From [[email protected]] Tue Jul 01 10:10:47 1997 Subject: COHA On Saturday morning, 28 Jun 97, I went to check on that Cooper's Hawk nest o= n Bela Ave in west San Jose. This is a residential neighborhood with no real = "open space" or heavily secluded areas, just south of Doyle about halfway between= Lawrence Xway and Saratoga. Single family homes line each side of the stree= t. I parked near one end of the block and looked up at a redwood tree growing in= the backyard of one of the houses, immediately seeing a perched adult COOPER'S = HAWK. I got my scope out and watched this bird for a while, as it was being harra= ssed by a couple of MOCKINGBIRDS. It eventually took off and flew to a power lin= e in the yard of a house at the end of the block, and then shortly left and land= ed on a telephone pole further up the block, being chased by Mockingbirds all the= way. I checked out the redwood tree, thinking it to be the most likely spot for = a nest, but had no luck finding anything. So I walked down the street to the = other end of the block, where a local resident asked me if I was looking for the hawks. When I said yes, he took me to the nest tree. The nest had been buil= t in a birch-type tree growing between the sidewalk and the street about halfway= down the block. It was not built in a sturdy crotch near the main trunk, but rat= her out in the branches overhanging the street at a height of not more than 20 = feet. Although this is a somewhat quiet neighborhood, there had to be a fairly constant flow of auto traffic below this nest and regular pedestrian traffi= c along the sidewalk just yards away. The residents I talked to said that the= adults would regularly divebomb passersby. Even for an urban Cooper's Hawk = this has to be the most unsecluded nest site ever. Unfortunately, the three young had already fledged (within the last 24 hour= s or so, according to residents) and were sitting about in nearby trees. The nes= t had disintegrated and was lying in the street below. Lacking a sturdy foundatio= n, it probably couldn't withstand the vigorous exercising of the growing young. T= he resident who took me to the nest site was surprised to see the nest sticks in the street, so its disintegration was evidently recent. = I saw all three young and at least one adult on-and-off during the time I w= as there. At one point a juvenile was standing in the street near the curb clutching a piece of food that had evidently been delivered to it by the ad= ult earlier. Some minutes later I saw the adult standing in the street near the= curb, before it hopped up onto a wooden planter box wall around the base of= a tree. Its attitude seemed to indicate that it was hunting. I was able to se= t up the scope on a juvenile that was perched low in a tree across the street, a= nd I was able to show it to residents as it fed on a bird carcass. Eventually, i= t was pulling so hard on its prey that it fell backwards off its perch and had to= fly to another tree, still clutching its food. This is a new confirmation (CO FL) for the post-atlas data base at coordina= tes 89.6-28.4 with an elevation of 218 feet. Perhaps a CO UN should be entered as well to fix the nest site. 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 Jul 01 10:58:20 1997 Subject: birds On Sunday, 29 Jun 97, I went to CCRS and checked out the waterbird pond, whe= re I found 300-400 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, all in adult plumage. Careful searching through these birds turned up nothing more than a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, and 2 WILSON'S PHALAROPES sporting the duller plumage of male birds. = I then stopped at Calabazas Marsh at about noon to 1:00pm, but found nothin= g unusual. I guess that Steve's Ruff was a later arrival? 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 Jul 02 07:37:21 1997 Subject: return from Cozumel Hi all, Just returned from a week in Cozumel with my family. I have a few comments and a few questions that I hope some of you can clear up or at least make some cogent comments. First I must make some things clear about my abilities as well as desires: I am a pretty good birder but don't consider myself a diehard. With that in mind here are my observations. 1. On Cozumel at the north end where the road ends. Our hotel was the Cozumeleno about a 1/2 mile south of the abandoned housing project called Porto Bello (?). Anyway, it was in that area I did most of my birding. One early morning before dawn I went out to be there for the dawn chorus. Made it but most of the chorus was provided by mosquitos. Highlights were: 6-10 Lesser Nighthawks. They were silent and flew low. Is it possible they were Antillean? In all my other lists I saw no mention of any nighthawks. Saw two the next day later in the day. I found Yucatan Vireo and Golden Warbler to be close to "trash birds" they were so common and easy. The Golden Warbler especially was easy because it's song would be instantly recognizable to all of you that know the Yellow Warbler; it's that similar. Is it considered a separate species? I have the Houghton-Mifflin Warbler book if that's the lates authority. The Cozumel Vireo was a little tougher but was an easy call once seen. Don't sound as vireo-like as does the Yucatan. Thought I heard a thrasher once (only once) and never saw the Cozumel Thrasher. Black Catbirds everywhere. Where can I find a decent description of their song. Very strange but each time I checked it WAS a catbird. 2. Chichen Itza. Whew, hot. Rain made it more tolerable. I'll never again climb that pyramid again. OK going up; death wish coming down. Anyway, I got good looks at a female Lineated Woodpecker. I was most pleased. None on lists from that area I've seen. Turquoise-browed Motmot was abundant. My lists seem to give me conflicting reports - Blue-crowned Motmot or none at all. Also got poor looks at "Golden-fronted Woodpecker" types. Sounded just like Golden-fronted but never was able to make a call. 3. Does anyone know of a clearing house where these observations might be of some assistance? My calls are always very conservative and make no calls unless absolutely sure. The Lineated Woodpecker and the nighthawk are the most curious to me. Not able to find anything on Yucatan lists about them. So, comments anyone? Don Starks [[email protected]] 2592 Briarwood Drive San Jose, CA, 95125-5014 408-266-2969(H) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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]] Thu Jul 03 08:02:15 1997 Subject: Hooded Warbler Query All: I have two first-hand reports of a HOODED WARBLER observed below the dam at Stevens Creek County Park on the SCVAS trip on 7 Jun 97. However, only one of these observers has provided a description at my request and that description is very sketchy. Is there anyone on this net who saw this bird? Can you provide me a description for the county notebooks and NASFN? This is the fifth county record for this vagrant. 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]] Thu Jul 03 20:45:22 1997 Subject: 1997 WFO Conference WFO (Western Field Orinthologists) is holding the 1997 Conference at the Salton Sea August 21-24. For those who are interested, the registration brochure has been posted at http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1104/confer.html --Peter ----------------------------------------- Peter LaTourrette [[email protected]] Birds of Jasper Ridge: http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~petelat1/ ========================================================================== 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 Jul 05 15:53:38 1997 Subject: Trip to Bethel Island, Contra Costa County Today, on the Wild Bird Center of Walnut Creek's monthly trip, we visited Bethel Island in Eastern Contra Costa County (see Jean Richmond's "Birding Northern California" book for directions on how to get to Bethel Island). Some of the highlights from the 30+ species that were seen today include: American White Pelican (15) Black-chinned Hummingbird (2) Bank Swallow (2) (only my second county record, first ones found on 30 June 1991, same location) Yellow-breasted Chat (2-3 singing birds, great views; scope strongly recommended) Blue Grosbeak (4, males and females, males singing) Cheers, John C. Robinson Owner, LANIUS Software Writing at 4:37 PM on Saturday, July 05, 1997 [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Jul 05 15:53:38 1997 Subject: Trip to Bethel Island, Contra Costa County Today, on the Wild Bird Center of Walnut Creek's monthly trip, we visited Bethel Island in Eastern Contra Costa County (see Jean Richmond's "Birding Northern California" book for directions on how to get to Bethel Island). Some of the highlights from the 30+ species that were seen today include: American White Pelican (15) Black-chinned Hummingbird (2) Bank Swallow (2) (only my second county record, first ones found on 30 June 1991, same location) Yellow-breasted Chat (2-3 singing birds, great views; scope strongly recommended) Blue Grosbeak (4, males and females, males singing) Cheers, John C. Robinson Owner, LANIUS Software Writing at 4:37 PM on Saturday, July 05, 1997 [[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 Jul 06 14:21:43 1997 Subject: Blue-winged Teal, etc. Rosalie and I saw a male Blue-winged Teal in alternate plumage in Adobe Creek Sunday morning. There were ten GREATER YELLOWLEGS and two LESSER YELLOWLEGS also in Adobe Creek. Earlier this week I saw three LEYE in Adobe Creek on 7/3, and on 7/1 there were 4 WILLETS and a small number of LEAST SANDPIPERS; several large flocks on Dowitchers flew overhead, landing in the outer Flood Control Basin. Phyllis Browning ========================================================================== 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 Jul 06 19:51:15 1997 Subject: Semipalmated Sandpipers, etc. All: On 30 June, I saw an adult male ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD along Saratoga Creek above Pruneridge Ave. in Santa Clara; I rarely see adult male Selasphorus hummingbirds in the South Bay after early June. On 2 July, the adult male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was still along Calabazas Creek in Santa Clara. Its wing trill was much softer, more hollow and less metallic (like a male Black-chinned Hummingbird) than it had been as recently as 27 June, suggesting that it was molting its primaries (?). This bird has been present since 23 June. Originally I thought that it was a transient, but why would a migrant male RUHU remain in one spot for so long? Of course, if Rufous Hummingbirds were breeding in the Bay Area, it would be extremely difficult to prove. On 4 July, a very worn first-summer MEW GULL was on the mud flats at the Palo Alto Yacht Harbor, and a BROWN PELICAN was flying over the bay. Today (Sunday, 6 July), I arrived at Calaveras Reservoir at 5:30 a.m. to determine whether the Aechmophorus grebes were nesting there this year as they have in past years. Before the sun came up, the light was perfect for viewing even the distant corner of the lake, and I was able to see two WESTERN GREBES on nests (apparently incubating) while another pair was building a nest. There was relatively little emergent vegetation at the south end of the lake, but all three nests were anchored by dead shrubs that grew up in the lake bed during the drought of the late 80s and early 90s. A total of 26 WESTERN GREBES and 6 more unidentified Aechmophorus (apparently Western Grebes, with no Clark's Grebes seen) were present at Calaveras Reservoir. An adult OSPREY carrying a fish toward the north end of the lake was unusual, as it is still quite early for a fall migrant. Ospreys may carry fish for some distance even during the nonbreeding season, so this observation was not evidence of nesting. Still, it is possible that Ospreys may be nesting somewhere in the area. Vying with the Osprey for "best bird" honors were 7 RING-NECKED DUCKS (6 males, 1 female) in the extreme SW corner of the lake. This species has never been confirmed nesting in the county (or anywhere in the Bay Area, to my knowledge), although several have oversummered in recent years at Calaveras Reservoir and at the Ogier Ponds. If we had access to Calaveras Reservoir, I wouldn't be surprised to find Ring-necked Ducks breeding there. I then went to CCRS to look for rarer peeps among the Western Sandpipers at the waterbird pond. Scoping the 250-300 WESA produced two adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS. One was in full alternate plumage (possibly missing a scapular or two, but with no new basic feathers acquired yet), while the other had 2-3 basic scapulars on the left side and 1-2 on the right (all upper anterior scapulars). A color-banded Western Sandpiper had a silver band above the ankle on the right leg and a red flag over a white flag below the ankle on the left foot. Also at the waterbird pond were 5 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, 7 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and 7 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS (all of these shorebirds alternate-plumaged adults). A CATTLE EGRET and single broods of CINNAMON TEAL and GADWALL were also here, while two broods of NORTHERN PINTAILS were in the marshy pond to the west of the waterbird pond. While looking at shore- birds here, I heard a loud buzzy call from one of the swallows milling about over the pond, and I looked up to see a BANK SWALLOW just 10-15 m away from me flying slowly to the south. I then drove out to the South Coyote Slough area near the SE corner of salt pond A-18, where I found single broods of PIED-BILLED GREBE and RUDDY DUCK, 6 broods of GADWALL, and a male AMERICAN WIGEON. Six of the electrical towers in pond A-18 supported DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT nests; 14 of the 27 occupied nests contained young. Pond A-18 itself had 75 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, 18 WESTERN GULLS, 3 GLAUCOUS- WINGED GULLS, 6 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, and 7 EARED GREBES, while nearby an adult female NORTHERN HARRIER was feeding a small ground squirrel to two recently fledged young. Back at the CCRS waterbird pond, I ran into Mike Mammoser, who showed me a third adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. This bird had a number of basic posterior scapulars (mostly in the lower rows), with more basic feathering on the left side than on the right. A single WHIMBREL was also here. 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 Jul 06 22:10:16 1997 Subject: Lesser Yellowlegs Howdy birders, Just would like to note that in addition to the Adobe Creek birds Phyllis Browning reported today (Sunday) I saw at least 6 Lesser Yellowlegs in the neighboring forebay. Also at Mountain View Forebay I saw a Short-billed Dowitcher and several Least Sandpipers--early "fall" migrants, I presume-- 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 Jul 07 10:35:39 1997 Subject: CCRS Waterbird Pond on 7/7/97 All: This morning from 6:30 to 7:30 AM I checked out the CCRS Waterbird Pond where 4 WILSON's PHALAROPES were still present. There was much activity during this time and there were many WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS. Unfortunately, I could identify none as being a SEMIPALMATED. :(. They may still be around. Mike Feighner, [[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 Jul 07 15:16:36 1997 Subject: Re: CCRS Waterbird Pond on 7/7/97 I visited CCRS at around lunch time and saw at least 2 Semi-palmated Sandpipers. However, I missed the Whimbrel, which would have been a CCRS bird for me. I also saw a Spotted Sandpiper on the waterbird pond for the first time (there regular on the creek about 20 yards away!). There were 8 Long-billed and 2 Short-billed Dowitchers, but no Wilson's Phalaropes. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Pronghorn Consulting [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 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 Jul 07 15:39:45 1997 Subject: Mountain Birding Starting July 3, I did a sweep through Yosemite/Tom's Place/Yuba Pass. Since I was also doing some site seeing with my wife, the itinerary was too ruahed, but I caught up with Williamson's Sapsucker (noisy young in nest hole by restrooms by site #36 in Bridalveil Campground) and Pygmy Owl (Yuba Pass) for the first time since I left Oregon, over five years ago. I failed to see either Black-backed Woodpecker or Great Gray Owl. I tried hard especially for the owl, hitting Chevron Meadow at dawn and McGurk Meadows at dusk. I saw 2 Pine Grosbeaks at McGurk Meadows and heard another. At Tom's Place I had about 5-6 each of Calliope and Anna's Hummingbirds, but nothing I felt confident at calling a Broad-tailed, although I find female selaphorous id very hard. Near Lee Vining, I saw Sage and Brewer's Sparrows, Pinyon Jay, Sage Thrasher, and Gray Flycatcher. At Yuba Pass, I saw Evening Grosbeaks, Hammond's Flycather, the common woodpeckers, Fox and Lincoln Sparrows, etc. in addition to the Pygmy Owl. I also made a stop at a burn a few miles south of Sierraville, hoping it would be alive in woodpeckers (like in Oregon). However, it wasn't although I did see two B-2 bombers fly by. Thanks to everyone who's been posting information. Next year, I will get the Great Gray Owl. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Pronghorn Consulting [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 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 Jul 07 19:55:33 1997 Subject: LEYE All, At sunset today 7/7/97 I had 7 LESSER YELLOWLEGS in the Mountain View Forebay along with 2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS. Nearby Adobe Creek had a female GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and 6 LEAST SANDPIPERS were in the near portion of Charleston Slough. Outer Charleston Slough had 32 MARBLED GODWITS and a LONG-BILLED CURLEW as well as a single male GREATER SCAUP swimming with a male LESSER SCAUP. This bird appears to be the same one that often hangs out on Shoreline Lake. Mike Rogers 7/7/97 ========================================================================== 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]] Tue Jul 08 08:11:15 1997 Subject: LEYE All: This morning's bike commute provided 8 LESSER YELLOWLEGS in the Mountain View Forebay this morning, 7/8/97 along with 2 GREATER YELLOWLEGS; essentially the same birds Mike Rogers saw last night. The Lesser Yellowlegs is certainly becoming more common in the South Bay in recent years. 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]] Tue Jul 08 09:16:03 1997 Subject: Windy Hill Yesterday I hiked from the bottom to top of Windy Hill Open space Preserv= e (and back). While the long hike was great, the good news for birders is = that birding was best at the top, not far from the main parking on Skyline. O= n the short trail to the top I saw a beautiful Lazuli Bunting and Bewick=92= s Wrens in the obvious nearby canyon bushes South of the summit. South tow= ard and on the Lost Trail I saw an Olive-sided Flycatcher, and Yellow-bellied= Sapsucker; among numerous other species. Ted Dolton =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= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D 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]]ord= =2Eedu From [[email protected]] Tue Jul 08 09:34:34 1997 JULY 7 1997 SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST UPDATE Fall migration is upon us! Shorebird numbers should build in the next few weeks - we need both golden-plovers, Wandering Tattler, Black Turnstone, Pectoral and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Stilt and Buff-breasted Sandpipers, and Red Phalarope - all real rarities except for the Pectoral Sandpiper....it will take lots of effort to turn the others up! 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: 261: 6/29/97 RUFF 262: 7/ 6/97 LEAST TERN Please send any additions, corrections, or comments to Mike Rogers, [[email protected]]. SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST - 1997 RWR SCR AME WGB MMR MJM KLP MLF SCR CKS COMP SOURCE 373 240 245 209 230 228 170 262 % OF COMPOSITE FOR 1997 % OF 373 1988 TOTALS 136 1989 TOTALS 183 1990 TOTALS 199 1991 TOTALS 214 209 1992 TOTALS 216 234 234 215 278 1993 TOTALS 279 228 254 250 235 279 295 1994 TOTALS 204 291 240 245 271 265 194 291 303 1995 TOTALS 201 262 220 170 257 242 165 262 185 293 1996 TOTALS 203 251 219 258 253 218 251 195 295 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 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 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 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 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 Fulvous Whistling-Duck Tundra Swan 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 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 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 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 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 1/ 3 MJM Rough-legged Hawk 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 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 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 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 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 Black-bellied Plover 1/14 1/19 1/ 2 1/19 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Pacific Golden-Plover American Golden-Plover Golden-Plover sp Snowy Plover 5/12 4/ 6 4/ 6 MJM Semipalmated Plover 1/14 4/12 1/ 2 1/ 1 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 Spotted Sandpiper 4/23 3/ 9 5/ 8 5/13 1/10 1/ 3 AV Whimbrel 3/16 2/23 3/19 1/21 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 4/17 4/17 SCR Black Turnstone Red Knot 4/26 4/30 4/26 MJM Sanderling 1/14 1/ 7 1/17 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Semipalmated Sandpiper 5/12 7/ 6 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 Baird's Sandpiper 4/13 AJa Pectoral Sandpiper Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Dunlin 1/13 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Curlew Sandpiper 4/17 4/17 SCR Stilt Sandpiper Buff-breasted Sandpiper Ruff 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 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Wilson's Phalarope 6/25 6/15 6/17 5/10 4/22 AJa Red-necked Phalarope 4/ 1 7/ 4 4/20 4/ 1 MMR Red Phalarope Pomarine Jaeger Parasitic Jaeger Long-tailed Jaeger Laughing Gull 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 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 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 Caspian Tern 3/ 6 4/26 4/ 5 3/ 6 3/ 6 SCR,MMR Elegant Tern Common Tern Arctic Tern Forster's Tern 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 7 1/10 1/ 1 3/29 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Least Tern 7/ 6 7/ 6 MJM,PJM Black Tern Black Skimmer 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 9 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Common Murre 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 5/17 5/17 1/ 3 WGB Barn Owl 3/16 2/23 1/ 7 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 4 RWR,FVS Flammulated Owl Western Screech-Owl 2/15 1/19 3/21 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 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 1/ 8 SSt Northern Saw-whet Owl 2/15 1/19 1/ 1 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Lesser Nighthawk Common Nighthawk 6/12 SBT Common Poorwill 5/ 7 4/27 3/21 3/21 MLF Black Swift 5/24 5/24 MJM Chimney Swift Vaux's Swift 4/17 4/27 4/ 8 5/10 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 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 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 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 5/27 5/18 LCh Least Flycatcher 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 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 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 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 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. Plain 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 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 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 Cassin's Solitary Vireo 3/16 4/ 6 5/13 5/ 4 4/12 1/ 6 KNe 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 1/ 8 MMR Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler 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 Blackburnian Warbler Palm Warbler 1/ 5 1/11 1/ 4 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 3 MLF,CKS Blackpoll Warbler Black-and-White Warbler American Redstart Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Ovenbird 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 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 4/20 AV Rose-breasted Grosbeak Black-headed Grosbeak 4/ 3 4/ 5 4/17 3/21 4/ 3 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 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 Brewer's Sparrow Black-chinned Sparrow 5/ 6 5/10 5/10 5/17 5/ 6 MMR Vesper Sparrow 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 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 White-throated Sparrow 4/17 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 Chestnut-collared Longspur Bobolink 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 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]] Tue Jul 08 12:37:50 1997 Subject: birds On Friday, 4 Jul 97, I went out to CCRS to check on the waterbird pond. As I= first started scoping the pond I had a flock of about 30 WILSON'S PHALAROPE= S flying about, but they never landed. A little later a flock of 19 RED-NECKE= D PHALAROPES settled in for a short stay. Other than that, there were hundred= s of adult WESTERN SANDPIPERS, with nothing of obvious note in with them. Later = I stopped at Calabazas Marsh, where I only had a single LESSER YELLOWLEGS. On Sunday, 6 Jul 97, I started at Calabazas Marsh. I noted two LESSER YELLO= WLEGS and two GREEN HERONS here. I checked the small cattail pond next to the pum= p station on the west side of the creek, where I had a family of AMERICAN COO= TS and two calling VIRGINIA RAILS (very likely possible breeders?). The coordi= nates for the rails are 89.7 - 41.13 at 0 feet elevation. I then returned to the CCRS waterbird pond, where I quickly picked out an a= dult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER from among the WESTERNS. This bird already had some = basic scapular feathers grown in, while the rest were the typical dark-centered feathers with fairly broad grayish edges. The breast streaking did not exte= nd down the sides or flanks. The bird had a fairly distinct white supercilium,= set off by the rather dark contrasty face and crown. The black bill was short, straight, and bluntly tipped. The legs were black. Shortly after finding th= is bird, Steve Rottenborn arrived and verified that it was a different bird fr= om the two he had seen here earlier. A WHIMBREL showed up while Steve and I we= re scoping the pond, and a single WILSON'S PHALAROPE was hanging around. I wen= t out and checked the power towers across pond A18 and counted 24 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT nests. This differed slightly from the 28 that Steve mentioned earlier. I then made a quick stop at Crittenden Marsh, where the only bird of note w= as an adult LEAST TERN foraging over the water. 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 Jul 08 13:04:18 1997 Subject: Two Semipalmated Sandpipers still at CCRS All: Today at noon there were still two SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS at the CCRS Waterbird Pond in the unflooded area between the large island in the north and the island with the blinds in the south. There were also 16 FORSTER's TERNS, but no PHALAROPES. Mike Feighner, [[email protected]], 2:00 PM ========================================================================== 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 Jul 08 16:52:16 1997 Subject: Re: No Subject Hello Everyone: I would appreciate everyone using the subject line. Some of us get a high volume of e-mails every day and might not necessarily want to read all the e-mails, or may want to put some aside at that moment for future reading. Thanks, 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]] Tue Jul 08 19:24:51 1997 Subject: Re: Finding Great Grey Owls Although I've already got a much better idea of when/where to look for Great Gray Owls in Yosemite, I have another question (after missing them again!) about their behavior. In Oregon, it is not uncommon for Great Grays to perch out in meadows on the tops of isolated small conifers (sometimes absurdly small for the bird's size). This can make them easy to see. I haven't noticed too many isolated small conifers at either Chevron/Crane Flat meadows or McGurk Meadows. This should either make them easy to see or suggest they are hunting from other (less conspicuous)perches. What techniques do successful observers use to find them, assuming you are in the right place at the right time of day at the right time of year? _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Pronghorn Consulting [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 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]] Wed Jul 09 06:30:14 1997 Subject: Whimbrel at Charleston Slough Outflow All: Yesterday evening, 7/8/97, after fighting the horrible concert traffic I failed to turn up any Least Terns at Crittenden Marsh. I then headed to Charleston Slough where no Lesser Yellowlegs nor Least Terns were present (there were ten Greater Yellowlegs in the Forebay. I walked out toward the mouth of Charleston Slough where I found one Whimbrel standing by the side of a Long-billed Curlew. Mike Feighner, [[email protected]], 7:26 AM ========================================================================== 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 Jul 09 08:47:21 1997 Subject: (No subject line) (Actually, I do support using subject lines....) I stopped by CCRS yesterday (Tuesday) evening, but did not manage to pick out any Semi. Sandpiper from among the 1200 or so Western's. That doesn't mean they weren't there, especially since the sun angle made it difficult to check some of the flocks. Other birds present: a pair of Blue-Winged Teal (a bunch of Cinnamon's were also there); just 3 Greater Yellowlegs; about 15 or so Dowitchers; 3 Least Sandpipers; 50 Wilson's Phalaropes; and 9 Bonaparte's Gulls (most first summer, a few winter-like). 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]] Wed Jul 09 09:12:57 1997 Subject: Cordell Bank Pelagic Trip for South-Bay-Birders South-Bay-Birders: Some of you recall that I posted an announcement on Dan Nelson's August 10th Pelagic Trip to Cordell Bank over CALBIRD. This trip had to be canceled for lack of enough participants. All of Debbie Shearwater's trips to the Cordell Bank in July and August are full. Are there any South-Bay-Birders interested in booking a trip to the Cordell Bank so that he can uncancel the August 10th trip. I do not have Dan Nelson's phone number here at work. Does anyone know of any other pelagic opportunities? Does anyone know if we can organize a trip of our own? Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA USA, [[email protected]], 10:08 AM ========================================================================== 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 Jul 09 12:04:25 1997 Subject: fledged Hooded Orioles at LMMS All: Today, 7/9/97, at noon I discovered on Lockheed Property a group of four female/juvenile-type Hooded Orioles on in the eucalyptus trees between the trailer-storage area and the ball park. The four flew off following each other to some trees at the edge of the field where I discovered the Ring-necked Pheasant family last summer. I assume this was the adult female with young, but then I cannot say if the Orioles actually nested in the same block. I understand that Hooded Oriole has not been confirmed yet in this block. Mike Feighner, [[email protected]], 1:00 PM ========================================================================== 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 Jul 09 14:26:27 1997 Subject: CCRS pond(s) All, Over 200 Wilson's Phalaropes including many white-rumped and tailed juveniles were in the CCRS pond this afternoon (sorry Mike). Many hundreds of Western Sandpipers were in the "new" pond which is west of the old pond. I ultimately had to stop looking for a Semipalmated Sandpiper before I went blind :-(. Take care, Bob Reiling, 3:27 PM, 7/9/97 ========================================================================== 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]] Thu Jul 10 11:09:54 1997 Subject: Black-Backed Woodpeckers, Red-Naped ? Sapsuckers All: Black Backs are active again thi year in Paige Meadows near Tahoe City . At least two pair, but they changed nest trees. I can't find the new nest tree. Directions: 89S from Tahoe City about 2 miles R on Pine, R on Tahoe Park Heights to L on top of hill on Big Pine L on Silvertip to end. Hike about 200 yards to small trail on right thhat goes into meadows. Woodpeckers hang around meadow edge in the morning. Also repeatedly see the red split of the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker is that now Red Naped or Red Breasted? Also Evening Grosbeaks, White Headed Woodpeckers. RCC ========================================================================== 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 Jul 10 13:58:52 1997 Subject: SSHA at Jasper Ridge This morning while doing a census at Jasper Ridge, I heard and saw two immature and one adult Sharp-shinned Hawks. The young birds were persistantly vocalizing and harrassing the adult, while hopping/briefly flying from branch to branch. They were in the riparian area at the end of the causeway just before it intersects with the fireroad. We had 5-10 minute looks at the immatures which were quite uniformly brown on back and wings. Heads small and rounded--breasts heavily streaked all the way through the belly with thick streaks. Nice looks at the outer rectrices which were as long as the central ones. Pencil-thin tarsi. This species is not noted as breeding at JR. Could they have? Rita Colwell ========================================================================== 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 Jul 10 14:45:33 1997 Subject: Sharp-shinned Hawk Nesting All: Rita asks if the Sharp-shinned Hawk family she saw this morning might have bred at Jasper Ridge. Historically, Sharpies are sparse breeders in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range and that is also what we found in our atlas. Most of our records are of dependent young as this bird is fairly secretive at the nest, probably more so than the Cooper's which will, I have been told, use a number of plucking perches in the nest vicinity while Sharpies use fewer and remain closer to the nest (and less obvious). Mike Rogers and Steve Rottenborn have a good bit of experience with this species locally and might offer their wisdom. As to whether these young birds were sufficiently dependent to make the FL code it is hard to say. I tend to accept persistent begging (or harrassing) as evidence of dependence and hence confirmation of breeding, but it can be difficult to determine when young birds are largely independent and, by atlas protocols, "uncountable" as breeding confirmations. I believe Rich Jeffers has done this block in past years and may be able to provide you information on how to add your observation to the San Mateo Atlas which is still ongoing, I believe. 