Date: 8/29/25 1:58 pm From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: August 29, 2025
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* August 29, 2025
* CASE25.08.29
This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (https://groups.io/g/inlandcountybirds). If there is some reason that you cannot post there, please e-mail or call/text Tom Benson at <tbenson...> or (909) 648-0899.
Birds mentioned:
Purple Martin
Painted Bunting
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
A PAINTED BUNTING continued at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve through Aug 26 (Katie Ng).
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
No reports.
IMPERIAL COUNTY
A PURPLE MARTIN was seen at Wister Unit on Aug 26 (Lesha Roberts).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Birds included in this weekly summary are those that are considered casual or of less than annual occurrence in San Bernardino, Riverside, or Imperial Counties, or in some cases regionally within these areas. If you do find or see something of interest, whether it be a geographical or seasonal rarity, evidence of local range expansion, or a novel breeding record, I'd recommend sharing that information with the CBRC, North American Birds subregional editors, or regional listservs as appropriate. Information for contacting these entities is available below.
Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to CBRC Secretary Tom Benson at <secretary...> or via the CBRC website: https://www.californiabirds.org/report_sighting.html
CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the North American Birds (https://www.aba.org/north-american-birds/) county coordinators. They are:
IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, <guymcc...>
INYO COUNTY: Chris and Rosie Howard, <chris93514...>
KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, <kkheindel...>
RIVERSIDE COUNTY: David Rankin, <david.rankin...>
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, <sandy_koonce...>
************
Other dying birding listservs that occasionally include reports of birds in southern California are:
A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at https://www.sbvas.net/field-trips
************
Bird status and distribution references that every southeastern California birder should own:
Birds of southern California: status and distribution (1981), by Kimball L. Garrett and Jon L. Dunn
Birds of the Salton Sea: status, biogeography, and ecology (2003), by Michael A. Patten, Guy McCaskie, and Philip Unitt (update: https://archive.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V56/56(2)-p126-p142.pdf)
Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley (1991), by Kenneth V. Rosenberg, Robert D. Ohmart, William C. Hunter, and Bertin W. Anderson
Date: 8/25/25 3:04 pm From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] SBVAS pelagic trip, August 30
As of August 25, there are still a few spaces available on the SBVAS pelagic trip on Saturday, August 30. See below for more details, and please contact me if you are interested in signing up. Thank you.
Tom BensonRedlands, CA
San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society is sponsoring a 10-hour pelagic trip to the nearshore waters between Dana Point and Catalina Island on Saturday, August 30, 2025. We will be departing from Dana Point aboard the R/V Sea Explorer at 7:00 AM and returning at 5:00 PM. This extended trip should allow us time to reach and spend some time at the north end of Thirty Mile Bank or the Catalina Escarpment after travelling through Orange County waters. We have a reasonable probability of seeing the following sought-after pelagic species on this trip: Black, Leach’s, Least, and Ashy Storm-Petrels, Long-tailed Jaeger, Craveri's Murrelet, Sabine’s Gull, and Arctic Tern. Additionally, it is a good time of year to find rarer species such as Black-footed Albatross, Red-billed Tropicbird, South Polar Skua, Townsend's Storm-Petrel, and any number of boobies. The cost for the trip is $150 per person. To reserve a space on the trip, email me (see below) with your name and phone number, the number of spaces you want to reserve, and the names (and emails and phone numbers) of those in your party.
The Sea Explorer is a 65-foot research vessel with plenty of standing room, bench seating on both the upper and lower decks, and an interior salon with limited seating. There is no galley on board, so you should bring your own lunch for this 10-hour excursion. Weather at sea is often cool relative to the mainland, and can be unpredictable. It is recommended that you dress in layers including a light rain jacket for potential sea spray (or even rain). A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are also essential. Bring your binoculars and cameras, but leave your spotting scopes at home. There are a number of over-the-counter preventative seasickness treatments available; consult with your doctor if you think you will need them. They are most effective when taken before you get on the boat; do not wait until you are sick. If you have any questions regarding the trip, please contact Tom Benson: thomasabenson AT aol.com.
Date: 8/21/25 10:26 am From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: August 21, 2025
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* August 21, 2025
* CASE25.08.21
This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (https://groups.io/g/inlandcountybirds). If there is some reason that you cannot post there, please e-mail or call/text Tom Benson at <tbenson...> or (909) 648-0899.
Birds mentioned:
Ruff
Purple Martin
Painted Bunting
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
A PAINTED BUNTING was seen at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve on Aug 21 (Dan Ward).
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
A PAINTED BUNTING was seen at Palo Verde Ecological Reserve on Aug 16 (Adrian Hinkle).
