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19 Nov Lassen County Varied Thrush ["lovechild89507" ] 17 Nov Sierra Meadows Birdless [] 15 Nov Northern Flickers in Truckee, Nevada County [] 6 Nov Mono Co. - White-winged Scoters [Kathryn Parker ] 4 Nov S. Lake Tahoe CBC input needed [Will Richardson ] 04 Nov Tahoe Rim Trail and Truckee River [] 03 Nov Sierra Valley Northern Shrike (otherwise, pretty slow) [] 2 Nov Tahoe City ["Kirk Hardie" ] 2 Nov RE: Sierra County incl.FOS? Bald Eagle [] 02 Nov Coldstream Canyon Near Truckee [] 27 Oct South Lake Tahoe birds 10/27/09 [Steve Abbott ] 27 Oct Mono Lake and Yosemite NP ["Kirk Hardie" ] 26 Oct Drake Mallard x Northern Pintail hybrid - Upper Truckee ["Donald" ] 21 Oct North Lake Tahoe and Martis Valley, PLA [Bruce Webb ] 17 Oct Lake Forest and Tahoe City ["Kirk Hardie" ] 14 Oct "Collared" birds at Tahoe [Will Richardson ] 08 Oct Forgot the White-crowned Sparrow [] 08 Oct No. Goshawk near Truckee [] 06 Oct Re: Tahoe vagrants ["s_nebulosa" ] 5 Oct correction [Will Richardson ] 5 Oct Tahoe vagrants [Will Richardson ] 5 Oct great Tahoe birds ["John Sterling" ] 04 Oct "Sooty" Fox Sparrow at Glenshire (Nev. County east slope) [] 02 Oct Birds in Lakes Basin [] 29 Sep Bad weather? Good birds [Susan Stevenson ] 30 Sep Re: Vultures on the move!....Auburn, Placer County ["rossierran" ] 30 Sep Re: Vultures on the move!....Auburn, Placer County ["rossierran" ] 29 Sep Re: Vultures on the move!....Auburn, Placer County ["rossierran" ] 29 Sep Vultures on the move!....Placer County ["rossierran" ] 21 Sep Spooner Lake ["Kirk Hardie" ] 18 Sep photos of N Lake Tahoe Black-and-white Warbler - Placer Co [Bruce Webb ] 18 Sep Tahoe Birds-PLA Sabine's Gull and Sanderling [Steve Abbott ] 17 Sep Curious Grouse [] 16 Sep Placer Black and White Warbler - Tahoe [Steve Abbott ] 17 Sep Black-and-white Warbler - Pomin Park, N Lake Tahoe ["s_nebulosa" ] 14 Sep Kern's S Sierra 11-13 Sep 09 [Bob Barnes ] 12 Sep Final Tahoe Rim Trail Sightings [] 11 Sep Re: Jaeger-Lake Forest, Tahoe (PLA) ["rossierran" ] 11 Sep Jaeger-Lake Forest, Tahoe (PLA) ["rossierran" ] 10 Sep Sandhill Crane migration [] 10 Sep Sandhill Cranes at Sierra Valley [] 09 Sep 8 & 9 Sep 09: S Sierra, Plumbeous Vireo [Bob Barnes ] 08 Sep Martis Peak and Truckee Sightings [] 8 Sep South Lake Tahoe ["Bob Hislop" ] 6 Sep Fw: Out of area request [Paul Miller ] 06 Sep Lassen NP ["judisierra" ] 04 Sep Tahoe Rim Trail Sightings [] 3 Sep Sept. 1 KENTUCKY WARBLER - Mono Co. [Kathryn Parker ] 31 Aug Sa, 29 Aug 09 Common Poorwills Galore & More [Bob Barnes ] 28 Aug Warblers on the move! ["Ted Beedy" ] 27 Aug Bay-breasted Warbler in Nevada City ["Ted Beedy" ] 26 Aug Lake Forest Western Sandpiper - Siberian? [Will Richardson ] 24 Aug Tahoe shorebirds/Devil's Postpile Indigo Bunting [Will Richardson ] 21 Aug 20 Aug 09 S Fk Kern Watershed Birding [Bob Barnes ] 19 Aug Foresthill Costa's Hummingbird (PLA) ["Deren Ross" ] 14 Aug Tahoe shorebirds [Will Richardson ] 14 Aug Tahoe Solitary Sandpiper [Will Richardson ] 11 Aug S Lake Tahoe [] 11 Aug Ansel Adams Wilderness report ["Steve Hampton" ] 06 Aug 31 Jul-5 Aug 09: S Sierra-Kern R Valley [Bob Barnes ] 5 Aug Re: Grosbeaks at Silver Lake August 2 [Chet ogan ] 5 Aug Re: Grosbeaks at Silver Lake August 2 [Doug Herr ] 4 Aug Grosbeaks at Silver Lake August 2 [David Wimpfheimer ] 4 Aug SL Tahoe Sanderling [Keith Slauson ] 04 Aug NAB reminder ["m_m_rogers" ] 03 Aug WF Ibis at Lake Almanor ["Steve Hampton" ] 01 Aug Tahoe Rim Trail Sightings [] 30 Jul Th, 30 Jul 09 - Kelso Valley Rd & Piute Mtn Rd [Bob Barnes ] 28 Jul Tu, 28 Jul 09 - Canebrake Ecological Reserve [Bob Barnes ] 28 Jul Su, 26 Jul 09 - Greenhorn Mountains Transect (incl. southernmost Winter Wren) [Bob Barnes ] 25 Jul Sa, 25 Jul 09 - Kern YB Cuckoos & Bell's Vireo [Bob Barnes ] 28 Jul Re: Desolation Wilderness - breeding pipits [Kevin Spencer ] 28 Jul Desolation Wilderness - breeding pipits [Will Richardson ] 24 Jul Tahoe bunting/rare breeders [Will Richardson ] 24 Jul 23 Jul 09 - South Fork Kern River Valley, Southern Sierra Nevada [Bob Barnes ] 23 Jul Pine Grosbeaks Yosemite, Mariposa County ["David Vander Pluym" ] Subject: Lassen County Varied Thrush From: "lovechild89507" <battis AT frontiernet.net> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:10:50 -0000 An adult Varied Thrush just appear on my back fence--the first one I've ever seen in the Eastern Sierra. I hope the snowstorm that's arriving tomorrow doesn't do him in. Chris Battis (Southernmost) Lassen CountySubject: Sierra Meadows Birdless From: rccarl AT pacbell.net Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:31:24 -0800 (PST) We had a pretty but nearly birdless afternoon at Sierra Meadows Nov. 16. Only bird of notwas a Ferruginous hawk near the intersection of Heriot lane and hwy 49. We also had oen Swan farther north on Heriot. NO ducks at all and one lone Goose. Never had so few birds there. RCC Richard Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker and Rotarian Part-time Economist Tucson, AZ, Lake Tahoe, CA, & Kirkland, WA rccarl AT pacbell.net Tucson 520-760-4935 Tahoe 530-581-0624 Kirkland 425-828-3819 Cell 650-280-2965 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Northern Flickers in Truckee, Nevada County From: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:36:11 -0500 Yesterday while walking the Tahoe Donner Golf Course (closed for the season) we saw 6 Red Shafted Northern Flickers, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 3 Mountain Chickadees, a Red-tailed Hawk and numberous Steller's Jays. With quite a bit of snow on the ground the Robins appear to have left. Andrea Oddo, Truckee Elevation 6600'Subject: Mono Co. - White-winged Scoters From: Kathryn Parker <jandkparker AT mindspring.com> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 20:20:25 -0800 This morning, Nov. 6, at 11:00, there were 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on Bridgeport Reservoir near the dam. Looking at my Sibley, one looked like the picture of a 1st spring female, the other looked like an adult female. They were swimming and diving together. I was on Hwy 182 driving east. Near the dam is a 40 mph curve sign. I pulled over here and the birds were across the lake, which is not very wide. I looked for some of the birds reported by Al DeMartini. I did not find the Eurasian Wigeon or the Vermilion Flycatcher, but there were 5 HOODED MERGANSERS, 3 males and 2 females, at Gull Lake near the boat ramp at the campground. There was another female on the south end of Grant Lake. Kathy Parker Los GatosSubject: S. Lake Tahoe CBC input needed From: Will Richardson <t.will.richardson AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 17:49:54 -0800 Hey folks, It's that time of year again. I need to schedule the South Lake Tahoe CBC, and I'd love to get some input from any would-be participants that may have scheduling conflicts. Typically, we like to hold it as early as possible, as the difference in snowpack from the beginning of CBC season to the end can be profound! But, the whole weekday vs. weekend issue seems to be a constant debate. I would like to propose either Monday Dec. 14 or Tuesday Dec. 15 if there is sufficient interest and manpower OR Saturday December 19 if I hear from enough weekend-only types. Auburn and Woodfords are both that day, so I'd consider Sunday the 20th as well. Reno and Carson are also usually the first Saturday and Sunday of the count period, respectively - more incentive to trying to do it earlier in the week. All of this, of course is subject to change due to extreme weather, but I'd like to at least pencil in a tentative date. Please email me ASAP if you're interested and have a scheduling preference. Thanks!! Will Richardson Truckee, CA t.will.richardson AT gmail.comSubject: Tahoe Rim Trail and Truckee River From: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:52:17 -0500 Yesterday we hiked from Ward Creek to Tahoe City hoping to see the many woodpeckers reported earlier this week. We did see one Hairy Woodpecker and heard a flicker but that was it. At the start of the hike we saw a Red-tailed Hawk, then several Mountain Chickadees, Steller's Jays and 5 Red-breasted Nuthatches. When we reached the Truckee River in Tahoe City we saw a pair of Mallards and 5 Hooded Mergansers. My first hike on the Tahoe Rim Trail without seeing or hearing a Clark's Nutcracker or any Dark-eyed Juncos. Andrea & Andy Oddo, TruckeeSubject: Sierra Valley Northern Shrike (otherwise, pretty slow) From: martin AT sierrabirdbum.com Date: Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:19:26 -0700 On this beautiful fall day, I took a drive through Sierra Valley. Sierraville to Sattley, up A23 to Dysan (Marble Hot Springs Rd), across Dysan to Heriot (Harriet -- depends on which end of the road you are at when you look at the sign), down Heriot to 49, over to Loyalton, up A24 to Dysan and east to 49, then north to 70. (Eventually left the valley going east on 70 to 395 and north to Red Rock Road, a location with the nice feature of being able to see Juniper Titmouse in both California and Nevada on one short walk. But I digress...) At the first 90 degree turn on Dysan (as you travel east from A23), there was a young Northern Shrike. (That's in Plumas.) This is about a week or so earlier than my usual first sighting for the species in the area, but probably not unusually early. Other than that, birding was quite slow. The only waterfowl encountered consisted of a flock of large Canada Geese and some Buffleheads at the pond just west of Sierraville. Raptor numbers were quite low. I spotted only 3 Red-tailed Hawks in Sierra County and 6 in Plumas. I've had counts above 50 or several occasions in November (although usually a bit later in the month.) I saw only two Ferruginous Hawks (but it was a wonderful sighting -- one light, one dark, circling together near Loyalton. Dark morph Ferruginous is one of my favorite raptors!) A few Northern Harriers and one American Kestrel completed the raptor list. I was surprised not to see a Rough-legged Hawk. Other than that, some Mountain Bluebirds, a few American Pipits, and the rest of the usual suspects. Martin --------------- Martin Meyers email: Martin (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com Truckee, CASubject: Tahoe City From: "Kirk Hardie" <krhardie AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 21:34:54 -0800 Hello birders, I hiked along the Tahoe Rim Trail from Tahoe City to Ward Canyon yesterday. It turned out to be a beautiful day to be on a hike. There was nothing unusual, but there was a noticeable absence of one species: there were no dark-eyed juncos seen. Woodpeckers were abundant though. There were at least 4 WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKERS, at least 4 HAIRY WOODPECKERS, and even though no FLICKERS were seen, many were heard. We also came across a snag that looked like a pileated woodpecker had searched for food in. Here's the (short) complete list: White-headed Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker (heard) Steller's Jay Mountain Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch Golden-crowned Kinglet Evening Grosbeak (heard) Kirk Hardie Reno, NV "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." - From a sign in Albert Einstein's office at Princeton [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: RE: Sierra County incl.FOS? Bald Eagle From: PAGPEG AT aol.com Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 11:47:53 EST Greetings SIE - NEV Birders, Yesterday, Sunday, 1 Nov. 2009, returning from Plumas Co. to the S.F.Bay Area via Hwy 89, my wife Pat and I stopped at the artificial pond along Hwy 89 ca. 2 mi. north of Sierraville, SIE Co. Among the 70 +/- Canada Geese (including 3+ very large, white breasted/bellied individuals) were one Greater White-fronted Goose and an adult and an immature Snow Goose (white forms). An Adult Bald Eagle was conspicuously perched on a tree snag alongside of the Little Truckee River, just south of the Hwy 89 bridge below Little Truckee Campground (USFS), SIE Co. This is about 10 miles south of Sierraville (1/2 way to Truckee). A first, unexpected location for us in several decades of travel; although they regularly winter in Sierra Valley, PLU & SIE Cos, 25+ miles away). P.S. This morning our garbage can lid birdbath (Blairsden, PLU Co., 4,800ft.) was visited by a female Williamson's Sapsucker (among the 8 woodpecker species found here = "Woodpecker Woods"). Happy Fall Birding, Phil & Pat Gordon Hayward, ALA Co. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Coldstream Canyon Near Truckee From: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:04:34 -0500 Yesterday while walking up Coldstream Canyon (in the railroad track horseshoe) we spotted 30 Common Mergansers in the ponds, 5 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 20 Dark-eyed Juncos, 6 Red-breasted Northern Flickers, and 3 Steller's Jays. Andrea Oddo, Truckee= [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: South Lake Tahoe birds 10/27/09 From: Steve Abbott <papasula AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:59:40 -0700 Birders, A few cold birds at the Upper Truckee Marsh in South Lake Tahoe (El Dorado County) included: 2 AMERICAN AVOCETS 1 HERRING GULL 1 juv. RED-SHOULDERED HAWK 1 LARK SPARROW Some photos are posted on my blog at: http://papasula.blogspot.com/2009/10/upper-truckee-marsh-102709.html Good birding, Steve Abbott Cameron Park, CA > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Mono Lake and Yosemite NP From: "Kirk Hardie" <krhardie AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:23:54 -0700 Hello birders, I took a quick trip to Bridgeport, Mono Lake and Yosemite last week (10/20-10/22). I had planned to spend two nights in Yosemite, but ice on Tioga Pass kept me in Lee Vining for a night until the Pass opened on the 21st. There was nothing out of the ordinary at Bridgeport Reservoir. I did see a number of AVOCETS and GREATER YELLOWLEGS there. Mono Lake amazed me with the sheer number of EARED GREBES. It appeared that the entire lake was covered with a grebe per 20 square feet. Amazing! I also found a PRAIRIE FALCON at Black Point on the lake and a juvenile COMMON YELLOWTHROAT at South Tufa. Up at June Lakes, Grant Lake had a number of COMMON LOONS and plenty of AM. COOTS. The highlight of Yosemite was seeing a PILEATED WOODPECKER at Mirror Lake in Yosemite Valley. I also picked up CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE and BAND-TAILED PIGEONS in the valley. I hiked up to Sentinel Dome (near Glacier Point) where I saw well over a hundred DARK-EYED JUNCOS in a single flock. I was amazed at they continued to come out of the forest in wave after wave. I have never seen so many together. Here are the complete lists: Bridgeport Reservoir Eared Grebe Pied-billed Grebe Western Grebe Clark's Grebe Double-crested Cormorant Canada Goose Mallard Northern Pintail Northern Shoveler Green-winged Teal Ruddy Duck Northern Harrier American Avocet Greater Yellowlegs Ring-billed Gull Northern Flicker Black-billed Magpie Common Raven Yellow-rumped Warbler Song Sparrow American Coot Red-winged Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Lee Vining/Mono Lake Yellow-rumped Warbler White-crowned Sparrow Eared Grebe (1000s) Western Grebe Mallard Northern Shoveler Ruddy Duck American Coot California Gull Dowitcher sp Northern Flicker Black-billed Magpie Marsh Wren Bewick's Wren Cedar Waxwing European Starling Song Sparrow Western Meadowlark Prairie Falcon European Collared-Dove Lesser Goldfinch Steller's Jay Clark's Nutcracker Common Raven Killdeer Horned Lark Common Yellowthroat (juv) Red-winged Blackbird Great Egret Northern Harrier American Pippit Brewer's Blackbird Red-tailed Hawk Yosemite NP Red-tailed Hawk Hairy Woodpecker White-headed Woodpecker Steller's Jay Clark's Nutcracker Common Raven Mountain Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch Golden-crowned Kinglet Yellow-rumped Warbler Dark-eyed Junco Chestnut-backed Chickadee Pileated Woodpecker Acorn Woodpecker Bushtits Band-tailed Pigeons Kirk Hardie Reno, NV "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." - From a sign in Albert Einstein's office at Princeton [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Drake Mallard x Northern Pintail hybrid - Upper Truckee From: "Donald" <donh AT netfeed.com> Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:42:48 -0000 Out at the Upper Truckee Marsh this morning - had a Mallard x Northern Pintail hybrid in the Upper Truckee just above the mouth. Don Harriman South Lake TahoeSubject: North Lake Tahoe and Martis Valley, PLA From: Bruce Webb <BruWebb AT surewest.net> Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:05:30 -0700 This morning, Steve Abbott and I spent a couple of hours birding and photographing along the north shore of Lake Tahoe, in Placer County. Probably the biggest surprise were two approachable Mountain Quail under the aspens and willows at the parking lot at the end of Bristlecone Drive, Lake Forest. A few minutes laster a covey of 20+ California Quail came into view in the same area. It was the first time either of us have seen either quail at lake level. Photos of the Mountain Quail should appear soon in the photo album section. One immature Bonaparte's Gull was flying close to shore and dipping over the Lake. Two others were farther out on the lake. The usual contingent of California Gulls and three Hooded Mergansers were seen from the Coast Guard boat launching platform. A few Common Loons and Western Grebes and Common Mergansers were in the distance. Other than low numbers of Mountain Chickadees and a few Audubon's Warblers and Song Sparrows, Pomin Park was quiet. A Prairie Falcon perched for a photo on the willow patch near the end of the Lake Forest peninsula. Our stop at Martis Lake en route back to Roseville produced no ducks. Only four Pied-billed Grebes and six Am Coots were on Martis Lake - a definite all time low count for waterbirds A fly-by Merlin passed through a flock of Horned Larks and emerged empty handed. Later, a Prairie Falcon and a Golden Eagle cruised the sagebrush and willow area of Martis Valley. Mountain Bluebirds seemed low, but have not left Martis Valley, yet. -- Bruce Webb Wildlife Computing, USA Granite Bay, California 95746 Toll-free 1-866-BIRD-810 (1-866- 247-3810) http://home.surewest.net/bruwebb/Pocket-PC.htmSubject: Lake Forest and Tahoe City From: "Kirk Hardie" <krhardie AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:38:12 -0700 Hello all, I had the pleasure of joining John Muir Laws for a birding field trip associated with the Sierra Nevada Alliance conference yesterday (10/16). He was great at getting the group to not just appreciate various species, but also the behavior of each individual bird. His knowledge of the Sierra Nevada is amazing. He had us licking the abdomen of red ants at one point to taste the formic acid (tasted like lemons) they use for defense. We started at Lake Forest near Tahoe City where the highlights were a cooperative male YELLOW WARBLER and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER. There was also a lone EARED GREBE out on the lake. Our second stop was the Truckee River Access on the west end of Tahoe City. The highlight there was an AMERICAN DIPPER. Here's the complete list: Eared Grebe Mallard American Coot California Gull