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8 Feb FW: Feb. 13th Bald Eagle Count ["bewickwren" ] 9 Feb Salton Sea, Feb 6-7 [] 8 Feb Salton Sea Trip Feb. 6 - 7, 2010 [Ron Cyger ] 8 Feb White throated swifts - 40+ in Redlands [Matthew Baker ] 08 Feb west side of Salton Sea [] 08 Feb Mira Loma: Black-throated Gray Warbler [Merlin_Mira_Loma ] 08 Feb High Desert Birding ["Brad" ] 07 Feb Death Valley RFI ["Tom Kelly" ] 6 Feb RE: Golden Eagle in Loma Linda ["Lidia Seebeck" ] 07 Feb Salton Sea birds Feb 6 [] 07 Feb re: Wild Bird Center birdwalk [] 6 Feb Golden Eagle in Loma Linda ["Koonce, Sandy" ] 06 Feb SBVAS Beginning Bird Walk canceled [] 05 Feb NOT a Franklin's Gull at Finney Lake [] 5 Feb Salton Sea & Imperial Valley, 2 Feb 2010 ["Detwiler, Henry D" ] 04 Feb Franklin's Gull at Finney Lake [] 04 Feb Southeastern CA RBA: February 4, 2010 [Tom Benson ] 4 Feb Curve-billed Thrasher Feb. 3 ["Chet McGaugh" ] 4 Feb Chiriaco thrasher ["Chet McGaugh" ] 3 Feb Salton Sea/Imperial Valley 2 Feb 10 ["Guy" ] 03 Feb Glen Helen, local interest ["dgingt22" ] 02 Feb Burrowing Owls ["Brad" ] 02 Feb Crafton Reservoir (n. of Crafton Ave. off Rte. 38) ["kelleyal" ] 31 Jan San Jacinto Valley [] 31 Jan Cackling Goose back in Apple Valley ["jwbnav" ] 30 Jan Hooded Mergansers in Corona ["jcoumoutso" ] 30 Jan Lewis'Wood, HMerg, Riverside [Robert Packard ] 30 Jan Reducing aircraft-wildlife strikes at airports ["kennedym2009" ] 29 Jan Mira Loma: Black-throated Gray Warbler [Merlin_Mira_Loma ] 29 Jan Cackling Goose at Loma Linda VA ["warblinmun" ] 28 Jan Southeastern CA RBA: January 28, 2010 [Tom Benson ] 28 Jan Nutmeg Mannikins in Montclair ["thomasgezamiko" ] 27 Jan Santa Ana River visitors ["kelleyal" ] 27 Jan Apple Valley Cormorants ["jwbnav" ] 26 Jan Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival -- April 23-26, 2010 -- Registration Open ["will_w04" ] 25 Jan Salton Sea weekend 1/23-24/10 [Nick & Mary Freeman ] 25 Jan Mira Loma: Gray Flycatcher, Merlin [Merlin_Mira_Loma ] 25 Jan Salton Sea today [] 24 Jan Mira Loma: Gray Flycatcher, Merlin and ? Swainson's Hawk [Merlin_Mira_Loma ] 23 Jan Glaucous Gull at Salton Sea ["profile440" ] 23 Jan Re: Guadalupe y Santa Maria ["dgingt22" ] 23 Jan SerenDIPPERidy ["kelleyal" ] 22 Jan Southeastern CA RBA: January 21, 2010 [Tom Benson ] 19 Jan Mystic Lake ["Chet McGaugh" ] 18 Jan Chiriaco CBTH continues 1/16/10 [Gjon Hazard ] 19 Jan Re: Colton ["dan_cooper_90042" ] 18 Jan Salton Sea area highlights Monday ["lehman.paul AT verizon.net" ] 18 Jan Yuma & Imperial Counties, 14-18 Jan ["Detwiler, Henry D" ] 18 Jan Unit 1, and etc., Salton Sea [] 18 Jan Colton ["kelleyal" ] 18 Jan downtown Riverside peregrines [] 18 Jan RE: Evergreen Cemetery ["Ed Stonick" ] 17 Jan Lewis's Woodpecker(s) in Yucaipa ["Koonce, Sandy" ] 17 Jan SJWA today ["Koonce, Sandy" ] 16 Jan Newberry Springs ["William" ] 16 Jan Yellow-bellied Sap more info [] 15 Jan Mira Loma: tree [Merlin_Mira_Loma ] 14 Jan Birding close to RV in El Centro [] 14 Jan Southeastern CA RBA: January 14, 2010 [Tom Benson ] 14 Jan Mira Loma: Merlin [Merlin_Mira_Loma ] 14 Jan A possible non-carotenistic Red-faced Warbler from Morongo in 2009? ["markbrown1848" ] 14 Jan Varied Thrush in Mira Loma ["jcoumoutso" ] 13 Jan Yellow-bellied Sapsucker [] 13 Jan Mira Loma: Black-throated Gray Warbler [Merlin_Mira_Loma ] 12 Jan Mira Loma: Merlin [Merlin_Mira_Loma ] 12 Jan Re: San Bernardino Co. (1/10 & 11) - Correction ["Frances Oliver" ] 12 Jan dos lagos golf course ["quixdimnd" ] 11 Jan San Bernardino Co. (1/10 & 11) ["Frances Oliver" ] 12 Jan Jan 14-21: Report your Tricolored Blackbirds! ["Jonathan" ] 11 Jan More on Evergreen Cementery, El Centro [] 11 Jan Bard Valley, Ferguson Lake - 9 Jan 2010 ["Detwiler, Henry D" ] 11 Jan Summer Tanager in El Centro [] 11 Jan SESS: Zone-tailed Hawk and Eurasian Wigeon [Justyn Stahl ] 10 Jan Neotropic Cormorant continues [] 10 Jan FW: January Bald Eagle Count Results ["bewickwren" ] 9 Jan Salton Sea and vicinty 9 Jan ["bewickwren" ] Subject: FW: Feb. 13th Bald Eagle Count From: "bewickwren" <bewickwren AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 22:58:47 -0800 Forwarding for Marc Stamer: -----Original Message----- Volunteers are needed to help the Forest Service count bald eagles this winter in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains! Volunteers will be stationed at various vantage points around the mountain lakes, where they map and note any eagle observations during a 1-hour period on a Saturday morning. This is the 31st year that the San Bernardino National Forest has organized monthly winter bald eagle counts. Two remaining bald eagle counts for this winter are scheduled for the following Saturday mornings: February 13, and March 13. Mark your calendars now. Volunteers will be needed for each census. Volunteers need not have experience--just bring binoculars, a watch, and dress warmly. Concurrent Bald Eagle counts are held at Big Bear Lake, Baldwin Lake, Little Green Valley Lake, Lake Gregory, Lake Arrowhead, Lake Silverwood, and Lake Hemet. Observers are stationed around the mountain lakes for a simultaneous 1-hour census/mapping effort once a month December through March. Through this method, the Forest Service has aquired information about areas eagles use and fluctuations in population numbers. The San Bernardino Mountains support the largest wintering bald eagle population in Southern California. Eagles typically begin arriving in the area in late November and continue to stay in the area until early April. Numbers using the Big Bear Basin have fluctuated over the past 22 years, from lows of 6-7 to highs of 35-40 individuals. In the early 1990s, the Forest Service conducted a research project to learn more about what areas in the mountains are important for eagle foraging, perching, and night roosting. Fifteen eagles were caught and equipped with tiny radio-transmitters that allowed us to track their movements. Through radio-tracking, we learned that some of the same individual eagles return to the San Bernardino Mountains year after year. We also determined that there is a lot of movement of eagles between the different mountain lakes and that the lakes do not have distinctive separate populations-the eagles regularly move between Silverwood, Big Bear, and Arrowhead lakes. We have also learned that some of the San Bernardino Mountains' eagles travel to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Canada. Scientists at Lake Silverwood also equipped some bald eagles with transmitters tracked by satellites. Some of those eagles were tracked all the way to Alberta and the Northwest Territories in Canada where they probably nested. That is about 2,000 miles one-way! Information regarding bald eagle migratory routes for these and other California eagles can be viewed from the University of Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group's web site at http://www2.ucsc.edu/~scpbrg/migration.htm. Breeding populations of bald eagles in Southern California were extirpated by the late 1950s. Until reintroduction efforts began in the 1980s on Catalina Island, the southern-most nest site known in California was in Lake County. Since 2003, a pair of bald eagles has successfully fledged babies several times at Lake Hemet! Potential nesting habitat exists on National Forest lands near all of the lakes in the San Bernardino Mountains. The Forest Service will continue to monitor these areas in the spring for future nesting attempts. The bald eagle is a success story of the Endangered Species Act - through protection under that law, its populations have recovered from the brink of extinction. Bald Eagles are no longer considered an Endangered or Threatened species. They still have full protection under the Bald Eagle Protection Act. Captive breeding programs, reintroduction efforts, the banning of DDT, and public education have all helped in the recovery of this species. Catching a glimpse of our breath-taking national symbol is relatively easy during winter months in Big Bear. There are some fantastic opportunities for excellent close-up photographs too. Just look in the tallest trees around the lake near open water for perching eagles. Or, if the lake is partly frozen, look for eagles perched on the ice near small groups of ducks using the open water. Stop by the Forest Service's Big Bear Discovery Center (on North Shore Drive, 1-1/2 miles west of Stanfield Cutoff) and pick up a handout on eagles. Remember that human presence may distract or disturb the eagles - so, try to limit your movements and don't make loud noises when they're nearby. If possible, remain in your car while looking at eagles - the car may act as a blind. Bald Eagle count volunteers for the Big Bear Lake area should come to the Forest Service Big Bear Discovery Center on North Shore Drive at 8:00 a.m. for instructions. Volunteers for the Lake Arrowhead area should go to the Sky Forest Ranger Station at 8:00 a.m.. For more information, please call Meghan Pawlowski, Wildlife Biologist at the Big Bear Ranger Station 909-382-2600x4019, or Drew Farr, Wildlife Biologist at the Big Bear Ranger Station 909-382-2816. Volunteers for Silverwood Lake State Park should contact the park office for information during business hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at 760-389-2303, and plan to meet at the Visitor Center at 8:00 a.m. Lake Silverwood State Park is also conducting Bald Eagle Barge Tours on weekends during the month of February, for reservations which need to be made in advance please contact the park office at 760-389-2281. Volunteers for Lake Hemet should contact Matt McDonald at 909-382-2933 and plan on meeting at the Lake Hemet Grocery Store at 8:30 a.m. for intructions. To welcome and celebrate the eagles in Big Bear, the Forest Service and San Bernardino National Forest Association also invite you to participate in Eagle Season. Presentations about bald eagles will be conducted at the San Bernardino National Forest Discovery Center in February - call for the dates and details. For additional information about the San Bernardino National Forest, please visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/ Marc Stamer, Biologist Mountaintop Ranger District Forest BAER Coordinator San Bernardino National Forest P.O. Box 290 42300 North Shore Drive Big Bear Ranger Station Fawnskin, CA 92333-0290 Office: (909)382-2828 Cell: (909)844-6683 Fax: (909)866-2867 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Salton Sea, Feb 6-7 From: vicleipzig AT aol.com Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 01:34:36 EST Sea and Sage Audubon had its annual field trip to the Salton Sea this weekend. We waived at Santa Monica and Pasadena Audubons as they drove by! We had a very large flock of Mountain Plovers (~1,000) in a burned field on the west side of Wiest Road, two or three miles south of Peterson Road. In the same vicinity we had four Mountain Bluebirds and a Prairie Falcon. Along Peterson Road east of the Calipatria prison was one White-tailed Kite and an almost entirely cream-colored leucistic Red-tailed Hawk. At Cattlecall Park we observed the wintering Gray Flycatcher and several Gila Woodpeckers. We made the long drive down to Fig Lagoon but found no Neotropic Cormorant or Eastern Phoebe. When we visited Sunbeam Lake, we found no geese of any kind and very few ducks. Hard rain may be to blame. We found a Vermilion Flycatcher at the pig farm at Sperry and Eddins, but no White-winged Dove. At Obsidian Butte, we found two Western Gulls but no Yellow-footed. At Unit One, we found one blue-morph Snow Goose and one blue-morph Ross Goose in the huge flock of white geese. We also had a distant look at a flock of about two dozen Greater White-fronted Geese and several dozen Sandhill Cranes. At some distance out in the water off the north end of Garst Road were five swan decoys that temporarily fooled a number of us. Nearby were three flamingoes that stood still continuously with their heads under their wings during the time we watched them. Whether these were flesh and blood or plastic I really can't say. If anyone knows for sure one way or the other I'd appreciate hearing! Vic G. Victor Leipzig, Ph.D. 17461 Skyline Lane Huntington Beach, CA 92647 (714) 330-3558--cell [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Salton Sea Trip Feb. 6 - 7, 2010 From: Ron Cyger <ron AT cyger.org> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 20:57:34 -0800 Greetings, Pasadena Audubon spent the weekend of February 6th at the south end of the Salton Sea. The rain came down on Saturday and made many roads difficult. But, with many good eyes we had about 120 species including: An adult Yellow-footed Gull at Red Hill Marina; A Summer Tanager, two Gray-headed, and one Pink-sided Junco at Evergreen Cemetery in El Centro (eastside); 200 Mountain Plover in the field at the southeast corner of Blair and Lindsay and another 28 Mountain Plovers on the north side of Rutherford Road just West of Highway 111; 30 Mountain Bluebirds in the field at Sinclair and Blair, but on the east side so actually between the railroad tracks and Blair; A Cackling Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Yellow-shafted Flicker, and three Vermilion Flycatchers at Sunbeam Lake County Park; Six Blue-winged Teal were in the first pond at the SSNWR Head Quarters; and A Zone-tailed Hawk found by Santa Monica Audubon (thanks Lillian and Chuck) and a Vermilion Flycatcher at Cattle Call Park. We all had good views! Take care, Ron Cyger Pasadena Audubon Society [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: White throated swifts - 40+ in Redlands From: Matthew Baker <mattbaker AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 19:21:02 -0800 Tonight around 5:45pm (dusk) there was a flock of white throated swifts over the ayres hotel on Colton just at the I-10 and New York St. I watched them from outside the Moose Lodge on the S. side of the I-10 on New York. Maybe they roost under the freeway where I've seen them nest for the past few years... -m [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: west side of Salton Sea From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:49:08 -0500 Hi birders, I birded the west side today from Salton City, north to Oasis. Good access to the sea at Salton City. Could not locate a sandy road that follows the sea north. Drove around to Salton Sea Beach and Desert Beach. Access was challenging in these two areas. Ave 86 to the sea was discouraging with No Tresspassing signs and the road per se is not well defined . Ave 84 and Ave 81 were all good for scoping the beach. I didn't see anything unuasual, expected gulls were Ringed-billed, Herring, California and Bonaparte's. This may be good as I am 0 for 2 at the moment. When I left El Centro I had 147 species found for the sea and picked up two more at Oasis RV Park where I am currently staying until Feb 15th. Two birds here are Costa's Hummingbird and Lark Sparrow. I can see the snow from here and understand Brad Singer's need to bird. I will bird the west sea shore and general area again before leaving. Thanks to Tom Benson for taking my field calls and posting for me. Thanks to Guy McCaskie for his patience in reviewing my rare(ha) birding finds. I can only enhance my knowledge by paying a little dues in the field and applying the field guide to the real world. See you out there, Sandy Remley aka: Itchy birding feet Big Bear Lake/Oasis = [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Mira Loma: Black-throated Gray Warbler From: Merlin_Mira_Loma <max_ab6ns AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:42:45 -0800 Sunday am 2/07/2010 I saw a 1st winter Black-throated Gray Warbler in the tamarisks along 66th Street west of Etiwanda just east of Lorena. This is in the general area where I have seen one intermittently, first seen on 1-05-2010, and most recently the 29th. I have not seen the Gray Flycatcher since the 25th. Just another irregular rare but regular Mira Loma wintering bird. Good Birding, Madeline Footloose in Mira Loma Subject: High Desert Birding From: "Brad" <bcsinger AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:12:32 -0000 Going stir crazy in the rain and snow, I headed this morning to sunshine in the high desert hoping to fulfill two purposes, get a few pics of Ferruginous Hawks and catch up on a few county birds (trying to stay up with Benson and King). I started at Hesperia Lakes and found a a Ross's Goose and possible Ross's/Snow hybrid. I passed by Spring Valley Lake and the only bird of interest was a Common Merganser very near Steve Myer's old house on the lake. From there I moved on to Mojave Narrows County Park and relocated Steve's Winter Wren near where Howard's Eastern Phoebe was last year. In the same area were hundreds of Turkey Vultures. I couldn't understand why until I started walking back to the car and saw that the levee/dam to Horseshoe Lake had been breached, and the lake was empty. I talked to park personnel and they said the dam broke three weeks ago in the heavy rains and will take at least a year to reconstruct. I moved on to Silver Lakes and found thousands of Coots and very few ducks. The small pond on the golf course (behind the "Fairway Court" condos) had two female Hooded Mergansers. Nothing special in certain areas, but Steve and Bill Deppe had told me that these ducks are becoming rare in the high desert. A final stab at the Helendale Sewer Facility (Silver Lakes poop pits) produced many ducks including a lone Snow Goose and a beautiful male Eurasian Wigeon (actually the sewer ponds were somewhat empty but the ag field next to the ponds were flooded and this is where the birds were). Next stop was Newberry Springs where Ferruginous Hawks were plentiful and I fulfilled half my wish list. A stop at the Paiute Dairy was uneventful save looking at literally thousands of Starlings and seeing a handful of Tri-colored Blackbirds. Next stop was the Minneola pond where normally Yellow-headed, Red-winged and Tri-colored blackbirds are abundant, however not one black bird was to be found. A last stop at the Daggett evaporation ponds produced a a pair of female Goldeneyes. I took Highway 247 back home and was depressed to find that the infamous Slash-X bar had been closed, famous not only for its T-bone steaks but for the owner/waitress who served them as well. The desert was inundated with water. Many of the roads were flooded and it was nice to have 4-wheel drive. The dry lakes in Lucerne Valley were full. The Mojave River looks to be at near capacity. Hopefully this will bode well for Zzyxx and Baker and the possibility of a good migratory spring in the high desert. Brad Singer Lake Arrowhead F. Hawk photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcsinger/4339025497/ BTW- I didn't realize, but the previous photo of the Burrowing Owls shows the near bird with a band (pointed out nicely by Crispin Rendon). Subject: Death Valley RFI From: "Tom Kelly" <tkelly_1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:17:16 -0000 I have to go to Las Vegas for work in early March, and like to take an extra day to see some sites and birds. I'd guess Death Valley isn't the birdiest place that time of year, but I would like to see it especially during wildflower season. So if anyone has any birding tips for DV, they would be appreciated. Specifically, is LeConte's Thrasher a remote possibility? Thanks, Tom Kelly Chicago, IL Subject: RE: Golden Eagle in Loma Linda From: "Lidia Seebeck" <lidia AT seebeck.us> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 21:34:17 -0800 I hesitated to mention, an amateur birder reported a possible Golden Eagle along Winchester Road (near Temecula) yesterday. If it's migrating, that could fit. If not, keep your eyes peeled. Lidia _____ Yesterday, Dana Armstrong observed a GOLDEN EAGLE in Loma Linda, on a pole near where Mountain View crosses over the railroad tracks, a half mile or so south of the 10 freeway. She observed it around 3 in the afternoon. Some crows eventually drove it off to the south. Sandy [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Salton Sea birds Feb 6 From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:09:51 -0500 Doug Karalun and I braved a few hours of rain and some muddy roads to do a little birding at the Salton Sea today (Feb 6). We were able to find about 5 Stilt Sandpipers and 8 Sandhill Cranes at Unit 1, 1 or 2 Western Gulls, 3 or 4 Yellow-footed Gulls, 1 Glaucous-winged Gull, and a Large-billed Savannah Sparrow at Obsidian Butte, along with another Glaucous-winged Gull at Red Hill, the Vermilion and Gray Flycatchers at Cattle Call Park, 2 Slate-colored Juncos at Fig Lagoon, and of course the Cackling and Greater White-fronted Geese at Sunbeam Lake County Park. Unfortunately we dipped on the previously reported Bald Eagle and Glaucous Gull (despite several tries for each) as well as the Eastern Phoebe. Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: re: Wild Bird Center birdwalk From: CYGNETS2 AT aol.com Date: Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:04:44 -0500 Coachella Valley Wild Bird Center, Indio Saturday 6 Feb 53 species seen on our February bird walk. Skies were cloudy but calm, and we finished just ahead of the incoming rain. One of the more entertaining sightings was a Marsh Wren taking a leisurely dirt bath in the center of the path. Our complete list is below. The next public bird walk will be Saturday 6 March. Meet at the trailer office at 8am. More info (760) 347-2647 or www.coachellavalleywildbirdcenter.org Pied-billed Grebe Great Egret Green Heron Canada Goose Green-winged Teal Mallard Northern Pintail Cinnamon Teal Northern Shoveler Gadwall American Wigeon Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Ruddy Duck Cooper's Hawk Ferruginous Hawk Peregrine Falcon Gambel's Quail Virginia Rail Common Moorhen American Coot Killdeer Black-necked Stilt Wilson's Snipe Bonaparte's Gull Ring-billed Gull Rock Pigeon Eurasian Collared Dove Mourning Dove Greater Roadrunner Ladder-backed Woodpecker Northern Flicker Black Phoebe Say's Phoebe Northern Rough-winged Swallow Common Raven Verdin Marsh Wren Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Northern Mockingbird European Starling Orange-crowned Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Common Yellowthroat Abert's Towhee Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Western Meadowlark Brewer's Blackbird House Finch Lesser Goldfinch [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Golden Eagle in Loma Linda From: "Koonce, Sandy" <sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 21:04:16 -0800 Yesterday, Dana Armstrong observed a GOLDEN EAGLE in Loma Linda, on a pole near where Mountain View crosses over the railroad tracks, a half mile or so south of the 10 freeway. She observed it around 3 in the afternoon. Some crows eventually drove it off to the south. Sandy Sandy Koonce Department of Mathematics University of Redlands, Redlands, CA 92373 sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu Subject: SBVAS Beginning Bird Walk canceled From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:48:41 -0500 Hi all, Sorry for the late notice, but tomorrow's (Sunday, February 7) San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society Beginning Bird Walk at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area has been canceled due to road closures from the recent rains. Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NOT a Franklin's Gull at Finney Lake From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:50:59 -0500 The Franklin's Gull reported from Finney Lake yesterday has been re-identified as a Laughing Gull. Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Salton Sea & Imperial Valley, 2 Feb 2010 From: "Detwiler, Henry D" <HDetwiler AT usbr.gov> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 08:31:02 -0700 Greetings Birders! Sorry for tardy posting--crazy schedule lately. Hopefully this will get to you prior to the weekend, if you plan on visiting the Sea then! I took Mike and Ann from San Francisco around the southern part of the Salton Sea and to a few spots in the Imperial Valley on Tuesday, Feb 2, 2010. We saw many of the same birds that Guy did on Tuesday, albeit some were in different spots. The roads were almost all dry, but you do need to exercise caution in some areas. A complete list follows, but here are our highlights by area: Unit 1 area - - Sora, Virginia, & Clapper Rails calling - great flocks of Ross's & Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes - about a dozen Stilt Sandpipers mixed in with hundreds of Long-billed Dowitchers - immature Bald Eagle continues, twice perched on telephone poles - 2 White-tailed Kites close to Vendel & Bannister Calipatria area - - White-winged Dove at Eddins & Sperry - flock of Western Bluebirds in city park - flock of American Robins west of town Obsidian Butte area - - hundreds of Brown Pelicans flocking/roosting on west side - 2 adult + young Yellow-footed Gull - immature Glaucous Gull - immature Glaucous-winged Gull - adult Lesser Black-backed Gull - Merlin in large trees just south of Obsidian Butte along the Sea wall Good Birding! Henry Detwiler Yuma, AZ www.SouthwestBirders.com 928-210-6474 List from Feb 2010, 106 total ----------------------------- Pied-billed Grebe Western Grebe Clark's Grebe American White Pelican Brown Pelican Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Cattle Egret Green Heron Black-crowned Night Heron White-faced Ibis Sandhill Crane Snow Goose Ross' s Goose Canada Goose American Wigeon Blue-winged Teal Mallard Cinnamon Teal Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Redhead Lesser Scaup Common Goldeneye Ruddy Duck Osprey White-tailed Kite Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Cooper's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Gambel's Quail Clapper Rail Virginia Rail Sora Common Moorhen American Coot Killdeer Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Willet Spotted Sandpiper Long-billed Curlew Marbled Godwit Least Sandpiper Stilt Sandpiper Long-billed Dowitcher Turkey Vulture Ring-billed Gull California Gull Herring Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Yellow-footed Gull Glaucous-Winged Gull Glaucous Gull Caspian Tern Rock Pigeon White-winged Dove Mourning Dove Inca Dove Common Ground-Dove Eurasian Collared Dove Greater Roadrunner Burrowing Owl Anna's Hummingbird Belted Kingfisher Northern Flicker Black Phoebe Say's Phoebe Loggerhead Shrike Horned Lark Tree Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow Verdin Marsh Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Western Bluebird American Robin Northern Mockingbird Crissal Thrasher European Starling American Pipit Phainopepla Orange-crowned Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Common Yellowthroat Abert's Towhee Vesper Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Western Meadowlark Great-tailed Grackle House Finch House Sparrow Subject: Franklin's Gull at Finney Lake From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:49:38 -0500 Sandy Remley (who is having internet issues) called to report a Franklin's Gull at the southwest corner of Finney Lake this morning, February 4. Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Southeastern CA RBA: February 4, 2010 From: Tom Benson <tbenson AT csusb.edu> Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:32:02 -0800 RBA * California * Southeastern * February 4, 2010 * CASE1002.04 This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. Names in the report are generally those of the reporting party and not necessarily the person claiming the first sighting. If you are receiving this report only through Birdwest, you can get MORE FREQUENT AND COMPREHENSIVE UPDATES by subscribing to inlandcountybirds (see below). The bird alert phone line housed at the San Bernardino County Museum is no longer in service. If you have a rare bird to report and must use a phone line, please call 909-648-0899. Birds mentioned: Cackling Goose Eurasian Wigeon Blue-winged Teal Bald Eagle Zone-tailed Hawk Heermann's Gull Western Gull Yellow-footed Gull Glaucous-winged Gull Glaucous Gull Band-tailed Pigeon White-winged Dove Lewis's Woodpecker Gray Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe *CURVE-BILLED THRASHER* Black-throated Gray Warbler Clay-colored Sparrow - Transcript SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY A CACKLING GOOSE was seen at the VA Hospital in Loma Linda on Jan 28 (Joel Mundall). A CACKLING GOOSE was seen at Jess Ranch Lakes in Apple Valley on Jan 30 (John Breckenridge). RIVERSIDE COUNTY A BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER was seen near the intersection of 66th Street and Etiwanda in Mira Loma on Jan 29 (Madeline Bauer). A LEWIS'S WOODPECKER was seen near the intersection of 14th Street and Isabella Avenue in Riverside on Jan 30 (Bob Packard). An immature BALD EAGLE and a male EURASIAN WIGEON were seen at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, and 3 first winter GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS were along Ramona Expressway in Lakeview on Jan 31 (Tom Benson). The *CURVE-BILLED THRASHER* continued at Chiriaco Summit, and 2 CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS were seen at Desert Center on Feb 3 (Chet McGaugh). IMPERIAL COUNTY The following birds were reported from the Imperial Valley and south end of the Salton Sea on Feb 2: a ZONE-TAILED HAWK, a BAND-TAILED PIGEON, and a GRAY FLYCATCHER at Cattle Call Park, a HEERMANN'S GULL, a WESTERN GULL, 5 YELLOW-FOOTED GULLS, a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, and a GLAUCOUS GULL at Obsidian Butte, another GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL at Red Hill, a WHITE-WINGED DOVE in Brawley, and an EASTERN PHOEBE at Fig Lagoon (Guy McCaskie). A BALD EAGLE continued at Unit 1 SSNWR, and 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL were seen at the intersection of Lack and Lindsey on Feb 3 (Sandy Remley). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In general, birds that are on this weekly summary are those that are classified as at least rare in “Birds of Southern California” by Garrett and Dunn, “Birds of the Salton Sea” by Patten, McCaskie, and Unitt, or in “Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley” by Rosenberg, Ohmart, Hunter, and Anderson. Rarity can be regional or seasonal. For example, a nuthatch reported at the Salton Sea, where it is rare, may be on the summary. That same bird reported from the San Bernardino Mountains, where it is common, would not be. A sparrow reported as a rarity in Riverside in July, may be common there in December. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (see below)!!! If there is some reason that you cannot post there, or do not want to, e-mail Tom Benson at tbenson AT csusb.edu or call (909) 648-0899. Note that the phone hotline is no longer available. Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to: Guy McCaskie, Secretary, P.O. Box 275, Imperial Beach, CA 91933-0275, E-mail: guymcc AT pacbell.net Additionally, CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the "North American Birds" County Coordinators. They are: IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, 954 Grove Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, guymcc AT pacbell.net INYO COUNTY: Tom & Jo Heindel, P.O. Box 400, Big Pine CA 93513, tjheindel AT aol.com KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, 1819 Locust Ravine, Bakersfield CA 93306, kkheindel AT gmail.com RIVERSIDE COUNTY: John F. Green, 3120 Mount Vernon Ave., Riverside, CA 92507, bewickwren AT earthlink.net SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, 1357 Paige Lane, Redlands, CA 92373, sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ************ In addition the the Southeastern CA RBA, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, and San Diego County reports are posted on BIRDWEST. To subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU with SUBSCRIBE BIRDWEST YOUR NAME in the message (and YOUR NAME = your real name). There is an Inland Counties (San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial) bird report & discussion group. You can view messages at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ Other birding listservs that include reports of birds in southern California are: Inyo County: http://www.esaudubon.org/birds/ Kern County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kerncobirding Los Angeles County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LACoBirds Pasadena area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PasadenaAudubon Orange County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrangeCountyBirding San Diego County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SDBIRDS San Luis Obispo County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/slocobirding Santa Barbara County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sbcobirding Ventura County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/venturacobirding California (statewide): http://groups.yahoo.com/CALBIRDS ************ A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/calendar.htm Maps/directions to local birding sites are available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/maps.htm Important Southern California Bird Alert and Wildlife Phone Numbers: Los Angeles RBA (323) 874-1318 Orange County RBA (949) 487-6869 San Diego RBA (619) 688-2473 Southeastern CA Bird Alert report to (909) 648-0899 CalTip (CA Fish & Game) (800) 952-5400 (to report wildlife violations) -- For BirdWest archives go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwest.html To change your subscription options, including your address, go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwest To contact a listowner, send a message to mailto:birdwest-request AT listserv.arizona.edu ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Curve-billed Thrasher Feb. 3 From: "Chet McGaugh" <chetmcgaugh AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 07:13:40 -0800 Noticing I said a dateless "this morning" , meaning yesterday, Feb. 3, Wednesday. Chet [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Chiriaco thrasher From: "Chet McGaugh" <chetmcgaugh AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 06:14:12 -0800 The Curve-billed Thrasher, assumed to be the bird found at the Cactus City Rest Area (nine miles away) in late September by the Tobins, continues at Chiraco Summit. I found it this morning within about a minute of my arrival. Back in September it acted like a thrasher, now it seems domesticated. It lives near the dogpen down the road (a cat-free zone?) between the museum and the cafe/residences. It flew up into the lone ocotillo by the "army" tanks and sang softly for fifteen minutes just before sunrise. I continued on to Desert Center where I spent the rest of the morning. Surprised to see 100+ Turkey Vultures roosting in scattered trees, presumed to be early spring migrants. Most interesting was two Clay-colored Sparrows, which is about what we consistently observed on fall visits, not expected in February. Sparrows were about, including a flock of 70 White-crowns on the edge of the golf course and some interesting juncos; warblers - less than ten Yellow-rumps. Chet [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Salton Sea/Imperial Valley 2 Feb 10 From: "Guy" <guymcc AT pacbell.net> Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 14:54:31 -0800 I spent Tuesday, 02 February 2010, checking for birds at select locations in the Imperial Valley and along the south shore of the Salton Sea. Species seen included - Greater White-fronted Goose (1 - one continuing at Sunbeam Lake near Seeley with resident "domestic geese"), Cackling Goose (1 - one leucopareia continuing at Sunbeam Lake near Seeley with resident "domestic geese"), Zone-tailed Hawk (1 - one adult at Cattle Call Park in Brawley is known present since 24 December), Heermann's Gull (1 - one second-winter bird at Obsidian Butte was the same bird first seen here 22 December), Western Gull (1 - one third-winter bird at Obsidian Butte), Yellow-footed Gull (5 - four adults and a first-winter bird at Obsidian Butte), Glaucous-winged Gull (2 - one first-winter bird at Red Hill and another first-winter bird at Obsidian Butte), Glaucous Gull (1 - one first-winter bird at Obsidian Butte was probably the same bird first seen at Red Hill on 21 December), Band-tailed Pigeon (1 - one at Cattle Call Park in Brawley is only the ninth recorded in the Imperial Valley), White-winged Dove (1 - one in the residential area of southwest Brawley was no doubt wintering locally), Red-naped Sapsucker (1 - one at Cattle Call Park in Brawley was known present since 01 October), Gray Flycatcher (1 - one at Cattle Call Park in Brawley was known present since 13 August and present for its seventh winter), Eastern Phoebe (1 - one at Fig Lagoon was known present since 21 December and present for its third winter), Cliff Swallow (1 - one with other swallows near Red Hill was the first that I have encountered this spring), Western Bluebird (10 - ten at Cattle Call Park in Brawley are some of the latter staying birds from the major influx to the area that occurred in November), Crissal Thrasher (1 - one at the entrance road to Ramer Lake) and Yellow Warbler (1 - one brightly colored individual at the western edge of Finney Lake was the same bird found here by Paul E. Lehman on 18 January). Guy McCaskie 954 Grove Avenue Imperial Beach, CA 91932 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Glen Helen, local interest From: "dgingt22" <davegoodward AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:33:50 -0000 Hola, a few birds at the end of the day. A dark Merlin, a pair of Hooded Mergansers (only one or two female types earlier in the season) a female Common merganser, and a Great Horned owl calling in the daylight from a sycamore near the pine grove next to the lower parking lot. Three Tree swallows over the lake, and a Red-tailed hawk working on it's nest. Spring is here. Dave Subject: Burrowing Owls From: "Brad" <bcsinger AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:10:29 -0000 With all the work on the channel next to the airport in San Bernardino, it was still nice to see this morning a pair of Burrowing Owls along 3rd St. about 200 yards west of where Victoria Ave. intersects. Brad Singer photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcsinger/4326274214/ Subject: Crafton Reservoir (n. of Crafton Ave. off Rte. 38) From: "kelleyal" <kelleyal AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:30:14 -0000 Mixed flocks of blue and green-winged with several ring-necked duck. Also, kingfisher and cormorant. Al Kelley, Redlands Subject: San Jacinto Valley From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:44:31 -0500 Brad Singer, Howard King, Dave Chadsey and I birded portions of the San Jacinto Valley for a few hours today. We started at Lake Perris where there were two Common Loons visible from the boat launch in parking lot 6. We moved on to San Jacinto Wildlife Area where the highlights were an immature Bald Eagle, several Ferruginous Hawks including one dark morph, and a male Eurasian Wigeon two ponds east of the viewing platforms. Afterward we checked out the gull flocks along Ramona Expressway and found three first winter Glaucous-winged Gulls among the thousands of Ring-billed and California (and a few Herring) Gulls. Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Cackling Goose back in Apple Valley From: "jwbnav" <jwbnav AT verizon.net> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:03:16 -0000 If we could only know... We had two separate single Cackling's around Jess Ranch Lakes for almost 3 months and I observed them almost daily. One with a 'hurt' foot disappeared and soon afterward, three weeks ago the other and 9 Canada's took off, circled a lake twice and were last seen flying south toward Hesperia and in general direction of the Cajon Pass. Someone reported a single Cackling in Loma Linda this past week. Today/Saturday, I saw a single Cackling and 5 Canada's on the dirt in Jess Ranch Lakes parking lot; unusual placement. As always they were very flighty but before they flew to a back lake I was able to make a definite glasses spotting and got a decent airborne picture. I'm wondering if this is the same Cackling Goose. The only ones I've seen this year have been singles in small groups of Canada's. John Breckenridge Apple Valley Subject: Hooded Mergansers in Corona From: "jcoumoutso" <jill-sawa AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:51:26 -0000 Spotted 2 male and 3 female Hooded Mergansers in Corona yesterday morning (1/29) during a bird survey. They were seen on private property in the creek behind the "Temescal-Cajalco Storage" facility located on Temescal Cyn. Rd. close to the corner of Cajalco in Corona. I got a couple photos, but they are not very good..I was up on a road above them and had to lay down on the ground, and zoom in as much as my camera would let me to see them at all between the tree branches blocking the view. If anyone would like to see them, please email me. Subject: Lewis'Wood, HMerg, Riverside From: Robert Packard <packardr90 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:29:40 +0000 On Isabella Ave, a short dead end off 14th St. in Riverside this morning was a Lewis's Woodpecker. This bird was first seen on Glenwood Avenue (just above Isabella) on Dec. 20 by Conan Guard, and again by Bill Kronland earlier this month. I looked 3 or 4 times without finding it until now, so not an easy bird to find. Also, one female Hooded Merganser in the retention pond on Canyon Crest Ave. at the UCR Research station. Bob Packard Riverside, CA packardr90 AT hotmail.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Reducing aircraft-wildlife strikes at airports From: "kennedym2009" <kennedym2009 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 05:37:01 -0000 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: Mira Loma: Black-throated Gray Warbler From: Merlin_Mira_Loma <max_ab6ns AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:18:39 -0800 This am I saw a 1st winter Black-throated Gray Warbler was in the tamarisks along 66th Street west of Etiwanda. This is in the general area where I saw one on 1-05-2010 and then again on 1-13-2010. Good Birding, Madeline Footloose in Mira Loma Subject: Cackling Goose at Loma Linda VA From: "warblinmun" <warblinmun AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:36:31 -0000 I saw my first Cackling Goose yesterday at the Loma Linda VA hospital. Since I'd never seen any Cackling Goose before, I was surprised by how small it was. It seemed barely larger than the Mallards it was with! It was located in the first pond to the south of the West entrance. Happy birding! Joel Mundall Loma Linda, CA Subject: Southeastern CA RBA: January 28, 2010 From: Tom Benson <tbenson AT csusb.edu> Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:55:43 -0800 RBA * California * Southeastern * January 28, 2010 * CASE1001.28 This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. Names in the report are generally those of the reporting party and not necessarily the person claiming the first sighting. If you are receiving this report only through Birdwest, you can get MORE FREQUENT AND COMPREHENSIVE UPDATES by subscribing to inlandcountybirds (see below). The bird alert phone line housed at the San Bernardino County Museum is no longer in service. If you have a rare bird to report and must use a phone line, please call 909-648-0899. Birds mentioned: Bald Eagle Swainson's Hawk (possible) Ferruginous Hawk Peregrine Falcon Heermann's Gull Western Gull Yellow-footed Gull *LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL* Lewis's Woodpecker Gray Flycatcher Vermilion Flycatcher Ash-throated Flycatcher Black-thraoted Gray Warbler Chestnut-collared Longspur Western Tanager - Transcript SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY One LEWIS'S WOODPECKER continued near the intersection of Carter and Sprig in Yucaipa on Jan 23 (Tom Benson). A WESTERN TANAGER was seen in Red Hill Community Park in Rancho Cucamonga on Jan 27 (Mike San Miguel). RIVERSIDE COUNTY A possible SWAINSON'S HAWK was seen in Mira Loma on Jan 23 (Madeline Bauer). IMPERIAL COUNTY The following birds were reported from the Imperial Valley and south end of the Salton Sea Jan 23-24: a BALD EAGLE at Unit 1 SSNWR, a FERRUGINOUS HAWK, a GRAY FLYCATCHER, and a VERMILION FLYCATCHER at Cattle Call Park, a PEREGRINE FALCON and 2 YELLOW-FOOTED GULLS at Red Hill, 2 WESTERN GULLS, 3 YELLOW-FOOTED GULLS, a *LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL*, and a HEERMANN'S GULL at Obsidian Butte, an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER and a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER in Brawley, and 10 CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS near the Calipatria state prison (Nick and Mary Freeman, David Bell). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In general, birds that are on this weekly summary are those that are classified as at least rare in “Birds of Southern California” by Garrett and Dunn, “Birds of the Salton Sea” by Patten, McCaskie, and Unitt, or in “Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley” by Rosenberg, Ohmart, Hunter, and Anderson. Rarity can be regional or seasonal. For example, a nuthatch reported at the Salton Sea, where it is rare, may be on the summary. That same bird reported from the San Bernardino Mountains, where it is common, would not be. A sparrow reported as a rarity in Riverside in July, may be common there in December. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (see below)!!! If there is some reason that you cannot post there, or do not want to, e-mail Tom Benson at tbenson AT csusb.edu or call (909) 648-0899. Note that the phone hotline is no longer available. Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to: Guy McCaskie, Secretary, P.O. Box 275, Imperial Beach, CA 91933-0275, E-mail: guymcc AT pacbell.net Additionally, CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the "North American Birds" County Coordinators. They are: IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, 954 Grove Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, guymcc AT pacbell.net INYO COUNTY: Tom & Jo Heindel, P.O. Box 400, Big Pine CA 93513, tjheindel AT aol.com KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, 1819 Locust Ravine, Bakersfield CA 93306, kkheindel AT gmail.com RIVERSIDE COUNTY: John F. Green, 3120 Mount Vernon Ave., Riverside, CA 92507, bewickwren AT earthlink.net SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, 1357 Paige Lane, Redlands, CA 92373, sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ************ In addition the the Southeastern CA RBA, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, and San Diego County reports are posted on BIRDWEST. To subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU with SUBSCRIBE BIRDWEST YOUR NAME in the message (and YOUR NAME = your real name). There is an Inland Counties (San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial) bird report & discussion group. You can view messages at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ Other birding listservs that include reports of birds in southern California are: Inyo County: http://www.esaudubon.org/birds/ Kern County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kerncobirding Los Angeles County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LACoBirds Pasadena area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PasadenaAudubon Orange County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrangeCountyBirding San Diego County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SDBIRDS San Luis Obispo County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/slocobirding Santa Barbara County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sbcobirding Ventura County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/venturacobirding California (statewide): http://groups.yahoo.com/CALBIRDS ************ A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/calendar.htm Maps/directions to local birding sites are available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/maps.htm Important Southern California Bird Alert and Wildlife Phone Numbers: Los Angeles RBA (323) 874-1318 Orange County RBA (949) 487-6869 San Diego RBA (619) 688-2473 Southeastern CA Bird Alert report to (909) 648-0899 CalTip (CA Fish & Game) (800) 952-5400 (to report wildlife violations) -- For BirdWest archives go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwest.html To change your subscription options, including your address, go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwest To contact a listowner, send a message to mailto:birdwest-request AT listserv.arizona.edu ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Nutmeg Mannikins in Montclair From: "thomasgezamiko" <thomas.miko AT verizon.net> Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 05:59:06 -0000 Standing in the parking lot of Montclair Hospital at 1:30 today, I was surprised by a strange sound emanating from some LBJs in the sycamores. I got the binos out of the Celica, and my jaw dropped when I saw that they were a small flock of Nutmeg Mannikins. The hospital is very close to the series of flood control ponds that cascade dwon from the mountains. Have they spread into our area from the Santa Ana River, or some other river drainage? Tom Miko Claremont (LA County, but 200 yards from SBDo County) Subject: Santa Ana River visitors From: "kelleyal" <kelleyal AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:05:12 -0000 End of Opal in Redlands (n. of rte. 38), small groups of black-throated sparrows along with shrike, cal thrashers, few cactus wren; noted first pair of rufous- crowned sparrow I've seen (or heard) there in 4 years! Park at Group Home before flood control gate, walk to river (.3 mile), then head east on flood control road (approx .3 mile, break-out channel has best habitat) Al Kelley Subject: Apple Valley Cormorants From: "jwbnav" <jwbnav AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:40:30 -0000 At least 14 Double Crested Cormorants (5-6 Juvs) have taken up in trees near the Jess Ranch Lakes parking lot fence for past two days...easy to observe in a drop by visit. Lots of aerial activity and other entertainment with the constant tree positioning, bickering and wing spreads. John Breckenridge Apple Valley 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 07:19:30 -0000 The first Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival (April 23-26, 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 (use AT symbol) 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 (use AT symbol) 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 (use AT symbol). Hope to see you at the Festival! Will Wilson Corte Madera Subject: Salton Sea weekend 1/23-24/10 From: Nick & Mary Freeman <mnfreeman AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:22:53 -0800 Hi Birders Nick and I led our annual winter LA Audubon trip to the Salton Sea. We departed Friday night, and traffic from Glendale to Calipatria that night was nearly non-existent, as we received only a few light, scattered, and brief showers to the San Bernardino County line. The roads around the Salton Sea were very wet and in some areas, very muddy. Though we saw very few passenger cars, 4x4 sure came in handy in some mushy areas. Fishtailing was at a minimum. The skies were clear and bright all weekend long and no wind! We couldn't enter some areas due to the mud and deep "lakes" so some target species were missed such as Mountain Plovers. We met Gene Cardiff's group and a couple of other birders and they were also coming up empty of Mountain Plovers. Our highlights for the weekend were: Saturday evening, a single SAGE THRASHER was on Keystone, east of the sugar factory and just east of the railroad tracks. We stopped here to locate SANDHILL CRANE which we found to the north of this spot. We found a large staging flock of 325 cranes just north of Keystone and Gentry and perhaps as many as 2,000 gulls flying around in the same dirt field. We found PEREGRINE FALCON, and two YELLOW-FOOTED GULL - one adult and a second year bird at Red Hill Marina. STILT SANDPIPER, five at Vendel Road and one at Lack and Lindsey. Four COMMON GOLDENEYE out to sea at the Rock Hill Trail near Sony Bony Headquarters. Five WESTERN BLUEBIRD, one FERRUGINOUS HAWK, the returning wintering GRAY FLYCATCHER, and VERMILLION FLYCATCHER at Cattle Call Park on Sunday. GILA WOODPECKER are reliable here. Also at Vendel Road viewing platform and to the east was a BALD EAGLE perched on a telephone pole, appearing to be in a second-year plumage. SNOW and ROSS GEESE, and SANDHILL CRANE were found along Vendel Road as well. Following past trip reports and Dave Bell's findings from Sunday morning, we spent some time at the fields east of the Calipatria Prison on Peterson searching by foot for any longspur but to no avail. There were some Horned Larks at the dusty "McCown's Corner" described by Bob Miller, but this field is now very muddy, although the field south of the prison is surprisingly dry. Large flocks of LONG-BILLED CURLEW were common during the weekend. At the seawall, near Lack and Lindsey, we found a CURIOUS-LOOKING GULL. We wondered if it was the previously reported Glaucous Gull from the day before. This odd, stocky gull - a first or possibly a second-cycle bird - was fairly pale warm gray with some checkering to the coverts and vent, like a darker Glaucous-winged Gull. It had a thin, smudged, two-toned bill, darker along the bite - pink with a black tip about 1/3. The light-edged primary tips had slightly darker centers than the mantle - which may have been molting in some light gray feathers - but the primaries were clearly not as dark as a pure Herring Gull's. I took some distant digiphotos of this gull. In flight, the primaries were pale from underneath. A very sunny and pleasant weekend of adventuresome birding with friends at the Sea. Happy Birding! Mary & Nick Freeman Glendale, CA Subject: Mira Loma: Gray Flycatcher, Merlin From: Merlin_Mira_Loma <max_ab6ns AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:41:10 -0800 This am (1-25-2010) A Merlin was near the top of the large eucalypt by mailbox 11331 66th St. The Gray Flycatcher was in silk oak tree on the golf course along 66th Street just west of Charles & 66th. Good Birding, Madeline Back up your computer TODAY! Subject: Salton Sea today From: d AT vidbell.com Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:13:56 +0000 In Brawley: 1 or 2 ad male Black-throated Gray Warblers at K and Rio Vista; and 4 hours later at J and Sycamore. Ash-throated Flycatcher at H and River Park. Obsideon Butte: 9 dark-backed gulls. 