Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Monterey Bay > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Tuesday, February 9 at 02:22 AM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Sharp-shinned Hawk,©Barry Kent Mackay

09 Feb [Fwd: San Benito County: Feb 6th Report] [Todd Newberry ] 09 Feb Santa Cruz Miscellaneous [] 08 Feb Long-eared Owl query [Todd Newberry ] 8 Feb Watsonville Hooded Mergansers ["Mark Paxton" ] 8 Feb sign of spring [Kumaran Arul ] 8 Feb sign of spring [Kumaran Arul ] 8 Feb Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough [chris hartzell ] 08 Feb Reminder Program on Australian Avifauna & Wildlife Tommorow Evening [2.9] at PG Museum [] 7 Feb Brants [Alexander Gaguine ] 7 Feb Pt. Pinos seawatching [Don Roberson ] 8 Feb Santa Cruz Bird Club field trip to Natural Bridges [kathy kuyper ] 7 Feb RE: Leucistic Brewer's Blackbird in Scotts Valley ["Charles Frakes" ] 06 Feb Re: Leucistic Brewer's Blackbird in Scotts Valley [] 6 Feb Leucistic Brewer's Blackbird in Scotts Valley [Kent Johnson ] 06 Feb Challenge XLIV tomorrow [Todd Newberry ] 5 Feb Black Scoter at Waddell Beach [Jennifer Rycenga ] 03 Feb Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough [Peter Headland ] 3 Feb Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough [David Adams ] 2 Feb grim video - not for everyone [Alexander Gaguine ] 3 Feb Seacliff & Capitola beaches [] 02 Feb Antonelli Pond area [] 2 Feb Panoche Valley [Lois Goldfrank ] 2 Feb RE: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough [] 02 Feb Reporting out of country band number? [Jean Myers ] 2 Feb Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough [chris hartzell ] 2 Feb Mtn bluebirds, cont ["Kellie D. Morgantini" ] 02 Feb Banded Western Gull RFI [Roger Wolfe ] 2 Feb More mtn bluebirds ["Kellie D. Morgantini" ] 2 Feb Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough [Don Roberson ] 2 Feb Black Headed Grosbeak: Lewis Rd is in N. Monterey County [SG Lane ] 1 Feb Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough [Oscar Johnson ] 02 Feb Recent Santa Cruz birds [] 1 Feb Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough [Don Roberson ] 1 Feb Black headed grosbeak , 1/31/10 [SG Lane ] 1 Feb Flamingo in Elkhorn Slough is real ["Chris&Deb Seguin" ] 1 Feb Tropical Kingbird [Earl ] 31 Jan Pileated Woodpecker near Scotts Valley [Matthew Strusis-Timmer ] 31 Jan Moss Landing area, 1/31--Zmudowski SB and Jetty Rd. [Amy McDonald ] 31 Jan Night Herons ["Betsy Buchalter Adler" ] 31 Jan Western Bluebirds - Moore Creek Preserve [Oscar Johnson ] 30 Jan RE: interesting birds at Elkhorn (2nd-hand report) Golden Eye at Ano Nuevo ["Glasco, Don (CL Tech Sv)" ] 30 Jan south MTY & 2010 highlights page begins [Don Roberson ] 30 Jan interesting birds at Elkhorn (2nd-hand report) [Todd Newberry ] 29 Jan recent birds [] 29 Jan White-tailed Kites ["David Ekdahl" ] 29 Jan Osprey Over Point Pinos [] 29 Jan Great Day at Panoche Valley - even so... [Jean Myers ] 29 Jan Western bluebirds ["Kellie D. Morgantini" ] 29 Jan Panoche Plovers and Trikes [Peter Headland ] 29 Jan Some Santa Cruz Birds [] 26 Jan Bonaparte's Gull [] 26 Jan Coastal locations 1/25/10 [Dominik Mosur ] 25 Jan More on Mountain Plovers in Panoche Valley [Clay Kempf ] 26 Jan Reminder: Great Backyard Bird Count: February 12-15, 2010 [] 25 Jan More from the Garden; 2 Lincoln's Sparrows; Orange-crowned Warbler [] 25 Jan East Santa Cruz curlews, scaup [David Sidle ] 25 Jan Mountain Plovers in Panoche Valley [] 25 Jan Re: Fwd: [SBB] Mountain Plovers at Panoche Valley [Katherine Klein ] 25 Jan Fwd: [SBB] Mountain Plovers at Panoche Valley [Mark Eaton ] 25 Jan Common Merganser ["David Ekdahl" ] 25 Jan (no subject) [Katherine Klein ] 25 Jan Hooded Merganser at Neary lagoon [Paul Van Loan ] 25 Jan Tropical Kingbird at Lee Rd. [Cynthia J Frakes ] 25 Jan White-winged Scoters [] 24 Jan Elkhorn Slough & Dolan Road [Oscar Johnson ] 24 Jan a few SC birds [Alexander Gaguine ] 24 Jan Shrike and Santa Cruz miscellaneous [] 24 Jan Re: RE: Pt Piños this afternoon [] 24 Jan San Antonio Lake [Greg Meyer ] 24 Jan Hurricane Point Rough-legged Hawk continues [Brian Sullivan ] 24 Jan Burrowing Owls [Nancy Collins ] 24 Jan BUOW [Janet Linthicum ] 24 Jan RE: Pt Piños this afternoon [Nancy Collins ] 23 Jan RE: Pt Piños this afternoon [Nancy Collins ] 23 Jan Surf Scoter at Corcoran [Shantanu Phukan ] 23 Jan Panoche Valley 01-23-10 [Matthew Dodder ] Subject: [Fwd: San Benito County: Feb 6th Report] From: Todd Newberry <taxa AT biology.ucsc.edu> Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:22:00 -0800 -------- Original Message -------- Subject: San Benito County: Feb 6th Report Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 22:28:37 -0800 From: Debra Shearwater To: Debi Shearwater Howdy, Birders, This is a late trip report for a day of birding in San Benito County on Saturday, February 6th with Morten Joergenson and his two friends, Andres and Henrik, all from Denmark. At Soap Lake, otherwise known as San Felipe Lake, in the northern part of the county, highlights included: 5 or 6 BURROWING OWLS; one adult and one sub-adult BALD EAGLE, sitting in the willows; five TUNDRA SWANS, several hundreds of ducks (Mallard, Pintail, Gadwall, American Widgeon, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, Canvasback, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal), a dozen WHITE PELICANS; Canada Geese, six BLACK-SHOULDERED KITES; one VIRGINIA RAIL; one SORA; and several MARSH WRENS, along with the usual Song Sparrows. On Quien Sabe Road, we encountered a BALD EAGLE and a GOLDEN EAGLE, sitting together in the same oak tree. We also saw both light morph and dark morph FERRUGINOUS HAWKS. At Paicines Reservoir, we found another adult BALD EAGLE. In Tres Pinos, we saw both Lesser and American Goldfinches. One adult BALD EAGLE was near the Bear Valley Fire Station. On Gloria Road (off the road is private property), we found a singing California Thrasher. One BELL'S SAGE SPARROW was also present. Two Wrentits popped up. It was raining. So, I decided to head to Panoche Valley. On Panoche Road, near the intersection of Little Panoche Road, we found two flocks of at least 1000 HORNED LARKS. These were incredible, wheeling flocks! Further along on Panoche Road, near Spanish Cattle Ranch, we stopped to watch hundreds of MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS, hovering over the distant fields in the light rain. While we were watching them, a flock of MOUNTAIN PLOVERS emerged from a divett. Funny how they can hide in those little dips. The plovers kept approaching the fence line. We were able to finally count 61 plovers! One VESPER SPARROW was among the bluebirds. We estimated the bluebirds to be about 350. It was an incredible sight, as all of the valley is brilliantly green! Along the way, we encountered at least five PRAIRIE FALCONS. A few of these falcons provided close up views. We stopped at the Panoche Inn for a cup of coffee to go. The Danes thought this was quite the "cultural" experience! No coffee was available. Beer, yes. Coffee, no. But, our hospitable hostess made a fresh pot just for us. Hard to believe that just a couple of weeks ago, Morten was the Expedition Leader on our successful charter voyage to Antarctica! It's nice to be home, birding. Eagles forever, Debi Debra Shearwater Shearwater Journeys, Inc. PO Box 190 Hollister, CA 95024 831.637.8527 debi AT shearwaterjourneys.com www.shearwaterjourneys.com www.shearwaterjourneys.blogspot.com South Georgia: Where No Road Goes October 18- November 4, 2010 / / _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Santa Cruz Miscellaneous From: stephengerow AT aol.com Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:11:24 -0500 Some observations over the past week: Today a MERLIN was chasing a House Sparrow on Woodrow Avenue near Delaware. Yesterday (February 7), around noon Kathy Kuyper and I watched an unexpected flock of at least 20 WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS circling around the north end of Antonelli Pond. A female CINNAMON TEAL was the first for the pond for this season, presumably a spring migrant. Earlier in the morning a HOUSE WREN was singing at Natural Bridges in the willow patch at the bend in the entrance road. Friday (February 5) Antonelli had four RING-NECKED DUCKS (3 males and a female), first spotted earlier by Jeff Wall. A WHITE-TAILED KITE, almost certainly one of the pair Kathy mentioned yesterday, carried some nesting material (twigs or weed stems) over Antonelli flying toward the cypress grove near Natural Bridges where they have nested in the past. A MERLIN was near Natural Bridges. Natural Bridges beach that morning had an unusually large group of over 400 gulls on the beach and adjacent rocks, about three-quarters of these CALIFORNIAS. A first cycle THAYER'S GULL, scarce at Natural Bridges, was resting among some Western and Glaucous-wingeds on the bluff at the east side of the beach. Thursday (Feb. 4) a PEREGRINE FALCON caught a Rock Pigeon near the west entrance to Neary Lagoon, flying easward with its prey as it was chased by a juv. Red-tailed Hawk, which in turn was chased by 6 Com. Ravens, and some crows were getting into the act by the time I left. A MERLIN flew over the same area a bit earlier. The male GREEN-WINGED TEAL was still with the Mallards in the lagoon. Wednesday (Feb. 3) a MERLIN was perched in the eucalyptus grove near the San Lorenzo River mouth. A HORNED GREBE was in the river just below Riverside Avenue, and a RED-THROATED LOON was also a bit upstream near the lower river bend. A SPOTTED SANDPIPER was also in this area. Diving ducks in the river from Broadway to the mouth included 18 BUFFLEHEADS, 6 COMMON GOLDENEYES, and 3 COMMON MERGANSERS. Steve Gerow Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Long-eared Owl query From: Todd Newberry <taxa AT biology.ucsc.edu> Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:03:30 -0800 A traveler who is coming here this summer asks: Are LONG-EARED OWLS at Mercey Hot Springs (Panoche Valley) year-round or just in the winter? Please reply offline, and I will convey your info. thanks -- Todd Newberry Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Watsonville Hooded Mergansers From: "Mark Paxton" <paxton AT stfrancishigh.net> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 14:31:37 -0800 Hi, A pair of Hooded Mergansers, floating in the detention basin at the southeast corner of the very busy intersection of College and East Lake in Watsonville at 8:20 this morning. The basin is on the Lakeview Middle School property. Good birding, Mark Paxton _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: sign of spring From: Kumaran Arul <karul2 AT stanford.edu> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 10:55:45 -0800 I had a singing Orange Crowned Warbler this morning at my home. A welcome sound of spring... Also, Nuttal's Woodpecker and House Wren continue in the yard area and displaying Allen's Hummingbird just seemed to return this last week. Kumaran Arul Santa Cruz, CA _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: sign of spring From: Kumaran Arul <kumaranarul AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 10:59:31 -0800 I had a singing Orange Crowned Warbler this morning at my home. A welcome sound of spring... Also, Nuttal's Woodpecker and House Wren continue in the yard area and displaying Allen's Hummingbird just seemed to return this last week. Kumaran Arul Santa Cruz, CA _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough From: chris hartzell <c.hartzell AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 10:28:44 -0800 (PST) I finally made it home from work to confirm my notes on this. This was taken at lake Ndutu in the Serengeti. Our birding guide told me this was a Lesser and there were Greater along the same shoreline that were somewhat bigger than this bird. However, I am definitely not a "Flamingo" expert and can only go off the information that was provided me by the guide at the time. Although our second birding guide in Botswana never saw this actual picture, his information on how to identify the two confirmed our guide's info in Tanzania, so I didn't question his accuracy of ID on my actual picture. I have always thought, "a Flamingo is a Flamingo" and thought, "Lesser, Greater, American, and Chilean should be as easy as identifying different Canada Geese". But my experience in Africa proved identification of Flamingos started ranking up there with Flycatchers! -Chris Hartzell ________________________________ From: Peter Headland To: chris hartzell Cc: MBB Sent: Wed, February 3, 2010 10:11:27 AM Subject: Re: [MBB] Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough chris hartzell wrote: > >> >here >is a link to a confirmed Lesser Flamingo I shot in Africa... http://www.flickr.com/photos/chartzell/3691468385/in/set-72157620875120625/ > The bill structures of Lesser and Greater Flamingos are very noticeably different - in particular the gape in Lesser is very near the top edge; in the Greater it is near the centre. Your picture appears to show a Greater Flamingo. As others have noted, the Elkhorn Slough bird is definitely a Lesser Flamingo. -- Peter Headland_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Reminder Program on Australian Avifauna & Wildlife Tommorow Evening [2.9] at PG Museum From: lammergeiereyes AT aol.com Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:34:43 -0500 February 9, 2010: Australia and Tasmania Are wallabies a "dangerous breed," as the song says? Why was Matilda waltzing? And just how do you "tie a kangaroo down," mate? Answers to these and other "down under" conundrums may be explored in a presentation by local birders Rita Carratello and Don Roberson. They'll take us on a journey to some of the far corners of Australia via video and digital photography. Their August 2008 visit took them to the extreme southwest, the Red Centre, and Tasmania during the austral winter. It was cold for them, but the songs will warm you up! General Membership