Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Peninsula Birding > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Friday, November 6 at 06:03 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Zapata Wren,©Barry Kent Mackay

07 Nov Radio Road Black Skimmers ["IIWI1" ] 6 Nov Bayside birds ["Kris Olson" ] 5 Nov SFBBO Shorebird survey ["Kris Olson" ] 4 Nov Bayfront Park - Probable YH Blackbird etc. [Rich Ferrick ] 3 Nov Tropical Kingbird still there today [Virginia Marshall ] 03 Nov Monday at Pescadero Lake ["squirtz72" ] 2 Nov North County Coast 11/2/09: (cont.) TRKI [Dominik Mosur ] 2 Nov first Varied Thrush on Skyline [Janet Hanson ] 2 Nov FW: ferruginous hawk over Sand Hill & Alameda/Alpine ["Kris Olson" ] 1 Nov Celata Orange-crowned Warbler, ECDoves, and Brussels Sprouts Field [Jennifer Rycenga ] 1 Nov Pescadero Marsh Rails etc. 10/31/2009 [] 1 Nov RE: Tropical Kingbird-Princeton Marsh ["Kris Olson" ] 1 Nov White Fronted Goose [Virginia Marshall ] 1 Nov Tropical Kingbird-Princeton Marsh ["Leonie Batkin" ] 1 Nov Halloween in Menlo Park [Robert Dell'Immagine ] 01 Nov Golden Eagle, Arastradero, October 31st ["henriksondergaard" ] 31 Oct Tropical Kingbird at Moss Beach Bluffs ["James Barnes" ] 31 Oct (Yellow-shafted) Northern Flicker 10/31/09 ["geodani55" ] 30 Oct Peregrine Falcon in Half Moon Bay ["maliadances" ] 30 Oct Update on location of Short-tailed Albatross ["Kris Olson" ] 30 Oct Report of Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oct. 15-22 ["Kris Olson" ] 30 Oct white-throated sparrow, FOS, in our yard ["squirtz72" ] 29 Oct Red Phalarope at Pescadero Marsh etc. ["Garth Harwood" ] 27 Oct RE: FW: White-throated Sparrow in Sharon Heights ["Kris Olson" ] 27 Oct Re: FW: White-throated Sparrow in Sharon Heights [Bob Power ] 27 Oct FW: White-throated Sparrow in Sharon Heights ["Kris Olson" ] 27 Oct [not a sighting] More info on the Short-tailed Albatross' travels ["Kris Olson" ] 26 Oct Radio Rd, Redwood Shores, tonight ["Kris Olson" ] 27 Oct Monday magic on the Mountain ["squirtz72" ] 26 Oct Fitzgerald MR Moss Beach [Barbara Kossy ] 26 Oct gull arrivals. ["Alvaro Jaramillo" ] 25 Oct Jasper Ridge/Stanford ["Kris Olson" ] 25 Oct San Mateo mid-coast Oct. 24 ["Kris Olson" ] 25 Oct Redwood Shores Hooded Merganser ["IIWI1" ] 23 Oct RE: Palm Warbler & Clay-colored Sparrow at Colma Creek ["Kris Olson" ] 23 Oct Palm Warbler & Clay-colored Sparrow at Colma Creek ["Garth Harwood" ] 22 Oct Osprey returns to Sanchez Creek Lagoon ["geodani55" ] 22 Oct Re: Map of October pelagic trips [Mark Eaton ] 22 Oct Re: Map of October pelagic trips [Mark Eaton ] 22 Oct Map of October pelagic trips ["Kris Olson" ] 22 Oct Lark Bunting-Biixby Park [Donald Pendleton ] 21 Oct Cackling Goose ar Redwood Shores [] 21 Oct FW: Palm Warbler at Ano Nuevo Oct. 18 ["Kris Olson" ] 21 Oct Suburban Menlo Park [Robert Dell'Immagine ] 20 Oct Ring-neck Ducks @ Crystal Springs 10/20/09 ["geodani55" ] 20 Oct FW: [MBB] Half Moon Bay Pelagic Trip: October 24th ["Kris Olson" ] 19 Oct RE: Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL ["Kris Olson" ] 18 Oct RE: Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL ["Alvaro Jaramillo" ] 18 Oct Re: Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL [Jennifer Rycenga ] 18 Oct Re: Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL [Mark Eaton ] 18 Oct Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL [Jennifer Rycenga ] 18 Oct Re: Marbled Murrelet Pillar Point [Adam Winer ] 18 Oct Marbled Murrelet, dead, at Pillar Point ["spectaclebear" ] 18 Oct Charleston Slough, Palo Alto, October 16th 2009 ["henriksondergaard" ] 18 Oct Marbled Murrelet Pillar Point ["michaelphelan" ] 17 Oct Article about albatross on Torishima [Robin Winslow Smith ] 17 Oct Fwd: More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) [Lisa Weber ] 16 Oct RE: More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) ["Alvaro Jaramillo" ] 16 Oct Re: More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) [Joseph Morlan ] 16 Oct [FW] Vesper Sparrows at Edgewood Park, Oct. 10 ["Kris Olson" ] 16 Oct More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) ["Kris Olson" ] 16 Oct American Redstart-Pillar Point ["mark" ] 16 Oct Re: Fwd: [CALBIRDS] Yellow Wagtail in San Mateo County [Joseph Morlan ] 15 Oct Radio Rd, Redwood Shores this evening ["Kris Olson" ] 15 Oct Cattle Egrets - Pillar Point Harbor. ["Alvaro Jaramillo" ] 15 Oct Wagtail - NO; searching in the morning again [Jennifer Rycenga ] 15 Oct Fwd: [CALBIRDS] Yellow Wagtail in San Mateo County [Jennifer Rycenga ] 16 Oct Fwd: [CALBIRDS] Yellow Wagtail in San Mateo County [Glen Tepke ] 15 Oct Spotted Sandpiper ["Susan E. Hons" ] 14 Oct Swainson's Hawk over San Mateo [] 14 Oct Pescadero Marsh 10/14/2009 ["Garth Harwood" ] 14 Oct RE: addendum to 10-12-09 Mori Point [Jeff Miller ] 14 Oct Yellow-headed Blackbird at Nob Hill Redwood Shores ["Leonie Batkin" ] 14 Oct More on yesterday's SFBBO pelagic -- photos ["Kris Olson" ] 14 Oct addendum to 10-12-09 Mori Point ["squirtz72" ] 13 Oct Two videos from the SBBO Pelgaic Trip 10/10/09 ["tomcrown69" ] Subject: Radio Road Black Skimmers From: "IIWI1" <tgoodier AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:01:34 -0000 I saw 16 Black Skimmers today (11/6/09 11:45) on Radio Road in Redwood Shores. They were on the strip of land between the two ponds next to the sewer plant. This is the most I've seen there at one time. None of them were banded so I know that more than 16 Skimmers use the sight. Tom Goodier Subject: Bayside birds From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 14:32:58 -0800 A few miscellaneous sightings from the past few days. Nov. 4, Wed - Milbrae (?) - the Osprey was present on a power tower across from the Embassy Suites at 9am but not at 12 noon. Nov. 4-Oyster Point - 11:30AM, high tide apparently - Clark's Grebe, Eared Grebe, 20 Greater Scaup; 3 Surf Scoters; 1 Brown pelican on the wharves along with 30 Forster's Terns, some Western Gulls and 1 Black Oystercatcher Nov. 4, Wed. - Marine Parkway and Bridge - a Belted Kingfisher female was across the channel on the Redwood Shores side, sitting on a dock post Nov. 5, Thurs - Redwood Shores, Nob Hill pond - made a 10 min stop behind the grocery store at 3pm. Loads of shorebirds and 30-50 Snowy Egrets were highlights. Also, 3 American White Pelicans, 15 or so Whimbrels, Avocets, Willets, Marbled Godwits, dowitchers. 50+ (did not count) Green-winged Teal. No terns in sight. October - Atherton, corner of Middlefield and Ringwood-several times I saw a pair of Acorn Woodpeckers busily stuffing acorns into the back of the silver light fixture. They flew from the light fixture to a large oak tree on the campus-back and forth. This occurred over several days. then I saw one of them. Yesterday (5pm, 5 sec look) I saw neither. Hope they stay around. I have seen them on the Menlo Atherton HS campus before. Kris Olson Good birding, Kris Olson Subject: SFBBO Shorebird survey From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 18:21:17 -0800 Birders, I got this in an email from SFBBO and thought you might be interested in the top-line results. (the more detailed report, link below, shows populations over time.) Starting on page 8 of the report, charts are shown for different species by different sections of the Bay. San Mateo County is areas H and I. We had the highest or second highest count for Whimbrels, Spotted Sandpipers, Willets, Ruddy Turnstones, Surfbirds, and Red Knots (found in only 2 locations for this survey). Kris 2008 Shorebird Survey Results From November 13-15, 2008, more than 150 staff and volunteers from San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, PRBO Conservation Science, Audubon California, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service counted shorebirds in the San Francisco Bay. We recently completed the report , which we are pleased to share with our membership and volunteers. During the census, volunteers counted more than over 343,000 shorebirds of 22 species in the Bay. The most abundant species in the Bay in 2008 was the Western Sandpiper (30% of total birds), followed by Dunlin (29%), Least Sandpiper (12%), American Avocet (8%), and Willet (6%). We also compared the 2008 numbers to those collected during censuses in 1990-92 and 2006-07. For many species, the number of individuals counted was remarkably similar over the last three years (2006-08). However, an initial comparison of the data from the 1990-92 and 2006-08 periods suggest some species, including American Avocet, appear to have increased while others such, as Dunlin may have decreased. Read the full report for more information, and thank you to all of the volunteers that helped collect this important data. http://www.sfbbo.org/docs/2008_SFBayShorebirdCensus_SummaryReport.pdf Subject: Bayfront Park - Probable YH Blackbird etc. From: Rich Ferrick <richferrick AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 02:24:48 +0000 (UTC) Hi Pen-Birders This morning (11/3, 745AM) there was a probable Yellow-headed Blackbird at Bayfront Park in Menlo Park. There was a large, mixed blackbird flock on the wires near the first parking lot and the YH Blackbird had its back to me but the side of its face was paler than the nearby Red-winged and Brewer's Blackbirds. It briefly turned to the side, and yellowish on throat/upper breast was evident. It then flew towards the center of the park, by itself, and did not return. Observation time was only about 5 seconds, but I'm fairly sure it was a YH Blackbird. Also, mid-day (1215PM), the first Chestnut-backed Chickadee that I have recorded at Bayfront Park was in the NE corner of the park in the trees at the top of the hill. Two Western Bluebirds were in the area as well. Rich Ferrick Subject: Tropical Kingbird still there today From: Virginia Marshall <ginnybirder AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 14:28:18 -0800 (PST) I finally got a little time to try for the Kingbird at Maverick's parking lot at Pillar Point around 1:00.  I didn't even have to leave the parking lot before I spotted it on top of a conifer accross the road from the entrance.  Good birding, Ginny [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Monday at Pescadero Lake From: "squirtz72" <fair80 AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:56:20 -0000 Although there were several tempting bird sightings this weekend to pursue, we decided to follow Garth's suggestion to check out Pescadero Marsh, which is now a lake. You have to see it to believe it. Sand has blocked the lagoon's outlet to the ocean, and everything is underwater, except for the Sequoia Audubon Trail (has a few low spots), and the southern levee (one serious low spot just past the bridge). The North Pond is now a very large lake that covers the entire marsh, all the way up to the trail. The two feeder creeks, the Butano and the Pescadero, are indeterminate, all just part of a huge body of water. You have to see it! The weather was beautiful, hot and sunny. We first went out the south marsh trail to the metal bridge. We tried for rails but didn't hear or see any. There were many coots, and four Northern Harriers. Two of them may have been siblings, because they were playing with each other in the willows in Delta Marsh. While scanning the coots for a possible moorhen, I spied a dark-headed duck, which eventually proved to be a Ring-necked male. We could see that there were more ducks in the north marsh lake, so we went to the free parking lot and made our usual way over the bridge, under the bridge, and along the trail to the north marsh overlook. Of course, all the ducks flushed when our heads crested the levee, so we proceeded east to the wooden bridge where the two trails come together. The bridge approach was underwater, and the bridge deck is at water level. We managed to get across, rather than go all the way around, but if you go, follow the arrows for the Sequoia Audubon Trail, rather than the trail that hugs the marsh. On top of the levee where the water gates and the sandbags are, there was a huge amount of driftwood. Savannah Sparrows were running along the wood. The Pescadero Creek was very quiet. A female Belted Kingfisher, flushed from the beach cliff as we crossed the Highway 1 bridge, accompanied us. We had one chickadee, one female Common Yellowthroat, one Ruby-crowned Kinglet. All the action was on the water, with many ducks. We found more Ring-necks, pintails, American Wigeons, Green-winged Teal, a few Gadwall, and a small flock of Mallards. One male Blue-winged Teal flew west to the traditional north pond area. It was hot, sunny, quiet, and eerie. I felt like we were in a swamp. As we made our way back to the beach, I saw a man in a canoe in the lake. I was so envious! That's exactly what I wanted to be doing. The gulls took turns flying back and forth from the north lake to the beach. The Californias were mostly in the lagoon, and the Westerns were mostly on the beach. There were no shorebirds anywhere. Location: Pescadero State Beach Observation date: 11/2/09 Notes: Pescadero Lake. Number of species: 46 Gadwall 20 American Wigeon 200 Mallard 6 Blue-winged Teal 1 Northern Shoveler 35 Northern Pintail 10 Green-winged Teal 60 Ring-necked Duck 46 Bufflehead 52 Common Merganser 2 Ruddy Duck 53 Common Loon 1 Pied-billed Grebe 6 Eared Grebe 9 Western Grebe 3 Clark's