{ "schemaVersion": "1.0", "title": "El Segundo Bird Index \u2014 Public Research Package", "site": "elsegundo.xyz", "preparedDate": "2026-10-06", "locale": "en-US", "timeZone": "America/Los_Angeles", "scope": { "description": "Selected birds documented in the nearby Ballona\u2013Dockweiler coastal landscape, with accessible El Segundo and South Bay habitat suggestions.", "planningRadiusMiles": 25, "radiusMeaning": "General regional editorial scope, not verified route distances or a geofenced species inventory.", "liveSightings": false, "coordinatesIncluded": false }, "editorialNotes": [ "Forty selected species, not a complete local checklist.", "Resident means regional year-round presence; it does not prove residency of a particular bird or breeding at a suggested site.", "Seasonal guidance is a conservative editorial synthesis of Cornell natural-history information and cited local context, not a newly analyzed frequency dataset.", "All occurrence entries preserve the geographic and temporal limits of their evidence.", "No precise nest, sensitive roost, private-property or endangered-breeding coordinates are supplied.", "Images are rights-cleared candidates from individual agency media pages; they are not local-sighting evidence. Download/render and check the actual crop before production use.", "Source retrieval dates do not imply source publication dates or live observations." ], "filterDefinitions": { "season": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "habitat": [ "beach", "ocean", "dune", "wetland", "riparian", "urban" ], "type": [ "seabird", "gull_tern", "shorebird", "wading_bird", "waterfowl", "waterbird", "raptor", "dove", "hummingbird", "songbird" ], "seasonMeaning": "Broad expected viewing periods in coastal lowland Los Angeles; exceptions occur." }, "overview": { "title": "Birding El Segundo: beach, dunes, wetlands and the everyday neighborhood", "sections": [ { "heading": "Start with a place, not a scorecard", "body": "El Segundo is a useful place to learn birds because several different landscapes meet within a short regional outing: open Pacific shoreline, surviving dunes, wetlands around Ballona, and ordinary streets and parks. Start by choosing one of those settings. A beach walk and a marsh visit ask different questions, and neither needs to produce a long species list. Watch where a bird stands, how it moves and what it does before opening an identification app. A bird that repeatedly dives beneath a pond is solving a different feeding problem from one running at the edge of a wave. Those simple observations make names easier to remember. This index is a selective introduction to forty birds documented in the nearby coastal landscape, rather than a complete inventory or a promise that any bird will be present today. Its wider South Bay context fits an approximately twenty-five-mile planning area; no measured routes or exact distances are claimed.", "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024", "dockweiler_access" ] }, { "heading": "Read the beach in layers", "body": "From an open public area at Dockweiler, divide your view into the ocean, the wet sand, the dry beach and the vegetation behind it. Brown Pelicans may be easiest to recognize by their outline and low gliding flight. Gulls take more patience: begin with size and posture, then look at legs, bill and back color. Young gulls often look very different from adults. At the waterline, compare the quick movements of Sanderlings with the heavier build of Willets or the long bill of a Marbled Godwit. Farther from the water, a pale shape on the sand can be a resting plover rather than a stone. The important response is to slow down and give it space. A useful beach observation is made from the place where the bird continues its ordinary behavior, not from the closest position your camera can reach. Never move a flock to improve a photograph.", "sourceIds": [ "cornell_brown-pelican", "cornell_sanderling", "cornell_willet", "cornell_marbled-godwit", "plover_local" ] }, { "heading": "Understand the dunes without entering them", "body": "The dunes are living habitat, even when they look sparse beside greener parks. Wind, sand, native plants and insects support a distinctive coastal community. LAWA manages the LAX Dunes and describes a substantial restoration and conservation program there. Its historical material records important wildlife recovery, but those records should not become directions to sensitive birds. Nor should an old volunteer event be treated as an open invitation to walk airport land. No unrestricted public route through the LAX Dunes is offered in this guide. Use the manager\u2019s current information if you want to join an authorized program. For a self-guided outing, observe dune vegetation from a lawful public beach edge, or choose open paths in a public park. Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach is a different site with different rules: its exercise dune has a reservation system, so birdwatching in the park does not confer permission to climb the dune.", "sourceIds": [ "lax_natural_resources", "lax_brochure", "lax_stewardship", "sand_dune_park", "sand_dune_rules" ] }, { "heading": "Give each wetland its own identity", "body": "Ballona is a network of habitats rather than one interchangeable destination. Freshwater pools, reed beds, willow edges, salty channels and seasonally exposed ground favor different birds. At the freshwater marsh, a first lesson might be the contrast between a coot\u2019s white bill, a grebe\u2019s compact diving shape and a duck\u2019s broad bill. Along vegetated edges, watch for a Black Phoebe returning to a low perch or listen for a Song Sparrow inside the cover. Access needs equally careful attention. The Friends of Ballona public perimeter trails have a dawn-to-dusk schedule, while CDFW publishes a shorter Wednesday-to-Saturday opening window for the reserve\u2019s Fiji Trail. The ecological reserve also excludes pets, unlike the freshwater public trail\u2019s leashed-dog rule. These are neighboring places with separate permissions. Choose the actual entrance you mean to use, check its source page, and treat a closed gate as the end of that route.", "sourceIds": [ "ballona_habitat", "freshwater_access", "ballona_access", "cornell_american-coot", "cornell_pied-billed-grebe", "cornell_black-phoebe", "cornell_song-sparrow" ] }, { "heading": "Let the season change your expectations", "body": "A bird list is more useful when it explains time. Some birds in this index have a year-round regional presence: hummingbirds, mockingbirds and phoebes can make familiar neighborhood companions. Year-round does not mean the same individual stays on the same branch, or that every suitable park holds the species. Cooler months bring a different mix, including White-crowned Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers and several waterfowl. Many beach shorebirds are visitors outside their northern breeding season. Terns are another reminder that summer has its own character. Weather, tide, water levels, disturbance and food can all change what is visible during a particular visit. Treat the season filters as planning guidance. They are deliberately broad and are not calculated encounter probabilities. The July 2024 Ballona checklist establishes historical occurrence; a current opening-hours check does not magically update that biological record into a current sighting.", "sourceIds": [ "allen_range", "winter_context", "cornell_least-tern", "cornell_elegant-tern", "ballona_2024" ] }, { "heading": "Practice close to home", "body": "A short repeat visit can teach more than a succession of rushed destinations. Choose an open path at Recreation Park or another lawful neighborhood viewpoint and spend ten minutes watching the same patch of trees, lawn and shrubs. Separate birds by behavior before separating them by name: ground feeders, flower visitors, birds picking through foliage and birds making short flights from perches. A House Finch and a Lesser Goldfinch both use seeds, but shape and markings reward comparison. An Anna\u2019s Hummingbird may flash bright color only when its angle changes. Small gray Bushtits may first announce themselves through movement across several branches. Keep your notes modest and specific: what you actually saw, what remained uncertain and how long you watched. The park suggestions in this guide are habitat matches, not claims that every listed species has been verified in every suggested park.", "sourceIds": [ "recreation_park", "cornell_house-finch", "cornell_lesser-goldfinch", "cornell_annas-hummingbird", "cornell_bushtit" ] }, { "heading": "Make a useful record and leave a light footprint", "body": "Write down the date, broad public location, duration, weather and the features that supported your identification. If you cannot distinguish two similar birds, keep the uncertainty instead of forcing a name. An unfamiliar hummingbird may properly remain Rufous/Allen\u2019s. Use public birding resources to compare your notes afterward, and join an organized walk when you want help seeing the differences. The same care applies to sharing. This index withholds nest pins, precise sensitive roost locations and private-property directions. Do not use playback to pull a bird into view, feed birds to stage a photograph, or step into habitat to settle an identification. Give other trail users room, watch for bicycles near shared coastal routes and keep children beside you near traffic or water. A successful outing can end with one well-observed bird, a new question and a place left as quiet as you found it.", "sourceIds": [ "ethics", "ebird_ballona", "cornell_allens-hummingbird" ] }, { "heading": "A local university of attention", "body": "The University of El Segundo exercises below are informal, self-guided learning prompts created for this site. They do not claim accreditation, enrollment or affiliation with a city department or university. Take a notebook, choose a legal public viewpoint and work at your own pace. One exercise asks you to compare habitats; another asks you to revisit the same place in another season. Both train attention rather than collecting. If you continue farther into the South Bay, Madrona Marsh offers another wetland setting to compare with the coast, subject to its current public hours. Bring your questions to the Friends of Ballona, Los Angeles Audubon or a local nature-center program. The next step in learning is often not a rarer bird. It is understanding why an ordinary bird uses one patch of the landscape and passes over another. Carry water, sun protection and a layer for coastal wind. Binoculars are useful, but careful watching is free. Before leaving, decide what one question you want your next visit to help you answer more clearly.", "sourceIds": [ "madrona_access", "madrona_confirm", "freshwater_access", "tern_local" ] } ], "wordCount": 1200 }, "birds": [ { "id": "brown-pelican", "commonName": "Brown Pelican", "scientificName": "Pelecanus occidentalis", "aliases": [], "type": "seabird", "habitatFilters": [ "beach", "ocean" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Huge bill and throat pouch; heavy-bodied birds often glide just above the waves before plunge-diving.", "localHabitatGuide": "Open coastal water and undisturbed shoreline resting places.", "seasonalContext": "Possible all year along this coast; local numbers and feeding concentrations vary with marine conditions.