The Redwood Region Audubon Society
Field Notes
- 26 April to 24 Aug
- This was an outstanding (one of the best ever) late May
and June, with things slowing down to more normal levels
in July and August. With 4 months of data during this
busy summer, this will be a long report. I apologize that
I don't have room for all the reports submitted, but here
goes anyway! HIGHLIGHTS: TUFTED DUCK: 1 male, Ferndale
Oxidation Pond, 28 Apr (DF, JP): SANDHILL CRANE: 1,
Arcata Bottoms (AB), 26-28 May (JS, et al.): RUFF: 1-2,
Eel River Wildlife Area (ERWA), 20-27 Jul (SMc, BD, DF,
JP): STILT SANDPIPER: 1-3, ERWA, 15-18 Aug (SMc, RLeV, et
al.); 4, Alexandre Dairy, 17-18 Aug (TE): LAUGHING GULL:
1 ad, Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge (HBNWR), 30
May-1 Jun (PS, DF, JP, et al.) (only two previous
northcoast records): BLACK TERN: 1, Arcata Oxidation Pond
(AOP), 4 Jun (MV, CW); 1, Lake Earl, 10 Jun (AB):
WHITE-WINGED TERN: 1 ad., AOP/Arcata Marsh Project (AMP),
20-26 Jun (MV, CW, et al.) (first record for western
North America south of Alaska): EASTERN KINGBIRD: 1, 1.5
miles north Petrolia, 8 Jul (PR): CLARK'S NUTCRACKER: 2,
Scott Mountain, 17 Aug (JH, GH, TL); 9, Trinity Summit
Guard Station, 17-18 Aug (MH): GRAY CATBIRD: 1, banded,
near Orick, 1 Jul (fide CJR); 1, banded, Lanphere Dunes,
2 Jul (fide CJR) (only one previous northcoast record):
RED-EYED VIREO: 1 singing, Elk Head, 21 Jun (TL):
NORTHERN PARULA: 1 singing, Table Bluff, 28 Jun (JD); 1
singing, Elk Head, 3-4 Jul (SR, TL): MAGNOLIA WARBLER:
1-2 males singing; Elk Head, 18 Jun-5 Jul (GB, et al.):
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: 1 male singing, Endert's Beach,
10 Jun (AB); 1 male singing, near Swillup Creek, Siskiyou
Co., 4 Jul (KS): AMERICAN REDSTART: An outstanding year
for these with 10 individuals reported as follows: 1 ad.
male singing, Mad River Co. Park, 29 May-24 Jun (GH, TL,
JM); 1 female carrying nesting material, being chased by
above male, Mad River Co. Park, 27 Jun (JH); 1 imm. male,
Mad River Co. Park, 28 Jun (TL); 1 male, singing,
Crescent City, 22 Jun-1 Jul (AB); 1 male singing, Elk
Head, 22 Jun (KI); 1 pair, junction of Bald Hills Road
and Highway 101, female gathering nesting material, 2
& 29 Jul (DF); 1 female, Fairhaven, 3 Jul (SR); 1
female, Clam Beach, 8-21 Jul (TL); 1 imm. male, Clam
Beach, 25 Aug (TL): OVENBIRD: 1 singing, Elk Head, 25-26
Jun (TL, GSc, CO): HOODED WARBLER: 1 male singing, AMP,
30 Jun-6 Jul (JHa, et al.): CANADA WARBLER: 1 female,
Fairhaven, 14 Jun (GL) (only the second northcoast spring
record): ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: 1 male, McKinleyville,
14-15 Jul (KM); 1 female, Friday Ridge Road, 21 Aug
(PSp): BLUE GROSBEAK: 1 male, AMP, 12 May (SL); 1 male,
Hydesville, 26 Jun-4 Jul (VB, RC) (only 6 previous
northcoast spring records): INDIGO BUNTING: 1 female,
Fairhaven, 20 Jun (GH); 1 male, singing, Lower Mattole
River, 22-23 Jun (GH); 1 male (at feeder), McKinleyville,
28 Jun (RR); 1, Table Bluff, 28 Jun (JD); 1 male,
Hydesville, 2 Jul (RC): RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW: 1, Island
Mountain along railroad, 14 Jun (RH); 2 ad and 1 juv,
near Covelo, 29 Jun (RJK): BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW: 2,
False Ant Point, 5 Jun (EE); 2, between Hull Mountain and
Spruce Grove, 22 Jun (JW); 3 males heard, 1 female seen,
Red Mountain (Trinity Co.), 27 Jun (EE): BLACK-THROATED
SPARROW: 2, Red Mountain (Trinity Co.), 27 Jun (EE) (only
8 previous records): COMMON GRACKLE: 1, Crescent City,
16-17 May (JG, AB) (only 4 previous records, 3 of them in
Del Norte County!): BALTIMORE ORIOLE: 1 female,
Fairhaven, 26 Jun (GH, TL, CO) (now that this has been
split again from the Bullock's Oriole, observers should
watch for this species): LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH: 1, near
Ruth Station, 5-6 Jun (EE); 15 reports turned in to the
Mad River Ranger District during the summer (fide JH); 2,
between Hull Mountain and Spruce Grove, 22 Jun (JW); 1,
south of Ruth, 26 Jun (EE): OTHER REALLY GOOD (WOW!)
