Date: 5/8/25 8:47 am From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: [northbaybirds] [Mendobirds] Offshore pelagics this Friday and Sunday
Greetings North Bay Birders -
Forwarding a message from Tim Bray re this weekends pelagic trips. The weather is looking excellent for both trips. We'll plan to go north in the lee of Cape Mendocino on Friday (tomorrow), out to deep water for 6-7 hours, and back with the following winds, which are forecast now to be only 10-15 knots. We'll be laying out 2-3 slicks to try and coax in those Pterodroma. We'll cross over upper Noyo Canyon at least once, where we had all the albatrosses of three species two weeks ago.
Sunday looks to be flat calm. We may make a run to Navarro Canyon to the SW, where we had all of the Pterodroma two years ago. Or we may repeat Friday's route if it proves a success. Some of you may want to be ready to jump on Sunday's trip once you get our initial reports on tomorrow's trip, which we will provide when we get back ashore.
We also will be hitting upper Noyo Canyon on our half-day trip on Monday.
Cheers, Peter
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [Mendobirds] Offshore pelagics this Friday and Sunday Date: Wed, 07 May 2025 21:26:54 -0700 From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Reply-To: <tbray...> To: <Mendobirds...>
Spaces are still available on the Kraken for the pelagics this Friday May 9 and Sunday May 11. Both trips are confirmed to go at this time. Marine forecast looks good for both days - a little choppy and breezy on Friday, very calm on Sunday. Recent repo cruises have reported good numbers of Murphy's Petrels, a few Hawaiian Petrels, and even a couple of Cook's Petrel; all in waters not far from where we plan to be. Leach's and Wilson's Storm-petrels have also been reported. So there is a very good chance we will find at least some of those species, and of course we will be hoping to re-find the Short-tailed Albatross encountered only eight miles out on our half-day trip April 26. These trips are led by Peter Pyle and will have several expert spotters on board as well. To sign up, go here: https://noyopelagics.com/ While there, be sure to look at the full calendar of scheduled trips through November, and sign up for any of those. Marine conditions here are such that rare seabirds can be found on any trip, even the half-day excursions, and we typically encounter tubenoses soon after leaving the harbor. Eyes on the horizon! Tim Bray Mendocino Coast Audubon Society <https://www.mendocinocoastaudubon.org/>
Date: 5/7/25 6:55 pm From: Mike Carozza via groups.io <mike.carozza...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Fledgling Scrubs, Titmice, Towhees
Hi Birders
In sync, three resident families fledged yesterday and today in Sebastopol:
Yesterday a miniature California Towhee fledgling clumsily bowled away from
me on foot.
Today an Oak Titmouse fledgling, which I’d been monitoring, took its first
flight into our front window and eventually shook it off. I closed the
blinds.
Lastly, today a group of baby Scrub Jays cannonballed through the forest
after examining me for a minute.
Date: 5/6/25 8:34 am From: Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Outer Point Reyes : SWAINSON’S Hawk, HAMMOND’s Fly, LAWRENCE’s Goldfinch et al - 5/5/2025
spent a beautiful spring day birding Marin county , primarily doing the
traditional lighthouse and back migrant trawl.
Expected western migrants were encountered at virtually every stop with a
few less-than expected surprises to keep me motivated. Here's a brief
breakdown by location (and includes non-migrant observation I found to be
of note as well):
Lighthouse -
Pacific Loons - alternate plumage migrants streaming north just past the
point with 160+ tallied in a brief seawatch, plus one alt red-throated and
a couple of basic common loons
golden-crowned kinglet
Bewick's wren (singing from the cypresses)
chipping sparrow
Fish Docks-
surf scoters - ~1800 were gathered on Drake's Bay and on the backside of
the peninsula, mostly dispersed within an hour of my arrival
Pacific loons - several groups cutting "overland" from Drake's Bay north,
170+
olive-sided flycatcher
warbling vireo
Audubon's warbler - 5+
Townsend's warbler
hermit warbler
New Willows -
no migrants but a sizeable/loud colony of red-winged blackbirds
Nunes Ranch -
red-necked phalaropes - 3
cedar waxwings - 9
Audubon's warbler
western tanager
Mendoza Ranch -
warbling vireo
American pipits - 6 on the short grass hillside above the pond cypress row
LAWRENCE'S goldfinch - male and female pair in the residential cypress
grove, male was singing sporadically. These seem to have irrupted in a big
way this spring all over the East Bay and apparently Marin County as well.
I think I recall them nesting on the OP (Fish Docks?) some years ago so
keep your eyes out for them - there's lots of fiddleneck (Amsinckia) in
bloom in the pastures near the ranch
Drake's Beach -
cinnamon teal - presumed continuing pair (noted during mid April visit),
should be followed up for intent to breed
Virginia rail - one calling from main pond (two birds were heard
countercalling in April)
semipalmated plover - 7
bushtits - pair in the monument willows. They've nested here in the last
couple of years. Like wrentit and California scrub jay, Drake's beach seems
to be the lone outpost for these species on the OP
Hall Ranch -
long-billed dowitcher
SWAINSON'S hawk - light morph adult fly over
Abandoned Ranch -
olive-sided flycatcher
western tanager
On the drive back I spotted a wild turkey lurking in the marsh at the
entrance to the old Oyster Farm/Drake's Estero.
For breeding bird atlasers an American kestrel flying into the euke row on
Nicasio Valley Rd. at the entrance to Kilham Farm may be of note.
Date: 5/1/25 6:27 pm From: Dawn via groups.io <soxdawn...> Subject: [northbaybirds] MRN Corte Madera Cedar Waxwings
A flock of up to 50 Cedar Waxwings have been hanging out in a Pepper Tree in the upper part of Mariner Townhomes community in Corte Madera (off Prince Royal Drive) for the last few days. Would they be migrating or are they resident here? Sibley seems to show they are here in Winter. There are several pyracantha and cotoneaster shrubs in the neighborhood that may have some berries on them.
Date: 4/29/25 4:12 pm From: Lisa Hug via groups.io <lisahug...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Taylor Mtn Open Space Preserve, Santa Rosa
Hi All,
I just had a wonderful walk up the hill at Taylor Mtn Open Space
Preserve on the southeast side of Santa Rosa. The most interesting
birds were a singing Lazuli Bunting, a Grasshopper Sparrow, and a Lark
Sparrow (on fence surrounding water towers.
I parked at the original (northern park entrance) and walked straight
upslope through the open Oak Savannah habitat.
The birds were good but the wildflower display was fantastic! There
were carpets of flowers including Ithuriel's Spear, Tidy Tips,
Fiddlenecks, and a number of other species covering the landscape.
Beware, the slope is fairly steep and the trail is wide but gravelly.
Date: 4/28/25 9:52 am From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Three-Albatross Morning off Mendocino
On the half-day Noyo Pelagics trip the morning of Saturday April 26, we encountered mind-boggling numbers of Black-footed Albatross, with several hundred in view at one time. One Laysan Albatross briefly joined the party as well; this species was formerly considered rare here, but now seems to be regularly seen on spring trips. The highlight though, was a juvenile SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS that came in while we were chumming and gave us great views as it sat on the water. This will be the ninth documented off the Mendocino coast, and six of those were in the same area where we found this one, near the upper end of Noyo Canyon. Last year there were four sightings off Mendo, so it's exciting to think they are becoming more regular here.
Other interesting rarities were a Common Tern just outside the harbor, and a Scripps's Murrelet seen on the way back in, unusually close to shore. Sooty Shearwaters and Pink-footed Shearwaters put on a show, dynamically soaring in the breeze.
We were all struck by not only the large numbers of seabirds, but by how close in they were. The farthest out we got was the "dogleg" of upper Noyo Canyon, about ten miles, and most of the action was closer in, especially at the upper end of the canyon where a "drag boat" had attracted a huge flock of birds. An amazing day.
Noyo Pelagics has all-day trips scheduled for May 9 and May 11, so you can make a long weekend with a day of land-birding in between. Half- and full-day trips are scheduled each month after that. You can see the schedule and sign up for any trip at their website: noyopelagics.com
Date: 4/27/25 10:10 pm From: Logan Kahle via groups.io <logan...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Marin county Big Day 4/20/2025 191 species; continuing Common Teal, Black Scoter, Red-breasted Sapsucker (long)
Hi All,
On 4/20 Team Crocodrillo, consisting of Dessi "lil stud" Sieburth, Lucas
"We gotta grind Platform Bridge" Stephenson, Eric "the Hazinator"
Heisey, Adrian "I wish this were Oregon" Hinkle and I set off on an an
epic 24 hour Marin county big day. We started at Midnight in Muir Woods
and ended at 11:45pm at Loch Lamond Marina. Over the course of the day
we traveled about 250 miles in Marin county and detected 191 species
including only 2 "dirty birds" (species not seen by every member of the
group). This broke the previous Marin county Big Day record of 181 set
in the early 90s by Rich Stallcup and G. Bryan.
A trip report can be seen here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/354942 Note
that the total you can see includes Mute Swan which does not count by
big day total rules, but does not display Spotted Owl or Black Rail,
which are hidden as they are sensitive species in eBird.
Special thanks to Ethan Monk, Caitlin Chock, Joanh Benningfield, Cedric
Duhalde, and Josiah Clark for their help (conscious or otherwise!) in
scouting out this day.
We all slept in San Francisco, all arriving by 4pm to get some rest
except for Lucas who had started the day after a 5 hour study
grind-a-thon and decided to come into the day with no sleep. Hardcore, I
guess.
Regardless, we packed out stuff around 11:15pm and by 11:35 were on our
way to our first spot, conveniently located not far from SF in Muir
Woods. Eric had scouted out our owls the previous week so we were set
right at 11:57 at a place where we knew two of the tougher owls were
located. We waited. Like clockwork, at midnight, a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL
sounded off, and close. We were hoping to see it but fell through. After
another 20 minutes, our hoped for Spotted Owl sounded off not far away.
With patience, we managed to get nice views of it perched low in an oak.
Our day was off to a good start.
From here we had a decision to make: we could rocket to the bayshore or
try for the reported Barred Owl elsewhere in Muir from a month previous.
We opted for the latter. While energy was high and the night was young,
we headed to a different parking lot and hoofed it down the trail about
a quarter mile to listen deep into the canyon. Another Saw-whet was
tooting away. We let out some some Barred Owl hoots for good measure.
Silence. Another couple Spotted Owls piped up, and our first GREAT
HORNED OWL of the day. More silence. Then, screaming through the night,
came a calling flyover WESTERN GREBE! This was pretty cool. I've spent a
while at night listening for nocturnal migrants and I've heard a fair
few, but this was my first grebe (they are a very well documented known
thing in San Francisco, though). But, 30 fruitless minutes later we left
with no Barred Owl.
We zipped off to the bayshore. First spot was Bahia where Eric had
pinned down several key species during his biking effort a week prior.