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_brown-pelican", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "brown-pelican", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "western-gull", "commonName": "Western Gull", "scientificName": "Larus occidentalis", "aliases": [], "type": "gull_tern", "habitatFilters": [ "beach", "ocean", "urban" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "A large gull; adults have a dark gray back, pink legs and a heavy yellow bill. Young birds are mottled brown.", "localHabitatGuide": "Beach edges, oceanfront and coastal urban spaces.", "seasonalContext": "Year-round coastal species. Age and hybrid variation make some individuals difficult to identify.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_western-gull", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "california-gull", "commonName": "California Gull", "scientificName": "Larus californicus", "aliases": [], "type": "gull_tern", "habitatFilters": [ "beach", "wetland", "urban" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor", "identification": "Adults have a medium-gray back, yellowish legs and a relatively slim bill with red and black marks near the tip.", "localHabitatGuide": "Shoreline flocks, wetland edges and open urban spaces.", "seasonalContext": "Primarily a cool-season coastal visitor; some nonbreeding birds may occur outside that window.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_california-gull", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler", "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "double-crested-cormorant", "commonName": "Double-crested Cormorant", "scientificName": "Nannopterum auritum", "aliases": [ "Phalacrocorax auritus (older combination)" ], "type": "waterbird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland", "ocean" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Dark, long-necked diving bird with an orange-yellow throat patch; often rests with wings spread.", "localHabitatGuide": "Open water at marshes, lagoons and the coast.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round in the wider coastal area; do not confuse a resting group with a nesting colony.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_double-crested-cormorant", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler", "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "snowy-plover", "commonName": "Snowy Plover", "scientificName": "Anarhynchus nivosus", "aliases": [ "Western Snowy Plover", "Charadrius nivosus (older combination)" ], "type": "shorebird", "habitatFilters": [ "beach", "dune" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor_and_local_breeder", "identification": "Tiny, pale sand-colored plover with a short dark bill and incomplete dark patches at the sides of the breast.", "localHabitatGuide": "Open dry sand, wrack edges and protected beach habitat.", "seasonalContext": "Wintering use is well documented locally; breeding has also been documented historically. This guide does not confirm an active nest or current breeding site.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_snowy-plover", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "plover_local", "plover_history", "dockweiler_access" ], "geographicScope": "Dockweiler beach area", "coverage": "Local monitoring described on an undated current page, plus a March 2019 historical report. No live 2026 observation verified.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": true, "imageCandidateId": "snowy-plover", "conservationNote": "The Pacific Coast population is federally threatened. Observe only from lawful public areas, honor enclosures and avoid publishing nest or roost coordinates.", "conservationSourceIds": [ "plover_local", "plover_status" ] }, { "id": "sanderling", "commonName": "Sanderling", "scientificName": "Calidris alba", "aliases": [], "type": "shorebird", "habitatFilters": [ "beach" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor", "identification": "Small, pale sandpiper in winter, with black legs and bill; frequently runs with the receding surf.", "localHabitatGuide": "Wet sand at the waterline and quiet beach resting areas.", "seasonalContext": "Best treated as a migration and winter visitor; a few may linger into summer.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_sanderling", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "sanderling", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "willet", "commonName": "Willet", "scientificName": "Tringa semipalmata", "aliases": [], "type": "shorebird", "habitatFilters": [ "beach", "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor", "identification": "A sturdy gray-brown shorebird with a straight, thick bill; flight reveals a striking black-and-white wing pattern.", "localHabitatGuide": "Beach shallows, mudflats and tidal edges.", "seasonalContext": "Mainly a nonbreeding coastal visitor, including migration; occasional summer presence does not prove local breeding.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_willet", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler", "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "marbled-godwit", "commonName": "Marbled Godwit", "scientificName": "Limosa fedoa", "aliases": [], "type": "shorebird", "habitatFilters": [ "beach", "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor", "identification": "Large warm-brown shorebird with a very long bill that tilts slightly upward and is pink-based outside the dark tip.", "localHabitatGuide": "Sandy shallows and exposed tidal feeding areas.", "seasonalContext": "A migration and winter bird in this guide; some nonbreeders may remain during summer.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_marbled-godwit", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler", "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "hudsonian-whimbrel", "commonName": "Hudsonian Whimbrel", "scientificName": "Numenius hudsonicus", "aliases": [ "Whimbrel", "Numenius phaeopus (older broad treatment)" ], "type": "shorebird", "habitatFilters": [ "beach", "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor", "identification": "Large brown shorebird with a distinctly downcurved bill and bold stripes across the crown.", "localHabitatGuide": "Coastal flats, beach edges and shallow tidal feeding areas.", "seasonalContext": "Migration and winter visitor; Ballona occurrence also reported in the January 2026 Christmas Bird Count summary.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_hudsonian-whimbrel", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024", "cbc_2026" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Historical Ballona checklist through July 2024; additional Ballona record from January 2, 2026 reported January 26, 2026.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler", "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null, "taxonomyNote": "Cornell now recognizes Hudsonian Whimbrel, Numenius hudsonicus. The 2024 Ballona checklist uses the former broad name Whimbrel; the January 2026 local count explicitly identifies the Hudsonian form." }, { "id": "black-bellied-plover", "commonName": "Black-bellied Plover", "scientificName": "Pluvialis squatarola", "aliases": [], "type": "shorebird", "habitatFilters": [ "beach", "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor", "identification": "A chunky, large plover with a short stout bill; black underwing armpits show in flight even in pale winter plumage.", "localHabitatGuide": "Tidal flats and open shoreline.", "seasonalContext": "Primarily migration and winter; the black belly is absent in typical winter plumage.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_black-bellied-plover", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler", "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "killdeer", "commonName": "Killdeer", "scientificName": "Charadrius vociferus", "aliases": [], "type": "shorebird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland", "urban" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Two black breast bands on white underparts; runs, pauses and gives a clear, carrying call.", "localHabitatGuide": "Bare ground, shallow wetland margins, short grass and open recreation areas.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round. If an adult performs a distraction display, retreat rather than looking for its nest.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_killdeer", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "least-tern", "commonName": "Least Tern", "scientificName": "Sternula antillarum", "aliases": [ "California Least Tern", "Sternula antillarum browni" ], "type": "gull_tern", "habitatFilters": [ "beach", "ocean", "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "summer_visitor", "identification": "Very small tern with pointed wings; breeding adults show a white forehead and yellow bill with a dark tip.", "localHabitatGuide": "Coastal waters and wetland feeding areas; protected beach habitat supports the local subspecies.", "seasonalContext": "Spring through early autumn visitor. Local conservation work concerns the California subspecies, Sternula antillarum browni.