STUFF: BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: 1 imm., Sandy Bar, 20
Jul (GL) (one of the very few inland records):
WHITE-FACED IBIS: 22, mouth of Jacoby Creek, 12 May
(G&JF): SOLITARY SANDPIPER: 1-2, Arcata Bottoms (AB),
1-4 May (GH, DF, et al.): SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER: 1, AMP,
29 Apr (DF) (only 6 previous spring records);
"normal" numbers seen in fall, beginning 30
Jun, 1, Manila (GH, et al.): WILSON'S PHALAROPE: 2, North
Humboldt Bay, 13 Jul (GH); 2-4, ERWA, 13 Jul-11 Aug (SMc,
JP, DF): BARRED OWL: 1, Boyes (Elk) Prairie, 2 May (DF);
1, Big Hill, 4-9 May (mo): BLACK SWIFT: x, Eureka, 5 May
(CO); 10, Elk Head, 15 May (TL); 55+, Manila, 21 May
(GH); 6, Westhaven, 21 May (TL); 17+, Freshwater Lagoon,
22 May (SMc); 15-20, AMP, 23 May (SH) ("normal"
spring movement, but not recorded annually): CALLIOPE
HUMMINGBIRD: 1, Red Cap Road, 4-5 May (G&JF); 1,
Arcata, 14 May (LP): LEWIS' WOODPECKER: [update: 8-10,
Snow Camp Road, 27 Jan (RJA)], larger than normal numbers
apparently overwintered and lingered into spring as
follows: 20+, Bald Hills, 28 Apr + (RH, et al.);
"many", ridges along east side of Hoopa Indian
Reservation, late Apr (fide MH): CALIFORNIA THRASHER: 6,
Red Mountain (Trinity Co.), 27 Jun (EE): LOGGERHEAD
SHRIKE: 1, Table Bluff, 14-15 Aug (SMc, RLV): CANYON
WREN: 1, Weitchpec Bluff, 28 Apr-4 May (DF, et al.); 1,
Covelo, Eel River Canyon, 9 May (DT): ROCK WREN: 1, Dos
Rios, 9 May (DT); 2, Alderpoint, Dyerville Road, 25 May
(DF, JP); 6, Mail Ridge Rock, 27 May (LL); 1 singing,
Ship Mountain, 11 Jun (JH, BD-C), 8 heard, Red Mountain
(Trinity Co.), 27 Jun (EE); 2, Trinity Lake, 16 Aug (JH,
et al.): TOWNSEND'S WARBLER: 1, Patrick's Point State
Park, 10 Aug (JH) (early seasonal report!): CALIFORNIA
TOWHEE: 1-3, Jacoby Creek Road, 4 May-1 Jun (DF, JP); 1,
Fortuna, 10 May (PM); 1 heard, Gasquet, 19 Jul (DF)
(first Del Norte Co. Record?); 1, juv. plumage, Sunny
Brae (feeder), 28 Jul (SH) (except for the Fortuna report
these are all out of normal range): GRASSHOPPER SPARROW:
9, Alderpoint Road, 26 May (DF, JP); 1, Endert's Beach,
20 May-2 Jun (AB); 9, Dyerville Loop Road, 27 May
(G&LL); 15, Mail Ridge, Island Mountain Road, 27 May
(G&LL); 6, Rio Dell, Bear River Ridge, 1 Jun (CO); 2,
east end of Hettenshaw Valley, 5-6 Jun (EE);
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: 1, HBNWR, 22 May (PS); 1 female,
near Westport, 12 May (DT): INTERESTING REPORTS FROM THE
MATERNITY WARD: DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: Actual count of
768 nests on Teal Island, 30 May (PS) (but they have
apparently abandoned the traditional nest site at the old
Arcata Wharf ruins as observed from shore (SH): WESTERN
