Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Peninsula Birding > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Friday, March 12 at 01:15 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Satyr Tragopan,©BirdQuest

12 Mar RE: Ravenswood Trail ["John Sterling" ] 12 Mar Re: Ravenswood Trail [Leslie Flint ] 12 Mar RE: Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk ["Dan Singer" ] 12 Mar RE: Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk ["Alvaro Jaramillo" ] 12 Mar Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk ["George Chrisman" ] 12 Mar February Recap [George Chrisman ] 11 Mar Coastside ["Dan Singer" ] 11 Mar Coastside Carpool: Sequoia Audubon Mtg. tonight [Barbara Kossy ] 11 Mar RE: Ravenswood Trail ["Alvaro Jaramillo" ] 10 Mar Eurasian Blackbird [Mel Brown ] 10 Mar Ravenswood Trail [] 10 Mar Ravenswood Trail [] 9 Mar Weekend birds on the coastside ["Garth Harwood" ] 09 Mar Northern Rough-winged Swallow @ Canana Rd 3/9/10 ["George Chrisman" ] 8 Mar Three nests at Redwood Shores office [Mike Aicardi ] 8 Mar Gazos Creek [Jim Yurchenco ] 7 Mar rare bird report: 2 Northern Goshawks Feb 18, 2010, Santa Clara Co. [Dave Helzer ] 7 Mar Pigeon Pt. seawatch and other notes [] 7 Mar Teal confusion. ["D Weber" ] 7 Mar Euro-teal in Redwood Shores ["D Weber" ] 07 Mar Coastal Birding 3/6 ["mark" ] 06 Mar O'Connor Street Pond [Bill Bousman ] 6 Mar Pillar Pt. [Barbara Kossy ] 06 Mar In Search of local Barn Owl, RB Sapsucker, Burrowing Owl, and Trikes ["whitneymortimer" ] 5 Mar WT Swifts Arastadero 3/4/10 ["Eddie Bartley" ] 4 Mar Half Moon Bay ["Gary Deghi" ] 04 Mar Ringed-necked Ducks Belmont ["IIWI1" ] 03 Mar more on Clapper Rails & Colma Creek Mouth/SamTrans ["Laurie" ] 2 Mar RE: Clapper Rails near Colma Creek ["Leonie Batkin" ] 2 Mar Re: Monday birding close to home (SSF) [Dominik Mosur ] 2 Mar Re: Monday birding close to home (SSF) [Al Eisner ] 1 Mar Birding Class and Field Trip with Alvaro ["birdersue" ] 02 Mar Monday birding close to home (SSF) ["Laurie" ] 01 Mar Western Screech Owls calling [Jane Tatchell ] 1 Mar Re: Hummingbird nesting February 28, Pacifica [] 1 Mar Re: Hummingbird nesting February 28, Pacifica [Pixie couch ] 01 Mar Hummingbird nesting February 28, Pacifica ["spectaclebear" ] 1 Mar Gull flock [Al Eisner ] 1 Mar Meeting on Geotourism - March 24, Moss Beach [Barbara Kossy ] 1 Mar IBRRC oiled bird rescue training [Barbara Kossy ] 1 Mar glaucous gull at ano nuevo ["Peter Metropulos" ] 28 Feb Coastal sightings ( Sunday ) [] 28 Feb O'Connor Ponds, Ravenswood, and Southern Marshes 2/27/10 ["George Chrisman" ] 28 Feb O'Connor Ponds, Ravenswood, and South County Marshes 2/27/10 ["George Chrisman" ] 27 Feb Princeton in the rain [Matthew Dodder ] 27 Feb bald eagle at crystal springs reservoir ["Peter Metropulos" ] 27 Feb RE: Coastal Notes [Herbert Byaruhanga ] 26 Feb Re: another Glaucous Gull [Joseph Morlan ] 26 Feb another Glaucous Gull ["Dan Singer" ] 24 Feb Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 [Dave Helzer ] 24 Feb Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 [Joseph Morlan ] 24 Feb RE: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 ["Bruce Mast" ] 23 Feb Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 [Dominik Mosur ] 23 Feb Large flock of Cedar Waxwings, San Bruno ["Rudyard" ] 23 Feb Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 [Jane Tatchell ] 23 Feb Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 [Dominik Mosur ] 23 Feb Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 [Joseph Morlan ] 23 Feb RE: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 [Jeff Miller ] 23 Feb Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 ["Garth Harwood" ] 22 Feb two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 [Dave Helzer ] 22 Feb Ano Nuevo State Reserve, Feb.21 ["Peter Metropulos" ] 22 Feb sightings [] 22 Feb Half Moon Bay birds ["Gary Deghi" ] 22 Feb Ferruginous Hawk and other Coastal Birds 2/21/10 ["George Chrisman" ] 20 Feb mystery bird [Pixie couch ] 20 Feb Glaucous Gull - coastside ["Dan Singer" ] 20 Feb Pillar Pt. Harbor [Barbara Kossy ] 19 Feb Re: Violet-green Swallows @ Upper Crystal Springs ["Garth Harwood" ] 19 Feb Hutton's Vireo singing/courting [Janet L Leonard ] 19 Feb Violet-green Swallows @ Upper Crystal Springs ["George Chrisman" ] 16 Feb I retract the Short-eared Owl ["IIWI1" ] 15 Feb Indigo Bunting in San Bruno Feb 13 ["Eddie Bartley" ] 15 Feb great backyard bird count 2/13 [sonny mencher ] 15 Feb Burlingame Shorebird Sanctuary, Valentine's Day ["Laurie" ] 15 Feb Mori Point/Sharp Park, Valentine's Day ["Laurie" ] 14 Feb Weekend birds in Pescadero 2/13-14, 2010 [] Subject: RE: Ravenswood Trail From: "John Sterling" <jsterling AT wavecable.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:09:34 -0800 I especially remember the many Barrow's Goldeneye hanging out with the male Smew!! John Sterling VVVVVVVVVV 26 Palm Ave Woodland, CA 95695 cell 530 908-3836 jsterling AT wavecable.com check out my photos at http://sterlingbirds.smugmug.com www.sterlingbirds.com -----Original Message----- From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Leslie Flint Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 10:59 AM To: Alvaro Jaramillo Cc: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com; Tronthorn AT aol.com Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Ravenswood Trail Hi all, The lake at Leo Ryan Park was dredged in 2003 and since then it has been devoid of most ducks since there is probably no food for them. Thus, I haven't seen a Barrow's Goldeneye in Foster City since then. Leslie Flint San Mateo On Mar 11, 2010, at 8:08 AM, Alvaro Jaramillo wrote: > Ron and penbirders > > I wanted to get your take Ron on Barrow's today versus a decade ago. > It > seems to me that Barrow's used to be easy to see at Forster City for > example. I remember days where it wasn't hard to see a dozen without > too > much effort at places like Leo Ryan Park. Now is it just me that had > luck a > few years ago, or have they declined quite a bit according to your > records? > I have not seen one for a while now! > > Al > > Alvaro Jaramillo > > chucao AT coastside.net > > Half Moon Bay, California > > Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide > > www.fieldguides.com > > _____ > > From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of > Tronthorn AT aol.com > Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 4:59 PM > To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > Subject: [pen-bird] Ravenswood Trail > > The last two visits at Bayfront Park in Menlo Park, I have seen > rafts of waterfowl well to the southeast on the salt ponds next to the > Ravenswoods Trail. > > This afternoon, I decided to walk the Ravenswood Trail from the > Highway 84 to the salt ponds. I was surprise in the number > of Common Goldeneyes and Lesser Scaup. There were ( 650 ) > Common Goldeneyes. I scanned through the Common Goldeneyes > hoping for a Barrow's Goldeneye. I had a possible one, but the > goldeneyes were actively diving and it was not until a number of > times while I was scanning back and forth when the group stopped > diving and became alert looking up into the sky, where an Osprey > was flying overhead towards East Palo Alto. This gave the opportunity > to scan the one group of goldeneyes for a possible Barrow's > Goldeneye. Confirmation was made with an adult female! I believe > this is the first time I have ever seen a Barrow's Goldeneye on the > salt ponds. > > Other species on the salt ponds were ( 8 ) Eared grebes, ( 30 ) > Ruddy Ducks and ( 970 ) Lesser Scaup. > > Ron Thorn > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links Subject: Re: Ravenswood Trail From: Leslie Flint <lflint AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:58:52 -0800 Hi all, The lake at Leo Ryan Park was dredged in 2003 and since then it has been devoid of most ducks since there is probably no food for them. Thus, I haven't seen a Barrow's Goldeneye in Foster City since then. Leslie Flint San Mateo On Mar 11, 2010, at 8:08 AM, Alvaro Jaramillo wrote: > Ron and penbirders > > I wanted to get your take Ron on Barrow's today versus a decade ago. > It > seems to me that Barrow's used to be easy to see at Forster City for > example. I remember days where it wasn't hard to see a dozen without > too > much effort at places like Leo Ryan Park. Now is it just me that had > luck a > few years ago, or have they declined quite a bit according to your > records? > I have not seen one for a while now! > > Al > > Alvaro Jaramillo > > chucao AT coastside.net > > Half Moon Bay, California > > Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide > > www.fieldguides.com > > _____ > > From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of > Tronthorn AT aol.com > Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 4:59 PM > To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > Subject: [pen-bird] Ravenswood Trail > > The last two visits at Bayfront Park in Menlo Park, I have seen > rafts of waterfowl well to the southeast on the salt ponds next to the > Ravenswoods Trail. > > This afternoon, I decided to walk the Ravenswood Trail from the > Highway 84 to the salt ponds. I was surprise in the number > of Common Goldeneyes and Lesser Scaup. There were ( 650 ) > Common Goldeneyes. I scanned through the Common Goldeneyes > hoping for a Barrow's Goldeneye. I had a possible one, but the > goldeneyes were actively diving and it was not until a number of > times while I was scanning back and forth when the group stopped > diving and became alert looking up into the sky, where an Osprey > was flying overhead towards East Palo Alto. This gave the opportunity > to scan the one group of goldeneyes for a possible Barrow's > Goldeneye. Confirmation was made with an adult female! I believe > this is the first time I have ever seen a Barrow's Goldeneye on the > salt ponds. > > Other species on the salt ponds were ( 8 ) Eared grebes, ( 30 ) > Ruddy Ducks and ( 970 ) Lesser Scaup. > > Ron Thorn > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: peninsula-birding-digest AT yahoogroups.com peninsula-birding-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: peninsula-birding-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: RE: Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk From: "Dan Singer" <dsg2 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:26:30 -0800 George's pale Red-tailed Hawk was still present yesterday along Pigeon Point Road. Dan _____ From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Alvaro Jaramillo Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 9:18 AM To: 'George Chrisman'; peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [pen-bird] Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk George and group. Thanks for noting this and giving us the photos to look at! Another point to look for is that Ferruginous and its close relative the Rough-legged Hawk are from the old world group of Buteos. All of their closest relatives are in Asia and Europe, but one feature that these two hawks share is that they have feathered tarsi all the way to the feet. So if you see a bit "shank" like on this bird, you can exclude Ferruginous as an option, or Rough-leg for that matter. Cheers, Alvaro Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside. net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com _____ From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of George Chrisman Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 8:57 AM To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [pen-bird] Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk You will notice the February County List did does not include a Ferruginous Hawk that I reported from Pigeon Point Road. After some follow-up and analysis of some pictures I reviewed, it turns out the hawk was a very light juvenile RED-TAILED HAWK. From a distance, the body and face were very white, and as originally reported, the bird was soaking wet due to heavy rain and its exposed perch on a telephone pole. The pictures reveal slight patagial markings on the leading edge of the underwing that would not be expected for a Ferruginous Hawk. In the field, the upper wing seemed to have a rufous shoulder patch and white windows on the outer wing. By zooming in on the pictures, I was able to correctly identify this bird as a Red-tailed Hawk. I saw the bird fly about 150 yards away to land on a Coyote Bush, and from there the bird looked very white. As I walked closer, it flew back to a large pine near the highway, again giving me the impression of more Ferruginous behavior rather than a Red-tail. I never saw this bird fly more than 15 feet above the ground on both direct flights between perches. Pictures can be seen at the following link: http://www.flickr. com/photos/12329229 AT N03/4424430930/in/photostream/> com/photos/12329229 AT N03/4424430930/in/photostream/ Zoom in for better looks at the field marks. This means there is still an opportunity to find a wayward Ferruginous Hawk to add to the County list for 2010. George Chrisman Burlingame, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk From: "Alvaro Jaramillo" <chucao AT coastside.net> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:17:52 -0800 George and group. Thanks for noting this and giving us the photos to look at! Another point to look for is that Ferruginous and its close relative the Rough-legged Hawk are from the old world group of Buteos. All of their closest relatives are in Asia and Europe, but one feature that these two hawks share is that they have feathered tarsi all the way to the feet. So if you see a bit "shank" like on this bird, you can exclude Ferruginous as an option, or Rough-leg for that matter. Cheers, Alvaro Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com _____ From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of George Chrisman Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 8:57 AM To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [pen-bird] Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk You will notice the February County List did does not include a Ferruginous Hawk that I reported from Pigeon Point Road. After some follow-up and analysis of some pictures I reviewed, it turns out the hawk was a very light juvenile RED-TAILED HAWK. From a distance, the body and face were very white, and as originally reported, the bird was soaking wet due to heavy rain and its exposed perch on a telephone pole. The pictures reveal slight patagial markings on the leading edge of the underwing that would not be expected for a Ferruginous Hawk. In the field, the upper wing seemed to have a rufous shoulder patch and white windows on the outer wing. By zooming in on the pictures, I was able to correctly identify this bird as a Red-tailed Hawk. I saw the bird fly about 150 yards away to land on a Coyote Bush, and from there the bird looked very white. As I walked closer, it flew back to a large pine near the highway, again giving me the impression of more Ferruginous behavior rather than a Red-tail. I never saw this bird fly more than 15 feet above the ground on both direct flights between perches. Pictures can be seen at the following link: http://www.flickr. com/photos/12329229 AT N03/4424430930/in/photostream/ Zoom in for better looks at the field marks. This means there is still an opportunity to find a wayward Ferruginous Hawk to add to the County list for 2010. George Chrisman Burlingame, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk From: "George Chrisman" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:57:19 -0000 You will notice the February County List did does not include a Ferruginous Hawk that I reported from Pigeon Point Road. After some follow-up and analysis of some pictures I reviewed, it turns out the hawk was a very light juvenile RED-TAILED HAWK. From a distance, the body and face were very white, and as originally reported, the bird was soaking wet due to heavy rain and its exposed perch on a telephone pole. The pictures reveal slight patagial markings on the leading edge of the underwing that would not be expected for a Ferruginous Hawk. In the field, the upper wing seemed to have a rufous shoulder patch and white windows on the outer wing. By zooming in on the pictures, I was able to correctly identify this bird as a Red-tailed Hawk. I saw the bird fly about 150 yards away to land on a Coyote Bush, and from there the bird looked very white. As I walked closer, it flew back to a large pine near the highway, again giving me the impression of more Ferruginous behavior rather than a Red-tail. I never saw this bird fly more than 15 feet above the ground on both direct flights between perches. Pictures can be seen at the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12329229 AT N03/4424430930/in/photostream/ Zoom in for better looks at the field marks. This means there is still an opportunity to find a wayward Ferruginous Hawk to add to the County list for 2010. George Chrisman Burlingame, CA Subject: February Recap From: George Chrisman <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:23:47 -0800 (PST) February 2010 February 2010 proved to be a relatively quite month for new birds in San Mateo County with only five species added to the January list. The January was revised to delete the Swainson’s Hawk reported for the Ano Nuevo