Sun, 06 Apr 2008 -- 4/6/08 9 to Noon.
Hwy 1, South of Cleone: Tree Swallows, Mourning Doves, White-crowned Sparrows, 1 male California Quail,6 Band-tailed Pigeons, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, 3 Turkey Vultures, 1 Scrub Jay, 4 Mallards, 10 Common Ravens.
Green Acres: Brewer's Blackbirds, 1 Song Sparrow,3 American Robins, 2 House Finches
Coast south of Laguna Point: 2 Canada Geese, Black Oystercatchers, Western Gulls, 30+ Pelagic Cormorants, Several Black Turnstones, 2 Killdeer, 1 Whimbrel
Headlands: 1 Osprey, 1 Savannah Sparrow, 1 White-tailed Kite
Lake Cleone and Vicinty: 6 Red-winged Blackbirds, 2 Double-crested Cormorants, 6 American Coots, 2 Pied-billed Grebes, 1 Steller's Jay -- Fred Andrews

Fri, 04 April 2008 A WHITE-WINGED DOVE flew past me near the County buildings on south Franklin Street this morning.

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 -- We are seeing a similar surge in species at my house in Northern Redwood Valley. RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS, ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRDS, but no Calliope yet. :( We are seeing seeing B:ACL-HEADED GROSBEAKS at the feeders :) Cheers -- Bruce Gove

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 - It looks like Karen is experiencing the same surge of migrating hummingbirds that we are seeing inland. In my yard it has been an audible rise and fall of ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS like this: 28 Mar 2
29 Mar 3
30 Mar 3
31 Mar 14
1 Apr 7
2 Apr 4
3 Apr 5
4 Apr 3 -- George Chaniot

Thu, 03 April 2008 - Today at there were only 2 hummingbirds that I saw at Ocean Meadows/Ten Mile area. For the past 5 days, there have been several male Rufous and numerous Allen's, plus the female Calliope.
Alas, poor "Cal" the California Towhee has been singing more often, and louder than ever around the house. It breaks my heart, knowing that he is all alone over here.
Also, for arrival dates, there were 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS on 3/31. Today, Jim spotted a male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT near the house. 4/2 there were 4 Savannah Sparrows in the yard. -- Karen Havlena

Wed, 02 April 2008 -- A female CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD visited here late this afternoon in the yard at Ocean Meadows Circle- Ten Mile area, north of Fort Bragg and the Ten Mile River. I watched her feed at some electric blue, low-growing plants for a couple of minutes. Then, a female Allen's/selasphorus hummer came up and challenged the Calliope. Both spread their tails, and I could see the Calliope's tail well, as she was facing away There was little, or no, rufous visible at the basal halves of the retrices (it was not apparent). A really neat addition to the yard list. -- Karen Havlena

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 -- There's a fungal infection (Fusarium moniliforme) that hummers spread from fuchsia to fuchsia and other prized garden plants. . .this might be it. If not, it looks suspiciously like scaly face mites. Also of consideration: candida, caused by either dirty hummingbird feeders or people feeding honey instead of sugar/water mixed to the correct ratio. -- Feather Forestwalker

Wed 02, April 2008--I need some opinions on a ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD picture I just posted. Obviously there's a problem with the bill. I've done some searching of the internet and can find no definitive answer as to the cause. Things that are mentioned are Avian Pox, knemidocoptes mites, bacterial infection, and hopefully, "sticky nectar and pollen".
The hummingbird seems to be healthy and currently is the alpha male. I'm getting more hummingbirds (Anna's, Allen's and Rufous)at my feeder then usual. The Anna's that wintered here didn't have this problem. Any ideas? -- Richard Hubacek

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 -- Dorothy "Toby" Tobkin reports seeing two LONG-TAILED DUCKS, along with six HARLEQUIN DUCKS (and Scoters), today from the bluff west of the Haul Road parking lot. They are in heavy molt - no long tails. The Haul Road parking lot is just north of Pudding Creek, just north of Fort Bragg. The birds were readily visible from the bluffs directly west of the parking lot.

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 -- Recent arrivals on Middle Ridge, Albion, elevation 400 ft, 3/4 mile east of Highway 1:
March 30: First 3008 sighting of a Violet-Green Swallow, checking out potential nest sites in a dead redwood snag.
March 28: First 2008 sighting of (male) American Goldfinch on thistle sock.
March 30: After disappearing for over a week, the Acorn Woodpeckers are back.
April 1: Eurasian Collared Dove in front yard.
In the last week or so we have had a big influx of Allen's Hummingbirds, perhaps two dozen or so around the house. Males are displaying everywhere. No Rufous yet.
Now for the question: Janet in Anchor Bay reported Pine Siskins arriving on March 27 - but we have had a small flock of PS here pretty much all winter. Are they generally resident here, or was this unusual? They seem to have mostly moved on recently. We had a Purple (?) Finch as well, around the same date, but it didn't stay. Cheers -- Tim

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 -- In the last week I have visited all of the locations in Lake and Mendocino Counties where I know Tricolored Blackbirds have nested in recent years, and I have discovered a new colony on Highland Springs Road. Tricolors are present at most of these areas and song, display, nest building, and copulation are under way already. Here's a summary of what I've found. All of the numbers estimates are preliminary and conservative. The best places for watching or photographing are probably the Adobe Creek and Highland Springs Road sites:
MacGuire's Pond/Camp 19 on Route 20: At least 9 males displaying.
Wilson's Pond, Burris Lane, Potter Valley: At least 35 males.
Christmas Star Vineyard, Potter Valley: None present. Blackberry hedge where they nested once has been nuked.
Fetzer's Valley Oak Center pond: Males present, singing, displaying, no number estimate yet.
Lyons Creek Wetland: None present.
Adobe Creek Reservoir: At least 34 males in the NW corner, and another group of at least 21 males on the east side. Nest-building, copulation. 2 Yellow-headed Blackbirds on territory in the NE corner.
6495 Highland Springs Road: At least 95 males displaying in a blackberry patch right along the road near the driveway. Nest building, copulation. Foraging in the vineyards to the east.
I am going to be the coordinator for Mendocino and Lake Counties of the statewide Tricolored Blackbird survey this spring. If you have any observations of tricolors in Lake and Mendocino between now and July please contact me - particularly nesting information. -- George Chaniot

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 -- For the last couple of evenings I have heard a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK singing, but couldn't find him. This morning about 0800, I heard him again and finally saw the boy perched atop a conifer about 50 yards to the north of my house, one mile up Tomki Rd. in Redwood Valley.. Happy Birding!! -- Bruce Gove

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 -- A great day for birding at MacKerricher State Park. 10:15 to 12:15. On and around Lake Cleone I identified 25 bird species including: 1 Osprey with a fish, 1 Great Blue Heron, Many Chestnut-backed Chickadees, 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, Heard several Marsh Wrens, 2 red-winged Blackbirds, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 3 Pied-billed Grebes, 1 Hermit Thrush, And possibly 1 Pine Sisken. I have never seen one before!, Good Birding to all. -- Fred Andrews

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 -- On Saturday the 29th, two SHORT-EARED OWLS hunted leisurely at Anderson Marsh from 5:55 to 6:55 pm. I was hiking with my family and did not observe them the entire time, but nearly every time I scanned the open marsh/fields one (rarely two) was easily visible as it flew back and forth across the area. They began at the south end near the buildings and methodically worked their way northward. On one occasion an owl flew upward a few hundred feet and chased an unidentified raptor (rear views only) for a few hundred yards, then it returned and landed in the field. I think it was the first time I had ever seen an owl chase a hawk. I assume these were the same owls first found by Jerry White on the evening of the Clear Lake CBC. I had searched for them several times at dawn but had only a brief glimpse of one, and had never searched for them at dusk. Perhaps dusk is a much better time for viewing them. -- Floyd Hayes Hidden Valley Lake

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 -- Greetings Mendobirders- Barbara and I watched a male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD as it visited our feeders this afternoon from 4:30 until at least 7:30 when it became too dark to see anything. It was a bright, pleasant surprise on this gloomy afternoon. -- Chuck Vaughn

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 -- I see that the HOODED ORIOLE at our feeder right now represents the earliest record for Mendo interior. One day earlier than the previous record. -- Happy birding, David Smith-Ferri

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 -- Joanne Haller and I birded the north coast Thursday from Ten Mile River to Navarro River. It was a beautiful, clear day with an onshore wind, but not very birdy. The most interesting bird we found was a 1st winter GLAUCOUS GULL sitting with a group of Western Gulls on the beach by the parking lot at Laguna Point. -- George Chaniot

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 -- Yesterday a huge group of PINE SISKINS arrived. At one point over thirty of them were clinging to our thistle feeder. Another visitor arrived to join the noisy party - a male PURPLE FINCH. -- Jeanne Jackson, Anchor Bay

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 -- To all; the SLATE-COLORED JUNCO came on 3-21-08 at 7:30AM. Not seen 22nd or this AM, 23rd. I have had 1 PINE SISKIN on 22nd and 23rd. Lots happening in those trees, a PURPLE FINCH sang for 3 hours today. -- Barbara Dolan, Ukiah

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 -- There was a single male HARLEQUIN DUCK upstream from the Noyo Harbor (visible from the parking lot at the boat ram on the south side of the river) today.
OSPREYS were making a lot of noise as well and there was a group of 15 COMMON RAVENS floating about the Osprey nest area.
Last Sunday, the 16th, there was a singing PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER and at least 5 singing ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS along Ten Mile River about 3 miles upstream from the Highway 1 Bridge. Spring is here... -- Cheers, Ron LaValley

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 -- Hi All, Yesterday my husband, Rick, spotted a male AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. We put out the thistle feeder and this afternoon six, male and female, were at the feeder. Yea! -- Jeanne Jackson, Anchor Bay

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 -- At noon today, there were about 125 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, plus a few SURF SCOTERS just off Ten Mile River mouth, north of MacKerricher SP. They were flying then landing, over and over, in a large oval where the fresh water and the salt water mix together. -- Karen Havlena

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 -- Yesterday I had a new bird at my seed feeder, which sent me scurrying for the binoculars. I definitely have not seen one of these guys here before, the bright red would be impossible to miss. His mate was here with him. I am familiar with House Finches, though they don't come around our house. I used my Thayer birding program to try to be sure of his identity, and concluded that I would not be able to distinguish a Purple Finch from a Cassin's Finch, so I'm going with the PURPLE FINCH on the basis of likely habitat. (I'm at a low elevation, creekside, mixed conifers at the edge of a small orchard) Anybody have any suggestions?
Our BAND-TAILED PIGEONS have recently returned, I counted 11 yesterday. In summertime we have had as many as 30. -- Becky Stenberg, Glen Blair

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 -- Hello - The WHITE-THROATED SPARROW I reported last week is still here (corner of Ford and Little Lake in Mendocino) and was last seen at 6p this evening (Tuesday) around the Blair House.
The sparrow flock has grown and now includes 3 FOX SPARROWS, a SPOTTED TOWHEE, 2 HOUSE SPARROWS, a few SONG SPARROWS as well as the WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS mentioned previously -- a veritable sparrow convention! Good Birding, -- Rich Trissel

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 -- Al [the LAYSAN ALBATROSS] hasn't been seen for a while. Point Arena's famous visitor may be gone. On a happier note, OSPREYS have returned to our road in Anchor Bay where they have successfully nested for more than twelve years. -- Jeanne Jackson

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 -- I have some long-overdue reports. One WHITE-THROATED SPARROW near Pomo CG at Lake Mendocino about two weeks ago; two SOOTY GROUSE west of Willits south of Hwy 20 right at the peak of the Willits Grade, and one SOOTY GROUSE on Ridgewood Ranch, reported by Marigold Klein. And one HOODED MERGANSER in the hidden lagoon immediately west of Rodman Slough along the Nice-Lucerne cut-off. -- Kate Marianchild

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 -- Today at Big River near the rivermouth and along the haul road: 1 Osprey, 5 White-crowned Sparrows, 14 Turkey Vultures, 30+ Common Ravens, 1 male and female Common Mergansers, non-breeding, 2 adult non-breeding Common Loons, 6 American Coots, 10 Western Gulls, 3 Steller's Jays, 5 Buffleheads, 1 Song Sparrow, 1 large hawk, unable to identify, possibly a juvenille Red-tailed Hawk -- Fred Andrews

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 -- 3-15-08 The female SLATE-COLORED JUNCO is still around and it looks very beautiful. The BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK was seen last on 3-9-08 and still looked a little tattered. -- Barbara Dolan

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 -- Roger Foote found and photographed a female LONG-TAILED DUCK this morning about 200 yards north of Virgin Creek mouth. The bird was near the long, flat rock where Harlequin Ducks sometimes rest. (No Harlequins were there today). If you are on the Haul Rd, the spot is off the bluff, west of the small, decorative lighthouse by the road. Virgin Creek is just north of the Fort Bragg city limit, west of Hwy 1. It is a part of MacKerricher SP. -- Karen Havlena for Roger Foote

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 -- I got a much better view of this parrot yesterday. It is a parakeet with a bright green, almost chartreuse, back, yellow tipped tail and yellow wings with black speckles and black spots on its face and neck. Its cere is brownish, so perhaps it is a female. I can't see any leg bands, but apparently the practice is much less common than it used to be. Several reponses I got predicted a very short life expectancy, but it is a month or more since first sighting. -- Jim Armstrong

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 -- A CANVASBACK, at least 8 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, a couple of BLACK SCOTERS and a PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER were at various areas of MacKerricher SP today. I could not find very many small, colorful passerines, except Townsend's and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Yesterday, I looked from Juan Creek to Lake Cleone. This morning the Canvasback had arrived at Lk Cleone. The scoters in many, large flocks flew south past Laguna Point. I tried to find a Rock Sandpiper but had no luck. The Pacific Golden Plover was called in to me by Becky and Win Bowen. They saw it in the dry sand north of Ward Ave. -- Karen Havlena