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_least-tern", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler", "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": true, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": "The local California subspecies is federally and state endangered. View feeding birds from a distance; this index does not direct visitors to nesting colonies.", "conservationSourceIds": [ "tern_local", "tern_status" ] }, { "id": "elegant-tern", "commonName": "Elegant Tern", "scientificName": "Thalasseus elegans", "aliases": [], "type": "gull_tern", "habitatFilters": [ "beach", "ocean" ], "seasonFilters": [ "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "warm_season_visitor", "identification": "Slender tern with a long orange bill and shaggy black crest; buoyant flight often ends in a fish-catching dive.", "localHabitatGuide": "Coastal water and undisturbed beach or estuary resting areas.", "seasonalContext": "Primarily spring through autumn along this coast, including post-breeding movements; not a guaranteed summer sighting.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_elegant-tern", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "great-blue-heron", "commonName": "Great Blue Heron", "scientificName": "Ardea herodias", "aliases": [], "type": "wading_bird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland", "urban" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Very large gray-blue heron with a long spear-shaped bill; flies with neck tucked and legs trailing.", "localHabitatGuide": "Shallows, wetland edges and occasionally grassy hunting areas.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round across the local wetland network.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_great-blue-heron", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "great-egret", "commonName": "Great Egret", "scientificName": "Ardea alba", "aliases": [], "type": "wading_bird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Large white heron with a yellow bill and black legs; typically stalks or waits in shallow water.", "localHabitatGuide": "Marsh edges, lagoons and shallow channels.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round; water conditions determine which edges are usable.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_great-egret", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "snowy-egret", "commonName": "Snowy Egret", "scientificName": "Egretta thula", "aliases": [], "type": "wading_bird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland", "beach" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Smaller white egret with a black bill and conspicuous yellow feet on dark legs.", "localHabitatGuide": "Shallow fresh, brackish and coastal water.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round in the coastal area. Compare bill and feet with Great Egret rather than relying on apparent size alone.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_snowy-egret", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "dockweiler", "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "snowy-egret", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "black-crowned-night-heron", "commonName": "Black-crowned Night Heron", "scientificName": "Nycticorax nycticorax", "aliases": [ "Black-crowned Night-Heron" ], "type": "wading_bird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Stocky and short-necked; adults have a black crown and back with gray wings, while young birds are brown and spotted.", "localHabitatGuide": "Sheltered water margins and vegetated wetland edges.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round; often less conspicuous during daylight. No roost locations are published here.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_black-crowned-night-heron", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "black-crowned-night-heron", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "black-necked-stilt", "commonName": "Black-necked Stilt", "scientificName": "Himantopus mexicanus", "aliases": [], "type": "shorebird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Black-and-white body balanced on exceptionally long pink legs, with a fine straight black bill.", "localHabitatGuide": "Very shallow wetland pools and muddy margins.", "seasonalContext": "Year-round regionally, with local presence strongly affected by water levels; historical Ballona list includes breeding evidence.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_black-necked-stilt", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "mallard", "commonName": "Mallard", "scientificName": "Anas platyrhynchos", "aliases": [], "type": "waterfowl", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland", "urban" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Breeding male has a green head, narrow white neck ring and gray body; female is mottled brown with an orange-and-dark bill.", "localHabitatGuide": "Freshwater pools and park ponds.", "seasonalContext": "Year-round local species, with migrants adding to the regional population. Domestic-looking ducks may be mixed into park flocks.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_mallard", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "northern-shoveler", "commonName": "Northern Shoveler", "scientificName": "Spatula clypeata", "aliases": [], "type": "waterfowl", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor", "identification": "The broad spoon-shaped bill is the key; breeding males combine a green head, white chest and chestnut sides.", "localHabitatGuide": "Shallow freshwater pools where it filters food near the surface.", "seasonalContext": "Primarily autumn through spring in lowland coastal wetlands.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_northern-shoveler", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "american-wigeon", "commonName": "American Wigeon", "scientificName": "Mareca americana", "aliases": [], "type": "waterfowl", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland", "urban" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor", "identification": "Compact duck with a short pale bill; adult male has a pale crown and green stripe behind the eye.", "localHabitatGuide": "Open freshwater and adjacent short grass used for grazing.", "seasonalContext": "Primarily a cool-season visitor; historical Ballona autumn observations support this seasonal pattern.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_american-wigeon", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null, "seasonSourceIds": [ "winter_ballona" ] }, { "id": "ruddy-duck", "commonName": "Ruddy Duck", "scientificName": "Oxyura jamaicensis", "aliases": [], "type": "waterfowl", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "resident_and_winter_visitor", "identification": "Small, compact diving duck with a stiff tail often held upward; males have white cheeks, with blue bill and rusty body in breeding plumage.", "localHabitatGuide": "Open freshwater pools.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round with seasonal variation; local historical checklist includes breeding evidence. Winter birds can look much plainer than guidebook males.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_ruddy-duck", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "ruddy-duck", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "american-coot", "commonName": "American Coot", "scientificName": "Fulica americana", "aliases": [], "type": "waterbird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland", "urban" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "resident_and_winter_visitor", "identification": "Dark charcoal body and a conspicuous white bill; large lobed toes become obvious when the bird walks onto land.", "localHabitatGuide": "Freshwater marshes and ponds, often feeding near vegetated margins.", "seasonalContext": "Year-round resident component with seasonal visitors; it is a rail relative, not a duck.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_american-coot", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "american-coot", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "pied-billed-grebe", "commonName": "Pied-billed Grebe", "scientificName": "Podilymbus podiceps", "aliases": [], "type": "waterbird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Small brown diving bird with a short, thick bill and virtually no visible tail; the bill develops a black band in breeding condition.", "localHabitatGuide": "Sheltered freshwater with open pools and emergent vegetation.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round; historical Ballona breeding evidence is documented.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_pied-billed-grebe", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "pied-billed-grebe", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "red-tailed-hawk", "commonName": "Red-tailed Hawk", "scientificName": "Buteo jamaicensis", "aliases": [], "type": "raptor", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "dune", "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Broad wings and a broad tail; adults often show a rusty tail above, while young birds have banded tails.", "localHabitatGuide": "Open land and urban edges, soaring above the landscape or watching from high perches.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round regionally; winter visitors may join resident birds. Do not seek out or publicize nests.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_red-tailed-hawk", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "mourning-dove", "commonName": "Mourning Dove", "scientificName": "Zenaida macroura", "aliases": [], "type": "dove", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "dune" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Soft tan-gray bird with a small head, black spots on the wings and a long pointed tail.", "localHabitatGuide": "Open gardens, park edges and seed-bearing ground.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round; local Ballona checklist also documents breeding evidence.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_mourning-dove", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "mourning-dove", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "annas-hummingbird", "commonName": "Anna's Hummingbird", "scientificName": "Calypte anna", "aliases": [], "type": "hummingbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "dune", "riparian" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Green-backed hummingbird; adult males can flash a pink-red crown and throat, but the color turns dark at other angles.", "localHabitatGuide": "Flowering gardens, scrub and planted park edges.", "seasonalContext": "Year-round regional resident. Light angle changes apparent throat color, so do not identify by color alone.