Grebe 1 Brown Pelican 4 Double-crested Cormorant 4 Great Blue Heron 2 Snowy Egret 3 White-tailed Kite 1 Northern Harrier 4 American Coot 150 Killdeer 5 Black Oystercatcher 1 Western Gull 41 California Gull 66 Glaucous-winged Gull 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Northern Flicker 3 Black Phoebe 7 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) 3 Common Raven 1 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1 Marsh Wren 6 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Wrentit 4 European Starling 5 American Pipit 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 Spotted Towhee 1 Savannah Sparrow 5 Song Sparrow 14 White-crowned Sparrow 2 Red-winged Blackbird (Bicolored) 2 Brewer's Blackbird 2 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Subject: North County Coast 11/2/09: (cont.) TRKI From: Dominik Mosur <polskatata AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 19:47:10 -0800 (PST) This afternoon, about 2:30 p.m. I decided to stop by Pillar Pt. on my way home from birding Santa Cruz to try for the reported Tropical Kingbird. I rode my bike up the service road which runs just behind the main parking lot to Pillar Pt./Mavericks. Scanning the treetops and fencelines from near the top of the road where it ends at the gates to the "giant golf ball" I quickly relocated the TROPICAL KINGBIRD. It was flyhawking from the tops of cypress trees behind the parking lot. While studying the kingbird I heard it give its soft call several times, eliminating any possibility of a Couch's (just in case ;) On the way down the hill I saw a couple of birders who had already been there when I arrived staring somewhat dejectedly out over the marsh, apparently not aware that the object of their search was less than a hundred feet away behind them. I called out that the bird was still present pointing in its direction as I rode away, hope they eventually got to see it! Other birds of note present here were: a WHITE TAILED KITE perched in a coyote bush at the edge of the freshwater marsh, a female COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, fly-over adult HERRING GULL and a very cooperative CALIFORNIA THRASHER that I watched hopping/walking along the edge of the service road for over 30 feet before it disappeared into the scrub. On the way home I stopped briefly at McNee Ranch just north of the town of Montara. In the "Cypress alley" between the parking lot and the ranger's residence I found a flock of (at least 3, maybe more) GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, (2) TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS and several CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES. Good birding, Dominik Mosur San Francisco Subject: first Varied Thrush on Skyline From: Janet Hanson <janethanson AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 16:31:21 -0800 Here on Skyline a couple miles north of 84, over the weekend I heard, then saw my first Varied Thrush and Cedar Waxwings of the season. Other fun things in the bird bath: a passel of Purple Finches Hermit Thrush huge flock of Band-tailed Pigeons Pygmy Nuthatches Red-breasted Nuthatch a single American Goldfinch a single Townsend's Warbler American Robins Downy Woodpecker (heard only) Ruby-crowned Kinglet eating manzanita berries One very bold coyote, seen multiple times (warned the new neighbors who let their cat out....) and the Acorn Woodpeckers continue to work hard every day on their acorn cache in a couple of snags outside our kitchen windows. I may have to tree-sit to keep the chainsaw away - those trees look more likely to fall and maybe hit the roof every day. However tree- sitting would probably accomplish the same thing. good birding! Janet Hanson Subject: FW: ferruginous hawk over Sand Hill & Alameda/Alpine From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 13:33:21 -0800 Michael Scott sent me this message. It started at the intersection of Sand Hill Road and Alameda de las Pulgas/Alpine Roads. -----Original Message----- From: Michael Scott [mailto:MScott AT hewlett.org] Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 11:27 AM To: Kris Olson Subject: ferruginous Just saw one soaring outside my window at work [San Mateo Count] It was being harassed by a group of crows and quickly headed overhead going southeast. Might end up at the dish or in Arastradero. Michael Scott The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation 2121 Sand Hill Road Menlo Park, CA 94025 650.234.4500 x 5737 Subject: Celata Orange-crowned Warbler, ECDoves, and Brussels Sprouts Field From: Jennifer Rycenga <gyrrlfalcon AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 18:23:44 -0800 Peggy and I did a bit of coastal wandering today. We went to the famous Brussels Sprouts Field near Año Nuevo. No rarities there, but a good set of aging Brussels Sprouts. As was true everywhere on the coast today, lots of raptors, including an interesting battle between an AMERICAN KESTREL and a COOPER'S HAWK. At Bean Hollow State Beach, we were disappointed to see a large flock (at least ten birds) of EURASIAN-COLLARED DOVES, on the east side of Highway One. I guess these are fanning out from the very large population in and around Pescadero (we saw another flock of at least a dozen birds along Water Lane). At the Water Lane entrance to Pescadero State Park, we walked the trail out to the riparian area near the round hill. First, the number of raptors here was impressive - a group of five WHITE-TAILED KITES were associating with each other; at least one of them was an immature bird. There were three RED-TAILED HAWKS, three NORTHERN HARRIERS, a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. I am glad to not be a rodent this winter - that's for sure! The highlight though, was a first-year female ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER of the Celata subspecies. It had a very light colored, almost gray head, with some yellow in the undertail coverts. The breast was a dirty light gray; our looks were not good enough to see any streaking on the front. The eye ring appeared split by the line through the eye. I don't think I've ever seen a Celata OCWarbler in the county before, so that was a special treat. Jennifer Rycenga Half Moon Bay, CA Subject: Pescadero Marsh Rails etc. 10/31/2009 From: flycatcher AT southcoast.net Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 18:23:09 -0800 (PST) Hello All, I continue to be fascinated with the drowned marsh, so despite the fog on Saturday morning 10/31/2009, I decided to explore the trail which proceeds from the intersection of Pescadero Rd and Hwy 1 to see what might be lurking in the back of the marsh. (Mark Kudrav happened along as I was getting underway and joined me for the excursion.) This trail has been cleared and is passable for about 3/4 mile now with no bushwhacking, but in the current high water situation there is one low spot that requires several steps through shallow water. The fog stayed with us for our 2 hour visit limiting visibility to an average of perhaps 100 feet, which prevented most waterfowl identification as the shyer species had no difficulty drifting deeper into the fogbank and out of view. Rails, on the other hand, have lost most of their typical haunts and seem to be fairly thick along the shoreline of the new lagoon. Within a few feet of either side of the metal bridge which separates the coastal bluff from the marsh proper, we saw two silent Soras and one Virginia Rail; at least 3 more VIRA were heard at that spot and nearby - one individual was literally about 6 feet from us along the dike a ways farther in but we could not even glimpse it. What masters of concealment they can be! The only other notable species encountered were 3 Wilson's Snipe in the very back of the marsh where there is plenty of cover still, and 13 White-tailed Kites even farther back near the fire station. (Are they learning to love fish??) Garth Harwood Pescadero Subject: RE: Tropical Kingbird-Princeton Marsh From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 15:03:21 -0800 When I arrived at Princeton Marsh this morning, Leonie and Ron were already watching the Tropical Kingbird. It had apparently taken a bath and its chest was very wet, as you can see in photos, below. I noticed the long bill, green upper back, gray head, white throat. It was hard to know what its breast and chest would look like if it were dry - -but I think the yellow breast comes up close to the white throat. Ron pointed out how its notched tail feathers are staggered, which I think you can see in the two photos below. Ron may have more comments on the bird later. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/4065519829/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/4065525025/in/photostream/ Good birding, Kris Olson From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Leonie Batkin Sent: Sunday, November 01, 2009 9:52 AM To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [pen-bird] Tropical Kingbird-Princeton Marsh This morning Ron Thorn, Kris Olson and I watched the TROPICAL KINGBIRD, reported yesterday, for about 20 minutes from about 9:10 am until 9:30 while it caught all sorts of insects. Ron first spotted it on the power lines along the road adjacent to the marsh just before the Mavericks parking lot. It later flew down to the shrubs alongside the marsh and foraged around there. The fog is still thick here so it did require looking around the area before locating it. Happy November Birding, Leonie Batkin [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: White Fronted Goose From: Virginia Marshall <ginnybirder AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 14:40:16 -0800 (PST) Early this morning I was walking my dog through Lakeshore Aquatic Park in San Mateo.  A small group of Canada Geese flew over and I heard a high whining cry along with the honks.  I looked up and saw a small Greater White Fronted Goose bobbing along behind the Canada geese.  It may have been in the area a while as I saw the silhouette of a small goose with 3 bigger geese a week ago over 101 near here. Ginny [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Tropical Kingbird-Princeton Marsh From: "Leonie Batkin" <lbatkin AT stanford.edu> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 09:51:54 -0800 This morning Ron Thorn, Kris Olson and I watched the TROPICAL KINGBIRD, reported yesterday, for about 20 minutes from about 9:10 am until 9:30 while it caught all sorts of insects. Ron first spotted it on the power lines along the road adjacent to the marsh just before the Mavericks parking lot. It later flew down to the shrubs alongside the marsh and foraged around there. The fog is still thick here so it did require looking around the area before locating it. Happy November Birding, Leonie Batkin [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Halloween in Menlo Park From: Robert Dell'Immagine <rdellimmagine AT vmware.com> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 08:08:26 -0800 On my street in West Menlo Park on 10/31 between 5 and 5:30pm, I saw the following: - red-breasted sapsucker (pair, went through 3 trees and then moved on) - northern flicker (red-shafted) - yellow-rumped warbler (several) - black phoebe - cedar waxwing (two) Regards, Robert Dell'Immagine Subject: Golden Eagle, Arastradero, October 31st From: "henriksondergaard" <henriksondergaard AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:25:17 -0000 Hi, an adult Golden Eagle was a nice surprise in Arastradero this afternoon. A couple of Red-shouldered harassed a Red-tailed, and three Harriers (one male, two females) were seen, too. No sign of the usual White-tailed Kites. Photos at www.flickr.com/photos/36611434 AT N02/sets/72157622706084870/ Best, Henrik Subject: Tropical Kingbird at Moss Beach Bluffs From: "James Barnes" <james AT barnesdawn.net> Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:26:43 -0700 Birding today with Jeff Miller, we toured the northern end of Pillar Point harbor, then climbed the road up to the radio tower on the bluffs. There we saw a TROPICAL KINGBIRD on and around the fence around the tower. We started off assuming it was a Western Kingbird but then noticed the long and thick bill, the lack of any white tail margins, and greenish back. We had an excellent look as we watched the bird for 15 minutes as it caught flies and drove off both a Say's and a Black Phoebe. We hiked all around the bluffs before heading back to our car at the point parking lot, and totaled up 62 species for the afternoon! Good Birding! James Barnes [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: (Yellow-shafted) Northern Flicker 10/31/09 From: "geodani55" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:08:32 -0000 This morning in my back yard, I had one male Red-shafted and one male Yellow-shafted NORTHERN FLICKERS in the same dead tree. I had great looks at the black malar and brown face on the Yellow-shafted bird. I could hear at least two other Flickers in the yard while I was watching these two. Northern Flickers arrived in my area around October 8 after being absent since April. HERMIT THRUSHES are also back, along with the first of season TOWNSEND'S WARBLER. George Chrisman Burlingame, CA Go Ducks, Beat USC! Subject: Peregrine Falcon in Half Moon Bay From: "maliadances" <maliadances AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:54:46 -0000 Today, around 1:30pm, while taking a birding walk along the bluff, my husband and I spotted a Peregrine Falcon sitting on top of a cypress tree at Sweetwood Group camp near Venice Beach It's the first one we've seen so close to home! Malia Subject: Update on location of Short-tailed Albatross From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:07:25 -0700 Hi Pen Birders, The Half Moon Bay Review is doing an article about the sightings of two very rare birds off the coast of San Mateo County. http://hmbreview.com/ [not posted yet] So I got curious about what happened to “our” Short-tailed Albatross, seen Oct. 11. Link to map of this bird’s travels until the transmitter fell off Oct. 16: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/4059316032/in/set-7215762244626364 5/ Here is what the researcher, Rob Suryan, emailed back today: Hi Kris, Yes, quite the media frenzy.  