CBC. This bird was actually a count week bird seen on 12/31/09 and not during the count itself. Another correction was the omission of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES seen at Portola State Park by David Suddjian on January 16 . As a result, January ended with a total of 207 species. February added only 5 new birds for the month. No new birds with a rarity code of 5 or 6 were added. New sightings include a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER reported by Andrew Olsen in Foster City along the Marina Lagoon on 2/6/10. This bird was not refound. Another one day wonder was the appearance of a juvenile male INDIGO BUNTING that was photographed at a backyard feeder in San Bruno on 2/13/10 by Ann Parker and reported by Eddie Bartley. And finally, a first cycle GLAUCOUS GULL was reported and photographed by Dan Singer on 2/20/10 in Pillar Point Harbor at Denniston Creek, as well as an additional first cycle GLAUCOUS GULL seen on 2/26/10 at San Pedro Creek in Pacifica. A BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER was found in San Carlos by Peter Metropolis on February 10 and the first arrival of VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were seen at Crystal Springs Reservoir on 2/19/10. This brings our total for the year to 212, which is still below our January 2009. Things should pick up with the arrival of new migrants in March, but we are still waiting for several expected species to appear. March arrivals include White-throated Swifts, most Swallow species, and the expected migrant warblers and vireos. If you have seen any birds not listed on the February list, please email me at Geodani55 AT yahoo.com. I will look forward to hearing about all of your new sightings and encourage you to post all notable sightings to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/ or www.eBird.org. The complete list of year to date birds will be posted on the Sequoia Audubon website in a couple of days. I'll keep you posted. Good Birding, George Chrisman Subject: Coastside From: "Dan Singer" <dsg2 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:31:25 -0800 I spent the morning wandering down the coast, enjoying the spectacular weather. Singing ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were present in good numbers in appropriate habitat along Tunitas Creek, Pescadero, Cloverdale and Gazos Creek roads. The two HOODED MERGANSERS (male and female) were still in Gazos Creek, visible from the road about 75m east of Cloverdale Road. These are presumably the same ones seen on the 7th by Jim Yurchenko, Cassidy Ruge and Whitney Mortimer. I saw a single male BLUE-WINGED TEAL on the north pond at Pescadero Marsh on my way north while driving by at 60mph. The scoter flock visible from the cliffs north of Pescadero Beach contained 32 WHITE-WINGEDS, 15 BLACKS, and 27 SURFS. My first of spring BARN SWALLOW was flying around the Ritz Carlton at the south end of Half Moon Bay, but I failed to see the moorhen. Dan Singer Pacifica [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Coastside Carpool: Sequoia Audubon Mtg. tonight From: Barbara Kossy <bkossy AT coastside.net> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:46:00 -0800 Is there anyone going to the meeting tonight who would like to carpool? I'm in Moss Beach. Barbara Subject: RE: Ravenswood Trail From: "Alvaro Jaramillo" <chucao AT coastside.net> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:08:59 -0800 Ron and penbirders I wanted to get your take Ron on Barrow's today versus a decade ago. It seems to me that Barrow's used to be easy to see at Forster City for example. I remember days where it wasn't hard to see a dozen without too much effort at places like Leo Ryan Park. Now is it just me that had luck a few years ago, or have they declined quite a bit according to your records? I have not seen one for a while now! Al Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Half Moon Bay, California Field Guides - Birding Tours Worldwide www.fieldguides.com _____ From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tronthorn AT aol.com Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 4:59 PM To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [pen-bird] Ravenswood Trail The last two visits at Bayfront Park in Menlo Park, I have seen rafts of waterfowl well to the southeast on the salt ponds next to the Ravenswoods Trail. This afternoon, I decided to walk the Ravenswood Trail from the Highway 84 to the salt ponds. I was surprise in the number of Common Goldeneyes and Lesser Scaup. There were ( 650 ) Common Goldeneyes. I scanned through the Common Goldeneyes hoping for a Barrow's Goldeneye. I had a possible one, but the goldeneyes were actively diving and it was not until a number of times while I was scanning back and forth when the group stopped diving and became alert looking up into the sky, where an Osprey was flying overhead towards East Palo Alto. This gave the opportunity to scan the one group of goldeneyes for a possible Barrow's Goldeneye. Confirmation was made with an adult female! I believe this is the first time I have ever seen a Barrow's Goldeneye on the salt ponds. Other species on the salt ponds were ( 8 ) Eared grebes, ( 30 ) Ruddy Ducks and ( 970 ) Lesser Scaup. Ron Thorn [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Eurasian Blackbird From: Mel Brown <mbrn2000 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:05:38 -0800 (PST) Seen March 9, a beautiful black bird, Turdus Merula, Eurasian (or Common) Blackbird, with prominent yellow bill in a tree along the slough-side path about halfway from Nob Hill Market to Radio Road; between Avocet and Egret Lanes. Way off-course or maybe escaped from a zoo or ?? Mel Brown Subject: Ravenswood Trail From: Tronthorn AT aol.com Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:59:23 EST The last two visits at Bayfront Park in Menlo Park, I have seen rafts of waterfowl well to the southeast on the salt ponds next to the Ravenswoods Trail. This afternoon, I decided to walk the Ravenswood Trail from the Highway 84 to the salt ponds. I was surprise in the number of Common Goldeneyes and Lesser Scaup. There were ( 650 ) Common Goldeneyes. I scanned through the Common Goldeneyes hoping for a Barrow's Goldeneye. I had a possible one, but the goldeneyes were actively diving and it was not until a number of times while I was scanning back and forth when the group stopped diving and became alert looking up into the sky, where an Osprey was flying overhead towards East Palo Alto. This gave the opportunity to scan the one group of goldeneyes for a possible Barrow's Goldeneye. Confirmation was made with an adult female! I believe this is the first time I have ever seen a Barrow's Goldeneye on the salt ponds. Other species on the salt ponds were ( 8 ) Eared grebes, ( 30 ) Ruddy Ducks and ( 970 ) Lesser Scaup. Ron Thorn Subject: Ravenswood Trail From: Tronthorn AT aol.com Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:59:23 EST The last two visits at Bayfront Park in Menlo Park, I have seen rafts of waterfowl well to the southeast on the salt ponds next to the Ravenswoods Trail. This afternoon, I decided to walk the Ravenswood Trail from the Highway 84 to the salt ponds. I was surprise in the number of Common Goldeneyes and Lesser Scaup. There were ( 650 ) Common Goldeneyes. I scanned through the Common Goldeneyes hoping for a Barrow's Goldeneye. I had a possible one, but the goldeneyes were actively diving and it was not until a number of times while I was scanning back and forth when the group stopped diving and became alert looking up into the sky, where an Osprey was flying overhead towards East Palo Alto. This gave the opportunity to scan the one group of goldeneyes for a possible Barrow's Goldeneye. Confirmation was made with an adult female! I believe this is the first time I have ever seen a Barrow's Goldeneye on the salt ponds. Other species on the salt ponds were ( 8 ) Eared grebes, ( 30 ) Ruddy Ducks and ( 970 ) Lesser Scaup. Ron Thorn Subject: Weekend birds on the coastside From: "Garth Harwood" <gharwood AT hiddenvilla.org> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 14:50:46 -0800 Hello All, On Saturday 3/6/2010 a threesome of Violet-green Swallows was vocal in the morning at our Pescadero orchard, 6 miles inland. Three Common Mergansers flew upstream also. Orange-crowned Warbler song along Pescadero Creek was the first I'd heard this spring. On Sunday 3/7 I checked in with Ron and Leonie at Pigeon Pt but as usual, found only a fraction of their goodies when I took up my own station on the point. The fact that I was only there for 45 minutes has only a little to do with that...anyway my best observations there were a flight of 160 northbound Brant, and a couple of resplendent male Red-breasted Mergansers. A bit to the south I stopped in at Gazos Beach. Wave action has reshaped that beach significantly, cutting deep into the dunes south of Gazos Creek, and there was no sign of any Snowy Plovers. A first-cycle Glaucous Gull did a slow glide past me just a few feet above the beach, but did not join the gulls standing at the creek mouth - perhaps it was the same one seen at Pigeon Point by Ron and Leonie. There was a flock of nearly 200 Sanderling hard at work, perforating the sand at the water's edge. Back home in the afternoon, a neighborhood first took place when a Eurasian Collared-dove began calling form a neighbor's yard. It was only a matter of time! A Red-breasted Sapsucker lingers in our orchard as well. --Garth Harwood Pescadero [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Northern Rough-winged Swallow @ Canana Rd 3/9/10 From: "George Chrisman" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:05:55 -0000 This morning along Canada Road AT Edgewood Road, there was a single NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW perched on the power lines along with 3 WESTERN BLUEBIRDS. George Chrisman Burlingame, CA Subject: Three nests at Redwood Shores office From: Mike Aicardi <vulpix7_94401 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 19:14:50 -0800 (PST) Today I discovered a Dark-eyed Juno nest and an Anna's Hummingbird nest outside my office window.  The Hummingbird nest is almost directly above the Junco nest, making for convenient viewing.  These nests are in addition to the annual Black Phoebe nest which has been active for about three weeks already. All three of these species nest annually in the area outside the office. 240A Twin Dolphin Dr. is the location.  Here's a map with precise location: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=103335782393138108733.0004609d61a3c7eb8d60a&ll=37.522144,-122.26179&spn=0.000446,0.000864&t=h&z=20 -Mike Aicardi San Mateo, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Gazos Creek From: Jim Yurchenco <jimy AT ideo.com> Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 15:06:12 -0800 On Sunday, 3/7/10, we spent a day birding along the San Mateo coast. Our most unexpected sighting was a pair of Hooded Mergansers found in the swiftly flowing Gazos Creek a couple of miles up from the coast. Cassidy Ruge Whitney Mortimer James Yurchenco Subject: rare bird report: 2 Northern Goshawks Feb 18, 2010, Santa Clara Co. From: Dave Helzer <davehelzerian AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 13:41:15 -0800 Hi All: my formal, full report on the 2/18/10 goshawks at Hidden Villa follows: RARE BIRD REPORT Based on Oregon Bird Records Committee Template Report Date: February 25, 2010 (submitted March 7, 2010) Observer: Dave Helzer, Portland, Oregon, davehelzerian AT gmail.com Observation: 2 Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentiles) Date: February 18, 2010 at 1230 pm LOCATION: Hidden Villa, Santa Clara County, CA. Up Moody Road, about 2.5 miles west of 280, which is west of Los Altos. The site is a valley in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, which are primarily in San Mateo County. The birds were observed from the north end of the main large parking lot for the Hidden Villa education center. DETAILS: Conditions were mild temperature, little wind, and slight overcast skies. The first bird was seen soaring low over the trees on the west side of the valley, after watching the first bird for a while, the second bird was seen at a much higher altitude. FIRST BIRD: I first saw the bird naked eye at a distance of about 200-300 feet; it was slowly soaring and circling about 100 feet above the canopy on the north side of the valley. My first impression was an intermediate to large sized hawk. At first I assumed it was one of the local Red-shouldered Hawks. A pair was very active in the area and I had been hearing and seeing both adults, moving around from tree to tree on both sides of the valley. I had also been seeing many Red-shouldereds over the last couple days in Sonoma and Marin Counties. Once I glassed the bird I immediately realized it was an accipiter based on diagnostic shape of the wings and tail, being shorter winged and longer tailed than a buteo. Field Marks observed: the underside of the bird was mostly uniform light gray with little contrast, the overcast conditions did not provide a lot of direct light on the undersides. The bird had the classic goshawk flight profile of proportionately longer wings than a Coopers and a broad tail with wedge shaped tip. It was very steady on the wing. It presented a heaved-bodied look and a very large, wide head that projected well beyond the wings, somewhat “bull-headed”. There was also a slight contrast that made the head appear a tad darker, especially the dorsal portion of the head, a vague cap of sorts. As the bird gained altitude I focused on the leading edge of the wings and noted the slightly more forward wrist than Coopers, the slightly more tapered wingtips than Coopers, and the proportionately larger, wider head than Coopers. And as noted before, the proportionately longer wings than Coopers was a key field mark. Sharp-shinned was easily eliminated based on overall jizz. Red-shouldered hawk of any age was eliminated by lack of buteo flight profile (broader winged, shorter tailed), lack of any obvious coloration (adult), lack of crisp white tail bands (adult), and lack of translucent wing crescents (any age). The bird flapped very little; in fact I don’t think I saw it flap once. It soared on fixed wings and gained altitude slowly but steadily, moving east across the valley. It vocalized a number of times, a single note call, fairly deep, that I can best describe as “accipiter like”. Maybe a “bark” or “chuck”, but not the incessant screaming that adult goshawks make near nests or when trapped. It was a much softer call than that. Overall observation time was about 10 minutes, maybe a little longer. SECOND BIRD: I followed the first goshawk as it gained altitude and moved east. As I followed it to roughly 1000 feet I spotted as second bird in flight a few hundred feet higher. At first, I was unsure what I was seeing; my first impression was some large bird moving through at high altitude. But the wing beat made no sense to me. After a brief moment of observation I dropped it and went back to the first bird. After a few moments with the first bird I went back to second bird and realized it was another goshawk. I recognized the behavior as a flight display I had seen before. The bird was flying very slowly with exaggerated, slowed down wing strokes very high above, and then very low below the body. Almost like a short-eared owl, but much slower and more dramatic. This behavior is defined as “slow-flapping” by Wheeler in Raptors of Western North America. Because the bird was fully exposing its underwing to more direct light than the first bird, I was able to detect a uniform pattern on the undersides (wings and body) of the bird indicating a probable adult Goshawk (no streaking at all). At that distance, I could not discern the diagnostic barring pattern of an adult goshawk, but the light uniform pattern is what one would expect to see of the underside adult plumage at that distance. At this point both birds were still gaining altitude and moving into a portion of sky with glare making viewing more difficult and I ceased observation. I looked for them again a few minutes later and they were gone, I suspect they had moved east over the ridge. EXPERIENCE WITH NORTHERN GOSHAWKS I have observed this species many times across the western United States. About 20 observations on the wing and 15 in the hand. I also taught raptor identification classes for adults for six years for the Audubon Society of Portland (classroom and field time). These classes covered 18 diurnal species (including Goshawk) that occur in Oregon. I have observed thousands of both Sharp-shinned and Coopers Hawks while working at, or visiting, hawk migration sites and in other habitats across the western US. Details of field experience with Goshawks follows with location and context (1995 to present): Goshutes Mountains, NV: 2-3 birds observed at this migration study while visiting as a raptor bander in training. Several years later observed about 5-6 birds on migration while leading a 5-day birding tour to this raptor migration site. Observations included opportunities to study Sharp-shinned, Cooper’s, and Goshawks flying together. 