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]] Thu Jul 10 22:02:59 1997 Subject: Re: SSHA at Jasper Ridge Rita, Sharp-shinned Hawks have nested once before at JRBP (nest found on 3 July 1955 by Herb Dengler), but they're generally rare as breeders so close to the valley floor and to urban areas, so this is a good record. The location you describe is precisely where I had a vocalizing adult SSHA during my talk to the docent class this spring. It sounds as though they definitely nested there. 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 Jul 11 14:36:30 1997 Subject: New data for SBBU Mike Rogers has updated his Santa Clara County List as of July 7, adding birds 261 (Ruff), and 262 (Least Tern). He also lists some birds that we should be looking for in the Fall Migration. Larry Tunstall has updated his Bay Area Birding Calendar for July 5-11 (sorry, I was out of town and couldn't post it sooner), and for July 12-18. 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]] Sat Jul 12 08:28:37 1997 Subject: Bird Trip Planning-N.CA 7/29-8/12 Hi... I have been "chatting" with Jim Danzenbaker about my trip to CA. I will be staying in Santa Rosa for 3 days, Salinas for 4 days, Grass Valley for 5 & San F. for the last 2 days in that order from July 29- Aug 12th. I signed up for a Shearwater Pelagic out of Monterey 8/3. Jim told me to write this to you about specific birds when it was closer to to my trip time. I would appreciate any specific info on the following birds. I do plan to go to Yuba Pass when I stay in Grass Valley. I could drive as much as 2 hrs from any of these locations... Woodpeckers: Lewis, Nuttall's, Red-Br. Sap. Owls*: N.Pgymy, N.Saw-whet, Western Screech, Burrowing Band-tailed Pigeon, Lawrence's Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, Y-Billed Magpie, Tri-colored Blackbird, Common Poorwill, Am Dipper,Brewer's Sparrow, Bl-back Woodpecker, any grouse species Any specific info would be greatly appreciated. I bought every reference book that I could find & the # of parks is overwhelming. These are the birds which seem to be possible in summer that I need for lifers. There are others, but I either have them from my Arizona trip 3 yrs ago or they are common enough that I should be able to find them. My husband will come with me, but he is not a birder so I must do all the planning. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I have never birded Central/northern CA before & I am very excited about seeing this area. Kathy Restorff College Park, MD [[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 Jul 12 09:23:10 1997 Subject: Re: Bird Trip Planning-N.CA 7/29-8/12 >Woodpeckers: Lewis (San Antonia Valley), Nuttall's (easy in any oak woodland), Red-Br. Sap.(easy Yuba Pass) >Owls*: N.Pgymy, N.Saw-whet, Western Screech, Burrowing (Arzino ranch/Alviso in the south bay) >Band-tailed Pigeon (saw one at Yuba Pass, but v. easy on San Mateo coast), Lawrence's Goldfinch (San Antonio Valley), Pine Siskin (Yuba Pass), Y-Billed Magpie (Mines Rd), >Tri-colored Blackbird, Common Poorwill, Am Dipper (near Basset's on way down from Yuba Pass),Brewer's Sparrow, Bl-back >Woodpecker (Yuba Pass if you're lucky), any grouse species > >Any specific info would be greatly appreciated. I bought every reference >book that I could find & the # of parks is overwhelming. These are the >birds which seem to be possible in summer that I need for lifers. There are >others, but I either have them from my Arizona trip 3 yrs ago or they are >common enough that I should be able to find them. My husband will come with >me, but he is not a birder so I must do all the planning. >Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I have never birded Central/northern CA >before & I am very excited about seeing this area. > >Kathy Restorff >College Park, MD >[[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]] > > _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Pronghorn Consulting [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 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 Jul 13 09:21:09 1997 Subject: Alviso birds Hi Everyone-- I walked the Alviso Slough trail on Saturday and found a few interesting birds. On the levee separating ponds A9 and A10, within 50 yards of the trail, a LITTLE BLUE HERON was catching some sun while two CASPIAN TERNS were trying to chase me away. In Coyote Slough there were many returning shorebirds, including both LONG-BILLED and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS in alternate plumage, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS in varying stages of molt, and a RED KNOT in alternate plumage. The best vantage point for viewing these birds is to face north along the northern edge of pond A9, 50 yards or so east of the two boats stuck in the mud. On pond A14, many colorful LEAST and WESTERN SANDPIPERS were present, plus a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and a WILSON'S PHALAROPE. There are BROWN PELICANS all over, and more WHITE PELICANS than I'm used to seeing in summer. 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]] Mon Jul 14 08:31:11 1997 Subject: OSPR All, On Friday 7/11/97 while driving to the San Jose Airport I was treated to an OSPREY flying south along the Guadalupe River while on the bridge just before the airport. A few minutes later, while parking the car, the bird flew back to the west over the parking lot carrying a HUGE fish (about 2/3 of the birds beak-to-tail length!). The OSPREY could barely stay afloat (and actually took a big dip as it started over the runway - must have lost the thermal). Hope it didn't get taken out by an arriving airplane! Also of interest are at least 2 fledgling COMMON RAVENS in the pines across the street from the "Bailey Park Safeway" on Shoreline Blvd near Middlefield. Although capable of flight, these birds have consistently been in the same trees and likely bred in the area (rather than being the Forebay birds for instance). 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 Jul 14 09:00:41 1997 Subject: behavior yesterday saw two interesting behaviors i thought i'd pass on. in my backyard, i have a hummingbird feeder with one "dock" appropriate for an oriole. there is a pair of hooded oriole's that frequent that feeder. five feet away from the hummingbird feeder is a seed feeder that a pair of black-headed grosbeaks frequent. yesterday after feeding on "her" feeder, the female oriole flew to where the female grosbeak was feeding and harassed her til the grosbeak finally left. a few minutes later the grosbeak returned to eat and the oriole flew down and sent her away again. this continued for about 15 minutes with the oriole female being the aggressor. i believe the oriole's nest is in a palm tree 6 houses away, so there was no nest to protect. have no idea why she was mad. the second behavior was a wilson's warbler dive bombing a house finch. the finch was eating off a tree (not a feeder). the warbler literally crashed into him with his body knocking the finch and forcing it to fly. in this case, both birds were male. the finch came back a couple of feet from where it had been and starting feeding again. the warbler came back and dive bombed it again knocking it away. the two birds made physical contact with each other. i'd never seen either behavior before....gloria leblanc ========================================================================== 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 Jul 14 10:09:00 1997 Subject: Westgard Pass Hello all: This weekend I made a long loop to Lake Tahoe, Westgard Pass and back through Yosemite. Lake Tahoe was uneventful (except for the bear). The woodpeckers at Paige Meadow must not like mountain bikers either. EVENING GROSBEAKS were easy to see and ORANGE-CROWNED, NASHVILLE, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were breeding there. Westgard Pass was definitely the highlight. I camped at Grandview Campground, just below the Ancient Bristlecone Pine area on White Mountain Road north of the pass. This area is in the heart of the Pinyon-Juniper habitat. Sunday morning, I started (at 6:30) by walking the first half-mile or so of the Black Canyon trail, which is a jeep trail that begins 1.1 miles north of the campground entrance sign. There are many other tracks here, but this one hugs the south edge of the canyon. Look for a wide sweeping right turn in the road with two empty white "mile-posts". The track is just before the 1st one. In this stretch were 1 GRAY FLYCATCHER, a mated pair of GRAY VIREOS, and 2 BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRDS (more on these later). Also present were MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES, SCRUB JAYS (interior birds with a very different voice), MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, SPOTTED TOWHEES (also a different song - 2 strong introductory notes before the harsh trill), and CHIPPING SPARROWS. On the way out I had 2 PINYON JAYS, many WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and 3 more BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRDS at the control station. Payson Canyon (east side of the pass) had many SAGE and BLACK-THROATED SPARROWS, a BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD, and a ROCK WREN. Mono Lake had some 50,000+ WILSON'S PHALAROPES!! It was pretty impressive seeing the clouds of birds swirling around on the lake. I did see the 8 corvids possible on the loop, though the BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES in Bishop eluded me on Sunday so I didn't see them all in one day. Notes on the hummingbirds: All of the hummingbirds I saw were female/juvenile plumaged. The selasphorus had an overall pale appearance with distinct contrast of rust/buffy on the sides and off-white in the center of the belly. The throat specking was very light. The Black-chinned was considerably smaller, with an almost ghostly appearance in comparison. She hovered with a distinct bouncing of the tail and flashing of the outer tail spots. I have seen territorial male Broad-taileds here before. Rufous Hummingbirds I believe migrate more in the Sierras rather than the White Mountains (I saw no evidence of migration in Yosemite or Lake Tahoe). None of the birds were strongly patterned in the throat or had any trace of rust on the back. Notes on the Gray Vireo: The male was singing while the female was scolding. They acted as though they were scouting for nest sites. In the fifteen minutes I watched them, they did not reveal a nest or gather any food. 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 Jul 14 20:29:39 1997 Subject: a few birds All: A few sightings from the South Bay over the past week: On 7 July, there were 3 LESSER YELLOWLEGS and a RED- NECKED PHALAROPE at the Calabazas Ponds. On 10 July, a survey of the Mountain View Forebay produced a VIRGINIA RAIL, 11 LESSER and 7 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and single broods of young CINNAMON TEAL and NORTHERN PINTAIL. Adobe Creek had a singing male NORTHERN RED BISHOP in alternate plumage, the injured male AMERICAN WIGEON that has been present all summer, a female GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and a female NORTHERN PINTAIL with young. Friday evening (11 July), a quick check of the CCRS waterbird failed to turn up any rarities, although I saw an imm. PEREGRINE FALCON over Hwy. 880 near the Hwy. 237 interchange. On Saturday (12 July), Heather, Rebecca and I visited Vasona Lake in Los Gatos. I was surprised to find the apparent ALEUTIAN CANADA GOOSE still present with the domestic geese and the now-domestic, resident ROSS' GOOSE. I would guess that the presence of this Canada Goose at this time of year suggests that it, like the ROGO, was released here and was not an actual vagrant. Also present at Vasona were a juvenile RING-BILLED GULL (the first of this plumage I've seen this year) and 15 FORSTER'S TERNS, many of which perched on wires that crossed over the lake; I've never seen terns perch on wires before. Sunday (13 July), I scoped the waterbird pond at CCRS for a few hours with Mike Mammoser (and with Rob and Rita Colwell for a while). There was still a single adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER present, still mostly in alternate plumage but with a few basic lower posterior scapulars present. Up to 3000- 3500 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 20 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 1 WILLET, 25 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, 7 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 4 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and 80 DOWITCHERS (probably 65:15 in favor of SHORT-BILLED) were also present, as well as a male BLUE- WINGED TEAL which Mike spotted. 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]] Thu Jul 17 09:08:25 1997 Subject: birds I only birded on Sunday, 13 Jul 97, last weekend, going to the CCRS waterbir= d pond to scope out shorebirds. Steve Rottenborn was already there, and we sc= anned through thousands of WESTERN SANDPIPERS (all still adults) looking for that= elusive stint. A male BLUE-WINGED TEAL was present, as were a few dozen WIL= SON'S PHALAROPES that included one juvenile. I eventually found the adult SEMIPAL= MATED SANDPIPER that Steve had seen earlier. Rob and Rita Colwell also enjoyed vi= ews of this bird. After everyone else left, I spent some time looking through NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, but couldn't pick out any Banks. 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]] Thu Jul 17 09:10:23 1997 Subject: Fwd:birds I only birded on Sunday, 13 Jul 97, last weekend, going to the CCRS waterbi= rd pond to scope out shorebirds. Steve Rottenborn was already there, and we sc= anned through thousands of WESTERN SANDPIPERS (all still adults) looking for that= elusive stint. A male BLUE-WINGED TEAL was present, as were a few dozen WIL= SON'S PHALAROPES that included one juvenile. I eventually found the adult SEMIPAL= MATED SANDPIPER that Steve had seen earlier. Rob and Rita Colwell also enjoyed vi= ews of this bird. After everyone else left, I spent some time looking through NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, but couldn't pick out any Banks. 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 Jul 18 07:50:36 1997 Subject: Costa's Hummingbird Last summer we had a solitary male Costa'a hummingbird in our garden in East San Jose for most of the summer. This morning we have another male COHU, our first sighting for 1997. I wonder if it is likely to be the same individual. Don Crawford [[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 Jul 18 08:23:00 1997 Subject: Vaux swift Hi All, While Bar-b-cuing w/ friends in Saratoga last night a single Vaux Swift was foraging overhead in the area. The house is close to Los Gatos-Saratoga Rd and near the Montalvo entrance rd. Nick ========================================================================== 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 Jul 18 10:08:18 1997 Subject: Greater Roadrunner in Alum Rock Park All, Mike Azeviedo (sp) the ranger at Alum Rock Park called some time this morning (time stamp not working) to say that he saw a Greater Roadrunner on the North Ridge Trail near the Todd L. Quick Memorial Loop Trail in Alum Rock Park. He says that when they get them that they usually stay around for a few weeks. I don't believe that he called it in on the hot line. Can't chase it myself until monday but go get that good county bird as it may already have been there a few weeks! Take care Bob Reiling, 11:07 AM, 7/18/97 ========================================================================== 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]] Fri Jul 18 10:54:21 1997 Subject: The Birds of New England I went to New England on vacation. I only spent about three hours birdwatching, but I thought I would send out a little report anyway. This trip was planned on short notice, so I did not have time to get ahold of ABA Sales and buy the _Birds of _ book. Instead, I relied on a special supplement from _Birding_ magazine, _The 40 Best Places in the US for Birdfinding_ (or something like that). They had a section on the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We spent most of the vacation in and around Boston, or in the middle of New Hampshire. Following the book, my girlfriend and I drove up through Conway, into the middle of the White Mountains. We drove up a dirt road to a trail that went around a mountain lake. There I saw two life species, MAGNOLIA WARBLER and CANADA WARBLER. We also had a close encounter (30 feet) with a COMMON LOON at the lake shore. It did not move away, but stayed close for the entire time that we watched it. We think we were between it and its nest. There were plenty of BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEEs, and the HAIRY WOODPECKERs there are much larger than ours. The WARBLING VIREOS look a little different too. On the next day we walked through a strip of woods between the hotel we were staying and Lake Winnepisauke. There we saw another life species, BROAD-WINGED HAWK. One dived on a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, but the warbler survived by simply dropping down one branch. That warbler would have also been a life bird, if one had not strayed into Los Gatos a few years ago. In Boston harbor, I also noticed that the DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs have much less yellow on their bills and throats than ours do. The terns were Common, the gulls Herring. The only other birds of note were those I saw from the train, in the small wet spots in the Nevada desert. There were striking WHITE PELICANs and WHITE-FACED IBIS. - 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]] Fri Jul 18 11:44:09 1997 Subject: adult male Costa's Hummingbird still coming to Don Crawford's fee der All: I made a quick trip to Don Crawford's home in the East San Jose Hills, the adult male Costa's Hummingbird was still there when I was there at 11:41 AM....dark purple crown and gorget colored like Welch's Grape Juice (this is not a commercial!), long-wing side-burns (don't know what else to call them!), and white stripe that extends down from the eye between the crown and the long-wing side-burns. There must have been at least 20+ Anna's Hummingbirds there at the same time. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 12:39 PM ========================================================================== 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 Jul 18 15:03:00 1997 Subject: parrots over Sunnyvale Wednesday 6 pm there were 7 conures over the OSH on the corner of ECR and Saratoga-Sunnyvale road. Looked like 3 pairs and a single but I heard none of the typical fledgling calls from the single. Are these the same Aratinga mitrata from Palo Alto? Maybe there's some food source worth a trip to Sunnyvale. 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 Jul 18 18:11:12 1997 Subject: Juvenile Western Sandpiper in Santa Clara county Today I saw a juvenile Western Sandpiper, my earliest ever. Typically, Semi-palmated Sandpipers are amoung the first juvenile peeps to appear, so be on the look out for them. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Pronghorn Consulting [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 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 Jul 18 20:18:42 1997 Subject: Re: parrots over Sunnyvale On Fri, 18 Jul 1997 [[email protected]] wrote: > Wednesday 6 pm there were 7 conures over the OSH on the corner of ECR and > Saratoga-Sunnyvale road. Looked like 3 pairs and a single but I heard none of > the typical fledgling calls from the single. Are these the same Aratinga > mitrata from Palo Alto? Maybe there's some food source worth a trip to > Sunnyvale. There are two groups of parakeets involved, one that hangs out at a church on Colorado St. in Palo Alto (and ranges widely in Palo Alto and Mountain View) and another that roosts at a church on Old San Francisco Rd. near the intersection of ECR and Saratoga-Sunnyvale (and is probably responsible for most of the Sunnyvale sightings). There might be some movement of individuals between the two locations, but I've visited both locations on the same day to find birds present in both places. There are at least four species present -- the vast majority are Mitred Parakeets (Aratinga mitrata), but Blue-crowned Parakeets (A. acuticaudata) have been regular at the Palo Alto location (they have apparently bred there), and Red-masked (A. erythrogenys) and what are probably White-eyed (A. leucophthalmus) have been at both locations. 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 Jul 18 20:23:33 1997 Subject: Charleston Slough Howdy South-Bay-Birders, Visited Charleston Slough and Mountain View Forebay this afternoon. Shorebirds are back big-time. In the forebay I saw 2 LESSER and 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS. Continuing north along the trail, I saw 3 more LESSER YELLOWLEGS, a large flock of (mostly) SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, and several baby AVOCETS at Charleston Slough. There was also a lone LEAST TERN flying over the slough just north of the forebay. Lots and lots of MARBLED GODWITS, WESTERN & LEAST SANDPIPERS, etc. Saw a COMMON MOORHEN that appeared to be sitting on a nest (in plain view) in Adobe Creek. The nest of reeds is attached to a branch in mid-creek, just down hill from the 2 porta-pottys across from the forebay--only a few yards from the wooden fence. 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]] Fri Jul 18 21:06:50 1997 Subject: kingbird at CCRS Birders, This last wednesday I saw what looked like an adult Cassin's Kingbird at CCRS. Most troubling was that hours later, Steve Rottenborn and Scott Terrill saw a Western Kingbird showing obvious white outer tail feathers, also at CCRS. I am not a big fan of the two bird theory, so I won't suggest that, particularly since either kingbird is unusual at this time of year at CCRS. It is more possible that I misidentified this kingbird, even though (at least in my mind) I thought I had diagnostic looks. If anyone sees any kingbirds at CCRS in the near future, could you take some time to positively identify the bird (looking at tail pattern). It would be great if we could confirm that there were two birds and that one of them was indeed a Cassin's Kingbird. As far as I know, this species has been seen only once at CCRS. I would like someone else to verify, this potential Cassin's Kingbird before I accept it as a second record for CCRS given that there is a good possibility that I did misidentify it. By the way, Steve saw a Bank Swallow at CCRS a couple of weeks ago. This is new for the CCRS list. However, Steve's sighting reminded Scott Terrill that he had also seen a Bank Swallow at the waterbird pond a few years ago. I have finally gotten confident enough with my rabbit ID to confirm that both Brush Rabbits and Desert (Nuttall's) Cottontails are present at CCRS. Once you pick up their 'jizz' differences they are not too difficult to identify. The cottontails also prefer a more open habitat. Regards, 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 Jul 19 08:50:56 1997 Subject: RE: parrots over Sunnyvale Janet: These are probably the same Mitred Conures that had taken up residence at the St. Martin's Catholic Church in Sunnyvale only about 1/3 mile away from the Sunnyvale Orchard Supply at the corner of El Camino Real and Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road. I am passing your note onto Kimball Garrett of Los Angeles who is keeping records on the status of escapees in California. By the way three of the six Masked Lovebirds I discovered in my neighborhood on July 9th in Livermore were still there this morning. Mike Feighner, Livermore, [[email protected]], 9:46 AM, 7/18/97 > ---------- > From: [[email protected]] > Sent: Friday, July 18, 1997 4:03 PM > To: [[email protected]] > Subject: parrots over Sunnyvale > > Wednesday 6 pm there were 7 conures over the OSH on the corner of ECR > and > Saratoga-Sunnyvale road. Looked like 3 pairs and a single but I heard > none of > the typical fledgling calls from the single. Are these the same > Aratinga > mitrata from Palo Alto? Maybe there's some food source worth a trip to > Sunnyvale. > 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]] > ========================================================================== 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 Jul 19 09:24:38 1997 Subject: Re: kingbird at CCRS On Fri, 18 Jul 1997, Alvaro Jaramillo wrote: > Birders, > > This last wednesday I saw what looked like an adult Cassin's Kingbird at > CCRS. Most troubling was that hours later, Steve Rottenborn and Scott > Terrill saw a Western Kingbird showing obvious white outer tail feathers, > also at CCRS. Although our initial looks at the WEKI were poor (only in flight), the bird was still present north of the trailers when we left over an hour later. We again saw the white outer tail feathers, and the bird perched facing us and showed the pale gray breast and head of a WEKI. To be honest, the bird was such a typical WEKI that I doubt you would have confused it for a CAKI. Given that this has been an exceptional year for CAKI, I don't doubt that you saw a CAKI as well. > I have finally gotten confident enough with my rabbit ID to confirm that > both Brush Rabbits and Desert (Nuttall's) Cottontails are present at CCRS. > Once you pick up their 'jizz' differences they are not too difficult to > identify. The cottontails also prefer a more open habitat. What are these "jizz" differences? 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]] Sun Jul 20 14:03:19 1997 Subject: birds On Saturday, 19 Jul 97, I drove up to the Crawford residence, where I was ki= ndly invited into the backyard to view the hummingbird feeders. They have 7 feed= ers arranged around their house, and at one point the 3 feeders along the north= side of the house had 15 ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS at the same time. All the while, ot= her hummers were waiting in the trees nearby. I haven't seen such a spectacle s= ince I was in Arizona. The magnificent male COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD had staked out t= he feeders at the back of the house for himself, chasing everything else away.= His crown had only sporadic irridescent feathering, but the throat gorget was beautiful. It had a purplish tone when seen head on, but took on a rosy hue= along the edges where the feathers angled away from one's line of sight. Th= e corners of the gorget were quite elongated, even sticking out from the side= of the head, especially when the bird was viewed from behind. The upper breast= just below the gorget was quite white, extending up onto the side of the neck an= d tapering to a point just behind the eye, and also extending down the center= of the breast between the dusky patches on the flanks. Also present here was a= n immature SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRD and a male HOODED ORIOLE. Many thanks to D= on and his wife for their hospitality. I then went to Crittenden Marsh to check for shorebirds. There was a small number of shorebirds here that included about a dozen SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS,= a dozen LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, 4 WILLETS, a GREATER YELLOWLEGS, small numbers o= f both LONG-BILLED and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, and about a hundred WESTERN SANDPIPERS. In with these birds was a single alternate-plumaged RED KNOT. Checking salt pond A2E to the north revealed 420 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS an= d 11 BROWN PELICANS. Also here were 14 LEAST TERNS that included 5 juveniles. I = saw adults carrying fish, but the only feeding I observed was of an adult feedi= ng another adult. On Sunday morning, 20 Jul 97, I went to the CCRS waterbird pond, where Chri= s and Claire Wolfe had an adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER staked out. Plenty of WESTERN SANDPIPERS were all still adults. There were 500-600 WILSON'S PHALAROPES an= d a single RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. At one point I heard a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK cal= ling from along the creek. A gathering of shorebirds on salt pond A18 included s= ome MARBLED GODWITS, LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, and WILLETS. Also here were 3 basic-plumaged BONAPARTE'S GULLS. A quick stop at Calabazas Marsh showed that they had put water into the mid= dle pond, which had been dry last week. Now it was too deep to support any shorebirds, but as it evaporates it should bring them back in. Too bad they= can't they can't control this water level more accurately. On the large nor= th pond I had 27 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and 3 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, including one juvenile. 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]] Sun Jul 20 20:32:25 1997 Subject: NIGHTHAWK Sp. All: On Friday evening (18 July), I was walking from the car to my apartment at Escondido Village at Stanford at about 8:15 p.m. when I spotted a NIGHTHAWK flying in the distance. The bird was against the western sky (just after sunset) and continued to fly to the southwest, so the light was not good for viewing. Also, I didn't have my binoculars, so I was not able to get any plumage details at all. However, the bird seemed slightly smaller overall, shorter-winged, and shorter-tailed than I would have expected for a Common Nighthawk, more like a Lesser, and the shallow, quick, fluttery wingbeats also fit Lesser Nighthawk better than Common. Nevertheless, I'm not going to call this bird a definite Lesser based solely on shape and flight style as seen without binoculars. The bird flew gradually toward the southwest, erratically swooping on several occasions as though chasing insects. I've seen no sign of the bird since then. Sunday (20 July), I briefly birded around Calaveras Reservoir from 05:30 to 08:30. Before sunrise, I found a family group of 4-5 WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS in one drainage along Calaveras Road (the young still having some down on the head and begging repeatedly) and heard the begging calls of two more juveniles from another drainage. An adult and two recently-fledged SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS were a surprise, although I did have an adult carrying food along Calaveras Road last spring. The fog prevented me from viewing the south end of the lake from Calaveras Road, so I had to settle for obstructed views of only part of the south end from Marsh Road. Two male and 6 female RING-NECKED DUCKS were standing together on the shore, and 9 WOOD DUCKS were also present. Twenty-four WESTERN GREBES and 6 unidentified distant Aechmophorus (which also appeared to be Westerns) were present, and in the limited portion of the lake that I could see, there were ten pairs of Westerns with 6 occupied nests and 4 more under construction. Five WESTERN KINGBIRDS, 15 LARK SPARROWS, and 2 PURPLE FINCHES were along Marsh Road above the lake. WILD TURKEYS seem to be doing quite well around Calaveras Reservoir. Four males were together along Marsh Road, a hen with 5 large juveniles were along Calaveras Road near the SW corner of the lake, and 3 hens with 2 medium-large and 6 medium-small juveniles were along Felter Road a few miles north of its intersection with Calaveras Road. Finally, there were 8 ROCK WRENS near the Sierra Road summit, including two adults with one fully-fledged juvenile at the summit and two adults with 3 still-dependent young near the powerline crossing above Alum Rock Canyon. A pair of adult GOLDEN EAGLES were on one of the electrical towers. 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 Jul 21 05:38:58 1997 Subject: OSPR(ey) All: This morning at 6:18 AM I saw an Osprey fly south-bound over the Highway 237 bridge over Coyote Creek. 