Pomona Valley Audubon - Southern California
Local Birding Locations!
Mt. Baldy Road / EVEY CANYON
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Pomona Valley Audubon - Southern California
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Mt. Baldy road is our closest and easiest access to elevational habitates on the coastal side of our San Gabriel Mountain range and to the higher elevation birds from the Pomona Valley....A. EVEY CANYON - The first canyon to the west as as you start up the Baldy road. Elevation is approximately 2360 feet at the road, 3000 feet at the saddle. Note that this Canyon may be closed during high fire season. PHOTO: Purple Finch - DAG
Evey Canyon is an area rich in bird diversity. Eighty-four species have been documented since 1980 and breeding has been confirmed for thirty-eight. The high diversity is a result of the varied topography and vegetation combined with the presence of a permanent stream. The lower section is a plant community becoming rare in southern California-an oak/alder riparian woodland. The canyon sides are chaparral characterized by mountain lilac, laurel sumac, elderberry, chamise, buckwheat and several sages. The upper portion of the canyon is more open and drier. Douglas fir and maple appear with the increasing elevation.
Birding in the canyon can vary from outstanding to extremely quiet. A walk up the canyon in winter can leave one with the impression that the habitat is not conducive to bird life. Still, some exciting finds have been recorded in winter. Varied thrushes have frequented the area in several years, red crossbills appeared for a few days one Christmas and pine siskins can be abundant in invasion years. Of course, hermit thrushes are winter visitors attracted by the toyon berries and white-crowned and golden-crowned sparrow are present every winter.
Summer birding is noteworthy for the myriad gnats the can make the squeamish retreat to kinder climes. But the canyon is filled with resident and neo-tropical breeding birds. Three species of flycatcher, western tanager, black-headed grosbeak, yellow warbler, rough-winged swallow, Bullockís oriole and house wren represent the neo-tropical contingent and are present in good numbers for the gnat-resistant birder. One special summer a blue-gray gnatcatcher pair and a Lawrenceís goldfinch pair nested in the oaks. Resident breeders include the expected oak and chaparral birds with the highlight being the abundant purple finches whose songs fill the canyon and the Cooperís hawk that produces a fledgling every year. Things quiet down in fall as the summer visitors leave and only a scattering of fall migrants stop by the canyon.
It is in the spring when Evey Canyon becomes a magical place. An early morning walk through the oaks with the lambent sunlight filtering through the leaves and the gently purling stream flowing by can calm the tensest soul. Baby blue eyes and miner's lettuce bejewel the sides of the trail. Swallowtails, admirals and California sisters flutter by in swirls of color. But the big attraction on a day between early April and the middle of May is the passage of migrating warblers and vireos. Some years are better than others for reasons that remain elusive and the timing of the good days varies from year to year but if youíre lucky enough to hit a good day it can be spectacular. Several times ten species of warblers and three species of vireos have delighted birders as they frantically glean insects from the leaves of the oaks and alders. Combine these migrants with the presence of the breeding neo-tropical species and 'warbler neck' is guaranteed.
Please enjoy Evey Canyon and help preserve the landscape. Leave only footfalls and take out the trash of the inconsiderate. ---Rick Clements
Bird List
Cooper's hawk resident, breeds
Sharp-shinned hawk uncommon winter visitor
Red-tailed hawk resident, may breed
Golden eagle resident, forages
California quail resident, breed
Mountain quail resident, breeds
Band-tailed pigeon resident, breeds
Mourning dove casual visitor
Barn owl casual visitor
Western screech-owl resident, breeds
Great horned owl resident, breeds
Spotted owl breeding in 70s and 80s
White-throated swift resident, forages
Black-chinned hummer summer breeder
Costa's hummer summer breeder
Anna's hummer resident, breeds
Acorn woodpecker casual visitor
Lewis' woodpecker casual winter visitor
Hairy woodpecker casual winter visitor
Downy woodpecker uncommon resident
Nuttall's woodpecker resident, breeds
Western kingbird uncommon migrant
Ash-throated flycatcher summer breeder
Black phoebe resident breeds
Hammond's flycatcher accidental migrant
Dusky flycatcher accidental migrant
Pacific-slope flycatcher summer breeder
Western wood-pewee summer breeder
Olive-sided flycatcher -- migrant
Violet-green swallow migrant, bred once
No. rough-winged swallow summer breeder
Steller's jay resident upper canyon, breeds
Western scrub-jay resident, breeds
Mountain chickadee casual winter visitor
Oak titmouse resident, breeds
White-breasted nuthatch casual winter visitor
Wrentit resident, breeds
House wren summer breeder
Bewick's wren resident, breeds
Cactus wren accidental post breeding visitor
Canyon wren accidental winter visitor
California thrasher resident, breeds
Varied thrush irregular winter visitor
Hermit thrush winter visitor
Swainson's thrush uncommon migrant
Townsend's solitaire accidental winter visitor
Blue-gray gnatcatcher migrant, bred once
Golden-crowned kinglet casual winter visitor
Phainopepla summer breeder
European starling rare visitor
Hutton's vireo resident, breeds
Cassin's vireo -- migrant
Warbling vireo -- migrant
Orange-crowned warbler -- migrant
Nashville warbler -- migrant
Yellow warbler summer breeder
Yellow-rumped warbler winter visitor
Black-throated gray warbler -- migrant
Townsend's warbler migrant, rare winter
Hermit warbler -- migrant
MacGillivray's warbler -- migrant
Common yellowthroat -- migrant
Wilson's warbler -- migrant
Bullock's oriole summer breeder
Brown-headed cowbird summer breeder
Western tanager summer breeder
Black-headed grosbeak summer breeder
Lazuli bunting casual migrant
Purple finch summer breeder
House finch resident, breeds
Pine siskin irregular winter visitor
Lesser goldfinch summer breeder
Lawrence's goldfinch rare summer breeder
Red crossbill accidental winter visitor
Spotted towhee resident, breeds
California towhee resident, breeds
Rufous-crowned sparrow casual visitor
Dark-eyed junco resident, breeds
Chipping sparrow accidental winter visitor
Golden-crowned sparrow -- winter visitor
White-throated sparrow winter visitor
Fox sparrow winter visitor
Lincoln's sparrow rare winter visitor
Song sparrow resident, breeds
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Pomona Valley Audubon Society
Southern California
