From [[email protected]] Wed Oct 01 08:47:19 1997 Subject: Composite list OCTOBER 1 1997 SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST UPDATE Highlights from September include two second county records: Chimney Swift (first was 9/11/95, also in Alviso) and Black-throated Green Warbler (first was 10/20/94 to 10/30/94 in Los Gatos). Find those vagrants! 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: 276: 9/10/97 LEAST FLYCATCHER 277: 9/14/97 WANDERING TATTLER 278: 9/19/97 CHIMNEY SWIFT (2nd County record) 279: 9/23/97 OVENBIRD 280: 9/28/97 BREWER'S SPARROW 281: 9/28/97 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (2nd County record) Please send any additions, corrections, or comments to Mike Rogers, [[email protected]]. SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST - 1997 RWR AME WGB MMR MJM KLP MLF SCR CKS COMP SOURCE 376 259 259 228 249 243 182 281 % OF COMPOSITE FOR 1997 % OF 376 1988 TOTALS 136 1989 TOTALS 183 1990 TOTALS 199 1991 TOTALS 214 209 1992 TOTALS 216 234 234 215 278 1993 TOTALS 228 254 250 235 279 295 1994 TOTALS 204 240 245 271 265 194 291 303 1995 TOTALS 201 220 170 257 242 165 262 185 293 1996 TOTALS 203 219 258 253 218 251 195 295 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 7/13 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Brown Pelican 1/ 1 6/15 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Double-crested Cormorant 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Brandt's Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Magnificent Frigatebird American Bittern 3/13 3/ 8 3/19 3/13 4/ 3 1/10 NLe Least Bittern Great Blue Heron 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. Great Egret 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Snowy Egret 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Little Blue Heron 6/ 9 6/15 7/29 6/ 7 6/ 7 MLF,AME Cattle Egret 1/ 8 1/18 1/23 1/ 4 1/14 2/20 1/ 4 MLF Green Heron 1/ 8 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 3/23 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Black-crowned Night-Heron 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 m.ob. White-faced Ibis 9/ 5 9/ 5 9/ 5 9/ 5 9/ 4 AJa Fulvous Whistling-Duck Tundra Swan 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 9/24 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 9/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Ring-necked Pheasant 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/23 1/ 4 1/14 1/ 1 MMR Wild Turkey 3/ 5 3/ 9 4/ 5 7/20 3/ 9 1/26 LCh et al. California Quail 1/ 3 1/ 3 3/20 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR Mountain Quail 5/ 7 5/ 4 5/13 3/21 1/12 LAY Yellow Rail Black Rail 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 9 1/ 9 2/ 8 1/ 8 m.ob. Clapper Rail 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Virginia Rail 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/14 1/ 1 MMR Sora 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 7 1/ 6 1/10 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 7/30 8/ 4 7/27 DNo,JAb American Golden-Plover 7/27 PJM Golden-Plover sp 7/24 Snowy Plover 5/12 4/ 6 8/13 4/ 6 MJM Semipalmated Plover 1/14 4/12 1/ 2 7/21 1/ 1 7/21 1/ 1 SCR Killdeer 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 7 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Mountain Plover Black Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. American Avocet 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Greater Yellowlegs 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Lesser Yellowlegs 7/ 7 3/ 8 1/ 2 1/17 3/26 1/26 1/ 2 KLP Solitary Sandpiper 4/27 4/21 4/21 SCR Willet 1/ 8 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Wandering Tattler 9/14 PJM Spotted Sandpiper 4/23 3/ 9 5/ 8 5/13 1/10 1/ 3 AV Whimbrel 3/16 2/23 3/19 7/ 8 1/21 7/21 1/21 SCR Long-billed Curlew 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Hudsonian Godwit Bar-tailed Godwit Marbled Godwit 1/14 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/19 1/ 1 3/29 1/ 1 SCR Ruddy Turnstone 7/24 7/21 4/17 4/17 SCR Black Turnstone 8/17 8/17 MJM Red Knot 9/24 4/26 4/30 4/26 MJM Sanderling 1/14 8/17 1/ 7 1/17 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Semipalmated Sandpiper 5/12 7/ 6 8/13 7/ 8 7/ 6 5/12 MMR Western Sandpiper 1/13 1/19 1/ 2 1/17 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR Least Sandpiper 1/13 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR White-rumped Sandpiper 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 3 NLe Baird's Sandpiper 8/12 8/16 8/13 8/13 8/12 4/13 AJa Pectoral Sandpiper 9/ 2 8/29 9/ 2 8/31 9/ 2 7/30 AJa Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Dunlin 1/13 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Curlew Sandpiper 7/23 7/25 7/24 7/24 4/17 4/17 SCR Stilt Sandpiper 8/27 8/24 8/22 8/24 8/28 8/20 NLe Buff-breasted Sandpiper 9/ 2 9/ 6 9/ 1 9/ 1 AJa Ruff 9/ 4 9/ 4 6/29 6/29 SCR Short-billed Dowitcher 3/16 3/23 1/ 2 3/22 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Long-billed Dowitcher 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 2/ 9 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Common Snipe 1/ 8 3/ 2 3/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Wilson's Phalarope 6/25 6/15 7/29 6/17 5/10 9/ 4 4/22 AJa Red-necked Phalarope 4/ 1 7/ 4 7/29 7/28 4/20 9/ 4 4/ 1 MMR Red Phalarope 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 8/30 4/ 5 3/ 6 7/13 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 7/21 7/ 6 7/29 7/21 7/24 7/21 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 8/29 8/29 8/29 8/29 MLF Ancient Murrelet Cassin's Auklet Rock Dove 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Band-tailed Pigeon 1/ 3 1/ 3 3/ 3 3/ 8 2/13 5/11 1/ 3 MMR,MJM White-winged Dove Mourning Dove 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Greater Roadrunner 5/17 5/17 1/ 3 WGB Barn Owl 3/16 2/23 1/ 7 1/ 6 1/ 6 6/ 7 1/ 4 RWR,FVS Flammulated Owl Western Screech-Owl 2/15 1/19 3/21 7/20 1/19 MJM Great Horned Owl 2/15 1/19 1/ 7 2/23 1/ 3 WGB Northern Pygmy-Owl 2/15 1/19 3/ 8 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 Nighthawk sp. 7/18 Common Poorwill 5/ 7 4/27 3/21 3/21 MLF Black Swift 5/24 5/24 MJM Chimney Swift 9/19 9/19 SCR,SBT Vaux's Swift 4/17 4/27 4/ 8 5/10 6/23 7/16 4/ 8 KLP White-throated Swift 1/ 5 1/11 1/ 4 1/ 4 1/ 6 2/16 1/ 3 MtHamCBC Black-chinned Hummingbird 4/22 4/12 8/11 4/ 3 5/14 4/ 3 NLe Anna's Hummingbird 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Costa's Hummingbird 7/18 7/19 7/18 7/18 DCr Calliope Hummingbird 5/ 6 5/ 6 SCR Broad-tailed Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird 3/15 3/29 4/ 1 4/ 3 2/22 TGr Allen's Hummingbird 1/13 2/15 1/23 1/21 3/23 2/16 1/13 MMR Belted Kingfisher 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 2/13 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Lewis' Woodpecker 1/ 3 1/ 3 3/ 1 5/17 1/ 3 m.ob. Acorn Woodpecker 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1/ 5 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Red-naped Sapsucker Red-breasted Sapsucker 1/ 3 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 3/22 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Williamson's Sapsucker Nuttall's Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 m.ob. Downy Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 4 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Hairy Woodpecker 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 4 1/ 1 2/23 2/15 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Northern Flicker 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 m.ob. Pileated Woodpecker 5/31 m.ob. Olive-sided Flycatcher 5/ 6 5/ 3 5/ 6 5/ 4 5/ 8 4/20 4/17 JMa Western Wood-Pewee 4/17 4/19 5/ 6 5/ 4 4/20 4/20 4/16 JMa,AV Willow Flycatcher 8/30 9/ 1 9/ 1 8/31 5/27 5/18 LCh Least Flycatcher 9/10 CCRS Hammond's Flycatcher 4/12 4/25 4/12 MMR Dusky Flycatcher Gray Flycatcher 5/ 6 5/ 6 SCR Pacific-slope Flycatcher 3/29 2/17 4/ 2 3/ 5 3/23 3/30 2/17 MJM Black Phoebe 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Eastern Phoebe 3/ 2 3/ 2 3/ 5 3/ 3 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 9/29 7/ 6 4/?? LTe Cliff Swallow 3/ 6 3/ 8 3/19 2/28 3/ 2 3/22 2/28 MLF Barn Swallow 3/12 2/28 3/ 5 3/10 3/ 2 3/23 2/24 AJa Steller's Jay 1/ 3 1/19 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 m.ob. Western Scrub-Jay 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 m.ob. Clark's Nutcracker Black-billed Magpie Yellow-billed Magpie 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR American Crow 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Common Raven 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 SCR Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Oak Titmouse 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Bushtit 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Red-breasted Nuthatch 1/10 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 SCR,KLP White-breasted Nuthatch 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 SCR Pygmy Nuthatch 2/17 2/16 1/ 1 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 5/14 5/13 5/13 5/13 SCR Blue-headed Vireo Cassin's Vireo 3/16 4/ 6 5/13 5/ 4 4/12 1/ 6 KNe Plumbeous Vireo Hutton's Vireo 2/15 2/16 3/ 1 4/ 8 1/19 1/ 1 JMa Warbling Vireo 3/29 3/15 5/ 6 3/22 4/ 8 4/ 6 3/12 AME Red-eyed Vireo Tennessee Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler 2/12 1/25 5/ 6 3/ 8 1/ 1 4/ 6 1/ 1 SCR Nashville Warbler 4/24 4/ 5 5/ 4 5/12 4/ 5 MJM Virginia's Warbler Northern Parula Yellow Warbler 1/ 8 4/12 5/ 6 4/ 5 1/12 9/13 1/ 8 MMR Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Black-throated Gray Warbler 4/12 3/30 5/13 4/ 5 5/17 3/30 MJM Townsend's Warbler 1/ 5 1/19 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/10 1/11 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Hermit Warbler 3/15 4/25 1/ 4 3/15 2/ 7 1/ 3 1/ 3 CKS Black-throated Green Warbler 9/28 AJa Blackburnian Warbler Palm Warbler 1/ 5 1/11 1/ 4 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 3 MLF,CKS Blackpoll Warbler Black-and-White Warbler American Redstart 8/ 8 8/16 8/11 8/12 8/ 7 8/ 7 SCR Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Ovenbird 9/23 CCRS Northern Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler Connecticut Warbler MacGillivray's Warbler 5/11 5/11 5/11 MMR,MJM Common Yellowthroat 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Hooded Warbler 1/ 6 1/11 1/11 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Wilson's Warbler 3/16 3/23 8/11 3/29 4/ 3 4/ 6 3/16 MMR,TJo Yellow-breasted Chat 5/10 5/18 5/18 5/13 4/13 DLS Summer Tanager 1/16 3/ 2 1/14 2/23 1/24 1/14 KLP Scarlet Tanager Western Tanager 4/24 4/25 5/ 6 5/ 7 5/ 8 9/ 3 4/20 AV Rose-breasted Grosbeak Black-headed Grosbeak 4/ 3 4/ 5 4/17 3/21 4/ 3 9/ 5 1/ 8 RCO Blue Grosbeak 4/20 4/22 5/ 5 4/30 5/ 6 4/27 4/20 MMR Lazuli Bunting 4/13 4/13 5/ 5 4/30 4/20 4/27 1/19 MMi Indigo Bunting Dickcissel Green-tailed Towhee 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 9/28 9/28 MMR 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 9/ 1 9/ 1 MJM Red-winged Blackbird 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 m.ob. Tricolored Blackbird 1/ 2 2/22 1/ 2 1/28 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Western Meadowlark 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Yellow-headed Blackbird 4/13 4/13 5/ 7 5/ 4 4/11 4/11 SCR Brewer's Blackbird 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 MMR,SCR Great-tailed Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird 1/ 1 2/20 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 5/ 8 1/ 1 m.ob. Hooded Oriole 3/27 3/29 4/16 3/27 4/10 4/ 5 3/19 PLN Baltimore Oriole 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]] Wed Oct 01 11:21:50 1997 Subject: SC List and New Links on SBBU Mike Rogers has updated his Santa Clara County List as of October 1. 276: 9/10/97 LEAST FLYCATCHER 277: 9/14/97 WANDERING TATTLER 278: 9/19/97 CHIMNEY SWIFT (2nd County record) 279: 9/23/97 OVENBIRD 280: 9/28/97 BREWER'S SPARROW 281: 9/28/97 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (2nd County record) I have added a new link, thanks to Paul Armer, to a home page that has trip lists from around the world. http://www.xnet.com/~ugeiser/Birds/TripReports/ 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 Oct 02 08:54:54 1997 Subject: swallows All, This morning a quick check of the Palo Alto Baylands turned up 105+ VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS and 1 BARN SWALLOW. The nearby IT&T field wires had another 700+ VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS. Warbler numbers (besides YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS) were down, with only 5 YELLOW WARBLERS and 1-2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS at the fennel patch and the end of Embarcadero Way. Mike Rogers 10/2/97 ========================================================================== 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 Oct 03 08:10:10 1997 Subject: Black Skimmers, Brown Pelicans All: Very still on Charleston Slough before sunrise this morning, 3 Oct 97, and two BLACK SKIMMERS were quite close to the bike path foraging on the surface. Flying out towards their more typical location they joined six others who were also in flight. An ad. BROWN PELICAN was on A1 and an imm. was over A2W. Wednesday, 1 Oct 97, in a feeding frenzy on A2W I counted 21 ad. and sub-ad. and 10 imm. Brown Pelicans in a flock of 265 AM. WHITE PELICANS and approximately 2000 CALIFORNIA GULLS. Bill ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 03 08:13:56 1997 All, On Wednesday evening 10/1/97 Ann Verdi found a CHIMNEY SWIFT among a flock of 30+ VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, 6+ VAUX'S SWIFTS and a TREE SWALLOW. This bird was in the flock over the Coleman Road Ponds just west of Meridian, where she has had up to 150+ VAUX'S SWIFTS in mid-Sept. She was made aware of the CHIMNEY SWIFT by its habit of continually chasing VAUX'S SWIFTS and even a swallow. During these chases she noted that the CHSW was larger, darker, and longer-winged than the adjacent VASW, and that the bird's flight style consisted of slower, less stiff wing beats with more gliding than the VASW. Yesterday evening 10/2/97 I checked this flock from the corner of Meander and Coleman, hoping that the CHSW would still be around (it turns out Ann was also nearby checking the flock again). Yesterday the flock consisted of 50+ VAUX'S SWIFTS, 3+ VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, and a TREE SWALLOW. Despite getting excited about an occasional low-flying VAUX'S SWIFT that appeared a little larger from that short distance, I could not find a CHSW. There wero no aggresive interactions as Ann had observed the day before and all the calls I heard were the feeble twittering of the VAUX'S SWIFTS and not the louder calls of a CHSW. Still, the birds provided an enjoyable 45 minutes of viewing as they flew around overhead, sometimes too high to be visible with the naked eye, sometimes quite low. Presumably these birds are roosting somewhere in the neighborhood. It would be interesting to try and track them to the roost, perhaps from some slightly elevated vantage point. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 03 12:43:17 1997 Subject: Lockheed Burrowing Owls All: Over lunch I tried refinding Peter Metropolus's Stilt Sandpiper that he reported last night to the Northern California Bird Box around the Lockheed Ponds. There were plenty of Least and Western Sandpipers and Dowitchers but no Stilt Sandpiper at least at these ponds. There was some sort of explosion in the east at noon that caused a violent taking into flight of all the ducks over much of the Sunnyvale Sewage Ponds. What a sight! Good news is that I have found a pair of Burrowing Owls on Lockheed property. These ones have gotten smart. They have selected an old squirrel hole that is within a fenced-in area. There are no plans for construction or other such disturbance. The location is at the north-west corner of Building 156 near the corner of 1st Avenue and J Street. At the corner there is a stop sign, and there is gate nearby with the number 156-8. I too birded the Coleman Ponds mentioned in Mike Rogers' report late yesterday. However, I birded around the end of Bergamo Ct. which is on the old location of the Almaden Winery. The large number of Vaux's Swifts showed up at about 5:45 PM and disappeared at about 6 PM. Most of the time the swifts where high up and at some distance from my vantage point. The birds just showed up out of the blue. As Mike Rogers states, the roost area must be nearby. While waiting for something to appear from 5:00 to 5:45 PM one escaped white Budgerigar flew by in a flock of eight Red-winged Blackbirds. Good birding Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/3/97, 1:37 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 Oct 03 17:39:45 1997 Subject: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at CCRS All: This evening (10/3), I found a juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at the shorebird pond at CCRS (Coyote Creek Riparian Station) in Milpitas (Santa Clara County). There was also a juvenile female Ruff here (there are two in the area). This is a private area but you can gain access by joining CCRS. _____________________________________________________________ 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]] Sat Oct 04 07:44:45 1997 Subject: Mystery Duck at PA Baylands All, While at the PA Baylands Saturday morning (10/4/97) at 8 AM I noticed an odd-looking duck swimming with the Mallards. It seems likely to be a mutant or hybrid of sorts, but I thought I'd see if anyone else has seen it and has any ideas about it. It was the same shape as the Mallards, but about 10-15% smaller, with a black head and black/brown body with a hint of the normal Mallard wing coloration pattern done in shades of black/brown. It had an all white neck-front/breast to below the water line, somewhat mottled at the edges. It had a distinct but uneven white eyeline about one inch long starting just behind each eye, but on the right side only the line extended in front of the eye about 1/2 inch. It had a black bill with a slightly lighter 1/2 inch at the tip. The tail feathers didn't curl up like a male mallard and it looked as though the area beneath the tail was speckled tan and brown, but I didn't get a good look at it. It looked a lot like the accompanying Mallards in its swimming, preening, and diving techniques. Dick Strubbe - Quality Assurance Hernandez Engineering, Inc. NASA - Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA 94035 ========================================================================== 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 Oct 05 14:29:51 1997 Subject: Tropical Kingbird at Matadero Cr. 10/5/97 Birders - Inspired by Kenn Kaufman's Friday lecture and by my purchase of his book, "Kingbird Highway," I went to Matadero Creek this morning (Sunday), and at about 8:40 I in fact found a kingbird perched across the creek from the second pump station, about 250 meters from the frontage road. I got a good (if not long) look at the bill in profile, and the bill was strikingly long. I saw no markings in the brown tail, but the lighting and viewing angle were not great to see the tail, so I moved left to get a better view. I was able to study the tail only a few seconds more from the better angle, still seeing no terminal or marginal gray or white, before the bird flew north toward the Palo Alto dump. As it flew over, I could see the bright yellow underside, and again, no tail markings. It was last seen over the dump, still flying north. I spent some time trying to refind it at the baylands and sewage treatment plant, with no luck. Much as I would like to have had more time to study this bird, I think the very long bill and lack of tail markings eliminate Western and Cassin's Kingbirds. I guess I can't rule out Couch's Kingbird completely, but I think Tropical Kingbird is far more likely. - Dick Richard Stovel Department of Genetics Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305 email: [[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 Oct 05 19:24:21 1997 Subject: CCRS on Sunday I had a Vesper Sparrow in the grass by the pond. The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is still present in the general area. _____________________________________________________________ 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 Oct 05 20:03:49 1997 Subject: Sierra Road Summit Friday morning I birded the Sierra Rd Summit. I failed to find large numbers of Horned Larks (15-20) or pipits (4-5 flyovers), crushing my hopes for longspurs and Red-throated Pipit. I did find 5 Rock Wrens, 45 Lark Sparrows, and a Burrowing 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]] Sun Oct 05 20:30:08 1997 Subject: Re: CCRS on Sunday Today I checked Charleston Slough with my son, Jeff. There were marvelous concentrations of piscivores in the slough including the 12 Black Skimmers (one immature) at the 2nd bench. The put on a great show. On the way back somebody let their dogs run loose in the flood control basin which put up all the ducks and shorebirds. A roar of wings and we could feel the wind from the birds taking off out of Adobe Creek. I didn't know dogs were allowed off leach there. It caused quite a commotion. Then we went to the CCRS waterbird pond where we enjoyed the juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and juvenile female Ruff (Thanks Nick). I was unable to find the other Ruff or the Semipalmated Sandpipers and Jeff was getting hungry. A good day in the south bay. -- Joseph Morlan 380 Talbot Ave. #206 [[email protected]] Pacifica, CA 94044-2639 [[email protected]] 650-359-2068 1997 Fall Birding Classes: http://www.ccsf.cc.ca.us/Continuing_Education/index.html#orni ========================================================================== 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 Oct 05 21:31:40 1997 Subject: Vesper Sparrow at CCRS Birders: We banded a Vesper Sparrow in the new Revegetation area this morning at 7 am or so. It was released at the trailers after photographs were taken. It would be interesting to see if this is the same bird that Nick saw. The banded bird was an immature (Hatch Year) based on its incomplete skull ossification. This is the first Vesper Sparrow we have caught, unfortunately I can't check from here if Vesper Sparrow is new for the CCRS list. In addition, while conducting point counts later on in the morning I saw a Grasshopper Sparrow in the overflow channel. Not a bad day for sparrows. 