We went up to the small oaky hill overlooking the marsh and listened for
Screech-Owl. We whistled. We trilled. A WILD TURKEY seemed to get the
memo but not the elusive micro-owl. After about 10 minutes, a lone
trilling WESTERN SCREECH-OWL made its presence known. We were off to the
marsh for rails. We briefly stopped by the small fresh water pond on the
east side of the oaky hill. There, in short order, we riled up a SORA
and VIRGINIA RAIL. In the distance, calling GADWALL, AMERICAN AVOCETS,
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS and MARSH WRENS clattered away from the street-lit
vegetation. Rolling out to the edge of the saltmarsh we picked up a
(clean) Great Horned Owl along with a lone BARN OWL screeching in the
night. We got to our Black Rail spot and waited. And waited. A while
went by. Sometimes they aren't that vocal in the middle of the night,
and these birds were no exceptions. But, after about 20 minutes a BLACK
RAIL started calling from the adjacent saltmarsh. We were off. We walked
up onto the berm overlooking the rest of the marsh. Before long, the
irruptive cackle of a RIDGWAY'S RAIL broke through the night. As we
returned to the car, we kicked up a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON in the
nearby pond and a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER flew by, calling. On to Hamilton
Wetlands.
It was high tide at Hamilton and we were hoping it would force some
shorebirds into the ponds, as they come pouring in by the 1000s in the
daytime high tides. But, as I have learned with many big days, daytime
high tide roosts and nighttime high tide roosts are often not the same.
And, turns out this is a daytime high tide roost. Nonetheless, we added
some bird in the form of calling DUNLIN, LEAST SANDPIPERS, and a lone
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER heard by all in the group but Adrian. Running back
to the car, we felt good about cleaning up some shorebirds so we
wouldn't have to worry about them in the daylight.
We now had a choice to make. It was overcast and pretty cold, and we
were hoping to get Grasshopper Sparrow out of the way in the predawn.
Unfortunately, we were also very worried about Horned Lark. So, we opted
to abandon the original strategy of going to the numerous and aggressive
Grasshopper Sparrows along Novato blvd to instead try for both them and
Horned Lark at Big Rock, where Eric had staked out territories. As we
got out of the car at Big Rock, I feared this was a mistake: a cold wind
crested over the foggy ridge and an eery silence swept through the
sometimes-active predawn hours. It was too cold. Didn't bode well for
our Grasshoppers or Larks but we thought maybe they would at least sing
once. We got to the spot and it was completely silent. To our amazement
though, every single owl species that we'd heard thusfar (Barn, Great
Horned, Screech, Saw-whet, Spotted) sounded off from the canyons below
during our wait. Crazy. But, much to our disappointment, the desired
grassland species never uttered a peep. And we'd run out of time. As we
jogged back to the car the first SONG SPARROWS and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS
belted out their wake-up songs. Alas, we had to leave.
At this point, we were not behind but we had distinctly not seen any
bonus birds. No birds ahead, no birds behind. We were doing fine. The
previous day in scouting Adrian and I had kicked up 2 poorwills off the
road on our dawn region of Bolinas-Fairfax road, just east of Pine
Mountain. It seemed reasonable that a repeat of the same drive at the
same time of day might yield the same result (and would save us a long
multi-mile schlog in Tennessee Valley). So we arrived at our desired
time and starting cruising the road. We blew by the poorwill spot. Hmm.
We drove another mile. Nada. We backtracked to the original spot. Errr.
This was starting to not feel promising. Feeling somewhat defeated, we
booked it straight to our dawn starting spot of Alpine Lake. I'd scouted
BoFax on 4 different mornings in the previous week and as such felt
pretty solid about the optimal route. We got out of our car at the
overlook south of Alpine Lake to an explosion of song: HERMIT THRUSHES,
WESTERN FLYCATCHERS, WARBLING VIREOS and BROWN CREEPERS all singing
their hearts out. As we scanned the lake we quickly picked up on the
local COMMON MERGANSERS, as our staked out WOOD DUCKS calling away. As
we listened, a single BELTED KINGFISHER sounded off. Kingfishers are a
pain in the ass in almost any big day, but as it turned out we ended up
with 4 different birds, and Marin is probably one of the best routes for
kingfishers. Anyways, having found most of the lakeside species we were
hoping for, we began rocketing to pine mountain. On the way there, we
picked up a nice assortment of residents and breeders like NORTHERN
FLICKER, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, PACIFIC WREN, WILSON'S WARBLER, and
a desired RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. I had staked out a Townsend's Solitaire
several days before the day in scouting but it had disappeared on the
previous two days. But we pulled over regardless, scoring our first
HUTTON'S VIREO and a nearby YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER but no solitaire. We
cruised on to a staked out spot where we all got out of the car and
listened. An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER sounded off. That bird hadn't been
there the day before (we had stopped for quite a while). As with several
other migrants on this route (Ash-throated Flycatcher being the most
prominent), the first Olive-sides seemed to arrive on territory in Marin
literal days before our route. Luck was on our side. We waited. There
was a specific stakeout we were eager to get out of the way here. Some
ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRDS were displaying nearby, and a HAIRY and PILEATED
WOODPECKERS called nearby. We waited some more. Then, down the canyon, a
COOPER'S HAWK erupted with an angry series of "keks!" We were doing
well. We proceeded up the road slightly an added a BLACK-THROATED GRAY
WARBLER in a nearby oak. We continued up the slope to a place Adrian and
I had pinned down a bird from the road that we thought we were going to
have to hike up the trail for. We pulled off and listened. There, from
just below the road, a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW sounded off. Things were
lining up. It was now time for the dry oaky section.
As we crossed the hill at Pine Mountain and the habitat changed
abruptly: moist douglas-fir and oak woodlands and canyon gave way to
much drier, opener, grassier oak woodlands with extensive clearings and
neighborhoods, and almost no native conifers in sight. Which, for us,
meant the opportunity of ample new day birds less than a mile from our
dawn exploits. As we cruised down the hill, we eagerly added OAK
TITMOUSE, a staked-out ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, TREE SWALLOWS and ACORN
WOODPECKER. We pulled off for a pinned-down Chipping Sparrow. There it
is! Well...I think. What had started as a very typical chippy song had
morphed into weird trilly nonsense and we felt we had to see it to keep
the list squeaky clean. But it was nowhere to be seen. We were right on
top of it! What gives! Eventually after navigating some poison oak I
could see its beautiful little red cap and gray face peering out of the
understory. Lets roll. With CHIPPING SPARROW pinned down, we had only a
few more targets on the oaky section of the road. We rolled down to a
certain canyon most of the way down the slope where I had had success
with one of Marin's more restricted oaky breeders in scouting. We pulled
off, and its cousin the PYGMY NUTHATCH sounded from the pines on the
ridge. Our first NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER made some noise and, as hoped, our
target WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH made itself known. We were doing well,
with not much remaining for us on the east side of the hills. We dropped
even lower yet, right to where the true neighborhoods meet the road. As
scouted, a HOODED ORIOLE sounded off before we were even out of the car.
As we re-crested the ridge, we weren't missing much. But we were missing
Purple Martin, a bird we'd had plenty of the previous day but not much
on the other scouting days. So we stopped at a place where we'd had
martins. Nothing. We stopped again where I'd had the solitaire. Nothing
again. So we boogied up past Alpine Lake to where all of our remaining
targets were the day before. As we started to climb way up towards the
top of Bolinas Ridge the conifers got huge and drippy and the air got
cool. We were entering the true ridgeline regions. We pulled off to a
snag that Eric had pinned down during his biking effort and sure enough
several PURPLE MARTINS were swirling around, calling. With only two real
targets to go we went to the core of the forest. We started walking. A
chorus of warblers could be heard but we wanted to be extra sure with
Hermits and Black-throated Grays. The two can be extremely deceptive and
to be sure we either wanted to see one or hear them chip along with the
song. We'd already seen a Gray but were rolling up to our only Hermit
territories. We found the one we'd heard in scouting that sounded like a
slam dunk but still couldn't see it. We walked around, looking into the
treetops but it remained hidden. As we were searching, a GOLDEN-CROWNED
KINGLET sounded off, our other final target for the road. Eventually,
the warbler came lower and started chipping.....not a BT Gray. A HERMIT
WARBLER! We blasted on.
Reaching Bolinas Lagoon we quickly racked up a baseline of common
coastal birds: BUFFLEHEAD, WESTERN GULL, CASPIAN TERN, GREAT EGRET and
others. We continued immediately to a spot where Adrian and I had found
an actively calling Swainson's Thrush which we took to be on territory
in some willows just east of the highway. We got out, fully expecting it
to greet us as we did. Nothing. Uuuuh. We waited. We whistled. Nada.
Some of the group went across the road to look at the lagoon adding some
more birds like SNOWY EGRET and GREAT BLUE HERON. Still no thrush. Damn.
Maybe just a migrant after all? We went on to the south end of the
lagoon. While driving there, we noticed one of the continuing COMMON
GOLDENEYE swimming along a channel. We still hadn't found the local
mergansers but a quick additional stop gifted us the continuing group of
RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS. Distantly over the lagoon, our first BARN
SWALLOWS swirled over the marshy edge of the lagoon. We were still
missing Bald Eagle and it was starting to bother us. We scanned the
channels and sloughs of the lagoon but the two that had been hanging
around for a few days were nowhere to be seen. We pulled off at our
favorite spot and quickly found the continuing large group of ELEGANT
TERNS and started peering through the gulls. We were genuinely worried
about California Gull and sure enough, none to be found. Luckily we
picked up on a HERRING GULL (though not everyone got on it), as well as
LONG-BILLED CURLEW and MARBLED GODWIT. Adrian got on a flyby group of
WESTERN SANDPIPERS and shortly after yelled that he had a SHARP-SHINNED
HAWK! With none in scouting, this was a serious bonus and not one we
were counting on. Unfortunately, it disappeared before almost anyone
else could get on it. We were still missing eagle and it was starting to
be concerning. Reaching the true south end of the lagoon we looked
through the teal and found the continuing EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED (COMMON)
TEAL that Dessi had staked out in with a small group of Green-wings. We
were cookin.
Our next stop was a seawatch vantage on highway 1 just south of the
lagoon. This spot, overlooking Stinson and such of the rocky coast to
the south, was an excellent big day vantage and we were eager to test
our luck. Passing through residential Stinson Beach we found a single
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE and a couple BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS.
Proceeding on to the overlook, we looked down the beach and quickly
added WHIMBREL, though Sanderlings proved absent as they had in
scouting. Looking offshore, we found all 3 regular LOONS, COMMON MURRE,
a flyby pair of BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, BRANDT'S CORMORANTS, and many SURF
SCOTERS. Eagle-eyed Lucas picked out a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER on the water,
Dessi snagged us our first GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL flying far offshore and
Eric keyed in on a distant OSPREY flying way out over duxbury reef as
well as a close in CLARK'S GREBE among the swarms of Westerns. Looking
north on the beach I was delighted to see our first CALIFORNIA GULL.