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 -- I just wanted to mention that I had a COMMON POORWILL on my dirt-road driveway here in Hopland. This bird was in the same spot on the road as COPO have been observed at in years past (same bird?). Mid-October to early November seems to be the time period that this species migrates south and passes through our county. The bird was seen on the road just at dusk ...and was later foraging nearby. Good birding -- Bob Keiffer

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 -- On Saturday 10/13 amongst the AMERICAN WIGEONS an Pudding Creek, I saw one in plumage that my nat. geo. guide described as "eclipse." Bright color in the bill, rusty sides, but no white mohawk. I hadn't noticed those before...are they common? -- Haley Ross

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 -- This afternoon was beautiful after the storm moved on. At Lake Cleone I observed a male and female GREATER SCAUP, a male and female LESSER SCAUP, a few PIED-BILLED GREBES, dozens of AMERICAN COOTS, some MALLARDS, a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT and dozens of WESTERN GULLS. Along the Lake Cleone trail there was a WINTER WREN, two STELLER'S JAYS and an immature WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. At the Laguna Point headlands there were about two dozen HEERMANN'S GULLS, a few BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS, one BROWN PELICAN, several PELAGIC CORMORANTS and two WILLETS. And there was a WESTERN GREBES in a tidal area next to the Haul Road. -- Fred Andrews

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 -- Four, beautiful, male HARLEQUIN DUCKS stood side by side on a rock just off Glass Beach in Fort Bragg this morning. It was quite breezy, so virtually all litttle birds stayed in the low willows. Glass Beach is at the west end of Elm St. After walking out to the beach, the ducks were just to the north on a rock with some whitewash on it. They were very close to shore. -- Karen Havlena

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 -- Greetings Mendobirders- I visited the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant this morning and saw 3 CACKLING GEESE on the south pond. None of them had white-collars so I assume they were probably not "Aleutians". Despite the large expanse of muddy puddles on the draining middle pond, the only shorebirds besides some LEASTS were 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS. Two PEREGRINE FALCONS , an adult and an immature, made several noisy and half-hearted strafes over the ducks on the south pond. A much more stealthy MERLIN was also working the area. There were several hundred swallows out there, but all I could find were VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS. This afternoon I have had a late WESTERN TANAGER eating what remains of my zinfandel grapes at home. On 10/3 a "V" of about 110 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE flew over the HREC office area headed SSE. They were definitely not going to Clear Lake. -- Chuck Vaughn

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 -- The Big River Stewards spotted a PEREGRINE FALCON at Station 1 (Big River Beach parking lot)and again at station 4 (the Quarry)during the first survey of the West Haul Road this Fall. For the past four years experienced surveyors from the Mendocino Coast Audubon Society have joined with volunteers from the Mendocino Land Trust's Big River Stewards program to conduct Fall Bird surveys at various locations on Big River.
An EARED GREBE (possibly new to the surveys), was also observed near the mouth of Big River, as were a pair of HARLEQUIN DUCKS. Volunteers also observed a juvenile Sea Lion hauled out on the Beach and Harbor Seals at Station 2 (Haul Road Gate.)
Further upriver, strong winds made surveys challenging but BROWN CREEPERS were heard at both Stations 7 and 8 (about 2 miles up the haul road)and a BRANDT'S CORMORANT was observed at Station 9 (New Boom).
Other birds heard or seen included Northern Flickers, Acorn and Downy Woodpeckers, Ruby Crowned Kinglets, Belted Kingfishers, Great Blue Herons and the "usual suspects." -- Don Coleman

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 -- I saw my first DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT of the fall, a juvenile, yesterday above the Russian River in Potter Valley. It's funny how in the spring they're so plentiful that I get a little bored with them, but I missed having big birds in the trees all summer. I also got a pretty nice and very lucky photo of a flock of WOOD DUCKS flying over me that I've added to my Potter Valley album. -- Elaine Lindelef

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 -- Birders, Gjon Hazard and I birded northern Mendocino County on 10-1-07 We started the day at Usal Campground/mouth of Usal Creek. We had more migrant landbirds here than anywhere else today; the other coastal patches we checked were had very few birds. The highlight for me was the SWAMP SPARROW out in the low veg near the mouth. There were also 3 WILLOW FLYCATCHERS about. We had a few warblers (including a MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER), vireos, and PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS.
Later in the morning, about 200 feet up Usal Road from Highway 1, there was a termite hatch going on that was being attended by a flock of warblers (Yellow, Townsend's, Black-throated Grey, Wilson's), Warbling Vireos, kinglets, etc. The highlight was a CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. The scene reminded us of something you'd see in the tropics with antbirds and army ants, and was really fun to watch up close since the birds ignored us in their feeding frenzy. Also, there was a single PECTORAL SANDPIPER at the mouth of Virgin Creek. -- John E. Hunter Arcata

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 -- For the second time in two weeks, I have a small, uniformly bright yellow parrot (or large yellow parakeet) in my yard in SE Potter Valley. It was here briefly on George and Chuck's Big Day, but refused to be seen when they came by. While I assume it is an escapee from a home or collection, it is far from tame, flushing from my seed feeder area with wild-bird speed when I go out. I haven't noticed any call or song. Any one know where it might belong? -- Jim Armstrong

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 -- After searching the entire Virgin Creek area in MacKerricher SP in Fort Bragg, I could find neither Ruff nor Buff. I included looking at the bluff area south of the creek mouth, the pond at the SW corner of the Baxman Gravel property, and the beach as far north as I could go. Also at Virgin Creek beach: There was a CACKLING GOOSE with a narrow, white neckband, probably an Aleutian and 14 godwits of the Marbled variety. A female BLACK SCOTER played in the surf with other scoters. Jim Havlena saw 4 HARLEQUIN DUCKS flying north very close to shore at Seaside beach, north of Ten Mile River. -- Karen Havlena

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 -- On Saturday the 29th I stumbled across a juvenile female RUFF at Virgin Creek. It was well observed and photographed by a group of birders during the Albion Birding Weekend. We followed it from 9:00-10:00 am as it moved from the mouth of the creek southward along the rocks, where it foraged with Black Turnstones and Surfbirds in the surf. I just uploaded two photographs at: http://www.geocities.com/floyd_hayes/ruff
We searched for it unsuccessfully on Sunday afternoon, but met a couple of birders who mentioned that one had been seen over the weekend at Pudding Creek. If so, I'd be interested in knowing the details (none posted on Mendobirds).
On Friday the 28th a juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was seen just north of the mouth of Virgin Creek by Stan Snyder and several other birders. Stan, a very experienced birder familiar with both Ruff and Buff-breasted Sandpiper, also saw the Ruff on Saturday and says it was a totally different bird than the Buff-breasted Sandpiper they saw on Friday.
Other shorebirds seen at Virgin Creek during the weekend included a juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPER and a juvenile LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. -- Floyd Hayes

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 -- Greetings Mendobirders- This morning there was a VESPER SPARROW in an open pasture above the office area at the UC Hopland R&E Center. The COMMON MOORHEN continued on the southern sag pond at noon. -- Chuck Vaughn

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 -- While birding with the group from Albion on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 29, in the campground at Manchester Beach State Park I found a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE in a flock of Chestnut-backed Chickadees. Views of the birds were short as they moved through the pines and cypress trees. But the one Black-capped Chickadee gave a striking view as it worked over a group of exposed cones on a bare cypress branch for half a minute before moving behind the greenery. I hope someone else can find this bird again. -- Larry Siemens, Redding

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 -- My wife came back from shopping today and said she saw a strange bird in the Fort Bragg Safeway's parking lot. She had her camera with her and chased it around the lot taking it's picture. It turned out to be a female BREWER'S BLACKBIRD with partially white feathers. I've haven't seen many birds with "abnormal coloration" and thought it interesting in light of the most recent issue of ABA's "Birding" magazine. I posted photos in the Mendobirds photo section. -- Richard Hubacek

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 -- A flock of fifty to sixty GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE was seen at 1:20 PM 9/28/07 over Mendocino Town at the south end of Howard Street flying northwest.-- Jack Booth

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 -- Hello Mendobirders, I took a trip yesterday through Covelo, via 162, to the middle fork of the Eel. Notable birds were a VIRGINIA RAIL along Outlet Creek and a CANYON WREN on the Eel, 3-4 miles upstream from the Eel River Work Station. -- Kate Marianchild

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 -- I've had a PINE SISKIN around my thistle feeders this afternoon after a virtual absence for two years. This is the earliest record by a week for inland Mendocino (1 Oct 1998), and the earliest I've had them before in Potter Valley is 11 Oct. If they follow their pattern of ups and downs, this winter should be a big siskin winter. Is anyone else seeing them yet? -- George Chaniot

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 -- Greetings Mendobirders- At noon today I saw a hatch-year BLACKPOLL WARBLER in the wooded adjacent to the sag ponds at HREC. This is a first for the Center. The COMMON MOORHEN continues. -- Chuck Vaughn

Sun, 23 Sep 2007 -- Hi - The MCAS pelagic trip on 9/23/07 went very well. The highlights were: 4 FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATERS, 1 SOUTH POLAR SKUA, 20+ NORTHERN FULMARS, 10+ BULLER'S SHEARWATERS, 22+ BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, 3 POMARINE JAEGER, 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS, and several HUMPBACKED WHALES. The South Polar Skua was spotted by Richard Hubacek. Pelagic trips are risky; there was "the one that got away" seen by Chuck Vaughn. It started to come in, then turned- tail and quickly flew away. -- Karen Havlena

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 -- There was a flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS in downtown Ukiah Thursday (9/20). I got a good look at them and could clearly see the yellow wax on the tail tips of some of the birds. I think I hear them again today (Friday morning), but I couldn't see them clearly enough for a positive ID.
Also, I've realized it's been quite a while since I've seen Chestnut- backed Chickadees at my feeders. I really miss them, and it's starting to creep me out. They used to be year-round visitors, and we still get titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches, etc. all year along with bigger birds (Acorn woodpeckers, Steller's Jay's, Towhees, Ravens). Have they all been up in the mountains for the summer or is something more sinister going on? -- Maureen O'Hagan

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 -- This morning, a PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER and 4 juv BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were on Ten Mile beach, along with 5 MARBLED GODWITS scattered from Fen Creek mouth north to Seaside Beach. The PGPL was fairly close to the Ward Ave ramp with 2 Black-bellied Plovers. The Baird's were all by Inglenook Creek mouth. Also, there was a SAY'S PHOEBE in our backyard at noon. -- Karen Havlena

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 -- About 11am this morning there was a second winter HEERMANN'S GULL at the outlet of Kelsey Creek in Clear Lake State Park. The gull was swimming just beyond the long, thin gravel bar that is on the west bank of Kelsey Creek right at the outlet into Clear Lake. There was also one MARBLED GODWIT standing on the gravel bar. Watch out for the aerial yellowjacket nest that is on a leaned over willow trunk along the trail that leads out to the outlet of Kelsey Creek. -- Dave Woodward

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 -- Hi All. A female BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK showed up at my feeder last week here in Anchor Bay. She "posed" for me and I have posted the picture. She was joined by a male the following day. Exciting! -- Jeanne Jackson

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 -- Today about noon we saw a small Alcid in the cove off the end of Main Street in Mendocino, not far from the near end of the sea cave. It appeared to be a MARBLED MURRELET in transitional plumage. Wish I'd had the camera, it was quite close in and might have made a decent photo. Also watched a PEREGRINE FALCON standing on top of the westernmost island off the northwest tip of the Headlands. It made a couple of short flights but returned empty-taloned. Cheers, -- Tim Bray

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 -- Thursday, 13 Sept, there were 2 juv BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS and a juv RED KNOT on Ten Mile Beach, with the Baird's near Fen Ck and the Red Knot close to the Ward Ave ramp in MacKerricher SP. Large rafts of SURF SCOTERS have shown up between Ward Ave and Ten Mile River mouth. I tried to find other scoter species with my scope but could not pick out any different birds. I noticed a single MERLIN flying south over Seaside Beach, too. I forgot to mention the 4 MARBLED GODWITS that I have been studying for days at the mouth of Ten Mile River. Not one of them will turn into something better. -- Karen Havlena

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 -- I had two relatively minor sightings today that are worth noting. A COMMON TERN was feeding in the Navarro River just west of the Highway 1 bridge. A pair of MERLIN put on a wonderful show the hour before sunset above the Noyo Rive beach. A male and a female (the color and size differences easily noted) chased each other, with each alternatively taking the role of aggressor. They also literally flew circles around a few pitiful Ravens that got in their way. RED-NECKED PHALAROPES continue to be plentiful along the coast and in the lower reaches of rivers. -- David Jensen

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 -- This is just for curiosity's sake ...yesterday, here at UC-Hopland REC I observed a mature GOLDEN EAGLE swooped down in front of my vehicle and nab a mature RED-SHOULDERED HAWK as it left it's perch on a large oak limb. Both birds continued to the ground with the Red-shouldered screaming. The eagle left, maybe due to the presence of the vehicle, and the hawk lowered itself into the grass. I thought that the hawk was probably dying but upon inspection it seemed rather alert & perky. I left it in an open box hoping that it might recover and fly away ...but it perished. It is now destined to be a museum study-skin specimen here at HREC. Good birding - Bob Keiffer

