Discover Elysian Park’s Avian Residents With 2022’s Great Backyard Bird Count

By Terry Hair, CCSEP Treasurer

Until her death in 2014, Echo Park community advocate and avid birder Judy Raskin led the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count at Echo Park Lake.  I joined Judy and a couple of dozen birders one chilly morning to walk around the lake, identify, and count all the birds that we saw.  I didn’t know much about birding and was pretty impressed with the group as they shouted out the names of birds they recognized. They were mostly little brown birds to me.  Nevertheless, I was hooked on birding and was soon able to shout out a few names myself.

That’s why every year, I look forward to the Great Backyard Bird Count, which the Audubon Center and Cornell Lab host, held annually in February. This year, it’s during President’s Day Weekend (Feb. 18 to 21). Citizen scientists and bird enthusiasts across the U.S. are asked to spend at least fifteen minutes noting all of the birds that they see and submit their list on an app.  This helps document bird populations and migration patterns.

Why not spend your fifteen minutes in Elysian Park? Pick your favorite trail and see what you can find. If you look up in the taller trees you are sure to spot a Red Tailed Hawk watching for prey. Look closely at ground level and you may see the California Towhee, Bewick Wren or White-Crowned Sparrows scratching in the leaf litter. Crows and Ravens are sure to be present (can you tell the difference?). Stand quietly at a large shrub and you may see a flock of tiny Bushtits. If you find any flowers blooming, watch for Anna’s Hummingbirds.

In February, local birds are entering nesting season. You may notice House Finches carrying bits of straw to their nest sites. It’s also the start of the spring migration, so you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of unusual species as they pass through to northern nesting sites.

New to birding? There are a couple of great apps to help you with bird identification: Merlin Bird ID app or the Audubon Society Bird Guide app.

So, on your Presidents’ Day hike in the Elysian Park, make sure to bring your binoculars and participate in this year’s Backyard Bird Count. You may become a committed birder (like me!) or you may just have a little more appreciation for our avian friends.