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]] Mon Jul 21 09:59:40 1997 Subject: Peter LaTourrette, Acting Bureaucrat Peter LaTourrette has been nice enough to volunteer to be the bureaucrat while I am gone. Mail will get to Peter (or whoever is current bureaucrat) by sending mail to: [[email protected]] Thanks, Jeff Finger ========================================================================== 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 Jul 21 11:46:12 1997 Subject: Crittenden All, On a tip from Mike Mammoser I took a bike out at lunch today to check Crittenden Marsh and the nearby Salt Pond A2E for Least Terns. Sure enough, I had 38 LEAST TERNS (including at least 14 juveniles - hard to get an accurate count of this many birds) sitting on the dike and the boom where the dike north of Crittenden bends to the northeast. Without a scope I couldn't do too much with the shorebirds, but the many SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS were obvious and 2 adult HORNED LARKS at the western edge of Crittenden on the dried out mud were of interest. Mike Rogers 7/21/97 ========================================================================== 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]] Mon Jul 21 15:27:43 1997 Subject: Mark Strasburger? All-- South-bay-birds-list messages to [[email protected]] (Mark Strasburger) have been bouncing with a "mailbox full" notice for about a week. We do not have a phone number for him. Can anyone provide helpful information, e.g. phone number, vacation or residency status? If there is no change soon, I will have to unsubscribe him. --Peter ----------------------------------------- Peter LaTourrette Birds of Jasper Ridge: http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~petelat1/ Western Field Ornithologists: http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1104/wfo.html ========================================================================== 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 Jul 21 15:47:30 1997 Subject: To SCVAS Yuba Pass Field Trip Participants This message is for participants in the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society field trip to Yuba Pass a few weekends back, which was led by Clay Kempf. The same weekend David Nelson and I found ourselves birding Sierra Valley just after that group did, and talked to them many times along the way. As Calbird subscribers know, I saw only briefly but heard well a bird at Sierra Valley that I thought was a singing JUNIPER TITMOUSE. This bird was just up the hill from where the group saw (and we refound) a pair of GRAY FLYCATCHERS, up Mountain Quail Road on the west side of Sierra Valley. After the trip I wrote to Rick Fournier, who was on the field trip. He did not see a TITMOUSE there, but thought he remembered someone else mentioning that they had seen one. Does anyone else who was on that trip remember seeing or hearing a titmouse in this spot, or hearing anyone else say that they saw one? I have been putting some effort into researching the distribution of JUNIPER TITMOUSE (in particular the race _zaleptus_), and finally had a chance today to review Carla Cicero's excellent monograph on the subject, but I have not been able to determine whether titmice regularly occur in this area. The site is within the range of the race _zaleptus_, but within that range populations are disjunct, and Carla's sample areas did not include Sierra Valley. Her description of habitat preferences and densities in Great Basin birds, though, would indicate that if a population does exist there, it would probably be one of low density. She only studied areas with sufficient density to justify collecting a representative and statistically significant sample, so I cannot tell whether she found any titmice in Sierra Valley while researching her thesis. In any event, I would love to know whether anyone else saw or heard this bird. Is Clay Kempf on this list, or, if not, does anyone know whether he can be reached by e-mail? 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]] Mon Jul 21 18:47:34 1997 Subject: Crittenden Marsh: adult RUDDY TURNSTONE All: After work I headed over to Crittenden Marsh to check on the LEAST TERNs. While scoping through the flock of SEMI-PALMATED PLOVERs (there were 18) on the mudflat at the south-west corner of Crittenden Marsh, I came across a single adult RUDDY TURNSTONE still pretty much in alternate plumage. I have searched for ages for this specie in Santa Clara County and finally came across one. From here in proceeded out to where Mike Rogers had the flock of LEAST TERNS at the bend in the levvee between Crittenden Marsh and Pond 2AE. Here I counted only 8 LEAST TERNs (four adults and four juveniles). I wonder where the other 30 were hiding. On the way back I checked to see if the RUDDY TURNSTONE was still there, and sure enough it was. Hopefully it will stick around for others to see. 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 Jul 22 12:02:54 1997 All, Once again I spent the early morning atlasing in Alameda County near Mines Road close to the Santa Clara County line. I arrived at the pullout just south of milepost 19.69 at 4:40am. After a short wait, I heard fledgling WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS and a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL. Unfortunately, by the time I got into my target "block" at 5:20am it was starting to get light and I heard no more owls. Things were extremely quiet this morning and it appears that most breeding in this region is completely finished, in contrast to previous years in which atlasing has been fruitful into the first few days of August. In five hours of searching the ONLY other confirmation I was able to muster was a family of recently fledged CALIFORNIA TOWHEES! There were lots of family groups of the usual species, but the young were already completely independent and very capable of "sustained flight" - no begging or any interaction with the adults. I had 9+ SAGE SPARROWS, but none of them were singing at all. In fact there was very little singing from any of the birds out there today. Despite the lack of breeding evidence, I was able to add 4 new species to the block list: MALLARD (a family of ten full-grown birds), HAIRY WOODPECKER (only in nearby Santa Clara County last time), PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER (a single silent bird), and PHAINOPEPLA (1 male, 3 more in nearby Santa Clara County). Also upgraded the status of 6 other species. Other birds of interest included 6 WOOD DUCKS, 5 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, 1 to 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, and 9+ LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. Also had another PHAINOPEPLA at about mile 6.1 along Mines Road on the drive back. Mike Rogers 7/22/97 ========================================================================== 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]] Tue Jul 22 16:21:51 1997 Subject: Cooper's Hawks In May and early June I spent a lot of time looking for a Cooper'= s Hawk nest in South Palo Alto in the general area of Louis and Greer Roads= near Matadero Creek. I saw adults in the area a number of times as did a= number of other birders. I never did find a nest, but at 4:45 this afternoon I saw three fledged young in trees on Clara Drive just east of Louis. A local resident says it's been an ideal location for them. = Another resident keeps pigeons, but his stock is down from perhaps 64 to 16. 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]] Tue Jul 22 16:21:51 1997 Subject: Cooper's Hawks In May and early June I spent a lot of time looking for a Cooper'= s Hawk nest in South Palo Alto in the general area of Louis and Greer Roads= near Matadero Creek. I saw adults in the area a number of times as did a= number of other birders. I never did find a nest, but at 4:45 this afternoon I saw three fledged young in trees on Clara Drive just east of Louis. A local resident says it's been an ideal location for them. = Another resident keeps pigeons, but his stock is down from perhaps 64 to 16. 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]] Tue Jul 22 16:27:04 1997 Subject: SESA An adult Semi-palmated Sandpiper was at CCRS today. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Pronghorn Consulting [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 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 Jul 22 20:25:07 1997 Subject: Re: SESA Two adult Semipalmated Sandpipers were at CCRS yesterday (Monday). One was in very pale, faded alternate plumage except for 3 basic scapulars, while the other had a number of basic scapulars. The second bird had the shortest bill I've ever seen on a SESA, and was definitely not one of the three I've seen at CCRS previously this "fall" (although all have had bills shorter than on any of the Western Sandpipers present). 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]] Tue Jul 22 21:16:06 1997 Subject: More Crittenden Dear South Bay Birders: I made a post-6 PM visit today (Tuesday) to the Crittenden Marsh area. I did not find any turnstone (nor did I leave any unturned stone in my search for it), but the southwest corner again had an alternate-plumaged Red Knot. [In case there's interest in comparing to the previous sighting, the under- parts were about 60% or so salmon-colored, with the rear-most portion white.] Actually, I did not see the Knot when I walked in, but it was there when I passed by again at about 7 PM. Also there were at least 32 Semipalmated Plovers. I also had about 2 likely juvenal-plumaged Western Sandpipers among 100 or so total, but my views were not 100% convincing. At the salt pond north of the marsh, east of the bend in the levee, I saw at least 23 Least Terns, including several juveniles. I'm sure that number is conservative, since a number of them were distant flight views, and there were some likely candidates on the surface in the distance as well, and perhaps more out of my range. Oh, in case anyone wanted to ask, I left no tern stoned. [That's now out of my system until next year - or maybe not.] Cheers, Al ========================================================================== 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 Jul 23 14:09:20 1997 Subject: osprey On the way by SJ Airport at noon today I saw an OSPREY flying over the Guadalupe River. We were at Moss Landing the last 2 days, no rarities, but wonderful display by adult CASPIAN TERNS at Pajaro River Mouth, fish-offering, gaping, head bobbing, with young nearby (in front of the children!) Also 2000 or so ELEGANTS nearby. Also very large #s of SOOTY SHEARWATERS with the near edge of the mass only about 100 yds past the breakers. I'd guess about 50 thou, but that's a wild guess. No SANDERLINGS - late? -- 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]] Thu Jul 24 07:35:01 1997 Subject: Curlew Sandpiper at Crittenden Marsh in Mountain View (Santa Clar a County) All: The CURLEW SANDPIPER found last night by Mike Rogers and Al Eisner was still present this morning from 6:50 AM to 7:40 AM at the south-west corner of Crittenden Marsh. Kathy Parker viewed the bird from 6:50 AM, and I arrived at 7:10 AM. The bird did not allow good viewing until 7:23 AM when it became more active, and at 7:40 the bird flew with all the others toward the north-east and out of sight. The bird may return later in the day around high tide. Also present were two RUDDY TURNSTONES which are seldom seen in Santa Clara County. One of the two TURNSTONES had some white speckling along the base of the wing like the one I found there on Monday evening. Curlew Sandpiper details: 1) white lower belly 2) reddish brown breast and upper belly 3) white between the wing and upper belly and breast 4) white supercilium 5) white rump (seen only by Kathy Parker while I was taking notes) 6) white under-wing 7) black feet and black curved bill 8) scaly back 9) zigzag walk 10) associated with Dowitchers 11) larger than the Western Sandpiper to its left and smaller than the Dowitcher to its right More details will be summated to David Blue as this is a REVIEW SPECIE. Directions to Crittenden Marsh: DeLorme, Northern California p 115, A5 >From US 101 take Shoreline Road North to Crittenden Lane, turn right and park somewhere near the end around the Christmas Tree Farm. Walk up to the levee and cross the bridge over the creek, turn left and head north past the last building on the right. Crittenden Marsh is on the next march on the right. The CURLEW SANDPIPER was about 500 feet out from the levee. Since this was at dawn the best light was when the clouds began covering the sun. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, USA, [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 24 07:35:01 1997 Subject: Curlew Sandpiper at Crittenden Marsh in Mountain View (Santa Clar a County) All: The CURLEW SANDPIPER found last night by Mike Rogers and Al Eisner was still present this morning from 6:50 AM to 7:40 AM at the south-west corner of Crittenden Marsh. Kathy Parker viewed the bird from 6:50 AM, and I arrived at 7:10 AM. The bird did not allow good viewing until 7:23 AM when it became more active, and at 7:40 the bird flew with all the others toward the north-east and out of sight. The bird may return later in the day around high tide. Also present were two RUDDY TURNSTONES which are seldom seen in Santa Clara County. One of the two TURNSTONES had some white speckling along the base of the wing like the one I found there on Monday evening. Curlew Sandpiper details: 1) white lower belly 2) reddish brown breast and upper belly 3) white between the wing and upper belly and breast 4) white supercilium 5) white rump (seen only by Kathy Parker while I was taking notes) 6) white under-wing 7) black feet and black curved bill 8) scaly back 9) zigzag walk 10) associated with Dowitchers 11) larger than the Western Sandpiper to its left and smaller than the Dowitcher to its right More details will be summated to David Blue as this is a REVIEW SPECIE. Directions to Crittenden Marsh: DeLorme, Northern California p 115, A5 >From US 101 take Shoreline Road North to Crittenden Lane, turn right and park somewhere near the end around the Christmas Tree Farm. Walk up to the levee and cross the bridge over the creek, turn left and head north past the last building on the right. Crittenden Marsh is on the next march on the right. The CURLEW SANDPIPER was about 500 feet out from the levee. Since this was at dawn the best light was when the clouds began covering the sun. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, USA, [[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 Jul 24 07:40:00 1997 Subject: Bay Calendar and Maine I have posted Larry Tunstall's Bay Area Birding Calendar for July 24-25. Sorry for the delay, but I was back East for a week. We did manage to run up to Maine (300 miles from Boston) to Machias Seal Island to see the nesting Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, and Arctic Terns. We were very fortunate with the weather, and were able to land on the island. The last time we were in Maine we could not see the front end of our car. It wasn't a good time to see inland birds, but we had good looks at a Pine Warbler, and a few other more common species. We spent a lot of time looking for Sharp-tailed Sparrows for the Easterners along, but found none, but saw great habitat for them. 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 Jul 24 08:31:14 1997 Subject: Curlew Sandpiper Mike Feighner and I refound the CURLEW SANDPIPER this morning, Thursday, at the southwest corner of Crittenden Marsh in Mountain View. I arrived there before dawn and found the bird roosting with a small goup of Dowitchers and Long-billed Curlews. It finally woke up and showed its bill at 6;23. Mike and I had about 20 minutes of it preening, including stretching so we could see the white wing-linings, feeding, and then finally flying away at 6.40, so we also aw the white rump. The bill is definitely curved down, but not so much as in the National Geographic pictures. We also saw 2 Ruddy Turnstones. They flew in at about 6:00 and were still there at 6:40. Hurrah!! 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]] Thu Jul 24 10:23:22 1997 Subject: Curlew Sandpiper not seen this morning All, Tried to find the CUSA this morning with no luck. Crittenden Marsh is quite low on water and the mitigation pond was very low (and tide was still going out). Might be best to try for the CUSA at high tide as it may return to Crittenden marsh to rest. I had a high count of 48 Least Terns on the yellow boom in salt pond A2E. About 60 percent of hte LETEs were adults. About two hundred White Pelicans and several hundred egrets were nearby. Good luck, Bob Reiling, 11:25 AM, 7/24/97 ========================================================================== 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]] Thu Jul 24 14:40:27 1997 All, Hoping to repeat Al Eisner's luck with a late-evening Red Knot at Crittenden Marsh, I headed out from Shoreline at 6:00pm yesterday 7/23/97. There was a flock of 200 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS feeding in the overflow parking lot (mostly adult males and immatures - females must still be hard at work searching for nests). Mixed in with the flock were several EUROPEAN STARLINGS, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, and MOURNING DOVES. Scanning Crittenden Marsh failed to produce a Knot, but a roosting BLACK SKIMMER was there (banded on the left leg with a wide yellow band with black letters/numbers, banded on the right leg with a narrower silver US Fish and Wildlife band). After a FORSTER'S TERN started mobbing me, the SKIMMER joined in, circling around my head calling. Later it started foraging in the northwest corner of the marsh. I headed out to the Least Tern spot where the dike north of Crittenden bends northeast but failed to see any Least Terns. Heading back by Crittenden I was truly amazed to see a smaller red-breasted shorebird at the southwest corner of the marsh at exactly 7:00pm, just as Al had reported the day before. Just as I was getting ready to tick my county year Red Knot the bird pulled its bill out of its back and revealed itself to be an alternate-plumaged CURLEW SANDPIPER! I spent the next half-hour scoping the bird with my KOWA TSN-4 (zoom eyepiece) and recording a fairly complete description from distances of as little as 25 yards. The bird was roosting from 7:00pm to at least 7:28pm (still present when I left) at the mud edge at the southwest corner of Crittenden Marsh north of Moffett Field in Santa Clara County. On two occasions the bird flew with a flock of WESTERN SANDPIPERS and SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS around this area, but landed again both times. Much of the time the bird was roosting with its bill buried in its back. The bird was about 10%-20% larger than nearby SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, but only about 2/3 the size (and less than half the bulk) of adjacent SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS. The bird appeared to be in nearly complete alternate plumage, with bright chestnut-red face and underparts