Field Notes

by Stan Harris and David Fix

20 February - 20 March

The past month has been generally rainy.  Wintering ducks continue to depart, swallows and Rufous/Allen’s Hummingbirds continue to arrive, and Aleutian Canada Geese have been present locally in large numbers.  The deciduous hardwoods are leafing out, tree-frog tadpoles are free from their egg sacs---and honeybees, butterflies, short sleeves, and smiles are more in evidence as the days lengthen.  Watch for Northern Rough-winged Swallows, Common Yellowthroats, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and alternate-plumaged migrant shorebirds to arrive soon.

Abbreviations used:  AB= Arcata Bottoms,  AEB= Arcata/Eureka Bottoms,  AMP= Arcata Marsh Project,  anon.= we couldn’t understand your name on the phone message (or you didn’t leave it),  AOP= Arcata oxidation ponds,  BSLP= Butcher Slough log pond,  EM= expected migrant,  ES= escapee,  et al.= and others,  FR= few records,  HBNWR= Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge,  ID= interesting date,  IL= interesting location,  IN= interesting numbers,  JC= mouth Jacoby Creek,  KS= King Salmon,  MKSP= McKerricker State Park,  mo= many observers,   MRWA= Mad River Slough Wildlife Area,  MS= monitored species,  ND= no details or description,  SRB= Smith River Bottoms.

Red-necked Grebe (EL):  2, KS, 22 Feb (JT);  Clark’s Grebe (EL): 1, North Jetty, 1 Mar; 1, JC, 10 Mar (both JT);  Tundra Swan:  45, Lake Earl, 17 Mar (KR);  Greater White-fronted Goose (FR):  1, Lake Cleone, 23 Jan-21 Feb (update, DT);  1, Lake Earl, 15 Mar (KR);  Emperor Goose (FR):  1, MRWA, 10 Mar (JT);  Snow Goose (FR):  1-2, SRB, 10-15 Mar (KR);  Ross’s Goose (IL):  2, Lake Earl, 17 Mar (KR);  Dusky Canada Goose (FR):  6, SRB, early Mar (KR);  Cackling Canada Goose (EM):  small numbers reported with Aleutian Goose flocks through period in the coastal plain (mo);  Wood Duck (MS):  up to 3 pairs, Jacoby Creek Quarry Road, 2-3 Mar (FA);  up to 4, AOP, 26 Feb-8 Mar (SH, MA);  3, Marshall Pond, 9 Mar (JB et al.);  Eurasian Green-winged Teal (FR):  1, North Bay at JC, 27 Feb (DF);  1 (same?), North Bay at AOP, 2 Mar (GB);  Eurasian Wigeon (FR):  1, HBNWR, 27 Feb (JG);  1, AB, 7-19 Mar (KR et al.);  Harlequin Duck (FR):  up to 18 from Glass Beach to Virgin Creek Beach, MKSP, 23 Jan-21 Feb (update, DT);  1, North Jetty, 1 Mar (JT);  1, Crescent City harbor, 9 Mar (JB et al.);  Black Scoter (FR):  4, off Enderts Beach, 27 Feb (KS, JW);  Long-tailed Duck (FR):  2, off Ward Ave., MKSP, 9-12 Feb (update, DT);  Hooded Merganser (MS):   pair, Enderts Beach Pond, 27 Feb (KS, JW);  Common Merganser (IL):  1 (fly-by), MRWA, 10 Mar (JT);  2, JC, 10 Mar and 1, 20 Mar (JT);  Red-breasted Merganser (EL):  1, North Bay at AMP, 27 Feb (FA).