Astoundingly, California Gulls had been truly scarce in scouting, to the
point where I was genuinely concerned about missing them on the day
(while Ring-billed Gulls, including coastally, were present in
abundance). The things big days will show ya....With our baseline of
ocean birds in the bag, it was time to jam.
Cruising back north on the lagoon we had only one bird in mind: Eagle.
We'd seen eagle both of the previous two days in scouting here and knew
they must be around somewhere. We looked and looked. No eagle. Luckily
Eric had one pinned down in Tomales Bay that he'd "seen 5/5 visits".
There were enough in scouting it seemed we must connect somewhere, but
our Bolinas luck wasn't a good start.
Getting to the north end of the lagoon Lucas reminded of us a spot we
had to check: the flooded field on the way to Bolinas. We stopped
briefly on the west side of the road and added an assortment of new
birds, including GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and a
rare-on-the-coast female GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE for a nice morning
surprise. The pond was a wonderful and quick stop, netting us several
new waterbirds: BLUE-WINGED and CINNAMON TEAL and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER.
Blue-winged Teal was one we had seen plenty of in scouting but is always
patchy and scarce, so we were more than happy to get them out of the
way. We decided to make a brief stop at Pine Gulch Creek for one bird
that was evading us still and for which we didn't have a backup plan. We
wandered into the dense brambles and tangles and listened. Nothing. We
saw a small flock and squeaked, tooted and pished until a they started
drawing near: Hutton's Vireo, Downy Woodpecker and other assorted
breeders. Then, behind us, we heard the distinctive calls of a
SWAINSON'S THRUSH. Back on track!
Shooting up highway 1 we were almost out of targets for that entire
habitat. But we still needed one. So we stopped at a pullout. Nothing.
Stopped at another pullout. A singing BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK graced our
ears. Lets Roll. We stopped briefly at Olema town and while I was
staring at my day BLACK PHOEBE Eric spotted a flyover WHITE-TAILED KITE.
Score! Kites are always finicky on these efforts and finding one in the
morning is always a welcome relief. Lucas insisted we stop at Plaform
Bridge road with repeated phrases like "its key" and "its gonna be
great". Of course, we had scouted Platform Bridge road the day before,
thoroughly, and distinctly found no birds we hadn't already seen. But,
we figured it might as well be worth a shot in case a Bunting or Pewee
had come in overnight. And after all...it's key. Well, unsurprisingly,
the total new birds was a nice round 0. We did hear a few more
grosbeaks. Rolling in to Point Reyes Station we headed immediately to
our staked out sparrow spot, looking for Waxwings as we rolled up. After
arriving and pishing a little bit, the flock came in, and with the group
of 10 or so Golden-crowned Sparrows were 2 beautiful WHITE-THROATED
SPARROWS. We were off.
Continuing up the Tomales Bayshore we took a tip from Lucas and rolled
slowly through the Inverness Park Market. Sure enough, we pulled over to
find a small group of CEDAR WAXWINGS in a nearby tree. Awesome. We
proceeded on to Eric's 5/5 eagle spot to look for the eagle and stare at
the bay. Eric's staked out mega scaup flock was present, holding both
LESSER SCAUP and (much more numerously) GREATER SCAUP. We all scanned
for a while and while I picked up on our first NORTHERN HARRIER of the
day, no eagle was found. Hmm. We were starting to get actually concerned.
We jammed out through Sir Francis Drake knowing not much additional
could be found on this chunk of the route. We stopped briefly at Mount
Vision road and two other places for MacGillivray's Warbler but it was
not to be. Lucas and I briefly heard we heard one singing a bit before
oyster farm but we couldn't stop for long to hear it again. Drat. As we
entered the grasslands near the Outer Point, we quickly found a WESTERN
MEADOWLARK and SAVANNAH SPARROW along the roadside. We headed out
towards Drake's Beach, picking up AMERICAN KESTREL as we got farther
down. Getting out of the car at Drake's, we immediately saw an odd gull
on the beach. Running closer we were stunned to find it was a MEW GULL!
We'd had none in scouting and this came completely out of the blue.
Scanning the bay we immediately picked up on the continuing White-winged
Scoters and several PIGEON GUILLEMOTS. We scoped out towards limantour
and found a few BRANT bouncing around on the water, a lucky save since
we didn't end up having any on a seawatch! Looking more intensely at the
bay, we found our trifecta of grebes: RED-NECKED GREBE (many), HORNED
GREBE (many), EARED GREBE (just one!). Having found everything we wanted
in short order, we zipped off to the lighthosue.
Parking at the lighthouse had been hellacious lately so we were happy to
find someone pulling out right as we arrived. We ran out there, seeing
our first PELAGIC CORMORANT on the way out. As the rest of us rushed to
the platform, Adrian took his time and snagged a LINCOLN'S SPARROW. We
planned to just look for it when we went back. We started scanning and
pretty quickly Adrian spotted a SOOTY SHEARWATER and managed to get
Lucas on it but the rest of us missed it. We kept watching, cleaning up
Herring Gull and seeing a variety of loons and other birds flying north.
I took on Rock Wren/Peregrine duty and ran down the stairs a ways to
look. Nothing. Hmm. I went up to the top again. Nothing. This was our
only shot....I joined the seawatch for a bit during which time a
RHINOCEROS AUKLET flew by, seen everyone but Eric. In the middle of us
all trying to get on the Rhinos Eric spotted a Sterna Tern, likely a
Common but we weren't able to confirm. We were doing well but still
couldn't find a Rock Wren or a Peregrine. After a while we decided it
wasn't worth it to linger despite the possibility of those additional
targets so we headed on to the lupine bowl to look for the Lincoln's
Sparrow. We rolled up to the top of the bowl, pished, and sure enough
out popped the Lincoln's Sparrow. And and Orange-crown! Then Adrian
called out FOX SPARROW!! We couldn't believe it. After dipping on one
Eric had pinned down the morning before near Olema we were presuming
we'd miss it all together. And not just any Fox Sparrow, but a
SLATE-COLORED FOX SPARROW! A spring vagrant! Pretty cool! Checking the
remaining cypresses for any lingering migrant like a Townsend's Warbler
we saw something small fly between two trees. When we tracked it down we
found it was a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET! An awesome late score! Plus a
rare-for-the-point Band-tailed Pigeon. As we reached the parking lot a
bobcat came to hang out with us. We mobbed out.
Rolling up to sunset overlook we had to give it one more try for
Peregrine and Rock Wren. So we got out. We scanned. We listened. We
scanned some more. We couldn't believe it. I'd assumed both would be
easy! But as time wore on we knew we had to leave. We headed on to the
Fish Docks. The first part of the Fish Docks was fantastic. Right off
the bat we rolled to the bay and almost instantly found Eric's stakeout
immature male BLACK SCOTER for a 3-scoter slam! Then as Adrian walked to
the Fish Docks proper a gift from god dropped in in the form of a second
year male LAZULI BUNTING! We were on a roll. As tempting as it was to
keep grinding the point in this kind of day, we probably should've
rolled out 5-10 minutes after this. But we felt like grinding. And there
WERE migrants. The Fish Docks also yielded a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a
rare-for-the-outer-point Northern Mockingbird but nothing new. After
about 20 minutes, we seriously had to go.
We blasted east, and as we passed Abandoned Ranch Dessi spotted a flock
of Black-bellied Plovers flying over the road. We screeched to a
halt....Adrian still needed that. Adrian hopped out but the flock was
too distant, but a new flock was coming! But this one was all dowitchers
and Dunlin! D'oh! And none of the Dowitchers called. Feeling kind of
miffed we rolled on to the "5/5" Bald Eagle stakeout again. The scaup
were still there. The vultures were still there. All the other birds
were still there but where were our eagles?? Nowhere. We continued to
scan. Nada. After about 5 minutes of hardcore scanning we realized we'd
just have to get lucky and luck with eagles can be....finicky. But we
cruised on. As we cruised down Sir Francis Drake through Inverness and
by Olema Marsh we felt there was really not much for us to add, but kept
our windows down anyways. As we were rolling up to Point Reyes Station,
Dessi yelled to stop the car. "RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER!!" Much to our
amazement, there was a pure Red-breasted Sapsucker on a willow riddled
with sap wells on April 20th. We couldn't believe our luck. Where the
bird was felt like a winterer but it could well have been breeding
there. Regardless, we'll take it!!
At this points we had no stops between here and eastern Marin. So we
hauled ass. 20 minutes later we were pulling up to the grounds of the
esteemed Marin French Cheese Company home to the esteemed Marin French
Cheese and also some nice breeders. So we pulled into the lot and
started looking for kingbirds and orioles. We walked around the grounds,
knowing they wander around quite a bit. Before long, a male BULLOCK'S
ORIOLE flew from across the road into the grounds of the Cheese Company.
We wandered around a bit and in a few minutes, a WESTERN KINGBIRD came
flying in and landed by the houses. We were off!
Novato blvd had been great in scouting and hosted a number of our
targets, but varied wildly in birdability based on how many cars were
using it. Today, there were plenty. Nonetheless we pulled off at a
somewhat precarious spot along the road where I'd found Grasshopper and
Lark Sparrows in scouting. Almost immediately a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
sounded off, quickly followed by a second. Lets jam. We proceeded down
the road and soon after Lucas spotted a LARK SPARROW teed up on a wire.
We were in a good place. We had only three more passerine targets before
reaching the bayshore and we'd found the others very quickly. Our next
stop was Stafford Lake, home of couple lame geese and the last scouted
place on the route with a seemingly very possible Bald Eagle. We rolled
up to the lake and almost instantly found the two CACKLING GEESE loafing
with the resident Canada flock. A brief scan of the lake produced a
single RUDDY DUCK, some AMERICAN COOTS, several PIED-BILLED GREBES, and
a couple RING-NECKED DUCKS, all the first for the day. We had cleaned up
almost all the truly dumb needs for the day. On to eagle duty. We broke
into teams and scanned different parts of the shoreline, sky, and
ridgelines but still no eagle. While we were doing this, a Sharp-shinned
Hawk flew over, seen by the whole group, cleaning up one of our few
remaining "dirty birds". But the eagle was not to be. Shucks.
We blasted on to Dessi's stakeout fiddleneck patch. Caitlin Chock had
remarked on this area as we were driving by a week previous during
scouting that it was a ton of fiddleneck and we should check it for
Lawrence's. So I relayed the information to Dessi who checked it the
very next day and....voila. So we arrived on the small side road running
north off Novato blvd and started wandering around. No goldfinches were
immediately apparent. As we were walking around Eric realized he left
something in the car and needed the keys. So, in a heroic leap of logic
I tossed the keys about 50' over to eric when they landed 10 feet from
him and promptly obliterated over the ground near the car. Fortunately,
the motherboard thing was still intact so after stitching it back
together we got...keys! Good stuff. After while we were fumbling around
with fixing the car keys Adrian called out that he was looking at a
LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH, then two, then three! We were wracking up.