CANADA GOOSE: Actual count of 63 nests on Teal Island in
spring 1996 (fide KF): WOOD DUCK: At least 5 separate
broods were reared on the AOP, Jun-Jul (mo), where did
they nest?: GADWALL: At least 2 broods at AMP/AOP, late
Jun/Jul (SH), and 2 at ERWA, 25 Jul (BD): AMERICAN COOT:
One brood at Willow Creek Golf Course, 4 May (DF, et
al.): SNOWY PLOVER: 2, Clam Beach, 29 Apr, 8 May, 10 Jul
(TL, SH, RR, MM); records of 5-6 nesting pairs on gravel
bars of Eel River near Fernbridge, 24 May-24 Jun (GL,
DTu, RLeV): AMERICAN AVOCET: 6-8+ summered at HBNWR with
at least 1 nest found in late May (KF, et al.); 1, ERWA,
21 Jul SMc): WESTERN GULL: At least 1 nest on Teal
Island, 31 May (GS): FLAMMULATED OWL: 4, Black Lassic
Mountain, 5 Jun (JH, GSc, EE); 1, south of Ruth, 24-26
Jun (EE); 2, Hull Mountain, Jun (RJK); nest with young,
early Aug, Pilot Ridge (fide CO): HORNED LARK: 1 ad.
feeding young, Bear River Ridge, 7 Jul (D&LB-O): GRAY
JAY: 10, including 4 juv, Russ Park, 9 Jun (MV); 3 young
+ adults, base of Poole Road 28 Jul (CO); 2, highway 101
rest stop near Patrick's Point, 28 Jun (JD): TRICOLORED
BLACKBIRD: Peak numbers seen at Drake Hill Road Colony,
35 on 31 May (SH); singles seen near Rio Dell, 5 Apr
(RH), Hettenshaw Valley, 27 May (L&DB-O), AB, 12 Jun
(TL), and Hufford Road, 3 Jul (GH): NOTES FROM THE TRAVEL
DESK: ARRIVALS, DEPARTURES, OVERSUMMER VISITORS:
RED-NECKED GREBE: 1, College Cove (offshore), 22 Jun
(BK): CLARK'S GREBE: 1, North Jetty, 4 May (DF):
FORK-TAILED STORM- PETREL: 1, Entrance Bay, 4 May (DF, et
al.); 1, Tepona Rock, 8 May (SH, RR): LEACH'S
STORM-PETREL: 10-15, Tepona Rock, 8 May (SH, RR): BROWN
PELICAN: 1, Elk Head, 3 King Salmon, both 8 May (SH, RR);
34, Elk Head and Mad River Mouth, 19 May (DF, JP):
AMERICAN BITTERN: 3, ERWA, 28 Apr (DF, JP); 1, Hookton
Road Pond, 4-8 May (DF, et al.); 1, Dry Lagoon, 12 May
(RW); 1, AMP, 21 May-6 Jul (GG, SH, et al.): CATTLE
EGRET: 1, high breeding plumage, Woodley Island pond, 8
May (SH, RR): TUNDRA SWAN: 1, AB, 4 May-22 Jun (DF, SH,
et al.): WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 1-3, HBNWR, 3-31 May (KS,
PS, et al.): BLUE-WINGED TEAL: Single males at Willow
Creek Golf Course, 4 May (DF, JP, et al.), AOP, 7-8 May
(DF, SH, RR), and Fay Slough, 3 Jun (PS); 1 female, AMP,
25 Jul (BD): HARLEQUIN DUCK: 2 males, Ft. Bragg, 23 Apr-4
May (DT, et al.); 4, Castle Rock, 22 Jun (JH): BLACK
SCOTER: 1 female, North Jetty, 4-8 May (DF, RR, SH, et
al.): BALD EAGLE: 1, Arcata, 29 Apr (MA); 1, Blue Lake
Bottoms, 4 May (DF, JP, et al.); 1, Freshwater Lagoon, 8
May (CK); 1, near Orleans, 6 Jun (RH); 1, Freshwater
Lagoon, 11 Jun (MHi); 1, Ship Mountain, 11 Jun (JH,
BD-C): PEREGRINE FALCON: 1-2, Weitchpec Bluffs, 28 Apr-8
May (RH, MH, et al.); 1, Loleta, 8 May (PM); 1, Klamath