Attached is the final map for this bird.  We lost track of it off Vancouver Island.  From the photos off CA you could see the feathers on the front of the tape attachment beginning to lift from body molt.  I was hoping it would hang on a bit longer, but not as long as I had hoped. We were initially tracking 7 birds post-fledging from Mukojima - the translocated and hand-reared birds (14 total, transmitters were attached to half).  We are still tracking 3 of these birds, which are still in AK.  No official names other than what the hand-rearing field crews may have dubbed them.  Rob   ************************************* Robert M. Suryan Assistant Professor - Senior Research Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center 2030 S.E. Marine Science Dr. Newport, Oregon 97365 (541)867-0223 (541)867-0138 fax rob.suryan AT oregonstate.edu   link to story about bird’s time in Oregon: http://oregonseabirds.blogspot.com/2009/10/radio-tagged-short-tailed-albatro ss.html Enjoy! Maybe we’ll hear about this bird in 5+ years when it comes back to its island to breed. It could still have its leg band on.Y18. Kris Olson Subject: Report of Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oct. 15-22 From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:25:36 -0700 Hi birders, This report came in across County Birds. I saw Wes Fritz, one of the two sailors involved, on Oct. 24 and he described the trip as harrowing at the end, but did not mention these San Mateo County birds. I will write to see if we can get the entire list seen in San Mateo County and dates. I guess it's on ebird as well. San Mateo: WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, BLACK STORM-PETREL Kris Olson From: countybirders AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:countybirders AT yahoogroups.com] Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 7:16 AM To: countybirders AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [CB] Digest Number 2115 Countybirders Messages In This Digest (1 Message) 1. MAR, SF, SMA, MTY, SLO, SBA, VEN, LA Pelagic trip Oct 15-22 From: Dave View All Topics | Create New Topic Message 1. MAR, SF, SMA, MTY, SLO, SBA, VEN, LA Pelagic trip Oct 15-22 Posted by: "Dave" d AT vidbell.com davebell27 Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:22 pm (PDT) Greetings county birders, I just finished a pelagic trip with Wes Fritz that is probably best described as idiotic. We sailed my 27' sailboat from San Rafael to Marina del Rey from Oct 15th through October 22nd. Much of the trip was well offshore, ranging from about 25 miles to over 100 miles from the mainland. Here is a summary of the more interesting (to me) birds we saw. Birds that were new for me for the county are in uppercase: Marin: before our departure we had an ORCHARD ORIOLE at the RCA building on outer Point Reyes. San Francisco: BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, BULLER'S SHEARWATER, SOUTH POLAR SKUA San Mateo: WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, BLACK STORM-PETREL Monterey: Wilson's Storm-Petrel, Tufted Puffin, South Polar Skua San Luis Obispo: COOK's PETREL, Mottled Petrel (Wes only, I missed it), Dark Pterodroma (probable Solander's), Dark-rumped Petrel sp (probable Hawaiian), BULLER'S SHEARWATER, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, BLACK STORM-PETREL, LEAST STORM-PETREL, SOUTH POLAR SKUA. Also a good number of unidentified Pterodromas. Santa Barbara: Black-footed Albatross, LEAST STORM-PETREL, Cookilaria sp, CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR, Xantus's Murrelet Ventura: Black-footed Albatross, Horned Lark Los Angeles: MANX SHEARWATER with a large group of Black-vented Shearwaters off PV. Upon our arrival, Wes found a Tennessee Warbler in the harbor at Marina del Rey. The highlight of the trip was definitely the dark Pterodroma, which if our ID of Solander's Petrel is correct would be a first State record ... if we had been able to get photos. Anyway we had good looks and it was a cool bird. In general, the numbers of birds observed were low. At times 3 or more hours passed with no bird sightings. The most productive area for Pterodromas was from Davidson Seamount, south along the Santa Lucia escarpment, across Arguello Canyon and to Rodriguez Seamount. In this stretch there were more Pterodromas than shearwaters by 2 to 1. Ironically, this area seems to get the least coverage by organized pelagic trips due to the near-certainty of seasickness-inducing conditions. We saw Blue, Minke, Sperm and Humpback Whales, Common and Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Short-finned Mako Shark, Albacore Tuna, Skipjack and Sunfish. One Sperm Whale stayed right next to the boat for about an hour one night -- I mean almost touching distance. We encountered rough weather rounding Pt Conception. According to NOAA it we saw gusts up to 60kts in 8-10' (max 15') cross-seas with 8sec period. That's unpleasant in a 27' boat. It was a very memorable trip, far from the hairless apes as Lomax would say. Our hope is to continue the trip to Cabo San Lucas at some point. All of these sightings have been entered into ebird for your viewing pleasure. David A Bell Vacaville, CA Back to top Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity . 6 New Photos . 1 New Links Visit Your Group Yahoo! Finance It's Now Personal Guides, news, advice & more. Cat Zone on Yahoo! Groups Join a Group all about cats. Check out the Y! Groups blog Stay up to speed on all things Groups! Need to Reply? Click one of the "Reply" links to respond to a specific message in the Daily Digest. Create New Topic | Visit Your Group on the Web Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Members | Calendar MARKETPLACE Mom Power: Discover the community of moms doing more for their families, for the world and for each other Yahoo! Groups Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Individual | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Subject: white-throated sparrow, FOS, in our yard From: "squirtz72" <fair80 AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:33:53 -0000 This morning we had an absolutely gorgeous White-throated Sparrow in our back yard. We are on the west side of Sign Hill in So SF, south of San Bruno Mountain. Laurie & Jeff SSF Subject: Red Phalarope at Pescadero Marsh etc. From: "Garth Harwood" <gharwood AT hiddenvilla.org> Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:24:29 -0700 Hi All, Yesterday 10/28/2009 I had a couple of hours at midday and spent them at Pescadero Marsh to see what the high winds might have blown in - or what might have been flushed out of cover by the high water. The marsh is completely flooded right now, as much or more than I have ever seen. The mouth is still blocked up and all of the water that came downstream after the big storm earlier this month is trapped throughout the marsh, so many channels, ponds etc. have merged into open water. Along the main trail that leads to the back of the marsh following the creek, there were both Clark's and Western Grebes in small numbers as far back as the eucalyptus groves along that trail - these were among the 5 grebe species on the marsh this day, including also Horned, Eared, and Pied-billed. On my return walk (the back end of this trail being flooded out), I was truly surprised by a single Red Phalarope feeding nonchalantly just a few feet away from the trail, adjacent to the giant culverts and valves that separate the north and south portions of the marsh. A flock of 19 Canada Geese were flying into the teeth of the wind over the marsh, and making little headway, almost floating in place for a while. This is the second CAGO flock I've seen in Pescadero this fall - not an event to set the heart racing, you might say, but CAGO are locally rare and did not appear on the old Pescadero Marsh checklist for the fall season at all. A flock of 10 American Pipits were trying to negotiate the beach but it looked like an awkward endeavor in the ripping wind. Last weekend, on the relatively warm and still early mornings both Saturday and Sunday, I could hear Western Screech, Great Horned, and N. Pygmy-owl from my back deck; a Barn Owl was also heard on Friday evening 10/23. An adult Golden Eagle was observed on both weekend afternoons too. --Garth Harwood Pescadero [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: FW: White-throated Sparrow in Sharon Heights From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:55:04 -0700 Bob, thanks, but actually the thanks should go to David McIntyre for calling in his report to the Northern California Rare Bird box: (415) 681-7422. A great way to get the message out to birders while you are still in the field.. or if you don't use email/the internet. (Golden Gate Audubon sponsors the Bird Box, I believe.) So thanks to David! Kris Kris Olson From: Bob Power [mailto:rcpower AT sbcglobal.net] Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 12:29 PM To: Peninsula-Birding; Kris Olson Subject: Re: [pen-bird] FW: White-throated Sparrow in Sharon Heights Hi all, This marks at least the 2nd year in a row for this species at this location.  Just as a friendly reminder, I encourage continued reporting of this species or any other (Western screech-owl for example) that at some point we might think "well, that's been reported enough"..... as this part of Menlo Park and southern RWC are in the region I cover for the Palo Alto CBC. It really helps to have all eyes watching and as many reports of the uncommon birds as possible going into the CBC season. Not just for this little slice of the county, of course, but for most areas of San Mateo Co. Thanks for the report Kris. Bob Power McClellan Ranch --- On Tue, 10/27/09, Kris Olson wrote: From: Kris Olson Subject: [pen-bird] FW: White-throated Sparrow in Sharon Heights To: "Peninsula-Birding" Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 12:03 PM   Here is a report from Bird West (N. California RBA). San Mateo Co. ------------ - On Oct 25, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen in the sparrow flock at the intersection of Sharon Road and Sharon Court in Menlo Park. (David McIntyre) http://listserv. arizona.edu/ archives/ birdwest. html - Forwarded by Kris Olson Subject: Re: FW: White-throated Sparrow in Sharon Heights From: Bob Power <rcpower AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:28:35 -0700 (PDT) Hi all, This marks at least the 2nd year in a row for this species at this location.  Just as a friendly reminder, I encourage continued reporting of this species or any other (Western screech-owl for example) that at some point we might think "well, that's been reported enough"..... as this part of Menlo Park and southern RWC are in the region I cover for the Palo Alto CBC. It really helps to have all eyes watching and as many reports of the uncommon birds as possible going into the CBC season. Not just for this little slice of the county, of course, but for most areas of San Mateo Co.Thanks for the report Kris.Bob PowerMcClellan Ranch --- On Tue, 10/27/09, Kris Olson wrote: From: Kris Olson Subject: [pen-bird] FW: White-throated Sparrow in Sharon Heights To: "Peninsula-Birding" Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 12:03 PM   Here is a report from Bird West (N. California RBA). San Mateo Co. ------------ - On Oct 25, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen in the sparrow flock at the intersection of Sharon Road and Sharon Court in Menlo Park. (David McIntyre) http://listserv. arizona.edu/ archives/ birdwest. html - Forwarded by Kris Olson [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: FW: White-throated Sparrow in Sharon Heights From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:03:11 -0700 Here is a report from Bird West (N. California RBA). San Mateo Co. ------------- On Oct 25, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW was seen in the sparrow flock at the intersection of Sharon Road and Sharon Court in Menlo Park. (David McIntyre) http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwest.html - Forwarded by Kris Olson Subject: [not a sighting] More info on the Short-tailed Albatross' travels From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:51:34 -0700 I found an Oregon birder who has more information about (probably the same?) Short-tailed Albatross that was seen off Half Moon Bay on October 11 on the SFBBO fund-raiser pelagic trip. I am not sure that this is the same albatross as I thought that we heard that "our" STAL got up to British Columbia. But, here is his blog: http://oregonseabirds.blogspot.com/2009/10/radio-tagged-short-tailed-albatro ss.html?showComment=1256661623697#c5917419448314618272 Black-footed Albatross Also, the Sequoia Audubon trip on Oct. 18 saw one banded Black-footed Albatross (out of many!). I reported it online and got a certificate yesterday saying that the bird was hatched in 2006 or earlier and was banded in Whale-Skates IS FSS (coordinates: LAT 23.91667; LON: -166.25) by Dr. Elizabeth Flint, Hawaiian Island NWR. Report band codes: www.reportband.gov 1-800-327-BAND Kris Olson Subject: Radio Rd, Redwood Shores, tonight From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:58:57 -0700 Wow, it's getting dark earlier! The dog and I went to Radio Rd about 5:15pm tonight. It was incredibly windy-- my scope was almost useless. The shorebirds were in a constant state of alarm from the wind, chattering, standing alertly, shoving each other for dry ground. The surprising birds I saw were 3 SURF BIRDS, several (3+) RED KNOTS with them and a Turnstone or two buried among these and the hundreds of Willets. I saw the legs and belly of the turnstones; one may have been a Ruddy, but it was a quick look before it was swept up into the air with whirling shorebirds. Along the far sides of the pond were many Greater Yellowlegs. 