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 Oct 06 06:20:49 1997 Subject: weekend In the company of several of our gang, I saw my life SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER at CCRS Saturday morning about 11. This bird was with several PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and it was instructive to be able to compare the much brighter chestnut color of the cap, and substantially more distinct supercilium on the ST. This because the Pecs had some chestnut, and a definite supercilium that you could call white if you saw it by itself. I'll be ever cautious on making an i.d. of ST without comparison. The bill length difference was also useful in the brief time the bird had its bill visible - most of the time it was tucked, asleep. Also saw a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER ided by Steve Rottenborn. This juvenile had a more sharp-pointed bill than is normal with semipals, according to Steve, and hence raised thoughts of a Red-necked Stint. I got a good view of one of the two juvenile RUFFS that were seen at the pond. Went to the Coleman Ave percolation ponds in the evening, but saw no swifts at all from the corner of Coleman and Meander between about 5;45 and 6:30. Drove around some and still didn't see any. Sunday walked out Charleston Slough (beautiful day) and saw six adult BLACK SKIMMERS at the usual spot opposite the bench. Heard reports of Sora seen in Adobe Creek but when I checked the spot saw only an immature Common Moorhen. -- 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]] Mon Oct 06 08:38:50 1997 Subject: Diablo Range birds Amy and I spent Sunday 10/6, at Henry Coe State Park, mostly in the Redfern and Selacci additions. Two birds were of interest as both are rare in the park. The first was a WINTER WREN seen in the Vasquez Creek drainage. The bird was in an area of permanent water in the mostly dry creekbed. This is the fourth park record we have for winter wren. Late in the afternoon, I noticed some fresh droppings on a ranch road northeast of Wilson Peak. Looking up into the overhead trees produced an adult SAW-WHET OWL. The bird was perched about twenty feet overhead and was quite cooperative, staying put the entire time we spent observing it. This bird is the first saw-whet we have recorded at Coe. James Yurchenco ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Oct 06 09:04:20 1997 Subject: CCRS All, As many have probably heard, there were some quality birds at CCRS for the annual meeting on Saturday 10/4/97. Highlights from the waterbird pond included a juvenile SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER among 37 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 2 juvenile female RUFFS, and 2 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS (these last two being reported by Steve Rottenborn and Scott Terrill). Birds near the trailers included 2 COOPER'S HAWKS, 1 adult GOLDEN EAGLE, a roosting GREAT HORNED OWL in the Mewaldt Oak, a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, 5 "WESTERN" FLYCATCHERS, 2 SAY'S PHOEBES, 1 unbanded ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, 15 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, 3 BARN SWALLOWS, 1 HOUSE WREN, 2 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, 8 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 13 YELLOW WARBLERS, 2 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, a banded MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER (Mike Mammoser and Mark Miller), 1 WILSON'S WARBLER, and a SPOTTED TOWHEE....there may have been others - this was all I heard about. On Sunday 10/5/97 I had an immature PEREGRINE FALCON over Shoreline and Montecito in Mountain View. 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 Oct 06 12:49:41 1997 Subject: CCRS pond, 10/6/97 All, This morning at the CCRS pond two other birder's and I saw the juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and the Ruff on the island with the poles on it. They were resting among Pectoral Sandpipers and out of the wind behind "pickleweed". Both birds were later lost from view shortly after a Peregrine Falcon attacked other birds in the pond. The other couple (driving a gold colored Mercedes), sorry I don't remember the name, said that they had seen a Rough-legged Hawk fly East over the CCRS road and their car as they were driving to the pond. I had previously seen a smallish, dark looking Buteo perched on the fence South-West of the pond, facing away from me, which did not have a red tail but which I did not see fly. Take care, Bob Reiling, 1:40 PM, 10/6/97 ========================================================================== 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 Oct 07 11:08:25 1997 Subject: FW: 12 Black Skimmers All: Forwarding the note below I tried sending yesterday afternoon to South-Bay-Birds that didn't seem to go anywhere. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/7/97, 12:02 PM ---------- From: Feighner, Mike Sent: Monday, October 6, 1997 2:51 PM To: 'South Bay Birders' Subject: 12 Black Skimmers All: After having viewed the two Ruffs and the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at the CCRS Saturday afternoon, I continued on to Charleston Slough where I tallied the total of Black Skimmers to be now 12. I had my camera along in my backpack, but did not remove the camera from the backpack to take any pictures since the skimmers were in my opinion not close enough to shore for a good shot. >From here I continued on to the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin where the only bird of significance was a Merlin that flew to the east toward Charleston Slough *************************************************************** Reminder ***** Alert ****** Warning While I was birding from 45 minutes to one hour at the PA Flood Control Basin, my car was broken into in the small parking lot there, and my Minolta X-700 camera and Vivitar 100-500 zoom lens were stolen. When I had arrived, mine was the only car; when I returned there were 4 other cars in the lot. My camera was hidden in my older backpack on the floor behind the driver's seat as often the case has been on birding trips. The thief was quite a clever guy. I didn't notice anything until my arrival back home in Livermore when I noticed the passenger door would not unlock and that the backpack was now empty. A police report has been filed with the Mountain View Police Department, and hopefully the loss will be nearly totally covered by my insurance. I was always under the impression that it was a good idea to conceal your values. My advice: take them with you! I understand that there have been other break-ins at the PA Baylands. Let's keep together and keep are eyes open and report any suspicious activity. This totally ruined my birding week-end. Fortunately, the film in the camera was not exposed. The camera and lens are replaceable; exposed film is not. Someday, maybe I can laugh about this week-end of all week-ends. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/6/97, 2:46 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 Oct 07 12:36:59 1997 Subject: CCRS this morning This morning I went on my first banding lesson at CCRS and struck lucky with two county birds - Common Poorwill and Hammond's Flycatcher. Poorwill is a great bird in the hand. There has been a large arrival of Herring Gulls on to the shorebird pond. _____________________________________________________________ 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 Oct 07 12:49:56 1997 Subject: Sabine's Gull All: Several others noted the good birds seen on Saturday (4 Oct.) at CCRS, but I wanted to comment on the SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS (one of which I picked out, the other being spotted by Scott Terrill). Both were juveniles, and unlike most of the juvenile Western Sandpipers, which showed at least some basic feathering, neither had any basic feathering on the upperparts yet. Both were rather dull on the upperparts. One had a very unusual bill in that it was obviously tapered all the way to the tip. The bills of most Semipalms are expanded slightly near the tip; this can often be difficult to see, but I didn't realize until I saw Saturday's unusual bird just how strange a Semipalm lacking this expansion would look. Try as we might, we couldn't turn this bird into a Red-necked or Little Stint, as other plumage and structural characters were all typical of Semipalmated Sandpiper. Monday (6 October), an adult THAYER'S GULL was in the ever-growing flock of gulls on the flats across the railroad tracks from the Alviso marina. Today (7 October), six CATTLE EGRETS were at Arzino Ranch. At about 4:15 p.m., I was checking the flock of gulls on the flats near the Alviso Marina from the intersection of Gold St. and Elizabeth St. when I saw (out of the corner of my eye) a strange gull fly into the small slough that runs through the marsh just north of this intersection. Several minutes of looking failed to turn up the bird, but just before I was about to give up a first-winter SABINE'S GULL swam around the bend in the slough. Over the next 30 minutes I watched it on and off as it foraged along the edge of the marsh. On several occasions it made short flights along the slough, and once it flew out over the flats to the north, but it always returned to the slough, where its only company consisted of egrets and Pied-billed Grebes. I got a few photos of the bird in flight, and I was able to show the bird to Penelope Delevoryas. The Sabine's Gull was a small gull, smaller and more slender than a Ring-billed Gull but slightly larger than a Bonaparte's. Its solid black bill was moderately short and very slender. The underparts were solid white from the chin to the undertail coverts; this white extended up onto the foreface and forehead, and on the lower face a white wedge wrapped up behind the dark auriculars. Most of the auriculars, the crown, and the hindneck were a dark sooty-brown, this dark feathering wrapping around the sides of the neck almost onto the foreneck and extending onto the sides of the breast as well. The feathers of the back and upperwings were overall a dark sooty color similar to that of the head and hindneck, being darker and less brownish (more gray) than on most of the first-winter Sabine's Gulls I see offshore but being similar to the first-winter individual that was present nearby at the Alviso salt ponds a few years ago. The back feathers and upperwing coverts had blackish subterminal marks and paler buff edging, but these markings did not contrast very strongly with the dark sooty- brownish interiors of these feathers. The primaries appeared black on the folded wing. When the bird flew, the strongly contrasting wing pattern was striking. The outer 5 or so primaries and their associated primary coverts were solid black, and the marginal and lesser secondary coverts and most of the inner median and greater secondary coverts were sooty-brown, these dark areas contrasting with pure white inner primaries, secondaries, and some inner primary coverts and outer secondary coverts. The overall effect was of a near white triangle on the otherwise dark wing. The shallowly forked tail had a narrow black subterminal band, but the rump, uppertail coverts, and most of the tail were pure white. The underwing was mostly white. Perhaps these winds were responsible for bringing this Sabine's Gull inland. If so, then the Alviso salt ponds, Sunnyvale Ponds, or Palo Alto duck pond could have something good! 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 Oct 07 13:47:37 1997 Subject: birds On Saturday, 4 Oct 97, I went to CCRS first thing in the morning, where I fo= und Mike Rogers with the SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER already staked out. He also poi= nted out a juvenile female RUFF that was in with the dowitchers. Later, I would = see two juvenile female RUFFS here, as well as the two SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS = that Steve and Scott found. As Mike indicated in his post, there were about 35 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS here. At the trailers, I joined Steve and Mike and Mark Miller, among others, on = walk along the creek. An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was on the wire across the over= flow channel right at the trailers. Among the migrants along the creek were a co= uple of BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS and a HOUSE WREN. Further south, Mark Mille= r and I continued birding alone, looking for sparrows in the overflow channel. Ne= ar the southernmost nets we had an immature male or female MACGILLIVRAY'S WARB= LER that was banded on the left leg. Assuming that this bird was one that was recently banded at the station, it would indicate that it had been hanging around for at least 4 days. = On Sunday, 5 Oct 97, I started out at the Guadalupe River, searching the overflow channel for sparrows. There were lots of LINCOLN'S SPARROWS about,= but no unusual migrants. At the lone eucalyptus just south of Montague I had 3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, a YELLOW WARBLER, a male BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBL= ER, a WARBLING VIREO, and a fem/imm SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRD that had a spot of irridescent orange on the throat. I went to the Sunnyvale Sewage Ponds, where I found the fennel patch to be = quite dead. The channel north of the old landfill had both SORAS and VIRGINIA RAI= LS calling. An immature PEREGRINE FALCON was on one of the power towers. = Crittenden Marsh was absolutely empty as I walked the bordering levees, so = I checked the overflow parking lot for Shoreline and found 7 HORNED LARKS. A = check of the grassy area just north of the parking lot produced a SAY'S PHOEBE. On Monday, 6 Oct 97, I took a walk along Coyote Creek, just south of Hellye= r, at lunch. I found a SAY'S PHOEBE working a grassy field and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER in the riparian. = On Tuesday, 7 Oct 97, a walk along the creek at lunch produced a small floc= k of LARK SPARROWS. 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 Oct 07 14:55:00 1997 Subject: Green Tailed Towhee I wish to report the presence, beginning Oct. 5, of a green tailed towhee in my backyard. The bird was also observed by fellow birders, one of whom was Mike Feigher, who observed it the afternoon of Oct. 7. I have kept a backyard birder's dairy for many years now and wish to share my excitement with others. The field marks were very clear--russet top of head, white throat and mustache, muted olive green coloring. My previous experience in seeing this bird was in Klamath Falls, OR on the Link River Trail. Barbara Harkleroad ========================================================================== 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 Oct 07 15:24:43 1997 Subject: Green-tailed Towhee All: As you may have already heard, Barbara Hackelroad reported to the Northern California Bird Box, and most recently to South-Bay-Birds, that a Green-tailed Towhee has been in her yard in the hills above the Alamden Valley since 10/5/97. This morning I called Barbara and made it out to her place by 2:00 PM. There were plenty of White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows, two Spotted Towhees, and one California Towhee, one Mourning Dove, and a couple of House Sparrows, and 2-3 Anna's Hummingbirds. The Green-tailed Towhee did not show up until 3:05 PM at which time I viewed the bird for 5 minutes before I had to return to work. The bird seemed to be aggressive toward the other birds feeding on the ground. The first striking featured was bird bird's rufous crown. Noticeable was the snow-white throat with black malar stripes, dark gray body with a greenish tinge to both the tail and the wings. Special takes to for Barbara and Glenn Hackelroad for their hospitality. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/7/97, 4:19 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 Oct 07 20:32:13 1997 Subject: more on CCRS today. Birders: Just a short note to let you know that the Juvenile Hammond's Flycatcher we banded today was carefully measured and photographed. It was a perfect Hammond's except that primary 6 was not emarginate, this is very odd. It is the latest Hammond's Flycatcher we have ever banded, out of 15 or so. The Poorwill was great in the hand, as Nick mentioned. it was a male, and perhaps an immature due to some considerations of moult and primary wear. All of the 6 or so Poorwills we have banded have been in late September or October. 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]] Tue Oct 07 23:37:52 1997 Subject: Re: Sabine's Gull All: Al Jaramillo has pointed out that young Sabine's Gulls don't undergo their postjuvenal molt until after they arrive on the wintering grounds, so the Alviso bird is still in juvenal plumage. My reference to it as a "first-winter" bird was incorrect. Steve Rottenborn ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Oct 08 07:52:50 1997 Subject: GTTO,SAGU All, Yesterday evening I enjoyed seeing Barbara Harkleroad's GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE in Almaden. Then, since I was in the area, I checked the swift/swallow flock at the Coleman Road Ponds. I followed the flock of 110+ VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS (could have been up to twice this many, as the birds foraged over a wide area) and 30 VAUX'S SWIFTS for about an hour until 6:45pm, but didn't find a roost site. Also had a single CEDAR WAXWING fly over in this area. This morning I checked on Steve's SABINE'S GULL, which was still in the slough at the north end of Gold Street in Alviso. The bird spends its time foraging right near the banks of the slough and can be very hard to find when hidden in the many inlets. It flew once to cross the channel, but otherwise was inconspicuous. A stream of 32 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS headed east while I was watching the gull. Mike Rogers 10/7/97 and 10/8/97 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Oct 08 09:18:42 1997 Subject: Palm Warbler at Emily Renzel Marsh This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------2264CF27D76165318DB210A2 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This morning I saw a Palm Warbler in the weedy field behind the pond at Emily Renzel Marsh in Palo Alto. Its tail wagging and yellow undertail coverts were dead giveaways. Rita Colwell --------------2264CF27D76165318DB210A2 Content-Type: text/x-vcard; charset=us-ascii; name="vcard.vcf" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Description: Card for Colwell, Rita and Rob Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="vcard.vcf" begin: vcard fn: Colwell, Rita and Rob n: Colwell;Rita and Rob adr: 281 Margarita Court;;;Los Altos;California;94022; email;internet: [[email protected]] tel;home: 650-949-1869 x-mozilla-cpt: ;0 x-mozilla-html: FALSE end: vcard --------------2264CF27D76165318DB210A2-- ========================================================================== 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 Oct 08 09:23:00 1997 Subject: Alviso Sabine's Gull All: The juvenile Sabine's Gull that Steve Rottenborn had discovered late yesterday and that Mike Rogers had reported about an hour ago was still present in the slough off the north end of Gold Street in Alviso some 8 minutes from where I work. When I first arrived, there were only 4 Gulls in the slough, and no Sabine's Gull. So, I headed up along the railroad tracks to the north for a while and then returned back toward the slough when out of the blue the juvenile Sabine's Gull flew in from the east over the pickleweed field with its very conspicuous wing pattern and landed in the slough. The gull associated with no other birds while is swam around the slough and at no time did it poke at the water's surface as I have experienced in the past with this specie. This small juvenile bird has a much dirty appearance on its crown, nape, and back. Also noticeable was the black tail tip. ...in all a very nice birthday present....the day is not over...what's next? How many Sabine's Gulls have shown up in Santa Clara County? I know of 4 so far including this one. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/8/97, 10:15 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 Oct 08 10:35:55 1997 Subject: Re: Sabine's Gull The young Sabine's Gull was in its reported location (the slough on the north side of Elizabeth St. in Alviso) as of 10:05 AM today, and over much of the next 25 minutes I followed it in my scope as it swam in the slough, generally hugging the edges and picking food off the vegetation. It finally moved out of sight up the channel, getting there by taking a short flight (the first while I was there) around a corner that obstructed further viewing. It was sometimes as close as 35 or 40 yards. I was a bit puzzled by the plumage while I was watching it, since the NGS guide (my only available reference) shows only juvenal and adult plumages, and states that the moult to first-winter doesn't occur until the birds have left. On returning to work, I found Steve's EMail note: > Al Jaramillo has pointed out that young Sabine's Gulls don't > undergo their postjuvenal molt until after they arrive on the > wintering grounds, so the Alviso bird is still in juvenal > plumage. My reference to it as a "first-winter" bird was > incorrect. However, while the bird appeared to largely correspond to the juvenal plumage illustrated, it did not entirely. A part of the mantle and perhaps a few scapulars and other feathers were paler gray, not the dark brown-gray of most of the upperparts and the rear part of the head. Also, the nape was generally paler. So, is the NGS illustration incorrect, or have I misinterpreted it, or is this bird in fact in moult? (My other references are home, so I can't check them yet.) 