1 or 2 birds observed in the hand. Manzanos Mountains, NM: I trapped, banded and released 1 adult while working as full time raptor trapper at this migration site. Lowland Valleys of western Oregon: 2 wintering birds observed (one near Salem and one near Portland) Ochoco Mountains, OR: 1 adult observed in breeding season. Bonney Butte Raptor Migrations Site, Mt Hood, OR: 8-10 migrants observed on the wing, mix of ages. Approx 10-12 birds observed in the hand then released. “Slow-flapping” display flight (described above) observed at this site in the fall. All observations were over the course of about 10 migration seasons. Conboy National Wildlife Refuge, near Glenwood WA, lower east slope of Mount Adams: 1 adult observed in breeding season. FIELD GUIDES AND OPTICS USED: The birds were observed with 10x42 Swarovski binoculars. No field guides were consulted to identify the birds; I relied on past experience to recognize them. Raptors of Western North America by Wheeler was consulted to clarify terms for courtship flight observed. SIGNIFICANCE & INTERPRETATION: As a birder I am aware of the rarity of this observation in this part of California, with the species’ accidental or vagrant status. As a biologist I am keenly aware of the potential implication of breeding, or attempted breeding, by a species in decline well outside known areas of regular occurrence. While the slow-flapping behavior is typically a courtship flight, I am aware from observations in Oregon and from conversations with highly experienced hawk watchers that resident Goshawks will use this display in response to migrants moving through their territory. In other words, I think there are a couple possible interpretations of the behavior. One is the birds were a pair. The other is the one bird was territorial and the other was a passing migrant. Of course, they could also have both been migrants. ADDITIONAL NOTE: Alice Froehlich, an intermediate birder, had another independent observation during the same general period of time (shortly before my observation). While on a guided walking tour of the Hidden Villa site, Alice observed a large raptor with white-ish, or light gray, undersides flying just above the canopy south of my location. Her observation was naked eye and her impression was a large falcon or accipiter. While this observation was not diagnostic, I consider this an interesting tidbit of information to share. Please feel free to contact me with questions or to provide more information. Thank You. Dave Helzer Portland, Oregon ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: peninsula-birding-digest AT yahoogroups.com peninsula-birding-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: peninsula-birding-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Pigeon Pt. seawatch and other notes From: Tronthorn AT aol.com Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 19:26:00 EST This morning, Leonie Batkin and I did a seawatch at Pigeon Point. Time 06:45-11:15, Sky high overcast Visibility very good Wind north 7 knots arriving, northwest 10-12 knots departing time Swells 7-10 feet The number of Brant migrating north have increase from one week ago. The number of Surf Scoters pick up a little. Gulls were moving north hugging the shoreline and were coming in spurts, but not the steady stream as should expected at this time of the year. Red-throated Loon ( basic plumage 22, north, most likely wintering birds and not migrants ) Common Loon ( basic plumaged, 1 on the water ) Western Grebe ( 30 on the water ) NORTHERN FULMAR ( surprise to a see a mottled individual directly behind the rock flying south, have not seen any Northern Fulmars since Jan.2 ) Brown Pelicans ( 20 late adults south ) Double-crested Cormorant ( 2 north ) Pelagic Cormorant ( 24 north ) Brandt's Cormorant ( 8 north ) Brant ( 784 north, largest group 230 ) White-winged Scoter ( 3 north, 1 on the water ) Surf Scoter ( 370 north ) Red-breasted Merganser ( 4 north ) Black Oystercatcher ( 2 ) Black Turnstone ( 32 on the rocks ) Surfbird ( 25 on the rocks ) Heerman's Gull ( 1 first-cycle north ) Mew Gull ( 25 north, 17 were adults ) California Gull ( 229 north, 220 were adults ) Herring Gull ( 210 north, 204 were adults ) Thayer's Gull ( 3 adults north ) GLAUCOUS GULL ( 1 first-cycle north, the first seen migrating past Pigeon Point this spring ) Glaucous-winged Gull ( 142 north, 104 were adults ) Glaucous-winged x Western Gull ( 1 adult, 1 first-cycle north ) Western Gull ( 150 north, 132 were adults ) BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE ( 1 first-cycle north about three quarters of the way out to the horizon, none were seen in the winter and it is the first to be seen this spring from Pigeon Point ) Common Murre ( 80 flying south at the horizon ) Marbled Murrelet( 2 in alternate plumage on the water, 2 north ) Pigeon Guillemot ( 2 south, the first migrants we have seen this spring ) Rhinoceros Auklet ( 4 south ) Turkey Vulture ( 1 north along the shoreline, maybe a migrant ) Peregrine Falcon ( adult returning from the ocean with a kill ) Gray Whale ( 4 ) March 1, Radio Road in Redwood Shores. ( 93 ) Snowy Egrets returned to the breeding colony. Individual Greater Scaup occasionally show up on the pond and are in poor shape. A group of ( 10 ) healthly Greater Scaup were a surprise. ( 60 ) Greater Yellowlegs on the pond during high tide was a high number and is more expected in the fall. March 3, At Coyote Point, a killdeer nesting early was in the parking lot at the yacht club. March 4, Skyline Memorial Park Cemetary. The adult Golden Eagle was seen flying north away from the landfill off of Highway 92. A high number of ( 32 ) White-throated Swifts were flying overhead. Migrant swallows were ( 2 ) Violet-green Swallows and the first Barn Swallow of the season. March 5, A migrant Barn Swallow passed over Bayfront Park March 6, We had our first returning Orange-crowned Warbler at Portola Valley. During the week, I stopped off at the pond behind the Nob Hill Market in Redwood Shores. The young bachelor EURASIAN TEAL is looking sharp in it's new attire. This is the same individual Dave Weber saw today. The male intergrade/ hybrid Eurasian Teal x Green-winged was still present with his female companion. The female does show mostly white with just little buff wash on the greater covert bar. She could be an Eurasian Teal, but it is a tenuous distinction from Green-winged Teal. Ron Thorn Leonie Batkin Subject: Teal confusion. From: "D Weber" <dwbirdster AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 13:42:51 -0800 Sorry, my post about the teals might be a little confusing. Should have proof-read better. It was the Euro Teal swimming with the other GWs at the Nob Hill Pond. The BWs were later. DW Subject: Euro-teal in Redwood Shores From: "D Weber" <dwbirdster AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 13:37:34 -0800 Hi Birders- At the pond behind the Nob Hill shopping center in Redwood Shores there was a Eurasian Green-winged Teal which appeared to me to be pure Euro. Very bold and long white scapular stripe, no hint of vertical white stripe, paler breast, and brighter lines on the head that were apparent, even with my deteriorating eyesight, at 500 feet. At the Radio Road ponds there were at least five Blue-winged Teal along the south end of the main pond. The bird was swimming around with a group of about 10 GW males and acting aggressively toward all of them. Dave Weber, Milpitas Subject: Coastal Birding 3/6 From: "mark" <mkudrav AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:34:32 -0000 Greetings, I spent a beautiful day on the coast today with a friend. At Pigeon Point, we had a PIGEON GUILLEMOT (alt. plumage), seven BRANT, and five northbound grey whales. We also stopped at the bluffs at North Pescadero to spot scoters. There were still 31 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, 6 BLACK SCOTERS, and only 2 SURF SCOTERS. Another treat for me was my first ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER of the season when I got back home to Jones Gulch. Speaking of sightings around home, there has been a CALIFORNIA THRASHER present here for about two weeks. This is only my second thrasher in seven years at this site. Hoping for great weather again tomorrow, Mark Kudrav Subject: O'Connor Street Pond From: Bill Bousman <barlowi AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:57:00 -0800 Folks: I checked the O'Connor Street pond as I walked by along San Francisquito Creek today, 3/6/10, and saw a GREEN HERON, hunting along the edge Bill Bousman Menlo Park Subject: Pillar Pt. From: Barbara Kossy <bkossy AT coastside.net> Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 14:41:05 -0800 It was a great morning for a bit of kayaking. Birding highlights include: Lots of loons in the harbor. Great views of Red-throated Loons in a variety of transitional plumages. Another flew over the harbor area heading north. A Common Loon in transitional plumage. And a possible Black-Legged Kittiwake fishing in the inner harbor. It was picking prey from the water's surface while in flight. A single bird. Yellow bill. White tail. Pale gray above. White head. Outside of the harbor was a group of surf scoter (30) on the water. Other than that I didn't see many birds on the water of Half Moon Bay at all. Many more were in the harbor. Barbara Moss Beach Subject: In Search of local Barn Owl, RB Sapsucker, Burrowing Owl, and Trikes From: "whitneymortimer" <whitney AT ideo.com> Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:18:58 -0000 A talented teen birder from the New Mexico is here for the weekend to expand his life list. Birds of special interest include Barn and Burrowing Owls, RB Sapsucker, and Trikes. I'd be grateful for tips about where these birds have been seen very recently in relative proximity (<1 hour's drive) from Redwood City. Incidentally, a tour today from Radio Road to PA Baylands/Shoreline to Alviso to Ed Levin to Calaveras/Felton/Sierra Roads to Alum Park yielded 93 species and 7 lifers for my young friend. Highlights (for me) included: 5 BLUE-WINGED TEAL near dog park at Radio Rd 2 NO. HARRIERS (young males) performing stooping displays at PA Baylands Interpretive Center BARROW'S GOLDENEYE at Shoreline Lake 5 GOLDEN EAGLES, all mature, soaring together over Ed Levin At least 1 ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD battling ANNA'S in blooming Eucs near Sandy Wool Lake at Ed Levin Thanks for any tips. Whitney whitney AT ideo.com Subject: WT Swifts Arastadero 3/4/10 From: "Eddie Bartley" <eddie AT naturetrip.com> Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2010 13:12:17 -0800 March 4 - Ahhh spring! On a six hour tour with a visiting Scottish birder yesterday we swung through northwest SF and then down to San Mateo County (Sweeny Ridge, Arastradero, Radio Rd.) observing lengthy territorial battles (i.e. Kites and Red-shoulder), much displaying (woodpeckers, hummers), pair bonding (waterfowl), nest sitting (i.e. Red-shoulder) and building (Towhees, Red-tails). Many birds were in full or near full song including OC Warblers, RC Kinglets and especially sparrows. Most of the nearly 100 species we observed were expected but was pleased to see two White-throated Swifts at the Arastradero Preserve in Palo Alto. Been a couple of months since I've seen swifts. Also at Arastradero on Monday morning 3/1/10 - high overcast and super birdy there - something very attractive about the ancient Oak studded ravine above the east side of the lake (Paseo del Roble trail) - in about 15 minutes I observed 26 species and counted approximately 200 individuals, mostly hummers, thrushes (~100 Robins), wrens, warblers but an especially large gathering of Flickers, two of which were Yellow-shafted. There was a constant flow of bathers to the seasonal creek but also a lot of posturing and chasing activity. Then as if someone blew the lunch whistle (or maybe a raptor entered the scene but I couldn't see one), they almost all began to leave flying toward the lake and within two minutes there were almost no birds in that same area. Mixed flocking behavior is endlessly fascinating! Yesterday, with afternoon sunshine, activity was much diminished but perfect weather for a hike. Happy Trails! Eddie Bartley www.naturetrip.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Half Moon Bay From: "Gary Deghi" <gdeghi AT h-bgroup.com> Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 11:11:36 -0800 Yesterday morning as I was leaving Half Moon Bay on my drive to work, I noticed that the 14 Greater White-fronted Geese and 3 Cackling Geese that have been hangin' around the HMB golf course all winter had all moved out to the flooded field east of Highway 1 north of Redondo Beach Road. Also, the three Hooded Mergansers were in the sed pond for the Soil Farm as I drove by. Gary Deghi [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Ringed-necked Ducks Belmont From: "IIWI1" <tgoodier AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:43:31 -0000 There were 21 Ringed-necked Ducks in Waterdog Lake in Belmont today (3/4 8AM). Tom Goodier Subject: more on Clapper Rails & Colma Creek Mouth/SamTrans From: "Laurie" <fair80 AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:45:40 -0000 We have these notes from two occasions two years ago. In January 2008, we were there during a very high tide event such as we experienced on Monday. The researchers were, if I remember correctly, from USGS. "1/21/08: SamTrans/Colma Creek Mouth, SSF. High tide (8.4'), 9:50-11:45 a.m. 5 Clapper Rails in San Bruno Creek Channel and Colma Creek Mouth, with tide so high the channels were one mass of water. All the Clappers we saw were in the process of being netted, for tracking purposes, by a group of five researchers with a boat, working along the east shore of Colma Creek: four of the birds were caught, and the other made its escape flying to the west side of SamTrans. 3/24/08: SamTrans/Colma Creek, SSF. Low-mid tide (0.2' to 7.1'), 7:30-11:30 a.m. 6 (2/4): along San Bruno Creek Channel, nice views, one had an antenna and silver band on the right leg (2/1); east side SamTrans Trail (1); & Bay Trail from west side of Colma Creek/channel (2). We talked to some of the researchers from 1/21/08; they had fitted nine Clapper Rails with antennas, and they were setting out to find them." On the San Mateo County Birding Guide website, the site writeup is mine, but the photos were taken in March 2009 by Joe Morlan and Sonny Mencher, showing the mixed cordgrass. On March 29, 2009, Jeff & I led an SFBBO walk at the same location, and our photos show the invasive cordgrass removed. We were shocked at the time. We last heard Clapper Rails on 10/19/08. On the SFBBO walk, Ginny Marshall thought she heard one. It is heartening that Ron & Leonie have seen rails there since. Perhaps, if the transmitters are still working (fat chance), we can find out where the rails have gone. Laurie Graham & Jeff Fairclough SSF Subject: RE: Clapper Rails near Colma Creek From: "Leonie Batkin" <lbatkin AT stanford.edu> Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 12:59:33 -0800 Please note in Ron Thorn's email of November 21, 2009 that he mentioned our sighting of 2 Clapper Rails at the below noted location on Sunday, November 15, 2009. Leonie Batkin From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dominik Mosur Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2010 10:53 AM To: Laurie; Al Eisner Cc: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Monday birding close to home (SSF) Al/Pen-birders, The rails have no doubt vacated the area (or perhaps they were predated) following the extensive removal of the "invasive" Cordgrass last year. I'd like to think that the people doing the restoration took into account the status of the Clapper rails before embarking on this project but who knows. Until the cordgrass recolonizes these marshes I doubt we will see/hear any more Clappers here. Dominik Mosur --- On Tue, 3/2/10, Al Eisner > wrote: > From: Al Eisner > > Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Monday birding close to home (SSF) > To: "Laurie" > > Cc: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 10:00 AM > On Tue, 2 Mar 2010, Laurie wrote: > > > Location:Colma Creek Public Shore, South San > Francisco, CA > > Time: 12:10 - 1:50 pm > > The high tide today was 12:31 pm, 7.6', so we decided > to go to > > SamTrans Peninsula to check it out, hoping for > swimming rails. There > > were none. All the shorebirds were either on the dock, > which has > > finally collapsed, or on one finger of marsh still > above water. The > > sun came out as we rounded the point to the bay side. > The California > > Gulls in the bay were beautifully white, mostly > adults. > > Last winter (a year ago) it was still possible to find > numerous Clapper > Rails along the shoreline (particularly on the SamTrans > side) during the > very high tides. This year I've checked once on that > side and once > (this past weekend) on the side near Utah St., and found no > Clappers > either time. Are the rails better at hiding this > year? Have I simply > had poor luck (or poor skill)? Or has there been an > actual collapse > in the Clapper Rail population in that area? I'm > curious to hear if > others have been finding Clappers there in some numbers > this season. > > Thanks. > > By the way, one other species I've had a few of there this > year (not on > Laurie's list) has been Wilson's Snipe. > > > > Al Eisner > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > peninsula-birding-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Monday birding close to home (SSF) From: Dominik Mosur <polskatata AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 10:52:39 -0800 (PST) Al/Pen-birders, The rails have no doubt vacated the area (or perhaps they were predated) following the extensive removal of the "invasive" Cordgrass last year. I'd like to think that the people doing the restoration took into account the status of the Clapper rails before embarking on this project but who knows. Until the cordgrass recolonizes these marshes I doubt we will see/hear any more Clappers here. Dominik Mosur --- On Tue, 3/2/10, Al Eisner wrote: > From: Al Eisner > Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Monday birding close to home (SSF) > To: "Laurie" > Cc: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 10:00 AM > On Tue, 2 Mar 2010, Laurie wrote: > > > Location:Colma Creek Public Shore, South San > Francisco, CA > > Time: 12:10 - 1:50 pm > > The high tide today was 12:31 pm, 7.6', so we decided > to go to > > SamTrans Peninsula to check it out, hoping for > swimming rails. There > > were none. All the shorebirds were either on the dock, > which has > > finally collapsed, or on one finger of marsh still > above water. The > > sun came out as we rounded the point to the bay side. > The California > > Gulls in the bay were beautifully white, mostly > adults. > > Last winter (a year ago) it was still possible to find > numerous Clapper > Rails along the shoreline (particularly on the SamTrans > side) during the > very high tides.  