We arrived to Mount Burdell earlier than we anticipated. This was good
because one of our targets we forgot to scout (but knew were up here)
and one of them is a notorious pain. So, walking up the slope and
running into a pair of Lark Sparrows on the way we decided to split up
(but stay within earshot) and listen. We hiked about a quarter mile to
an area where Dessi had found Gnatcatchers in scouting. We waited.
Nothing. Just down the road Eric and Dessi yelled at us to run over. As
we got close, the singing HOUSE WREN that they had heard was easily
audible. Screw the gnatcatcher. It was time to bust.
We got to the bayshore with a good amount of time, and a reasonable
number of targets to clean up. Arriving at the overpass going to Rush
Creek we spotted some of the WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS that nest under the
overpass. Pulling up to the marsh proper we quickly found the staked-out
NORTHERN PINTAIL, a small group of AMERICAN WIGEON in the distance, a
single BLACK-NECKED STILT, and a smattering of FORSTER'S TERNS. We
pulled up a smidge farther and found the nesting NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED
SWALLOWS winging about the overpasses with their longer-winged cousins.
With the last of our truly easy birds out of the way for the day, we
headed off.
Next up was bahia where we had basically one target. We rolled up and
almost immediately could see three of the lingering CANVASBACKS
associating loosely with a group of scaup. Dessi connected with his
Northern Harrier, cleaning up yet another dirty bird. We then took a tip
from Lucas to detour to the "costco pond" a place I had never been
before but sounded interesting for some of our targets. As we rolled up,
we were greeted by our first "in range" Great-tailed Grackles of the
day. We scanned the ponds and reedbeds and found a variety of birds from
Night-Herons to Forster's Terns. Then, on one of the small islands, we
located a single SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Lets jam.
Proceeding to Pocheco Pond we quickly checked the Marsh Drive Flooded
field. We found many Yellowlegs but no desired Lessers, and we finally
cleaned up Western Sandpiper for everyone who is not named Adrian.
Heading on to Pocheco Pond proper we quickly found the continuing
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN Dessi had noted the previous day. Now it was
grind time. The primary target left at Pacheco was Snow Goose, but it
was a walk and we weren't sure if we should do that or zip over to Las
Gallinas (where some of the targets may be easier earlier in the
afternoon) and come back. After a fair amount of deliberation we opted
for going for the goose. At this point Lucas was wiped after his
all-nighter and had turned into zombie mode, and I wasn't far behind
him. Fortunately our two athletes, Adrian and Eric went zipping off
ahead to scout it out. We got to the goose spot. "well.....there are no
Canadas here" Dessi observed. Uuuuh....shit? We could see the whole
pond. We tried to look around. There were a few geese but the flock
was...somewhere else? Lucas and I were exhausted. We hung back. This was
feeling like it had been an enormous and fruitless waste of time.
Sometimes you don't make the right call on these days after all. But
Dessi and Adrian charged on and soon we heard shouting from their
general area. We ran over. There, in a field off to the east, was the
one and only SNOW GOOSE. Legendary. We started back but Eric (who'd
brought the scope all the way out here!) started scanning the ducks and
we all started looking through for any lingering daybirds. All of the
sudden Eric yelled out "HOODED MERGANSER!" And there in the back edge of
the pond was our third merganser species for the day, the lingering
female Hooded. The trip turned from a massive flop to a huge success in
a matter of minutes. We charged back to the car with what little stamina
we had remaining. We got back to the car and all of the sudden were
actually doing well on time. Time to bust.
Things were lining up. We just needed these last few hours to line up
too. We got to Las Gallinas around 6:20. The big tossup was Vaux's
Swift. Adrian and I had them the previous day in scouting but it was
earlier in the afternoon and that seemed better for them. After leaving
Las Gallinas there were no real lock new additions, so we had a choice
to make: do we end at Hamilton Wetlands with the potential for Snowy
Plover, Pipit, and Horned Lark or do we end at McNear Brickyard with
Vaux's Swift and maybe Black Turnstone. The swift at McNear was the only
really lock thing so it was a genuinely tough decision. We walked out
the path at Las Gallinas and looked down at the pond. Adrian was looking
up. Within minutes he shouted out "VAUX'S SWIFT!!" This was a welcome
cry. For the most part, the day changed pace around now. There was no
rush any more. We just had to spend the time it took to see the Las
Gallinas birds then we should have enough time at Hamilton to wrack up
what we need. So we walked around the pond. Our last truly easy addition
swam out in front of us: our first COMMON GALLINULE. We'd done it. We
had successfully not missed anything truly dumb today. But the rest of
the birds may all take effort. We walked slowly around the first pond,
checking all the channels and reedy edges. Reaching the edge of the
riprap-lined second pond we immediately saw a GREEN HERON kick up. We
were rocking. One more target to go and only 25 minutes in. We just had
to be patient. So we continued to the north side of the main pond. And
waited. We all took different vantage points in case we saw the orange
micro-heron fly across the reeds. But nothing. We had time. We waited.
Adrian and Dessi wandered to the far side of the pond. We waited some
more. Then, it started vocalizing: the LEAST BITTERN! We called the team
over. They came sprinting our way and, for a minute or two, the bittern
sounded off. Then it fell silent. Now on to the chill end to the day.
We arrived at Hamilton wetlands and decided to take 3 scopes. We decided
to split up to cover ground (while staying within earshot), so lucas and
I took off to the north running around looking for Larks and Pipits in
places I'd had them the previous week. I'd tried to see if the larks
sound off at dusk (which they distinctly didnt) so flushing one up it
was. Right as we were about to start running Eric called us over. They'd
found one of our targets, a few SNOWY PLOVERS. We peered in the scope
then took off running. We ran a solid loop but no larks and no pipits.
We started running closer to the crew and heard a singing HORNED LARK. I
guess they do sound off if the night is warm enough... We started
screaming at them which they heard and started yelling something back.
When we got there the lark was still going off (and they had heard it)
and they said they'd found something else. After about a minute Eric
spotted it again. Crawling around on the mudflats was a lone AMERICAN
PIPIT. We couldn't believe it. At the last stop of the day. And the crew
had seen tons of other stuff like White Pelican flying by too. Time for
the high tide roost.
We ran back to the car and headed to the south end of the complex. The
tide was not as high as hoped. As we arrived at the south end, it was
clear the shorebirds weren't right where they often are. Still, as we
got to the bend in the trail there were a good number of Western
Sandpipers and other shorebirds. We waited. Game on. Fish on. We spend
the last half hour of light scoping through hordes of Gulls, Terns,
Godwits, Sandpipers and others. Adrian finally cleaned up his
Black-bellied Plover and we all scoured for a Knot or Short-billed
Dowitcher or some other random end-of-the day score. Alas, it was not to
be.
Just before it got truly dark, we decided to peel. it was a nice warm
evening, and we liked our chances for poorwill. We had a decision of
going for Poorwill on BoFax or Tennessee Valley. But because the BoFax
ones seemed to be migrants, and because we'd scouted out the Tennessee
Valley ones already, we lobbied for the latter. Much to our dismay, when
we got near to Tenneessee Valley the nice warm conditions made way for
foggy cold San Francisco like weather. Bother. Still, they'd been easy
two nights ago. So we set out. The following 2.5 hours had us walking
about 5 miles of Tennessee Valley trails with no Poorwills. How it goes.
After re-energizing at a Dominos stop we decided to blast out for one
last bird: Black Turnstone. Eric had staked out a flock at Loch Lamond
Marina a few days ago so we knew exactly where they were. And the marina
felt like the kinda place u could actually see one. Dessi and Lucas
stayed in the car but Eric, Adrian and I wandered out with the
flashlight to search. So we looked. And looked. We checked all the areas
that seemed likely. We couldn't find one. We got back to the car at
11:50pm and started to head home.
All in all, it was a fantastically fun effort and a great way to learn
one of the Bay Area counties in a more intimate way.
As with all big days, we came with our selection of misses: Greater
White-fronted Goose (present just two days prior), Sanderling
(incredibly nowhere in scouting between Stinson Beach, Drakes Beach and
North Beach. Crazy), Black Turnstone (present in scouting and on the day
in daylight at Loch Lamond. Scouted birds at fish docks left 2 days
early), SB Dowitcher (surprisingly absent in scouting), Wilson's Snipe
(absent in scouting), Lesser Yellowlegs (absent in scouting), Common
Poorwill (present both of the previous two days of scouting. Our second
biggest miss), Bald Eagle (our biggest miss), Burrowing Owl, Merlin,
Peregrine (shocking), Pewee (not in yet), Rock Wren, Cassin's Vireo
(always hard in Marin), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Red Crossbill,
MacGillivray's Warbler (!!!), Townsend's Warblers (few in scouting),
Western Tanager (not in yet). Of these, 4 or more (Turnstone, Eagle,
Merlin, Peregrine, and I believe a couple others) were reported by other
observers on this day. You never get em all.
We were worried in scouting of the date being too early, especially
given very low numbers of returning migrants by the 15th of April
(numbers of Warbling Vireos, Western Flycatchers, Black-headed Grosbeaks
and others being way down at that date) but considering we barely missed
any breeders that arrive in the next 3 weeks (Pewee and Mac, basically)
and ended up with an impressive assortment of waterfowl (26 species not
including Mute Swan or Common Teal, plenty of which left in the ensuing
week), lingering winterering landbirds (Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Lincoln's
Sparrow, Fox Sparrow etc) and later arriving just on time migrants (e.g.
Olive-sided, Ash-throated, Lazuli) its hard to imagine the date having
worked out much better this year.
Several birds (Least Bittern, Elegant Tern, Grackle) are recent
colonists in the county and Marin is actually one of a few counties that
probably has a higher baseline of birds on this kind of effort now than
it would have 30 years ago.
Date: 4/27/25 12:43 pm From: richard s. cimino via groups.io <rscimino...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Recent Sightings/Detections In Marin County: Whimbrels
Hi Daniel and Maggie,
Here in eastern Marin, along Corte Madera Creek there have been up to three Whimbrels and a Spotted Sandpiper in breeding plumage, all calling.
I’ve recorded the Whimbrels call. I now need to figure how to filter out the background noise to make the recording sharp.
I recorded the calls on my Nikon 950 using the video feature . I could use some help, suggestions in this area ? Anyone ?
From: <northbaybirds...> <northbaybirds...> On Behalf Of Maggie Rufo via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2025 8:14 AM
To: 'Daniel Edelstein' <danieledelstein...>; <northbaybirds...>
Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Recent Sightings/Detections In Marin County: Swainson's Thrush, N. Saw-whet Owl, Allen's Hummingbird, etc., et al
Hi Daniel,
Thought you’d be interested to know that Swainson’s Thrush was heard singing at Five Brooks on April 16 – at least two, on either side of the trail around the pond, not far from the entrance.