2 western (1st cycle and 3rd), 3 Yellow-footed (2/3rd cycle), 1 ad Lesser Black-backed and I'm still sorting out the others. 1 Heerman's Gull 1st cycle. One more Yellow-footed was at Red Hill. Calipatria Prison: 10 Chestnut-collared Longspurs in the field south of the prison. Mountain Bluebirds on 111 s of Sampson. Dave Bell LA David A Bell c: 415 271 0775 Subject: Mira Loma: Gray Flycatcher, Merlin and ? Swainson's Hawk From: Merlin_Mira_Loma <max_ab6ns AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:41:58 -0800 This am (1-24-2010) A Merlin was near the top of the leafless trees at the left of entrance to the Goose Creek golf course (on 68th Street just west of Lucretia). The Gray Flycatcher was in the leafless mulberry trees along 66th Street east of Charles & 66th. Yesterday a hawk soared over heading northwest ... looking up at the under wing the pattern seemed like a Swainson's ... top underwing lining pale, lower (flight feathers) dark, dark bib, yellow cere quite visible when it paused to circle. Good Birding, Madeline Back up your computer TODAY! Subject: Glaucous Gull at Salton Sea From: "profile440" <beren001 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:20:53 -0000 Gene Cardiff spotted a first or second year Glaucous Gull near the corner of Lack and Lindsay at about 2:45 today (saturday). The bird was last seen flying south along the dike. Dave Chadsey, Etiwanda Subject: Re: Guadalupe y Santa Maria From: "dgingt22" <davegoodward AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:44:29 -0000 The shorebird in question (Lesser Yellowlegs/Marsh Sandpiper?) could easily be a Greater Yellowlegs. The legs are muddy, but portions of yellow show through. The bill is wrong for Lesser. The pale face and neck could be washout from bright light. Dave Subject: SerenDIPPERidy From: "kelleyal" <kelleyal AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:52:16 -0000 2 Dippers at Mt. Home village in Mill Creek, Rte. 38 (never seen them that low, 3300' elevation); early, but Spotted Owl calling and responding from cliffs and old growth above picnic grounds. Subject: Southeastern CA RBA: January 21, 2010 From: Tom Benson <tbenson AT csusb.edu> Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:22:36 -0800 RBA * California * Southeastern * January 21, 2010 * CASE1001.21 This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. Names in the report are generally those of the reporting party and not necessarily the person claiming the first sighting. If you are receiving this report only through Birdwest, you can get MORE FREQUENT AND COMPREHENSIVE UPDATES by subscribing to inlandcountybirds (see below). The bird alert phone line housed at the San Bernardino County Museum is no longer in service. If you have a rare bird to report and must use a phone line, please call 909-648-0899. Birds mentioned: Greater White-fronted Goose Barrow's Goldeneye White-tailed Kite Bald Eagle *HARRIS'S HAWK* Red-shouldered Hawk Ferruginous Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Peregrine Falcon Prairie Falcon Sandhill Crane Mew Gull Western Gull Yellow-footed Gull Thayer's Gull *LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL* Lewis's Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (retraction) Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) Gray Flycatcher Vermilion Flycatcher Golden-crowned Kinglet *CURVE-BILLED THRASHER* Chestnut-collared Longspur - Transcript SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY Up to 2 LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS were present near the intersection of Carter and Sprig in Yucaipa Jan 14-17 (Sam Haskins, Sandy Koonce). A YELLOW-SHAFTED NORTHERN FLICKER was seen at Zzyzx Desert Studies Center on Jan 15 (Tom Benson). RIVERSIDE COUNTY Two SANDHILL CRANES continued in a field along Wineville Avenue in Mira Loma through Jan 14 (Dan Gregory). The *CURVE-BILLED THRASHER* continued at Chiriaco Summit through Jan 16 (Gjon Hazard). Three BALD EAGLES and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK were seen at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area on Jan 17 (Sandy Koonce). Two PEREGRINE FALCONS were seen in downtown Riverside on Jan 17 (Larry LaPre). IMPERIAL COUNTY The report of a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER near the Rio Bend RV Park in last week's RBA summary has been retracted by the observer. A *LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL* was seen near the intersection of Lack and Lindsey and 49 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen at Unit 1 SSNWR on Jan 16 (BJ Stacey). A BALD EAGLE was seen at Picacho SRA on Jan 16, and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was seen in Bard Valley and a BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was seen at Senator Wash on Jan 18 (Henry Detweiler). The following birds were reported from the south end of the Salton Sea and Imperial Valley on Jan 17: a YELLOW-SHAFTED NORTHERN FLICKER at Evergreen Cemetery in El Centro, a VERMILION FLYCATCHER and a GRAY FLYCATCHER at Cattle Call Park, two more VERMILION FLYCATCHERS (one each) at Rio Bend Golf Course and Wister Unit, a *HARRIS'S HAWK* and a ZONE-TAILED HAWK in Brawley, another FERRUGINOUS HAWK near the intersection of English and McDonald, a BALD EAGLE at Unit 1 SSNWR, a FERRUGINOUS HAWK and a PRAIRIE FALCON near the intersection of Bannister and Pellet, and 80 CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS near the Calipatria state prison (Bob Miller, Ed Stonick). The following birds were reported from the Imperial Valley and south end of the Salton Sea on Jan 18: 50 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and a BALD EAGLE at/near Unit 1 SSNWR, a *HARRIS'S HAWK* in Brawley, and a WHITE-TAILED KITE, a FERRUGINOUS HAWK, and a PRAIRIE FALCON near the intersection of Pellet and Bannister, a MEW GULL, a WESTERN GULL, and a YELLOW-FOOTED GULL at Obsidian Butte, a Thayer's Gull and a *LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL* at Red Hill, a VERMILION FLYCATCHER at Cattle Call Park, and a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET at Finney Lake (Paul Lehman, Sandra Remley). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In general, birds that are on this weekly summary are those that are classified as at least rare in “Birds of Southern California” by Garrett and Dunn, “Birds of the Salton Sea” by Patten, McCaskie, and Unitt, or in “Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley” by Rosenberg, Ohmart, Hunter, and Anderson. Rarity can be regional or seasonal. For example, a nuthatch reported at the Salton Sea, where it is rare, may be on the summary. That same bird reported from the San Bernardino Mountains, where it is common, would not be. A sparrow reported as a rarity in Riverside in July, may be common there in December. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (see below)!!! If there is some reason that you cannot post there, or do not want to, e-mail Tom Benson at tbenson AT csusb.edu or call (909) 648-0899. Note that the phone hotline is no longer available. Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to: Guy McCaskie, Secretary, P.O. Box 275, Imperial Beach, CA 91933-0275, E-mail: guymcc AT pacbell.net Additionally, CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the "North American Birds" County Coordinators. They are: IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, 954 Grove Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, guymcc AT pacbell.net INYO COUNTY: Tom & Jo Heindel, P.O. Box 400, Big Pine CA 93513, tjheindel AT aol.com KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, 1819 Locust Ravine, Bakersfield CA 93306, kkheindel AT gmail.com RIVERSIDE COUNTY: John F. Green, 3120 Mount Vernon Ave., Riverside, CA 92507, bewickwren AT earthlink.net SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, 1357 Paige Lane, Redlands, CA 92373, sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ************ In addition the the Southeastern CA RBA, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, and San Diego County reports are posted on BIRDWEST. To subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU with SUBSCRIBE BIRDWEST YOUR NAME in the message (and YOUR NAME = your real name). There is an Inland Counties (San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial) bird report & discussion group. You can view messages at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ Other birding listservs that include reports of birds in southern California are: Inyo County: http://www.esaudubon.org/birds/ Kern County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kerncobirding Los Angeles County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LACoBirds Pasadena area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PasadenaAudubon Orange County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrangeCountyBirding San Diego County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SDBIRDS San Luis Obispo County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/slocobirding Santa Barbara County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sbcobirding Ventura County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/venturacobirding California (statewide): http://groups.yahoo.com/CALBIRDS ************ A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/calendar.htm Maps/directions to local birding sites are available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/maps.htm Important Southern California Bird Alert and Wildlife Phone Numbers: Los Angeles RBA (323) 874-1318 Orange County RBA (949) 487-6869 San Diego RBA (619) 688-2473 Southeastern CA Bird Alert report to (909) 648-0899 CalTip (CA Fish & Game) (800) 952-5400 (to report wildlife violations) -- ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Mystic Lake From: "Chet McGaugh" <chetmcgaugh AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:32:06 -0800 It's gonna happen! Chet [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Chiriaco CBTH continues 1/16/10 From: Gjon Hazard <gjon_hazard AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:09:56 -0800 On Saturday, the Curve-billed Thrasher continued at Chiriaco Summit near the dog pens reached by walking north on the dirt road between the residences and the museum. Approach slowly, the dogs prone to barking. Cheers, -Gj * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Gjon Hazard Encinitas, San Diego Co., California * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * _________________________________________________________________ Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390709/direct/01/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Colton From: "dan_cooper_90042" <dan_cooper_90042 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:01:01 -0000 "Kelleyal", First, please sign your posts. Second, does anyone about the current situation as described? USFWS (Carlsbad office) should be notified if this is D.S. flower-loving fly habitat. Someone on this list may know better than I who the person responsible for the management of this area would be (SB Audubon?). Very sad - the remaining open space areas around Colton are teeming with rare species, not just the famous fly... Dan Cooper Los Angeles --- In inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "kelleyal" wrote: > > On Pepper St., south of 10, flock of 50+ Meadowlark, small group of pipet and horned lark, 2 shrike, Kestrels..................unfortunately,County re-opened road and much dumping, off-roading in great Delhi-Sands formations next to Portland Cement (about 300 acres of contiguous habitat connecting to Santa Ana/La Loma Hills). > Subject: Salton Sea area highlights Monday From: "lehman.paul AT verizon.net" <lehman.paul@verizon.net> Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:48:13 -0500 Spent Monday, Jan 18, leading a tour group around the south end of the Salton Sea and adjacent Imperial Valley. Late Sunday we saw 170 Mountain Plovers in the burned fields south of Fig Lagoon. We did NOT see any Neotropic Cormorants at the lagoon. Monday highlights included: 50-55 Greater White-fronted Geese and 1 Cackling Goose at Unit 1. Bald Eagle: second-year bird previously reported from Unit 1 was farther south on a pole top today near intersection of Buck Road and Hwy 79/86. Harris's Hawk: saw the sw. Brawley bird twice between 1 and 2 PM, first on a pole at the intersection of Russell and J and then on a pole at the entrance to Cattle Call Park. Plumage seems in reasonably good shape. The origin--wild or falconer's excape--will always be debated. Residential habitat not all that odd for HAHA's in AZ, which can be found in some open residential areas, parks, etc. around Tucson, etc. BUT, who knows!! Mew Gull: adult just south of Obsidian Butte Thayer's Gull: first-winter off Red Hill boat launch area Lesser Black-backed Gull: continuing adult off Red Hill boat launch area, BUT the bird there today is the one with a dark mark on the bill, which is usually the bird seen at Obsidian, whereas the usual Red Hill adult has a 'clean' bill Western Gull: 1 third-winter at Obsidian Butte Yellow-footed Gull: 1 at Obsidian Butte Golden-crowned Kinglet (and Yellow Warbler): in patch of willow trees just south of Finney Lake --Paul Lehman, San Diego -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web LIVE – Free email based on Microsoft® Exchange technology - http://link.mail2web.com/LIVE Subject: Yuma & Imperial Counties, 14-18 Jan From: "Detwiler, Henry D" <HDetwiler AT usbr.gov> Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:25:40 -0700 Greetings Birders, Here are a few of the better birds we've seen over the past five days. Five miles east of Tacna with Lauri Hillberg on 14 Jan: 1 Sage Thrasher 2 LeConte's Thrashers Sage Sparrow Pichacho Recreation Area with Yuma Audubon on 16 Jan: 1 Merlin (AZ side of river) 1 Peregrine Falcon (AZ side of river) 1 immature Bald Eagle (over the river, in both AZ & CA) being harassed by an Osprey 1 Red-naped Sapsucker 21 American Robins - like Bob says, they're everywhere! 