11 BLACK SKIMMERS were present at various islands. One was large but had a fair amount of scale-y plumage around its neck still. Gulls were there in abundance. Most were on the water, with 10+ California and Ring-billed diving for food on the surface in the north pond. Spread out were at least 4 MEW GULLS. There were no terns in sight, but as we left at sunset, 7 FORSTER'S TERNS flew out of the slough and across the pond and away. I did not see any Hooded Mergansers, but the ducks were massed in corners, out of the wind. Checked Davitt Lane-- no winter ducks yet, but the male Redhead was present along with a very pushy GREEN HERON on one dock, shoving the ducks and geese off as it made its way down to a corner perch. Marlin Park and Bowsprit- nothing unusual, though it was getting almost too dark to see. Nob Hill pond-- 12 American White Pelicans. They glowed through the deepening sky. Good birding, Kris Olson Subject: Monday magic on the Mountain From: "squirtz72" <fair80 AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:45:53 -0000 Location: Cypress Lawn/Holy Cross cemeteries Observation date: 10/26/09 Notes: We went to Colma and it was dead. Number of species: 18 Cackling Goose (Aleutian) 1 Canada Goose 29 American Wigeon 1 Mallard 95 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 4 Cooper's Hawk 1 American Coot 66 Ring-billed Gull 2 Western Gull 110 California Gull 4 Glaucous-winged Gull 2 Rock Pigeon 24 Black Phoebe 10 Common Raven 4 Pygmy Nuthatch 3 European Starling 1 Brewer's Blackbird Location: San Bruno Mountain County Park Magic on the Mountain: We took the Lower Bog Trail south from the headwaters. The trail is quite straight for a while, then makes a hairpin left and downhill to the bridge over the creek. Above this bridge is a big old Cypress tree and an area of fairly clear ground, as if nothing will grow under the tree. The branches of the cypress and the surrounding willows were bathed in sunlight; it was 12:30. The branches were full of little birds: Yellow-rumped Warblers, many Myrtles; Golden-Crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, including obvious males; Cedar Waxwings, Wrentits, a robin, a flicker. A magical half-hour, and then they were gone. Then the fog came in, and we were gone. Laurie Graham & Jeff Fairclough SSF Number of species: 28 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Anna's Hummingbird 6 Northern Flicker 8 Black Phoebe 1 Steller's Jay 6 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) 5 Common Raven 10 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 4 Pygmy Nuthatch 2 Bewick's Wren 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 7 American Robin 39 Wrentit 12 7 actually seen! Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 42 Cedar Waxwing 117 Yellow-rumped Warbler 12 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 12 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 2 Townsend's Warbler 4 Spotted Towhee 1 Song Sparrow 2 Golden-crowned Sparrow 8 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 8 Purple Finch (Western) 9 House Finch 1 Lesser Goldfinch 2 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Subject: Fitzgerald MR Moss Beach From: Barbara Kossy <bkossy AT coastside.net> Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:43:43 -0700 There was a Red-throted Loon in the water near the bench at the reserve entrance. Also I saw two loons flying south and one turned north, ready to land near the waters over the reef. They had lots of white under the chin, so I think they also were Red- Throated Loons. Also passing over flying south in the morning sun were 5 Brown Pelicans, masquerading as white pelicans. It was easy to see how they are occasionally misidentified. Were they just going for easy Halloween costumes? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Barbara Kossy Communications PO Box 434 Moss Beach, CA 94038 Home Studio: 650-728-8720 Mobile: 650-430-1094 bkossy AT coastside.net www.barbarakossy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: gull arrivals. From: "Alvaro Jaramillo" <chucao AT coastside.net> Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:49:41 -0700 Folks I saw my first Mew Gull of the season at Pillar Point Harbor on Saturday. A juvenile Thayer's Gull was my first arrival today at the Hatch School field in Half Moon Bay. Al Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Jasper Ridge/Stanford From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:47:36 -0700 HI all, Michael Scott and I joined a docent-led hike this morning at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve - off of SandHill. It was with Don Kennedy, former president of Stanford, and allegedly a bird hike for alumni weekend, but more a nature hike. I have not been there in a million years and have enjoyed Ron's and Leonie's posts recently. The most interesting birds were in or around the lake: 1 female Hooded Merganser, 1 female American Wigeon, several Ring-necked Ducks, Canvasbacks. Also Great Blue Heron and 1 Black-crowned Night Heron. We were going too fast to see many land birds, but heard and/or saw a White-breasted Nuthatch, Acorn Woodpeckers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Bewick's Wren, Wrentit, White-tailed Kite, Hairy Woodpecker. And on the slow-moving side: California Newt, Banana Slug and local California buckeye trees . All of great interest to the youngest member of the group. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/sets/72157622661558588/ (no birds.scenery and newt) Good birding, Kris Olson Subject: San Mateo mid-coast Oct. 24 From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:56:06 -0700 Hi all, Yesterday, after the Shearwater Journeys trip from Half Moon Bay was sadly aborted due to high winds (we got out 6 miles..), I birded with Leonie Batkin and Ron Thorn for awhile around central San Mateo coast. Most interesting bird was a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW that Ron found. It was around the edges of a pumpkin patch off highway 1 just north of HMB-Johnson? (off Keogh?) I did not write it down. It seemed to be Ok to walk around the edges due to the pumpkin patch buyers-not sure if it normally is. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/4041922986/in/photostream/ We also saw 33 EURASIAN-COLLARED DOVES near the parking area for Half Moon Bay SB (I think the Kelly Ave parking). We later saw a couple more in the residential area south of here. We spent some time looking at sparrows near the Johnson House on Higgins Purissima Road, nothing unusual, and I did the same around a Brussels sprouts patch further west on the same road once Ron and Leonie left. Nothing unusual, about 40 crowned sparrows, mostly White-crowned. Several Lincoln's around the edges, 10+ Savannah's along the grassy edge. A few Song Sparrows along the front. (some photos above - Lincoln and White-crowned [which subspecies?]). (Friday 10/23) Colma creek/South San Francisco I took a few pictures of the part of Colma Creek accessed from Harbor and Littlefield. The Bird guide of San Mateo has more info on where to park, what birds to look for, etc. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/sets/72157622659832216/ http://birding.sequoia-audubon.org/description.php?loc=33 &p=0 Good birding, Kris Olson Subject: Redwood Shores Hooded Merganser From: "IIWI1" <tgoodier AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:48:27 -0000 I saw my first of the season Hooded Merganser today (10/25 8AM) in Redwood Shores. It was a single male in the lagoon at Gossamer and Sun Blossom. There was one Dunlin at the edge of the Bay near the end of the new construction. Tom Goodier Subject: RE: Palm Warbler & Clay-colored Sparrow at Colma Creek From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:53:31 -0700 On my way back from San Francisco today, I stopped at Littlefield and Harbor, but saw nothing other than 2 White-crowned Sparrows. 0 Warblers. I walked right from the Fed Ex trail entrance, to where Utah crosses the path next to the buildings, and then all the way back left and around by the marsh. Despite the trash in the creek and along the path by the buildings, this area has actually been improved greatly over the past 7 years. It has also been the location of Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow (20002, 2003), Prothonotary Warbler (Sept. 2004), other Clay-colored Sparrows and Palm Warblers, Swamp Sparrow (John Luther 2003), Sedge Wren (1/19/2005), Vesper Sparrow, Virginia Rail, Burrowing Owl, Short-eared Owl, Semipalmated Sandpiper (George Chrisman), Clapper Rails (m.ob). All the rest were initially found by Ron Thorn, I think, except the returning Nelson’s 2003, which I actually found. Whoo hoo! Anyway, the point is that lots of the habitat is being restored, and if I remember correctly, Ron said that this place was a REAL mess when they started—it’s much better now. I took some photos (though I did not photograph the trash in the creek, bags of garbage and king sized mattress behind one building..) which I will post later. This year there seems to be much less fennel, especially by the marsh. Good for native plants, bad for birders. Usually there is a large flock of crowned sparrows there. I did see 3 Western Meadowlarks. If you want to see the shorebirds in the marsh, a scope is useful. Garth, thanks for the report! I have never walked “right” before, so that was new… and it was good to see what was around. This place, despite its mixed appearance, is definitely worth birding! Take the South Airport exit off 101, right onto South Airport, left onto Utah, right onto Harbor; park at intersection of Littlefield and Harbor, walk through Fed Ex entrance to the trail. I usually go left, which takes you to the marsh area eventually, but going left was clearly a great idea yesterday. Kris Olson From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Garth Harwood Sent: Friday, October 23, 2009 11:12 AM To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [pen-bird] Palm Warbler & Clay-colored Sparrow at Colma Creek   Hi All, Yesterday afternoon 10/22/2009 a work project took me to South San Francisco and I used my lunch break to walk a weedy section of the SF Bay Trail at the mouth of Colma Creek, where there was a Clay-colored Sparrow with a moderate mixed-sparrow flock and close by, a 'western' type Palm Warbler. At the intersection of Harbor Way and Littlefield Ave, the Bay Trail is easily accessed through the Fed Ex truck parking area; once you are creekside, turning right on the creekside trail takes you off of the paved section of the trail almost immediately (the official SFBT crosses over a bridge there, but if you go looking for these birds, stay on the gravel path along the creek instead.) The Clay-colored Sparrow was with 15-20 White-crowned Sparrows on and around the trail until the whole group flew across the creek, where they could still be seen, but rather distantly. There was also a Lincoln's Sparrow with the group as well as a few House Finches and at least 1 House Sparrow. Proceeding down the trail a bit further, to where it starts looking a lot less official, I saw a small bird on the ground pumping its tail incessantly, which proved to be the Palm Warbler. It was quite cooperative allowing close approach as it fed in the open (though it darted into the weeds from time to time, it kept returning throughout my 20 minutes there.) The PAWA was adjacent to a small white sign directly behind an unoccupied building that says FCW Imports on its Harbor Way street front. The sign reads Colma Creek Habitat Improvement Project. I wish them luck with this project; this spot is not going to appear in any nature calendars soon. Cheers, Garth Harwood Pescadero [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Palm Warbler & Clay-colored Sparrow at Colma Creek From: "Garth Harwood" <gharwood AT