Killdeer Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Steller's Jay Mountain Chickadee Pygmy Nuthatch American Dipper Yellow-rumped Warbler Yellow Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler Dark-eyed Junco Kirk Hardie Reno, NV "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." - From a sign in Albert Einstein's office at Princeton [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: "Collared" birds at Tahoe From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:21:14 -0700 I birded all over the lakefront hotspots today, hoping that the storm had deposited some good stuff. This morning was mostly spent at N. Lake, which was COLD, WINDY, and lackluster for birds. A single Greater White-fronted Goose at Commons Beach was nice, but otherwise it felt like the storm simply flushed everything out of the Tahoe Basin. I had much better luck at the south end of the lake. The pond at Rabe Meadows had my first Hooded Merganser of the season. But the highlights for me were two new birds for my personal Tahoe list. Best was definitely a Chestnut-collared Longspur at the Upper Truckee River Delta, working the large, low, flat area that's basically straight out in front of the marsh, associating mostly with Horned Larks but also some pipits. Todd Easterla and John Sterling originally had distant looks of that bird earlier in the day from the Cove East side, but we all enjoyed great views up close in the afternoon. A few other bits and bobs there: Merlin, Red-shouldered Hawk, Semipalmated Plover, Gr. Yellowlegs, lots of wigeon, three more Gr. White-fronted Geese including a handsome adult, at least 4 grackles today (2 males, 2 female-type), and I nearly stepped on a Burrowing Owl across the canal at Cove East (found earlier in the day by Don and Lynn Harriman). Also, I finally got my Tahoe Eurasian Collared-Dove, a single bird flying across Hwy. 50, by Meeks Hardware. In other news, Anna's Hummingbirds are still being reported at S. Lake feeders, even after that whopper of a storm! I'll post a photo of the longspur. Will Richardson Truckee, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Forgot the White-crowned Sparrow From: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:12:35 -0400 Saw a White-crowned Sparrow on our deck today (first of the season) and then spotted one later on my hike of the Tahoe Donner trails, Andrea Oddo, TruckeeSubject: No. Goshawk near Truckee From: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:05:13 -0400 Today I hiked in the Tahoe Donner subdivision, west of downtown Truckee and north of Donner Lake. I was on the Donner Lake Rim Trail part of the time and I saw many Dark-eyed Juncos and Mountain Chickadees, one Red-shafted No. Flicker, several American Robins, and I startled a No. Goshawk on the edge of the forest. It circled over us, where we got a great look, and then flew downslope towards Donner Lake. I was surprised NOT to see any Mountain Bluebirds on this trail as I have always seen them in this area. Although I climbed to the top of Hawk's peak where we usually see several hawks, I only saw the one Goshawk. Andrea Oddo, TruckeeSubject: Re: Tahoe vagrants From: "s_nebulosa" <Birder1 AT surewest.net> Date: Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:27:06 -0000 Will Richardson just called and asked me to pass along that he photographed one of the Clay-colored Sparrows as first reported by Todd Easterla. It was in the large flock of sparrows found at the parking lot of Cove East. No shorebirds or gulls of note were seen at the lakefront, but there are large numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers and White-crowned Sparrows were in the willows. Bruce Webb Granite Bay, CA --- In sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com, Will RichardsonSubject: correction From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 11:13:31 -0700 I just saw a simultaneous post from John Sterling, and I think I may have misheard the plover species, since John said Snowy. Regardless, get out there if you can! WillSubject: Tahoe vagrants From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 11:10:43 -0700 I just (10:45) got a call from Todd Easterla who's down at Cove East, and just photographed a pair of Clay-colored Sparrows near the trailhead. He said there are TONS of sparrows and has never seen so many birds together down there. Yesterday, sounds like he experienced a very birdy day amid the snowsqualls, describing a snipe running across his foot and several birds landing on his head. Yesterday's highlight was a probable Broad-winged Hawk at Lake Forest Beach. I just spent all morning out there and at Pomin Park, both of which were quite birdy despite all the snow, but I was unable to find it. Todd also had a pair of Semipalmated Plovers at the Upper Truckee River Delta yesterday, which are a bit late (although I do have records through the 8th of Nov.). The winds are supposed to turn east this afternoon, so hopefully some of this stuff will stick around. Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: great Tahoe birds From: "John Sterling" <jsterling AT wavecable.com> Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 11:03:19 -0700 Todd Easterla called me to report a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk yesterday at Lake Forest Dr in north Lake Tahoe. The bird disappeared and he was not able to refind it after his initial views of the bird. Today, he has two Clay-colored Sparrows at the beginning of walk out to the south Truckee River marshes-the Truckee Marina area. He said that there are hundreds of sparrows and quite a few shorebirds too, including two late Snowy Plovers. John Sterling VVVVVVVVVV 26 Palm Ave Woodland, CA 95695 cell 530 908-3836 jsterling AT wavecable.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: "Sooty" Fox Sparrow at Glenshire (Nev. County east slope) From: martin AT sierrabirdbum.com Date: Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:35:43 -0700 I was out for a walk around my neighborhood (Glenshire is about five miles east of Truckee) and encountered a Fox Sparrow on the southwest side of the Glenshire Pond. "Sierra" Fox Sparrows (i.e., "Thick-billed") are abundant breeders in the area, but this bird was not one of those. Even ignoring bill size, the plumage was completely wrong for "Sierra" or "Interior" (schistacea group) Fox Sparrows. The back and head were medium brown, not gray. There was little contrast between head and back, and little if any contrast between the back and wings. I never had a great look at the tail. Face was very plain, with the only obvious feature being a paler malar region. No obvious streaks on head. Bill was mostly yellow, darker on culmen. Bill looked about the same size as the bills on the nearby White-crowns. Breast sides and flanks marked with dark brown arrowhead-shaped spots. The bird never faced me, so I never got a look at the center of the upper breast. The only Fox Sparrow type that matches what I saw is the northern population of the "Sooty" group. This is the first "Sooty" Fox Sparrow I've seen on the east slope, but I have had a few in Nevada (state). I'm heading back out with camera to see if I can find it again (before the snow starts.) Martin --------------- Martin Meyers email: Martin (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com Truckee, CASubject: Birds in Lakes Basin From: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:40:54 -0400 Yesterday, drove through the Sierra Valley and spotted 3 Red-tailed hawks, numerous Black-billed Magpies and a covey of California Quail, then climbed Mt. Elwell in the Lakes Basin and saw one No. Harrier, one No. Goshawk, many American Robins, Steller's Jays, and one Lewis's Woodpecker. Great day with wonderful visibility all the way to Mt. Lassen. At home in Tahoe Donner, the Rufous Hummingbirds are gone and only see a few Mountain Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, Pine Siskins and Steller's Jays. At Martis Peak lookout on Monday saw several Clark's Nutcrackers and one Red-breasted Nuthatch. Andrea Oddo, Truckee, CaliforniaSubject: Bad weather? Good birds From: Susan Stevenson <sssfromslt AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:55:26 -0700 (PDT) Tuesday moring 9/29 at the outlet of the Upper Truckee River in South Lake Tahoe: The winds were really gusting this morning at the South end of Lake Tahoe. Don and Lynn Harriman and I enjoyed watching the interactions between a mature bald eagle and a Northern Harrier (Harrier thinks it owns the Upper Truckee marsh area!) Later watched a more agile Praire Falcon outflying the two Harriers...pretty intense confrontations. Then an unfamiliar call turned our heads, as a Sandhill Crane flew over the meadow, gaining elevation and heading northeast. Sue Stevenson South Lake Tahoe [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Re: Vultures on the move!....Auburn, Placer County From: "rossierran" <derenross AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:35:32 -0000 Birders, A final note on todays vulture migration through the foothills of Placer County. Additional reports were received from Penn Valley (Diane Marten), Meadow Vista (Barbara and Bill Tellman), and North Auburn (Mark Kephart,1st report). The average size of the migratory group numbered 150 birds. The migratory flock gathers upon a single thermal which appears as a loose tornado of vultures and after most of them are up, the bird at the top of the thermal will peel off, heading straight south with the other birds following in tow. It's a very cool site. With tomorrows expected winds out of the north-northwest, we may see more vultures moving along the sierra foothills. Not to mention the other good possibilities . Also, Dan Airola and I spoke via email today about the thermal activity (roads, development, delta-foothill geography) in Western Placer and Sacramento Area as a possible factor for the consistent pattern of migtratory vulutures in this area of the sierra foothills. Regular sightings of migrating White Pelicans over the same area give further credence to this idea. I've also wondered if the visual presence of the resident foothill vulture population might be a contributing factor. Thanks for the reports and comments. Deren Ross Auburn,Ca --- In sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com, "rossierran"Subject: Re: Vultures on the move!....Auburn, Placer County From: "rossierran" <derenross AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:34:55 -0000 Birders, A final note on todays vulture migration through the foothills of Placer County. Additional reports were received from Penn Valley (Diane Marten), Meadow Vista (Barbara and Bill Tellman), and North Auburn (Mark Kephart,1st report). The average size of the migratory group numbered 150 birds. The migratory flock gathers upon a single thermal which appears as a loose tornado of vultures and after most of them are up, the bird at the top of the thermal will peel off, heading straight south with the other birds following in tow. It's a very cool site. With tomorrows expected winds out of the north-northwest, we may see more vultures moving along the sierra foothills. Not to mention the other good possibilities . Also, Dan Airola and I spoke via email today about the thermal activity (roads, development, delta-foothill geography) in Western Placer and Sacramento Area as a possible factor for the consistent pattern of migtratory vulutures in this area of the sierra foothills. Regular sightings of migrating White Pelicans over the same area give further credence to this idea. I've also wondered if the visual presence of the resident foothill vulture population might be a contributing factor. Thanks for the reports and comments. Deren Ross Auburn,Ca --- In sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com, "rossierran"Subject: Re: Vultures on the move!....Auburn, Placer County From: "rossierran" <derenross AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:49:29 -0000 The vulture report came from north Auburn and I've spent the last hour looking without any success, until now. After the cold winds let up and the air warmed, from Newcastle, I counted approximately 200 Turkey Vultures gaining altitude over Auburn proper. Thought I missed them. Apparently, the sat down for a time. Deren Ross Auburn, Ca --- In sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com, "rossierran"Subject: Vultures on the move!....Placer County From: "rossierran" <derenross AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:07:24 -0000 Birders, Keep your eyes to the skies....just got word that several large groups of Turkey Vultures are moving throught the Auburn area and heading southward over the foothills. Surely, they're on their way to Kern. It's usually a one day event in this area, depending on the weather, in which to get a glimpse of the migration with anywhere from 50 to 1500 birds. Our local population, a.k.a. Auburn Airforce, are resident with an exception for some the younsters. Deren Ross Auburn, CaSubject: Spooner Lake From: "Kirk Hardie" <krhardie AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:13:13 -0700 Hello birders, We took our puppy on a walk around Spooner Lake off of Highway 50 on the east shore of Lake Tahoe on Saturday. It was much windier this time than last Saturday, and thus there were fewer terrestrial birds. We did see 4 HORNED GREBES and a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE as the different birds this time around. There may have been an eared grebe, but it went into the reflection from the sun and never re-surfaced in an area to allow a good look. Here's the whole list: Horned Grebes Canada Geese Gadwall Northern Shoveler Ring-necked Ducks Common Merganser American Coot Osprey Northern Flicker Western Wood-pewee Steller's Jay Mountain Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch Brewer's Blackbird White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Kirk Hardie Reno, NV "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." - From a sign in Albert Einstein's office at Princeton [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: photos of N Lake Tahoe Black-and-white Warbler - Placer Co From: Bruce Webb <BruWebb AT surewest.net> Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:11:24 -0700 The Black-and-white Warbler at Pomin Park (aka Tahoe Lake Forest Public Campground) on 9/16/09 was photographed by Jean Myers. Two of her images are in the Warblers album. Also, that day a Gray Flycatcher was at Lake Forest Point. A digiscoped photo is in the Flycatchers album, Bruce Webb Granite Bay, CASubject: Tahoe Birds-PLA Sabine's Gull and Sanderling From: Steve Abbott <papasula AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:19:03 -0700 Birders, I spent several hours yesterday at Lake Tahoe and below are a few highlights (pictorial version of this email at http://papasula.blogspot.com ): Placer County: Pomin Park No sign of the previous day's black and white warbler though there was a lot of activity in the park. LAZULI BUNTING 1 juv male Empidonax sp. Bristlecone St(?) At the park just north of Pomin and the Coast Guard station there was quite a bit of activity. Several waves of birds came through the trees during my ~4 hr stay. SANDERLING 1 juv out at the point in the rocks MARBLED GODWIT 1 roosting at the point SABINE'S GULL 1 juv feeding approx 300 yds off the point with a Sterna tern that will remain unidentified FORSTER'S TERN 1 at the point VESPER SPARROW 1 in the grasses at the point YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD 1 imm male in the grasses at the point BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER 1 in the trees at the point MARSH WREN in the grasses Lots of ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS COMMON YELLOWTHROAT El Dorado County: Tahoe Keys WHIMBREL 2 juv MARBLED GODWIT 1 BREWER'S SPARROW several Lots of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS RED-NECKED PHALAROPE 4 in the outlet of the river allowing close approach Cheers, Steve Abbott Cameron Park, CASubject: Curious Grouse From: rccarl AT pacbell.net Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:27:51 -0700 (PDT) My yard group of Dusky Grouse continue their unpredictable ways. They make themselves scarce in the Spring but are more common in the Fall. At any season, you can't find them, they find you. We just returned here to Tahoe and the Grouse showed up even before I started spreading bird seed. They are normally pretty spooky, so we watch only from inside our home. Yesterday we had 6 tree workers cutting down a dozen trees to create defensible space. (We are cutting trees as fast as possible before the $%^&* Sierra Club lawsuit stops all cutting and forces us to back onto the Tahoe Funeral Pyre.) Anyhow, the noise and commotion were incredible. So what do those spooky ghosts of the forest do? Six of them line up 30 ft away from the workers like a group of baseball fans watching the action. RCC at 7,00o ft watching the sunset on Lake Tahoe. Richard Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker and Rotarian Part-time Economist Tucson, AZ, Lake Tahoe, CA, & Kirkland, WA rccarl AT pacbell.net Tucson 520-760-4935 Tahoe 530-581-0624 Kirkland 425-828-3819 Cell 650-280-2965 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Placer Black and White Warbler - Tahoe From: Steve Abbott <papasula AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:36:01 -0700 Birders, Bruce Webb called and asked me to pass along that he found a BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER at Pomin Park in Lake Forest this afternoon. I will try tomorrow for it and will post positive/negative report. Best, Steve Abbott Cameron ParkSubject: Black-and-white Warbler - Pomin Park, N Lake Tahoe From: "s_nebulosa" <Birder1 AT surewest.net> Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:26:36 -0000 This afternoon, 9-16-09, In north Lake Tahoe, I found a female/immature Black-and-white Warbler in the campground near the entrance station of Pomin Park. The campground is near the Lake Forest Coast Guard Station. This excellent landbird trap is in Placer County. The bird was foraging alone using the taller, more mature alder and willow trees inside the loop at the end of the campground loop. I was birding with Jeane Myers, who got photos of the warbler. Also in the campground were many Orange-crowneds, Wilson's and a few Yellow Warblers. Two Lazuli Buntings were in the meadow areas. A very gray "solitary" vireo was in the campground willows, but I did not get good enough views to call it to species. Presently, the campground is being prepared for new road and campsite construction, so lots of orange fencing is around. I scanned the distant waves and saw only one distant Sterna tern, no jaegers. Earlier in the day, a Gray Flycatcher, our only empid all day, was showing well near the parking area at the end of Bristlecone St. The willow clump was teeming with Orange-crowned warblers. One Lewis's Woodpecker flew over Lake Forest. Bruce Webb Granite Bay, CASubject: Kern's S Sierra 11-13 Sep 09 From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:58:52 -0700 Hi,
11-13 Sep 09 was part of a continuing effort to visit a wide array of
sites in the Kern River Valley and Southern Sierra Nevada region at
least once each month during the calendar year regardless of
pre-conceived birding quality.