meeting, food and refreshments at 7:00. Program to begin around 7:30. Best, Blake T. Matheson President, Monterey Audubon Society Legal Advisor, The Xerces Society "Men still live who, in their youth, remember Passenger Pigeons. Trees still live who, in their youth, were shaken by a living wind. But a decade hence only the oldest oaks will remember, and at long last only the hills will know." Leopold (1949). _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Brants From: Alexander Gaguine <gaguine AT baymoon.com> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 21:26:35 -0800 Two flocks of BRANT (about 20 in each) passed the SC Lighthouse heading west this afternoon. Looked like migration to me - can that be? Friday Jeff Wall and friend showed me the ROCK SANDPIPER on the big triangular rock just east of the Lighthouse. Saturday afternoon two GREAT HORNED OWLS were dueting in the conifers on the north side of Waddell Creek Valley(?), 1.5 miles upstream from Hwy 1. There were several flocks of CEDAR WAXWINGS flying around the neighborhood behind Lighthouse Field. Alexander _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Pt. Pinos seawatching From: Don Roberson <creagrus AT montereybay.com> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 20:24:37 -0800 I did about 1.5 hours of sea-watching from Pt. Pinos today, one in mid-morning and one in mid-afternoon, in strong W to WSW winds. First thing I saw was a Peregrine chasing a Red Phalarope just off the point. For the first time in weeks tubenoses were seen, with 20+ Sooty/Short-tailed types at long distances (2 closest were Short- tails), 1 Pink-footed, and 4 Black-vented.Also lots of murres and loons (surprising number of Red-throats) and gulls; 1 kittiwake. Also Grampus. Also, the Tropical Kingbird remains at Crespi. Don Roberson Pacific Grove CA http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/ _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Santa Cruz Bird Club field trip to Natural Bridges From: kathy kuyper <chswift AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 01:50:10 +0000 The Santa Cruz Bird Club "Beginner's" bird walk this morning at Natural Bridges SB started out (with 10 participants) a little late due to a few hundred runners and no parking in the usual places! But the first thing we saw were a pair of WHITE WINGED KITES apparently nesting in the cypresses across Delaware to the north of the park. A little further down the trail elusive PYGMY NUTHATCHES, TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, and a BROWN CREEPER played hide and seek in the pines until we all got a really good look at all of them. A PEREGRINE FALCON soared over us for a while and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, PURPLE FINCHES, AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, LEAST GOLDFINCHES feasted on willow flowers, to the accompaniment of a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. Several RED-TAILED HAWKS were seen circling, as well as a quick glimpse of a SHARP SHINNED HAWK flying away. On the beach, we saw a three species of CORMORANTS, BROWN PELICANS, with BLACK TURNSTONES and a WHIMBREL clinging to the side of the cliffs. A SNOWY EGRET stayed along the east edge of the beach while SANDERLINGS dodged waves and wandering humans. The SPOTTED SANDPIPER was seen along the far side of the creek earlier, but had retreated by the time the group got to the beach. Kathy Kuyper _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469228/direct/01/_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: RE: Leucistic Brewer's Blackbird in Scotts Valley From: "Charles Frakes" <cefrakes AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 10:30:21 -0800 If this is the blackbird that appears almost totally a mottled cream to white color I saw it at the front doors of the Nob Hill market last week. I posted about this or a similar bird at the same location in February 2009. I also remember the sightings in 2007 and 2008 as noted. At the time, last year, I was also wondering whether these Brewer's Blackbirds were migratory and whether this particular flock was returning to the same area year after year. Charles Frakes Scotts Valley, CA_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Re: Leucistic Brewer's Blackbird in Scotts Valley From: lbkinglet AT aol.com Date: Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:04:36 -0500 I saw this bird last week in front of the cinemas in Scotts Valley as well. Reminded me that there had been one hanging around the Safeway plaza in 2007 and 2008. Haven't seen it since on that side of Mt. Hermon Rd. I had to wonder if the Brewer's blackbirds in Scotts Valley are territorial about the various parking lots, or if they all share and share alike? On a non-sighting note, we had a few YELLOW-CROWNED SPARROWS at our feeders back in November but haven't seen one since. This makes the second winter since 2000 when they've apparently just passed through on their way to better foraging elsewhere. Between the winters of 2000 and 2008 we had nice flocks of 20+ that arrived in November and stayed until early April. I miss 'em. Diane Goodboe Ben Lomond -----Original Message----- From: Kent Johnson To: mbb AT biology.ucsc.edu Sent: Sat, Feb 6, 2010 3:30 pm Subject: [MBB] Leucistic Brewer's Blackbird in Scotts Valley I saw an interesting bird today near the Nob Hill market in the King's Village Shoping center in Scotts Valley. It was a leucistic Brewer's Blackbird. The feathers were all a buffy-cream color, the bill and legs a horn-gray, and the eye an orange-brown. I saw it first between the Nob Hill and the Valley Vineyard Church, a little later on the other side of the market, near the liquer store. Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. Sign up now. _______________________________________________mbb mailing listmbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.eduhttp://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Leucistic Brewer's Blackbird in Scotts Valley From: Kent Johnson <kentjohnson AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 23:30:29 +0000 I saw an interesting bird today near the Nob Hill market in the King's Village Shoping center in Scotts Valley. It was a leucistic Brewer's Blackbird. The feathers were all a buffy-cream color, the bill and legs a horn-gray, and the eye an orange-brown. I saw it first between the Nob Hill and the Valley Vineyard Church, a little later on the other side of the market, near the liquer store. _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft¡¯s powerful SPAM protection. https://signup.live.com/signup.aspx?id=60969_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Challenge XLIV tomorrow From: Todd Newberry <taxa AT biology.ucsc.edu> Date: Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:05:30 -0800 Super Bowl XLIV is *this* Sunday (tomorrow), not next (which is Valentine's Day); "a high score is predicted" (safely in the passive voice). MBB's Challenge (see Jan 13 post) starts with the broadcast at 3PM and goes for a birding hour plus a limit of six no-birds-countable time-outs to regroup and get from place to place. Broadcast and birding both wind down at ~6PM. Good luck matching the score (+1)! Todd Newberry Santa Cruz_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Black Scoter at Waddell Beach From: Jennifer Rycenga <gyrrlfalcon AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 20:26:23 -0800 Crossed the county line today to look for Marbled Murrelets at Waddell Beach; no luck in that regard, as the wave action post-storm was still too high. However, there was one female BLACK SCOTER among the many SURF SCOTERS there. The gull flock was huge - at least 300+ birds; this was around 8:00 am. Jennifer Rycenga Half Moon Bay, CA visit http://birding.sequoia-audubon.org/ The San Mateo County Birding Guide _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough From: Peter Headland <Peter AT matrixlink.com> Date: Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:11:27 -0800 chris hartzell wrote: > here is a link to a confirmed Lesser Flamingo I shot in Africa... > http://www.flickr.com/photos/chartzell/3691468385/in/set-72157620875120625/ The bill structures of Lesser and Greater Flamingos are very noticeably different - in particular the gape in Lesser is very near the top edge; in the Greater it is near the centre. Your picture appears to show a Greater Flamingo. As others have noted, the Elkhorn Slough bird is definitely a Lesser Flamingo. -- Peter Headland _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough From: David Adams <dpadams AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 20:39:36 +1100 Hello, I've been lurking on this list for some time as I lived in Santa Cruz county for 10 years and still visit. I've been on some South African lists for a few years for trip planning help and general info. I posted a question on the main list for South Africa regarding the Flamingo (assuming it's an old world Flamingo) and got back the following: M Kriek sender-time Sent at 8:02 PM (GMT+02:00). Current time there: 11:15 AM. ✆ to "SA. Birdnet" date Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 8:02 PM subject Re: [SABN] Help identifying a Flamingo in California mailing list sabirdnet.lists.ukzn.ac.za Filter messages from this mailing list mailed-by dbnmail2.ukzn.ac.za a flamingo with deep red mandibles, deeper red near the eye, can only be Lesser Flamingo. All other species have lighter colours on the upper mandible. The small black tip to the lower mandible, and red legs are also features of Lesser Flamingo. _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: grim video - not for everyone From: Alexander Gaguine <gaguine AT baymoon.com> Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 23:04:03 -0800 A friend forwarded me this video of carcasses of albatrosses on Midway Island, all having ingested - and almost certainly died from - an entire gut full of shiny plastic objects. The video also does not play well - it says it is 6 minutes long, but moves at about 1/4 speed. I did not make it to the end - maybe there's a rousing "call to action" finale. But you can get the idea pretty quickly. As I said, it's not for everyone. But certainly germane. Alexander > This newly released video you are about to watch is a collaboration > between acclaimed photographer and artist Chris Jordan and myself, > and its content is emotional, impactful, and most of all, revealing > about our legacy as a species. As part of the Midway Journey > project/film, these photographs were taken in one of the most > remote places on the planet, Midway Atoll. Please watch, please > share and help spread the word of this shocking information. > > > > This newly released video you are about to watch is a collaboration > between acclaimed photographer and artist Chris Jordan and myself, > and its content is emotional, impactful, and most of all, revealing > about our legacy as a species. As part of the Midway Journey > project/film, these photographs were taken in one of the most > remote places on the planet, Midway Atoll. Please watch, please > share and help spread the word of this shocking information. > _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Seacliff & Capitola beaches From: DSUDDJIAN AT aol.com Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2010 01:40:34 EST Yesterday (Feb 1) even more SURF SCOTERS had gathered off Seacliff SB. I counted 3,620, with all but a few in one giant flock. Interestingly, adult males predominated. I counted several samples of 100 birds and found an average of 75% adult males. I sifted through the flock as best I could but found only one other kind of duck among it: a male BLACK SCOTER. Also noted was one TREE SWALLOW flying over the scoter flock, hundreds of yards offshore, then turning toward land (odd), and a BLACK PHOEBE was foraging out on the seaward end of the Cement Ship. At Capitola Beach there was a RED-NECKED GREBE in the kelp bed yesterday and today. And a PEREGRINE flew over yesterday. David Suddjian Capitola _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Antonelli Pond area From: stephengerow AT aol.com Date: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:57:31 -0500 Today at Antonelli Pond there were three HOODED MERGANSERS, a male and two females. I think this is the first time I have seen more than one at a time in that pond. There was also an adult male LESSER SCAUP swimming in the pond, my first for 2010, and fairly rare in the area in recent years. Two BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were in the willows, and the pond also had two continuing COMMON GOLDENEYES, six RUDDY DUCKS, and other "usuals." Younger Lagoon just had three BUFFLEHEADS and a few Mallards. Among the expected passerines at Antonelli was a CALIFORNIA THRASHER singing on territory, and another was singing on territory in the Terrace Point field, and at Younger Lagoon two thrashers were looking at me from the bushes near the overlook while a third was singing across the lagoon (and I didn't even check Natural Bridges, where I likely could have found a few more.) Just seven or eight years ago it would have been notable to find even one thrasher in western Santa Cruz south of Mission Street/Highway 1. Finally, the large mixed blackbird flock in the open area along Delaware Avenue west of Swift Street had four female TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS in the mix, as well as at least 11 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS. Steve Gerow Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Panoche Valley From: Lois Goldfrank <loisg AT cruzio.com> Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 12:59:02 -0800 On Sunday we (and many others from Northern CA) enjoyed a beautiful day in Panoche Valley. It was colder than we'd expected early in the morning and the land birds took a while to become active, but the BALD EAGLE at Paicines was a nice start. Further highlights included 6 RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS at mile marker 21.54 ; the 2 COMMON GOLDEN-EYES and a female HOODED MERGANSER at the Summit pond; 100+ LARK SPARROWS and MT. BLUEBIRDS in various places throughout the day; 75+ AMERICAN PIPITS near the New Idria turn-off; 1 male and 3 female PHAINOPEPLAS at about 12.31 (along with an Oak Titmouse on the same branch for an interesting comparison); a PRAIRIE FALCON across the street from the Panoche Inn, chasing Mourning Doves; a MERLIN (possibly Richardsonii) at the elementary school; at least 26 MT. PLOVERS in the same spot described by Matthew Dodder in previous posts; and 2 GOLDEN EAGLES around mile 20 on our way out . Meeting up with other birders, we shared sightings and tips throughout the day. Thanks to Matthew Cole, we went back to the firehouse and found the LEWIS'S WOODPECKER in the lone oak in the middle of the field there. We were also able to refind a BURROWING OWL he'd seen along Panoche road, about 3/4 of a mile before the Panoche Inn. Possibly the most interesting bird we saw was probably an albinistic or leucistic HOUSE SPARROW at the Panoche Inn. We were eating lunch with assorted other birders (including Cliff, Patty, and Paul from SC), when Patty suddenly noticed a small almost entirely white bird with a black eye and a yellow bill! It was with house sparrows, and soon flew off with them. Jeff did get one photo which is at his website, http://www.pbase.com/jpkln/gallery/highlights. There's also a shot of the Merlin. Mammals of the day were at least 10 San Joaquin Antelope Squirrels in with the Ground Squirrels along Little Panoche road. Thanks , Clay, for mentioning them from the Christmas count, we'd never noticed them before. Lois and Wally Goldfrank, Jeff Poklen _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: RE: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough From: <birds AT cardinalphoto.com> Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 12:21:10 -0800 > the paintings in HBW, and my own photos from Tanzania show some Lessers with much paleness in the center and base of the bill. The bird in the photo is very, very similar to the painting of the Lesser Flamingo in my Newman's Birds of South Africa. It is a much better match than it is for the Greater. I've (hopefully) attached a photo of the pages. Even the gape that appears to show in the photograph seems to be in the right place ("top" of the bill" for Lesser, vs. center for Greater). In terms of specific fieldmarks Newman's say that Lesser can be distinguished by an even dark maroon bill [painting shows that includes a small black tip like the one in the photo] (vs. the lighter pink typical of Greater) and black coverts vs. the redder of the Greater (although that's a little more ambiguous when the paintings are compared with the photo), and a generic comment that the Lesser is pinker (this is of course hard to tell from one bird and as Chris Hartzell points out coloration is affected by food source and I'd guess this guy might not be feasting on his native diet). Most of the Flamingos I photographed in Botswana were Greater and their bill looks quite different, with a noticeable pink (v. maroon) and a much larger black tip. The gape is also visibly closer to the middle. The coloration of the eye area is also different on the Greater (both in Newman's and in my photos). I've also attached an image of a couple Greater Flamingos from the Kalahari in Botswana. FWIW, those are the only two species of Flamingo I have any familiarity with, so this info is only helpful if it is one of those two species:-) And I'm more of a photographer than any type of bird guru so I'll apologize in advance for any mis-use of terms, but there seemed to be some interest in this so I thought this info might be helpful. --David Cardinal http://www.cardinalphoto.com _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Reporting out of country band number? From: Jean Myers <birdermom AT mac.com> Date: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:39:25 -0800 Hi all: I know this is a wild shot - but Mike Mammoser's banded Mountain Plover success story reminded me to try to figure this out. While in Antarctica, I shot a photo of a banded Giant Petrel (my favorite bird of the trip). When I try to figure out how to report this sighting, all I can come up with is the attached Marine Ornighology report discussing an International Giant Petrel project where only 25 out of 7500 banded chicks banded in 1988/89 were recovered. So how does one go about finding a way to report this band number? Any tips are greatly appreciated (offline of course). Thanks! Jean Myers http://www.marineornithology.org/PDF/25/25_16.pdf Jean Myers birdermom AT mac.com _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough From: chris hartzell <c.hartzell AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 10:02:15 -0800 (PST) I misidentified several Flamingos in Africa. My experience with the Lesser and Greater Flamingo's in Africa not only differed in ID from different parts of the country, but even on the same lake. For example, at Lake Manyara I saw thousands of Flamingos. The plumages were different in different groups on the lake and I assumed different species (Greater and Lesser co-mingling). Although I was correct that there were both species, our guide (who was a birding guide) pointed out that my ID on plumages was off. He said the plumages, even bill color, can sometimes be so similar based on the region the Flamingo winters or summers in. He pointed out that only size is the absolute sure fire way for ID. He pointed out Lesser's that were pale-billed, white plumaged and Lesser's dark-billed and shocking pink on the same lake. Furthermore, their leg colors were off as well. The bright pink Lesser had paler legs and the whiter Lesser had darker. Then it got even more confusing when we got to Ngorogoro and we found Greater Flamingos that were almost identical to the paler Lesser's of Manyara. He said that the salinity of the waters, the different algaes found in the water, and even the type of mud in their nests can affect their coloration in different ways. Very often, Lesser's that are raised in a Lake in the south will fly north and settle on a lake (for example Manyara) with Lesser's raised on a lake to the west and they could literally look like totally different species based on the make-up of the lakes they were raised on. The same apparently holds true with Greater. This was later confirmed by our other birding guide in Botswana. They both said there is a way to tell based on neck length vs. leg length or bill to head ratio, but I honestly don't remember off hand how it was done. I have the following pic links for examples... here is a link to a confirmed Lesser Flamingo I shot in Africa... http://www.flickr.com/photos/chartzell/3691468385/in/set-72157620875120625/ here is a link to Lesser Flamingo pics for adult and immature... http://www.hardaker.co.za/lesserflamingo1.htm here is a link to Greater Flamingo pics... http://www.justbirds.org/Marocco/Greater%20flamingo%202.htm As you can see, the bill colors and plumages can start matching up REALLY close. -Chris Hartzell ________________________________ From: Oscar Johnson To: Don Roberson ; mbb Sent: Mon, February 1, 2010 11:06:08 PM Subject: Re: [MBB] Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough Hello all, Thanks to Don for bringing this up, and to Chris and Deb for sharing their photos. However, I must disagree with the identification as a Greater Flamingo, for many of the ID criteria that Don brings up point to this bird as being a Lesser Flamingo. Lesser has a much darker basal half of the bill, which contrasts strongly with the body plumage, and very little with the black tip to the bill, whereas Greater, and other, flamingos have a strongly bicolored bill, with the very pale pink basal half contrasting little with the body plumage. This is shown very nicely in Don's comparison photos. Of course, as Don says, flamingos vary in the intensity of the pink feathers based on the amount of carotenoids in their diet, but this bird appears to be rather pale for a flamingo. Also, I can't make out the black gape that Don speaks of, which Greater shows, but Lesser does not. This all fits with what I saw of this bird in the field last week. Regardless, it is certainly an escaped bird, but if someone can get a good enough look or photo of the band, it may be possible to figure out where this bird came from. Good birding, Oscar Johnson Santa Cruz ________________________________ From: Don Roberson To: mbb Sent: Mon, February 1, 2010 7:30:32 PM Subject: [MBB] Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough I have not personally seen the latest escaped flamingo on Elkhorn Slough myself, but I want to thank Chris & Deb Seguin for posting a photo that will help resolve its identification. From the photo, and from a review of Handbook of Birds of World, Vol, 1, and a review of all the flamingos in the world, it appears to be Greater Flamingo P. roseus, which has only recently been split by the AOU from American Flamingo P. ruber. The key features in flamingo identification are bill pattern, leg color, and plumage tone. The Elkhorn Slough birds fits Greater in all respects: it has an extensively pink-based bill with a distinct black trip; the legs are medium-tone pink, and the plumage is whitish. The yellow eye presumably suggests adult. Only Greater and American Flamingos have extensively pink-based bills, but the black tip is more extensive in American. Greater Flamingo is whitish while American Flamingo tends to be much richer pink. In 2008 there was a wild-hatched American Flamingo 'paired' (traveling together with) a known escapee Greater Flamingo (from the Witchita zoo) on the Bolivar flats, Texas. Nice photos of the two birds together are at http://www.pbase.com/mbb/greater_flamingo_041208 The bird on Elkhorn Slough has a band. Both captive and wild flamingos may be banded; indeed, both birds in Texas had bands, which made it possible to figure out their origins. The National Zoo has an on-line discussion stating that all of their flamingos, for example, have a yellow band about the 'knee' (not actually the 'knee' anatomically but looks that way to us), just as does our flamingo. Perhaps many zoos and breeders use the same pattern. In any event, there is obvious that the local bird is an escape from captivity, just as have been flamingos at Moss Landing in the past. While hurricanes may bring an American Flamingo to Texas or Florida, there is no plausible explanation for a wild flamingo in California. There are often escaped flamingos at the Salton Sea, and several species are quite common in captivity. While it appears to me that the Elkhorn Slough bird is a Greater Flamingo, in part because of plumage tone, it is fair to note that the pink in the plumage of flamingos is obtained from their diet, and a flamingo on an usual diet might be much less pink than normal. Lesser Flamingo is a bird of Africa which is not only smaller, but much brighter pink, much brighter red legs, and a dark-based bill. Also the eye is enclosed with the bare wedge of skin that merges with the bill, and not isolated farther back as on Greater/American flamingos, and on the Elkhorn Slough bird. In addition, Greater/American flamingos show a black 'smiling line' along the cutting edge of the mandible, visible in the photos, and absent on Lesser Flamingo. I have some photos of Lesser & Greater Flamingos together at http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/flamingos.html If the band of the Elkhorn Slough bird could be read or photographed well enough, it may be possible to trace its captive origin. Don Roberson Pacific Grove CA _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Mtn bluebirds, cont From: "Kellie D. Morgantini" <tula AT hughes.net> Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 09:26:30 -0800 Sry - should have said they are at chalone creek/Metz road in greenfield, southern Monterey county Kellie Sent from my iPhone with leetle teeny buttons, so please excuse the occasional mispailings. Kellie D. Morgantini Southern Monterey County _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Banded Western Gull RFI From: Roger Wolfe <rogwolfe AT cruzio.com> Date: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:26:23 -0800 I'm posting this on behalf of Danielle Frechette who was kind enough to speak at our last SCBC meeting. Cheers, Roger Wolfe SCBC Programs A collaborative study currently is being conducted by researchers at the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, UC Santa Cruz, and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories to assess the effects of predation by birds, particularly Western Gulls on Coho Salmon and Steelhead Trout in watersheds located in Santa Cruz, CA. In central California, Coho are listed as endangered and Steelhead are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Until recently, bird predation has been overlooked as a significant source of mortality for these federally listed species. Recent evidence however, indicates that predation by birds may limit recovery of Coho and Steelhead in Santa Cruz County. One of the goals of this study is to determine the foraging locations and range of Western Gulls within Santa Cruz County, to gain a better understanding of the effect they have on local salmonid populations. In order to accomplish objective, we captured Western and California Gulls at the beaches located at Scott Creek and Waddell Creek during late February of 2009. All birds captured were banded with metal identification bands and bands with unique, alphanumeric codes (blue bands with white letters/numbers). Thirty-three Western Gulls also were tagged with VHF transmitters. Transmitters were attached to the birds using harnesses constructed of blue neoprene or black Teflon ribbon. Harnesses will photo-degrade and will eventually drop off of the birds. All required permits were obtained prior to beginning this work, and the methods employed were