From [[email protected]] Thu Jan 01 15:54:27 1998 Subject: birds Today I went birding with Steve Rottenborn in the vicinity of Summit Rd and Loma Prieta. We saw very little, although we heard a distinctive chink call that recalled a Thick-billed (Fox) Sparrow on Loma Prieta. I checked the Campbell (&Oka?) Ponds on the way back and had 3 Hooded Mergansers and 20 Ring-necked Ducks. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 02 07:12:19 1998 Subject: Mines Road Folks: Adam Winer is correct about the current status of Mines Road. It extends from the Livermore Valley to San Antone Junction where it meets Del Puerto Canyon Road and San Antonio Valley Road. It was not always this way. The mines of Mines Road were in the Blackbird Valley and the Colorado Creek drainage well north of San Antone Junction and the road inbetween was known as Beauregard Road and it is shown this way on the topo sheets. Miledge markers are always appreciated. Bill ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 02 08:19:29 1998 Subject: Re: Gavilan Hawk? At 11:23 AM 12/31/97 -0800, Peter LaTourrette wrote: >Does anyone know which species might have been known as the "Gavilan Hawk" >to people living in the South County/San Benito area many years ago? Peter (and South Bay Birders) -- Alvaro's post was right on. In the only reference I have thus far found, James Kedzie Sayre's "North American Bird Folknames and Names" (Bottlebrush Press 1996), he lists the Sharpie as "Gavilan de Sierra" and the Harrier as "Gavilan de Cienaga." While neither is shown to be "Gavilan Hawk," it is in the ball park. The problem with Sayre's book is that he does not list sources, so we have no way of knowing if this usage was common in San Benito county, or California, or from elsewhere, or _when_ the name was used. For the past five years I have been working (slowly) on a Dictionary of American Birds Names, complete with sources and regional references, that goes far beyond Sayre and the others efforts, such as Choate, that are currently out there. I'd be interested in where the "gavilan" reference came up. Good birding -- Luke Luke Cole San Francisco, CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 02 09:23:37 1998 Subject: Canada birds Hi old friends, Well, you may remember about a year ago I started asking questions about Cozumel Island in Mexico. A great trip (B+ for birds) and we are all ready to go back again. In fact, we were ready to return as our plane flew over the hotel heading toward Cancun, Texas, and home. I still have some missed birds there and I think that's a good shortcoming in my birding skills. Anyway, we are heading toward the Canadian Rockies this summer. Canada Geese, Canadian Geese, Canada Rockies, eh? We visited in 1988 for about a month. I got no new birds but would like any ideas or hints for a few lifers. We will be visiting Banff, Jasper, and the Drumheller area (The Tyrell Museum and dinosaurs). Target birds will be Mourning and Connecticut Warblers, Ptarmigan (Geez, all these hard to spell words), Spruce and Ruffed Grouse, Three-toed Woodpecker, and Baird's Sparrow (in the vicinity of Drumheller, I'm hoping). I have J.C. Finlay's "A Bird-finding Guide to Canada" which gives you general ideas of what to expect. But, remember, I'm down to a few birds and need particular bushes and that sort of thing. Thanks, all. Yeah, yeah. Someday I'll get out and get a few of the local misses. Black-backed Gull and Pygmy Owl come to mind. I'll try Saturday morning for the owl at Alum Rock. Bah, humbug to all. Don ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Transmitted via Virtual Valley LiveWire Modem: 408.999.0966 (FirstClass, VT-100) http://www.virtualvalley.com/vvcn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 02 10:20:44 1998 Subject: Annual Message All: The following information describes the operation of the South-Bay-Birds Mailing List and is provided to users of the mailing list once a year. The mailing list is supported by Stanford University as a service to their own campus as well as the greater community at large. All of us appreciate the generosity of the university for their support of this mailing list. The South-Bay-Birds Mailing List is a CLOSED and HIDDEN list. A CLOSED list means that approval is required before a subscriber can be added to the mailing list. The approving official is the List Bureaucrat who is Jeff Finger. Jeff was kind enough to set this list up in the first place and, ever since, has made certain that it functions smoothly. All of us appreciate his volunteer efforts in this regard. A HIDDEN list means that the list is not included on a public list of mailing lists. To subscribe to this list send an email message to [[email protected]] and this will reach Jeff (or a substitute, when he is on vacation). He will ask you a number of questions, including your full name and a phone number where he can reach you in case bounced messages become a problem. Because the South-Bay-Birds Mailing List is CLOSED and HIDDEN it remains primarily a local list with new people added by word of mouth. It has been our experience that this approach reduces the number of messages that are not relevant to the mailing list and insures that when a message does come up it will be of great interest to everyone. Which brings us to the purpose of this mailing list. The purpose of the South-Bay-Birds Mailing List is to communicate information on bird observations in Santa Clara County and adjacent areas in the South San Francisco Bay. Suitable communications include reports of recent discoveries, information on plumages for rare or difficult-to-identify birds, description of local birding spots that are not available in the local guides, and summary information on birds in the local area. Most of us have other interests beyond just birding and these interests, sometimes passions, lead us to believe that we should share some of these other interests with the people on this mailing list. Please don't. Please restrict your input to this mailing list to South Bay birds. Some background and information on how the data submitted to this mailing list are used and retained may be of interest. Prior to the formation of the South-Bay-Birds Mailing List there was an informal network of birders who communicated bird observations in the local area via the Internet using individually-maintained address lists. This informal network evolved, of course, to the present mailing list that serves a larger community. In addition to the original purpose of the informal network the reports to the network were also used to provide records for the Santa Clara County notebooks and that information was used in turn as source material for the column "Field Notes" in _The Avocet_, the newsletter of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, and as a basis for the quarterly submission of Santa Clara County records to the Regional Editors of _Field Notes._ I will continue to use the records provided to this mailing list for the purposes mentioned above. I offer the following comments to describe how this information is normally used. 1. A record is considered complete if it includes the bird(s) seen, the numbers observed, the location of the observation, the date, and the observer(s). I will use records that are second hand if I am familiar with both the observer and the person passing on the record. In this case I annotate the record with _fide_ which is the accepted way of noting that a record has not been directly obtained, but has been provided by the _fide_ source. I rarely use third hand records out of concern with the mischief that occurs during information transmittal as the number of pathways increase. 2. I am selective in which records I enter in the county notebooks. For the more common birds I may record a report of a particularly large number of birds or an unusual plumage. For uncommon birds, or those that I feel are marginally rare, I may record all observations, although I rarely provide these in _The Avocet_. These records are particularly useful for clarifying the temporal distribution of birds that are not permanently resident in the county. I attempt to record all species that are listed as rare on the current Santa Clara County Checklist. For common non-resident species I attempt to record the first arrival and last departure dates. 3. I write the "Field Notes" column ten months a year and it is nominally due on the first of the month. I usually try to draft the column at the end of the month and then fit the last few records in before I deliver it to the SCVAS office. 4. Four times a year I provide a "quarterly" summary of records for _Field Notes._ There are currently three Regional Editors and they each get a copy of my summary although they split the species up between them. Currently, I send electronic versions to Don Roberson and Dan Singer and a printed version to Steve Bailey. If you would like a copy of this quarterly summary and your mailer is able to handle Word 6.0 attachments then send me a request to [[email protected]]. 5. I entered all county records in the notebooks by hand up until the summer of 1993 when I started writing the records to Word files on a quarterly basis. I intend, eventually, to create a data base based on literal string recognition and I've designed my data entry structure accordingly. But at this time the computerized aspect is a simple computerized echo of hand-entry. 6. It is not always obvious to people providing records to this mailing list when they should provide additional details on a record or even if they should provide the record at all. There is no simple answer to this other than experience. A useful example to consider is stimulated by the detailed plumage description that Mike Rogers provided for a December 1996 Ash-throated Flycatcher. This species is a fairly common resident in the county, arriving in early April and leaving by the end of August. First and last records within that range are of interest as are very early or late birds. Wintering birds are so rare in the county that a detailed description is necessary. In part this is not just because of the rarity, but also to exclude other _Myiarchus_ that may just as likely be here at that season. 7. When a rarity turns up and this information is passed on many people obtain the opportunity to see the bird. The very quantity of people seeing the rarity tends to encourage sloppiness in people's records after the initial observation. If the bird is missed for a week and then found a mile away is it the same bird? We may be able to answer these questions if people are careful to age and sex each rarity they see (if possible) and note any unusual characteristics. Rarities frequently come in clumps and these descriptions are useful. Please include these in your posts for the real rarities--it will help all of us. The South-Bay-Birds Mailing List provides many of us immediate information on the occurrence of rare birds as well as the vicarious pleasure of birding and discovery. That this mailing list has worked so well is a tribute to its many faithful contributors and, perhaps, to the mailing list rules that we've implemented. There is some arbitrariness, however, in these rules and I invite anyone to communicate directly with me, [[email protected]], if they would like to discuss any of these issues. Bill 2 January 1998 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 02 10:21:51 1998 Subject: Re: Gavilan Hawk? "gavilan de sierra" for sharp-shinned has the additional resonance that "sierra" literally means saw/sawtooth. w ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 02 14:13:19 1998 Subject: Levin Park All: Maria and I went to Levin Park this morning (Jan. 2). We refound Chris Salander's Tundra Swan (reported on the Birdbox) on Sandy Wool Lake. It had a larger yellow spot than we'd expected -- more like the eurasian race depicted in the guides. We didn't find a Red-Naped Sapsucker. We found a Red-Breasted Sapsucker in the trees along Calaveras Road; and found the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker in the dark-barked Eucalyptus tree where we saw it last year. This tree is perhaps 70 yards east of the lake in the southern part of the park. It is between massed picnic tables and a small footbridge. Two Bobcats strolled by the intersection of Downing and Calaveras. John Meyer ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 02 15:27:45 1998 Subject: Snow Goose, Tundra Swan, etc. All: On 31 Dec. 1997, I saw the EASTERN PHOEBE (singing!) at Shady Oaks Park. Seven WOOD DUCKS were in Coyote Creek here. Very unusual was a road-killed female WILD TURKEY along Coyote Road near Scarlett Way, north of Shady Oaks Park along Coyote Creek. The bird was a typical "wild-type" individual and showed no signs of recent captivity, and I know of no pens nearby from which it might have escaped. However, I also know of no records of "wild" Wild Turkeys nearby, so I don't know how this bird arrived at this location. At Lake Cunningham, I saw the two RED-NECKED GREBES, 2 female COMMON MERGANSERS, and 3 female RING-NECKED DUCKS but was unable to find the Lesser Black- backed Gull. At Hidden Lake Park off Milpitas Blvd. north of Calaveras Road in Milpitas, I saw an impressive number of THAYER'S GULLS. Twenty-three of the 80 or so gulls on this small lake were Thayer's, with only 2 HERRING, 2 MEW, 1 GLAUCOUS-WINGED, and the rest split about equally between RING-BILLED and CALIFORNIA. Even more unusual were the age ratios of these Thayer's Gulls: I saw two each of first-winter, third-winter, and adults, with 17 second- winter Thayer's! My last birding in 1997 was split between Alviso, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto looking for last-minute Glaucous Gull and White-winged Scoter, to no avail. On 1 January, Nick Lethaby and I visited Loma Prieta. Birding was pretty dull, the highlight being a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL that called twice from the edge of Summit Road between its intersections with Morrill and Loma Prieta Roads (just barely within Santa Clara Co.). On 2 January, I helped Rebecca jump-start her 1998 year list :) At Shady Oaks Park, we got the EASTERN PHOEBE near the blue jungle gym. An imm. GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was at Hellyer Park; I believe this bird was seen earlier this fall by Ann Verdi (?). Lake Cunningham still had the two RED-NECKED GREBES, 2 RING-NECKED DUCKS, and a female COMMON MERGANSER; a BARN SWALLOW over the lake was very surprising, and two SWAMP SPARROWS were along Silver Creek near the NW corner of the lake. Three CATTLE EGRETS were at Arzino Ranch, and at Ed Levin County Park, the adult TUNDRA SWAN was still at Sandy Wool Lake (the amount of yellow on the bill is well within the range of variation in our North American "Whistling" Swans). I ran into Scott Terrill near the ranger's residence in the southern portion of the park, but much searching of the area produced only a single RED-BREASTED and the male YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER (no sign of Chris' Red-naped). A FERRUGINOUS HAWK was soaring over the ridge to the east. At Calaveras Reservoir, an adult SNOW GOOSE (visible both from Calaveras Road and from Marsh Road) was foraging with 350 CANADA GEESE on the grassy slopes at the south end of the lake. Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 02 23:56:11 1998 Subject: Arnold Ranch? Where is Arnold Ranch? Any info on the Red-naped Sapsucker seen there would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Vivek Tiwari [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 03 11:03:59 1998 Subject: Ed Levin Tundra Swan I checked the swan out today. In my view this bird is at the extreme end of "Whistling" Swan variation and could be an intergrade. I can't recall seeing a Whistling Swan with this much yellow. Bowever, it certainly has less yellow than typically shown by Bewick's Swan. A couple of hours searching yielded 5 Red-breasted Sapsuckers but neither of the two rarer ones. Doubtless they're there somewhere. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 03 16:52:51 1998 Subject: Aņo Nuevo CBC Hi everyone, I thought South-Bay-Birders might be interested in an informal summary of the highlights of the Aņo Nuevo CBC, held Saturday, Jan 3rd. An immature HARRIS'S SPARROW was found by Peter Metropulos at the Aņo Nuevo State Reserve. An OSPREY and a locally rare COMMON MOORHEN were also in the area. As usual, Ron Thorn turned up a nice bunch of birds along Pescadero Creek, including 4 NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 1 WILSON'S WARBLER, a male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH, 1 SWAMP SPARROW, and a CASSIN'S VIREO. He also saw the adult male YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER that is wandering up and down Pescadero Creek for its third winter. It has apparently been spending a lot of time in downtown Pescadero during the last few weeks, but it has always been a very difficult bird to track down. Francis Toldi discovered a SPOTTED OWL in a Santa Cruz County portion of the count. Barry Sauppe had a good day of seawatching, aided by strong westerly winds. I don't have the exact totals, but some good seabirds were FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL, RED-NECKED GREBE, all the regular alcids (including Cassin's, Rhino, and Ancient), BLACK-VENTED and SOOTY SHEARWATERS, NORTHERN FULMAR, POMARINE JAEGER, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, RED PHALAROPE, and a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE flying north with over 400 BRANT. Barry also had a PALM WARBLER and a BARN SWALLOW in the Pigeon Point area. The highlight of the day for me was a male apparent MALLARD X NORTHERN PINTAIL hybrid with a flock of Mallards on a ranch south of Pescadero. A small pond on this ranch had 5 HOODED MERGANSERS. Another WILSON'S WARBLER was at the entrance to Butano State Park. Three WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were along Pescadero Creek and Cloverdale Road. AMERICAN DIPPER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, PEREGRINE FALCON, and WOOD DUCK were seen at several locations each. An immature FERRUGINOUS HAWK was seen by three parties as it explored the Pescadero area. A couple of "stake-outs" didn't cooperate, but Grant and Karen Hoyt turned up the BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER along Water Lane in Pescadero, Dan Keller got the CATTLE EGRET along Hwy 84, and Barry Sauppe saw the two PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERS that winter in the fields north of Pigeon Point. The current, unofficial species total is 184, which is quite good for this count. Bert McKee [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 03 19:03:46 1998 Subject: Saturday birds and belated Moss Landing CBC report Hi south-bay-birders, Today (Saturday, January 3) I led a Santa Clara Audubon post-CBC rarities chase in the Monterey Bay area. In the morning our group had good looks at the HARRIS'S SPARROW (in spite of an untimely downpour) along the north levee of the Pajaro River just east of the Thurwachter Rd. bridge (spot is marked with an orange ribbon). In this same area a SWAMP SPARROW was also still present this morning, although it skulks and is harder to get a look at. Other goodies seen today: a RED-NECKED GREBE was at the mouth of Moss Landing Harbor. Not seen in the morning, but found upon a late afternoon stop, was a second-winter GLAUCOUS GULL on the sandspit opposite Skipper's Restaurant at Moss Landing Harbor. The GLAUCOUS GULL looked big next to the Western Gulls; it had white primaries, light buff mottling on the wings and mantle, pale eyes, and a black ring around the end of its bill, which had a pale tip. There was another very pale gull in the flock which also had whitish primaries, black bill tip, pink legs, etc., but its smaller size and bill shape, extent of the black on the bill, and overall structure made me doubt its identity. On the Moss Landing CBC, on Jan. 1, I covered the Mount Madonna Co. Park and Hecker Pass area with Jolene Lange. In the early morning we saw 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS at the Santa Clara/Santa Cruz County line, on the shoulder of Highway 152 directly opposite the Mount Madonna Inn (Santa Clara County?). This spot is only a stone throw from the entrance to Mount Madonna Co. Park. They were seen side-by-side in a large flock of juncos and Golden-crowned Sparrows. Whenever a car passed, all the sparrows/juncos would flush back into the undergrowth, then immediately return to the roadside to feed. They seem to only do this early in the morning, so around 7-8:00a.m. would be the time to look for them. In this same general area I have found WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS feeding in this same manner on at least 3 past Moss Landing CBCs. Since they continually return to the open roadside they can be viewed repeatedly. On January 1 there was also a Merlin perching atop conifers in this same area. Owling along a logging road off of Highway 152 about a mile east of Hecker Pass on Jan. 1 produced 1 WESTERN SCREECH-OWL, 3+ NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, and a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL, all heard between 5 and 6a.m. Walking this road by daylight I heard an unseen RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH call. This latter area is definitely in Santa Clara County. John Mariani [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 04 11:23:06 1998 Subject: Rough-leg, Prairie and Palm Warbler All: Yesterday (3 Jan.), Heather, Rebecca, and I went for a walk at Rancho San Antonio. Quite surprising was a light-morph immature ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK hovering repeatedly over the grassy hills above the tennis courts. We saw this bird for about five minutes from a location along the path between the tennis courts and the farm (where there is a broad gap in the trees), but we were unable to see it from the tennis courts. Still, I think it would have been most easily visible from the tennis courts while it was hovering. Today (4 Jan.), I checked the Guadalupe River just downstream from Hwy. 880 near the San Jose airport, hoping to refind the PRAIRIE WARBLER. After about 10 minutes of searching, I saw the bird foraging in bushes on the west side of the river. The bird foraged very actively near the tips of the low branches and gave very good views for about five minutes (and it was still visible when I left). This bird is apparently attempting to overwinter. A single ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and three COMMON MERGANSERS (2 males, 1 female) were farther downstream. Later in the day, at least three male HOODED MERGANSERS were in the Oka Ponds (as seen from Hwy. 17), the PALM WARBLER was still at Great Oaks Park (seen by Heather and me), and the YELLOW WARBLER was still along Homestead Road near the public library in Santa Clara. Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 04 13:41:00 1998 Subject: Orange-crowned Warbler races Hi South-Bay-Birders, Does anyone have thoughts on the status of _orestera_ vs. _celata_ Orange-crowned Warblers in the Bay Area? Yesterday along Butano Creek I had a bird with a very gray head that contrasted noticeably with the upperparts, a rather long bill, and a lot of yellow on the underparts. Ron Thorn had a similar bird on the coast recently. At this point, we think these were _orestera_. We've also seen a few birds on the coast that resembled _celata_, mostly in the fall. Although there are definitely going to be birds that are not identifiable in the field, my impression is that the extremes can probably be tentatively IDed. I could be wrong about this, however--I've always found OCWAs to be very confusing. Any thoughts? Perhaps someone who has looked at more OCWAs in the east than I have can comment. Do they ever show gray heads that really contrast with the upperparts? And again, it would be very helpful if anyone has ideas on status and time of year of these two races around here. Thanks, Bert McKee [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 04 20:10:43 1998 Subject: Volunteers for bird surveys--Fremont Birders: Arleen Feng asked me to post this upcoming chance to help out doing some bird surveys. Any takers? Please reply directly to Arleen. > >Volunteers wanted--for surveying waterbirds at a stormwater pond system >in Fremont, CA. >The Tule Pond in downtown Fremont (east of the BART station) will be >expanded in 1998 by the addition of several smaller settling ponds. >Future plans for the site include facilities and access for educational >use. As part of biological monitoring of the site, the Alameda County >Flood Control District is planning to survey bird use during this >winter/spring for baseline data, with follow-up next year. Experienced >birders are invited to participate in surveys of waterbirds in >pond/wetland areas, and possibly for resident upland birds as well. If >interested, please leave a message for Arleen Feng at (510) 670-6651 or >bu email at [[email protected]]. > >-- >Arleen Feng > > Alvaro Jaramillo Half Moon Bay, California [[email protected]] Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 04 21:49:12 1998 Subject: Barrow's Goldeneyes, etc. Hi South-bay-birders, Today (Sunday, 4 Jan.) while testing out a new tripod I observed 2 female BARROW'S GOLDENEYES on Shoreline Lake in Mountain View. Other birds there included 1 BROWN PELICAN. John Mariani [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 03:33:35 1998 Subject: Re: Rough-leg, Prairie and Palm Warbler Dr. Michael M. Rogers wrote: > > Steve, > > Is "Great Oaks Park" Fair Oaks Park?? > > Mike Yes, I meant Fair Oaks. Steve ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 03:35:41 1998 Subject: Re: Mt. Hamilton CBC/Long-eared Owl MMAMMOSER wrote: > > Steve Glover wrote: > > > and a probable Winter Wren. It sounded to me > > like a WInter Wren but it refused to ever run it's calls into the usual > > series of 2 or 3 so Bob and Jimm were skeptical. > Steve, > > Wilson's Warblers have a call note that sounds like a Winter Wren; the only > difference being that they give it in single notes, without running them > together into twos and threes. While I haven't heard Wilson's Warbler give call notes in quick series of two or three, I have heard Winter Wrens on a number of occasions give single call notes. Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 03:43:58 1998 Subject: Re: 1998 Birds Christopher Salander wrote: > > In the southern part of the park, we saw what I thought > was a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER. However, given my limited > experience with sapsuckers, it could have been the > YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER. It was male, with an all red > throat from beak to black gorget. I went for RNSA on > the strength of black shoulders, and very little white > on the back. By the time I was trying to find red on > the back of the head, it had started to roost, and had > fluffed up its feathers against the cold. It was in > a bare tree between the first parking lot and the pond. > I opted for the more likely species. I don't think the amount of black on the shoulders is useful as a field mark for distinguishing Red-naped and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. The back pattern and color are useful with good looks and, especially, with experience with both species. The nape is a critical mark. Unless ALL other characters pointed to a Red-naped, I wouldn't think about calling a bird a Red-naped Sapsucker (rather than a variant of Yellow-bellied or a possible hybrid) if I did not see red on the nape. Actually, based on the county records over the past five years, Yellow-bellied is the more likely species in Santa Clara County. Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 05:25:11 1998 Subject: Re: Mt. Hamilton CBC/Long-eared Owl MMAMMOSER wrote: > > Wilson's Warblers have a call note that sounds like a Winter Wren; the only > difference being that they give it in single notes, without running them > together into twos and threes. I certainly agree that they are similar; I cannot tell them apart all the time. Winter Wren does often give a single note, which helps to confuse things. The only useful difference I've found is that the Wilson's chip note is generally weaker and more nasal than the wren's. I would describe the Wilson's as "kemp" vs. the strong "kip" of the wren. Again, it is sometimes very difficult--Ron Thorn and I never decided on a bird we heard the other day along Pescadero Creek. Bert McKee [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 09:49:43 1998 Subject: 1998 Birds On January 1, Jeanne Leavitt (JML) and I went birdwatching in Ed Levin Park. In the northern part of the park, we observed one TUNDRA SWAN [North American] in the middle of Sandy Wool Lake. For those who haven't seen it yet, the yellow on the nasal part of the black bill is just a lozenge, two circles connected with a straight segment. There were also RING-NECKED DUCKS and an EARED GREBE. In the southern part of the park, we saw what I thought was a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER. However, given my limited experience with sapsuckers, it could have been the YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER. It was male, with an all red throat from beak to black gorget. I went for RNSA on the strength of black shoulders, and very little white on the back. By the time I was trying to find red on the back of the head, it had started to roost, and had fluffed up its feathers against the cold. It was in a bare tree between the first parking lot and the pond. I opted for the more likely species. Also in the southern portion of Ed Levin, we observed two RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERs in the peculiar trees along the road in the NE corner of the park, and at least three YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES. The park was full of ANHU, including one female. We also observed two RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS bathing in the stream from just a few feet away. On Sunday, January 4, we went to the Palo Alto Yacht Harbor, from low tide to flood tide. While there, we saw a dark MERLIN zip in, snatch up a sandpiper, and go roaring out, disappearing into the Eucalyptus trees at the end of Embarcadero. We also saw a COMMON RAVEN and a NORTHERN HARRIER at the harbor mouth competing for perching spots. I spotted the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at the back of the Duck Pond, then discovered it had already been reported. - Chris Salander ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 10:50:16 1998 Subject: Re[2]: Long-eared Owl Adam Winer wrote: >To the best of my knowledge, Mines Road only becomes San Antonio Valley >Road south of =22San Antonio Junction=22 - the 3-way intersection of Mine= s >Road, San Antonio Valley Road, and Del Puerto Canyon Road. This is true; Mines Road begins at the junction, heading north. The large w= hite mile markers that are painted in the middle of the road are only in Santa C= lara County. These indicate the mileage from the summit of Mt. Hamilton. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 11:14:08 1998 Subject: Re:Mt. Hamilton CBC/Long-eared Owl Steve Glover wrote: > and a probable Winter Wren. It sounded to me > like a WInter Wren but it refused to ever run it's calls into the usual = > series of 2 or 3 so Bob and Jimm were skeptical. = Steve, Wilson's Warblers have a call note that sounds like a Winter Wren; the only= difference being that they give it in single notes, without running them together into twos and threes. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 11:19:37 1998 Subject: Re:Snow Goose, Tundra Swan, etc. Steve Rottenborn wrote: > Very unusual was > a road-killed female WILD TURKEY along Coyote Road near Scarlett Way, > north of Shady Oaks Park along Coyote Creek. The bird was a typical > =22wild-type=22 individual and showed no signs of recent captivity, and > I know of no pens nearby from which it might have escaped. However, > I also know of no records of =22wild=22 Wild Turkeys nearby, so I don't > know how this bird arrived at this location. = Steve, I recently reported a flock of 6 Wild Turkeys along Coyote Creek right at S= hady Oaks Park. I, too, have no idea how they got here, but they have been aroun= d for some time. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 12:25:29 1998 Subject: east of Mt Hamilton All, On 12/28/97 Steve Rottenborn and I once again headed over Mt Hamilton, hoping for rarities and different looking Fox Sparrows. The FOX SPARROW search was somewhat successful, with 136 FOX SPARROWS seen or heard, two of which (out of about 30 well seen) were gray-backed birds that may be of the race "schistacea". One of these birds was heard giving a somewhat different call note compared to the other birds, and this note seemed to be in agreement with what the literature indicates for this race. Two other heard-only birds were also giving this chip note earlier and were probably also gray-backed ("SLATE-COLORED") birds. Despite arriving at a higher number than I had on 12/6/97 with Mike Mammoser, there were actually far fewer Fox Sparrows around, or they were much less responsive. Steve and I split up and walked long stretches of road in good chaparral habitat pishing to get this total; I would estimate that Mike and I had about 3 times as many birds responding for the same amount of effort. Many of the birds Steve and I had (especially near Mt Hamilton) appeared to be typical "SOOTY" FOX SPARROWS, but especially farther east more and more birds seemed grayer in the face and collar, had a clear gray supercilium, and had rustier uppertail coverts. The call note of these birds was like the "Sooty" form, so perhaps they are a different race of "Sooty" Fox Sparrow, but they are not a bad match for Rising's "altivagans" illustration (especially if you compare to the colors in the original Canadian Birder's Journal article instead of Rising's book, which is too dark). On the other hand, written descriptions and illustrations of altivagans seem to vary rather substantially. Hopefully we can straighten out the identity of these birds by examining specimens. Other things of interest included a territorial chase between vocal adult male SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, the chaser with very prominent white crissal feathers. At the same spot (about 4.5 miles east of Mt. Hamilton) Steve had an immature bird fly at him twice when he pished. We had several other SSHA on the day and a few COHA as well. Otherwise an adult FERRUGINOUS HAWK south of the Gehri Bridge was the only raptor of interest besides 3 GOLDEN EAGLES and a MERLIN (along Mines Road south of Blackbird Valley). Pishing hard at chaparral all day only resulted in 2 SAGE SPARROWS, 1 east of the pond on Del Puerto Road east of the junction and another along Mines Road south of Blackbird Valley. LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH were also scarce, with a pair of flyover birds north of Colorado Creek along Mines Road (actually only one of these birds was calling, so the other may be better left as goldfinch sp). Birds that were not found on the Mt. Hamilton Christmas Count two days later included 3 VARIED THRUSHES (a few miles east of Mt Hamilton), a LINCOLN'S SPARROW (milepost 0818), and a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET (in the big pine adjacent to the Fred Gehri Bridge in San Antonio Valley). Other miscellaneous birds included two ROCK WRENS 7.5 miles east of Mt. Hamilton, 2 RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS (NONE at our stop at the Arnold Pond and Ranch!%$$#%^!$@!), 2 COMMON SNIPE at milepost 12, 4 LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS (3 near the "yellow gate" and 1 near the junction), 2 male PHAINOPEPLAS (1 near the old nest site south of the "yellow gate", the other south of Blackbird Valley on Mines Road), a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (near the Gehri Bridge), CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES all the way east to milepost 0881, 7 HAIRY WOODPECKERS, and several HUTTON'S VIREOS. Driving out Mines Road in Alameda County at dusk netted a GREAT HORNED OWL over a possible nest at milepost 1.85 and 12 fly-by WOOD DUCKS. Two days later on 12/30/97 I was back east of Mt. Hamilton working Isabel Valley with Mike Mammoser for the Mt. Hamilton CBC. We had a good raptor day, with 2 adult BALD EAGLES perched together at the big reservoir, both SHARP-SHINNED and COOPER'S HAWKS (including a COHA killing a CALIFORNIA QUAIL), an immature RED-SHOULDERED HAWK that appeared to be acquiring some adult-like features, many RED-TAILED HAWKS, 3 FERRUGINOUS HAWKS (1 adult, 1 immature, and an adult dark morph bird!), 2 adult GOLDEN EAGLES, AMERICAN KESTRELS, 1 MERLIN, and an adult PRAIRIE FALCON. The dark-morph FEHA was very cooperative and allowed for photos while it perched and hunted in the area northeast of the ranch houses. Another highlight was a GREATER ROADRUNNER coming to a stock pond east of the ranch houses - I was also able to get decent photos of this bird. This was a long overdue species for my county year list and allowed me to reach the nice round number of 275 for 1997. Rare for the count were 2 female-plumaged HOODED MERGANSERS on ponds northeast of the ranch houses. Other birds of interest included 18 COMMON MERGANSERS (12 adult males!), 14 LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS, numerous ducks, two LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES, 7 HAIRY WOODPECKERS, a HUTTON'S VIREO, 76 FOX SPARROWS (including good looks at 4 gray-backed birds at close range!) and NO Sage Sparrows, 4 RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS, 2 male PHAINOPEPLAS, 8 COMMON SNIPE, 14 PRONGHORN, 10 ELK, COYOTES, and a BOBCAT. Leaving at dusk added single GREAT HORNED and WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS, calling without being solicited. Wednesday 12/31/97 found me driving to southern California (no, not for birds :( ) instead of keeping pace with Mike Mammoser, who added three birds to his county year list to finish with 276, one ahead of me. Congratulations on a very strong finish Mike! I did have one decent bird on the drive south - an OSPREY perched along Coyote Creek just west of highway 101 near the model airplane skypark (probably the same bird that has been hanging around the Ogier Ponds). Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 12:47:02 1998 Subject: Final 1997 Composite List FINAL 1997 SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST Remarkably, the Mount Hamilton CBC turned up a new species for the county year list - a male RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER found on the Arnold Ranch by Jean-Marie Spoelman, Maryann Danielson, and Lee Ellis and relocated along San Antonio Valley Road the next morning by Mike Mammoser! So our new record has been extended by one to the nice round number of 305! Mike Mammoser had a great New Year's Eve of birding, adding three county year birds (one a county bird!) to finish at 276, one ahead of my 275 reached the day before. A lot of activity for December. Steve Rottenborn, without "doing a year list", still managed 268 species to finish 3 ahead of Mike Feighner's 265. Steve never bothered to chase many of the stakeouts found in the county this year but was the only one of these four observers to find Heermann's Gull, nighthawk sp., Chimney Swift, Costa's Hummingbird, Gray Flycatcher, and Evening Grosbeak. The four year list totals for these observers are all excellent, exceeding all of the 1995 and 1996 individual totals! I haven't heard from Kathy Parker in ages, and her total may well be higher than the 232 listed - a very good total built up by lots of work in January. Bob Reiling reports that he hit 228 in 1997, which is 24 above his old record!. Tom Grey was in hot pursuit with 211. Chris Salander's finish was hampered by work, which prevented birding for much of the second half of 1997 - he'll have to wait for another year to reach that elusive 200. If anyone else kept track of their Santa Clara County year list in 1997 (Al Eisner?) please let us know. And now for 1998! Several of our rare stakeouts are still around (Steve even refound the Prairie Warbler that disappeared for the windy San Jose count), which should get us off to a good start. Please send me your trip lists for the first few days of January so I can construct the new composite list. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Mike P.S. Some advice from Kendric: [To make the columns line up, please copy this list to a word processor, and change the font to a monospaced font (Monoco, Courier, etc.), and set the right hand margin to 7.5 inches.] ________________________________________________________________________ Recent progress of the composite list: 305: 12/30/97 RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER Please send any additions, corrections, or comments to Mike Rogers, [[email protected]]. SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST - 1997 RWR AME WGB MMR MJM KLP MLF SCR CKS COMP SOURCE 377 275 276 232 265 268 186 305 % OF COMPOSITE FOR 1997 90.2% 90.5% 76.1% 86.9% 87.9% 61.0% 100.% % OF 377 72.9% 73.2% 61.5% 70.3% 71.1% 49.3% 80.9% 1988 TOTALS 136 1989 TOTALS 183 1990 TOTALS 199 1991 TOTALS 214 209 1992 TOTALS 216 234 234 215 278 1993 TOTALS 228 254 250 235 279 295 1994 TOTALS 204 240 245 271 265 194 291 303 1995 TOTALS 201 220 170 257 242 165 262 185 293 1996 TOTALS 203 219 258 253 218 251 195 296 1997 TOTALS 228 275 276 232 265 268 186 305 Red-throated Loon 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/14 1/ 1 MMR Pacific Loon 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 m.ob. Common Loon 1/ 8 1/ 9 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/14 1/11 1/ 3 MLF Pied-billed Grebe 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Horned Grebe 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 m.ob. Red-necked Grebe 10/22 10/22 10/22 11/ 9 10/22 10/22 RCC Eared Grebe 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Western Grebe 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 2 1/10 1/ 1 2/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Clark's Grebe 1/ 9 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Northern Fulmar Sooty Shearwater Ashy Storm-Petrel Brown Booby American White Pelican 1/23 4/26 1/ 1 1/27 1/ 1 7/13 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Brown Pelican 1/ 1 6/15 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Double-crested Cormorant 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Brandt's Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant 11/ 9 PJM Magnificent Frigatebird American Bittern 3/13 3/ 8 3/19 3/13 4/ 3 1/10 NLe Least Bittern Great Blue Heron 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. Great Egret 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Snowy Egret 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Little Blue Heron 6/ 9 6/15 7/29 6/ 7 6/ 7 MLF,AME Cattle Egret 1/ 8 1/18 1/23 1/ 4 1/14 2/20 1/ 4 MLF Green Heron 1/ 8 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 3/23 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Black-crowned Night-Heron 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 m.ob. White-faced Ibis 9/ 5 9/ 5 9/ 5 9/ 5 9/ 4 AJa Fulvous Whistling-Duck Tundra Swan 12/21 DM,GH,TGr Greater White-fronted Goose 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/11 1/ 9 1/14 1/ 8 1/ 8 m.ob. Snow Goose 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 7 1/ 7 KLP Ross' Goose 1/ 2 1/ 8 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/14 1/ 2 MMR,KLP Brant Canada Goose 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. Wood Duck 1/ 5 1/ 3 1/11 1/11 5/11 2/ 1 1/ 3 MJM,WGB Green-winged Teal 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Mallard 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Northern Pintail 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Garganey Blue-winged Teal 1/ 9 1/18 1/ 9 1/ 9 1/ 1 2/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Cinnamon Teal 1/ 8 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 2/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Northern Shoveler 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Gadwall 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Eurasian Wigeon 1/13 1/19 1/14 1/27 10/12 1/11 1/ 4 DMu American Wigeon 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Canvasback 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Redhead 1/ 9 1/ 5 1/ 9 1/ 9 2/ 6 2/ 9 1/ 4 DMu Ring-necked Duck 1/ 5 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Tufted Duck 1/13 1/18 2/ 2 1/24 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Greater Scaup 1/10 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Lesser Scaup 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Oldsquaw 2/13 2/14 2/13 2/13 2/15 2/13 LCh Black Scoter 12/22 12/31 12/30 12/22 MMR,AK Surf Scoter 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 2/ 9 1/ 1 m.ob. White-winged Scoter Common Goldeneye 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Barrow's Goldeneye 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Bufflehead 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Hooded Merganser 9/24 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 11/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 KLP Common Merganser 1/ 3 3/ 1 1/ 6 1/11 1/ 1 2/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Red-breasted Merganser 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Ruddy Duck 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Turkey Vulture 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,KLP California Condor Osprey 4/ 3 3/ 1 2/ 8 3/ 3 1/10 1/10 SCR White-tailed Kite 1/ 5 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Bald Eagle 1/13 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Northern Harrier 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Sharp-shinned Hawk 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/11 1/17 1/12 3/ 9 1/ 1 MMR Cooper's Hawk 1/10 2/12 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/12 2/16 1/ 3 WGB Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/30 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Broad-winged Hawk Swainson's Hawk 2/ 8 2/ 8 MJM Red-tailed Hawk 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 m.ob. Ferruginous Hawk 1/13 1/ 3 1/14 1/19 11/ 3 1/ 3 MJM Rough-legged Hawk 12/19 12/19 SCR Golden Eagle 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/14 1/19 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 SCR American Kestrel 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 m.ob. Merlin 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 3 10/ 4 1/ 4 1/ 1 MMR Peregrine Falcon 1/ 5 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR Prairie Falcon 1/23 1/ 3 1/ 1 9/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Ring-necked Pheasant 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/23 1/ 4 1/14 1/ 1 MMR Wild Turkey 3/ 5 3/ 9 4/ 5 7/20 3/ 9 1/26 LCh et al. California Quail 1/ 3 1/ 3 3/20 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR Mountain Quail 5/ 7 5/ 4 5/13 3/21 1/12 LAY Yellow Rail Black Rail 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 9 1/ 9 2/ 8 1/ 8 m.ob. Clapper Rail 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Virginia Rail 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/14 1/ 1 MMR Sora 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 7 1/ 6 1/10 11/29 1/ 6 MLF Common Moorhen 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. American Coot 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Sandhill Crane 10/12 RLi Black-bellied Plover 1/14 1/19 1/ 2 1/19 1/ 1 10/13 1/ 1 SCR Pacific Golden-Plover 7/30 8/ 4 7/27 DNo,JAb American Golden-Plover 7/27 PJM Golden-Plover sp 7/24 Snowy Plover 5/12 4/ 6 12/19 8/13 4/ 6 MJM Semipalmated Plover 1/14 4/12 1/ 2 7/21 1/ 1 7/21 1/ 1 SCR Killdeer 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 7 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Mountain Plover Black Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. American Avocet 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Greater Yellowlegs 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Lesser Yellowlegs 7/ 7 3/ 8 1/ 2 1/17 3/26 1/26 1/ 2 KLP Solitary Sandpiper 4/27 4/21 4/21 SCR Willet 1/ 8 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Wandering Tattler 9/14 PJM Spotted Sandpiper 4/23 3/ 9 5/ 8 5/13 1/10 1/ 3 AV Whimbrel 3/16 2/23 3/19 7/ 8 1/21 7/21 1/21 SCR Long-billed Curlew 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Hudsonian Godwit Bar-tailed Godwit Marbled Godwit 1/14 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/19 1/ 1 3/29 1/ 1 SCR Ruddy Turnstone 10/30 11/ 1 7/24 7/21 4/17 4/17 SCR Black Turnstone 10/30 8/17 10/27 8/17 MJM Red Knot 9/24 4/26 4/30 10/12 4/26 MJM Sanderling 1/14 8/17 1/ 7 1/17 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Semipalmated Sandpiper 5/12 7/ 6 8/13 7/ 8 7/ 6 5/12 MMR Western Sandpiper 1/13 1/19 1/ 2 1/17 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR Least Sandpiper 1/13 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR White-rumped Sandpiper 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 3 NLe Baird's Sandpiper 8/12 8/16 8/13 8/13 8/12 4/13 AJa Pectoral Sandpiper 9/ 2 8/29 9/ 2 8/31 9/ 2 7/30 AJa Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 10/ 4 10/ 4 10/ 5 10/ 4 10/ 4 10/ 3 NLe Dunlin 1/13 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Curlew Sandpiper 7/23 7/25 7/24 7/24 4/17 4/17 SCR Stilt Sandpiper 8/27 8/24 8/22 8/24 8/28 8/20 NLe Buff-breasted Sandpiper 9/ 2 9/ 6 9/ 1 9/ 1 AJa Ruff 9/ 4 10/ 4 10/ 5 9/ 4 6/29 6/29 SCR Short-billed Dowitcher 3/16 3/23 1/ 2 3/22 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Long-billed Dowitcher 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 2/ 9 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Common Snipe 1/ 8 3/ 2 3/ 3 11/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Wilson's Phalarope 6/25 6/15 7/29 6/17 5/10 9/ 4 4/22 AJa Red-necked Phalarope 4/ 1 7/ 4 7/29 7/28 4/20 9/ 4 4/ 1 MMR Red Phalarope 10/20 RCo,RLe Pomarine Jaeger Parasitic Jaeger Long-tailed Jaeger Laughing Gull 11/30 11/30 11/30 11/30 11/29 TGr Franklin's Gull 4/13 MDa,LDa Little Gull Black-headed Gull Bonaparte's Gull 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/16 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Heermann's Gull 10/17 10/17 SCR Mew Gull 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 m.ob. Ring-billed Gull 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. California Gull 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 3/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Herring Gull 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 m.ob. Thayer's Gull 1/ 1 1/11 1/11 1/10 1/ 1 3/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Lesser Black-backed Gull 1/ 1 10/11 10/26 1/14 1/ 1 MMR Western Gull 1/14 1/ 5 1/23 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Glaucous-winged Gull 1/ 6 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Glaucous Gull 2/10 1/11 3/ 5 1/17 1/11 m.ob. Black-legged Kittiwake Sabine's Gull 10/ 8 10/ 7 10/ 8 10/ 8 10/ 7 10/10 10/ 7 SCR Caspian Tern 3/ 6 4/26 8/30 4/ 5 3/ 6 7/13 3/ 6 SCR,MMR Elegant Tern 10/18 10/17 10/ 2 PJM Common Tern 10/26 10/17 10/17 SCR Arctic Tern Forster's Tern 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 7 1/10 1/ 1 3/29 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Least Tern 7/21 7/ 6 7/29 7/21 7/24 7/21 7/ 6 MJM,PJM Black Tern 10/ 8 NLe,RWR Black Skimmer 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 9 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Common Murre 8/29 8/29 8/29 8/29 MLF Ancient Murrelet Cassin's Auklet Rock Dove 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Band-tailed Pigeon 1/ 3 1/ 3 3/ 3 3/ 8 2/13 5/11 1/ 3 MMR,MJM White-winged Dove Mourning Dove 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Greater Roadrunner 12/30 5/17 5/17 1/ 3 WGB Barn Owl 3/16 2/23 1/ 7 1/ 6 1/ 6 6/ 7 1/ 4 RWR,FVS Flammulated Owl Western Screech-Owl 2/15 1/19 3/21 7/20 1/19 MJM Great Horned Owl 2/15 1/19 1/ 7 2/23 1/ 3 WGB Northern Pygmy-Owl 2/15 1/19 3/ 8 10/12 1/19 MJM Burrowing Owl 1/ 1 1/18 1/ 9 1/10 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Long-eared Owl 1/ 6 5/11 1/ 3 GBi Short-eared Owl 1/ 9 3/ 8 1/ 9 1/19 12/30 1/ 8 SSt Northern Saw-whet Owl 2/15 1/19 1/ 1 10/12 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Lesser Nighthawk Common Nighthawk 6/12 SBT Nighthawk sp. 7/18 Common Poorwill 5/ 7 4/27 3/21 3/21 MLF Black Swift 5/24 5/24 MJM Chimney Swift 9/19 9/19 SCR,SBT Vaux's Swift 4/17 4/27 4/ 8 5/10 6/23 7/16 4/ 8 KLP White-throated Swift 1/ 5 1/11 1/ 4 1/ 4 1/ 6 2/16 1/ 3 MtHamCBC Black-chinned Hummingbird 4/22 4/12 8/11 4/ 3 5/14 4/ 3 NLe Anna's Hummingbird 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Costa's Hummingbird 7/18 7/19 7/18 7/18 DCr Calliope Hummingbird 5/ 6 5/ 6 SCR Broad-tailed Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird 3/15 3/29 4/ 1 4/ 3 2/22 TGr Allen's Hummingbird 1/13 2/15 1/23 1/21 3/23 2/16 1/13 MMR Belted Kingfisher 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 2/13 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Lewis' Woodpecker 1/ 3 1/ 3 3/ 1 5/17 1/ 3 m.ob. Acorn Woodpecker 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1/ 5 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Red-naped Sapsucker 12/31 12/30 JMS,MAD,LE Red-breasted Sapsucker 1/ 3 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 3/22 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Williamson's