COMMENTS:
* MOUNTAIN QUAIL continued to be noisy and, therefore, able to be found...
* TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES in numbers in the Greenhorn Mountains...
* WARBLERS not singing, but chipping more vociferously than any
previous visits in 2009...
* GREEN-TAILED TOWHEES still present in the Greenhorn Mountains...
* Overall DIVERSITY and NUMBERS of individuals appears to remain
strong in the Greenhorns Mountains...
* ISABELLA RESERVOIR continues to add diversity to area visits...
* WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES just about gone for "winter"...
* COMMON YELLOWTHROATS (absent during "winter" months) present in
abundance...
* Five total SUMMER TANAGERS at three Kern River Preserve
locations... Last individuals usually detected into the first ten
days of October...
* HUMMINGBIRD NUMBERS remained strong at Kern River Preserve
Headquarters feeders ... Numbers "should drop off the table" in the
next few days...
* Diversity (51 species) and numbers of individuals remained
strong along Kern River Preserve's SIERRA WAY...
* RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER continuing (from 2 Aug 09) in willows at
Kern River Preserve's Prince's Pond...
* At least two MARSH WRENS at Prince's Pond... Perhaps first to
return for "winter" season... NOTE: This species has not been found
years in the Kern River Valley during June, July, and August...
* Only one BLUE GROSBEAK detected in two days of surveys in prime
nesting areas. Clearly, most have moved out for the winter .
* GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES appear to have left for the "winter" from
their Prince's Pond nesting area...
* COMMON POORWILL still calling spontaneously along Sawmill Road
in the Greenhorn Mountains.
* Expected & Missed: Barn Owl, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Purple Finch
The following five*** reports are based on those generated
automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/)...
***Greenhorn Mountains--FS 24S15; Isabella Reservoir--Kissack Cove;
Kern River Preserve--Fay Ranch Road; Kern River
Preserve--Headquarters; Kern River Preserve--Sierra Way...
Location: Greenhorn Mountains--FS 24S15 (Greenhorn Summit to Tulare Co)
Observation time/day/date: 8am-10:30am, Friday, 9/11/09
Notes: 70.7F-75.6F; 33%-26% humidity; high thin clouds; 6 miles of FS
24S15 from CA Hwy. 155 at Greenhorn Summit (6102') north for 6 miles
to the Kern County/Tulare County line (7060');...
Species: 31
* Mountain Quail 5
* Mourning Dove 1
* Acorn Woodpecker 3
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* White-headed Woodpecker 2
* Northern Flicker 1
* Warbling Vireo 1
* Steller's Jay 28
* Western Scrub-Jay 5
* Violet-green Swallow 3
* Mountain Chickadee 31
* Red-breasted Nuthatch 16
* White-breasted Nuthatch 6
* House Wren 1
* Western Bluebird 16
* Townsend's Solitaire 9
* American Robin 3
* Wrentit 1
* Orange-crowned Warbler 1
* Yellow-rumped Warbler 4
* Black-throated Gray Warbler 5
* MacGillivray's Warbler 5
* Wilson's Warbler 1
* warbler sp. 7 (chips notes of all suggesting Townsend's,
Hermit, and/or Black-throated Gray)
* Western Tanager 1
* Green-tailed Towhee 3
* Spotted Towhee 2
* Fox Sparrow 4
* Dark-eyed Junco 27
* Black-headed Grosbeak 3
* House Finch 1
* Pine Siskin 1
Location: Isabella Reservoir--Kissack Cove
Observation time/day/date: 6pm-6:45pm, Friday, 9/11/09
Species: 12
* Western Grebe 1
* Clark's Grebe 1
* Western/Clark's Grebe 160
* American White Pelican 56
* Double-crested Cormorant 12
* Great Blue Heron 8
* Prairie Falcon 1
* Long-billed Curlew 1
* California Gull 11
* Caspian Tern 8
* Common Raven 38
* Horned Lark 78
Location: Kern River Preserve--Fay Ranch Road
Observation time/day/date: 6:05am-8:30am, Saturday, 9/12/09
Notes: 57F-73.3F; 59%-45% humidity; 1.25 mile walk along Fay
Ranch Road north from CA Hwy 178;...
Species: 39
* Mallard 6
* California Quail 58 41 in one covey
* Red-shouldered Hawk 2
* Red-tailed Hawk 2
* American Kestrel 2
* Killdeer 1
* Mourning Dove 6
* Great Horned Owl 1
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 8
* Downy Woodpecker 2
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 5
* Western Wood-Pewee 1
* Empidonax sp. 1 Heard only ... "whitting" individual
* Black Phoebe 5
* Say's Phoebe 3
* Loggerhead Shrike 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 4
* Common Raven 11
* Horned Lark 2
* Oak Titmouse 2
* Bushtit 1
* White-breasted Nuthatch 1
* Bewick's Wren 8
* Western Bluebird 1
* European Starling 18
* Yellow Warbler 1
* Common Yellowthroat 18
* Summer Tanager 1
* Spotted Towhee 1
* Lark Sparrow 1
* Savannah Sparrow 2
* Song Sparrow 24
* Black-headed Grosbeak 1
* Western Meadowlark 6
* Brewer's Blackbird 19
* House Finch 33
* Lesser Goldfinch 15
* House Sparrow 1
Location: Kern River Preserve--Headquarters
Observation time/day/date: 9:25am-10:10am, Saturday, 12 Sep 09
Species: 16
* California Quail 11
* American Kestrel 1
* Mourning Dove 1
* Anna's Hummingbird 23 At six feeders at two
Headquarters feeding stations... Based on prior years, this number
reflects the tip of the iceberg.
* Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird 5 At six feeders at two
Headquarters feeding stations... Based on prior years, this number
reflects the tip of the iceberg.
* Northern Flicker 2
* Black Phoebe 2
* Say's Phoebe 1
* Common Raven 3
* White-breasted Nuthatch 1
* Bewick's Wren 1
* Western Bluebird 4
* Summer Tanager 2 Both singing...
* Song Sparrow 8
* House Finch 7
* Lesser Goldfinch 18
Location: Kern River Preserve--Sierra Way
Observation time/day/date: 5:55am-8:50am, Sunday, 13 Sep 09
Notes: 49.3F-67.4F; 67%-54% humidity;...
Species: 51
* Wood Duck 4
* Mallard 3
* Ring-necked Pheasant 1
* Pied-billed Grebe 1
* Great Blue Heron 1
* Turkey Vulture 1
* Northern Harrier 1
* Red-shouldered Hawk 3
* Red-tailed Hawk 1
* American Kestrel 2
* Virginia Rail 1
* Sora 1
* American Coot 1
* Mourning Dove 1
* Western Screech-Owl 2
* Great Horned Owl 4
* Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird 1
* Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 Within a few feet of 2 Aug 09
observation...
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 5
* Downy Woodpecker 3
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 2
* Western Wood-Pewee 1
* Black Phoebe 6
* Loggerhead Shrike 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 2
* Common Raven 5
* Tree Swallow 4
* Oak Titmouse 3
* Bushtit 29
* White-breasted Nuthatch 2
* Bewick's Wren 8
* House Wren 1
* Marsh Wren 2
* Western Bluebird 8
* European Starling 54 Majority were in a single flock
flying out from Prince's Pond.
* Orange-crowned Warbler 2
* Yellow Warbler 1
* Common Yellowthroat 33 Still abundant.
* Summer Tanager 2 Calling from two different directions.
Then both flew over within a few seconds of each other from the same
direction.
* Spotted Towhee 1
* Lark Sparrow 11
* Song Sparrow 48
* Black-headed Grosbeak 1
* Blue Grosbeak 1 Only one detected in two days of
surveys in prime nesting areas. Clearly, most have moved out for the winter .
* Lazuli Bunting 1
* Red-winged Blackbird 656 Fly-out from Prince's Pond
* Western Meadowlark 3
* Brewer's Blackbird 5
* House Finch 9
* Lesser Goldfinch 11
Additional species observed elsewhere in Kern River Valley area 11-13 Sep 09:
* White-tailed Kite (1) - 12 Sep 09 - Kern River Preserve--East Unit
* Eurasian Collared-Dove - 13 Sep 09 - Southlake
* Greater Roadrunner (1) - 13 Sep 09 - Southlake
* Common Poorwill (1) - 7:30pm, 11 Sep 09 - Greenhorn
Mountains--Sawmill Road
* Canyon Wren (1) - 7:15pm, 11 Sep 09 - Greenhorn Mountains--Sawmill Road
* Northern Mockingbird (1) - 11 Sep 09 - Southlake
* Chipping Sparrow (4) - 11 Sep 09 - Greenhorn Mountains--FS 25S17 West
Continued Happy & Productive Birding,
Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Final Tahoe Rim Trail SightingsFrom: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:03:30 -0400 Yesterday I completed the final segment of the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail. We hiked from Richardson lake to the Velma Lakes area then turned off at the Eagle Falls Trail. As usual we saw (and heard) several Clark's Nutcrackers, numerous Dark-eyed Juncos and Mountain Chickadees. Just above Eagle Lake, we startled a pair of Blue Grouse. One flew off but a female sat beside the trail and just stared at us. Although the rim trail does not have an abundance of birds it has spectacular scenery, wonderful wildflowers and if you are interested in Clark's Nutcrackers this is the place to be! At home in Tahoe Donner a pair of White-headed Woodpeckers arrived today having been absent since early summer. Andrea Oddo, TruckeeSubject: Re: Jaeger-Lake Forest, Tahoe (PLA) From: "rossierran" <derenross AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:41:27 -0000 Parasitic Jaeger Light-morph, Juvenile. Deren Ross Auburn, CA --- In sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com, "rossierran"Subject: Jaeger-Lake Forest, Tahoe (PLA) From: "rossierran" <derenross AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:25:40 -0000 An immature Jaeger was seen flying low overLake Forest this morning..9am. Will confirm species after kayaking. Deren Ross Auburn, CASubject: Sandhill Crane migration From: rccarl AT pacbell.net Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:30:42 -0700 (PDT) I remember reading somewhere that the Sandhill cranes tend to fly over the N Sierra passes near the October full moon. Any tips re best location & timing. Richard Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker and Rotarian Part-time Economist Tucson, AZ, Lake Tahoe, CA, & Kirkland, WA rccarl AT pacbell.net Tucson 520-760-4935 Tahoe 530-581-0624 Kirkland 425-828-3819 Cell 650-280-2965 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Sandhill Cranes at Sierra Valley From: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:06:17 -0400 Drove through the Sierra Valley this morning, saw lots of Cliff Swallows, Barn Swallows, numerous Song Sparrows and other sparrows I could not ID, many Brewer's Blackbirds, 2 Great-blue Herons, a Great Egret, a Western Meadowlark, several American Kestrels, two Red-tailed Hawks, and finally a pair of Sandhill Cranes flew over us. Only the main water channel was flowing so did not see any ducks. Yesterday at Salmon Lake and Sardine Lake (in the Lakes Basin area) saw an Osprey at each site. Also saw several Common Mergansers and Mallards at Salmon Lake. Andrea Oddo, TruckeeSubject: 8 & 9 Sep 09: S Sierra, Plumbeous Vireo From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:53:59 -0700 Hi, In the 1970s, the late Ned Johnson discovered and wrote in Western Birds on the range extension of Plumbeous Vireo into the southern Sierra Nevada in southeastern Tulare County. Several pairs of this species (former subspecies) has been found in the BLM Chimney Creek Campground and vicinity every year since. My first ever September visit to Chimney Creek CG (10:35am-11:35am on the Tuesday the 8th) was highlighted by two singing Plumbeous Vireos. During the traditional May and June visits to Chimney Creek CG Yellow-rumped Warbler and Black-throated Gray Warbler are usually the only warbler species detected. So, it was fun to see migrant warblers using the area on September 8th with 17 individuals of five species in three separate groups along the one mile long campground road: 3 Orange-crowned Warblers, 5 Nashville Warblers, 3 Black-throated Gray Warblers, 2 MacGillivray's Warblers, and 4 Wilson's Warblers. 5 more Black-throated Gray Warblers were seen along Chimney Peak National Back Country Byway above the campground. The list of species observed during 9.5 total hours of searching on September 8 & 9 in the southern Sierra Nevada area where Inyo County, Kern County, and Tulare County meet were: Chukar, California Quail, Mountain Quail, Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Band-tailed Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird, Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, White-headed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Say's Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, Plumbeous Vireo, Steller's Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, Pinyon Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, Common Raven, Mountain Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Wrentit, California Thrasher, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Sage Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, and Lesser Goldfinch. Continued Happy & Productive Birding, Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Martis Peak and Truckee Sightings From: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:08:12 -0400 Yesterday volunteered all day at Martis Peak Lookout overlooking most of Lake Tahoe and surrounding areas at an altitude of 8600'. Saw numerous Dark-eyed Juncos, Mountain Chickadees, American Robins, one Red-shafted No. Flicker, three Clark's Nutcrackers, one Audubon's Warbler and one Northern Harrier. She was diving but did not see her prey. Also saw one Turkey Vulture. Here in Tahoe Donner, elevations 6800', the Mountain Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos and Steller's Jays are feeding hungrily along with the Cassin's Finches. Just spotted a Brown Creeper eating its way up a lodge pole pine. Andrea Oddo, TruckeeSubject: South Lake Tahoe From: "Bob Hislop" <rhislop AT astound.net> Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 08:42:29 -0700 Yesterday, while camping at Richardson's Resort in S. Tahoe, i saw a White-headed Woodpecker and a Williamson's Sapsucker in the same tree as I was making coffee (got a picture of the former sighting). And, later in the day, saw a Mountain Bluebird in the Hope Valley (south of Tahoe). Bob Hislop ConcordSubject: Fw: Out of area request From: Paul Miller <paulbug AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2009 15:26:31 -0700 (PDT) Hello birders!