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 -- This morning at Pudding Creek's northern part of the beach (behind the hotels) I saw a plover that I cannot id. It was overall very dark with white under the tail on the belly, but the breast and belly were mainly very dark, white eye stripe and a bit of white around the bill, but had black primaries. Was this a molting Black-bellied? I got some photos, but they didn't turn out. IF one of them did, I will post a link to it later. -- Feather Forestwalker

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 -- This morning and yesterday at Pudding Creek there was a single COMMON TERN, in the vicinity of the tressel. Also: Yesterday at Virgin Creek Beach there was a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER and a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER. The Buff-breasted was near the north end of the beach. RED-NECKED PHALAROPES continue in numbers at Virgin Creek and other lagoons and beaches near Fort Bragg. -- Art Morley

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 -- This evening at about 7:30 - 7:35 PM, I saw Jerry's SHORT-EARED OWL at milepost 72.32 on Hwy 1. This is the old townsite of Newport. I thought I was a little early arriving at 7:20, but a high marine layer began to come in. I parked at the gate at milepost 72.21. Many times I've thought that this is a great spot for Short-eared Owl. The sun was obscured by the partial marine layer, so the lighting was just right. Just about 7:35, I saw the owl fly low from the slope on the east side of the highway. It flew across the road, rose higher, then swooped straight down into the high grass in the field. It landed close to the road. I walked up to mm 72.32. Shortly, it flew north, staying low and went over the small rise. The terrain slopes down again. I walked back to the car. Another car stopped on the road between the two mileposts. I started to go up to talk to them, but they moved forward, stopping and driving until they went over the rise. Their timing would have been good, if the marine layer had not come in Hopefully, they will try again.
I really like watching Short-eared Owls hunt. Either Jim or myself were always assigned to get one for the Morro Bay CBC. We were successful all but once or twice. -- Karen Havlena

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 -- Greetings Mendobirders- Today at noon there was an adult COMMON MOORHEN on the more southern of the 2 sag ponds near the HREC office area. I suspect this is one of the 2 birds which spent the period from Oct 23, 2006 through April 20, 2007 on the same pond. In the area were 2 SAY'S PHOEBES, the first I have seen this fall. -- Chuck Vaughn

Thu, 6 Sep 2007 -- The best birds of the day were not at Usal but on the trip out there this morning. I watched a SHORT-EARED OWL hunting (it was successful) for about 5 minutes starting at 6:35 AM on Highway 1. This was in the grasslands near milemarkers 72.21and 72.32. Then on the Usal Road about a mile from Hwy 1 there was an adult male NORTHERN GOSHAWK. At Usal after about 2 1/2 hours of birding I was able to find a first fall CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. This bird was with a mixed flock about 2/10ths of a mile up the dry creek bed from the bridge. Earlier I observed another successful owl hunt as a Northern Pygmy-Owl grabbed an unidentified prey item. There were moderate numbers of western migrants; Willow Flycatchers, 1 Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Western Tanagers, Lincoln Sparrows, Western Wood-Pewee's, 2 Black-headed Grosbeaks Warbling Vireos, & Wilson's, Yellow, Black-throated Gray, Common Yellowthroats, and Townsends warblers. -- Jerry White

Thu, 6 Sep 2007 -- This morning, I heard a very, vocal RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH in some conifers alongside Ten Mile River. A post on another listserv mentioned that many RBNU have been seen in the Northeast US and may be a sign of a good flight year. We will have to wait and see. -- Karen Havlena

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 -- I just saw a pair of PEACH-FACED LOVEBIRDS in a tree just in front of the main office of Savings Bank on School Street in Ukiah! The male was calling (screetching) rather loudly, which is what caught my attention. I'm assuming they are recent escapees - there isn't a feral lovebird colony in this area, is there? -- Maureen O'Hagan

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 -- George Chaniot, Geoff Heinecken, and I refound two or possibly three BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS on the beach about half mile north of Virgin Creek this afternoon. Becky Bowen saw the birds earlier today and told us exactly where to look. -- Cheryl Watson
There were also two juvenile SNOWY EGRETS at the mouth of Virgin Creek wearing aluminum bands above their "heels". Does anyone know where these birds may have been banded? -- George Chaniot

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 -- Greetings Mendobirders- Matthew Matthiessen and I made a quick trip to Fort Bragg this morning to do some birding at MacKerricher with Karen Havlena. We tried for the BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER that Karen had seen north of Ward Avenue yesterday. We dipped on that Sandpiper, but did see a first-year COMMON TERN resting on the beach. We moved south to Virgin Creek Beach to see if the BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER seen there yesterday by Matthew might still be around. It was. We found it on the long open stretch of beach just north of what is presently Virgin Creek estuary. On the estuary there was a single WILSON'S PHALAROPE. Matthew saw 3 there yesterday. There were also 3 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES on the estuary providing some nice comparisons of the two. We tried Lake Cleone boardwalk for some passerines, but things were very quiet there. We stopped for some ice cream at Cowlick's on our way home (Mocha Fudge and Root Beer Sundae) where we found a resplendent DAVID JENSEN. -- Chuck Vaughn

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 -- Becky Bowen called to say that the 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS are still present in the Virgin Creek area. The birds were together almost 1/2 mile north of the creek mouth in the wet sand. One might park at the state park access north of Matson's and the Three Rivers School at Hwy 1, then walk out to the bluffs. -- K Havlena for Becky Bowen

Thu, 29 Aug 2007 -- To beat the heat, I tried to turn Mendocino Co. blue. Best birds of the day were the continuing BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER north of the Ward Ave. parking lot at McKerritcher SP., 2 RED-NECKED GREBEs with quite a bit of color still visible just off the beach at the Ward Ave. parking lot, and the rocky shore shorebirds that I saw at Laguna Point with John Luther after we hooked up at Lake Cleone - BLACK TURNSTONES, 1 SURFBIRD, 2 WANDERING TATTLERS, 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER, 9 WHIMBRELs, 1 WILLET, and a bunch of very vocal BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS.
The Ukiah WTP did not have much in the way of shorebirds, with only some Leasts and Westerns, 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS and 2 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS to keep the KILLDEER company. There was a good variety of ducks with at least 8 species evident. If you need COMMON YELLOWTHROAT for the county, this is the place to go - they were all over the place!
I did beat the heat, and I did turn the county blue with 52 species for the day, getting me to 113. -- Kathy Parker, Los Gatos

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 -- There are, or have been, a total of 3 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS at both Virgin Creek beach and at the Ward Ave end of Ten Mile beach at MacKerricher SP. I saw the Ten Mile beach bird this morning (8/30), about a quarter mile north of the ramp at Ward Ave access to the beach. At least one of the Virgin Creek birds was seen yesterday (two birds on Tuesday).
Also, there is a Baird's Sandpiper near Fen Creek mouth, seen yesterday and today (Toby Tobkin and me). -- Karen Havlena

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 -- After a week or more of tiptoeing around the east side of my house, I discovered this morning that the CALIFORNIA QUAIL nest I posted about has only eggshells in residence. The fact that they are all in place and apparently undisturbed makes me think that they hatched successfully instead of falling prey. Also no signs of feathers anywhere around. I will keep a close eye for a little covey scurrying around the neighborhood. -- Jim Armstrong

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 -- hi all...'Toby' Tobkin, Bill from Redding, and I saw the BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at noon today. From the Ward Avenue parking lot, go north along the Haul Road to where it slopes down to the beach. The bird was in the wet sand, not far from the surf line. It had been further north, near the wood 'structure' (that Ron LeValley would term a 'predator perch'), but a southbound jogger pushed it towards us. Now all we have to do is figure out how many Buff-Breasted Sandpipers are here, right? -- Trudy Jensen (for Toby Tobkin)

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 - 4:40PM - 6:30 PM - I chased the American Redstart, that Karen & Jim Havlena found at the end of Windy Hollow Road...this species has avoided me over the many years. However, I stepped out of my vehicle, saw a bird high in the alders, and amazingly enough it was a nice, brilliant male AMERICAN REDSTART. I was able to get many looks at the bird in the same flock that Karen described, however I was never able to coax it down close for decent pictures.
At the west end of Miner Hole Road I walked down the Garcia River for a ways ... I find that wearing sandals and shorts makes this easy and allows one to sometimes approach birds in the river. Of note were: BAIRD'S SANDPIPER,1 ad., 1 juv.; LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 2; GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 1; RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, 30+;BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, 1.
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were seen in the towns of Pt. Arena (2) and Manchester (1). WILD TURKEY, 5 two miles north of Manchester. Good birding. -- Bob Keiffer

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 -- I found what appears to be a Juvenile PARASITIC JAEGER at about 3:00PM, north of Ward Ave. I use the "appears to be" because I'm unfamiliar with Jaegers in general and have been comparing pictures I took (they are posted) with those in the books. It was found well north of the spot where the haul rd. ends, just pass some driftwood artwork along the beach. It may have a bad wing because the right wing hangs lower. I was able to get within 4 to 5 Feet of it without it appearing to be bothered. Moving closer caused it to fly south in a very low flight. I wasn't able to see the under-wing feathers. -- Richard Hubacek

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 -- Jim spotted a male AMERICAN REDSTART in a large flock of migrants on the NORTH portion of Windy Hollow Rd that ends at the Garcia River. The road is off Hwy 1, just south of Mountain View Rd. I found several western migrants in the flock, including Black-throated Gray Warbler, Cassin's Vireo, Western Wood Pewee, Pac Coast Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Yellow Warbler, Wilson's and Orange-crowned Warblers. At the west end of Miner Hole Rd, I spotted at least 3 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS.
I forgot to mention in last night's post about the BBSA's, that I saw a BARN OWL flying in the large, vacant lot for sale between Hwy 1 and the haul road by Virgin Creek beach in Fort Bragg. (That bird is not on the MacKerricher SP bird checklist). -- Karen & Jim Havlena

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 -- I found a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER North of Ward Ave at approx 3:30PM. Could be one of the two seen at Virgin Creek but it would be going in the wrong direction. The location is north on the haul road until it ends then down the trail to the beach. Head North/West towards the beach. It was in the remains of the last high tide kelp. It was moving in a northern direction. I was lucky to get a couple of pictures that I will post shortly. The buffyness is washed out a little. -- Richard Hubacek

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 -- We saw one of the BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS found this evening about 6-PM at Virgin Creek mouth by Art Morley. Jim and I arrived after 7:00 and found one of the pair feeding among the piles of kelp. Toby Tobkin came from the north, where she saw the other bird on the shore near the vicinity of the rocks where the Harlequin Ducks rest. Toby saw the bird we saw through my scope. She commented that the bird to the north was smaller than the creekmouth bird. This was a crisp juvenile - very pretty! We stayed until almost dark. Tina Fabula happened along and got to see the creek- mouth bird through my scope, also. -- Karen Havlena

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 -- Hi All, I birded the Ukiah sewage ponds this morning and did add LESSER YELLOWLEGS for Mendo. In fact there were 6 Lesser Yellowlegs and 4 GREATER YELLOWLEGS all in the middle pond from the middle to the west end. There were 10 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES in the middle pond and 14 in the south pond. About 9 AM over 30 VAUX'S SWIFTS swirled over the middle pond for a couple of minutes and then left. A couple of SPOTTED SANDPIPERS and a few WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS were also there. -- John Luther, Oakland

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 -- Greetings, Mendobirders, This morning I was at the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant from 9:30-11:00. The north pond is now nearly dry and had no shorebirds. The west end of the central pond had some shorebird habitat, and there were 6 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 3 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, a PECTORAL SANDPIPER, and a number of LEAST & WESTERN, and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS. There was also a group of Least and Western Sandpipers walking on the floating mat on the sludge pond. -- George Chaniot

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 -- Hi Birders, Best birds of this morning were LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Inglenook Creek and CASSIN'S VIREO at the east end of the boardwalk at Lk Cleone, both in MacKerricher SP. Other birds were 3 MARBLED GODWITS at Ten Mile rivermouth, WANDERING TATLER at Seaside beach (Jim Havlena), 19 SNOWY PLOVERS, 13 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS (where there were zero just two days ago), two good-sized flocks at Lk Cleone with WARBLING VIREOS, WILSON'S WARBLERS, etc. It was overcast, cool and fall-like this morning with very little breeze. -- Karen Havlena

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 -- Early this afternoon there was one SOLITARY SANDPIPER at the outlet of Kelsey Creek in Clear Lake State Park. The avocets and godwits that were at the outlet yesterday were not present today. -- Dave Woodward, Lakeport

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 -- Hi, I was standing on my back deck in Redwood Valley, just off of Laughlin Way, about 11 in the morning and spotted a PILEATED WOODPECKER. It came flying across our back pasture and landed on our fence next to our neighbor's vineyard. It sat there for several minutes before taking off again. It was AWESOME! -- Christy Scollin, Redwood Valley

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 -- Today at noon I made my way out to the outlet of Kelsey Creek in Clear Lake State Park. This has been one of the best birding locations in Lake County during years when water depth in Clear Lake is low enough to expose the mud flat at the outlet of the creek. The area remained underwater during all of 2005 and 2006, but Clear Lake is presently at 2.38 ft. on the Rumsey scale, low enough to expose mud below the Creeping Water Primrose that has unfortunately covered most of the mud flats around the lake shore. To get to the outlet, pay the $5 entry fee to the park and go to the north end of the Visitor Center parking lot. Find the trail leading into the dense thicket of willows and follow it ca. 100 yds to the tules. It is difficult to follow as many willows have fallen during the past two years. Also, pay attention to this WARNING!!. About 75 yds along the trail there is a large aerial YELLOWJACKET nest about three feet above ground on the underside of a fallen willow. The nest is just about 15 yds before the location where you reach the tules and if you try to duck under this trunk your face will be nearly right on the nest. I went past the yellowjackets by going off the trail out towards the tules and around. Look for the trail which passes through the tules out onto the flat at the outlet of the creek.
Today at the outlet there were 7 AMERICAN AVOCETS, 2 MARBLED GODWITS, 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 7 CASPIAN TERNS and about 100 gulls. There were also SPOTTED, WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS. -- Dave Woodward, Lakeport