4 Western Bluebirds Dome Valley (AZ) on 17 Jan: 9 Lawrence's Goldfinches Bard Valley (CA) at Living Waters Church on 18 Jan: 1 Red-shouldered Hawk Northwest side of Senator Wash (CA) on 18 Jan: Barrow's Goldenenye Bewick's Wren Good Birding! Henry Detwiler Yuma, AZ www.southwestbirders.com 928-210-6474 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Unit 1, and etc., Salton Sea From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:24:24 -0500 Started the morning at Unit 1 and most of the birds of interest to me were in the SE field as you look from the tower. One blue-morph Snow Goose amoung the many Snow and Ross's Geese, Sandhill Cranes grazed for awhile and some 40 Greater White-fronted Geese were on the outer edges. No Bald Eagle for me. At Pellett and Bannister was a White-tailed Kite and at Pellett and Walker I found a Ferruginous Hawk. Along Bannister to Forrester, driving east, there was a Prairie Falcon. At the end of Bowles I saw many shore birds but I did not feel comfortable picking out any special species that has been seen there and reported. My scope presented blurred lumps of brown. Semipalmated Plover at Lack and Lindsey. Shore birds are not my strongest suit as I don't see many different species in Big Bear. Sea Wall to the power plants I saw one Common Goldeneye, drake. On to Brawley to search out the specialties reported around that metropolis. Not my afternoon as all birds evaded me except for the Vermillion Flycatcher and Cattle Call Park. Will try again. See you out there, Sandy Remley Big Bear Lake/El Centro [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Colton From: "kelleyal" <kelleyal AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:18:58 -0000 On Pepper St., south of 10, flock of 50+ Meadowlark, small group of pipet and horned lark, 2 shrike, Kestrels..................unfortunately,County re-opened road and much dumping, off-roading in great Delhi-Sands formations next to Portland Cement (about 300 acres of contiguous habitat connecting to Santa Ana/La Loma Hills). Subject: downtown Riverside peregrines From: lflapre AT aol.com Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:44:02 -0500 On Sunday January 17 two peregrine falcons were at the downtown jail, right above the entrance on Orange and Tenth Street. The male was calling and displaying to the female. Larry LaPre [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Evergreen Cemetery From: "Ed Stonick" <edstonick AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:07:03 -0800 Greetings Bob and IC Birders! We also stopped at Evergreen Cemetery (e. of town off of Main St. in El Centro) yesterday. It was quite birdy. We also failed to find the Summer Tanager but had a Yellow-shafted Flicker (female), a Gila Woodpecker, and an apparently eager Great Horned Owl (who hooted a few times around 3:30 p.m.) among others. We had Mountain Bluebirds along Diehl Rd. and on the road just south of the entrance to Fig Lagoon. We had Vermilion Flycatchers at Wiser Unit (1 male), Cattle Call Park (1 male) and the golf course near Fig Lagoon (1 pair). There were also some juncos near the golf course clubhouse, including one Slate-colored. Glad we ran into you at Cattle Call. Give those guys a big E for effort for patiently and systematically cruising until they found both hawks. Regards, Ed Ed Stonick Pasadena, CA edstonick AT earthlink.net _____ From: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bob Miller Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 7:03 PM Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Harris's and Zone-tailed Hawks in Brawley Hi all, Another amazing day below sea level! Started the day with Tim and Myra Maas in Brawley at Cattle Call Park. Ed Stonick and friends showed up there as well. Male Vermilion Flycatcher was sweet. Ed's sharp eyes caught the Gray Flycatcher for us. The Red-naped Sapsucker was seen well by all. Stan Snyder, Chris Dunlop and Mathew Matiesen (sorry if I butchered spellings) showed up as we were pulling out. They had Harris's Hawk on their mind and must have spent the whole morning scouring Brawley and it paid off. Got a call from Stan about 1:00 and they had found it at J Street and El Cerrito in SW Brawley. So the Harris's Hawk continues! Back to the morning, we had gone up to Unit One on Vendel Road and had the continuing Bald Eagle. From Unit One we headed back east on Bannister and north on Pellett where we got on to the Ferruginous Hawk and Prairie Falcon on the next rod to the north. Our mission then was Mountain Plover so we covered a lot of ground pretty quick. Never did find Mountain Plover on the north end today. As we made the turn north up English Road from Eddins Road a vehicle went by headed south and I swore it looked like Bruce Aird!! No way! We continued up English and the east on Hazard where we had the continuing flock of Canada Geese that now numbered 48 but the Greater White-fronted were not seen. Found no Horned Lark or Longspurs east of the prison so tried for the Chestnut-Collared a field to the south and had them (80) in the same spot in the SE corner of the Bermuda Grass field. It was then that I got a message from...Bruce Aird saying that he and Steve Sosinsky were at the prison and where should they look for Longspurs!? Great laugh! Just as we got into Brawley we started to look for the Harris's when I got another call from Bruce and they had an adult Zone-tailed Hawk at Willard and H Streets! We were two blocks away and got there quick for fine looks. Getting late Tim and Myra had to hit the road so I spent another half hour covering Brawley and never did find the Harris's but did see the Zone-tailed again. Thought I had where it would roost but it took off again and I lost it. Western Bluebird were seen in many locations across the valley and very good numbers of Mountain Bluebird visible from HWY 111 between Schrimpf and Sinclair and east along Sinclair. Another Ferruginous Hawk was at English and McDonald. We were one Merlin from a Falcon sweep for the day. How about them Chargers..feel like I should say that THREE times for some reason........ and that from a Charger fan :-( (!__!) (0V0) HAPPY BIRDING {}~~{} BOB MILLER ='''='''== Southwest Birders Brawley, CA. 92227 Imperial County 760-455-1413 http://www.southwes tbirders.com bob.miller AT mindspri ng.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Lewis's Woodpecker(s) in Yucaipa From: "Koonce, Sandy" <sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu> Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:13:50 -0800 Following up on a report from Sam Haskins, who today reported seeing two LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS on Thursday, I drove to almost the east end of Carter Street, and found one of the birds flying back and forth between the last two telephone poles on the road (just west of Sprig). No sign of the other woodpecker, although a very satisfied MERLIN (apparently of the Taiga race) was watching from a nearby pole. Sandy Sandy Koonce Department of Mathematics University of Redlands, Redlands, CA 92373 sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: SJWA today From: "Koonce, Sandy" <sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu> Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:10:29 -0800 I went out to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area this morning and ran into the Mojave Bird Club field trip there. They may have more to report after I left around noon, but the highlights centered on the large number of raptors present, including two immature and one adult BALD EAGLE, as well as a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. I saw the last bird soaring, then hovering at a distance, to the north of the reclaimed water ponds. We were unable to relocate it later when we walked out that direction. Sandy Sandy Koonce Department of Mathematics University of Redlands, Redlands, CA 92373 sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Newberry Springs From: "William" <bdeppe AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2010 21:48:09 -0000 Spent some time in the Newberry Springs area today looking for Tri-colored Blackbirds. I should have known to go directly to the dairy at Silver Springs and Piute Roads. Quite the bird magnet that place is in January. Trying to count trikes in amongst the 50,000 to 100,000 birds around the dairy was a challenge/impossible. No bird shortage there. Besides the myriad of blackbirds, starlings, and cowbirds was a male Vermilion Flycatcher and a wintering group of Canada Geese which seems to get bigger each year. There were plenty of raptors around, found while driving Silver Valley and Valley Center Rds. I informally counted about 20 Red-tailed Hawks, 15 Ferruginous Hawks (including the dark-morphed bird that has wintered there), a Golden Eagle, one Merlin, and a couple of Prairie Falcons. Newberry Springs continues to be a standout location in the county for raptors. Mountain Bluebirds were present in a few locations . . . the largest group of 35 or so at the "Northern Shrike" field on Valley Center Rd. Also at the same location was a couple of Sage Thrashers at the edge of the alfalfa field. Bill Deppe Apple Valley Subject: Yellow-bellied Sap more info From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:50:22 -0500 Based on a email with Guy MaCaskie it is better to consider my sighting as a Red-naped Sapsucker. Due to an unobserved field mark indicating a Yellow-bellied, the bird remains unconfirmed at this point. Have been unable to relocate the sapsucker to look for a black bordered red chin and throat. The lack of a red nape is not the only consideration as the Red-nape acquires this feature when an adult. So at this point I have a juvenile Red-naped Sapsucker. See you out there, Sandy Remley Big Bear Lake/El Centro [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Mira Loma: tree From: Merlin_Mira_Loma <max_ab6ns AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:25:38 -0800 This am the "merlin tree" on William is lying in rubble in next to the first driveway north of 66th, maybe a victim of yesterday's wind. Although not the "standard" tree (which still stands along 66th, the William tree has been a frequent perch this year and last. Red-breasted Sapsucker seen along 66th, no gray flycatcher (hope it's not a case of target bird eating target bird). Good Birding, Madeline Footloose in Mira Loma Subject: Birding close to RV in El Centro From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:55:18 -0500 Winds have been bad the last couble of days but managed to get out some. Peregrine Falcon east of Finney Lake in the saltbush and mesquite area. Prairie Falcon one at New River Wetlands Project on Weinart and one at the intersection of Wheeler and Erskine. Two Gila Woodpeckers at Rio Bend Lake, at RV park and one Vermilion Flycatcher at tee 7 on golf course at Rio Bend RV Park. See you out there, Sandy Remley Big Bear Lake/El Centro [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Southeastern CA RBA: January 14, 2010 From: Tom Benson <tbenson AT csusb.edu> Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:27:50 -0800 RBA * California * Southeastern * January 14, 2010 * CASE1001.14 This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. Names in the report are generally those of the reporting party and not necessarily the person claiming the first sighting. If you are receiving this report only through Birdwest, you can get MORE FREQUENT AND COMPREHENSIVE UPDATES by subscribing to inlandcountybirds (see below). The bird alert phone line housed at the San Bernardino County Museum is no longer in service. If you have a rare bird to report and must use a phone line, please call 909-648-0899. Birds mentioned: Greater White-fronted Goose Snow Goose Cackling Goose Tundra Swan Eurasian Wigeon Blue-winged Teal Greater Scaup Barrow's Goldeneye *NEOTROPIC CORMORANT* White-tailed