Received the following reminder about Echo Park's annual Christmas bird count, led by EP's chief birder Judy Raskin:

The annual Christmas Bird Count at Echo Park Lake is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 30, 8:00 a.m. We meet at the Boathouse. Time: about 2-3 hours. Rain or Shine! Bring your binoculars for a walk around the lake, identifying and counting birds. [Beginners welcome.]

A November bird walk brought reports of unusual guests at the lake: a black-necked stilt, which I think may be the longest-legged bird anywhere in terms of body to leg ratio, and a western grebe. According to a short article in EPIAN Ways (Echo Park Improvement Association Newsletter), both birds split the scene after a visit of just a few days. Nice photo of the black-necked stilt in EPIAN Ways.