approved by university Animal Care and Use Committees. We are very interested in receiving reports of our birds. We know that many of you spend quite a bit of time watching birds, and any reports we receive from you will help us increase our ability to re-sight these birds, and gain a better understanding of their range and foraging and roosting locations. If you sight any of our banded birds, we would love to know where, when, and what the bird was doing. You can contact me at dfrechette AT mlml.calstate.edu . Please provide us with the following information: Date Location Time of day Band ID (color as well as letter and number combo) Whether the bird has a radio-transmitter, and if so, the color of the harness Bird behavior Thanks so much! -Danielle -- Danielle Frechette M.Sc. Candidate Vertebrate Ecology Laboratory Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Moss Landing, CA 95039 (831) 771-4422 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: More mtn bluebirds From: "Kellie D. Morgantini" <tula AT hughes.net> Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 09:25:42 -0800 Now a consistent flock of about 20 or so - male and female, 7-8 juv. Mixed with house finch at chalone creek. First time I've seen these guys this close to a traveled road. Chalone creek has actually been running with actual water for the past week - could that have anything to do with it? Kellie Sent from my iPhone with leetle teeny buttons, so please excuse the occasional mispailings. Kellie D. Morgantini Southern Monterey County _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough From: Don Roberson <creagrus AT montereybay.com> Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 08:29:28 -0800 I've taken another look at flamingo photos, and I think Oscar is right. There is much more variation in bill color of Lesser than shows in the paintings in HBW, and my own photos from Tanzania show some Lessers with much paleness in the center and base of the bill. Also, in comparison, the eye placement of the Elkhorn bird looks better for Lesser. Oscar has seen the actual bird, while I have not, and in this case a reliance on the apparently extensive pink-based bill in the one photo may have been misplaced. I still think I see a black gape in the one photo, but that could be an artifact. The plumage is much too pale for a wild Lesser in Africa, but that could easily be affected by poor food here. Many (most?) Lesser Flamingos look to have all-dark bills in photos from Africa, but those that do not have a very small black tip to the bill, like the Elkhorn bird. So I suspect Oscar's field experience with the bird is correct, and the apparent I.d. is Lesser. Thanks, Oscar, for the correction Don Roberson Pacific Grove CA _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Black Headed Grosbeak: Lewis Rd is in N. Monterey County From: SG Lane <surfbird04 AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 07:14:08 -0800 Lewis Rd is in N Monterey County. It has a Watsonville addresss and is in a lovely area called Royal Oaks. Betty Cost's photo is below. Maybe the same bird. Seems to be wintering. Is this a non breeding male or female? We are asking ourselves that. This photo looks alot less streaky on the flanks and breast than the one we saw. But this photo was taken weeks ago. Same bird? Contact Silverbirder AT aol.com for specific directions. _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Re: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough From: Oscar Johnson <henicorhina AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 23:06:08 -0800 (PST) Hello all, Thanks to Don for bringing this up, and to Chris and Deb for sharing their photos. However, I must disagree with the identification as a Greater Flamingo, for many of the ID criteria that Don brings up point to this bird as being a Lesser Flamingo. Lesser has a much darker basal half of the bill, which contrasts strongly with the body plumage, and very little with the black tip to the bill, whereas Greater, and other, flamingos have a strongly bicolored bill, with the very pale pink basal half contrasting little with the body plumage. This is shown very nicely in Don's comparison photos. Of course, as Don says, flamingos vary in the intensity of the pink feathers based on the amount of carotenoids in their diet, but this bird appears to be rather pale for a flamingo. Also, I can't make out the black gape that Don speaks of, which Greater shows, but Lesser does not. This all fits with what I saw of this bird in the field last week. Regardless, it is certainly an escaped bird, but if someone can get a good enough look or photo of the band, it may be possible to figure out where this bird came from. Good birding, Oscar Johnson Santa Cruz ________________________________ From: Don Roberson To: mbb Sent: Mon, February 1, 2010 7:30:32 PM Subject: [MBB] Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough I have not personally seen the latest escaped flamingo on Elkhorn Slough myself, but I want to thank Chris & Deb Seguin for posting a photo that will help resolve its identification. From the photo, and from a review of Handbook of Birds of World, Vol, 1, and a review of all the flamingos in the world, it appears to be Greater Flamingo P. roseus, which has only recently been split by the AOU from American Flamingo P. ruber. The key features in flamingo identification are bill pattern, leg color, and plumage tone. The Elkhorn Slough birds fits Greater in all respects: it has an extensively pink-based bill with a distinct black trip; the legs are medium-tone pink, and the plumage is whitish. The yellow eye presumably suggests adult. Only Greater and American Flamingos have extensively pink-based bills, but the black tip is more extensive in American. Greater Flamingo is whitish while American Flamingo tends to be much richer pink. In 2008 there was a wild-hatched American Flamingo 'paired' (traveling together with) a known escapee Greater Flamingo (from the Witchita zoo) on the Bolivar flats, Texas. Nice photos of the two birds together are at http://www.pbase.com/mbb/greater_flamingo_041208 The bird on Elkhorn Slough has a band. Both captive and wild flamingos may be banded; indeed, both birds in Texas had bands, which made it possible to figure out their origins. The National Zoo has an on-line discussion stating that all of their flamingos, for example, have a yellow band about the 'knee' (not actually the 'knee' anatomically but looks that way to us), just as does our flamingo. Perhaps many zoos and breeders use the same pattern. In any event, there is obvious that the local bird is an escape from captivity, just as have been flamingos at Moss Landing in the past. While hurricanes may bring an American Flamingo to Texas or Florida, there is no plausible explanation for a wild flamingo in California. There are often escaped flamingos at the Salton Sea, and several species are quite common in captivity. While it appears to me that the Elkhorn Slough bird is a Greater Flamingo, in part because of plumage tone, it is fair to note that the pink in the plumage of flamingos is obtained from their diet, and a flamingo on an usual diet might be much less pink than normal. Lesser Flamingo is a bird of Africa which is not only smaller, but much brighter pink, much brighter red legs, and a dark-based bill. Also the eye is enclosed with the bare wedge of skin that merges with the bill, and not isolated farther back as on Greater/American flamingos, and on the Elkhorn Slough bird. In addition, Greater/American flamingos show a black 'smiling line' along the cutting edge of the mandible, visible in the photos, and absent on Lesser Flamingo. I have some photos of Lesser & Greater Flamingos together at http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/flamingos.html If the band of the Elkhorn Slough bird could be read or photographed well enough, it may be possible to trace its captive origin. Don Roberson Pacific Grove CA _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Recent Santa Cruz birds From: stephengerow AT aol.com Date: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:12:00 -0500 Today in the early afternoon both of the rarer shorebirds wintering along West Cliff Drive were in the same spot. Both the ROCK SANDPIPER and the WANDERING TATTLER were foraging on the rocks just east of the point at the end of Columbia Street, and on the adjacent rip-rap. There were also 14 SURFBIRDS in the same area, with three others in another flock closer to Woodrow, for a total of 17. A pair of MARBLED MURRELETS were swimming off the central part of Lighthouse Field, and a PEREGRINE FALCON was speeding westward over the outer waters of Mitchell's Cove. Yesterday (Jan. 31) a tan-striped WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was in the willows at Neary Lagoon, near the bat box on the north side of the lagoon. An adult BROWN PELICAN flew in and landed on the lagoon (where not expected), later flying off inland toward the northwest. The male GREEN-WINGED TEAL was again among the Mallards in the lagoon. On the Santa Cruz Bird Club field trip last Friday (Jan. 29), Schwan Lake still had about 12 GREATER SCAUP, in one flock on the west side of the lake toward the south end. Other highlights of the trip included a female ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD on a nest (and another collecting nesting material) near the lake, and an impressive variety of fungi in the live oak woodlands around the north side of the lake. After the field trip, David Sidle and I briefly checked the harbor area, and the adjacent part of Seabright Beach. Among the shorebirds on the beach were two LONG-BILLED CURLEWS, at least 35 SNOWY PLOVERS, about 20 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, at least 25 WILLETS, and a lone MARBLED GODWIT. The harbor jetties had 8 SURFBIRDS and 9 or so BLACK TURNSTONES, and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER was in the Harbor near Aldo's restaurant. Steve Gerow Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Flamingo on Elkhorn Slough From: Don Roberson <creagrus AT montereybay.com> Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 19:30:32 -0800 I have not personally seen the latest escaped flamingo on Elkhorn Slough myself, but I want to thank Chris & Deb Seguin for posting a photo that will help resolve its identification. From the photo, and from a review of Handbook of Birds of World, Vol, 1, and a review of all the flamingos in the world, it appears to be Greater Flamingo P. roseus, which has only recently been split by the AOU from American Flamingo P. ruber. The key features in flamingo identification are bill pattern, leg color, and plumage tone. The Elkhorn Slough birds fits Greater in all respects: it has an extensively pink-based bill with a distinct black trip; the legs are medium-tone pink, and the plumage is whitish. The yellow eye presumably suggests adult. Only Greater and American Flamingos have extensively pink-based bills, but the black tip is more extensive in American. Greater Flamingo is whitish while American Flamingo tends to be much richer pink. In 2008 there was a wild-hatched American Flamingo 'paired' (traveling together with) a known escapee Greater Flamingo (from the Witchita zoo) on the Bolivar flats, Texas. Nice photos of the two birds together are at http://www.pbase.com/mbb/greater_flamingo_041208 The bird on Elkhorn Slough has a band. Both captive and wild flamingos may be banded; indeed, both birds in Texas had bands, which made it possible to figure out their origins. The National Zoo has an on-line discussion stating that all of their flamingos, for example, have a yellow band about the 'knee' (not actually the 'knee' anatomically but looks that way to us), just as does our flamingo. Perhaps many zoos and breeders use the same pattern. In any event, there is obvious that the local bird is an escape from captivity, just as have been flamingos at Moss Landing in the past. While hurricanes may bring an American Flamingo to Texas or Florida, there is no plausible explanation for a wild flamingo in California. There are often escaped flamingos at the Salton Sea, and several species are quite common in captivity. While it appears to me that the Elkhorn Slough bird is a Greater Flamingo, in part because of plumage tone, it is fair to note that the pink in the plumage of flamingos is obtained from their diet, and a flamingo on an usual diet might be much less pink than normal. Lesser Flamingo is a bird of Africa which is not only smaller, but much brighter pink, much brighter red legs, and a dark-based bill. Also the eye is enclosed with the bare wedge of skin that merges with the bill, and not isolated farther back as on Greater/American flamingos, and on the Elkhorn Slough bird. In addition, Greater/ American flamingos show a black 'smiling line' along the cutting edge of the mandible, visible in the photos, and absent on Lesser Flamingo. I have some photos of Lesser & Greater Flamingos together at http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/flamingos.html If the band of the Elkhorn Slough bird could be read or photographed well enough, it may be possible to trace its captive origin. Don Roberson Pacific Grove CA _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Black headed grosbeak , 1/31/10 From: SG Lane <surfbird04 AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 17:19:20 -0800 Sally Jerry and Wagtail Monterey County Begin forwarded message: > From: do-not-reply AT ebird.org > Date: February 1, 2010 1:48:55 PM PST > To: surfbird04 AT comcast.net > Subject: eBird Report - Lewis Rd , 1/31/10 > > > > Location: Lewis Rd > Observation date: 1/31/10 > Number of species: 2 > > California Quail - Callipepla californica 5 > Black-headed Grosbeak - Pheucticus melanocephalus 1 > > This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Flamingo in Elkhorn Slough is real From: "Chris&Deb Seguin" <casdes AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 09:33:35 -0800 Took the Safari