Birdingonthe.NetRecent Postings from
> Home > Mail |
Bald Eagle,©Barry Kent Mackay |
|
20 Nov Sparrows last week ["cheryl lish" ] 20 Nov Eurasian Wigeons/Red-necked Grebe [Maggie Smith ] 20 Nov New Yard Bird ["sara.bilsten" ] 20 Nov Estero Bluffs 11/20 [Maggie Smith ] 20 Nov large flocks of Band-Tails [Calvin French ] 20 Nov Golden Eagle and Sharp-shinned Hawk ["GardenGuru" ] 19 Nov Lapland Longspur at Estero Bluffs [] 19 Nov Carrizo Plain [Roger Zachary ] 19 Nov Cal Poly 19 November ["Mike Stiles" ] 18 Nov Re: Bob Jones Bridge 11/18 ["Brad Schram" ] 18 Nov Miecellaneous potential Morro Bay Xmas Count Circle Birds [Jim Royer ] 18 Nov RE: Bob Jones Bridge 11/18 ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 18 Nov Bob Jones Bridge 11/18 [Maggie Smith ] 17 Nov PALM WARBLER [Alan Schmierer ] 16 Nov GOLDEN EAGLES and FERRUGINOUS HAWK on the Carrizo Plain, Monday, Nov. 16 ["Dennis McDonnell" ] 16 Nov Rose-breasted grosbeak ["steve schubert" ] 16 Nov Coastal Mountain Bluebird ["Brad Schram" ] 16 Nov re Oceano, Hermit Thrush ["markbrown1848" ] 16 Nov Re: Empidonax sp. & Catharus sp. Oceano Nov. 14, 2009 ["jcdendroica" ] 16 Nov RE: Empidonax sp. & Catharus sp. Oceano Nov. 14, 2009 ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 16 Nov Empidonax sp. & Catharus sp. Oceano Nov. 14, 2009 ["markbrown1848" ] 16 Nov Swainson's Hawk in California Valley 15 Nov 09 ["wurstertom" ] 14 Nov Fw: [sbcobirding] Pelagic trip on the Condor Express ["Wes Fritz" ] 14 Nov Tundra Swan & Red-naped Sapsucker [Maggie Smith ] 14 Nov Negative Empid Data--Oceano ["Brad Schram" ] 14 Nov Nelson's and Large-Billed Savannah Sparrows [] 13 Nov Great-tailed Grackle ["Karen Clarke" ] 13 Nov Lesser Yellowlegs [Maggie Smith ] 13 Nov Oceano Empid [Jamie Chavez ] 13 Nov Harlequin Duck, Red-necked Grebe [] 13 Nov brant [RoserComeau ] 13 Nov MU Ranch birds on the Carrizo ["sharumkathy" ] 12 Nov PIGEON GUILLIMOT, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS [Alan Schmierer ] 12 Nov Common Goldeneye/ [Maggie Smith ] 11 Nov White-faced Ibis ["goingslo" ] 10 Nov Link to Cackling goose pics [Maggie Smith ] 10 Nov Red-necked Grebe/Morro Bay Harbor [Maggie Smith ] 9 Nov White-throated sparrow ["steve schubert" ] 9 Nov Monday birds 11-9 [Maggie Smith ] 08 Nov Hello moderator - please read ["nqr_gal" ] 8 Nov ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, etc [Alan Schmierer ] 8 Nov Recent birds [Maggie Smith ] 7 Nov MDO seabirds, etc. - 11/7 [Jim Royer ] 7 Nov Oceano ["Tom Ogren" ] 6 Nov Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Morro Bay ["Brad Schram" ] 6 Nov scarlet tanager (Late photo from Nov. 4) [] 5 Nov Ferruginous hawk in M.D.O. State Park ["steve schubert" ] 5 Nov NORTHPOINT and ESTERO BLUFFS [Alan Schmierer ] 5 Nov Scarlet Tanager [Roger Zachary ] 5 Nov Scarlet Tanager at Oceano Campground [] 05 Nov Morro Bay Winter Birds ["anniegmbnep" ] 4 Nov COON CREEK TRAIL [Alan Schmierer ] 3 Nov leucistic BLACK-VENTED SHERWATER, MARBLED MURRELETS, Etc [Alan Schmierer ] 3 Nov Cassin's Kingbirds - 11/3 [Jim Royer ] 02 Nov Carrizo ["maryann_ambrose" ] 1 Nov Phainopepla in Grover Beach [] 1 Nov Rough-legged Hawk [Maggie Smith ] 01 Nov Golden-crowned Kinglet ["docentjoyce" ] 31 Oct Oceano 31 October ["Michael D. Stiles" ] 31 Oct Cayucos Birds [] 31 Oct Estero Bluffs State Park [] 30 Oct OAK Titmouse [Alan Schmierer ] 30 Oct Birding at Carrizo this week [Alan Schmierer ] 30 Oct FW: Need Bird Guide ["Rosalie Valvo" ] 30 Oct Oceano [] 29 Oct Oceano/Pismo ["Tom Ogren" ] 29 Oct Baltimore Oriole at Oceano Campground [Maggie Smith ] 29 Oct Morro Bay Shorebird Survey - volunteers needed! [Andrea Jones ] 28 Oct Really good birds at Oceano this morning October 28, 2009 ["markbrown1848" ] 28 Oct Return of the Brant [Maggie Smith ] 26 Oct Morro Bay and environs ["dickcannings2" ] 25 Oct Mountain Bluebirds [Maggie Smith ] 25 Oct American redstart at Oso Flaco ["birderjaime" ] 24 Oct Sea Pines Geese [] 23 Oct Blackpoll at Oceano and shearwaters off Shell Beach ["dickcannings2" ] 22 Oct Non Anna's Hummer 10 19 09 ["cheryl lish" ] Subject: Sparrows last week From: "cheryl lish" <cheryl-lish AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:17:57 -0800 Late posting, only adding to the list. Had a "first fall" White-throated Sparrow on 11/11, that was the only day I saw it. It was feeding at the end of the driveway with the flock of White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows. Also had a Chipping Sparrow in the same area on Nov 7th. I often wonder "who" comes through my yard when I'm not here or not watching. On several occasions I've had birds past through, that had I not been in the yard at that moment I would never have seen them...and have never seen that species again. Lewis' Woodpecker, Lazuli Bunting, Phainopepla, Steller's Jay, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Western Tanager are some I can think of. Cheryl Lish Arroyo Grande cheryl lish cheryl-lish AT earthlink.net EarthLink Revolves Around You. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Eurasian Wigeons/Red-necked Grebe From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:56:24 -0800 (PST) Wes Fritz called to tell me he was birding in Morro Bay today. Notable birds were: Four male EURASIAN WIGEONS seen off South Bay Blvd. across from Turri Rd. and a RED-NECKED GREBE seen from the Coast Guard T pier. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: New Yard Bird From: "sara.bilsten" <sara AT bilsten.net> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:22:15 -0000 I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but after over a decade of birding our See Canyon property, I saw our first American Goldfinch; female. We've had two Lawrences, gobs of Lessers,and Pine Siskins. This is the first American Goldfinch, I've seen, to grace our yard. I put the Nyger feeder up yesterday for the first time all year (haven't been buying the expensive stuff...), in case I could draw in Pine Siskin for the CBC. And, lo and behold, a new Yard Bird! Still waiting on the Siskins, tho Sara Bilsten See Canyon, SLOSubject: Estero Bluffs 11/20 From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:32:48 -0800 (PST) Alan Schmierer and I looked for the Lapland Longspur this morning. We walked down from the Fig Tree parking and went south of the Lone Cypress Stump and worked our way back up the coast for about a mile. We went down on the beach part of the time. Alas, we didn't find the longspur. We also didn't see the Palm Warbler found on Tuesday. We did see 2 SURFIRDS , 5 RUDDY TURNSTONES and a male MERLIN hunting in the fields. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: large flocks of Band-Tails From: Calvin French <cal.french AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:09:39 -0800 Yesterday and today I have seen large flocks of BAND-TAILED PIGEONS here, well over 200 birds. Several years ago trichomoniasis hit them hard, and I saw no pigeons last year. This year's acorn crop is fairly good, with most of Acorn Woodpecker granaries filling up. Cal French Adelaida 35.68 N -120.95 W (35.41'09" N -120.56'83" W) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Golden Eagle and Sharp-shinned Hawk From: "GardenGuru" <thegardenguru AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:39:50 -0000 Yesterday, a juvenile GOLDEN EAGLE wandered into the territory of a Red-tailed Hawk. The Hawk screamed off and on for quite some time at the eagle, never dive-bombing or otherwise making physical overtures. I don't know how long this went on; I got bored after quite some time and left. This all happened just about straight over my house (many meters up). May I count this as a "yard bird"? Today, the (juvenile?) SHARP-SHINNED HAWK paid a visit to my yard again. It's an almost daily routine for this bird. I think it so much wants to keep company with the other, smaller birds I attract. Joe Seals, in Pismo Beach, up at the top of the hill from James Way and 4th; the Ag Preserve comes up to the houses across the street.Subject: Lapland Longspur at Estero Bluffs From: TEdell AT aol.com Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:55:16 -0500 I received word of today that a Lapland Longspur was seen along the shoreline at Estero Bluffs State Park. I am trying to get more information on the bird, but thought I post the report for those that want to look for the bird. Please update the list with both positive and negative reports. Tom Edell Cayucos, CA -----Original Message----- From: Mark StacySubject: Carrizo Plain From: Roger Zachary <rzachary AT charter.net> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:14:51 -0800 Hello, Ruth and I had a nice day of birding out on the Carrizo Plain. Temperatures reached up to 72 degrees- "T-shirt weather". As we passed the small private pond along Highway 58 and Tule Elk Lane we saw one white dingy juvenile SNOW GOOSE. Also in the morning near Branch Mountain Road and Belmont we observed 6 juvenile GOLDEN EAGLES while scoping from one stationary position and later in the day we saw an adult along Highway 58 while we were driving out of the valley. We saw 2 PRAIRIE FALCONS and 2 FERRUGINOUS HAWKS as well as many MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS and SAGE SPARROWS. We drove down Panorama Road and on the east side near the RC buildings and the grain tanks we observed 12 MOUNTAIN PLOVERS. A few photos posted on my flickr site. Roger Zachary Atascadero www.flickr.com/photos/sloroger [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Cal Poly 19 November From: "Mike Stiles" <mstiles AT calpoly.edu> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:23:09 -0800 Today near the mouth of Poly Canyon, in a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos, I found the SLATE-COLORED form among them. There was no discernible capped appearance. The entire back, head and chest was a uniform dark gray. I don't recall seeing one before in this county. Further up the canyon I found a CANYON WREN. I haven't seen them there for a few years, and I heard a WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, only the second one I've had on campus. A WESTERN TANAGER was vocalizing in the eucs near the parking lot at the entrance to the canyon. I searched every known (at least to me) sapsucker pepper tree on campus but did not see any. I heard woodpecker drumming at the football stadium and saw a group of Acorn Woodpeckers using the trim of the plastered sides of the new stadium complex. The trim looks plastered also, but I heard it was a foam material. It was very funny to see the trim completely covered in granary holes and nest holes. I was told the facilities department is not that happy about it. Mike Stiles Los Osos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Re: Bob Jones Bridge 11/18 From: "Brad Schram" <gonebrdn AT lightspeed.net> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:58:13 -0800 I've wondered about the answer to this as well. I suspect that it has to do with sustained depth, large area to range in, and water clarity--and limited access for disturbance--as well as prey base. But can't speak with assurance on the subject. Brad Schram Arroyo Grande ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lethaby, Nick"Subject: Miecellaneous potential Morro Bay Xmas Count Circle Birds From: Jim Royer <jrmotmot AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:32:33 -0800 The last 2 mornings, an Osprey has been perched on a pole in the back bay - easily visible from the edge of the bay near the end of Pecho Road in Los Osos. 2 Cassin's Kingbirds are being seen, and more often heard, on the Monterey Street side of the County Government Center in downtown SLO. I last had them yesterday afternoon. They have been around for several weeks and are usually more findable on sunny days. I road my bike from the front of Laguna Lake today (11/18) to the the back of the lake and up the path on San Luis Mountain. At the back of the lake were about 60 Canada Geese and one white goose (not sure if Snow or Ross') which flew off before I got close enough to ID the white one. They landed in a part of the lake that was not accessible to me. Also in the back were an adult Golden Eagle, a snipe which I flushed as I rode along the edge of the lake, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a White-tailed Kite and a Peregrine. On the path which goes up San Luis Mountain from the back of Laguna, there is a stand of Prickly Pear Cactus before you get to the main path (road) which winds up the mountain; a roadrunner ran across the path here as I descended. I did not see any Cackling Geese in the wild flock or amongst the tame Canadas at the front of the lake. A couple of Red-tails and a Cooper's Hawk were at the front of the lake and, given all of the raptors, the gulls were fewer and quite nervous. Jim Royer Los Osos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: RE: Bob Jones Bridge 11/18 From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:36:33 -0600 All: I am curious about why Bob Jones Bridge is so good for goldeneyes. Has it always been like this? This species seems pretty irregular elsewhere in SLO and SBA counties. It may not even be annual in SBA anymore, although I think it still is just about. Nick ________________________________ From: slocobirding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:slocobirding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Maggie Smith Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 2:25 PM To: slocobirding Subject: [slocobirding] Bob Jones Bridge 11/18 The COMMON GOLDENEYE contingent is increasing in numbers. This morning I saw 3 adult males, 3 first winter males and 10 female plumaged birds. Four female plumaged HOODED MERGANSERS were upstream of the bridge and in very poor light. A CACKLING GOOSE with a white necklace was on the golf course with 41 Canada Geese. There was a huge flock of blackbirds just north of Cuesta College on the left side of the road going north. The field had cattle and hay was put out as feed. I estimated 200 TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS, 350 Red-winged Blackbirds and 100 Brewer's Blackbirds. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Bob Jones Bridge 11/18 From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:24:44 -0800 (PST) The COMMON GOLDENEYE contingent is increasing in numbers. This morning I saw 3 adult males, 3 first winter males and 10 female plumaged birds. Four female plumaged HOODED MERGANSERS were upstream of the bridge and in very poor light. A CACKLING GOOSE with a white necklace was on the golf course with 41 Canada Geese. There was a huge flock of blackbirds just north of Cuesta College on the left side of the road going north. The field had cattle and hay was put out as feed. I estimated 200 TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS, 350 Red-winged Blackbirds and 100 Brewer's Blackbirds. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: PALM WARBLER From: Alan Schmierer <aaschmierer AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:08:13 -0800 (PST) On the MCAS field trip this morning we first stopped at Northpoint ( http://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/mbsloguide.htm#nonaar ). It was very quiet ... a few RED-THROATED LOONS close to shore. No Surfbirds, Ruddy Turnstones, White-winged Scoters or other specialties. At Estero Bluffs State Park ( http://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/ncguide.htm#esblst ) we parked at the "fig tree parking lot". On the beach below the "Cypress Tree" (now a cypress stump thanks to the park service) Lynne spotted an unusual warbler which by its bobbing was obviously a PALM WARBLER. ( Some distant and generally poor quality photos are in a set by that name at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets/. The bird posed on a log on a regular basis, poked around in the sand and kelp, and generall put on a good show. Otherwise at Estero Bluffs there were other expected species, but again no Surfbirds or Ruddy Turnstones. Thanks to a great group of birders this morning ... a fun day! Alan Schmierer Morro Bay, CA PHOTOS AT: www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: GOLDEN EAGLES and FERRUGINOUS HAWK on the Carrizo Plain, Monday, Nov. 16 From: "Dennis McDonnell" <dmcdonnell AT bak.rr.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:40:30 -0800 Kathy and I spent the day birding the Carrizo Plain. Sightings of interest were three GOLDEN EAGLES (one adult and two juveniles), a light adult FERRUGINOUS HAWK (near the intersection of Gale Road and Gaviota Trail), and a RED-TAILED HAWK, with a large snake in its talons, standing in a tree (right off Highway 58 near Branch Mountain Road). We've been birding the Carrizo for nearly 20 years and found today's weather to be the best of many, many trips to this remarkable plain. Dennis & Kathy McDonnell Bakersfield [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Rose-breasted grosbeak From: "steve schubert" <s_schub1 AT msn.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:41:12 -0800 Hello all, This afternoon an adult male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK frequently visited one of the bird feeders and small pond at Camp KEEP in Montana De Oro State Park. It was very tame and active, while staff and students observed nearby. The WHITE-THROATED SPARROW found here last week was only observed for that one day. Steve Schubert Los Osos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Coastal Mountain Bluebird From: "Brad Schram" <gonebrdn AT lightspeed.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:47:54 -0800 Late this morning I had a MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD on a utility wire on the north ridge of Deer Canyon, AG. The bird sat obligingly for about a minute while I took note of field marks through the spotting scope. This is a first for Deer Canyon, and a rare bird on the coastal side of the Santa Lucias. Dianne found an adult WHITE-THROATED SPARROW in the yard a couple days ago, rather intermediate between tan- and white-striped. Only the second for the yard in ten years at Deer Canyon. Brad Schram Arroyo Grande, CA http://flickr.com/photos/chaparralbrad/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: re Oceano, Hermit Thrush From: "markbrown1848" <lawoffmarkbrown AT verizon.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:09:43 -0000 All: Thank you Nick for responding publicly. When I saw and heard it, I thought Gray-cheeked but then noticed only 20+ state records with the latest on Halloween. (i.e. no November records) There is a November Veery record and the Rare birds of Cali says Gray-cheeked can be confused with dark Veery. But Doc Johnson wrote me, "Gray-cheeked is so unlikely there as to be nearly impossible - plus the breast spotting on G-c is more like Swainson's." SO that leaves me with a dark Hermit Thrush in dark cover near sundown. All the other Hermits were much lighter and redder and thinner billed or so I thought. Thanks Jamie and to all that emailed me. A bad picture of the Snow Geese after they flew into S.B. Co. http://www.flickr.com/photos/33835670 AT N00/4109513609 . Mark Brown Santa MariaSubject: Re: Empidonax sp. & Catharus sp. Oceano Nov. 14, 2009 From: "jcdendroica" <almiyi AT verizon.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:24:22 -0000 This call sounds to me like a cat-like mewing. Similar to a Spotted Towhee but not raspy, more musical. There is also a single whistle that really carries a great distance. Jamie Chavez Santa Maria, CA --- In slocobirding AT yahoogroups.com, "Lethaby, Nick"Subject: RE: Empidonax sp. & Catharus sp. Oceano Nov. 14, 2009 From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:55:39 -0600 Mark:
Veery wouldn't show such heavy breast spotting. Also hermit thrushes have at
least one other call note (I think it's like a vee-eer) besides the chuck.
Nick
________________________________
From: slocobirding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:slocobirding AT yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of markbrown1848
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 10:31 PM
To: slocobirding AT yahoogroups.com
Subject: [slocobirding] Empidonax sp. & Catharus sp. Oceano Nov. 14, 2009
All:
Saturday evening 11/14/09 at Oceano (PSBOC in local lingo) I saw Jamie Chavez's
Empidonax in a pine tree kind of near the Native Garden. It was round and
fluffy ('cause of the cold?) and very yellow with a complete white eye-ring. It
was silent. As for species, got me??
I took a picture of a thrush which was near the rangers offices. It was not a
Hermit Thrush, which I saw a few of that evening. It had a plain face with no
eye-ring and a heavily spotted breast. There was a yellow base to the bill, and
it gave a sharp two syllable call, not the chuck of Hermit. The bird was very
dark. I guess it could be a "dark' Veery?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33835670 AT N00/4104391165 .
There were two Snow Geese on the SLO side of the SMRE.
Mark Brown
Santa Maria
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: Empidonax sp. & Catharus sp. Oceano Nov. 14, 2009From: "markbrown1848" <lawoffmarkbrown AT verizon.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:30:49 -0000 All:
Saturday evening 11/14/09 at Oceano (PSBOC in local lingo) I saw Jamie Chavez's
Empidonax in a pine tree kind of near the Native Garden. It was round and
fluffy ('cause of the cold?) and very yellow with a complete white eye-ring. It
was silent. As for species, got me??
I took a picture of a thrush which was near the rangers offices. It was not a
Hermit Thrush, which I saw a few of that evening. It had a plain face with no
eye-ring and a heavily spotted breast. There was a yellow base to the bill, and
it gave a sharp two syllable call, not the chuck of Hermit. The bird was very
dark. I guess it could be a "dark' Veery?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33835670 AT N00/4104391165 .
There were two Snow Geese on the SLO side of the SMRE.
