On May 1, representatives of Audubon California co-sponsored a groundbreaking bird survey on the Tejon Ranch with the Tejon Ranch Conservancy. This was one of the first times that researchers had been allowed to collect information on the vast ecological assets of the ranch. The results were impressive. In one short 4-hour "bird blitz" in Sacatara Canyon designed to establish a baseline of species in the area, the seven participating birders counted 65 species.

"It was surprising to see so many individuals in such a short space," said Gary Langham, Audubon California's director of bird consevation. "At one point, we just stood at the opening of the canyon and watched all these different birds fly in from who knows where. Another time, we were watching these shady puddles under willow trees and something like 30 species came in to bathe."

The total count follows after the break. (photo by Andrea Jones)

Species/Number reported

Mallard/2

Mountain Quail/2

California Quail/6

Golden Eagle/1

American Kestrel/1

Mourning Dove/17

Vaux’s Swift/30

Anna’s Hummingbird/1

Acorn Woodpecker/4

Ladder-backed Woodpecker/2

Nuttall’s Woodpecker/1

Olive-sided Flycatcher/1

Western Wood-Pewee/1

Gray Flycatcher/5

Pacific-slope Flycatcher/3

Vermilion Flycatcher/1

Ash-throated Flycatcher/10

Western Kingbird/10

Cassin’s Vireo/2

Warbling Vireo/5

Steller’s Jay/2

Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal)/15

Common Raven/57

Barn Swallow/3

Oak Titmouse/6

White-breasted Nuthatch/1

House Wren/7

Western Bluebird/10

Hermit Thrush/1

European Starling/14

Phainopepla/1

Orange-crowned Warbler/15

Nashville Warbler (Western)/3

Yellow Warbler/11

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)/1

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s)/130

Black-throated Gray Warbler/15

Townsend’s Warbler/4

Hermit Warbler/2

MacGillivray’s Warbler/45

Wilson’s Warbler/36

Western Tanager/3

Green-tailed Towhee/3

Spotted Towhee/12

California Towhee/5

Chipping Sparrow/1

Brewer’s Sparrow/1

Lark Sparrow/5

Savannah Sparrow/2

Fox Sparrow/1

Song Sparrow/1

Lincoln’s Sparrow/1

White-crowned Sparrow/30

Golden-crowned Sparrow/4

Black-headed Grosbeak/14

Lazuli Bunting/7

Western Meadowlark/2

Brown-headed Cowbird/1

Hooded Oriole/1

Bullock’s Oriole/4

Purple Finch (Western)/1

House Finch/10

Lesser Goldfinch/2

Lawrence’s Goldfinch/1

American Goldfinch/5