Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from The Cal Birding List > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Monday, February 8 at 01:57 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Nuthatch

08 Feb Behavior Question for Goldfinches ["pensioner" ] 31 Jan Re: Dan Murphy's Allen Hummingbird Sighting in N. CA: Today...... [] 4 Feb News from the CBRC ["Kimball Garrett" ] 31 Jan Lester Goldfinches ["pensioner" ] 31 Jan Re: Dan Murphy's Allen Hummingbird Sighting in N. CA: Today...... ["Ruth Rudesill" ] 31 Jan Dan Murphy's Allen Hummingbird Sighting in N. CA: Today...... [Daniel Edelstein ] 30 Jan Reducing aircraft-wildlife strikes at airports ["kennedym2009" ] 27 Jan May 1 LAAS Deepwater Pelagic from Santa Barbara ["toddamcgrath" ] 26 Jan A.O.U. Pelagic from San Diego 13 Feb now open to the public ["thunefeld" ] 26 Jan Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival -- April 23-26, 2010 -- Registration Open ["will_w04" ] 15 Jan upcoming California weather, potentially severe statewide [] 15 Jan Photos-Brown Thrasher continues at A.W. Noon Park in Kern County ["Ken and Brenda Kyle" ] 13 Jan Jan. 16 th - 3rd. ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT 4 KIDS! (Sat. 8:30AM - 1:00PM) ["torusert" ] 11 Jan L.A. County King Eider persists at Cabrillo Fishing Pier 1/10 ["tcturkiye" ] 10 Jan San Diego Vermillion Flycatcher ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 07 Jan Information Request: Bendire's Thrasher [Bob Barnes ] 05 Jan King Eider ["Gary G" ] 5 Jan Re: Re: [CALBIRDS] King Eider capture attempt [] 05 Jan Re: [CALBIRDS] King Eider capture attempt ["LeRoy M. Dorman" ] 05 Jan Re: King Eider capture attempt ["LeRoy M. Dorman" ] 05 Jan Black Vulture at Lake Casitas ["Michelle" ] 4 Jan RE: CBC locations ["John Wilson" ] 04 Jan Bar-tailed Godwit Continues ["catbird117" ] 04 Jan Re: CBC locations ["Steve Hampton" ] 3 Jan RE: King Eider capture attempt ["Lidia Seebeck" ] 03 Jan King Eider capture attempt [Joseph Morlan ] 03 Jan King Eider capture attempt [Joseph Morlan ] 3 Jan Fw: Highlights of Santa Barbara CBC, Jan. 2, 2010 ["Joan Lentz" ] 03 Jan Harris' Hawk in Brawley ["monterey90254" ] 2 Jan Re: Chiriaco Curve-billed Thrasher: still there [Mark Eaton ] 02 Jan Re: CBC locations [Bob & Carol Yutzy ] 2 Jan Re: CBC locations [Nancy ] 2 Jan CBC locations [] 02 Jan Long-tailed Duck continues at Malibu Pier ["pazzoluigi" ] 01 Jan Re:Green Birding Categories [] 1 Jan Brown Thrasher continues at AW Noone Park in Kern Co. [jack hayden ] 1 Jan Re:Green Birding Categories ["D.Fenner" ] 29 Dec Green Birding Categories [Jim Royer ] 31 Dec Santa Maria Times Article Link ["sayers68" ] 31 Dec Chiriaco Curve-billed Thrasher: still there ["dan_cooper_90042" ] 30 Dec Santa Maria Times Article ["Ed Stonick" ] 30 Dec White Wagtail ["Ed Stonick" ] 28 Dec FW: White Wagtail still present ["Ed Stonick" ] 28 Dec Re: SBA White (Black-backed) Wagtail ["Ken Burton" ] 28 Dec King Eider, LA County ["JBSears" ] 28 Dec White Wagtail still present [Matthew Dodder ] 28 Dec SBA White (Black-backed) Wagtail ["Jim" ] 28 Dec White Wagtail, Monday morning12-28 ["Bill Bouton" ] 28 Dec Re: [CALBIRDS] White Wagtail in Santa Barbara County [Maggie Smith ] 28 Dec Re: White Wagtail in Santa Barbara County [Maggie Smith ] 28 Dec White Wagtail Access Denied Monday Morning December 28 ["markbrown1848" ] 27 Dec White Wagtail in Santa Barbara County [Paul Keller ] 24 Dec RE: Probability Of “True” Yellow-Throated Warbler Sighting By SF Chronicle Columnist Tom Stienstra (?) ["John Sterling" ] 24 Dec Probability Of “True” Yellow-Throated Warbler Sighting By SF Chronicle Columnist Tom Stienstra (?) [Daniel Edelstein ] 22 Dec Buena Vista CBC great birds [Alison Sheehey ] 21 Dec RE: Information on Neck collars on Tundra Swans [Bruce Webb ] 21 Dec Re: [nwcalbird] Information on Neck collars on Tundra Swans [Elias Elias ] 21 Dec Information on Neck collars on Tundra Swans [Bob & Carol Yutzy ] 21 Dec Woodfords Xmas count 12-19-09 preliminary results ["naturestoc" ] 20 Dec New North American Birds Subregional Editor for Marin County [Ryan Terrill ] 20 Dec New North American Birds Subregional Editor for Marin County [Ryan Terrill ] 19 Dec Eastern Alameda County - CBC tally ["Richard Cimino" ] 19 Dec Eastern Alameda County - CBC tally ["Richard Cimino" ] 17 Dec Pre-count for Eastern Alameda County CBC ["Richard Cimino" ] 15 Dec Chestnut-backed Chickadee subspecies ["Ken Burton" ] 15 Dec Chestnut-backed Chickadee subspecies ["Ken Burton" ] 15 Dec Chestnut-backed Chickadee subspecies ["Ken Burton" ] 14 Dec bird plumage study ["drury.jonathan" ] 14 Dec Reporting oiled or injured birds [Rebecca Dmytryk ] 12 Dec Future pelagic trips [john small ] 12 Dec Future pelagic trips [john small ] 12 Dec SV Christmas Bird Count - New Years Day! ["torusert" ] 11 Dec Re: pelagic trip data vs ebird ["bjinsd" ] 10 Dec Re: pelagic trip data vs ebird [Don Roberson ] 10 Dec Re: pelagic trip data vs ebird [Dany Sloan ] 10 Dec pelagic trip data vs ebird ["WK" ] Subject: Behavior Question for Goldfinches From: "pensioner" <al_knoll AT pacbell.net> Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:56:35 -0000 As seed slinging season progresses, I wondered how the finches and finchettes find the feeder to start with. Do they smell the delicious and expensive seed? When I put up a feeder in a distant friends yard there were finches within the day, fussing, slinging seed and making merry. How did they find it? The feeder and the seed I mean. My motley rabble now numbers up to 17 at a time and the 5lb bag of seed is on it's way out. Time for a food run. Al Knoll Sacramento CA Subject: Re: Dan Murphy's Allen Hummingbird Sighting in N. CA: Today...... From: dsuddjian AT aol.com Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:57:46 EST In a message dated 1/31/2010 9:23:51 AM Pacific Standard Time, edelstein AT earthlink.net writes: Did other folks in central and n. CA see Allen's returning recently, too? At Santa Cruz County the average arrival date for the 1st reported migrant Allen's Hummingbird during the 40-year period 1969-2008 was Jan 15 (standard error +/- 10 days), and for the more recent 10-year period of 1999-2008 the average arrival was Jan 10 (+/- 7 days). 1st arrivals have shown a highly significant trend for earlier dates over 40 year period. I believe this year's 1st arrival for SCZ was Jan 11. You can see a plot of the arrival dates for SCZ for Allen's and a number of other spring migrants here: _http://santacruzbirdclub.org/Spring%20Arrivals-08.pdf_ (http://santacruzbirdclub.org/Spring%20Arrivals-08.pdf) A number of species have exhibited notable changes in the timing of arrivals over recent decades, most especially for species that arrive in late winter or early spring. The info cited in the Marin County breeding bird atlas may not well reflect the more recent situation for some species of migrants. David Suddjian Capitola [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: News from the CBRC From: "Kimball Garrett" <kgarrett AT nhm.org> Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 10:38:01 -0800 California Birders, The California Bird Records Committee held its annual meeting at H. T. Harvey and Associates in San Jose on 8-9 January 2010. The meeting was chaired by Paul Lehman, CBRC Chairman, and Guy McCaskie, CBRC Secretary. Three members (Kristie Nelson, Jim Pike, and Peter Pyle) rotated off the Committee after having completed their three year terms. Elected to take their places were Dave Compton, Kimball Garrett and Oscar Johnson. The Committee particularly welcomes Oscar, who is serving his first term. There were two changes to the Review List: Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi) was added to the list; the Committee will review all records from 2010 onwards, as well as records from a yet-to-be-determined period prior to this year. American Golden-Plover was removed from the list; this species was reviewed during the period 2004-2009 because of concerns about its increasing rarity in the state and ongoing identification issues between it and the slightly more numerous Pacific Golden-Plover, but enough records were accepted during that review period to warrant removal from the list. The CBRC web site continues to be updated: http://www.californiabirds.org/ In particular, we point out that all CBRC-reviewed records are now listed in the database query, not just the ones since the cutoff date for records in the 2007 CBRC book "Rare Birds of California." There is a new feature (many thanks to Joe Morlan and his son Jeff) that allows users to click on an accepted record and get a list of the observers and an annotation as to who submitted photographs. We hope to post occasional news items through the course of the year, and invite birders in California to communicate freely and frequently with members of the CBRC. Kimball Garrett CBRC Member and Internet Liaison Kimball L. Garrett Ornithology Collections Manager Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90007 USA 213-763-3368 kgarrett AT nhm.org [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Lester Goldfinches From: "pensioner" <al_knoll AT pacbell.net> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:26:44 -0000 Hung the sock after the rains last week or so. A heavy encrustation of squabbling thistle-slingers resulted and continues. Heard the first spring peeper (not a bird but a treefrog that same day. I no longer trust the overfed woodchuck in Punxatawny. The finch-frog coalition is usurping his long tenure as a spring forcaster. al knoll (ruffled grouch) Sacramento, CA Subject: Re: Dan Murphy's Allen Hummingbird Sighting in N. CA: Today...... From: "Ruth Rudesill" <ruthier AT sonic.net> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:33:19 -0800 Hi Daniel - We've had several reports of Selasphorus sp./ Allen's Hummers in Sonoma County this winter. One at Bodega Bay on Jan 2nd; one in Occidental and one is Sebastopol both found over a week ago. Ruth Rudesill SRE Sonoma County North American Birds Kenwood CA ----- Original Message ----- From: Daniel Edelstein To: A CAL BIRDS Sent: Sunday, January 31, 2010 9:21 AM Subject: [CALBIRDS] Dan Murphy's Allen Hummingbird Sighting in N. CA: Today...... ....and given this fine birder's discovery in SF today at Lake Merced, I wonder: Did other folks in central and n. CA see Allen's returning recently, too? Did I miss other earlier documented detections (as I often hear them first, before seeing them now)? Or is Dan's one of the initial observations? BTW, Dave Shuford's "The Marin Co. Breeding Bird Atlas" has the range of arrival in Marin Co. (1900-1980) as 1/16 - 2/25 with average as 2/5......and Palomarin (Bolinas area): 1/24 - 2/27 (average 2/5)....... Regards and happy birding..... Daniel Edelstein Novato, CA (Bay Area) . [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Dan Murphy's Allen Hummingbird Sighting in N. CA: Today...... From: Daniel Edelstein <edelstein AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:21:31 -0800 (GMT-08:00) ....and given this fine birder's discovery in SF today at Lake Merced, I wonder: Did other folks in central and n. CA see Allen's returning recently, too? Did I miss other earlier documented detections (as I often hear them first, before seeing them now)? Or is Dan's one of the initial observations? BTW, Dave Shuford's "The Marin Co. Breeding Bird Atlas" has the range of arrival in Marin Co. (1900-1980) as 1/16 - 2/25 with average as 2/5......and Palomarin (Bolinas area): 1/24 - 2/27 (average 2/5)....... Regards and happy birding..... Daniel Edelstein Novato, CA (Bay Area) & Ellison Bay, WI http://www.warblerwatch.com My two blogs: http://warblerwatch.blogspot.com (my blog devoted to wood-warblers) http://danielsmerrittclasses.blogspot.com (my blog focused on classes I teach at Merritt College in Oakland, CA, including my next one -- "Bird Song Ecology/Birding By Ear" that begins in 4/10) 12 Kingfisher Court Novato, CA 94949-6628 USA 415-382-1827 (voice & DSL fax) Subject: Reducing aircraft-wildlife strikes at airports From: "kennedym2009" <kennedym2009 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 05:29:51 -0000 Listowner's note: This topic has indirect application to birding in California. I'm letting the message through so people can take the survey. However, the topic is not open for discussion. Dear fellow birding enthusiasts, As a lifelong birder and professional aviator for over 16 years, I am conducting a nation-wide study on the level of community support for the mitigation measures used at airports to reduce the wildlife strike hazard to commercial aircraft. Getting input from different regions of the country is necessary to gauge whether there are regional differences due to varying bird populations or possible high profile incidents involving wildlife strikes on aircraft. Responses are submitted electronically to a database that does not identify users, so your answers will be completely confidential. Findings will be released only as analyzed data or summaries in which no individual's answers can be identified. Please take a few moments to share your opinions and experiences. I appreciate you taking time from your busy schedule to contribute toward this important research about community views on wildlife mitigation measures at airports. The survey can be accessed at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XTVS225 If you would like a summary of my findings, please send me your e-mail address at kennedym2009 AT yahoo.com. Once the study is complete, I will e-mail the summary to you. Best Regards, Matt Kennedy Graduate student in Aeronautical Science Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Omaha, NE Subject: May 1 LAAS Deepwater Pelagic from Santa Barbara From: "toddamcgrath" <toddamcgrath AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:06:35 -0000 Calbirders, I am pleased to announce that The Los Angeles Audubon Society will again be sponsoring a series of pelagic trips off Southern California in 2010. Three of these trips will be out of Santa Barbara on the fast and comfortable "Condor Express." This is a great boat, with a huge cabin, outstanding galley, and one of the best Captains and crew in the business. There will also be our usual core of excellent leaders. The speed of the Condor Express allows us to reach areas like the San Juan Seamount, and the 2,000 fathom waters where pterodroma petrels and other goodies can be found. On our way out and back to the deepwater we cross several productive canyons and basins, giving us ample opportunities study more nearshore species. We have two13 hour deepwater trips planned, the first of which is May 1st. Rarities found on past spring trips include Murphy's and Hawaiian Petrels, Parakeet Auklets, and both Horned and Tufted Puffins. Cost is $195 and the boat departs at 7:00AM (meet at 6:30AM). Sign-up information is at the bottom of the message. Spring Migration will be in full swing, and we often see Black-footed (regular) and Laysan (uncommon) Albatrosses, all 3 jaegers (Long-tailed rare but regular in spring) Pink-footed, Sooty, Back-vented, and Flesh-footed (rare) shearwaters. Xantus's Murrelets are breeding on the Channel Islands at this time of year, and are usually present in numbers near the islands. Black, Leach's and Ashy storm-petrels are often present, and we are likely to see numbers of Phalaropes (both Red and Red-necked) as well as Sabine's Gulls. We