Mark Brown
Santa Maria
Subject: Swainson's Hawk in California Valley 15 Nov 09From: "wurstertom" <wurster AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:15:01 -0000 Today, 15 November 2009, Liga Auzins and I did a raptor survey across the California Valley east to west via Hwy 58, then south through the Carrizo Nat.Monument. Our best bird was an immature dark phase Swainson's Hawk along Hwy 58, in the the field immediately north of the junction with Branch Mtn Rd - a very late fall migrant and a county bird for both of us! It was a good day for raptors in the California Valley. We started at Hwy 58 and 7-mile Rd at 8AM, and worked our way west along Hwy 58 to Bitterwater Rd, then north on Bitterwater Rd only 2-3 miles before we turned back south to Hwy 58. We backtracked a bit on Hwy 58 to Branch Mtn Road where we turned south, eventually reaching Soda Lake Rd via Gaviota and Crandel Rds. We turned south on Soda Lake Rd and entered the Carrizo Monument at abut noon. Enroute we observed 1 Swainson's Hawk, 12-15 Red-tails - including a gorgeous dark adult; 7 Ferruginous Hawks, 6 Golden Eagles (3ad/3imm), innumerable Am Kestrels, 1 Prairie Falcon, and 1 very distant but probable Merlin. Other birds of interest included a single late Turkey Vulture, 2 sapsuckers - a hybrid Red-napedXRed-breasted and a hatch yr male Red-naped Sapsucker - squabbling on a telephone pole at the "school corner" on Hy 58, at least 10 Loggerhead Shrikes, and many Mt Bluebirds. Activity dropped off abruptly as we headed south through the Monument in the early PM. Raptor activity was near zero, so we switched tactics and surveyed for Mtn Plover. We eventually found 2 groups totalling about 35 birds. Twenty five were widely scattered across the "barrens" along Panorama Rd. north of the metal barn and round metal grain storage structures, with ten more a mile or two further north. Raptors in the Monument were limited to a scattering of Kestrels, a few Red-tailed Hawks, and 1 Prairie Falcon that rocketed across the barrens just above ground level, kicking up a spray of terrified horned larks in its wake. By 4:30 the evening shadows of the Caliente Range put an end to our survey as they crept quickly across the plain. Tom Wurster and Liga Auzins Monrovia, CASubject: Fw: [sbcobirding] Pelagic trip on the Condor Express From: "Wes Fritz" <wes-fritz AT verizon.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:40:29 -0800 ----- Original Message ----- From: Wes Fritz To: sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 5:22 PM Subject: [sbcobirding] Pelagic trip on the Condor Express Sea Birders, The Condor Express still has some openings for tomorrows trip. The trip leaves at 7:00 and returns at 8:00ish.They have a full service galley, this means for the last minute riders, breakfast, lunch and dinner are avalable. The price of the trip is $195. We will cover over 200 miles of water tomorrow. This is a great opportunity to photograph sea birds up close. If you are interested please e-mail me tonight, so I can put you on the manifest. Good birding and I'll see you at sea. Wes Fritz Solvang, Ca. (805) 895-0685 wes-fritz AT verizon.net [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Tundra Swan & Red-naped Sapsucker From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:59:22 -0800 (PST) Doug Stinson led a Wild Birds Unlimited field trip to Santa Margarita Lake this morning. We had pretty close views of an immature TUNDRA SWAN flying along behind an American White Pelican. The swan had a dusky head and neck and a pink bill. We also saw a male RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER at the White Oak picnic area. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Negative Empid Data--Oceano From: "Brad Schram" <gonebrdn AT lightspeed.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:15:55 -0800 I spent an hour and a half at Oceano this morning, searching for the empid Jamie Chavez reported yesterday, without success. Anyone acquainted with Oceano knows that a bird can lose itself in willows away from the trail and be missed, then reappear within minutes as an obvious flock member--so I don't take my miss as evidence the bird is gone. But I thought a negative report in order. Interestingly, this was a pish-observant morning for the birds. Unlike some mornings, a little pishing produced kinglets and warblers almost within touching distance and four or five modest flocks were encountered along the willow trails at pond-edge. Brad Schram Arroyo Grande, CA http://flickr.com/photos/chaparralbrad/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Nelson's and Large-Billed Savannah Sparrows From: TEdell AT aol.com Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:06:27 EST This morning Dave Keeling, Roger Zachary, Kaaren Perry and I observed two NELSON'S SPARROWS and at least one LARGE-BILLED SAVANNAH SPARROW along the spit between the Morro Bay State Park Marina and the estuary. They were in the usual location at the "bend" at the eastern part of the spit. There is another 6-foot plus high tide tomorrow morning that will flood the birds out of the pickleweed and into the upland vegetation. Early is better than late to see these birds. It is best to stay along the edge of the mudflat rather than walking into the vegetation. Rubber boots were needed this morning. Tom Edell Cayucos, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Great-tailed Grackle From: "Karen Clarke" <seachest AT charter.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:33:05 -0800 I saw an adult male Great-tailed Grackle in the Costo parking lot this afternoon. Kind of surprised me. Karen Clarke Cambria [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Lesser Yellowlegs From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:55:27 -0800 (PST) This morning while unsuccessfully looking for the Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow at the Morro Bay State Park Marina, Kathleen Kent, Donna O'Shaughnessy and I saw a LESSER YELLOWLEGS. We identified it by its straight bill and small size compared to the nearby Willets. Also looked for and didn't see a Eurasian Wigeon. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA http://www.flickr.com/photos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Oceano Empid From: Jamie Chavez <almiyi AT verizon.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:55:26 -0800 Birding Oceano campground and nature trail today showed only the expected birds except for a very brief look at a silent Empidonax flycatcher in the willows along the nature trail south of the office buildings. Wish I could be more specific, but I can't as I quickly lost it. It is quite late for an empid so I wanted to post in case someone birds the trail in the next couple of days. Jamie Chavez Santa Maria, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Harlequin Duck, Red-necked Grebe From: TEdell AT aol.com Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:38:45 EST Roger Zachary and I checked for a few recently reported birds this morning. From Northpoint we saw the continuing male HARLEQUIN DUCK in the large raft of Western/Clark's Grebes off the south end of Cayucos and 16 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS to the south along Morro Strand State Beach. We stopped at Morro Rock and found the RED-NECKED GREBE just outside of the harbor mouth; the lighting was not good, but it appeared to be a first winter bird. Small numbers of BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATERS were well offshore and seen from both Northpoint and the Rock. We checked for the Nelson's Sparrow by the State Park marina without luck and made a less than thorough attempt to find a Eurasian Wigeon with the same result. Next to the Baywood Pier we counted 33 BLUE-WINGED TEAL. Tom Edell Cayucos, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: brant From: RoserComeau <rosercomeau AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:16:48 -0800 (PST) This morning my mid-November brant count for Morro Bay tallied slightly over 1,500 brant out there trying to gain back the weight they lost on their marathon migration. John Roser Los Osos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: MU Ranch birds on the Carrizo From: "sharumkathy" <ksharum AT wildblue.