Kite Bald Eagle Zone-tailed Hawk Ferruginous Hawk Peregrine Falcon Prairie Falcon Sandhill Crane Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Vermilion Flycatcher Bell's Vireo Varied Thrush *CURVE-BILLED THRASHER* Yellow Warbler Black-throated Gray Warbler Summer Tanager Green-tailed Towhee Spotted Towhee - Transcript SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY Along the Parker Strip on Jan 8 there was a juvenile TUNDRA SWAN at the River Lodge Resort, an adult YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER at Quail Hollow, a BELL'S VIREO at Rio Del Sol RV Park, 85 SANDHILL CRANES near Big River RV Park, and one of the continuing *CURVE-BILLED THRASHERS* at Black Meadow Landing (Tom Benson). Approximately 80 SANDHILL CRANES and 2 SNOW GEESE continued at Big River on the CA/AZ border on Jan 10, and the juvenile TUNDRA SWAN continued at River Lodge Resort and a *CURVE-BILLED THRASHER* continued at Black Meadow Landing on Jan 11 (Frances Oliver). RIVERSIDE COUNTY Ten GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and 2 GREEN-TAILED TOWHEES were seen at Lake Skinner on Jan 8 (Dave Furseth). Two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and a CACKLING GOOSE were seen at Dos Lagos Golf Course in Corona on Jan 9 (Don Hoechlin). A VARIED THRUSH was seen near Goose Creek Golf Club on Jan 13 (Jill Coumoutso). A BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER was seen near the intersection of 66th and Etiwanda in Mira Loma on Jan 13 (Madeline Bauer). IMPERIAL COUNTY A male EURASIAN WIGEON was seen near Rock Hill and a ZONE-TAILED HAWK was seen near the intersection of Kalin and Eddins Road on Jan 9 (Justyn Stahl). A San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trip reported the following from the south end of the Salton Sea on Jan 9: several dozen GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and a WHITE-TAILED KITE at Unit 1 SSNWR, a male EURASIAN WIGEON, a GREATER SCAUP and another WHITE-TAILED KITE near Rock Hill, 3 BLUE-WINGED TEAL near the intersection of Lack and Lindsey, 3 PEREGRINE FALCONS, a VERMILION FLYCATCHER and a YELLOW WARBLER near the intersection of Pound and English, and a SPOTTED TOWHEE at Wister Unit HQ (John Green). The *CURVE-BILLED THRASHER* continued at Laguna Dam South RV Park and a pair of BARROW'S GOLDENEYES continued at Senator Wash Reservoir on Jan 9 (Henry Detweiler). The following birds were reported from the south end of the Salton Sea on Jan 10: a few GREATER SCAUP at Wiley Reservoir, a BALD EAGLE and at least 30 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE at Unit 1 SSNWR, a FERRUGINOUS HAWK and a PRAIRIE FALCON near the intersection of Lack and Foulds Roads, and 5 PEREGRINE FALCONS at various locations (Bob Miller). A *NEOTROPIC CORMORANT* continued at Fig Lagoon on Jan 10 (Sandy Remley). A male SUMMER TANAGER was seen at Evergreen Cemetery in El Centro on Jan 11 (Sandy Remley). A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was seen near the Rio Bend RV Park in El Centro on Jan 13 (Sandy Remley). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In general, birds that are on this weekly summary are those that are classified as at least rare in “Birds of Southern California” by Garrett and Dunn, “Birds of the Salton Sea” by Patten, McCaskie, and Unitt, or in “Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley” by Rosenberg, Ohmart, Hunter, and Anderson. Rarity can be regional or seasonal. For example, a nuthatch reported at the Salton Sea, where it is rare, may be on the summary. That same bird reported from the San Bernardino Mountains, where it is common, would not be. A sparrow reported as a rarity in Riverside in July, may be common there in December. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (see below)!!! If there is some reason that you cannot post there, or do not want to, e-mail Tom Benson at tbenson AT csusb.edu or call (909) 648-0899. Note that the phone hotline is no longer available. Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to: Guy McCaskie, Secretary, P.O. Box 275, Imperial Beach, CA 91933-0275, E-mail: guymcc AT pacbell.net Additionally, CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the "North American Birds" County Coordinators. They are: IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, 954 Grove Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, guymcc AT pacbell.net INYO COUNTY: Tom & Jo Heindel, P.O. Box 400, Big Pine CA 93513, tjheindel AT aol.com KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, 1819 Locust Ravine, Bakersfield CA 93306, kkheindel AT gmail.com RIVERSIDE COUNTY: John F. Green, 3120 Mount Vernon Ave., Riverside, CA 92507, bewickwren AT earthlink.net SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, 1357 Paige Lane, Redlands, CA 92373, sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ************ In addition the the Southeastern CA RBA, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, and San Diego County reports are posted on BIRDWEST. To subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU with SUBSCRIBE BIRDWEST YOUR NAME in the message (and YOUR NAME = your real name). There is an Inland Counties (San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial) bird report & discussion group. You can view messages at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ Other birding listservs that include reports of birds in southern California are: Inyo County: http://www.esaudubon.org/birds/ Kern County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kerncobirding Los Angeles County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LACoBirds Pasadena area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PasadenaAudubon Orange County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrangeCountyBirding San Diego County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SDBIRDS San Luis Obispo County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/slocobirding Santa Barbara County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sbcobirding Ventura County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/venturacobirding California (statewide): http://groups.yahoo.com/CALBIRDS ************ A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/calendar.htm Maps/directions to local birding sites are available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/maps.htm Important Southern California Bird Alert and Wildlife Phone Numbers: Los Angeles RBA (323) 874-1318 Orange County RBA (949) 487-6869 San Diego RBA (619) 688-2473 Southeastern CA Bird Alert report to (909) 648-0899 CalTip (CA Fish & Game) (800) 952-5400 (to report wildlife violations) -- For BirdWest archives go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwest.html To change your subscription options, including your address, go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwest To contact a listowner, send a message to mailto:birdwest-request AT listserv.arizona.edu ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Mira Loma: Merlin From: Merlin_Mira_Loma <max_ab6ns AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:44:41 -0800 This am (1-14-2010) A Merlin was on the "standard" perch on a snag at the top of one of the trees at 66th & William, hanging on precariously in the wind. Haven't seen the Gray Flycatcher for a few days. Good Birding, Madeline Footloose in Mira Loma Subject: A possible non-carotenistic Red-faced Warbler from Morongo in 2009? From: "markbrown1848" <lawoffmarkbrown AT verizon.net> Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:42:31 -0000 All: On April 18th 2009 I was birding the Morongo area and saw in Covington Park a weird bird. I took one so-so picture. Right after this, I had a bad flu and was sick for the next few weeks. Today January 13, 2010, I was doing housecleaning with my 2009 photographs when I looked at the so-so picture. I think it shows a Red-faced Warbler with a plumage mutation. However, I have been wrong about bird identification before. There are only 21 California records for Red-faced Warbler and none accepted from April. One bird from April 30th was not accepted. Also not one of these birds, that I know of, had a mutation of any kind. Leucism or any such color abnormality is pretty rare. Real rare times pretty rare equals unbelievably rare. Either my camera could not suss out the right color (unlikely) or where the Red-faced Warbler should be red, for this bird it is white. Here is a (young?) female with salmon color face. http://www.flickr.com/photos/29621289 AT N08/2763150933 . Here is my picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33835670 AT N00/4273095930 . Any thoughts what this bird could be would be appreciated. You can post a comment right on the Flickr deal. The only other passerine birds I got pictures of that day were a Titmouse and an adult female Vermillion Flycatcher. The white on the rump and the shape of the tail are good for Red-faced Warbler. The white on the nape looks a little high up on the head? The white on the face does mimic the pattern of the red on the Red-faced Warbler?? It was a strange spring but April 18 would be very early; with the earliest spring record being May 13. Mark Brown Santa Maria p.s. The replacement of carotenoid pigmented feathers (red) with white feathers is called non-carotenoid leucism (Buckley 1982) Buckley, P.A. 1982. Avian Genetics. In: Petrak, M. (ed.). Diseases of cage and aviary birds, 2nd ed. Pags. 21-110. Lea and Febiger, Philadelpia. Or is it schizochroism: the absence of one pigment type without alteration to others? Or a grey variant plumage? http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS/message/2905 . http://www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/605069516 . Subject: Varied Thrush in Mira Loma From: "jcoumoutso" <jill-sawa AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:57:32 -0000 I spotted a nice looking male Varied Thrush this morning around 10:30am while conducting a winter bird survey. The area he was seen in is the riparian habitat between the Goose Creek Golf Club and the Santa Ana River. This is the first sighting I have had of this species in this area, which I have been surveying since 2006. He only stayed put for about a minute, then took off and I was unable to relocate him. Subject: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:14:41 -0500 Seen early this AM in the private mobile estates north of the Rio Bend RV Park in El Centro. Not expecting to see anything of note I did not have my camera. Returned to the sapsucker site with camera and took a picture of the drilled holes. That's it. Mental note, always take camera when birding. Fig Lagoon is hosting Forester's Terns and Bonaparte's Gulls. Sandy Remley Big Bear Lake/El Centro [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Mira Loma: Black-throated Gray Warbler From: Merlin_Mira_Loma <max_ab6ns AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:46:26 -0800 This am a 1st winter Black-throated Gray Warbler was in the tamarisks on the right side going down to the Santa Ana River from 66th at Etiwanda. Given the proximity to the first sighting (1-05-10), perhaps it's the same one, hanging around to enjoy the sunny SoCal winter. Good Birding, Madeline Footloose in Mira Loma Subject: Mira Loma: Merlin From: Merlin_Mira_Loma <max_ab6ns AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:52:50 -0800 This am (1-12-2010) A Merlin was in the leafless (dead?) tree on William one driveway north of 66th Street. Good Birding, Madeline Footloose in Mira Loma Subject: Re: San Bernardino Co. (1/10 & 11) - Correction From: "Frances Oliver" <hummer52 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:16:13 -0800 Yesterday I wrote, "On our way back we scoped Senator Wash Reservoir, where we saw a number of Common Goldeneye, Buffleheads, and found a large flock of scaup. We identified a few as GREATER SCAUP." The name of the reservoir is Gene Wash Reservoir, not Senator Wash. I realized this morning that would have put us in Imperial Co! Oh Well! Frances [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: dos lagos golf course From: "quixdimnd" <quixdimnd AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:40:47 -0000 on Jan 9 two Gr. White-frntd Geese , a Cackling Goose and a male Canvasback were present on the pond next to first tee. Don Hoechlin Subject: San Bernardino Co. (1/10 & 11) From: "Frances Oliver" <hummer52 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:08:34 -0800 This last report of John Luther's and my trip to So. California finds us birding in San Bernardino Co. Around dusk last night we finally arrived at the Colorado River. We were hoping to find the Sandhill Cranes that originally had been reported by Tom Benson & Brad Singer. So after arriving in the small town of Big River, we drove over to the area close to the RV park that had been mentioned in their report. We stopped at the corner of Chippewa Dr & Capistrano to figure out where the actually area was when we looked below us and found ~ 80 SANDHILL CRANES! Mixed in with them were also 2 SNOW GEESE & 3 HOODED MERGANSERS. They all seem to be hanging out in a shallow pond easily seen from the road. Continuing down the road to Bluff Dr, we crossed the wash and drove next to the river. We stopped several places till we finally heard a CLAPPER RAIL. The next day we drove along the Parker Strip, periodically stopping and looking for birds. At one of the day use area we had a GILA WOODPECKER. Eventually