are likely to see good numbers of Cassin's Auklets and some Rhinoceros Auklets as well. We did 5 trips with the Condor Express in 2009 (2 LA Audubon trips, as well as a charter, and two pelagics run directly by Condor Cruises). Our Spring deepwater trip was weathered out. If you managed to be on all five trips last year, you ended up with a pretty good seabird list, including Cook's Petrel (134 in July, spectacular views) Red-billed Tropicbird (1 in July) Parakeet Auklet (2 in March) Horned Puffin (1 in May) Brown Booby (one in Santa Barbara in Sept), Blue-footed Booby (Ventura's first record) and Least Storm-petrel (Sept). Plus all the regularly expected species. Socalbirding.com has full trip reports for these trips, plus all the great trips sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon out of San Diego. The full schedule of 2010 trips is also available there. Will 2010 be able to top 2009? I have no idea, but I know we are going to have a lot of fun trying. Note that there is different booking process for the Los Angeles Audubon trips on the Condor Express. In order to make the booking process easier, the Sea Landing in Santa Barbara will handle all bookings for these trips. Here's how to contact Sea Landing: PHONE: (805) 882-0088 / FAX: (805) 965-0942 TOLL-FREE IN THE U.S.: (888) 77-WHALE May 1st Deepwater pelagic Cost $195 Departure: 7:00 AM (meet at 6:30AM) Duration 13+ hours I hope to see you onboard. Todd McGrath Skua AT msn.com Calabasas, CA Subject: A.O.U. Pelagic from San Diego 13 Feb now open to the public From: "thunefeld" <thunefeld AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:18:35 -0000 Phil Unitt asked me to pass his posting to SDBirds along to the CalBirds group: * * * * * * * Dear friends, As you may know, the Cooper Ornithological Society and American Ornithologists Union are having their annual meeting jointly in San Diego from 8 to 11 February. The pelagic trip scheduled for 12 February proved so popular we added another for the following day. As the trip is now just 3 weeks away and the second trip is not yet filled, it is now open to anyone. This is a full-day trip, 8 to 9 hours at sea, aboard the Grande. It will leave Fisherman's Landing at 6:30 AM and will visit Los Coronados Islands (site of the Brown Booby colony) as well as whatever hot spots our local experts, Dave Povey and Terry Hunefeld, who have their fingers on the pulse of the ocean, decide should be most productive. Price $80. Registration will be through a website set up by the conference managers. I will circulate the address as soon as it's set up, but you can reserve a space now by e-mailing me at birds AT sdnhm.org or unitt AT cox.net. Thanks very much to Terry Hunefeld for his help in making the arrangements and recruiting the experienced leaders we know and love. I will be on the boat that day too and look forward to seeing you then! Latest possibility to think of for a pelagic trip: Glaucous Gull. Yesterday Shauna Wolf found an ADULT Glaucous Gull dead on the Silver Strand and today brought it into the museum, to become only our second specimen ever of the Glaucous Gull for San Diego County. One of the few Glaucous Gulls I've seen previously was from a boat just a couple of miles off the Silver Strand.... Good birding, Philip Unitt San Diego * * * * * * * Following the AOU trip, the San Diego Bird Festival Pelagic trips (two Manx Shearwaters, 2 Mew Gulls and a Blue-footed Booby seen last year) are scheduled for March 4, 6 and 7. The Sunday March 7 trip is nearly sold out already. Both the April and March trips will be checking to see just how long the Long-tailed Duck hangs out at Ballast Point in San Diego harbor. Details and registration/reservation links for the AOU Feb 13 trip and the March San Diego Bird Festival Trips (and all SoCal pelagics scheduled for 2010) are posted at: http://www.socalbirding.com/upcomingtrips.html W. Terry Hunefeld, Encinitas Life is short. Seabird often. In memory of Luke Cole "Come on out with us to see what's out there." Southern California Seabirding Trips by: Buena Vista Audubon Society http://www.SoCalBirding.com Los Coronados Islands & Nine Mile Bank all the way to the edge of the Continental Shelf Subject: Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival -- April 23-26, 2010 -- Registration Open From: "will_w04" <will_w04 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:31:31 -0000 The first Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival (April23-26, 2010) is now open for registration! Some of California's preeminent birders will be leading trips, including Rich Stallcup, Steve Howell, Keith Hansen, Jules Evens, David Wimpfheimer, and Lisa Hug. There will be walks, boat trips, classes, demonstrations, and a pelagic trip to Cordell Bank. To register online, go to www.pointreyesbirdingfestival.org and sign-up for the walks, events, lectures, and classes that you find most exciting. Some of these trips will be fully subscribed very quickly and registering early is advised. Enrollment will be limited. The Festival is sponsored by the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin in cooperation with PRBO Conservation Science, Marin Audubon Society, Madrone Audubon Society, American Birding Association, Point Reyes National Seashore, and many other groups. If you have any questions about the Festival, send an email to prbnfestival AT gmail.com or call the Festival Headquarters at 415-663-9312. You can help make the Festival successful by forwarding this message to your birding and other friends with an interest in nature and the outdoors -- and you can help publicize the Festival by putting a link to it on your website or Facebook-page. If there are websites you think the Festival should contact to establish a link, please send an email to prbnfestival AT gmail.com . Also, if you find any problems with the website, please let the sponsors know at once by sending an email to prbnfestival AT gmail.com . Hope to see you at the Festival! Will Wilson Corte Madera [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: upcoming California weather, potentially severe statewide From: Gjon_Hazard AT fws.gov Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:36:28 -0800 This is about California weather, not California birds. Given that weather can affect birding and bird movements, however, I thought it would be apropos to spread the word (although further general discussion on CALBIRDS would probably be frowned upon). Below is a forward of a forward. I'm not sure of its source, but it is generally corroborated by National Weather Service forecasts. Cheers, -Gj Gjon Hazard, Encinitas/Carlsbad, CA (not an official post by the USFWS) ----begin forward---- Get ready. This is what the emergency response community is saying: Currently, the strong El Nino is reaching its peak in the Eastern Pacific, and now finally appears to be exerting an influence on our weather. The strong jet has been apparent for quite some time out over the open water, but the persistent block had prevented it from reaching the coast. Now that the block has dissolved completely, a 200+ kt jet is barreling towards us. Multiple large and powerful storm systems are expected to slam into CA from the west and northwest over the coming two weeks, all riding this extremely powerful jet stream directly into the state. The jet will itself provide tremendous dynamic lift, in addition to directing numerous disturbances right at the state and supplying them with an ample oceanic moisture source. The jet will be at quite a low latitude over much of the Pacific, so these storms will be quite cold, at least initially. Very heavy rainfall and strong to potentially very strong winds will impact the lower elevations beginning late Sunday and continuing through at least the following Sunday. This will be the case for the entire state, from (and south of) the Mexican border all the way up to Oregon. Above 3000-4000 feet, precipitation will be all snow, and since temperatures will be unusually cold for a precipitation event of this magnitude, a truly prodigious amount of snowfall is likely to occur in the mountains, possibly measured in the tens of feet in the Sierra after it's all said and done. But there's a big and rather threatening caveat to that (discussed below).Individual storm events are going to be hard to time for at least few more days, since this jet is just about as powerful as they come (on this planet, anyway). Between this Sunday and the following Sunday, I expect categorical statewide rainfall totals in excess of 3-4 inches. That is likely to be a huge underestimate for most areas. Much of NorCal is likely to see 5-10 inches in the lowlands, with 10-20 inches in orographically-favored areas. Most of SoCal will see 3-6 inches at lower elevations, with perhaps triple that amount in favored areas. This is where things get even more interesting, though. The models are virtually unanimous in "reloading" the powerful jet stream and forming an additional persistent kink 2000-3000 miles to our southwest after next Sunday. This is a truly ominous pattern, because it implies the potential for a strong Pineapple-type connection to develop. Indeed, the 12z GFS now shows copious warm rains falling between days 12 and 16 across the entire state. Normally, such as scenario out beyond day seven would be dubious at best. Since the models are in such truly remarkable agreement, however, and because of the extremely high potential impact of such an event, it's worth mentioning now. Since there will be a massive volume of freshly-fallen snow (even at relatively low elevations between 3000-5000 feet), even a moderately warm storm event would cause very serious flooding. This situation will have to monitored closely. Even if the tropical connection does not develop, expected rains in the coming 7-10 days will likely be sufficient to cause flooding in and of themselves (even in spite of dry antecedent conditions). In addition to very heavy precipitation, powerful winds may result from very steep pressure gradients associated with the large and deep low pressure centers expected to begin approaching the coast by early next week. Though it's not clear at the moment just how powerful these winds may be, there is certainly the potential for a widespread damaging wind event at some point, and the high Sierra peaks are likely to see gusts in the 100-200 mph range (since the 200kt jet at 200-300 mb will essentially run directly into the mountains at some point). The details of this will have to be hashed out as the event(s) draw closer. In short, the next 2-3 weeks (at least) are likely to be more active across California than any other 2-3 week period in recent memory. The potential exists for a dangerous flood scenario to arise at some point during this interval, especially with the possibility of a heavy rain-on-snow event during late week 2. In some parts of Southern California, a whole season's worth of rain could fall over the course of 5-10 days. This is likely to be a rather memorable event. Stay tuned. Subject: Photos-Brown Thrasher continues at A.W. Noon Park in Kern County From: "Ken and Brenda Kyle" <kbgoldennugget2 AT aol.com> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:43:50 -0000 Today, Thursday, 1/14/10, we saw the Brown Thrasher that has been previously reported by other birders on kercobirding. It continues in the same location at A.W.Noon Park in Kern County. The entrance road leads to the Buena Vista Golf Course. The Buena Vista Golf Course is on Golf Course Road, west of the Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area and east of the hamlet of Dustin Acres. If you travel to see this bird, look for the juniper looking cypress bushes on the left side of the entrance road that leads to the golf course. These bushes are near the slope of a saltbush covered hillside. Do not enter the golf course parking lot. At 9:30am this morning, we stood across the road from the juniper looking cypress, and the Brown Thrasher came out from under the bush onto the grass. We were able to observe it through our scope. At 1:45pm we were sitting at a bench across from the bushes, and the Brown Thrasher came out from under the bush. We have placed three photos of this Brown Thrasher into the the CALBIRDS photo section in the album labeled Birds. Ken and Brenda Kyle Bakersfield Subject: Jan. 16 th - 3rd. ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT 4 KIDS! (Sat. 8:30AM - 1:00PM) From: "torusert" <sonomabirding AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:48:09 -0000 A half day of birding is planned for kids ages 8-14 and their parents followed by a brown bag lunch and tabulation celebration at the Sonoma Community Center- room 212. Dress for the weather. Bernie Krause, Nature Recordist is the guest presenter. Check in at the SCC parking lot at 8:30AM on 1/16. Dress for the weather. Sign up by calling 707-938-4626x1. $5 fee. The rain date, if called, is Saturday, January 23rd. Updated Information will be posted at http://www.sonomabirding.org/. Tom Rusert Sonoma,CA. Subject: L.A. County King Eider persists at Cabrillo Fishing Pier 1/10 From: "tcturkiye" <tcollender AT usa.net> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:48:22 -0000 The immature male King Eider was there from 2 when I arrived to at least 3:15 when I left, with a gap of about 30 minutes. A couple with scopes who were coming off the pier when I arrived told me it was all the way at the end. About 100-200' up the pier a fisherwoman asked, "Looking for the King?" and pointed me straight at it, right at the edge of the pier about 30' away. It drifted out as far as the line of kelp by the green buoy before I lost it. Walked out to the end, none of the reported brants or mew gulls. When I returned two birders from San Diego had just arrived and seen it fly in from the other side. Again, it hung around the area parallel to the area between the 2nd or 3rd trash can and the 2nd basin, opposite the 3 blue structures. The fisherwoman told me that it's been going up on shore everyday around 3, and that the rehabber has been trying to catch it for a couple of days. Passed immediately under us twice. Also 1 Hooded and several Western/Clark's Grebes, and 1 Surf Scoter. Didn't pick out any reported Mew Gulls Tori Collender Pasadena Subject: San Diego Vermillion Flycatcher From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:28:23 -0600 All: I am just forwarding details of a Vermillion Flycatcher in SD county. Not sure if it was already known about. Nick Lethaby Santa Barbara nlethaby AT ti.com -----Original Message----- From: Jeff Gilligan [mailto:jeffgill AT teleport.com] Sent: Sunday, January 10, 2010 8:02 AM To: Lethaby, Nick Subject: A few unusual birds recently in So. Cal Hi Nick: Sean Williams and I recently completed an 8 day birding swing through So. Cal. Other than stake outs the more rare birds were:s 1 Bank Swallow near the Red Hill Marina at the Salton Sea (January 1). We first became aware of it due to its distinctive calls. 