Sapsucker Nuttall's Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 m.ob. Downy Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 4 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Hairy Woodpecker 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 4 1/ 1 2/23 2/15 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Northern Flicker 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 m.ob. Pileated Woodpecker 5/31 m.ob. Olive-sided Flycatcher 5/ 6 5/ 3 5/ 6 5/ 4 5/ 8 4/20 4/17 JMa Western Wood-Pewee 4/17 4/19 5/ 6 5/ 4 4/20 4/20 4/16 JMa,AV Willow Flycatcher 8/30 9/ 1 9/ 1 8/31 5/27 5/18 LCh Least Flycatcher 9/10 CCRS Hammond's Flycatcher 4/12 4/25 4/12 MMR Dusky Flycatcher Gray Flycatcher 5/ 6 5/ 6 SCR Pacific-slope Flycatcher 3/29 2/17 4/ 2 3/ 5 3/23 3/30 2/17 MJM Black Phoebe 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Eastern Phoebe 3/ 2 3/ 2 3/ 5 3/ 3 12/31 3/ 2 MJM,MMR Say's Phoebe 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Ash-throated Flycatcher 3/16 4/ 5 5/ 6 4/30 4/ 8 2/ 5 1/23 MNi,CNa Tropical Kingbird 10/10 10/10 10/ 5 DSt Cassin's Kingbird 4/13 4/13 4/17 5/ 4 5/ 2 4/13 MMR,MJM Western Kingbird 4/ 3 4/13 4/17 4/ 5 4/ 3 4/ 5 3/30 NLe,LAY Eastern Kingbird Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Horned Lark 1/10 1/19 1/29 1/ 4 5/13 1/ 4 MLF Purple Martin 5/ 6 5/ 3 5/ 7 5/10 4/20 3/23 FVs Tree Swallow 2/28 2/23 3/ 5 2/28 3/ 2 1/ 3 WGB Violet-green Swallow 2/28 2/23 5/ 6 3/ 6 1/ 1 3/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Nor. Rough-winged Swallow 2/27 3/ 9 3/ 5 3/ 5 3/13 3/22 2/27 MMR Bank Swallow 9/29 7/ 6 4/?? LTe Cliff Swallow 3/ 6 3/ 8 3/19 2/28 3/ 2 3/22 2/28 MLF Barn Swallow 3/12 2/28 3/ 5 3/10 3/ 2 3/23 2/24 AJa Steller's Jay 1/ 3 1/19 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 m.ob. Western Scrub-Jay 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 m.ob. Clark's Nutcracker Black-billed Magpie Yellow-billed Magpie 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR American Crow 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Common Raven 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 SCR Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Oak Titmouse 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Bushtit 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Red-breasted Nuthatch 1/10 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 SCR,KLP White-breasted Nuthatch 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 SCR Pygmy Nuthatch 2/17 2/16 1/ 1 10/12 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Brown Creeper 1/ 3 1/19 3/20 1/ 1 1/10 1/ 3 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Rock Wren 1/10 1/ 3 1/29 1/ 4 5/13 1/ 3 MJM Canyon Wren 1/10 2/ 9 3/20 1/19 1/ 1 3/22 1/ 1 SCR Bewick's Wren 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 2/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. House Wren 3/15 3/16 3/20 3/15 1/ 1 3/22 1/ 1 SCR Winter Wren 2/17 1/19 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Marsh Wren 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 7 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 SCR,MMR American Dipper 3/ 2 3/ 1 3/19 3/ 4 1/30 CFi Golden-crowned Kinglet 1/ 3 2/15 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 2/ 5 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3/29 3/23 5/ 6 3/29 4/13 5/11 1/17 AJa Western Bluebird 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 SCR Mountain Bluebird Townsend's Solitaire 12/31 11/ 4 1/ 3 GCh,HGe Swainson's Thrush 5/ 1 5/ 4 4/17 5/10 5/ 8 4/17 KLP Hermit Thrush 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 m.ob. American Robin 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Varied Thrush 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 1 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 m.ob. Wrentit 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/23 1/ 1 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 m.ob. Northern Mockingbird 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Sage Thrasher Brown Thrasher California Thrasher 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/14 1/ 4 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 SCR Red-throated Pipit American Pipit 1/ 5 1/ 3 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 SCR Bohemian Waxwing Cedar Waxwing 1/ 3 2/17 1/23 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Phainopepla 6/10 5/18 5/31 5/17 1/ 3 DSc Northern Shrike Loggerhead Shrike 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 SCR,MMR European Starling 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Bell's Vireo 5/14 5/13 5/13 5/13 SCR Blue-headed Vireo Cassin's Vireo 3/16 4/ 6 5/13 5/ 4 4/12 1/ 6 KNe Plumbeous Vireo Hutton's Vireo 2/15 2/16 3/ 1 4/ 8 1/19 1/ 1 JMa Warbling Vireo 3/29 3/15 5/ 6 3/22 4/ 8 4/ 6 3/12 AME Red-eyed Vireo Tennessee Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler 2/12 1/25 5/ 6 3/ 8 1/ 1 4/ 6 1/ 1 SCR Nashville Warbler 4/24 4/ 5 5/ 4 5/12 4/ 5 MJM Virginia's Warbler Northern Parula Yellow Warbler 1/ 8 4/12 5/ 6 4/ 5 1/12 9/13 1/ 8 MMR Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler 10/26 10/25 10/26 10/25 10/25 MJM,SCR Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Black-throated Gray Warbler 4/12 3/30 5/13 4/ 5 5/17 3/30 MJM Townsend's Warbler 1/ 5 1/19 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/10 1/11 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Hermit Warbler 3/15 4/25 1/ 4 3/15 2/ 7 1/ 3 1/ 3 CKS Black-throated Green Warbler 9/28 AJa Blackburnian Warbler Prairie Warbler 11/22 11/21 11/23 11/21 11/21 SCR Palm Warbler 1/ 5 1/11 1/ 4 1/ 3 12/19 1/ 3 1/ 3 MLF,CKS Blackpoll Warbler Black-and-White Warbler American Redstart 8/ 8 8/16 8/11 8/12 8/ 7 8/ 7 SCR Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Ovenbird 9/23 CCRS Northern Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler Connecticut Warbler MacGillivray's Warbler 5/11 5/11 5/11 MMR,MJM Common Yellowthroat 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Hooded Warbler 1/ 6 1/11 1/11 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Wilson's Warbler 3/16 3/23 8/11 3/29 4/ 3 4/ 6 3/16 MMR,TJo Yellow-breasted Chat 5/10 5/18 5/18 5/13 4/13 DLS Summer Tanager 1/16 3/ 2 1/14 2/23 1/24 1/14 KLP Scarlet Tanager Western Tanager 4/24 4/25 5/ 6 5/ 7 5/ 8 9/ 3 4/20 AV Rose-breasted Grosbeak Black-headed Grosbeak 4/ 3 4/ 5 4/17 3/21 4/ 3 9/ 5 1/ 8 RCO Blue Grosbeak 4/20 4/22 5/ 5 4/30 5/ 6 4/27 4/20 MMR Lazuli Bunting 4/13 4/13 5/ 5 4/30 4/20 4/27 1/19 MMi Indigo Bunting Dickcissel Green-tailed Towhee 10/ 7 10/ 7 10/ 5 BHa Spotted Towhee 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR California Towhee 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Rufous-crowned Sparrow 4/10 2/ 9 3/20 3/22 5/ 6 4/27 1/ 3 MtHamCBC American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow 4/12 4/13 5/13 5/11 5/17 4/12 MMR Clay-colored Sparrow 12/ 8 KMc Brewer's Sparrow 9/28 10/12 9/28 MMR Black-chinned Sparrow 5/ 6 5/10 5/10 5/17 5/ 6 MMR Vesper Sparrow 10/ 5 CCRS,NLe Lark Sparrow 1/10 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/19 5/13 1/ 3 MJM Black-throated Sparrow Sage Sparrow 1/ 3 4/19 5/17 5/17 1/ 3 m.ob. Lark Bunting Savannah Sparrow 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 SCR Grasshopper Sparrow 4/10 4/20 4/16 5/ 4 4/13 4/10 MMR Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 9 1/ 9 11/14 2/ 9 1/ 8 m.ob. Fox Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/11 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 m.ob. Song Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Lincoln's Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 9 1/11 1/ 1 2/ 5 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Swamp Sparrow 12/ 7 11/27 12/ 8 12/15 11/27 MJM White-throated Sparrow 10/12 11/ 7 4/17 11/11 1/16 1/ 6 KNe Golden-crowned Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. White-crowned Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Harris' Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Lapland Longspur 11/ 2 NLe Chestnut-collared Longspur Bobolink 9/ 1 9/ 1 MJM Red-winged Blackbird 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 m.ob. Tricolored Blackbird 1/ 2 2/22 1/ 2 1/28 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Western Meadowlark 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Yellow-headed Blackbird 4/13 4/13 5/ 7 5/ 4 4/11 4/11 SCR Brewer's Blackbird 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 MMR,SCR Great-tailed Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird 1/ 1 2/20 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 5/ 8 1/ 1 m.ob. Hooded Oriole 3/27 3/29 4/16 3/27 4/10 4/ 5 3/19 PLN Baltimore Oriole 10/21 10/17 10/21 10/21 10/18 10/17 MJM Bullock's Oriole 3/15 3/15 3/20 2/23 3/26 4/20 2/23 MLF Scott's Oriole Purple Finch 1/16 1/ 3 1/29 1/ 1 2/13 3/22 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Cassin's Finch 4/12 4/ 5 3/ 2 SBT House Finch 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Red Crossbill 4/10 3/ 8 3/27 1/ 1 2/16 1/ 1 SCR Pine Siskin 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/15 1/ 1 1/ 1 2/16 1/ 1 m.ob. Lesser Goldfinch 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/11 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR Lawrence's Goldfinch 4/ 3 4/13 4/ 5 4/ 3 1/ 3 WGB American Goldfinch 1/ 1 2/17 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Evening Grosbeak 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR House Sparrow 1/ 1 1/18 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 12:56:21 1998 Subject: oops Steve saw the only Calliope Hummingbird, not Costa's in 1997... the note atop the composite list is in error - sorry. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 13:31:59 1998 Subject: GOEA on 280 On Saturday AM, 1/3, we had an adult Golden Eagle on Sand Hill Road about a half mile west of 280. It flew up to perch in an oak, just a hundred feet or so from the road - impressive, when you've been on a steady diet of red- taileds! Also the pair of kites is still in residence south of Sand Hill. Happy New Year to all! Janet Hanson SFBBO ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 16:15:25 1998 Subject: Early nesting? Hello All Today (01/05/98) at 12:30PM I observed a female ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD looking for insects up and down a tree trunk at Murphy Park in Sunnyvale. The bird then flew up a short distance away and proceeded to sit on a nest, presumably incubating eggs, about 8 feet up a Calif. Pepper tree. I don't know if this is the earliest nesting record locally, but it's the earliest I've ever seen a hummer on a nest. Nest construction must have started in December!! Does anyone know if this timing is common ? Alan W. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 16:37:02 1998 Subject: RE: Early nesting? REPLY RE: Early nesting? Alan, Yes, Anna's Hummingbirds do start early. I recall coming across a downed = nest with two dead fledglings in early January, seen on a fieldtrip about = 8 years ago in Pescadero near the creek. Nesting must have started in = December. Another early starter was a Red-tailed Hawk carrying nesting material to a = nest along Felter Rd., seen in mid-December while scouting for the San = Jose CBC about 4 years ago. Les ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 16:37:35 1998 Subject: Re:Early nesting=?US-ASCII?Q?=3F?= Alan Walther wrote: > The bird then flew up a short distance away and proceeded to sit on a > nest, presumably incubating eggs, about 8 feet up a Calif. Pepper > tree. I don't know if this is the earliest nesting record locally, > but it's the earliest I've ever seen a hummer on a nest. Nest > construction must have started in December=21=21 > Does anyone know if this timing is common ? Anna's Hummingbirds will typically start nesting in December (I have seen a= female sitting on a nest in December at Matadero Riparian). It seems strang= e, but is actually quite normal. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 05 17:59:35 1998 Subject: birds On Monday, 29 Dec 97, I went out to the mouth of Stevens Creek, = hoping to find the Black Scoter seen by Mike Rogers the previous day = on the CBC. Along the way, I had an adult PRAIRIE FALCON perched = on a power tower at the mitigation tidal pond across from Crittenden = Marsh. At the bay proper there were a large number of ducks, whose = numbers I roughly estimated at 80000. I had a EURASIAN WIGEON = along the edge of the levee towards A3N and later, after joining Nick = Lethaby back at the mouth of the creek, we had two more. At one point = 22 SNOW GEESE =22appeared=22 on the bay well out, but by my estimate = still in Santa Clara County. = Later, in Alviso, I had an adult PEREGRINE FALCON and a = MERLIN. On Tuesday, 30 Dec 97, I joined Mike Rogers for the Mt. Hamilton = CBC, where we counted in Isabel Valley. We had a killer raptor day = including 2 adult BALD EAGLES, 2 adult GOLDEN EAGLES, 3 = FERRUGINOUS HAWKS (including a nice dark morph individual), an = adult PRAIRIE FALCON, and a MERLIN. Speaking of =22killers=22, at = one point we flushed up a group of CALIFORNIA QUAIL while an = immature COOPER'S HAWK was nearby. The hawk immediately flew = to a perch outside of a dense juniper, where a number of quail had = =22holed up=22. After a minute, it dove in and the quail burst out. An = unusual squeal, however, indicated that one of the quails probably = didn't make it. Other nice birds on this count included 2 female = HOODED MERGANSERS, 8 COMMON SNIPE, a very cooperative = GREATER ROADRUNNER, 14 LEWIS' WOODPECKERS, 4 RED- BREASTED SAPSUCKERS, 3 SAY'S PHOEBES, and 2 male = PHAINOPEPLAS. The next day, 31 Dec 97, after learning of a Red-naped Sapsucker = having been found on the Mt. Hamilton CBC by Maryann Danielson = and Jean-Marie Spoelman, I was heading back across the mountain to = the Arnold Pond. This pond is right along the road, surrounded by = extensive willow growth, about 9.5 miles east of the summit of Mt. = Hamilton. If you keep an eye on your odometer to measure the mileage, = the pond should be quite obvious when you get there. After having a = MERLIN near the summit, I arrived at the pond and walked up the road = towards the east, keeping an eye on the telephone poles that ran from = the east end of the pond along the feeder creek, where the bird had been = reportedly seen. A RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER flew into the = digger pines on the south side of the road first thing after I got there, bu= t = continued searching produced no others. Finally, as I was staking out = the second pole east of the pond, I heard a tapping upslope on the south = side of the road (right where a =22rock catching=22 chain link fence starts)= . I = scanned the digger pines here, expecting to find the earlier sapsucker, = but could see nothing there. Continued tapping kept me looking and I = finally noticed some movement low in the chaparral. There, at the base = of these bushes only a few feet off the ground, was the male RED- NAPED SAPSUCKER. It was a typical-looking bird, with a solid red = crown, a solid red throat, and a distinct red nape patch. I couldn't see = any extraneous red in any area where it shouldn't have been, which = might have indicated some hybridization. It had a narrower white = supercilium line towards the nape than is shown by Yellow-bellied = Sapsucker. At one point, the bordering black feathers completely = covered this line, making the bird look as though it had only a white = spot above the eye. I didn't think to look at the pale patch on the back, = which might have offered more clues for identification, but I don't think = this is much of a concern, considering the other characters. After getting this new county bird, I headed back over the top to = continue my search for year birds. I stopped at the summit to check for = TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, and while walking the road I = miraculously had 2 of these birds fly into a tree downslope almost = immediately after arriving. They were very similar to American Robin = in size and structure, except that they looked entirely gray. When they = flew I could see the pale wing patch and the white outer tail feathers. = They disappeared quickly downslope, and I headed for the bay. Shortly after arriving at the mouth of Stevens Creek, Nick Lethaby = joined me and we watched small flocks of SURF SCOTERS flying by. = Finally, Nick called out that he had a female BLACK SCOTER. This = bird flew in with a couple of Surf Scoters and settled on the water, no = more than 300 yards from us. It showed the white cheek patch and = throat, and the smallish black bill that is typical of a female. This = represented my third year bird of the day, and brought my total to 276, = a personal best for me. I thank all the contributors to south-bay-birds, = whose reports helped me reach this goal. On Friday, 2 Jan 98, I went out to work on the county composite list for = the new year. Highlights included a PEREGRINE FALCON over salt = pond A12 in Alviso, a male TUFTED DUCK at the Sunnyvale sewage = ponds, 12 BLACK SKIMMERS at Charleston Slough, a male and = female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE on Shoreline Lake, 2 male BLUE- WINGED TEAL and 5 REDHEADS on the flood control basin, the = immature WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at the duck pond, a male = EURASIAN WIGEON in the mouth of the Palo Alto estuary, the = immature LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and 2 RED-NECKED = GREBES on Lake Cunningham. On Saturday, 3 Jan 98, I had the TUNDRA SWAN at Sandy Wool = Lake in Ed Levin Park and a MERLIN along Calaveras Road at the = reservoir. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 06 09:56:59 1998 Subject: RNSA All, Up until 8:25am this morning the male RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER was still near the Arnold Pond along San Antonio Valley Road. The bird was about 100 yards west of the sharp turn that overlooks the Arnold Ranch buildings and was about 25-30 yards upslope on the south side of the road. It has many wells in the small evergreen oaks between the Digger Pines. Listen for the tapping as the bird can be hard to see through the vegetation. Mt Hamilton Road and San Antonio Valley Road were very icy in the turns this morning - be careful early in the am! Mike Rogers 1/6/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 06 10:05:38 1998 Subject: Panoche etc. I headed south for little central Calif birding on Jan 1 - Morro Bay and vicinity, then Carrizo Plain. Lots of rain cut into the birding, but still a good time - got my life Rough-legged, but dipped on LeConte's on the Carrizo/Maricopa portion. On the way down, I stopped at San Felipe Lake - 30+ swallows, a bit far away but I'm pretty sure at least some of them were TREE SWALLOWS. Yesterday on the way back I went through Panoche Valley from I-5. In Fresno County I had VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW at Little Panoche Reservoir, 1 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD at mile 7 of Little Panoche Rd in Fresno Co,, a MERLIN at mile 9.7, 5 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS 0.8 miles up the BLM Access Road (still Fresno Co). Then on New Idria Road (San Benito) at milepost 3.17, the Griswold Access trailhead, there was a huge mixed flock of sparrows, including 300+ LARK SPARROWS, in which I found 2 BREWER'S SPARROWS. This is a less than totally confident i.d., as my scope was out (fogged, thanks to rain at Morro Bay) and I've not seen too many of these nondescript little guys. I bet a sparrow expert could extract more from this flock. I also saw a ROCK WREN going into a hole in the stream bank here. A good number of the Lark Sparrows were singing. There were 10+ MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS along New Idria Road after milepost 10.00. At milepost 18.69 I found a flock of Juncos and a couple of Scrub-jays mobbing a small owl. It was quite a way off the road on private property and I only had a fleeting glimpse of thw owl - not enough for an i.d. There were also Lesser and American Goldfinch here, but try as I might I couldn't turn up a Lawrence's. The reported TUNDRA SWANS (11) were still on Paicines Reservoir. -- Tom Grey Stanford CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 06 13:58:53 1998 Subject: Mines Rd/San Antonio This morning I birded Mines Rd and San Antonio Valley with Bob Reiling and Frank Vanslager. We got to Mile 27 at 5.15 am but there were no owls here or further along except for 2 Great Horned. Just N of San Antonio junction, we saw 2 Phainopeplas and a Lawrence's Goldfinch. We saw a Lewis's Woodpecker at the ranch south of the junction along with lots of Tricolored Blackbirds. We had good views of the male Red-naped Sapusucker at Arnold Ranch on both sides of the road, along with another unidentified sapsucker. We saw a Red-breasted Sapsucker at Smith Creek. Despite extensive searching, we could not locate any of the Solitaires seen last week. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 06 14:04:21 1998 Subject: Tilley in Panoche I forgot to mention - I found and retrieved a Tilley hat, size 7 3/8, at milepost 20.52 on Panoche Road. If the owner is out there, let me know. -- Tom Grey Stanford CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 06 17:35:03 1998 Subject: WWSC All, I made a quick stop by the Palo Alto Baylands and scoped the Bay from the old yacht harbor mouth. There are far fewer ducks out there now, but what was out there was close to shore and contained a high percentage of scoters. The birds were flying around a lot, and I soon had a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER lift off from behind Hook's Isle and head north into San Mateo County with some dark-winged (Surf) Scoters. Also here were an adult BROWN PELICAN flying north over the Bay and a SANDERLING flying south near shore (both Santa Clara County). A raft of 400+ BONAPARTE'S GULLS was forming just outside the entrance. The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was still at the duck pond and a quick scan of the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin from the frontage road turned up 6 BLUE-WINGED TEAL (4 males, 2 females), only one REDHEAD (a male) with 3 CANVASBACKS, an adult PEREGRINE FALCON once again perched again on a post in the FCB (probably the Elwell Court bird since a RTHA was on his tower), and a BLACK SKIMMER foraging way out over Adobe Creek near the pump house. Mike Rogers 1/6/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 06 17:44:32 1998 Subject: Oka Ponds This morning there were eight HOODED MERGANSERS (four of each sex) at the Oka ponds. A female MERLIN was in the large tree across the path from the observation tower....On 1-4, while talking to a ranger at Lake Cunningham, I learned that the park is going to be expanded near the water slides (southwest corner). The ranger said that the city believes there is no wildlife impact, but the ranger has seen borrowing owls on the embankment that is going to be leveled. Do our Audubon people know about this? Do they want to get involved? Jack Cole ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 06 23:21:24 1998 Subject: GLGU, REKN All: Yesterday (6 Jan.), I saw a first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL perched with other gulls on the edge of the golf course at Shoreline Lake. Two female BARROW'S GOLDENEYES and a fairly high count of HORNED GREBES (34) were on the lake. At the Palo Alto Baylands, I scoped the ducks on the bay without finding anything unusual, but two RED KNOTS were roosting with shorebirds in the new marsh "pond" in the yacht harbor. The imm. GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE and an ad. PEREGRINE FALCON were also at the Baylands. Matadero Creek had the HUTTON'S VIREO and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, the PAFCB had 2 PEREGRINE FALCONS (ad., imm.) and 5 BLUE-WINGED TEAL (3 males), Charleston Slough had at least 12 BLACK SKIMMERS, and a female REDHEAD was on pond A-1. An adult GOLDEN EAGLE and an ad. PEREGRINE FALCON were near the EEC in Alviso, and a LESSER YELLOWLEGS was in New Chicago Marsh east of the Alviso marina. Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 07 13:43:49 1998 Subject: TUSW All, I made a quick check for the TUNDRA SWAN at Sandy Wool Lake today 1/7/97 and indeed the bird was still there, swimming in the middle of the lake. It does indeed have an extreme amount of yellow for a "Whistling" Swan...and also a lot of red showing on the tomium as well. I talked to a local fisherman and he thought the bird had been present by Christmas (he walks around the lake daily) and also guessed that it had been released, which might indeed be possible. Has anyone checked for bands? or pinioned feathers? It did not flap while I was there and according to this guy it rarely ever does much of anything. Also here were 3 female type COMMON MERGANSERS and 4 male RING-NECKED DUCKS. Mike Rogers 1/7/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 07 14:22:38 1998 Subject: Fall Challenge All, Many of you may be members of SFBBO and get "The Stilt", the SFBBO newsletter. In the Winter 1997 issue there is a table of all the birds seen on the "Fall Challenge with a column for each county in which Big Days were done. Santa Clara County is listed first with the highest total of 163 species seen by 3 teams. The total should actually be 165, as Stilt Sandpiper (mentioned in the article on page 2) and Common Raven were seen by the SCL teams. The five species that Scott, Steve, and I missed on 10/12/97 that were seen by other teams were Stilt Sandpiper, Wilson's Phalarope, Barn Owl, MacGillivray's Warbler, and Bullock's Oriole. Let's field more teams next year and beat that 165! Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 07 18:59:43 1998 Subject: SBBU update Larry Tunstall has updated the Bay Area Calendar for January 10-16. Mike Rogers has posted the FINAL VERSION of the 1997 SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST. More sightings of Merlie the Merlin. Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jan 08 14:59:03 1998 Subject: Lake Cunningham and Alviso Hi South Bay Birders, Today (8 Jan) I finally got a chance to head for the South Bay to look at the Lake Cunningham gull and to give the Alviso _Calypte_ another shot. I arrived at the lake at about 0745. A check through all the available gulls did not turn up anything different. However, there were still some gulls flying in and out of the main flock, so I kept looking at them for a while (besides, these gulls were a nice change from the Glaucous-wings and Westerns I've spent so many hours staring at lately). Halfway through one of my scans, I got a shock. A darker-mantled gull among the Californias lifted off the water to flap its wings. My immediate reaction was "adult Lesser Black-backed Gull!?". It sure looked like one, but I didn't want to be too hasty. I watched the bird for about six or seven minutes, and everything I saw suggested LBBG. The bird was just a little too distant and the sky a little too overcast to confidently judge the eye color through my 20x77 scope, though, and it unfortunately flew off to the northeast before I could get closer. However, the head streaking, mantle color, leg color, overall size and shape, bill shape and color, and wing pattern clearly eliminated all of our regular gulls. The mantle was perfect for a _graellsii_ Lesser Black-backed; it was conspicuously darker than all of the California Gulls (overcast conditions are good for judging shades of gray on gulls). I could still pick out the darker mantle in the distance as it flew away with a couple of CAGUs. I saw the legs three times: twice when the bird raised off the water to flap, and finally when it took flight. They were clearly bright yellow. The head was well streaked, and this streaking was mostly confined to the head--unlike most of the California Gulls, which have the streaking at least as heavy on the hindneck and sides of the neck as on the head. The bill shape was also perfect for LBBG (shorter and straighter than CAGU, without a pronounced gonydeal angle), as was the bill color (bright yellow with a very large, oblong red spot at the gonys). I can only assume that this is Nick Lethaby's Alviso LBBG. I have seen that bird twice, and I could not see any differences between it and today's bird--the resemblance was striking. I guess I will submit a more complete description from my field notes to the CBRC; they can either consider it part of the Alviso record or reject it as Identification Not Established (because I didn't see the eye color). If anyone wants to look for this bird at Lake Cunningham, I had it at about 0810 out in the middle of the lake before it flew off to the northeast. There were a few other interesting birds on the lake. As I was looking through the gulls, a RED-NECKED GREBE flew by, coming from the west side of the lake. Later I saw two Red-necked Grebes swimming around the marina together. I began scanning the far shore and soon found the first bird, while keeping the two in sight in front of me. Three RED-NECKED GREBES on one lake in a non-coastal county seems pretty weird. There were also four AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, two COMMON MERGANSERS, and one GREEN HERON on the lake. I spent about three hours checking all around the lake for the second-year LBB-type gull (and trying to refind the adult) in the morning without any luck. Another hour of scanning in the afternoon was also unproductive. I spent an hour or so searching for the apparent hybrid _Calypte_ at the Alviso Environmental Education Center, without success. I did see the RED FOX SPARROW (along with a few Sooties), the YELLOW WARBLER, and an adult COOPER'S HAWK there. By the way, the apparent MALLARD x PINTAIL is still over here on the coast; I got some distant photos of it yesterday. Ron Thorn also told me that the apparent RING-NECKED DUCK x SCAUP is back, this time at Leo Ryan Park in Foster City. Bert McKee [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jan 08 16:03:57 1998 Subject: Immature Rough-legged Hawk All, At about 1:15 PM today, after having unsuccessfully looked for the Prairie Warbler, Frank Vanslager and I saw what for an instant looked like a White- tailed Kite just crossing the creek downstream of us and headed for the airport. The bird had an overall light colored body, wings and tail. At that point I noted that the bird was a hawk and not a kite. The bird was then seen to pull-up, drop its legs and hover for 4-5 wingbeats (just like a kite). It repeated this maneuver for 9 to 10 times during our observations as it soared in circles over the airport (while looking toward the ground} as it gradually moved upstream (toward downtown San Jose). We then drove to the pullout at the end of the runway adjacent to Hwy 880 but we were unable to re-find the bird. Description: The most striking thing when the bird would hover was that the upper tail was white with a wide, dark subterminal band and a narrow white edge. The bottom side of the tail however was an overall light, dusky gray with no apparent bands. The wingtips were black, the aft portion of the wing was whitish (becoming darker toward the body) with the forward arm portion of the wing being a light gray-brown to medium gray-brown. The wrists on the lower wing had contrasting, darker gray-brown to black semicircular marks. The upper wing looked much like the lower wing except that the forward arm portion of the wing was darker with no obvious contrasting wrist patch. The upper body excluding the head was about the same color as the upper wing. The head did not contrast with the neck and chest and as such was an overall light dusky gray. There was no obvious contrasting belly coloring. As such it is apparent that this was a light-phase, immature, Rough-legged Hawk. Questions/Comments? Bob Reiling, 3:35 PM, 1/8/98 [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 06:57:49 1998 Subject: Re: Lake Cunningham and Alviso Bert McKee wrote: > > By the way, the apparent MALLARD x PINTAIL is still over here on the > coast; I got some distant photos of it yesterday. Ron Thorn also told me > that the apparent RING-NECKED DUCK x SCAUP is back, this time at Leo > Ryan Park in Foster City. Hi again, Sorry everyone, there was a misunderstanding between Ron and I. He saw a dark-backed _Aythya_ there yesterday, but said that it could have been the hybrid back for its third winter--it was not close enough to be sure. In fact, it did turn out to be a Tufted Duck; he called to tell me that he had confirmed it this morning (the bird was much closer). His report on the BirdBox has more details. My apologies for the misunderstanding (never trust a second-hand report!). Bert McKee ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 07:12:46 1998 Subject: Lake Cunningham swifts All, Yesterday Frank Vanslager and I also tried for the LBBG with no luck. The only thing of interest at Lake Cunningham besides the Red-necked Grebes was a even dozen chittering White-throated Swifts over the northeast side of the lake. Take care, Bob Reiling, 6:58 AM, 1/9/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 10:27:58 1998 All, After sketching out the pattern of yellow on the bill of the Ed Levin Park Tundra Swan I looked at a few references to see what they had to say regarding Wistling/Bewick's Swans and the amount of yellow on the bill. I found a very good match to the Ed Levin bird sketched out on page 316 of the October 1994 issue of Birding magazine. This sketch by Shawneen Finnegan is drawn as a "Bewick's Swan". The match is very good, including the overall extent of yellow, the way the yellow meets the face, the amount of black over the yellow spot, the black indent at the tip of the yellow spot, and the speckles of black in the outer part of the yellow spot. However, the photograph on the cover of this issue shows a bird with perhaps even more yellow on the bill and it is called a "Whistling" with "an unusually large amount of yellow" but "less than is shown by the average Bewick's form". Also, the Bewick's photograph on page 314 shows much more yellow, including some over the top of the bill. Looking in Madge and Burn's "Waterfowl", the Ed Levin bird seems to lie in between the ranges shown for both species, with less yellow than a weakly colored Bewick's and more than a strongly colored Whistling. Maybe it's time to look at Evans and Sladen 1980 Auk 97: 697-703. "A comparative analysis of the bill markings of Whistling and Bewick's Swans and out-of-range occurrences of the two taxa." Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 11:11:05 1998 Subject: Re: Mike Rogers wrote: > >Maybe it's time to look at Evans and Sladen 1980 Auk 97: 697-703. >"A comparative analysis of the bill markings of Whistling and Bewick's >Swans and out-of-range occurrences of the two taxa." I just had a look at this and its interesting. Overall they found that the range of yellow on Whistling went from 0% - 15.8%, while on Bewick's it started at 22% and went up from there. They also use a classification scheme (Darky, Pennyface, and Yellow neb) for bill types in Bewick's. Pennyface has a yellow spot on the culmen, Yellow neb has the yellow of the sides continuous over the culmen. Only 'darky' (yellow restricted to the bill sides) occurs in Whistling Swan. Whistling Swans with more than 8% yellow on the bill were rare. If good side-on photos are available of this bird, one could replicate the methods this paper used in order to figure out how it falls out. Someone previously mentioned 11% yellow, was this an estimate or measured in some way? Al. Alvaro Jaramillo Half Moon Bay, California [[email protected]] Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 11:16:18 1998 Subject: P.A. Baylands 1/9/98 I was out at the Palo Alto Baylands this mornings for the SFBBO Clapper Rail Count. High Tide was at 9:40AM. Saw 3 CLAPPER RAILS in my area. A lot more were seen in all. 40 minutes after high tide, when the crowds had left the Black Rail spot, did have leisurely looks at a couple of BLACK RAILs and a VIRGINIA RAIL. 5-7 Black Rails were seen in all. A MERLIN flew past the parking lot. The resident PEREGRINE FALCON was around. Also saw COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and MARSH WREN among the other common birds there. Vivek [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 12:57:39 1998 Subject: Re: I've seen a lot of Bewick's Swans and this bird definitely had less yellow than is typical. However, it has a lot more yellow than is typical for Whistling. There is great variation in the pattern of yellow for Bewick's. In Britain, they can identify individual birds by the pattern of yellow. A Bewick's might show a pattern like this, but I suspect a Whistling Swan could too. At 11:11 AM 1/9/98 -0800, Alvaro Jaramillo wrote: > >Mike Rogers wrote: >> >>Maybe it's time to look at Evans and Sladen 1980 Auk 97: 697-703. >>"A comparative analysis of the bill markings of Whistling and Bewick's >>Swans and out-of-range occurrences of the two taxa." > >I just had a look at this and its interesting. Overall they found that the >range of yellow on Whistling went from 0% - 15.8%, while on Bewick's it >started at 22% and went up from there. They also use a classification >scheme (Darky, Pennyface, and Yellow neb) for bill types in Bewick's. >Pennyface has a yellow spot on the culmen, Yellow neb has the yellow of the >sides continuous over the culmen. Only 'darky' (yellow restricted to the >bill sides) occurs in Whistling Swan. Whistling Swans with more than 8% >yellow on the bill were rare. If good side-on photos are available of this >bird, one could replicate the methods this paper used in order to figure >out how it falls out. Someone previously mentioned 11% yellow, was this an >estimate or measured in some way? > >Al. > > > >Alvaro Jaramillo >Half Moon Bay, >California > >[[email protected]] > >Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: > >http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro >========================================================================== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] > > _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 13:22:50 1998 Subject: Address change request I am getting way to much mail at work. PLEASE CHANGE [[email protected]] to [[email protected]]. MUST USE LOWER CASE ONLY this is my home address ........Thanks! Richard Cimino ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 13:29:39 1998 Subject: Re: At 02:57 PM 1/9/98 -0600, Nick Lethaby wrote: >I've seen a lot of Bewick's Swans and this bird definitely had less yellow >than is typical. However, it has a lot more yellow than is typical for >Whistling. > >There is great variation in the pattern of yellow for Bewick's. In Britain, >they can identify individual birds by the pattern of yellow. A Bewick's >might show a pattern like this, but I suspect a Whistling Swan could too. > However, the paper states that while the extremes in the amount of yellow shown by both of these taxa come close to each other, they do not overlap. Based on their work an accurate quantification of the amount of yellow on the bill sides should identify almost all birds. Al. Alvaro Jaramillo Half Moon Bay, California [[email protected]] Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 13:48:09 1998 Subject: Guadalupe River Common Mergansers All, Today after seeing the Black Rails at the Palo Alto Baylands (and not seeing any rare sparrows) Frank Vanslager and I once again failed to find the mythical Prairie Warbler :-{(. The best thing in the Guadalupe River downstream of the I-880 overpass was seven Common Mergansers (three absolutely pristine males and four females). Take care and keep smiling, Bob Reiling, 1:35 PM, 1/9/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 14:07:40 1998 Subject: More Baylands One addition to Vivek's note: a couple of birders saw the Nelson's Sharp-Tailed Sparrow along the levee path about 2/3 of the way to the airport channel. I hung around that area for about 20 minutes or so after that, but I didn't see it. Some days or times it can be very cooperative, other times very difficult.... Al Eisner ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 14:35:37 1998 Subject: Re: Ed Levin swan >However, the paper states that while the extremes in the amount of yellow >shown by both of these taxa come close to each other, they do not overlap. >Based on their work an accurate quantification of the amount of yellow on >the bill sides should identify almost all birds. > >Al. If it's really true they don't overlap, then I feel the bird is closer to a normal Bewick than to a normal Whistling Swan. Having said that, the bird could possibly be a hybrid. In addition, I feel uncomfortable claiming vagrants that significantly deviate from the normal appearance of a species, especially as this is the only distinguishing feature. If we can establish that this amount of yellow is regularly shown by at least a few percent of Bewick's, I'd feel OK. It's possible it is, especially as Madge claims that eastern population show less yellow (although still more than this in my experience). _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 09 23:41:10 1998 Subject: Swan bill markings The following BBC website has an illustration of Whooper and Bewick's swan bills that explains what they mean by the terms Yellowneb, Pennyface and Black Stripe. http://www.bbc.co.uk/heading_south/bill.htm Bruce Bruce E. Webb Granite Bay, California (916) 797-0535 [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 10 02:36:00 1998 Subject: Re: Lake Cunningham and Alviso Bert, Three RNGR at Lake Cunningham is really amazing, but this has been the best fall/winter ever for this species in SCL Co. Your gull definitely sounds like a LBBG, and I'd accept it as the same as the San Jose bird for the sake of conservatism. However, it would not surprise me at all if we have multiple adult LBBG in the South Bay right now. We only scrutinize a very small percentage of the gulls around here, and given the ease with which "the" adult LBBG disappears for weeks at a time before being seen again, it would be easy for a rare gull to escape us. By the way, Mike Rogers briefly saw an apparent adult LBBG at Lake Cunningham on 31 Oct. 1997, but he was so busy trying to photograph the immature we had found that day that he was unable to get a good look at the adult before it had flown. If anyone does see "the" adult LBBG, please pay particular attention to the pattern of streaking on the head and neck, and describe this pattern as well as possible. Photos would be great. If we do have multiple adult LBBG in the South Bay, comparison of the pattern of streaking on the head and neck might allow us to confirm this (but only if the sightings occur in close temporal proximity). Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 10 12:08:29 1998 Subject: Baylands birds In the hour or so before high tide at "Black Rail corner" I saw 6 BLACK RAILS and a VIRGINIA RAIL. Later along the levee a number of us had fairly good views both in the reeds across the water and in the foliage alongside the levee itself of a NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. The PEREGRINE FALCON flew by, and the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was at the Duck Pond. 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL were right near the parking lot in the north pond of the FCB. The usual couple of BARROW'S GOLDENYES were on Shoreline Lake. -- Tom Grey Stanford CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 10 14:08:45 1998 Subject: Re: Baylands birds I'd like to add a bit more to Tom Gray's posting. Most importantly, because of the storm, the tides are really high. I've been coming here for 6 winters and I have never had such great looks at Black Rail as I had today of 3. In addition, I spent some time at the yacht station. There were 6 Soras (one being eaten by a Great Blue Heron) and 10 Clappers here. I had 2 sightings of White-winged Scoter from here too by scoping flying scoter flocks. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 10 23:16:44 1998 Subject: Lake Cunningham 1/10 At Lake Cunningham today around 1:30PM, 4 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANs, a GREEN HERON on the shore near the Marina, and 3 AMERICAN PIPITs on the grassy embankments. What may have been the Imm. LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL was on the water, but I didn't have a scope and couldn't confirm. Vivek [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 11 14:40:41 1998 Subject: Glaucous-wing Gull This afternoon. after getting close-up views of BLACK RAILS, there was an adult GLAUCOUS_WING GULL at the Duck Pond at the Baylands. Kathy Parker ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 11 16:24:52 1998 Subject: Sunnyvale WPCP Hi Everyone-- I took a walk around the outermost levee at Sunnyvale WPCP today, and saw 3 BROWN PELICANS fishing in the channel. There were 3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS in the fennel patch on the west side of the old landfill, near the intersection of Mathilda Avenue and Caribbean Drive. Mark ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 11 19:57:54 1998 Subject: Palo Alto CBC Here are the final results of the PA CBC. (For those of you who participated and received a mail copy these results are slightly different.) Penelope K. Bowen Menlo Park, Calif. e-mail: [[email protected]] Palo Alto Christmas Bird Count 1997 Common Loon 1 Pied-billed Grebe 144 Horned Grebe 46 Red-necked Grebe 1 Eared Grebe 365 Western Grebe 60 Clark's Grebe 5 Grebe-W.or C.?Aechmophorus Spp 5 American White Pelican 10 Brown Pelican 15 Double-crested Cormorant 264 Great Blue Heron 32 Great Egret 93 Snowy Egret 117 Green Heron 4 Black-crowned Night-heron 44 Greater White-fronted Goose 2 Canada Goose 315 Wood Duck 45 Green-winged Teal (Amer) 412 Mallard 1295 Northern Pintail 1384 Blue-winged Teal 6 Cinnamon Teal 77 Northern Shoveler 15061 Gadwall 1180 Eurasian Wigeon 4 American Wigeon 2313 Canvasback 4427 Redhead 16 Ring-necked Duck 21 Tufted Duck 2 Greater Scaup 68 Lesser Scaup 393 Scaup Spp. 32583 Oldsquaw CW Black Scoter 1 Surf Scoter 42 Common Goldeneye 149 Barrow's Goldeneye 1 Bufflehead 4287 Hooded Merganser 17 Common Merganser 13 Red-breasted Merganser 18 Ruddy Duck 14834 Duck Spp. 4845 Turkey Vulture 63 Osprey 2 White-tailed Kite 22 Northern Harrier 26 Sharp-shinned Hawk 17 Cooper's Hawk 12 Accipiter Spp. 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 23 Red-tailed Hawk 105 Rough-legged Hawk CW Golden Eagle (adult) 2 American Kestrel 50 Merlin 6 Peregrine Falcon 4 Ring-necked Pheasant 3 California Quail 115 Clapper Rail 4 Virginia Rail 1 Sora 6 Common Moorhen 4 American Coot 8074 Black-bellied Plover 1034 Semipalmated Plover 68 Killdeer 172 Black-necked Stilt 1784 American Avocet 6973 Greater Yellowlegs 52 Lesser Yellowlegs CW Willet 3471 Whimbrel 5 Long-billed Curlew 239 Marbled Godwit 4853 Ruddy Turnstone 1 Red Knot 3 Sanderling 8 Western Sandpiper 10874 Least Sandpiper 467 Dunlin 3352 Calidrid spp 2260 Short-billed Dowitcher 25 Long-billed Dowitcher 284 Dowitcher Spp. 1356 Red Phalarope 1 Common Snipe 3 Bonaparte's Gull 1224 Mew Gull 17 Ring-billed Gull 676 California Gull 1115 Herring Gull 1401 Thayer's Gull 34 Western Gull 696 Glaucous-winged Gull 397 Gull Spp. 2859 Forster's Tern 70 Black Skimmer 15 Rock Dove 688 Band-tailed Pigeon 199 Mourning Dove 607 Barn Owl 1 Western Screech-owl 10 Great Horned Owl 8 Northern Pygmy-owl 2 Burrowing Owl 10 Northern Saw-whet Owl 3 White-throated Swift 12 Anna's Hummingbird 407 Belted Kingfisher 3 Acorn Woodpecker 135 Red-breasted Sapsucker 2 Nuttall's Woodpecker 65 Downy Woodpecker 13 Hairy Woodpecker 15 Northern Flicker (Red-sh) 113 Pileated Woodpecker 1(h) Black Phoebe 179 Say's Phoebe 16 Horned Lark 5 Swallow spp 5 Steller's Jay 118 Western Scrub-Jay 581 American Crow 79 Common Raven 151 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 493 Oak Titmouse 249 Bushtit 933 Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 White-breasted Nuthatch 26 Pygmy Nuthatch 4 Brown Creeper 11 Bewick's Wren 83 Winter Wren 3 Marsh Wren 17 Golden-crowned Kinglet 9 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 233 Western Bluebird 64 Hermit Thrush 56 American Robin 734 Varied Thrush 22 Wrentit 84 Northern Mockingbird 47 California Thrasher 19 American Pipit 118 Cedar Waxwing 467 Loggerhead Shrike 15 European Starling 1360 Hutton's Vireo 22 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 108 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Aud) 164 Yellow-rumped Warbler (form?) 750 Townsend's Warbler 85 Common Yellowthroat 12 Western Tanager 1 Spotted Towhee 105 California Towhee 254 Rufous-crowned Sparrow 2 Lark Sparrow 2 Savannah Sparrow 169 Fox Sparrow 37 Song Sparrow 55 Lincoln's Sparrow 6 White-throated Sparrow 1 Golden-crowned Sparrow 961 White-crowned Sparrow 746 Dark-eyed Junco(Oregon) 495 Red-winged Blackbird 680 Tricolored Blackbird 650 Western Meadowlark 605 Rusty Blackbird 1 Brewer's Blackbird 686 Brown-headed Cowbird 25 Blackbird spp. 301 Oriole spp. 1 Purple Finch 16 House Finch 503 Pine Siskin 9 Lesser Goldfinch 199 American Goldfinch 48 House Sparrow 46 Total Birds 155569 Total Species 172 3 CW Total Participants 83 Feeder Watchers 2 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 11 20:30:49 1998 Subject: Baylands on Sunday There were at least 4 Black Rails today although the tide was not so high. I had a Swamp Sparrow at the "Sharp-tailed Sparrow bend". _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 12 09:42:56 1998 Subject: Sunday morning birds I visited several Santa Clara Co. locations on Sunday, Jan. 11. First stop was Shady Oaks Park [take Coyote Rd. north from Blossom Hill Rd., immediately east of highway 101], where the EASTERN PHOEBE was readily found in the aban- doned orchard. The bird was moving about, usually on low perches, about 60 or so yards south of the park's jungle gym. Although it was initially silent, I later heard it call. If you go into this orchard, wear footwear which can tolerate getting wet from the long grass. I next spent some time at Lake Cunningham, hoping that one of the Lesser Black-Backed Gulls would come in, or that a likely RED-NECKED GREBE would at some point untuck its head. Yes on the latter, but no luck on the former. (I only saw one Red-Necked Grebe.) There were also 4 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANs and at least 4 HORNED GREBEs on the lake. Finally, in a post high-tide visit to the Palo Alto Baylands to look for sparrows, I failed to find either Swamp (I met Nick Lethaby, who had seen one, on his way out just after I arrived) or Nelson's Sharp-Tailed. Al Eisner ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 12 10:20:00 1998 Subject: Tundra Swan, RNGR, high tide, etc. Hi South-Bay Birders, I spent some time at Palo Alto over the weekend, enjoying the high tides. The Black Rails (up to 4 both Saturday and Sunday) were fairly cooperative and allowed close views given some patience. We even had one or two wandering around feeding just below us. Occasionally, one would pause, cock its head and look up at us. I guess they figured as we weren't Egrets, we were pretty safe. Quick movements would scare them off, but otherwise they seemed fairly unconcerned. I also scanned the Scaup/Scoter flocks offshore from the boat launch and had at least two White-winged Scoters close by on Sunday. The Tundra Swan at Ed Levin Park was still there on Sunday morning. This bird has less yellow than some Bewick's I've seen before, but it seems to be at the upper end for Whistling. I did look for yellow on the underneath of the bird's bill and couldn't see any. This is mentioned in the Birding article Mike Roger referenced previously. At that time it was mentioned as needing further investigation, but Bewick's seems to show yellow while Whistling do not. Lake Cunningham still had 2 Red-necked Grebes (at least) on Sunday afternoon. I didn't see any sign of the Lesser Black-backed Gull. Cheers, Richard ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 12 11:37:37 1998 Subject: Sunnyvale WPCP Hello: Dave Nelson and I saw one male TUFTED DUCK there Sunday around 4:00 pm on the north pond near the pumphouse. The tuft was very short. Steve Miller ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 12 16:11:52 1998 Subject: CBRC report: adult LBBG, Lake Cunningham, SCL Lesser Black-backed Gull _Larus fuscus_ in definitive basic plumage Lake Cunningham in San Jose, Santa Clara County, CA 8 January 1998, 0810 hours On 8 January I went to Lake Cunningham to look for the second-year Lesser Black-backed-type gull. I arrived at the lake at about 0745 hrs. and began checking through all the gulls. My quarry was nowhere to be seen, but there were plenty of birds flying in and out of the large flock of California Gulls (CAGU) in the middle of the lake. At about 0810 hrs., I found a distinctly darker-mantled gull in the middle of the flock. My immediate reaction was "adult Lesser Black-backed Gull!?", but the bird was far enough away that I didn't want to jump to any conclusions. I watched the bird for the next six or seven minutes, and everything about it suggested Lesser Black-backed Gull (LBBG). My only concern was that due to the distance, the low magnification of my spotting scope, and the heavily overcast conditions, I was unable to judge eye color. However, eye color is not all that helpful in eliminating other dark-mantled gulls (many of which are variable in eye color), and I feel that the other features this bird showed were sufficient to identify it as a LBBG. The following description is based on field notes; it was typed the day after the sighting. I viewed the bird through a Kowa 20x77 spotting scope