boat on Sat 1/30. Imagine our surprise! Seemed to be perfectly happy feeding alongside all the other shorebirds and not the least bit concerned about us. Captain said the bird showed up about a week ago. It does have a band on right leg. Enjoy! _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Tropical Kingbird From: Earl <hawkowl AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2010 09:53:29 -0800 (PST) On Sunday afternoon, the Tropical Kingbird continued above the flooded section of West Struve Slough at Lee Road in Watsonville. A male Hooded Merganser took flight from the same area, making a beeline over Highway 1 towards East Struve Slough. Earl Lebow_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Pileated Woodpecker near Scotts Valley From: Matthew Strusis-Timmer <mstrusistimmer AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:50:03 -0800 Hello All- I heard a PILEATED WOODPECKER call a few times while working in the yard at my cabin this afternoon. This seems to be a once-a-year thing- the third time in about three years- although I can't quite remember what time of year it occurred in the past. Should have taken better records..... Matthew Strusis-Timmer outside of Scotts Valley_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Moss Landing area, 1/31--Zmudowski SB and Jetty Rd. From: Amy McDonald <amymcd AT pacbell.net> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:37:02 -0800 (PST) Hi all, Highlights from Zmudowski SB and Jetty Rd. between 10:30 and 1:30 today are as follows: --Zmudowski-- CINNAMON TEAL (1) - main pond CANVASBACK (4) - main pond WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (1) - from the beach; the adult male flew in close to shore and slowly circled before dropping in among the 185 Surf Scoters, providing great views of its wing patches. COMMON LOON (1) - from the beach CALIFORNIA THRASHER (1) - Singing in full view, adjacent to the path west of the pond. --Jetty Road-- BRANT (30) - 28 on the south side of the road near the entrance. RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (3) - 2 males COMMON LOON (1) Amy McDonald San Jose _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Night Herons From: "Betsy Buchalter Adler" <adler AT adlercolvin.com> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:48:05 -0800 Having come up empty in my search for the flamingo yesterday (lots of the usual shorebirds, none of them pink) I decided to walk over to Monterey Harbor this morning to see if the Harlequin Duck was there. No such luck, but high up in a Monterey Pine just to the pier side of the first coast access point north of the Coast Guard breakwater - where there are a few picnic tables - there were two BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS, one with a long plume. They alternately ignored each other and gazed at each other. Not quite as good as a flamingo, but a nice treat anyway. Other harbor birds this morning included a GREBE trifecta (Western, Horned, and Eared), a COMMON LOON, a SURF SCOTER, and a female REDIBREASTED MERGANSER. Good birding, Betsy Buchalter Adler Pacific Grove _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Western Bluebirds - Moore Creek Preserve From: Oscar Johnson <henicorhina AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:17:41 -0800 (PST) Passing along a second hand report that Chris Lay saw three Western Bluebirds in the vernal pool area of Moore Creek Preserve yesterday (30 Jan). Good birding, Oscar Johnson Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: RE: interesting birds at Elkhorn (2nd-hand report) Golden Eye at Ano Nuevo From: "Glasco, Don (CL Tech Sv)" <Don.Glasco AT cengage.com> Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 23:05:25 -0500 I also spotted a Female Golden Eye at pond at Ano Nuevo this morning about 09:15 PT. At times the beck looked all yellow/gold. At other times maybe just tip of beak. Yellow eye was prominent. I chocked it up as a Common Golden Eye, due to range. But possible Barrows. But I ain't a duck expert. Don Glasco Systems Engineer, Web Hosting Cengage Technology Services 831.277.5042 | don.glasco AT cengage.com | www.cengage.com -----Original Message----- From: mbb-bounces AT acg.ucsc.edu [mailto:mbb-bounces AT acg.ucsc.edu] On Behalf Of Todd Newberry Sent: 2010-01-30 11:45 To: MBB AT biology.ucsc.edu Subject: [MBB] interesting birds at Elkhorn (2nd-hand report) I am posting this news from Tom and Connie Unsicker. 28 January: Two remarkable sightings -- 1. Opposite Moon Glow Dairy: FLAMINGO sp. - We were able to observe the bird for more than an hour by naked eye, 10x binoculars, and spotting scope. Overall size, shape and color - The bird was approximately the same size as a Great Egret (there was one near enough to compare). Its body was white to pale pink, pinker on the pectoral, wing and neck areas. Its bill, large and hatchet shaped, was dark with a lighter (pink) lower mandible. Leg color - Legs were bright red. This bird had a yellow tag on its right leg. Behavior - was in very shallow mud flat. Fed with head down using its bill in a sweeping motion similar to Avocets (there were several Avocets feeding on the same flat). Conclusion - We tentatively believe this may be a Lesser, based on its size, pale color, and perhaps its dark bill color. 2. Jetty Road: BARROW'S GOLDEN EYE - We were able to observe this bird for over ten minutes from the Jetty Road parking area while it swam and fed on Moss Landing Harbor. The bill was completely yellow, almost orange. Its head was round, the forehead and bill were at a more acute angle than that of a Common Golden Eye. It had a white ring around its neck. Its eyes were golden. The shape of the bill, the ring of white around the neck, dark chest, eye color were indicative of female Golden Eyes. The fact that the bill was entirely yellow and the shape of the head led to our calling it a Barrow's. via Todd Newberry Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: south MTY & 2010 highlights page begins From: Don Roberson <creagrus AT montereybay.com> Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:30:12 -0800 The break between storms today was welcome, and Rita & I enjoyed a leisurely mid-day drive through parts of south Monterey County. New green grass covers the barren hills everywhere. Interesting birds included two adult FERRUGINOUS HAWK along Gloria-Camphora Road, plus a pair of GOLDEN EAGLE. A half-dozen MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD were on Wildhorse Road, but these were eclipsed by a flock of at least 100 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD in Peachtree Valley. These were foraging over the fields east of Hwy 25 at the 6.0 mile marker. A pair of RED-TAILED HAWK were already on a nest in Peachtree Valley. A highlight for us was watching a pair of GREATER ROADRUNNER forage along Lonoak Road, east of King City, at the 3.0 mile marker. Lonoak also had a BURROWING OWL at about mp 4.0; we did not really search for the larger population that is resident here. W At the winery pond in Gonzales, a GR. WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE has joined the gaggle of barnyard geese and muscovies. I've just initiated a new "Monterey County highlights" page for 2010 with photos from the last couple of days. It is at http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/MTY_2010a.html Don Roberson Pacific Grove CA _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: interesting birds at Elkhorn (2nd-hand report) From: Todd Newberry <taxa AT biology.ucsc.edu> Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:45:24 -0800 I am posting this news from Tom and Connie Unsicker. 28 January: Two remarkable sightings -- 1. Opposite Moon Glow Dairy: FLAMINGO sp. – We were able to observe the bird for more than an hour by naked eye, 10x binoculars, and spotting scope. Overall size, shape and color – The bird was approximately the same size as a Great Egret (there was one near enough to compare). Its body was white to pale pink, pinker on the pectoral, wing and neck areas. Its bill, large and hatchet shaped, was dark with a lighter (pink) lower mandible. Leg color – Legs were bright red. This bird had a yellow tag on its right leg. Behavior – was in very shallow mud flat. Fed with head down using its bill in a sweeping motion similar to Avocets (there were several Avocets feeding on the same flat). Conclusion – We tentatively believe this may be a Lesser, based on its size, pale color, and perhaps its dark bill color. 2. Jetty Road: BARROW'S GOLDEN EYE – We were able to observe this bird for over ten minutes from the Jetty Road parking area while it swam and fed on Moss Landing Harbor. The bill was completely yellow, almost orange. Its head was round, the forehead and bill were at a more acute angle than that of a Common Golden Eye. It had a white ring around its neck. Its eyes were golden. The shape of the bill, the ring of white around the neck, dark chest, eye color were indicative of female Golden Eyes. The fact that the bill was entirely yellow and the shape of the head led to our calling it a Barrow’s. via Todd Newberry Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: recent birds From: DSUDDJIAN AT aol.com Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:20:52 EST NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS have really been going gangbusters lately, with a strong seasonal increase in calling by territorial males. Owl surveys at 34 surveys stations in Big Basin Redwoods SP on three recent evenings came up with a whopping 102 NOR. SAW-WHETS! I had wonderful looks at one last night east of Blooms Creek Campground. By comparison, WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS have fallen relatively quiet. The same surveys had only 20 Screech-Owls, with little prolonged calling, and very little heard from females. At the end of the afternoon yesterday (1/28) there were 3 WOOD DUCKS and an AMERICAN DIPPER along Opal Creek beside the Redwood Trail in Big Basin. There is lots and lots of water flowing everywhere up in the park now; it is challenging to find a place where flowing water cannot be heard. 4 adult BROWN PELICANS made a rather odd and unexpected movement overland at Capitola / Soquel / Live Oak today (1/29). They had been flying "single file" fairly high over the coastal bluffs near New Brighton SB, then turned inland and flew northwest over the vicinity of St. Joseph's Church and on to the northwest (and further inland), passing over the vicinity of Hwy 1 x 41st Ave and heading in the direction of Dominican Hospital. I'm not sure where they ended up, but they were as much as 2-3 miles inland. Conditions were nearly calm, and they were flying directly and purposefully. Very rare to have them overland in Santa Cruz County. At New Brighton SB campground today I was surprised to find 6 CALIFORNIA QUAIL feeding not far from the campground host site. They were formerly resident in the park, but had suffered a decline in that area and I don't think I've had any there for several years now. (I had wondered if that was related to the growing population of feral cats.) I'm not sure where these came from, as they do not seem to reside any longer in any areas adjacent to the park. A RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER at campsite #101 was also notable, being the only one I've had all fall/winter in the Capitola - Aptos area. They also used to be regular at New Brighton, but not any more. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW continues in the southwest part of the campground. I noticed white flanks on three PELAGIC CORMORANTS flying by Capitola Beach this afternoon -- my first observation of white-flanked birds for the season...but I have not been looking in places that have many Pelagic Corms. At Capitola Beach on 1/26 a pair of adult WESTERN GULLS at the fringe of the gull flock caught my attention...one (the male, I presume) was standing on the back of the other female for over 8 minutes. I guess "amorous" feelings were in the air, but I've never seen that on our beaches, and was not expecting it in January! They just stood there "double-decker" for all that time, until another adult Western walked up near by and the top bird hopped down and struck an aggressive pose toward the interloper. On 1/25 the SURF SCOTER count at Seacliff SB was up to 2,090 birds, but 1,975 of these were in one long flock. Numbers of WESTERN and CLARK'S GREBES have dropped markedly since the series of recent storms. Where there had been many hundreds before, there were only 32 Aechmophorus grebes off Seacliff on 1/25. David Suddjian Capitola_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: White-tailed Kites From: "David Ekdahl" <dekdahl AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:44:02 -0800 There were 3 WHITE-TAILED KITES at the big meadow in Henry Cowell State Park this morning. There were just 3 COMMON MERGANSERS today on the river, just below the bridge next to HWY 9. David Ekdahl_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Osprey Over Point Pinos From: lammergeiereyes AT aol.com Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:30:04 -0500 I was pleased to see an Osprey causing general disarray over Point Pinos and the Marine Gardens around mid-day. A photo of the bird is here; http://www.flickr.com/photos/34328261 AT N02/4314233733/ Best, Blake T. Matheson President, Monterey Audubon Society Legal Advisor, The Xerces Society "Men still live who, in their youth, remember Passenger Pigeons. Trees still live who, in their youth, were shaken by a living wind. But a decade hence only the oldest oaks will remember, and at long last only the hills will know." Leopold (1949). _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Great Day at Panoche Valley - even so... From: Jean Myers <birdermom AT mac.com> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:46:03 -0800 Hi all! I warn you that I tend to wax poetic - so only read this if you want to wax with me. Yesterday, I headed out for my first trip after returning from Antarctica (fantastic trip although I still haven't acclimatized to land life). In my enthusiasm, I forgot my binoculars - didn't remember until 1 hour from home! Lucky me, I had a small pair of dirty Bushnell 7x27's in the glove compartment (received free at business event many years ago). The day started out slow, having arrived in the valley at 8 am (still on Antarctic time), which I've found is too early for birds on the way up the mountain. However, I did hear a Rufous-crowned Sparrow in the canyon just east of the summit. They were ready to play and about 15 flew about and posed for pictures. 