Turkey Vulture (EM):  1 (first seen this spring), Kneeland, 22 Feb (BB);  Osprey (EM):  1, AMP, 25 Feb (FA);  1, AMP, 2 Mar (EE);  1, Klamath River, 9 Mar (JB, SH et al.);  White-tailed Kite (IL):  1-3, seen on 18 of 19 days in Feb, Kneeland (BB);  Bald Eagle (MS):  6 reports of 1-2 from Big Lagoon (pair courting, KI), Blue Lake (juv., FA), AMP, Mad River at Hwy 299, 22 Feb-9 Mar (KI, TL, EE, SG, FA);  “Harlan’s” Red-tailed Hawk (FR, ND):  1, Hwy 101 at Indianola Cutoff, 2 Mar (CO);  Ferruginous Hawk (FR):  1 ad., Bald Hill near Fort Bragg, 23 Jan-21 Feb (update, DT);  Rough-legged Hawk (EM):  1, Kneeland, 28 Feb (BB);  Golden Eagle (EL):  1, Kneeland, 26 Feb (BB);  Merlin (MS):  singles reported from AB, JC, Hookton Slough, AB, 22 Feb-7 Mar (mo).

Long-billed Curlew (IN):  210 (!), Loleta Bottoms, 1 Mar (PS);  Rock Sandpiper (EL, ED):  up to 5, MKSP, 23 Jan-21 Feb (update, DT);  1, North Jetty, 1 Mar (JT);  Heermann’s Gull (ID):  1 ad., KS, 22 Feb (JT);  Black-legged Kittiwake (EL, ED):  at least 6, ocean off Westport, 8 Feb (update, DT);  1 ad., North Jetty, 1 Mar (JT);  Caspian Tern (ID):  3 (including 1 juv. still begging), KS, 22 Feb (JT);  1, Hookton Slough, 10 Mar (DF, JP);  3 (migrants?), JC, 15 Mar (DF).

 Burrowing Owl (FR):  1, AOP dike, 26 Feb-2 Mar (MA, EE, PS);  Rufous Hummingbird (EM):  males reported from Arcata, Bayside, Eureka, 27 Feb-12 Mar (EE, KR, RL, SW, anon.);  Allen’s Hummingbird (EM):  1, Arcata 2 Mar (KR);  “Yellow-shafted” N. Flicker (EM):  singles from Manila, Arcata, Lake Earl, 21 Feb-1 Mar (MZ, BMcD, KR);  Pileated Woodpecker (MS):  1, Jacoby Creek Quarry Road, 3 Mar (FA);  1, Cummings Rd. yard, Eureka, 11 Mar (TL);  Say’s Phoebe (FR):  1, Blue Lake, 6 Mar (MM);  Loggerhead Shrike (FR):  1, Hookton Slough, 10 Mar (DW, DF, JP et al.);  Gray Jay (MS):  1, Bayside feeder (1^st in 32 years’ residence there), 6 Mar (DC);  American Crow (IL):  20, Big Lagoon, 24 Feb (KI);  Tree Swallow (EM):  2, MKSP, 21 Feb (DT);  Violet-green Swallow (EM):  2, inspecting nest box, 27 Feb, Arcata (EE);  20+, Marshall Pond, 9 Mar (JB et al.);  15+, AMP, 10 Mar (mo);  “droves,” SRB, 16 Mar (KR);  Barn Swallow (EM):  1, AB, 7 Mar (PS);  Black-capped Chickadee (IL):  1, ex. n.e. Del Norte Co., 2 Mar (JH, TL);  Western Bluebird (MS):  1-6 seen on 6 of 19 days in Feb, Kneeland (BB);  2, Old Mill Road near Lake Earl, 17 Feb (MA);  5, SRB, 10 Mar (KR);  Nashville Warbler (IL):  1, Fort Bragg, 2-10 Feb (update, DT);  Palm Warbler (ID):  2, n. side Lake Earl, 17 Mar (KR);  California Towhee (IL):  1, northeast Del Norte Co., 2 Mar (JH, TL);  “Slate-colored” Dark-eyed Junco:  1, Arcata, 27 Feb-13 Mar (EE);  Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow (FR, ID):  1 (assumed continuing from mid-Dec, same location), JC, 20 Mar (JT).