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_annas-hummingbird", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "annas-hummingbird", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "allens-hummingbird", "commonName": "Allen's Hummingbird", "scientificName": "Selasphorus sasin", "aliases": [], "type": "hummingbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "dune", "riparian" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Small hummingbird with rusty flanks and tail; adult males usually have a green back. Females and young can be inseparable from Rufous in a brief view.", "localHabitatGuide": "Flowering coastal scrub and gardens.", "seasonalContext": "Los Angeles birds are primarily year-round residents; migrating hummingbirds can also pass through. Record Rufous/Allen's when identification is unresolved.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_allens-hummingbird", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null, "seasonSourceIds": [ "allen_range" ] }, { "id": "black-phoebe", "commonName": "Black Phoebe", "scientificName": "Sayornis nigricans", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "wetland", "riparian" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Dark head and chest contrast with a white belly; often pumps its tail while waiting on a low perch.", "localHabitatGuide": "Water edges, lawns and low open perches near buildings or planted spaces.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round and a useful beginner bird in ordinary neighborhood habitats.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_black-phoebe", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "black-phoebe", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "northern-mockingbird", "commonName": "Northern Mockingbird", "scientificName": "Mimus polyglottos", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "dune" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Slender gray bird with a long tail; bold white wing patches flash in flight and song often repeats phrases.", "localHabitatGuide": "Shrubby gardens, parks and open scrub.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round; seasonal singing changes how easily it is noticed.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_northern-mockingbird", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "northern-mockingbird", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "american-crow", "commonName": "American Crow", "scientificName": "Corvus brachyrhynchos", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "wetland" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "All black with a stout bill and familiar caw; the tail looks fairly squared or rounded in flight rather than wedge-shaped.", "localHabitatGuide": "Urban trees, lawns and open spaces.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round. Large gatherings move, so this guide does not promise a dependable communal roost.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_american-crow", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "bushtit", "commonName": "Bushtit", "scientificName": "Psaltriparus minimus", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "riparian", "dune" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Tiny gray-brown bird with a long tail; usually travels in an active flock threading through foliage.", "localHabitatGuide": "Shrubs, small trees and layered garden vegetation.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round; listen for soft contact calls before searching leaves for movement.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_bushtit", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "california-towhee", "commonName": "California Towhee", "scientificName": "Melozone crissalis", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "dune" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Large, plain brown sparrow with rusty coloring under the tail and a sharp metallic chip.", "localHabitatGuide": "Ground beneath shrubs, native plantings and quiet garden edges.", "seasonalContext": "Year-round regional resident; often easier to notice by voice than by plumage.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_california-towhee", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "house-finch", "commonName": "House Finch", "scientificName": "Haemorhous mexicanus", "aliases": [ "Carpodacus mexicanus (older combination)" ], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "dune" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Streaky brown finch with a thick seed-cracking bill; males often show red on head and upper chest.", "localHabitatGuide": "Gardens, street trees, parks and seed-bearing vegetation.", "seasonalContext": "Year-round regional resident. This species is native in the western United States despite its introduced history farther east.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_house-finch", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "house-finch", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "lesser-goldfinch", "commonName": "Lesser Goldfinch", "scientificName": "Spinus psaltria", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "riparian", "dune" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Small finch; males have yellow underparts, a black cap and white wing patches. Females are duller olive-yellow.", "localHabitatGuide": "Seed heads, shrubs and small trees at open edges.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round; local movements follow seed availability.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_lesser-goldfinch", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "white-crowned-sparrow", "commonName": "White-crowned Sparrow", "scientificName": "Zonotrichia leucophrys", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "dune", "riparian" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor", "identification": "Adult has bold black-and-white crown stripes and a plain gray breast; young birds have brown-and-tan head stripes.", "localHabitatGuide": "Brushy edges, low vegetation and open ground beside shrubs.", "seasonalContext": "Primarily autumn through spring in this lowland local guide; not all western populations are migratory.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_white-crowned-sparrow", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "white-crowned-sparrow", "conservationNote": null, "seasonSourceIds": [ "winter_context" ] }, { "id": "song-sparrow", "commonName": "Song Sparrow", "scientificName": "Melospiza melodia", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland", "riparian", "urban" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Streaked breast often converges into a central spot; rounded tail and patterned face help separate it from plain-breasted sparrows.", "localHabitatGuide": "Dense low vegetation beside water and brushy margins.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round; local breeding evidence is historical, not an invitation to locate nests.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_song-sparrow", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "song-sparrow", "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "yellow-rumped-warbler", "commonName": "Yellow-rumped Warbler", "scientificName": "Setophaga coronata", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "urban", "riparian", "dune" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "fall" ], "residency": "winter_visitor", "identification": "Small active songbird with a yellow rump; winter birds can be muted gray-brown, with yellow patches at the sides.", "localHabitatGuide": "Trees, shrubs and open edges where it takes insects and some fruit.", "seasonalContext": "Primarily autumn through spring locally; many birds belong to the Audubon's group, but other forms occur.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_yellow-rumped-warbler", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": "yellow-rumped-warbler", "conservationNote": null, "seasonSourceIds": [ "winter_context" ] }, { "id": "common-yellowthroat", "commonName": "Common Yellowthroat", "scientificName": "Geothlypis trichas", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland", "riparian" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Small olive bird with a yellow throat; adult male has a broad black facial mask, while females lack it.", "localHabitatGuide": "Dense low marsh vegetation and tangled wet edges.", "seasonalContext": "Resident component and seasonal movement regionally; listen quietly from the trail rather than using playback.