3 Hooded Mergansers (2 females and 1 male), 3 Common Goldeneye (one with a mostly orange beak - juvenile looking) and 2 Bufflehead were in the duck pond near the summit. A possible quick look at 1 Vesper Sparrow was seen in the sparrow flocks just after the old orchard (refer to poor quality optics) amongst White-crowned and Savannah. It's white outer tail feathers stood out amongst the pale Savannah. One large flock of House Finch mixed with about 100 Mourning Dove and 1 Eurasian-collared Dove rounded out this area. The action started on Panoche Road. A few Mountain Bluebirds (10ish) were flirting with the car, Virginia Rail and Northern Flicker called at the creek crossing and I had fantastic songs from Western Meadowlark perched atop a bush and Loggerhead Shrike (don't recall this subtle two-note song) on top of a tree. This was one of about 15 seen during the day. Views of a few Lark Sparrows mixed with others as well as first Greater Roadrunner feeding across creek, which drew my attention via it's unusual rattling clicking call (which is apparently produced by the bill). On the way back I spotted about 100 Mtn. Bluebird mixed with House Finch flying over me towards the far side of the creek out of site. Repeated searches for Mtn. Plover yielded more House Finches, loads of Blackbirds (including Brewer's, Red-winged and Tri-colored) and one Horned Lark (refer to poor optics). One beautiful light adult Ferruginous Hawk with rufous feather legs and glowing rufous patched back cooperated for many photos. It was further out than on prior trips. Also a N. Harrier female was hunting the creek area. One Kingbird was seen near farm with watering, but falcon drove it away before I could put scope on it (refer to poor optics). Decided to drive to New Idria. Rock Wren and Cal Towhee greeted me right away. Never driven to where two houses flank the road (is this the sum of New Idria?). After this noticed sounds from nearby hillsides and stopped to investigate. Scope views indicated huge Mtn. Bluebird flock with House Finch. After driving along, many flanked the road and flew along with me - but never posing for perfect pictures (drat). Calculated that approx. 1/2 mile of heavy concentration in cow fields to left were approximately 2-300 Mtn. Bluebirds with same amount of House Finches and Lark Sparrows. Noise was noticeable. 2nd year cows feeding in these fields were frisky, often loping away from car and looking back playfully to see if I would follow (myopic human interpretation of events). Several American Kestrel and Loggerhead Shrikes completed the picture. One more Greater Roadrunner crossed the road - true to its name! On the way back, found huge Mtn. Bluebird/House Finch/Western Meadowlark flock across creek from house/ranch just south of New Idria and Panoche Road. Must have been another 300 total! I've never seen so many Mountain Bluebirds in one day - even in Carizzo Plain. Even if I combine the ones in the valley, the daily total must have been at least 500 (ok - so I didn't count each bird...). My overall opinion was that there were loads of first year birds/females with dull coloration. The bright males were about 1 in 10. So I'm making the totally unscientific observation that last year was a good breeding year for Mtn. Bluebirds. Back to Panoche Road to look for Mtn. Plovers. How to find them. I rationalized that if the Ferruginous Hawk was feeding further out than normal, that's where the birds would be. So I drove out to the olive tree farm and looked on the near side - no luck. Kept driving. Saw patchy short-grass area just after farm and decided to check again. There they were - all over the place. Count with crappy optics yielded 27, but there were so many bobbing in and out of view below horizon of hillocks. Pulled out scope and counted 49. Estimated many more beyond hillocks. Distant flock of 2-300 birds raising up and down again was guessed to be possible Horned Larks and House Finches. Never got close enough to tell. On the way back, Ferruginous Hawk was just past intersection of Panoche and Recalde Roads. Go figure. I thanked him for helping me find the plovers. Only results from driving over Shotgun Pass and looking for other species was a high-flying Golden Eagle. Heard that Mercy Hot Springs had day count of 10 Long-eared Owls which is a great improvement over pre-Christmas count of 2. Where do they go when not at Mercy Hot Springs, I wonder. Is there another owl hangout - perhaps in the BLM? I chose not to visit them. On the way home, last sighting was of huge (I know I overuse the term, but I still get excited when I see lots of birds) flock of birds between just west of Panoche Inn. Scope views turn up searched for Horned Lark flock mixed with House Finch and Mourning Doves. I estimate about 100 Horned Larks, 300 House Finches and the previously counted 100 Mourning Doves. Other birds of the day were about 6 Say's Phoebe, 5 Red-tailed Hawk and some Western Bluebirds on the way home. Notable misses were Lawrence's Goldfinch, although I think I heard a couple fly over at the olive ranch (refer to poor optics), Lewis's Woodpecker (where are they hiding?), Merlin, Prairie Falcon and Burrowing Owl (I don't even consider Chukar a miss anymore since I've not seen them in 10 years of searching). Have a great time birding! It's possible even with poor quality optics! Jean Myers birdermom AT mac.com P.S. Want to help fight 4,800 acres of solar panels (including the cement pads, roads and fences that accompany them) in Panoche Valley - visit savepanochevalley.com. _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Western bluebirds From: "Kellie D. Morgantini" <tula AT hughes.net> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:59:35 -0800 This morning - 5 adult m & f at Chalone creek south Monterey county Sent from my iPhone with leetle teeny buttons, so please excuse the occasional mispailings. Kellie D. Morgantini Southern Monterey County _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Panoche Plovers and Trikes From: Peter Headland <Peter AT matrixlink.com> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:47:44 -0800 mdodder AT sbcglobal.net wrote: > > > They were on Panoche Road, about two miles east of the junction with > New Idria Road. (If you reach the dip in the road or the end of the > pavement or, you have gone too far). A large field on the left shortly > before the dip is where we observed roughly 50 individuals. Ted > Chandik's group located closer to 100 > Jane Tatchell and I counted 60 at the same spot yesterday; the undulating ground may have hidden more. We also had 30+ Mountain Bluebirds in the same field. People we met reported large flocks of Mountain Bluebirds on [New] Idria Road. Just west of the Plovers and Bluebirds, we found a flock of ~200 Tricolored Blackbirds. No other blackbird spp in the flock that we could see, just a handful of starlings. Other notables: two Prairie Falcons, one of which was exceptionally confiding (this one was at the corral about 2 miles west of Panoche Inn); lots of Lark Sparrows; a light Ferruginous Hawk at the school (also confiding); a Bald Eagle and a Golden Eagle sharing a thermal over Paicines reservoir. If you head out there this weekend, be aware that the road edges and the dirt roads are very soft. And now, we're off to Merced NWR... -- Peter Headland _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Some Santa Cruz Birds From: stephengerow AT aol.com Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:00:51 -0500 Today around mid-morning the ROCK SANDPIPER was back along West Cliff Drive. At first it was resting with Surfbirds and Black Tunrstones on a ledge near the end of Columbia Street, then flew with that flock to the area around the west edge of Lighthouse Field, foraging with a larger flock that also included some Sanderlings. In Bethany Curve Park, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was singing for a while, apparently inspired by the sunny weather. I don't remember hearing wintering Orange-crowneds sing in mid-winter, at least not much before spring migrants start to arrive in late February. This bird was giving a song that was a bit slower and looser and slightly lower pitched than the local breeding lutescens. Yesterday (Jan. 27) an adult PEREGRINE FALCON flew over the inland part of Natural Bridges, and a HOUSE WREN was in the scrub near the entrance kiosk. Along West Cliff Drive yesterday there was a movement of gulls down the coast (mostly California, Western, and Glaucous-winged, in order of abundance), with about 1100 flying eastward in the course of about an hour and a half. There were also a moderate number of BROWN PELICANS moving down the coast, with about 120 flying by during that period. Another Brown Pelican flew in and swam in Antonelli Pond for a while (where they almost never occur), but eventually flew, circling to gain altitude before continuing eastward. The pond also still had an adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON and two COMMON GOLDENEYES. Steve Gerow Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Bonaparte's Gull From: stephengerow AT aol.com Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:37:47 -0500 This afternoon a lone adult BONAPARTE'S GULL flew over Garfield Park (Almar Ave. X Pendegast St. in Santa Cruz, about six blocks inland), flying at a fairly low level more or less from north to south. It was my first for 2010 (and actually the first I have seen in the area since October. Steve Gerow Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Coastal locations 1/25/10 From: Dominik Mosur <polskatata AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:27:06 -0800 (PST) Yesterday morning I did a grassland birds survey along HWY 1 between the north and south ends of Swanton Road. Some of the looked for grassland species found included: WHITE-TAILED KITE (2 in the area of Swanton Rd pond) AMERICAN KESTREL (3, 1 AT mm 33.51, 2 near Swanton Rd. pond) TURKEY VULTURES (3, over the pond area) SAY'S PHOEBE (3, in the open range across from mm 33.51, pasture on north side of Scott Creek lagoon/wetland, Swanton pond) SAVANNAH SPARROW (one in the weedy field west of HWY 1 at mm 33.51, a county life bird) RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (~ 70 with blackbird/starling flock near the pond) TRI-COLORED BLACKBIRD (high count of 122 in flock near the pond) Grassland species looked/listened for but completely missed included Northern Harrier (there was one just north of Davenport but out of my survey area), Golden Eagle, Burrowing Owl, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Bluebird, American Pipit, Lark Sparrow and Western Meadowlark. I did hear calls of a fly-over pipit at one point near the pond but that quickly morphed into the calls of a Killdeer, at which point I knew I 'd been had by a starling. Other stuff of local interest in this area included a flock of roosting gulls at Scott Creek beach that included (2) adult THAYER'S, (2) adult HERRING, (6) HEERMANN'S, (10) CALIFORNIA, (5) GLAUCOUS-WINGED and a MEW as well as ~90 WESTERN GULLS. I had a personal high of (79!) SNOWY PLOVERS at Scott Creek along with (5) SANDERLINGS and (8) WHIMBRELS. There were also (31) BROWN PELICANS roosting with the gulls. Along HWY 1 AT mm 33.51 and again at Swanton Road I watched a PEREGRINE FALCON (male, likely the same bird) first going after an oystercatcher on the terraces below and later reshuffling the starling/blackbird flock, much to my despair as I attempted to count those birds. After I finished with the survey I headed down to the south county where I missed the Tropical Kingbird on Lee Rd. but got some new SCZ birds like AMERICAN WHITE PELICA (10 at Struve), OSPREY (at Harkins), GT GRACKLES (15 at the farmstead on north Lee), CANVASBACKS (14 at Harkins). Also at Neary Lagoon I saw the wintering WOOD DUCKS through the fence as the hung out with mallards on the wastewater treatment ponds above the lagoon (4m , 3f) Good birding, Dominik Mosur San Francisco _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: More on Mountain Plovers in Panoche Valley From: Clay Kempf <ltjaeger AT att.net> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:41:04 -0800 The Panoche Valley Mt Plovers have been seen in two areas that I know of this year; the most frequent location being the one Matthew and others have described in other posts here. However, it seems that they do move around. The first sighting of the year seems to be Chris Wolfe's sighting on Nov 22, along Little Panoche Rd, about 2/3 of the way from the T Intersection towards Shotgun Pass. Extensive searching on Jan 3 (the CBC) came up empty along the entirety of Little Panoche Rd. Late in the day, however, Jennifer Green located a medium sized flock of 28 birds along Panoche Rd near Crystal Springs Ranch, which is where they have been seen since, including on the dates reported on here. Efforts in this location on Nov 21 by Earl Lebow and me were unsuccessful. The Jan 9th sighting was particularly intriguing, as we spent considerable time scanning the "regular field" to no avail. After about 20 minutes, we headed out, only to have Lynn Flint, and the last couple of cars in the caravan notice a flock of shorebirds wheeling in flight over the field. Those of us who had departed were quickly radioed and returned immediately. The plovers (my estimate was around 80 birds) spent at least 5 minutes flying over the field