1 immature Vermillion Flycatcher behind a high school (not far from the park and grade school where the RTPI was reported) in Nestor while looking for the Red-throated Pipit. We never saw the RTPI, but got a start when we saw a Savannah Sparrow among a large flock of Am. Pipits. All the best. Jeff Gilligan Subject: Information Request: Bendire's Thrasher From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:45:35 -0800 Hi, Audubon California Important Bird Area Program staff is gathering Bendire's Thrasher observation records in California to help with the Global IBA review process. They are reviewing the pre-existing 145 California IBAs to see which qualify as Global IBAs. Bendire's Thrasher, at a threshold of 30 individuals or 10 breeding pairs, is a species that triggers Global IBA status. Although the existing literature on Bendire's Thrasher provides a welcome base, observation records are requested from all of you who have observed this species in California in order to develop the most complete status and distribution information possible. All observation records would be helpful no matter how old. Observation records from the years 2000-2009+ would be especially helpful. Records from all observation locations would be helpful. Observations made in the following habitats/locations would be especially helpful. * Mojave National Reserve/Cima Dome * Colorado Desert microphyll woodlands * East Mojave springs * Kern County's Butterbredt Canyon & Eastern Sierra - Kelso Creek watershed - Kelso Valley complex * Mojave River corridor Any information is welcome. Of course, the more complete the better. * date * location (as specific as possible ... even if no date) * nesting evidence * habitat (as complete as possible) I have volunteered to assist by compiling your Bendire's Thrasher information submissions and passing it on to Audubon California IBA Program staff. Please email reply with your observations to: bbarnes AT lightspeed.net (Bob Barnes) Submissions received ASAP (in the next one to two weeks) will best fit in with Audubon's Bendire's Thrasher IBA work time line. Thank you in advance for assisting Audubon in their efforts to best insure the long-term survival of Bendire's Thrasher in California and throughout this species' range. Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes P.S.: Please forward this request to any individual or listserv you believe might only receive it via your forward. Thank you. BB. Bob Barnes 1009 Las Cruces Ave., Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA 93555 E: bbarnes AT lightspeed.net P: 760-382-1260 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: King Eider From: "Gary G" <garydds AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:44:00 -0000 I searched this morning (1/5/10) for the first year male King Eider at the previously reported spot by the fishing pier at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro without any success and was ready to leave when a couple drove up and said they had just seen it at a new location. Thanks to them I was able to find it. It could be seen with a scope from the opposite end of Cabrillo Beach from the fishing pier (north end) by the boat launching area. It was by the small pier at the Cabrillo Beach Youth Waterfront Sports Center which is on Shoshonean Road. This is the road that you exit on from the north beach parking lot exit. The youth sports center is private property. The eider could also be seen from the north side of the property from the parking lot of the California Yacht Marina Cabrillo Plaza. It was quite close to shore with two Surf Scoters. Gary Grantham San Diego Subject: Re: Re: [CALBIRDS] King Eider capture attempt From: raulroa AT yahoo.com Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 08:14:03 -0800 (PST) Here's some pics of the King eider from Jan 3 20110 http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=810056&l=eeba09a08f&id=1456599260 Regards, Raul Roa, Whittier, CA Raul Roa Photographer L.A. Times Community News raul.roa AT latimes.com 213.550.9513 ----- Original Message ---- From: LeRoy M. Dorman To: Joseph Morlan Cc: calbirds AT yahoogroups.com; LACoBirds AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Tue, January 5, 2010 12:44:04 AM Subject: [LACoBirds] Re: [CALBIRDS] King Eider capture attempt Joseph Morlan wrote: > On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:38:51 -0000, "themrbubby00mjf" > wrote: > > >> Just for the information of birders who may be interested in chasing the King Eider - wildlife rescuers were out this afternoon (Jan 3) pursuing it with long handled nets. They were unsuccessful while we were there, and when we left it was sitting and preening itself inside on sand along the jetty inside the fishing pier while the nets had disappeared for the time being. >> >> It's preening an awful lot, and spent most of the time we were there trying to sit on the shore as it played cat and mouse with the nets. They suspect that it's oiled. It did spend a very large amount of time preening. >> > A photo taken today 3 January and contributed by Chet McGaugh has been > posted on the WFO web site at: > > http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ > > It does seem to show some compromised scapular and body feathers. > > This is a bird of statewide interest. Please post additional sightings on > Calbirds as well as the LA County list. > > Thanks. > > I have posted photos of the San Pedro King Eider taken on 30 December 1t 1230, at which time a light rain was falling. The photos show beads of water on the duck's back. I do not know how much of this beading is the normal "water off a duck's back" or is indicative of contamination by oil not generated by the duck itself. The web site is http://ldorman.home.mindspring.com/EiderLoon.html LeRoy Dorman San Diego ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:LACoBirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LACoBirds Listowners: mailto:LACoBirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:LACoBirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:LACoBirds-normal AT yahoogroups.comYahoo! Groups Links Subject: Re: [CALBIRDS] King Eider capture attempt From: "LeRoy M. Dorman" <ldorman AT mindspring.com> Date: Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:44:04 -0800 Joseph Morlan wrote: > On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:38:51 -0000, "themrbubby00mjf" > wrote: > > >> Just for the information of birders who may be interested in chasing the King Eider - wildlife rescuers were out this afternoon (Jan 3) pursuing it with long handled nets. They were unsuccessful while we were there, and when we left it was sitting and preening itself inside on sand along the jetty inside the fishing pier while the nets had disappeared for the time being. >> >> It's preening an awful lot, and spent most of the time we were there trying to sit on the shore as it played cat and mouse with the nets. They suspect that it's oiled. It did spend a very large amount of time preening. >> > A photo taken today 3 January and contributed by Chet McGaugh has been > posted on the WFO web site at: > > http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ > > It does seem to show some compromised scapular and body feathers. > > This is a bird of statewide interest. Please post additional sightings on > Calbirds as well as the LA County list. > > Thanks. > > I have posted photos of the San Pedro King Eider taken on 30 December 1t 1230, at which time a light rain was falling. The photos show beads of water on the duck's back. I do not know how much of this beading is the normal "water off a duck's back" or is indicative of contamination by oil not generated by the duck itself. The web site is http://ldorman.home.mindspring.com/EiderLoon.html LeRoy Dorman San Diego Subject: Re: King Eider capture attempt From: "LeRoy M. Dorman" <ldorman AT mindspring.com> Date: Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:44:04 -0800 Joseph Morlan wrote: > On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:38:51 -0000, "themrbubby00mjf" > wrote: > > >> Just for the information of birders who may be interested in chasing the King Eider - wildlife rescuers were out this afternoon (Jan 3) pursuing it with long handled nets. They were unsuccessful while we were there, and when we left it was sitting and preening itself inside on sand along the jetty inside the fishing pier while the nets had disappeared for the time being. >> >> It's preening an awful lot, and spent most of the time we were there trying to sit on the shore as it played cat and mouse with the nets. They suspect that it's oiled. It did spend a very large amount of time preening. >> > A photo taken today 3 January and contributed by Chet McGaugh has been > posted on the WFO web site at: > > http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ > > It does seem to show some compromised scapular and body feathers. > > This is a bird of statewide interest. Please post additional sightings on > Calbirds as well as the LA County list. > > Thanks. > > I have posted photos of the San Pedro King Eider taken on 30 December 1t 1230, at which time a light rain was falling. The photos show beads of water on the duck's back. I do not know how much of this beading is the normal "water off a duck's back" or is indicative of contamination by oil not generated by the duck itself. The web site is http://ldorman.home.mindspring.com/EiderLoon.html LeRoy Dorman San Diego Subject: Black Vulture at Lake Casitas From: "Michelle" <ms.townsley AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:14:53 -0000 I birded Lake Casitas for the Ventura CBC and today was told today by Jean, who is a birder visiting from Oregon, that she photographed a Black Vulture on the wires along Santa Ana Road across from Lake Casitas as you walk to the Restaurant. I'm back to work so let me know if anyone else sees it. There is also a White-throated Sparrow in the B section of the campgrounds. Michelle Townsley Ventura, CA Subject: RE: CBC locations From: "John Wilson" <jcwilson AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2010 17:41:08 -0800 Hi All, I inquired with Geoff LaBaron, the CBC Director with Audubon and his response is below. Regards, John C. Wilson Co-Editor California CBC's Bakersfield, CA ____________________________________________________________________________ Hi John, Happy New Year to you-I hope your Holiday season (and CBC season.) went well. I guess I have two thoughts here, which are fair game to pass on. First, we know that the CBC Current Year and Historical Results tools need re-working, and we actually have a large grant proposal out which, if we are successful, will allow us to make lots of improvements. One way or the other, I'm very aware that in the Current Year report we need a complete listing of all aspects and data from the given circle, including the center point descriptions. Even if we don't get the grant, that's one of the top priority improvements we need to make. Along that line, if we get the grant it would be great to have a library of info, always available to the public, regarding all active counts, their center points, general contact info, and (ideally) a map of the circle. That, however, is a considerably larger task for web output. Embedded in that task is the necessity to complete the job of updating center point lat/longs (which in general are only approximated from the full minute, as they were reported in print). Nowadays with Google Earth and hand-held GPS units we're able to get more and more truly accurate center point lat/longs, but it's a huge task to get them all done. Ideally it should be well along before we open something like that up to the public. I'd hope we can develop a beta version to open to compilers and regional editors and get a good chunk done that way. One of the most important things I've wished we had for a long time was any sort of mapping capability for the CBC program. Again, if we get the grant mapping will be included in the final result. I hope we'll hear by mid-year this year whether we have the grant, and that will let us know how best to plan for the future upgrades. Let me know if you have any other questions about this or other things CBC, and good birding in 2010. Cheers, Geoff Geoff LeBaron Christmas Bird Count Director Audubon Science 413 268-9372 glebaron AT audubon.org _____ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Bar-tailed Godwit Continues From: "catbird117" <catbird117 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:08:36 -0000 The Bar-tailed Godwit at Newport Backbay continued yesterday afternoon at the Jamboree bridge. The bird was actively feeding under and just north of the the bridge between 1:30 and 2:15 pm on January 3rd. It was also seen earlier in the day by other birders. Keith Condon Diamond Bar Subject: Re: CBC locations From: "Steve Hampton" <shampton AT ospr.dfg.ca.gov> Date: Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:07:38 -0800 I managed to put the Putah Creek CBC circle and areas on Google Earth. The kmz file can be accessed at http://www.yoloaudubon.org/article/98/christmas-bird-count I learned how to do this from the Boulder, Colorado CBC site at http://brdpics.blogspot.com/2006/11/taking-plunge.html Steve Hampton ________________ Resource Economist Office of Spill Prevention and Response California Dept of Fish and Game PO Box 944209 Sacramento, CA 94244-2090 ----------------------------------- (916) 323-4724 phone (916) 324-8829 fax >>> 1/2/2010 8:47 AM >>> I find it interesting this time of year to read about the various and varying Christmas Bird Count results from across the state. The one detail often omitted however, would be some general description of WHERE the circle is located. Posting the coordinates of the circle center would help, along with a brief description, including any particular terrain of interest. For someone who might have the chance to travel to an area over the holiday weekends, that would be very helpful. I do know that there are some listings, such as the one accessed by this link: _http://www.stanislausbirds.org/Events/california_cbc_circles.htm_ (http://www.stanislausbirds.org/Events/california_cbc_circles.htm) but so far this offers just some approximations, as it does not appear that the map contains links to more detailed maps of the circles. Alan Birnbaum Fresno CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS Listowners: mailto:CALBIRDS-owner AT yahoogroups.com For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-normal AT yahoogroups.com Yahoo! Groups Links Subject: RE: King Eider capture attempt From: "Lidia Seebeck" <lidia AT seebeck.us> Date: Sun, 3 Jan 2010 23:25:10 -0800 I also was at Cabrillo with my husband and son this afternoon. When we first got there we were practically mobbed by tame Heerman Gull. Along the long sidewalk leading to the pier, we spotted several people with scopes. They sure looked like they were spotting the Eider in the large bay area. Feeling somewhat bummed that our optics were not up to par, we continues toward the pier. Nearer to the pier, we believe we saw a Red-Throated Loon. Pic available soon. Along the pier we saw multiple Surf Scoters, I will need to check our photos to be sure but I do not think we saw any other scoters. We have a very fun sequence of a feeding frenzy in the breakwater between a Brown Pelican and several gulls, mainly Western Gull. On the way back we saw the ladies with the nets. I do have their contact info. The Eider was in the breakwater at the very near end. The first thing we noticed was it was dabbling furiously, almost like finches in a birdbath. We have numerous photos including the bird in flapping sequences. We are probably going to post the whole mob of pics to my Facebook account. We also have a photo of the bird with what may be seaweed or flotsam under some of the feathers. If there are additional places where a large number of photos may be posted please tell me. I am also willing to send photos to interested individuals privately via email. We also combed the gull flocks heavily. I would appreciate knowing what cycle Mew Gull has been reported, and if anyone has any pics to share for comparison purposes. I am just not sure, and admittedly larids are not my forte. Lidia Seebeck Pachappa Hill, Riverside, CA _____ >It's preening an awful lot, and spent most of the time we were there trying to sit on the shore as it played cat and mouse with the nets. They suspect that it's oiled. It did spend a very large amount of time preening. A photo taken today 3 January and contributed by Chet McGaugh has been posted It does seem to show some compromised scapular and body feathers. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: King Eider capture attempt From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:17:57 -0800 On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:38:51 -0000, "themrbubby00mjf" wrote: >Just for the information of birders who may be interested in chasing the King Eider - wildlife rescuers were out this afternoon (Jan 3) pursuing it with long handled nets. They were unsuccessful while we were there, and when we left it was sitting and preening itself inside on sand along the jetty inside the fishing pier while the nets had disappeared for the time being. > >It's preening an awful lot, and spent most of the time we were there trying to sit on the shore as it played cat and mouse with the nets. They suspect that it's oiled. It did spend a very large amount of time preening. A photo taken today 3 January and contributed by Chet McGaugh has been posted on the WFO web site at: http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ It does seem to show some compromised scapular and body feathers. This is a bird of statewide interest. Please post additional sightings on Calbirds as well as the LA County list. Thanks. -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Feb.9 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californiabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ Subject: King Eider capture attempt From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:17:57 -0800 On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:38:51 -0000, "themrbubby00mjf" wrote: >Just for the information of birders who may be interested in chasing the King Eider - wildlife rescuers were out this afternoon (Jan 3) pursuing it with long handled nets. They were unsuccessful while we were there, and when we left it was sitting and preening itself inside on sand along the jetty inside the fishing pier while the nets had disappeared for the time being. > >It's preening an awful lot, and spent most of the time we were there trying to sit on the shore as it played cat and mouse with the nets. They suspect that it's oiled. It did spend a very large amount of time preening. A photo taken today 3 January and contributed by Chet McGaugh has been posted on the WFO web site at: http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ It does seem to show some compromised scapular and body feathers. This is a bird of statewide interest. Please post additional sightings on Calbirds as well as the LA County list. Thanks. -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Feb.9 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californiabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ Subject: Fw: Highlights of Santa Barbara CBC, Jan. 2, 2010 From: "Joan Lentz" <joanlentz AT cox.net> Date: Sun, 3 Jan 2010 16:48:32 -0800 Please note that the total has been revised upward to 216 with the addition of an adult male Rufous Hummingbird. Joan Lentz, Compiler Santa Barbara CBC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joan Lentz" To: "sbcobirding" Sent: Sunday, January 03, 2010 10:25 AM Subject: Highlights of Santa Barbara CBC, Jan. 2, 2010 > Hi All: > Another fantastic Count for our Santa Barbara area, with a newly > revised total of 215! > Once again, an opportunity here to thank the birders in this community > for their tremendous support, enthusiasm, and extremely hard work on > behalf of this Count! It couldn't happen without ALL OF YOU. As I look > around and learn of other CBCs in other areas of California and of the > U.S., I am finding out just how unusual our high participation level is, > and that's why we have great results on our Counts. Of course, a lovely > day & some remaining (although dwindling) good habitat for birds has a lot > to do with it! > Excuse the non-taxonomic order, please: > > Stand-outs: > Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Fairview Gardens, respect the pathways > please) > Broad-billed Hummingbird (Jeff Hanson & Peggy Kearns backyard feeder) > Grace's Warbler (returning to Bella Vista Open Space for 2nd winter) > Red Knot (2nd CBC record only, on beach bet/ C.O.P. and Goleta Beach) > Eastern Phoebe (corner Whittier Dr./Storke Rd.) > > Goodies: > Common Poorwill (Honda Valley Open Space, the mesa) > The "oriole show": > 3 Orchards > 2 Baltimores > 2 Hoodeds > 10+ Bullock's > 1 Scott's > Tropical Kingbird (2) > Northern Saw-whet Owl (3) > Spotted Owl - (1) > Lewis's Woodpecker (2) > Northern Rough-winged Swallow > Long-tailed Duck > Red-necked Grebe > Plumbeous Vireo (returning for 2nd yr. at Muni Golf Course) > "Gray-headed" Junco (rare subspecies) > Mountain Bluebird (6) > > Honorable mention: > Cackling Geese numbers (~20) > Common Merganser numbers (80+) > Swamp Sparrow > Black-and-white Warbler > Summer Tanager (2) > Wilson's Warbler (~10) > > Low numbers to worry about: > Green Heron' > Bonaparte's Gull > Western Sandpiper > Dunlin > Loggerhead Shrike > > THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR A GREAT COUNT AND A SUPER TIME! > > P.S. I'd be interested to hear your corrections/additions? > > Joan Lentz > Santa Barbara > > Subject: Harris' Hawk in Brawley From: "monterey90254" <lconrad AT roadrunner.com> Date: Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:15:26 -0000 I just received a call from Howard King......he wanted me to post this. Bob Miller just found a Harris' Hawk. It flew up & landed on a telephone pole in the Rite-Aid parking lot at Rio Vista & HWY 86. He lost it as it flew away in an unknown direction. They re-found it at Russell & "J" an hour later. Lori Conrad Hermosa Beach, Ca Subject: Re: Chiriaco Curve-billed Thrasher: still there From: Mark Eaton <marksffo AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2010 21:28:28 -0800 Still present this morning and ridiculously confiding. I inadvertently parked almost directly under the ocotillo in which the bird was sitting. While I was getting my camera out, my wife said "What's that?". It calmly sat there for photos and then we left. We turned around, drove back to the main road (directly under the bird) and the bird didn't move. I felt obligated to get my binoculars from the car though they weren't needed. Mark --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org On Dec 30, 2009, at 9:11 PM, dan_cooper_90042 wrote: > Dave Bell and I found and photographed what is apparently the > continuing Curve-billed Thrasher at Chiriaco Summit along I-10 in > eastern Riverside Co. this morning (12/30; also reported to > inlandcountybirds). > > Just posting here since it hasn't been reported since mid-Nov. (per > John Green). > > Dan Cooper > Los Angeles > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: CBC locations From: Bob & Carol Yutzy <boby AT c-zone.net> Date: Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:02:12 -0800 I agree - I can never tell where a count is without looking it up. Bob Bob & Carol Yutzy Shasta, CA SiriusGuy AT aol.com wrote: > I find it interesting this time of year to read about the various and > varying Christmas Bird Count results from across the state. The one detail > often omitted however, would be some general description of WHERE the circle is > located. Posting the coordinates of the circle center would help, along > with a brief description, including any particular terrain of interest. For > someone who might have the chance to travel to an area over the holiday > weekends, that would be very helpful. I do know that there are some listings, > such as the one accessed by this link: > > _http://www.stanislausbirds.org/Events/california_cbc_circles.htm_ > (http://www.stanislausbirds.org/Events/california_cbc_circles.htm) > > but so far this offers just some approximations, as it does not appear that > the map contains links to more detailed maps of the circles. > > Alan Birnbaum > Fresno CA > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Unsubscribe: mailto:CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com > Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS > Listowners: mailto:CALBIRDS-owner AT yahoogroups.com > > For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: > Turn off email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-nomail AT yahoogroups.com > Resume email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-normal AT yahoogroups.com > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: CBC locations From: Nancy <njfwalking AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2010 09:57:04 -0800 (PST) Alan:  Here's the Google Earth count circle the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society used for our CBC on December 27th:  http://pvsb-audubon.org/files/GoogleEarth_PVSBCC.jpg Nancy Feagans, Secretary/Webmaster Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society Redondo Beach, CA http://pvsb-audubon.org ________________________________ From: "SiriusGuy AT aol.com" To: CALBIRDS AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Sat, January 2, 2010 8:47:08 AM Subject: [CALBIRDS] CBC locations   I find it interesting this time of year to read about the various and varying Christmas Bird Count results from across the state. The one detail often omitted however, would be some general description of WHERE the circle is located. Posting the coordinates of the circle center would help, along with a brief description, including any particular terrain of interest. For someone who might have the chance to travel to an area over the holiday weekends, that would be very helpful. I do know that there are some listings, such as the one accessed by this link: _http://www.stanisla usbirds.org/ Events/californi a_cbc_circles. htm_ (http://www.stanisla usbirds.org/ Events/californi a_cbc_circles. htm) but so far this offers just some approximations, as it does not appear that the map contains links to more detailed maps of the circles. Alan Birnbaum Fresno CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: CBC locations From: SiriusGuy AT aol.com Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2010 11:47:08 EST I find it interesting this time of year to read about the various and varying Christmas Bird Count results from across the state. The one detail often omitted however, would be some general description of WHERE the circle is located. Posting the coordinates of the circle center would help, along with a brief description, including any particular terrain of interest. For someone who might have the chance to travel to an area over the holiday weekends, that would be very helpful. I do know that there are some listings, such as the one accessed by this link: _http://www.stanislausbirds.org/Events/california_cbc_circles.htm_ (http://www.stanislausbirds.org/Events/california_cbc_circles.htm) but so far this offers just some approximations, as it does not appear that the map contains links to more detailed maps of the circles. Alan Birnbaum Fresno CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Long-tailed Duck continues at Malibu Pier From: "pazzoluigi" <pazzoluigi AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:52:03 -0000 The Long-tailed Duck continues at Malibu Pier, swimming along side the Surf Scoter flock. Also, at Malibu Creek State Park the Lewis' Woodpecker was seen across from the lower parking lot atop dead trees at the foot of the ridge. In the first stream you cross on the way to the visitors center was a pair of Hooded Mergansers. And,lastly of note was a beautiful rufous morph (more cinnamon colored) Red-tailed Hawk in the park. I could not refind the Cassin's Vireo near the visitors center, however it still could be there. Anyone wanting to find that bird, could you please post if you do refind it? Thanks Louis Tucker Santa Monica Subject: Re:Green Birding Categories From: CALBIRDS-owner AT yahoogroups.com Date: Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:27:12 -0000 This thread is now CLOSED! Please do not post any further replies to the list. Thank you and have a great New Year! Subject: Brown Thrasher continues at AW Noone Park in Kern Co. From: jack hayden <jackhayden AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 1 Jan 2010 09:53:11 -0800 My wife and I had several limited sightings of the Brown Thrasher at AW Noone Park in Kern County yesterday at around 4:00 PM. I first spotted it in the scrub beyond the juniper-looking cypress located in the western edge of the park. It soon reappeared 40 feet from where I last saw it as it flew into the cypress. Once in the cypress it was difficult to view and continued to be elusive. It stayed in the cypress for about 10 minutes then flew to another cypress and could not be relocated. Also seen were several Lawrence's Goldfinches, a Spotted Towhee and a Brown Creeper as previously noted by Ali. Good Birding! Jack HaydenAlbany CA _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft�s powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS Listowners: mailto:CALBIRDS-owner AT yahoogroups.com For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-normal AT yahoogroups.com Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: CALBIRDS-digest AT yahoogroups.com CALBIRDS-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Re:Green Birding Categories From: "D.Fenner" <dlfenn AT newsguy.com> Date: Fri, 1 Jan 2010 08:51:37 -0800 For Pete's sake. Now I've heard of everything! Politically correct birding. Dave Fenner San Diego [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Green Birding Categories From: Jim Royer <jrmotmot AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:33:53 -0800 I do not want to tie up CALBIRDS with a discussion of green birding or green birding records (which is perhaps not on topic for CALBIRDS), but I would appreciate feedback back to my email address from CALBIRD members in response to the following. I am sending this to you because I know of no other way to reach so many expert birders whose opinions I respect. Thanks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There has been talk in birding circles about listing green birding categories for big days, big years, etc., but it has generally not been too specific as to what categories could/should be counted. I list the following categories just as a starting point for discussion. The ABA does not seem receptive and so I will put many of these categories on my green birding web site (link below). Please let me know if you know of high numbers for the categories listed (I list some numbers I am aware of). 