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_common-yellowthroat", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null }, { "id": "red-winged-blackbird", "commonName": "Red-winged Blackbird", "scientificName": "Agelaius phoeniceus", "aliases": [], "type": "songbird", "habitatFilters": [ "wetland", "urban" ], "seasonFilters": [ "winter", "spring", "summer", "fall" ], "residency": "regional_year_round", "identification": "Male is black with red-and-yellow shoulder patches; female is strongly streaked brown and can resemble a large sparrow.", "localHabitatGuide": "Emergent marsh vegetation and nearby open feeding areas.", "seasonalContext": "Possible year-round; local breeding evidence is documented historically, and winter flocking changes viewing conditions.", "seasonConfidence": "moderate: regional seasonal guidance, not a site-level frequency estimate", "identificationSourceId": "cornell_red-winged-blackbird", "occurrenceEvidence": { "sourceIds": [ "ballona_2024" ], "geographicScope": "Nearby Ballona Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor; not automatically an El Segundo city-limit record", "coverage": "Through July 2024; individual observation dates not supplied by this checklist.", "confidence": "high for documented historical local occurrence", "isLiveSighting": false }, "suggestedPublicLocationIds": [ "ballona-freshwater", "ballona-fiji-trail", "recreation-park", "sand-dune-park" ], "locationMatchingNote": "Suggestions match accessible habitat; they do not assert a verified sighting at every named place.", "sensitive": false, "imageCandidateId": null, "conservationNote": null } ], "viewingLocations": [ { "id": "dockweiler", "name": "Dockweiler State Beach", "area": "Immediately north of El Segundo along the coast", "habitats": [ "beach", "ocean", "dune" ], "publicAccess": "Use the public beach and established paths outside all fenced restoration or wildlife areas. County-listed general address: 12001 Vista del Mar, Playa del Rey.", "accessRestrictions": "Honor wildlife enclosures and temporary closures. Do not enter beach restoration plantings or approach resting shorebird flocks.", "accessibility": "County lists beach access mats and beach wheelchairs at the Youth Center. Check availability and the actual route with the operator; no whole-site accessibility claim is made.", "bestUse": "A stationary scan of the surf, a distant shoreline comparison, or a quiet beach walk that gives birds room.", "sourceIds": [ "dockweiler_access", "plover_local" ], "checkedDate": "2026-10-06", "coordinates": null, "verifiedExactDistanceMiles": null }, { "id": "ballona-freshwater", "name": "Ballona Freshwater Marsh public perimeter", "area": "Playa del Rey / Playa Vista, north of El Segundo", "habitats": [ "wetland", "riparian" ], "publicAccess": "Friends of Ballona lists the L-shaped perimeter wood-chip trail and Jefferson trail as open dawn to dusk.", "accessRestrictions": "Stay on the public trail; interior maintenance routes are not implied to be open. Leashed dogs are allowed on the public trail according to this operator, unlike the adjacent ecological reserve.", "accessibility": "Wood-chip trail surfaces and individual entrances should be checked for personal mobility needs; accessible status is not verified here.", "bestUse": "Beginner duck, heron and small-songbird comparisons from one legal viewing point.", "sourceIds": [ "freshwater_access" ], "checkedDate": "2026-10-06", "coordinates": null, "verifiedExactDistanceMiles": null }, { "id": "ballona-fiji-trail", "name": "Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve: Fiji Trail", "area": "Marina del Rey, north of El Segundo", "habitats": [ "wetland", "dune" ], "publicAccess": "CDFW currently lists self-guided walking Wednesday\u2013Saturday, 8 a.m.\u20131 p.m., via the Fiji Trail lot.", "accessRestrictions": "No pets, horses or bikes in the reserve; drones require a Special Use Permit. Follow gates and posted closures. The West Culver lot is for guided events only, not general entry.", "accessibility": "CDFW lists very limited public parking and no public drinking water or restroom facilities. No step-free-route guarantee is made.", "bestUse": "Observe wetland habitat from the designated nature path during its published opening window.", "sourceIds": [ "ballona_access" ], "checkedDate": "2026-10-06", "coordinates": null, "verifiedExactDistanceMiles": null }, { "id": "recreation-park", "name": "Recreation Park", "area": "El Segundo", "habitats": [ "urban" ], "publicAccess": "Official city listing identifies a large public park at 401 Sheldon Street. Use open public paths and planted edges without interrupting scheduled recreation.", "accessRestrictions": "Respect occupied fields, facility rules, private boundaries and any work areas. No special birding access or unrestricted facility access is implied.", "accessibility": "Individual route and facility access should be checked with El Segundo Recreation and Parks.", "bestUse": "A short repeatable neighborhood observation of birds using lawn, trees and shrubs. Species matches here are habitat suggestions, not park-specific occurrence records.", "sourceIds": [ "recreation_park" ], "checkedDate": "2026-10-06", "coordinates": null, "verifiedExactDistanceMiles": null }, { "id": "sand-dune-park", "name": "Sand Dune Park", "area": "Manhattan Beach, south of El Segundo", "habitats": [ "urban", "dune" ], "publicAccess": "City identifies the park as a birdwatching location. Observe from open paths and vegetated park areas.", "accessRestrictions": "The sand exercise dune has a separate reservation system; patrons 13 and older require a reservation to use the dune. Do not mistake a birding visit for authorization to climb it. Check the current city rules and posted hours.", "accessibility": "The park includes slope and stairs; route-specific accessibility has not been verified.", "bestUse": "Compare birds in sheltered shrubs and trees with birds at the exposed coast.", "sourceIds": [ "sand_dune_park", "sand_dune_rules" ], "checkedDate": "2026-10-06", "coordinates": null, "verifiedExactDistanceMiles": null }, { "id": "madrona-marsh", "name": "Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center", "area": "Torrance, broader South Bay context", "habitats": [ "wetland", "urban" ], "publicAccess": "Current official indexed information lists free admission Tuesday\u2013Saturday, 10 a.m.\u20135 p.m., at 3201 Plaza Del Amo.", "accessRestrictions": "Verify hours before travel, including holiday and temporary closures. Older references with Sunday opening were not adopted.", "accessibility": "Contact the Nature Center for current trail conditions and individual access needs.", "bestUse": "A longer South Bay wetland comparison trip, especially when seasonal water is present; no species-specific sightings at this site are asserted in this package.", "sourceIds": [ "madrona_access", "madrona_confirm" ], "checkedDate": "2026-10-06", "coordinates": null, "verifiedExactDistanceMiles": null }, { "id": "lax-dunes-context", "name": "LAX Dunes: conservation context", "area": "Airport-side coastal dunes north of El Segundo", "habitats": [ "dune" ], "publicAccess": "Unrestricted public walking access was not verified. Consult LAWA about any currently announced authorized program before planning to enter.", "accessRestrictions": "Protected airport-managed habitat. Never cross fences, use service roads or infer access from a satellite image or old volunteer announcement.", "accessibility": "No public route is offered here.", "bestUse": "Learn why remnant dunes matter; choose an open public beach or park for a self-guided outing.", "sourceIds": [ "lax_natural_resources", "lax_brochure", "lax_stewardship" ], "checkedDate": "2026-10-06", "coordinates": null, "verifiedExactDistanceMiles": null, "contextOnly": true } ], "ethics": { "title": "Watch without changing the bird\u2019s day", "rules": [ "Remain on lawful public routes and outside all fences, enclosures and closure signs.", "Increase distance when a bird stops feeding, becomes alert, gives alarm calls or moves away.", "Do not use playback, bait, flash at close range, or drones to obtain a sighting.", "Do not seek nests or publish their exact locations; report sensitive conservation information privately to the relevant land manager.", "Do not publish private-property directions or exact sensitive roost locations.", "Respect site-specific pet rules and keep permitted dogs controlled.", "Record uncertainty honestly; a short visit and an old checklist do not establish current absence or abundance." ], "sourceIds": [ "ethics", "ballona_access", "plover_local", "tern_local" ] }, "universityOfElSegundo": { "label": "UE S \u2014 University of El Segundo", "status": "Informal self-guided learning series; no institutional affiliation, enrollment or accreditation claimed.", "exercises": [ { "id": "ues-birds-01", "title": "Ten minutes, three behaviors", "durationMinutes": 10, "setting": "An open public park path or neighborhood viewpoint", "steps": [ "Start a timer and remain in one safe spot.", "Record one bird feeding, one traveling and one resting, if available; the same bird may do all three.", "Sketch its outline and write two identification clues before checking a guide." ], "deliverable": "Three behavior notes, with uncertain identifications explicitly marked.", "safety": "No playback, feeding or nest searching." }, { "id": "ues-birds-02", "title": "Read four beach bands", "durationMinutes": 20, "setting": "Public Dockweiler beach outside wildlife enclosures", "steps": [ "From a safe stationary viewpoint, scan ocean, wet sand, dry beach and vegetation edge.", "Record where each observed bird spends its time.", "Compare bill and leg shapes with the habitat being used." ], "deliverable": "A four-part habitat sketch without bird or nest coordinates.", "safety": "Keep out of fenced areas; if birds repeatedly move away, increase your distance." }, { "id": "ues-birds-03", "title": "Duck, coot or grebe?", "durationMinutes": 25, "setting": "Ballona Freshwater Marsh public perimeter during opening hours", "steps": [ "Choose one open water view from the trail.", "Compare body shape, bill shape and whether each bird dives or feeds at the surface.", "Use the index to form a tentative identification and note one feature still needed." ], "deliverable": "A comparison of two or three birds, including the evidence rather than only the names.", "safety": "Stay on the public perimeter; do not use maintenance paths." }, { "id": "ues-birds-04", "title": "Return when the season changes", "durationMinutes": 15, "setting": "The same lawful public viewpoint on two separate dates", "steps": [ "Record duration and broad conditions each time.", "Compare behaviors and species actually observed.", "Explain one possible reason for a difference, labeling it a hypothesis rather than a proven cause." ], "deliverable": "Two dated lists plus a short paragraph separating observations from explanations.", "safety": "Recheck public access for each visit. Absence from a short observation is not proof a species is absent from the area." }, { "id": "ues-birds-05", "title": "Read an image credit", "durationMinutes": 10, "setting": "At home, using a photograph\u2019s source page", "steps": [ "Find the exact author and license for one image in the rights ledger.", "Explain whether the photograph proves the species occurred in El Segundo.", "Write a caption that identifies the species and keeps the photo\u2019s actual location separate from local occurrence evidence." ], "deliverable": "A complete image credit and one sentence explaining the evidence limit.", "safety": "Do not reuse photos whose individual license is missing or restrictive for your intended use." } ] }, "resources": [ { "title": "Friends of Ballona: Freshwater Marsh visits and current events", "url": "https://www.ballonafriends.org/freshwater-marsh", "purpose": "Public trail information and beginner programs; follow the current calendar." }, { "title": "CDFW: Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve", "url": "https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Ballona-Wetlands-ER", "purpose": "Authoritative reserve access and restrictions." }, { "title": "Los Angeles Audubon: conservation and birding", "url": "https://www.laaudubon.org/", "purpose": "Local education, conservation and organized birding opportunities." }, { "title": "Cornell eBird: Ballona Freshwater Marsh", "url": "https://ebird.org/hotspot/L160935", "purpose": "Explore dated public observations. Check observation dates and access rules; do not treat all hotspot reports as public-access directions." }, { "title": "ABA Code of Birding Ethics", "url": "https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/", "purpose": "Observation, photography and reporting ethics." } ], "imageRightsLedger": [ { "id": "brown-pelican", "speciesId": "brown-pelican", "commonName": "Brown Pelican", "scientificName": "Pelecanus occidentalis", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/california-brown-pelican", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/images/2012-05/30313.