I will be visiting the area and am hoping to see a few birds--actually, I'd be
thrilled to see one or two new ones.
I'll be staying at the Young Life Mountain Lodge near 80 off the Soda Springs
exit. Are there good birding locations close to that area (I won't be going
too far afield, as I don't have too much time) that you would recommend
visiting? Or is there a website that describes sites, with directions to them?
-these are the birds I haven't seen, but I'd be happy seeing anything.
Northern Goshawk
Sooty Grouse (is that the right name for it now?)
Spotted Owl
Pinyon Jay
Rock Wren
Rufous crowned Sparrow (? not sure the range)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
Evening Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeak
(Flammulated owl? all gone?)
Thanks so much!
Paul Miller
Scotts Valley, CA
831 334 4138 cell
831 335 4138 home
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Lassen NPFrom: "judisierra" <judisierra AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 06 Sep 2009 04:33:07 -0000 Highlights from Golden Gate Audubon's 29th annual backpacking trip to Snag Lake led by David Rice and Robin Pulich Aug. 28-31- A 2nd trip/park record sighting of a Western KINGBIRD, actually not just one but two together. BALD EAGLE pair with at least one of two fledges. LEWIS, WHITE-HEADED, BLACK-BACKED, WOODPECKERS.GRAY JAY (heard). Diminished numbers of Swallows, Nighhawks and bats as well as Empid variety. We did see several of the expected Willow Flycatcher. 68 speicies total including 8 expected warbler sp. Judi Sierra Oakland, CASubject: Tahoe Rim Trail Sightings From: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:53:15 -0400 Yesterday, between Echo Lakes and Dick's Pass saw several birds not spotted before on my Tahoe Rim Trail hikes. At a high elevation spotted a Black-backed Woodpecker, ?three Blue Grouse and an Osprey.? ?As usual saw at least 10 Clark's Nutcrackers, flocks of Dark-eyed Juncos, several Mountain Chickadees, one White-breasted Nuthatch and one American Goldfinch. Earlier in Echo Lake saw one Mallard and two Canada Geese. There was still lots of water on the trail and for the first time I saw a wildflower, the gorgeous Explorer's Gentian. They are worth seeing but quite a hike to get to them. They were high up on the slope leading to Dick's Pass, elevation 9,000+. Andrea Oddo, Truckee? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Sept. 1 KENTUCKY WARBLER - Mono Co. From: Kathryn Parker <jandkparker AT mindspring.com> Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 00:00:06 -0700 On Sept. 1, 2009 about 8:00 AM, there was a first winter KENTUCKY WARBLER in the riparian area on the south side of Convict Lake in Mono Co. It was in the company of a first winter MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER. The birds were feeding in low bushes and I was able to follow them for about 5 minutes at a distance of 15 to 20 feet. The birds were very cooperative in that when I pished, they would pop up to the top of the bush and give me lengthy, clear views. The Kentucky Warbler was about the same size as the MacGillivray's Warbler, but was very short-tailed, especially when compared to the MacGillivray's Warbler. The top of the head and face to below the eye, neck, back, wings, rump and tail were all a dull olive color. The underparts were bright yellow. The bird had bright yellow spectacles that did not quite go entirely around the eye. The bill was a drab, mostly light color and the legs were bright pink. Kathy Parker Los GatosSubject: Sa, 29 Aug 09 Common Poorwills Galore & More From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:34:29 -0700 Hi,
Spent all day and part of the night on Saturday, August 29 searching
the Kern River Valley and Greenhorn Mountains for bird species not
yet reported via eBird in Kern County during August 2009 while
tallying other species and numbers along the way for eBird data entry.
Added White-tailed Kite, Sora, Western Screech-Owl, Common Poorwill,
Townsend's Warbler, and Rufous-crowned Sparrow to the August Kern list.
Started at Canebrake Ecological Reserve where the highlights were: 9
Virginia Rails (2 visual), 1 Sora, 1 Barn Owl , 1 Western Screech-Owl
(my 1st for this location), 4 Wrentits (2 from new specific
locations), and a roost of 450 Tricolored Blackbirds (counted during
morning flyout).
Next up was Fay Ranch Road and an off-limits portion of the Kern
River Preserve where the highlights were two White-tailed Kites, an
Acorn Woodpecker in an unexpected location, and a flock of 25 Horned
Larks foraging in a pasture (my first for this location).
Paul's Place produced the first Bewick's Wren for that location.
Then it was off to the Greenhorn Mountains where highlights were: 1
immature Golden Eagle, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Golden-crowned
Kinglet, 6 Townsend's Solitaires, and a mixed flock of 12 Mountain
Chickadees, 6 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 1 Nashville Warbler, 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 1 Black-throated Warbler, 1 Townsend's
Warbler, 1 Wilson's Warbler, and 2 Dark-eyed Juncos.
After 2 hours off from the 100F heat Isabella Reservoir's Kissack
Cove (right below the community of Mountain Mesa) produced 36
American White Pelicans.
Then it was off to 10.2 mile long Sawmill Road (leading west off CA
Hwy 155 from the west shore of Isabella Reservoir to the north to
south crest of the Greenhorn Mountains) for the late afternoon,
evening, and night where highlights were 11 Common Poorwills (1
visual)!, 148 Violet-green Swallows, and 2 Rufous-crowned Sparrows.
Owling along Sawmill Road was a bust this time around as neither
Spotted Owls nor Saw-whet Owls were detected nor any lingering
Flammulated Owls.
Full context follows...
The foundations of the following reports were generated automatically
by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/)...
TIME/DAY/DATE: 6am-7:45am, Saturday, August 29, 2010; LOCATION:
California Department of Fish & Game Canebrake Ecological Reserve, 4
mi. east of Onyx, Kern County, California; GPS: N 35 43' 34.4", W 118
10' 09.5"; ELEVATION: 2850'; TEMPERATURE: 57F-64.2F; HUMIDITY:
47%-48%; WIND: 1.2-4.5 kph; PURPOSE: The purpose of the visit was to
survey for Sora which had not been reported from the Kern River
Valley and surrounding Southern Sierra Nevada during this summer nesting season
Species: 34
* Mallard 22
* California Quail 1
* Red-shouldered Hawk 2
* Virginia Rail 9 2 visual, 4 voluntarily calling, then 3
more in response to Sora recorded vocalization.
* Sora 1 Responded at 7:28am to recorded Sora
vocalization ... Several inconclusive short utterances eventually
followed by one full whinney call.
* American Coot 2
* Mourning Dove 5
* Barn Owl 1 Visual - flushed from red willow strip
* Western Screech-Owl 1 First time for this
location...Called numerous times during twilight.
* Anna's Hummingbird 3
* hummingbird sp. 1
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 4
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 2
* Black Phoebe 4
* Western Scrub-Jay 6
* Common Raven 1
* Oak Titmouse 3
* Bushtit 20
* White-breasted Nuthatch 1
* Rock Wren 1
* Bewick's Wren 7
* Western Bluebird 5
* American Robin 1
* Wrentit 4 Most number of individuals recorded for this
location. Two were in new locations.
* European Starling 5
* Common Yellowthroat 11
* Spotted Towhee 1
* California Towhee 2
* Song Sparrow 12
* Red-winged Blackbird 1
* Tricolored Blackbird 450 Roosting at pond. They were so
noisy with their awful, wonderful "Waaaah" calls that only one
Red-winged Blackbird call could be heard within the din. Count of
individuals was made when the morning flyout took place ... several
flocks of 25+ individuals...
* House Finch 1
* Lesser Goldfinch 1
TIME/DAY/DATE: 8:05am-8:30am, Saturday, August 29, 2009; LOCATION:
Fay Ranch Road, South Fork (Kern River Valley), Weldon, Kern County,
California; GPS: N 35 39' 57.7", W 118 17' 23.7"; ELEVATION: 2661';
PURPOSE: Searching for White-tailed Kite for August; HIGHLIGHTS:
Acorn Woodpecker (in riparian forest at bridge), Horned Lark (first
time detected at this location);...
Species: 20
* California Quail 1
* Turkey Vulture 1
* Red-tailed Hawk 2
* American Kestrel 2 A pair
* Mourning Dove 1
* Acorn Woodpecker 1
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 1
* Downy Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 2
* Western Wood-Pewee 1
* Loggerhead Shrike 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 1
* Common Raven 1
* Horned Lark 25 First time at this location
* White-breasted Nuthatch 1
* Western Bluebird 2
* Common Yellowthroat 1
* Lark Sparrow 3
* Song Sparrow 3
* House Finch 3
TIME/DAY/DATE: 8:30am-8:45am, Saturday, August 29, 2009; LOCATION:
Kern River Preserve--East Unit, South Fork (Kern River) Valley,
Weldon Kern County, California; GPS: N 35 40' 42.0", W 118 16' 40.7";
ELEVATION: 2670'; PURPOSE: To secure August 2009 White-tailed Kite
record in Kern County;...
Species: 10
* White-tailed Kite 2 together
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 1
* Downy Woodpecker 1
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* Black Phoebe 1
* Loggerhead Shrike 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 1
* Song Sparrow 2
* House Finch 31
* Lesser Goldfinch 2
Location: Mountain Mesa--Kissack Cove
Observation date: 8/29/09
Species: 4
* Western/Clark's Grebe 2
* American White Pelican 36
* Double-crested Cormorant 12
* Great Blue Heron 4
Location: Greenhorn Mountains--FS 25S17 West
PURPOSE: Searching unsuccessfully for August 2009 Northern Goshawk
and Pileated Woodpecker record for Kern County
Species: 5
* Steller's Jay 1
* Mountain Chickadee 3
* Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
* Townsend's Solitaire 1
* Dark-eyed Junco 4
TIME/DAY/DATE: 10:40am-12pm, Saturday, August 29, 2009; LOCATION:
Forest Service Road 24S15 (Greenhorn Summit to Kern County/Tulare
County line), Greenhorn Mountains, Sequoia National Forest, Kern
County, California; GPS (at CA Hwy 155): N 35 44' 19.8", W 118 33'
22.6; ELEVATION: 6102'-7060'; PURPOSE: Searching for montane species
not yet found in August 2009; HIGHLIGHTS: 1 immature Golden Eagle, 1
Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 5 Townsend's
Solitaires, five warbler species (Nashville, Yellow-rumped,
Black-throated Gray, Townsend's, Wilson) in mixed flock with 12
Mountain Chickadees, 6 Red-breasted Nuthatches, and 2 Dark-eyed Juncos.
Species: 23
* Golden Eagle 1
* hummingbird sp. 1
* Acorn Woodpecker 2
* Pileated Woodpecker 1 0.5 mi. n. of Greenhorn Summit
* Steller's Jay 16
* Western Scrub-Jay 6
* Mountain Chickadee 20
* Red-breasted Nuthatch 14
* White-breasted Nuthatch 1
* Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
* Western Bluebird 6
* Townsend's Solitaire 5
* American Robin 2
* Nashville Warbler (Western) 1
* Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 1
* Black-throated Gray Warbler 1
* Townsend's Warbler 1 Fall migrant in female plumage in
a mixed flock consisting of 12 Mountain Chickadees, 6 Red-breasted
Nuthatches, 1 Nashville Warbler, 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 1
Black-throated Gray Warbler, the subject Townsend's Warbler itself, 1
Wilson's Warbler, and 2 Dark-eyed Juncos.
* MacGillivray's Warbler 2
* Wilson's Warbler 1
* Western Tanager 1
* Dark-eyed Junco 4
* Black-headed Grosbeak 2
* Purple Finch 1
Location: Mountain Mesa--Kissack Cove
Observation date: 8/29/09
Species: 4
* Western/Clark's Grebe 2
* American White Pelican 36
* Double-crested Cormorant 12
* Great Blue Heron 4
TIME/DAY/DATE: 6:15pm-9:30pm, Saturday, August 29, 2009; LOCATION:
Sawmill Road off west side of CA Hwy 155, Greenhorn Mountains, Kern
County, California; PURPOSE: To search for species not yet reported
for Kern County in August 2009. HIGHLIGHTS: 11 Common Poorwills (1
visual), 148 Violet-green Swallows, 2 Rufous-crowned Sparrows;...
Species: 14
* California Quail 2
* Mourning Dove 3
* Great Horned Owl 1
* Common Poorwill 11 One visual plus ten others heard
along a 2-3 mile stretch of Sawmill Road from 7:40pm-8:10pm. Sawmill
Road is a known road to take visiting birders to find Common
Poorwill. But, this total of 11 individuals is the highest number
recorded for this road on a single evening, far surpassing the prior
high of 6 individuals (all of which were seen) on one evening.
* Western Scrub-Jay 6
* Common Raven 2
* Violet-green Swallow 148 All flying up canyon into the
Greenhorns while waiting at the first Common Poorwill spot 3.1 mi.
west up Sawmill Road from CA Hwy 155.
* Oak Titmouse 1
* Canyon Wren 1
* Wrentit 4
* California Thrasher 1
* Spotted Towhee 3
* California Towhee 8
* Rufous-crowned Sparrow 2 Two individuals ... one each
side of Sawmill Road 0.7 mi. west up Sawmill Road from CA Hwy 155. A
known location provided by N John Schmitt...
Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California
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Subject: Warblers on the move!From: "Ted Beedy" <tbeedy AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:19:08 -0700 I went out three different times this morning (between 0600-1030) trying to relocate and photograph the Bay-breasted Warbler I saw in our yard yesterday (8/27), but no luck. Our property is about 2 acres of mature black oak, ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, and incense cedar forest, with a nice stand of large dogwoods and a lush understory of California blackberry shrubs lining our creek and our ~1/4-acre, creek-fed pond. We live at about 3,200' on Banner Mountain, just outside Nevada City, Nevada County. On my first three searches I only saw a couple of our local warblers, but a Pileated Woodpecker working the dogwoods and hanging like a nuthatch eating dogwood berries, and a Red-shouldered Hawk strafing the Mallards, Wood Ducks, and one Northern Pintail (all wild birds) on our pond were a treat. At about 4:30 I heard the Bushtits moving through our yard again (uncommon around here, and mostly in the fall) and when I started looking it seemed that every tree had at least a couple of warblers flitting around (>40 altogether), most that I couldn't see well or fast enough to identify. Of those I did, here's my approximate tally from about a half hour of standing near my horseshoe pit (based on relative locations and plumage differences of the birds I could ID): 4 Orange-crowned, 5 Nashville's, 2 Yellow's, 6 Yellow-rumps, 3 Black-throated Gray's, 1 Townsend's, 1 Hermit, and 3 Wilson's--all the warbler species (until yesterday) that I've ever seen here in 13+ years, except for MacGillivray's that I've only seen in our yard a couple of times in fall migration. Then, they were all gone and it was quiet, save the resident jays, robins, nuthatches, and creepers and a couple of ravens flying overhead. I'm having fun "birding my own patch," letting the birds come to me instead of driving long distances to try to find birds others have already found. I encourage other Sierra birders to find their own patches (preferably a nice patch of habitat somewhere near your house that you can walk or ride a bike to), to search them frequently year-round, and keep good notes on what you've seen (e.g., at least dates, times, species, and approximate #s)--or to come to my patch if you live anywhere near here--all are welcome! Ted Beedy 530-274-7232 P.S. I've only seen a few "vagrant" warblers in 45+ years of birding the Sierra a lot, and two (the Bay-breasted yesterday, and a spring male Blackpoll Warbler on the South Fork Kern two years ago) were at least somewhat associated with Bushtit flocks. I've read and heard reports of others observing this possible association, but I'd be curious to know what others have seen.Subject: Bay-breasted Warbler in Nevada City From: "Ted Beedy" <tbeedy AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:41:45 -0700 This morning at 1015 I encountered a large flock of about 50 migrant birds in our yard at 12213 Half Moon Way, Nevada City. Among them were about 5 Nashvilles, 3 Orange-crowns, about 30 Bushtits, 5 Chestnut-backed Chickadees, 4 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 3 Brown Creepers, and a fall male BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. I saw this bird for about a minute at close range at almost eye-level and noted the following characteristics: greenish/brownish back and cap, rusty or buffy flanks, strong white wingbars, dark legs, no streaking below, and a relatively short tail--it did not vocalize. I tried to follow the bird around our pond but soon lost it and have not seen it since, so I'm not sure if I can show it to anyone else-but you're welcome to try! Note: the bird I saw looked almost identical to the photo in Dunn & Garrett "Warblers" p. 382. Ted Beedy 530-274-7232 P.S. I've seen this species in fall plumage several times at Pt. Reyes and many times in the eastern U.S.Subject: Lake Forest Western Sandpiper - Siberian? From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:05:58 -0700 I just heard back from Nils Warnock, who informed me that the lt. blue flags on the Western Sandpiper that's been at Lake Forest Beach for the last several days, suggest that the bird was originally banded at North Chukotka, Siberia. I believe that the small breeding population of Western Sandpipers found in eastern Siberia winters in the Americas anyway, but it's still pretty cool for one to turn up at Lake Tahoe. Could also be that somebody's not following protocol, but he's going to look into it. I'll follow up if a final verdict is reached. In the meantime, that bird was still present yesterday if anybody wishes to get a glimpse of a sandpiper that spent its summer in Siberia. Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: Tahoe shorebirds/Devil's Postpile Indigo Bunting From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:25:04 -0700 Yesterday (8/23), once the rains stopped (mid-morning), I birded a few beaches around Lake Tahoe. The mudflats at the Upper Truckee Delta were well-stocked with shorebirds, including well over 100 Western Sandpipers and ~ 50 Semipalmated Plovers. Also present were both dowitchers, Greater Yellowlegs, Red-necked Phalaropes, a single dead Willet, many Least Sandpipers, a few ibis, Great Egret, one Sanderling, and one Semipalmated Sandpiper (I'll post a photo after I brighten/sharpen it up - it was quite gloomy yesterday). I also got to watch a young harrier repeatedly pouncing on a pine cone on the beach - looked like play. Today (8/24), while mist-netting at Devil's Postpile National Monument, we captured a second-year male Indigo Bunting in supplemental plumage. At Lake Forest Beach, both yesterday and this evening, has been a color-banded adult Western Sandpiper (Light Blue, Light Blue/ Silver,Red). Can't wait to find out where that bird was originally captured. I've also been impressed at the numbers and ubiquity of Black-throated Gray Warblers in the Tahoe Basin over the last week. They're everywhere! Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: 20 Aug 09 S Fk Kern Watershed Birding From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:47:31 -0700 TIME/DAY/DATE: 5;10am-11:45am, Th, 20 Aug 09
LOCATIONS: South Fork Kern River watershed, Southern Sierra Nevada,
Kern County, California
WEATHER: 60.5F-80.9F, 53%-15% humidity; 0-7.8 kph wind
ELEVATION: 2340'-6400'
E-BIRD: Based on reports generated automatically by eBird v2
(http://ebird.org/california/)
HIGHLIGHTS: Chukar (1 site), Mountain Quail (2 sites), Pinyon Jay (3
sites), Common Raven roost (125+ individuals), Green-tailed Towhee (1 site)
FALL MIGRANTS: Western Kingbird, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak
OBSERVER: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co, CA
SPECIES: c. 45
KRP HQ Entrance at Hwy 178 (5:10am-5:15am)
* Barn Owl 1
* Great Horned Owl 2
Fay Ranch Rd (5:20am-5:30am)
* Barn Owl 4
Kelso Valley Rd - 1st 0.25 mi. (5:30am-5:35am)
* Great Horned Owl 2
Kelso Valley Rd - 6 mi fr Hwy 178 (5:40am-5:45am)
* Common Raven 125
Rocky Point (5:45am-5:55am)
* Chukar 2
* Mourning Dove 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 2
* Red-winged Blackbird 1
Frog Spring (6:10am-7:20am)
* California Quail 3
* Mourning Dove 3
* Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 adult male
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 1
* Say's Phoebe 1
* Loggerhead Shrike 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 2
* Pinyon Jay 1 Passing through Frog Spring area going up
canyon with stops on Joshua trees. Called only once at closest
observation on Joshua tree.
* Common Raven 2
* Cactus Wren 1
* Rock Wren 1
* Bewick's Wren 5
* California Thrasher 1
* Phainopepla 1
* Western Tanager 1
* Spotted Towhee 1
* California Towhee 3
* Sage Sparrow 9
* House Finch 4
Kelso Creek Sanctuary (7:20am-7:30am) to check for Brown-crested
Flycatcher (not present this visit and 30 Jul 09 visit, last known in
late June a this site)
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 1
* Common Raven 1
* Oak Titmouse 1
* Bewick's Wren 2
* House Finch 1
Mile 18/Tunnel Spring (7:40am-8:15am)
* California Quail 46
* Mourning Dove 2
* hummingbird sp. 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 3
* Pinyon Jay 3
* Rock Wren 1
* Bewick's Wren 6
* Western Tanager 1
* Spotted Towhee 3
* California Towhee 2
* Sage Sparrow 8
* Black-headed Grosbeak 2
Piute Mtn Rd - 5.5 mi w of Kelso Valley Rd (8:40am-8:45am)
* Mountain Quail 9 (no adult males)
* Steller's Jay 1 Imcidental to Mountain Quail observation
Piute Mtn Rd - Landers Mdw (8:50am-10:00am)
* Red-tailed Hawk 1
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 1
* Western Wood-Pewee 4
* Black Phoebe 1
* Western Kingbird 1
* Steller's Jay 2
* Pinyon Jay 1 At least one heard calling repeatedly.
There may have beenmre in this known high use area. But, this species
was not pursued this visit.
* Mountain Chickadee 10
* White-breasted Nuthatch 5
* Pygmy Nuthatch 16
* Rock Wren 1
* Western Tanager 3
* Green-tailed Towhee 1
* Chipping Sparrow 2
* Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 3
* Black-headed Grosbeak 1
Piute Mtn Rd - 6.1 mi w of Kelso Valley Rd (10:10am-10:15am)
* Mountain Quail 4 4 adults crossing Piute Mountain Road
c. 6.1 miles uphill from Kelso Valley Road.
* Steller's Jay 1 Incidental to Mountain Quail observation...
* Bewick's Wren 1 Incidental to Mountan Quail observation...
Kern River Preserve HQ (11:15am-11:45am)
* Killdeer 1
* Mourning Dove 1
* Anna's Hummingbird 7
* Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird 14
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 1
* Common Raven 1
* Oak Titmouse 2
* White-breasted Nuthatch 1
* Bewick's Wren 1
* Western Bluebird 7
* Yellow Warbler 3 Two adult males still singing ...
albeit at an infrequent rate and more quietly than during peak of
singing earlier in the breeding/nesting season
* Common Yellowthroat 2
* Western Tanager 1
* Song Sparrow 3
* House Finch 4
* Lesser Goldfinch 11
Bob Barnes. Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Foresthill Costa's Hummingbird (PLA)From: "Deren Ross" <derenross AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:26:19 -0000 Hello Birders, Over the last two weeks, an immature male COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD has been visting a feeder at a private residence in Foresthill(Placer Co.). The report just recently came to my attention and has been confirmed. A photo, courtesy of Gloria Marie, will be posted. Deren Ross Auburn, CaSubject: Tahoe shorebirds From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:36:30 -0700 I ran down to S. Lake this afternoon (8/14) to see if I could find the Solitary Sandpiper. Much to my surprise, it was right where it had been reported. I had great scope views and took a few distant photos (one posted to the Tahoe page) before it retreated back into the marsh proper. Tons of good shorebird habitat down there right now. Some notable stuff: Lots of Least and Western Sandpipers, the latter including one tiny male adult that was still largely in breeding plumage Singles of Long-billed Dowitcher, Sanderling, and Herring Gull A dozen or so Semipalmated Plovers Several Ibis 8 Caspian and 15+ Forster's Terns The grackles are still busily feeding their young, still in the same clump of willows as the nest. They may possibly still be in the nest, but it's been 10 days, and they were shuttling impressively large loads of food on 24 July which led me to believe they were pretty far along at the time. Two female-type Bufflehead back in the marsh and several young Wood Ducks. Seems I've seen Wood Ducks back there every time I look this summer, which is curious, since there's no wood. Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: Tahoe Solitary Sandpiper From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:22:09 -0700 Just got some great photos of a Solitary Sandpiper, found by Lynn Harriman, this morning at S. Lake Tahoe. The bird was at the Upper Truckee Marsh/Delta, in the pond near the break in the fence, that's on the lake side of the fence. Should make sense to anyone who's familiar with that fenceline right now. I'm headed down to see if it's still there. Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: S Lake Tahoe From: scre AT aol.com Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:29:46 -0400 Lauren Harter and I stopped by the Upper Truckee River delta/Tahoe Keys area on our way east today.? We had White-faced Ibis-3 Killdeer-12 Semipalmated Plover-6 Spotted Sandpiper-6 Greater Yellowlegs-1 Willet-1 Marbled Godwit-2 Western Sandpiper-~70 all but 2 were juvies Least Sandpiper-8 Long-billed Dowitcher-1 Wilson's Phalarope-2 Great-tailed Grackle-1 heard from the Tahoe Keys area Good birding David Vander Pluym Currently living on the road [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Ansel Adams Wilderness report From: "Steve Hampton" <shampton AT ospr.dfg.ca.gov> Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:38:39 -0700 I just returned from 5 days of backpacking out of Mammoth. Route: Agnew Meadows to Shadow Lake to Lake Ediza (elev. 9200), with side trips to Iceberg Lake (at the base of the Minarets) and the tarn at the base of Ritter/Banner Peaks and to nearby Nydiver Lakes. All in Madera County. Dates: Aug 6-10 Common Merganser - w/ ducklings at Shadow and Ediza Red-tailed Hawk Golden Eagle Osprey Spotted Sandpiper - at Shadow and Ediza California Gull Band-tailed Pigeon Rufous Hummingbird Northern Flicker Hairy Woodpecker Olive-sided Flycatcher Western Wood-Pewee Dusky Flycatcher - begging juvs at Ediza Warbling Vireo Violet-green Swallow - begging juvs at Ediza Steller's Jay Clark's Nutcracker Common Raven Rock Wren American Dipper - juvs at Iceberg and tarn under Ritter/Banner Mountain Chickadee Brown Creeper Golden-cr Kinglet American Pipit - one near tarn below Ritter/Banner American Robin Hermit Thrush Townsend's Solitaire Yellow Warbler Wilson's Warbler Orange-cr Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler MacGillivray's Warbler Chipping Sparrow White-cr Sparrow Thick-billed Fox Sparrow - in SJ Valley below Shadow Lk Dark-eyed Junco Cassin's Finch - begging juvs several places Gray-cr Rosy-Finch - juvs at Iceberg and tarn below Ritter/Banner good birding, Steve Hampton ________________ Resource Economist Office of Spill Prevention and Response California Dept of Fish and Game PO Box 944209 Sacramento, CA 94244-2090 ----------------------------------- (916) 323-4724 phone (916) 324-8829 faxSubject: 31 Jul-5 Aug 09: S Sierra-Kern R Valley From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:39:57 -0700 Hi,
31 Jul through 5 Aug 09 birding produced information on non-prime
time of year bird species and numbers occurrence at locations in the
Kern River Valley and Kern County portion of the surrounding Sierra
Nevada. All of the following data was submitted to eBird v2
(http://ebird.org/california/).
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Species diversity and numbers along Sierra Way, Weldon; e.g.:
FORTY-NINE Common Yellowthroats (see 2 Aug 09)...
* EIGHT GREATER ROADRUNNERS in thirty minutes in the South Fork
Wildlife Area and along Paul's Place, Weldon (see Su, 2 Aug 09); plus
numbers of Western Grebes and Clark's Grebes plus their respective
young of the year in a range of sizes...
* Kern River Preserve Headquarters feeders attracting impressive
hummingbird numbers and the grape arbor attracting Summer Tanager,
Western Tanager, and other species as they do every early August (see
Su, 2 Aug 09)...
* The Kern County portion of Chimney Peak National Backcountry
Byway hosting a diversity of species, albeit a small number, of
likely high interest to out-of-state, out-of-species range birders
... highlighted by a "bring them in close" scope view of a CHUKAR and
a MOUNTAIN QUAIL within 10' of each other on a single large boulder
... plus Greater Roadrunner, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker,
Hairy Woodpecker, Western Scrub-Jay, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Cactus
Wren, Rock Wren, Wrentit, California Towhee, Black-throated Sparrow,
and Sage Sparrow ... all observed within a mile of each other (see
Tu, 4 Aug 09)...
* A Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, and American Dipper within a few feet
of each other along the Kern River between CA Hwy 155 and Isabella
Reservoir's main dam as accessed from Main Dam Campground just north
of CA Hwy 178 the community of Lake Isabella (see Tu, 4 Aug 09)...
* A better understanding of the early August species diversity
possible at Tiger Flat (centered on an abandoned campground) and this
portion of the Greenhorn Mountains in general (see 31 Jul 09 and 5 Aug 09)...
* Additional verification of the mountainside community of
Wofford Heights as providing reliable BAND-TAILED PIGEON locations...
TIME/DAY/DATE: 8:15am-10:20am, Fr, 31 Jul 09
LOCATION: Sequoia National Forest, FS 24S15--Greenhorn Summit
north to Tulare Co. line
HABITATS: Mixed conifer, deciduous oaks, dense shrubbery in old burn areas
OBSERVER: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., California
WEATHER: 65.7F-77.7F, 53%-37% humidity; occasional breezes to 4.1 kph
ELEVATION: 6000'-7000'
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 31
* Mountain Quail 4 Foraging in old burn areas grown to
dense, thick shrubs
* Mourning Dove 2
* hummingbird sp. 7
* Acorn Woodpecker 4 In old burn areas
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 2
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* White-headed Woodpecker 2
* Olive-sided Flycatcher 2
* Western Wood-Pewee 27 Ubiquitous calling, flying, fussing, etc.
* Dusky Flycatcher 6
* Warbling Vireo 2
* Steller's Jay 8
* Western Scrub-Jay 2 In recovering burn areas with dense shrubs
* Mountain Chickadee 14
* Red-breasted Nuthatch 19 Vocalizing commonly
* White-breasted Nuthatch 3
* House Wren 4
* Western Bluebird 3
* Townsend's Solitaire 4
* American Robin 6
* Wrentit 1 Calling from dense shrubbery in recovering
burn area...
* Orange-crowned Warbler 1
* Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 1 Seemingly very low
number ... this species was not vocalizing nor in-your-face.
* Western Tanager 4
* Green-tailed Towhee 2
* Chipping Sparrow 4
* Fox Sparrow 5
* Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 5
* Black-headed Grosbeak 18 Very vocal and widespread...
* Purple Finch 5
* Lesser Goldfinch 1
* NOTE: Additional species Brown Creeper 1 and Spotted Towhee 1
were noted on a brief, 20 minute survey of a portion of the same
route on 5 Aug 09.
TIME/DAY/DATE: 5am-8:30am, 2 Aug 09
LOCATION: Kern River Preserve--Sierra Way, Weldon, Kern Co.
HABITATS: Fremont cottonwood & red willow riparian strips and
woodland, freshwater marsh & pond, native grassland/shrubs, open
pasture (some actively grazed and some not)
OBSERVERS: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA and Bill
Lydecker, Bakersfield, Kern Co., CA
WEATHER: 65F at 7am; 74.8F at 8:30am
ELEVATION: 2630'-2650'
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 50
* Mallard 148 May have been the tip of the Prince's Pond
early morning flyout iceberg...
* Ring-necked Pheasant 2
* Pied-billed Grebe 3
* Great Blue Heron 4
* Green Heron 1 This species has been found on the Kern
River Preserve in June, July, and now August. This seems
unprecedented ... heard several times; also seen in flight
* Black-crowned Night-Heron 4
* Turkey Vulture 1
* Osprey 1 Flyover carrying a fish over Sierra Way
* Red-shouldered Hawk 2
* Red-tailed Hawk 1
* American Kestrel 2
* Virginia Rail 3 Great to have these calling
spontaneously from Prince's Pond marsh as this species is usually
only detected in the South Fork Kern River Valley at the California
Department of Fish & Game's Canebrake Ecological Reserve located ten
miles to the east.
* Killdeer 1
* Spotted Sandpiper 1
* Eurasian Collared-Dove 3
* Mourning Dove 12
* Great Horned Owl 1
* Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 In willows at edge of Prince's
Pond. This species has been encountered unexpectedly at several
lowland locations this summer.
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 3
* Downy Woodpecker 3
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 4
* Western Wood-Pewee 7
* Willow Flycatcher 2 Federally Endangered Southwestern
(extimus) subspecies
* Black Phoebe 7
* Ash-throated Flycatcher 9
* Western Kingbird 1
* Common Raven 7
* Tree Swallow 1
* Violet-green Swallow 6 Foraging low and repeatedly over
Prince's Pond in excellent light to the extent that the violet on the
rump was observable on one individual...
* Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1 Not an immature Tree Swallow
* Cliff Swallow 3
* swallow sp. 1
* Oak Titmouse 4
* White-breasted Nuthatch 6
* Bewick's Wren 5
* House Wren 1
* American Robin 1
* European Starling 50 May have been the tip of the
Prince's Pond early morning flyout iceberg...
* Yellow Warbler 14
* Common Yellowthroat 49 Ubiquitous...
* Summer Tanager 1
* Savannah Sparrow 1
* Song Sparrow 42 Spotty ... most encountered in a few
large groups of 8-10 individuals...
* Black-headed Grosbeak 3
* Blue Grosbeak 7
* Red-winged Blackbird 100 May have been the tip of the
Prince's Pond early morning flyout iceberg
* Great-tailed Grackle 4
* Brown-headed Cowbird 1
* blackbird sp. 200 May have been the tip of the Prince's
Pond early morning flyout iceberg...
* House Finch 26
* Lesser Goldfinch 10
* NOTE: Additional species Cinnamon Teal 1, White-faced Ibis 13,
and Spotted Towhee 1 were noted during a brief survey of a portion of
the same route on 31 Jul 09.
TIME/DAY/DATE: 8:35am-10:10am, Su, 2 Aug 09
LOCATION: South Fork Wildlife Area--South, South Lake, Kern
County, California
HABITATS: Grassland (short), mudflat, open water (large
reservoir), rocky point, willow riparian strips,...
OBSERVERS: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA and Bill
Lydecker, Bakersfield, Kern Co., CA
WEATHER: 81.4F, 36% humidity at 10:00am
ELEVATION: 2630'
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 29
* Mallard 18
* Western Grebe 9 Close enough to identify easily
* Clark's Grebe 59 Close enough to identify easily
* Western/Clark's Grebe 301 Too far to identify easily
* American White Pelican 31
* Double-crested Cormorant 11
* Great Blue Heron 12
* Great Egret 2
* Turkey Vulture 3
* Osprey 3 Three individuals in sight at one time
* Red-tailed Hawk 1
* American Kestrel 1
* American Coot 3
* Killdeer 6
* Spotted Sandpiper 4
* California Gull 22
* Caspian Tern 2
* Mourning Dove 4
* Greater Roadrunner 7 All in short grassland area of
South Fork Wildlife Area. Counted one-by-one along first one mile of
road from Isabella Reservoir shoreline to CA Hwy 178 ... one
additional individual seen a few minutes later along Paul's Place in Weldon
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 1
* Black Phoebe 2
* Say's Phoebe 1
* Loggerhead Shrike 4
* Common Raven 17
* Rock Wren 3
* Western Tanager 1
* Song Sparrow 2
* Blue Grosbeak 3
* Red-winged Blackbird 31
* House Finch 6
TIME/DAY/DATE: 10:25am-11:45am, Su, 2 Aug 09
LOCATION: Kern River Preserve--Headquarters, Weldon, Kern Co., CA
HABITATS: Fremont cottonwood & red willow riparian forest,
pasture, rural residential yard
OBSERVERS: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA and Bill
Lydecker, Bakersfield, Kern Co., CA
WEATHER: 81.4F, 36% humidity at 10:00am
ELEVATION: 2645'
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 25
* California Quail 3
* Turkey Vulture 1
* Red-shouldered Hawk 1
* Killdeer 1
* Eurasian Collared-Dove 2
* Mourning Dove 3
* Black-chinned Hummingbird 3
* Anna's Hummingbird 12
* Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird 4
* hummingbird sp. 20 Three 6-port hummingbird feeders at
one feeding station; four 6-port hummingbird feeders at a second
feeding station at Kern River Preserve Headquarters. Based on prior
year's banding and sugar water consumption rates, the 20 hummingbird
sp. is almost surely a very conservative number.
* Northern Flicker 1
* Western Wood-Pewee 2
* Black Phoebe 1
* Western Kingbird 3
* Oak Titmouse 2
* Western Bluebird 4
* American Robin 4 at grape arbor
* European Starling 42
* Yellow Warbler 2
* Common Yellowthroat 3
* Summer Tanager 1 at grape arbor
* Western Tanager 1 at grape arbor
* Song Sparrow 3
* Black-headed Grosbeak 1 at thistle seed feeder
* Red-winged Blackbird 20
* Lesser Goldfinch 6 at thistle seed feeder
TIME/DAY/DATE: 5:50am-9:40am, Tu, 4 Aug 09
LOCATION: Chimney Peak National Backcountry Byway, off the north
side of CA Hwy 178 eight miles east of Onyx, Kern Co., CA
HABITATS: Desert scrub, granite cliffs, gray pine woodland,
Joshua tree woodland (with silver cholla in the mix), live oak-filled
draws, open hillsides with rocks and rock outcroppings, and pinyon
pine woodland all in close proximity to each other
OBSERVER: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA
WEATHER: 68.4F-82.8F, 29%-15% humidity, 6.2 kph max-7.9 kph max
ELEVATION: 3285'-5530'
COVERAGE: 6.3 mi. of Chimney Peak NBCB from CA Hwy 178 north to
pass at Kern County/Tulare County line at Lamont Peak Trail tralihead
MISSED "TARGET" SPECIES: Loggerhead Shrike, Canyon Wren, Scott's Oriole
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 19
* Chukar 4 May have been many more ... lots of calling
from different points
* Mountain Quail 8 Count of single flock running across
boulder ... may have missed front of flock
* Mourning Dove 6
* Greater Roadrunner 1
* Acorn Woodpecker 1
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 2
* Hairy Woodpecker 4
* Northern Flicker 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 11
* Oak Titmouse 3
* Bushtit 16 Single flock
* Cactus Wren 5
* Rock Wren 4
* Bewick's Wren 4
* Wrentit 2
* Western Tanager 1
* California Towhee 4
* Black-throated Sparrow 4
* Sage Sparrow 8 Single perched flock
TIME/DAY/DATE: 10:35am-11:25am, Tu, 4 Aug 09
LOCATION: Hwy 155--Sequoia National Forest's Main Dam Campground
off the north side of CA Hwy 155 north of CA Hwy 178, Lake Isabella,
Kern Co., CA
ELEVATION: 2500'
GPS READING: N 35 38' 29.6", W 118 29' 02.3"
OBSERVER: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA
WEATHER (at start): 84.9F, 19% humidity-15%, 6.8kph maximum wind
COVERAGE: Kern River at Main Dam Campground from CA Hwy 155
upriver 0.3 mile to Isabella Reservoir's Main Dam
HIGHLIGHTS: TARGET BIRDS - CANYON WREN and AMERICAN DIPPER, plus
Rock Wren all within a few feet of each other along Kern River
TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES: 8
* Red-tailed Hawk 1
* Acorn Woodpecker 2
* Common Raven 2
* Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3
* Oak Titmouse 1
* Rock Wren 1
* Canyon Wren 1 In addition to calls, this individual
gave a handful of full songs.
* American Dipper 1
TIME/DAY/DATE: 6:00am-8:20am, We, 5 Aug 09
LOCATION: Tiger Flat, Greenhorn Mountains, Sequoia National
Forest, Kern County, Southern Sierra Nevada, California
GPS READING: N 35 46' 38.1", W 118 34' 07.2"
ELEVATION: 6400'
HABITATS: Mixed conifer with open areas and some deciduous oaks;
plus dense shrubbery in old burn area
WEATHER: 68.4F-82.8F, 29%-15% humidity, 6.2kph-7.9kph maximum wind
OBSERVER: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern Co., CA
COVERAGE: Abandoned campground and 0.4 mile of FS 24S15
bordering campground
HIGHLIGHTS: Thirty-three species ... likely due to impressive
habitat diversity in this relatively small area...
MISSED "TARGET" SPECIES: Red-breasted Sapsucker, Cassin's Vireo,
Golden-crowned Kinglet
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 33
* Cooper's Hawk 1
* Mourning Dove 3
* Anna's Hummingbird 1
* Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird 1
* hummingbird sp. 11 Penstamon blooming profusely ...
hummingbirds chasing each other all about at several patches...
* Acorn Woodpecker 1
* White-headed Woodpecker 2
* Northern Flicker 1
* Olive-sided Flycatcher 1
* Western Wood-Pewee 3
* Dusky Flycatcher 3
* Warbling Vireo 2
* Steller's Jay 2
* Violet-green Swallow 1
* Mountain Chickadee 5
* Red-breasted Nuthatch 3
* White-breasted Nuthatch 2
* Brown Creeper 1
* House Wren 6
* Western Bluebird 8
* Townsend's Solitaire 2
* American Robin 2
* Orange-crowned Warbler 6
* Yellow Warbler 2
* Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 4
* MacGillivray's Warbler 1
* Western Tanager 4
* Green-tailed Towhee 1
* Fox Sparrow (Thick-billed) 5
* Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 5
* Black-headed Grosbeak 4
* Purple Finch 3
* Pine Siskin 1
* Lesser Goldfinch 2
Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Re: Grosbeaks at Silver Lake August 2From: Chet ogan <chet_ogan AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 07:10:57 -0700 (PDT) Group: Last year I also found PINE GROSBEAKS and EVENING GROSBEAKS at East Silver Lake Campground and PINE GROSBEAKS along the old immigrant trail between caples Lake and Kirkwood Ski Area. Chet Chet Ogan chet_ogan AT yahoo.com 707-442-9353 --- On Wed, 8/5/09, Doug HerrSubject: Re: Grosbeaks at Silver Lake August 2 From: Doug Herr <wildlightphoto AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 07:57:18 -0400 (EDT) David Wimpfheimer wrote: > Although I have birded along Highway 88 many times, August 2nd was the first time I did so at > the west end of Silver Lake. > If my sightings were any indication I will certainly do so again in the > future. Last August while hiking the trails just east of Silver Lake I found a few Pine Grosbeaks, so I suspect your sighting was not an isolated incident. http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/fringillidae/pigr00.jpg Doug Herr Sacramento http://www.wildlightphoto.comSubject: Grosbeaks at Silver Lake August 2 From: David Wimpfheimer <ceruleanswift AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 21:32:59 -0700 (PDT) Although I have birded along Highway 88 many times, August 2nd was the first
time I did so at the west end of Silver Lake.
If my sightings were any indication I will certainly do so again in the
future. I followed the signs to Plasse's Resort off Hgy. 88. Most of
the birding I did was very close to the Chapel at Silver Lake. In a
small group of lodgepole pines adjacent to a patch of willows a beautiful male
PINE GROSBEAK called
and allowed close views. Many Cassin's Finches were nearby, some were
juveniles being fed. I then heard and soon saw three EVENING GROSBEAKS in an
isolated pine tree. Other species in the area included; RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD,
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, BAND-TAILED PIGEON, WESTERN WOOD PEWEE, MOUNTAIN
CHICKADEE, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE
AND FOX SPARROW. I would be happy to see the grosbeaks anywhere in the Sierra.
I suspect the location in Amador County may be of interest to more than a few.
David Wimpfheimer
Point Reyes, CA
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: SL Tahoe SanderlingFrom: Keith Slauson <kmslauson AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 11:57:04 -0700 (PDT) Greetings-
This morning around 10 am I saw a single juvenile Sanderling at the Upper
Truckee
River Delta accesses from the Tahoe Keys marina in South Lake Tahoe. The bird
was foraging alone and associated with ~12 western sandpipers on the extreme
western edge of the northernmost sand spit. In addition to giving good views
while foraging, the bird vocallized several times and flew revealing its bold
white wing sptripes.
Also present were:
2 Northern harriers (juv/female types at a distance)
14 white-faced ibis
6 semipalmated plovers
12 least sandpipers
Keith
McKinleyville,
Humboldt County
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: NAB reminderFrom: "m_m_rogers" <m.m.rogers AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:21:16 -0000 Dear North American Birds Contributors,
The summer season has come to a close so please submit your noteworthy records
from the Northern California Region for the period 1 June – 31 July to the
appropriate Subregional Editors (see below) or to the Regional Editors by 10
August.
THERE ARE SEVERAL NEW NAMES ON THE LISTS BELOW, INCLUDING A NEW REGIONAL
EDITOR, SO PLEASE CHECK THEM BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR RECORDS.
Please pay special attention to the format example given at the end of this
message. Reports that are formatted properly make our job far easier. In
particular, it is important to note the order in which we would like to receive
details of the record and that there is a single tab between each piece of
information (species, date, etc.).
PLEASE use Subregional Editors for the counties that have them. These SREs
painstakingly keep track of records within their counties and are in most cases
THE source of information on the birds of their counties. By sending your
records to the SREs, you are helping to contribute to their county files as
well as to North American Birds. If you wish to send copies to the Regional
Editors, we welcome them, but please send records through the SREs as well. If
you have a noteworthy winter sighting from a county without a Subregional
Editor, please send records to the Regional Editors below.
Records of loons-frigatebirds and larids-alcids go to Steve Rottenborn at:
H.T. Harvey & Associates
983 University Ave., Bldg. D
Los Gatos, CA 95032
srottenborn AT harveyecology.com
Records of waterfowl through quail and herons through shorebirds go to Mike
Rogers at:
499 Novato Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
m.m.rogers AT comcast.net
Records of doves through thrushes/Wrentit go to Jeff Davis at:
7815 N. Palm Ave., Suite 310
Fresno, CA 93711
jdavis AT harveyecology.com
Records of thrashers to finches go to Ed Pandolfino at:
5530 Delrose Court
Carmichael, CA 95608
erpfromca AT aol.com
SUBREGIONAL EDITORS
Alameda
Bob Richmond
24650 Amador St. #15
Hayward, CA 94544
Brichmond94544 AT earthlink.net
Alpine, Calaveras, Modoc & Yolo
John Sterling
29 Palm Ave.
Woodland, CA 95695
jsterling AT wavecable.com
Amador & El Dorado
Tim Steurer
4042 Bancroft Dr.
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762-6933
tsteurer AT hotmail.com
Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Sutter, Tehama, & Yuba
Bruce Deuel
18730 Live Oak Road
Red Bluff, CA 96080
bdeuel AT wildblue.net
Contra Costa
Steve Glover
5108 Shelly Ray Rd.
Keller, TX 76244
countylines AT sbcglobal.net
Fresno
Gary W. Potter
2183 Walton Ave
Sanger, CA 93657
gwpott AT aol.com
Humboldt
Rob Fowler
2277 Heather Lane, Apt. D
Arcata, CA 95521
migratoriusfwlr AT gmail.com
Kings
Jeff Seay
7815 N. Palm Ave., Suite 310
Fresno, CA 93711
jseay AT harveyecology.com
Lake
Jerry R. White
P.O. Box 113
Kelseyville, CA 95451
grwhite AT jps.net
Lassen
Ken Able
Bob's Creek Ranch
535-000 Little Valley Road
McArthur, CA 96056
kenable AT hughes.net
Madera
Jeff N. Davis
7815 N. Palm Ave., Suite 310
Fresno, CA 93711
jdavis AT harveyecology.com
Marin
Ryan Terrill
1619 El Dorado Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
enicurus AT yahoo.com
Mariposa
David Vander Pluym
1683 Buena Vista St.
Ventura, CA 93001
scre AT aol.com
Mendocino
Bob Keiffer
P. O. Box 354
Hopland CA 95449
rjkeiffer AT ucdavis.edu
Merced & San Benito
Kent Van Vuren
26 Vista Dr.
Salinas, CA 93907
vanvurenk AT aol.com
Mono
Kristie Nelson
P.O. Box 402
Lee Vining, CA 93541
storm_petrel AT hotmail.com
Monterey
Don Roberson
282 Grove Acre
Pacific Grove CA 93950
831-373-2566fax
creagrus AT montereybay.com
Napa
Murray Berner
210 Monte Vista
Napa, CA 94558
(707) 224-5897
vireocity AT hotmail.com
Nevada
Rudy Darling
12143 Big Blue Road
Nevada City, CA 95959
rdarling AT sbbmail.com
Placer
Ed Pandolfino
5530 Del Rose Court
Carmichael, CA 95608
erpfromca AT aol.com
Plumas & Sierra
John "Mac" McCormick
1230 Dog Leg Dr.
Chico, CA 95928
macmc94123 AT earthlink.net
Sacramento
Chris Conard
2405 Rio Bravo Circle
Sacramento, CA 95826
conardc AT gmail.com
San Francisco (mainland)
The City: Mark Eaton
1524 36th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
mweaton AT pacbell.net
San Francisco (Farallones)
Jim Tietz
P.O. Box 751
Arcata, CA, 95518
jmtietz AT yahoo.com
San Joaquin
Frances Oliver
1817 Songbird Place
Lodi, CA 95240
Hummer52 AT sbcglobal.net
San Mateo
Peter J. Metropulos
2940 Turk Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94118
pjmetrop AT pacbell.net
Santa Clara
William G. Bousman
321 Arlington Way
Menlo Park CA 94025
barlowi AT earthlink.net
Santa Cruz
David Suddjian and Steve Gerow
801 Monterey Ave.
Capitola, CA 95010
DSUDDJIAN AT aol.com
Stephengerow AT aol.com
Shasta
Bob Yutzy
P. O. Box 990237
Redding CA 96099
boby AT c-zone.net
Siskiyou
Ray Ekstrom
2209 Delphic Rd.
Montague, CA 96064
Solano
Robin Leong
336 Benson Ave.
Vallejo, CA 94590-3027
robin_leong AT netzero.net
Sonoma
Ruth Rudesill
P.O. Box 371
Kenwood, CA 95452
ruthier AT sonic.net
Trinity
John E. Hunter
P.O. Box 4483
Arcata, CA 95518
jhunter323 AT aol.com
Tulare
Steven Summers
2553 W. Michelle Ln.
Porterville, CA 93257
summers AT ocsnet.net
Tuolumne
Steven Umland
15818 Parkridge Ave.
Sonora, CA 95370
sumland AT skywayusa.net
The Reporting Deadlines are:
Spring Summer Fall Winter
Season ends May 31 July 31 Nov 30 Feb 28
Observer reports to Subregional Editors (SREs)
June 10 Aug 10 Dec 10 Mar 10
Observer reports to Regional Editors (if not sent to SRE)
June 10 Aug 10 Dec 10 Mar 10
SRE reports to Regional Editors
June 20 Aug 20 Dec 20 Mar 20
Regional Editors final text to ABA office
July 10 Sep 10 Jan 10 Apr 10
PLEASE meet your deadlines so that we can meet our deadlines!