1) Big Green Big Year (Bigby) � The number of species found in one calendar year without using any gas (walk, bike, canoe, etc.) and starting each birding trip at your regular residence or regular place of work. (See http://www.sparroworks.ca/bigby.html for details). The most I have heard of is 295 in a year by Andy Kleinhesselink and Josiah Clarke of San Francisco in 2008. 2) Walking Bigby � Same as #1, but walking only. 3) Public Transit Assisted Bigby � the same as #1, but the counter can use public buses, subways and trains. Should other forms such as ferries be ok? (Planes are not allowed.) 4) Green Big Day � starting and finishing from home or your regular place of work, bird for a 24 hour day without using fuel. Should you be able to start or end somewhere else as long as you used no gas to get there and to return to home? 5) Semi-green Big Day � birding for a 24 hour day and using no fuel, but starting and finishing anywhere. Ted Parker and Scott Robinson had 331 species in Tambopata National Reserve, Peru, in 1982. Does anyone know the exact date? 6) Big Sit � counting all the birds you see and hear in one day from a 17� diameter circle. (See http://birdwatchersdigest.com/site/funbirds/bigsit/bigsit.aspx ) I would propose not limiting this number to the official big sit count date in October. Cape May had 146 species in a day this year but I don�t know if one person saw all of the species. Anyone know? 7) Big Foot Hour � How many species can you find in one hour without using any gas � should it be ok to start somewhere other than home if you get to the start point and/or home from the finish, without using gas? Keith Hansen and Peter Pyle had 83 species in Bolinas, California in one hour. 8) Wheel Chair Big Green Big Year � I have no idea what numbers have been achieved and would like to hear from birders. 9) Wheel Chair Green Big Day � again I have no idea but would like to hear what birders have achieved here. Any of these categories could be listed by state, country or continent. I would appreciate high numbers from anywhere. Please let me know if you thin additional categories would be desirable or if you would combine some of the above categories or eliminate some altogether. Jim Royer Los Osos, CA http://greenbirding.blogspot.com/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS Listowners: mailto:CALBIRDS-owner AT yahoogroups.com For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-normal AT yahoogroups.com Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: CALBIRDS-digest AT yahoogroups.com CALBIRDS-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Santa Maria Times Article Link From: "sayers68" <sayers68 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:15:54 -0000 http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/article_1c0613ae-f451-11de-84dd-001cc4c002e0.html The last part of Ed's link to the Santa Maria Times article on the White Wagtail and the CBC was not highlighted. You have to include the part in black on the second line or the link won't work. John Sayers Los Osos, CA Subject: Chiriaco Curve-billed Thrasher: still there From: "dan_cooper_90042" <dan_cooper_90042 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:11:15 -0000 Dave Bell and I found and photographed what is apparently the continuing Curve-billed Thrasher at Chiriaco Summit along I-10 in eastern Riverside Co. this morning (12/30; also reported to inlandcountybirds). Just posting here since it hasn't been reported since mid-Nov. (per John Green). Dan Cooper Los Angeles Subject: Santa Maria Times Article From: "Ed Stonick" <edstonick AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:30:38 -0800 Greetings! While looking for woodpeckers at Preisker Park in Santa Maria, a resident we bumped into said there was something in the local paper about the White Wagtail. It was an article on the CBC. Here's a link: http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/article_1c0613ae-f451-11de-84dd-00 1cc4c002e0.html Regards, Ed Ed Stonick Pasadena, CA edstonick AT earthlink.net [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: White Wagtail From: "Ed Stonick" <edstonick AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:18:46 -0800 Greetings CAL Birders! The White Wagtail is still present at the Laguna Sewage Treatment plant south of Santa Maria. Tom Miko and I and several other birders watched it yesterday (Dec. 29) morning. As previously noted, the bird is near the rear of the facility, moving back and forth between the dry pond and wet pond. Do *not* park on the right side of the road as you approach the gate. This is a turnaround area for large trucks and must be kept clear. There is a dirt area to the left that is big enough for a few cars. Walk outside the plant along the fence to the left of the gate (through a broccoli field) to the rear of the facillity. Then go along the back fence. There is a gap in the fence at the back corner. Be careful not to come onto the property at this point, just continue along the back fence. If you are driving from the south, an alternate and shorter way to reach the facility is to exit 101 at Clark Ave. near the south end of Santa Maria. Take Clark west to Highway 1 (Cabrillo Highway), turn right and go a little over 2 miles to reach Black Rd. (The intersection was not clearly marked-no sign for Black Rd.) Drive north on Black (about a mile) and you'll reach Dutard St. (which fortunately *is* marked with a yellow intersection sign and the street name). Turn left to reach the area. Good luck! Regards, Ed Ed Stonick Pasadena, CA edstonick AT earthlink.net [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: FW: White Wagtail still present From: "Ed Stonick" <edstonick AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:38:15 -0800 Anyone in the Pasadena/LA area interested in a chase :-) beginning early tomorrow morning? If so, please let me know ASAP. I can drive. Regards, Ed Ed Stonick Pasadena, CA edstonick AT earthlink.net _____ From: CALBIRDS AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:CALBIRDS AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Matthew Dodder Sent: Monday, December 28, 2009 1:29 PM To: Paul Keller Cc: calbirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [CALBIRDS] White Wagtail still present We Just left the WHITE WAGTAIL at the wastewater facility in Santa Maria from 12:00-1:15. It was EASILY seen from outside the fence along the back edge of the facility. Matthew Dodder Mountain View, CA Http://www.birdguy. net Sent from my iPhone On Dec 27, 2009, at 11:58 PM, Paul Keller net> wrote: > The Santa Maria CBC uncovered a **WHITE WAGTAIL** at the Laguna > Sewage Treatment Plant at about 3pm and it appeared off and on until > at least 3:30pm. A later search from 4pm to 5pm failed to find the > bird. It's an adult and quite tame. > Jamie Chavez gives the following directions: Laguna Sanitation is > west of Santa Maria. Take Betteravia Rd. west > through the city until it Y's at Mahoney Rd. Veer left. This turns > into > Black Road a short distance ahead as you head south toward Highway 1. > Immediately beyond the community of Tanglewood, take Dutard St. west > (you could easily pass it by) and drive to the end of the road to > reach > the plant. > He also adds: We can't stress enough the importance of checking in at > the office as > instructed. When I arrived there was nobody in the office so I waited > until I saw someone and had permission to enter. There was a time NO > birding was allowed there so please be on your best behavior. > Aaron or Jeremy will be on duty at the plant tomorrow (Monday) from > 6:30am to 5pm and have been generous with their friendliness, > cooperation and forbearance. They know where the bird has been seen. > The WHWA was only maybe 100 m from the office about the circular tank > with the rotating aerator and just across the dirt road by the > concrete-lined pond. > Alex R. Abela took photos: com/photos/ > 78394132 AT N00/4221510046/in/photostream/>. > John Deacon was the group leader for the back country section of the > CBC. His intimate and detailed knowledge of this area is remarkable. > Without his leadership, this WHWA might very well have passed the > winter unnoticed. > > Paul Keller > SB Vandenberg Village > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: SBA White (Black-backed) Wagtail From: "Ken Burton" <brdnrd AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:49:39 -0800 Odds nearly always are that vagrants are young birds. Jim's excellent description certainly supports that determination in this case. A growing number of ornithologists now call the plumage to which Jim refers the FORMATIVE plumage, recognizing JUVENAL plumage as the first-basic plumage. Ken Burton Arcata ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim" To: Sent: Monday, December 28, 2009 11:58 AM Subject: [CALBIRDS] SBA White (Black-backed) Wagtail Hi, I was curious as to the age of the recently-discovered wagtail in SBA, as the only mention of age was as an adult. The broad post-ocular eye-stripe, blackish mottling on the upper rump, absence of a dark base to the remiges, and wholly white median and greater coverts indicate that the bird is M. a. lugens (aka "Black-backed"). As for age, the two proximal tertials look quite worn and contrast markedly with the fresher distal tertial, the outermost greater covert appears to be a retained juvenile feather, and the primary coverts and central alula feather are dark, which adds up to a hatch-year bird in first-basic plumage. Jim Pike Huntington Beach Subject: King Eider, LA County From: "JBSears" <serpophaga AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:49:32 -0000 Not sure why this hasn't made it to CalBirds yet. There is a photo posted on LA county birding. -Adam Searcy Camarillo, CA Subject: [BirdingCalifornia] male King Eider LA County Hi! Today Sunday 12/27/2009 during the Palos Verdes Peninsula CBC David Ellsworth found an immature male King Eider at Cabrillo Beach, San Pedro, Caifornia. The bird was ridiculously cooperative, swimming back & forth under the fishing pier. DIRECTIONS: Drive south from downtown Los Angeles on the 110 Harbor Freeway until it ends in San Pedro. The freeway becomes Gaffey Street. Turn left, and keep going south on Gaffey to 22nd Street, and turn left (east) to Pacific Avenue. Turn right (south, and keep going until Pacific Ave almost ends: turn left at Stephen M White Drive. Pay to enter Cabrillo Beach, and keep driving straigh ahead, until the end of the parking lot closest to the pier (it will be easy to see where to go--just don't go left (north) toward the marine museum/aquarium). Park, and walk out onto the fishing pier (their is only one pier around here). The bird swims around under the pier. Tom Miko Claremont, LA County Subject: White Wagtail still present From: Matthew Dodder <mdodder AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:28:52 -0800 We Just left the WHITE WAGTAIL at the wastewater facility in Santa Maria from 12:00-1:15. It was EASILY seen from outside the fence along the back edge of the facility. Matthew Dodder Mountain View, CA Http://www.birdguy.net Sent from my iPhone On Dec 27, 2009, at 11:58 PM, Paul Keller wrote: > The Santa Maria CBC uncovered a **WHITE WAGTAIL** at the Laguna > Sewage Treatment Plant at about 3pm and it appeared off and on until > at least 3:30pm. A later search from 4pm to 5pm failed to find the > bird. It's an adult and quite tame. > Jamie Chavez gives the following directions: Laguna Sanitation is > west of Santa Maria. Take Betteravia Rd. west > through the city until it Y's at Mahoney Rd. Veer left. This turns > into > Black Road a short distance ahead as you head south toward Highway 1. > Immediately beyond the community of Tanglewood, take Dutard St. west > (you could easily pass it by) and drive to the end of the road to > reach > the plant. > He also adds: We can't stress enough the importance of checking in at > the office as > instructed. When I arrived there was nobody in the office so I waited > until I saw someone and had permission to enter. There was a time NO > birding was allowed there so please be on your best behavior. > Aaron or Jeremy will be on duty at the plant tomorrow (Monday) from > 6:30am to 5pm and have been generous with their friendliness, > cooperation and forbearance. They know where the bird has been seen. > The WHWA was only maybe 100 m from the office about the circular tank > with the rotating aerator and just across the dirt road by the > concrete-lined pond. > Alex R. Abela took photos: 78394132 AT N00/4221510046/in/photostream/>. > John Deacon was the group leader for the back country section of the > CBC. His intimate and detailed knowledge of this area is remarkable. > Without his leadership, this WHWA might very well have passed the > winter unnoticed. > > Paul Keller > SB Vandenberg Village > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: SBA White (Black-backed) Wagtail From: "Jim" <jpike44 AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:58:56 -0000 Hi, I was curious as to the age of the recently-discovered wagtail in SBA, as the only mention of age was as an adult. The broad post-ocular eye-stripe, blackish mottling on the upper rump, absence of a dark base to the remiges, and wholly white median and greater coverts indicate that the bird is M. a. lugens (aka "Black-backed"). As for age, the two proximal tertials look quite worn and contrast markedly with the fresher distal tertial, the outermost greater covert appears to be a retained juvenile feather, and the primary coverts and central alula feather are dark, which adds up to a hatch-year bird in first-basic plumage. Jim Pike Huntington Beach Subject: White Wagtail, Monday morning12-28 From: "Bill Bouton" <bbouton AT charter.net> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:10:17 -0800 Hi All, Regarding the White Wagtail near Santa Maria, Santa Barbara Co: here is an update on the Laguna Sewer Plant Wagtail situation. Patricia Price and I arrived at the Laguna Sewer District Plant at approximately 7am, today, Monday, Dec 28. I asked the man in the office for permission to look for the bird and was told "absolutely not", that liability issues precluded unescorted birders from being on the premises. He said we were already the 6th party he had turned away that morning. Upon leaving the facility, I noted that, since our arrival, 1/2 of the gate had been closed and a sign saying something to the effect of "No Birders Allowed" was hanging from it. I decided to scan, from the outside, the areas visible behind the fence along the northwest edge of the facility. While doing so, Mary Stewart drove up, and told me that one of the employees had shared with her the location where the wagtail had been seen on Sunday. We parked our vehicles off the pavement outside the facility, and walked along the edge of the already-harvested broccoli field that abuts the south fence of the sewage facility. From outside the fence, near the southwest corner of the facility, it took me only about 5 minutes to find the wagtail. It was foraging along the paved embankment on the east shore of the southwestmost settling pond. At the time of our visit, there were two yellow pieces of heavy equipment parked along the fence. The three of us watched the bird through a "window" between the two machines. At the time of our visit, there were no no-trespassing signs, and we walked on mostly bare soil where the broccoli had already been turned under. Bill Bouton San Luis Obispo, CA bbouton AT charter.net http://www.flickr.com/photos/billbouton/sets/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: [CALBIRDS] White Wagtail in Santa Barbara County From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT charter.net> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:16:08 -0800 Just received message at 0710 that no one is allowed in sewage plant for insurance purposes without escort and not enough personnel to escort people. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande. Paul Keller wrote: > The Santa Maria CBC uncovered a **WHITE WAGTAIL** at the Laguna > Sewage Treatment Plant at about 3pm and it appeared off and on until > at least 3:30pm. A later search from 4pm to 5pm failed to find the > bird. It's an adult and quite tame. > Jamie Chavez gives the following directions: Laguna Sanitation is > west of Santa Maria. Take Betteravia Rd. west > through the city until it Y's at Mahoney Rd. Veer left. This turns into > Black Road a short distance ahead as you head south toward Highway 1. > Immediately beyond the community of Tanglewood, take Dutard St. west > (you could easily pass it by) and drive to the end of the road to reach > the plant. > He also adds: We can't stress enough the importance of checking in at > the office as > instructed. When I arrived there was nobody in the office so I waited > until I saw someone and had permission to enter. There was a time NO > birding was allowed there so please be on your best behavior. > Aaron or Jeremy will be on duty at the plant tomorrow (Monday) from > 6:30am to 5pm and have been generous with their friendliness, > cooperation and forbearance. They know where the bird has been seen. > The WHWA was only maybe 100 m from the office about the circular tank > with the rotating aerator and just across the dirt road by the > concrete-lined pond. > Alex R. Abela took photos: 78394132 AT N00/4221510046/in/photostream/>. > John Deacon was the group leader for the back country section of the > CBC. His intimate and detailed knowledge of this area is remarkable. > Without his leadership, this WHWA might very well have passed the > winter unnoticed. > > Paul Keller > SB Vandenberg Village > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Unsubscribe: mailto:CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com > Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS > Listowners: mailto:CALBIRDS-owner AT yahoogroups.com > > For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: > Turn off email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-nomail AT yahoogroups.com > Resume email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-normal AT yahoogroups.com > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Subject: Re: White Wagtail in Santa Barbara County From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT charter.net> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:16:08 -0800 Just received message at 0710 that no one is allowed in sewage plant for insurance purposes without escort and not enough personnel to escort people. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande. Paul Keller wrote: > The Santa Maria CBC uncovered a **WHITE WAGTAIL** at the Laguna > Sewage Treatment Plant at about 3pm and it appeared off and on until > at least 3:30pm. A later search from 4pm to 5pm failed to find the > bird. It's an adult and quite tame. > Jamie Chavez gives the following directions: Laguna Sanitation is > west of Santa Maria. Take Betteravia Rd. west > through the city until it Y's at Mahoney Rd. Veer left. This turns into > Black Road a short distance ahead as you head south toward Highway 1. > Immediately beyond the community of Tanglewood, take Dutard St. west > (you could easily pass it by) and drive to the end of the road to reach > the plant. > He also adds: We can't stress enough the importance of checking in at > the office as > instructed. When I arrived there was nobody in the office so I waited > until I saw someone and had permission to enter. There was a time NO > birding was allowed there so please be on your best behavior. > Aaron or Jeremy will be on duty at the plant tomorrow (Monday) from > 6:30am to 5pm and have been generous with their friendliness, > cooperation and forbearance. They know where the bird has been seen. > The WHWA was only maybe 100 m from the office about the circular tank > with the rotating aerator and just across the dirt road by the > concrete-lined pond. > Alex R. Abela took photos: 78394132 AT N00/4221510046/in/photostream/>. > John Deacon was the group leader for the back country section of the > CBC. His intimate and detailed knowledge of this area is remarkable. > Without his leadership, this WHWA might very well have passed the > winter unnoticed. > > Paul Keller > SB Vandenberg Village > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Unsubscribe: mailto:CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com > Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS > Listowners: mailto:CALBIRDS-owner AT yahoogroups.com > > For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: > Turn off email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-nomail AT yahoogroups.com > Resume email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-normal AT yahoogroups.com > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Subject: White Wagtail Access Denied Monday Morning December 28 From: "markbrown1848" <lawoffmarkbrown AT verizon.net> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:14:19 -0000 All: The White Wagtail seen on the Santa Maria/Guadalupe CBC at the Laguna Sanitation plant is no longer accessible to birders. A group of birders were ejected early this morning including a woman who had traveled two hours to get there by 6:30 a.m. Here is a last look: http://www.flickr.com/photos/78394132 AT N00/4221510046/in/photostream . I utterly apologize to any visiting birders who traveled here for this bird on our notice on the internets. ou can go look at the Vermilion Flycatcher but it is a small consolation: http://www.flickr.com/photos/78394132 AT N00/4221509860 . Mark Brown Santa Maria Subject: White Wagtail in Santa Barbara County From: Paul Keller <wrentitpk AT verizon.net> Date: Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:58:35 -0800 The Santa Maria CBC uncovered a **WHITE WAGTAIL** at the Laguna Sewage Treatment Plant at about 3pm and it appeared off and on until at least 3:30pm. A later search from 4pm to 5pm failed to find the bird. It's an adult and quite tame. Jamie Chavez gives the following directions: Laguna Sanitation is west of Santa Maria. Take Betteravia Rd. west through the city until it Y's at Mahoney Rd. Veer left. This turns into Black Road a short distance ahead as you head south toward Highway 1. Immediately beyond the community of Tanglewood, take Dutard St. west (you could easily pass it by) and drive to the end of the road to reach the plant. He also adds: We can't stress enough the importance of checking in at the office as instructed. When I arrived there was nobody in the office so I waited until I saw someone and had permission to enter. There was a time NO birding was allowed there so please be on your best behavior. Aaron or Jeremy will be on duty at the plant tomorrow (Monday) from 6:30am to 5pm and have been generous with their friendliness, cooperation and forbearance. They know where the bird has been seen. The WHWA was only maybe 100 m from the office about the circular tank with the rotating aerator and just across the dirt road by the concrete-lined pond. Alex R. Abela took photos: . John Deacon was the group leader for the back country section of the CBC. His intimate and detailed knowledge of this area is remarkable. Without his leadership, this WHWA might very well have passed the winter unnoticed. Paul Keller SB Vandenberg Village Subject: RE: Probability Of “True” Yellow-Throated Warbler Sighting By SF Chronicle Columnist Tom Stienstra (?) From: "John Sterling" <jsterling AT wavecable.com> Date: Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:56:38 -0800 Daniel, I didn’t read the article, but from what you have written, I have an entirely different perspective on this subject. If the observer had looked up the bird in a field guide to identify it or had previous experience with Yellow-throated Warbler, then I’d feel that his record is probably valid. However, if he didn’t look up the bird in a field guide and had no experience with Yellow-throated Warbler, and little experience birding in general, then perhaps he jumped to the conclusion that a warbler with a yellow throat had to be a Yellow-throated Warbler instead of a male Audubon’s Warbler (Yellow-rumped). Without this information, I simply cannot judge this record. My personal attitude towards these records is to 1) take all of them seriously as many turn out to be correct, then 2) talk to the person directly to get a feel for his/her experience and comfort level in identifying the bird, and then 3) look for the bird myself or have someone else try to refind it. There have been many times when beginners or birders that I don’t know have made a claim on an outrageous sighting which turned out to be correct, much to my surprise (delight). One such record was the Black Vulture in Humboldt County. An undergrad student, whom none of the local birders knew, had claimed the sighting. So the following day, John Hunter, Tom Leskiw and I drove around looking for it even though it seemed to be such an outlandish sighting. Well, we refound the bird and the rest was history as many birders saw it over a period of weeks. If we didn’t attempt to look for the bird, it probably never would have been refound and documented. I know that many other birders have similar stories. As far as historical records are concerned, you neglected to add the additional 99 records in the CBRC book as well as the additional records since the book was published. There are many more fall records and a few more winter records of Yellow-throated Warblers from Humboldt County south to s. CA than you indicate below. Also, one was photographed in Benicia last Sunday! So, there is certainly a possibility that there is one in San Francisco right now. As Todd Easterla would probably say, “I guarantee that there is one in the region right now, it just needs to be found and documented”. The lack of a photograph also does not indicate the likelihood of the record being valid, it just indicates that photographic documentation does not yet exist. Whether the CBRC will accept the record or not will be based upon a written description and the observer’s experience if a photograph is still lacking when the record is reviewed. Plenty of records have passed the committee lacking photographic documentation, and the CBRC book documents a high 94% acceptance rate for the first 99 records—many of which lacked photographs. Cheers, John John Sterling VVVVVVVVVV 26 Palm Ave Woodland, CA 95695 cell 530 908-3836 jsterling AT wavecable.com check out my photos at http://sterlingbirds.smugmug.com www.sterlingbirds.com From: CALBIRDS AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:CALBIRDS AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Daniel Edelstein Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 12:09 PM To: A CAL BIRDS Cc: tomstienstra AT stienstra.com; tstienstra AT sfchronicle.com Subject: [CALBIRDS] Probability Of “True” Yellow-Throated Warbler Sighting By SF Chronicle Columnist Tom Stienstra (?) Probability Of “True” Yellow-Throated Warbler Sighting By SF Chronicle Columnist Tom Stienstra (?) As some of you may have read, the outdoor section of last Sunday’s SF Chronicle contained a question from SF Chronicle Columnist Tom Stienstra as to whether his perceived sighting of a Yellow-Throated Warbler was possible. My opinion is “not likely,” based on the following reasoning: 1. A common, arguably abundant, look-alike species to the Yellow-Throated Warbler for many folks (especially those new to watching wood-warber family/Parulidae family) is the Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Audubon subspecies: Dendroica coronata auduboni) Some individuals of this subspecies (that spends the non-breeding season/winter season in the Bay Area, but does not breed in most spots of the Bay Area, except, for example, some higher elevations, such as higher elevations amid Marin County’s Mt. Tamalpais area) already are wearing breeding/alternate plumage. Thus, perhaps the Yellow-Rumped Warbler is the species Mr. Stienstra saw (?) I opine with the opinion that the answer is "yes," Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Audubon's subspecies). 2. According to “Rare Birds of California” (Western Field Ornithologists, 2007, Appendix H-32), among 14 accepted records for this species, 11 occurred in the spring. The three accepted autumn/winter/non-breeding season records were along the coast at Point Reyes (9/16 – 9/29/06); inland near Needles, San Bernadino Co. (11/14 – 11/17/05) and Costa Mesa, CA (11/12/06 – 3/11/07). Then again, it’s always good to “never say never.” I’m humble to that fact. But it’s my judgment that without a photograph to document his sighting, it’s unlikely Mr. Stienstra’s observation was a Yellow-Throated Warbler (like the ones I have seen multiple times in Maryland, Virginia, and Florida while living and/or birding on the East Coast). Regards and happy holidays, Daniel Edelstein Daniel Edelstein Novato, CA (Bay Area) & Ellison Bay, WI http://www.warblerwatch.com My two blogs: http://warblerwatch.blogspot.com (my blog devoted to wood-warblers) http://danielsmerrittclasses.blogspot.com (my blog focused on classes I teach at Merritt College in Oakland, CA, including my next one that begins in 11/09) 12 Kingfisher Court Novato, CA 94949-6628 USA 415-382-1827 (voice & DSL fax) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Probability Of “True” Yellow-Throated Warbler Sighting By SF Chronicle Columnist Tom Stienstra (?) From: Daniel Edelstein <edelstein AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:08:57 -0800 (GMT-08:00) Probability Of “True” Yellow-Throated Warbler Sighting By SF Chronicle Columnist Tom Stienstra (?) As some of you may have read, the outdoor section of last Sunday’s SF Chronicle contained a question from SF Chronicle Columnist Tom Stienstra as to whether his perceived sighting of a Yellow-Throated Warbler was possible. My opinion is “not likely,” based on the following reasoning: 1. A common, arguably abundant, look-alike species to the Yellow-Throated Warbler for many folks (especially those new to watching wood-warber family/Parulidae family) is the Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Audubon subspecies: Dendroica coronata auduboni) Some individuals of this subspecies (that spends the non-breeding season/winter season in the Bay Area, but does not breed in most spots of the Bay Area, except, for example, some higher elevations, such as higher elevations amid Marin County’s Mt. Tamalpais area) already are wearing breeding/alternate plumage. Thus, perhaps the Yellow-Rumped Warbler is the species Mr. Stienstra saw (?) I opine with the opinion that the answer is "yes," Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Audubon's subspecies). 