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Lowe, Roy W./USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "Brown Pelican \u2014 Lowe, Roy W./USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2012-05-10", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 1200, "height": 768, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon; not an El Segundo photograph.", "altText": "Brown Pelican, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "snowy-egret", "speciesId": "snowy-egret", "commonName": "Snowy Egret", "scientificName": "Egretta thula", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/snowy-egret", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/2023-11/snowy-egret-mexico.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Ernesto Gomez", "recommendedCredit": "Snowy Egret \u2014 Ernesto Gomez; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2023-11-28", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 2852, "height": 1901, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Source caption says a wetland; filename references Mexico. Not a local sighting.", "altText": "Snowy Egret, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "black-phoebe", "speciesId": "black-phoebe", "commonName": "Black Phoebe", "scientificName": "Sayornis nigricans", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/black-phoebe", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/images/2024-03-5/17765.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Karney, Lee/USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "Black Phoebe \u2014 Karney, Lee/USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": null, "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 1398, "height": 2089, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Species reference image; photo location not established.", "altText": "Black Phoebe, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "annas-hummingbird", "speciesId": "annas-hummingbird", "commonName": "Anna's Hummingbird", "scientificName": "Calypte anna", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/annas-hummingbird", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/Anna%27s%20hummingbird%20Alan%20Schmierer%20USFWS.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Alan Schmierer/USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "Anna's Hummingbird \u2014 Alan Schmierer/USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2022-03-14", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 1356, "height": 1460, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Species reference image; not a documented local sighting.", "altText": "Anna's Hummingbird, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "american-coot", "speciesId": "american-coot", "commonName": "American Coot", "scientificName": "Fulica americana", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/american-coot", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/2021-12/american-coot-nctc.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Burton, Robert H./USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "American Coot \u2014 Burton, Robert H./USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2021-12-02", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 5184, "height": 3456, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Species reference image; not a documented local sighting.", "altText": "American Coot, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "pied-billed-grebe", "speciesId": "pied-billed-grebe", "commonName": "Pied-billed Grebe", "scientificName": "Podilymbus podiceps", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/pied-billed-grebe", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/images/2012-02/14203.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Weimer, Mike", "recommendedCredit": "Pied-billed Grebe \u2014 Weimer, Mike; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2012-02-10", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 3000, "height": 2254, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Species reference image; not a documented local sighting.", "altText": "Pied-billed Grebe, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "house-finch", "speciesId": "house-finch", "commonName": "House Finch", "scientificName": "Haemorhous mexicanus", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/house-finch", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/images/2003-07/14085.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Kramer, Gary/USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "House Finch \u2014 Kramer, Gary/USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2003-07-01", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 1247, "height": 1865, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Source uses the older scientific name Carpodacus mexicanus; same species.", "altText": "House Finch, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "mourning-dove", "speciesId": "mourning-dove", "commonName": "Mourning Dove", "scientificName": "Zenaida macroura", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/mourning-dove", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/images/2017-04/28074.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Jim Hudgins/USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "Mourning Dove \u2014 Jim Hudgins/USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2017-04-30", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 5000, "height": 3614, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "DeWitt, Michigan; not an El Segundo photograph.", "altText": "Mourning Dove, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "white-crowned-sparrow", "speciesId": "white-crowned-sparrow", "commonName": "White-crowned Sparrow", "scientificName": "Zonotrichia leucophrys", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/white-crowned-sparrow", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/2020-10-02_AW%20White-crowned%20sparrow.JPG", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Anna Weyers Blades/USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "White-crowned Sparrow \u2014 Anna Weyers Blades/USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2021-11-19", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 6000, "height": 4000, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Source tags Rio Mora refuge and gambelii subspecies. Source date field differs from the date embedded in filename; retain source-page credit without inventing a capture date.", "altText": "White-crowned Sparrow, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "sanderling", "speciesId": "sanderling", "commonName": "Sanderling", "scientificName": "Calidris alba", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/sanderling", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/Sanderling.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "Sanderling \u2014 USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": null, "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 2500, "height": 1562, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Agency caption explicitly distinguishes Sanderling from Snowy Plover. Not local occurrence evidence.", "altText": "Sanderling, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "snowy-plover", "speciesId": "snowy-plover", "commonName": "Snowy Plover", "scientificName": "Anarhynchus nivosus", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/snowy-plover", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/images/2011-11/28032.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Adams, Keenan/USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "Snowy Plover \u2014 Adams, Keenan/USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2011-11-06", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 1204, "height": 802, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama. General species image, not a Pacific Coast population or local-record photograph.", "altText": "Snowy Plover, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "northern-mockingbird", "speciesId": "northern-mockingbird", "commonName": "Northern Mockingbird", "scientificName": "Mimus polyglottos", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/northern-mockingbird", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/2020-06-04_AW%20Northern%20mockingbird.JPG", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Anna Weyers Blades/USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "Northern Mockingbird \u2014 Anna Weyers Blades/USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2021-11-19", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 6000, "height": 4000, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Source tags Rio Mora refuge. Source date field differs from filename; do not claim a local capture date.", "altText": "Northern Mockingbird, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "song-sparrow", "speciesId": "song-sparrow", "commonName": "Song Sparrow", "scientificName": "Melospiza melodia", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/song-sparrow", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/images/2024-03-2/2779.