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 -- "Toby" Tobkin reported seeing an AMERICAN BITTERN at Lake Cleone at around 11:00AM today. Location was half way up the Lake on the North Shore, just west of the pump-house. She said if it stays in that location it would be easier seen from the South side of the lake. She also reported an EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE at the Pudding Creek overlook sitting on a power(telephone?)line. -- Richard Hubacek

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 -- Mendobirders, At the mouth of the Garcia River I had 1 SEMIPALMATED, 3 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 5 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, 60+ RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, 1 PECTORAL SANDPIPER, lots of SANDERLINGS, and 300+ peeps (mostly WESTERN and some LEAST SANDPIPERS). Also, later that day along Highway 101 at a bridge at milepost 103 (just south of Piercy) I saw a single WHITE-THROATED SWIFT while driving by at about 60 mph. -- John E. Hunter,Arcata, CA

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 -- Hi all, This morning I went to the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant. The north pond is almost completely dry, but there is still a good patch of wet mud with shorebirds. I did not find a Golden-Plover, but there was one BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER among the few LEAST, WESTERN, and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS. On the middle pond there were at least three BLUE-WINGED TEALS sitting on the bank, a number of NORTHERN SHOVELLERS, and two more HOODED MERGANSERS have joined the one that has been there for weeks now. -- George Chaniot

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 -- Hi -- There was a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER along with an adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER at Inglenook Creek mouth this morning. The SemiSand had a very, short bill an was quite pale (like the one found by Curtis Marantz east of the Ten Mile River bridge in late July).
There were not very many other shorebirds along the four mile walk. Numbers and variety have dwindled considerably. Also seen were (12) SNOWY PLOVERS, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, WHIMBREL, WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS, SANDERLINGS,and other expected species. The SURF SCOTERS are coming in, with at least 75 off Ward Ave. Also, CALIFORNIA GULLS have been increasing over the last 3 weeks. I have had MARBLED GODWIT almost every week except today.
Mammals: Just offshore there were several HUMPBACKED WHALES and a few RIZZO'S DOLPHINS between Laguna Point cove and Fen Creek mouth The whales and dolphins were very active! -- Karen Havlena

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 -- Hi All, I birded the Ukiah sewage ponds and Lake Mendocino today (Aug 15). Of interest to me at Lake Mendocino near the dam was an adult FORSTER'S TERN (first in county for me at last) and 3 adult CASPIAN TERNS.
At the sewage ponds 4 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were present along with a SPOTTED, 6 WESTERN, and 3 LEAST SANDPIPERS. Of greater interest was an adult PACIFIC-GOLDEN PLOVER feeding in the mud with Killdeer. It still had a black belly between the legs to the vent and black marks along the white flanks and black on the throat and chin. The upperparts were very golden. The perplexing part was that the primaries went well beyond the tip of the tail (about 1.5 cm plus in my estimation) and 4 primaries were visible past the tertials which is what an American Golden-Plover should show. However the primary tips did not show even spacing. It had the tall, long-legged look of a Pacific Golden-Plover. So I am saying Pacific Golden-Plover for the moment, but certainly would be interested in any comments and hope that someone might be able to see the bird tomorrow. You might be interested in looking in Western Birds Vol 35, No 2, 2004 at the article by Alvaro Jaramillo on Identification of Adult Pacific and American Golden-Plovers in their Southbound Migration. It has two featured photos on the back cover. -- John Luther, Oakland

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 -- For the last several years we routinely have had Lesser Goldfinches eat (really EAT) the leaves of our Echinacea plants. Sometimes only the spines are left. At first I thought it was major insect damage until I saw them actually doing it. They're so small they can perch and tear at the same time. The new thing this year is they have recently discovered the hulled sunflower seed kernels feeder (it used to just get medium small birds such as titmice and nuthatches, and one very determined female Acorn Woodpecker as customers). -- Maureen O'Hagen

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 -- While doing the SOS survey at Virgin Creek today at about 3p.m. I saw a juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, carefully compared with nearby Least and Western, at about 25 feet distance. A small number of peeps usually feed along the edge of the lagoon near the road (away from the gulls). -- Art Morley

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 -- I saw a juvenile (juvenal? hatch-year?) RED-NECKED PHALAROPE at the mouth of the Mattole River yesterday. It was all alone. I got pictures that should be good, but haven't uploaded them yet. -- Kate Marianchild

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 -- Hi Jim, Our LESSER GOLDFINCHES ate most of the early leaves off our sunflowers this spring but the sunflowers grew new leaves faster than they could be eaten and bloomed marvelously. -- John Lace, Grass Valley, CA

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 -- George and I were kidding last week that it is getting expensive to keep the Goldfinches of various ilks in Nijer seed. I have two socks that I fill every morning and lately there is usually just a little left the next day. Yesterday the little boogers discovered two sunflower plants that had volunteered in my tomato barrels. By this afternoon, one is completely stripped of foliage and most of its flowers and the other about half gone. This before my very eyes. I've never seen this in all the years of feeding them. Anyone else? -- Jim Armstrong

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 -- There is a WHITE-WINGED DOVE sitting in our back yard in Little River. Hopefully it will stay awhile. -- Charlene McAllister & Ron LeValley

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 -- Hi all, For the past few days my yahoogroups account has been down, now I have it reactivated. Apologies for the late report on the Bald Eagle. Since at least Saturday the 4th of August there has been a Bald Eagle just south of the Little River Post Office. It is eating hatch year Western Gulls on the island offshore, and then hiding in the trees when the gulls get to it. It is a young bird, probably hatched in either 2005 or 2006 on Santa Catalina Island and I know that because it is tagged on both wings with bright orange patagial tags. Today I read the numbers on the tags, so will report when I get more information. This bird is probably best seen in the morning from behind the Little River Post Office. You might have to wait a bit before it flies out of the trees and searches over the islands.
Also, Lisa Hug saw a hatch year SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER at Virgin Creek Beach yesterday afternoon. We did not see it today. There was a LESSER YELLOWLEGS there today.
Also, off Van Damme Beach State Park we saw one freshly fledged RHINOCEROS AUKLET and two freshly fledged PIGEON GUILLEMOTS today. Cheers -- Ron LeValley

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 -- Ron LeValley has discovered an immature BALD EAGLE in Little River. The bird was seen yesterday and today just offshore on the large rocky island directly behind the post office. The bird reportedly has two orange patagial tags. Evidently Ron is experiencing computer problems, so I have posted this sighting to alert others to this uncommon coastal sighting. -- David Jensen

Sat, 11 August 2007 -- A pair of EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES flew over Old river Road and Highway 175 on the north side of the "Old" Hopland community. This is the first time that I have seen this species on the east side of the Russian River in Sanel Valley. Good birding! -- Bob Keiffer

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 -- MendoBirders - Notable for us today: Early this morning, Les Lieurance and I saw 1 juv. BAIRD'S SANDPIPER at the mouth of Virgin Creek in Fort Bragg.
Later in the morning at the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Ponds we saw 3 WILSON'S PHALAROPEs and 6 RED-NECKED PHALAROPEs in the south pond. The north pond has a lot of good mud exposed, an we saw WESTERN & LEAST SANDPIPERs there. The GREATER SCAUP was still in the middle pond. Along the walk between the fenceline next to the orchard and the cattails, on the south side of the entrance pond, we saw 2 WILLOW FLYCATCHERs.
WESTERN TANAGERs and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKs were moving through in good numbers at the USTP and at a little Ukiah city park off the Gobbi exit from Highway 101. -- Cindy Lieurance

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 -- Mendobirders: Today, Les Lieurance and I rambled around coastal Mendocino County.
At Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg we found 7 WANDERING TATTLERs, 27 BLAC TURNSTONEs, 3 WHIMBRELs, the usual PURPLE MARTINs and a few COMMON MERGANSERs.
At the mouth of Virgin Creek in Fort Bragg we saw a RUDDY TURNSTONE, along with LEAST SANDPIPERs, WESTERN SANDPIPERs, SANDERLINGs, SEMIPALMATED PLOVERs, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERs, and WHIMBRELs.
At Ten Mile Beach estuary we saw a lot of nervous-acting waders, the only additional ones to the list above being SPOTTED SANDPIPER and silent, distant dowitchers.
At the mouth of the Garcia River (near the Point Arena Lighthouse) we saw many waders, including extremely distant dowitchers, phalaropes (the close ones were RED-NECKED PHALAROPEs), WILLETs, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, SANDERLINGs, LEAST SANDPIPERs, WESTERN SANDPIPERs and SEMIPALMATED PLOVERs. Fortunately, the BAIRD'S SANDPIPER flew over our heads, calling as it went. And a LESSER YELLOWLEGs landed briefly in front of us before flying off to the east. Two CASPIAN TERNs and a few COMMON LOONs also made an appearance there.
We saw only 4 species of gulls all day – WESTERN, CALIFORNIA, HEERMAN'S and HERRING. -- Cindy Lieurance, San Francisco

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 -- Greetings Mendobirders- This morning George Chaniot, Matthew Matthiessen, and I birded the USTP oxidation ponds. The south pond has been reflooded, but now the north pond is being drained and there is some nice mud in the NW corner of that pond. There were a number of shorebirds there, but the highlights were 2 juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS. These birds can be easily studied in comparison to adjacent WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS in an array of plumages. There was also a juvenile BAIRD'S SANDPIPER on the N pond and 2 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were swimming there. Ducks included the continuing HOODED MERGANSER and GREATER SCAUP, and a CINNAMON TEAL. YELLOW WARBLERS continue to sing along the river and 3 GREAT EGRETS flew over, the first I have seen inland this fall. -- Chuck Vaughn

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 -- Today I found a RED KNOT on Ten Mile beach, and Dorothy "Toby" Tobkin also had a RED KNOT at Virgin Creek beach. By coincidence, we each found our personal bird at almost the same time this morning. My bird was about 3/4 to one mile north of the Ward Ave ramp down to the beach.
There are still 9-10 SNOWY PLOVERS north of Inglenook Creek mouth on Ten Mile beach. Most of them have been rotating in and out of this location, because some of the banded birds keep changing. -- Karen Havlena

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 -- I heard the LONG-EARED OWL again this morning, once at 03:16 and then at 04:10. I have listened a lot in the evening, but I have not heard it then. -- George Chaniot

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 -- On Monday I found a juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER at the Garcia River Mouth. It was seen by others later in the day and was last seen flying out toward the beach. -- David Vander Pluym, Ventura, CA

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 -- On Friday July 27th Nikki White and I saw a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL on a utility pole on the Ukiah Boonville road just before noon. At the Garcia River estuary there was an adult RUDDY TURNSTONE, at least 40 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS,and 3 WILLETS. On Saturday July 28th there was a distant Kingbird sp. on the south facing slope at Usal. Probable WESTERN KINGBIRD based on the time of year? On Monday July 30th 2 PILEATED WOODPECKERS flew over Highway 1 into Mackerricher State Park. At Virgin Creek Beach there was another adult RUDDY TURNSTONE and a MARBLED GODWIT. -- Jerry White

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 -- 04:02 A LONG-EARED OWL woke me out of a deep sleep. Less than 100 yads away - probably in the oaks behind the house. It gave about 10 hoots in the full moonlight. 04:16 Seven more hoots. About 200 yards to the east. 04:27 Five hoots about 1/4 mile to the east now. 04:29 Five more hoots from about the same area. 04:32 Five more hoots. The last I heard. No going back to sleep for me.
I'd been expecting this guy eventually; several years ago I heard one at sunset about 1/2 mile to the west. -- George Chaniot

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 -- Hi, Seabirders, Shearwater Journey's pelagic trip from Fort Bragg on Sunday, July 29, 2007 kicked off the seabird season on the north coast. Even though the seas were very nice the day prior to our trip, we were not so lucky. Swells and wind made the day somewhat difficult, but we did make it to the canyon and to the Tolo Banks. Highlights of the day included: BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS, PINK-FOOTED and SOOTY SHEARWATERS; POMARINE and PARASITIC JAEGERS; SABINE'S GULLS; COMMON MURRE, PIGEON GUILLEMOT, CASSIN'S and RHINOCEROS AUKLETS. In the morning, five PURPLE MARTINS were in the trees at the harbor while an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was calling. -- Debbie Shearwater

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 -- For much of the trip Curtis was either leaning over the back of the boat or sleeping, so from his perspective the pelagic trip probably "was not particularly great". For the visiting birders from Denver and Reno the trip was a huge success. I don't have the official numbers that the leaders will be providing, but we did see good numbers of BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS and SOOTY SHEARWATERS. There were a few PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATERS, 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS, 1 POMARINE JAEGER, at least 2 SABINE'S GULLS, an ELEGANT TERN and usual numbers of the usual birds. However, there were spirited games of volleyball and shuffleboard and the pool-side catered buffet was five-star. Otherwise, the trip was admittedly ordinary. Jerry White, Matthew Matthiessen and I were hoping for that really rare pelagic bird that never appeared, but we were certainly in the right habitat. -- Chuck Vaughn

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 -- Today at Borax Lake I saw a distant male Aythya duck whose head shape appeared to be that of a GREATER SCAUP. A female-type CINNAMON TEAL was also present. At Austin Park in Clearlake I saw an alternate plumaged FORSTER'S TERN and a female COMMON MERGANSER. At the Hidden Valley Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant I saw a CLARK'S GREBE, which was my first for the locality. -- Floyd Hayes