Maggie Rufo
From: <northbaybirds...> <mailto:<northbaybirds...> <northbaybirds...> <mailto:<northbaybirds...> > On Behalf Of Daniel Edelstein
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2025 7:03 AM
To: <northbaybirds...> <mailto:<northbaybirds...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Recent Sightings/Detections In Marin County: Swainson's Thrush, N. Saw-whet Owl, Allen's Hummingbird, etc., et al
Hello:
Thanks to the West Marin Env. Action Committee* staff and volunteers that invited me to conduct a tour
at Five Brooks (NPS parcel between Olema and Bolinas), I was honored to lead a tour with 14 attendants that
yielded (* = One of dozens of tours for the 16th annual Pt. Reyes Birding Festival.):
1 SWAINSON'S THRUSH (Call note only heard: the "drip" note sound that is one call among the six call notes
in its repertoire...and, in my experience, the most typical call note to be heard for the earliest arriving migrants...i.e.,
I begin hearing songs from this species 2-3 weeks from now.)
2 ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD
4 MALE WOOD DUCK (swimming together (!) )
1 PACIFIC WREN
2 WILSON'S WARBLER
1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
1 PURPLE FINCH
1 BROWN CREEPER
4/21/25
While conducting a listening survey for N. Spotted Owl, I heard an ongoing calling N. SAW-WHET OWL.
It was approximately 1,000' west of 51 Blue Ridge Road where a cul de sac occurs, if you wish to listen upon visiting.
Recording that requires you to use headphones with your laptop/desktop computer is at my eBird checklist:
Date: 4/27/25 8:23 am From: Daniel Edelstein via groups.io <danieledelstein...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Recent Sightings/Detections In Marin County: Swainson's Thrush, N. Saw-whet Owl, Allen's Hummingbird, etc., et al
Date: 4/27/25 8:13 am From: Maggie Rufo via groups.io <magwhls...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Recent Sightings/Detections In Marin County: Swainson's Thrush, N. Saw-whet Owl, Allen's Hummingbird, etc., et al
Hi Daniel,
Thought you’d be interested to know that Swainson’s Thrush was heard singing at Five Brooks on April 16 – at least two, on either side of the trail around the pond, not far from the entrance.
Maggie Rufo
From: <northbaybirds...> <northbaybirds...> On Behalf Of Daniel Edelstein
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2025 7:03 AM
To: <northbaybirds...>
Subject: [northbaybirds] Recent Sightings/Detections In Marin County: Swainson's Thrush, N. Saw-whet Owl, Allen's Hummingbird, etc., et al
Hello:
Thanks to the West Marin Env. Action Committee* staff and volunteers that invited me to conduct a tour
at Five Brooks (NPS parcel between Olema and Bolinas), I was honored to lead a tour with 14 attendants that
yielded (* = One of dozens of tours for the 16th annual Pt. Reyes Birding Festival.):
1 SWAINSON'S THRUSH (Call note only heard: the "drip" note sound that is one call among the six call notes
in its repertoire...and, in my experience, the most typical call note to be heard for the earliest arriving migrants...i.e.,
I begin hearing songs from this species 2-3 weeks from now.)
2 ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD
4 MALE WOOD DUCK (swimming together (!) )
1 PACIFIC WREN
2 WILSON'S WARBLER
1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
1 PURPLE FINCH
1 BROWN CREEPER
4/21/25
While conducting a listening survey for N. Spotted Owl, I heard an ongoing calling N. SAW-WHET OWL.
It was approximately 1,000' west of 51 Blue Ridge Road where a cul de sac occurs, if you wish to listen upon visiting.
Recording that requires you to use headphones with your laptop/desktop computer is at my eBird checklist:
Date: 4/27/25 8:00 am From: Dede Sabbag via groups.io <dede.sabbag...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Recent Sightings/Detections In Marin County: Swainson's Thrush, N. Saw-whet Owl, Allen's Hummingbird, etc., et al
Date: 4/27/25 7:03 am From: Daniel Edelstein via groups.io <danieledelstein...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Recent Sightings/Detections In Marin County: Swainson's Thrush, N. Saw-whet Owl, Allen's Hummingbird, etc., et al
Hello:
Thanks to the West Marin Env. Action Committee* staff and volunteers that invited me to conduct a tour
at Five Brooks (NPS parcel between Olema and Bolinas), I was honored to lead a tour with 14 attendants that
yielded (* = One of dozens of tours for the 16th annual Pt. Reyes Birding Festival.):
*1 SWAINSON'S THRUSH* (Call note only heard: the "drip" note sound that is one call among the six call notes
in its repertoire...and, in my experience, the most typical call note to be heard for the earliest arriving migrants...i.e.,
I begin hearing songs from this species 2-3 weeks from now.)
*2 ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD*
*4 MALE WOOD DUCK* (swimming together (!) )
1 PACIFIC WREN
2 WILSON'S WARBLER
1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
1 PURPLE FINCH
1 BROWN CREEPER
4/21/25
While conducting a listening survey for N. Spotted Owl, I heard an ongoing calling *N. SAW-WHET OWL.*
It was approximately 1,000' west of 51 Blue Ridge Road where a cul de sac occurs, if you wish to listen upon visiting.
Recording that requires you to use headphones with your laptop/desktop computer is at my eBird checklist:
Date: 4/23/25 4:47 pm From: larry nigro via groups.io <larrymtb...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Spring time in Marin: Festival and Breeding Atlas
Hi,
Really enjoying Spring arrivals. Up between Loma Alta and Big Rock in addition to reported birds Molly and I found Lazuli buntings, Rufous Crowned Sparrows and Horned Larks this last weekend.
We will be leading a hike for the Bird festival up there on Friday.
Also, as I understand it, this is the last stretch to help with the Marin county bird Breeding Atlas. I had a great time yesterday watching two Blue Gray Gnatcatchers building a nest. Amazing ongoing effort by Liz, Dianne, Susan, and Daphne to shepherd the surveys.
Enjoy the Springtime. Now I just need to ID a Swainson's Thrush. Best in birds, Larry Nigro [image: 6J0A2626.JPG]
Date: 4/22/25 1:51 pm From: Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Marin county observations (from a half-hearted big day effort) 4/21/2025
Spent the day birding around various locations in Marin County yesterday. I left the house with a simple plan: gas up the truck at the Arco in Mill Valley, hike up Pine Mountain Fire Rd. check some other spots and make it to the Costco in Novato to pick up some groceries and get home early enough to have dinner with Megan.
Despite a slow showing for migrants I had encountered enough diversity that by the early afternoon the big-day bug had taken hold and I was making repeated stops along the way to Novato in an attempt to see as many species as I could.
My route started at the little marsh along the Redwood Highway Frontage Rd. between Goodman's Lumber and Travel Lodge. From there I headed over to Fairfax for a 3 hour hike up Pine Mountain Rd. I continued down the Bolinas - Fairfax road making a few stops along the way to do a brief scan of Bolinas Lagoon before jetting north to have a quick lunch at Point Reyes Station. After an unexpected sighting in town I was told that migrants had put in a decent showing on the Outer Point the day before so I found myself doing an impromptu early afternoon OP. From there I headed back along Novato Blvd. finishing with a scan of the Novato Creek Unit of Petaluma Marsh Wildlife Area from the overlook on Rowland Blvd. Despite the complete lack of planning, failing to visit a number of productive sites along the way, spending 3 hours hiking, and missing many "easy" species (most shorebirds, owls besides Great Horned, all the woodpeckers except flicker, oak titmouse and many others) on a day when migrants were mostly absent I was pleasantly surprised to finish the day with 124 species.
notable observations including some species seen only in one location or of more general interest:
Cinnamon Teal - a pair in the big pond at Drake's Beach
Northern Shoveler - pair at Novato Creek Marsh off Rowland
Gadwall- pairs at the Mendoza Pond and tidal pond between driveway to Oyster Farm/Lunny Ranch
Northern Pintail - a getting late pair was in the "TraveLodge Marsh" in Mill Valley, male was giving courtship head bobs but this often happens with birds pairing up on migration prior to reaching the breeding grounds. Still worth checking this spot in upcoming weeks
Green-winged Teal - lone male briefly at tidal pond between driveway to Oyster Farm/Lunny Ranch
Ring-necked Duck - 9 were at Stafford Lake
Greater Scaup - 5 were close enough to ID to species on Tomales Bay behind Inverness Store
Black Scoter - a late staying male off the Fish Docks
Virginia Rail - a couple countercalling on the big pond at Drakes Beach
American Avocet - an incubating bird was on the island off Rowland /Novato Creek Marsh
Short-billed Dowitcher - flock of 14, tidal pond between driveway to Oyster Farm/Lunny Ranch
Spotted Sandpiper - one in the "TraveLodge Marsh" in Mill Valley, one at Novato Cree Marsh on the Island
Lesser Yellowlegs - with three Greates in the "TraveLodge Marsh" in Mill Valley, can't recommend this spot enough for anyone passing through/getting gas. In several visits this winter I've noted 40+ Greater Yellowlegs here
Glaucous-winged Gull - only one was on the beach by life saving station/Fish Docks
Forster's Tern - 50 + on the island off Rowland, including copulating/courting/fish passing pairs
Red-necked Grebe - 3 birds in splendid alternate off Drake's Beach
Green Heron - one vocal bird flew into a possible nest in a tree on Mesa Dr. in Point Reyes Station, later another flying over the road/Stemple Creek as I was leaving town
Brown Pelican - only saw two on the day, one flying over Nunes Ranch in the Outer Point was expected, a confused looking juvenile on ALPINE LAKE (!) was NOT
Cooper's Hawk - adult hunting Band-tails/Mourning Doves on Pine Mountain Fire Rd was the only one seen on the day
Bald Eagle - an immature soaring over Bolinas lagoon was the only one on the day as well
FERRUGINOUS HAWK - the biggest surprise of the day and a very late record for Marin County was a second year Ferrug spotted with the help of a mobbing crow as it soared over Point Reyes Station a little before 13:00 before drifting out of sight to the north
Belted Kingfisher - the only sighting of the day was one flying over Point Reyes Station
American Kestrel - only one of the day was a male being harassed by Red-wings on the north side of Novato Blvd a bit west of Stafford Lake. Might be worth investigating by anyone atlasing that area
American Crow - quite a few observed on the day but (2) together at the Nunes Ranch were my first observation for the Outer Point, according to Logan and others these birds have been out there for a few days now
PURPLE MARTIN - two female Purple Martins passed over the hillside above the FIsh Docks residence with a mix of other swallows in the early afternoon. Perhaps migrants or with the increasing numbers of Martins nesting in the wooded/more inland part of the Seashore local birds foraging afield
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - the only one encountered was at the bottom of the Nunes Ranch Cypress Row
Hermit Thrush - only one was in the trees above the FIsh Docks residence
Fox Sparrow - one heard on the Pine Mountain Fire Rd. hike
Rufous-crowned Sparrow -a healthy count of (7) on the Pine Mountain Fire Rd. hike
Hooded Oriole - one was calling from the palm behind Bovine Bakery in Point Reyes Station where they have been regular in spring/summer for a couple of years now
Great-tailed Grackle - a couple singing birds off Rowland where their numbers seem to be growing, surprisingly none were in the Costco parking lot but it was getting late by then
Yellow-rumped Warbler - the lone obvious migrant was at the Fish Docks, birds persistently singing as if on territory were along the Bolinas-Fairfax Rd in the area of Alpine Lake where this species is a uncommon/localized breeder
Black-throated Gray Warbler - one singing along PineMountain Fire Rd.