IMPERIAL COUNTY
A RUFF continued at the west end of Young Road (SESS) through August 17 (Adrian Hinkle).
A PURPLE MARTIN was seen at the west end of Young Road on Aug 15 (Bobby Figarotta).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Birds included in this weekly summary are those that are considered casual or of less than annual occurrence in San Bernardino, Riverside, or Imperial Counties, or in some cases regionally within these areas. If you do find or see something of interest, whether it be a geographical or seasonal rarity, evidence of local range expansion, or a novel breeding record, I'd recommend sharing that information with the CBRC, North American Birds subregional editors, or regional listservs as appropriate. Information for contacting these entities is available below.
Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to CBRC Secretary Tom Benson at <secretary...> or via the CBRC website: https://www.californiabirds.org/report_sighting.html
CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the North American Birds (https://www.aba.org/north-american-birds/) county coordinators. They are:
IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, <guymcc...>
INYO COUNTY: Chris and Rosie Howard, <chris93514...>
KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, <kkheindel...>
RIVERSIDE COUNTY: David Rankin, <david.rankin...>
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, <sandy_koonce...>
************
Other dying birding listservs that occasionally include reports of birds in southern California are:
A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at https://www.sbvas.net/field-trips
************
Bird status and distribution references that every southeastern California birder should own:
Birds of southern California: status and distribution (1981), by Kimball L. Garrett and Jon L. Dunn
Birds of the Salton Sea: status, biogeography, and ecology (2003), by Michael A. Patten, Guy McCaskie, and Philip Unitt (update: https://archive.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V56/56(2)-p126-p142.pdf)
Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley (1991), by Kenneth V. Rosenberg, Robert D. Ohmart, William C. Hunter, and Bertin W. Anderson
Date: 8/14/25 2:48 pm From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: August 14, 2025
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* August 14, 2025
* CASE25.08.14
This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (https://groups.io/g/inlandcountybirds). If there is some reason that you cannot post there, please e-mail or call/text Tom Benson at <tbenson...> or (909) 648-0899.
Birds mentioned:
Elegant Tern
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
No reports.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
No reports.
IMPERIAL COUNTY
Unintentionally omitted from last week's report, two ELEGANT TERNS were seen at Fig Lagoon 23 Jul 2025 (Guy McCaskie).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Birds included in this weekly summary are those that are considered casual or of less than annual occurrence in San Bernardino, Riverside, or Imperial Counties, or in some cases regionally within these areas. If you do find or see something of interest, whether it be a geographical or seasonal rarity, evidence of local range expansion, or a novel breeding record, I'd recommend sharing that information with the CBRC, North American Birds subregional editors, or regional listservs as appropriate. Information for contacting these entities is available below.
Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to CBRC Secretary Tom Benson at <secretary...> or via the CBRC website: https://www.californiabirds.org/report_sighting.html
CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the North American Birds (https://www.aba.org/north-american-birds/) county coordinators. They are:
IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, <guymcc...>
INYO COUNTY: Chris and Rosie Howard, <chris93514...>
KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, <kkheindel...>
RIVERSIDE COUNTY: David Rankin, <david.rankin...>
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, <sandy_koonce...>
************
Other dying birding listservs that occasionally include reports of birds in southern California are:
A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at https://www.sbvas.net/field-trips
************
Bird status and distribution references that every southeastern California birder should own:
Birds of southern California: status and distribution (1981), by Kimball L. Garrett and Jon L. Dunn
Birds of the Salton Sea: status, biogeography, and ecology (2003), by Michael A. Patten, Guy McCaskie, and Philip Unitt (update: https://archive.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V56/56(2)-p126-p142.pdf)
Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley (1991), by Kenneth V. Rosenberg, Robert D. Ohmart, William C. Hunter, and Bertin W. Anderson
Date: 8/11/25 9:32 am From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...> Subject: Re: [inlandcountybirds] SBVAS pelagic trip, August 30
There are still a few spaces available on the SBVAS pelagic trip on Saturday, August 30. See below for more details, and please contact me if you are interested in signing up. Thank you.
Tom BensonRedlands, CA
San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society is sponsoring a 10-hour pelagic trip to the nearshore waters between Dana Point and Catalina Island on Saturday, August 30, 2025. We will be departing from Dana Point aboard the R/V Sea Explorer at 7:00 AM and returning at 5:00 PM. This extended trip should allow us time to reach and spend some time at the north end of Thirty Mile Bank or the Catalina Escarpment after travelling through Orange County waters. We have a reasonable probability of seeing the following sought-after pelagic species on this trip: Black, Leach’s, Least, and Ashy Storm-Petrels, Long-tailed Jaeger, Craveri's Murrelet, Sabine’s Gull, and Arctic Tern. Additionally, it is a good time of year to find rarer species such as Black-footed Albatross, Red-billed Tropicbird, South Polar Skua, Townsend's Storm-Petrel, and any number of boobies. The cost for the trip is $150 per person. To reserve a space on the trip, email me (see below) with your name and phone number, the number of spaces you want to reserve, and the names (and emails and phone numbers) of those in your party.