River Mouth, 18 May (SL); 1, Fay Slough, 3-7 Jun (PS,
RH); 1, Pt. St. George, 10 June (RH); 1 Castle Rock, 3
Jul (MM); 1 juv., lower Mad River, 2 Aug (JT, EE); 1 ad.,
AMP, 2 Aug (JT): COOPER'S HAWK: 1, Little River Delta, 5
Jul (TL): RUFFED GROUSE: 1, Big Hill, 4 May (DF, JP, et
al.); 1, Maple Creek Road, 5 May (CK); 1, Hoopa Valley, 8
May (MH, SH, RR); 1-2 Hennessey Ridge, 8 May (MH, SH,
RR); 1, Patrick's Creek, 21-23 May (RH): VIRGINIA RAIL:
2, Lewiston Lake, 16 Aug (JH, et al.): SORA: 1 juv, Lower
Eel River, 11 Aug (JG): PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER: 1, North
Bay, 30 Jun (GH): AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER: 1-2, Humboldt
Bay at Manila, 27-29 Jun (GH, SH, JD): LESSER YELLOWLEGS:
1, AB, 27 Apr (DF, JP); 2, AB, 8 May (SH, RR); 6, Lower
Eel River, 22 Jun (BS): BAIRD'S SANDPIPER: 1-3, ERWA, 31
Jul-18 Aug (RH, et al.); 2, Mad River Wildlife Area, 10
Aug (RLeV): RED KNOT: 4, Manila, 29 Jun (SH, JD); 1,
Klopp Lake, 7 Jul (SH); 3, South Spit, 31 Jul (TL); 2,
Klopp Lake, 11 Aug (BR): PECTORAL SANDPIPER: 4, ERWA,
20-21 Jul (SMc): DUNLIN: 1, ERWA, 27 Jul (DF, JP):
SURFBIRD: 1-3, North Jetty, 8-12 May (SH, RR, DF, JP):
RUDDY TURNSTONE: 17, North Spit, King Salmon, 8 May (SH,
RR); 1, North Bay, 13 Jul (GH); 1, Little River Beach, 14
Jul (TL); 1, Klopp Lake, 11 Aug (BR): COMMON SNIPE: 1,
winnowing, Bayside, 8 May (DF): RED PHALAROPE: 11, North
Jetty, 8 May (SH, RR): POMARINE JAEGER: 1, Elk Head, 1
May (DF); 1, North Jetty, 8 May (SH, RR): HEERMANN'S
GULL: 1, Eureka, 13 May (GL); 5, King Salmon, 31 May
(SH): SABINE'S GULL: 1, Elk Head, 3 May (GL); 1, 5 miles
off North Jetty, 23 Jul (LL); 1, 1.5 miles off Trinidad,
19 Aug (LL): CASPIAN TERN: 1 ad. feeding flying young,
Big Lagoon, 21 Jul (TL); 2, Trinity Lake, 16 Aug (JH, et
al.): FORSTER'S TERN: 1, Manila, 4 Jun (GH); 1, AOP, 11
Aug (SH): COMMON TERN: 3, South Spit, 7 Jul (SMc); 1,
Klopp Lake, 7 Jul (SH); 1-5, South Spit, King Salmon
(SMc, DF, JP): ELEGANT TERN: 1, AOP, 24 Jun (BD); 38,
South Spit, 7 Jul (SMc); 3, Klopp Lake, 7 Jul (SH); 200,
South Spit, 31 Jul (TL); 18, 90, Big Lagoon, 21 Jul, 2
Aug (TL, DF): ANCIENT MURRELET: 1, Elk Head, 30 Jun (DL):
TUFTED PUFFIN: 1-3, Green Rock, 8-10 May (SH, RR, GL, et
al.): RHINOCEROS AUKLET: 1, Elk Head, 10 May (TL); 1,
North Jetty, 12 May (DF, JP); 2, North Jetty, 28 Jun
(JD): COMMON NIGHTHAWK: 1, Onion Mountain, 7 Jun (RH); 1
calling, Titlow Hill Road, 8 Jun (JP, DF): WHITE-HEADED
WOODPECKER: 1, Hull Mountain, 29 Jun (RJK): WILLOW
FLYCATCHER: 1 singing, Willow Creek, 22 May (TL); 1, Clam
Beach, 15 Aug (TL); 3, Willow Creek, 20 Aug (TL); 1,
South Fork Trinity River, 22-24 Aug (TL, JH); 1, Burnt
Ranch, 24 Aug (JH); ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER: 1, AB, 24