This year I've checked once on that > side and once > (this past weekend) on the side near Utah St., and found no > Clappers > either time.  Are the rails better at hiding this > year?  Have I simply > had poor luck (or poor skill)?  Or has there been an > actual collapse > in the Clapper Rail population in that area?  I'm > curious to hear if > others have been finding Clappers there in some numbers > this season. > > Thanks. > > By the way, one other species I've had a few of there this > year (not on > Laurie's list) has been Wilson's Snipe. > >             >             >         Al Eisner > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >     peninsula-birding-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com > > > Subject: Re: Monday birding close to home (SSF) From: Al Eisner <eisner AT SLAC.Stanford.EDU> Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 10:00:51 -0800 (PST) On Tue, 2 Mar 2010, Laurie wrote: > Location:Colma Creek Public Shore, South San Francisco, CA > Time: 12:10 - 1:50 pm > The high tide today was 12:31 pm, 7.6', so we decided to go to > SamTrans Peninsula to check it out, hoping for swimming rails. There > were none. All the shorebirds were either on the dock, which has > finally collapsed, or on one finger of marsh still above water. The > sun came out as we rounded the point to the bay side. The California > Gulls in the bay were beautifully white, mostly adults. Last winter (a year ago) it was still possible to find numerous Clapper Rails along the shoreline (particularly on the SamTrans side) during the very high tides. This year I've checked once on that side and once (this past weekend) on the side near Utah St., and found no Clappers either time. Are the rails better at hiding this year? Have I simply had poor luck (or poor skill)? Or has there been an actual collapse in the Clapper Rail population in that area? I'm curious to hear if others have been finding Clappers there in some numbers this season. Thanks. By the way, one other species I've had a few of there this year (not on Laurie's list) has been Wilson's Snipe. Al Eisner Subject: Birding Class and Field Trip with Alvaro From: "birdersue" <birdersue AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 21:30:03 -0800 All are invited to a free birding class sponsored by the Sequoia Audubon Society to be held at the San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo. Birding Class: Waterfowl By Alvaro Jaramillo Thursday, March 11, 2010, 7:00pm We take it for granted, but San Mateo County is about as rich a place as anywhere for wintering waterfowl. We are at a prime site, a world class place for ducks and geese. This class will touch on what makes waterfowl odd and special as far as birds go. It will also detail some of the tougher identification problems in the group while dealing with aspects of their migration, foraging behavior and habitat needs. Some experienced birders may see ducks and geese as "dull", not so; these are among our most gorgeous, interesting and also puzzling birds. If you are a beginner, this class will get your on the right track, if you are advanced, it will hopefully re-kindle your interest in the waterfowl. Alvaro leads birding tours of California and South America for Field Guides and has authored two birding books: The Birds of Chile and New World Blackbirds: The Icterids as well as contributing both popular and scientific articles to various publications. He also wrote the icterid chapter in The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Also join us for a follow-up field trip for the birding class: Radio Road Ponds, Redwood Shores Saturday, March 13th, 2010, 9:00 AM Winter migrants, especially ducks, are in great abundance on these ponds at this time of year. Directions: From US 101, take exit 411 and go east on Redwood Shores Parkway for a few miles. Go past Shearwater Parkway, and look for the tall electrical towers just past a slough on your right. There is a sign there that says "SBSA 1400 Radio Road." Turn right at this sign; you are now on Radio Road. You come to a stop sign; in front of you are the ponds of Radio Road; to your right is the Dog Park; to your left is the left spur of Radio Road; if you take a right, you can reach the main parking for Radio Road (and South Bayside System Authority). Open to everyone with a $5.00 fee paid to the instructor. Leader: Alvaro Jaramillo chucao AT coastside.net Beginner/Advanced Trip [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Monday birding close to home (SSF) From: "Laurie" <fair80 AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:07:01 -0000 Location: Cypress Lawn/Holy Cross cemeteries time 8:45 - 10:50 am We didn't want to drive very far today, so we did the ol' standby, Colma. Odd weather, hints of rain, mild. Not a lot of birds. Nothing in the Holy Cross junk yard. The bluebirds and yellow-rumps were in an area where sprinklers were running. Number of species: 36 Canada Goose 8 Eurasian Wigeon 2 continuing from December, 2009 American Wigeon 19 Mallard 46 Bufflehead 4 Ruddy Duck 1 Double-crested Cormorant 3 Black-crowned Night-Heron 6 Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Coot 98 Mew Gull 3 Ring-billed Gull 11 several stood on the electrical wire, the way Mew Gulls do. Western Gull 58 California Gull 12 Herring Gull (American) 3 Glaucous-winged Gull 4 Rock Pigeon 40 Anna's Hummingbird 6 Allen's Hummingbird 3 Black Phoebe 13 Common Raven 9 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1 Bushtit 2 Pygmy Nuthatch 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Western Bluebird 3 American Robin 132 Northern Mockingbird 2 European Starling 78 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 18 California Towhee 3 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 12 Brewer's Blackbird 7 House Finch 1 Lesser Goldfinch 3 American Goldfinch 2 Location:Colma Creek Public Shore, South San Francisco, CA Time: 12:10 - 1:50 pm The high tide today was 12:31 pm, 7.6', so we decided to go to SamTrans Peninsula to check it out, hoping for swimming rails. There were none. All the shorebirds were either on the dock, which has finally collapsed, or on one finger of marsh still above water. The sun came out as we rounded the point to the bay side. The California Gulls in the bay were beautifully white, mostly adults. Number of species: 36 Canada Goose 22 Mallard 10 Canvasback 17 Greater Scaup 90 Surf Scoter 4 Bufflehead 31 Ruddy Duck 77 Horned Grebe 3 Eared Grebe 12 Western Grebe 1 Annoying individual, following a Clark's around, incessantly calling. Acted like a baby. Clark's Grebe 6 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Great Blue Heron 1 Snowy Egret 6 Peregrine Falcon 2 Hangin' out on the United Air Lines letters, ready to breed American Coot 19 Black-necked Stilt 9 American Avocet 4 Willet 278 Whimbrel (American) 16 Long-billed Curlew 1 Marbled Godwit 55 Mew Gull (American) 2 Ring-billed Gull 1 Western Gull 4 California Gull 89 Glaucous-winged Gull 2 Forster's Tern 4 Anna's Hummingbird 1 Black Phoebe 1 American Crow 1 Common Raven 4 Northern Mockingbird 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Song Sparrow 1 House Sparrow 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/) Laurie Graham & Jeff Fairclough SSF Subject: Western Screech Owls calling From: Jane Tatchell <Jane AT matrixlink.com> Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:00:14 -0800 Last night, 2/28 around 10pm, we heard two Western Screech Owls calling quite close to our house in unincorporated Redwood City, adjacent to Atherton. A fine lullaby duet! We did hear occasional calls last fall, but haven't heard them since October. -- Jane Tatchell Subject: Re: Hummingbird nesting February 28, Pacifica From: dsuddjian AT aol.com Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 19:36:02 EST In a message dated 3/1/2010 11:50:06 AM Pacific Standard Time, mkeitelman AT hotmail.com writes: Isn't this uncharacteristicallIsn't this uncharacteristically ea No, it is not early. Anna's begin nesting widely in December. Allen's regularly by late February. David Suddjian Capitola [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Hummingbird nesting February 28, Pacifica From: Pixie couch <pixiec AT mindspring.com> Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 11:57:36 -0800 They are nesting in Menlo Park also. On Feb 28, 2010, at 8:55 PM, spectaclebear wrote: > Today a friend told me she had a nesting hummer [assuming Anna's] > in her backyard off Oddstad Blvd. in Pacifica. She described how > the bird was nesting in a leafless tree, and was fighting the rain, > going back to the nest in a few minutes after foraging. > > Isn't this uncharacteristically early for hummingbirds to nest here? > > Mary > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: peninsula-birding-digest AT yahoogroups.com peninsula-birding-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: peninsula-birding-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Hummingbird nesting February 28, Pacifica From: "spectaclebear" <mkeitelman AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:55:43 -0000 Today a friend told me she had a nesting hummer [assuming Anna's] in her backyard off Oddstad Blvd. in Pacifica. She described how the bird was nesting in a leafless tree, and was fighting the rain, going back to the nest in a few minutes after foraging. Isn't this uncharacteristically early for hummingbirds to nest here? Mary Subject: Gull flock From: Al Eisner <eisner AT SLAC.Stanford.EDU> Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 11:02:07 -0800 (PST) Yesterday (Feb. 28) I headed for Pillar Point Harbor to check for gulls, but at 9 AM the water level was already too high for there to be any habitat (e.g., at the mouth of Denniston Creek). Given those conditions it seemed like a good time to try Venice State Beach, and there at the south end (peretty well isolated by inlets) was a flock which grew to at least 800 Gulls. (Not quite the "old days", but good for this winter!) Nothing of great note in the flock, but: It mainly consisted of Western and Glaucous-winged Gulls (I noted a few hybrids), plust quite a few California Gulls. Compared to past years, the fraction of young birds among the Californias was appreciable -- maybe they had particularly good nesting success last year. There were a number of Herring Gulls, and I spotted one adult Thayer's Gull and one Mew Gull. Of possible interest was a pale Gull, with a body rather like a young Glaucous-winged (a bit on the small side), but a bill which in pattern and shape resembled Glaucous. However, the primaries had more gray shading than I'd expect for Glaucous, and there was none of the subtle markings or undertail-covert barring a Glaucous would have. I was wondering about a possible hybrid, but left it unidentified. (In past years, Dan Singer would have shown up to help out!) Al Eisner Subject: Meeting on Geotourism - March 24, Moss Beach From: Barbara Kossy <bkossy AT coastside.net> Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 10:03:25 -0800 Pen Birders, Coastal San Mateo County is a destination for birders from all over the world. How can we better manage the resourse? Intrigued? Read on: The San Mateo County Resource Conservation District would like to invite you a Blue Circle meeting, Geotourism in Coastal San Mateo County . Geotourism is "best practice" tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place, such as its culture , environment , heritage , and the well-being of its residents. The Blue Circle is a community forum to share ideas, information, and resources for the goal of natural resource management, education, and stewardship . No agenda, no minutes, no action items! Check your guns at the door and enjoy the company of others who care deeply about the future of San Mateo County . As always, the informal talk will be followed by a social featuring food, beer, wine, and a silent auction. Please email Barbara at bkossy AT coastside.net if you would like to donate something to the auction. Topic : Geotourism in Coastal San Mateo County When : Wednesday, March 24th , 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm Where : Cypress Meadows 343 Cypress Ave. Moss Beach , CA 94038 Panelists : Dee Harley- Harley Farms Jered Lawson- Pie Ranch Peter Grenell- San Mateo County Harbor District Anne LeClaire- San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau Charise McHugh- Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce RSVP: bkossy AT coastside.net Please forward this email to anyone you think might be interested in joining us on that day. We look forward to seeing you there- don’t forget to RSVP! Directions and map to Cypress Meadows: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=343+Cypress+Ave.+Moss+Beach+CA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=31.013085,63.369141&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=37.522014,-122.512021&spn=0.015146,0.045018&om=1&iwloc=addr&f=d ·.¸¸¸.·´Ż'·.¸¸·´Ż'·.¸¸.·´Ż'·.¸¸·´Ż'·.¸¸.·´Ż'·.¸ ><((((ş> Kellyx Nelson Executive Director San Mateo County Resource Conservation District 625 Miramontes Street Suite 103 Half Moon Bay , CA 94019 phone: 650.712.7765 fax: 650.726.0494 www.sanmateorcd.org ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: peninsula-birding-digest AT yahoogroups.com peninsula-birding-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: peninsula-birding-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: IBRRC oiled bird rescue training From: Barbara Kossy <bkossy AT coastside.net> Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 09:55:20 -0800 Recruits wanted: http://www.ibrrc.org/oil_spill_response_training_program.html Just passing this along. Barbara Subject: glaucous gull at ano nuevo From: "Peter Metropulos" <pjmetrop AT pacbell.net> Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 07:39:08 -0800 Howdy all ! Yesterday morning, at 9:45 AM, I observed a first-cycle GLAUCOUS GULL cruising north along the ocean bluffs at the Tour Staging Area at Ano Nuevo State Reserve. Later in the day, at about 3 PM, I saw a similarly-plumaged gull(probably the same individual) bathing in a tide pool near South Point. On the way back home, I noticed that the trio of HOODED MERGANSERS are still on the pond at the Soil Farm across Highway One from Redondo Beach Road at the southern end of Half Moon Bay. Best regards, Peter J. Metropulos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Coastal sightings ( Sunday ) From: Tronthorn AT aol.com Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:10:42 EST This morning, Leonie Batkin and I started with a seawatch at Pigeon Point from ( 08:00-10:00 ). There was patchy fog and salt spray giving not the best viewing conditions during the first hour. There had been a north wind at ( 7 ) knots and the last hour the wind shifted to the northwest changing to good visibility out to the horizon. Swells were ( 12 ) feet. As expected at this time of the year, there is little noticeable migration, except for gulls and the number of Surf Scoters are picking up. Red-throated Loon ( 12 basic plumaged flying north and south, no migrant adults in alternate plumaged at this time ) Pacific Loon ( 1 alternate plumaged north, not expected at this date, as the earliest migrant adult in alternate plumage I have recorded was not until Mar. 19 ) Common Loon ( 2 basic plumaged on the water ) Brown Pelican ( 27 south, most were adults ) Double-crested Cormorant ( 2 north ) Pelagic Cormorant ( 28 north, earliest date for migrants Mar.1 ) Brandt's Cormorant ( 8 north ) Great Egret ( 1 north ) Brant ( 9 north ) Northern Pintail ( 1 male north ) Surf Scoter ( 147 north ) Black Oystercatcher ( 3 ) Surfbird ( 14 north, group of 12, earliest date for migrants Mar. 2 ) Sanderling ( 30 north, could be early migrants, earliest date for migrants Mar. 16 ) Heerman's Gull ( 1 alternate plumaged adult south, late migrant, latest record I have for an alternate plumaged adult is Mar. 2 ) Mew Gull ( 13 north, 5 were adults ) California Gull ( 120 north, 110 were adults ) Herring Gull ( 108 north, 102 were adults ) Thayer's Gull ( 2 adults north ) Western Gull ( 201 north, 183 were adults ) Glaucous-winged Gull ( 96 north, 59 were adults ) Glaucous-winged x Western Gull hybrid ( 2 adults north ) Common Murre ( 90 south ) Marbled Murrelet ( 2 south ) Rhinoceros Auklet ( group of 4 south ) Gray Whale ( 1 ) In the town of Pescadero, the flooded field on the south side of Pescadero Road just east of Bean Hollow Road had some ducks. ( 18 ) Cinnamon Teal were most likely migrants as the species becomes common as it passes through at this time of the year. A male Blue-winged Teal was present. Out of place in the shallow water was a male Common Goldeneye. Along Gazos Creek, we noticed a lone butterfly that got our attention and was a first ever sighting for us a Satyr Anglewing! Ron Thorn Leonie Batkin Subject: O'Connor Ponds, Ravenswood, and Southern Marshes 2/27/10 From: "George Chrisman" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 06:24:36 -0000 This morning I birded the southernmost end of the bayside marshes, starting at the end of O'Connor Street in East Palo Alto around 9:30 AM (2/27/10). High tide was around 11:00 AM plus the Tsunami surge predicted for 1:30 PM. No rails found here, but several CINNAMON TEAL, NORTHERN PINTAIL, and lots of dabbling and diving ducks. The cackle of at least one, maybe two male RING-NECKED PHEASANTS could be heard regularly. One Savannah Sparrow was seen, along with many SONG SPARROWS and COMMON YELLOWTHROATS. There were several groups of GREATER YELLOWLEGS, totaling over 20 birds. A mated pair of NORTHERN HARRIERS was exchanging a mouse and was active the entire time I was present. Around 11:00 AM I moved to Ravenswood Open Space Preserve at the end of Bay Road. There I found a SORA standing on the submerged PGE boardwalk, along with 2 male EURASIAN WIGEON, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, and hundreds of GREATER SCAUP, CANVASBACKS, AMERICAN WIGEON, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL. There were also 2 BROWN PELICANS that were diving in the cove. Around noontime, I headed to the base of the Dumbarton Bridge, but it was too flooded for shorebirds and most ducks. There was a giant flock of over 1000 MARBLED GODWITS and 200 WILLETS that were roosted on a distant levee that flushed into the air for a moment, and then settled back down on the berm. I did not see the cause of the disturbance, but there has been a pair of PEREGRINE FALCONS present here on a regular basis. I just didn't see them today. There was a large group of 30-40 volunteers from the SFBBO, Cargill, and other volunteers spreading oyster shells in the newly restored salt ponds for Snowy Plover habitat improvement. At least half the group was made up of school aged kids, which was nice to see. At first I though it must be a Ducks Unlimited event, because everyone was wearing camo hats and even a few camo painted pick-up trucks and ATV's, but the hats were provided by Cargill. At Third Avenue Marsh near the Mariner's Point Golf Course in San Mateo, I found another EURASIAN WIGEON, a HORNED GREBE, an EARED GREBE, and a flock of 29 SNOWY EGRETS in the marsh. A BELTED KINGFISHER was perched on a wire above Bair Island as I drove north on 101. There was not a drop of rain all morning in this area. Good Birding, George Chrisman Burlingame, CA Subject: O'Connor Ponds, Ravenswood, and South County Marshes 2/27/10 From: "George Chrisman" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 06:44:16 -0000 This morning I birded the southernmost end of the bayside marshes, starting at the end of O'Connor Street in East Palo Alto around 9:30 AM (2/27/10). High tide was around 11:00 AM plus the Tsunami surge predicted for 1:30 PM. No rails found here, but several CINNAMON TEAL, NORTHERN PINTAIL, and lots of dabbling and diving ducks. The cackle of at least one, maybe two male RING-NECKED PHEASANTS could be heard regularly. One SAVANNAH SPARROW was seen, along with many SONG SPARROWS and COMMON YELLOWTHROATS. There were several groups of GREATER YELLOWLEGS, totaling over 20 birds. A mated pair of NORTHERN HARRIERS was exchanging a mouse and was active the entire time I was present. Around 11:00 AM I moved to Ravenswood Open Space Preserve at the end of Bay Road. There I found a SORA standing on the submerged PGE boardwalk, along with 2 male EURASIAN WIGEON, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, and hundreds of GREATER SCAUP, CANVASBACKS, AMERICAN WIGEON, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL. There were also 2 BROWN PELICANS that were diving in the cove. Around noontime, I headed to the base of the Dumbarton Bridge, but it was too flooded for shorebirds and most ducks. There was a giant flock of over 1000 MARBLED GODWITS and 200 WILLETS that were roosted on a distant levee that flushed into the air for a moment, and then settled back down on the berm. I did not see the cause of the disturbance, but there has been a pair of PEREGRINE FALCONS present here on a regular basis. I just didn't see them today. There was a large group of 30-40 volunteers from the SFBBO, Cargill, and other volunteers spreading oyster shells in the newly restored salt ponds for Snowy Plover habitat improvement. At least half the group was made up of school aged kids, which was nice to see. At first I though it must be a Ducks Unlimited event, because everyone was wearing camo hats and even a few camo painted pick-up trucks and ATV's, but the hats were provided by Cargill. At Third Avenue Marsh near the Mariner's Point Golf Course in San Mateo, I found another EURASIAN WIGEON, a HORNED GREBE, an EARED GREBE, and a flock of 29 SNOWY EGRETS in the marsh. A BELTED KINGFISHER was perched on a wire above Bair Island as I drove north on 101. There was not a drop of rain all morning in this area. Good Birding, George Chrisman Burlingame, CA Subject: Princeton in the rain From: Matthew Dodder <mdodder AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:48:56 -0800 All, I led my Palo Alto Adult School to Princeton Harbor despite the foul weather forecast. The news of the quake in Chile arrived too late to change our plans and the tsunami warnings at Maverick's caused a nearly complete change in plans once we'd all arrived. We were able to get brief looks at the harbor from the Maverick's Beach parking lot before we were asked to leave by rangers. Before leaving we found two dozen BRANT, as well as many more common water birds like BUFFLEHEAD, SURF SCOTER, WESTERN EARED and HORNED GREBE. COMMON LOON, BROWN PELICAN, WHIMBREL and SANDERLING. We also had EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE and TOWNSEND'S WARBLER in the cypress trees. Rain made birding very difficult here so we retreated to more sheltered areas. Pilarcitos Creek, behind Burger King produced a male MERLIN, several ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRDS as well as at least two ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and HUTTON'S VIREO. Also found were a pair of DOWNY WOODPECKERS, and several flyover BAND-TAILED PIGEONS. Skylawn Memorial Park produced 2-3 flyover RED CROSSBILL as well as the usual WESTERN BLUEBIRD, DARK-EYED JUNCO. . . . Matthew Dodder Mountain View, CA http://www.birdguy.net http://www.zazzle.com/mdodder [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: bald eagle at crystal springs reservoir From: "Peter Metropulos" <pjmetrop AT pacbell.net> Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 08:42:35 -0800 Greetings, Yesterday morning at 9AM while driving south on Highway 280 about a half-mile north of Hwy 92, an adult BALD EAGLE appeared soaring between the shore of the reservoir and the highway. I was delighted to observe the bird at eye-level as it took advantage of the strong southerly winds to cruise the shoreline in search of prey. Peter Metropulos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Coastal Notes From: Herbert Byaruhanga <byaruhanga AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:56:30 +0000 Dear All, Something to read about. http://munciebirder.blogspot.com/2009/11/trip-to-uganda.html Herbert To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com From: gyrrlfalcon AT earthlink.net Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:14:27 -0800 Subject: [pen-bird] Coastal Notes Did a little bit of birding coastside this morning for the Great Backyard Bird Count (http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/). Highlights included my FOY ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD along Verde Road, two HERRING GULLS and four SNOWY PLOVERS at San Gregorio State Beach (where I met Leo, a birder from Chicago who's enjoying some winter birding locally), and three BLUE-WINGED TEAL at Pescadero. Good birding - please participate in the GBBC! Jennifer Rycenga Half Moon Bay, CA visit http://birding.sequoia-audubon.org/ The San Mateo County Birding Guide _________________________________________________________________ Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free. https://signup.live.com/signup.aspx?id=60969 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: peninsula-birding-digest AT yahoogroups.com peninsula-birding-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: peninsula-birding-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Re: another Glaucous Gull From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:07:20 -0800 On Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:58:56 -0800, "Dan Singer" wrote: >Late this afternoon a first cycle Glaucous Gull was at the mouth of San >Pedro Creek in Pacifica (Linda Mar Beach). A new Pacifica bird for me! Joe >Morlan joined me and got to see it as well before the gull flock was >disturbed and the Glaucous took flight, heading northward. Two digiscoped images are at: http://fog.ccsf.edu/~jmorlan/glgu022610.htm Thanks Dan! -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Feb.9 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californiabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ Subject: another Glaucous Gull From: "Dan Singer" <dsg2 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:58:56 -0800 Hi all, Late this afternoon a first cycle Glaucous Gull was at the mouth of San Pedro Creek in Pacifica (Linda Mar Beach). A new Pacifica bird for me! Joe Morlan joined me and got to see it as well before the gull flock was disturbed and the Glaucous took flight, heading northward. A little earlier in afternoon after the weather broke, I looked out my window and noticed a flock of twelve Greater White-fronted Geese circling over the Sharp Park golf course. I wandered down there and found them on the fairway at the northwest corner of the course near the south end of Beach Blvd. at Clarendon. Dan Singer Pacifica [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 From: Dave Helzer <davehelzerian AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:05:19 -0800 Hi All: Thanks to all for the interest and information on my rare observations of two Goshawks at Hidden Villa, Santa Clara Co, CA. I suspected folks might want more details and I am more than happy to send them along. I am writing up a rare bird report based on the Oregon Bird Records Committee template and I will send it to the folks who have requested it. Many Thanks, Dave Helzer Portland, Oregon On Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 8:54 AM, Garth Harwood wrote: > Hello Dave et al., > > This is extraordinary news. I cannot recall any recent records of Northern > Goshawk in Santa Clara County (where Hidden Villa is located, so reports > would ideally go to the south-bay-birds list...however it is close enough to > the San Mateo County line that sightings here are often of interest on the > pen-birds list as well. I have copied this to the SBB list for you, Dave.) > Others may be able to add historical records of local sightings, but I'm > sure all would agree that NOGO is always a bird worthy of special notice > around here. > > As I work at Hidden Villa and try to keep my eyes on the sky whenever > possible I'll keep a lookout for these birds. Our local Red-shouldered Hawk > pair has been highly vocal lately as they gear up for breeding, and if NOGOs > are hanging out around here they will surely take umbrage and let me know > about it! > > Dave, because this observation is so unusual here it would be great if you > were able to provide a few details of the observation including your > experience level with this and similar species - not to cast doubt but to > firm up a remarkable record for our county notebooks, which are kept by Bill > Bousman (barlowi AT earthlink.net). Thanks! > > Garth Harwood, Director > Hidden Villa Environmental Education Program > gharwood AT hiddenvilla.org > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Dave Helzer > *To:* peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > *Sent:* Monday, February 22, 2010 9:34 PM > *Subject:* [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos > - Feb 18 > > > > San Mateo County Birders: > > While visiting California last week, I had an observation worth > sharing with this list. On Feb 18, 2010 there were two adult Northern > Goshawks at Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains, > west of Los Altos. Hidden Villa is a education center on Moody Rd, > about 2-3 miles west of hwy 280. The first bird I saw was circling > low over the small valley, gradually rising above the canopy and > occasionally vocalizing a repeated a single note call. As it gained > altitude I spotted the second bird, much higher up. The second bird > was performing a *slow-flapping* courtship flight, a behavior I have > seen a few times in the Oregon Cascades. Its a very slow fight with > exaggerated wing strokes very high above and low below the body. > Coopers also perform a similar display. The lower bird was an adult > and I am pretty sure the higher bird was too. > > The Santa Clara Co, Santa Cruz Co, and San Mateo Co checklist all list > Goshawk as accidental and the field guides I have show this part of > California is out of range. I am curious about other records for this > area. Based on the presence of a pair and the courtship flight, its > possible these birds may be breeding (or thinking about it). They may > also be migrants. > > This Peninsula Birding List seems like the best place to post this. > If there is a more appropriate list, please let me know and/or > forward. > > Thanks. > > Dave Helzer > Portland, Oregon > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:18:47 -0800 On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:34:48 -0800, Dave Helzer wrote: > The first bird I saw was circling >low over the small valley, gradually rising above the canopy and >occasionally vocalizing a repeated a single note call.  As it gained >altitude I spotted the second bird, much higher up.  The second bird >was performing a *slow-flapping* courtship flight, a behavior I have >seen a few times in the Oregon Cascades. Its a very slow fight with >exaggerated wing strokes very high above and low below the body. >Coopers also perform a similar display. The lower bird was an adult >and I am pretty sure the higher bird was too. Incidentally, as far as I know, Neither Northern Goshawks or Cooper's Hawks display or vocalize except when near the nest. Cooper's are displaying now and would be expected. There are no Northern Goshawk nesting records anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area or nearby. I assume that most readers of this list understand that this uncorroborated report of displaying Northern Goshawks needs to be considered with extreme caution. -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Feb.9 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californiabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ Subject: RE: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 From: "Bruce Mast" <bmast AT alumni.rice.edu> Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:24:15 -0800 I have been keeping records of unusual sightings in the Bay Area for the last three years as part of the task of writing the monthly Observations column for Golden Gate Audubon Society. My sources are the email listservs and the NorCal hotline. I don't religiously monitor the GGRO results so my list would miss any bird seen from Hawk Hill and not reported to the NBB or SF listserv. Dominik, I thought it was noteworthy that you didn't mention the 1-15-07 sighting in your emails. Is that record in error? Also not sure how I missed the Metropulos report from Colma. 