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 -- As of 5:10 PM, the SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER had not been seen at Ten Mile River. The tides changed considerably, and less Western and Least Sandpipers were seen from various locations. There were quite a few SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, though. Art Morley also tried for the Semi-palmated Sandpiper without success. -- Karen Havlena

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 -- Hi- Curtis Marantz found a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER just east of the Ten Mile River bridge this afternoon, 28 July. He was with Jon Dunn and Larry Sansone. Jim and I saw the bird about 5:30 PM. This is 10 miles north of Fort Bragg along Hwy 1.-- Karen Havlena for Curtis Marantz

Sat 28 Jul 2007 -- LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES are still coming on a daily basis to my thistle feeder in Potter Valley -- George Chaniot

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 -- Greetings Mendobirders- George Chaniot and I birded the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant early this morning. There were some new birds on the ponds and birding is starting to pick up a little bit inland (see George's post about Lake Mendocino yesterday). On the north pond, presently fully flooded, there was a CLARK'S GREBE, the continuing male GREATER SCAUP, and a HOODED MERGANSER in very confusing molt. It is probably an adult female. There were 2 juvenile CALIFORNIA GULLS and a single juvenile WESTERN GULL milling on and over the ponds. Shorebirds included SPOTTED, LEAST and WESTERN SANDPIPERS, a GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and 7 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS. They were mostly along the north edge of the south pond where there is some really nice muddy habitat due to an apparent water leak between the middle and south ponds. There was also a juvenile RED-NECKED PHALAROPE on the middle pond. That was probably the highlight bird of the morning. At least 2 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES and several YELLOW WARBLERS are still singing along the river. -- Chuck Vaughn

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 -- There was a smattering of migrant shorebirds at Lake Mendocino this morning: a GREATER YELLOWLEGS and a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER at the south boat ramp. This is the earliest sighting of Baird's Sandpiper on record for the interior county. At the inlet were 5 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 5 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER. There was a RING-BILLED GULL and a group of CALIFORNIA GULLS at the south end. -- George Chaniot

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 -- This morning at the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant there were 3 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 4 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 8 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER. A SWAINSON'S THRUSH was still singing from the Russian River riparian.-- George Chaniot

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 -- This morning there were 5 juvenile LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES around my yard in Potter Valley. They were following a male around, but he was not directly feeding them. -- George Chaniot

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 -- As I drove past Squaw Rock (south Mendocino County along Highway 101 and the Russian River) last evening I could see at least two PEREGRINE FALCONS sitting on the edge of the nest site on the face of the rock. I believe they were ready-to-fledge juveniles ....but it was difficult to tell at 60 mph. The nest site ledge is very evident from the amount of white wash below it. The site could be easily viewed from the large pullout on the east side of Highway 101 ....if you are coming from the north you may have to go further south, maybe down to the Commisky Road exit in order to turn around safely and head back north. Good birding! -- Bob Keiffer

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 -- Hi. As early as 5 July, Jim Havlena saw 3 MARBLED GODWITS on Ten Mile beach. Two days later, I saw 2 Marbled Godwits on Seaside Beach. On 12 July, I again saw 2 Marbled Godwits on Ten Mile beach, just south of the river mouth.
Four SNOWY PLOVERS are being seen (7/12-19)on Ten Mile beach 900 yards north of Inglenook Creek mouth. There are bands on two of the birds: LR:WW and GW:LY. Apparently, the LR:WW bird is at least 7 years old! (One can read a detailed account on the Yahoo group Save Our Shorebirds Or contact Angela Martin Liebenberg: ammartin@parks.ca.gov . This is a "members only" group, so the web address might not work.
Also, Erica Fielder told me that there are several PURPLE MARTINS flying below Ten Mile bridge. It is a little difficult to bird around there now, due to the new bridge construction, but there are about 4 parking spaces on the south side of the bridge. -- Karen Havlena

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 -- Charlene and I were surprised to see 5 SNOWY EGRETS on the offshore rocks off of Van Damme Beach this morning. They were feeding in the intertidal out off Little River Headlands. One of them left flying to the south, but the other four stayed until the fog came in and we could no longer see the rocks. -- Ron LeValley

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 -- I was on the coast for a couple of days recently and saw a few things of interest to me. On July 8 there was a TUFTED PUFFIN on the water north of the Mendocino Headlands and a RHINOCEROS AUKLET with a horn pretty close to shore in the same area. On July 9 there was a MARBLED MURRELET just south of Laguna Point, and three MARBLED GODWITS flew north across the point. On July 9 there was a male PURPLE MARTIN at the parking area for Caspar Cemetery landing on the dead tree with an Osprey nest just to the east of the road.
In Potter Valley LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES continue to come to my feeders daily, and I have been seeing a few at other locations around the valley where I have never seen them before. They are quite the phenomenon in Potter Valley this summer. I see that they are being reported in Humboldt and Del Norte counties too. -- George Chaniot

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 -- I was on the coast for a couple of days recently and saw a few things of interest to me. On July 8 there was a TUFTED PUFFIN on the water north of the Mendocino Headlands and a RHINOCEROS AUKLET with a horn pretty close to shore in the same area. On July 9 there was a MARBLED MURRELET just south of Laguna Point, and three MARBLED GODWITS flew north across the point. On July 9 there was a male PURPLE MARTIN at the parking area for Caspar Cemetery landing on the dead tree with an Osprey nest just to the east of the road.
In Potter Valley LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES continue to come to my feeders daily, and I have been seeing a few at other locations around the valley where I have never seen them before. They are quite the phenomenon in Potter Valley this summer. I see that they are being reported in Humboldt and Del Norte counties too. -- George Chaniot

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 -- The male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES continue daily at my thistle feeder in Potter Valley. Today there were three. I have not seen a felmae yet. -- George Chaniot

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 -- This morning while driving out of Potter Valley towards highway 20, right as I was crossing the final bridge, I saw an OSPREY flying overhead. That was an unexpected bit of pleasure for my day. -- Elaine Lindelef

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 -- This morning, I heard a late SWAINSON'S THRUSH Thrush singing repeatedly from the riparian/conifer area east of Hwy 1 (Seaside creek drainage, east of Ocean Meadows.
Also, last Thursday, 6/21/07, Jim Havlena saw two, early WESTERN SANDPIPERS at Inglenook Creek mouth. -- Karen Havlena

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 -- This morning I saw a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE on West Road, Potter Valley near Spring Valley Road - about 2.5 miles from Matt's observations. I think they became firmly established in interior Mendocino in 2005 and 2006, and this year they are spreading out everywhere.
I also had an ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD male visiting my feeders this morning, which is a less-than-annual event, and two male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES continue to visit my thistle feeder irregularly. -- George Chaniot

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 -- Hi Birders. I was shocked and apalled to see a second EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE interacting with the first bird this morning. The two birds were flying around my parent's Valley-floor yard, with one chasing the other. The first bird has been present since June 12th, and probably represents the first Potter Valley record. I wonder how many will be here by the end of the summer.
In other news, I saw my first south-bound RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD of the summer here in Potter on the 20th. Also on the 20th a large FALCON, either a Peregrine or a Prairie, circled over the house. I didn't have my binoculars, and the bird was rather high up, but I'm guessing it was likely a Peregrine. I'm not really sure where it might have come from, but I don't think I have seen any other PEFAs in Potter Valley. Good birding, -- Matt Brady

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 -- Today while at Schooner Gulch State Beach I saw 9 BRANTS foraging in the tide pools. The state beach is a couple miles south of the town of Point Arena, and is basically a pullout / trailhead leading down to the beach. If anyone is interested I could download some photos. I was also surprised to see 6 or 7 European Collared Doves in and around the town of Point Arena. -- Craig Swolgaard, Folsom, CA

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 -- Hi all, This morning about 8:15 a.m. a large herd (at least 100) of RISSO'S DOLPHINS passed by the Little River Headlands going north. The seas were flat, the sun was low and behind us and it was quite beautiful. -- Ron LeValley

Sun, 17 June 2007 - I just received information about a GREATER ROADRUNNER observed on this date last month in Mendocino County. The observer has a place in Point Arena and spends a lot of time in the county. His verbal report (to Jerry White) sounds credible. The observer saw the bird on Mountain View Road (Boonville to Manchester) on Sunday, 17 June, near mile marker 17. If I recall the area correctly this is coastal scrub type habitat - blue blossom (Ceanothus sp.), etc. I have heard of a roadrunner in past years near Whitethorn, Humboldt County, which would be similar habitat (this is on the way to Shelter Cove).
The observer got a clear look at the one bird, saying he saw good color on the face and felt that it was an adult. There was apparently another bird in the area that he did not get a good look at, but it was the same size and color as the identified bird. The second bird disappeared into the brush as it was approached.
Even though this report is near a month old, I suspect that any roadrunners observed in June may have be nesting or had newly fledged juveniles in the area. I would venture to say that it is VERY possible that the birds are still in the vicinity. I encourage any birders to check out this area ... the birds would most likely be silent and foraging at ground level. My limited experience with Mendocino County Roadrunners is that they are extremely wily .... not the typical tame "road-runners" from the Southwest.
This is a VERY difficult species to find in Mendocino County ...and the number of occurrences had dropped to almost zero in the past two decades. Please post if you have positive or negative results from a search of the area. Good birding. -- Bob Keiffer

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 -- A male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH just joined the swarm of Lesser and American Goldfinches at my thistle feeder. I've been expecting him for years, and this certainly is the year for Lawrence's in Potter Valley. -- George Chaniot

Sun, 17 Jun 2007 -- This morning, Chuck Vaughn, Geoff Heinecken, and I saw an eclipsing male NORTHERN PINTAIL floating with the MALLARDS on the middle pond at the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant. This is only the second summer record in the county. Also of note were a continuing GREATER SCAUP and a very late, singing SWAINSON'S THRUSH.
The south pond is nearly dry and the middle pond is expected to be emptied next. It could be a good summer/fall for migrating shorebirds. -- Cheryl Watson

Sun, 17 June 2007 -- I just received information about a Greater Roadrunner observed on this date last month in Mendocino County. The observer has a place in Point Arena and spends a lot of time in the county. His verbal report (to Jerry White) sounds credible. The observer saw the bird on Mountain View Road (Boonville to Manchester) on Sunday, 17 June, near mile marker 17. If I recall the area correctly this is coastal scrub type habitat - blue blossom (Ceanothus sp.), etc. I have heard of a roadrunner in past years near Whitethorn, Humboldt County, which would be similar habitat (this is on the way to Shelter Cove).
The observer got a clear look at the one bird, saying he saw good color on the face and felt that it was an adult. There was apparently another bird in the area that he did not get a good look at, but it was the same size and color as the identified bird. The second bird disappeared into the brush as it was approached.
Even though this report is near a month old, I suspect that any roadrunners observed in June may have be nesting or had newly fledged juveniles in the area. I would venture to say that it is VERY possible that the birds are still in the vicinity. I encourage any birders to check out this area ... the birds would most likely be silent and foraging at ground level. My limited experience with Mendocino County Roadrunners is that they are extremely wily .... not the typical tame "road-runners" from the Southwest.
This is a VERY difficult species to find in Mendocino County ...and the number of occurrences had dropped to almost zero in the past two decades. Please post if you have positive or negative results from a search of the area. Good birding. Bob Keiffer

Sun, 17 Jun 2007 -- I have a larger than normal crop of young BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS this year. For the last couple of weeks I have noticed a begging/feeding behavior I've missed before: The youngsters have a distinct shivering movement, with their wings in sort of a trailing position. Both mom and dad will feed them with just eaten seeds, even with the baby on the feeder with them. Several sources mention that the young leave the nest after 11 or 12 days, but can't fly for two more weeks. Do they simply stay near the nest or run around on the ground? -- Jim Armstrong

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 -- Today at 12:46 PM I found the TUFTED PUFFIN that Toby reported back on the 9th of June. It was almost exactly where she said she saw it. Just east of the northern most island off the Mendocino Headlands. -- Richard Hubacek

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 -- Hi Birders -- In the past 24 hours, I have seen several slices of bird life that may be of interest. A PEREGRINE FALCON that I see occasionally over Seaside beach was flying laboriously north over our bluff. It was carrying a PIGEON GUILLEMOT, with its red feet dangling! A male TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD was "singing" his raspy song for a female in a shrub behind our house. This suggests possible breeding for both the falcon and the blackbird.
Up the coast at milepost 83.30, just south of Hardy Creek mouth, there is a large, pointy rock that cormorants, etc, rest upon. On the very, steep side facing Hwy 1, there is a family of BLACK OYSTERCATCHER. I saw one parent bring food to the rocky nestsite, where the other parent and THREE fluffy chicks were waiting for lunch. PURPLE MARTINS are still flying around the Juan Creek bridge. -- Karen Havlena

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 -- Hi Birders. This morning, while stacking chord wood at my parent's place in Potter Valley, I heard the distinctive "Wheew-wheew" of a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE. Looking up, I saw it fly into one of our oak trees. This was a first for me in Potter, has anyone else had them here? -- Matt Brady

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 -- Daffy Duck? There's a nesting MALLARD under a rosebush at the Ukiah fairgrounds. It's on the right of a yellow building on the north side of the parking lot. She was on the nest the morning of June 9. I couldn't tell how many eggs were there. I assume she's a resident of the small pond across from the fine arts building. -- Don Rowe

Sat, 09 Jun 2007 -- Dorothy Tobkin reports finding a TUFTED PUFFIN at the Mendocino Headlands this morning. First it was in the water north of the northmost island. Then it began flying and flew to a burrow on the north face of the northmost island. This is a new burrow location in this area.