Apr (DW): BANK SWALLOW: 1, AMP, 4 May (DF, et al.); 30+,
Smith River Colony, 22 Jun (JH): AMERICAN PIPIT: 1, AB, 9
May (SH): PURPLE MARTIN: 2, AMP, 4 May (DF, et al.):
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD: 1, Blue Lake, 3 Jun (MV):
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE: 1, Big Hill, 4 May (DF, et al.):
HOUSE WREN: 1 singing, Sunny Brae, 28-30 Apr (PaS, JSi):
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1-2, Blue Lake, 4-9 May (DF, SH,
et al.); 4-5, Lower Mad River, McKinleyville, 5-20 May
(JaH); 2, nesting, North Spit, 25 May (DF, JP); 2, AMP,
28 Jul (SH); 1-3, Little River/Clam Beach, 13-15 Aug
(TL): BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: 2-3, Friday Ridge Road, 28
Apr-4 May (JH, et al.); 1, South of Ruth, 26 Jun (EE):
LARK SPARROW: 1, Fortuna Dike, 16 May (RC) and 25 Aug
(RLeV): LAPLAND LONGSPUR: 1, Pt. St. George, 30 May (DF):
EVENING GROSBEAK: 2-20, Arcata, McKinleyville, Hoopa,
Redwood Valley, Fieldbrook, Ft. Bragg, 29 Apr -21 Jul
(mo)
Many thanks to the following who submitted
observations for this report: M. Ackerman, R. J. Adams,
David Anderson, Louise and David Bacon-Ogden, Alan
Barron, Gary Bloomfield, Virginia Bornemann, Shari Cappo,
Brian Cariss, Ruth Crane, Jim Danzenbaker, Bruce Deuel,
Brenda Devlin-Craig, Jean Durbin, Todd Easterlee, Elias
Elias, David Fix, Gary and Jan Friedrichsen, Kevin
Foerster, John Gaffin, Joe Gartland, Hal Genger, Sara
Ginnandrea, George Green, Rocky Gutierrez, D. K. Hagans,
Jean Harding, Michael, Lorie, and Stan Harris, Gjon
Hazard, Robert Hewitt, Mark Higley, Matt Hinton, Jake
Houck, Vernon and Andrew Houck, John Hunter, Ken Irwin,
David Juliano, Christine Kile, Robert J. Kieffer, Diana
Kriger, Brent Kritch, Tom Leskiw, Gary and Lauren Lester,
Ron LeValley, Sharon Levy, Linda Long, Paul Lucy, Sean
McAllister, Kathy Miller, Paul Morey, Joe Morlan, Michael
Morris, Chet Ogan, Linda Parkinson, D. Perry, Roy
Poucher, Jude Power, Joyce Quincy, C. J. Ralph, Richard
Ridenhour, Bill Rodstrom, Paul Rouch, Steve Rovell, Greg,
Kristin, and Sam Schmidt, Pete Schmidt, Jay Seegar, J.
Sibley, Jean Sikkens, Keith Slauson, Bruce Slocum, Paul
and Virginia Springer, Pete Spruance, Roy Sunstrom, Jim
Tietz, Dorothy Tobkin, Don Tuttle, Margaret Varga,
Catharine Walling, Ron Ward, Jane Westerville, Jerry
White, Dan Wiemeyer. Send future reports to me at 1595
Charles Ct, Arcata, 95521, call them to (707) 822-3802,
put them on the Arcata Bird Box (822, 5666), or write
them on the rare bird sheet outside of room 204, the
Wildlife Building, Humboldt State University Campus.
Redwood Region Audubon Society
P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502
Last updated September 1996