Black-headed Grosbeak - surprisingly only one detected, singing near Alpine Lake, I would've expected many more by this date but spring migration seems to be lagging
A full list with checklists can be seen at this link:
Date: 4/20/25 8:18 pm From: richard s. cimino via groups.io <rscimino...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Correction to Thrush species noted
I like to issue a correction to my posting earlier today of the Hermit
Thrush in Colombia.
That needs to be a Grey-cheeked Thrush, not a Hermit Thrush.
I hope that I haven't confused anyone who may have checked the range map for
the Hermit Thrush range distribution.
Hermit Thrush is rare in Colombia.
The Grey-cheeked Thrush is a wintering species in Colombia at this time of
the year.
Meanwhile, I checked the Cornell Bird Cast Site, and 241,000+ species passed
over Marin County last night, April 19th.
The Swainson's Thrush is shown as beginning to arrive OVER Marin County.
I was curious, so I checked Birdcast using two states where Grey-cheeked
Thrushes migrate through Wisconsin and Louisiana for the Grey-cheeked Thrush
migration using the Mississippi flyway.
The Grey-cheeked Thrush isn't shown arriving in the continental USA just
yet.
This is interesting, too, since on my annual field trip to Nome, Alaska, in
late May, the Grey-cheeked Thrushes have arrived and are on nesting
territory and singing.
Birding is a great hobby, pastime, and profession.
With Appreciation,
Rich Cimino
www.yellowbilledtours.com
From: <northbaybirds...> <northbaybirds...> On Behalf Of richard
s. cimino via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2025 7:16 AM
To: 'Northbay Birds' <northbaybirds...>
Subject: [northbaybirds] Ash-throated Flycatchers Olompali State Park
Spring has arrived in Olompali State Park.
Yesterday, Saturday, between 10 AM and noon, up to three calling and located
Ash-throated Flycatchers were in the park.
Two Ash-throated Flycatchers were calling in and around the entrance path up
to the walnut orchard, and the third was calling from the southwest side of
the parking lot.
Also heard was a single singing Warbling Vireo.
I did try to locate the two wintering Red-breasted Sapsuckers, but I was
unable to, they may have left the park en route for the Sierra Nevada's and
further north.
A side note:
Having just returned from a field trip to the Eastern Andes Mountains of
Colombia, my group saw several Canada Warblers, Hermit, and Swainson
Thrushes moving in their northern migration.
A second side note: Yesterday afternoon, from 2 30 to 5 PM, behind my home
along Corte Madera Creek (near Niven Park, Larkspur), two Forster's Terns
and a Caspian Tern were diving as the high tide was flowing upstream. During
the low tide, Greater Yellowlegs and Long-billed Dowitchers were present
feeding on the mud flats.
Date: 4/20/25 7:15 am From: richard s. cimino via groups.io <rscimino...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Ash-throated Flycatchers Olompali State Park
Spring has arrived in Olompali State Park.
Yesterday, Saturday, between 10 AM and noon, up to three calling and located
Ash-throated Flycatchers were in the park.
Two Ash-throated Flycatchers were calling in and around the entrance path up
to the walnut orchard, and the third was calling from the southwest side of
the parking lot.
Also heard was a single singing Warbling Vireo.
I did try to locate the two wintering Red-breasted Sapsuckers, but I was
unable to, they may have left the park en route for the Sierra Nevada's and
further north.
A side note:
Having just returned from a field trip to the Eastern Andes Mountains of
Colombia, my group saw several Canada Warblers, Hermit, and Swainson
Thrushes moving in their northern migration.
A second side note: Yesterday afternoon, from 2 30 to 5 PM, behind my home
along Corte Madera Creek (near Niven Park, Larkspur), two Forster's Terns
and a Caspian Tern were diving as the high tide was flowing upstream. During
the low tide, Greater Yellowlegs and Long-billed Dowitchers were present
feeding on the mud flats.
This and the other pages at the website are mostly complete but work is
still needed to the bottom of each page. See below in this email thread
for further information on Noyo Pelagics.
Anchor Charters skipper Richard Thornton reported a concentration of
close to 1000 Black-footed Albatrosses north of Noyo Canyon last week
and, weather permitting, we may try and relocate this concentration
during our full-day trip of Sunday, August 27th. About 15 albatrosses
were also seen from shore two days ago, including two that followed a
fishing boat to within a half mile of the harbor entrance. The next 2-3
months represent the peak period for numbers of this species off our coast.
The long-range forecast for the April 26th and 27th trips is for light
to moderate NW winds which are good conditions for getting the full
trips in, although it is still a bit too early to say if this forecast
will hold. We also have two full-day and one half-day trip planned for
May 9th-12th, representing the only time this year we are trying two
full-day trips in one weekend. So if you'd like to come up for two or 2
and a half trips, this would be the weekend. It coincides with our
finding 30+ Murphy's Petrels, five Hawaiian Petrels, and 9 Laysan
Albatrosses on a full-day trip two years ago.
Hope to see you up here this spring or later in the year!
Peter
On 4/11/2025 7:40 AM, Peter Pyle via groups.io wrote:
> Greetings again Bay Area -
>
> Our two April trips (see below) are filling but there are still
> opportunities to sign up. The website is still under construction but
> we have set up a method in order to sign up. The prices are $125 for
> the half-day trip on April 26th and $185 for the full day trip on the
> 27th.
>
> To sign up go to
> https://noyopelagics.com/times-directions-and-parking/. Scroll down to
> the bottom of that page and in the small calendar for April click on
> the 26th for the half-day trip and the 27th for the full day trip.
>
> Once you have made a reservation, it will ask if you want to add any
> more trips before paying. So if you want to do both days, you can add
> the second trip and pay all at once.
>
> You can also see the report from our most recent half-day trip to Noyo
> Canyon here:
> https://noyopelagics.com/pelagic_calendar/monday-half-day-noyo-canyon-mammals-and-birds/ >
>
> The Home Page at the above site has the full calendar and the "About
> our Trips" page is also complete except the list of birds and mammals
> at the bottom. We hope to have the website fully completed in the next
> week or so.
>
> Hope to see you that weekend!
>
> Peter
>
> On 4/4/2025 10:34 AM, Peter Pyle wrote:
>> Greetings Bay Area -
>>
>> Mendocino Coast Audubon Society and Noyo Center for Marine Science
>> Center will be running a number of pelagic trips out of Fort Bragg
>> this year. There will be a website with the complete schedule of
>> full-day trips, half-day trips, and 2-hour trips to do marine science
>> including deploying ROVs when conditions are good. Pending the
>> website's launch (hopefully soon) you can call Anchor Charters at
>> 707-964-4550 to reserve a spot.
>>
>> The first two trips of the season will be on April 26th (half day,
>> five hours ) and April 27th (full day, 10 hours). We will aim for the
>> Noyo Canyon on both trips and and over the continental shelf on the
>> full-day trip. This was the weekend where, many years ago, we went
>> out to deep water and had 100+ Murphy's Petrels (confirming them for
>> the state) and 130+ Horned Puffins out in these waters. Laysan
>> Albatrosses have been regular over Noyo Canyon this year and a
>> Short-tailed Albatross was spotted by fisherman there in early March.
>>
>> Future full-day trips this year will be on May 9th and 11th, June
>> 15th, July 15th, August 15th, September 7th, October 31st, and
>> November 22nd. Most of these will have half-day trips scheduled
>> within a day or so, such that those coming up to enjoy the Mendocino
>> coast can make a long weekend of it and include two pelagic trips.
>>
>> We'll announce when the website is up with full details. Hope to see
>> you up here this April or later in the year.
>>
>> Good birding!
>>
>> Peter
>
>
>
>
>
>
Heard ongoing, periodic class vocalization rendition that was 400' northeast from the main trail that heads uphill south from parking area on Lucas Valley Rd.
Heard singing in two spots from trailhead as I walked south (uphill) from road parking area on Lucas Valley Rd. turnout.
AGE & SEX:
Age Juvenile Immature Adult Age Unknown Male *2* Female Sex Unknown
Remove
*
California Towhee Melozone crissalis ( https://ebird.org/species/caltow )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number observed: 2
Details
Heard singing ~400' northeast at .4 mile into my walk uphill south from parking area on Lucas Valley Rd.
4/17/25
2. 4/17/25
At mile-marker 3.98 on Lucas Valley Road, on the south side of road, I heard one singing *Black-headed Grosbeak* and one *Warbler Vireo.*
3. 4/17/25
At the Bridgegate Rd. bridge riparian area 150' north of Lucas Valley Rd. (~2 miles west of the Loma Alta trail (Big Rock area), I heard one *Wilson's Warbler* and one *Western Flycatcher,* both first of season for me.
Date: 4/16/25 5:51 pm From: NANCY AND EUGENE HUNN via groups.io <enhunn323...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Petaluma Hike-n-Bike Big Day April 12
Hike-n-Bike Petaluma Big-Day Bird-a-thon for Madrone Audubon.
When: April 14, 2025, 5:40 AM until 2:30 PM; a fine, ultimately warm day.
Who: Gene Hunn, Annette and Craig Roth, with Nancy Hunn in support.
Where: In and around Petaluma.
How: Down from the top of Sonoma Mountain Road, then through town to the Lakeville/US101 bridge, then to Shollenberger Park and the Ellis Creek Polishing Ponds, then home via Brown’s Lane, the airport, Prince's Park, and the Lynch Creek Trail. Approximately 5 downhill miles in the Prius (to avoid life-threatening descent along Sonoma Mountain Road), 15 miles on bikes and three on foot.
Blow-by-Blow: At dawn with a setting gibbous moon and brilliant Venus we heard our first species: Wild Turkeys, Indian Peafowl (likely captives nearby), Great Horned and Western Screech Owls. Violet-green Swallows were early chirpers joined by Mourning Doves, Acorn Woodpeckers, Steller’s Jays, Northern House Wrens, and Western Bluebirds. Our next stop downhill added distant singing Song and Rufous-crowned Sparrows, both towhees, and a pair of Cooper’s Hawks. A bit further below at the high pond overlook: Wood Ducks and Ring-necked Ducks. A Great Blue Heron cruised in neck extended. As the sun peeked over the ridge, the oaks perked up with Oak Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, and a distant Hairy Woodpecker. A flowering eucalyptus offered Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks, an American Kestrel, a family of Western Kingbirds, Black Phoebes, Bushtits, House Finches, Lesser Goldfinches, meadowlarks, juncos, mockingbirds, and a singing Bullock’s Oriole.