2. According to “Rare Birds of California” (Western Field Ornithologists, 2007, Appendix H-32), among 14 accepted records for this species, 11 occurred in the spring. The three accepted autumn/winter/non-breeding season records were along the coast at Point Reyes (9/16 – 9/29/06); inland near Needles, San Bernadino Co. (11/14 – 11/17/05) and Costa Mesa, CA (11/12/06 – 3/11/07). Then again, it’s always good to “never say never.” I’m humble to that fact. But it’s my judgment that without a photograph to document his sighting, it’s unlikely Mr. Stienstra’s observation was a Yellow-Throated Warbler (like the ones I have seen multiple times in Maryland, Virginia, and Florida while living and/or birding on the East Coast). Regards and happy holidays, Daniel Edelstein Daniel Edelstein Novato, CA (Bay Area) & Ellison Bay, WI http://www.warblerwatch.com My two blogs: http://warblerwatch.blogspot.com (my blog devoted to wood-warblers) http://danielsmerrittclasses.blogspot.com (my blog focused on classes I teach at Merritt College in Oakland, CA, including my next one that begins in 11/09) 12 Kingfisher Court Novato, CA 94949-6628 USA 415-382-1827 (voice & DSL fax) Subject: Buena Vista CBC great birds From: Alison Sheehey <natureali AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:41:51 -0800 Hi All, The Buena Vista CBC was conducted today and we had some great birds. Best was a BROWN THRASHER at A. W. Noone Park at Buena Vista Golf Course west of Buena Vista Lake near the hamlet of Dustin Acres. Al Demartini and I found the bird in the arborvitae along the northwest edge of the park. It was hanging with a Spotted Towhee. We scored 5 species of thrasher in our territory. Northern Mockingbird, California Thrasher (1), Sage Thrasher (2), Le Conte's Thrasher (6), and the Brown Thrasher. The other notable species were 2 Lawrence's Goldfinch which we were pretty proud of until Bob Barnes reported 180 Larry's in the very west picnic area at Buena Vista Lake by Lake Evans. Susan Steele, the gull maven, found a 1st cycle WESTERN GULL, many THAYER'S GULL and a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. Bob Barnes found a Bonaparte's Gull. The three other regular species were also found around the lake, Herring, Ring-billed and California. Frank Gibson and Bill Lydecker found an adult male VERMILION FLYCATCHER along the bike path at the eastern edge of the Kern Water Bank. The preliminary total of species stands at 110. Thanks to the six people who participated in the final Buena Vista count. After 20 years, this was my last year compiling this count. Ali Sheehey Weldon, CA Subject: RE: Information on Neck collars on Tundra Swans From: Bruce Webb <BruWebb AT surewest.net> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:16:34 -0800 Bob: Yes, many Tundras have been banded in Alaska for many years. I have read the letter/3-number codes on seven collared adult Tundras this winter. I can get you the region if you can read the color and alphanumeric code. Bruce Webb Granite Bay, CA Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone -----Original Message----- From: Bob & Carol Yutzy Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 12:58 PM To: calbirds AT yahoogroups.com; nwcalbird AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [CALBIRDS] Information on Neck collars on Tundra Swans Has anyone heard of banded Tundra Swans with neck collars or is it only Trumpeter Swans that have neck collar bands? We had a swan on the Fall River Mills CBC that had a neck collar and might have been a Trumpeter Swan but was only seen in foggy weather and could not be refound when the weather cleared. Appreciate any input, Bob Yutzy, co-compiler Fall River Mills CBC Bob & Carol Yutzy Shasta, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS Listowners: mailto:CALBIRDS-owner AT yahoogroups.com [The entire original message is not included] Subject: Re: [nwcalbird] Information on Neck collars on Tundra Swans From: Elias Elias <fabflockfinder AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:13:45 -0800 Bob, et al I just saw a flier yesterday. It was posted at the Humboldt Bay NWR. It asked for info on blue-collared Tundra Swans. I did not read it in its entirety. But I just called down to the refuge and Craig Ely of the Alaska Science Center is the person requesting sightings of the birds. Elias Elias Arcata CA 707-633-8833 559-433-7254 walkie-talkie Sent from Arcata, CA, United States On Mon, Dec 21, 2009 at 12:58, Bob & Carol Yutzy wrote: > > > Has anyone heard of banded Tundra Swans with neck collars or is it only > Trumpeter Swans that have neck collar bands? > > We had a swan on the Fall River Mills CBC that had a neck collar and might > have been a Trumpeter Swan but was only seen in foggy weather and could not > be refound when the weather cleared. > > Appreciate any input, > > Bob Yutzy, co-compiler Fall River Mills CBC > > > Bob & Carol Yutzy > Shasta, CA > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Information on Neck collars on Tundra Swans From: Bob & Carol Yutzy <boby AT c-zone.net> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:58:20 -0800 Has anyone heard of banded Tundra Swans with neck collars or is it only Trumpeter Swans that have neck collar bands? We had a swan on the Fall River Mills CBC that had a neck collar and might have been a Trumpeter Swan but was only seen in foggy weather and could not be refound when the weather cleared. Appreciate any input, Bob Yutzy, co-compiler Fall River Mills CBC Bob & Carol Yutzy Shasta, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Woodfords Xmas count 12-19-09 preliminary results From: "naturestoc" <Naturestoc AT aol.com> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:40:39 -0000 Hi all, Thanks very much to all of you for the help on a nice December day in the high Sierra! And a special thank to Dave Kirby at Woodfords Station for the great pie and sandwiches! I have tallied up the count and the preliminary species total stands at 81 (ebird list below). This is about average, according to my records. The highlight was the Northern Pygmy-Owl found near the Woodfords Store early in the morning by Dan Williams and Terry Thomas! COOL! Also notable were 190 Pinyon Jays, 1 Northern Goshawk and 1 Peregrine Falcon (new for the count, according to my records). Lowlights were the very low numbers of all birds (except Pinyon Jay) and the discovery of Eurasian Collared Doves in downtown Markleyville, also new for the count. Below is a link to a couple of the Northern Pygmy-Owl pix. http://naturestoc.smugmug.com/Nature/Owls/4555635_4qivz/1/745175922_PMP9P Dan Brown, Sacramento, Naturestoc.smugmug.com Location: WOODFORDS CBC Observation date: 12/19/09 Notes: Woodfords Christmas Count, sponsered by the Sacramento Audubon Society Number of species: 81 Cackling Goose 1 Canada Goose 254 Tundra Swan 1 Gadwall 91 Mallard 13 Green-winged Teal (American) 2 Ring-necked Duck 2 Bufflehead 3 Hooded Merganser 3 Common Merganser 1 Ruddy Duck 30 California Quail 132 Great Blue Heron 5 Bald Eagle 6 Northern Harrier 6 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Cooper's Hawk 1 Northern Goshawk 1 Red-shouldered Hawk (California) 1 Red-tailed Hawk 50 Ferruginous Hawk 3 Rough-legged Hawk 2 Golden Eagle 8 American Kestrel 9 Peregrine Falcon 1 Prairie Falcon 1 American Coot 12 Killdeer 1 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Wilson's Snipe 2 Rock Pigeon 104 Eurasian Collared-Dove 11 Downtown Markleyville, Alpine co, CA Mourning Dove 8 Barn Owl 1 Great Horned Owl 1 Northern Pygmy-Owl 1 Belted Kingfisher 3 Downy Woodpecker 5 Hairy Woodpecker 3 White-headed Woodpecker 6 Northern Flicker 13 Black Phoebe 1 Loggerhead Shrike 2 Steller's Jay 95 Western Scrub-Jay 24 Pinyon Jay 190 Clark's Nutcracker 43 Black-billed Magpie 64 American Crow 8 Common Raven 19 Horned Lark 41 Mountain Chickadee 64 Bushtit 16 Red-breasted Nuthatch 12 White-breasted Nuthatch 23 Pygmy Nuthatch 5 Bewick's Wren 4 Marsh Wren 1 American Dipper 2 Golden-crowned Kinglet 7 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Western Bluebird 1 Townsend's Solitaire 7 American Robin 4 European Starling 28 American Pipit 2 Cedar Waxwing 1 Spotted Towhee 22 Song Sparrow 8 White-crowned Sparrow 25 Golden-crowned Sparrow 16 Dark-eyed Junco 183 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 1 Western Meadowlark 5 Brewer's Blackbird 3 Cassin's Finch 2 House Finch 138 Pine Siskin 1 Lesser Goldfinch 13 American Goldfinch 20 House Sparrow 64 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Dan Brown. Sacramento, CA Naturestoc.smugmug.com Subject: New North American Birds Subregional Editor for Marin County From: Ryan Terrill <enicurus AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:45:06 -0800 (PST) Hi Everyone- After compiling reports from Marin county for the past few years, I will no longer be spending enough regular time in the area to be able to adequately keep track of sightings. Adam Searcy has very generously offered to begin editing and compiling records, and all reports beginning with this Winter's season should be directed to him at: serpophaga AT gmail.com. (substitute AT for AT) Thanks to everyone for the contributions. -Ryan Terrill [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: New North American Birds Subregional Editor for Marin County From: Ryan Terrill <enicurus AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:45:06 -0800 (PST) Hi Everyone- After compiling reports from Marin county for the past few years, I will no longer be spending enough regular time in the area to be able to adequately keep track of sightings. Adam Searcy has very generously offered to begin editing and compiling records, and all reports beginning with this Winter's season should be directed to him at: serpophaga AT gmail.com. (substitute AT for AT) Thanks to everyone for the contributions. -Ryan Terrill [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Eastern Alameda County - CBC tally From: "Richard Cimino" <rscimino AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:55:07 -0800 Good Morning , The EAC-CBC tally is being massaged into a summary by Dave Bowden, the ExcellMaster. 90 % of the 29 section count summaries where turned in during last night post count dinner attended by 50 + birders. The species count is at 146 species. One early highlight ( yet to be reviewed ) is up to 17 Golden Eagles in the Sunol - Ohlone region alone. (!) Yellowbilled Magpie volume number is lower than hoped. Thanks to all the 70 + birders that showed up and enjoyed the wonderful weather, the friendship, the birds, access into locked gated areas, good wine's and a great dinner. This is the first EAC - CBC so we're somewhat proud of the event actually coming together after months planning. The dinner could not have been more perfectly presented without the involvement of Jessie Raeder River Activist and Program Development Director of the Toulumne River Trust = Thanks Jessie. Special thanks to my to long bud Jeff Miller visionary / founder and Ex. Director of Alliance Creek Alliance - with Jeff's visionary leadership Steelhead will return into the Alameda Creek Watershed Also to crazy insane while being intensely acute, Dave Bowden for being always available to hit the enter key and have information flow. We wish all the area CBC's great sucess, Thanks, Richard Cimino Ohlone Audubon , Pleasanton. rscimino AT earthlink.net Birding is fun and educational + it gets us out and away from the TV remote! Subject: Eastern Alameda County - CBC tally From: "Richard Cimino" <rscimino AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:55:07 -0800 Good Morning , The EAC-CBC tally is being massaged into a summary by Dave Bowden, the ExcellMaster. 90 % of the 29 section count summaries where turned in during last night post count dinner attended by 50 + birders. The species count is at 146 species. One early highlight ( yet to be reviewed ) is up to 17 Golden Eagles in the Sunol - Ohlone region alone. (!) Yellowbilled Magpie volume number is lower than hoped. Thanks to all the 70 + birders that showed up and enjoyed the wonderful weather, the friendship, the birds, access into locked gated areas, good wine's and a great dinner. This is the first EAC - CBC so we're somewhat proud of the event actually coming together after months planning. The dinner could not have been more perfectly presented without the involvement of Jessie Raeder River Activist and Program Development Director of the Toulumne River Trust = Thanks Jessie. Special thanks to my to long bud Jeff Miller visionary / founder and Ex. Director of Alliance Creek Alliance - with Jeff's visionary leadership Steelhead will return into the Alameda Creek Watershed Also to crazy insane while being intensely acute, Dave Bowden for being always available to hit the enter key and have information flow. We wish all the area CBC's great sucess, Thanks, Richard Cimino Ohlone Audubon , Pleasanton. rscimino AT earthlink.net Birding is fun and educational + it gets us out and away from the TV remote! Subject: Pre-count for Eastern Alameda County CBC From: "Richard Cimino" <rscimino AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:22:31 -0800 An early pre-count for back yard and fly over birds, for the 1st ever Eastern Alameda County - CBC White-tailed Kites -3 ( fly overs Ridgewood Rd and Black Ave area, Pleasanton ) American Crow - 12 Anna's Hummingbirds - 3 Golden Crown Sparrows -5 White Crown Sparrow - 4 Lincoln Sparrow -2 California Towhee - 2 Mourning Doves - 2 House Finches -3 Lesser Gold Finches - 3 Western Scrub Jays - 2 Black Phoebe -1 Nuttall's Woodpecker - 1 Hermit Thrush - 1 Golden Eagle - 1 ( fly over noon'ish Hopyard Rd. and Black Ave , Pleasanton ) Richard Cimino Pleasanton rscimino AT earthlink.net Birding is fun and educational + it gets us out and away from the TV remote! Subject: Chestnut-backed Chickadee subspecies From: "Ken Burton" <brdnrd AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:38:37 -0800 On a recent trip to Marshall I got to thinking about the spread of this species into the formerly treeless agricultural zone of northwestern Marin and southwestern Sonoma counties and the potential resultant extinction of P. r. neglectus. I subsequently came across Rich Stallcup's 1995 article on the subject (http://www.prbo.org/cms/docs/observer/focuschickadees.pdf). Has any recent work been done on this issue? Is the southward spread of P. r. rufescens being documented? Is there any evidence of hybridization? Is there enough recent museum material available to shed any light? Are banders in Marin and Sonoma documenting the necessary information? Why isn't P. r. neglectus considered "sensitive" if not endangered? In short, does anybody care about this taxon or is its name truly appropriate? Ken Burton Arcata Subject: Chestnut-backed Chickadee subspecies From: "Ken Burton" <brdnrd AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:38:37 -0800 On a recent trip to Marshall I got to thinking about the spread of this species into the formerly treeless agricultural zone of northwestern Marin and southwestern Sonoma counties and the potential resultant extinction of P. r. neglectus. I subsequently came across Rich Stallcup's 1995 article on the subject (http://www.prbo.org/cms/docs/observer/focuschickadees.pdf). Has any recent work been done on this issue? Is the southward spread of P. r. rufescens being documented? Is there any evidence of hybridization? Is there enough recent museum material available to shed any light? Are banders in Marin and Sonoma documenting the necessary information? Why