Sat, 09 Jun 2007 -- Today John Luther and I failed to find any Horned Puffins from Jenner north to Pt. Arena (northern Sonoma to southern Mendocino counties). We looked hard at a quite a few locations. Much of the coast line is private and not accessible, so we didn't check every possible location. One TUFTED PUFFIN at the Pt. Arena cove was a highlight. Also at Greistler (sp.?) campground at Salt Point State Park on the Sonoma coast, there was a COMMON NIGHTHAWK at night and a singing PURPLE MARTIN at dawn. Also a pair of martins were on the wire over Gualala River at the bridge. Another martin was on the ridgetop at Pine Flat Road in Sonoma County. -- John Sterling, Woodland [from N.CalBirdBox]

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 -- Dear Helen et al, Advice on the egg came in from several sources, including suggestions to keep it moist and to help it break out of the shell. Bob Keiffer said it most certainly was a goose egg, some of which are as big as eagle eggs. He said a raven wouldn't be able to carry an egg that large without putting a hole in the shell. My friend was quite sure it was not a goose egg. Turkey was proposed as a possibility. Ron LeValley asked for a picture but digital camera problems won out.
One internet source said that it could take 5 days for such an egg to hatch, others said that if it didn't hatch within in 24 hours it would die. Alida Morzenti, an eminent raptor expert with Bird Rescue in Santa Rosa, offered to take it and hatch it out.
The pecking stopped so my friend decided to help it out of the egg, and it turned out to be dead. She has saved the egg, which is mostly intact except for a hole, and was planning to take it down to Alan Grass at the fish hatchery for i.d. I haven't heard the final word yet. I think she's going to give me the egg eventually, though if it's a golden eagle egg I'll have to turn it over to HREC or someone who can legally hold it.
Thanks for everyone's advice and interest. -- Kate Marianchild

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 -- Hi Tim, The 3 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nestlings are still in the nest here, looking quite large but still a bit ragged. They have a little bit of red on their shoulders. They should fledge sometime between June 12-14. -- Kate Marianchild

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 -- Greetings Mendobirders, Yesterday a large, fluffy, very light-colored RED-SHOULDERED HAWK perched on our gatepost. It did not have red shoulders but did have all the other characteristics. I suspect it is a recent fledgling - anyone else noticing young ones flying about? -- Tim Bray, Middle Ridge, Albion

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 -- A ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK came to my feeder two years ago with a possible sighting last year. I have a male at my feeder now. -- Lois Sundberg, Little River, 8151 n hwy one, 937-2909

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 -- As I was out and about this morning, I saw a large bird outline in what I think of as my "Cormorant Tree", a tree that hangs over the Russian River - a perfect hangout if you like wet fishy snacks. I haven't seen any cormorants for a while, so I figured I'd snap a photo of a June sighting. But as I got closer, it became clear that it wasn't a cormorant. I think it's an OSPREY: photo
This is in the main valley on the river between Burris and Pine. I've never seen an osprey here before, but I may just have been unobservant. -- Elaine Lindelef

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 -- Hi Kate, Unfortunately the ravens/crows do steal eggs, they take most of our chickens eggs! On the bright side, when i first moved to Redwood Valley I saw one carrying a very large snake into a tree! One nice thing about the decline in (raven) population past few years is Ive seen a big return of nests/ babies of smaller birds. However , its not just the ravens/crows- when we lived in Cloverdale we frequently saw/found baby birds taken from their nests by the bluejays. I was wondering about coming up with some sort of nesting place that would appeal to the smaller nesting birds where the crows/jays can reach them etc. Hope your friend has something suitable to feed her baby, seems he should've come out by now. -- Lynne

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 -- Still hoping for word of golden eagle nest near Van Arsdale dam. My friend Jo wrote this today:"Yes, I definitely know goose eggs. Not big enough for sure. You know, it is sooo bizarre if this is a Golden Eagle, but I'm thinking those ravens may very well have teamed up on the parents, with the intention of getting an egg. We have a LOT of egg-loving ravens and crows and I have frequently seen them flying around here with eggs in their big mouths. If they're starting to steal raptor eggs, they need to be stopped.
It didn't make much progress last night, but a little at the bigger hole. It seems to be pecking strategically in two spots and then maybe he'll more easily be able to break through in the middle of those two spots and have a big hole. I've got a better "nest" set up for him now. Although, I still didn't get a very good night's sleep. -- Kate Marianchild 463-0839

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 -- Saturday night a friend of mine found what she thinks is a golden eagle egg near the Van Arsdale dam. She put it in her bed and slept with it and last night it started pecking. (At that time she thought it was a turkey egg, but she's since measured it and it's probably too big to be a turkey. It's about 3").
Does anyone know where a golden eagle nest is in the vicinity? Would anyone be willing to look at it to help her figure out what it is? Her phone number is 743-2389 -- Kate Marianchild

Thu, 31 May 2007 -- I visited Usal Beach campground after completing the Branscomb Road Breeding Bird Survey. The coast was cold, damp, and fogged in. PURPLE MARTINS are nesting again in a couple of old snags above the Branscomb Road at about the 1.0 mm (one mile from Hwy 1). The road to Usal was rough as usual but easily passable. Off Usal Beach campground was a large pod of HARBOR PORPOISE (constant rolling on the surface)...probably working schools of surf fish. 140+ Aechmophorus sp. grebes (Western & probably some Clark's) were also clumped off the beach area ....I saw a large flock there last year at this time also. I was not in the mood to eat lunch in the fog so I decided to try driving the Usal Road which leads north. I was able to drive all the way to the Shelter Cove Road (Usal Road is 27 miles of 1st and 2nd gear dirt road from Hwy 1) and never saw another vehicle ...only one tired mountain biker. It helps to have high vehicle ground clearance on this road, and I used 4WD once in a while, but a sturdy 2WD vehicle with good ground clearance should be able to make it. I would NOT recommend this road, even to 4WD, in the winter ...as there are some deep muddy holes (now dry) and some narrow "suicide" chutes that the road goes through. I did see HERMIT WARBLERS at one of the side pullouts (there are only about three of them the entire way).
One the way home I stopped at the Benbow State Park, accessed via the old Hwy 101 road which exits Hwy 101 just north of the "Bigfoot" souvenir shop just before the freeway). This takes you to an old state campground right under MAL COOMB MEMORIAL bridge where you can watch WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS entering the vertical drain holes. There are also VAUX'S SWIFTS around. This is, however, Humboldt County. I did not get a chance to check out the Piercy bridge or any of the other Mendocino County bridge structures. -- Good birding, Bob Keiffer

Sun, 20 May 2007 -- Here is a belated report form the Mendocino Coast pelagic birding trip from Sunday May 20th. It was led by Ron LeValley and attended by about 20 mostly local folks. The weather was quite nice with good visibility and very calm seas, which was nice for a change. I believe that we went out to about 12 miles or so and we were out for about 6 hours. We actually had little bird activity ...a few areas that picked up but no unusual species, no migrating terns, only two jaegers, no Laysan Albatross, etc. The highlight of the trip was getting into the middle of a HUGE (estimated 1000-2000+) herd of Pacific White-sided Dolphins that were feeding on congregated schools of bait fish. These bait fish were very near the surface, probably due to harassment by the dolphins, and could be seen "churning" the surface or 6 to 12 inches under the surface as the boat went through them. A few Northern Right Whale Dolphins were mixed into the foray also.
Several flocks of migrating (north) Red Phalaropes and Red-necked Phalaropes were observed, sometimes sitting on the water for some decent looks at them. And, we had great looks at 3 Red-necked Grebes up close as we left the harbor. One of these was in full breeding plumage with the other two almost there. There were also PURPLE MARTINS either using (for nest sites) or looking at the drain holes underneath the new Noyo Bridge. Here is the list of species: Pacific Loon 15, Common Loon 10, Red-necked Grebe 3, Western Grebe 15, Black-footed Albatross 75, Pink-footed Shearwater 2, Sooty Shearwater 100+, Pelagic Cormorant 5, Brandt's Cormorant 6, Osprey 2, Red-necked Phalarope 75, Red Phalarope 300, Parasitic Jaeger 2, Jaeger sp. 1, Calif. Gull 12, Western Gull 100, Glaucous-winged Gull 1, Common Murre 75, Pigeon Guillemot 2, Ancient Murrelet 2, Cassin's Auklet 25, Rhinoceros Auklet 50, Tufted Puffin 1, California Sea Lion + 2 (in the Harbor), Northern fur Seal 4, Northern Elephant Seal 1, Harbor Seal 2, Northern Right Whale Dolphin 30 -100+ (Ron thought 30, I think more, use your own judgment!), Pacific-White-sided Dolphin 2000+
Hope to see you on future trips ...each one is different and the "surprise" species is always possible. Some day in the future Mendocino County will get its first Short-tailed Albatross. Good birding. -- Bob Keiffer

Mon, 28 May 2007 -- Hi all: An overnight trip to Hendy Woods State Park (Mendocino Co./Anderson Valley) had me marveling at a colony of PURPLE MARTINS this morning at the Hendy Woods Day Use section of the Navarro River. The birds are occupying cavities in dead portions of the the upper canopy of live redwoods. Very scenic locale, and very vocal, gorgeous birds. I counted 9 martins, 5 males and four females in two trees, but the amount of chatter coming from the canopy of other redwoods as I approached the river made me believe the colony is at least twice that size. Good birding, -- Bob Power, Oakland, CA [from Calbirds]

Sun, 27 May 2007 -- Dorothy "Toby" Tobkin called to say that today, she saw a singing, male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK along the Skunk Train railroad tracks. The bird was singing "like on territory" about a mile east on the tracks from Franklin Ave. Park near the entrance to the cemetery and walk inland above Pudding Creek. Be careful to listen for the train or small rail vehicles. -- K Havlena for Toby Tobkin

Sun, 27 May 2007 -- Sunday morning, Jerry White, Jim and myself searched valiantly for Matthew's Brewer Sparrow, but we had no luck with it. We visited the east end of the boardwalk at Lake Cleone more than once, walked the outer edge of MacKerricher SP along Hwy 1, and then hiked up and down Ten Mile beach. Karen started at Ward Ave going north, while Jerry and Jim came down from the Ten Mile River. We looked all over the dunes.
Consolation birds: There were a few phalaropes on the east side of Ten Mile bridge. Jerry thought that two of them were very likely WILSON'S PHALAROPES. They were whiter than the others, Jim said, but they did not have scopes. Jerry was pretty sure of the differences, saying that they had a different feeding pattern. After coming home, Jim and I went back to the river with our scopes, but only one RED-NECKED PHALAROPE remained. I (Karen) saw a single sandpiper on the southwest bank that was very likely an adult BAIRD'S SANDPIPER. The wing extension was quite long behind the tail tip, and it had light brown, streaky neck and upper breast. There was no rufous at all, and the scapulars and coverts were a dull brown with black centers. There were no white streaks at the sides of the mantle like Least, and the legs appeared to be dark. It disappeared when I moved the scope slightly, so Jim did not see it, and I did not see where it flew. -- Karen Havlena

Sat, 26 May 2007 -- Matthew Matthiessen had a BREWER'S SPARROW this morning about 9:30 at the boardwalk at Lake Cleone. It was in willows at the far end of the boardwalk on the east side of the lake. Dorothy Tobkin looked for it about an hour later and was unable to relocate it.

Fri, 25 May 2007 -- This morning a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, two ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, a WARBLING VIREO, and a male RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER were among the birds at Usal Camp. CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES were silent (I finally saw two of them), so there were no flocks to follow. The Chat was up the hillside above the road that goes out to the beach, and the Ash-throated Flycatchers were together on the same road, but closer to Usal Road. -- Karen & Jim Havlena

Thu, 24 May 2007 -- Hi Birders. I took a walk up Burris Lane in Potter Valley today. Several LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES persist at the end of the road, over-looking the pond. A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was singing from the willows where the road turns to dirt. A GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was singing in the field below the barn with the Guinea Fowl. There were YELLOW WARBLERS and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS singing from a number of locations. Good birding, -- Matt Brady

Thu, 24 May 2007 -- The YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT (or one of his buddies) that eluded us on the Potter Valley field trip has been hanging around my house for the past week or so. I have a lousy photo in my Potter Valley album Yellow-breasted Chat - he only comes out of the foliage when the light is terrible.
There's also another little bird that I photographed on our fence line that I can't identify. He's small and fawn colored all over.
A belated thanks for the field trip, by the way - my daughter and I had a wonderful time. -- Elaine Lindelef

Tue, 22 May 2007 -- There is a pair of EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE setting up house-keeping in Hopland. They sometimes hang out in the big California Valley oak tree located behind the Hopland Inn / Lawson's Station. They have been in the area for about one week as first reported to me by my parents.... and I finally saw the birds today. Good birding. -- Bob Keiffer

Tue, 22 May 2007 -- Toby Tobkin called to say that she saw an adult FRANKLIN'S GULL in full, breeding plumage late AM at Virgin Creek beach, but it flew north and did not return I will be fighting the wind and unlikely odds, but I will write back if it can be refound. -- Karen Havlena (for Dorothy Tobkin)

Mon, 21 May 2007 -- Is this a Bonaparte's Gull or . . . ??? It was photographed by me (It wouldn't let me get very close, but the zoom helped a little) in Virgin Creek this afternoon north of Fort Bragg. Bonaparte's Gull? -- Feather Forestwalker