At 8 AM we regrouped at the Hunn’s house for a bite, then set off biking through the back streets of East Petaluma to Baywood. at Lakeville. Here we had a clear view of the Highway 101 bridge, home to many nesting Cliff Swallows and a few White-throated Swifts (the swifts nest in vertical drainpipes under the bridge!). Northern Rough-winged Swallows and Killdeer also nest nearby. Then along the Allman Marsh Trail beside the Petaluma River to Shollenberger Park. Here we added Willet, Long-billed Curlews, Black-necked Stilts, Greater Yellowlegs, a flock of Long-billed Dowitchers, and heard a Virginia Rail calling; also, Tree and Barn Swallows, Eurasian Collared Doves, chattering Marsh Wrens and a singing Common Yellowthroat.
Shollenberger was awash in ducks, mostly dabblers such as Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, and Gadwall, plus Buffleheads and Ruddy Ducks and two female Canvasbacks. A pair of Green Herons skulked, Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons stalked, and an American Bittern boomed right beside the trail. We counted at least 40 Mute Swans, now well established in the three county North Bay region (though still considered provisional by the California Records Committee). Avocets and Least Sandpipers were numerous. We spotted a few distant Black-bellied Plovers and checked a group of gulls still hanging around that included Western, Ring-billed, California, and a Glaucous-winged.
On to the Ellis Creek ponds hoping to pad our list. Vocal Pied-billed Grebes and Double-crested Cormorants (on nests in the eucalyptus) were easy additions. Other additions were like pulling teeth, but sharp-eyed Annette picked out a skulking Common Gallinule and a cruise-by Northern Harrier, while Craig spotted our only Common Goldeneye, our only Black-crowned Night-Heron, a migrating flock of Cackling Geese, and a soaring Swainson’s Hawk, this last a high point of the day. Hunn managed to spot a pair of Cinnamon Teal and a late Greater Scaup through the sewage treatment plant gate. A single Great-tailed Grackle squawked in the reeds; normally abundant wintering birds such as White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows were few and far between as were Yellow-rumped Warblers, but we pulled out few of each. We paused for a sandwich and an unofficial tally of the day list to that point: 99! Not counting the Mute Swans and peafowls.
The long ride back to the Hunn’s for a beer and snacks was largely uneventful but for a hair-raising half mile ride out the Lakeville racetrack to look for the scaup Gene had spotted the day before and the staked-out Hooded Orioles on Lynch Creek to wrap up the day. Final tally, 102.
Date: 4/15/25 8:36 am From: Daniel Edelstein via groups.io <danieledelstein...> Subject: [northbaybirds] 2 — Addendum from my initial post a moment ago: 2 Lark Sparrows Singing
By the way, I should have noted in my last post:
A sporadic, locally common resident — Lark Sparrow — in the NBB is easy to see and hear singing now
at Mt. Burdell within the meadow that is .4 mile from the San Andreas Drive trailhead.
After ascending the trail and it evens out, there's a 6-foot-long log on the trail's left side. I often see Lark
Sparrow here on the ground or on the log.....4/14/25 also included two singing individuals that I heard first, then
saw up close in this area. Handsome sparrow species (!) :-)
1 *CHIPPING SPARROW* Saw one close-up on ground before it flew to a nearby oak branch where a group of large Valley White and Oregon Oak occur next to both sides of the trail as it ascends northeast from the flat meadow trail area.
Heard two singing individuals in the southern part of the meadow and saw one at CLOSE range on a fencepost before it flew. Characteristic white outer tail feathers were seen on fleeing individual.
Heard two different classic calls (one a chip note and the other a rattle), then the melodic, classic song amid the large Valley White Oak and Oregon Oak in the north-northeastern portion of the meadow...and where the trail begins to ascend as you leave the meadow. Given female may potentially periodically sing, I marked the sex below as "unknown."
Heard two classic songs from different individuals within 400' of where the trailhead begins at the San Andreas Drive parking area where it dead ends.
*2 singing YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER* I was not surprised to hear the annual singing of this common, ubiquitous non-breeding resident at three spots amid my 2.3-mile bike ride here......given this species nests at sporadically at some high altitude portions of the NBB, including Mt. Burdell....but, otherwise, sings among flatter areas before leaving (or while dispersing/migrating) in the NBB in April. Do I hear this species singing at lower altitude in Marin other than April annually. No. Never in the past 39 years since I've been in the Bay Area/Marin.....But listen carefully now if you wish and you'll hear this species singing before they soon leave flatland areas for nesting elsewhere (Likewise, Townsend's Warbler is another NBB non-breeding season resident that sings in our region in April before leaving to nest elsewhere). 4/13/25 Las Gallinas Wildlife Ponds, San Rafael *6 BLUE-WINGED TEAL* *....* in the sludge ponds (football field enclosure within a barbed wire fence immediately east of pond #2 along the main trail running north-northeast from the parking lot). *1 LESSER YELLOWLEGS* *....* in pond #1 (visually seen and heard calling with aberrant, less common call than the too-too....though I heard the double too-too call also. *6 BONAPARTE'S GULL*....in pond #2, though Bob Atwood spotted 60 before I arrived. 4/13/25 Marsh Drive flooded area (ephemeral pond that is 150-200 acres at Hwy. 37 & Hwy. 101 (southwest corner) *62 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE*
Regards, Daniel Edelstein Novato, CA WarblerWatch.com
Date: 4/14/25 11:00 pm From: Josiah Clark via groups.io <josiah.clark621...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Marin Big Day by bicycle report April 11
On Friday April 11, 2025 Cedric Duhalde, Jonah, Benningfield, Eric Heisy
and Josiah Clark ran a big day by bicycle in Marin. We rode about 75 miles,
climbed 5000 feet of elevation and observed 156 species (with some dirty
birds) at last count.
Highlights included the continuing tufted duck, least bittern, snow and
white-fronted goose, burrowing owl, snowy plovers, 4 species of rail, 8
species of sparrow, both orioles, BG gnatcatcher, black-throated gray
warbler and 15+purple martins.
As for the state of the migration in my experience: the numbers of Wilson’s
warblers, warbling vireos, and Pacific-slope flycatchers were notably low
even for this early date. Hopefully more will come in along with the
species we missed.
High numbers and diversity of ducks still remain, and the shorebird
migration, especially at Hamilton Field was impressive.
Large numbers of crowned sparrows remain on the Bayshore but Fox, RC
kinglet, Say’s Phoebe,varied thrushes were already not to be found.
It seemed that there were lots of hawks and swallows moving but thermals
and high winds had them out of view and quickly on the move with the first
thermals around 11 AM.
In the beginning:
We pedaled swiftly and quietly through the pre-dawn hours at the Rush Creek
preserve, a full moon and starry sky reflecting off the water as we left
the parked truck and freeway noise behind.
Where the valley Oaks meet the pickleweed is where we spent a very
beautiful and productive dawn chorus. After scoring the tufted duck among
throngs of waterfowl we booked south through Pacheco Pond, Hamilton Field
and Las gallinas. This portion was gorgeous and simply nuts.
From there we booked up Lucas Valley Road, up and over Loma Alta, through
Fairfax up to Carson Ridge, Alpine Lake and up Ridgecrest before a fast
decent into Sausalito at sunset with not enough time to fully take
advantage of the bay or ocean.
The remarkable abundance and diversity of the first part of the route
combined with excellent ears and previously scouted birds had us leaving
las gallinas with 132 species but at 130pm, much later than I had hoped.
In the end, the huge elevation gains we took on and many miles of trail
did not pay off where they have in recent years. Horned lark, Meadowlark
and Gnatcatcher usually require a trip to Loma Alta to see them in April.
Lazuli Buntings were not in yet and Rufus-crowned sparrows are increasingly
easy to miss there, and we did.
Strong gusting winds, a fast pace and the early date did not help, but I
was still surprised that with such remarkable young years in the group we
still missed migrant ash- throated-flycatcher, black-headed Grosbeak,
Western Kingbird and hermit warbler for the day.
We could not find a single golden-crowned Kinglet or red-breasted nuthatch,
which have always been expected, easy to detect year-round residents on the
conifer dominated ridge tops. In contrast Pileated woodpeckers are hard to
pin down, but two called for us. We were not so lucky with the Red
Crossbill or lingering varied thrushes I’ve had in the past.
With more hills lasting longer than I remembered, and a crew of
young companions who either did not look at the map and/or “thought you
must have been joking”, I could read the looks of annoyment in their faces.
. Even when the Ridgecrest appeared to go on forever and there were no
“new” birds to be had, we could not help but be overtaken by the
grandeur of the scenery.
By the time we reached the rock Springs parking lot the sun, blood sugar
and patience were getting low. It was all downhill from there, or flat.
(Really this time it was.) We were soon scanning the bay, picking up much
needed, but not super exciting species, including spotted sandpiper, Brants
cormorant and finally a brown pelican, flying in the lights beneath the
Golden Gate Bridge.
A much more sane, less strenuous and boring final chapter to this Big
Day probably would’ve gotten us more species in the end. Looking forward to
the seeing the various permutations of the route these young bucks come up
with in the years ahead.
I suspect they’ll break the biking big day county record of 163 species, a
record set in late April with Brian Turner about a decade ago.
Josiah Clark | Habitat Potential | Consulting Ecologist | 415.317.3978
License #1043929
habitatpotential.net
www.youtube.com/josiahmtclark
Date: 4/10/25 7:53 am From: Ellen Rilla-Laherty via groups.io <erilla...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
Many bat spp are migrating. We had one land on our property on a shrub and it was gone several hour's later.
Ellie
Sebastopol
Date: 4/9/25 7:21 pm From: Diane Hichwa via groups.io <dhichwa...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
It has been great information about our “other” flying wonders besides birds.
So Co Wildlife Rescue is the local rehab group.
Yolo is amazing in the walks and talks they give.
Norcalbats works with them.
Great people, great jobs done.
Diane Hichwa
Email: <dhichwa...>
Telephone: 707-785-1922 (Sea Ranch)
707-483-3130 (cell)
More Tail Wagging!!! Less Barking!!
Millie 2007
From: <northbaybirds...> on behalf of "Michael Mecham via groups.io" <mikemecham46...>
Reply-To: <mikemecham46...>
Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 7:10 PM
To: <dominikmosur...>
Cc: <rainisugg...>, <MLahiff...>, <mike.carozza...>, <northbaybirds...>, Diane Hichwa <dhichwa...>
Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
Resent-From: <mikemecham46...>
Resent-Date: Wed, 09 Apr 2025 19:10:15 -0700
You might reach out to yolobasin.org which is the foundation that gives bat tours and talks about bats that live under the Yolo Causeway. They really know bats.
On Wed, Apr 9, 2025 at 4:23 PM Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur...> wrote:
Just wanted to chime in here before the list moderator shuts us down for non-bird related posts.
While unusual - diurnal activity in bats isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. I’ve observed bats moving /foraging in the daytime on a number of occasions in the state. One was a sighting of a silver-haired bat flying over the desert in Oasis mid-morning and landing in a stand of Cottonwoods. This was presumably a migrant that found itself out in unsuitable habitat and continued to move until finding a place with trees to roost in.
I've also observed bats (identified to species) several times foraging in the afternoon at mid-elevation in the Sierra.