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Karney, Lee/USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "Song Sparrow \u2014 Karney, Lee/USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": null, "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 1200, "height": 800, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Species reference image; regional plumage variation means it is not a subspecies reference for Ballona.", "altText": "Song Sparrow, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "yellow-rumped-warbler", "speciesId": "yellow-rumped-warbler", "commonName": "Yellow-rumped Warbler", "scientificName": "Setophaga coronata", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/yellow-rumped-warbler", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/2021-10/Yellow-Rumped%20Warbler2%20Irene%20Hinke-Socilotto_0.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Irene Hinke-Sacilotto/USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "Yellow-rumped Warbler \u2014 Irene Hinke-Sacilotto/USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": "2021-10-31", "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 1919, "height": 1342, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Eastern Shore of Virginia image; use as species-level reference, not as proof of the locally prevalent Audubon\u2019s form.", "altText": "Yellow-rumped Warbler, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "black-crowned-night-heron", "speciesId": "black-crowned-night-heron", "commonName": "Black-crowned Night Heron", "scientificName": "Nycticorax nycticorax", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/black-crowned-night-heron", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/2021-07/Black%20Crowned%20Night%20Heron%20in%20tree%20Richards.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "Courtesy of James Richards", "recommendedCredit": "Black-crowned Night Heron \u2014 Courtesy of James Richards; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": null, "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 3268, "height": 2178, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Agency page identifies Black Crowned Night Heron. No local roost location is supplied.", "altText": "Black-crowned Night Heron, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true }, { "id": "ruddy-duck", "speciesId": "ruddy-duck", "commonName": "Ruddy Duck", "scientificName": "Oxyura jamaicensis", "sourcePageUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/media/ruddy-duck", "originalFileUrl": "https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/2021-07/Ruddy%20Duck.jpg", "license": "Public Domain", "licenseEvidence": "Individual USFWS media page explicitly labels Media Usage Rights/License: Public Domain.", "credit": "USFWS", "recommendedCredit": "Ruddy Duck \u2014 USFWS; public domain, via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.", "sourceDateField": null, "rightsCheckedDate": "2026-10-06", "speciesVerification": "Agency media title/caption and, where present, species taxonomy tag agree with this species. Not independently validated from downloaded image pixels.", "width": 3072, "height": 2188, "downloaded": false, "modifications": "None in this package. Record any crop or derivative when used.", "usageNote": "Species reference image; no local occurrence or capture date asserted.", "altText": "Ruddy Duck, shown as a species reference photograph.", "renderBeforePublishing": true } ], "rejectedImageCandidates": [ { "url": "https://www.fws.gov/media/great-blue-heron", "reason": "CC BY-NC 4.0; not chosen for a site whose future commercial use is unspecified." }, { "url": "https://www.fws.gov/media/red-tailed-hawk", "reason": "Copyrighted, all rights reserved, used by permission. Agency permission does not transfer to this site." }, { "url": "https://www.fws.gov/media/black-necked-stilt", "reason": "Copyrighted, all rights reserved, used by permission." }, { "url": "https://www.fws.gov/media/marbled-godwit", "reason": "Copyrighted, all rights reserved, used by permission." }, { "url": "https://www.fws.gov/media/allens-hummingbird", "reason": "CC BY-NC-ND 2.0; not chosen." }, { "url": "https://www.fws.gov/media/mallard", "reason": "No reusable license visible on the individual media page." }, { "url": "https://www.fws.gov/media/great-egret", "reason": "No reusable license visible on the individual media page." }, { "url": "https://www.fws.gov/media/northern-shoveler", "reason": "No reusable license visible on the individual media page." } ], "sourceLedger": [ { "id": "ballona_2024", "title": "Ballona Freshwater Wetlands Bird List, updated July 2024", "publisher": "Friends of Ballona Wetlands", "url": "https://www.ballonafriends.org/s/2024JulyBirdList_BallonaFreshwaterMarsh-3f8f.pdf", "publishedDate": "2024-07", "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Screened historical occurrence in the Freshwater Marsh and Riparian Corridor. Not a live sightings list and not an abundance table." }, { "id": "ballona_access", "title": "Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve", "publisher": "California Department of Fish and Wildlife", "url": "https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Ballona-Wetlands-ER", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Current published access, facilities and visitor restrictions; conditions can change." }, { "id": "freshwater_access", "title": "Freshwater Marsh", "publisher": "Friends of Ballona Wetlands", "url": "https://www.ballonafriends.org/freshwater-marsh", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Published public-trail access, habitat description and organizer calendar." }, { "id": "ballona_habitat", "title": "Habitat", "publisher": "Friends of Ballona Wetlands", "url": "https://www.ballonafriends.org/habitat", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Distinguishes salt marsh, salt pan, freshwater, riparian and seasonal wetland habitats." }, { "id": "dockweiler_access", "title": "Dockweiler State Beach", "publisher": "Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors", "url": "https://beaches.lacounty.gov/dockweiler-beach/", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Public beach facilities, general address, accessible amenities and plover enclosure. Not a live closure feed." }, { "id": "plover_local", "title": "Western Snowy Plover Conservation", "publisher": "Los Angeles Audubon Society", "url": "https://www.laaudubon.org/western-snowy-plover-conservation", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Local monitoring and beach occurrence. This package deliberately omits precise roost and nest locations." }, { "id": "plover_history", "title": "Western Snowy Plover Monitoring Program", "publisher": "Los Angeles Audubon Society", "url": "https://www.laaudubon.org/blog/2019/3/2/western-snowy-plover-monitoring-program", "publishedDate": "2019-03-02", "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Historical Dockweiler winter-viewing and breeding evidence; not a statement about 2026 nesting." }, { "id": "tern_local", "title": "California Least Tern Conservation", "publisher": "Los Angeles Audubon Society", "url": "https://www.laaudubon.org/california-least-tern-conservation", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Local breeding-season conservation context. Colony-level directions intentionally omitted." }, { "id": "tern_status", "title": "Species of Greatest Conservation Need", "publisher": "California Department of Fish and Wildlife", "url": "https://swap.wildlife.ca.gov/species-of-greatest-conservation-need/", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Lists California Least Tern as federally endangered and state endangered/fully protected." }, { "id": "plover_status", "title": "Determination of Threatened Status for the Pacific Coast Population of the Western Snowy Plover", "publisher": "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service", "url": "https://www.fws.gov/species-publication-action/determination-threatened-status-pacific-coast-population-western-snowy", "publishedDate": "1993-03-05", "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Original federal listing action. Present-tense local status also corroborated by current Los Angeles Audubon conservation page." }, { "id": "lax_natural_resources", "title": "Sustainability: Natural Resources", "publisher": "Los Angeles World Airports", "url": "https://www.lawa.org/lawa-sustainability/sustainability-elements-natural-resources", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "LAX Dunes management and habitat context; does not establish unrestricted public walking access." }, { "id": "lax_brochure", "title": "Natural Resources Management at LAX", "publisher": "Los Angeles World Airports", "url": "https://www.lawa.org/sites/lawa/files/page-body/documents/lax-dunes-home-page.pdf", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Brochure includes 2018\u20132019 survey/restoration examples. Historical conservation evidence, not a current bird-finding guide." }, { "id": "lax_stewardship", "title": "Legacy Influence: LAX Dunes", "publisher": "The Bay Foundation", "url": "https://www.santamonicabay.org/what-we-do/projects/legacy-influence/", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Explains 2014\u20132022 stewardship role and subsequent LAWA maintenance; avoids sending readers to an obsolete recurring event." }, { "id": "sand_dune_park", "title": "Parks and Facilities", "publisher": "City of Manhattan Beach", "url": "https://www.manhattanbeach.gov/visitors/parks-and-facilities", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Official birdwatching context and Sand Dune reservation distinction." }, { "id": "sand_dune_rules", "title": "Parks and Recreation", "publisher": "City of Manhattan Beach", "url": "https://www.manhattanbeach.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Published dune hours and reservation requirements; verify before visiting." }, { "id": "recreation_park", "title": "Recreation Park (Stevenson Field and George Brett Field)", "publisher": "El Segundo Recreation and Parks", "url": "https://www.elsegundorecparks.