hiddenvilla.org> Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:12:06 -0700 Hi All, Yesterday afternoon 10/22/2009 a work project took me to South San Francisco and I used my lunch break to walk a weedy section of the SF Bay Trail at the mouth of Colma Creek, where there was a Clay-colored Sparrow with a moderate mixed-sparrow flock and close by, a 'western' type Palm Warbler. At the intersection of Harbor Way and Littlefield Ave, the Bay Trail is easily accessed through the Fed Ex truck parking area; once you are creekside, turning right on the creekside trail takes you off of the paved section of the trail almost immediately (the official SFBT crosses over a bridge there, but if you go looking for these birds, stay on the gravel path along the creek instead.) The Clay-colored Sparrow was with 15-20 White-crowned Sparrows on and around the trail until the whole group flew across the creek, where they could still be seen, but rather distantly. There was also a Lincoln's Sparrow with the group as well as a few House Finches and at least 1 House Sparrow. Proceeding down the trail a bit further, to where it starts looking a lot less official, I saw a small bird on the ground pumping its tail incessantly, which proved to be the Palm Warbler. It was quite cooperative allowing close approach as it fed in the open (though it darted into the weeds from time to time, it kept returning throughout my 20 minutes there.) The PAWA was adjacent to a small white sign directly behind an unoccupied building that says FCW Imports on its Harbor Way street front. The sign reads Colma Creek Habitat Improvement Project. I wish them luck with this project; this spot is not going to appear in any nature calendars soon. Cheers, Garth Harwood Pescadero [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Osprey returns to Sanchez Creek Lagoon From: "geodani55" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:13:12 -0000 For at least the third straight year in a row, the OSPREY has returned to perch on the power poles over Sanchez Creek Lagoon in Burlingame. It can be seen above the water adjacent to Highway 101 between Peninsula Avenue and Anza Blvd, just south of the Burlingame Golf Center. George Chrisman Burlingame, CA Subject: Re: Map of October pelagic trips From: Mark Eaton <marksffo AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:26:43 -0700 Oh, and I found Steve Howell's id paper on "Black Petrels" online at: http://www.aba.org/birding/v38n6p52.pdf Mark --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org On Oct 22, 2009, at 10:24 AM, Mark Eaton wrote: > I finally have my pictures posted: > > http://tinyurl.com/yjd46zr > > Not sure they add anything above the excellent photos that have > already been posted. I'm going to add a write-up shortly as well. > > Mark > > > --- > Mark Eaton > mark AT markeaton.org > > > > > On Oct 22, 2009, at 10:02 AM, Kris Olson wrote: > >> I have posted a map, created by Alvaro Jaramillo, of the two San >> Mateo >> County pelagic trips that have run this October. >> >> Red line- Oct. 18, White-chinned Petrel (Sequoia Audubon Society >> trip) >> Blue line- Oct. 11, Short-tailed Albatross (SFBBO trip) >> >> Kris Olson >> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/4034456807/ >> >> >> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Map of October pelagic trips From: Mark Eaton <marksffo AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:24:03 -0700 I finally have my pictures posted: http://tinyurl.com/yjd46zr Not sure they add anything above the excellent photos that have already been posted. I'm going to add a write-up shortly as well. Mark --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org On Oct 22, 2009, at 10:02 AM, Kris Olson wrote: > I have posted a map, created by Alvaro Jaramillo, of the two San Mateo > County pelagic trips that have run this October. > > Red line- Oct. 18, White-chinned Petrel (Sequoia Audubon Society trip) > Blue line- Oct. 11, Short-tailed Albatross (SFBBO trip) > > Kris Olson > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/4034456807/ > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Map of October pelagic trips From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:02:21 -0700 I have posted a map, created by Alvaro Jaramillo, of the two San Mateo County pelagic trips that have run this October. Red line- Oct. 18, White-chinned Petrel (Sequoia Audubon Society trip) Blue line- Oct. 11, Short-tailed Albatross (SFBBO trip) Kris Olson http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/4034456807/ Subject: Lark Bunting-Biixby Park From: Donald Pendleton <pen55ton AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:02:03 -0700 (PDT) Birders, The female lark bunting was seen this afternoon, between 5:30 and 6:00 PM, feeding alongside the trail. Once again, take the trail up the hill from the parking lot, bear to the right, and it was along the fenceline that separates the park from the landfill area. Good birding, Don Pendleton East Palo Alto [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Cackling Goose ar Redwood Shores From: Tronthorn AT aol.com Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:31:23 EDT This morning I stopped off at the restroom at Marlin Park in Redwood Shores. I noticed an ALEUTIAN CACKLING GOOSE with a feral Canada Goose on the lawn. Ron Thorn [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: FW: Palm Warbler at Ano Nuevo Oct. 18 From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:24:55 -0700 I picked this up from the Bird Box email. First Palm Warbler for this year. "On Oct 18, a PALM WARBLER was seen at Ano Nuevo State Preserve, The bird was in a willow on the North Point Trail about 100 yards north of the equal access boardwalk. (Peter Metropulos)" The Bird Box number for Northern Calif is (415)-681-7422. Good to use to report unusual sightings while in the field, so that other birders can call in the same day and learn about those birds. Kris Olson Subject: Suburban Menlo Park From: Robert Dell'Immagine <rdellimmagine AT vmware.com> Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:32:38 -0700 I saw these in my backyard in west Menlo Park: - Oct 18: Townsend's Warbler - Oct 19: pair of Cedar Waxwings Not too rare, but the waxwings are earlier than I've seen them before. - Robert Subject: Ring-neck Ducks @ Crystal Springs 10/20/09 From: "geodani55" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:31:35 -0000 This morning, there were 45 RING-NECK DUCKS in lower Crystal Springs Reservoir at the intersection of Highway 92 near San Mateo. It's not as exciting as the pelagic rarities, but a solid sign that it is officially fall. I was luck enough to see the White-chinned petrel Sunday on the Pelagic Trip. It was a very exciting moment that continues... George Chrisman Burlingame, CA Subject: FW: [MBB] Half Moon Bay Pelagic Trip: October 24th From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:43:17 -0700 Birders, If you are interested in the last pelagic trip of the season, and the third out of Half Moon Bay ins maybe 10-20 years, here is your chance! Kris Olson From: mbb-bounces AT acg.ucsc.edu [mailto:mbb-bounces AT acg.ucsc.edu] On Behalf Of Debra Shearwater Sent: Monday, October 19, 2009 9:43 PM To: Debi Shearwater Cc: mbb AT darwin.ucsc.edu Subject: [MBB] Half Moon Bay Pelagic Trip: October 24th Howdy, Seabirders, In light of the extraordinary seabirds that have been found on pelagic trips departing from Half Moon Bay, and due to requests by numerous seabirders, Todd McGrath and I have put together a pelagic trip for SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24. The details are below: Departing from: Half Moon Bay Sportfishing Vessel: New Captain Pete Skipper: Dennis Baxter Leaders: Todd McGrath & Debi Shearwater Meeting time: 6:30 am Return time: 3:30 to 4:30 pm Cost: $135 per person Bring: lunch, including drinks; cameras, waterproof outer layers, including protection for cameras. Dress: warmly, gloves, hats. No persons in open-toed shoes will be admitted to the boat. Take seasickness precautions/medications No scopes or tripods Payment: Cash, $135, exact amount preferred, at the dock. Reservations: Absolutely essential. Please email me, if possible. This evening only, I can be reached at 650-401-7236. Tomorrow, I can be reached only by email for most of the day. You will need to send the following by email: Your full name Your snail mail address (the USCG requires this) Your cell phone number, or a number where you can be reached Your email address Your reservation will only be considered secure when you have received a return email or phone call from me. Space is limited, and reservations are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Directions: From San Francisco: Take Highway 1 south, through Pacifica. Approximately 15 miles south of Pacifica, turn right at the first light at Capistrano Blvd. Make the first left into parking lot, then take the first right at stop sign and head toward the pier. Half Moon Bay Sportfishing is on the right with other shops. From the Peninsula: Take Highway 92 west to Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay, then turn right and head north on Highway 1. Go approximately 4 miles, then turn left at the light at Capistrano Avenue. Make the first left into parking lot, then take the first right at stop sign and head toward the pier. Half Moon Bay Sportfishing is on the right with other shops Many congratulations to Alvaro Jaramillo and Jennifer Rycenga for two great trips! Hope to see you out there, 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 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:27:17 -0700 And a few more photos. Thanks for an amazing day, Jennifer and Al! http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/sets/72157622491284729/ Kris Olson From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Alvaro Jaramillo Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 8:58 PM To: 'Jennifer Rycenga'; 'Peninsula-Birding Birding' Cc: 'Alvaro Jaramillo' Subject: RE: [pen-bird] Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL Jennifer Thanks for getting the word out. I set up a quick and dirty web page with three of my photos for people to see what this bird looked like: http://www.birdsofchile.com/WCPE.htm What a superb day....again....in San Mateo county waters. Can't wait till next year. Alvaro Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com _____ From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of Jennifer Rycenga Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 7:39 PM To: Peninsula-Birding Birding Subject: [pen-bird] Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL Today's Sequoia Audubon Society pelagic trip out of Half Moon Bay had a most remarkable bird - a likely first-ever live North American sighting of a southern hemisphere bird, the WHITE-CHINNED PETREL (Procellaria aequinoctialis). The bird was in sight for more than ten minutes; at least half of that time it settled on the water in back of our boat. Alvaro Jaramillo, who has extensive experience with this species, helped to get birders on the key characteristics of this large, dark petrel. All thirty-two people on board, and the two crew members, got onto the bird. There are photographs documenting the bird. Other highlights include LAYSAN ALBATROSS (likely two different individuals), BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, PARASITIC JAEGER (harrasing a LONG-BILLED CURLEW near the harbor), POMARINE JAEGER, SOUTH POLAR SKUA, FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER, PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER, BULLER'S SHEARWATER, BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER, SOOTY SHEARWATER, CASSIN'S AUKLET, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, and COMMON MURRE. Fuller trip reports will follow in the next few days. WOW! Jennifer Rycenga Half Moon Bay, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL From: "Alvaro Jaramillo" <chucao AT coastside.net> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:57:35 -0700 Jennifer Thanks for getting the word out. I set up a quick and dirty web page with three of my photos for people to see what this bird looked like: http://www.birdsofchile.com/WCPE.htm What a superb day....again....in San Mateo county waters. Can't wait till next year. Alvaro Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com _____ From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jennifer Rycenga Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 7:39 PM To: Peninsula-Birding Birding Subject: [pen-bird] Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL Today's Sequoia Audubon Society pelagic trip out of Half Moon Bay had a most remarkable bird - a likely first-ever live North American sighting of a southern hemisphere bird, the WHITE-CHINNED PETREL (Procellaria aequinoctialis). The bird was in sight for more than ten minutes; at least half of that time it settled on the water in back of our boat. Alvaro Jaramillo, who has extensive experience with this species, helped to get birders on the key characteristics of this large, dark petrel. All thirty-two people on board, and the two crew members, got onto the bird. There are photographs documenting the bird. Other highlights include LAYSAN ALBATROSS (likely two different