A female Dark-eyed Junco of the "Oregon" subspecies, Highridge Park, Palos Verdes, CA, November 10 2012.
The male Green-winged Teal is still at Averill Park in San Pedro; it's been there for over a year. November 10, 2012.
I found this male Mandarin Duck at  Averill Park , a suburban park here in San Pedro, November 10 2012. Mandarins are an "exotic" species of duck, usually escapees from zoos or collections, and therefore not a "countable" bird under ABA rules. Still, they're infrequently seen here in the Los Angeles area; the closest one to me prior to this was at the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia, nearly 30 miles away. I NEVER thought I'd see one here in my home town, but there he was...
On October 27, 2012, while out birding with Martin Byhower, friend, mentor, and bird guide in Los Angeles' South Bay, we surprised this out-in-the-open Common Poorwill that was lying motionless off a path along the Harbor Park Golf Course. I think we surprised him as much as he surprised us!
Brown Creeper at the suburban Alondra Park, Lawndale, CA, October 20 2012.
Along with the Summer Tanager at Gonzales Park is this female Hepatic Tanager, March 24 2012.
A "1st spring" Summer Tanager, Ramon Gonzales Park, Compton, CA, March 24 2012.
Hanging a Western Bluebird nestbox sometimes isn't that easy!  The trick is to place it where it's unlikely to be bothered by human or animal predators. Sometimes that means further up a tree, so it's a good thing that the San Pedro Kingbirders has two 15-year-olds, Jose Sandoval and John Astorga, who are pretty agile -- and fearless.This photo was taken at Averill Park in early March 2012.
See photo in original gallery.