extending to just behind the legs. The vent and undertail coverts were white, although many of these white feathers had black subterminal triangular marks on them. The white extended farther forward on the bird on the flanks (the red color extended furthest down the belly on the center of the bird). The red underparts were quite clean, although at least one feather on the left rear flank had two dark bars on it. Much finer dark vertical streaking was present just in front of the shoulder at the sides of the breast. Interspersed throughout the bird's red underparts were numerous white feathers (about 20%?). The white feathers seemed to lie primarily down the centerline of the breast and belly and at the sides of the breast and flanks. The bird's face, including the areas behind and below the auriculars, was the same chestnut-red color of the belly. The crown was finely streaked with brown. There was a hint of a slightly darker crease-like eye-line below the rusty supercilium. The hindneck was finely spotted/streaked with dark brown, this area broadening lower down on the neck. The area at the base of the bill appeared to be paler than the rest of the face and the streaking on the crown did not extend all the way to the bill. The black bill was quite long and decurved throughout its length, being more strongly curved near the tip. It also seemed to taper throughout its length to a fairly fine tip. The eye was dark. The legs and feet appeared black or perhaps very dark gray. The bird's back was very brightly colored with bright black feather centers and numerous white, yellow, buff, and chestnut (primarily lower scapulars) fringes and tips. The wing coverts were contrastingly dull gray with narrow white edges. The tertials were dark brown with narrow even yellowish fringes. In flight the bird showed a clear, although somewhat narrow, wing bar extending through the secondaries well out into the primaries. The rump was white and appeared mostly unmarked. The upperside of the tail appeared an even gray. The underside of the wing was clean white, contrasting with the red underparts in flight. The illustration in the NGS guide does not appear to be a good match to this bird, being too uniformly chestnut. The pictures in the HMP Shorebird guide, however, are excellent! I'm not sure about sexing the bird based on bill length/shape, but the flight illustration in picture "g" of the HMP guide seems to have a bird with a bill very similar to the Crittenden bird as I remember it. During my observation of the CUSA, a second BLACK SKIMMER joined the first. The two birds stood in deeper water, so I could not determine whether the second was banded. Also, I still had the two adult HORNED LARKS here today. The 36 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS in the southwest corner were a small fraction of the 152+ along the entire southern edge of the marsh. A single mostly alternate BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER was also present and all the dowitchers calling were SHORT-BILLED, presumably birds that roost here during high tide after foraging on the Bay near the mouth of Stevens Creek. In light of this birds presence, it would be wise to more carefully evalaute the recent reports of alternate-plumaged Red Knots in the county. Were the bills on these birds carefully studied? As far as I know, alternate-plumaged Red Knots have been reported from Coyote Slough north of Salt Pond A9 on 7/12/97 (Mark Miller), and from Crittenden Marsh on 7/19/97 (Mike Mammoser) and 7/22/97 (Al Eisner). Comments guys? (Note that we have very few July Knot records!). Mike Rogers 7/23/97 ========================================================================== 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]] Thu Jul 24 16:38:02 1997 Subject: Crittenden Marsh directions Hello all, Could I be so bold and ignorant as to ask specific directions to Crittenden Marsh (from San Jose)? I think I've been there but am not sure. In any event, Cozumel notwithstanding (one word?!), I'd like a new US bird for the first time in many years. So help an ol'd bugger out. Don Don Starks [[email protected]] 2592 Briarwood Drive San Jose, CA, 95125-5014 408-266-2969(H) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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]] Thu Jul 24 19:53:50 1997 Subject: Curlew Sandpiper at Crittendon Marsh Curlew Sandpiper Crittendon Marsh, Mountain View Santa Clara County, California Thursday, July 24, 1997 Joseph Morlan This afternoon I decided to try for the breeding plumage Curlew Sandpiper found yesterday evening by Mike Rogers and also seen early this morning by Kathy Parker and Mike Feigner. I arrived around 3pm as the tide was rising and located the Curlew Sandpiper on the mud flats at the southwest corner of the big pond about 4:15pm when something startled the flock of avocets and dowitchers which were loafing there. After watching the sandpiper in excellent light for about five minutes through a KOWA-TSN4 the bird settled down hidden from view in some dead vegetation. Soon Bob and Barbara Brandriff, Steve Rovell and Rick Fournier arrived and we watched the bird off and on for another 45 minutes or so as it walked around, flying a few times and returning and more resting hidden from view. Later John Mariani arrived. He made a very nice sketch of the bird which I hope he will submit. Upon leaving the area, I met Bob Reiling and Alan Walther who were headed out to the area where the bird was seen. The following description is based on conversations with other observers at the time, and on memory: A medium sized calidrid, clearly larger than adjacent Western Sandpipers, and smaller than adjacent dowitchers (both Long-billed & Short-billed adults present). Upperparts generally dark, underparts rather pale rose-red, or brick-red on breast extending up to the face and reaching to the rear of the supercilium. Reddish underparts marked by frosty white scalloping. Bill black, relatively long and uniformly decurved and attenuated throughout, becoming finely pointed at the tip. White rump visible in flight. Undertail coverts, lower belly and flanks also white and unmarked contrasting with rose-colored breast. Wing-linings white, strikingly visible when wings stretched overhead and in flight. Closer study revealed that the supercilium was pale, but not reddish and that the chin and throat were whitish. The dark upperparts including the back and wing-coverts were marked with small gold and rusty spots. The dark crown was streaked with whitish and gold, but I was unable to determine if the dark cap reached all the way to the bill. The forehead may have been reddish, but I am not positive. The primaries were black and extended well past the tertials forming a long primary projection reaching past the tip of the tail and giving the bird a very attenuated appearance. In the wind, the bird spent much of the time hunkered down. When walking in the open, it never stretched its neck. Thus it presented a rather fat, somewhat hunched profile. The legs were quite long and all black. DISCUSSION Based on the extensive white undertail coverts, belly and flanks; the pale supercilium; and the relatively pale pink (not deep red) breast and face, I believe this bird is probably a female. The extensive whitish scalloping on the breast also supports this conclusion. An adult Curlew Sandpiper in breeding plumage was seen at this exact locality last spring. That bird, which I saw on May 2, 1996 behaved very similar to this one, and looked similar except that it's back was much paler, evidently retaining basic feathers. Thus I think it is possible these two are the same bird. Other birds of interest seen there included a Black Skimmer and several Least Terns. Crittendon Marsh is in Mountain View reached by taking Shoreline Drive north from Hwy 101, turn right on Crittendon Lane. Park at the end and walk along the levee north until you see a footbridge over the creek. Take the bridge and follow the levee on the east side of the channel north past the north end of Moffit Field. The Curlew Sandpiper is in the large pond on the right, directly north of Moffit =46ield. ------------ Joseph Morlan 380 Talbot Ave. #206 [[email protected]] Pacifica, CA 94044-2639 [[email protected]] 415-359-2068 From [[email protected]] Thu Jul 24 19:53:50 1997 Subject: Curlew Sandpiper at Crittendon Marsh Curlew Sandpiper Crittendon Marsh, Mountain View Santa Clara County, California Thursday, July 24, 1997 Joseph Morlan This afternoon I decided to try for the breeding plumage Curlew Sandpiper found yesterday evening by Mike Rogers and also seen early this morning by Kathy Parker and Mike Feigner. I arrived around 3pm as the tide was rising and located the Curlew Sandpiper on the mud flats at the southwest corner of the big pond about 4:15pm when something startled the flock of avocets and dowitchers which were loafing there. After watching the sandpiper in excellent light for about five minutes through a KOWA-TSN4 the bird settled down hidden from view in some dead vegetation. Soon Bob and Barbara Brandriff, Steve Rovell and Rick Fournier arrived and we watched the bird off and on for another 45 minutes or so as it walked around, flying a few times and returning and more resting hidden from view. Later John Mariani arrived. He made a very nice sketch of the bird which I hope he will submit. Upon leaving the area, I met Bob Reiling and Alan Walther who were headed out to the area where the bird was seen. The following description is based on conversations with other observers at the time, and on memory: A medium sized calidrid, clearly larger than adjacent Western Sandpipers, and smaller than adjacent dowitchers (both Long-billed & Short-billed adults present). Upperparts generally dark, underparts rather pale rose-red, or brick-red on breast extending up to the face and reaching to the rear of the supercilium. Reddish underparts marked by frosty white scalloping. Bill black, relatively long and uniformly decurved and attenuated throughout, becoming finely pointed at the tip. White rump visible in flight. Undertail coverts, lower belly and flanks also white and unmarked contrasting with rose-colored breast. Wing-linings white, strikingly visible when wings stretched overhead and in flight. Closer study revealed that the supercilium was pale, but not reddish and that the chin and throat were whitish. The dark upperparts including the back and wing-coverts were marked with small gold and rusty spots. The dark crown was streaked with whitish and gold, but I was unable to determine if the dark cap reached all the way to the bill. The forehead may have been reddish, but I am not positive. The primaries were black and extended well past the tertials forming a long primary projection reaching past the tip of the tail and giving the bird a very attenuated appearance. In the wind, the bird spent much of the time hunkered down. When walking in the open, it never stretched its neck. Thus it presented a rather fat, somewhat hunched profile. The legs were quite long and all black. DISCUSSION Based on the extensive white undertail coverts, belly and flanks; the pale supercilium; and the relatively pale pink (not deep red) breast and face, I believe this bird is probably a female. The extensive whitish scalloping on the breast also supports this conclusion. An adult Curlew Sandpiper in breeding plumage was seen at this exact locality last spring. That bird, which I saw on May 2, 1996 behaved very similar to this one, and looked similar except that it's back was much paler, evidently retaining basic feathers. Thus I think it is possible these two are the same bird. Other birds of interest seen there included a Black Skimmer and several Least Terns. Crittendon Marsh is in Mountain View reached by taking Shoreline Drive north from Hwy 101, turn right on Crittendon Lane. Park at the end and walk along the levee north until you see a footbridge over the creek. Take the bridge and follow the levee on the east side of the channel north past the north end of Moffit Field. The Curlew Sandpiper is in the large pond on the right, directly north of Moffit =46ield. ------------ Joseph Morlan 380 Talbot Ave. #206 [[email protected]] Pacifica, CA 94044-2639 [[email protected]] 415-359-2068 ========================================================================== 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 Jul 25 08:46:13 1997 All, The CURLEW SANDPIPER was still present late yesterday evening at Crittenden Marsh, but after Alan Walther saw it in the southwest corner at about 6:15pm it flew to the southeast corner of the marsh, where I refound it at about 7:20pm. Scoping from the dike north of Crittenden the bird was very distant (over 500 yards according to the USGS map), but still identifiable with a KOWA at about 40x. This morning Steve Rottenborn, Mike Mammoser, and I again had the bird in the southeast corner of the marsh. I later drove around onto Moffett Field and scoped from near the airstrip there. This resulted in much better looks at the bird from 7:30am to 7:45am from less than 200 yards away. Much more noticeable this morning were the white extending up the side of the flanks on the bird and the white chin and throat. I noted the white in the flanks on 7/23, but it did not seem as wide on that day. Presumably the apparent width is affected by how low the wings are held. The white chin and throat also appeared more obvious this morning than from close range on 7/23. Although the red extends further rearward below these white flanks, the center of the belly is actually white further forward also. Rear views of the bird foraging this morning showed this "M-shaped" pattern of the lower end of the red quite well. Also got very nice looks at the white underwings this morning when the bird stretched its wings above its head and held them there for a second. In Mike Feighner's description from 7/24 he noted a "white supercilium". I rechecked the sketch of the bird I made on 7/23 and confirmed that the supercilium, although paler than the dark eyeline below it, appeared to be pale rusty - different sides of the bird? Joe Morlan described the supercilium as "pale, but not reddish". Bob Reiling noted a "poorly defined white eyebrow to just behind the eye. In light of this discrepancy I paid special attention to the supercilium this morning. From the distance at which I saw the bird today the supercilium was obviously pale, but not as white as the chin and throat, which in turn were not as white as the undertail and flanks. I suspect that from close range (as seen on 7/23) there may have been some rusty feathering visible in the supercilium that caused me to note this color. I'll try and get more close looks later to try and straighten this out. Still two BLACK SKIMMERS present yesterday evening 7/24 and one this morning 7/25. Also about 20 LEAST TERNS in A2E on both days and 5 BROWN PELICANS in Crittenden and A2E this morning. Mike 7/25/97 ========================================================================== 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]] Fri Jul 25 16:31:00 1997 Subject: Re: Curlew Sandpiper chase/ daytime barn owl All: Sharing a scope view of distant shadows was less than satisfying, so I hiked around the pond to the south side, carrying my bike. . I never did get a good look at this !?!!