before finally landing. We watched for awhile, only to have them take flight several times more, eventually flying out of sight into the direction of Little Panoche Rd. Some brief scanning along Little Panoche did not refind the birds (although we did find the dark/rufous morph Ferruginous Hawk that has been frequenting the area). But the evidence seems to point to the birds moving back and forth between Little Panoche Rd and Panoche Rd. Mountain Plover location in Panoche Valley varies from year to year, but once found, the plovers seem to favor the same field or two within the valley for that particular winter. The following winter they will often hang out in a completely different area, but again, once they're located, they're loyal to that field. Birders visiting Panoche Valley early in the winter season are encouraged to scan all short grass fields to find the bird's favored hangout for that season. While Panoche Valley continues to be heavily birded, efforts to find the initial plover flocks always need augmentation. With the death of Steve Allison several years ago (I still miss him), and with Debi Shearwater spending more time out of the country, two of the most consistent Panoche birders/Mt Plover finders have been reduced or entirely taken out of the equation. And with so much plover habitat in the valley (at least until the Solargen project gets underway), the effort to locate them initially remains a fun, but sometimes frustrating, challenge. Clay Kempf During On Jan 25, 2010, at 2:26 PM, mdodder AT sbcglobal.net wrote: > All, > > Sorry for the delay in clarifying the location of Saturday's > Mountain Plovers. Here is where they were located: > > They were on Panoche Road, about two miles east of the junction with > New Idria Road. (If you reach the dip in the road or the end of the > pavement or, you have gone too far). A large field on the left > shortly before the dip is where we observed roughly 50 individuals. > Ted Chandik's group located closer to 100 and tipped us off as we > headed toward New Idria. The birds were scattered around the entire > field, with perhaps more birds on the south west corner, some only > 20 yards from our cars. We remained in our cars and viewed the > Mountain Plovers from there so we wouldn't flush them. Brooke Miller > captured some images, which can be viewed on her site: http://idbirds.smugmug.com/Birding/2010-01-23-Panoche-Valley/11039865_cKHsJ/1/772369423_T9TfG > > Matthew Dodder > http://www.birdguy.net > _______________________________________________ > mbb mailing list > mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu > http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Reminder: Great Backyard Bird Count: February 12-15, 2010 From: lammergeiereyes AT aol.com Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:53:44 -0500 As a reminder to all who may be interested, Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology are sponsoring the 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count on February 12-15, 2010. Participation is straightforward and free. What's more, by watching your feeder on the scheduled days and submitting your observations, you'll be contributing to an important and unique wellspring of data that helps conservationists, scientists and policy makers gauge the health of North America's bird populations. More information is available at www.birdcount.org, and flyers are available at the Wild Bird Center in Monterey's Del Monte Center. For any further information on how to get involved, please feel free to contact me. Best, Blake T. Matheson President, Monterey Audubon Society Legal Advisor, The Xerces Society "Men still live who, in their youth, remember Passenger Pigeons. Trees still live who, in their youth, were shaken by a living wind. But a decade hence only the oldest oaks will remember, and at long last only the hills will know." Leopold (1949). _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: More from the Garden; 2 Lincoln's Sparrows; Orange-crowned Warbler From: lammergeiereyes AT aol.com Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:38:36 -0500 Another sampling fromt the garden. The Red-Breasted Sapsucker and White-breasted Nuthatch have been absent since December. At least one Lincoln's sparrow is overwintering here, as I've seen it every day without fail. It was, however, joined by a second this afternoon. Also my second Orange-crowned Warbler this week was foraging in Myoporum and Cypress as the weather broke. >From E-Bird; Rock Pigeon - Columba livia 2 Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto 2 Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura 7 Anna's Hummingbird - Calypte anna 1 Acorn Woodpecker - Melanerpes formicivorus 4 Nuttall's Woodpecker - Picoides nuttallii 1 Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans 1 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) - Aphelocoma californica californica 2 American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 7 Chestnut-backed Chickadee - Poecile rufescens 6 Oak Titmouse - Baeolophus inornatus 2 Bushtit - Psaltriparus minimus 9 Brown Creeper - Certhia americana 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula 2 Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus 1 European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris 5 Orange-crowned Warbler - Vermivora celata 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata 3 Townsend's Warbler - Dendroica townsendi 2 California Towhee - Pipilo crissalis 2 Fox Sparrow - Passerella iliaca 1 Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 1 Lincoln's Sparrow - Melospiza lincolnii 2 White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys 17 Golden-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia atricapilla 9 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) - Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group] 7 House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus 10 American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis 8 Best, Blake T. Matheson President, Monterey Audubon Society Legal Advisor, The Xerces Society "Men still live who, in their youth, remember Passenger Pigeons. Trees still live who, in their youth, were shaken by a living wind. But a decade hence only the oldest oaks will remember, and at long last only the hills will know." Leopold (1949). Best, Blake T. Matheson President, Monterey Audubon Society Legal Advisor, The Xerces Society "Men still live who, in their youth, remember Passenger Pigeons. Trees still live who, in their youth, were shaken by a living wind. But a decade hence only the oldest oaks will remember, and at long last only the hills will know." Leopold (1949). =_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: East Santa Cruz curlews, scaup From: David Sidle <dsidle AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:18:41 -0800 I decided to brave the elements and headed to Seabright beach late this afternoon. While huddled against the Walton lighthouse I noticed 3 LONG-BILLED CURLEWS fly toward Twin Lakes beach, presumably the same wintering 3 that were reported in this exact area several times in December. Seabright beach had at least 51 SNOWY PLOVERS resting amongst copious driftwood, quite close to the jetty, with some Sanderlings with them and 3 Black-bellied Plovers nearby. Schwan Lake had 2 Western and 1 Clark's Grebe close to the road. I walked up along the path on the north side of the lake and found 11 SCAUP, 6 female, 5 male, presumably all GREATER. David Sidle Santa Cruz _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390707/direct/01/_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Mountain Plovers in Panoche Valley From: mdodder AT sbcglobal.net Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:26:37 -0800 (PST) All, Sorry for the delay in clarifying the location of Saturday's Mountain Plovers. Here is where they were located: They were on Panoche Road, about two miles east of the junction with New Idria Road. (If you reach the dip in the road or the end of the pavement or, you have gone too far). A large field on the left shortly before the dip is where we observed roughly 50 individuals. Ted Chandik's group located closer to 100 and tipped us off as we headed toward New Idria. The birds were scattered around the entire field, with perhaps more birds on the south west corner, some only 20 yards from our cars. We remained in our cars and viewed the Mountain Plovers from there so we wouldn't flush them. Brooke Miller captured some images, which can be viewed on her site: http://idbirds.smugmug.com/Birding/2010-01-23-Panoche-Valley/11039865_cKHsJ/1/772369423_T9TfG Matthew Dodderhttp://www.birdguy.net_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Re: Fwd: [SBB] Mountain Plovers at Panoche Valley From: Katherine Klein <12okudaklein AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:54:19 -0800 We saw a large flock of Mountain Plovers on Jan. 9th when Clay K. led the SCVAS trip. Katherine Klein Aptos On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 12:53 PM, Mark Eaton wrote: > I can't help wondering if the plovers are easier to find or even move > into the valley as winter becomes more severe. > > Mark > > __ > Mark Eaton > mark AT markeaton.org > > Begin forwarded message: > > *From:* Nancy Teater > *Date:* January 25, 2010 8:10:14 PST > *To:* south-bay-birds AT yahoogroups.com > *Cc:* Judith Dunham > *Subject:* *[SBB] Mountain Plovers at Panoche Valley* > > > > I have traveled to Panoche Valley nearly every January over the past 15 > years and every year have been told it's a good place to see Mountain > Plovers. Hah! No MOPL until last Saturday, when the members of Ted > Chandik's Fly By Dawn group saw two good-sized flocks that had maybe 100 > to 200 birds. > > Matthew Dodder's group was also there and saw the birds as well. As to > the exact location, Matthew would be a more reliable source than me. > Matthew and company also saw Mountain Bluebirds, but we missed them. > > We were lucky enough to have good weather except for scattered showers > in the afternoon. > Nancy > __._,_.___ > Reply to sender| Reply > to group > Messages in this topic( > 1) > Recent Activity: > > - New Members > 3 > - New Photos > 6 > > Visit Your Group Start > a New Topic > South Bay Birds list (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/south-bay-birds) > > MARKETPLACE > > Going Green: Your Yahoo! Groups resource for green living > [image: Yahoo! Groups] > Switch to: Text-Only, > Daily Digest• > Unsubscribe• Terms > of Use > . > > __,_._,___ > > > _______________________________________________ > mbb mailing list > mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu > http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb > >_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Fwd: [SBB] Mountain Plovers at Panoche Valley From: Mark Eaton <marksffo AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:53:58 -0800 I can't help wondering if the plovers are easier to find or even move into the valley as winter becomes more severe. Mark __ Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org Begin forwarded message: *From:* Nancy Teater *Date:* January 25, 2010 8:10:14 PST *To:* south-bay-birds AT yahoogroups.com *Cc:* Judith Dunham *Subject:* *[SBB] Mountain Plovers at Panoche Valley* I have traveled to Panoche Valley nearly every January over the past 15 years and every year have been told it's a good place to see Mountain Plovers. Hah! No MOPL until last Saturday, when the members of Ted Chandik's Fly By Dawn group saw two good-sized flocks that had maybe 100 to 200 birds. Matthew Dodder's group was also there and saw the birds as well. As to the exact location, Matthew would be a more reliable source than me. Matthew and company also saw Mountain Bluebirds, but we missed them. We were lucky enough to have good weather except for scattered showers in the afternoon. Nancy __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group Messages in this topic( 1) Recent Activity: - New Members 3 - New Photos 6 Visit Your Group Start a New Topic South Bay Birds list (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/south-bay-birds) MARKETPLACE Going Green: Your Yahoo! Groups resource for green living [image: Yahoo! Groups] Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest• Unsubscribe• Terms of Use . __,_._,__________________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Common Merganser From: "David Ekdahl" <dekdahl AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:13:57 -0800 Yesterday, Connie and I saw 15 Common Merganser on the San Lorenzo River, at the Henry Cowell bridge. There were 6 males and 9 females. It was very interesting watching their interactions; there were frequent chases, males raising and spreading their tails, and females raising their head feathers. David Ekdahl_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: (no subject) From: Katherine Klein <12okudaklein AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:27:51 -0800 Hooded Mergansers (2 females, 1 male), Common Goldeneyes (2 females and 2 males), plus the usual winter Red-breasted Mergansers, Pied-billed Grebes, and Buffleheads have been in Whistlestop Lagoon, Elkhorn Slough for over a week. They were still there yesterday afternoon. This is the first time I've seen Hooded Mergansers at ES. Katherine Klein Aptos_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Hooded Merganser at Neary lagoon From: Paul Van Loan <pvanloan AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:13:02 -0800 A beautiful male HOODED MERGANSER was seen this morning (1/25) at the large pool at Neary lagoon, swimming with a small group of seven male and female WOOD DUCKS. No female was sighted. Whether this is the same individual that has been seen here off and on for the last month we do not know. Paul Van Loan Santa Cruz_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Tropical Kingbird at Lee Rd. From: Cynthia J Frakes <cefrakes AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:16:13 -0800 (PST) Saturday morning 10am saw the continuing TROPICAL KINGBIRD at Lee Rd., in Watsonville, north side of Struve Slough, in the field across the road (east) from the barn.  