Mon, 21 May 2007 -- I birded Potter Valley for a couple hours yesterday. The LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES are still at the top of Burris Lane. Also of interest was a single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE with a much larger domestic goose at a pond on West Road. Traveling south on West Road the pond is on the left side of the road right after the 2.54 mile marker sign. Are there any May records for this bird in Mendocino County? I looked at George Chaniot's Potter Valley birds list and he didn't have any records for april-september. -- Austin Booth

Mon, 21 May 2007 -- I found my first-ever WESTERN KINGBIRD nest this morning. It was a cup of what appeared to be mainly Ramalina, though I couldn't see the inside. I also watched a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE carry what looked like cattail down to a nest well-concealed in oak leaves, and found a VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW cavity in a black oak. The three hawk nestlings are doing well. Watched them swallow lizard legs yesterday. I have also found groups of newly fledged black phoebes, orange-crowned warblers, and bushtits in the last two days.-- Kate Marianchild

Fri, 18 May 2007 -- The pale male, female and what appears to be a juvenile (or molting into adult plumage - it's hard for me to tell) are at the smallish pond behind Baxman's Gravel Co. on the Haul Road. Here are some shots I took of them - I also have video of their feeding behavior for anyone interested. (Email me privately for that).
Male RNP: Male RNPH
Juvenile being chased by two ducklings: Juvenile
Female: Female -- Feather Forestwalker

Wed, 16 May 2007 -- I saw a male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH at Round Mountain ranch in oak canopy this afternoon.
I also saw the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK Dad feeding a King Snake to his three youngsters. He worked on the tail end for a long time, struggling to get meat. It seemed to be hard to tear it off. Then he ceased feeding the chicks, and kept looking in the nest, as if wondering, "Now what am I going to do with the rest of that snake? It's taking up too much space." He picked it up and held it, looking off into the distance, which is when I saw that the body of the snake was largely untouched. Then he put it down and picked it up a few more times, and finally he flew off with it. I wish I knew where he took it. To hang it over a limb somewhere and save for later? Does anyone know if raptors cache food away from their nests? -- Kate Marianchild

Wed, 16 May 2007 -- Today I saw at least 5 male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES feeding on fiddleneck flowers with a group of Lesser Goldfinches (mostly males). With this number showing up, and other sightings in the county, it is likely that the UC Hopland Research & Extension Center birds will soon find the established salt feeder along University Road. If this happens, as it has in the past (except for last year), it provides a good "wait and see" spot for the public birders to watch for this species. Chuck Vaughn and I will keep an eye on this spot and post it if they begin to use the salt feeder site. Good birding. -- Bob Keiffer

Tue, 15 May 2007 -- Luise Mariana reports a possible COMMON GROUND-DOVE at Glass Beach in Fort Bragg around midday on the 15th. She saw it at close range several times along the sandy trail which runs north from the beach along the bluff toward Pudding Creek. Toby has looked for it once without luck, and she will probably try again this afternoon.

Tue, 15 May 2007 -- This morning Dave Woodward and I tried for, but did not find,the cuckoo reported yesterday at Rodman Slough.The bird was heard calling on Monday by Tom Leskiw and reported on nwcalbird. We did see a Black Tern (4th county record) in flight with a flock of Bonaparte's Gulls. There was also an adult Bald Eagle in the area. -- Jerry White

Tue, 15 May 2007 -- The single GOLDEN EAGLE chick in the nest off of Black Bart trail above Redwood Valley fledged sometime between May 6 and May 12, three to four weeks earlier than the fledging of two chicks from the same nest two years ago. Darn! I wanted to get a good look with my scope. -- Kate Marianchild

Tue, 15 May 2007 -- I am always delighted when I find an active nest in my yard. Yesterday an unnoticed accumulation of poop led me to a cavity in adead branch about 30 feet up a Poplar tree. Binoculars, then a scope, showed three fairly well-grown chicks with a lot of interest in their surroundings. A little time turned up an early explorer fluttering around the nest, always in danger of falling from the tree. A parent would make really quick feeding approaches, with the chicks moving back in the hole to be fed, instead of leaning forward for first dibs as seems more common. I finally got a good look at Mom: Phooey, a STARLING. Well, heck, I guess they don't know they were imported. Still interesting to watch. -- Jim Armstrong.

Sat, 12 May 2007 -- We have a pair of VARIED THRUSHES still in the Anchor Bay area. One of my expert birding friends says it is very late for them to still be here. Do you know if this is at all unusual? Maybe they are expanding their territory? Anyway, I love hearing their calls. Thanks, Jeanne Jackson

Sat, 12 May 2007 -- At MacKerricher State Park today, I photographed a White-crowned Sparrow - nothing unusual in that - but this bird had a seamed band on its right leg. Does anyone know of any banding projects involving White-crowned Sparrows? -- Feather Forestwalker

Sat, 12 May 2007 -- We have a pair of VARIED THRUSHES still in the Anchor Bay area. One of my expert birding friends says it is very late for them to still be here. Do you know if this is at all unusual? Maybe they are expanding their territory? Anyway, I love hearing their calls. Thanks, -- Jeanne Jackson

Sat, 12 May 2007 -- At MacKerricher State Park today, I photographed a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW - nothing unusual in that - but this bird had a seamed band on its right leg. Does anyone know of any banding projects involving White-crowned Sparrows? -- Feather Forestwalker

Fri, 11 May 2007 -- Last weekend, on May 5, I believe, 3 lovely chicks were born to a pair RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS in the nest near my house. This hatching was approximately one week later than the 2005 hatching. Both parents and chicks appear to be doing well, though with three chicks the "sitting adult" has difficulty finding a place to rest in the nest and is often a "standing adult." -- Kate Marianchild

Thu, 10 May 2007 -- This morning Chuck Vaughn and I birded along the Eel River near the Pioneer Crossing Bridge. There was a lot of song: Black-headed Grosbeak, Western Tanager, Cassin's Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Lazuli Bunting, i.a. We saw seven species of warblers: Yellow, Orange-crowned, Hermit, MacGillivray's, Wilson's, Black-throated Gray, and Yellow-breasted Chat. An Osprey was sitting on a nest along the county road, but we did not see a bird on the recently discovered Bald Eagle nest nearby.
Saturday morning, May 12, there will be a Peregrine Audubon field trip to this same area. We will leave from the Ukiah Long's parking lot at 8:00 am, or you can meet us at the old Potter Valley Road bridge along the Russian River at 08:30 am. -- George Chaniot

Sun, 06 May 2007 -- Hi, On May 6th, I birded for an hour and a half in the afternoon along the northern end of the Reynolds Hwy. which is just north of Willits The only highlights were a GOLDEN EAGLE flying over the ridge to the east and a PILEATED WOODPECKER calling to the north. NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER and OAK TITMOUSE, which were both present, are regular here, but rare just to the north. -- Jim Tietz

Sat, 05 May 2007 -- On May 5, I believe, 3 lovely chicks were born to a pair of RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS in the nest near my house. This hatching was approximately one week later than the 2005 hatching. Both parents and chicks appear to be doing well, though with three chicks the "sitting adult" has difficulty finding a place to rest in the nest and is often a "standing adult." -- Kate Marianchild

Thu, 3 May 2007 -- Hi Birders,I birded the Glass Beach area for quite a while with Toby early on, then Ron & Charlene briefly, covering the entire area twice. Toby said she saw (earlier) what looked like a kingbird (from the back), and it seemed to show a little yellow at the top of the chest. We could not refind it or any thrasher as the morning progressed. Toby said she might try again in the early evening. -- Karen Havlena

Wed, 02 May 2007 -- Maria Finnegan and I have seen a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL on five consecutive nights between 8:15pm and 9:00pm on the telephone wires on the west side of Live Oak between Cypress Ave. and Maple Ave. right along the golf course in Ukiah. We got an incredible look one night, about 5 feet away, the owl was sitting on top of the speedometer sign. It tends to hunt and then come back to the phone wires. Dusk is best after that we only hear it. -- Shawn O'Brien

Wed, 02 May 2007 -- At approximately 7:00 this evening I saw a SAGE THRASHER feeding in the old GP lumber storage area just south of the path to Glass Beach, near the fork in the path where one branch goes off to the northwest.
Shortly after that, I saw a TROPICAL KINGBIRD flying to and from the western end of the chainlink fence that separates Glass Beach from the old mill site. I am aware that TRKI are usually found along the coast during fall migration. However, I was able to study this bird with the sun behind me and clearly saw the following field marks: bright yellow feathers from the vent up the belly to the top of the chest where it met the light grey/whitish throat; notched tail with brown feathers to the outer edges (no white in tail); large bill about half the length of the head. Ironically, I misidentified this bird on the 2004 Mendocino Coast CBC (I reported a Western Kingbird by mistake because I failed to study the bird), so I have been very cautious when observing yellow-bellied kingbirds ever since. -- David Jensen

Tue, 01 May 2007 -- Hi birders, This morning we saw 1 female and 3+ male LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH on Burris Lane, Potter Valley. The birds were just west of the pullout above the large pond. They perched on the fence and came across the road to feed in the fiddleneck along the roadside, singing sweetly all the while.
Thanks to Paul, Austin and George for their reports and updates. -- Karen & Jim Havlena

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 -- My partner Larry Knowles and I attend Heron Days, too. On Sunday we kayaked up Kelsey Creek about .5 miles and flushed several times, both coming and going, two immature BALD EAGLES and four male and two female WOOD DUCKS. We got great looks at all these birds. We were also on the first pontoon boat to find the HORNED GREBE and got a great look at it. Heron Days was great. -- Erica Fielder

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 -- During the Heron Festival and Wildfowl Brunch at Clear Lake State Park, an alternate (breeding) plumaged HORNED GREBE was seen by several guides on both Saturday the 28th (as reported to me by Susanne Scholz) and Sunday the 29th (when I had good looks at it). I heard a second-hand report of two AMERICAN BITTERNS seen on Sunday and a first-hand report from a non-birder of a swan (presumably a MUTE SWAN) at Rodman Slough on Wednesday the 25th. Several dozen WESTERN/CLARK'S GREBES were present over the weekend, which was considerably more than the previous weekend. As alluded to in a brief post a few weeks ago by Kate Marianchild, most of the grebes on Clear Lake departed after a mass fish mortality event--presumably due to cold temperatures--back in March. It will be interesting to see whether any grebes wind up breeding this year.
Belatedly I've seen some birds (plus a mammal) of interest during my daily commute past Detert Reservoir, including a BOBCAT on April 23, an adult BALD EAGLE on April 20, a HORNED GREBE in about 90% basic (winter) plumage on April 6, a pair of CINNAMON TEAL on March 22, and an adult GOLDEN EAGLE feeding on roadkill (I had to swerve to miss it) on March 20. A pair of OSPREYS were nest building on a utility pole on March 22 but within a few weeks the nest disappeared, so I suspect it was removed by PG&E employees. -- Floyd Hayes

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 -- This morning from 07:15 through 08:15 Joanne Haller and I saw at least three LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES among about ten Lesser Goldfinches at the end of Burris Lane. They were feeding on the young seeds of fiddlenecks. We did not see any yesterday evening just before sunset.
The Burrowing Owl was not visable, but some vegetation has grown up around the entrance to its burrow. Nor did we see any Tricolored Blackbirds.
An early YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was singing near the old bridge on Potter Valley Road. -- George Chaniot

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 -- Today I saw the LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES at the top of Burris Lane in Potter Valley. They were on the fence on the north side. There was about 4-6 of them. I just put up a photo album on here and there is a picture of one of the goldfinches in it. -- Austin Booth

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 -- Toby Tobkin reported seeing at first year GLAUCOUS GULL on Virgin Creek beach today (April 27) at noon. She reported that it is all white except when it raises its wings and shows the brown vermiculation on the back. A very large bird, it has a pink bill with a black tip and was seen in with a flock of Western Gulls. Also present were 2 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, giving a wide range of sizes to the gull flock. -- Charlene McAllister

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 -- Yesterday I was birding along the Russian River under the bridge on Talmage Rd. I got a very brief look at a sparrow that I believe was a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. It had a spot of yellow in front of the eyes and the throat was white. Unfortunately it flew before I could observe any more details. I'm not going to say it was a white-throated for certain because I only saw it for a couple seconds and didn't get a chance to fully analyze the bird. Good birding. -- Austin Booth

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 -- Hey Birders. Another male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD put in a brief appearance at my parent's place in Potter Valley today. I was able to take a couple of quick shots with a small digital camera. If they turned out at all, I'll post them later. Good birding, -- Matt Brady

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 -- Although I knew this day would come, I was dismayed to see a EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE fly over the freeway north of Ukiah this morning. It's probably only a matter of a couple of years until they're crowding every telephone pole, like they are down south. I may have missed previous reports, but I think this may be the first record for inland Mendocino County.
On another note, Austin Booth and I visited the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant today, and found all three ponds full. There were quite a few ducks on them, mostly Mallards and Ruddy Ducks, but also 65+ Ring-necked Ducks, several Greater Scaup, two or three pairs of Cinnamon Teal, a pair of American Wigeon, 20 or so Buffleheads, 25 Green-winged Teal, and several Canada Geese. The only shorebirds were two WESTERN SANDPIPERS. Good birding, -- Matt Brady

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 -- Hi birders- Jim saw a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER with about 30 WESTERN SANDPIPERS at the mouth of Ten Mile River yesterday. There has also an influx of CASPIAN TERNS during the last week. In our yard, a CHIPPING SPARROW fed on the driveway for the last two days. -- Karen & Jim Havlena

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 -- A pair of RED CROSSBILLS have been coming to my feeders on an infrequent basis since April 14th. I've called neighbors who regularly feed birds and they also are reporting Crossbills on an infrequent basis. Since we live at the Woods Senior Community amongst pygmy forest they are not out of place but are listed as rare in Mendocino. This is the second year in a row that we've seen them here. I've posted three pictures. -- Richard Hubacek