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 Oct 08 12:23:00 1997 Subject: Black & Elegant Terns at Alviso On my second attempt to see the Sabine's Gull this morning (I was successful and I agree it is in fact molting into first-winter plumage with obvious gray in the mantle), I noticed a large feeding frenzy of Forster's Terns in the distance over the second salt pond N. of the marina. Joined by Bob Reiling, I walked out to take a closer look. There were probably about 250 or more Forster's Terns and we were able to find single Elegant and Black Terns. Despite over an hour's looking, I could not find a Common Tern. _____________________________________________________________ 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 Oct 08 13:23:38 1997 Subject: Re: Green-tailed Towhee Where exacly is this bird and do we need to contact this lady to see it? _____________________________________________________________ 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 Oct 08 13:34:48 1997 Subject: SAGU Yesterday, after work, I went to Alviso and saw the juvenile SABINE'S GULL a= t the end of Gold Street. Like Al and Nick, I saw the first-winter plumage on= the mantle of this bird. Today, 8 Oct 97, I spent some time at lunch looking for the Green-tailed To= whee at the Harkleroad's. I didn't have any luck seeing it and I hope that it is= still in the area. On the way back to work I had a WHITE-THROATED SWIFT at = the hwy 101 crossover of Bernal. 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 Oct 09 08:09:06 1997 Subject: Shoreline Lake All, Hoping for storm-driven rarities I checked Shoreline Lake early this morning 10/9/97. Present were 4 SURF SCOTERS (1 male, 3 fem) and the male GREATER SCAUP with the injured right wing. The water level in nearby Charleston Slough is quite low (construction related presumably) and there are thousands of shorebirds feeding on the exposed mud, including 16+ DUNLIN and hundreds of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS. All 14 BLACK SKIMMERS were roosting in the slough as well. 17 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were foraging over the Forebay. Mike Rogers 10/9/97 ========================================================================== 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 Oct 09 08:59:09 1997 Subject: Sabine's Gull still around All: As of 9:28 this morning the Sabine's Gull (Say-bines or Sabbinns?) was still present in Alviso. It flew in from the north along the railroad track and then over the pickleweed field and landed in the slough there at the north end of Gold Street in Alviso. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/9/97, 9:53 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]] Thu Oct 09 11:57:22 1997 Subject: Bay Area Calendar Oct.11-17 Larry Tunstall has updated the Bay Area Calendar for October 11-17 for SBBU. Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Oct 09 13:52:06 1997 Subject: Rufous-crowned Sparrow at CCRS Al Jaramillo suggested I post this becuase it's seems to be an unusual record.The morning of October 8, I saw a Rufous-crowned Sparrow in the overflow channel E of Coyote Creek just N of 237. It was about 300 yards N of the new bridge they are building. _____________________________________________________________ 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 Oct 10 07:32:46 1997 Subject: Tropical Kingbird, Sabine's Gull All: Thursday at about 4:30 Maria and I looked for the Sabine's Gull at the end of Gold Street in Alviso. Calvin Lu, also there, found it. It flew over the tracks into the pond on the other side, and was easily viewed from the east side of the marina parking lot (looking south). It flew around, actively, and settled on the pond frequently. It stayed there for most of an hour. It seemed a little agitated. While there, Maria discovered a Tropical Kingbird, perching and flying immediately to the north, east, and south of the east side of the marina parking lot. Entirely yellow underparts, becoming a bit greenish on the upper chest. Brown tail, with no white on the sides or tip. Slight notch in tail. Big long bill. A bit greenish on the upper back, and fairly heavy white striping on the lower back/wing areas when perched. A Say's Phoebe was nearby. There were no terns on the second pond north. Yours, John Meyer ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 10 09:02:05 1997 Subject: Tropical Kingbird still at Alviso I refound the Tropical Kingbird at 9.55 am at the corner of Spreckles and Grand in Alviso. _____________________________________________________________ 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 Oct 10 10:14:52 1997 Subject: Rufous Morph Red-tailed Hawk? All, This morning at the entrance to Arastradero OSP I saw an adult RTHA (with a nice red tail) with a rufous chest and belly. No hint of a belly band. The bird looked much like the lower right illustration of the Western Red-tailed Hawk in Peterson's Hawks field guide except that the breast and belly were darker red and the tail was solid red (as is shown on the illustration of the Eastern RTHA. I did not see the undertail coverts. The bird did not have a dark lower belly as is shown for the rufous morph in Peterson's Western Birds field guide. From the back the bird looked like a typical adult. Comments? Bob Reiling, 11:06 AM, 10/10/97 ========================================================================== 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 Oct 10 10:50:14 1997 Subject: FW: Sabine's Gull and Tropical Kingbird. South-Bay-Birders: Passing on to South-Bay-Birds the following note for Calvin Lou. Mike Feighner ---------- From: Supervising Lab Tech Sent: Friday, October 10, 1997 9:37 AM To: [[email protected]] Subject: Sabine's Gull and Tropical Kingbird. Mike, Could you post this for me ? Thanks Yesterday (10-9-97) while birding with Carol (I believe) and John Meyers, we refound the Sabine's Gull. THe gull was in the pond just south of the Marina's parking lot near the railroad tracks. Carol found a Tropical KIngbird. This bird was first spotted at Gold St. We later saw the bird in the weeds along the beginning of the Alviso Sl. Trail. It later flew toward the Bayside Canning Co building (445 PM). Calvin Lou [[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 Oct 10 12:10:36 1997 Subject: Alviso Tropical Kingbird All: At noon today, I birded the Spreckles and Grand area in Alviso where I ran into Mark Miller and Chris Solander at Spreckles and State Streets. Mark and I headed back to Spreckles and Grand where Mark spotted the Tropical Kingbird perched on the TV-Antenna on the white house at the corner of Spreckles and Grand. The kingbird flew up to the nearby eucalyptus tree and returned to its perch on the antenna. After about 5 minutes it flew over to the fence along the south side of Grand Blvd. and then continued a very high flight to the eucalyptus trees near the end of Disk Drive. The kingbird's belly was yellow, and the bird had white chin, dark eye patches, slightly notched tail, no white outer tail feathers, and was calling while I was there...maybe Mark can better describe the call than I can... Also, there was some small black blotching on the breast, but that may have been wetness from the rain. Later, Rich Cimino of Pleasanton, and Chris Solander (who had just seen the Sabine's Gull at the end of Gold Street), and Mike Mammoser arrived at which time they continued there search in the trees near Disk Drive. Before I left there were at least 4 Cattle Egrets at the Arzino Ranch when it started raining again. 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]] Fri Oct 10 12:33:47 1997 Subject: TRKI,SAGU All, Thanks to Nick Lethaby's quick e-mail, Scott Terrill and I enjoyed (and photographed) the TROPICAL KINGBIRD from 10:45 to 11:10am near the junction of Spreckles and Grand in Alviso today 10/10/97. You can even see the red crown on this bird!, perhaps because it was a little bedraggled from the rain. This combine with worn tertials and greater coverts suggest an adult I believe. Great find Maria andf thanks for the timely e-mail Nick! Also here were 5 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 4 CATTLE EGRETS, and single VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW and YELLOW WARBLERS. The SABINE'S GULL was still just south of the Alviso Marina. Mike Rogers 10/10/97 ========================================================================== 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 Oct 10 14:31:53 1997 Subject: Alviso I made a (late) lunchtime visit to Alviso to look for the Tropical Kingbird, concentrating around the Arzino Ranch, based upon Nick's message this morning. No luck, however. (I did check Disk Drive briefly, but got rained out of that area.) One bird worth noting: an American Bittern in the stretch of Mallard Slough along the EEC entrance road. 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]] Fri Oct 10 15:41:28 1997 Subject: Tropical Kingbird info A friend of mine is coming down tonight from Point Reyes in the hopes of seeing the Tropical Kingbird and the Sharp-Tailed Sandpiper. The latest word on these birds would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advances, Vivek Tiwari [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Oct 11 19:11:54 1997 Subject: CCRS I saw a Macgillivray's Warbler this morning in the overflow well to the south of the station. Lots of zonos here too. _____________________________________________________________ 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 Oct 12 10:39:48 1997 Subject: Lesser Black-backed Gull at Alviso, Santa Clara County, California Lesser Black-backed Gull Alviso Marina, Santa Clara County, California October 12, 1997 Joe Morlan This morning, Mike Mammoser reported that he had found the Lesser Black-backed Gull returning to the roosting area just east of the parking lot for the Alviso Marina where it had been seen in past years and a more detailed message was left by Donna Heim. I decided to try for the bird in the afternoon, but when I arrived several birders were just getting ready to leave. The word was that the gull was not present. The juvenile Sabine's Gull was supposedly still around but had just flown off to the west. I decided to look for the Lesser Black-backed Gull anyway and then try the Coyote Creek Riparian Station and the Coyote Creek Lagoons (Fremont) where the bird had been seen in previous years. Jennifer Matkin and Bert McKee joined me. We scanned the flock of California Gulls roosting on the bare mudflat east of the railroad tracks without success, just as I had done several times before when the bird was present off and on during the last two winters. Then Mike Mammoser arrived and located the Lesser Black-backed Gull standing with a large group of California Gulls on the far backside of the flock where we had overlooked it. Soon we had scopes trained on the bird, but it quickly sat down and tucked its bill into its back feathers making it difficult to pick out. We spent the next two hours or so, looking at the bird hoping it might fly around or do something more interesting than just yawn. It stood and preened on one occasion, but spent most of its time sleeping and part of the time it was completely hidden from view as it slept behind a standing Herring Gull. Viewing was mostly through my KOWA-TSN4 and Jennifer's B&L Elite spotting scope. Although the bird was rather distant, I took some notes while watching the bird. The following description is based on those notes: An adult gull, intermediate in size between adjacent California and Herring gulls. The mantle was darker than the adult California Gulls and judged to be approximately the same as the mantle of nearby Western Gull of the northern race (L. o. occidentalis). This was in bright direct afternoon sunlight. The mantle color changed somewhat depending on the bird's angle to us. When it turned slightly, the mantle appeared slightly darker than the Western Gull. In some lights, a faint brownish tinge was barely visible on the greater coverts. We judged this to be caused by wear as this bird is definitely a full adult, having been in adult plumage when first found in October 1995 by Nick Lethaby. The bill was rather petite, smaller than adjacent California Gull or Herring Gull. The culmen curved down gently from the midpoint instead of arching abruptly near the tip as in the California Gulls. The lower mandible had no obvious projection at the gonys, but it did show an elliptical red gonydeal spot, much larger and more elongated than on other gulls. Otherwise the bill was yellow. The legs were also bright yellow. In bright sunlight, the legs were much brighter yellow than on any California Gull and when the bird was standing, the leg color was the feature that was most striking when trying to pick the bird out of the flock. The body was white, the head showing gray smudging on the face around the eye. This smudging was much less evident than the head markings on the California Gulls, and from a distance the bird looked comparatively white-headed. Because of distance it was hard to see the eye-color, but it seemed light-eyed compared to the California Gulls. The head was an interesting shape. The forehead and crown were relatively flat and then angled sharply downward at the nape, giving the head a very angular appearance. The bird showed very long primary projection which we judged to be an artifact of molt. I feel that the bird was in heavy primary molt, with the secondaries not visible on the folded wing. The primaries were mostly black with about five visible feathers showing only extremely narrow whitish tips which we judged to be worn summer feathers. One outer primary seemed to be growing in at an angle and sometimes drooped down under the rest of the primaries. That feather was black with conspicuous extensive white to the entire tip of the feather. I felt this was a new primary recently molted in. The primaries feathers extended past a clump of greater coverts which were brownish gray with whitish tips. These coverts were blowing around in the wind at times. Just beyond the coverts was another white tipped feather with a black base which I judged to be a newly grown secondary. When the bird preened, it could be seen that the primary feathers had extensive pale grayish-white tongues concealed on the inner webs which did not extend all the way to the tips of the feathers. These tongues were not visible on the folded wing when the bird was at rest. No mirrors were detected. We attributed this to wear or molt or both. The net effect was of a bird with much longer primary projection and lacking the conspicuous white tips of the freshly molted California Gull primaries. The long primary projection was probably an artifact of short or missing secondaries. Small white tertial spots were visible along the edge of the scapulars about half way down the back. The tail and the rest of the body were white. The tip of the tail seemed worn. DISCUSSION This is the second Lesser Black-backed Gull I have seen in California, the first being one wintering at Doheney State Beach on 25 January, 1995. There are now about nine accepted records of this species for California, all apparently of the British race (L. fuscus graellsii) which has a paler mantle than the other races. Post & Lewis (Birding 27:283-290, Birding 27:371-381) made a convincing case that the darker race L. f. intermedius also occurs occasionally in eastern North America. Binford (Western Birds 9:141-150, 1978) included a comprehensive summary of features distinguishing L. f. graellsii from every other known species and subspecies including a host of similar birds from eastern Asia. However, recent taxonomic instability has resulted in some authorities splitting the Siberian Gull (L. heuglini) from other similar gulls. Nominate L. h. heuglini is most similar to Lesser Black-backed Gull and in fact, is treated as a race of same on pg. 611 of volume 3 of "Handbook of Birds of the World (1996)." The plate opposite pg. 607 portrays heuglini as disconcertingly similar to L. f. graellsii. The Macmillan "Birder's Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds (1996)" by Harris Shirihai and Christie recognizes Siberian Gull as including nominate heuglini as well as taimyrensis and vegae. The latter is treated as a dark mantled race of the Herring Gull by the AOU. Of the three races of Siberian Gull, only nominate heuglini is likely to be confused with Lesser Black-backed Gull. The others have a much paler mantle and usually pinker legs and feet. Like Lesser Black-backed, Siberian Gull apparently has a late and protracted prebasic molt. The text in the above guide suggests that the main difference is larger size and heavier bill compared to Lesser Black-backed, but these characters may be sex dependent with females smaller than males. Shirihai further discusses identification of heuglini on pg 260 of "The Bird of Israel (1996)." He says that nominate heuglini is the largest in the complex, having "heavier build with distinctive larger and powerful bill with prominent gonydeal angle and proportionately longer legs..." However the photograph included on plate 54 does not look much bigger billed than a Lesser Black-backed and the mantle color is consistent with graellsii or intermedius. The photo of an adult in winter shows a dark band on the tip of the bill and reduced red on the mandible recalling California Gull. However, it is unclear of this is a consistent difference. In summary, I am convinced that our bird is a Lesser Black-backed because of its size (intermediate between California and Herring), relatively dark mantle color, extensive oblong red spot on the mandible, small bill size, and bright yellow legs. Nevertheless I would like to learn more about field distinction between L. h. heuglini and L. f. graellsii. I would like to thank Mike Mammoser for finding the bird for us and Bert McKee for needed note paper and pen. Bert also photographed the bird, although I doubt it will be identifiable from the distance. -- Joseph Morlan 380 Talbot Ave. #206 [[email protected]] Pacifica, CA 94044-2639 [[email protected]] 650-359-2068 1997 Fall Birding Classes: http://www.ccsf.cc.ca.us/Continuing_Education/index.html#orni ========================================================================== 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 Oct 13 08:10:00 1997 Subject: Golden Eagles epHi All, On Sat, Oct 11, a visit to Hawk Hill included one BROADWING, several MERLINS & PEREGRINES along with the other usuals. On the drive home an adult GOLDEN EAGLE was just south of the dish along I280 in Palo Alto. This morning, Oct 13, my wife KC had an immature GOLDEN EAGLE hunting jack rabbits in the fields at Garcia & Ampitheater Pkwy in Mt. View. It made a number of misses in one field before switching fields and finally making a kill. Regards, Nick Yatsko ========================================================================== 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 Oct 13 13:11:30 1997 Subject: Re: Shoreline Area Construction All: Anyone know the details of the Charleston Slough/Shoreline area construction? We have a uniquely rich variety of habitats there so why do anything? If someone is trying to reclaim the whole area for marsh grass and pickleweed,(which is the rumor I've heard) we could actually end up with fewer birds and potentially endanger the shorebirds which need the existing pond for high-tide faraging. So what's the plan and has anyone really thoght this through?? Dick Carlson ========================================================================== 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 Oct 13 13:45:07 1997 Subject: Alviso Lesser Black-backed Gull All, This morning I saw the LBBG on the other side of the railroad tracks East of the Alviso Marina parking lot. The bird was as described by Joe Morlan except that, to me, the bird appeared slightly smaller than the California Gulls near it. This may be an artifact of the darker mantle or that the bird is not appear as heavy as the CAGU. There were no Western gulls in the area for comparison of the Mantle. At 8:52 AM the bird flew straight for the Newby Island Dump. This bird will probably be, as in the past, best found in either the early morning or in the late afternoon. I briefly looked for but did not find the Sabine's Gull (where it was first found). At 11:00 AM an Osprey flew over the CCRS trailers. There were several Hermit Thrush and Ruby-crowned Kinglets in the Southern section of the CCRS net trail. I saw my first fall Fox Sparrow at the Southern end of the trail. Take care, Bob Reiling, 2:40 PM, 10/13/97 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Oct 13 13:45:41 1997 Subject: Alviso Lesser Black-backed Gull All, This morning I saw the LBBG on the other side of the railroad tracks East of the Alviso Marina parking lot. The bird was as described by Joe Morlan except that, to me, the bird appeared slightly smaller than the California Gulls near it. This may be an artifact of the darker mantle or that the bird is not appear as heavy as the CAGU. There were no Western gulls in the area for comparison of the Mantle. At 8:52 AM the bird flew straight for the Newby Island Dump. This bird will probably be, as in the past, best found in either the early morning or in the late afternoon. I briefly looked for but did not find the Sabine's Gull (where it was first found). At 11:00 AM an Osprey flew over the CCRS trailers. There were several Hermit Thrush and Ruby-crowned Kinglets in the Southern section of the CCRS net trail. I saw my first fall Fox Sparrow at the Southern end of the trail. Take care, Bob Reiling, 2:40 PM, 10/13/97 ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Oct 13 13:50:52 1997 Subject: SAGU Records All: Including the present immature bird there have been eight records of Sabine's Gull in Santa Clara County since the first was found by Grant Hoyt and Dick Stovel at the Palo Alto Duck Pond on 9/26/97. These records are evenly divided between adult and immature birds. The four adults have been recorded between 9/2 and 10/10, while the four immatures/juveniles have been found between 9/17 and 11/20. 