15-Jan-07, Fort Miley East, San Francisco, Dominik Mosur 23-Feb-07, Collins Ave in Colma, San Mateo, Al DeMartini, flying north into the city 2-Nov-07, Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands, Marin, Dennis Meehan, Marin, immature, photographed 2-May-08, Kirby Cove, Marin, Tim Behr, Herb Brandt, Lew Cooper 11-Oct-08, Golden Gate, San Francisco, Steven Bauer 10-Oct-09, Lobos Dunes boardwalk, San Francisco, Paul Saraceni, juvenile, soaring over the Presidio 17-Oct-09, Bison Paddock, GGP, San Francisco, Josiah Clark, Bob Power, Matt Zlatunich, juvenile, soaring over the Presidio 29-Oct-09, Golden Gate, San Francisco, Steve Bauer, juvenile FWIW, my compiled records used to be posted on the GGAS website as Excel files. It looks like those got taken down when the website was redesigned. I'm happy to share them with anyone who wants them. Bruce Mast Oakland From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dominik Mosur Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:36 PM To: Jeff Miller; Joseph Morlan Cc: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18   CORRECTION earlier today I wrote about a report of Northern Goshawk over San Bruno mountain in January '07. I cited the wrong observer and date. It was Al DeMartini and the report was called into the Northern California Birdbox on Feb 23 . My apologies. I guess memory is the first to go! Dominik Mosur Subject: Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 From: Dominik Mosur <polskatata AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:35:59 -0800 (PST) CORRECTION earlier today I wrote about a report of Northern Goshawk over San Bruno mountain in January '07. I cited the wrong observer and date. It was Al DeMartini and the report was called into the Northern California Birdbox on Feb 23 . My apologies. I guess memory is the first to go! Dominik Mosur Subject: Large flock of Cedar Waxwings, San Bruno From: "Rudyard" <parhelion AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:14:46 -0000 A friend just called and asked me to post. He had just spotted a flock of 80 of these birds around Trenton Drive near Kingston in San Bruno. cheers Subject: Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 From: Jane Tatchell <Jane AT matrixlink.com> Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:27:50 -0800 Peter Headland and I, in company with numerous experienced hawk-watchers, saw one on Hawk Hill on Nov 12, 1999. Everyone was very excited. Except us - at the time we were visiting, not residents, so had no idea what was usual or unusual! Jane Tatchell, Redwood City Dominik Mosur wrote: > > There were also several reports of goshawk from San Francisco in > Dec/Jan 06-07 and Peter Metropulos reported one soaring with gulls > over Colma south of San Bruno Mountain in Jan. '07 as well. > > --- On Tue, 2/23/10, Joseph Morlan > wrote: > > > From: Joseph Morlan > > > Subject: Re: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of > Los Altos - Feb 18 > > To: "Jeff Miller" > > > Cc: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > > > Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010, 11:11 AM > > Jeff, > > > > Did you search Christmas Bird Counts? I saw an adult > > Goshawk near the > > summit of Mt. Diablo on a CBC a few decades ago (December > > 1988) and the > > bird was confirmed by other observers during subsequent > > weeks. It's the > > only Goshawk I have seen in the Bay Area in 35 years of > > birding here. > > > > What about the sightings of migrants recorded by Golden > > Gate Raptor > > Observatory? They have found them to be irregular > > Fall migrants at their > > study site with most records during November. E.g. > > there is a photo at: > > > > http://www.ggro.org/rare-raptors.html > > > > > "North American Birds" is now available online and is > > searchable. That > > would also be a useful source. > > > > It seems odd to me that your list appears to consist > > entirely of "one day > > wonders." Were not any of these sightings confirmed > > by additional > > observations? The Big Sur sighting you mention is not > > included in > > "Monterey Birds" by Roberson, but three other sightings > > are. > > > > On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:18:53 -0800, Jeff Miller > > > > > wrote: > > > > >I did a research project on historical occurrences of > > northern goshawks west > > >of the Sierras and the Cascades and there have been > > periodic reports of > > >migrant goshawks from the south Bay and peninsula (this > > is what I have > > >through 1998): > > > > > >Waddell Creek, Santa Cruz 11/11/74 > > >Mount Hamilton, Santa Clara 12/20/78 > > >Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve, Big Sur 4/8/79 > > >Henry Cowell SP, Santa Cruz 3/22/84 > > >Jasper Ridge, San Mateo 4/17/86 > > >Castlerock State Park, Santa Cruz 2/22/89 > > >Sunol Regional Park, Sunol 3/27/92 > > >Santa Cruz 11/11/96 > > >Near Loma Prieta, Santa Cruz 11/26/96 > > >Coastal San Mateo 12/6/97 > > > > > >Most of these sightings were from the Audubon regional > > raptor reports, but > > >other sources as well. > > > > > >- Jeff > > > > > > > > >*************************************** > > > > > >Jeff Miller > > > > > >Conservation Advocate > > > > > >Center for Biological Diversity > > > > > >351 California Street, Suite 600 > > > > > >San Francisco, CA 94104 > > > > > >Phone: (415) 436-9682 x303 > > > > > >Fax: (415) 436-9683 > > > > > >Web site: www.biologicaldiversity.org > > > > > > >Signatures/www.biologicaldiversity.org> > > > > > > > > > > > >At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that > > the welfare of human > > >beings is deeply linked to nature - to the existence in > > our world of a vast > > >diversity of wild plants and animals. Because > > diversity has intrinsic > > >value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we > > work to secure a future > > >for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink > > of extinction. We do > > >so through science, law, and creative media, with a > > focus on protecting the > > >lands, waters, and climate that species need to > > survive. We want those who > > >come after us to inherit a world where the wild is > > still alive. > > > > > > > > > _____ > > > > > >From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > > > >[mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > ] > > On Behalf Of Garth Harwood > > >Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 8:54 AM > > >To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > ; > > Dave Helzer > > >Cc: SBB; Bill Bousman > > >Subject: Re: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in > > foothills west of Los Altos > > >- Feb 18 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Hello Dave et al., > > > > > >This is extraordinary news. I cannot recall any recent > > records of Northern > > >Goshawk in Santa Clara County (where Hidden Villa is > > located, so reports > > >would ideally go to the south-bay-birds list...however > > it is close enough to > > >the San Mateo County line that sightings here are often > > of interest on the > > >pen-birds list as well. I have copied this to the SBB > > list for you, Dave.) > > >Others may be able to add historical records of local > > sightings, but I'm > > >sure all would agree that NOGO is always a bird worthy > > of special notice > > >around here. > > > > > >As I work at Hidden Villa and try to keep my eyes on > > the sky whenever > > >possible I'll keep a lookout for these birds. Our local > > Red-shouldered Hawk > > >pair has been highly vocal lately as they gear up for > > breeding, and if NOGOs > > >are hanging out around here they will surely take > > umbrage and let me know > > >about it! > > > > > >Dave, because this observation is so unusual here it > > would be great if you > > >were able to provide a few details of the observation > > including your > > >experience level with this and similar species - not to > > cast doubt but to > > >firm up a remarkable record for our county notebooks, > > which are kept by Bill > > >Bousman (barlowi AT earthlink. > > net). Thanks! > > > > > >Garth Harwood, Director > > >Hidden Villa Environmental Education Program > > >gharwood AT hiddenvill > > a.org > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > > >From: Dave Helzer > > >To: peninsula-birding AT > > > > >yahoogroups.com > > >Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 9:34 PM > > >Subject: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills > > west of Los Altos - > > >Feb 18 > > > > > >San Mateo County Birders: > > > > > >While visiting California last week, I had an > > observation worth > > >sharing with this list. On Feb 18, 2010 there were two > > adult Northern > > >Goshawks at Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa > > Cruz mountains, > > >west of Los Altos. Hidden Villa is a education center > > on Moody Rd, > > >about 2-3 miles west of hwy 280. The first bird I saw > > was circling > > >low over the small valley, gradually rising above the > > canopy and > > >occasionally vocalizing a repeated a single note call. > > As it gained > > >altitude I spotted the second bird, much higher up. The > > second bird > > >was performing a *slow-flapping* courtship flight, a > > behavior I have > > >seen a few times in the Oregon Cascades. Its a very > > slow fight with > > >exaggerated wing strokes very high above and low below > > the body. > > >Coopers also perform a similar display. The lower bird > > was an adult > > >and I am pretty sure the higher bird was too. > > > > > >The Santa Clara Co, Santa Cruz Co, and San Mateo Co > > checklist all list > > >Goshawk as accidental and the field guides I have show > > this part of > > >California is out of range. I am curious about other > > records for this > > >area. Based on the presence of a pair and the courtship > > flight, its > > >possible these birds may be breeding (or thinking about > > it). They may > > >also be migrants. > > > > > >This Peninsula Birding List seems like the best place > > to post this. > > >If there is a more appropriate list, please let me know > > and/or > > >forward. > > > > > >Thanks. > > > > > >Dave Helzer > > >Portland, Oregon > > > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > -- > > Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA > > jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu > > SF Birding Classes start Feb.9 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ > > > California Bird Records Committee http://www.californiabirds.org/ > > > Western Field Ornithologists > > http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > peninsula-birding-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com > > > > > > > > > -- Jane Tatchell ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peninsula-birding/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: peninsula-birding-digest AT yahoogroups.com peninsula-birding-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: peninsula-birding-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 From: Dominik Mosur <polskatata AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:37:03 -0800 (PST) There were also several reports of goshawk from San Francisco in Dec/Jan 06-07 and Peter Metropulos reported one soaring with gulls over Colma south of San Bruno Mountain in Jan. '07 as well. --- On Tue, 2/23/10, Joseph Morlan wrote: > From: Joseph Morlan > Subject: Re: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 > To: "Jeff Miller" > Cc: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010, 11:11 AM > Jeff, > > Did you search Christmas Bird Counts?  I saw an adult > Goshawk near the > summit of Mt. Diablo on a CBC a few decades ago (December > 1988) and the > bird was confirmed by other observers during subsequent > weeks.  It's the > only Goshawk I have seen in the Bay Area in 35 years of > birding here. > > What about the sightings of migrants recorded by Golden > Gate Raptor > Observatory?  They have found them to be irregular > Fall migrants at their > study site with most records during November.  E.g. > there is a photo at: > > http://www.ggro.org/rare-raptors.html > > "North American Birds" is now available online and is > searchable.  That > would also be a useful source. > > It seems odd to me that your list appears to consist > entirely of "one day > wonders."  Were not any of these sightings confirmed > by additional > observations?  The Big Sur sighting you mention is not > included in > "Monterey Birds" by Roberson, but three other sightings > are.  > > On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:18:53 -0800, Jeff Miller > > wrote: > > >I did a research project on historical occurrences of > northern goshawks west > >of the Sierras and the Cascades and there have been > periodic reports of > >migrant goshawks from the south Bay and peninsula (this > is what I have > >through 1998): > > > >Waddell Creek, Santa Cruz 11/11/74 > >Mount Hamilton, Santa Clara 12/20/78 > >Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve, Big Sur 4/8/79 > >Henry Cowell SP, Santa Cruz 3/22/84 > >Jasper Ridge, San Mateo 4/17/86 > >Castlerock State Park, Santa Cruz 2/22/89 > >Sunol Regional Park, Sunol 3/27/92 > >Santa Cruz 11/11/96 > >Near Loma Prieta, Santa Cruz 11/26/96 > >Coastal San Mateo 12/6/97 > > > >Most of these sightings were from the Audubon regional > raptor reports, but > >other sources as well. > > > >- Jeff > > > > > >*************************************** > > > >Jeff Miller > > > >Conservation Advocate > > > >Center for Biological Diversity > > > >351 California Street, Suite 600 > > > >San Francisco, CA 94104 > > > >Phone: (415) 436-9682 x303 > > > >Fax: (415) 436-9683 > > > >Web site: www.biologicaldiversity.org > > >Signatures/www.biologicaldiversity.org> > > > > > > > >At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that > the welfare of human > >beings is deeply linked to nature - to the existence in > our world of a vast > >diversity of wild plants and animals.  Because > diversity has intrinsic > >value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we > work to secure a future > >for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink > of extinction. We do > >so through science, law, and creative media, with a > focus on protecting the > >lands, waters, and climate that species need to > survive.  We want those who > >come after us to inherit a world where the wild is > still alive. > > > > > >  _____  > > > >From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com > >[mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] > On Behalf Of Garth Harwood > >Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 8:54 AM > >To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com; > Dave Helzer > >Cc: SBB; Bill Bousman > >Subject: Re: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in > foothills west of Los Altos > >- Feb 18 > > > > > >  > > > >Hello Dave et al., > > > >This is extraordinary news. I cannot recall any recent > records of Northern > >Goshawk in Santa Clara County (where Hidden Villa is > located, so reports > >would ideally go to the south-bay-birds list...however > it is close enough to > >the San Mateo County line that sightings here are often > of interest on the > >pen-birds list as well. I have copied this to the SBB > list for you, Dave.) > >Others may be able to add historical records of local > sightings, but I'm > >sure all would agree that NOGO is always a bird worthy > of special notice > >around here. > > > >As I work at Hidden Villa and try to keep my eyes on > the sky whenever > >possible I'll keep a lookout for these birds. Our local > Red-shouldered Hawk > >pair has been highly vocal lately as they gear up for > breeding, and if NOGOs > >are hanging out around here they will surely take > umbrage and let me know > >about it! > > > >Dave, because this observation is so unusual here it > would be great if you > >were able to provide a few details of the observation > including your > >experience level with this and similar species - not to > cast doubt but to > >firm up a remarkable record for our county notebooks, > which are kept by Bill > >Bousman (barlowi AT earthlink. > net). Thanks! > > > >Garth Harwood, Director > >Hidden Villa Environmental Education Program > >gharwood AT hiddenvill > a.org > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: Dave Helzer > >To: peninsula-birding AT > > >yahoogroups.com > >Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 9:34 PM > >Subject: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills > west of Los Altos - > >Feb 18 > > > >San Mateo County Birders: > > > >While visiting California last week, I had an > observation worth > >sharing with this list. On Feb 18, 2010 there were two > adult Northern > >Goshawks at Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa > Cruz mountains, > >west of Los Altos. Hidden Villa is a education center > on Moody Rd, > >about 2-3 miles west of hwy 280. The first bird I saw > was circling > >low over the small valley, gradually rising above the > canopy and > >occasionally vocalizing a repeated a single note call. > As it gained > >altitude I spotted the second bird, much higher up. The > second bird > >was performing a *slow-flapping* courtship flight, a > behavior I have > >seen a few times in the Oregon Cascades. Its a very > slow fight with > >exaggerated wing strokes very high above and low below > the body. > >Coopers also perform a similar display. The lower bird > was an adult > >and I am pretty sure the higher bird was too. > > > >The Santa Clara Co, Santa Cruz Co, and San Mateo Co > checklist all list > >Goshawk as accidental and the field guides I have show > this part of > >California is out of range. I am curious about other > records for this > >area. Based on the presence of a pair and the courtship > flight, its > >possible these birds may be breeding (or thinking about > it). They may > >also be migrants. > > > >This Peninsula Birding List seems like the best place > to post this. > >If there is a more appropriate list, please let me know > and/or > >forward. > > > >Thanks. > > > >Dave Helzer > >Portland, Oregon > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > -- > Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA        > jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu > SF Birding Classes start Feb.9     http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ > California Bird Records Committee  http://www.californiabirds.org/ > Western Field Ornithologists    >    http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >     peninsula-birding-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com > > > Subject: Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:11:11 -0800 Jeff, Did you search Christmas Bird Counts? I saw an adult Goshawk near the summit of Mt. Diablo on a CBC a few decades ago (December 1988) and the bird was confirmed by other observers during subsequent weeks. It's the only Goshawk I have seen in the Bay Area in 35 years of birding here. What about the sightings of migrants recorded by Golden Gate Raptor Observatory? They have found them to be irregular Fall migrants at their study site with most records during November. E.g. there is a photo at: http://www.ggro.org/rare-raptors.html "North American Birds" is now available online and is searchable. That would also be a useful source. It seems odd to me that your list appears to consist entirely of "one day wonders." Were not any of these sightings confirmed by additional observations? The Big Sur sighting you mention is not included in "Monterey Birds" by Roberson, but three other sightings are. On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:18:53 -0800, Jeff Miller wrote: >I did a research project on historical occurrences of northern goshawks west >of the Sierras and the Cascades and there have been periodic reports of >migrant goshawks from the south Bay and peninsula (this is what I have >through 1998): > >Waddell Creek, Santa Cruz 11/11/74 >Mount Hamilton, Santa Clara 12/20/78 >Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve, Big Sur 4/8/79 >Henry Cowell SP, Santa Cruz 3/22/84 >Jasper Ridge, San Mateo 4/17/86 >Castlerock State Park, Santa Cruz 2/22/89 >Sunol Regional Park, Sunol 3/27/92 >Santa Cruz 11/11/96 >Near Loma Prieta, Santa Cruz 11/26/96 >Coastal San Mateo 12/6/97 > >Most of these sightings were from the Audubon regional raptor reports, but >other sources as well. > >- Jeff > > >*************************************** > >Jeff Miller > >Conservation Advocate > >Center for Biological Diversity > >351 California Street, Suite 600 > >San Francisco, CA 94104 > >Phone: (415) 436-9682 x303 > >Fax: (415) 436-9683 > >Web site: www.biologicaldiversity.org >Signatures/www.biologicaldiversity.org> > > > >At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that the welfare of human >beings is deeply linked to nature - to the existence in our world of a vast >diversity of wild plants and animals. Because diversity has intrinsic >value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future >for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do >so through science, law, and creative media, with a focus on protecting the >lands, waters, and climate that species need to survive. We want those who >come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive. > > > _____ > >From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com >[mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Garth Harwood >Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 8:54 AM >To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com; Dave Helzer >Cc: SBB; Bill Bousman >Subject: Re: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos >- Feb 18 > > > > >Hello Dave et al., > >This is extraordinary news. I cannot recall any recent records of Northern >Goshawk in Santa Clara County (where Hidden Villa is located, so reports >would ideally go to the south-bay-birds list...however it is close enough to >the San Mateo County line that sightings here are often of interest on the >pen-birds list as well. I have copied this to the SBB list for you, Dave.) >Others may be able to add historical records of local sightings, but I'm >sure all would agree that NOGO is always a bird worthy of special notice >around here. > >As I work at Hidden Villa and try to keep my eyes on the sky whenever >possible I'll keep a lookout for these birds. Our local Red-shouldered Hawk >pair has been highly vocal lately as they gear up for breeding, and if NOGOs >are hanging out around here they will surely take umbrage and let me know >about it! > >Dave, because this observation is so unusual here it would be great if you >were able to provide a few details of the observation including your >experience level with this and similar species - not to cast doubt but to >firm up a remarkable record for our county notebooks, which are kept by Bill >Bousman (barlowi AT earthlink. net). Thanks! > >Garth Harwood, Director >Hidden Villa Environmental Education Program >gharwood AT hiddenvill a.org > >----- Original Message ----- >From: Dave Helzer >To: peninsula-birding AT >yahoogroups.com >Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 9:34 PM >Subject: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - >Feb 18 > >San Mateo County Birders: > >While visiting California last week, I had an observation worth >sharing with this list. On Feb 18, 2010 there were two adult Northern >Goshawks at Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains, >west of Los Altos. Hidden Villa is a education center on Moody Rd, >about 2-3 miles west of hwy 280. The first bird I saw was circling >low over the small valley, gradually rising above the canopy and >occasionally vocalizing a repeated a single note call. As it gained >altitude I spotted the second bird, much higher up. The second bird >was performing a *slow-flapping* courtship flight, a behavior I have >seen a few times in the Oregon Cascades. Its a very slow fight with >exaggerated wing strokes very high above and low below the body. >Coopers also perform a similar display. The lower bird was an adult >and I am pretty sure the higher bird was too. > >The Santa Clara Co, Santa Cruz Co, and San Mateo Co checklist all list >Goshawk as accidental and the field guides I have show this part of >California is out of range. I am curious about other records for this >area. Based on the presence of a pair and the courtship flight, its >possible these birds may be breeding (or thinking about it). They may >also be migrants. > >This Peninsula Birding List seems like the best place to post this. >If there is a more appropriate list, please let me know and/or >forward. > >Thanks. > >Dave Helzer >Portland, Oregon > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Feb.9 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californiabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ Subject: RE: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 From: Jeff Miller <jmiller AT biologicaldiversity.org> Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:18:53 -0800 I did a research project on historical occurrences of northern goshawks west of the Sierras and the Cascades and there have been periodic reports of migrant goshawks from the south Bay and peninsula (this is what I have through 1998): Waddell Creek, Santa Cruz 11/11/74 Mount Hamilton, Santa Clara 12/20/78 Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve, Big Sur 4/8/79 Henry Cowell SP, Santa Cruz 3/22/84 Jasper Ridge, San Mateo 4/17/86 Castlerock State Park, Santa Cruz 2/22/89 Sunol Regional Park, Sunol 3/27/92 Santa Cruz 11/11/96 Near Loma Prieta, Santa Cruz 11/26/96 Coastal San Mateo 12/6/97 Most of these sightings were from the Audubon regional raptor reports, but other sources as well. - Jeff *************************************** Jeff Miller Conservation Advocate Center for Biological Diversity 351 California Street, Suite 600 San Francisco, CA 94104 Phone: (415) 436-9682 x303 Fax: (415) 436-9683 Web site: www.biologicaldiversity.org At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature - to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild plants and animals. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law, and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters, and climate that species need to survive. We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive. _____ From: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Garth Harwood Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 8:54 AM To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com; Dave Helzer Cc: SBB; Bill Bousman Subject: Re: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 Hello Dave et al., This is extraordinary news. I cannot recall any recent records of Northern Goshawk in Santa Clara County (where Hidden Villa is located, so reports would ideally go to the south-bay-birds list...however it is close enough to the San Mateo County line that sightings here are often of interest on the pen-birds list as well. I have copied this to the SBB list for you, Dave.) Others may be able to add historical records of local sightings, but I'm sure all would agree that NOGO is always a bird worthy of special notice around here. As I work at Hidden Villa and try to keep my eyes on the sky whenever possible I'll keep a lookout for these birds. Our local Red-shouldered Hawk pair has been highly vocal lately as they gear up for breeding, and if NOGOs are hanging out around here they will surely take umbrage and let me know about it! Dave, because this observation is so unusual here it would be great if you were able to provide a few details of the observation including your experience level with this and similar species - not to cast doubt but to firm up a remarkable record for our county notebooks, which are kept by Bill Bousman (barlowi AT earthlink. net). Thanks! Garth Harwood, Director Hidden Villa Environmental Education Program gharwood AT hiddenvill a.org ----- Original Message ----- From: Dave Helzer To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 9:34 PM Subject: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 San Mateo County Birders: While visiting California last week, I had an observation worth sharing with this list. On Feb 18, 2010 there were two adult Northern Goshawks at Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains, west of Los Altos. Hidden Villa is a education center on Moody Rd, about 2-3 miles west of hwy 280. The first bird I saw was circling low over the small valley, gradually rising above the canopy and occasionally vocalizing a repeated a single note call. As it gained altitude I spotted the second bird, much higher up. The second bird was performing a *slow-flapping* courtship flight, a behavior I have seen a few times in the Oregon Cascades. Its a very slow fight with exaggerated wing strokes very high above and low below the body. Coopers also perform a similar display. The lower bird was an adult and I am pretty sure the higher bird was too. The Santa Clara Co, Santa Cruz Co, and San Mateo Co checklist all list Goshawk as accidental and the field guides I have show this part of California is out of range. I am curious about other records for this area. Based on the presence of a pair and the courtship flight, its possible these birds may be breeding (or thinking about it). They may also be migrants. This Peninsula Birding List seems like the best place to post this. If there is a more appropriate list, please let me know and/or forward. Thanks. Dave Helzer Portland, Oregon [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 From: "Garth Harwood" <gharwood AT hiddenvilla.org> Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:54:19 -0800 Hello Dave et al., This is extraordinary news. I cannot recall any recent records of Northern Goshawk in Santa Clara County (where Hidden Villa is located, so reports would ideally go to the south-bay-birds list...however it is close enough to the San Mateo County line that sightings here are often of interest on the pen-birds list as well. I have copied this to the SBB list for you, Dave.) Others may be able to add historical records of local sightings, but I'm sure all would agree that NOGO is always a bird worthy of special notice around here. As I work at Hidden Villa and try to keep my eyes on the sky whenever possible I'll keep a lookout for these birds. Our local Red-shouldered Hawk pair has been highly vocal lately as they gear up for breeding, and if NOGOs are hanging out around here they will surely take umbrage and let me know about it! Dave, because this observation is so unusual here it would be great if you were able to provide a few details of the observation including your experience level with this and similar species - not to cast doubt but to firm up a remarkable record for our county notebooks, which are kept by Bill Bousman (barlowi AT earthlink.net). Thanks! Garth Harwood, Director Hidden Villa Environmental Education Program gharwood AT hiddenvilla.org ----- Original Message ----- From: Dave Helzer To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 9:34 PM Subject: [pen-bird] two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 San Mateo County Birders: While visiting California last week, I had an observation worth sharing with this list. On Feb 18, 2010 there were two adult Northern Goshawks at Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains, west of Los Altos. Hidden Villa is a education center on Moody Rd, about 2-3 miles west of hwy 280. The first bird I saw was circling low over the small valley, gradually rising above the canopy and occasionally vocalizing a repeated a single note call. As it gained altitude I spotted the second bird, much higher up. The second bird was performing a *slow-flapping* courtship flight, a behavior I have seen a few times in the Oregon Cascades. Its a very slow fight with exaggerated wing strokes very high above and low below the body. Coopers also perform a similar display. The lower bird was an adult and I am pretty sure the higher bird was too. The Santa Clara Co, Santa Cruz Co, and San Mateo Co checklist all list Goshawk as accidental and the field guides I have show this part of California is out of range. I am curious about other records for this area. Based on the presence of a pair and the courtship flight, its possible these birds may be breeding (or thinking about it). They may also be migrants. This Peninsula Birding List seems like the best place to post this. If there is a more appropriate list, please let me know and/or forward. Thanks. Dave Helzer Portland, Oregon [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: two Northern Goshawks in foothills west of Los Altos - Feb 18 From: Dave Helzer <davehelzerian AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:34:48 -0800 San Mateo County Birders: While visiting California last week, I had an observation worth sharing with this list.  On Feb 18, 2010 there were two adult Northern Goshawks at Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains, west of Los Altos.  Hidden Villa is a education center on Moody Rd, about 2-3 miles west of hwy 280.  The first bird I saw was circling low over the small valley, gradually rising above the canopy and occasionally vocalizing a repeated a single note call.  As it gained altitude I spotted the second bird, much higher up.  