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/931/59438?backlist=%2Fdigital-library%2Flibrary-advanced-components%2Ffacility-directory-standard-map%2F-npage-11", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Official public park listing and 401 Sheldon Street address. No species-specific park sightings asserted." }, { "id": "madrona_access", "title": "Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center", "publisher": "City of Torrance", "url": "https://www.torranceca.gov/Our-Community/Madrona-Marsh?lang_update=639226938597558127", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Current official indexed page lists Tuesday\u2013Saturday 10 a.m.\u20135 p.m. Older pages saying Sunday are not used. Direct canonical-page fetch returned 403; official search result was readable." }, { "id": "madrona_confirm", "title": "Contact us", "publisher": "Friends of Madrona Marsh", "url": "https://www.friendsofmadronamarsh.com/contact/", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Independent local operator corroboration of Tuesday\u2013Saturday public hours." }, { "id": "ethics", "title": "ABA Code of Birding Ethics", "publisher": "American Birding Association", "url": "https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Ethical observation, habitat protection, privacy, access and reporting." }, { "id": "ebird_ballona", "title": "Ballona Freshwater Marsh eBird hotspot", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology / eBird", "url": "https://ebird.org/hotspot/L160935", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Verified destination for readers. Retrieved page was cached to April 2025; no cached totals are presented as current." }, { "id": "winter_context", "title": "Birds of the Season \u2014 September 2025", "publisher": "Los Angeles Audubon Society", "url": "https://www.laaudubon.org/blog/2025/7/28/birds-of-the-season-july-2025-dyxy6", "publishedDate": "2025-09", "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Regional autumn return of White-crowned Sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers; not a 2026 report." }, { "id": "winter_ballona", "title": "Outdoor Education: Mentors", "publisher": "Los Angeles Audubon Society", "url": "https://www.laaudubon.org/blog/2020/10/29/outdoor-education-mentors", "publishedDate": "2020-10-29", "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Historical autumn Ballona context for wigeons and shorebirds." }, { "id": "cbc_2026", "title": "Los Angeles Christmas Bird Count Summary", "publisher": "Los Angeles Audubon Society", "url": "https://www.laaudubon.org/blog/2026/1/26/los-angeles-christmas-bird-count-summary", "publishedDate": "2026-01-26", "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Reports January 2, 2026 count, including Hudsonian Whimbrel at Ballona. County count circle results are not El Segundo counts." }, { "id": "allen_range", "title": "Allen\u2019s Hummingbird Range Map", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Allens_Hummingbird/maps-range", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Los Angeles and Channel Islands populations are primarily year-round, unlike the migratory northern population." }, { "id": "cornell_brown-pelican", "title": "Brown Pelican species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown_Pelican/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_western-gull", "title": "Western Gull species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Gull/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_california-gull", "title": "California Gull species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/California_Gull/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_double-crested-cormorant", "title": "Double-crested Cormorant species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Double-crested_Cormorant/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_snowy-plover", "title": "Snowy Plover species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Plover/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_sanderling", "title": "Sanderling species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sanderling/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_willet", "title": "Willet species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Willet/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_marbled-godwit", "title": "Marbled Godwit species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Marbled_Godwit/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_hudsonian-whimbrel", "title": "Hudsonian Whimbrel species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hudsonian_Whimbrel/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_black-bellied-plover", "title": "Black-bellied Plover species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-bellied_Plover/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_killdeer", "title": "Killdeer species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Killdeer/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_least-tern", "title": "Least Tern species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Least_Tern/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_elegant-tern", "title": "Elegant Tern species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Elegant_Tern/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_great-blue-heron", "title": "Great Blue Heron species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_great-egret", "title": "Great Egret species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Egret/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_snowy-egret", "title": "Snowy Egret species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Egret/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_black-crowned-night-heron", "title": "Black-crowned Night Heron species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-crowned_Night_Heron/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_black-necked-stilt", "title": "Black-necked Stilt species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-necked_Stilt/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_mallard", "title": "Mallard species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mallard/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_northern-shoveler", "title": "Northern Shoveler species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Shoveler/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_american-wigeon", "title": "American Wigeon species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Wigeon/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_ruddy-duck", "title": "Ruddy Duck species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruddy_Duck/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_american-coot", "title": "American Coot species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Coot/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_pied-billed-grebe", "title": "Pied-billed Grebe species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pied-billed_Grebe/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_red-tailed-hawk", "title": "Red-tailed Hawk species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_mourning-dove", "title": "Mourning Dove species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mourning_Dove/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_annas-hummingbird", "title": "Anna's Hummingbird species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Annas_Hummingbird/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_allens-hummingbird", "title": "Allen's Hummingbird species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Allens_Hummingbird/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_black-phoebe", "title": "Black Phoebe species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Phoebe/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_northern-mockingbird", "title": "Northern Mockingbird species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Mockingbird/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_american-crow", "title": "American Crow species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Crow/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_bushtit", "title": "Bushtit species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bushtit/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_california-towhee", "title": "California Towhee species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/California_Towhee/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_house-finch", "title": "House Finch species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Finch/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_lesser-goldfinch", "title": "Lesser Goldfinch species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Lesser_Goldfinch/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_white-crowned-sparrow", "title": "White-crowned Sparrow species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-crowned_Sparrow/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_song-sparrow", "title": "Song Sparrow species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Song_Sparrow/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_yellow-rumped-warbler", "title": "Yellow-rumped Warbler species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-rumped_Warbler/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_common-yellowthroat", "title": "Common Yellowthroat species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Yellowthroat/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." }, { "id": "cornell_red-winged-blackbird", "title": "Red-winged Blackbird species guide", "publisher": "Cornell Lab of Ornithology", "url": "https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/overview", "publishedDate": null, "retrievedDate": "2026-10-06", "evidenceScope": "Taxonomy, general identification and habitat. National/regional guide; not local occurrence evidence." } ], "publicationChecks": [ "Keep the occurrence date/source visible on each species detail.", "Label season filters as typical guidance, never live sightings.", "Keep location recommendations separate from species-record evidence.", "Recheck access pages and posted closures immediately before recommending a visit.", "Download, visually inspect and optimize any selected image before publishing; retain its credit and source link.", "Do not relabel nonlocal images as El Segundo photographs.", "Do not create map pins from inferred bird locations or add sensitive nest/roost coordinates." ] }