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:34:15 -0000 Today we had a ruby-crowned kinglet and one cedar waxwing at the house. Two northern flickers remain, using a space between boards under the carport to roost in. There are still Lawrence's goldfinch here though the numbers have dropped considerably to probably less than ten. Kathy Sharum Carrizo Plain National MonumentSubject: PIGEON GUILLIMOT, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS From: Alan Schmierer <aaschmierer AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:24:00 -0800 (PST) This morning there was a PIGEON GUILLIMOT in the narrow part of the Morro Bay entrance channel (at Target Rock). At Northpoint (http://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/mbsloguide.htm#nonaar) there were two WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. They were quite a distance to the north, but appeared to be first winter males, with considerable white on the face and at least partly yellow bills. Alan Schmierer Morro Bay, CA PHOTOS AT: www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Common Goldeneye/ From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:14:50 -0800 (PST) This morning I saw 1 adult female COMMON GOLDENEYE from the Bob Jones Bridge. See directions below. http://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/scguide.htm#bojobr Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: White-faced Ibis From: "goingslo" <goingslo AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:45:03 -0000 On Monday, 11/09/09, Beth Sargent and Teddy Llovet had a White-faced Ibis fly over Oso Flaco. Beth caught a nice photo, seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/happybef/4095000537/ Linda Tanner Los OsosSubject: Link to Cackling goose pics From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:30:16 -0800 (PST) I've been told my Flickr link doesn't work. Hopefully this one will. http://www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Red-necked Grebe/Morro Bay Harbor From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:01:59 -0800 (PST) Mid morning I saw a RED-NECKED GREBE near the Morro Bay Harbor mouth. Earlier at San Simeon Creek, there was a female HOODED MERGANSER and a CACKLING GOOSE that looked small to me, but I'm not sure of the race. I took some pics at San Simeon which are on my Flickr site. Any comments on the goose would be welcome. www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: White-throated sparrow From: "steve schubert" <s_schub1 AT msn.com> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 16:38:43 -0800 Hello all, Today an adult White-throated sparrow has been at a bird feeder at Camp KEEP in Montana De Oro State Park. Seems one shows up here every few years. Golden-crowned sparrows have also picked up in numbers at the feeders during the last several days. Steve Schubert Los Osos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Monday birds 11-9 From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 13:53:48 -0800 (PST) The HARLEQUIN DUCK was offshore with a small raft of Surf Scoters. I saw them while I was scoping from Studio Drive at the entrance to Old Creek. I also stopped at Laguna Lake. The CACKLING GOOSE is still present and I saw a first cycle THAYER'S GULL. Photos of the gull and the goose are at my Flickr site. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA http://www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Hello moderator - please read From: "nqr_gal" <nqr_gal AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:26:39 -0000 Hello, I attempted to post "Birding-related items to good home" a few days ago, thinking these items would be better off in the hands of birders than in the land-fill. Who better than local birders to wisely use a hummingbird feeder? And who is more likely to visit the Carolinas on a bird-centered vacation & therefore enjoy CDs of their songs than a member of a birding group? Apparently this is an inappropriate post, although I don't know because you didn't tell me so. I would give the items to Goodwill, but they'd most likely end up in their Dumpster (or in the hands of someone who uses red-dyed syrup. If unposted a second time, I will throw them out myself. How sad. Judi Subject: Birding-related items to good home Hello, I have two birding-related items I'd like to give away (ie, free) to someone who might use them: 1. hummingbird feeder - it's the small hour-glass shaped one with the four red plastic "flowers" at the bottom. It's clean & has been stored away for years. 2. "Birds of the Carolinas" Audio CDs – two CDs containing 138 tracks of sounds (several songs & calls per bird) of North & South Carolina's most common birds, plus a booklet with CD index & thumbnail picture of each bird. If you are interested in either, please email me and I'll let you know where you can pick the item up (I live in SLO). I will post once more when they've been taken. Thank you, JudiSubject: ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, etc From: Alan Schmierer <aaschmierer AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 15:46:36 -0800 (PST) This morning at Carrizo Plain Nat Monument there was an adult female ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK hunting over the Sprague Hill Road grasslands. Also along the road was a juv GOLDEN EAGLE, a flock of about 100 AMERICAN PIPITS, about 50 TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS and 5 VESPER SPARROWS. Some pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets/72157603251712155/ Alan Schmierer Morro Bay, CA PHOTOS AT: www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Recent birds From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 04:24:15 -0800 (PST) Yesterday,I birded Oso Flaco Lake. the sun was just hitting the parking area when I arrived making it very active. I saw many AMERICAN PIPITS in one of the few dirt fields left coming in. There were 3 SORAS and 1 VIRGINIA RAIL out in the sun. I counted over 50 CANVASBACKS, and there are around 30 each of RING-NECKED DUCKS and BUFFLEHEAD. At the Oceano Community Pond, I saw 1 GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL on Friday before racing out to see the NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW before the tide receded. I made it just barely. I also saw a LARGE-BILLED SAVANNAH SPARROW at the same site. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA http://www.flickr.com/photos/12599017 AT N08/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: MDO seabirds, etc. - 11/7 From: Jim Royer <jrmotmot AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 23:03:37 -0800 I set up my scope this morning ( 8 AM to 10 AM) on the high bluff south of Spooner's Cove at Montana de Oro and saw: 62 Common Murres (all flying south in small groups or individually), 200+ Black-vented Shearwaters (hard to tell number because they were flying by, in both directions), 3 Red Phalaropes (flying south), 3 Rhino Auklets (flying south with murres), 17 Bonapartes Gulls (going south), and the usual species - Royal Tern, Caspian Tern, Western Gull, Heerman's Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, California Gull, (no Glaucous-wingeds!), Brown Pelican, the usual 3 cormorant species, Western and Clark's Grebe, Surf Scoter, Brown Pelican, Red-throated Loon, Pacific Loon (hundreds - all headed south), Red-throated Loon, and 1 Red-breastred Merganser. I checked the campground and found nothing of interest except for the 2 Golden-growned Kinglets (in the cypress in front of the Spooner's ranch house). I had a Winer Wren at lower Hazard Canyon, where a large swell almost knocked over my scope - I wasn't being as careful as I should have been with the high tide and large swells - a rogue wave came in which was much higher than all the prior waves! Jim Royer Los Osos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Oceano From: "Tom Ogren" <tloallergyfree AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 15:18:53 -0800 Made a quick trip to Oceano campgrounds today, around 11am. Saw nothing especially unusual, lots of Townsend's Warblers, not nearly as many Yellow-rumped Warblers; lots of Bushtits and chickadees everywhere. There also seems to be an unusual number of Hutton's Vireos around. Saw one Hermit Thrush near the water, a small flock of White-throated Sparrows (I saw some of these just yesterday in my mom's backyard in SLO...first ones I've seen this year there), and out on the lagoon, a pair of what might have been Eared Grebes, but probably were Horned Grebes....I was never 100% certain (appreciate feedback on the grebes!). Last week Shelby Stover and I made a trip out to Carrizo Plains....saw many Say's Phoebe, a few Mountain Bluebirds, lots of Red-tailed Hawks and Kestrels, one Prairie Falcon, one Ferruginous Hawk on a telephone pole, and also one awesome looking mature Golden Eagle, also on a telephone pole. Tom Ogren SLO [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Morro Bay From: "Brad Schram" <gonebrdn AT lightspeed.net> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 12:04:28 -0800 I just received a call from Doug Stinson who found a NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW on the peninsula by the State Park Marina in Morro Bay. The bird is with Savana Sparrows at the historic spot near the bend of the taller growth bordering the Salicornia in the eastern quadrant of this growth. This species has been missed here the past couple years, so this should be a high-tide stake-out through the winter--a welcome reoccurence. Detailed directions to this spot are found in section B-14 on this web page: http://morrocoastaudubon.org/mbsloguide.htm#mobast Brad Schram Arroyo Grande, CA http://flickr.com/photos/chaparralbrad/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: scarlet tanager (Late photo from Nov. 4) From: mctharms AT aol.com Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 14:03:12 EST I added a photo to my flickr site h_ttp://www.flickr.com/photos/marlinharms_ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlinharms) of the Scarlet Tanager in the Oceano Campground taken while with Roger Zachary on Nov. 4 and I add mine to his only because I cropped it tighter, which may show slightly more. I am curious if the hint of a wingbar means anything in terms of gender ID. Other notes from this week: There has been a juv. Bonaparte's Gull at Cayucos Creek mouth or the adjacent beach several days this week. Yesterday (similar to what Alan Schmierer noted at North Point) off the Cayucos Pier there were a number of loons, especially Red-throated Loons, including at least one with hint of red still on throat. Both Sunday and Monday there were 9-10 Surfbirds on the beach north of the pier at high tide--probably due to the very high tide pushing them off their favored rocks around the point. Also, earlier in the week (Nov. 3), a kayak trip in Morro Bay noted about 85 American Avocets and a flock of about 70 Brant. Marlin Harms Morro Bay, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Ferruginous hawk in M.D.O. State Park From: "steve schubert" <s_schub1 AT msn.