individuals), BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, PARASITIC JAEGER (harrasing a LONG-BILLED CURLEW near the harbor), POMARINE JAEGER, SOUTH POLAR SKUA, FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER, PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER, BULLER'S SHEARWATER, BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER, SOOTY SHEARWATER, CASSIN'S AUKLET, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, and COMMON MURRE. Fuller trip reports will follow in the next few days. WOW! Jennifer Rycenga Half Moon Bay, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL From: Jennifer Rycenga <gyrrlfalcon AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:21:51 -0700 I appreciate the quote on the second "No" answer: "I would like to wait until we get a free-flying bird in pelagic waters." Well, today was the day that happened! Time for White-chinned Petrel to fly off the Appendix and onto the main ABA list! Jennifer Rycenga Half Moon Bay, CA On Oct 18, 2009, at 8:15 PM, Mark Eaton wrote: > Here's the status of White-chinned Petrel as per the AOU in 2008: > > http://www.aou.org/committees/nacc/proposals/2008_C_votes_web.php#2008-C-8 > > Mark > --- > Mark Eaton > mark AT markeaton.org > > > > > On Oct 18, 2009, at 7:39 PM, Jennifer Rycenga wrote: > >> Today's Sequoia Audubon Society pelagic trip out of Half Moon Bay had >> a most remarkable bird - a likely first-ever live North American >> sighting of a southern hemisphere bird, the WHITE-CHINNED PETREL >> (Procellaria aequinoctialis). The bird was in sight for more than >> ten >> minutes; at least half of that time it settled on the water in back >> of >> our boat. Alvaro Jaramillo, who has extensive experience with this >> species, helped to get birders on the key characteristics of this >> large, dark petrel. All thirty-two people on board, and the two crew >> members, got onto the bird. There are photographs documenting the >> bird. >> >> Other highlights include LAYSAN ALBATROSS (likely two different >> individuals), BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, PARASITIC JAEGER (harrasing a >> LONG-BILLED CURLEW near the harbor), POMARINE JAEGER, SOUTH POLAR >> SKUA, FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER, PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER, BULLER'S >> SHEARWATER, BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER, SOOTY SHEARWATER, CASSIN'S >> AUKLET, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, and COMMON MURRE. >> >> Fuller trip reports will follow in the next few days. >> >> WOW! >> >> Jennifer Rycenga >> Half Moon Bay, CA >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------ >> >> Yahoo! Groups Links >> >> >> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL From: Mark Eaton <marksffo AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:21:31 -0700 Here's the status of White-chinned Petrel as per the AOU in 2008: http://www.aou.org/committees/nacc/proposals/2008_C_votes_web.php#2008-C-8 Mark --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org On Oct 18, 2009, at 7:39 PM, Jennifer Rycenga wrote: > Today's Sequoia Audubon Society pelagic trip out of Half Moon Bay had > a most remarkable bird - a likely first-ever live North American > sighting of a southern hemisphere bird, the WHITE-CHINNED PETREL > (Procellaria aequinoctialis). The bird was in sight for more than ten > minutes; at least half of that time it settled on the water in back of > our boat. Alvaro Jaramillo, who has extensive experience with this > species, helped to get birders on the key characteristics of this > large, dark petrel. All thirty-two people on board, and the two crew > members, got onto the bird. There are photographs documenting the > bird. > > Other highlights include LAYSAN ALBATROSS (likely two different > individuals), BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, PARASITIC JAEGER (harrasing a > LONG-BILLED CURLEW near the harbor), POMARINE JAEGER, SOUTH POLAR > SKUA, FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER, PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER, BULLER'S > SHEARWATER, BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER, SOOTY SHEARWATER, CASSIN'S > AUKLET, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, and COMMON MURRE. > > Fuller trip reports will follow in the next few days. > > WOW! > > Jennifer Rycenga > Half Moon Bay, CA > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > Subject: Half Moon Bay Pelagic - WHITE-CHINNED PETREL From: Jennifer Rycenga <gyrrlfalcon AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:39:03 -0700 Today's Sequoia Audubon Society pelagic trip out of Half Moon Bay had a most remarkable bird - a likely first-ever live North American sighting of a southern hemisphere bird, the WHITE-CHINNED PETREL (Procellaria aequinoctialis). The bird was in sight for more than ten minutes; at least half of that time it settled on the water in back of our boat. Alvaro Jaramillo, who has extensive experience with this species, helped to get birders on the key characteristics of this large, dark petrel. All thirty-two people on board, and the two crew members, got onto the bird. There are photographs documenting the bird. Other highlights include LAYSAN ALBATROSS (likely two different individuals), BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, PARASITIC JAEGER (harrasing a LONG-BILLED CURLEW near the harbor), POMARINE JAEGER, SOUTH POLAR SKUA, FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER, PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER, BULLER'S SHEARWATER, BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER, SOOTY SHEARWATER, CASSIN'S AUKLET, RHINOCEROS AUKLET, and COMMON MURRE. Fuller trip reports will follow in the next few days. WOW! Jennifer Rycenga Half Moon Bay, CA Subject: Re: Marbled Murrelet Pillar Point From: Adam Winer <awiner AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:23:16 -0700 Michael, Great photos; but they're of a Common Murre. Marbled Murrelet has a tiny bill and would show white scapulars (and is a much smaller bird, though that can't be told from photos). Cheers, Adam Winer On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 5:02 PM, michaelphelan wrote: > > > This morning around 9:00 my wife Shirley and I were at Pillar Pt. near the > breakwater when what we think was a Marbled Murrelet walked out of the water > and laid down on the sand to take a nap. They really are reminiscent of > penguins when they stand up. > > I think it might have been ill, because although we were a few yards from > it and it did see us, it ignored us and laid down and closed its eyes. We > didn't approach it, but I had the impression I could have walked right up to > it without it moving away. Photos at > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/photos/album/625535698/pic/list?mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Marbled Murrelet, dead, at Pillar Point From: "spectaclebear" <mkeitelman AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:28:36 -0000 9 a.m. sunday, October 18, there is a dead marbled murrelet. It is located at Pillar Point, at the end of the trail at Maverick's Beach, near a bench. A friend called this in to me, I have not seen the bird It is reported to Coyote Point, who informed me they will likely collect the bird because of dogs who also have an interest in the bird. 650/340-8200 Subject: Charleston Slough, Palo Alto, October 16th 2009 From: "henriksondergaard" <henriksondergaard AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:30:05 -0000 Hi all - Thanks for sharing all the information and pictures. I'm new here - visiting from Denmark - and this group is a wonderful way to be introduced to the birding spots in the Bay area. I'll contribute a little, too. Please correct my ID's if they are wrong. An evening trip to Charleston Slough gave the following sightings: A mockingbird (my first ever) at the parking lot, several Bicolored Red-winged Blackbirds, many American Avocets, Dowitchers and Marbled Godwits, some Black-necked Stilts, White Pelicans, Night-Herons and a couple of Plovers (Black-bellied?). Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36611434 AT N02/ I hope to see some of you around. /henrik Subject: Marbled Murrelet Pillar Point From: "michaelphelan" <michaelphelan AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:02:52 -0000 This morning around 9:00 my wife Shirley and I were at Pillar Pt. near the breakwater when what we think was a Marbled Murrelet walked out of the water and laid down on the sand to take a nap. They really are reminiscent of penguins when they stand up. I think it might have been ill, because although we were a few yards from it and it did see us, it ignored us and laid down and closed its eyes. We didn't approach it, but I had the impression I could have walked right up to it without it moving away. Photos at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/photos/album/625535698/pic/list?mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc Subject: Article about albatross on Torishima From: Robin Winslow Smith <rwinslows AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:18:35 -0700 (PDT) Dear Pen- Birders,In the September 24, 1990 issue of the New Yorker ( you can access it through their archives) there is a long article written by Diane Ackerman about a trip she made with the sea bird expert Peter Harrison to Torishima to see the albatross there. It is very interesting reading!Peter Harrison was on my Antarctica trip in 1991. I noticed that he liked to get people to extend themselves to try new and sometimes scarey activities. You will find some of this in the article.Robin Smith [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Fwd: More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) From: Lisa Weber <45.lisa AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:53:16 -0700 Here are my (amateur) videos from the pelagic trip: Humpback whales: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaoOJVG6Dvc Albatrosses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95TTrAq57Ck Two albatrosses vying for food http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkQwnATJtsI Stealing food http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YrOrAAXkco Being aggressive, cleaning itself ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Alvaro Jaramillo Date: Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 9:46 PM Subject: RE: [pen-bird] More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) To: Joseph Morlan , Kris Olson Cc: Peninsula-Birding Joe, The photo of the bird at top, fledged on the 19th is the bird that was off HMB. I saw the maps of his full route and she essentially flew along the continental shelf break and followed that to get to California. She also flew out into the middle of the Alaska Gyre. An estimated 24000 km of flying from Mukojima to HMB. cheers, Al Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com _____ From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Joseph Morlan Sent: Friday, October 16, 2009 9:08 PM To: Kris Olson Cc: Peninsula-Birding Subject: Re: [pen-bird] More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) Hi, I came across this web page showing the translocation of Short-tailed Albatrosses from Torishima to Mukojima. I thought it was interesting: http://www.yamashin a.or.jp/hp/english/whatsnew/2008_3_01.html#01 On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:57:24 -0700, "Kris Olson" > yahoo.com> wrote: >Hi all, > >I wanted to know more about the two Albatrosses that we saw on the Oct. 11 >trip. Hope you enjoy this as much as I have! Kris Olson > > > >Alvaro tracked down information on the SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS: > > > >Great news! I was hoping someone might see this bird, it has been in the >Monterey Bay - > >Big Sur region for ~1 week and had just begun heading North again when your >group > >encountered it. Attached is a map of its locations in your area. ... > >. This is a hatch-year bird tagged on Mukojima, Japan, pre-fledging, last >May - 10 May > >2009. It originally hatched on Torishima, but was translocated to Mukojima AT >1 month > >old and hand-reared to fledging. One of 14 chicks this year - the second >highly > >successful year of translocations and hand-rearing in attempts to >re-establish STAL > >breeding in the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Shouto). > >Thanks for contacting me, Rob > >************************************* > >Robert M. Suryan > >Assistant Professor - Senior Research > >Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center > > > > > >I filled out a band code report form and got this information back today on >the LAYSAN ALBATROSS: > > > >For band code Q752: This bird was banded as an adult incubating an egg on >Tern Island, French Frigate Shoals on 22 December 2006. It bred again at >Tern Island in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. > >FWS read bands on breeding adults during the months of Dec and Jan. The >last time this bird was seen was 2 January 2009. Pretty neat to know this >bird is foraging off the coast of California. > > > >Please contact Maura Naughton with any further information on albatross >sightings, and Greg Balogh for short-tailed albatross. E-mail