Please send reports in our database format: species, date(s) [including year],
locale separated by a space from county abbreviation, number of birds, and
observers, and then, on a second line, any comments. Please separate these
sections by a "tab" (except just a space between locale and county
abbreviation) on electronic versions submitted. Here's an example of the
correct format:
Grace's Warbler 12/13/98-2/20/99 Jacks Peak MTY 1 RFT, mob
A second record for the Region (the first was 6/26/91 at Deer Spring, Glass
Mt. MNO) which wintered with a large flock of Townsend's & Hermit warblers at
the very top of Jacks Peak in Jacks Peak Regional Park. Details by Tintle and
others are enclosed.
Many observers and Subregional Editors have been submitting their reports by
e-mail. PLEASE submit electronic reports if possible. We are trying to maintain
an electronic database of at least recent records, and we hope to be able to
have all old data entered eventually so that the entire database will be easily
accessible to anyone who wants it. Electronic submission of records in the
format described above makes it much easier for us maintain this electronic
database.
We've heard questions about, comments on, and criticism of our regional reports
from several observers and SREs. We really appreciate this feedback, as it
helps us to better represent what is going on in the Region as a whole. Please
help us correct any factual errors we make, and don't hesitate to let us know
what you think of the reports.
Many thanks to all the contributors and Subregional Editors who make these
reports possible!
Sincerely,
Mike Rogers, Jeff Davis, Ed Pandolfino, and Steve Rottenborn
(Northern California Regional Editors)
Subject: WF Ibis at Lake AlmanorFrom: "Steve Hampton" <shampton AT ospr.dfg.ca.gov> Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:39:01 -0700 All, Just got back from Lake Almanor. Forest Rd 10 northeast of Chester was very birdy, with Cassin's Vireo, Dusky Flycatcher, Hermit, Nashville, Orange-cr, and Yellow-rumped Warbler common. Most interesting (according to Helen Green and Dan Airola's checklist on-line at http://fog.ccsf.org/%7Ejmorlan/alchk197.htm) were 3+ WF Ibis north of the causeway near Chester. good birding, Steve Hampton ________________ Resource Economist Office of Spill Prevention and Response California Dept of Fish and Game PO Box 944209 Sacramento, CA 94244-2090 ----------------------------------- (916) 323-4724 phone (916) 324-8829 faxSubject: Tahoe Rim Trail Sightings From: aaagolfers AT aol.com Date: Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:56:26 -0400 Two weeks ago hiked the Mt. Rose section of the Tahoe Rim Trail. Saw very few birds except for Clark's Nutcrackers, Dark-eyd Juncos, one White-breasted Nuthatch, a hummingbird (Rufous I believe) and one Rock Wren. This last week hiked Armstrong Pass to Big Meadow and saw many more birds: Clark's Nutcrackers, White-headed Woodpecker, American Robin, Dark-eyed Juncos, Mountain Chickadees. Back at Tahoe Donner still have the family of Hairy Woodpeckers, too many Steller's Jays, Mountain Chickadees, pine Siskin, Cassin's Finch, Black-headed and Evening Grosbeaks and a Red-tailed Hawk. Kayaking on the Truckee River we saw three Common Mergansers with tiny babies which scampered on to the Mother's back as we paddled past. Also saw one Belted Kingfisher and lots of Mallards. Andrea Oddo, TruckeeSubject: Th, 30 Jul 09 - Kelso Valley Rd & Piute Mtn Rd From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:36:27 -0700 Hi, Another slow late-July birding morning in the southern Sierra Nevada ... c. 40 species in all. 6am-10:45am, Th, 30 Jul 09 - Kelso Valley Rd and Piute Mtn Rd HIGHLIGHTS: MOUNTAIN QUAIL; SAY'S PHOEBE at a new location; PINYON JAY: A flock of 51 at Landers Meadow; LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE widespread; some fall, southbound migrants (PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK) MISSED TARGET SPECIES: Gray Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Plumbeous Vireo, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Brewer's Sparrow FOUND SPECIES LISTS: Location #1: Kelso Valley Rd--Frog Spring Observation date: 7/30/09 Notes: LOCATION: Frog Spring; TIME/DATE: 6am-6:50am, Th, 30 Jul 09; WEATHER: 55.5F, 63% humidity, breeze to 2.5 kph;... Number of species: 19 Mountain Quail 2 California Quail 9 Mourning Dove 3 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 In Joshua tree woodland. ID based on call. Hybrid making Ladder-backed call not ruled out. Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 In riparian woodland at spring. ID based on call. Hybrid making Nuttall's call not ruled out. Western Wood-Pewee 1 Black Phoebe 1 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) 1 Cactus Wren 1 Bewick's Wren 7 American Robin 1 Northern Mockingbird 1 California Thrasher 1 California Towhee 1 Sage Sparrow (Interior) 23 Black-headed Grosbeak 1 Bullock's Oriole 1 adult male House Finch 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location #2: Kelso Valley Rd--Kelso Creek Sanctuary (while listening for Brown-crested Flycatcher continuing presence ... no detection) Observation date: 7/30/09 Notes: Kelso Creek Sanctuary; 6:55am-7:10am, Th, 30 Jul 09; Elevation: 3850';... Number of species: 5 California Quail 1 Mourning Dove 1 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Bewick's Wren 2 California Towhee 3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location #3: Kelso Valley Rd--Tunnel Spring Observation date: 7/30/09 Notes: Tunnel Spring (Mile 18); 7:15am-7:50am, Th, 30 Jul 09; 66.1F, 42% humidity; Elevation: 4300' Number of species: 16 Chukar 3 California Quail 16 Cooper's Hawk 1 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Western Wood-Pewee 1 Pacific-slope Flycatcher 1 ID based on "see-ip" call. Ash-throated Flycatcher 1 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) 2 Rock Wren 1 Bewick's Wren 2 American Robin 2 Northern Mockingbird 2 California Towhee 4 Sage Sparrow (Interior) 14 Black-headed Grosbeak 2 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location #4: Piute Mountain Road-East Observation date: 7/30/09 Notes: Piute Mtn Rd from Kelso Valley Road west to the first Pacific Crest Trail crossing. 7:55am-10am, Th, 30 Jul 09; Elevation: 4020'-6680' Number of species: 24 Mountain Quail 4 Visual - all together California Quail 40 Single flock Red-tailed Hawk 3 Mourning Dove 20 Includes one flock of 17 individuals Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 2 Western Wood-Pewee 7 Loggerhead Shrike 2 Steller's Jay 5 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) 10 Mountain Chickadee 1 Oak Titmouse 3 White-breasted Nuthatch 7 Pygmy Nuthatch 4 Rock Wren 1 Bewick's Wren 3 Western Bluebird 3 American Robin 1 Wrentit 2 Spotted Towhee 2 California Towhee 4 Sage Sparrow (Interior) 4 House Finch 2 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Location #5: Piute Mtn Rd--Landers Meadow Observation date: 7/30/09 Notes: Lander's Meadow; 10am-10:45am, Th, 30 Jul 09; Elevation: 6400' Number of species: 13 Western Wood-Pewee 4 Black Phoebe 1 Say's Phoebe 1 First observation of this species for this location... Steller's Jay 3 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) 1 Pinyon Jay 51 Flock counted while flying from far side of Landers Meadow to the observer's near side... White-breasted Nuthatch 3 Pygmy Nuthatch 6 Western Bluebird 4 Western Tanager 1 Chipping Sparrow 2 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 1 Black-headed Grosbeak 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Tu, 28 Jul 09 - Canebrake Ecological Reserve From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:01:08 -0700 Hi,
Computer trouble and a dead DSL line for four days (while waiting for
repair staff arrival) led to the tardiness of this report. Phone land
line still dead.
LOCATION: Public Access Trail, California Department of Fish &
Game's Canebrake Ecological Reserve, Kern County, Southern Sierra
Nevada, California
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 5:20am-8am, Tu, 28 Jul 09
OBSERVER: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA
GPS READING: N 35 43' 34.4" W 118 10' 09.5" (at junction of CA Hwy
178 and CER entrance); N 35 44' 03.0", W 118 09' 46.9" (at Public
Access Trail's end)
ELEVATION: 2850' (at junction of CA Hwy 178 and CER entrance);
2900' (at Public Access Trail's end)
COVERAGE: Public Access Trail
HIGHLIGHTS: Six VIRGINIA RAILs calling spontaneously; WRENTIT (2
individuals) observed in the riparian habitat restoration site for
the first time
TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES: 39
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
* Mallard 3
* California Quail 5
* American Kestrel 1
* Virginia Rail 6
* Mourning Dove 5
* Greater Roadrunner 1
* Great Horned Owl 1
* hummingbird species 6
* Acorn Woodpecker 1
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 5
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 2
* Black Phoebe 6
* Ash-throated Flycatcher 2
* Western Scrub-Jay 5
* Common Raven 1
* Oak Titmouse 3
* Bushtit 29 (single flock)
* White-breasted Nuthatch 2
* Cactus Wren 1
* Rock Wren 1
* Bewick's Wren 7
* House Wren 1
* Western Bluebird 6 (single flock)
* American Robin 3
* Wrentit 3
* European Starling 2
* Yellow Warbler 1
* Common Yellowthroat 14
* Summer Tanager 1 (adult male)
* Spotted Towhee 1
* California Towhee 6
* Lark Sparrow 17
* Song Sparrow 6
* Black-headed Grosbeak 3
* Blue Grosbeak 6 (2 adult females, 4 adult males)
* Red-winged Blackbird 25
* Tricolored Blackbird 27
* blackbird species 115
* House Finch 31
Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California
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Subject: Su, 26 Jul 09 - Greenhorn Mountains Transect (incl.
southernmost Winter Wren)From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:01:08 -0700 Hi,
Computer trouble and a dead DSL line for four days (while waiting for
repair staff arrival) led to the tardiness of this report. Phone land
line still dead.
5:35am-10:15am, Su, 26 Jul 09 - CA Hwy 155 Transect: Tillie Creek
Campground on the west shore of Isabellla Reservoir to 0.8 mile west
on FS 25S17 (6388'), Kern County, Southern Sierra Nevada, California
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Location #1: Two low elevation RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS at
Tillie Creek Campground
* Location #6: A vociferously singing WINTER WREN in Alta Sierra
at the southern limits of its nesting season range in the Sierra Nevada
LOCATION #1: Sequoia National Forest's Tillie Creek Campground on
the west edge of Isabella Reservoir, Wofford Heights
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 5:35am-7:20am, Su, 26 Jul 09
OBSERVER: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA
WEATHER: 71.8F-72.3F, 38%-51% humidity, no wind
GPS READINGS: N 35 42' 05.4", W 118 27' 34.1" (at CA Hwy 155 at
Tillie Creek CG entrance road); N 35 41' 57.9", 118 27' 28.9" (at
bridge storage facility parking area)
ELEVATION: 2650' (at CA Hwy 155 at Tillie Creek CG entrance
road); 2620' (at bridge storage facility parking area)
COVERAGE: Tillie Creek Campground...
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 37
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
* California Quail 21
* Western Grebe 2
* Clark's Grebe 3
* Western/Clark's Grebe 281
* Great Blue Heron 2
* Turkey Vulture 3
* California Gull 1
* Eurasian Collared-Dove 3
* Mourning Dove 8
* Anna's Hummingbird 14
* Black-chinned Hummingbird 1
* Acorn Woodpecker 2
* RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER 2
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 2
* Downy Woodpecker 1
* Black Phoebe 2
* Ash-throated Flycatcher 7
* Western Kingbird 2
* Loggerhead Shrike 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 8
* Common Raven 16
* swallow species 2
* Oak Titmouse 8
* White-breasted Nuthatch 2
* Bewick's Wren 2
* House Wren 2
* Northern Mockingbird 9
* California Thrasher 4
* European Starling 1
* Phainopepla 7
* Western Tanager 1 (female)
* California Towhee 12
* Lark Sparrow 4
* Black-headed Grosbeak 2
* Blue Grosbeak 1
* House Finch 16
* Lesser Goldfinch 2
* House Sparrow 4
LOCATION #2: CA Hwy 155--Sequoia National Forest entrance sign
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 7:30am-7:40am, Su, 26 Jul 09
OBSERVERS: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County
GPS READING: N 35 43' 15.0", W 118 29' 56.8"
ELEVATION: 3900'
COVERAGE: Point Count from next to Sequoia National Forest
entering/leaving sign
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 18
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
* California Quail 3
* Band-tailed Pigeon 2
* Mourning Dove 2
* Anna's Hummingbird 1
* Acorn Woodpecker 4
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 1
* Western Kingbird 2
* Western Scrub-Jay 6
* Common Raven 1
* Oak Titmouse 2
* Canyon Wren 1
* Wrentit 3
* Phainopepla 3
* California Towhee 3
* Black-headed Grosbeak 2
* Bullock's Oriole 3
* House Finch 4
* Lesser Goldfinch 1
LOCATION #3: Metal & wood gate leading to dirt road into
chaparral and live oaks located on south side of CA Hwy 155 at upper
end of large, long pull-out
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 7:45am-7:55am, Su, 26 Jul 09
OBSERVERS: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County
GPS READING: N 35 43' 20.7", W 118 31' 17.2"
ELEVATION: 4625'
COVERAGE: Point Count from next to gate
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 12
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
* Mourning Dove 3
* Acorn Woodpecker 2
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 1
* Western Wood-Pewee 2
* Ash-throated Flycatcher 1
* Western Scrub-Jay 1
* White-breasted Nuthatch 1
* Wrentit 3
* Bewick's Wren 1
* Phainopepla 2
* California Towhee 3
* Black-headed Grosbeak 2
LOCATION #4: Sequoia National Forest's FS 25S17 from Rancheria
Road just south of 6102' Greenhorn Summit west for 0.8 mi. to short
road to logging landing
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 8:05am-9:25am, Su, 26 Jul 09
OBSERVER: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA
WEATHER: 69.4F-76.8F, 41%-35% humidity, no wind
GPS READINGS: N 35 42' 05.4", W 118 27' 34.1" (at CA Hwy 155 at
Tillie Creek CG entrance road); N 35 41' 57.9", 118 27' 28.9" (at
bridge storage facility parking area)
ELEVATION: 6102' (CA Hwy 155 at Rancheria Road); 6390' (at FS
25S17 and road to logging landing)
COVERAGE: See location
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 25
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
* Red-breasted Sapsucker 1
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* White-headed Woodpecker 1
* Dusky Flycatcher 2
* Steller's Jay 3
* Common Raven 3
* Mountain Chickadee 18
* Red-breasted Nuthatch 12
* White-breasted Nuthatch 1
* Brown Creeper 1
* House Wren 4
* Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
* Western Bluebird 2
* American Robin 1
* Orange-crowned Warbler 3
* Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
* MacGillivray's Warbler 3
* Western Tanager 7
* Green-tailed Towhee 3
* Spotted Towhee 1
* Chipping Sparrow 3
* Fox Sparrow 1
* Dark-eyed Junco 11
* Black-headed Grosbeak 1
* Purple Finch 1
LOCATION #5: Dirt road on north side of CA Hwy 155 at 5570'
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 9:45am-9:55am, Su, 26 Jul 09
OBSERVERS: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County
GPS READING: N 35 43' 46.3", W 118 32' 09.1"
ELEVATION: 5570'
COVERAGE: First 100m/100 yds of dirt road
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 3
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
Western Scrub-Jay 1
Wrentit 3
Lesser Goldfinch 1
LOCATION #6: Alta Sierra, Greenhorn Mountains
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 10:00am-10:15am, Su, 26 Jul 09
OBSERVERS: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County
GPS READING: N 35 43' 42.1", W 118 33' 03.4"
ELEVATION: 5815' (at junction of Alta Sierra Drive and Old State Road)
COVERAGE: First 100m/100 yds of dirt road
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 6
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
* Western Wood-Pewee 1
* Common Raven 1
* Steller's Jay 1
* WINTER WREN 1 (at 5785' at N 35 45' 50.1", W 118 33' 02.7" -
below junction of Willow and Alta Sierra Drive)
* Western Tanager 1
* Purple Finch 1
LOCATION #7: Paul's Place, Weldon
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 11:25am-11:30am, Su, 26 Jul 09
OBSERVERS: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County
GPS READING: N 35 39' 26.1", W 118 19' 06.2"
ELEVATION: 2640' (at junction of CA Hwy 178 and west end of
Paul's Place, Weldon)
COVERAGE: 0.7 mile long Paul's Place
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 1
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
* Downy Woodpecker 1
Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California
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Subject: Sa, 25 Jul 09 - Kern YB Cuckoos & Bell's VireoFrom: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:27:50 -0700 Hi,
Computer trouble and a dead DSL line for four days (while waiting for
repair staff arrival) led to the tardiness of this report. Phone land
line still dead.