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 17:18:02 -0800 Hello all, This morning an adult Ferruginous Hawk was soaring above the sea bluffs along the immediate coast, near the mouth of Coon Creek, then continued south over Pt. Buchon. Steve Schubert Los Osos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: NORTHPOINT and ESTERO BLUFFS From: Alan Schmierer <aaschmierer AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 14:49:06 -0800 (PST) Maggie Smith and I birded Northpoint Natural Area (http://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/mbsloguide.htm#nonaar) and part of Estero Bluffs State Park (http://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/ncguide.htm#esblst) this morning. Mild and windless .... beautiful morning for birding! At Northpoint there was one female WHITE-WINGED SCOTER well to the northwest. All three LOONS were relatively close to shore, especially the RED-THROATED LOONS, several of which still had partially red throats of alternate plumage. There were at least 2000 WESTERN-type / aechmophorus GREBES in a raft to the north. There were 5 SURFBIRDS with the BLACK TURNSTONES on the rocks below the point. At Estero Bluffs there were 6 RUDDY TURNSTONES on a single rock and at least 70 BLACK TURNSTONES sitting out the high tide. There was a good variety of shorebirds, a few ROYAL TERNS, MEW GULLS and lots of SNOWY EGRETS. A few photos from today start at http://www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/4079041476/in/set-72157603251712155/ (I like the one that shows BLACK TURNSTONES and SURFBIRDS in flight together for comparison.) I will be leading an MCAS field trip to both of these locations on Tuesday, November 17th. We will meet at 7:30am in front of the Morro Bay Motel 6 (southwest corner of the State Route 1 / Rte 41 junction; across from Morro Bay High School). Alan Schmierer Morro Bay, CA PHOTOS AT: www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Scarlet Tanager From: Roger Zachary <rzachary AT charter.net> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 07:42:35 -0800 Hello, I've posted a few photos of the immature male Scarlet Tanager on my flickr site. Roger Atascadero www.flickr.com/photos/slorogerSubject: Scarlet Tanager at Oceano Campground From: TEdell AT aol.com Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:38:37 EST Roger Zachary found and photographed an immature male SCARLET TANAGER at the Pismo State Beach Oceano Campground today (11/4). The bird was in pines near Campsite 48. Tom Edell Cayucos, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Morro Bay Winter Birds From: "anniegmbnep" <anniegmbnep AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:42:51 -0000 Winter birds are arriving in the back bay. We were out near the oyster farms on the extreme low tides and saw about 50 Black Brant feasting on eelgrass. Also a scattering of 15-20 Eared Grebes, 20 odd Clarks/Western Grebes, and a small flock of around 10 Bufflehead. There was also a large flock of terns that stopped for a rest on the mud flats- (I think mostly Forster's, but I'm not 100% sure) All the usual suspects (Godwits, Willets and Curlews) seemed to be making the most of the low tide. The farm manager noted that the Brant have been feeding mainly on the Eastern side of the channel, and there was very clear evidence that the annual mowing of the bay is well underway.Subject: COON CREEK TRAIL From: Alan Schmierer <aaschmierer AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 16:38:03 -0800 (PST) Maggie and I birded the first half of the Coon Creek Trail at MDO this morning. Directions at http://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/mbsloguide.htm#modeor Pretty much all "expected" birds, but most of which had to lured out of the thickets with great patience. It took us 2++ hours to cover 1/2 mile! Many HERMIT THRUSHES and "SOOTY" FOX SPARROWS, many many WRENTITS (50+?), and about three WINTER WRENS ... two call-notes-heard-only and one seen and photographed (a bird that I have been trying to photo for years!!! ). No Canyon Wrens were seen or heard. They seem to be very scarce in there, after being regular for years. Wonder why? Photos a:t http://www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/4076599222/in/set-72157603251712155/ Alan Schmierer Morro Bay, CA PHOTOS AT: www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: leucistic BLACK-VENTED SHERWATER, MARBLED MURRELETS, Etc From: Alan Schmierer <aaschmierer AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 16:08:08 -0800 (PST) Maggie Smith and I went up the North Coast this morning to see if any "good" winter gulls might have arrived. We found lots of common gulls, including small numbers of MEW GULLS. All of the gulls were feeding with the constant pecking-at-the-surface style that is so typical of Bonaparte's Gulls. Anybody know what they eat when they feed like that? Is it krill that washes ashore? There was a single juv GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at the San Simeon Creek outlet pond. Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/4072906241/in/set-72157603251712155/. Seeing lots of BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATERS that looked like they might be flying close to the end of San Simeon Point, we walked out there. Great light and no wind!! The B-V SHEARWATERS were not as close as we thought, but the light was perfect and they were in large rafts. As one group landed we noticed that one bird was almost all white. It was the size and shape of the B-V SHEARWATERS, all white, with a slender dark bill, small dark eye and dark primaries (and probably secondaries). Too far for any definitive photos, although I included 2 in the photos cited above. (They are cropped and clarified as much as I can reasonably do.) With the shearwaters there were numerous COMMON MURRES, all 3 LOONS, and a variety of other species. Off a little farther, and to the north there were at least 8 MARBLED MURRELETS. There was a small flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS in the cypress forest at the end of the point. Alan Schmierer Morro Bay, CA PHOTOS AT: www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Cassin's Kingbirds - 11/3 From: Jim Royer <jrmotmot AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 14:49:21 -0800 2 Cassin's Kingbirds were on the Monterey Street side of the SLO County courthouse - up in the big redwood tree this morning. This is the same area where several wintered the last 2 winters. They have also been seen on Stenner Creek near Sierra Vista Hospital on prior winters. Jim Royer Los Osos [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Carrizo From: "maryann_ambrose" <ambrose.m AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:33:24 -0000 Jerry & I birded this area today. Highlights: 6 Golden Eagles (2 on north bitterwater road in the oaks, 2 on the ground feeding at the sport club near Hwy 58 & Bitterwater, one on a pole on 58 and the last on the side of road with a squirrel right at the turn to Soda Lake Road!) 3 Praire Falcons on the Monument Mountain bluebirds in abundance everywhere 2 Black Throated Sparrows on Pipeline road About 12 Lawrence's goldfinch on Quail Springs Rd not too far in from Soda Lake Road. No sign of Mountain Plovers- we drove up Paramount to Elkhorn and actually drove Elkhorn to Hwy33 as we nevre had before. No sign of Le Conte's ThrashersSubject: Phainopepla in Grover Beach From: <cltptl AT att.net> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 22:31:11 -0800 This was a first for us in South County/Grover Beach...a lone female phainopepla has been coming to one of our hanging sunflower seed feeders over this past weekend--mostly early in the day. In the 20+ years here, this is a first. Carol Thorpe Grover Beach [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Rough-legged Hawk From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 14:29:14 -0800 (PST) This morning Doug Stinson and I headed for Carrizo Plain. The most unusual bird was a GREAT-BLUE HERON at the gazebo on Hwy 58. The best bird was an adult ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK that we saw on Soda Lake Road 6 miles north of the KCL campground entrance. First seen on the ground, it had a pale head, light looking upper breast with faint