Dominik
On Apr 9, 2025, at 15:18, RAINI SUGG via groups.io <rainisugg...> wrote:
Hi I live in Sebastopol- Robinson Rd. I just had a large brown bat catching insects in my yard. I’ve never seen one in the day light displaying that behavior.Perhaps they are migrating?
Raini
Sent from Raini's iPhone
On Apr 9, 2025, at 11:29 AM, Maureen Lahiff via groups.io <MLahiff...> wrote:
You might contact NorCalBats.
They have emergency bat rescue info and a contact number.
On Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 11:18:05 AM PDT, Diane Hichwa via groups.io <dhichwa...> wrote:
Sonoma Wildlife Rescue rescues bats. And other wildlife in Sonoma County. Phone: (707) 992-0274
The bat may have been resting and caught out “after light”.
Often a bat with rabies becomes paralyzed, cannot hang, or fly. Never touch a bat with bare hands!
I have not heard of any avian influenza in bats but it has jumped to some marine mammals and to mountain lions.
Diane Hichwa
Email: <dhichwa...>
Telephone: 707-785-1922 (Sea Ranch)
707-483-3130 (cell)
More Tail Wagging!!! Less Barking!!
Millie 2007
From: <northbaybirds...> on behalf of "Mike Carozza via groups.io" <mike.carozza...>
Reply-To: <mike.carozza...>
Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 10:06 AM
To: <northbaybirds...>
Subject: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
Resent-From: <mike.carozza...>
Resent-Date: Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:06:39 -0700
Hi Naturalists
Today a friend sent video of a large dark bat clinging to a screen at Patisserie Angelica in Sebastopol. In full daylight. It was moving. She didn’t seem to get images of the face.
Considering rabies/white nose, this felt like something we should report. Please forward if you know someone in the area who might be able to help.
Mike Carozza
914-475-9355
Date: 4/9/25 7:10 pm From: Michael Mecham via groups.io <mikemecham46...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
You might reach out to yolobasin.org which is the foundation that gives bat
tours and talks about bats that live under the Yolo Causeway. They really
know bats.
On Wed, Apr 9, 2025 at 4:23 PM Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Just wanted to chime in here before the list moderator shuts us down for
> non-bird related posts.
>
> While unusual - diurnal activity in bats isn’t necessarily a cause for
> concern. I’ve observed bats moving /foraging in the daytime on a number of
> occasions in the state. One was a sighting of a silver-haired bat flying
> over the desert in Oasis mid-morning and landing in a stand of Cottonwoods.
> This was presumably a migrant that found itself out in unsuitable habitat
> and continued to move until finding a place with trees to roost in.
>
> I've also observed bats (identified to species) several times foraging in
> the afternoon at mid-elevation in the Sierra.
>
> Dominik
>
>
>
> On Apr 9, 2025, at 15:18, RAINI SUGG via groups.io <rainisugg=
> <mac.com...> wrote:
>
> Hi I live in Sebastopol- Robinson Rd. I just had a large brown bat
> catching insects in my yard. I’ve never seen one in the day light
> displaying that behavior.Perhaps they are migrating?
>
> Raini
> Sent from Raini's iPhone
>
> On Apr 9, 2025, at 11:29 AM, Maureen Lahiff via groups.io <MLahiff=
> <aol.com...> wrote:
>
>
> You might contact NorCalBats.
>
> They have emergency bat rescue info and a contact number.
>
> On Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 11:18:05 AM PDT, Diane Hichwa via groups.io
> <dhichwa...> wrote:
>
>
> Sonoma Wildlife Rescue rescues bats. And other wildlife in Sonoma
> County. Phone: (707) 992-0274
> <https://www.google.com/search?q=sonoma+county+wildlife+rescue&sca_esv=1ed5a24754748f85&source=hp&ei=7rj2Z4O_FrudkPIPhZ7cmQw&iflsig=ACkRmUkAAAAAZ_bG_vINIVNWg2UEGVG5HG4dHuoYU2Kh&gs_ssp=eJzj4tZP1zcsMzGLz64qNGC0UjGosDCwMDFJNLNITDGzTExLNbcyqDBMSbQEAhODNLMkY3MDL9ni_Lz83ESF5PzSvJJKhfLMnJSczLRUhaLU4uTSVADcuxnL&oq=sonoma+county+wildlife&gs_lp=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_AArIHBDE2LjW4B5gP&sclient=gws-wiz> >
>
>
> The bat may have been resting and caught out “after light”.
>
> Often a bat with rabies becomes paralyzed, cannot hang, or fly. Never
> touch a bat with bare hands!
>
> I have not heard of any avian influenza in bats but it has jumped to some
> marine mammals and to mountain lions.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Diane Hichwa
>
>
>
> Email: <dhichwa...>
>
>
>
> Telephone: 707-785-1922 (Sea Ranch)
>
> 707-483-3130 (cell)
>
> More Tail Wagging!!! Less Barking!!
>
> Millie 2007
>
>
>
> *From: *<northbaybirds...> on behalf of "Mike Carozza via groups.io"
> <mike.carozza...>
> *Reply-To: *<mike.carozza...>
> *Date: *Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 10:06 AM
> *To: *<northbaybirds...>
> *Subject: *[northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am
> today
> *Resent-From: *<mike.carozza...>
> *Resent-Date: *Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:06:39 -0700
>
>
>
> Hi Naturalists
>
>
>
> Today a friend sent video of a large dark bat clinging to a screen at
> Patisserie Angelica in Sebastopol. In full daylight. It was moving. She
> didn’t seem to get images of the face.
>
>
>
> Considering rabies/white nose, this felt like something we should report.
> Please forward if you know someone in the area who might be able to help.
>
> Mike Carozza
> 914-475-9355
>
>
>
>
Date: 4/9/25 4:23 pm From: Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
Just wanted to chime in here before the list moderator shuts us down for
non-bird related posts.
While unusual - diurnal activity in bats isn’t necessarily a cause for
concern. I’ve observed bats moving /foraging in the daytime on a number of
occasions in the state. One was a sighting of a silver-haired bat flying
over the desert in Oasis mid-morning and landing in a stand of Cottonwoods.
This was presumably a migrant that found itself out in unsuitable habitat
and continued to move until finding a place with trees to roost in.
I've also observed bats (identified to species) several times foraging in
the afternoon at mid-elevation in the Sierra.
Dominik
On Apr 9, 2025, at 15:18, RAINI SUGG via groups.io <rainisugg=
<mac.com...> wrote:
Hi I live in Sebastopol- Robinson Rd. I just had a large brown bat
catching insects in my yard. I’ve never seen one in the day light
displaying that behavior.Perhaps they are migrating?
Raini
Sent from Raini's iPhone
On Apr 9, 2025, at 11:29 AM, Maureen Lahiff via groups.io <MLahiff=
<aol.com...> wrote:
You might contact NorCalBats.
They have emergency bat rescue info and a contact number.
On Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 11:18:05 AM PDT, Diane Hichwa via groups.io
<dhichwa...> wrote:
The bat may have been resting and caught out “after light”.
Often a bat with rabies becomes paralyzed, cannot hang, or fly. Never touch
a bat with bare hands!
I have not heard of any avian influenza in bats but it has jumped to some
marine mammals and to mountain lions.
Diane Hichwa
Email: <dhichwa...>
Telephone: 707-785-1922 (Sea Ranch)
707-483-3130 (cell)
More Tail Wagging!!! Less Barking!!
Millie 2007
*From: *<northbaybirds...> on behalf of "Mike Carozza via groups.io"
<mike.carozza...>
*Reply-To: *<mike.carozza...>
*Date: *Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 10:06 AM
*To: *<northbaybirds...>
*Subject: *[northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
*Resent-From: *<mike.carozza...>
*Resent-Date: *Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:06:39 -0700
Hi Naturalists
Today a friend sent video of a large dark bat clinging to a screen at
Patisserie Angelica in Sebastopol. In full daylight. It was moving. She
didn’t seem to get images of the face.
Considering rabies/white nose, this felt like something we should report.
Please forward if you know someone in the area who might be able to help.
Date: 4/9/25 11:29 am From: Maureen Lahiff via groups.io <MLahiff...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
You might contact NorCalBats.
They have emergency bat rescue info and a contact number.
On Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 11:18:05 AM PDT, Diane Hichwa via groups.io <dhichwa...> wrote:
Sonoma Wildlife Rescue rescues bats. And other wildlife in Sonoma County. Phone: (707) 992-0274
The bat may have been resting and caught out “after light”.
Often a bat with rabies becomes paralyzed, cannot hang, or fly. Never touch a bat with bare hands!
I have not heard of any avian influenza in bats but it has jumped to some marine mammals and to mountain lions.
Diane Hichwa
Email: <dhichwa...>
Telephone: 707-785-1922 (Sea Ranch)
707-483-3130 (cell)
More Tail Wagging!!! Less Barking!!
Millie 2007
From: <northbaybirds...> on behalf of "Mike Carozza via groups.io" <mike.carozza...>
Reply-To: <mike.carozza...>
Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 10:06 AM
To: <northbaybirds...>
Subject: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
Resent-From: <mike.carozza...>
Resent-Date: Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:06:39 -0700
Hi Naturalists
Today a friend sent video of a large dark bat clinging to a screen at Patisserie Angelica in Sebastopol. In full daylight. It was moving. She didn’t seem to get images of the face.
Considering rabies/white nose, this felt like something we should report. Please forward if you know someone in the area who might be able to help.
Date: 4/9/25 11:18 am From: Diane Hichwa via groups.io <dhichwa...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
Sonoma Wildlife Rescue rescues bats. And other wildlife in Sonoma County. Phone: (707) 992-0274
The bat may have been resting and caught out “after light”.
Often a bat with rabies becomes paralyzed, cannot hang, or fly. Never touch a bat with bare hands!
I have not heard of any avian influenza in bats but it has jumped to some marine mammals and to mountain lions.
Diane Hichwa
Email: <dhichwa...>
Telephone: 707-785-1922 (Sea Ranch)
707-483-3130 (cell)
More Tail Wagging!!! Less Barking!!
Millie 2007
From: <northbaybirds...> on behalf of "Mike Carozza via groups.io" <mike.carozza...>
Reply-To: <mike.carozza...>
Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 10:06 AM
To: <northbaybirds...>
Subject: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
Resent-From: <mike.carozza...>
Resent-Date: Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:06:39 -0700
Hi Naturalists
Today a friend sent video of a large dark bat clinging to a screen at Patisserie Angelica in Sebastopol. In full daylight. It was moving. She didn’t seem to get images of the face.
Considering rabies/white nose, this felt like something we should report. Please forward if you know someone in the area who might be able to help.
Mike Carozza
914-475-9355
Date: 4/9/25 10:06 am From: Mike Carozza via groups.io <mike.carozza...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Bat clinging to Patisserie Angelica 7:45 am today
Hi Naturalists
Today a friend sent video of a large dark bat clinging to a screen at
Patisserie Angelica in Sebastopol. In full daylight. It was moving. She
didn’t seem to get images of the face.
Considering rabies/white nose, this felt like something we should report.
Please forward if you know someone in the area who might be able to help.