>>??! bird. I do not recommend this hike. The middle 1/2 mile consists of thrashing through head high thistles and coyote bush. However, there is a God, and I was rewarded for more my efforts with an amazing look at a barn owl perched out in the open on the perimeter fence -- the one I couldn't climb over. If you do want to get closer looks at the bird, it's an easy walk from the levee across dry pickle weed to a good viewing spot on the SE corner. RCC ========================================================================== 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 Jul 27 08:06:41 1997 Subject: ccrs etc. While everyone else was hanging out at the Curlew Sandpiper spot on Sat morning I swung by the CCRS pond where some 600 WILSON'S PHALAROPES (all as best I could tell in basic) were to be found. The DOWITCHERS that called while I was there were all LONG-BILLED. Ok, now to the real business. Did anyone in our little band find a Tilly hat on the ground along the levee from which you sight to the SE corner of Crittenden? I left mine there when I was out Fri morning, at which time I (along with George ? from Mendocino) had a definite but very distant view of the CURLEW SANDPIPER. We arrived just as Mike R, Mike M, and Steve R were leaving, and we saw it on a little island near the blue outhouse consorting with Killdeers, Semipal Plovers, a few peeps, and 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS. After snoozing for a while and then preening so as to keep the bill from view (George, who sees lots of Red Knots in Mendo, at first thought it might be one) it finally gave us a profile view of the long thin decurved bill. (The nearby Yellowlegs had us questioning our i.d. for a few minutes as we first thought they were Willets, which would have made the target bird way too big.) As the light improved, the dark plumage on the chest of the bird barely turned a noticeable rufous, viewed through my new Nikon Fieldscope 60, with the zoom cranked all the way to 45x, making me feel good about my new toy. The air was perfectly clear, no wind, overcast, and this was one of those times when the monster cost and weight of an absolute top-of-the-line scope would have really seemed worth it. I came by Sat morning at which point birders from all over were congregating (two women had driven up from LA overnight) but the bird was not to be seen. The pleasant buzz of veteran-birder story exchange was in the air, and great views of LEAST TERNS (I counted 23 including several juveniles on the yellow boom) were providing consolation. Your journalistic observer leaves description of the bird itself to those better qualified, and will confine myself to providing more social notes if I get out there again today. Anyway, get out there, folks - even if you can't see the bird, maybe you can find my hat :) -- 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]] Sun Jul 27 21:29:24 1997 Subject: weekend birding All: On Thursday evening (24 July), Heather, Rebecca and I visited Crittenden Marsh hoping to see the Curlew Sandpiper. While waiting near the NW corner of the marsh, I heard a "queedle" call overhead and saw an alternate- plumaged GOLDEN-PLOVER flying over, heading northwest (apparently out of Crittenden Marsh). The bird had white sides and flanks like a Pacific Golden-Plover, but without getting other marks to confirm this ID, it's impossible to rule out a molting American. Shortly after this bird flew over, a three-note rattle overhead alerted me to a RUDDY TURNSTONE flying over, also heading northwest. Otherwise, the only notable bird I saw in the marsh itself was the first juvenile LEAST SANDPIPER I'd seen this year (among many adults). Mike Rogers then told us that the Curlew Sandpiper was in the SE corner of the marsh, but Rebecca wasn't in the mood to walk around to that side, so I returned early the next morning before work and got distant views of the CURLEW SANDPIPER. For what it's worth, the reddish-orange on the underparts was not as deep and reddish as on the bird I saw at the Palo Alto Baylands this spring, although fading could possibly account for this. Also, this bird seemed somewhat chunkier and had a slightly shorter- winged appearance than the Baylands bird, although I'm certainly not sure that they are different birds. Unfortunately, I was not close enough to the bird to determine whether the length or shape of the bill differed from the Baylands bird. Also present at Crittenden on the morning of 25 July were 64 GREATER YELLOWLEGS but only 2 LESSERS. On Sunday (27 July), I checked the CASSIN'S KINGBIRDS along Dunne Lane east of Gilroy, finding one very vociferous bird in the nest tree but missing the second bird; I could see no activity at the nest, although the light was very poor at 6:00 a.m. with overcast skies. A GREATER ROADRUNNER and a DARK-EYED JUNCO called repeatedly from the apple orchard nearby (unusual habitat for both species). I then surveyed birds along Llagas Creek near Gilroy (note: this Water District land is not open to the public). Interesting birds seen here included 18 YELLOW WARBLERS (+ 1 brood), 47 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, 1 imm. ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (probably a post-breeding dispersant), 4 VIRGINIA RAILS and 3 SORAS (possible breeders here?), 2 WILSON'S WARBLERS (probably post-breeding dispersants), 2 ad. COMMON MOORHENS, and 3 LAZULI BUNTINGS. Although the Gilroy sewage plant no longer allows birders on the property, the area was easily scoped from a hill along Llagas Creek. Despite the good shorebird habitat in some of the settling ponds, 15 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS were the only migrant shorebirds here. Also present were an imm. COMMON MOORHEN and single broods of CINNAMON TEAL and NORTHERN PINTAIL. Across Llagas Creek, a flooded field contained a juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, 35 LEAST SANDPIPERS (8 juv.), 24 WESTERN SANDPIPERS (7 juv.), 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER, 14 LONG- BILLED DOWITCHERS, 3 RED-NECKED and 3 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS (1 juv.), 18 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and 18 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. Later I checked the Ogier Ponds. The water in all ponds was higher than when I last checked, so the nesting islands for species such as Spotted Sandpiper were mostly flooded. A single GREATER YELLOWLEGS was the only shorebird here other than Killdeer, and the only waterfowl were 3 RUDDY DUCKS, 2 MALLARDS (with 2 large young), and 6 CANADA GEESE. At least 6 broods of AMERICAN COOTS and 5 broods of PIED- BILLED GREBES were also here. 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 Jul 28 06:22:28 1997 Subject: belated Curlew Sandpiper Report from 7/25/97 All: I got a second chance at viewing the Curlew Sandpiper after work on Friday, 7/25/97. I viewed the bird along with Keith Kwan of Sacramento, Jim Holmes of Belmont, Jennifer Matkin of San Francisco, Doug Shaw of Santa Rosa, another fellow from Muir Beach., Don Roberson and Rita from Pacific Grove. The bird was not present at the SW corner of Crittenden Marsh. At Don's suggestion we crossed the dry pickle-weed field to the SE corner where Mike Roger had seen the bird earlier in the day. Sure enough the bird was still there. This time the light was better and the bird was closer to view, about 500 feet away. My earlier report miscalculated the distance. I estimate the earlier distance to be about 150-175 feet. The bird had no white surecullium, it was more light tan. I also observed the lighter chin and throat and the white rump. I still was not able to adequately view the feather pattern on the back and belly to describe it as well as Mike Rogers has who has a superior scope. We were reluctant to cross this field since we all feel this a sensitive habitat area. Mike Feighner, Livermore, [[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 Jul 28 07:50:45 1997 Subject: Mamoth/Yosemite Birding Report Hi All: This weekend my wife and I visited the Devil's Postpile National Monument, stopping briefly in Yosemite on the way. Highlights were: Gray-crowned Rosy Finch: 3 on the slope above the campground at Tioga Lake. Only a few hundred yards up from the road, well below any snow. Pinyon Pines just beyond Mono Lake South Tufas: 100 Pinyon Jays and 3 Lewis's Woodpeckers. Hwy 395 2 miles S. of Lee Vining: Sage and Brewer's Sparrows, Gray Flycatcher, Green-tailed Towhee Devil's Postpile: 2 Black-backed Woodpeckers on trail from Rainbow Falls to the Postpile. The birds were a couple of hundred yards from where this trail joins the main trail to Rainbow Falls. I also had nice eye-level views of 2 Vaux's Swifts at Rainbow Falls, as well as a Black Swift over the woods nearby. Thanks to everyone, especially Jennifer Matkin, for posting info on these sites. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Pronghorn Consulting [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 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 Jul 28 11:01:53 1997 Subject: Re: Curlew or Knot Mike Rogers wrote re. the Curlew Sandpiper he found on July 23: > In light of this birds presence, it would be wise to more carefully > evalaute the recent reports of alternate-plumaged Red Knots in the > county. Were the bills on these birds carefully studied? As far as I > know, alternate-plumaged Red Knots have been reported from Coyote > Slough north of Salt Pond A9 on 7/12/97 (Mark Miller), and from > Crittenden Marsh on 7/19/97 (Mike Mammoser) and 7/22/97 (Al Eisner). > Comments guys? (Note that we have very few July Knot records!). When I observed a Red Knot on July 22, I was certainly aware of the possibility of Curlew Sandpiper, although the bird looked too "dumpy" (last year's spring bird was rather sleek looking) and large. (I did see that bird in 1996.) So I did look closely at the bill, which was stout-based, and - while it did taper - did not taper to anything like a fine tip. I did notice more of a decurve than I expected, but it was primarily in the outer third, and not of an amount to leap out at one. So, in my opinion, Mike just really lucked out in finding the Curlew Sandpiper in the same area. Unfortunately, I've been out of town on vacation, and could not see it myself (I assume it's gone, although one can always hope). Since Mike Mammoser did see it and also had an earlier Red Knot sighting, it would be interesting to hear his opinion. (It's not 100% out of the question that I totally screwed up.) By the way, Mike Feighner's widely circulated statement that I - as well as Mike Rogers - saw a Curlew Sandpiper on July 23 was obviously incorrect; I was only there on July 22, and reported what I believe I saw. Cheers, 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 Jul 28 11:52:57 1997 Subject: Sunnyvale Sewage Plant Phalaropes All: I did a follow-up on Peter Metropolus's bird-report for 7-27-97 I birded the Sunnyvale Sewage Plant, which is 1.5 miles from where I work. Noon is the wrong time to bird here if you expect to find a rare bird sitting on a dike between ponds. Noon is jogger time at this place. The American Golden-Plover that Peter Metropulus found on the dike between the two main ponds was nowhere to be seen. However, 120 Phalaropes were still on the ponds, 90% Wilson's and 10% Red-neckeds. 4 American White Pelicans and 5 Canada Geese were present along with one Long-billed Dowitcher, and one male Brewer's Blackbird with a quarter-sized white blotch in the middle of its tail. I did not attempt a search for the Semi-palmated Sandpiper that Peter reported from the east side of the ponds. 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]] Mon Jul 28 19:12:26 1997 Subject: Re: Curlew Sandpiper chase/ daytime barn owl All: What has happened to habitat appreciation and the Birding Code Of Ethics? We never know for sure what creature we could trampl to death while thrashing through high vegetation. Doug Shaw Santa Rosa, CA [[email protected]] [[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 Jul 28 19:55:26 1997 Subject: Where is Bill Bousman? Birders: I just sent a message to Bill Bousman, but it bounced. Oviously, I don't have his most current e-mail address. Bill are you out there? 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]] Mon Jul 28 21:38:47 1997 Subject: some bird stuff Birders: I walked my dog at Princeton Harbour this morning, hoping to catch some frigatebird action, but to no avail. There is a huge number of ELEGANT TERNS there, perhaps as many as 500. I did not have a scope, but they are roosting on the rock breakwalls and it is a good place to try and spot a rare tern. The HEERMANN'S GULLS are thick as well. The bird of the day was a BUDGIE flying over my place, the third I have had over my yard! Yesterday I was treated to a juvenile HOODED ORIOLE begging from the female. For you cismontane folks this may not be all that exciting, but there are (as far as I know) no confirmed breeding sites in the Half Moon Bay area. I imagine that the birds I saw actually nested around here somewhere and are not birds from as far away as Pacifica, let's say. Last Saturday I saw some interesting birds at the WPCP sewage ponds, where I have access. There was one juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER in with the WESTERN SANDPIPERS. As well, there were good numbers of juvenile WESTERN SANDPIPERS on that day, but no juvenile LEAST SANDPIPERS. There have been good numbers of WILSON'S PHALAROPES there this month, probably on most days there are over 1000 in the ponds. Lesser numbers of RED-NECKED PHALAROPES are present, as they are at the CCRS waterbird ponds. The first juveniles were in on Saturday. Most of the peeps in the area are at the waterbird ponds, from what I have been able to gather. As well, most of the Dowitchers (600 plus sometimes) are in the waterbird pond, so that is the place to look for STILT SANDPIPERS, I would think. CALIFORNIA GULLS have pushed in, from my observations, with lots of juveniles around but a marked increase in adults as well. There are plenty of juvenile WESTERN GULLS on the coast now. For some reason, I have been noticing more SANDERLINGS than usual in Half Moon Bay, some still in very good summer plumage. I wonder if they had good winds and did not stage as long as usual in more northern areas? Finally, Friday was a nice day. I walked home from downtown Half Moon Bay, taking the beach route, and I was rewarded with several nice birds. In a flock of WILLETS and MARBLED GODWITS that flew by there was a single RED KNOT. The bay was crowded with birds, probably over 300 PACIFIC LOONS, 100+ mixed flock of WESTERN and CLARK'S GREBES, several RED-THROATED LOONS, and 4 COMMON LOONS. The water was thick with COMMON MURRES along with young ones begging loudly, a surprise was seeing a RHINOCEROS AUKLET fly by, going north. I noticed a good number of CALIFORIA SEA LIONS on an offshore bouy, as well as a few HARBOUR SEALS and a pair of HARBOUR PORPOISES also foraging in the area. The BROWN PELICANS were diving all over the place, and there were a couple of large flocks of BRANDT'S CORMORANTS. A few SOOTY SHEARWATERS were offshore, but not the usual big numbers I am used to. The beach itself held a total of 9 SNOWY PLOVERS, plus one downy young! Of the 9 SNOWY PLOVERS, one was colour banded and was part of the pair which has bred at Half Moon Bay for the last couple of years. All for now. 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 Jul 29 08:39:45 1997 Subject: SORA/LEYE All: I briefly saw an ad. SORA this morning, 7/28/97, on my morning commute, on the south side of Adobe Creek about 20 m above the Mountain View Forebay overflow pipe. It may represent a locally breeding bird or a local dispersant or it may be a very early fall arrival. Tom Grey's COMMON MOORHEN was still on its nest and one LESSER YELLOWLEGS was foraging nearby. In the forebay I counted three Lesser Yellowlegs. The conventional wisdom is that our first fall Soras and Virginia Rails arrive in bayside locations and nearby creeks in the first week in August but the departure in spring is much less clear. Roberson, based on his Monterey experience, suggests that early May birds are possibly migrants. Thus, the CW says that records from 5/20 to 7/31 represent possibly breeding birds and, considering how rare both of these rails are as breeding birds in the South Bay, summer records are of exceptional interest. In addition, records that augment our knowledge of arriving/migrating August birds or departing/migrating April and May birds are of great interest. Birds found wintering in unusual locations or high concentrations are also of great interest. 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]] Tue Jul 29 10:06:13 1997 Subject: LBHE/CUSA All, Yesterday afternoon 7/28/97 I headed out to Crittenden to try and help Bill Rowe and his group of 12 birders from St. Louis find the Curlew Sandpiper. The group had no luck finding the bird while checking out the Steven's Creek Mitigation area (the area west of Stevens Creek opposite Crittenden Marsh) before I arrived, so we started to work on Crittenden itself. Scoping off to the eastern side of the marsh I picked out an adult LITTLE BLUE HERON foraging with many SNOWY EGRETS. This species doesn't usually make it this far from Alviso. We then headed east along the dike at the northern edge of Crittenden, stopping where the dike bends to enjoy 20 or so LEAST TERNS and scope the southeast corner. Bill picked out an adult GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL loafing on the wooden catwalk in Salt Pond A2E - quite an early arrival. Careful scoping of the distant shorebirds in the southeast corner failed to reveal any surprises, so we returned to the mitigation area, which was now filling as the tide rose. After a few minutes, I picked out the CURLEW SANDPIPER about 2/3 of the way towards the north end of the mudflat. After putting the bird in several scopes (hard to describe location out there with all the mud and water!) I headed back to the payphone at the Shoreline entrance to call in the bird. As I returned to the mitigation area 15 minutes later a NORTHERN HARRIER flushed most of the shorebirds and the CUSA disappeared over the dike into Crittenden where I could not relocate it. Bill Rowe reported an ELEGANT TERN flying over Shoreline Park before I arrived - not sure if he knew that they are a lot rarer here than on the coast, but it's certainly the right time to be looking for them. Mike Rogers 7/28/97 ========================================================================== 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]] Tue Jul 29 10:54:04 1997 Subject: Re: CUSA All: Today, Tuesday, July 29, the Curlew Sandpiper was on the Mitigation pond mudflats across the creek from Crittenden Marsh from about 8:45 to 10:00 a.m. The bird was in beautiful light, and is a distinctly light-colored bird with reddish under sides, much larger than nearby least sandpipers, but smaller than Dowitchers. The bill clearly droops when seen in profile. It was feeding actively on an incoming tide when the mudflats were fully exposed. RCC ========================================================================== 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 Jul 29 12:44:28 1997 Subject: RFI: Lawrence's, Pac Slope An east coast visitor is coming to the area (South Bay on down to Monterey) over the weekend who would like to see Lawrence's Goldfinch and Pacific-slope Flycatcher. I would guess the former is pretty hard to find with any reliability this time of year. I'm guessing the latter is easier, but I don't know where the likeliest place would be to look. Advice welcomed on either or both. By the way, my hat turned up, thanks to SBB. -- 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 Jul 29 15:31:15 1997 Subject: Little Blue Heron This morning, Tuesday, the Little Blue Heron was on the far side of the Least Tern pond with the yellow boom. The Least Terns were both roosting on the boom and feeding over that pond and Crittenden Marsh. At the SWPCP , there were about 200 phalaropes - probably 10% Red-necked and the rest Wilson's. Two of the Wilson's still showed quite a bit of the breeding-plumage pattern. At the Forebay, a pair of Common Moorhens had 4 downy chicks - faces only a mother could love. At the mouth of Charleston Slough, where it enters the bay, 5 Whimbrels were feeding with the many Long-billed Curlews and Semipalmated Plovers. 