streaking and a dark belly band. When it flew we saw long wings with dark wrists and primaries that were white on the underside. From beneath the tail was white at the base with a dark subterminal band. Doug took a few photos of the bird at too great a distance. I posted one in case it helps. http://www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie/ Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA Photos AT www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Golden-crowned Kinglet From: "docentjoyce" <docentjoyce AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:17:05 -0000 Montana de Oro State Park in Cypress tree across from the Quonset hut shed, pair of Golden-crowned Kinglets accompanied by a Rudy-crowned Kinglet. The males golden crown was brilliant. Joyce CorySubject: Oceano 31 October From: "Michael D. Stiles" <mstiles AT calpoly.edu> Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:15:33 -0700 (PDT) I spent a few hours at Oceano this morning, most of it looking through a large flock at the east end of the service road near the newly locked gate. I got excited seeing a warbler with a complete eye ring in a gray head, but further good looks for many minutes revealed my first of the fall NASHVILLE WARBLERS. There were two of them, feeding side by side most of the time. The rest of the flock consisted of good numbers of Townsend's Warblers, a few Orange-crowned Warblers, one Black-throated Gray Warbler, and many Kinglets. The campground pines had a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER and two HAIRY WOODPECKERS. Large numbers of Robins and Cedar Waxwings were feeding on the Myoporum berries in the campground. Mike Stiles Los OsosSubject: Cayucos Birds From: TEdell AT aol.com Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:58:43 EDT A flock of 5,000 plus BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATERS was swirling nearshore off Cayucos the morning. I was unable to find any other species of shearwaters in the flock. Presumably the same male HARLEQUIN DUCK present a couple of weeks ago was again offshore of the south end of Cayucos and in with a loose flock of 38 Surf Scoters. I saw this bird while scoping the ocean from the North Point Natural Area in north Morro Bay. Both an adult BALD EAGLE was flying high over the west end of Whale Rock Reservoir and an immature OSPREY were seen feeding on the top of a utility pole along reservoir side of Old Creek Road. Sixteen (12 ad, 4 im) GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and three Canada/Cackling Geese were at the upper end of the Cottontail Creek arm of the reservoir. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Estero Bluffs State Park From: TEdell AT aol.com Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:11:13 EDT I checked the main cove below the "fig tree" parking area at mid-Estero Bluffs State Park this evening. There was a fairly low tide this evening. My highlight was a first-cycle THAYER'S GULL seen in the rocky intertidal area. A first-cycle BONAPARTE'S GULL flew past heading north and an unidentified jaeger was seen flying away offshore. One RUDDY TURNSTONE was feeding with Black Turnstones. BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATERS were seen far offshore. Tom Edell Cayucos, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: OAK Titmouse From: Alan Schmierer <aaschmierer AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:51:00 -0700 (PDT) As many of you noticed, I wrote "JUNIPER" Titmouse in my Carrizo post. Of course, I meant "OAK" Titmouse. (A combined product of senility and having lived in Juniper Titmouse county most of my life!!!!!) Alan Schmierer Morro Bay, CA PHOTOS AT: www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Birding at Carrizo this week From: Alan Schmierer <aaschmierer AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:54:07 -0700 (PDT) Hi: I spent Wednesday - today (Friday) at Carrizo. Most of the time was spent a springs, with some moderate effort to survey for Mountain Plovers. Some notes: MOUNTAIN PLOVERS: There is a lot of good habitat for plovers this year. I checked most of it, at least briefly. On 10/ 29 I found 15 about 4 miles northeast of KCL Campground ( 35.124722 / -119.689152) and 17 at the corner of Panorama Road and the "Elkhorn - Panorama Cutoff Road" (just north of the metal building). The latter is likely the same flock that was observed on 10/21 by Larry Saslaw in this same area. LECONTE'S THRASHER: Both of the above areas also had LCTH. Neither was a new area for these, but the one on Panorama Road was just north of the road and east of the corral (east of the metal building), which is closer to the road than any prior sightings. LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH: Usually very hard to find at this time of year, there were a total of 117 at 4 different locations, all near water, and all in the southern part of the plain (MU Ranch, Hanline Corral, Semper Spring, Quail Spring). No idea why! AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: Not generally a common bird at Carrizo, were very common this week; a little earlier than normal (?). ANERICAN CROW: Very rare at Carrizo, especially in the southern part, there were three at MU Ranch, at the very south end of the plain. BLACK-THROATED SPARROW: On 3/28, one adult at Quail Springs and one adult at Semper Springs (east of KCL Campground). The latter was the farthest north that I have seen one. "SLATE-COLORED" DARK-EYED JUNCO: One juv at Quail Springs on 10/28. JUNIPER TITMOUSE: Pretty common in the juniper-oak hillsides at Carrizo, but there seems to be a small flock that has been at KCL Campground regularly for the past few months in the eucs, quite a distance from the nearest oaks, On 10/30 there was a flock at Saucito Ranch in the cottonwoods, once again, far from its normal habitat. What's going on? MERLIN: There was a female taiga-type bird at Washburn Ranch. (photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/4059897234/in/set-72157603251712155/ ) AM KESTREL: It was interesting watching a kestrel hunting early this morning at 33 degrees at the Visitor Center. What is around at that hour to eat? Looked like a side-blotched lizard. Must have come out to catch some morning sun to warm up ... not very fast at that temperature!! (Some photos in the same series sited above.) RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER: One at Saucito Ranch this morning. Not very common over there. Maybe it will hang around for CBC. Alan Schmierer Morro Bay, CA PHOTOS AT: www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: FW: Need Bird Guide From: "Rosalie Valvo" <rvalvo AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:15:35 -0700 This was forwarded by Garry George, who is the Chapter Network Director for Audubon-California, based in Los Angeles. Can someone help her? Rosalie -----Original Message----- From: Leanne Alt [mailto:lalt AT charter.net] Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 6:08 AM To: GEORGE, Garry Subject: Need Bird Guide Dear Garry, I am a member of the national Audubon Society here in Minnesota, and an avid birder for 34 years. I found your name on the California Audubon site. I am coming to San Luis Obispo for a weekend wedding November 19th, and have Friday, November 20th open for activities. I have never birded in this area of the country, and would really like to add some new birds to my list. I was wondering if there were any birders in that area who would be willing to take me birding to the local hot spots anytime that Friday. I and my traveling companions are staying in a local motel. Unfortunately I will not have access to transportation, since the mother of the bride will be using our rental car for that day, so I would need someone who is willing to provide transportation. I would be willing to pay for gas & whatever else the guide requires. Please let me know if this is a possibility. Thanking you in advance, Leanne T. Alt 1130 North Elm Avenue Owatonna, MN 55060 Cell Phone: 507-390-5751Subject: Oceano From: mctharms AT aol.com Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:33:25 EDT I made a time-limited walk at Oceano this morning and found mostly the usual suspects. The most unusual was a female Ring-necked Duck in the lagoon. Marlin Harms Morro Bay, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Oceano/Pismo From: "Tom Ogren" <tloallergyfree AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:36:51 -0800 Shelby Stover and I got out to Oceano today, earlier than usual for us ( 11:30) and there were loads of birds around. We saw the pair of Bufflehead Ducks, seen earlier by Maggie Smith...the male is flat out gorgeous! Warblers all over the place, mostly Yellow-rumped, but saw far more Townsend's today than ever before. Shelby found his first ever Bewick's Wren. At Pismo Creek we saw Least Sandpipers, one Dunlin, one grey backed, white chested, Dunlin-sized Sandpiper type bird with yellow legs we couldn't ID, and finally some California Gulls. Tom Ogren SLO [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Baltimore Oriole at Oceano Campground From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:45:28 -0700 (PDT) This morning I saw a hatch year male BALTIMORE ORIOLE first found and photographed by Dave Keeling on 26 Oct. It was in the myoporum behind campsite 51; gave me a few quick looks and flew toward Pier Ave. Superficiially it looks like an adult female except for the bright orange red on parts of the face throat and upper breast. A male and female BUFFLEHEAD were on the lagoon. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA Photos AT www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Morro Bay Shorebird Survey - volunteers needed! From: Andrea Jones <savannarum AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:23:06 -0400 Hi - we still needed birders to help with the upcoming shorebird survey! Thanks - see below for details. Andrea Jones San Luis Obispo, CA From: mcas AT morrocoastaudubon.org To: Subject: MCAS Alert! Shorebird Survey Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:11:53 -0700 Help us Count the Shorebirds! Novices and Experts welcome!! It's the annual shorebird survey time, and Audubon is again coordinating the effort. The survey date will be Saturday, November 21 from 10 a.m. to noon. This date has excellent tides for the folks on the water and should provide a more even distribution of birds throughout the bay. Participants from last year might recall that birds were seen in only a few survey sectors due to the extremely high tide. That should not be the case this year. If you are new to this effort, we can assign you a section with someone experienced. Surveys take place by land (walking or stationary), canoe, and/or kayak. If you are interested in attending, please respond to me by November 6 via email or phone. As I did last year, I will be assisting Andrea Jones with Audubon. We'll be sending out informational packets as well as release forms that need to be returned to me prior to the survey. Many of you have been participating in this effort for many years, so if you have a preferred monitoring site, partner, etc., please let me know. Thanks and hope you can join in the survey this year. - Ann. AnnK AT mbnep.org Ann Kitajima Monitoring Program Manager Morro Bay National Estuary Program Phone: 805-772-3834, ex. 14 Fax: 805-772-4162 www.mbnep.org [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Really good birds at Oceano this morning October 28, 2009 From: "markbrown1848" <lawoffmarkbrown AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:54:45 -0000 All: I got a quick glimpse of a green bird, bigger than the yellow-rumps, in the native plant garden at Oceano campground this morning. I was thinking maybe a tanager. It flew and I got a better looks and it was a Painted Bunting. I also heard it give a bunting like tchik! call. I was about to get a picture of it when I was distracted by the sounds of a bird scratching in the underbrush under a bush right next to me. Expecting a Spotted Towhee or California Towhee I looked over to see a yellowish-green and olive, bird with a big black eye with a white eye-ring. It hopped up to a low branch and fed in the bush just next to me. I took many pictures but only one sort of came out. This is very frustrating as the bird was 3 feet away! The hopping and the yellow throat on my picture means (I think!) this was a Mourning Warbler. In the access road area of Oceano I saw a dusky blue short-tailed thrush/old world flycatcher looking bird. I am pretty sure it was a Red-flanked Bluetail. I got pretty long and close looks at the bird until it disappeared into the willows west of the access road where I could not go. The only other thing I thought it might be in the field was a male Mugimaki Flycatcher but it did not have the white patches and it was you know, blue. The red flanks were yellow-orange and reduced from spring male. I really wanted to take a picture but I found myself unable to do anything but fall to my knees and praise the creator of such a bird. There is a record from the Farrallons on November 1, 1989. The book says: "This species' somewhat secretive nature may contribute to the paucity of records." Mark Brown Santa Maria Crummy warbler pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33835670 AT N00/4053906850 .Subject: Return of the Brant From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:32:19 -0700 (PDT) This morning I counted 68 BRANT from the Elfin Forest overlook. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA Photos AT www.flickr.com/photos/slomaggie [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Morro Bay and environs From: "dickcannings2" <cannings AT zoology.ubc.ca> Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:15:00 -0000 Hi all: I just spent 3 days in SLO on a jaunt from visiting friends in Santa Barbara. On Saturday we went out to Montana de Oro, where we bumped into Tom Edell on a fairly quiet day for birding there. But we did have a couple of groups of migrants/residents in the willows, with crippling views of Wrentits (nice for us visitors!), Pacific-slope Flycatcher, etc. The highlight of Saturday was simply the huge numbers of godwits, curlews and willets on the mudflats at Morro Bay--I estimated 800 Marbled Godwit, 250 Long-billed Curlew and 600 Willets, all extraordinary numbers for someone who is used to seeing those species in the single digits. In the late afternoon I walked out to Morro Rock and saw the resident Peregrine Falcon, thanks to the scope of some local birders. Also heard a Canyon Wren there, a bit of sound from my home habitat in British Columbia. On Sunday morning we rented a kayak and paddled around the estuary, getting great looks at the shorebirds, similar numbers to Saturday, but also getting close views of Western and Least Sandpipers and a few Dunlin. A single Peregrine put the birds up at one point, and we did see a single Brant. Then off to Oceano for lunch, where we searched the area around legendary campsite 50 for the Yellow-green Vireo, but dipped on that despite getting an impressive number of species in that patch of bush, including a Blackpoll Warbler, perhaps the same one I saw on Friday on the other side of the slough. All in all, a great weekend in SLOCO. Dick Cannings Penticton,BCSubject: Mountain Bluebirds From: Maggie Smith <milleniummaggs AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:23:41 -0700 (PDT) Doug Stinson and I traveled down Bitterwater Rd on our way home from Kern County. We saw 2 FERRUGINOUS HAWKS before getting to Hwy 58. At mile marker 32, Hwy 58 we had a small flock of about 20 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS. Maggie Smith Arroyo Grande, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: American redstart at Oso Flaco From: "birderjaime" <slowoolf AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:20:54 -0000 We had a female American redstart today amid a moderately large mixed flock of common birds along the road leading to the lake. Jim Woolf San Luis ObispoSubject: Sea Pines Geese From: TEdell AT aol.com Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:42:09 EDT This morning a juvenile CACKLING GOOSE and a juvenile GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE were at the Sea Pines Golf course pond visible from Howard Ave. Tom Edell Cayucos, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Blackpoll at Oceano and shearwaters off Shell Beach From: "dickcannings2" <cannings AT zoology.ubc.ca> Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:50:28 -0000 Hi: I stopped briefly at Oceano this afternoon and did a quick check of the willows along the pond trail at Coolidge and Norswing. Best bird was a Blackpoll Warbler about 20 yards to the right of the trail entrance. I got reasonable photographs; it looked like the "first winter female" illustrated in Sibley, though both wingbars were clearly white (not yellow and white). It didn't have a malar streak at all. There was a huge feeding concentration of Black-vented Shearwaters, Brandt's Cormorants and pelicans off of the Shell Beach cliffs at the west end of Ocean Blvd. Unfortunately I was looking right into the sun, but estimated roughly 2000 shearwaters and 1000 cormorants. cheers Dick Cannings Penticton, BCSubject: Non Anna's Hummer 10 19 09 From: "cheryl lish" <cheryl-lish AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:18:54 -0700 Confirmed today that I have what is [most likely] a late Black-chinned Hummingbird at my feeders. I first noticed it on 10/17 when I saw a hummer with NO (zero) tail but only gave it a glance. Yesterday I heard the vocalization of something other than an Anna's but didn't locate the bird. Spent a little more time today and it turned out that the tail-less hummer was the non Anna's...however there's an Anna's that only has 1 or 2 tail feathers on the left (R4,5). Hummmm - Had an accipiter cruz through the back yard today. Back to the likely BCHU...I didn't get really good looks (& no photos) so was unable to verify if the wing tips are rounded or flatish. Did not see color on the throat. I also believe I heard the "ZZZZZ chupty-chup" of a selasphorus today but only heard it once and did not locate it. The Ruby-crowned Kinglets keeps tweeking my ear and jerking my head. :)) Cheryl Lish Arroyo Grande cheryl lish cheryl-lish AT earthlink.net EarthLink Revolves Around You. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] |