The Sea Explorer is a 65-foot research vessel with plenty of standing room, bench seating on both the upper and lower decks, and an interior salon with limited seating. There is no galley on board, so you should bring your own lunch for this 10-hour excursion. Weather at sea is often cool relative to the mainland, and can be unpredictable. It is recommended that you dress in layers including a light rain jacket for potential sea spray (or even rain). A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are also essential. Bring your binoculars and cameras, but leave your spotting scopes at home. There are a number of over-the-counter preventative seasickness treatments available; consult with your doctor if you think you will need them. They are most effective when taken before you get on the boat; do not wait until you are sick. If you have any questions regarding the trip, please contact Tom Benson: thomasabenson AT aol.com.
Date: 8/7/25 8:37 am From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: August 7, 2025
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* August 7, 2025
* CASE25.08.07
This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (https://groups.io/g/inlandcountybirds). If there is some reason that you cannot post there, please e-mail or call/text Tom Benson at <tbenson...> or (909) 648-0899.
Birds mentioned:
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Hudsonian Godwit
Black Turnstone
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Ruff
*COMMON BLACK HAWK*
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Eastern Kingbird
Purple Martin
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
A BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD was seen at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve Jul 18-24 (Dan Baumann).
A YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was seen at Mojave Narrows Regional Park Jul 28-Aug 6 (Robert Fowlie).
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
A *COMMON BLACK HAWK* continued at Palo Verde Ecological Reserve through Jul 26 (Dan D'Urso).
An EASTERN KINGBIRD continued at Palo Verde Ecological Reserve through Jul 18 (Ron Hirst).
IMPERIAL COUNTY
Two YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS were seen at the Cibola Experimental Revegetation Site along the Colorado River on Jul 19 (Elian Elias).
A HUDSONIAN GODWIT was at the intersection of Lack and Grubel Road (SESS) Jul 23-24 (Guy McCaskie).
A BLACK TURNSTONE was seen at the west end of Young Road on Jul 25 (Samuel Bressler).
A SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER was at the west end of Young Road Jul 25-29 (Samuel Bressler).
A RUFF was seen at the west end of Young Road Jul 29-Aug 5 (Dessi Sieburth).
A PURPLE MARTIN was seen at the west end of Young Road on Jul 30 (Sasha Cahill).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Birds included in this weekly summary are those that are considered casual or of less than annual occurrence in San Bernardino, Riverside, or Imperial Counties, or in some cases regionally within these areas. If you do find or see something of interest, whether it be a geographical or seasonal rarity, evidence of local range expansion, or a novel breeding record, I'd recommend sharing that information with the CBRC, North American Birds subregional editors, or regional listservs as appropriate. Information for contacting these entities is available below.
Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to CBRC Secretary Tom Benson at <secretary...> or via the CBRC website: https://www.californiabirds.org/report_sighting.html
CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the North American Birds (https://www.aba.org/north-american-birds/) county coordinators. They are:
IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, <guymcc...>
INYO COUNTY: Chris and Rosie Howard, <chris93514...>
KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, <kkheindel...>
RIVERSIDE COUNTY: David Rankin, <david.rankin...>
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, <sandy_koonce...>
************
Other dying birding listservs that occasionally include reports of birds in southern California are:
A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at https://www.sbvas.net/field-trips
************
Bird status and distribution references that every southeastern California birder should own:
Birds of southern California: status and distribution (1981), by Kimball L. Garrett and Jon L. Dunn
Birds of the Salton Sea: status, biogeography, and ecology (2003), by Michael A. Patten, Guy McCaskie, and Philip Unitt (update: https://archive.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V56/56(2)-p126-p142.pdf)
Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley (1991), by Kenneth V. Rosenberg, Robert D. Ohmart, William C. Hunter, and Bertin W. Anderson
Date: 8/3/25 10:13 am From: Bill Deppe via groups.io <bdeppe...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Yellow-crowned Night Heron at Mojave Narrows
There's been a juvenile YCNH at the park for almost a week. For the first several days it favored the marsh and "marsh pond" north of Horseshoe Lake. In recent days, it has moved into the shallow ponds in the adjacent pasture. This morning it could be seen from the northern edge of Horseshoe Lake in the pasture to the north about 150 yards out. YCNHs don't show up in the County very often. This is great opportunity to get the bird on your San Bernardino County list.