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]] Mon Oct 13 13:55:48 1997 Subject: Santa Clara County Big Day All, Yesterday 10/12/97, Steve Rottenborn, Scott Terrill, and I did a Santa Clara County Big Day. Scott had promised to do this for the SFBBO and PRBO fundraisers - we missed their deadlines, but did raise some funds nonetheless! We met a 3:00am at the Park and Ride at Page Mill Road and I280 before heading up to Monte Bello for owling. After getting up top we decided there was enough time to check a little further up Page Mill Road at a spot where Steve had heard Saw-Whet Owls before. Here we had a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, 2 GREAT HORNED OWLS, and 2-4 WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS. Heading back to Monte Bello, we added 9 WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS and a CALIFORNIA TOWHEE on the way to "The Meadow", a spot that produced 2 NORTHERN PYGMY-OWLS, 3 GREAT HORNED OWLS, and 5 more WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS. Heading up towards Black Mountain added chaparral birds such as CALIFORNIA THRASHER and WRENTIT and a quick foray further down Stevens Creek added HUTTON'S VIREO, PURPLE FINCH, VARIED THRUSH, PYGMY NUTHATCH, WINTER WREN, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, BAND-TAILED PIGEON, and HAIRY WOODPECKER, Santa Cruz Mountain birds that we would not get elsewhere the rest of the day. At least 3 VIRGINIA RAILS were at the sag pond and a WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH at the pines by the road was the only one of the day. Remarkably, a CALIFORNIA QUAIL perched on a fence on the way down Page Mill Road was also our only one of the day. Misses at Monte Bello included Pine Siskin and Brown Creeper, birds that we failed to find yesterday. The next stop was the Guadalupe River near Montague Expressway. Scott and I changed to boots while Steve climbed the dike and heard a lingering BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. Scott and I missed the grosbeak, but climbed after Steve to spot his WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. Also here was a single PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER and many LINCOLN'S SPARROWS. We headed upstream along the river, stopping near the lone eucalyptus to search for migrants. No redstart any more, but we did add lingering WARBLING VIREO, WESTERN TANAGER, and 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS. Further up the creek we added 2 WILSON'S WARBLERS, 2 CEDAR WAXWINGS, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and a DOWNY WOODPECKER - all our only representatives of their species for the day. No sign of the usual RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, but we did get the first of 4 BELTED KINGFISHERS and the first of two MERLINS. A quick stop along Los Esteros Road failed to turn up Cattle Egrets, but added 10 LESSER YELLOWLEGS and 15 AMERICAN PIPITS. The EEC added a YELLOW WARBLER, a SORA, and several TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS. Still no Cattle Egrets at Arzino on the way to CCRS though. At CCRS the wind was blowing quite hard, but we added single BARN and TREE SWALLOWS among 5 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS (we had 2 VGSW earlier at Monte Bello OSP). Later Scott tallied 150 VGSW, 50 BASW, and 5 TRSW over the nearby sewage ponds. An accipiter, first called a Cooper's Hawk, was downgraded to "accipiter sp" after a lively discussion among the three of us - unfortunately we did not find another one of this species all day. Despite the wind at CCRS, we were able to scrounge up a few more WESTERN FLYCATCHERS, 4 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 2 YELLOW WARBLERS, 2 SPOTTED TOWHEES, a flyover 1st-year THAYER'S GULL, and a very small-billed grayish empid that had to be left as "empid sp" (the bill was very Hammond's-like in shape, but was quite extensively pale underneath and the underparts lacked the yellow tones expected on a fall Hammonds). The drive to the waterbird pond added the day's only RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, soaring over Milpitas. The waterbird pond itself added several new species, including the RUFF, which I finally managed to pick out of the sleeping dowitchers by its more strongly edged coverts. Only a single PECTORAL SANDPIPER was on the pond. The nearby sewage ponds held an immature GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE with an injured right wing (Al Jaramillo first found this bird last week) and 6 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. Passing back through Alviso there were still no Cattle Egrets visible at the Arzino Ranch, but just after 1:00pm we had the SABINE'S GULL at the end of Gold Street. Although the Marina gull flock was more distant from here than from the Marina, Steve opted to scope for the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, which he found in short order - a good thing too, because the bird could not be located from the Marina even though it stayed in the same spot and was still there when we left a half hour later! It pays to try a few different angles. Scoping Salt Pond A12 we added both PELICANS (30 BROWN) and both CLARK'S and WESTERN GREBES. A quick driveby at the Twin Creeks Baseball Fields added a BURROWING OWL and the Sunnyvale Ponds added the day's only LESSER SCAUP (three birds, none at Charleston Slough/Adobe Creek!), a single BONAPARTE'S GULL, a single MEW GULL, and the first EURASIAN WIGEON (a male completely out of eclipse) of the day. The yacht harbor had the day's only SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (1) and CANVASBACK (1 male). The duck pond across the street had an immature GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (again a very young bird with no white at the base of the bill yet). Out at the yacht harbor mouth we added a single WHIMBREL, but the dowitchers were silent. A quick trip to the observation platform added 2 CLAPPER RAILS and calling SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS. Through some magic Steve managed to locate 2 RED KNOTS among the thousands of shorebirds not far north of the platform in Santa Clara County within a few minutes of scoping. The Palo Alto Flood Control Basin held a COMMON SNIPE (the day's only one) and a male BLUE-WINGED TEAL. On to Shoreline Lake, we quickly located the 4 SURF SCOTERS, but the Greater Scaup could not be found during two passes by the lake. The Forebay added the day's only COMMON MOORHEN (the Sunnyvale birds having decided to hide all of a sudden). Charleston Slough produced 9 BLACK SKIMMERS and 3 largely eclipse plumaged male EURASIAN WIGEONS. Across the way in Adobe Creek we had at least 6 male and 2 female BLUE-WINGED TEAL. A last pass by the Arzino Ranch at 4:20pm added a GOLDEN EAGLE being harassed by a RED-TAILED HAWK on a tower and 5+ CATTLE EGRETS. A quick stop at Ed Levin Park produced the day's only LARK SPARROW but no Rufous-crowned Sparrows. YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES were around and the ranger station area held 3 RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS but none of their rarer cousins. Driving further up the road we had the day's only PEREGRINE FALCON overhead. Calaveras Reservoir added the expected RING-NECKED DUCKS, but no mergansers or Wood Ducks, birds we missed on the day. Another GOLDEN EAGLE and our first WESTREN BLUEBIRDS were also here. Marsh Road failed to produce any Wild Turkeys, but Sierra Road came through with 2 ROCK WRENS and about 12 HORNED LARKS. The sun was setting and we had little time left, so we opted for a quick check of the Penitencia Creek Ponds, which at 6:47pm produced the desired GREEN HERON and a bonus male MERLIN. The Alum Rock Park Ranger booted us out as we tried to pish up a Rufous-crowned Sparrow at the west end of the park. Tallying up our total we had 158 species for the day! Hoping for 160, we headed to Stanford and quickly added WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS twittering in Green library. An hour of searching failed, surprisingly, to produce a BARN OWL though, leaving our final total at 159 species when we split up at 8:45pm after driving only 145 miles all day (more species than miles)! This is clearly a new Fall Big Day record for Santa Clara County and not all that far behind the Spring record of 175! I believe it may also be a higher total than the other SFBBO teams reached in their respective counties - too bad we missed the deadline! A few days prior to this Big Day I worked out the itinerary and put together an "expected species" list of 147 species. This list was somewhat conservative but quite accurate in general. We missed the following 7 "expected species": Greater Scaup - where did that Shoreline Lake bird disappear to? Cooper's Hawk - may well have had this bird but couldn't be sure Barn Owl - Hard to believe that both Stanford and SFBBO came up empty Brown Creeper - Bad luck House Wren - a tough one, but has been fairly dependable at CCRS lately Rufous-crowned Sparrow - not enough time left at Ed Levin Park Pine Siskin - apparently not a good year (at least yet) To make up for these birds we had 19 "unexpected" goodies: Greater White-fronted Goose - 2 very early immatures Eurasian Wigeon - only 1 earlier report (Peter Metropulos) this fall Canvasback - 1 early arrival Red Knot - Rottenborn magic Ruff - luckily still present Red-necked Phalarope - late lingering birds Sabine's Gull - continuing stakeout Lesser Black-backed Gull - Thank you Mike Mammoser! Northern Saw-Whet Owl - can be a stinker (none at Monte Bello!) Tree Swallow - a few still lingering Pygmy Nuthatch - vocal at 2 places at Monte Bello Winter Wren - one still present at breeding areas at Monte Bello Varied Thrush - ~10 birds at Monte Bello - the first reported this fall Warbling Vireo - 1 late lingering bird Townsend's Warbler - several at Monte Bello Wilson's Warbler - 2 late lingering birds Western Tanager - 1 late lingering birds Black-headed Grosbeak - 1 late lingering bird White-throated Sparrow - always tough, especially this early Note the value of our Guadalupe River stop, with 5 "unexpected" species in just over an hour of birding!, four of these being lingering birds that we found nowhere else. A great day of birding! 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 Oct 13 16:22:48 1997 Subject: Mt. Hamilton CBC, Good News, and Bad News All: The Mt. Hamilton CBC will be held on Tuesday, December 30th this year. The good news is that this is the one chance we have each year to leave the public roads and tromp around privately-held ranch land in the Diablo Range. The other good new is that if you stay for the Countdown Dinner you are priviledged to chow down in the highest house in Santa Clara County. The bad new is that "tromp" really means tromp--most of the routes require six hours or more to complete and are not for the faint of heart or weak of leg (weak minds are okay). Plus, and this is the really bad news, the weather tends to be nasty on this count about half the time. Now, last year it must have broke 60 deg and I stripped down to my T-shirt, but there've been other times when I've watched the poor ducks trying to break through the ice and just give up. If your interested, the count compiler is Don Schmoldt, 510-215-1910. 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]] Mon Oct 13 16:50:52 1997 Subject: birds On Saturday, 11 Oct 97, I returned to Alviso (the scene of the crime), = where I had missed the Tropical Kingbird by 5 minutes the previous = day. I made a quick check of the intersection at Spreckles and Grand, = but was unable to find anything more unusual than a SAY'S PHOEBE. = There was 13 LESSER YELLOWLEGS in the pond just ne of the = intersection. I headed for the marina and checked out the juvenile = SABINE'S GULL with Bob and Barbara Brandiff. Bob mentioned that = the Lesser Black-backed Gull had returned to Doheny State Beach in = southern Cal, so I decided to look through the gull flock that was = gathered across the railroad tracks. I quickly picked out our own = returning LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in amongst the = CALIFORNIAS. Its darker-looking back made it stand out at this time = of day. = After watching this bird for a while I headed for Coyote Creek south = of hwy 237, passing the San Jose Sewage Plant on Zanker along the = way. Here I looked through a flock of at least 400 VIOLET-GREEN = SWALLOWS, hoping for that elusive Bank Swallow. At Coyote = Creek there is a new levee enclosing an overflow channel. This = channel has some good weedy habitat with sparrows, though I found = nothing unusual. So I stopped at CCRS, where a group of people had one of the juvenile = RUFFS under observation. There was also a dozen or more = PECTORAL SANDPIPERS in the pond, but no sign of the Sharp- tailed. After checking out the overflow channel at CCRS and the EEC = (with no noteworthy results), I returned to Alviso. I found 2 adult GOLDEN EAGLES on the Arzino Ranch along Los = Esteros Road. Back at the marina, Joe Morlan, Jennifer Matkin, and = Bert McKee were standing vigil over the gull flock. When I scanned = through the flock, I picked out the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL = walking through the throng. It was easy to locate because of its bright = yellow legs, but when it laid down it was much less conspicuous (the = dark mantle didn't seem to contrast with the other gulls as much as it = did in the morning). = On Sunday, 12 Oct 97, I started out at the Baylands, checking the = fennel patch and trees around the little house. I eventually moved to = the weedy area near the entrance gate, where I found a BREWER'S = SPARROW. A check of the Palo Alto WPCP produced a number of = YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, a few LINCOLN'S = SPARROWS, and a small group of VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS. At Matadero riparian I had 2 DARK-EYED JUNCOES feeding on the = gravel path along the creek. At the Charleston Slough area I found 7 BLUE-WINGED TEAL on = Adobe Creek (5 males and 2 females), a partial eclipse male = EURASIAN WIGEON in the flood control basin, and 14 BLACK = SKIMMERS on the slough. At least 3 of the skimmers had bands, but = one had an aluminum band on the right leg with, what looked like, one = of Charles Collins bands on the left leg. This band was pale yellowish = in color with the legend =2264U=22 printed on it, which was read vertically = = from bottom to top. A stop at the Alviso Marina produced the juvenile SABINE'S GULL. = The second pond north had 14 BROWN PELICANS. Mike Mammoser ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Oct 13 20:14:40 1997 Subject: Re: SAGU Records At 01:50 PM 10/13/97 -0800, [[email protected]] wrote: >All: > > Including the present immature bird there have been eight records of >Sabine's Gull in Santa Clara County since the first was found by Grant Hoyt >and Dick Stovel at the Palo Alto Duck Pond on 9/26/97. These records are >evenly divided between adult and immature birds. The four adults have been >recorded between 9/2 and 10/10, while the four immatures/juveniles have been >found between 9/17 and 11/20. If the first one was found on Sept 26 of this year, how is there a late date of 11/20 for the juvies? Is one of the dates a typo? Thanks for compiling the info -- its a banner year for Sabine's all over the west. Luke Cole San Francisco, CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Oct 14 11:37:01 1997 Subject: Odd Goose Dear South Bay Birders, I received a call today from Gloria Walker about an odd looking goose in the Palo Alto Duck Pond. The bird in question is a small goose, just larger than a 'duck pond' mallard, overall its a mocha-colored bird. The bird has a pink-orange bill with black lips, flesh-colored to yellow-orange legs. When the wings are folded the primaries show a dark bar at the top of the theigh. It has a 2-note cackling call when distressed. It sounds to me like either a immature "blue" SNOW GOOSE or a GREATER WHITE FRONTED GOOSE. Either way an interesting plumage that we thought some might be interested in. I am not going to have time to look at it today, if anyone sees it and has a definite identification I would be interested in passing such information on to Gloria. Thanks, Tom ******************************************** Tom Ryan San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 1290 Hope St. Alviso, CA 95002 (408) 946-6548 (408) 946-9279 fax [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Oct 14 17:06:24 1997 Subject: big migration + got away. All: However, this migration was not of the avian kind. Today there was a huge movement of Sympetrum corruptum (Variegated Meadowhawk) a small dragonfly, over Half Moon Bay. It began at sunrise and is still going on this afternoon. I counted numbers as high as 400 in 3.5 minutes over a patch 20m long and 5 m high. All of the dragonflies were heading east and the wind was from the NE. Millions of dragonflies took part in this movement, with lesser numbers of Monarchs, Buckeyes, Red Admirals and Green Darners (a dragonfly again). There were good numbers of a House Fly sized fly going east as well. This is the first time I have gotten evidence for large scale movements in a fly! I am interested in finding out how extensive this movement was. Did any of you see lots of dragonflies out today? Were these dragonflies all going in a specific direction? Perhaps you didn't notice, but there is a possible way to find out if you did encounter this movement and that is to check the grill of your car. Please let me know if your car grill (today) was full or had some dragonflies on it. The roadkill abundance was great today, I counted 89 dead Variegated Meadowhawks on a 30 m stretch of Hwy 1 . This sample will allow me to calculate the sex ratio of dragonflies. I have seen migrations of dragonflies before, and once of Sympetrum corruptum here in Half Moon Bay. However, I have never seen anything of this magnitude in North America. I took several counts, picked up some specimens and have weather data. Hopefully, you folks can help me find out how extensive the migration was. All of this will be summarized for the ARGIA (the publication of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas). And now the one that got away. While walking my dog this morning, at the HMB baseball diamonds, I had a flock of birds flying over with one making an odd call. The call sounded like a 'chu-leep' or 'tree-leep' and the birds looked like longspurs/HOrned larks, but I did not have a good view of them. What immediately popped into my head, having heard a bunch this summer, was Chestnut-collared Longspur. I am almost certain that is what this bird was, however I would like to be more certain to 'officially' report this bird. If I had more experience with Chestnut-collared Longspur calls I would feel more confident of the ID. Given the rarity of this species in San Mateo County, I will just have to let it go. Cheers Al. Alvaro Jaramillo Half Moon Bay, California [[email protected]] Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Oct 15 10:00:32 1997 Subject: SC Co. Big Day Mike, Steve and Scott - What a spectacular Big Day you had! You could sell tickets to days like that and people like me would buy them. And yes, you would have easily won, your 159 species (249 total for 63.86%) beating out the Sequoia Audubon's team 158 species (57.25% of the list) in San Mateo Co. Maybe Leica will be as generous next year and donate another scope for top prize, and you can go for it again. Meanwhile, I am keeping your account as a guide to fall birding excellence in Santa Clara County. Thanks for your effort and glad you had a great time. Best, Janet Hanson SFBBO ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Oct 15 10:14:51 1997 Subject: Embarcadero areas I paid some brief visits this morning both to the Water Quality Plant area (Embarcadero Way, Palo Alto) and the Baylands. I think that the number of Yellow-Rumped Warblers at the former location now qualifies as "a horde". Myrtle as well as Audubon's are present. I managed to pick out one Black- Throated Gray in the flock; a few days ago I found one Townsend's. I think it would be easy to miss an interesting bird here if it is silent.... At the Baylands, the young Greater White-Fronted Goose was actually on the road, with its big friends. I saw one each of Yellow and Orange-Crowned War- blers in the fennel patch, Yellow-Rumps and Common Yellowthroats in the area, but nothing more unusual. Al Eisner Oct. 15, 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 Oct 15 13:32:34 1997 Subject: banded BLSKs Dear South Bay Birders, I received a message today from Mike Taylor at CSU Long Beach, he is studying Black Skimmers at Bolsa Chica and Newport Back Bay. He informs me that the bird with the band: yellow 64U seen by Mike Rodgers was banded at the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve on 8/31/96. Since then it has been seen on 3 occasions: 1- San juan Creek in Dana Point on Oct. 18, 1996 2- Santa Barbara on January 3, 1997 3- Upper Newport Bay on February 9, 1997 He wanted me to thank all of you for sending in these reports. This is the fourth Black Skimmer band reported locally this year. One was a bird banded by SFBBO locally, the other three were birds banded in southern California. These reports provide us with valuable information about not only the movements of these birds, but also survivorship of the birds produced at the southern California colonies. Any resightings of this bird or reports of other banded Black Skimmers, Caspian Terns, Forster's Terns or Elegant Terns are greatly appreciated. Only the Black Skimmers have the large plastic bands, all other species have USFWS aluminum bands. The large plastic bands have 1-2 numbers and a letter on them and different colors for different sites and years. Even if you can only determine the color this is still helpful. Thanks again! Cheers, Tom ******************************************** Tom Ryan San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 1290 Hope St. Alviso, CA 95002 (408) 946-6548 (408) 946-9279 fax [[email protected]] "While in my own estimation my chief profession is ignorance, yet I sign my passport applications and my jury evasions as Ornithologist." - William Beebe ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Oct 15 23:02:38 1997 Subject: banded BLSKs Dear South Bay Birders, I received a message today from Mike Taylor at CSU Long Beach, he is studying Black Skimmers at Bolsa Chica and Newport Back Bay. He informs me that the bird with the band: yellow 64U seen by Mike Rodgers was banded at the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve on 8/31/96. Since then it has been seen on 3 occasions: 1- San juan Creek in Dana Point on Oct. 18, 1996 2- Santa Barbara on January 3, 1997 3- Upper Newport Bay on February 9, 1997 He wanted me to thank all of you for sending in these reports. This is the fourth Black Skimmer band reported locally this year. One was a bird banded by SFBBO locally, the other three were birds banded in southern California. These reports provide us with valuable information about not only the movements of these birds, but also survivorship of the birds produced at the southern California colonies. Any resightings of this bird or reports of other banded Black Skimmers, Caspian Terns, Forster's Terns or Elegant Terns are greatly appreciated. Only the Black Skimmers have the large plastic bands, all other species have USFWS aluminum bands. The large plastic bands have 1-2 