we ended up at River Lodge Resort were we saw the continuing juv. TUNDRA SWAN. At Black Meadow Landing, I was finally able to meet Ernie and check out his Cactus Garden. He was great in giving us tips on where his thrashers hang out. As I stood by his truck across from the garden, I was watching the goldfinches when I heard the thrasher call and then finally saw the CURVED-BILLED THRASHER in a Mesquite tree. A State Bird for Me! On our way back we scoped Senator Wash Reservoir, where we saw a number of Common Goldeneye, Buffleheads, and found a large flock of scaup. We identified a few as GREATER SCAUP. On the way home, via I-40 we stopped for a brief time to look for hawks and whatever. Along Minneola Way, we had a FERRUGINOUS HAWK standing in a mowed alfalfa field. By the Solar Ponds, several 100 HORNED LARKS flew around the field, we tried hard for longspurs, but not today. A GOLDEN EAGLE cruised over another field close to Dagget. Overall we had a great trip! 2 State birds for me, 12 county birds for John, and best we had fun birding. Good Winter birding for you all! Frances Lodi, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Jan 14-21: Report your Tricolored Blackbirds! From: "Jonathan" <feenstra AT alumni.caltech.edu> Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:30:26 -0000 Southern California Birders, Coming up, January 14-21, a SoCal-wide census of wintering Tricolored Blackbirds will be occurring. Following surveys conducted during the breeding seasons of the past several years, this will be the first survey aimed at determining their winter population in SoCal. Volunteer surveyors have been instrumental in carrying out the previous surveys by spreading out and covering the vast landscape of Southern California. In the current effort, many volunteers have come forward and good coverage of the most important wintering sites is assured, but we can always use more eyes. Every birder can do their part by reporting to eBird (www.ebird.org) their sightings of Tricolored Blackbirds anywhere in Southern California between 14 and 21 of January. Though Tricolored Blackbirds are most numerous in areas of agriculture often sharing livestock feed with hordes of other blackbirds (and livestock), they also occur in smaller numbers in the manicured lawns of coastal urban parks. So, wherever you happen to be in the coming days, please keep an eye on your blackbirds, and submit your data. Many thanks, have fun, good luck and good birding. Jon Feenstra Los Angeles Subject: More on Evergreen Cementery, El Centro From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:55:01 -0500 I should have mentioned additional birds which appear to be rare to very uncommon down here at sea level. Cedar Waxwing-1 Western Bluebirds-7 Chipping Sparrow-7(adults with juveniles) Gray-head Junco with regular Junco flock I am finding that WIFI service in RV parks is not reliable. Can't seem to stay connected or logged on. Off to play bingo. I need to win some gas money. See you out there, Sandy Remley Big Bear Lake/El Centro [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Bard Valley, Ferguson Lake - 9 Jan 2010 From: "Detwiler, Henry D" <HDetwiler AT usbr.gov> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:27:50 -0700 Greetings Birders! This past Saturday (9 Jan 2010), Al & Helga, Bob, and I scoured the Bard Valley and the road north to Ferguson Lake, all in southeastern Imperial County. Our best bird of the day was the Curve-billed Thrasher in the southwest corner of the Laguna Dam South RV Park, first found by Paul the last week of 2009. The bird was shy, but would come into a pair of fruiting fan palms next to the back fence. This is a private, Quechan-owned trailer park, but so far birders are welcome. At Senator Wash we had a continuing pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes close to the dam, and a possible Winter Wren in the northwest camping area. The six-mile long, gravel, high-clearance road north to Ferguson Lake passes through some great desert scenery. Just before entering Ferguson Wash a mountain-top overlook provides a sweeping panorama of Ferguson & Martinez Lakes, the Colorado River, and Imperial NWR. Using a scope, you can even count the Canada Geese in the Imperial NWR farm fields (AZ). Nothing unusual at Ferguson Lake, but a good assortment of waterfowl and plenty of White-throated Swifts. And a nice selection of burros in case anyone wants to go riding. Good birding, Henry Detwiler Yuma, AZ www.SouthwestBirders.com 928-210-6474 Species List from 9 Jan 2010 --------------------------------- Pied-billed Grebe Western Grebe American White Pelican Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Cattle Egret Gadwall American Wigeon Mallard Northern Shoveler Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye Common Merganser Ruddy Duck Osprey Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk American Kestrel Gambel's Quail Common Moorhen American Coot Killdeer Greater Yellowlegs Spotted Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Wilson's Snipe Ring-billed Gull California Gull Caspian Tern Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Inca Dove Common Ground-Dove Eurasian Collared Dove White-throated Swift Anna's Hummingbird Belted Kingfisher Gila Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Northern Flicker Black Phoebe Say's Phoebe Loggerhead Shrike Horned Lark Tree Swallow Verdin Rock Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Western Bluebird Northern Mockingbird Curve-billed Thrasher European Starling Phainopepla Yellow-rumped Warbler Common Yellowthroat Spotted Towhee Abert's Towhee Brewer's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Lark Sparrow Black-throated Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Red-winged Blackbird Western Meadowlark Great-tailed Grackle House Sparrow [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Summer Tanager in El Centro From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:05:34 -0500 Hey, Male adult Summer Tanager at Evergreen Cementery in El Centro. Seen at 8:30am today just north east of the intersection of Juniper and Third within the cementery. See you out there, Sandy Remley Big Bear Lake/by way of El Centro [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: SESS: Zone-tailed Hawk and Eurasian Wigeon From: Justyn Stahl <justyn.stahl AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:37:42 -0500 On Saturday January 9th, Shawn Sullivan and I birded part of the SESS loop. We missed quite a few of the reported birds, but we had limited time as we only had a few hours of daylight left by the time we arrived from Anza-Borrego. Two species we did not expect to see were: Eurasian Wigeon - We saw 1 male, but were told 2 were present, behind the visitor's center (Rocky Hill ? trail). Zone-tailed Hawk - One flew directly over our windshield and continued north/northeast on Kalin Rd, just north of Eddins Rd. Sorry for the late post. -- Justyn Stahl San Clemente Island, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Neotropic Cormorant continues From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 13:42:31 -0500 The bird continues at Fig Lagoon, relaxing on the snags located in the easterly portion of the lagoon. I found one of the two previously reported. See you out there, Sandy Remley Big Bear Lake/El Centro [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: FW: January Bald Eagle Count Results From: "bewickwren" <bewickwren AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 09:10:34 -0800 Forwarding for Marc Stamer -----Original Message----- Hello - (Below) is the press release for this season's second bald eagle count. Thanks to everyone that helped. See you in February for the third count. On Saturday January 9th, the second bald eagle count of the winter was conducted by local Federal and State biologists and volunteers around lakes in the Sand Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains. This marks the 31st year that the San Bernardino National Forest has organized monthly winter bald eagle counts! The clear and crisp winter weather provided great conditions for volunteers to turn out for a chance to see one of our magnificent national birds. The effort was successful in tallying the bald eagles spending their winter vacations at local mountain lakes. A grand total of fourteen eagles (9 adults, 5 juveniles) were observed in the four lake areas during the 1-hour count. Six eagles (3 adults, 3 juveniles) were observed in the Big Bear/Baldwin Lake area; three eagles (2 adults, 1 juvenile) at Lake Arrowhead; three eagles (2 adults, 1 juvenile) at Silverwood Lake; and two eagles (2 adults) at Lake Hemet. Juvenile eagles are distinguished by a brown head and tail; adults are recognized by the famous white head and tail - it takes 4-5 years to acquire full adult coloration. Juvenile eagles are the same size as the adults. Approximately 85 volunteers participated in the 1-hour eagle census at the four lakes (33 in the Big Bear areas; 10 at Lake Arrowhead; 12 at Lake Hemet; and 30 at Silverwood Lake). The Forest Service and State Recreation Area biologists would like to thank those volunteers for their participation! The U.S. Forest Service and State Recreation Area biologists have coordinated counts of this federally-protected species since 1978. Data from our local count will be added to the nation-wide Mid-Winter Bald Eagle census to assess recovery status of the species. We rely on volunteers to gather information during the monthly winter eagle counts. Counts are conducted for a 1-hour period from 9-10am. Forest Service volunteers stationed around lakes in Big Bear, Arrowhead, and Idyllwild record all observations of bald eagles. Volunteers at Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area conduct simultaneous counts. Bald eagles are similar to many southern Californians in that they visit the lakes of our San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains for their winter vacations between November and April. Instead of vacationing here for dynamite skiing, eagles come for the plentiful food supply. As lakes and rivers up north freeze each winter, fish become unavailable under a thick layer of ice and ducks leave the frozen waters. The eagles' "grocery stores" have essentially closed for the winter. So eagles fly south looking for open water stocked with food. The lakes of the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains fit the bill perfectly-they are part of the Pacific Migratory Flyway, a migration freeway for millions of ducks. Eagles like to spend their winters here because of the abundant and tasty ducks and fish. Our bald eagles normally migrate out of the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains in late March, heading back to summer homes in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Alberta, Canada. In recent years, a pair of bald eagles has remained at Lake Hemet and successfully produced several eaglets. Catching a glimpse of our breath-taking national bird is relatively easy during the winter months. There are also some fantastic opportunities for excellent close-up photography. Just look in the tallest trees around the lakeshore. Or, if the lake is partially frozen, look for eagles perched on the ice near small groups of ducks using open water pockets. Remember that human presence may distract or disturb the eagles-so, try to limit your movements and do not make loud noises when nearby. If possible, remain in your car while observing eagles-the car acts as a blind. Don't forget to mark your calendars now for the remaining Eagle Counts: February 13, and March 13. Volunteers need not have experience-just bring binoculars and a watch (and dress warmly!). Marc Stamer, Biologist Mountaintop Ranger District Forest BAER Coordinator San Bernardino National Forest P.O. Box 290 42300 North Shore Drive Big Bear Ranger Station Fawnskin, CA 92333-0290 Office: (909)382-2828 Cell: (909)844-6683 Fax: (909)866-2867 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Salton Sea and vicinty 9 Jan From: "bewickwren" <bewickwren AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 21:48:45 -0800 Inlandcountybirders, Chet McGaugh and I led the annual San Bernardino Valley Audubon "Goose and Crane" field trip today. The namesakes of the trip did not disappoint, and we tallied 114 species on the day. Highlights included: Greater White-fronted Geese-several dozen at Unit 1 of the National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Eurasian Wigeon-one male in the sea off the end of the Rock Hill Trail, NWR Blue-winged Teal-three near Lack and Lindsey, a male and two females Greater Scaup-several in the sea off of the Rock Hill Trail, NWR American Bittern-one at Unit 1, NWR Osprey-only saw one all day, near Lack and Lindsey White-tailed Kite-two on the NWR: one on Rock Hill Trail; another at Unit 1 Peregrine Falcon-one on Davis Road, Wister Unit; one near Lack and Lindsey; and one "Tundra" on Pound Road near English. Sandhill Cranes-240 at Unit 1, NWR Vermilion Flycatcher-female on Pound Road between Davis and English Yellow Warbler-male on Pound Road between Davis and English Spotted Towhee-one at Wister Unit HQ Savannah Sparrow- two on Rock Hill Trail, NWR And to top it off, a spectacular finish at Unit 1 with massive flocks of waterfowl around and above us, cranes, rails sounding off, and a beautiful sunset. A good group and a good day. John Green Riverside, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]