Likes the open pasture and surrounding shrubs--perching on dried stalks of plants and tips of shrubs to stage short flights about the area.  Stayed on east side of Lee Rd the whole time.   _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: White-winged Scoters From: DSUDDJIAN AT aol.com Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:09:00 EST I stopped in at Capitola Beach late this afternoon. The highlight was a male and female WHITE-WINGED SCOTER that were flying to the west fairly high over the ocean. The snow-clad Santa Lucia Mountains provided a lovely backdrop as I watched them pass by. Memorable. These were the first White-winged Scoters I've seen off Capitola in a long time. The low tide beach had a very nice gull flock with some easy-to-pick-out Thayer's Gulls. David Suddjian Capitola_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Elkhorn Slough & Dolan Road From: Oscar Johnson <henicorhina AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:59:46 -0800 (PST) Meagan Oldfather and I checked these spots this afternoon. The Dolan Road Goose flock had 16 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, 18 Minima CACKLING GEESE, and 3 SNOW GEESE. The Prairie Falcon was nowhere to be seen, but there was an adult PEREGRINE over Moro Cojo Slough. On Elkhorn Slough itself, the LESSER FLAMINGO continued opposite Moonglow Dairy. Good birding, Oscar Johnson Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: a few SC birds From: Alexander Gaguine <gaguine AT baymoon.com> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:16:25 -0800 I live a couple blocks behind Lighthouse Field, and saw my first yard RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER yesterday, in a pear tree (no it wasn't a partridge). Today along West Cliff, a SAY'S PHOEBE was on a rip-rap rock, behind a very large boulder, but so close to the surf that if had to fly up to avoid the spray. When I returned to the spot 30 minutes later, a Black Turnstone and a Surfbird had taken its place. Two WILLETS were also on the rocks - I have seen very few along here this winter. 5-6 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were in two loose groups. Other birds, too. Alexander _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Shrike and Santa Cruz miscellaneous From: stephengerow AT aol.com Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:47:44 -0500 Yesterday (January 23) I was surprised to see a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE sitting atop a dead agave stalk just outside the east border of Moore Creek Preserve. This is in a private yard at the east edge of the west branch canyon (viewable from the upper switchback on the Moore Creek Trail coming up from the bridge). When I have found shrikes on the preserve in the past, they have always been in the open grasslands of the western portion, usually along the west fenceline. The yard that this shrike was in does border on a large open grassland area on the ridge between the two branches of the creek (no public access), so it was not too out of habitat, but it is the only one I have seen in the Santa Cruz area this winter. Today a bright RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was in trees along Golf Club Drive between Pogonip and the railroad underpass. Another unseen sapsucker was calling in Pogonip, in a grove of acacias below the old clubhouse. In the early morning a female GADWALL was with two Mallards in the Kalkar Quarry Pond. Also yesterday (1/23) a continuing NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER was calling in Natural Bridges. An adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was in the willows at Antonelli Pond, the first I have seen there in over a month, and there were still at least two COMMON GOLDENEYES. FORSTER'S TERNS appeared off West Cliff a couple of times in the last week, with four off Columbia St. on Jan 18, and one off Almar on Jan. 21. PEREGRINE FALCONS included the continuing dark juv. at Lighthouse Field on Jan. 18, and a more lightly marked juv. at the Santa Cruz main Beach on Jan. 20. Recent MERLINS include ones at West Cliff and Getchell on Jan. 19, Delaware Ave. near Woodrow on Jan. 21, and at the Meder St. entrance to Moore Preserve on Jan. 23. And AMERICAN ROBINS seem to be in good numbers all over the place. Steve Gerow Santa Cruz _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Re: RE: Pt Piños this afternoon From: lammergeiereyes AT aol.com Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:07:57 -0500 Nancy If they are looking for a Wandering Tattler I saw and reported one about 5 days ago from the vicinity of Bird Rock in Pebble Beach. Surfbirds are abundant in that area as well, as are Pacific Loon- Rhino Auklet should also be doable there [typically only as a distant flyby] Best, Blake T. Matheson President, Monterey Audubon Society Legal Advisor, The Xerces Society "Men still live who, in their youth, remember Passenger Pigeons. Trees still live who, in their youth, were shaken by a living wind. But a decade hence only the oldest oaks will remember, and at long last only the hills will know." Leopold (1949). -----Original Message----- From: Nancy Collins To: MBB Sent: Sat, Jan 23, 2010 10:11 pm Subject: [MBB] RE: Pt Piños this afternoon Hi Steve and fellow birders, Pete and I met the same group of Spanish birders, one of whom is a serious ornithologiist. We invited them to spend the night at our home in Soquel. They will be in the area until tomorrow end of day. If any one knows the birds they are seeking might be found I would appreciate a reply sent to my email address. Thanks and good birding, Nancy Collins (and Pete Solé) Desired birds include: Wandering Tattler Thayer's Gull, Rhinoceros Auklet Pacific Loon Virginia Rail Sora Wood Duck _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: San Antonio Lake From: Greg Meyer <gmeyer AT csumb.edu> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:14:34 -0800 Hello All - Great weekend at San Antonio in spite of the unsettled weather. The lake is very low - the web says it is down 50 ft but it looks like it is more like 30 feet below the high line. The grebes will probably not be breeding there this year as there is no emergent vegetation but there are lots of mudflats and the wigeon and geese are happy! We watched two juvenile bald eagles working the waterfowl flocks and saw a pair of adult BAEA have a great vocal interaction with lots of wonderful calls. Highlight birds included: BALD EAGLE, GOLDEN EAGLE, GREATER WHITE FRONTED GOOSE ( small flock of about 15 birds mixed-in with the other geese ), CACKLING GOOSE (more than 40 birds), CANADA GOOSE (100 - 200 hundred), DUNLIN, 9 species of duck, WESTERN AND CLARK'S GREBE and more KILLDEER than I have ever seen in one place! -- Greg Meyer, M.A. Outdoor Education and Recreation Program Kinesiology Department, Valley Hall 82D California State University Monterey Bay 100 Campus Center Seaside, CA 93955_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Hurricane Point Rough-legged Hawk continues From: Brian Sullivan <bls42 AT cornell.edu> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 10:46:21 -0800 Birders This morning I looked for the reported Rough-legged Hawk south of Bixby Bridge and found it hunting high over the saddle above Hurricane Point. I was able to get some distant photos. The bird looks like a light-morph juvenile. A great county year bird! Thanks Brian -- =========== Brian L. Sullivan Pacific Grove, CA eBird/AKN Project Leader www.ebird.org www.avianknowledge.net Photographic Editor, Birds of North America Online http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA Cornell Lab of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. Ithaca, NY 14850 Photographic Editor, North American Birds American Birding Association www.americanbirding.org bls42 AT cornell.edu 609-694-3280 -------------------------------_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Burrowing Owls From: Nancy Collins <nancy AT lighthousenet.com> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 09:31:29 -0800 On the way to Pt Piños Saturday afternoon, we had great looks at seven BURROWING OWLS at the ranch along Del Monte Blvd between Charles Benson Road (the entrance to Monterey Regional Waste Management), and the intersection of Lapis Road and Del Monte Just outside of Marina. Nancy Collins Soquel, CA_______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: BUOW From: Janet Linthicum <janetlinthicum35 AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 08:34:00 -0800 For those of you who are interested in the Wilder bird , I will be in the wilder parking lot at 10, weather permitting. Sent from my iPhone _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: RE: Pt Piños this afternoon From: Nancy Collins <nancy AT lighthousenet.com> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 08:18:10 -0800 Muchisimas gracias to all who responded. The spanish travelers were most appreciative of your suggestions and are well on their way to a great day of birding. Nancy Collins Soquel _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: RE: Pt Piños this afternoon From: Nancy Collins <nancy AT lighthousenet.com> Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 22:11:36 -0800 Hi Steve and fellow birders, Pete and I met the same group of Spanish birders, one of whom is a serious ornithologiist. We invited them to spend the night at our home in Soquel. They will be in the area until tomorrow end of day. If any one knows the birds they are seeking might be found I would appreciate a reply sent to my email address. Thanks and good birding, Nancy Collins (and Pete Solé) Desired birds include: Wandering Tattler Thayer's Gull, Rhinoceros Auklet Pacific Loon Virginia Rail Sora Wood Duck _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Surf Scoter at Corcoran From: Shantanu Phukan <phukan AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:57:53 -0800 (GMT-08:00) At Corcoran Lagoon (by the Live Oak Public Library) there was a male Surf Scoter in among the Mallards--a very strange sight and a good size comparision--the Mallards looked gigantic by comparison. Has anyone seen Scoters in the lagoon--it was nowhere near the beach and very far in and only a few feet from the cattails. Shantanu Phukan SCZ Shantanu Phukan Santa Cruz/San Jose _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb Subject: Panoche Valley 01-23-10 From: Matthew Dodder <mdodder AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:04:19 -0800 All, I led my Palo Alto Adult School birding class through Panoche Valley today. We began at Paicines Reservoir and followed Panoche Road all the way to the junction with Little Panoche Road. After a brief exploration of Panoche Road beyond the junction headed toward New Idria, we doubled back.We made our way back to Hwy 5 via Mercey Hot Springs. We did not venture on the BLM Road, and discovered Recalde Road was closed to cars. Generally, we found the road quite navigable with no flooding anywhere, save a few puddles where you might expect in areas where the creek crosses the road. Highlights were many, beginning with a FERRUGINOUS HAWK and 2 CASSIN'S KINGBIRDS from the turnout overlooking Paicines Reservoir. Also present here was a single VESPER SPARROW just below the turnout. This was fortunate as our usual VESP stop along Recalde was off limits today. RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW was found in the dense chaparral by the side of the road leading toward "Eagle's Nest", but a ROCK WREN we heard, resisted being seen. The first ranch we visited was Grave Ranch where we found little of note, but the SECOND ranch produced a female PHAINOPEPLA and two LEWIS'S WOODPECKER. PRAIRIE FALCON was seen over the ridge as well as GOLDEN EAGLE between here and the "Eagle's Nest" cliff. The third ranch provided us with great looks at our only male PHAINOPEPLA. Somewhere before reaching the valley we paused at a small pond below the road. Here we found several barnyard geese, but also present were two female COMMON GOLDENEYES and a female BUFFLEHEAD. The walnut grove, or "former" walnut grove shortly before reaching the valley contained a male RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER which moved deliberately from tree to tree, allowing us great views of this brilliant bird. Beginnining on the west end the valley floor we had no less than 200 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS of the day, mostly congregated a few hundred yards west of the Panoche Inn and in the field located near the junction with Recalde. Also present on the west end were hundreds of HORNED LARKS and a surprising group of roughly 100 LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. Other birds of interest here were 2 GREATER ROADRUNNERS located between the west-end Mountain Plovers and the Panoche Inn. These birds were in the cattle enclosure by the large rusted tank just before we reached our lunch stop at Panoche Inn. We encountered yet another FERRUGINOUS HAWK on Panoche Road beyond the junction with New Idria Road. We bumped into Ted Chandik several times during the day, and in the late afternoon he tipped us off on a group of Mountain Plovers on Panoche Road in a field just before the pavement ends near Silver Creek Ranch. Indeed, we found 50 or so MOUNTAIN PLOVERS in this area, but I think Ted saw more. Thanks for the tip Ted! At Mercey Hot Springs we counted 15 LONG-EARED OWLS in two different trees. One tree was by the restrooms, the other near the parking lot. Matthew Dodder Mountain View, CA http://www.birdguy.net http://www.zazzle.com/mdodder _______________________________________________ mbb mailing list mbb AT lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu http://lists.pbsci.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/mbb