The second bird was performing a *slow-flapping* courtship flight, a behavior I have seen a few times in the Oregon Cascades. Its a very slow fight with exaggerated wing strokes very high above and low below the body. Coopers also perform a similar display. The lower bird was an adult and I am pretty sure the higher bird was too. The Santa Clara Co, Santa Cruz Co, and San Mateo Co checklist all list Goshawk as accidental and the field guides I have show this part of California is out of range. I am curious about other records for this area. Based on the presence of a pair and the courtship flight, its possible these birds may be breeding (or thinking about it). They may also be migrants. This Peninsula Birding List seems like the best place to post this. If there is a more appropriate list, please let me know and/or forward. Thanks. Dave Helzer Portland, Oregon Subject: Ano Nuevo State Reserve, Feb.21 From: "Peter Metropulos" <pjmetrop AT pacbell.net> Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:25:50 -0800 Howdy all ! Yesterday, February 21, I was "on duty" as Docent Naturalist at Ano Nuevo State Reserve. At about 8 AM I stopped at Gazos Creek Coastal Access to look through the several hundred gulls present bathing, drinking, and roosting, at the creek mouth. Among them were one or two "Nelson's Gulls" ( Herring X Glaucous hybrids), first-cycle birds. Ano Nuevo State Reserve was alive with wildlife activity ! While conducting Elephant Seal tours I noticed a huge GULL ROOST at South Point which must have numbered between 5,000- 10,000 birds. Unfortunately access at this location is highly restricted during the seal breeding season (through March) so all I could do was look at them from afar and imagine the possibilities. Also here were at least 200 Brown Pelicans, 70 northbound Brant, an Osprey, a singing Eurasian Collared-Dove(first I've ever seen here), and my first singing Savannah Sparrows and Common Yellowthroats of the year. Peter J. Metropulos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: sightings From: Tronthorn AT aol.com Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:21:23 EST Today, I made a stop at the Skylawn Memorial Park Cemetery to look for raptors. An adult GOLDEN EAGLE was seen flying over the wooded peak and landed in a Douglas Fir observed north of the cemetery. I have not had the time to comment on the Eurasian Teal photographed and posted on penbirds February 8. The teal in the photograph is the male intergrade/hybrid Eurasian Teal x Green-winged Teal that is spending its fourth winter on the pond behind the Nob Hill Market in Redwood Shores. I stopped at the pond today and it was present and has been paired with a female, where the two were first observed on December 5 of last year. On February 15 another intergrade/hybrid male was present, but was quite nervous with its surroundings and departed. There has been a first cycle year male EURASIAN TEAL, where at this time it's plumage is similar to an adult except for the tertials are not full grown. Also present on the pond today was an adult male Eurasian Wigeon and an adult male hybrid Eurasian Wigeon x American Wigeon. On February 20, Leonie Batkin and I birded along the coast. There was just a trickle of gulls north mostly made up of California Gulls. We did find large numbers of gulls at the creek mouths. The lagoon that was at San Gregorio State Beach is no longer as the creek broke through to the sea. Gulls were concentrated along the beach on the south side of the creek, where most people could not cross the creek leaving the gulls to rest. There were ( 1,200 ) gulls mostly made up of California Gulls. There were ( 60 ) Herring Gulls and ( 5 ) Thayer's Gulls. Late was an alternate plumaged Heerman's Gull. ( 2 ) first cycle hybrid NELSON'S GULLS ( Glaucous x Herring Gull ) were among the group. Pomponio State Beach had ( 800 ) gulls mostly made up of California Gulls. A group of ( 20 ) Brant flew by headed north. ( 2 ) adult males and ( 3 ) female Black Scoters were still present. The mouth of Gazos Creek had ( 2,000 ) gulls mostly made up of California Gulls. There were ( 65 ) Herring Gulls and ( 6 ) Thayer's Gulls. There were also ( 2 ) first cycle Heerman's Gulls. Rare on the coast was a second cycle Ring-billed Gull. The number of California Gulls are more than what I would have at this time of the year. There were also many first cycle California Gulls of that age group that I would have not expected until May. The number of Glaucous-winged Gulls are at low with few first cycles around. A first that I have ever observed at Pescadero Marsh was a Pacific Loon foraging in the lagoon east of the Highway 1 bridge. Pigeon Point had ( 44 ) Brant flying north. ( 13 ) Surf Scoters flying north are the first migrants we have observed. A young male Black Scoter was flying north. Migrant Mew Gulls were a tight group of ( 12 ) flying by. ( 2 ) Rhinoceros Auklets were south bound. February 19 at Coyote Point there were ( 3 ) species of cormorants Double-crested, Pelagic and a unexpected first-cycle Brandt's Cormorant. The Brandt's Cormorant eventually flew north away from Coyote Point. ( 6 ) Greater White-fronted Geese on the lawn with Canada Geese were most likely the ones seen at the Belmont Sports Complex Center during the month, but have not been seen recently. A Merlin passed through. ( 30 ) Band-tailed Pigeons are the first I have seen to return to Coyote Point this season. Cedar Waxwings are passing through early at Coyote Point with ( 180 ). On February 8, while counting a push of north bound gulls, I noticed a group of ( 12 ) Aleutian Cackling Geese flying north just below the bluff at the end of Redondo Beach Road in Half Moon Bay. ( 100 ) Brant passed by in the ( 90 ) minute period. Ron Thorn Leonie Batkin Subject: Half Moon Bay birds From: "Gary Deghi" <gdeghi AT h-bgroup.com> Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:56:15 -0800 I noticed over the weekend that the 14 Greater White-fronted Geese and 3 Cackling Geese were still present at the pond that is between the 11th and 15th fairways at the Half Moon Bay golf course (and that is visible from the end of Bay Hill Road). Sometimes these birds move to the pond that is just inside the front gate to the Ocean Colony community, and on occasion I have seen the Cackling Geese in the farm field east of Highway 1 north of Redondo Beach Road. For the last several weeks there have also been 3 Hooded Mergansers (a male and two females) in the sedimentation pond on the east side of Highway 1 at the Soil Farm (just south of the Redondo Beach Road intersection). I also noticed that the Common Moorhen was still around at the pond across from the clubhouse for the golf course (this area is accessible from the end of Miramontes Point Road off of Highway 1). Gary Deghi [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Ferruginous Hawk and other Coastal Birds 2/21/10 From: "George Chrisman" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:42:27 -0000 Today I spent the day on the coast birding in moderate rain from Half Moon Bay to Gazos Creek Road and back along Cloverdale Road. Best sighting was a FERRUGINOUS HAWK at the north end of Pigeon Point Road at the intersection of Highway 1. The immature FEHA was soaking wet and perched on top of a telephone pole with its wings spread trying to dry out. When I pulled up next to the bird along the highway, it flew east to the fields above Highway 1. I hiked up the hill and found it perched on a coyote brush. After a few minutes, it flew back across the highway to the first Monterey Pine north of Pigeon Point Road. It again held its wings open to dry out, and was there when I left at noon time. There was also a NORTHERN HARRIER, 2 AMERICAN KESTRELS, & a REDTAIL HAWK in this area. The COMMON MOORHEN continues at Half Moon Bay Golf Links. There was a MERLIN on Cloverdale Road perched in the riparian area close to Pescadero Creek Road. I also found a nice flock of PINE SISKINS along Gazos Creek Road, but it was relatively quiet there. At Pescadero Marsh, the north pond was full of teal including 60-70 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 20+ CINNAMON TEAL, and at least 3 BLUE-WINGED TEAL all in one flock. I stopped along Highway 1 to take a quick picture (not a good idea), and by the time I turned around to park and get out, almost the entire flock took off towards the south. Good Birding, George Chrisman Burlingame, CA Subject: mystery bird From: Pixie couch <pixiec AT mindspring.com> Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:55:15 -0800 A friend saw birds we are hoping someone in the group can identify with this description: Thanks for any leads, Pixie Couch > >> the bird I'd like to identify: on the shore in Santa Barbara, >> small flock of them along with the gulls. White bird with black on >> head and wings, less stocky than the gulls, with a inch wide red >> diagonal strip on the cheeks. Flew individually, not in a flock, >> but returned to the flock on shore. did not see it in the water. >> >> >> --- [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Glaucous Gull - coastside From: "Dan Singer" <dsg2 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:15:44 -0800 Hi all, A first cycle Glaucous Gull was in the gull flock at the mouth of Denniston Creek in Pillar Point Harbor this morning around 10am. Unfortunately, it didn't stick around long. Gull numbers were pretty good, but fluctuated as birds came and went. At times there were at least 500-600 birds present, and other times only a few dozen. Variety was nice with eight species, including the Glaucous, and two different hybrid combos (WEGUxGWGU and two apparent HERGxGWGU). In addition to numerous Western, California, and Glaucous-winged gulls, there were at least 13 Herrings, seven Thayer's including 3 juvs, 2 second cycles, and an adult, and one second cycle Heermann's Gull. Dan Singer Pacifica [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Pillar Pt. Harbor From: Barbara Kossy <bkossy AT coastside.net> Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:48:54 -0800 I kayaked around the harbor this AM. Highlights included: One Heerman's Gull -Central inner breakwater 6 Brant Geese on water at south side of harbor 2 Canada Geese -Central inner breakwater Lots of all three species of loons about 50 Western type grebes sleeping on the water near the s. small boat ramp. Barbara Moss Beach Subject: Re: Violet-green Swallows @ Upper Crystal Springs From: "Garth Harwood" <gharwood AT hiddenvilla.org> Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:36:32 -0800 Hi George et al., I was there on Tuesday 2/16 and also dipped on the eagles, but admired an Osprey. At noon, there was an immature 'tundrius' Peregrine Falcon on the evergreen closest to the blue house with its back to me (but looking over its shoulder at me frequently) - the facial markings and general coloration were highly reminiscent of Prairie Falcon so it gave me an ID workout before I settled (confidently, alas) on PEFA. Its legs and feet were bright yellow (adult colors) while its beak and general plumage retained juvenile characteristics, so I guess it is transitional. No swallows though. --Garth Harwood ----- Original Message ----- From: George Chrisman To: peninsula-birding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 11:40 AM Subject: [pen-bird] Violet-green Swallows AT Upper Crystal Springs This morning at Upper Crystal Springs Reservoir (2/19/10), I saw two VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS flying north along the lake shore from the driveway at the blue Ranger's House. I have not seen the eagles here lately, but there was an OSPREY perched on a snag across the lake. Good Birding, George Chrisman Burlingame, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Hutton's Vireo singing/courting From: Janet L Leonard <leonard.janetl AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:59:57 -0800 Today at Corral de la Tierra just north of Farallon View school in Montara I heard a singing male Hutton's Vireo, saw a female working her way up a bush, and eventually saw the male join her. Looks romantic. -- Janet L. Leonard [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Violet-green Swallows @ Upper Crystal Springs From: "George Chrisman" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:40:00 -0000 This morning at Upper Crystal Springs Reservoir (2/19/10), I saw two VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS flying north along the lake shore from the driveway at the blue Ranger's House. I have not seen the eagles here lately, but there was an OSPREY perched on a snag across the lake. Good Birding, George Chrisman Burlingame, CA Subject: I retract the Short-eared Owl From: "IIWI1" <tgoodier AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 01:31:49 -0000 On Saturday I reported seeing a Short-eared Owl in Redwood Shores. I would like to retract that sighting. I saw the bird again today, closer up and in excellent lighting. It was a Northern Harrier. I'm sorry if I got somebody's hopes up. Tom Goodier Subject: Indigo Bunting in San Bruno Feb 13 From: "Eddie Bartley" <eddie AT naturetrip.com> Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:17:36 -0800 February 13, 2010: Been out of the area a bunch recently so not sure if this bird has been reported. A male (probably 1st Winter) Indigo Bunting came to our friend Ann Parker's feeder in San Bruno. Posted a couple of Ann's photographs and a bit more info at http://www.naturetrip.com/INBUm1wSanBruno21310.html Cheers! Eddie Bartley [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: great backyard bird count 2/13 From: sonny mencher <soccerquiz AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:51:12 -0800 (PST) Once again this year Sequoia Audubon Society helped the students at Nueva School in Burlingame with the GBBC. Great seeing the enthausiasm from 3rd, 4th and 5th graders as well as parents and Nueva staff. This year report to GBBC Habitat(s):         deciduous woods         coniferous woods         scrub         grassland         suburban Number of Species: 31 Checklist:         Turkey Vulture - 1         Osprey - 1         White-tailed Kite - 1         Red-shouldered Hawk - 1         Red-tailed Hawk - 2         Band-tailed Pigeon - 67         Mourning Dove - 1         Anna's Hummingbird - 9         Acorn Woodpecker - 4         Nuttall's Woodpecker - 2         Northern Flicker - 1         Black Phoebe - 2         Steller's Jay - 5         Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) - 3         American Crow - 21         Common Raven - 3         Chestnut-backed Chickadee - 6         Oak Titmouse - 1         Bushtit - 13         Pygmy Nuthatch - 1         Bewick's Wren - 6         American Robin - 104         Varied Thrush - 1         European Starling - 1         Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2         Golden-crowned Sparrow - 1         Dark-eyed Junco - 12         Purple Finch - 1         House Finch - 1         Lesser Goldfinch - 1         House Sparrow - 1 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Burlingame Shorebird Sanctuary, Valentine's Day From: "Laurie" <fair80 AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:09:21 -0000 After our walk at Mori Point, we hopped over to the Burlingame Shorebird Sanctuary. The weather was strange – the fog was down on the bay, with blue sky overhead, and visibility was about 40 feet. It was warm. We walked south and then north along the Bay Trail. Eerie and pretty. High tide was 12:04 pm at 7.1', low tide 18:45 at 0.2'. Laurie Graham & Jeff Fairclough SSF Species 24 Mallard 2 Canvasback 42 Greater Scaup 39 Lesser Scaup 2 Bufflehead 2 Common Goldeneye 3 Horned Grebe 1 Brown Pelican 1 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Snowy Egret 1 Black-bellied Plover 3 Willet 90 Whimbrel (American) 1 Ring-billed Gull 12 Western Gull 5 Glaucous-winged Gull 1 Rock Pigeon 4 Anna's Hummingbird 2 Bushtit 2 European Starling 4 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 White-crowned Sparrow 1 Brewer's Blackbird 13 House Sparrow 2 Subject: Mori Point/Sharp Park, Valentine's Day From: "Laurie" <fair80 AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:06:55 -0000 We led a Sequoia Audubon Walk, from 8 am to 12:30 pm, with 8 participants. The weather was warm and sunny, with NO wind. The waves were huge and exciting, leftover from Mavericks. There was a lot of moisture in the air; we could hardly see the Pacifica Pier from Horse Stable Pond. From up on the point, everything was clear and we could look down into the wave troughs instead of trying to watch the birds go up and down and up and down. Pumping of the golf course has been halted. Annoying mammal: well-fed house cat with Brush Rabbit. Laurie Graham & Jeff Fairclough SSF Number of species: 46 Mallard 4 Surf Scoter 15 Black Scoter (American) 2 Common Goldeneye 1 Ruddy Duck 1 Red-throated Loon 21 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Western Grebe 5 Clark's Grebe 2 Brown Pelican 1 Pelagic Cormorant 6 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 1 American Coot 8 Black Oystercatcher 4 Western Gull 4 California Gull 16 Glaucous-winged Gull 1 Rock Pigeon 15 Mourning Dove 11 Anna's Hummingbird 2 Northern Flicker 1 Black Phoebe 5 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) 4 Common Raven 45 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 4 Bushtit 1 Pygmy Nuthatch 8 Brown Creeper 1 Bewick's Wren 3 Marsh Wren 4 American Robin 52 Wrentit 2 European Starling 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler 4 Townsend's Warbler 1 Spotted Towhee 3 California Towhee 14 Fox Sparrow 1 Song Sparrow 8 White-crowned Sparrow 40 Golden-crowned Sparrow 13 Red-winged Blackbird 1 House Finch 6 Lesser Goldfinch 1 American Goldfinch 2 Subject: Weekend birds in Pescadero 2/13-14, 2010 From: flycatcher AT southcoast.net Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:30:58 -0800 (PST) Hello All, First full weekend at home in a while so I've kept my eyes and ears busy...On Saturday 2/13 highlights of a short loop around our orchard were a noisy pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, a tan-striped White-throated Sparrow, and a very bright Red-breasted Sapsucker. Also an amazing set of fresh Mtn. Lion tracks along the creek here, from which I took some plaster casts. Seems it was just passing through. Today 2/14 after a Duarte's breakfast in Pescadero my wife and I checked the coast out for an hour or so. Waves were awe-inspiring and they were generating a lot of mist too so viewing was just fair. However the big scoter flock is still present below the bluffs just north of Pescadero Beach with 115 White-winged, 8 Black, and 80 or so Surf Scoters present in churning surf. Also a half dozen Northern Pintails out past the break, oddly enough. At the southernmost parking lot among other birds taking refuge from the high tide and wild water were 2 Surfbirds and 9 Black Oystercatchers, one of the latter was color-banded on the right leg (red over yellow). Back home late in the AM the local Golden Eagle pair circled for a few minutes over our place. --Garth Harwood