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 -- I saw a pair of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES at the top of Burris Lane in Potter Valley. They were sitting on a wire on the fence on the north side of the road, bright patches of yellow in the wing very evident in the male. Also saw Chipping Sparrow, Bullock's Orioles, and Western Kingbirds, among others. The Burrowing Owl was not to be found on the hillside where we had seen it a few weeks ago.--Paul Hawks

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 -- I was attending an event at Redwood Valley Cellars. It was about 6:30 PM, drizzly and dusky. I saw what I'm pretty sure was a Semipalmated Plover in the picnic/garden area. I believe it had only one neckband. It also didn't have the white band through the eye area. I thought this unusual as it was out of its normal habitat. I have seen a killdeer before. This bird appeared to be smaller and didn't pretend to be crippled when I inadvertantly approached it. Nor did it fly off, just sort of ran away along the paved walkways. I would appreciate anyone confirming this bird either way if they are in that area and can stop by. Thanks. -- Bill Schuhmann

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 -- Greetings Mendobirders- I first reported this male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD on the evening of the 10th and he is still here. I did not post his presence again because he was somewhat irregular. He is getting a little more aggressive, more comfortable with the other hummingbirds at the feeders, and Barbara and I have pretty reliably seen him the past few days. A number of Ukiah-area birders have been successful and if anyone else would like to make a twitch, please reply OFF LIST and we can make arrangements. We had NW wind gusts in excess of 30 mph today, and can expect the same tomorrow according to the weather guessers, so I think he might hang around a little longer. -- Chuck Vaughn

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 -- Hi Birders. On Friday the 13th I heard a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE at my parent's place in Potter Valley, and have heard it several times since. According to the database posted at this is the earliest record in inland Mendocino County. The previous early record was on April 20th, 2005 at the Hopland Field Station, recorded by Chuck Vaughn.
On Saturday the 14th Austin Booth and I had a NASHVILLE WARBLER up at Cow Mountain, as well as several Warbling Vireos. Apparently this was the first one in inland Mendocino County this year. A drive around Potter Valley yielded many pairs of Western Kingbirds. There was a single Tricolored Blackbird at the end of Burris Lane, and several more along Pine Avenue. I'm not sure what their status in inland Mendocino county is. There was no sign of the Burrowing Owl at the end of Burris Lane, which I last saw it on March 29th.
Yesterday the 15th Ryan Terrill, Austin Booth and I headed up to Hull Mountain. The low snow levels made it possible to drive all the way to the top, although the road is in bad condition and a high clearance vehicle is necessary. There were very few birds up there, though 'THICK-BILLED' FOX SPARROWS are in, as were 'AUDUBON'S' YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. At Lake Pilsbury we also heard a PURPLE MARTIN, which, if it had been in Mendocino County, would have been the first one this year as well as the earliest arrival. I'm not sure what their status is up there, but these may have been the first arrivals this year for Lake County.
There has been no sign of the Calliope Hummingbird since Saturday morning. Good birding, -- Matt Brady

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 -- The 70,000 or so Western and Clark's grebes that wintered on Clear Lake don't appear to be there now. Brad Barnwell drove around the entire lake looking for them the other day. Vishnu saw 400 on Lake Mendocino yesterday. Does anyone know where the rest are, or have any theories? -- Kate Marianchild

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 -- Hi Birders. I woke up this morning to find a nice adult male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD on my parent's feeder in Potter Valley. He has returned several times since, so he may stick around for a bit. If you'd like to check him out, give me a call at (707) 743-1133. Good birding, -- Matt Brady

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 -- Greetings Mendobirders- Between 545 and 730 this evening Barbara and I enjoyed a male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD that was visiting our feeders repeatedly. It was quite timid, but we saw it 8-10 times. There were 6-8 ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS and 4 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS also at the feeders. We have had the Rufous continuously since March 15, and more this evening than previously. I never remember them in these numbers during spring migration at our feeders in the past. This is the second CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD we have seen in our yard, and only the third I have seen in Mendocino County. -- Chuck Vaughn

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 -- Stan Beach saw a Magpie (assumed YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE) at Navy Camp, Lake Pillsbury yesterday afternoon. This is a first for Lake County at that location. Could this be the Potter Valley magpie? --Jerry White

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 -- The GOLDEN EAGLE nest in Redwood Valley west of (upper) Black Bart trail has a bird sitting on eggs, as does the osprey nest above Hwy 20 west of Fife Vineyards. I think the GE nest is visible only from private property.
I'm always interested in hearing about any active nests (hummingbird to eagle-sized) that can be seen from a close to level vantage point one way or another, including via climbing trees. I love to watch nests, especially nests with chicks, and also like to pass information on to Jon Klein, wildlife photographer. No bird too drab. -- Kate Marianchild

Sun, 08 Apr 2007 -- This morning, Peggy Macres and I walked up the hill to Montgomery Grove in the moments before dawn. We were rewarded with hearing a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL along the hike, then two BARRED OWLS in conversation somewhere to the south of the grove. Lots of PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, BROWN CREEPERS, WINTER WRENS, and three PILEATED WOODPECKERS, too.
There were plenty of WILD TURKEY throughout Mendocino County today. We encountered the largest flock of the day on and just off the road about two miles west of Montgomery Woods.
At Van Damme State Park, we dipped on Gray Jay. We enjoyed plenty of returning warblers (ORANGE-CROWNED and WILSON'S). At MacKerricher State Park, we saw one RED-NECKED GREBE in full alternate plumage off-shore, one HERRING GULL and quite a few GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS mixed in with WESTERN GULLS, and a breeding colony of PELAGIC CORMORANTS. On the trail around the lake, we enjoyed two HORNED GREBE feeding with AMERICAN COOT - we assume the Horned Grebes were migrating, indulging in a feeding frenzy. One of the Grebes had almost completed its molt; the other was still in basic, making for an interesting comparison. Good birding --Jennifer Rycenga, Half Moon Bay

Sat, 07 Apr 2007 -- Steve, one of the operators at the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant, saw a BLACK-NECKED STILT at the edge of the south pond yesterday. -- Cheryl Watson

Fri, 06 Apr 2007 -- Hi birders. While sitting on the back deck this morning, drinking my coffee, I heard a BUL:LOCK'S ORIOLE and at least one WESTERN KINGBIRD. These are my first for the spring, which is rather exciting. Has anyone had any earlier ones in Mendocino County this spring? I also saw a male HOUSE SPARROW investigating nesting holes, which was a bit of a shock. That's a species I've never seen here before, and I'm pretty sure I haven't seen them anywhere else in Potter Valley, either. The pack of Myrtle Warblers seems to have left. Good birding, -- Matt Brady, Potter Valley

Fri, 06 Apr 2007 -- There was one EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE (and probably a 2nd bird) at the west end of Lakeshore Blvd. in Nice this morning. The bird was seen perched in an oak tree from the small pullout area at the gate in front of the abandoned section of the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff road.
Also (Matt) in the same oak tree was the first WESTERN KINGBIRDI have seen this year in Lake County.
A very belated report for Mendocino County; there were about 20 EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES along with one very obvious RINGED TURTLE-DOVE at the Thompsons near Manchester on Friday March 2nd. -- Jerry White

Thu, 05 Apr 2007 -- Hi Birders. While standing on the back deck this evening, I heard an unfamiliar bird song. It turned out to be a troop of a half dozen or so MYRTLE WARBLERS, notable (to me) for two reasons: firstly because wintering Myrtle Warblers tend prefer dense coastal riparian thickets, and secondly because these were the first Warblers of any species I have seen in the yard since I got back from Costa Rica last week. So, these guys, spiffy-looking in fresh alternate, were definitely migrants that weren't here earlier in the day! It's always fun to see migration in action. Good birding, -- Matt Brady, Potter Valley

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 -- I'd given up on "my" RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nest (thought I'd scared them off by watching one day) but we're in biz over here! Yes, it seems to be a late year. I notice that the tree is only now leafy enough to provide some cover, so maybe that factor overrode the light factor. (Bob Keiffer explained to us the other day on the "Ecology of the Oak Woodlands" field trip that the arrival of Orange-crowned Warblers appears to coincide with the appearance of tassels on oak trees. That was a great field trip. Thank you Bob!)
Jim, I also had a one-chick family that year, but the same pair had two chicks that fledged successfully last year in a different, hard-to-see nest. I wonder how many it will be this year.
For those of you who don't know it yet (I don't think I've mentioned this here before), the current issue of Birder's World features my Red-shouldered Hawk diary from spring 2005, with Jon Klein's incredible photographs. One of Jon's photos is on the cover, and we have six pages on the inside. The article got edited in half, so it's missing some of the interesting hawk behavior, but it's still pretty exciting for me. -- Kate Marianchild

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 -- Yes, Jim, there is a distinct pair that has been in my trees and sky over Standley street.Calling to each other tree to tree, pairing and calling legs down at times since Feb. On previous years they were always calling at the most West hills . Unfortunately some oak tree trimming near the Creek last week, but the report is the "nests "(and we do not know if it is theirs) remained un harmed purposely. Will keep a look out of course as usual. -- Barbara Dolan

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 -- At the same time Kate was "raising" her RED-SHOULDERED HAWK chick(s) two years ago, I had a one-baby family. They nested elsewhere last year, but have been visiting their old nest this week. If I recall all of the '05 chicks hatched in the last week of April, putting this year's (at 33+/- days incubation) quite a bit behind. Any others in some phase of nesting this year? -- Jim Armstrong

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 -- Today, there was a pair of EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES in our yard. They seem to be spending most of their time at the south end of Ocean Meadows Circle. Only time will tell if they will stay, and if they do stay, how many doves will we have in the next few years? I'm not particularly thrilled about these new neighbors. Where we used to live, the collared- dove population grew rapidly in just a few years. -- Karen Havlena

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 -- Lot of migratory birds returning, or passing through, lately. WESTERN BLUEBIRDS returned a few days ago, and BARN SWALLOWS; the VIOLET-GREN SWALLOWS have been staying around since last week. This morning a couple of flocks of CASPIAN TERNS flew right over me, about 1 mile inland from the beach (avoiding the wind?), heading north.
Have not seen the Varied Thrush for about a week, and Spotted Towhees have not been in the yard for a couple of days. ACORN WOODPECKER comes to the suet morning and evening; yesterday I heard the pair of them calling to each other about 30 yards apart. One was on the standing redwood snag, the other in the trees - perhaps they were scouting for nest sites?
Lots of raptor activity as well. A COOPER'S HAWK flew through the front yard, somehow failing to collide with any of the sparrows; the next day another, smaller bird flew over the house. I would have called it a Sharp-Shinned but the tail had distinctly rounded corners. RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS were around last week. A pair of RED-TAILED HAWKS have been coming up Salmon Creek canyon in late morning, when the air warms up.
There are eight hummingbirds attempting to drink from the 3-station feeder on my window as I type this. Cheers, -- Tim on Middle Ridge

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 -- I have finally posted a few photos on the Mendobirds website from Jan 1, 2007 of Al the LAYSAN ALBATROSS interacting with a surfer. When the surfer entered the water, Al, already very near shore, starting "talking" immediately and swam over, mouthed his hand, and still stayed close when nothing was proferred. Other photos show his injured leg and his behavior of pulling "sticks" up from under the water and moving them to a new location.
I read that Al has left this year, hope others get to see him next year. -- Kris Olson, Menlo Park CA

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 -- Gobblepalooza 2007 is in full swing at our place these days. During the winter, we had only 3 faithful toms who came to eat seed I put out for ground feeders. But a week or so ago, a switch was flipped (the solstice?) and now we have 3 - 4 toms in full display (I call it full sail) and gobble mode most of the day, along with 6 - 8 females and what we think are several young (yearling?) males. They snooze and have dust baths under our oak trees, the young males chase each other around in circles, hitting each other with their wings and trying to bite each other's throats. Lively times - Spring clearly has sprung for the turkeys. Do only males have the "horn" at the top of the beak (that turns into the drooping flap along their beaks)? Is that a way to distinguish females from young males without a breast beard?
I also saw a blue grouse along side the road on Parducci Road as I was driving home around 6 pm on Friday. It was much lower down the road (closer to town) this time below the fir forest where I saw the grouse last August. -- Maureen O'Hagan

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 -- There is a MUTE SWAN hanging around Rocky Point near Lakeport, as seen from a boat by Greg Giusti. It is apparently a strong flier but is seen often with the domestic mallard-type waterfowl.-- posted by Bob Keiffer

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 -- Today I heard my first spring arrival of PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER near Hopland. Also, last Friday the Chen hybrid goose (Snow x Ross's) was still at the pond along Old River Road and Gielow Lane...south of Talmage. This hybrid was first discovered during the Christmas Bird Count in December. I heard from a landowner near Hearst (NE of Willits) that the "Silver" Crow was back. The observer said that the wild turkeys paid no attention to the normal black American Crows, but would harrass the silver-colored American Crow if it got near them. Good Birding. -- Bob Keiffer

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 -- 12:25-13:15 Today I, along with Kelly and Phil Austin, refound the shrike first reported on 18 Mar by Al DeMartini. It was a bit distant for confidence, but I read it as an adult NORTHERN SHRIKE also: as big as a robin, narrow mask with eye extending above the edge, mask not extending above the bill, very pale above and below, rump paler than the back, perhaps some lighter color at the base of the lower mandible.
It was on the north side of the end Burris Lane, Potter Valley, at the high point above the pond. It sat on fenceposts of the fence along the east side of the vineyard, and it sat in the bare