isn't P. r. neglectus considered "sensitive" if not endangered? In short, does anybody care about this taxon or is its name truly appropriate? Ken Burton Arcata Subject: Chestnut-backed Chickadee subspecies From: "Ken Burton" <brdnrd AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:38:37 -0800 On a recent trip to Marshall I got to thinking about the spread of this species into the formerly treeless agricultural zone of northwestern Marin and southwestern Sonoma counties and the potential resultant extinction of P. r. neglectus. I subsequently came across Rich Stallcup's 1995 article on the subject (http://www.prbo.org/cms/docs/observer/focuschickadees.pdf). Has any recent work been done on this issue? Is the southward spread of P. r. rufescens being documented? Is there any evidence of hybridization? Is there enough recent museum material available to shed any light? Are banders in Marin and Sonoma documenting the necessary information? Why isn't P. r. neglectus considered "sensitive" if not endangered? In short, does anybody care about this taxon or is its name truly appropriate? Ken Burton Arcata Subject: bird plumage study From: "drury.jonathan" <druryj AT ucla.edu> Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:15:15 -0000 I am conducting a study of geographical variation in bird plumage, and I am looking for volunteers to take an online survey. Participants will rate the brightness and complexity of bird plumage for various images. If you are able to volunteer to take this survey, please e-mail me at druryj AT ucla.edu, and I will send you an e-mail with the URL to the survey and more information. Thank you in advance, Jonathan P. Drury Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of California, Los Angeles druryj AT ucla.edu Subject: Reporting oiled or injured birds From: Rebecca Dmytryk <diametryk AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:28:02 -0800 Dear Birders - We have had some sightings of oiled and/or 'down' marine birds in the region. The reports came through Lists and were not forwarded to official rescue groups in time to dispatch a search and rescue team. Here are some numbers to put into your cell phones to report debilitated marine birds when sighted: Big Sur to Bay Area: WildRescue Pager 831-429-2323 Bay Area International Bird Rescue 707-207-0380 All or California CA Wildlife Hotline 866-WILD-911 PRESS 3 and leave a message. It will alert the team. Thank you! Rebecca Dmytryk WildRescue P.O. Box 65 Moss Landing CA 95039 Home/Office: 831.768.9068 Mobile: 831.840.3896 Pager: 831.429.2323 Hotline: 866.WILD.911 http://www.facebook.com/pages/WildRescue/120264209108 Subject: Future pelagic trips From: john small <joutandabout AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:43:03 -0800 (PST) Good Evening California Birders An addendum to my whale watching trip last Saturday(12-5-09) where I had good numbers of Cassins Auklets & Black Vented Shearwaters.�I thought that I'd share some charter boat companies�that I've obtained ph. numbers for. I've given at least 2 of these numbers to Los Angeles Audubon Society, although I don't know if L.A. Audubon has ever contacted either one regarding future pelagic trips. 1 is the boat charter company that runs the Christopher(the Blue Whale trip)�out of Long Beach. Their charter trip service is called:�Harbor Breeze Cruises. And their ph. number is (562) 432-4900. �And another one is run by a friendly gentleman I had the good fortunes of meeting. This gentleman also used to have his boat docked in Long Beach as well. Although I don't know the whereabouts of this gentleman at the moment, I do believe his charter cruise service is still actively in business. This gentleman's contact number is: 1(800)460-2575#425. I'm not if this extensions correct, as I don't have his original business card, but a paper duplicate, and the paper is quite faded. The gentleman's name is Jason Ware. if you should contact this gentleman, please let him that�I extended this information to you. I'd really appreciate it. Thank You. �And the last 2 ph.numbers maybe the same charter cruise company. 1 is 1(800) ON THE BAY, and the other is 1(800) 229-2412. This is all I could get a hold of, but it might of great assistance to contact these for future pelagic birding trips. Thank You Good Birding John Small Torrance,CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Future pelagic trips From: john small <joutandabout AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:43:03 -0800 (PST) Good Evening California Birders An addendum to my whale watching trip last Saturday(12-5-09) where I had good numbers of Cassins Auklets & Black Vented Shearwaters.�I thought that I'd share some charter boat companies�that I've obtained ph. numbers for. I've given at least 2 of these numbers to Los Angeles Audubon Society, although I don't know if L.A. Audubon has ever contacted either one regarding future pelagic trips. 1 is the boat charter company that runs the Christopher(the Blue Whale trip)�out of Long Beach. Their charter trip service is called:�Harbor Breeze Cruises. And their ph. number is (562) 432-4900. �And another one is run by a friendly gentleman I had the good fortunes of meeting. This gentleman also used to have his boat docked in Long Beach as well. Although I don't know the whereabouts of this gentleman at the moment, I do believe his charter cruise service is still actively in business. This gentleman's contact number is: 1(800)460-2575#425. I'm not if this extensions correct, as I don't have his original business card, but a paper duplicate, and the paper is quite faded. The gentleman's name is Jason Ware. if you should contact this gentleman, please let him that�I extended this information to you. I'd really appreciate it. Thank You. �And the last 2 ph.numbers maybe the same charter cruise company. 1 is 1(800) ON THE BAY, and the other is 1(800) 229-2412. This is all I could get a hold of, but it might of great assistance to contact these for future pelagic birding trips. Thank You Good Birding John Small Torrance,CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: SV Christmas Bird Count - New Years Day! From: "torusert" <sonomabirding AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:39:09 -0000 You are most welcomed to join us on New Years Day for the 5th Anniversary of the Sonoma Valley CBC. We were ranked 38th in the nation and among the best "inland" CBC's in the country. Celebrate birding in the spectacular Sonoma Valley CBC Circle...nestled between two significant mountain ranges, vast marshlands in Petaluma, Napa and Sonoma and a great variety of unique upland habitats. Visit sonomabirding.org for more information. A gourmet potluck and Tabulation Celebration will begin approx 4:30 - 8:00PM at the Sonoma Community Center-Andrews Hall. Sign up at - http://www.sonomabirding.org/ SVCBC Compilers Tom Rusert & Darren Peterie Sonoma Ca. Subject: Re: pelagic trip data vs ebird From: "bjinsd" <bjinsd AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:03:00 -0000 I take a similar approach to the one that Don does with a slight variation. Here on the San Diego pelagic trips that I have been on there are very distinct areas the boats tend to go. Because of underwater banks the life zones tend to usually be concentrated in about the same area. I will have lists for those areas. For example I have Pelagic--Nine Mile Bank (San Diego County waters), Pelagic--Nine Mile Bank (Mexico waters) and Thirty Mile Bank. In between these banks the life tends to drop off dramatically and so I have separate list for these areas (Pelagic--Nine Mile Bank to Thirty Mile Bank) which can cover 20+ miles. Over time it is very interesting to see what species are seen in these "lifeless" zones. Keeping track of the time at each location is fairly simple. I find the hard part to be tracking the distance, especially when the route isn't a straight line. Another area that I tend to be a bit different from what Don has mentioned is that I do have an inshore list. I will have one list for San Diego Bay that included inshore species and another list for the mouth of San Diego Bay to just out a couple of miles. I then move on to a more "pure" pelagic list with one of locations. I do like to have inshore species on my list, though I do see the importance of having them separate from the other lists. On this list it would be a good idea to add a note that this list distance covered 10 miles in distance, though no further out than 2 miles. I'm very interested in what others do with their pelagic lists. BJ Stacey Santee, CA Subject: Re: pelagic trip data vs ebird From: Don Roberson <creagrus AT montereybay.com> Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:12:54 -0800 This is a good question, and I can respond from the perspective of the Monterey Bay area, where there are many pelagic trips. I am one of the Monterey County editors, as well as a birder who regularly enters pelagic trips into eBird. eBird prefers that on-shore Traveling counts be 5 miles or less in length, in part because habitat often changes within that distance. There are situations where the 5 mile limit on-shore is extended, such as when birding over a uniform habitat (a stretch of unbroken sagebrush, for example), but in general I do attempt to limit my on-shore checklists to 5 miles or less. However, we have not been using that convention offshore, in part because habitat is more or less undifferentiated (with the exceptions discussed below). So, as a short response, it is typical to enter a single 60-80 nmi pelagic trip on Monterey Bay as a single checklist, assuming that the trip is within a single county. The most important aspect of the pelagic trip checklist, however, is to confine it strictly to pelagic species. For myself, I typically include only species seen more than 1 nmi mile offshore. So for me, a typical Monterey Bay checklist has two elements: a Monterey Bay list [using the existing hot spot "Monterey Bay pelagic (Monterey Co.)"] and a second checklist for birds seen inshore, from the harbor and along the shore. Depending on which direction the boat takes, there are two existing hot spots for this checklist: "Monterey Bay pelagic--Monterey Harbor to Pt. Pinos" or "Monterey Bay pelagic--inshore Moss Landing to Monterey." As a county editor, I have slowly been going through pelagic checklists and disallowing species that map to an offshore locale but were actually seen in the harbor or next to the shore. I have more or less completed this for Harlequin Duck, for example, and hopefully no eBird map will show Harlequins in the middle of the Bay or well offshore, as all the eBird data entered for this species is off "in the harbor" or "next to shore" observations. In my opinion, including inshore birds on a pelagic checklist is the single biggest problem with pelagic lists in eBird. It is typical for a standard Monterey Bay pelagic trip leaving from Monterey harbor to also go into the Santa Cruz County side of the Bay. If I am aboard, I enter a third checklist for such a trip, using these three hot spots: "Monterey Bay pelagic--Monterey Harbor to Pt. Pinos" "Monterey Bay pelagic (Monterey Co.)" and "Monterey Bay pelagic (Santa Cruz Co.)" This is a little more complicated because one must segregate the offshore observations between two counties, and jot down time and mileage in each county, but I find this is not very difficult. The leaders of most Monterey Bay trips will announce when the county line is crossed, and Elias Elias has posted recently about this information being available for downlaod into GPS units. A longer trip might also go into San Mateo Co., and in such instances, I do yet another eBird checklist, using the hot spot "Offshore waters (San Mateo Co.)" There are also existing hot spots for other destinations farther offshore, and when aboard such a longer pelagic trip, I will use whichever existing hot spot best fits the trip. These include "Monterey Seavalley pelagic (Monterey Co.)" "Monterey pelagic--nearshore waters to Pt. Sur" "Monterey pelagic--to offshore Pt. Sur" [these are for trips that go farther offshore but are not overnight trips to the Davidson}, and "Davidson Seamount pelagic (Monterey Co.)" I have used all of these hot spots to enter checklists, and some of those trips are 12+ hours long and 100 nmi in length. This may not be ideal, but is at least practical. It is also fair to say that while there are distinctive zones of habitat offshore, these are not fixed boundaries but change day to day and year to year with water temperature & salinity. From a practical standpoint, entering such longer checklists over the ocean does not seem objectionable to me, as long as the distinctive inshore species are not included. The avifauna does change dramatically when one reaches the North Pacific gyre, typically at 50-75 nmi offshore in the Monterey area, but very few pelagic trips get out that far. Species that I avoid including on pelagic trip checklists -- unless they are actually seen well offshore, where they are very unusual -- include Pelagic Cormorant [the least pelagic of the coastal cormorants], Pigeon Guillemot [very restricted to inshore waters unless on migration... I have seen it twice in 30+ years at mid-Bay], and inshore ducks, grebes, loons, waders, etc. There is an existing hot spot just for "Monterey Harbor", and I also use it a lot when the boat otherwise goes straight out to deeper water. In looking a a map of eBird hot spots, it looks like most eBird users do something similar in their areas of the State. I hope this is a helpful start. Don Roberson Pacific Grove CA Subject: Re: pelagic trip data vs ebird From: Dany Sloan <danymsloan AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:19:25 -0800 Please reply to the group, I'd like to know as well Cheers Dany Sloan LA CA On Dec 10, 2009, at 9:16, "WK" wrote: > [This is a request disguised as a question. Because of the great > number of pelagic trips from California, I assume that it is > appropriate for this group.] > > Here's something that I have been wondering for a while, and I > assume others as well: What is the best way of entering the > observations from a pelagic trip into ebird? None of the standard > categories apply and it takes an awful lot of time/gps bookkeeping > to enter a 12 hour trip as fragments. Is there a convention that > people use to solve this problem (stationary, 100+ mile traveling > count)? > > My implied request to those closely involved with ebird.org: a new > category "pelagic trip" would be greatly appreciated. > > - Wim (Goleta, CA) > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: pelagic trip data vs ebird From: "WK" <wim.van.dam AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:16:30 -0000 [This is a request disguised as a question. Because of the great number of pelagic trips from California, I assume that it is appropriate for this group.] Here's something that I have been wondering for a while, and I assume others as well: What is the best way of entering the observations from a pelagic trip into ebird? None of the standard categories apply and it takes an awful lot of time/gps bookkeeping to enter a 12 hour trip as fragments. Is there a convention that people use to solve this problem (stationary, 100+ mile traveling count)? My implied request to those closely involved with ebird.org: a new category "pelagic trip" would be greatly appreciated. - Wim (Goleta, CA)