Expert local bird watcher Don Sterba observed a Black-throated green warbler (Setophaga virens) on Friday, November 22nd in the Freshwater Marsh of the Ballona Wetlands. Don reported that at around 8 AM an adult male Black-throated Green Warbler foraged in a sycamore located near the public path along the Lincoln leg of the Freshwater Marsh, about 200 yards south of the Jefferson-Lincoln intersection. He reported the bird called quite often, in a low-pitched Townsend's type chip (I don't know what that is, but I'm learning). After about 15 minutes it flew directly east, across Lincoln Blvd, into a cottonwood tree in front of the Playa Vista complex of buildings.
According to Wikipedia, the Black-throated green warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It is about 5 inches long and weighs one third of an ounce, and has an olive-green crown, a yellow face with olive markings, a thin pointed bill, white wing bars, an olive-green back and pale underparts with black streaks on the flanks. Adult males have a black throat and upper breast; females have a pale throat and black markings on their breast.
Lisa Fimiani, Executive Director of Friends of Ballona Wetlands, said this species has never before been seen or documented in the Ballona Wetlands area. Lisa added that “Don is a wonderful birder who helps the Friends with tours and provides us with tons of great bird photos. Don discovered the Least Bell’s Vireo nests at the Freshwater Marsh the first year they nested in 2010, and assists the marsh managers in scoping out where the Vireos are every year!”
Find out what's happening in Marina Del Reywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Least Bell’s Vireo is a federally endangered songbird that has nested in the Freshwater Marsh and in a manmade riparian corridor in the Playa Vista development. Playa Vista developers built the Freshwater Marsh as partial mitigation for the development’s storm water runoff. Homeowners pay to maintain the marsh through a special assessment. Bird abundance and species diversity at the Freshwater Marsh has increased every year since its construction in 2004. The Freshwater Marsh is open to the public every day, and there is free parking on the south side of Jefferson Boulevard, just west of Lincoln Boulevard. Bring your binoculars and enjoy the many species of waterfowl. Dogs on leashes, please!
Enjoy your Ballona Wetlands!