numbers and a letter on them and different colors for different sites and years. Even if you can only determine the color this is still helpful. Thanks again! Cheers, Tom ******************************************** Tom Ryan San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 1290 Hope St. Alviso, CA 95002 (408) 946-6548 (408) 946-9279 fax [[email protected]] "While in my own estimation my chief profession is ignorance, yet I sign my passport applications and my jury evasions as Ornithologist." - William Beebe ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Oct 16 10:46:05 1997 Subject: Correction to banded BLSK South Bay Birders, I accedentally gave credit for the sighting of the BLSK to Mike Rodgers when it was Mike Mammoser who reported it. I apologize to both. Tom ******************************************** Tom Ryan San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 1290 Hope St. Alviso, CA 95002 (408) 946-6548 (408) 946-9279 fax [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Oct 16 14:31:17 1997 Subject: Ecuador presentation at McClellan Park All, Mrs. Mercedes Rivadeneira of the Ecuadorian bird touring company NEBLINA FOREST is passing through our area and will give a slide presentation on the birds found in the many habitats of that country at our Chapter office: 7PM FRIDAY OCTOBER 17. BIRDING OPPORTUNITIES IN ECUADOR at 22221 MCCLELLAN RD, in Cupertino. Seating is free of charge, but is VERY limited at about 25, so come early for best seating! This is a more or less impromptu event seeing as Mrs. Rivadeneira has added us to her crowded itinerary on short notice. Only recipients of this list and very recent participants in SCVAS chapter activities have been notified. Hope to see you there! --Garth Harwood, SCVAS Chapter Manager ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 17 15:01:08 1997 Subject: Possible Orchard Oriole All, A caller to this office today requested that I pass along the possibility that an Orchard Oriole has been hanging around her neighborhood at Sutter & Harold Sts. in Santa Clara ("off Pruneridge and Saratoga"). Her name is Linda Michaels and she does not mind if people want to call for further information (within reason, no very early or late calls please). The number there is 408-247-7595. Although she is not a very experienced birder, she has seen the bird on several occasions, always at dusk (on her return from work, so it is not known if it is present at other times). It spends time on the utility lines within 20 feet of her window so she has studied it closely, and she feels reasonably confident in her identification. Anyone got time to check it out? The report of Green-tailed Towhee first came in over the phone this way last week, so maybe we're lucky again! --Garth Harwood, SCVAS Chapter Manager ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 17 20:51:05 1997 Subject: Chat at CCRS Birders: We banded a hatch year female Yellow-breasted Chat today at CCRS. It was caught in the nets nearest the trailers and released by the banding trailer. I was called out to see the bird, which was photographed, and noticed that it was extensively green on the upperparts. This suggested that it may belong to the eastern subspecies rather than the local one. Fortunately we did take some additional measurements which may clinch the ID. It appears (according to Dunn and Garrett) that the eastern birds have a longer wing length than tail lenght while the western birds (formerly called the Long-tailed Chat) have a longer tail than wing. Our bird had a wing of 80 and tail of 75, this suggests or maybe confirms that the CCRS bird was an eastern subspecies (virens) individual. It is also the latest one we have ever caught. 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 Oct 18 11:21:46 1997 Subject: RE: Possible Orchard Oriole The bird in question is actually an adult male Baltamore Oriole seen by Mike Mammoser late yesterday afternoon (acording to Bird Box Report). I spent a good time around there this morning and didn't see anything...guess I should try for it again. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/18/97 12:15 PM ---------- From: Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society Sent: Friday, October 17, 1997 4:01 PM To: [[email protected]] Subject: Possible Orchard Oriole All, A caller to this office today requested that I pass along the possibility that an Orchard Oriole has been hanging around her neighborhood at Sutter & Harold Sts. in Santa Clara ("off Pruneridge and Saratoga"). Her name is Linda Michaels and she does not mind if people want to call for further information (within reason, no very early or late calls please). The number there is 408-247-7595. Although she is not a very experienced birder, she has seen the bird on several occasions, always at dusk (on her return from work, so it is not known if it is present at other times). It spends time on the utility lines within 20 feet of her window so she has studied it closely, and she feels reasonably confident in her identification. Anyone got time to check it out? The report of Green-tailed Towhee first came in over the phone this way last week, so maybe we're lucky again! --Garth Harwood, SCVAS Chapter Manager ======================================================================== == This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] ========================================================================== 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 Oct 18 21:39:12 1997 Subject: Bay Birding Calendar Oct.18-24 Larry Tunstall has updated the Bay Area Calendar for October 18-24 for SBBU. Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Oct 19 23:05:13 1997 Subject: CCRS The sharp-tailed sandpiper, along with at least five pectoral sandpipers, was still present at the CCRS pond on Saturday, October 18. We did not see any ruffs. David B. Lewis, M.D. Division of Immunology and Transplantation Biology, Room H-307 Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford, CA 94305-5208 Tel: (650) 498-4189 FAX: (650) 498-6077 ========================================================================== 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 Oct 20 06:10:07 1997 Subject: FW: Pileated Woodpecker in Santa Clara Co. South-Bay-Birders: Passing on this note from Steve Glover ([[email protected]]) regarding a Pileated Woodpecker at Monte Bello OSP on 10/18/97. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/20/97, 7:03 AM ---------- From: [[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, October 18, 1997 7:40 PM To: [[email protected]] Subject: Re: Pileated Woodpecker in Santa Clara Co. Mike, I haven't hooked up with the south bay site yet so please pass this message along when you have time. This afternoon my girlfriend and I had a male Pileated Woodpecker at Montebello Open Space in the canyon at the bottom of the Steven's Creek Nature Trail. It was both seen and heard calling maniacally. Otherwise the birding was fairly slow although I did add 5 county birds. Thanks mucho. Steve Glover ========================================================================== 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 Oct 20 09:21:02 1997 Subject: Central Valley Birding Symposium Attention Birders: A group of birders have formed a new bird club called the Central Valley Bird Club. This club, along with the San Joaquin Audubon Society, are hosting the first annual Central Valley Birding Symposium. The dates are Dec. 4-7, 1997, and it’s being held in Stockton. The event should be very educational and lots of fun. Included among the many speakers are Kenn Kaufman (sparrow ID and evening program), Kimball Garrett (warbler ID), Ed Harper (shorebird ID and evening program), Edward Rooks (field sketching), Jack Wilburn (photo workshop), and many more. There will be daily fieldtrips to observe swans, geese, ducks, cranes, raptors, Mountain Plovers, rarities, etc. Other highlights include a birder’s market, book signing session, and great meals. Registration is $75.00 and we are limited to 300 participants. For more info and a brochure, call Cindy at the Convention Bureau (800) 350-1987, or email Kasey at [[email protected]]. Please visit our website: http://www.ns.net/~BruWebb/Birdfest.html The Central Valley Bird Club also has a web site: http://www.ns.net/~BruWebb/cvbc.html Hope you’ll join us. David Yee http://www.tattler.ainet.com new email address: [[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 Oct 20 10:26:38 1997 Subject: Tule Lake Field Trip Dear South Bay Birders, The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory is sponsoring a Field Trip to Tule Lake/Klamath NWR this November. To register contact our office by e-mail at my address or [[email protected]] or at the mailing address listed below. These trips are fundraisers for the SFBBO's research and volunteer programs and we do request a $35 donation for members and a $50 donation for non-members. Klamath NWR & Tule Lake: November 7-9, 1997 Leaders: Tom Ryan and Gjon Hazard Come help us explore the interior of California's far north. Waterfowl and raptors may distract us from the rugged beauty of this area of wetlands and farmland on the edge of the Great Basin -- but we dont expect too many complaints... We will meet Saturday morning in the shadow of Mount Shasta in the small town of Weed. From there we will caravan to Butte Valley looking for birds of prey and anything else that way may find along the way. We will spend the afternoon at Lower Klamath NWR looking for waterfowl and lingering shorebirds. Sunday we will search Tule Lake and surrounding environs for more waterfowl and other birds, including the Bald Eagles that winter there and the thousands of Snow Geese which can be found here at this time of year. Tule Lake, though not that distant from Lower Klamath, frequently hosts a different assortment of birds. For more information and registration materials please contact SFBBO at (408) 946 6548 or [[email protected]]. Thank you & Good Birding, Tom ******************************************** Tom Ryan San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory P.O. Box 247 1290 Hope St. Alviso, CA 95002 (408) 946-6548 (408) 946-9279 fax [[email protected]] "While in my own estimation my chief profession is ignorance, yet I sign my passport applications and my jury evasions as Ornithologist." - William Beebe ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Oct 20 11:30:52 1997 Subject: Red Phalarope at Emily Renzel This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------4D917D62AF4CDD7D72109ABC Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This morning Rosalie Lefkowitz and I saw a Red Phalarope in the pond at Emily Renzel Marsh in Palo Alto. The bird was a chunky phalarope that had a thicker, stouter bill than a Red-necked Phalarope. The forehead and top of head was white; dark feathering came up the back of the neck to the hindneck then split into two dark lines that went over and to the front of the eye. It had a black smudge through the eye. Its back was solid grey in color but showed two small dark patches in the scapular area. We saw no white/buff scapular lines on the back. Rosalie asked me to relate that she and Phyllis Browning had about 30 Violet-green Swallows yesterday morning during their monthly census at Emily Renzel. Rita Colwell --------------4D917D62AF4CDD7D72109ABC Content-Type: text/x-vcard; charset=us-ascii; name="vcard.vcf" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Description: Card for Colwell, Rita and Rob Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="vcard.vcf" begin: vcard fn: Colwell, Rita and Rob n: Colwell;Rita and Rob adr: 281 Margarita Court;;;Los Altos;California;94022; email;internet: [[email protected]] tel;home: 650-949-1869 x-mozilla-cpt: ;0 x-mozilla-html: FALSE end: vcard --------------4D917D62AF4CDD7D72109ABC-- ========================================================================== 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 Oct 20 12:44:59 1997 Subject: Elwell is here again The peregrine falcon who spends her time perched on the PG&E tower off of Elwell Court in Palo Alto has been seen regularly for the last week or so in the morning. Amy reported seeing the bird again today. This is the third (?) year for this bird at this location. James Yurchenco ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Oct 20 12:57:49 1997 Subject: Re: Elwell is here again Jim Yurchenco wrote: > > The peregrine falcon who spends her time perched on the PG&E tower off of > Elwell Court in Palo Alto has been seen regularly for the last week or > so in the morning. Amy reported seeing the bird again today. This is > the third (?) year for this bird at this location. > > James Yurchenco > > ========================================================================== > This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list > server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the > message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] jim: That bird or another Peregrine was at the same location from 1988-1990, when my company was there. I saw the bird all Winter both years. I almost fell out of my chair the first time. Dick Carlson ========================================================================== 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 Oct 20 14:27:46 1997 Subject: Heermann's Gull at Alviso At 11.30 today I saw an immature Heermann's Gull in a feeding flock of Forster's Terns on the second salt pond N. of Alviso marina. I assume this is the same as Steve Rottenborn's bird. I only saw it in flight. I would have normally called it a first-year, although I've never looked at Heermann's Gulls in detail. It did seem to show a narrow white trailing edge to the secondaries and inner primaries, which may make it a second-year. Unfortunately, I didn't check the tail tip. I saw no good terns, but there were 30+ Bonaparte's Gulls. _____________________________________________________________ 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 Oct 21 08:26:25 1997 Subject: BALTIMORE ORIOLE still in Santa Clara All: After searching over four days and some 10 plus hours of searching I finally saw the adult male BALTIMORE ORIOLE in Santa Clara this morning at around 8:15 AM thanks to Mike Rogers and his wife who spotted the bird first in telephone wires while I was searching around the side street. The bird was in the same location where Steve Rottenborn had seen the bird on Saturday morning: in the elm tree behind 221 Harold Avenue which is reached by taking Pruneridge east from Saratoga. Harold Avenue is the first street on the right, and 221 Harold Avenue is on the left. Good Birding Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/21/97, 9:20 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]] Tue Oct 21 09:27:00 1997 Subject: Sunday in Alviso Hello everyone: After enjoying beautiful scope views of the DUSKY WARBLER in Santa Cruz, I returned to Alviso, arriving at the foot of Gold St. around 10:15 am. There was a nice pile of gulls including HERRING GULL and THAYER'S GULL, but no obvious dark ones. After combing the flock for 20 minutes or so, I noticed a heron feeding frenzy and a few gulls in the little river channel off to the right where I saw a dark-backed gull with a thin bright yellow bill swim into a section of the river I couldn't see. I repositioned and when an airplane flew over, it lifted off, revealing the bright yellow legs of the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. It landed in with the pile and I then enjoyed a 45 minute scope study at very close range. I eventually moved over to the marina for a different angle. It did have the fine streaking around the eye and forehead of a typical winter plumage, with no gray smudging typical of Herring and California. The mantle was about as dark as a northern Western, but the bill seemed half as thick and somewhat shorter than a Western and seemed an even brighter sun yellow color and the eyes had yellow irides. Also present in the vicinity was a calling VIRGINIA RAIL and a WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. The eighth time was the charm. 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]] Tue Oct 21 09:27:00 1997 Subject: RE: Sunday in Alviso ---------- From: Miller, Steve SVL Sent: Sunday, October 19, 1997 5:04 PM To: 'sbbirds' Subject: Sunday in Alviso Hello everyone: After enjoying beautiful scope views of the DUSKY WARBLER in Santa Cruz, I returned to Alviso, arriving at the foot of Gold St. around 10:15 am. There was a nice pile of gulls including HERRING GULL and THAYER'S GULL, but no obvious dark ones. After combing the flock for 20 minutes or so, I noticed a heron feeding frenzy and a few gulls in the little river channel off to the right where I saw a dark-backed gull with a thin bright yellow bill swim into a section of the river I couldn't see. I repositioned and when an airplane flew over, it lifted off, revealing the bright yellow legs of the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. It landed in with the pile and I then enjoyed a 45 minute scope study at very close range. I eventually moved over to the marina for a different angle. It did have the fine streaking around the eye and forehead of a typical winter plumage, with no gray smudging typical of Herring and California. The mantle was about as dark as a northern Western, but the bill seemed half as thick and somewhat shorter than a Western and seemed an even brighter sun yellow color and the eyes had yellow irides. Also present in the vicinity was a calling VIRGINIA RAIL and a WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. The eighth time was the charm. 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]] Tue Oct 21 09:34:17 1997 Subject: birds On Friday, 17 Oct 97, I went to Santa Clara after work to try and = confirm the report of an Orchard Oriole. Without any idea of where the = bird was specifically being seen, I just wandered around the area = looking at various wires and poles. Finding a MERLIN sitting in the top = of a redwood helped pass the time. Finally, I walked to the back of an = apartment complex there and found an orange tree which had the fruit = eaten. Staking out this area, I eventually got excellent looks at an adult = male BALTIMORE ORIOLE from about 20 feet, and later from about = 30 feet through John and Maria Meyer's scope. On Saturday morning, 18 Oct 97, I went to Santa Cruz, where I got = some nice looks at the DUSKY WARBLER. I then returned to the = county, stopping at the Alviso Marina, where Steve had reported some = good birds the previous day. I couldn't find the Common Tern or = Heermann's Gull, but I did have 2 ELEGANT TERNS over the south = end of A12. They eventually moved off across the slough into the area = of A7. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was working the bushes = edging the marina parking lot. I made a stop at the corner of Spreckles = and State streets and was surprised to find 2 basic-plumaged STILT = SANDPIPERS in the pond there. An adult GOLDEN EAGLE was = hunting the area along the entrance road to the EEC, and an immature = COOPER'S HAWK was along Mallard Slough. A YELLOW = WARBLER was the only break from the YELLOW-RUMPEDS in the = cottonwoods at the Center. On Sunday, 19 Oct 97, I started out at the Guadalupe River south of = Montague, hoping for a White-throated Sparrow. I found nothing = unusual, though the ever-present RED-SHOULDERED HAWK made = an appearance, and a flyby WHITE-TAILED KITE was nice. A stop at the CCRS waterbird pond produced 4 or 5 PECTORAL = SANDPIPERS, and an immature female RUFF was pointed out by = another birder named Dave (I forget his last name). Later in the day I went to the Baylands for the high tide. I found nothing = = out of the ordinary, but I had 6 SORAS and 8 VIRGINIA RAILS = calling from the marsh. 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 Oct 21 09:37:24 1997 Subject: birds On Monday, 20 Oct 97, I chased after the Red Phalarope at Emily = Rentzel Wetlands without any luck. However, I did have a dozen = REDHEADS on the north pond of the FCB. 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 Oct 21 10:33:00 1997 Subject: Re: Dusky Warbler MMAMMOSER wrote: > > On Friday, 17 Oct 97, I went to Santa Clara after work to try and confirm the report of an Orchard Oriole. Without any idea of where the bird was specifically > > On Saturday morning, 18 Oct 97, I went to Santa Cruz, where I got some nice looks at the DUSKY WARBLER. I then returned to the county, stopping at the Alviso M > > On Sunday, 19 Oct 97, I started out at the Guadalupe River south of Montague, hoping for a White-throated Sparrow. I found nothing unusual, though the ever-pre > > A stop at the CCRS waterbird pond produced 4 or 5 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, and an immature female RUFF was pointed out by another birder named Dave (I forget his l > > Later in the day I went to the Baylands for the high tide. I found nothing out of the ordinary, but I had 6 SORAS and 8 VIRGINIA RAILS calling from the marsh. > > Mike Mammoser > > ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ > 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]] All: What is a Dusky warbler??? Not in any U.S. birdbook. 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 Oct 21 10:36:09 1997 Subject: LBBG I forgot to mention that on Sunday morning I made a brief stop at the Alviso= Marina and found the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in the usual spot across the railroad tracks. Compared to a week ago, this bird has acquired a lot of streaking on the crown and face, where it had only some dark smudging aroun= d the eyes on my previous observation. 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 Oct 21 11:07:12 1997 Subject: Re[2]: Dusky Warbler A Dusky Warbler is an asian bird in the genus Phylloscopus (same as the Arct= ic Warbler). There has been one in Santa Cruz for a week now. It is illustrate= d in the National Geographic guide. Mike Mammoser ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: Re: Dusky Warbler Author: RC Carlson Date: 10/21/97 11:38 AM All: What is a Dusky warbler??? Not in any U.S. birdbook. 