addresses > >are: Maura_Naughton AT > fws.gov and Greg_Balogh AT > fws.gov > > > >Thanks, > > > >David > >><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> > >David Patte > >Assistant Regional Director - External Affairs US Fish and Wildlife Service, >Pacific Region, Portland, Oregon > > > > > > > -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Nov. 3 http://fog.ccsf. edu/~jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californ iabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernf ieldornithologists.org/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) From: "Alvaro Jaramillo" <chucao AT coastside.net> Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:46:16 -0700 Joe, The photo of the bird at top, fledged on the 19th is the bird that was off HMB. I saw the maps of his full route and she essentially flew along the continental shelf break and followed that to get to California. She also flew out into the middle of the Alaska Gyre. An estimated 24000 km of flying from Mukojima to HMB. cheers, Al Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com _____ From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Joseph Morlan Sent: Friday, October 16, 2009 9:08 PM To: Kris Olson Cc: Peninsula-Birding Subject: Re: [pen-bird] More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) Hi, I came across this web page showing the translocation of Short-tailed Albatrosses from Torishima to Mukojima. I thought it was interesting: http://www.yamashin a.or.jp/hp/english/whatsnew/2008_3_01.html#01 On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:57:24 -0700, "Kris Olson" yahoo.com> wrote: >Hi all, > >I wanted to know more about the two Albatrosses that we saw on the Oct. 11 >trip. Hope you enjoy this as much as I have! Kris Olson > > > >Alvaro tracked down information on the SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS: > > > >Great news! I was hoping someone might see this bird, it has been in the >Monterey Bay - > >Big Sur region for ~1 week and had just begun heading North again when your >group > >encountered it. Attached is a map of its locations in your area. ... > >. This is a hatch-year bird tagged on Mukojima, Japan, pre-fledging, last >May - 10 May > >2009. It originally hatched on Torishima, but was translocated to Mukojima AT >1 month > >old and hand-reared to fledging. One of 14 chicks this year - the second >highly > >successful year of translocations and hand-rearing in attempts to >re-establish STAL > >breeding in the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Shouto). > >Thanks for contacting me, Rob > >************************************* > >Robert M. Suryan > >Assistant Professor - Senior Research > >Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center > > > > > >I filled out a band code report form and got this information back today on >the LAYSAN ALBATROSS: > > > >For band code Q752: This bird was banded as an adult incubating an egg on >Tern Island, French Frigate Shoals on 22 December 2006. It bred again at >Tern Island in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. > >FWS read bands on breeding adults during the months of Dec and Jan. The >last time this bird was seen was 2 January 2009. Pretty neat to know this >bird is foraging off the coast of California. > > > >Please contact Maura Naughton with any further information on albatross >sightings, and Greg Balogh for short-tailed albatross. E-mail addresses > >are: Maura_Naughton AT fws.gov and Greg_Balogh AT fws.gov > > > >Thanks, > > > >David > >><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> > >David Patte > >Assistant Regional Director - External Affairs US Fish and Wildlife Service, >Pacific Region, Portland, Oregon > > > > > > > -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Nov. 3 http://fog.ccsf. edu/~jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californ iabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernf ieldornithologists.org/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:07:49 -0700 Hi, I came across this web page showing the translocation of Short-tailed Albatrosses from Torishima to Mukojima. I thought it was interesting: http://www.yamashina.or.jp/hp/english/whatsnew/2008_3_01.html#01 On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:57:24 -0700, "Kris Olson" wrote: >Hi all, > >I wanted to know more about the two Albatrosses that we saw on the Oct. 11 >trip. Hope you enjoy this as much as I have! Kris Olson > > > >Alvaro tracked down information on the SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS: > > > >Great news! I was hoping someone might see this bird, it has been in the >Monterey Bay - > >Big Sur region for ~1 week and had just begun heading North again when your >group > >encountered it. Attached is a map of its locations in your area. ... > >. This is a hatch-year bird tagged on Mukojima, Japan, pre-fledging, last >May - 10 May > >2009. It originally hatched on Torishima, but was translocated to Mukojima AT >1 month > >old and hand-reared to fledging. One of 14 chicks this year - the second >highly > >successful year of translocations and hand-rearing in attempts to >re-establish STAL > >breeding in the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Shouto). > >Thanks for contacting me, Rob > >************************************* > >Robert M. Suryan > >Assistant Professor - Senior Research > >Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center > > > > > >I filled out a band code report form and got this information back today on >the LAYSAN ALBATROSS: > > > >For band code Q752: This bird was banded as an adult incubating an egg on >Tern Island, French Frigate Shoals on 22 December 2006. It bred again at >Tern Island in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. > >FWS read bands on breeding adults during the months of Dec and Jan. The >last time this bird was seen was 2 January 2009. Pretty neat to know this >bird is foraging off the coast of California. > > > >Please contact Maura Naughton with any further information on albatross >sightings, and Greg Balogh for short-tailed albatross. E-mail addresses > >are: Maura_Naughton AT fws.gov and Greg_Balogh AT fws.gov > > > >Thanks, > > > >David > >><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> > >David Patte > >Assistant Regional Director - External Affairs US Fish and Wildlife Service, >Pacific Region, Portland, Oregon > > > > > > > -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Nov. 3 http://fog.ccsf.edu/~jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californiabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ Subject: [FW] Vesper Sparrows at Edgewood Park, Oct. 10 From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:18:16 -0700 Hi all, While on the SFBBO boat trip Oct 11, I got a chance to catch up with Ginny Marshall, who mentioned that she and Sue Rowinski found one (possibly two) Vesper's Sparrows at Edgewood County Park. They were doing a bird census. I realize it's undoubtedly too late to find this bird, but wanted to include it for the county records. Notes back from Ginny: The sparrows were on the Serpentine Loop trail about 1/4 mile north of the intersection with the Clarkia Trail. The trail makes a sharp bend at this point. We flushed a flock at close range so it was easy to see the white tail feathers on a brown bird. The birds flew into a large thicket on the west side of the trail. It was a sizable sparrow flock with Vesper, Savannah, Lincolns, Song and both crowned species The one bird I got a good look at looked like an adult Vesper's Sparrow. It had a short notched tail with white outer tail feathers and a streaked breast. It looked like a single white feather on each side of the tail without the pattern of the lark sparrow tail. It had the classic j- shaped facial pattern of a vesper and not the dramatic markings of a lark sparrow's face. There was a narrow inconspicuous eye ring. --Kris Olson Subject: More info on the Laysan & Short-Tailed Albatrosses Oct. 11 (SFBBO trip) From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:57:24 -0700 Hi all, I wanted to know more about the two Albatrosses that we saw on the Oct. 11 trip. Hope you enjoy this as much as I have! Kris Olson Alvaro tracked down information on the SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS: Great news! I was hoping someone might see this bird, it has been in the Monterey Bay - Big Sur region for ~1 week and had just begun heading North again when your group encountered it. Attached is a map of its locations in your area. ... . This is a hatch-year bird tagged on Mukojima, Japan, pre-fledging, last May - 10 May 2009. It originally hatched on Torishima, but was translocated to Mukojima AT 1 month old and hand-reared to fledging. One of 14 chicks this year - the second highly successful year of translocations and hand-rearing in attempts to re-establish STAL breeding in the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Shouto). Thanks for contacting me, Rob ************************************* Robert M. Suryan Assistant Professor - Senior Research Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center I filled out a band code report form and got this information back today on the LAYSAN ALBATROSS: For band code Q752: This bird was banded as an adult incubating an egg on Tern Island, French Frigate Shoals on 22 December 2006. It bred again at Tern Island in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. FWS read bands on breeding adults during the months of Dec and Jan. The last time this bird was seen was 2 January 2009. Pretty neat to know this bird is foraging off the coast of California. Please contact Maura Naughton with any further information on albatross sightings, and Greg Balogh for short-tailed albatross. E-mail addresses are: Maura_Naughton AT fws.gov and Greg_Balogh AT fws.gov Thanks, David ><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> ><(((*> David Patte Assistant Regional Director - External Affairs US Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Region, Portland, Oregon Subject: American Redstart-Pillar Point From: "mark" <mkudrav AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:57:50 -0000 Hey folks, I had some errands in HMB and thought I'd have a look at Pillar Point. No sightings of the wagtail from anyone I bumped into. I had a look at the willows from the road and found an AMERICAN REDSTART. Had a couple of good looks of it flashing it's tail. Good luck this weekend. Careful of the Pumpkin Festival traffic. Mark Kudrav Subject: Re: Fwd: [CALBIRDS] Yellow Wagtail in San Mateo County From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:42:44 -0700 > > I was birding Pillar Point Harbor today with Arnel Guanlao and we found a Yellow Wagtail. From the parking lot northwest of Princeton, the bird was about 2/3 of the way down the West Shoreline Access trail which ends at the base of the north jetty. There are some Coffeeberry/Buckthorn/Rhamnus bushes and the bird's activities were centered around these for over 15 minutes starting at about 10:30 this morning. > >Peter Colasanti Got a call from Robbie Fischer. As of 10:30 this morning there have been no sightings of this bird. -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Nov. 3 http://fog.ccsf.edu/~jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californiabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ Subject: Radio Rd, Redwood Shores this evening From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:21:46 -0700 At the Radio Rd ponds this evening (6:15-6:45pm) were 14 Black Skimmers with at least two young (now looking more like adults with black, scaly plumage vs. tan, scaly plumage), 2 American White Pelicans, 8 Blue-winged Teal (3 males), 2 Least Sandpipers and in the very dim light at the end, at least 2 male American Wigeons. The teal were all along the long, thin island (south pond), as were the Skimmers to start. Then they actively started skimming with some landing on occasion on one of the smaller rounder islands. Good birding, Kris Olson Subject: Cattle Egrets - Pillar Point Harbor. From: "Alvaro Jaramillo" <chucao AT coastside.net> Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:35:40 -0700 Folks At 4 pm in the Princeton Salt Marsh, Pillar Point Harbor there were two Cattle Egrets on the island in with the mallards. Also 6 Greater White-fronted Geese on the pond, 4 adults, 2 juveniles. I have poor photos of both. A juvenile Red-necked Phalarope was there as well. I only checked the pond, not the trail to the jetty. Alvaro Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Wagtail - NO; searching in the morning again From: Jennifer Rycenga <gyrrlfalcon AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:28:32 -0700 As soon as I read the message, I ran out to Pillar Point Harbor (thanks to Emilie for forwarding the message to penbirds; I tried to do so but, unbeknownst to me, my computer failed to send it). Gary Deghi arrived a few moments later, and together we searched the entire area, with no luck, but the sun had already set behind Pillar Point, so if the Wagtail is still around, it might well have been roosting. I intend to be out there tomorrow morning ca. 7:15 or so. Let's hope that this bird is not merely a one-day (even one-hour) wonder. Jennifer Rycenga Half Moon Bay, CA Subject: Fwd: [CALBIRDS] Yellow Wagtail in San Mateo County From: Jennifer Rycenga <gyrrlfalcon AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:55:50 -0700 I'm going to go out and look for this bird now - Jennifer Rycenga Half Moon Bay, CA Begin forwarded message: > From: "peter_colasanti" > Date: October 15, 2009 4:59:02 PM PDT > To: CALBIRDS AT yahoogroups.com > Subject: [CALBIRDS] Yellow Wagtail in San Mateo County > > Hi All, > > I was birding Pillar Point Harbor today with Arnel Guanlao and we > found a Yellow Wagtail. From the parking lot northwest of Princeton, > the bird was about 2/3 of the way down the West Shoreline Access > trail which ends at the base of the north jetty. There are some > Coffeeberry/Buckthorn/Rhamnus bushes and the bird's activities were > centered around these for over 15 minutes starting at about 10:30 > this morning. > > Peter Colasanti > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Fwd: [CALBIRDS] Yellow Wagtail in San Mateo County From: Glen Tepke <g.tepke AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:31:26 +0000 (UTC) Forwarding from Calbirds. Glen Tepke Oakland ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: "peter_colasanti" To: CALBIRDS AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 4:59:02 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: [CALBIRDS] Yellow Wagtail in San Mateo County Hi All, I was birding Pillar Point Harbor today with Arnel Guanlao and we found a Yellow Wagtail. From the parking lot northwest of Princeton, the bird was about 2/3 of the way down the West Shoreline Access trail which ends at the base of the north jetty. There are some Coffeeberry/Buckthorn/Rhamnus bushes and the bird's activities were centered around these for over 15 minutes starting at about 10:30 this morning. Peter Colasanti ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS Listowners: mailto:CALBIRDS-owner AT yahoogroups.com For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-normal AT yahoogroups.com Yahoo! Groups Links Subject: Spotted Sandpiper From: "Susan E. Hons" <susieturtlewings AT mac.com> Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:05:00 -0700 Saw a nice little Spotted Sandpiper out at Bayfront Park about 3:30 pm today. He was with 3 Killdeer and they wandered all along the channel on the north side of the road. He had those nice little pinkish legs and was bobbing like crazy! Susie Hons Subject: Swainson's Hawk over San Mateo From: Tronthorn AT aol.com Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:47:28 EDT This afternoon around 3:00, I had stepped out of my clients house into the backyard where a raptor gliding in my direction turned out to be an adult light morph SWAINSON'S HAWK. The sighting was between Alameda De Las Pulgas and El Camino Real just north of Highway 92 in San Mateo. The Swainson's Hawk eventually flew towards the east. Ron Thorn [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Pescadero Marsh 10/14/2009 From: "Garth Harwood" <gharwood AT hiddenvilla.org> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:39:39 -0700 Hello All, I spent an hour at the Pescadero Marsh this AM just as the skies began to clear and bird activity was surging. I would've loved to have the whole day to see what the great storm blew in (besides a lot of broken trees at my place.) I first noted that the marsh was utterly transformed since the weekend. On Sunday 10/11 there was little water in the marsh but I did note a trace in the 'winter' pond farther back from the road. Today, after our mini-monsoon the whole marsh was mostly open water! This immediately set me to thinking that rails would be unusually easy to find. I first stopped at the obscure public parking area across from the maintenance yard along Pescadero Rd. and was shortly rewarded with several clattering Virginia Rails; eventually I determined there were a minimum of 5 based on the locations of various calls. Two were practically underfoot, yet I never saw any of them. A Sora was much more cooperative however; although it was totally silent, it walked and swam just a few yards away for an extended period. Other noteworthy species at that location included 5 Blue-winged Teal among many other ducks, and a single Red-necked Phalarope. Raptors were having a field day with so much cover submerged; I saw 11 White-tailed Kites, 2 Red-shouldered and 1 Red-tailed Hawks, and a Northern Harrier at work. The lagoon was awash too, but in schoolkids as well as water, with about 150 off-loading from multiple school buses and pouring across the bridge as I arrived. (Note to self: avoid this location on Weds. mornings.) A Surf Scoter above the bridge was interesting, and a single Clark's Grebe tolerated the oblivious kids at a distance of just 25 feet just below the bridge. Wish I'd had more time to search for songbirds in the willows and alders, but I did note 30-odd Eurasian Collared-doves in the trees at the roadside just west from Pescadero town, and among them was a single Ringed Turtle-dove. I have been glimpsing this same bird for about a year I think, but only now have I had a good solid look at it at a reasonable distance. It probably originated from the porous aviaries at Phipps Country Store. --Garth Harwood [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: addendum to 10-12-09 Mori Point From: Jeff Miller <jmiller AT biologicaldiversity.org> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:12:08 -0700 I heard, but did not see, what I thought was a Californa thrasher at Mori Point on October 2nd. In the northwest portion of Mori Point, in the scrub on the north-facing slope just south of Horse Stable Pond at Sharp Park. Jeff Miller _____ From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of squirtz72 Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 8:06 PM To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [pen-bird] addendum to 10-12-09 Mori Point One might note California Thrasher on our list for Mori Point. Shortly after we saw it, a couple passed us walking dogs (on leash). The man asked if we'd seen any good birds. You know how that goes, everyone asks that. But he seemed surprised at our sighting of the thrashers, only 5 minutes earlier. He said as far as he knows, no one has seen California Thrasher at Mori Point for 30 years. His name is Paul Jones. He regretted not having his binoculars. After he passed by, we turned around and there was a CATH on a coyote bush in eyesight distance. He was already too far away to call back. Laurie & Jeff SSF [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Yellow-headed Blackbird at Nob Hill Redwood Shores From: "Leonie Batkin" <lbatkin AT stanford.edu> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:01:02 -0700 This morning Ron Thorn and I went to Nob Hill Pond in Redwood Shores. We parked at the end of Spar Lane and were walking along the public access trail along Steinberger Slough when Ron spotted a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. The bird appears to be a hatch year male. It was seen foraging along the side of the trail and in the weedy vegetation between the public access trail and the Nob Hill pond. It was near what appears to be a large concrete well like structure with a metal plate on the cover. When we last saw it around 8:50 it was foraging alongside the trail. Leonie Batkin Ron Thorn [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: More on yesterday's SFBBO pelagic -- photos From: "Kris Olson" <kristenolson AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:08:33 -0700 Hi all, For those interested in some photos (too many) of the Short-tailed Albatross, Laysan Albatross, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, Buller's Shearwaters, Northern Fulmar, South Polar Skua, Humpback Whales and more. It was a fantastic trip! And it's amazing to think how far those albatrosses have flown. Also, I got interested in Short-tailed Albatrosses so there are some links below on them and Laysan Albatrosses. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenolson/sets/72157622446263645/ Kris Olson PICTURES FROM OTHERS -- so the links are all in one message: A photo contributed by Roy Carlson may be seen at: http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ This is the link to the video I took of the Short-Tailed Albatrosses on the SBBO pelagic trip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7Oz_J10mk4 Here is the link to the video I took of the Laysan Albatrosses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBxNVGM1_Nw I hope you enjoy the videos Steve Kass ------------------------- LINKS ON SHORT-TAILED AND LAYSAN ALBATROSSES http://www.wfu.edu/biology/albatross/index.htm http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/CA_STAL.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short-tailed_Albatross http://www.neseabirds.com/Midway/laysan.htm http://www.wfu.edu/biology/albatross/atwork/atwork.htm [nice site for kids] From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Alvaro Jaramillo Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 9:31 PM To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [pen-bird] More on yesterday's pelagic. Folks I plotted our course on Sunday and it looks like during the entire day we were in San Mateo county waters which was great! There were definintely some highlights, but it was also interesting to see that we did not run into any Ashy Storm-Petrels at all, or any other Storm Petrels for that matter other than a single Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel. This bird gave amazing close views though. The Fulmars are definitely in, and it was clear that many of the Sooty Shearwaters had left for the Southern Hemisphere as their numbers were low. But as far as shearwater diversity went, we saw 6 species, which is not bad at all. I think that both Flesh-footed and Short-tailed were much welcomed by the county birders....three species of albatross is unbelievable of course. We hit a tiny patch of Cassin's Auklets, I was expecting more. There were some weird situations, only two jaegers period, but 6 South Polar Skuas! Also this late in the season it was odd to have no Red Phalaropes, just a small number of Red-necks. In the big gull department, the Herring Gulls have started to come in, and there were also a couple of Glaucous-winged Gulls. The gull diveristy will likely increase after this storm goes by as well. The skipper of the boat was hoping that tomorrow's storm has enough southerly winds that it pushes some warm water back up towards the county. We shall see. One landbird vagrant was a Yellow-rumped Warbler way the heck out there, looking at the photos I have of it, the bird seems to be a Myrtle Warbler. This trip was part of SFBBO's (www.sfbbo.org) fall challenge, and was a fundraiser. As you know, this is a tough year on non-profits - so do visit our website and learn about what goes on at the bird obs. We need all your support and interest, it keeps the research alive! In case this trip report has piqued your interest, do see Jennifer's previous message about the Sequoia Audubon trip this sunday. Also Shearwater Journeys has two trips remaining, Oct 25 and Nov 28 out of Monterey. You never know where that Short-tailed Albatross will be! Below is a list with estimates of the numbers. Red-throated Loon 1 Pacific Loon 1 Common Loon 2 Eared Grebe 1 Western Grebe 40 Clark's Grebe 1 Short-tailed Albatross 1 Laysan Albatross 2 Black-footed Albatross 45 Northern Fulmar 80 Pink-footed Shearwater 120 Flesh-footed Shearwater 1 Buller's Shearwater 29 Sooty Shearwater 20 Short-tailed Shearwater 1 Black-vented Shearwater 1 Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel 1 Brown Pelican 40 Double-crested Cormorant 30 Brandt's Cormorant 40 Surf Scoter 12 Black Oystercatcher 8 Red-necked Phalarope 30 California Gull 45 Glaucous-winged Gull 2 Western Gull 150 American Herring Gull 8 Sabine's Gull 21 South Polar Skua 6 Pomarine Jaeger 2 Common Murre 80 Cassin's Auklet 7 Rhinoceros Auklet 45 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 good birding, Al Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: addendum to 10-12-09 Mori Point From: "squirtz72" <fair80 AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:05:52 -0000 One might note California Thrasher on our list for Mori Point. Shortly after we saw it, a couple passed us walking dogs (on leash). The man asked if we'd seen any good birds. You know how that goes, everyone asks that. But he seemed surprised at our sighting of the thrashers, only 5 minutes earlier. He said as far as he knows, no one has seen California Thrasher at Mori Point for 30 years. His name is Paul Jones. He regretted not having his binoculars. After he passed by, we turned around and there was a CATH on a coyote bush in eyesight distance. He was already too far away to call back. Laurie & Jeff SSF Subject: Two videos from the SBBO Pelgaic Trip 10/10/09 From: "tomcrown69" <tomcrown69 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:49:54 -0000 This is the link to the video I took of the Short-Tailed Albatrosses on the SBBO pelagic trip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7Oz_J10mk4 Here is the link to the video I took of the Laysan Albatrosses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBxNVGM1_Nw I hope you enjoy the videos Steve Kass