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]] Tue Jul 29 16:29:52 1997 Subject: CCRS today. Birders: While conducting a point count survey today as CCRS, I heard a Red-breasted Nuthatch near one of my survey sites. I could not 'spish' while conducting the count so while listening, I could not bring it in. After the count was over, I could not spish up the bird, it has obviously moved on. An odd date, and place, for this species. Early in the morning 5 Black-bellied Plovers went over, 1 Long-billed Curlew, and 40+ Wilson's Phalaropes. I noticed that all of the 20+ Violet-green Swallows that I saw were in active wing moult. Note that most swallows moult while in the wintering grounds, I guess Violet-greens do not. 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 Jul 29 16:32:56 1997 Subject: CUSP The gimpy curlew sandpiper was still in the mitigation pond west of Crittenton Marsh this afternoon, 7-29-97. It was first discovered by an ecstatic Peggy Descoteaux just after 4 pm and observed by her husband Deke, Todd Newberry, George Bing and myself. Based on prior reports, we may have had the closest view yet, as the bird was no more than 25 yards off the end of the deck on the west side of the pond at the near end of some old pilings. About 4:40 it flew to the center of the pond where the light was too poor for good observation. Thanks to the South Bay Birding Elite for such good descriptions, making the task of us amateurs easier. 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 Jul 29 16:34:23 1997 ========================================================================== 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 Jul 30 05:38:10 1997 Subject: Sunnyvale WPCP Wood Duck Yesterday, while checking out the Phalaropes with my friend Carol at the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant. She alerted me to an usual looking duck among the Mallards. The duck was somewhat smaller overall, the head and neck appeared to be more slender than the Mallards. The bill was shorter and blended with the slope of the forehead at a much more shallow angle than the Mallards. Part of the bill also extended into the lores region, forming a point. The eye looked larger due to a partial white ring below the eye, combined with the supercilium. Overall color was similar to the Mallards, the chest being a more cream brown. The distinction in color that was the most pronounced was the white throat patch that extended to the sides of the neck with a hook of white behind the eye. The field guide suggests that this was either a juvenile or eclipsed adult male Wood Duck. The duck was located in the smaller evaporation pond north of the radar tower, in the northwest corner. We observed it for about five minutes before it took flight and headed off to the larger pond to the west. Bob Juhl ========================================================================== 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 Jul 30 06:07:01 1997 Subject: Tides for Curlew Sandpiper I might be able to get out to Crittenden Marsh either Thursday or Friday to see the Curlew Sandpiper. Anyone know the best times those days for optimum viewing tides? Susan Stout (birdwatcher posing as an administrator) [[email protected]], (415) 723-0197, fax 723-3044 Center for Materials Research, Rm 111 McCullough Building Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4045 0- ========================================================================== 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 Jul 30 09:56:05 1997 Subject: Curlew Sandpiper Hi Everyone-- This morning (7/30/97) around 8:50 I visited the Stevens Creek mitigation pond where people have been seeing the Curlew Sandpiper lately. I scoped the pond from the wooden bridge near the little grove of palm trees to the east of the Shoreline kite-flying area (nice sun angle here, but a 60x zoom came in handy), and found the bird feeding in the open at the north end among a large group of Westerns, at times walking over the edge of a stream channel out of view. This bird has only splotches of red color on the lower breast and sides (it's a brick red, not the orangey red of a knot or dowitcher), and on the right wing there are many white-edged (worn?) greater coverts, giving the impression of a white stripe where the primaries meet the coverts (this stripe is quite noticeable, even at great distance). In size it's noticeably chunkier than Western, but smaller than dowitchers, and the bill is thin-based, with a downward curve over its outer third, as opposed to the drooped tip of a Western or the stout bill of a knot. A Northern Harrier scattered all the sandpipers around 9:00, and the Curlew Sandpiper went elsewhere. The time to be here seems to be low or rising tide (tomorrow from 8 AM to around 10). Mark Miller [[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 Jul 30 10:03:04 1997 Subject: re:rbnu Jaramillo wrote > Birders: > > While conducting a point count survey today as CCRS, I heard a > Red-breasted Nuthatch near one of my survey sites. I could not 'spish' > while conducting the count so while listening, I could not bring it in. > After the count was over, I could not spish up the bird, it has obviously > moved on. An odd date, and place, for this species. Red-breasted Nuthatches often show up in the coastal willow patches in Humboldt County in August. This record may be part of the same phenomenon. -- John Sterling Wildlife Biologist Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center National Zoological Park Washington, DC 20008 202-673-4908 FAX 202-673-4916 [[email protected]] http://www.si.edu/smbc/smbchome.htm ========================================================================== 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 Jul 30 10:34:37 1997 Subject: Re: Tides for Curlew Sandpiper Susan and all other South-Bay-Birders: There are several good sites on the WWW that give us the tides. The closest spot to Crittenden that I can find is the Palo Alto Yacht Harbor. Here are the tides for that location for the next three days. Palo Alto Yacht Harbor, California Units are feet Low Tide: 1997-07-30 5:14 PM PDT 2.46 High Tide: 1997-07-30 10:32 PM PDT 8.82 Low Tide: 1997-07-31 5:58 AM PDT -0.43 High Tide: 1997-07-31 12:13 PM PDT 6.49 Low Tide: 1997-07-31 6:05 PM PDT 2.45 High Tide: 1997-07-31 11:21 PM PDT 8.78 Low Tide: 1997-08-01 6:44 AM PDT -0.53 High Tide: 1997-08-01 12:56 PM PDT 6.66 Low Tide: 1997-08-01 6:54 PM PDT 2.41 High Tide: 1997-08-02 12:07 AM PDT 8.70 Low Tide: 1997-08-02 7:28 AM PDT -0.54 High Tide: 1997-08-02 1:33 PM PDT 6.82 Low Tide: 1997-08-02 7:41 PM PDT 2.37 High Tide: 1997-08-03 12:51 AM PDT 8.58 Low Tide: 1997-08-03 8:11 AM PDT -0.43 High Tide: 1997-08-03 2:06 PM PDT 6.98 The URL for the site where I got the above information is: http://204.212.245.253/cgi-bin/tide-page-cgi Another good location is: http://nauplius.psc.sc.edu/tide/sites_uswest.html Try them both out and see which you like the best. Steve Rovell [[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 Jul 30 10:42:50 1997 Subject: Curlew Sandpiper Just in case no one else writes: Rita Colwell and I ( and some other birders ) saw the Curlew Sandpiper around 9 am today 7/30/97 in the location well described by Jack Cole yesterday. "in the mitigation pond west of Crittenton Marsh this afternoon...off the= end of the deck on the west side of the pond at the near end of some old pilings." The great crowd of Least Terns was present as well with some in flight an= d others resting on the yellow boom to the northeast of the main levee. 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]] Wed Jul 30 21:08:44 1997 Subject: more birds. Birders, Today while conducting some surveys, I located 2 to 3 juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS in the Alviso-Milpitas area in private property. A real surprise was locating one adult PECTORAL SANDPIPER, an early date. The SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS included a short billed bird and one that overlapped in bill length (not shape) with some of the nearby Western Sandpipers. The waterbird pond held approximately 800 DOWITCHERS, mostly LONG-BILLED; 200 WILSON'S PHALAROPES, 2 juvenile RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, but few WESTERN SANPIPERS as the tide was low when I visited. This morning in Half Moon Bay, there appeared to have been a push of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, and there were several flocks of SANDERLINGS, both species retaining summer plumage. No frigatebirds, unfortunately. A total of 7 SNOWY PLOVERS were around, I did not find the chick. One GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL was mixed in with the WESTERN, HEERMANN'S and CALIFORNIA GULLS. Wish me luck with the frigatebirds tomorrow. 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 Jul 31 08:07:13 1997 Subject: Vaux's Swift at Crittenden Marsh, but no specialities All: Hoping to come across the Pacific Golden-Plover that Mike Rogers reported to the Bird Box last night, I headed top the SE corner of Crittenden Marsh on the way to work this morning. No Golden-Plover was around. Also the Curlew Sandpiper seems to have disappeared. There birders were still there when I left who were still hoping to see it. One Vaux's Swift was among the swallow flock there this morning. Mike Feighner, [[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 Jul 31 08:32:55 1997 Subject: VASW All: I saw three VAUX'S SWIFTS over Mountain View Slough on my bike commute this morning, 7/31/97. I believe these are local birds dispersing after the nesting season. This appears to be a fairly typical pattern in late July and August for this species as well as some of the swallows that nest in the foothills but not along the bay. Bill P.S.: The COMMON MOORHEN remains on its nest in Adobe Creek opposite the forebay outlet pipe. I referred to this as Tom Grey's find in a previous message--an error on my part. The credit belongs to John Mariani. ========================================================================== 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 Jul 31 10:00:09 1997 Subject: PGPL All, Yesterday evening 7/30/97 I decided to try and refind the Pacific-Golden Plover that has been seen at Crittenden Marsh. When Steve saw the bird overhead in flight on 7/24/97 he noted white flanks surrounding the black belly, a mark that is diagnostic for Pacific Golden-Plovers in full alternate plumage. However, it is possible that American Golden-Plovers in molt may have some white in this area, so Steve left the bird as golden-plover sp. Dick Norton and Jim Abernathy reported a Pacific Golden-Plover from the southeast corner of Crittenden Marsh on 7/27/97 while searching unsuccessfully for the Curlew Sandpiper. Mike Feighner obtained a description from Dick that indicated that the identification was based on the white flanks Steve had noted, although by studying the foraging bird they determined that the bird "did not appear to be moulting at all yet", which if true would indeed indicate PGPL. However, Pacific and American Golden-Plovers are so similar that their ID should really never be based solely on a single fieldmark (except perhaps for very bright juvenile Pacifics, in which color alone is apparently diagnostic), so I decided to try and refind the plover and get additional details. Starting at about 7:30pm, I began scoping the southern edge of the eastern half of Crittenden Marsh from the northern edge of Moffett Field. Although finding 6+ LESSER YELLOWLEGS rather quickly, not much else of interest was about. Then, at 7:50pm, from my third and westernmost vantage point, I picked out the sleeping PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER among the many other plovers along the southern edge of the marsh (2 BLACK-BELLIED's and numerous SEPL and KILL). It was easy to overlook as it snoozed among the dead vegetation that was almost as tall as it was. Eventually I was able to study the bird from as close as 40 yards in my KOWA TSN-4 scope while it foraged along the southern edge of the marsh. I studied the bird until dark at 8:35pm. The bird was indeed in apparently complete alternate plumage, with brightly gold and white flecked upperparts and complete black face (from the eye down), breast, and belly. The black was quite solid and dark, with only four whitish feathers near the centerline of the mid-breast and a few small white flecks higher up on the neck. In addition, the area below the eye was also whitening somewhat, appearing to have thin pale streaks extending radially outward from the eye. This pattern is often seen in females, but the extent and completeness of black below would tend to suggest a male, so perhaps this pale area in the face was a result of wear or beginning molt. The bird's crown, hindneck and entire back where dark brown with extensive gold, yellow, and white flecking. On the back, most of these flecks were gold or yellow, while further down on the coverts most appeared to be white. An even white band ran from the bird's forecrown through the supercilium, down behind the auriculars onto the underparts in front of the shoulder, and along the flanks to the undertail coverts. A few black bars crossed this white area near the shoulder and there was some dingy gray feathering in this white band near the legs (at least on the left side of the bird). The portion in front of the eye had a buff cast to it. The remainder of the face and underparts were nearly entirely black as noted above. The undertail coverts and extreme lower belly were largely white with some black bars and flecks, rather than mostly black as in an alternate-plumaged AMGPL. The presence of the even white band along the flanks and the lack of a broadening white patch in front of the shoulder is diagnostic for Pacific Golden-Plover unless resulting from molt into basic plumage (and even in this case it is extremely unlikely that the molt would mimic the pattern of PGPL this exactly). The relative position of the feathers in the wingtip and their position relative to the tail is an important mark for distinguishing the golden-plovers in all plumages. The American Golden-Plover is long-winged, with the folded wings extending far past the tail tip. This long-winged appearance is further exaggerated by the shorter tertials of the AMGPL, which result in many (4 or more usually) black primary tips protruding past the tertials. On PGPL the tertials extend to or nearly to the tail tip and the wing is shorter, extending not as far past the tail. The number of exposed primary tips is less (2 to 3) and the primary projection is much less noticeable. The Crittenden bird was typical of PGPL, with the primaries, tertials, and tail all ending in a big jumble at the rear of the bird. The notched tertials extended to just about the tail tip and the black primaries extended about half a bill length past the tail tip, resulting in a relatively short primary projection. The bird's eye was dark, the bill was black, short, and tapered to a point at the tip, and the legs were grayish black. The bird was slightly larger than adjacent Killdeers. The PGPL flew on two occasions, revealing very uniform upperparts with just a hint of a narrow pale wing bar, resulting from pale tips to the greater coverts. The underwing and axillaries appeared even gray. The tips of the feet projected noticeably past the tail tip, similar to figure "82e" on page 101 Hayman, Marchant, and Prater's "Shorebirds" and to photo "G" on page 66 of Rosair and Cottridge's "Photographic Guide to the Shorebirds of the World"; this is typical of the longer-legged PGPL. The bird called once upon take-off. I transcribed the note as a mellow "keh-whew", perhaps the call that Paulson refers to as "chuwi"? 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]] Thu Jul 31 13:19:02 1997 Subject: Re: PGPL >Starting at about 7:30pm, I began scoping the southern edge of the >eastern half of Crittenden Marsh from the northern edge of Moffett >Field. How did you get to this point? I thought access to Crittenden Marsh was through the west end. At least I've always gone that way. _____________________________________________________________ Nick Lethaby Pronghorn Consulting [[email protected]] 1112 N. Abbott Avenue Tel: (408) 941 0223 Milpitas, CA 95035 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]]