the shrubs (I call them ‘marauding bushtits’ because of the way they seem to swarm over a bush or tree looking for food). There are quite a few Black phoebes, too; there were several darting up to the walls of Moore Hall this morning feeding on something. About a month ago I saw a pair of Western bluebirds over by the Shapiro Fountain (in the last remaining Italian Stone Pine—sadly the one on the north side of the stairs died and fell earlier this year) and this same day I also saw quite a few Goldfinches in the same area (but don’t see anymore). Last week I saw some Townsends warblers mixed in with the ‘butter butts’ in the Lemon bottle brush along the walkway near Campbell. And up until the air got chiller, those big stands of Lemon bottle brush below Bunche were filled with hummers. I’ve also seen Calif. Towhees, Juncos, and Bewick’s wrens. The last Cedar waxwings made a grand appearance feeding on one of the rusty leaf figs in front of the law school. There must have been over a hundred of them swarming all over the tree and eating the pea-sized fruit. I wish I would have had a video camera! I think they have since moved on as I’ve not seen or heard any since the 5th of this month. Aug. 8th, 2006.  Alison Turtledove: I thought I'd post here to let you know that I saw a pair of Western Bluebirds on campus today. They were at the bottom of the space below the Janss Steps, in between two of the entrances to Parking Lot 4. It looked like a male and female . . . very cute, sitting on top of a lamp together. .