Sa, 25 Jul 09 - Kern River Preserve & South Fork Wildlife Area,
Weldon, Kern County, Southern Sierra Nevada, California
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Two YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOs (an individual in South Fork Wildlife
Area forest behind KOA and a second individual in the South Fork
Wildlife Area forest using the Watchable Wildlife access west of the
sand and gravel processing plant west of KOA...)
* A single BELL'S VIREO in the red willows at southwest corner of
the Kern River Preserve Headquarters parking area...
* A single PINE SISKIN flyover of KRP HQ parking area (2nd July
record for KRP HQ)
* Four LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHes (three individuals in South Fork
Wildlife Area-KOA, one individual in South Fork Wildlife Area-South)
* Three MULE DEER BUCKS side-by-side west of KRP HQ (TWO SIX
POINT bucks and ONE SEVEN POINT buck ... the biggest Mule Deer bucks
I have ever seen by far!)
LOCATION: Kern River Preserve Headquarters (KRP HQ)
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 5:35am-7:45am, Sa, 25 Jul 09
OBSERVER: Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, CA
WEATHER: 58.8F-63.7F, 68%-79% humidity, no wind
GPS READING: N 35 39' 50.7" W 118 18' 17.8" (at CA Hwy 178
and KRP HQ entrance road):
ELEVATION: 2645' (at CA Hwy 178 and KRP HQ entrance road);
COVERAGE: Kern River Preserve Headquarters road from CA Hwy 178
to the HQ parking area, KRP HQ grounds, dirt road leading west from
SW corner of KRP HQ parking area for 0.75 mile to second north-south
fence line...
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 42
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
* California Quail 107 (includes coveys of 20, 37, 15, 11,
and 24 individuals)
* Red-shouldered Hawk 2
* Red-tailed Hawk 2 (1 adult, 1 immature)
* American Kestrel 2
* Mourning Dove 9
* Barn Owl 1
* Anna's Hummingbird 11
* Black-chinned Hummingbird 4
* Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird 4
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 5
* Downy Woodpecker 1
* Hairy Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 7
* Western Wood-Pewee 9
* Willow Flycatcher 2 (Federally Endangered
Southwestern/extimus subspecies)
* Black Phoebe 4
* Say's Phoebe 1
* Ash-throated Flycatcher 5
* Loggerhead Shrike 1
* BELL'S VIREO 1 (6:25am-6:33am)
* Western Scrub-Jay 1
* Common Raven 6
* Tree Swallow 2
* Oak Titmouse 3
* Bushtit 62 (3, 6, 17, 36)
* White-breasted Nuthatch 1
* Bewick's Wren 7
* House Wren 1
* Western Bluebird 7
* American Robin 7
* European Starling 32
* Yellow Warbler 7
* Common Yellowthroat 16
* Summer Tanager 4 (2 males, 1 female, 1 unknown)
* Spotted Towhee 1
* Song Sparrow 12
* Black-headed Grosbeak 4
* Blue Grosbeak 3
* Red-winged Blackbird 6
* House Finch 16
* PINE SISKIN 1
* Lesser Goldfinch 17
LOCATION: South Fork Wildlife Area--KOA
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 8:15am-10:15am, Sa, 25 Jul 09
OBSERVERS: Bob Barnes plus nine Kern Audubon Society field trip attendees
GPS READING: N 35 39' 16.5", W 118 20' 36.9" (at start of trail
at CA Hwy 178)
ELEVATION: 2645'
COVERAGE: Trail from CA Hwy, 178 at mile marker 54.50 (located at
southwest corner of KOA property on highway side of retaining wall)
north to first cross fence; then east for 400m/400 yds or less; then
return to CA Hwy 178
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 20
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
* Turkey Vulture 6
* Red-tailed Hawk 1
* Eurasian Collared-Dove 1
* Mourning Dove 5
* YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO 1 (individual giving kalp, kalp,
kalp, kalp call 7X to 10X over 1.25 hrs. ... otherwise just one quick
glance of a bird in flight)
* Nuttall's Woodpecker 1
* Northern Flicker 1
* Western Wood-Pewee 9
* Ash-throated Flycatcher 2
* Common Raven 1
* Oak Titmouse 1
* White-breasted Nuthatch 1
* Bewick's Wren 8
* Yellow Warbler 8 (6 males, 1 female, 1 unknown)
* Common Yellowthroat 2
* Brewer's Blackbird 4
* Brown-headed Cowbird 1
* House Finch 4
* Lesser Goldfinch 1
* LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH 3
LOCATION: South Fork Wildlife Area--South
OBSERVATION TIME/DAY/DATE: 10:20am-11am, Sa, 25 Jul 09
OBSERVERS: Bob Barnes plus seven Kern Audubon Society field trip attendees
WEATHER: 87F, 33% humidity (at end of observation period)
GPS READING: N 35 39' 08.6" W 118 21' 11.3" (at turn-off from CA Hwy 178)
ELEVATION: 2630'
COVERAGE: Trail from South Fork Wildlife Area parking lot north to
first grove of trees; then through first grove of trees to edge of
second grove of trees then return to parking lot
NUMBER OF SPECIES: 8
SPECIES & NUMBERS:
* Turkey Vulture 1
* Mourning Dove 1
* YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO 1 (individual giving loud coo/cue
call repeatedly plus occasional kalp, kalp, kalp call; seen in flight
and/or perched by all present during overall twenty-five minute
observation period; photographed)
* woodpecker species 1
* Bewick's Wren 1
* Yellow Warbler 1
* House Finch 2
* LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH 1
Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California
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Subject: Re: Desolation Wilderness - breeding pipitsFrom: Kevin Spencer <rriparia AT charter.net> Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:16:30 -0700 ---- Will RichardsonSubject: Desolation Wilderness - breeding pipits From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:55:58 -0700 Yesterday, I heard from John Sproul, who reported that his brother Malcolm recently (7/22) found a pair of American Pipits with a recent fledgling, on a bench south of Mt. Price at about the 9,000-foot elevation on the east slope of the Crystal Range. I haven't seen any pipits up there in the summer, nor am I aware of any prior mid-summer records, but to be perfectly honest I've barely spent any time in that neck of the woods during the summer. Miller and Green (1987) report a Pyramid Peak record from late August, but that's not exactly mid- summer. I have found Horned Larks to be breeding in the same sorts of habitats, and I've definitely been wondering if pipits were regular breeders (yet?) this far north. Owen Knorr (2000) found them breeding on Mt. Rose in 1979 and 1981. In the past several years, I've spent a fair bit of time in appropriate habitat in the Relay-Houghton-Rose area, and never seen a pipit in mid-summer, so perhaps they're just sporadic breeders in the greater Tahoe area. It's perhaps notable that I had a feeling earlier this spring that I'd never seen so many pipits at Tahoe in the spring before. They were still widespread and common on the beaches during the first week of May, including a full breeding-plumaged male at the Upper Truckee River Delta on 3 May, that was singing and aggressively chasing off everything in sight in the middle of a rainstorm. Has anybody else found pipits breeding in the Desolation area (or elsewhere around Tahoe) before? Will Richardson Truckee, CA Knorr. 2000. Great Basin Birds 3: 7-9 Miller and Green. 1987. Condor 89:788-797 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Tahoe bunting/rare breeders From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:49:19 -0700 The Indigo Bunting that I found on 6/19 seems to be working its way south and west through the Angora Burn. It remained on its "territory" for at least a couple of weeks, but then was gone by mid- July. Then, on 7/12, Rick LeBaudour found a singing male along Tahoe Mtn. Road, and then today (7/24), I found one in the large cleared-out area between Elk Pt. Dr. (best access) and Boulder Mountain Dr. Anyhow, I have to assume that it's the same bird, as these sightings are all relatively close and form a sensible trajectory, spatially and temporally. Also in the burn, yesterday, I found a Hatch-Year Red- Shouldered Hawk eating what appeared to be a Western Jumping Mouse, along Angora Creek. In breeding bird news, today, in the Upper Truckee Marsh, I witnessed the female Great-tailed Grackle make one food delivery and take away fecal sacks twice. I tried my best to find the actual nest, which was in a thick clump of overhead willows, in knee-deep water, but after spending a fair bit of time "swamp-crawling" I decided that I'd caused enough stress to the birds and I should just get out of there. The adults are very skittish if you're anywhere in the greater vicinity of the nest. Anyhow, be on the lookout for fledglings soon. The nest is near the far northeast corner of the marsh, and you should be able to see the adults coming and going from the nest area from the trail that follows the fenceline. Also, anyone who's familiar with that fenceline will know the one conspicuous clump of tules in the marsh. That clump held several recently-fledged Marsh Wrens today! I even managed a few photos. This is a species that is believed to have been extirpated from the Tahoe Basin following the destruction of Rowlands Marsh for the development of the Tahoe Keys. I think I first started hearing Marsh Wrens actually singing in the Upper Truckee River Marsh in mid-August 2005, and over the last 5 years, I've noticed a major increase as well as wrens arriving earlier in season. I've been poking around in every cattail marsh I can (which are few and far between at Tahoe!), looking for nests, for the last several years. If you've spent any time in cattail marshes with Marsh Wrens in them, you'll know that the males typically build many, many nests, so they're almost impossible to not find. I still haven't found any Marsh Wren nests in Tahoe, but today I finally found confirmation that this species is attempting to recolonize the area. I'd also love to hear of any mid-summer Marsh Wrens from elsewhere in the Basin. Maybe it's time to recheck that marsh next to the Tahoe City SaveMart. Also, I might as well mention that I've been searching for Swainson's Thrush nests up at that Ward Canyon group. I haven't found any active nests, but a few contenders from previous seasons, and there are definitely 3-4 pair, possibly more, breeding at that location. Very encouraging! The delta was pretty lackluster for shorebirds today: 8 Least Sandpipers, 1 Semipalmated Plover, 13 curlew, 2 scruffy-looking juv. ibis. However, the habitat looks great, especially on the east side of the canal, and I expect August to bring in some pretty good birds. Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: 23 Jul 09 - South Fork Kern River Valley, Southern Sierra Nevada From: Bob Barnes <bbarnes AT lightspeed.net> Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:42:00 -0700 Hi, The bases for the following Fay Ranch Road and Isabella Reservoir-South Fork Wildlife Area reports were generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/). All observations made by Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County. HIGHLIGHTS: Several hundred Western Grebes and Clark's Grebes including numerous young on Isabella Reservoir; abundance of singing male Blue Grosbeaks along Fay Ranch Road, and the challenge a slow birding day. Location: Kern River Preserve - Fay Ranch Road, Weldon, Kern County, Southern Sierra Nevada Observation date: 7/24/09 Notes: 4:40am-8:05am, Th, 24 Jul 09 - Fay Ranch Road from junction w. CA Hwy 178 (GPS: N 35 39' 57.7", W 118 17' 23.7") north for 1.1 miles; 56.5F-74F, 67%-47% humidity, 0.0-1.3kph wind; 2660' elevation; tough birding conditions due to much reduced vocalizations vs. earlier in the nesting season. Western Wood-Pewee, Common Yellowthroat, Blue Grosbeak numbers detected due to continued vocalizations. Number of species: 47 Wild Turkey 1 California Quail 61 Includes coveys of 21 and 37 individuals Great Blue Heron 1 Green Heron 1 Red-shouldered Hawk (California) 1 Red-tailed Hawk (Western) 3 Killdeer 2 Mourning Dove 6 Barn Owl 2 Great Horned Owl 1 Nuttall's Woodpecker 5 Downy Woodpecker 4 Northern Flicker 3 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1 Western Wood-Pewee 12 Black Phoebe 6 Say's Phoebe 1 Ash-throated Flycatcher 6 Western Kingbird 7 Loggerhead Shrike 2 Common Raven 11 Tree Swallow 3 Cliff Swallow 5 Oak Titmouse 1 Bushtit 16 Bewick's Wren 2 House Wren 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Western Bluebird 7 American Robin 4 European Starling 5 Yellow Warbler 4 Common Yellowthroat 17 all calling individuals ... none singing Lark Sparrow 3 Savannah Sparrow 1 Song Sparrow 8 Black-headed Grosbeak 1 Blue Grosbeak 14 Still conspicuous and singing up a storm... Lazuli Bunting 2 Red-winged Blackbird 6 Western Meadowlark 2 Brewer's Blackbird 11 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Bullock's Oriole 2 House Finch 27 Lesser Goldfinch 12 House Sparrow 2 Location: South Fork Wildlife Area--South, Kern River Valley, Kern County, Southern Sierra Nevada Observation date: 7/24/09 Notes: 8:20am-9:25am Number of species: 36 Gadwall 2 Mallard 11 Cinnamon Teal 1 duck sp. 9 Western Grebe 4 Clark's Grebe 13 Western/Clark's Grebe 592 33 juveniles noted were not assigned to species. 592 arrived at on a one by one count across visible South Fork Wildlife Area part of Isabella Reservoir. American White Pelican 11 Great Blue Heron 15 One by one count. Great Egret 3 Osprey 3 White-tailed Kite 1 Northern Harrier 1 immature Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Kestrel 2 American Coot 4 Killdeer 1 Spotted Sandpiper 1 California Gull 6 Caspian Tern 1 Mourning Dove 3 Say's Phoebe 2 Ash-throated Flycatcher 1 Loggerhead Shrike 4 Common Raven 12 Horned Lark 31 Rock Wren 1 Bewick's Wren 2 House Wren 2 Yellow Warbler 2 Blue Grosbeak 1 Red-winged Blackbird 20 Western Meadowlark 2 Great-tailed Grackle 1 House Finch 7 Lesser Goldfinch 1 Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Pine Grosbeaks Yosemite, Mariposa County From: "David Vander Pluym" <scre AT aol.com> Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:07:51 -0000 Lauren Harter and I went up to Yosemite NP (July 22) with Laurens mom and brother to do a little sightseeing.? We also managed to bird a little and had a family of SOOTY GROUSE at Glaicer Pt, they were right by the concession stand and didn't care about the hordes.? We also had 3 PINE GROSBEAKS on the trail to McGurk Meadow along with just a lot of birds.? Going to go back on friday and try for Great Gray Owl any tips would be appreciated.? Good birding David Vander Pluym Wandering around California currently |