at a distance of about 150 meters. The bird eventually took flight and headed northeast with several CAGU; I did not see it again. DESCRIPTION The bird was slightly larger than the CAGU; it also floated higher in the water. It did not seem as large as a Herring Gull, one of which was not far away. The head and bill shape were perfect for LBBG. The bill was shorter and straighter than a CAGU, and there was not a pronounced gonydeal angle. The bill color was also typical of LBBG: bright yellow with a very large, elongated red spot on the lower mandible at the gonys. This red spot was notably larger than is usual of any of our regular gulls. The background color of the head and underparts was, of course, white. The head had rather fine, and fairly dense, crisp brownish streaking. This streaking appeared to be slightly concentrated around the eye. I seem to recall that there was less streaking around the base of the bill, but this is not recorded in my field notes. The appearance of the head streaking was quite different from CAGU, most of which have the streaking as heavy or heavier on the hindneck and sides of neck and an overall dirtier, less crisp appearance. The bird's back and wings were a noticeably darker shade of gray than any of the CAGU. This was obvious both in the water and in flight. I could pick out the darker mantle even in the distance as the bird flew away. To me, the mantle seemed perfect for a LBBG of the race _graellsii_. In flight, the black wingtips were clearly darker than the mantle, but this contrast was far less pronounced than on a CAGU. There was a prominent but not particularly broad white trailing edge to the secondaries. On the water, the white tertial and scapular crescents were also noticeable. The bird had a rather long primary projection. There appeared to be four or five white primary tips visible beyond the tertials, but the bird was preening most of the time and I was concentrating on other features, so I did not obtain a solid count. There was a moderately sized white mirror on p. 10, which appeared to be separated from the white tip. I could not see a mirror on p. 9, although I can not be absolutely certain that there wasn't one. If there was, however, it must have been much smaller than on a California or Herring Gull. From below, the underwing coverts were white, contrasting with the darker remeges. The only true black was on the distal portions of the primaries; the rest looked dark gray. There were no signs of flight-feather molt. The tail was white. I clearly saw the legs and feet on three occasions: twice when the bird lifted out of the water to flap its wings, and finally when it took flight. They were bright yellow, much brighter than the majority of CAGU (the latter species, however, has incredibly variable leg color as an adult). PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE The Alviso Lesser Black-backed Gull, which I saw in 1995 and 1997, is the only "other" Lesser Black-backed I've seen. Most of my field time lately has been devoted to gulls, so I have spent many hours studying each of our regular species. ELIMINATION OF OTHER SPECIES California Gull has a paler mantle which contrasts much more noticeably with the wingtips, is smaller and shaped differently, has a very different bill shape and bill color (although the bill can occasionally lack any black), shows a conspicuous white mirror on p. 9, and has a different look to the head streaking. Western Gull is larger and stockier with proportionately shorter wings, has a different head shape and a much larger bill with a conspicuous gonydeal angle, and has pink legs. I have spent a lot of time studying Western Gulls, and even the birds with well-marked heads (presumably a result of introgression with Glaucous-winged) never look anything like a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Yellow-footed Gull is larger and stockier, has a much larger bill with a very pronounced angle at the gonys, has proportionately shorter wings, and lacks the extensive head streaking. Great Black-backed Gull is much larger with a larger bill, lacks the extensive head streaking, has a darker mantle that hardly contrasts with the wingtips, shows pink legs, and has more white in the outer primaries. Great Black-backed x Herring hybrids should be larger and stockier, and should have proportionately shorter, broader wings, a larger bill, pink legs, and more white in the outer primaries. Slaty-backed Gull should be larger and more powerful-looking, with a thicker bill, pink legs, a broader white trailing edge to the secondaries, and a different primary pattern. Kelp Gull should be larger and stockier, with proportionately shorter wings and a shorter primary projection, a thicker bill, a much blacker mantle, and duller legs; most importantly, it should lack extensive head streaking. Of course, I cannot eliminate a Herring Gull of the race _heuglini_ from consideration at this point. This form should supposedly be larger with a larger bill and less head streaking than LBBG. However, I see too much variation in size and bill shape in large gulls to base any identification on them, and I understand that even the head streaking may not be reliable. THE ALVISO BIRD The areas where the Alviso LBBG has been wintering are about 10 - 15 miles from Lake Cunningham. This bird was seen by Alvaro Jaramillo at the Coyote Creek Riparian Station on 30 December 1997 and on 12 January 1998. This bird does not seem to show any obvious differences from the Lake Cunningham LBBG. The last time I saw the Alviso bird (12 Oct. '97), it had not yet attained full basic plumage and had very little streaking on the head, but Alvaro's description of the streaking from 12 Jan. definitely seemed to fit the bird at Lake Cunningham. Bert McKee P.O. Box 307 Pescadero, CA 94060 phone: (650) 879-0977 fax: (650) 879-1642 e-mail: [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 12 17:25:59 1998 Subject: 1998 composite list construction All, I am trying to put together the Santa Clara County composite list of bird species seen so far in 1998. So far I have word of 185 species, but some easy ones like Great Horned Owl and Horned Lark have still not yet been reported. A Sierra Road trip for the HOLA would have probably also turned up Rock Wren and perhaps Prairie Falcon, two other species I have no reports of in 1998. Also no records of Pine Siskin yet - anyone have some of these birds at their feeders? If you have seen any of these species please let me know the date and observer so I can add them to the list. Also, if you birded on 1/1/98 and have not yet sent me a list of species seen in Santa Clara County that day please do so...you may end up with your name on the list as the first to see a species or two in the county this year! Thanks, Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 12 18:36:01 1998 Subject: RE: 1998 composite list construction RE: 1998 composite list construction = =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= Les Chiba na, Mountain View, CA [[email protected]] Mike, I had 4 GREAT HORNED OWLS hooting around our home on the evening of 1/9/98 = on the Santa Clara County side of Skyline Blvd. about 3 mi. south of Page = Mill Rd. One called from a tree right above us and 3 more were answering = downslope toward Monte Bello OSP. = Also, on 1/11/98 I had a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER foraging just off our deck in = a Blue(?) Oak. = Les mrogers wrote: > >All, > >I am trying to put together the Santa Clara County composite list >of bird species seen so far in 1998. So far I have word of 185 >species, but some easy ones like Great Horned Owl and Horned Lark >have still not yet been reported. A Sierra Road trip for the HOLA >would have probably also turned up Rock Wren and perhaps Prairie >Falcon, two other species I have no reports of in 1998. Also no >records of Pine Siskin yet - anyone have some of these birds at >their feeders? > >If you have seen any of these species please let me know the date >and observer so I can add them to the list. Also, if you birded >on 1/1/98 and have not yet sent me a list of species seen in Santa >Clara County that day please do so...you may end up with your name >on the list as the first to see a species or two in the county >this year! > >Thanks, >Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 12 21:54:20 1998 Subject: Lesser Black-back at CCRS again. Birders, The adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was at CCRS today, perched in the middle of one of the sewage ponds along the access road. It had a substantial amount of streaking on the crown and face, less so on the nape and forehead. I think that it matches up to the description of the adult bird at Lk. Cunningham that Bert saw. A lesser rarity were a pair of Canvasback visible from the CCRS trailers, the first I have seen at the station. Al. Alvaro Jaramillo Half Moon Bay, California [[email protected]] Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 13 06:22:45 1998 Subject: Unsuccessful search for Red-naped Sapsucker All: I finally recovered and now have a new car for birding. Those interested in the details, please contact me directly. I was not able to search for the Red-naped Sapsucker at the Arnold Pond until Saturday. I searcher for a couple of hours and even found Mike Rogers' note on where to find the bird attached to the fence. I returned again Sunday again without luck I would be interested in any additional reports where successful or not. I did see a Lewis' Woodpecker fly over San Antonio Valley Road between MP 18 and 19. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 13 06:23:29 1998 Subject: Re: Lesser Black-back at CCRS again. On Mon, 12 Jan 1998 21:54:20 -0800, Alvaro Jaramillo <[[email protected]]> wrote: >I think that it matches up to the description of the adult >bird at Lk. Cunningham that Bert saw. What about the primary pattern? In October the bird had a mirror on p10 which included the entire tip of the feather. Bert's description of the Lake Cunningham bird says: "There was a moderately sized white mirror on p. 10, which appeared to be separated from the white tip." -- Joseph Morlan Spring Birding Classes begin Feb 17 in SF: 380 Talbot Ave. #206 http://hills.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/ Pacifica, CA 94044 [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 13 12:17:42 1998 Subject: Almaden Reservoir/Almaden Lake Park Howdy South-bay-birders, This morning I went by Almaden Reservoir. Counted at least 24 WOOD DUCKS near the inflow at the upper end. Also had a SPOTTED SANDPIPER there and a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW right along Alamitos Rd. At Almaden Lake Park I stopped to look at the gulls. There seemed to be an unusually large number of HERRING GULLS on the lake, and I also had at least 2 GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS and 3-4 adult THAYER'S GULLS on the water. This is the first time I've had Thayer's Gulls in the Almaden Valley, but then I rarely check out the gulls down here. Also saw 1 female COMMON MERGANSER on the lake, and a flock of RING-NECKED DUCKS at the Coleman Rd. ponds nearby. John Mariani [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 13 12:32:39 1998 Subject: Arastradero Went for a first-of-the-year walk thru Arastradero this morning - it was very muddy, as a result no people, and lots of birds. I saw 45 species. 6 female and 1 male HOODED MERGANSERS and a GREEN HERON were in the upper pond, and 7 WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS were overhead. A HAIRY WOODPECKER was in an oak tree up on the Meadowlark Trail. The usual WHITE-TAILED KITES and RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS were between the lake and the entrance. -- Tom Grey Stanford CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 13 13:06:22 1998 Subject: Swifts in Cupertino All, Today, January 13, 1998, there were at least 6 swifts foraging silently over McClellan Ranch Park. I viewed them on and off over a 30-minute period between 11:30AM and noon. I believe that they were Vaux's due to the lack of any noticeable forking in the tail nor any clear contrast in color on their bodies despite prolonged observation at relatively low altitude (at or near the level of the redwood tops by the parking lot much of the time). However, there was a brightly backlit overcast at the time which could have obscured some contrast. Sure would love to have a second opinion, as there apparently is no prior county record for Vaux's in January (they are frequently seen here in the breeding season). --Garth Harwood ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 13 14:14:48 1998 Subject: County rarities All, Today Frank Vanslager and I saw the imm. Lesser Black-backed Gull at Lake Cunningham. The bird was near the Marina parking lot and at 8:35 AM it flew north-northwest until out of sight. One Red-necked Grebe was still on the lake. The Eastern Phoebe was in the first tree south of the jungle gym on the southern edge of Shady Oaks park. The Tundra Swan was still in Sandy Wool Lake in Ed R. Levin Park but the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker could not be found. Take care, Bob Reiling, 2:00 PM, 1/13/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 13 15:55:03 1998 Subject: PAWA still present All, After running some errands in Sunnyvale today I pulled over at Fair Oaks Park to check on the Palm Warbler. Sure enough it was still foraging along the creek on the east side of the park. The crown is still quite red, but too many eucalyptus meals has given the bird a matted forecrown and a black chin. Mike Rogers 1/13/97 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 14 16:29:41 1998 Subject: yet another WFGO All, I drove by the Moffett Golf Course today 1/14/98 to see if perhaps last year's Ross's Goose had decided to show up again since the Palo Alto CBC. Still no luck, but an immature GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE is hanging out with the domestic geese now. Also the usual big blackbird flocks with hundreds of TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS were still present. Ross's Goose could be a tough bird for the composite list without our dependable Sunnyvale bird any more. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 14 18:07:28 1998 Subject: Bay Calendar Larry Tunstall has updated the Bay Area Calendar for January 17-23 for SBBU. Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jan 15 15:20:35 1998 Subject: 1998 composite list 1998 SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST WELCOME TO 1998! A huge thank you to all of you who sent in your 1998 Santa Clara County bird observations - you helped get this list off to a great start. We had 137 species reported from New Year's Day alone! The two teams of Don & Jill Crawford and Ann Verdi & Caralisa Hughes were especially productive on New Year's Day, with 108 species and 84 species found, respectively. After New Year's Day, the composite list grew by 26 species on 1/2/86, 1 on 1/3/98, 7 on 1/4/98, 10 on 1/6/98, and then by the 6 species listed below. Several of our rare stakeouts are still around (Steve Rottenborn even refound the Prairie Warbler that disappeared for the windy San Jose count), which bodes well for a good 1998 total! 306 maybe? After working rather hard on the county list last year, both Mike Mammoser and I have decided to relax a bit this year. Mike Feighner is also burned out and has put county year listing on hold for 1998. Steve Rottenborn, on the other hand, has decided not to watch so many stakeouts pass him by this year, so there should be at least one very competitive year list being tracked in 1998. Chris Salander says that work will cramp his style again in 1998 and has also elected to drop off the list this year. Anybody else insterested in taking the new empty spots on the list? Any White-throated Sparrows at feeders?? John Mariani's Mt Madonna birds were just over the county line in Santa Cruz County :(. Mike P.S. Some advice from Kendric: [To make the columns line up, please copy this list to a word processor, and change the font to a monospaced font (Monoco, Courier, etc.), and set the right hand margin to 7.5 inches.] ________________________________________________________________________ Recent progress of the composite list: 182: 1/ 8/98 WHITE-THROATED SWIFT 183: 1/ 9/98 BARN OWL 184: 1/ 9/98 BLACK RAIL 185: 1/ 9/98 NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW 186: 1/ 9/98 PINE SISKIN 187: 1/13/97 ROCK WREN Please send any additions, corrections, or comments to Mike Rogers, [[email protected]]. SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST - 1998 SCR MMR MJM COMP SOURCE 377 162 122 114 187 % OF COMPOSITE FOR 1998 % OF 377 Red-throated Loon Pacific Loon Common Loon 1/ 2 AVe Pied-billed Grebe 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Horned Grebe 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Red-necked Grebe 1/ 2 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Eared Grebe 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Western Grebe 1/ 2 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Clark's Grebe 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH Northern Fulmar Sooty Shearwater Ashy Storm-Petrel Brown Booby American White Pelican 1/ 2 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Brown Pelican 1/ 6 1/ 4 JMa Double-crested Cormorant 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Brandt's Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Magnificent Frigatebird American Bittern Least Bittern Great Blue Heron 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Great Egret 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Snowy Egret 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Little Blue Heron Cattle Egret 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR Green Heron 1/ 6 1/ 1 DJC Black-crowned Night-Heron 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC White-faced Ibis Fulvous Whistling-Duck Tundra Swan 1/ 2 1/ 7 1/ 3 1/ 1 CKS,JML,DJC Greater White-fronted Goose 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH Snow Goose 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 2 SCR Ross' Goose Brant Canada Goose 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Wood Duck 1/ 1 AVe,CH Green-winged Teal 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Mallard 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Northern Pintail 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Garganey Blue-winged Teal 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH Cinnamon Teal 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Northern Shoveler 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Gadwall 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Eurasian Wigeon 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM American Wigeon 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Canvasback 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Redhead 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH Ring-necked Duck 1/ 2 1/ 7 1/ 1 m.ob. Tufted Duck 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM Greater Scaup 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Lesser Scaup 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Oldsquaw Black Scoter Surf Scoter 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC White-winged Scoter 1/ 6 1/ 6 MMR Common Goldeneye 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Barrow's Goldeneye 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Bufflehead 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Hooded Merganser 1/ 4 1/ 1 AVe,CH,NLe Common Merganser 1/ 2 1/ 7 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Red-breasted Merganser 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM Ruddy Duck 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Turkey Vulture 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. California Condor Osprey White-tailed Kite 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR,MJM Bald Eagle Northern Harrier 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Sharp-shinned Hawk 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR Cooper's Hawk 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 DJC Broad-winged Hawk Swainson's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Ferruginous Hawk 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR Rough-legged Hawk 1/ 3 1/ 3 SCR Golden Eagle 1/ 6 1/ 7 1/ 1 DJC American Kestrel 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Merlin 1/ 9 1/ 3 1/ 2 fide CKS Peregrine Falcon 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Prairie Falcon Ring-necked Pheasant 1/ 6 1/13 1/ 6 SCR Wild Turkey 1/ 1 JMa California Quail 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR,DJC Mountain Quail Yellow Rail Black Rail 1/12 1/12 1/ 9 VTi,RWR,FVs Clapper Rail 1/12 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Virginia Rail 1/ 2 1/12 1/ 2 SCR Sora 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR Common Moorhen 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC American Coot 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Sandhill Crane Black-bellied Plover 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Pacific Golden-Plover American Golden-Plover Snowy Plover Semipalmated Plover 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM Killdeer 1/ 1 1/ 7 1/ 1 m.ob. Mountain Plover Black Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC American Avocet 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Greater Yellowlegs 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Lesser Yellowlegs 1/ 6 1/ 6 SCR Solitary Sandpiper Willet 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Wandering Tattler Spotted Sandpiper 1/ 1 AVe,CH Whimbrel 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 4 CKS,JML Long-billed Curlew 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Hudsonian Godwit Bar-tailed Godwit Marbled Godwit 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Ruddy Turnstone Black Turnstone Red Knot 1/ 6 1/ 6 SCR Sanderling 1/ 6 1/ 6 MMR Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Least Sandpiper 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 AVe,CH White-rumped Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Dunlin 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH Curlew Sandpiper Stilt Sandpiper Buff-breasted Sandpiper Ruff Short-billed Dowitcher 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Long-billed Dowitcher 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR,MJM,AVe Common Snipe 1/ 5 1/ 1 DJC Wilson's Phalarope Red-necked Phalarope Red Phalarope Pomarine Jaeger Parasitic Jaeger Long-tailed Jaeger Laughing Gull Franklin's Gull Little Gull Black-headed Gull Bonaparte's Gull 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Heermann's Gull Mew Gull 1/ 2 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,TGr Ring-billed Gull 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. California Gull 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Herring Gull 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Thayer's Gull 1/ 2 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH Lesser Black-backed Gull 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM Western Gull 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Glaucous-winged Gull 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,TGr Glaucous Gull 1/ 6 1/ 6 SCR Black-legged Kittiwake Sabine's Gull Caspian Tern Elegant Tern Common Tern Arctic Tern Forster's Tern 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM Least Tern Black Tern Black Skimmer 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Common Murre Ancient Murrelet Cassin's Auklet Rock Dove 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Band-tailed Pigeon 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR White-winged Dove Mourning Dove 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Greater Roadrunner Barn Owl 1/ 9 1/ 9 MMR,RJe Flammulated Owl Western Screech-Owl 1/ 1 JMa Great Horned Owl 1/ 1 DJC Northern Pygmy-Owl 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,JMa Burrowing Owl 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Long-eared Owl Short-eared Owl Northern Saw-whet Owl 1/ 1 JMa Lesser Nighthawk Common Nighthawk Common Poorwill Black Swift Chimney Swift Vaux's Swift White-throated Swift 1/ 8 RWR,FVs Black-chinned Hummingbird Anna's Hummingbird 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Costa's Hummingbird Calliope Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird Allen's Hummingbird Belted Kingfisher 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 DJC Lewis' Woodpecker 1/ 6 NLe,RWR,FVs Acorn Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR,JMa,DJC Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1/ 2 1/ 1 CKS,JML Red-naped Sapsucker 1/ 6 1/ 6 MMR Red-breasted Sapsucker 1/ 2 1/ 7 1/ 1 m.ob. Williamson's Sapsucker Nuttall's Woodpecker 1/ 2 1/ 7 1/ 3 1/ 2 m.ob. Downy Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,CKS,JML Hairy Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,JMa,DJC Northern Flicker 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Pileated Woodpecker Olive-sided Flycatcher Western Wood-Pewee Willow Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Hammond's Flycatcher Dusky Flycatcher Gray Flycatcher Pacific-slope Flycatcher Black Phoebe 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Eastern Phoebe 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR Say's Phoebe 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 SCR Ash-throated Flycatcher Tropical Kingbird Cassin's Kingbird Western Kingbird Eastern Kingbird Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Horned Lark Purple Martin Tree Swallow Violet-green Swallow Nor. Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Cliff Swallow Barn Swallow 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR Steller's Jay 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 m.ob. Western Scrub-Jay 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Clark's Nutcracker Black-billed Magpie Yellow-billed Magpie 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. American Crow 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Common Raven 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Oak Titmouse 1/ 3 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 CKS,JML,DJC Bushtit 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Red-breasted Nuthatch 1/ 1 JMa White-breasted Nuthatch 1/ 3 1/ 6 1/13 1/ 1 DJC Pygmy Nuthatch 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,JMa Brown Creeper 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Rock Wren 1/13 1/13 MJM Canyon Wren Bewick's Wren 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. House Wren Winter Wren 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Marsh Wren 1/12 1/12 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM American Dipper Golden-crowned Kinglet 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Western Bluebird 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 DJC Mountain Bluebird Townsend's Solitaire Swainson's Thrush Hermit Thrush 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/13 1/ 1 SCR,JMa American Robin 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/13 1/ 1 m.ob. Varied Thrush 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Wrentit 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR,JMa,DJC Northern Mockingbird 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Sage Thrasher Brown Thrasher California Thrasher 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR Red-throated Pipit American Pipit 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Bohemian Waxwing Cedar Waxwing 1/ 2 1/14 1/ 1 JMa Phainopepla 1/ 6 NLe,RWR,FVs Northern Shrike Loggerhead Shrike 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. European Starling 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Bell's Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Cassin's Vireo Plumbeous Vireo Hutton's Vireo 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,JMa Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Tennessee Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler 1/ 4 1/ 4 SCR Nashville Warbler Virginia's Warbler Northern Parula Yellow Warbler 1/ 4 1/ 4 SCR Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Black-throated Gray Warbler Townsend's Warbler 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,JMa,DJC Hermit Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Prairie Warbler 1/ 4 1/ 4 SCR Palm Warbler 1/ 4 1/13 1/ 4 SCR,HLR Blackpoll Warbler Black-and-White Warbler American Redstart Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler Connecticut Warbler MacGillivray's Warbler Common Yellowthroat 1/ 4 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM Hooded Warbler Wilson's Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Summer Tanager Scarlet Tanager Western Tanager Rose-breasted Grosbeak Black-headed Grosbeak Blue Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Indigo Bunting Dickcissel Green-tailed Towhee Spotted Towhee 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,JMa,DJC California Towhee 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/13 1/ 1 m.ob. Rufous-crowned Sparrow 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Clay-colored Sparrow Brewer's Sparrow Black-chinned Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Lark Sparrow 1/ 4 1/ 4 MJM Black-throated Sparrow Sage Sparrow Lark Bunting Savannah Sparrow 1/ 2 1/12 1/ 4 1/ 1 DJC Grasshopper Sparrow Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow 1/ 9 fide AME Fox Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Song Sparrow 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Lincoln's Sparrow 1/ 2 1/13 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH Swamp Sparrow 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR White-throated Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. White-crowned Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Harris' Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Lapland Longspur Chestnut-collared Longspur Bobolink Red-winged Blackbird 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Tricolored Blackbird 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR Western Meadowlark 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Great-tailed Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC Hooded Oriole Baltimore Oriole Bullock's Oriole Scott's Oriole Purple Finch 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Cassin's Finch House Finch 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Red Crossbill Pine Siskin 1/ 9 TGr Lesser Goldfinch 1/ 1 1/13 1/ 4 1/ 1 m.ob. Lawrence's Goldfinch 1/ 6 NLe,RWR,FVs American Goldfinch 1/ 1 1/ 7 1/ 1 m.ob. Evening Grosbeak House Sparrow 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 CKS,JML,DJC Observer codes: m.ob.-many observers,AME-Al Eisner,AVe-Ann Verdi, CH-Caralisa Hughes,CKS-Chris Salander,DJC-Don & Jill Crawford, FVs-Frank Vanslager,GLB-Gloria LeBlanc,HLR-Heather Rottenborn, JMa-John Mariani, JML-Jeanne Leavitt,KLP-Kathy Parker, MJM-Mike Mammoser,MLF-Mike Feighner,MMR-Mike Rogers,NLe-Nick Lethaby, RJe-Richard Jeffers,RWR-Bob Reiling,SCR-Steve Rottenborn,TGr-Tom Grey, VTi-Vivek Tiwari,WGB-Bill Bousman SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST HISTORY 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 HIGH COMP 278 295 303 293 296 305 305 SCR 279 291 262 251 268 291 MJM 234 250 265 242 253 276 276 MMR 214 234 254 271 257 258 275 275 MLF 136 183 199 209 215 235 194 165 218 265 265 WGB 216 228 245 170 245 AME 240 220 219 231 240 KLP 232 232 RWR 204 201 203 228 228 TGr 189 211 211 CKS 185 195 186 195 GLB 190 190 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jan 15 15:57:04 1998 Subject: White-fronted Goose and Tricolored Blackbirds All: At noon today I walked out toward the Moffet Golfcourse and looked over the fence and saw the White-fronted Goose that Mike Rogers came across yesterday. It was still hanging out around the domestic geese. About 50 or so Tricolored Blackbirds were still around the Moffet Golfcourse. On the Lockheed side of the fence there was one Burrowing Owl. Mike Feighner ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 16 09:46:16 1998 Subject: S.C. Bird List 1998 Mike Rogers' 1998 SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST is on SBBU. As of 1/13/98 there are 187 species. Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 16 11:19:41 1998 Subject: Gnatcatcher on Stevens Creek This is a belated report of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in the willows on Stevens Creek below L'Avenida seen by me on January 5. It should be a first county record for 1998. cjc ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 16 13:42:50 1998 Subject: Lake Cunningham All, I spent lunch at Lake Cunningham today, hoping to find one of the two Lesser Black-backed Gulls - but without any luck. The only gulls besides the many CALIFORNIA and RING-BILLED GULLS were a single first-winter THAYER'S GULL and an adult HERRING GULL. There was still one RED-NECKED GREBE present, along with 6 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS. A female BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD was hanging out with a blackbird flock. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 16 14:20:36 1998 Subject: geese Today, 16 Jan 98, I went to the goose farm at lunch just off hwy 101 = and Tennant. I had a good talk with the owner, Tony Moribito. He says = that hundreds of ducks and geese fly in each evening and out again in = the morning, and that all these free-flying birds are wild. When I = checked the birds here, their composition looked very much like that = when Mike Rogers and I were here a couple months ago. With one = exception. This time there were 8 ROSS' GEESE. None of these birds = looked to be pinioned, toe-cut, or banded. It looked to me like there = were 2 adults and 6 immatures (possibly a family group?). = Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 16 15:00:04 1998 Subject: Tufted Duck All: There's still at least one male Tufted Duck in the large (west) Sunnyvale Sewage Pond. This morning, it was in the west-middle of the pond (scope views only), amid Scaup. John Meyer ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 16 15:36:33 1998 Subject: Bald Eagles reported nr Morgan Hill All, I am forwarding this report at the request of Stephan Gunn, who observed 3 Bald Eagles this morning, 1/16/1998, at 9:57 AM on two transmission towers visible from US 101 approximately 4 miles south of the Bernal Rd. intersection (near Scheller Rd.) They were causing a noticeable traffic slowdown. While he watched, all 3 took flight and proceeed west toward Mt. Loma Prieta. At least 2 of the birds were reported as adults, while the third had mixed white/brown head plumage; Mr. Gunn was not certain about the age of this individual. Mr. Gunn can be reached for further details at <[[email protected]]>. However, his line is not functional at the moment; he expects to be back online Sun. PM. --Garth Harwood, SCVAS Chapter Manager ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 16 16:32:31 1998 Subject: Teal Hello all Today (1/16/98) there were 7 BLUE-WINGED TEAL at the north pond of the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin at noon, close to the road. 5-male, and 2 female. Alan ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 17 12:18:45 1998 Subject: Ed Levin Tundra Swan This bird appears to be no longer present. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 17 16:29:47 1998 Subject: Northern Shoveler hybrid Today during our census of Emily Renzel Marsh, Rosalie Lefkowitz and I saw an adult male Northern Shoveler hybrid in the narrow slough behind the ITT property. The body configuation and bill were that of a No. Shoveler, but the plumage deviated from normal as follows: it had a clear white crescent behind the bill, and the white breast and white area in front of the rump were replaced by a rich cinnamon-buff color. The breast color shaded toward white on the lower neck. I perceived the color of breast area as "blotchy" or uneven, but Rosalie doesn't necessarily agree with that. I also thought the eye might by orangish or reddish, but we were observing it a distance of 60-70 yards with 10X binocs, so I could be wrong. In other respects, the plumage was typical of the adult male of the species, including the speculum seen when it flew by in the direction of the P.A. Flood Control Basin or points beyond. It was accompanied by a female shoveler. The Birds of North America account (no. 217) of this species mentions that it "hybridizes in the wild with Blue-winged Teal and probably Cinnamon Teal; also with Muscovy Duck...". If anyone else sees this bird at closer range and can add to the description, particularly as to eye color, or has any ideas about what type of hybrid it might be, we'd like to hear from you. Phyllis and Rosalie ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 17 17:03:12 1998 Subject: Osprey, etc. Howdy South-bay-birders, Today (Sat., 17 Jan.) Jolene Lange and I saw an Osprey and 14 Wood Ducks at Almaden Reservoir. The Osprey was still perched across the water when we left. John Mariani [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 17 17:51:00 1998 Subject: Avian Cholera There is an outbreak of Avian Cholera, Pasteurella multocida, in the Palo Alto Baylands as well as other locations in the area. We received the tests results on Thursday, January 15. We have lost about 110 birds so far and about 11 different species. This affects waterfowl and wetland-dependent birds, there is a low risk to humans. It can be transmitted through contaminated water, direct contact and aerosols. The City of Palo Alto would like to request that if you find any dead birds in our preserve, please do the following: Contact Open Space Staff at the Baylands so we can collect and dispose of the birds properly. If you decide to collect any dead birds, please wear rubber gloves and seal the bird in a plastic bag, label it, Avian Cholera. Do not throw the birds in the garbage because we are sending them to Palo Alto Animal Services to be disposed of (this prevents scavengers at the dump from spreading the disease). We need to record the species, location found, date and number of birds. If you need to contact staff, please call me at 650-329-2382. If you would like more information about this disease check out the following address on the internet: http://gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov/brd/brd cholera.html Thanks, Deborah Bartens-City Naturalist ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 18 13:51:47 1998 Subject: Swamp Sparrow at CCRS. Birders: Today Jay Plater banded a Second Year Swamp Sparrow at CCRS. Second Year is bander talk for a bird that hatched last summer. I snapped several photos of it before it was let go. This is the fifth Swamp Sparrow banded at CCRS, we have one April, two May and one October record. Today's is the first in mid-winter. Its also the first since 1995. I hope it stays around. Al Alvaro Jaramillo Half Moon Bay, California [[email protected]] Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 18 13:54:46 1998 Subject: Re: Ed Levin Tundra Swan The Tundra Swan was back on Sandy Wool lake at 1:00PM today. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 18 15:48:17 1998 Subject: South County I spent about 3 hours around Bloomingdale and Frazier Lake roads and then the San Felipe Lake area. I failed to find any Rough-legged Hawks. No sign of the Cassin's Kingbirds or any good blackbirds. There was a flock of at least 89 Tundra Swans (distant but I'm pretty certain not barnyard geese!) in San Benito county. I also counted an incredible 250 Ring-necked Ducks on a small lake (off San Felipe Rd) in San Benito county. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 19 08:31:29 1998 Subject: Hybrid Goldeneye All, On Sunday an ad male Barrow's x Common Goldeneye was on Shoreline Lake. I assume that this is the same bird that was found by Steve Rottenborn about a year ago. On Friday Frank Vanslager and I had seen 2-3 ad male Barrows Goldeneye on the Lake but in the high winds on Sunday we were lucky to find a single ad female BAGO. Also, on Sunday the Black Skimmers (14) put on quite a show, flying all over Charleston Slough in a tight group an apparent attempt to find a suitable spot to roost out of the wind. There were three dead gulls in Charleston Slough along the dike between the pump-house and the area in which the BLSKs normally roost (1/3 to 1/2 mile?). I don't know if this is normal attrition or the result of the recent Avian Cholera outbreak? Take care, Bob Reiling, 8:11 AM, 1/19/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 19 11:04:09 1998 Subject: birds On Saturday, 17 Jan 98, I went to the Guadalupe River near the airport = and refound the PRAIRIE WARBLER. It was just downstream from the = hwy 880 crossing. I then went to Trimble Ave, where it crosses the = Guadalupe River, and got a good look at the HARLAN'S HAWK. It = sure seems to be the same bird as last year. There was also some = evident courtship taking place between two BLACK PHOEBES, with = one of them flying out of an open semi trailer in the Viking truck yard. I = have seen this species nest in semi trailers before, so I assume that it = was prospecting for nest sites. I then went on to Alum Rock Park, where I had no luck finding Canyon = Wren, Amer Dipper, or the Northern Pygmy-owl. = So I went to Ed Levin Park, where I looked for the Yellow-bellied = Sapsucker, without success. Two adult GOLDEN EAGLES were = soaring overhead, however. A check of Sandy Wool Lake showed no = Tundra Swan, but I found an interesting sapsucker; an apparent hybrid = RED-NAPED x RED-BREASTED. In general, the bird looked like a = Red-naped; having a red crown, full red throat, red nape patch, thin = white supercilium behind the eye, and two white stripes down the back. = The red of the throat bled into the black border along the side of the = throat, which in itself is not a problem for a male Red-naped. However, = the red also bled extensively into the black bib below the throat, which = is a problem. Additionally, there was a reddish band outside the black = throat border that extended from the shoulder of each folded wing down = along the edge of the black, not quite connecting across the center of = the breast. This extraneous red on the breast is an indication of = hybridity, though it's surprising that there was no other extraneous red = anywhere else in the face or head. = On Sunday, 18 Jan 98, I drove up Canada Road in the south county. I = was hoping to find the male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that Mike Rogers = and I had here some time ago. I unable to find it in spite of extensive = searching, some with Jim Danzenbaker who had showed up while I was = looking. = On the way back I stopped at Ogier Ponds, where I found the OSPREY = that has been here most of the winter. = A stop at Calero Reservoir did not produce any loons, but a large = blackbird flock in the parking lot contained about 60 BROWN- HEADED COWBIRDS. = Almaden Reservoir had 37 WOOD DUCKS. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 19 14:01:07 1998 Subject: Observations Two trips to the Sunnyvale Water Treatment Plant have failed to turn up a tufted duck, but on 1-12 there was a EURASIAN WIGEON in the scaup raft, and today there were four REDHEAD. On 1-17 there was a LESSER YELLOWLEGS see from the path behind the Duck Pond (where the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE still resides). I saw the PALM WARBLER in Fair Oaks Park on 1-14, and it was there on 1-16 for Ann and Phil Dean. Jack Cole ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 19 18:09:09 1998 Subject: Re: Hybrid Goldeneye Hi Birders - Regarding the hybird Goldeneye, could someone send a description of the Shoreline bird? We had a female goldeneye on the Monterey Peninsula CBC which some say is a Barrow's and some say is a Common. Our bird has a nearly completely yellow bill, but the bill size and forehead don't fit Barrow's. Steve Rovell [[email protected]] Marina, CA Monterey Co. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 19 18:34:42 1998 Subject: Re: birds At 11:04 AM 1/19/98, MMAMMOSER wrote: >There was also some evident courtship taking place between two BLACK >PHOEBES, with one of >them flying out of an open semi trailer in the Viking truck yard. I have >seen this species nest in semi trailers before, so I assume that it was >prospecting for nest sites. I was describing the vagrants that have been seen along the Guadalupe from Trimble to Hedding to a non-birder and they asked me if it was possible that these birds (I had mentioned Hooded and Prairie Warblers) could be accidental stowaways on container cargo shipped via trucking or air since the airport is close-by along with numerous storage facilities, such as Viking. Has this been considered? Or is there research in this area? Thanks, Clysta ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 20 08:07:26 1998 Subject: Avian Cholera >MIME-Version: 1.0 >Date: Sat, 17 Jan 1998 17:51:00 -0800 >Subject: Avian Cholera >From: [[email protected]] (Deborah BARTENS) >To: [[email protected]] (INTERNET) >X-HPDESK-SUBJECT: Avian Cholera >Sender: [[email protected]] >Precedence: bulk > >There is an outbreak of Avian Cholera, Pasteurella multocida, in the >Palo Alto Baylands as well as other locations in the area. We received >the tests results on Thursday, January 15. We have lost about 110 >birds so far and about 11 different species. This affects waterfowl >and wetland-dependent birds, there is a low risk to humans. It can be >transmitted through contaminated water, direct contact and aerosols. >The City of Palo Alto would like to request that if you find any dead >birds in our preserve, please do the following: >Contact Open Space Staff at the Baylands so we can collect and dispose >of the birds properly. If you decide to collect any dead birds, please >wear rubber gloves and seal the bird in a plastic bag, label it, Avian >Cholera. Do not throw the birds in the garbage because we are sending >them to Palo Alto Animal Services to be disposed of (this prevents >scavengers at the dump from spreading the disease). >We need to record the species, location found, date and number of birds. > >If you need to contact staff, please call me at 650-329-2382. > >If you would like more information about this disease check out the >following address on the internet: http://gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov/brd/brd >cholera.html > >Thanks, >Deborah Bartens-City Naturalist >========================================================================== >This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list >server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the >message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] > Linda Lloyd <[[email protected]]> ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 20 09:51:37 1998 Subject: Fwd:Re[2]: birds ---------------------------- Forwarded with Changes ------------------------= --- From: MMAMMOSER at =7EAMPRO Date: 1/20/98 9:43AM To: Clysta Seney at INTERNET Subject: Re=5B2=5D: birds ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= ---- I don't know how much research, if any, has been done on this, but I wouldn= 't think it very likely. I don't think the Viking truck yard is a facility tha= t has cargo going through it; I believe it to be just a parking lot for the truck= s when they're not hauling. In any event, I can't imagine a decent scenario w= here these birds would get trapped in cargo containers (even the Black Phoebes w= ould flush at the approach of a human). If birds at airports were getting trappe= d, I would imagine that there would be a lot of House Sparrows traveling around = the country, not neotropical migrants, as these are the birds you find at airpo= rts. Riparian corridors through the urban valley serve as oases in the middle of= a virtual habitat desert, that attract migrant or vagrant birds. I would assu= me that their presense near the airport is just a coincidence (CCRS seems to attract many vagrants without any similar facilities adjacent to it). These= birds are long-distance migrants that have wings, and to me the most plausi= ble explanation is that they simply flew here. Mike Mammoser ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: Re: birds Author: Clysta Seney Date: 1/19/98 6:34 PM I was describing the vagrants that have been seen along the Guadalupe from= Trimble to Hedding to a non-birder and they asked me if it was possible that these birds (I had mentioned Hooded and Prairie Warblers) could be accidental stowaways on container cargo shipped via trucking or air since the airport is close-by along with numerous storage facilities, such as Viking. Has this been considered? Or is there research in this area? Thanks, Clysta ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 20 13:24:12 1998 Subject: FEHA,swallows All, I puttered around the south county for a bit on the Martin Luther King holiday yesterday 1/19/98. First stop was at Parkway Lakes along Metcalf Rd, where I had a male OSPREY hovering over the ponds. The bird appeared to be in molt with a primary and secondary missing from the right wing. Quite possibly it is the same male that has been hanging around the Ogier Ponds. Also here were a single AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN and a very unseasonal BARN SWALLOW. The goose farm on E. Middle Ave consumed a fair amount of time as the owner came out to chat and voiced his disapproval of a number of things, varying from a newspaper article claiming that each golf course goose poops 1 to 2 pounds a day to low overflying aircraft. Listening to this did buy me entrance to the place, however. The 8 ROSS'S GEESE are still present and quite flighty. These are apparently wild birds, as the owner has never kept ROGO and has his birds pinioned. Five were clearly immatures, with dusky crowns and napes and/or black centers to many flight feathers, one was an adult (very clean plumage and highly pigmented bill with adult pattern), and the other two appeared adult-like but were perhaps more likely advanced immature birds since young ROGO can often appear adult-like by now. Other free-flying geese included several CANADA GEESE among the 11 races of CANADA GOOSE being kept there. This includes 4 "Giant" Canada Geese that someone sold him eggs for for $700 - these birds are hybrids with some domestic goose (white chests and foreheads, bulgy bodies) so I don't think he got his money's worth but he was quite proud of them, even though one is apparently blind in one eye after hitting the fence when an airplane went over. Also, there were 18 SNOW GEESE present, which is 4 more than have been resident there. A few SNGO may have flown with the ROGO right when I arrived, but at that point I was watching the ROGO and couldn't be sure that the SNGO hadn't run to the next pen instead of flying. Also, one of the ROSS'S GEESE is a very heavy-set, thick-necked bird that appears quite a bit larger in flight...so care is needed, especially since one pair of SNGO apparently nested this past summer! (If I understand no young were successfully raised, however - although the owner does raise Chukars, pheasants, and quail for hunting clubs.) The owner also mentioned that he often has overwintering goose flocks that arrive in Fall and get restless and leave in May, so Mike Feighner's 10 free-flying SNOW GEESE last year on 1/19/97 and 2/23/97 are likely also "countable". The blackbird flock at the goose farm had at least 8 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS, but no Rusty Blackbird. I took back roads to Leavesley Road, finding an adult SHARP-SHINNED HAWK and then a dark morph buteo perched atop a small orchard tree near the intersection of Buena Vista Ave and New Ave. I pulled over to check what I thought would be a "rufous" morph Red-tailed Hawk and was surprised to have a dark morph adult FERRUGINOUS HAWK! This bird subsequently flew around for a bit and then landed atop a large eucalyptus along New Ave. It was not the same bird that Mike Mammoser and I had in Isabel Valley last month, having brighter and more extensive orange in the shoulders and chest. I next spent some time wandering around Bloomfield and Frazier Lake Roads. One adult GOLDEN EAGLE and a male NORTHERN HARRIER were the most interesting raptors I could muster, but the flooded fields along Frazier Lake Road were quite birdy, with 37 GREAT EGRETS, 4 SNOWY EGRETS, hundreds of MEW GULLS, several CALIFORNIA GULLS, and a single adult HERRING GULL. At nearby San Felipe Lake there were 8 RED-TAILED HAWKS and another adult GOLDEN EAGLE (both in both counties). Rain was coming, and on the edge of the front suddenly a large flock (over a hundred) of TREE SWALLOWS appeared and began foraging over the hills north of the road (Santa Clara County) and over the lake (San Benito County). Careful scoping revealed at least two VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS also in the flock (both counties). A three-swallow day in January! The rain also roused a kettle of 38 TURKEY VULTURES (from the nearby landfill?); these birds ended up perched in the trees north of the road. Continuing around the very full San Felipe Lake to the call box 152-184 on the east side of the lake I bumped into John Hunter from Arcata. He pointed out an immature male COMMON GOLDENEYE and many CANVASBACK and RING-NECKED DUCKS (the same birds Nick Lethaby had probably). There were also 3 COMMON SNIPE and a single BLACK-NECKED STILT here. The county line, which mostly runs close to highway 152, actually is well to the southwest of the road around the nearby farmhouse. Given the very high water levels, the lake probably comes pretty close to Santa Clara County here. Nonetheless, all these birds were in San Benito County according to my reading of the map (although the shorebirds were probably close to the county line). I gave up on trying to refind any Cassin's Kingbirds in the pouring rain and headed up Canada Road. Not knowing that Mike Mammoser had failed the day before at refinding the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Canada Ranch, I proceeded to spend an unsuccessful half hour there as well. Interesting birds along Canada Road included 1 adult FERRUGINOUS HAWK, 50 LARK SPARROWS (including singing birds), and a HUTTON'S VIREO. After this it began to hail and I simply enjoyed checking out the high water levels along Coyote Creek and at Coyote Lake from the car before heading home. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 20 16:50:01 1998 Subject: Weekend birding All, A late report for some Saturday birding. I checked out the Guadalupe River areas for Prairie Warbler and Harlan's Hawk and missed both. I did see 1 male and 5 female COMMON MERGANSERS in the river near Hwy 880. I checked the airport runway area from the De la Cruz Blvd. side for Ferrugies or Rough-legs but could not locate any. I went over to CCRS to try my luck at the Iceland and Glaucous Gulls, but had to be satisfied with many THAYER'S, CALIFORNIA, MEW, RING-BILLED, and HERRING GULLS in the sewage ponds to the west of the levee near the trailers. One BONAPARTE'S GULL was flying toward the Newby Is. dump. At least two TREE SWALLOWS were flying over the cottonwoods along Coyote Creek north of the trailers. I stopped at the entrance to the Alviso EEC and found a GOLDEN EAGLE perched on a pole in the grassland next to the railroad spur by the Arzino Ranch. About 100 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS were flying about this area. Over at the Palo Alto Duck Pond, the WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE mingled with the domestic geese at the back side of the pond. A large number of BONAPARTE'S GULLS were on the small bars in the old yacht harbor. Les ============================================== Les Chibana, Mountain View, CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 20 22:10:59 1998 Subject: San Benito County Hi Birders - Yesterday, 1/19/98, John Hunter birded northern San Benito County, and while at Paicines Reservoir, had a single RED-THROATED LOON (~ 3rd county record?) and a single female HOODED MERGANSER. After telling me about these birds, I had to go to atleast try to see this loon! So, both of us set out today to bird San Benito. Our original plan had been to bird North Monterey County, but plans change. We started off by looking for the loon at Paicines Reservoir. We had no luck with finding it or the merganser. Birds present were: NORTHERN PINTAIL, AMERICAN WIGEON, 11 TUNDRA SWANS, CANVASBACK, MALLARDS, WESTERN GREBE, and the usual COOTS. Next we birded our way south towards Panoche Valley on Panoche Road. Along the way we had several LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES and 1 PHAINOPEPLA. We kept an eye out for LEWIS' WOODPECKERS, but saw none. Once in Panoche Valley, we saw a MERLIN and several FERRUGINOUS HAWKS including one dark morph individual on Little Panoche Road. There were several large sparrow flocks, composed maily of either SAVANNAH SPARROWS or LARK SPARROWS and several large blackbird flocks. We then took New Idria Road south approximately 3 miles to where the BLACK-THROATED SPARROW had been seen as recently as Saturday (to my knowledge), and couldn't find it. As originally reported, it was seen with approximatley 1000 LARK SPARROWS. We only saw 200-300, so we knew we weren't looking at all of them. We would try again later. We drove farther on up New Idria Road, had one high-flying WHITE-THROATED SWIFT, and headed back. When we returned, someone had taken our place looking for the sparrow. We stayed in our car to keep from startling the birds which numbered far greater than the 200-300 we saw earlier, and this time it paid off. The BLACK-THROATED SPARROW flitted across the road, landed on the barbed-wire fence, and flew into the field. We had approximately a 3-second look at the bird. We talked to the other birded who told us he saw at least 3 MOUNTAIN PLOVERS near the Silver Creek Ranch, so we headed that way. Upon arriving, we saw the three and about 15 more. Thanks to the un-named birder who helped us out. We could not find any LARK BUNTINGS or VESPER SPARROWS here. Next stop was the 4.0 mile mark of Little Panoche Road. No LARK BUNTINGS or VESPER SPARROWS here either, but we did hear a ROCK WREN. We headed back out of the valley and back north toward Hollister. Along the way, we stopped and got "killer" looks at 3 RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS. North of Hollister, on Lover's Lane, we looked for the RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER, but could not relocate it. I forget the address, but there is a large weeping willow in the front where the bird has been seen. Next stop was Anzar Pond on Anzar Road which is in the far northern portion of the county north and west of Highway 101. I had never heard of this pond before today, so it was a "lifer" birding spot. There we saw atleast a dozen HOODED MERGANSERS, several RING-NECKED DUCKS, MALLARDS, COOTS and a PIED-BILLED GREBE. All in all a great birding day. John tells me that we had 83 species today. Steve Rovell [[email protected]] Marina, CA Monterey Co. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 21 06:08:48 1998 Subject: East-Bay-Birds E-mail circle and Contra Costa Atlas Greetings Birders: I would like to formally invite all birders online who live, work and bird in either Alameda County or Contra Costa County, or just bird in either of the two counties to join our East-Bay e-mail circle which has been in existence for the past six months. It is currently small-scale, but eventually it may grow significantly so that it may need to move to a listserver. If you are interested in joining, please e-mail me directly with your request. Rules that currently apply for either Calbird or South-Bay-Birds apply for East-Bay-Birds as well. Also, Steve Glover, is in need of additional birders to help out with the Contra Costa County Breeding Bird Atlas. If you are interested in helping with the atlas, contact Steve at [[email protected]] Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 21 12:31:46 1998 Subject: Iceland, Lesser Black-backed Gulls All: On Friday (16 Jan.), I met Scott and Ryan Terrill and Matt Heindel at Lake Cunningham. Two RED-NECKED GREBES were here, but we were not able to find the LBBG. We then went to Hidden Lake Park in Milpitas, where we found an amazing concentration of THAYER'S GULLS. Of the 175-200 gulls here, there were 41 first-winter, 35 second- winter, 6 third-winter, and 6 adult THAYER'S. We then went to CCRS, where Matt quickly picked out a first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL with other gulls in the southernmost WPCP pond along the CCRS entrance road. While looking at gulls in the WPCP pond directly adjacent to the trailers, Scott picked out a very pale gull and called my attention to it. Al Jaramillo, who had joined us, was talking to Matt while Scott and I looked at this pale bird, and Al independently picked out this unusual gull. After looking at this bird for 10 minutes or so and comparing its characters to those of Thayer's and "Kumlien's" Iceland Gulls in Grant's book (and our own recollections of Iceland Gulls), we all decided that it was a good match for a "KUMLIEN'S" ICELAND GULL, and we all began to take notes on the bird. This gull was approximately the size of a medium or medium-small Thayer's Gull, as seen in direct comparison with several Thayer's. The bill was small, short, and moderately thin, the distal portion of the culmen being fairly steeply curved (more rounded rather than gradually sloping); the bill had a moderate gonydeal angle. The bill was solid black, with no pale color at all. The feet were pinkish. The head was small and the crown was more or less rounded. The wings appeared long, and at least three primary tips were visible beyond the tip of the tail; overall the bird's structure did not appear noticeably different from many of the Thayer's Gulls present, although some of the Thayer's were noticeably bulkier, more blocky-headed, shorter-winged, and larger-billed. The Iceland Gull appeared to be in fairly fresh plumage, not appearing noticeably worn or faded. The head, neck, upper back, and underparts were mostly a dingy brown with some paler markings; fairly broad pale streaks were present on the foreneck, with narrower pale streaks all over the head. Overall, there was more brownish color than whitish on these parts, and the bird was not noticeably different from (either darker or paler than) the adjacent Thayer's Gulls in the coloration of the head, neck, and underparts. The vent and undertail coverts were whitish, the undertail coverts having fairly neat rows of medium-dark brown bars. The upperparts (scapulars and upperwing coverts) were very pale overall because the majority of each of the feathers in these areas was white, with only limited dark markings. The scapulars were predominantly white, with each scapular appearing to have only a single, moderately narrow brown subterminal bar. This brown bar was approximately the same color as the darker markings on most of the first-winter Thayer's Gulls present but was MUCH less extensive than on those Thayer's. In fact, we looked for the palest of the 50 or so first-winter Thayer's Gulls that were visible during or after the observation of the Iceland Gull. On even the palest Thayer's Gulls, the amount of white on the scapulars barely exceeded the amount of brown on the scapulars of the Iceland Gull, so that the amount of white and brown on these feathers was almost reversed on these two taxa. The lesser, median, and greater upper-secondary coverts of the Iceland Gull had a virtually pure white ground color and were neatly spotted or checkered with medium brown. This brown spotting was fairly well defined but was very limited in extent, both because there were relatively few of these spots on the otherwise white feathers and because the dark spots were small. In other words, there was much more white than brown on these feathers. Overall, the tertials were quite pale; most of the interiors of the tertials were covered by a very pale brown or grayish-brown wash, but there were a few small, darker brown bars toward the edges of the tertials (though not what I would call notches). Each tertial had a very broad pure white tip without dark barring or notches, this tip being separated from the pale brown-washed base by a narrow brownish anchor- or crescent- shaped bar. On the folded wing, the primaries appeared mostly pure white due to broad white fringes (edges and tips). The interiors of the primaries were a pale buff-brown that occupied the medial 1/3 of the primaries (that is, the wedge of pale brown along the shaft was approximately equal to the width of the white edging on each side). The dark center on each primary was entirely framed in white, both by the white fringes and tip of that primary and by the broad white tip of the adjacent, more proximal primary. As a result, these dark portions of the primaries showed on the folded wing as a row of short, narrow "tongues" of buff-brown on the otherwise pure white primaries. These darker areas did not contrast sharply with the white, however. As seen on the spread wing from below (when the bird stretched once), the outer primaries looked almost pure white. Overall, the very pale, mostly whitish wings and mantle contrasted noticeably with the darker head, neck, and underparts. The spread tail was seen very well on at least two occasions as the bird stretched and preened. The interiors of the rectrices had a pale brown wash, slightly paler than the tertials (which were themselves quite pale). There appeared to be a bit of white barring at the bases of the outer two pairs of rectrices, and there was a broad white terminal band and a bit of subterminal white notching or spotting on each tail feather. The brown wash on the interior of the tail appeared paler distally than proximally, and as a result (in combination with the white terminal band and subterminal notching), the tail appeared somewhat darker toward the base than toward the tip. In flight, the whitish secondaries appeared the same shade and color as, or perhaps even slightly paler than, the greater coverts, so there was not even a hint of a dark secondary bar. The primaries seemed virtually uniformly whitish, perhaps being slightly paler on the outermost primaries than on the inner ones. Overall, the primaries and secondaries were virtually uniformly colored (whitish), being slightly paler than the upperwing coverts. We watched this first bird through our scopes from a distance of 150 m from 12:15 to 12:45, with the sun to our left and slightly at our backs. The sky was mostly cloudy, providing good conditions for viewing; when the sun appeared briefly on one occasion, all the birds appeared washed out and it was more difficult to see the true feather colors and patterns than it was during most of the observation. Scott took a few distant photos. At 12:45, the bird flew slowly to the north, providing good views through the scope for nearly 90 seconds before it eventually landed in one of the ponds to the north along the road. We drove up the road and I was able to relocate the Iceland Gull and watch it for about 10 more seconds before all the gulls in this pond flew. We all tried to locate the gull in flight, and eventually I got on what I thought was this Iceland Gull. The bird had the same wing pattern, with whitish, nearly uniformly colored primaries and secondaries contrasting slightly with slightly darker upperwing coverts; as on the first bird, the outer primaries were perhaps slightly paler than the inner primaries and secondaries, and with no dark secondary bar. This bird's tail pattern was also similar to that of the first bird, the tail being washed with pale brown but with a very broad pale terminal band; again, the brown-washed portion of the tail was slightly darker at the base than at the tip. Although this bird appeared very similar to the first one in flight, I noticed that the bird appeared very slightly darker and less pure white overall, though because it was still so whitish, I thought it must be the same bird until it landed back in the pond. Then I could see that it differed slightly from the first bird, having a slightly flatter crown, slightly heavier bill and heavier build, and a bit of pink at the base of both mandibles. Although this second bird looked like an Iceland Gull, I continued searching for the first individual (which we never saw again). Scott and Matt called my attention to a gull which they thought might be the first Iceland, but I recognized it as the second bird. We all scrutinized and discussed this bird at length, and despite the minor differences between this bird and the first Iceland Gull, we concluded that it was indeed a second "Kumlien's" Iceland Gull! This second Iceland Gull was very similar to the first, appearing the size of a medium Thayer's Gull and having the overall shape and structure of a Thayer's. Although its head appeared a bit less rounded, the bill a bit heavier, and the overall build of the bird a bit heavier than the first bird, it was still not nearly as "extreme" in these characters as some of the larger Thayer's Gulls present for direct comparison. On the second bird, I noted primarily the differences between it and the first bird, so characters not noted below can be assumed to be the same as on the first Iceland Gull. Overall, the second bird was slightly darker than the first. The head, neck, underparts, and undertail coverts were virtually identical to those of the first bird and still contrasted with the "frosty", whitish mantle and wings, although not as much as on the first bird. The dark bars on the scapulars and dark spots on the upper-secondary coverts were the same shade of brown as on the first bird, but everywhere they were slightly larger or broader than the dark markings on the first bird. Also, the ground color (pale areas) of these feathers, especially on the greater coverts, was not as pure white as on the first bird. Still, I would call these pale areas "whitish", and the pale portions of these feathers were still much more extensive than the dark portions. These differences between the two birds were very slight, and despite the "darker" impression conveyed by the second bird, it was still noticeably paler than any bird that I have called a Thayer's Gull. The tertials of the second bird had slightly darker interiors than the first bird, with somewhat less extensive and less pure white terminal regions. The primaries were also not quite as whitish as on the first bird. Not only were the pale fringes less pure white (being "off-white"), but the dark central portion of each primary occupied almost as much area as both edges combined; in other words, the dark interior portion of each primary on the second bird occupied about 1/2 the width of the primary rather than 1/3 the width as on the first bird. Nevertheless, the "dark" central portions of these primaries were the same pale buff- brown as on the first bird, and the fringes were still broader and more white than on any of the Thayer's Gulls present. Overall, this bird still stood out as being very pale among the Thayer's Gulls, and it was similar enough to the first bird that Scott, Matt, and I had at times thought it to be the first bird. Like the first, the second bird had pinkish feet, and it appeared as though three primary tips fell beyond the tip of the tail (the bird had the same long-winged appearance as the first). We watched this second bird from approximately 130 m through our scopes, under the same viewing conditions. I did not note how long we looked at this second bird, but I would guess that we watched it for at least 20 minutes. After our observation of the second Iceland Gull, we sought out the palest first-winter Thayer's Gull we could find, and on Sunday (18 Jan.) we saw three extremely pale Thayer's (two at Hidden Lake Park, one at Lake Cunningham), allowing us to compare our impressions of the two Iceland Gulls with these pale Thayer's Gulls. Compared to the palest of these Thayer's, the two Iceland Gulls: --had much purer white on the pale portions of the mantle and wings than the Thayer's; --had much more extensive white (and less extensive brown) on the individual feathers of the mantle and wings, with much smaller brown spots on the coverts and much narrower brown bars on the scapulars, which were mostly brown on the Thayer's; --had paler primaries, especially the outer primaries, as seen in flight; on the palest Thayer's, the outer primaries were still slightly darker than the inner primaries; --had paler primaries as seen on the folded wing, with less extensive brownish interiors than on the Thayer's; I would say that the second Iceland Gull was almost intermediate between the palest Thayer's and the first Iceland Gull with respect to the pattern of the primaries but it tended slightly toward the first Iceland; --had paler secondaries; on the palest Thayer's, the secondaries did not form a contrasting dark bar as on most Thayer's but were still darker than the inner primaries and not noticeably paler than the upperwing coverts as they were on the Iceland Gulls; --had more uniformly whitish flight feathers overall; as described above, the outer primaries and secondaries of the palest Thayer's were still slightly darker than the inner primaries; --had much broader, more pure white tips to the rectrices and a paler brownish wash distally than proximally on the brown-washed interiors of the tail, so that the darkest part of the tail was near the base; on the Thayer's, the tail was more uniformly washed with brown, with only a narrow pale terminal band; --had (at least on the first Iceland) white notches at the edges of the distal portion of the brown-washed region of each tail feather, creating some white "patterning" toward the tail tip that was not present on any of the Thayer's; I did not see the tail of the second Iceland well enough to discern any such markings; --had a slightly paler shade on the brownish-washed portions of the tail and tertials. What made these three Thayer's Gulls so pale, and therefore so superficially similar to the Iceland Gulls, seemed obvious. The dark portions of the mantle and wing feathers of these THGU were very pale, so that there was no really dark feathering at all on these birds. Even though their tails and tertials did appear slightly darker than on the Iceland Gulls, and the brownish interiors of the primaries were no paler (and seemed to be slightly darker) than those of the Iceland Gulls, the brownish portions of the scapulars and brown spotting/barring on the coverts and tertials of these Thayer's Gulls were quite pale, probably even paler than the brown areas on these feathers on the Iceland Gulls. Therefore, even though the extent of dark-pigmented area was greater on the Thayer's than on the Icelands and the pale areas were purer white on the Icelands than on the Thayer's Gulls, the Thayer's still appeared almost as pale overall. However, because of the lack of contrast between dark and light regions on these feathers on the Thayer's Gulls, all of these pale Thayer's appeared more "washed out" than the Iceland Gulls, which appeared very neat because of the contrast between the extensive white and the darker small spots on the upperparts. Later on 16 Jan., we went to the Sunnyvale WPCP, where we scoped the ponds from the dump. We were unable to find a Tufted Duck, but we did see an adult male MERLIN, 3 male REDHEADS, and a number of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS. At the Alviso EEC, we had a pair of adult PEREGRINE FALCONS perched together on a transmission tower (we had seen another adult earlier at CCRS), and the YELLOW WARBLER was still chipping away along Artesian Slough. On 18 Jan., a number of people (Scott, Matt, Steve Howell, Kimball Garrett, Guy McCaskie, Mike San Miguel, Peter Pyle, Dick Erickson, and myself) went to CCRS to look for the Iceland Gulls, without success. Before the others arrived, I got distant views of a bird in flight that showed the wing pattern of an Iceland Gull, but the bird flew away from me and I could not conclusively call it an Iceland. A partial-albino NORTHERN SHOVELER was in one of the WPCP ponds on both 16 and 18 January. At Lake Cunningham, we all saw the second-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on the north side of the lake near the flooded volleyball courts. This bird's plumage had changed quite a bit since I last saw it in November (was it really that long ago?). Since then, it had replaced many of its older scapulars (which were more brownish or grayish-brown, some with dark bars) with more plain grayish or slightly brownish-gray ones; it had replaced a few of the old pale-edged dark brown median coverts on the left wing with new, plain gray or slightly brownish-gray feathers; it had dropped its last four old tertials (the very worn upper two tertials on each side); it had completed its wing molt (p10 was not fully regrown and one old secondary had yet to be replaced when I last saw it); the bird had the typical long-winged look of a Lesser Black-backed Gull now that its primary molt was complete; the head, neck, and underparts were a bit whiter, with a bit less dark streaking than was present earlier; and the tibiae and "knee" joints may have had a bit more of a yellowish tinge than was visible earlier. According to Steve Howell, the worn "old" scapulars and secondary coverts of this bird are probably second-winter feathers rather than second- summer feathers. Howell suspects that this bird acquired its second- winter plumage last summer, explaining the wear in these feathers when the bird was discovered 30 October. However, the old, very worn tertials and old secondary that the bird retained last fall were clearly first-year feathers that had not yet been replaced. Howell thinks that the new gray feathers that have been acquired in the last month or so have been acquired as part of the pre-alternate II molt. Strangely, we were unable to find any Red-necked Grebes at Lake Cunningham on 18 Jan. despite quite a bit of searching. On 20 Jan., I briefly birded along the Guadalupe River above Montague Expwy., finding a "morphna"-type SONG SPARROW (beautiful bird!), a pure male YELLOW-SHAFTED FLICKER with 5 RED-SHAFTEDS, 3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 1 RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, and 10 DARK- EYED JUNCOS. While conducting Burrowing Owl surveys elsewhere in the area, I saw a pure female YELLOW-SHAFTED FLICKER and a hybrid flicker with 9 RED-SHAFTEDS. Good birding! Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 21 13:23:51 1998 Subject: PRWA & PAWA All, Just before 11 AM today John and Colleen Arnold, Frank Vanslager and I saw the Prairie Warbler just downstream from the I-880 overpass between the first two bushes on the airport side of the creek. The bird had apparently just bathed at the drain located below the second bush. Frank and I had earlier seen the Palm Warbler at Fair Oaks Park. If the bird is not in the cement culvert be sure and check the Eucalyptus trees at the street end of the culvert and the evergreen trees alongside the culvert. Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:00 PM, 1/21/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 21 16:55:59 1998 Subject: Observations Wednesday afternoon I saw the EASTERN PHOEBE at Great Oaks Park. Other birds there of interest were four woodpecker species, and the sights and sounds a female RED-SHOULDERED HAWK makes when a male brings her nesting material and they copulate. At Ogier Ponds, I got to compare the aerial maneuvers and the six foot wingspan of an OSPREY with the five foot wingspan of a remote control airplane. Also of interest here was the sight of a double-crested cormorant falling straight down out of the sky 30 feet beside me along the entrance road. The bird appeared to die right before my eyes. Twenty minutes later, on the way out, an immature red-tailed hawk was guarding its quarry, and refused to leave despite my presence. At Calero Reservoir there were about 800 blackbirds clustered around a few vehicles and boat trailers in the parking lot. Seventy five per cent appeared to be red-winged, the rest Brewers with a few TRI-COLERED BLACKBIRDS and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS mixed in. Finally, at Almaden Reservoir there were 40 WOOD DUCKS. Jack Cole ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 21 19:17:54 1998 Subject: Re: PRWA & PAWA RREILING2 wrote: > > All, > > Just before 11 AM today John and Colleen Arnold, Frank Vanslager and I saw the > Prairie Warbler just downstream from the I-880 overpass between the first two > bushes on the airport side of the creek. The bird had apparently just bathed > at the drain located below the second bush. Frank and I had earlier seen the > Palm Warbler at Fair Oaks Park. If the bird is not in the cement culvert be > sure and check the Eucalyptus trees at the street end of the culvert and the > evergreen trees > alongside the culvert. > > Take care, > Bob Reiling, 1:00 PM, 1/21/98 > ========================================================================== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] Hello All: I will once again post this message about bandcodes. PRWA = nothing PRAW= Prairie Warbler PROW= Prothonotary Warbler The two above bandcodes are an exception to the normal method of deriving bandcodes since the two species have the first two letters in both the first and last names. Thanks, Doug Shaw Santa Rosa,CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 21 20:31:39 1998 Subject: LBBG - Lake Cunningham All: The immature Lesser Black-backed Gull was at Lake Cunningham on Tuesday 1/20 around 1330hr. The bird was along the shore near the main parking lot for about one minute. Some people walked by and scared the gull flock. A few minutes later most of the gulls returned except for the LBBG. I missed the PRAW along the Guadalupe River. I see several people were luckier with that bird today. I will have to try again for that bird. Doug Shaw [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jan 22 21:46:50 1998 Subject: Bay Calendar Larry Tunstall has updated the Bay Area Calendar for January 24-30. Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 23 09:40:36 1998 Subject: KOWA Scopes I am thinking of getting a new scope. To KOWA owners out there, does the flourite lens coating make that big of a difference to warrent the extra cost. Thanks, Kathy Parker ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 23 12:42:09 1998 Subject: American Bittern,Shoveler Hybrid Rita Colwell and I were at Emily Renzel Marsh this morning looking for th= e Northern Shoveler hybrid reported by Phyllis Browning on Sat. 1/17. I ha= d gotten a second look at it on Monday afternoon when it was in a pond east= of the marsh and just behind Bixbee Park. I was at about the same distan= ce then as on Saturday and can't add anything to Phyllis's description. Thi= s morning, however, we found no Shovelers in that area, and so continued on= to the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin hoping for better luck. The water level is still very high there making some of the levees impassable. We never did find the hybrid, but had fair looks at an American Bittern in t= he wet area just east of the FCB north pond. Perhaps this is the bird reported by Mike Mammoser in December from the location where he found a Swamp Sparrow. Rosalie Lefkowitz ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 23 13:43:00 1998 Subject: Western Tanager All, This morning I had a calling male Western Tanager eating the berries of a Camphor? tree in my front yard (Craig Dr. in western San Jose near Cupertino). Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:27 PM,1/23/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 23 15:46:07 1998 Subject: Glaucous Gull I checked the "Fremont Lagoons" area today by the Newby Island landfill. After some searching, I found a very pale immature Glaucous Gull. This bird did not have a completely black bill tip. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 23 16:02:53 1998 Subject: Palm Warbler still at Fair Oaks Park 1/23 Hi Everyone-- I stopped by Fair Oaks Park this morning (1/23, about 9:45AM) to look for the Palm Warbler. As I was standing on the bike path west of the culvert, it flew into a non-native tree of some ilk, then dropped to the ground inside the culvert fence and ran around briefly before a jogger scared it off. I wish it another year of good health. Mark Miller ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 24 13:15:22 1998 Subject: Re: PAWA Gloria wrote: > > I have yet to have a PINE SISKIN at my feeders, which is very unusual. > Have any been spotted in Santa Clara County this year? Scott Terrill and I had one fly overhead at CCRS on 18 January. Other than that, I can't remember seeing or hearing one in Santa Clara County this winter. Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 24 15:39:02 1998 Subject: PRAW & EAPH Hi: I finally saw the PRAW along the Guadalupe River downstream of 880. The bird was further downstream then previously reported this week. It was on the west side(airport side) in a bush about 3-4 feet above the ground in a large clearing. Use Hangar #s 6 & 7 as a guide to the spot. I saw the bird at 1205 for about 1-2 minutes. The Eastern Phoebe was in its usual area at Shady Oaks Park. The usual spot is the orchard that is adjacent to the blue jungle gym. I looked for the GLGU in Fremont without any luck. There was a very large concentration of gulls flying over the landfill that were too far away to identify. There was one extremely large GWGU in first winter plumage. The bird appeared bigger than the other GWGU and was very pale, but had an all black bill. Doug Shaw Santa Rosa,CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 24 16:42:14 1998 Subject: CCRS birds. Birders, The adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was at the CCRS Waterbird Pond yesterday between 1030 and 1130 in the morning. Has anyone been seeing this bird and reporting it to the birdbox? I am wondering if I should give the birdbox a shout, unless someone else has reported it recently. I did not have luck with either Glaucous or Iceland gulls. Also of interest was a leucistic American Avocet on the waterbird pond. It is very pale and washed out, lacking pure black colours and appearing mainly white with some dusky on the wings and scapsulars. I just retrived some slides from the CCRS banders camera from the photo place. I will have to check the date, but photos in this roll confirm that a Fox Sparrow banded in November by Diane Kodama was of the eastern or red (iliaca subspecies group) of sparrows. Unless altivagans (belonging to the Mountain or Slate-colored, schistacea subspecies group) can be very rusty, I am quite certain that this is a Red Fox Sparrow, probably of the race zaboria since the crown is extensively grey. Cheers, Al. Alvaro Jaramillo Half Moon Bay, California [[email protected]] Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 24 16:59:01 1998 Subject: Raptors South Bay birders, Today, I led my class on a field trip targeting raptors locally. We did fairly well, finding 10 species and one subspecies. We started big at the Alviso Environmental Ed Ctr and New Chicago Marsh, finding an AMERICAN KESTREL (F), one MERLIN, two PEREGRINE FALCONS, two NORTHERN HARRIERS (1 adult F, one imm.), two WHITE-TAILED KITES, one COOPER'S HAWK (adult prob. f) and four RED-TAILED HAWKS. I couldn't refind a Golden Eagle that I saw in the area a week ago. We then checked in briefly at Ed Levin Park. I couldn't locate the near certain Red-shouldered Hawk. We looked around the Spring Valley Group picnic area parking lot and saw a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER and a Selasphorus HUMMINGBIRD, most likely an Allen's at this time of year. No Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, but we didn't spend much time here. Up on Calaveras Rd., overlooking the reservoir, we couldn't find any avian predators aside from RED-TAILEDS, but we did enjoy long views of a feline predator in the fields below us, a BOBCAT. A stop along Marsh Rd. produced nothing special. On Felter Rd. just east of Sweigert Rd., we saw two trios of RED-TAILEDS associating with each other, legs dangling. At the summit of Sierra Rd., two adult GOLDEN EAGLES gave us quite a show, cruising very low over head, stooping over Alum Rock Park, and perching on a nearby ridge. Descending into the valley, an immature SHARP-SHINNED HAWK with its heavily barred wings and tail, streaked belly, and squared-off tail briefly circled over Sierra Rd. At Ogier Ponds, the seemingly reliable OSPREY was perched on a telephone pole to the north with a fish in its talons. Eventually, it nibbled on its catch. A pair of COMMON MERGANSERS and a COMMON GOLDENEYE were on the pond to the north of the entry road. Back in San Jose, a short stop on Trimble Rd. at the Guadalupe River easily produced the HARLAN'S HAWK. Reasonable scopeviews (slightly backlit) were enjoyed by all. So, we got 10 out of a possible 15 species of raptors today. Les ========================================== Les Chibana, Mountain View [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 24 17:24:33 1998 Subject: PAWA FINAllY, after 3 attempts, saw the PALM WARBLER at Fair Oaks Park. Thank you Bob Reiling for definitive place to look. It was in the 3rd eucalyptus tree toward the street from the cement culvert...about 15 feet up...had great view. whew! At Charleston Slough saw the COMMON GOLDENEYE, but no SKIMMERS. I have yet to have a PINE SISKIN at my feeders, which is very unusual. Have any been spotted in Santa Clara County this year? Gloria LeBlanc Los Gatos ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 25 13:58:21 1998 Subject: Weekend birds I didn't get much birding done. On Saturday, I briefly checked Hidden Lake, where there about 15 Thayer's Gulls. Around 5.30 PM, I went up to Wright Station Rd, off Summit Rd, to do some owling. I had a N. Saw-whet Owl singing and calling well. I called it in right over my head but couldn't see it. I also heard a Great Horned and a W. Screech Owl here, but no Pygmy Owl despite a lot of whistling. On Sunday, I checked Ed Levin Park. There was no sign of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, although I did see 2 Red-breasted Sapsuckers and an intergrade flicker. Raptors overhead included a Prairie Falcon and an adult Cooper's Hawk. I had the adult Bald Eagle from the usual spot on Calaveras Rd overlooking the resevoir. Careful checking of the Canada Goose flock failed to turn up any Snow Goose. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 25 16:27:06 1998 Subject: Sunday birds I had a pleasant Sunday morning of birding in Santa Clara Co., despite missing my two main "target" birds.... Lake Cunningham: few Gulls (no Lesser Black-Backed); fewer Grebes than two weeks ago (and no Red-Necked seen, although one corner of the lake wasn't well-checked, due to excessive glare). I did see 2 COMMON MERGANSERs. Sierra Road summit: Parking near the summit at about 9:15 or so, I saw a large raptor perched high uphill to the north -- scope views showed it to be an adult GOLDEN EAGLE. Not much other raptor activity at this time, just one perched AMERICAN KESTREL. There were 3 ROCK WRENs just east of the summit (one appeared to be a territorial intruder). I found only 7 scattered HORNED LARKS -- they appear to be paired already (the extra bird was part of an intense chase) -- but no Pipits. After a while a RED-TAILED HAWK came in and circled near the Eagle's perch. The Eagle at this point took off, heading toward the road, and the Hawk made several dives at it, making evident the Eagle's immense size. After this annoyance, it kept sailing toward me, finally crossing the road at about eye-level and only about 15 yards away from where I was standing! (In fact, my car had an even closer "view".) This was certainly the highlight of the morning. Ed Levin Park (portion along Calaveras Road): I saw one RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER chasing another Sapsucker, but I didn't get a clear look at the latter. Repeated views of Red-Breasted may mean I was seeing two of them (as Nick did). Anyway, the possible presence of Yellow-Bellied remained wishful thinking, at least for me. There was an adult male ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD in essentially the same spot where one first turned up in early January last year; I also heard at least one more selasphorus male. Fair Oaks Park: I saw the PALM WARBLER in the southeast corner of this park (which is in Sunnyvale near the north end of Wolfe Road). Interestingly, it was in the same red-flowering Eucalyptus in which I last saw it a year ago. This bird has been spending way too much time probing flowers in the Euc's: it has the same matted facial appearance as we often see on the Yellow- Rump's. Al Eisner ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 25 20:13:09 1998 Subject: Hummingbird Sounds Today along the Guadalupe River, again looking unsuccessfully for the Prairie Warbler, I had a male hummingbird making double "chirping" calls. The bird looked like an Anna's but I have never heard one do this. It also did not make any of the normal "scritching" sounds even though I watched it for at least a half hour and there was another male Anna's in the immediate vicinity. Can anyone tell me about this? Thanks, Kathy Parker ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Jan 25 22:28:09 1998 Subject: Weekend On Saturday I was at Shoreline Park and Mtn. View Forebay. The usual suspects. 14 BLACK SKIMMERS were roosting on a mud bank north of the forebay, east of the dike. Couple of interesting feeding behaviours: - Several DOWITCHERS were feeding on the grassy lawns at the Shoreline Park along with AM. COOTS. It was interesting to see them up close and on land. - Also right after sunset, SONG SPARROWS seemed to get active. Some even attempted weak songs. Saw at least three birds that were "flycatching". Short sallies from the vegetation at the edge of the water. Waited well past sunset in the hopes of seeing a Short-eared Owl but to no avail. Sunday at about 2:30PM saw the beautiful PALM WARBLER at Fair Oaks Park. It was in the Eucaplyptus closest to Wolfe Rd., near the culvert. Very cooperative bird. It was feeding on the blossoms and was actively defending the tree from hummingbirds. This may indicate that it might be reliable at the same tree for some more time (?). An AUDOBON'S WARBLER was also in the area. Returning home, I saw a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER right outside my apt. on Flora Vista Ave. in Santa Clara. Vivek Tiwari [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 26 08:26:15 1998 Subject: Breeding activity A Sunday walk at Henry Coe State Park did not turn up any unexpected birds. However, two male Ruddy Ducks at Coit Lake were in full breeding plumage, blue bills and all. They were both displaying to nearby females and engaged in territorial disputes. Seems a bit early for this kind of stuff. James Yurchenco ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Jan 26 10:13:22 1998 Subject: Pine Siskins All: In response to the query: Maria and I saw several Pine Siskins in the trees by our apartment (off Peter Coutts Circle, Stanford) this morning. Foraging, along with some Yellow-Rumped Warblers. John Meyer ******************************************************************** John W. Meyer, Dept. of Sociology, Stanford U., Stanford, Cal. 94305 [[email protected]] (650) 723 1868 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 27 05:49:45 1998 Subject: Pine Siskins All, I had several Pine Siskins outside my workplace this afternoon (Monday) in Milpitas off Milpitas Boulevard and Gibraltar. Jim Danzenbaker San Jose, CA 408-264-7582 (408-ANI-SKUA) [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Jan 27 16:34:22 1998 Subject: Prairie Warbler All: After a good many tries, Maria and I found the Prairie Warbler this morning. It was where Doug Shaw reported it: maybe 200 yards downstream from the 880 bridge. It was opposite airport hangers 5-7, low on the west bank of the river. On the Palo Alto levee at high tide, no special sparrows. A Sora was at the edge of the reeds about 100 yards northwest of the trail at the curve. John Meyer ******************************************************************** John W. Meyer, Dept. of Sociology, Stanford U., Stanford, Cal. 94305 [[email protected]] (650) 723 1868 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 28 07:56:04 1998 Subject: south-bay-birds archive South Bay Birders, With the permission of Bill Bousman I have initiated an archive of past messages from south-bay-birds on my website at the URL below. Currently I have archived the months from June-December 1997. I've been very impressed by the high quality of the messages on this list and I thought an archive might be useful. I welcome suggestions and comments. -- Joseph Morlan Spring Birding Classes begin Feb 17 in SF: 380 Talbot Ave. #206 http://hills.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/ Pacifica, CA 94044 [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 28 13:41:39 1998 Subject: birds Yesterday I took a walk along Coyote Creek Trail at lunch. A pair of WHITE-TAILED KITES were perched in an open area just south of our building.= The male chased after a RED-TAILED HAWK that entered the territory, and then returned to copulate with the female. I'll keep a watch to see if they bree= d here eventually. Also, a couple of weeks ago when I was at Calero Reservoir, I checked the G= olden Eagle nest on the power tower. It has disintegrated, with the entire middle= having fallen out. I wonder if these birds will rebuild here? Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 28 14:06:40 1998 Subject: New Bureaucrat Needed EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Volunteers are sought to become the new Bureaucrat. Dear Fellow South Bay Birders, It looks like I'll be moving to Israel sometime in the March/April time frame, and I look forward to becoming the first Bureaucrat Emeritus and overseas member of our list. The Bureaucrat position is hardly rocket science, and only takes a few minutes per day. It would be good to make the transition sooner rather than later, while I am still around to help with any problems. If you are interested, please let me know. Thanks a lot, Jeff Finger South Bay Birds List Bureaucrat ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 28 15:29:42 1998 Subject: Bay Calendar Updates Larry Tunstall has updated the Bay Area Calendar for January 3 - February 6. Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 28 16:09:51 1998 Subject: Report of a Whooper Swan In Lower Klamath Refuge Tom Vandenberg (?) of the Klamath Wildlife Refuges just left a message on the Northern California Bird Box [415-681-7422] about a Whooper Swan and Bewick's Swan together at the Lower Klamath Refuge just south of the Oregon border. Calbird appears to be down, so I am copying this alert to the South Bay Birds list to get the word out to a few people, at least. If Adam's transcripts are delayed by Calbird for a significant period, some people who would like to see this bird may not hear about it for awhile, so please pass on the word to your friends who might be interested but don't call our Bird Box very often. Thanks, Jennifer ------------------------- Jennifer Matkin San Francisco, CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Jan 28 19:52:00 1998 Subject: Iceland Gull. Birders: While at the CCRS trailers, looking out the window, I saw one of the Iceland Gulls fly by and head to the dump at around 2 pm. The bird had just taken off the evaporation pond and gave me good looks as it flew off. I am quite sure it was the first, of the two, gulls we saw. The one with very pale wings and a noticeable white tip to the tail. In flight the wings looked nearly unicolored, showing no obvious dark secondary bar, no obvious darkening at the primaries, and no obvious paler patch in the inner primaries. Again the tail was coloured like the rest of the bird, not significantly darker, and there was an obvious white terminal band. Also two Tree Swallows around and a pair of Loggerhead Shrikes looking like they may be pairing up. Al. Alvaro Jaramillo Half Moon Bay, California [[email protected]] Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jan 29 11:42:01 1998 Subject: Herring Gull ID Dear South Bay Birders, I was out on Monterey Bay the other day and I was having a very difficult time with the light-backed gulls. In the south bay, the Herring Gulls are relatively easy to pick out by head shape, size and leg color if all else fails. Out at sea, I was finding it hard to see leg color, head shape and size were also surprisingly difficult depending on the distance and the bird's position relative to the boat. For my question, I was wondering if people could share their knowledge of this particular ID problem. In addition, I was hoping to spur a general discussion of the identification of these birds that would be helpful to the beginner as well as those of us who need to re-familiarize ourselves with these birds each winter. I was wondering if anyone would like to share their advice on the identification of Herring Gulls vs. Hybrid Western Gulls vs. California Gulls vs. Ring-billed Gulls. Thanks in advance! Tom ******************************************** Tom Ryan San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 1290 Hope St. Alviso, CA 95002 (408) 946-6548 (408) 946-9279 fax [[email protected]] "While in my own estimation my chief profession is ignorance, yet I sign my passport applications and my jury evasions as Ornithologist." - William Beebe ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jan 29 14:04:15 1998 Subject: Pelagic Surveys: Volunteers needed Dear South bay birders, Volunteer observers are needed for a boat-based study of the foraging habits of wintering Loons and other seabirds in Monterey Bay. Observers will accompany biologist Lucy Vlietstra on a series of random transects, up to 4 miles offshore at various locations throughout Monterey Bay. Observers must be familiar with the identification of seabirds which are found in Monterey Bay, and be accepting of the fact that if a rare bird is observed the boat will not be able to deviate from the study protocols (it will continue moving at 4 knots). Additionally, she is using a relatively small boat, you will be working from an elevated platform which can provide a very exciting, rough ride. Those prone to seasickness may want to think twice before going out for 8-10 hours. Observer duties will include identification and counting of seabirds, recording data in a data-logger, set-up and removal of equipment, and assistance as needed in the operation of the vessel. If you are interested and would like more details or to sign up please e-mail me ([[email protected]]) or call be at (408) 946 6548. Tom ******************************************** Tom Ryan San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 1290 Hope St. Alviso, CA 95002 (408) 946-6548 (408) 946-9279 fax [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jan 29 14:30:12 1998 Subject: Ogier Ponds All, Today at Ogier Ponds Frank Vanslager and I saw a pair of (male and female) Osprey, one American Bittern (north edge of the large pond north of the model airplane park), a pair of Common Mergansers, two male Redheads, one male Common Goldeneye, many Ring-necked Ducks, Cinnamon Teal, Green-winged Teal, one Horned Grebe, two Eared Grebes, one American Goldfinch and one calling California Thrasher. While we watched a White-tailed Kite did it's territorial display flight. While flying over the ponds it rapidly fluttered it's wings while holding them straight in a fixed, steep dihedral, extended it's legs toward the ground and called. Take care, Bob Reiling, 2:24 PM, 1/29/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 30 11:30:39 1998 Subject: Golden Eagle invasion?? We have been receiving reports of Golden Eagles in various places around Santa Clara and San Mateo counties: 1. The known pair hanging out west of 280 near Page Mill. Immatures have also been spotted here. 2. A single bird hunting along the SM shoreline. I last saw this bird on Wednesday around 11 AM on the PGE towers along 101 at inner Bair Island. 3. A single bird hunting in the Sunnyvale Baylands/Calabasas Marsh area. Bev McIntosh of Caltrans id'd it as a third-year bird because of some white still showing on the tail. She has seen it twice, once feasting on duck, she thinks, and a second time with a near hit on an egret. An eagle with a preference for fowl?? I haven't seen one lately on the Alviso EEC towers but that's another common perch. Any insights into all these sightings? Best, Janet Hanson, SFBBO ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 30 12:58:01 1998 Subject: Eurasion Wigeon plus All, Today in Alviso Frank Vanslager and I saw an ad male Eurasion Wigeon in Arzino Ranch in the small pond near the corner of Los Esteros and Grand. The ad Golden Eagle was still in one of the power towers nearby. We saw no Cattle Egrets on the ranch but there were hundreds of Mew Gulls in the flooded field at the end of Nortech Pkwy. (best viewed from Baytech Dr.). About a hundred Long-billed Curlew flew in as we checked the gull flock out for rarities. Two pair of Burrowing Owls were in the field alongside Nortech (1 pair) and Disk Dr. (1 pair). Take care, Bob Reiling, 12:40 PM, 1/30/98 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Jan 30 15:03:28 1998 Subject: PAWA still around Hello All The PALM WARBLER was still around today (1/30/98) at 12:30PM just where Gloria LeBlanc and others have indicated; in the eucalyptis trees toward the street (Wolf) near the end of the cement culvert in Fair Oaks Park. It spent most of the time going between the second and third eucalyptis trees from the end of the culvert. The reddish crown is quite distinctive. Alan ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 31 10:45:43 1998 Subject: 340 miles of birding Yesterday, for the tenth consecutive year, I made the loop around Panoche Valley and the Los Banos area refuges. Highlights included: 11 tundra swans and an adult bald eagle at Picenes Reservoir; 500 horned Larks along Panoche Road; at least 40 mountain plovers in the field past the second fence past the abandoned house on Panoche Road; mountain bluebirds only along the BLM Road; an adult rough-legged hawk along rte. 59 north of rte. 152; a solitary sandpiper in the southeast corner of the Merced NWR; 25-30 yellow-headed blackbirds in a plowed field on the way in to the San Luis NWR, and a short-eared owl being harrassed by two northern harriers just past the blackbirds. No sign of the black-throated sparrow, lark bunting or vesper sparrows, but as you can imagine I was moving right along. Jack Cole _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jan 31 13:01:21 1998 Subject: Glaucous Gull I had a first-winter Glaucous Gull at the Fremont lagoons this morning. It was different from the bird last week. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Elanix, Inc [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 Fax: (408) 941 0984 U.S.A. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]]