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 Oct 21 13:03:31 1997 Subject: Re: LBBG I would like to try for the LBBG this weekend. Any suggestions on the best time of the day? Thx, Gina Sheridan Santa Clara [[email protected]] At 11:36 AM 10/21/97 -0700, MMAMMOSER wrote: >I forgot to mention that on Sunday morning I made a brief stop at the Alviso >Marina and found the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in the usual spot across the >railroad tracks. Compared to a week ago, this bird has acquired a lot of >streaking on the crown and face, where it had only some dark smudging around the >eyes on my previous observation. > >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]] > > ========================================================================== 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 Oct 21 16:42:10 1997 Subject: Re: LBBG At 02:03 PM 10/21/97 -0700, Gina Sheridan wrote: >I would like to try for the LBBG this weekend. Any suggestions >on the best time of the day? Saturday or Sunday morning > >Thx, > >Gina Sheridan >Santa Clara >[[email protected]] > >At 11:36 AM 10/21/97 -0700, MMAMMOSER wrote: >>I forgot to mention that on Sunday morning I made a brief stop at the Alviso >>Marina and found the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in the usual spot across the >>railroad tracks. Compared to a week ago, this bird has acquired a lot of >>streaking on the crown and face, where it had only some dark smudging >around the >>eyes on my previous observation. >> >>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]] >> >> > >========================================================================== >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]] Tue Oct 21 16:43:11 1997 Subject: Birding Calendar Oct 25-31 Larry Tunstall has updated the Bay Area Calendar for October 25-31 for SBBU. Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Oct 22 08:27:27 1997 Subject: Baltimore Oriole After many hours walking the neighborhood, I finally got a look at the male BALTIMORE ORIOLE in the weeping elm in the backyard of 221 Harold in Santa Clara. This was last evening, Tuesday, Oct. 21 at about 5:20. I had been watching that area since 4:30 and the bird popped up from the foliage, flew onto one of the phone wires, flew down into the yard and then flew back into the tree and disappeared again. 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]] Wed Oct 22 10:38:07 1997 Subject: Red Necked Grebe & Dusky Warbler All: There is a red-necked grebe at Shoreline Lake. Sora Rail nearby in the Forebay. Also, will someone please give me the location of that Dusky Warbler?? I know it's in Santa Cruz, but that is a big town. 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]] Wed Oct 22 13:52:40 1997 Subject: CCRS & Alviso today This morning we banded an immature Chipping Sparrow at CCRS. I then checked out Alviso. One of the Stilt Sandopipers found by Mike Mammoser was still present. A feeding frenzy of about 100 Forster's Terns on the salt pond immediately N. of the marina (A10?) briefly attracted an immature Common Tern. _____________________________________________________________ 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 Oct 22 13:54:58 1997 Subject: RNGR still present All, Les Chibana and Chris Salander kindly pointed out the RED-NECKED GREBE at Shoreline Lake to me today 10/22/97. It was spending its time at the northeast corner of the lake near the floating boat dock off the boathouse and was diving frequently. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Oct 22 16:44:33 1997 Subject: URL for salt pond map Hi: Can anyone give me the URL (I think it's Kendric Smith's) for the salt pond map that shows the numbers of the ponds. Thanks, Nick _____________________________________________________________ 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 Oct 22 17:05:40 1997 Subject: South-Bay Web Site Nick: Here is the url (the other machine became available): http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Oct 22 17:16:49 1997 Subject: Shoreline Red-necked grebe All: I spent considerable time at Shoreline from 3:30 to 4:30 PM and walked clear around the entire lake even past the boat house at the north-east corner and saw nothing. I returned to my car when John Meyer arrived. I decided to give it another try along with John. Sure enough Richard Carlson's Red-necked Grebe was at the north-east corner of the lake near the boat house doing some frequent diving, but eventually decided to take a rest for a while. In my opinion the bird appears to resemble the picture in the National Geographic of a first-winter bird. This was at about 4 PM. Side note: A question has risen among the members of the East-Bay-Birds e-mail circle about the life span of Cattle Egrets. Apparently, the Cattle Egret has returned to Lake Merrit in Oakland for another winter. I recall seeing one there (which may be the same bird) back in December of 1988. Can someone remark on the known life span of the Cattle Egret? Good Birding Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/22/97, 6:10 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 Oct 22 19:59:39 1997 Subject: Beyond Cordell Bank Pelagic Trip Announcement Hello All: I am posting this message for Todd Easterla. Todd is leading a pelagic trip 20-30 miles southwest of the Cordell Bank on Friday November 21. We will depart at 12AM on Friday and return around 18 hours later ( around 6PM Friday night). The cost of the trip is $125.00 and is due ASAP. There are currently 9 spaces to fill. We will be searching for rare Pterodromas that have been previously seen in this area. We plan on being at the Cordell Bank by dawn. For further details call Todd at (916) 638-7007 Checks can be sent to: Todd Easterla 2076 Kellogg Way Rancho Cordova CA 95670 Doug Shaw Santa Rosa, CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Wed Oct 22 20:47:56 1997 Subject: URL for Salt Pond Maps Thanks to everyone who sent this. _____________________________________________________________ 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]] Thu Oct 23 06:25:15 1997 Subject: dates for Red-necked Grebes in Santa Clara County All: Last night I checked my database at home and find the only other Red-necked Grebe I have seen in Santa Clara County (reported then over Joe Morlan's Northern California RBA) was October 31, 1992, another October record. 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]] Thu Oct 23 07:33:53 1997 Subject: "Dinner" I had a great birding experience last Saturday and I hope I am forgiven for mentioning it on South Bay Birds since it occurred at where the 3 Crab Restaurant is at Dungeness Bay, the west side of Puget Sound in the state of Washington. I watched about 5,000 American Widgeons fly in, which included at least 3 Eurasian Widgeons, they settled on the water around me, making the water dark for about as far as you could see. Very soon a Bald Eagle came flying in, the widgeons took off in panic creating a black curtain of birds, and over my head flew the Bald Eagle with a widgeon in his talons. (I hoped it was an American one.) 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]] Thu Oct 23 08:38:15 1997 Subject: composite list OCTOBER 22 1997 SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST UPDATE We've added so many species to the county year list, that I've decided to send another update a little early this time. Hopefully this will give people ideas of what to look for this weekend! (For instance Tundra Swan, Black or White-winged Scoter, Broad-winged Hawk, a jaeger, Little or Black-headed Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Red-naped Sapsucker, Sage or Brown Thrashers, Red-throated Pipit, Blue-heaed Vireo, Tennesse Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Clay-colored Sparrow, Lark Bunting, Swamp Sparrow, or any longspur.) Think BIG! we are only ten species away from an all time high and only 6 from making 300 for the second time ever! 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: 282: 10/ 2/97 ELEGANT TERN 283: 10/ 3/97 SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER 284: 10/ 5/97 VESPER SPARROW 285: 10/ 5/97 TROPICAL KINGBIRD (and another bird later!) 286: 10/ 5/97 GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE 287: 10/ 7/97 SABINE'S GULL 288: 10/ 8/97 BLACK TERN 289: 10/12/97 SANDHILL CRANE 290: 10/17/97 COMMON TERN 291: 10/17/97 HEERMANN'S GULL 292: 10/17/97 BALTIMORE ORIOLE (present for 1.5 weeks already) 293: 10/20/97 RED PHALAROPE 294: 10/22/97 RED-NECKED GREBE Please send any additions, corrections, or comments to Mike Rogers, [[email protected]]. SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST - 1997 RWR AME WGB MMR MJM KLP MLF SCR CKS COMP SOURCE 376 266 266 232 256 254 185 294 % OF COMPOSITE FOR 1997 % OF 376 1988 TOTALS 136 1989 TOTALS 183 1990 TOTALS 199 1991 TOTALS 214 209 1992 TOTALS 216 234 234 215 278 1993 TOTALS 228 254 250 235 279 295 1994 TOTALS 204 240 245 271 265 194 291 303 1995 TOTALS 201 220 170 257 242 165 262 185 293 1996 TOTALS 203 219 258 253 218 251 195 295 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 10/22 10/22 10/22 10/22 RCC Eared Grebe 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Western Grebe 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 2 1/10 1/ 1 2/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Clark's Grebe 1/ 9 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Northern Fulmar Sooty Shearwater Ashy Storm-Petrel Brown Booby American White Pelican 1/23 4/26 1/ 1 1/27 1/ 1 7/13 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Brown Pelican 1/ 1 6/15 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Double-crested Cormorant 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Brandt's Cormorant Pelagic Cormorant Magnificent Frigatebird American Bittern 3/13 3/ 8 3/19 3/13 4/ 3 1/10 NLe Least Bittern Great Blue Heron 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. Great Egret 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Snowy Egret 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Little Blue Heron 6/ 9 6/15 7/29 6/ 7 6/ 7 MLF,AME Cattle Egret 1/ 8 1/18 1/23 1/ 4 1/14 2/20 1/ 4 MLF Green Heron 1/ 8 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 3/23 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Black-crowned Night-Heron 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 m.ob. White-faced Ibis 9/ 5 9/ 5 9/ 5 9/ 5 9/ 4 AJa Fulvous Whistling-Duck Tundra Swan Greater White-fronted Goose 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/11 1/ 9 1/14 1/ 8 1/ 8 m.ob. Snow Goose 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 7 1/ 7 KLP Ross' Goose 1/ 2 1/ 8 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/14 1/ 2 MMR,KLP Brant Canada Goose 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. Wood Duck 1/ 5 1/ 3 1/11 1/11 5/11 2/ 1 1/ 3 MJM,WGB Green-winged Teal 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Mallard 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Northern Pintail 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Garganey Blue-winged Teal 1/ 9 1/18 1/ 9 1/ 9 1/ 1 2/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Cinnamon Teal 1/ 8 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 2/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Northern Shoveler 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Gadwall 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Eurasian Wigeon 1/13 1/19 1/14 1/27 10/12 1/11 1/ 4 DMu American Wigeon 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Canvasback 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Redhead 1/ 9 1/ 5 1/ 9 1/ 9 2/ 6 2/ 9 1/ 4 DMu Ring-necked Duck 1/ 5 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Tufted Duck 1/13 1/18 2/ 2 1/24 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Greater Scaup 1/10 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Lesser Scaup 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Oldsquaw 2/13 2/14 2/13 2/13 2/15 2/13 LCh Black Scoter Surf Scoter 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 2/ 9 1/ 1 m.ob. White-winged Scoter Common Goldeneye 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Barrow's Goldeneye 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Bufflehead 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Hooded Merganser 9/24 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 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 10/ 4 1/ 4 1/ 1 MMR Peregrine Falcon 1/ 5 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR Prairie Falcon 1/23 1/ 3 1/ 1 9/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Ring-necked Pheasant 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/23 1/ 4 1/14 1/ 1 MMR Wild Turkey 3/ 5 3/ 9 4/ 5 7/20 3/ 9 1/26 LCh et al. California Quail 1/ 3 1/ 3 3/20 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR Mountain Quail 5/ 7 5/ 4 5/13 3/21 1/12 LAY Yellow Rail Black Rail 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 9 1/ 9 2/ 8 1/ 8 m.ob. Clapper Rail 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Virginia Rail 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/14 1/ 1 MMR Sora 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 7 1/ 6 1/10 1/ 6 MLF Common Moorhen 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. American Coot 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Sandhill Crane 10/12 RLi Black-bellied Plover 1/14 1/19 1/ 2 1/19 1/ 1 10/13 1/ 1 SCR Pacific Golden-Plover 7/30 8/ 4 7/27 DNo,JAb American Golden-Plover 7/27 PJM Golden-Plover sp 7/24 Snowy Plover 5/12 4/ 6 8/13 4/ 6 MJM Semipalmated Plover 1/14 4/12 1/ 2 7/21 1/ 1 7/21 1/ 1 SCR Killdeer 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 7 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Mountain Plover Black Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. American Avocet 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Greater Yellowlegs 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Lesser Yellowlegs 7/ 7 3/ 8 1/ 2 1/17 3/26 1/26 1/ 2 KLP Solitary Sandpiper 4/27 4/21 4/21 SCR Willet 1/ 8 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Wandering Tattler 9/14 PJM Spotted Sandpiper 4/23 3/ 9 5/ 8 5/13 1/10 1/ 3 AV Whimbrel 3/16 2/23 3/19 7/ 8 1/21 7/21 1/21 SCR Long-billed Curlew 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Hudsonian Godwit Bar-tailed Godwit Marbled Godwit 1/14 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/19 1/ 1 3/29 1/ 1 SCR Ruddy Turnstone 7/24 7/21 4/17 4/17 SCR Black Turnstone 8/17 8/17 MJM Red Knot 9/24 4/26 4/30 10/12 4/26 MJM Sanderling 1/14 8/17 1/ 7 1/17 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Semipalmated Sandpiper 5/12 7/ 6 8/13 7/ 8 7/ 6 5/12 MMR Western Sandpiper 1/13 1/19 1/ 2 1/17 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR Least Sandpiper 1/13 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR White-rumped Sandpiper 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 4 9/ 3 NLe Baird's Sandpiper 8/12 8/16 8/13 8/13 8/12 4/13 AJa Pectoral Sandpiper 9/ 2 8/29 9/ 2 8/31 9/ 2 7/30 AJa Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 10/ 4 10/ 4 10/ 5 10/ 4 10/ 4 10/ 3 NLe Dunlin 1/13 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Curlew Sandpiper 7/23 7/25 7/24 7/24 4/17 4/17 SCR Stilt Sandpiper 8/27 8/24 8/22 8/24 8/28 8/20 NLe Buff-breasted Sandpiper 9/ 2 9/ 6 9/ 1 9/ 1 AJa Ruff 9/ 4 10/ 4 10/ 5 9/ 4 6/29 6/29 SCR Short-billed Dowitcher 3/16 3/23 1/ 2 3/22 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Long-billed Dowitcher 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 1 2/ 9 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Common Snipe 1/ 8 3/ 2 3/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Wilson's Phalarope 6/25 6/15 7/29 6/17 5/10 9/ 4 4/22 AJa Red-necked Phalarope 4/ 1 7/ 4 7/29 7/28 4/20 9/ 4 4/ 1 MMR Red Phalarope 10/20 RCo,RLe Pomarine Jaeger Parasitic Jaeger Long-tailed Jaeger Laughing Gull Franklin's Gull 4/13 MDa,LDa Little Gull Black-headed Gull Bonaparte's Gull 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/16 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Heermann's Gull 10/17 10/17 SCR Mew Gull 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 m.ob. Ring-billed Gull 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. California Gull 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 3/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Herring Gull 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 m.ob. Thayer's Gull 1/ 1 1/11 1/11 1/10 1/ 1 3/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Lesser Black-backed Gull 1/ 1 10/11 1/14 1/ 1 MMR Western Gull 1/14 1/ 5 1/23 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Glaucous-winged Gull 1/ 6 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Glaucous Gull 2/10 1/11 3/ 5 1/17 1/11 m.ob. Black-legged Kittiwake Sabine's Gull 10/ 8 10/ 7 10/ 8 10/ 8 10/ 7 10/10 10/ 7 SCR Caspian Tern 3/ 6 4/26 8/30 4/ 5 3/ 6 7/13 3/ 6 SCR,MMR Elegant Tern 10/18 10/17 10/ 2 PJM Common Tern 10/17 10/17 SCR Arctic Tern Forster's Tern 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 7 1/10 1/ 1 3/29 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Least Tern 7/21 7/ 6 7/29 7/21 7/24 7/21 7/ 6 MJM,PJM Black Tern 10/ 8 NLe,RWR Black Skimmer 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 9 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Common Murre 8/29 8/29 8/29 8/29 MLF Ancient Murrelet Cassin's Auklet Rock Dove 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Band-tailed Pigeon 1/ 3 1/ 3 3/ 3 3/ 8 2/13 5/11 1/ 3 MMR,MJM White-winged Dove Mourning Dove 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Greater Roadrunner 5/17 5/17 1/ 3 WGB Barn Owl 3/16 2/23 1/ 7 1/ 6 1/ 6 6/ 7 1/ 4 RWR,FVS Flammulated Owl Western Screech-Owl 2/15 1/19 3/21 7/20 1/19 MJM Great Horned Owl 2/15 1/19 1/ 7 2/23 1/ 3 WGB Northern Pygmy-Owl 2/15 1/19 3/ 8 10/12 1/19 MJM Burrowing Owl 1/ 1 1/18 1/ 9 1/10 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Long-eared Owl 1/ 6 5/11 1/ 3 GBi Short-eared Owl 1/ 9 3/ 8 1/ 9 1/19 1/ 8 SSt Northern Saw-whet Owl 2/15 1/19 1/ 1 10/12 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Lesser Nighthawk Common Nighthawk 6/12 SBT Nighthawk sp. 7/18 Common Poorwill 5/ 7 4/27 3/21 3/21 MLF Black Swift 5/24 5/24 MJM Chimney Swift 9/19 9/19 SCR,SBT Vaux's Swift 4/17 4/27 4/ 8 5/10 6/23 7/16 4/ 8 KLP White-throated Swift 1/ 5 1/11 1/ 4 1/ 4 1/ 6 2/16 1/ 3 MtHamCBC Black-chinned Hummingbird 4/22 4/12 8/11 4/ 3 5/14 4/ 3 NLe Anna's Hummingbird 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Costa's Hummingbird 7/18 7/19 7/18 7/18 DCr Calliope Hummingbird 5/ 6 5/ 6 SCR Broad-tailed Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird 3/15 3/29 4/ 1 4/ 3 2/22 TGr Allen's Hummingbird 1/13 2/15 1/23 1/21 3/23 2/16 1/13 MMR Belted Kingfisher 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 2/13 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Lewis' Woodpecker 1/ 3 1/ 3 3/ 1 5/17 1/ 3 m.ob. Acorn Woodpecker 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1/ 5 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Red-naped Sapsucker Red-breasted Sapsucker 1/ 3 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 3/22 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Williamson's Sapsucker Nuttall's Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 m.ob. Downy Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 4 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Hairy Woodpecker 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 4 1/ 1 2/23 2/15 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Northern Flicker 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 m.ob. Pileated Woodpecker 5/31 m.ob. Olive-sided Flycatcher 5/ 6 5/ 3 5/ 6 5/ 4 5/ 8 4/20 4/17 JMa Western Wood-Pewee 4/17 4/19 5/ 6 5/ 4 4/20 4/20 4/16 JMa,AV Willow Flycatcher 8/30 9/ 1 9/ 1 8/31 5/27 5/18 LCh Least Flycatcher 9/10 CCRS Hammond's Flycatcher 4/12 4/25 4/12 MMR Dusky Flycatcher Gray Flycatcher 5/ 6 5/ 6 SCR Pacific-slope Flycatcher 3/29 2/17 4/ 2 3/ 5 3/23 3/30 2/17 MJM Black Phoebe 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Eastern Phoebe 3/ 2 3/ 2 3/ 5 3/ 3 3/ 2 MJM,MMR Say's Phoebe 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Ash-throated Flycatcher 3/16 4/ 5 5/ 6 4/30 4/ 8 2/ 5 1/23 MNi,CNa Tropical Kingbird 10/10 10/10 10/ 5 DSt Cassin's Kingbird 4/13 4/13 4/17 5/ 4 5/ 2 4/13 MMR,MJM Western Kingbird 4/ 3 4/13 4/17 4/ 5 4/ 3 4/ 5 3/30 NLe,LAY Eastern Kingbird Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Horned Lark 1/10 1/19 1/29 1/ 4 5/13 1/ 4 MLF Purple Martin 5/ 6 5/ 3 5/ 7 5/10 4/20 3/23 FVs Tree Swallow 2/28 2/23 3/ 5 2/28 3/ 2 1/ 3 WGB Violet-green Swallow 2/28 2/23 5/ 6 3/ 6 1/ 1 3/ 9 1/ 1 SCR Nor. Rough-winged Swallow 2/27 3/ 9 3/ 5 3/ 5 3/13 3/22 2/27 MMR Bank Swallow 9/29 7/ 6 4/?? LTe Cliff Swallow 3/ 6 3/ 8 3/19 2/28 3/ 2 3/22 2/28 MLF Barn Swallow 3/12 2/28 3/ 5 3/10 3/ 2 3/23 2/24 AJa Steller's Jay 1/ 3 1/19 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 m.ob. Western Scrub-Jay 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 m.ob. Clark's Nutcracker Black-billed Magpie Yellow-billed Magpie 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR American Crow 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Common Raven 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 SCR Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Oak Titmouse 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Bushtit 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Red-breasted Nuthatch 1/10 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 SCR,KLP White-breasted Nuthatch 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 SCR Pygmy Nuthatch 2/17 2/16 1/ 1 10/12 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Brown Creeper 1/ 3 1/19 3/20 1/ 1 1/10 1/ 3 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Rock Wren 1/10 1/ 3 1/29 1/ 4 5/13 1/ 3 MJM Canyon Wren 1/10 2/ 9 3/20 1/19 1/ 1 3/22 1/ 1 SCR Bewick's Wren 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 2/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. House Wren 3/15 3/16 3/20 3/15 1/ 1 3/22 1/ 1 SCR Winter Wren 2/17 1/19 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Marsh Wren 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 7 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 9 1/ 1 SCR,MMR American Dipper 3/ 2 3/ 1 3/19 3/ 4 1/30 CFi Golden-crowned Kinglet 1/ 3 2/15 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 2/ 5 1/ 1 SCR,KLP Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3/29 3/23 5/ 6 3/29 4/13 5/11 1/17 AJa Western Bluebird 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 SCR Mountain Bluebird Townsend's Solitaire 1/ 3 GCh,HGe Swainson's Thrush 5/ 1 5/ 4 4/17 5/10 5/ 8 4/17 KLP Hermit Thrush 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 2 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 m.ob. American Robin 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Varied