[SBB] Skyline Blvd and Las Cumbres area, 5/21

[[[email protected]]]

On Saturday morning (5/21) I surveyed birds along Skyline Blvd working 
northwest from Bear Creek Road as far as a point about 0.8 mile southeast of the 
main parking lot for Castle Rock, and also down Las Cumbres Road and its network 
of side roads, southeast of Castle Rock on the SCZ side. It was a bit breezy, 
but that did not seem to slow the bird action much, if at all. A general 
description of birding along the Skyline Blvd portion of this route is here: 
http://www.santacruzbirdingguide.org/The%20Mountains/Skyline%20Blvd.htm

Here are the birds of special interest, in no special order:

Driving toward my starting point I spotted a WESTERN BLUEBIRD on in the 
predawn gloom along Summit Road about 1.8 miles northwest from Hwy 17, SCZ. This 
was the same general place as where I'd seen a pair on 5/10, further indicating 
possible nesting there. I also found a male WESTERN BLUEBIRD on the SCZ side 
of Skyline about 0.4 mile northwest of Thompson Road, and there may have been a 
2nd bird there, too. This route along Skyline was covered in 2002-2004 with 
no bluebirds, so I'm excited that some are up there now. 

I heard RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES at five stops along Skyline from mile marker 
5.0 to 10.2, with three on the SCL side, and 2 on the SCZ side. I noted five 
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS at 4 stops along Skyline, from the vicinity of mile 
marker 6.20 to 10.57. Four were on the SCL side, and these included a bird 
visiting an active nest high in a Douglas-fir near mile marker 8.97 (atlas block 
#8015). PILEATED WOODPECKERS chimed in at five stops along Skyline. Four were in 
SCL: (1) at the headwaters of Brigs Creek about 0.5 mile south of Gist Road 
junction, (2) about 0.4 mile northwest of Gist Road, (3) about 0.4 mile 
northwest of Black Road junction, and (4) in Sanborn-Skyline CP about 0.7 mile 
northwest of "The Peak." One in SCZ was the only one in view, on a large fir snag 
west of the Black Road junction. 

RED CROSSBILLS made their presence known at three places, all in atlas block 
#8015. A flock of 13 birds was just northwest of the Black Road junction, 
beginning on the SCZ side and then moving over to SCL. One near mile marker 10.00 
did the same county line crossover, while two near mile marker 8.66 stayed in 
SCZ just barely. My impression of all these birds was of local movements only, 
as they moved from tree to tree, and did not seem to be moved through the 
area in the larger sense. 

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were fairly frequent along Skyline, with 13 noted at 8 
stops. Six were in SCL, 5 in SCZ, and 2 were on the border. Of special 
interest was a female carrying nest material into a Douglas-fir in SCL 0.4 mile 
northwest of Gist Road in atlas block #8515. Five more Yellow-rumpeds were in SCZ 
along Las Cumbres. After the ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, the Yellow-rumped was 
easily the 2nd most frequent warbler I noted this morning, as I found only two 
HERMITS, 1 BLACK-THROATED GRAY, and a handful of WILSON'S. I have been 
consistently surprised that Black-throated Gray is not more numerous along this part of 
Skyline, as some of the habitat looks quite good.

A WILD TURKEY was gobbling on the SCZ side near mile marker 4.30...the first 
I've heard of from this part of Skyline...and a COOPER'S HAWK kekking in that 
area was the only one I found for the day. A female ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD was at 
a nest with young on the SCL side of Skyline about 0.15 mile southeast of 
Gist Road (block #8515). the nest was in a coyote brush, with blooms of hairy 
honeysuckle positioned conveniently close by. Also of interest along the summit 
was a pair of BLACK PHOEBES attending a nest with young under the eaves of 
address 16621, near mile marker 10.00, adjacent to Sanborn-Skyline CP, but in SCZ, 
0.4 mile west of "The Peak" (atlas block #8015). At 2,900' elevation, this 
must be one of the most elevated pairs in the Santa Cruz Mtns. A pair of EURO
PEAN STARLINGS was at the same property.

Tallies of a few other species included 10 CASSIN'S VIREOS, and just 3 each 
of WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES and OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS.

David L. Suddjian 
Capitola, CA
Santa Cruz Bird Club 
Bird Records Keeper
[[email protected]]

Santa Cruz Bird Club website:  www.santacruzbirdclub.org
_______________________________________________
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.
south-bay-birds mailing list      ([[email protected]])
Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription:
http://www.plaidworks.com/mailman/options/south-bay-birds/list_fred_archives%40plaidworks.org

This email sent to [[email protected]]