Thrush 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 1 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 m.ob. Wrentit 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/23 1/ 1 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 m.ob. Northern Mockingbird 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Sage Thrasher Brown Thrasher California Thrasher 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/14 1/ 4 1/ 1 2/15 1/ 1 SCR Red-throated Pipit American Pipit 1/ 5 1/ 3 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/11 1/ 1 SCR Bohemian Waxwing Cedar Waxwing 1/ 3 2/17 1/23 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR Phainopepla 6/10 5/18 5/31 5/17 1/ 3 DSc Northern Shrike Loggerhead Shrike 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 9 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 SCR,MMR European Starling 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Bell's Vireo 5/14 5/13 5/13 5/13 SCR Blue-headed Vireo Cassin's Vireo 3/16 4/ 6 5/13 5/ 4 4/12 1/ 6 KNe Plumbeous Vireo Hutton's Vireo 2/15 2/16 3/ 1 4/ 8 1/19 1/ 1 JMa Warbling Vireo 3/29 3/15 5/ 6 3/22 4/ 8 4/ 6 3/12 AME Red-eyed Vireo Tennessee Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler 2/12 1/25 5/ 6 3/ 8 1/ 1 4/ 6 1/ 1 SCR Nashville Warbler 4/24 4/ 5 5/ 4 5/12 4/ 5 MJM Virginia's Warbler Northern Parula Yellow Warbler 1/ 8 4/12 5/ 6 4/ 5 1/12 9/13 1/ 8 MMR Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Black-throated Gray Warbler 4/12 3/30 5/13 4/ 5 5/17 3/30 MJM Townsend's Warbler 1/ 5 1/19 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/10 1/11 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Hermit Warbler 3/15 4/25 1/ 4 3/15 2/ 7 1/ 3 1/ 3 CKS Black-throated Green Warbler 9/28 AJa Blackburnian Warbler Palm Warbler 1/ 5 1/11 1/ 4 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 3 MLF,CKS Blackpoll Warbler Black-and-White Warbler American Redstart 8/ 8 8/16 8/11 8/12 8/ 7 8/ 7 SCR Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Ovenbird 9/23 CCRS Northern Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler Connecticut Warbler MacGillivray's Warbler 5/11 5/11 5/11 MMR,MJM Common Yellowthroat 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 1/ 8 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Hooded Warbler 1/ 6 1/11 1/11 1/11 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Wilson's Warbler 3/16 3/23 8/11 3/29 4/ 3 4/ 6 3/16 MMR,TJo Yellow-breasted Chat 5/10 5/18 5/18 5/13 4/13 DLS Summer Tanager 1/16 3/ 2 1/14 2/23 1/24 1/14 KLP Scarlet Tanager Western Tanager 4/24 4/25 5/ 6 5/ 7 5/ 8 9/ 3 4/20 AV Rose-breasted Grosbeak Black-headed Grosbeak 4/ 3 4/ 5 4/17 3/21 4/ 3 9/ 5 1/ 8 RCO Blue Grosbeak 4/20 4/22 5/ 5 4/30 5/ 6 4/27 4/20 MMR Lazuli Bunting 4/13 4/13 5/ 5 4/30 4/20 4/27 1/19 MMi Indigo Bunting Dickcissel Green-tailed Towhee 10/ 7 10/ 7 10/ 5 BHa Spotted Towhee 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR California Towhee 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob. Rufous-crowned Sparrow 4/10 2/ 9 3/20 3/22 5/ 6 4/27 1/ 3 MtHamCBC American Tree Sparrow Chipping Sparrow 4/12 4/13 5/13 5/11 5/17 4/12 MMR Clay-colored Sparrow Brewer's Sparrow 9/28 10/12 9/28 MMR Black-chinned Sparrow 5/ 6 5/10 5/10 5/17 5/ 6 MMR Vesper Sparrow 10/ 5 CCRS,NLe Lark Sparrow 1/10 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/19 5/13 1/ 3 MJM Black-throated Sparrow Sage Sparrow 1/ 3 4/19 5/17 5/17 1/ 3 m.ob. Lark Bunting Savannah Sparrow 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 SCR Grasshopper Sparrow 4/10 4/20 4/16 5/ 4 4/13 4/10 MMR Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow 1/ 8 1/ 8 1/ 9 1/ 9 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 10/12 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 9/ 1 9/ 1 MJM Red-winged Blackbird 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/26 1/ 1 m.ob. Tricolored Blackbird 1/ 2 2/22 1/ 2 1/28 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR Western Meadowlark 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. Yellow-headed Blackbird 4/13 4/13 5/ 7 5/ 4 4/11 4/11 SCR Brewer's Blackbird 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 MMR,SCR Great-tailed Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird 1/ 1 2/20 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 5/ 8 1/ 1 m.ob. Hooded Oriole 3/27 3/29 4/16 3/27 4/10 4/ 5 3/19 PLN Baltimore Oriole 10/21 10/17 10/21 10/21 10/18 10/17 MJM Bullock's Oriole 3/15 3/15 3/20 2/23 3/26 4/20 2/23 MLF Scott's Oriole Purple Finch 1/16 1/ 3 1/29 1/ 1 2/13 3/22 1/ 1 MLF,JMa Cassin's Finch 4/12 4/ 5 3/ 2 SBT House Finch 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 1 1/ 1 m.ob. Red Crossbill 4/10 3/ 8 3/27 1/ 1 2/16 1/ 1 SCR Pine Siskin 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/15 1/ 1 1/ 1 2/16 1/ 1 m.ob. Lesser Goldfinch 1/ 3 1/ 3 1/ 7 1/11 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 1 SCR Lawrence's Goldfinch 4/ 3 4/13 4/ 5 4/ 3 1/ 3 WGB American Goldfinch 1/ 1 2/17 1/ 2 1/ 4 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR,MMR Evening Grosbeak 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR House Sparrow 1/ 1 1/18 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob. ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Oct 23 09:45:11 1997 Subject: RNGR The RED-NECKED GREBE was at Shoreline Lake last night from about 6:00 to 6:1= 5 pm. It was in the corner of the lake right in front of the boat rental buil= ding. 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 Oct 23 15:35:24 1997 Subject: Cattle Egrets and life expectancy I looked through my references for info on the life expectancy of Cattle Egrets and though I didn't find it it does bring up a point that I feel is interesting. Judging by reports of birds living to a rather old age, it wouldn't be at all surprising to find out that this is the same Cattle Egret returning for it's eleventh year (my records pin it down to at least winter of 87-88). Unfortunately this bird doesn't seem rare enough to rule out the possibility of another bird replacing the previous. In fact, it turns out that a bird was noted carrying nest material at Lake Merritt on 2/16/85. This would increase it's number of winters to an impressive 14. Another was there in Nov. of 1966, which would make it an ancient 32! What I find really entertaining is that the first record from the state isn't until 1962, with the first East Bay record being the 1966 L.M. record. It is interesting to speculate that after over a hundred sightings covering over 30 years our original pioneering Cattle Egret could still be with us. Just thought that might amuse a few of you, my apologies for wasting everyone else's time. ========================================================================== 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 Oct 24 07:28:32 1997 Subject: RNGR Still At Shoreline All: On my morning bike commute on Thursday, 10/23/97, I could not find the RED-NECKED GREBE at Shoreline Lake, but in the evening, about 5:20 pm, the bird was swimming with the coots in the cove that is counterclockwise from the boathouse. This bird shows some faint rufous on the neck and breast, but it is not clear whether the rufous is the remains of juvenile or adult plumage. The NGS illustration shows the white border at the rear of the auriculars as very distinct for the winter adult, but the text describes this as ill-defined which better matches my experience with this species. Palmer notes that molt in this species is "poorly known". I am interested in any comments observers have relative to the age of this bird. Thanks for the bird, Dick. Bill ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 24 08:26:54 1997 Subject: age of RNGR All, Bill has asked about the age of the Shoreline RED-NECKED GREBE, so I thought I would add my two cents worth. Careful scoping of the bird's face pattern at close range on Wednesday revealed remnants of what appear to be the juvenile streaked face pattern, which is often retained (at least in part) into October. Specifically, there is a white line below the eye bordered below by by a black streak. Both breeding and winter plumaged adults should have clear auriculars. The more rounded head shape of this bird also suggests a first-winter bird. As Bill noted, the red on the neck is also found in juvenile plumage and does not imply an adult bird. Mike ========================================================================== 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 Oct 24 09:10:31 1997 Subject: Dusky W. ? Sorry to belabor the point, but the previous exchange left me a little confused. So, the Dusky Warbler at Santa Cruz has not been seen for two days? Thanks, Vivek [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 24 11:01:22 1997 Subject: Red-necked Grebe & Barrow's Goldeneye All, This morning the RNGR was on the eastern edge of Shoreline Lake. An ad male Barrow's Goldeneye and an female BAGO were in the center of the lake. At one point all three birds were in the same scope view as the RNGR slowly swam to the west. Take care, Bob Reiling, 11:59 AM, 10/24/97 ========================================================================== 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]] Fri Oct 24 13:01:20 1997 Subject: LBBGU All, The LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was east of the Alviso Marina across the railroad tracks with the roosting gull flock until at least 11:40am today. As noted by others, the bird's head is now finely streaked throughout. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 24 22:05:01 1997 Subject: Re: Heermann's Gull at Alviso At , Steve Rottenborn wrote: >Nick Lethaby wrote: >> >> At 11.30 today I saw an immature Heermann's Gull in a feeding flock of >> Forster's Terns on the second salt pond N. of Alviso marina. I assume this >> is the same as Steve Rottenborn's bird. I only saw it in flight. I would >> have normally called it a >> first-year, although I've never looked at Heermann's Gulls in detail. It did >> seem to show a narrow white trailing edge to the secondaries and inner >> primaries, which may make it a second-year. Unfortunately, I didn't check >> the tail tip. > >The bird I saw roosting east of the marina was definitely a second-winter >individual. Although its plumage was dark overall, it was much more gray >on the head, underparts, back, and wings than a typical chocolate-brown >first-winter bird, it had white tertial and scapular crescents (lacking in >first-winter birds), and its bill was dull pinkish-red with a limited dark >tip (not fleshy or yellowish with a broad dark tip as on a first-winter bird). >I didn't look for or notice a white tip to the tail. > >Nick, was your bird consistent with the above description, or did you have >a different individual? This is a tough call as I only saw the bird in flight and frankly I was pretty clueless on ageing Heermann's Gulls. Since I recalled your bird was a second year I did look at mine hard (before your e-mail I wasn't even aware Heermann's was a three-year gull!) and I did have prolonged flight views. I feel your bill description matches my bird, while the pale trailing edge to the secondaries would surely translate into a tertial crescent. Against this, I felt my bird still looked pretty brown, but without seeing a second-year and comparing it to a first-year, I'm not sure how different they are. I feel it's best to assume that my bird was PROBABLY the same as your one. I'll probably have a last swing through the sewage works for RT Pipit tomorrow. I've seen up to 170 American Pipits there this month. > >Steve Rottenborn > > _____________________________________________________________ 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]] Sat Oct 25 12:59:08 1997 Subject: Baltimore Oriole? I'm heading down to your neck of the woods tomorrow, and wonder if there have been any recent sightings/reports of the Baltimore Oriole. Thanks! Luke Cole San Francisco, CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sat Oct 25 16:54:52 1997 Subject: nitpicking on Heermann's Gull at Alviso >>Nick Lethaby wrote: >I feel your bill description matches my bird, while the pale trailing edge >to the secondaries would surely translate into a tertial crescent. Against >this, I felt my bird still looked pretty brown, but without seeing a >second-year and comparing it to a first-year, I'm not sure how different >they are. I feel it's best to assume that my bird was PROBABLY the same as >your one. > A nitpicky point: On gulls a white trailing edge to the secondaries does not translate into a white tertial crescent. Tertial crescents are produced by the white tips of the tertials. On a perching gull the secondaries are almost always hidden by the long greater coverts, so secondary tips are not visible. This is why you can't compare the width of the secondary trailing edge of let's say a Slaty-backed Gull with another gull when perched. Whether there is a correlation between the width of tips to secondaries and tertials crescents (basically the tips of the tertials) is an interesting question. Also worth noting is that what we call tertials on gulls and shorebirds are actually long scapulars and they are not homologous to the tertials of passerines, which are in fact the innermost continuation of the secondaries. =20 I know, I'm being a little 'detail oriented' here but I couldn't help it.=20 To clarify an earlier nitpicky point. Steve Rottenborn countered my nitpicking on his Sabine's Gull age with a correction to my report of a Hammond's Flycatcher banded at CCRS. I called the Hammond's a Juvenile, due to the fresh plumage and the fact that I knew it was young since it did not have a fully ossified skull. However, Steve correctly pointed out that Hammond's Flycatchers moult before migration, so the bird could not have been in Juvenal plumage. Touche!=20 Off to Chile tomorrow to experience the real El Ni=F1o. Al. Alvaro Jaramillo Half Moon Bay,=20 California [[email protected]] Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at: http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Oct 26 16:52:28 1997 Subject: continuing Red-Necked Grebe and Barrow's GE THis morning the Red-necked Grebe and at least two Barrow's Golden-eye (one male) were at Shoreline Lake. I found it easier to find them by parking in the parking lot at the end of San Antonio Road, which puts you on the north side of the lake. The RNGR was near the little pier on that side of the lake, while the golden-eye were near the little island in the lake, mostly towards the south. We could not refind the Lesser Black-backed Gull at Alviso, though it was not for lack of gulls or for lack of trying! Nor could we find the Magnolia Warbler reported on the birdbox; there is no apparent "lone eucalyptus" to the north of Montague Expwy in the Guadalupe River for a good three-quarters of a mile, and no bird that we could find anyway. Good birding! Luke Cole San Francisco, CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Oct 26 17:10:10 1997 Subject: Re: MAGNOLIA WARBLER As soon as I posted my lament at missing the Maggie, I got Steve's excellent write-up (and better directions than on the birdbox!). This is the area where we looked today, but no warbler. At , Steve Rottenborn wrote: > >Saturday (25 October), Mike Mammoser and I birded the Guadalupe River >between Montague Expwy. and Trimble Road. Most of the bird activity >in the riparian corridor itself was within 1/4-mile of Montague, and >it was here that Mike discovered a MAGNOLIA WARBLER. Luke Cole San Francisco, CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Sun Oct 26 17:15:44 1997 Subject: Re: nitpicking on Heermann's Gull at Alviso On Sat, 25 Oct 1997 17:54:52 -0700, Alvaro Jaramillo <[[email protected]]> wrote: > Also worth noting is that what we call tertials on gulls and >shorebirds are actually long scapulars and they are not homologous to the >tertials of passerines, which are in fact the innermost continuation of the >secondaries. I'd like a little clarification on this. If the tertial crescent (sensu Grant) is composed of long scapulars, then what is the scapular crescent composed of? Short scapulars? I was under the impression that the tertials on a gull were actually "tertiaries" or feathers on the innermost segment of the three wing segments. I was under the impression that these feathers were attached to the humerus and in some books called "humerals" to differentiate them from the tertials on a songbird which are, as Al points out, merely the innermost secondaries. Also it is quite clear that I got much of this wrong in my Lesser Black-backed Gull description. As Al pointed out in email, the drooping feather with the white tip was not a newly growing secondary, but actually the outermost primary with a bent shaft. The big white tip was actually the "mirror." Also I've concluded that the two short white-tipped feathers were actually newly growing inner primaries, not secondaries. -- Joseph Morlan 380 Talbot Ave. #206 [[email protected]] Pacifica, CA 94044-2639 [[email protected]] 650-359-2068 1997 Fall Birding Classes: http://www.ccsf.cc.ca.us/Continuing_Education/index.html#orni ========================================================================== 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 Oct 26 17:29:25 1997 Subject: Re: continuing Red-Necked Grebe and Barrow's GE On Sun, 26 Oct 1997 16:52:28 -0800 (PST), Luke Cole <[[email protected]]> wrote: >We could not refind the Lesser Black-backed Gull at Alviso, though it was >not for lack of gulls or for lack of trying! Nor could we find the Magnolia >Warbler reported on the birdbox; there is no apparent "lone eucalyptus" to >the north of Montague Expwy in the Guadalupe River for a good three-quarters >of a mile, and no bird that we could find anyway. My interpretation of Steve's Birdbox message is that the lone eucalyptus was upstream of Montague Expressway which would be south of the road. I had never been there before, but yesterday I parked in the lot on the SE corner of the bridge and found an easy trail up the levee to the river. A large flowering eucalyptus was nestled inside the cottonwoods and there were a few rough trails in there. I think I was probably at the right place but I could find few birds in hot mid afternoon sun and no Magnolia Warbler. However, I was very impressed by the extent and quality of the habitat. Yesterday I took my class to Charleston Slough and we had good looks at two female and one male Blue-winged Teal in Adobe Creek; 14 Black Skimmers still present on the slough; two male Eurasian Wigeons at Mountain View Forebay; and the Red-necked Grebe and two Barrow's Goldeneyes (one adult male, one immature) at Shoreline Lake. Of local interest were four Surf Scoters on Shoreline Lake. -- Joseph Morlan 380 Talbot Ave. #206 [[email protected]] Pacifica, CA 94044-2639 [[email protected]] 650-359-2068 1997 Fall Birding Classes: http://www.ccsf.cc.ca.us/Continuing_Education/index.html#orni ========================================================================== 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 Oct 26 21:19:30 1997 Subject: Re: continuing Red-Necked Grebe and Barrow's GE At , Steve Rottenborn wrote: >Luke Cole wrote: >> >> Nor could we find the Magnolia >> Warbler reported on the birdbox; there is no apparent "lone eucalyptus" to >> the north of Montague Expwy in the Guadalupe River for a good three-quarters >> of a mile, and no bird that we could find anyway. > >I reported the Magnolia Warbler as being near the lone euc on the east side >of the river 1/4 mile UPSTREAM from Montague (which is south, not north, of >Montague). This eucalyptus is very conspicuous, being the only tall euc from >Montague upstream to Trimble Road. As estimated visually and measured on a >topo, this tree is 1/4-1/3 of a mile south of Montague. > >Steve Rottenborn My profound apologies to Steve -- and I feel like an idiot for searching for an hour NORTH of the bridge, rather than SOUTH of the bridge. Up, down, north, south, oh well. Luke Luke Cole San Francisco, CA [[email protected]] ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Mon Oct 27 08:26:28 1997 Subject: Magnolia Warbler and Lesser Black-backed Gull All: I had originally intended on starting Sunday at Alviso to look for the Lesser Black-backed Gull, but since I had heard in the mean-time about the Magnolia Warbler that Mike Mammoser had seen on Saturday, I decided to start at the east since of the Guadalupe River just south of Montague Expressway at the lone Eucalyptus Tree. When I arrived, Al Eiser was already on site looking for the Magnolia Warbler. And soon thereafter Mike Rogers arrived. After some time had passed, and no Magnolia Warbler showed up, Al Eiser turned and was starting to leave, when I discovered the Magnolia Warbler low in the willow just to the north of the eucalyptus tree. Unfortunately, the viewing was only about 10% of that of Mike Mammoser's and Steve Rottenborn's. So, my description will be much less detailed... The spotting on the belly was not dark but light. The belly was yellow. The untertail coverts were white. The back and head were light gray, and the facial pattern seems to match the drawing on an first fall male (although the spots here are somewhat darker) shown on plate 11 of the new warbler book by Dunn and Garrett. I stayed around a while longer, but the bird did not show up again for me to view more intensely. I understand that Rob and Rita Colwell did show up a little later, and they and Mike Rogers did see the bird as well. I proceeded to Alviso to look for the Lesser Black-backed Gull. There was a small flock of gulls (about 150 birds) on the so-called salt pan east of the railroad tracks east of the marina. I was not able to spot the gull in question. Soon, Al Eisner, Mike Rogers, Leslie Lieurence and his wife arrived. Almost immediately, Mike Rogers pulled out the sleeping Lesser Black-backed Gull at the NW corner of the flock. Mike Rogers pointed out how easy it is to skip over a sleeping Lesser Black-backed Gull; it was the bird's back that was as dark as our "Northern" Western Gull that helped him pick out the Lesser Black-backed Gull. Something scared up the gulls into flight and they all returned to the salt pan making the bird's bright yellow feet hard to miss along with it's bright yellow bill. Mike Rogers also detected the gulls P9 feather (next to the last outer primary feather) was missing. >From here I headed to Monte Bello to search for the Pileated Woodpecker that Steve Glover had reported last week. I was there at about the same time as Steve had been there, but still no luck. Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/27/97, 8:20 AM 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]] Mon Oct 27 10:11:03 1997 Subject: LBBG Thank you very much for valuable info on how to locate the LBBG in Alviso. At least half a dozen birders kindly responded to my inquiry. By arriving a little past 7:00 AM on Sunday morning (Oct. 26th), we were awarded with crippling questar views of the winter adult LBBG. It was sitting front and center of the gull flock east of the marina. There was nothing to obstruct the view of the bird. What fun! Although this was not a life bird, my previous two sightings of this species were of dingy immatures. This bright looking adult was much more satisfying. My husband and I visited Shoreline Lake and saw the BARROW'S GOLDENEYE'S (great view) as well as the RED NECKED GREBE (poor view). We also saw a male adult SURF SCOTER that rapidly sailed behind the island on the north end of the lake. PIED BILLED, HORNED, and WESTERN GREBES were also present. Gina Sheridan [[email protected]] Santa Clara, CA ========================================================================== 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 Oct 27 10:50:56 1997 Subject: MAGWA, LBBGU, COTE All, On Sunday 10/26/97 I started out looking for the Magnolia Warbler along the Guadalupe River at 7:45am. As Mike Feighner noted, he and Al Eisner were already hard at work. I quickly found a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, 1-2 YELLOW WARBLERS, and at least 3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS near the eucalyptus, but the Magnolia Warbler proved elusive. After an hour of searching, Mike told me that he and Al had just had the bird "3 minutes ago", but that it had snuck off into the vegetation. Mike left shortly thereafter. Al searched for another twenty minutes, hoping for better looks and then gave up also. Fortunately, a little while later the Colwells showed up and it took Rita all of three minutes to find the MAGNOLIA WARBLER and point it out to me in brush just south of the eucalyptus. The bird was fairly bright and had streaks in the greenish back, but the flanks streaks were not jet black and were fairly limited up near the chest - this suggested an adult female or immature male bird to us. The bird disappeared behind the bush and we failed to refind it in another 15 minutes of searching. I then headed upstream, hoping for more goodies, which failed to show. Returning north in the overflow channel failed to produce any unusual sparrows. I then headed to Alviso for a bike trip of the salt ponds. A quick check of Spreckles Street in Alviso turned up 3 lingering LESSER YELLOWLEGS. After finding the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL east of the Marina as Mike Feighner has already noted, I headed off along Alviso Slough. There was no tern flock about and the cormorants were all loafing on the dikes instead of churning up fish. Calling SORAS and VIRGINIA RAILS were very numerous in Alviso Slough and at the Marina. Salt Pond A11 had single BUFFLEHEAD and HORNED GREBES and pond A10 had a flock of 619+ SCAUP (vast majority being GREATER) - unfortunately the only different ducks were 2 pairs of CANVASBACK. Scoping Salt Pond A9 from the south added 15 more SCAUP, a single male CANVASBACK, and 3 to 4 more BUFFLEHEAD. Carefully working through the roosting terns I was pleased to encounter a (the?) 1st-winter COMMON TERN sitting among numerous FORSTER'S TERNS. I later refound this bird from the opposite side of the pond, so it was present from at least 1:00pm to 2:45pm. Four SANDERLING in the eastern part of the pond were also nice. There were also at least 45 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS scattered throughout the various ponds. A quick check of the EEC turned up a (the?) YELLOW WARBLER and a nice GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET low in the reeds. Hundreds of BONAPARTE'S GULLS were on Salt Pond A18 to the northeast, but I couldn't find anything among them. A quick check of the Shoreline Ampitheater overflow parking lot turned up 2 HORNED LARKS, 7 AMERICAN PIPITS, and 50 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS at dusk. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Tue Oct 28 06:40:29 1997 Subject: AMERICAN BITTERN, SHORT-EARED OWL, BLACK TURNSTONE All: After work yesterday I returned to Alviso to see if I could come across the COMMON TERN at Pond A-9 (the furthest NW of all the Alviso Ponds) reported by Mike Rogers on Sunday, 10/26. When I arrived at 3:30 PM, there was only a small flock of gulls in the field east of the Marina parking lot and east of the railroad tracks, and the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was not among them. I continued along the Alviso Slough Trail northward and then along Coyote Creek to the NW to Pond A-9. There was one RED-BREASTED MERGANSER on Pond A-12 (the first pond), and Pond A-13 had 4 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS and several WESTERN GREBEs. As I reached the mid-point along the north side of Pond A-9 at 5 PM, I flushed up an AMERICAN BITTERN and a short distance past here a SHORT-EARED OWL flew out toward the east and then made a U-turn and followed along Coyote Creek, then crossed the creek into Alameda County. It was like a "zoo" of shorebirds at Pond A-9. There were no terns (the only terns I spotted were about a dozen FORSTER's TERNs I had watched in a feeding frenzy over Pond A-13). There were lots of AMERICAN AVOCETS and BLACK-NECKED STILTS, WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERs, DUNLINs, and last but not least five BLACK TURNSTONES. On the way back along Pond A-9 I flushed up the AMERICAN BITTERN again. And watched 2 SHORT-EARED OWLs fly around the reedy field north of Pond A-9. There may have been a total of three owls, but there were at least two. The one that had flown into Alameda County may have returned to Santa Clara County. By the time I had reached the MARINA, it was too dark to check on the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. The total hike must have been at least 7 miles (didn't have my pedometer along this time). ************************* I have received e-mail asking about the continuing presence of the adult male BALTIMORE ORIOLE in Santa Clara behind 221 Harold Avenue. Has anyone tried searching there recently? Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, [[email protected]], 10/28/97, 6:34 AM 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 Oct 28 07:48:04 1997 Subject: RNGR All: The RED-NECKED GREBE was seen this morning, 10/28/97, in the northeast corner of Shoreline Lake. 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 Oct 28 10:35:31 1997 Subject: birds On Saturday, 25 Oct 97, I joined Steve Rottenborn at the Guadalupe River for= a few hours of birding. As we looked over the area from atop the levee and pi= shed up sparrows, a COMMON SNIPE flew by and Steve was able to pick out an adult= GOLDEN EAGLE flying in the distance. After moving down into the riparian, w= e picked up on a flock of warblers that included YELLOW, ORANGE-CROWNED, and = 2 BLACK-THROATED GRAYS. A WESTERN TANAGER was also heard calling. I was able = to pick out a MAGNOLIA WARBLER high in a cottonwood, and Steve and I enjoyed excellent views of this bird for the next 20 minutes or so, from as close a= s about 15 feet after it moved down into the ground cover. I won't repeat a detailed description here (I will send one to Bill and any one else who ask= s), but I think it's safe to say that this was not an adult male of any plumage= From [[email protected]] Tue Oct 28 12:00:51 1997 Subject: birds On Saturday, 25 Oct 97, I joined Steve Rottenborn at the = Guadalupe River for a few hours of birding. As we looked = over the area from atop the levee and pished up sparrows, a = COMMON SNIPE flew by and Steve was able to pick out an = adult GOLDEN EAGLE flying in the distance. After moving = down into the riparian, we picked up on a flock of warblers = that included YELLOW, ORANGE-CROWNED, and 2 = BLACK-THROATED GRAYS. A WESTERN TANAGER = was also heard calling. I was able to pick out a MAGNOLIA = WARBLER high in a cottonwood, and Steve and I enjoyed = excellent views of this bird for the next 20 minutes or so, from = as close as about 15 feet after it moved down into the ground = cover. I won't repeat a detailed description here (I will send = one to Bill and any one else who asks), but I think it's safe to = say that this was not an adult male of any plumage. Other than = that, though, I don't think this bird can be pinned down = reliably. After Steve left, I went to the Alviso Marina, where I was = unable to find any of the rarities recently reported from here. I = did have about a dozen RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS on = A12, and both VIRGINIA RAILS and SORAS were calling = from the marina. I then went to the Sunnyvale Sewage Ponds and walked = around the larger of the two ponds. There were plenty of ducks = here, and I was able to pick out a EURASIAN WIGEON that = was still in partial eclipse plumage. There were also 4 = CANVASBACKS and a pair of REDHEADS. I couldn't find = any scaup and, consequently, no Tufted Ducks. On Sunday morning, 26 Oct 97, I went up to Grant County = Park hoping to dig up a White-throated Sparrow. There were a = number of sparrow species around the visitor center which = included LARK, SONG, SAVANNAH, WHITE-CROWNED, = GOLDEN-CROWNED, and LINCOLN'S. A TOWNSEND'S = WARBLER, 2 RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS, and a = CALIFORNIA THRASHER were also present. Near the = intersection of Mt. Hamilton and Quimby I found a FOX = SPARROW of the eastern race. The head was basically gray, = with a brownish auricular patch. The crown and nape were = washed with a rusty brown tone. The back, tail, wings, and = underside streaking were all a bright rusty brown color. 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 Oct 29 08:29:42 1997 Subject: Finches, etc. Hi, folks: This morning there were quite a few Lawrence's Goldfinches at the Palo Alto Hills GCC. I think 15 is a conservative estimate, although I never had more than 10 identified at one moment. I saw smaller numbers of Lesser's, and just 2 or 3 Pine Siskins. There were also good numbers of Western Bluebirds, abun- dant Yellow-Rumped Warblers, and the usual oak species. [I had a similar number of Lawrence's here about mid-October last year, but only a few at the end of October.] My Sunday highlights have already been relayed by Mike Feighner, who very nicely found the Magnolia Warbler just as I was starting to leave. A couple of notes from later on Sunday: I spent some time missing the Baltimore Oriole. And a late-afternoon walk along Stevens Creek north of L'avenida turned up at least 10 Lincoln's Sparrows, and 2 Green Herons (one an immature, the other not aged); the only Warbler I had other than Yellow-Rumped and Yellowthroat was one Orange-Crowned. 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 Oct 29 19:18:09 1997 Subject: S.C.County Year List Mike Rogers has updated the 1997 SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST as of October 22. He comments: "We've added so many species to the county year list, that I've decided to send another update a little early this time. Hopefully this will give people ideas of what to look for this weekend! (For instance Tundra Swan, Black or White-winged Scoter, Broad-winged Hawk, a jaeger, Little or Black-headed Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Red-naped Sapsucker, Sage or Brown Thrashers, Red-throated Pipit, Blue-heaed Vireo, Tennesse Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Clay-colored Sparrow, Lark Bunting, Swamp Sparrow, or any longspur.) Think BIG! we are only ten species away from an all time high and only 6 from making 300 for the second time ever!" Recent progress of the composite list: 282: 10/ 2/97 ELEGANT TERN 283: 10/ 3/97 SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER 284: 10/ 5/97 VESPER SPARROW 285: 10/ 5/97 TROPICAL KINGBIRD (and another bird later!) 286: 10/ 5/97 GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE 287: 10/ 7/97 SABINE'S GULL 288: 10/ 8/97 BLACK TERN 289: 10/12/97 SANDHILL CRANE 290: 10/17/97 COMMON TERN 291: 10/17/97 HEERMANN'S GULL 292: 10/17/97 BALTIMORE ORIOLE (present for 1.5 weeks already) 293: 10/20/97 RED PHALAROPE 294: 10/22/97 RED-NECKED GREBE For complete information, check out the S.C. List at the URL given below. 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 Oct 30 11:29:18 1997 Subject: Birding Calendar Larry Tunstall has updated the Bay Area Calendar for November 1-7 for SBBU. Kendric South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU) http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/ ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Thu Oct 30 15:55:56 1997 Subject: RUTU, BLTU, AMBI All, The lure of a hundred thousand birds (perhaps more) in Salt Pond A9 in Alviso proved too much to resist these past few days and I made high-speed bike rides out to that pond to check for rarities yesterday and today. Yesterday 10/29/97, the only unusual shorebirds were 2-3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and a single SEMIPLAMATED PLOVER (hundreds and hundreds of BLACK-BELLIEDS though). An adult PEREGRINE FALCON was perched atop a telephone pole between A14 and A15 and another (same?) was hunting over the west side of Alviso Slough along the edge of Salt Pond A6. A single group of 6 BUFFLEHEAD was more than I had on Sunday in all the ponds. Today 10/30/97 was more exciting. Biking out to A9 I had an immature PEREGRINE FALCON cross pond A11 and disappear into A14 and a single female-type SURF SCOTER near the dike in pond A10. Without scoping ducks I had 13 BUFFLEHEAD, including the first adult males (2) I have seen this fall - their numbers are building fast. Scoping from the northwest corner of Salt Pond A9 I picked out an immature (same?) PEREGRINE FALCON on the mud flats to the east. Later, in addition to this bird, I had two immature PEREGRINES attacking each other overhead for 3 birds in sight at once! After working through many distant shorebirds, I finally lucked onto a RUDDY TURNSTONE only about 120 yards off the dike. It was "turning stones" (mud clods?) and picking at the underside. A while later, as thousands of shorebirds started to stream towards Calaveras Point as the tide uncovered the mudflats, I picked up on a turnstone in flight. Assuming that it was the same Ruddy Turnstone, I was surprised after getting the bird in the scope after it landed to see a bathing BLACK TURNSTONE. By moving west along the dike I was treated to excellent views of this bird only 50 yards off the dike. It later flew to the mudflats further east in A9, calling once. Biking back to the Marina, I flushed up an AMERICAN BITTERN from the marsh north of the northwest corner of pond A15 (east of the northern tip of A14). Despite searching through the many terns on A9, I could not relocate the immature Common Tern. However, on some posts in Salt Pond A15 I had an interesting tern with an all black nape. It did appear to have shorter deep red feet than the neighboring FORSTER'S TERNS (one of which (an immature) had an aluminum band on the right leg) and the bill was perhaps not quite as heavy. No sign of any "carpal" bar though and I couldn't see the tail pattern....probably just a late-molting Forster's Tern. Both turnstones in the county in one day is amazing, but is has been done before by Steve Rottenborn, who had both in neighboring Salt Pond A14 on 8/26/93. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 31 07:20:46 1997 Subject: RUDU, RNGR All: Yesterday afternoon, 10/30/97, I saw a partially-leucistic RUDDY DUCK on Salt Pond A2W. It appeared to be an eclipse male but, except the dark bill and eye, the head and upper neck were entirely white. I ran into Derek Currall at the Mountain View Forebay and he said that he had seen the RED-NECKED GREBE at Shoreline Lake earlier. Bill ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 31 08:09:45 1997 Subject: apparent immature LBBG All: This afternoon (31 October), Mike Rogers and I saw a bird at Lake Cunningham in east San Jose (off Tully Road east of Capitol Expwy.) that was apparently a first-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. I don't have time to post a detailed description now, but we saw the bird very well and what we saw appeared to eliminate our North American race of Herring Gull and appeared consistent with Lesser Black-backed Gull. I think that most other gulls can be eliminated, although it's not clear to me that the whole mess of Siberian gulls (heuglini, taimyrensis, and vegae) can be eliminated. However, the bird's features do seem consistent with Lesser Black-backed more than with heuglini (based on what little information I have on first-winter heuglini). To be on the safe side (i.e., so that we can get the word out and hopefully have people see and photograph the bird), and because the bird seemed to be consistent with a Lesser Black- backed, I'll call it an "apparent LBBG" for now. I'll be looking for the bird again tomorrow morning. 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 Oct 31 08:21:36 1997 Subject: Re: apparent immature LBBG All: Sorry, but I didn't tell you what to look for on this gull; the following is NOT a complete description of the bird. The bird is slightly longer than a California Gull (although noticeably bulkier) with mostly white head, neck, and underparts and brownish "first-winter" mantle and upperwings. The head and neck are lightly streaked (in definite streaks, not splotchy like a Herring Gull), with a noticeable concentration of streaks around the eye. The eye itself is paler than on typical first- winter birds but is not bright or pale like on an adult. The bill appears all-black from a distance (contrasting noticeably with the white head), but from close range we could see that there was a very slight hint of pale coloring coming in at the base of the lower mandible, and a tiny area at the very tip of both mandibles was pale. If you have Grant's _Gulls_, the bird appeared very similar to Photo #280 except that the streaking on the sides of the neck was even more clearly defined, the dark patch of streaking around the eye was even more well defined, and the mostly-dark outer greater secondary coverts (dark brown with whitish only at the tips) were more conspicuously dark than in this photo. 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 Oct 31 14:49:46 1997 Subject: Banded FOTEs Thanks to Mike Rogers for the exciting report from the Alviso loop trail, one of my favorite places to play hooky from work. He noted a banded Forster's Tern. This is probably one of ours from this past breeding season - we banded 135 in various colonies. We plan to color band next year. Also a short note from the intersection of 280 at Sandhill. Me and my carfull of commuting kids have noted a pair of White-tailed Kites in the low trees right next to the southbound onramp, esp. obvious last spring. Then they disappeared mid-summer, now are back, but now there are sometimes 3 all sitting together. Plus assorted kestrels and red-taileds and even an occasional Golden Eagle over the Christmas tree farm, makes for a good spot-the-raptor contest every morning. Oh and Ravens too. Best, Janet Hanson SFBBO ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 31 16:39:27 1997 Subject: AMBI, LBBGU All, Today 10/31/97, Steve Rottenborn and I checked out the reeds around Lake Cunningham (Raging Waters area) for Swamp Sparrows. No Swamp Sparrows, but we did have 1 AMERICAN BITTERN, 4 GREEn HERONS, 8 COMMON SNIPE, and a MERLIN. As we were leaving Steve took a quick binocular scan of the lake and coming across a brownish gull with a white head and neck jokingly said "There's a Lesser Black-backed Gull". Well the joke was on us, because after studying the bird for 45 minutes or more it does indeed seem likely that it was a first winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. I got some photos that should be quite good of the bird, so a definitive ID will await further literature study and these photos (ID contenders would be various races of Herring Gull, including the many asian forms that may actually be distinct species). If you want to look for this bird, look for a gull that is slightly larger than the California Gulls, with a much larger head and deeper bill. The birds upperparts appear mostly brownish with some dark gray cast to the mantle. The head and neck are mostly white with narrow brown streaks. The bird has much dinginess around the eye. The primaries are blackish, but the tertials have a fair amount of white in the tips. The greater coverts near the tertials are barred, but as you proceed forward on the bird they become uniformly dingy grayish brown. The tail is mosty black, but the bases of the tail feathers and the uppertail coverts are white with some barring/marbling. The eye is lightening but is not yellow yet. The feet are pink, but the legs (especially the upper portions appear to be somewhat yellowish). The bird is somewhat more timid than the other gulls and has not yet learned to forcefully go for the easy handout....it did however, end up on the lawn by the marina going after a half loaf of bread with many other gulls at one point. Also spends lots of time on the rocks south of the little island. Mike Rogers ========================================================================== This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to [[email protected]] From [[email protected]] Fri Oct 31 18:45:21 1997 Subject: Forster's Terns Status This year I seemed to notice something of a hiatus in the population of Forster's Terns in the bay with numbers seemingly dropping off in August and then increasing again in mid/late September. I've also noticed northbound movements of what appear to be Forster's Terns, presumably bound for the bay since they don't breed in any numbers further N. on the coast, at Pigeon Point in the spring (late April). Although this may be due to patchy observation (SF Bay has huge areas I don't bird where Forster's Terns can hang out in numbers), I'm wonsdering if this is indicative that the Forster's Terns wintering here are not all the same as the birds breeding here. Is there any banding data to support that other populations (say from the interior) are wintering here? _____________________________________________________________ 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]]