Field Notes

by Stanley W. Harris

October 25 - November 25, 2000

A normal, rather quiet month, made rather boring by the continued unavailability of the Arcata Bird Box. Please call your observations to me at (707) 822-3802 if you want them included in the next Field Notes edition. Abbreviations used: AB = Arcata Bottoms; AMP = Arcata Marsh Project; AOP = Arcata Oxidation Pond; BSLP = Butcher Slough Log Pond; EM= Expected Migrant; ERWA = Eel River Wildlife Area; FR = Few Records; FSWA = Fay Slough Wildlife Area; GW = Gee Whiz Report; HBNWR = Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge; ID = Interesting Date; IIT = Interesting, If True; IL = Interesting Location; IN= Interesting Numbers; MKSP = Mackerricher State Park; MRWA = Mad River Wildlife Area; MS = Monitored Species; mo = Many Observers; NC = Not Confirmed; ND = No Details; WR = Wedding Rock.

HIGHLIGHTS: CATTLE EGRET (MS): 1-3, AB (Old Samoa Blvd), 8-21 Nov (JT, EE, SH, MiH, CW, MV): WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (FR): 1 juv. AB, 1 Nov (KR, SP, PS): LESSER SNOW GOOSE (FR): 1-2 white, 1 blue, HBNWR, 26 Oct-14 Nov (ED, JP, DF, MM); 1, AB, 12 Nov (RH, ST): DUSKY CANADA GOOSE (FR): 1, AB, 24-25 Oct (PS): EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL (FR): 1 female, BSLP, 26 Oct (SH): HARLEQUIN DUCK (FR, IN): 1-2, King Salmon, 31 Oct-18 Nov (MW, TL, SL): x, Glass Beach, 21 Oct-21 Nov (20 counted on 21 Oct!) (DT): BLACK SCOTER (FR): 1-2, Elk Head, 4-12 Nov (RH, ST, MH): LONG-TAILED DUCK (FR): 2, mouth Klamath River, 10 Nov (EE, JT); 1-3, King Salmon, 10-20 Nov (MW); 1, North Jetty, 12 Nov (RH, ST): HOODED MERGANSER (FR): 2 females, Lake Talawa, 10 Nov (EE, JT): BALD EAGLE (MS): 1 imm. Mail Ridge, 12 Nov (JG); 1 imm., Klamath, 18 Nov (DFx); 1 ad, Highway 96 and Dillon Creek, near Happy Camp, 21 Nov (RK, fide TL); 1, mouth Willow Creek, 24 Nov (TL): HARLAN’S HAWK (FR, ND, NC): 1, Round Valley, 7 Nov (EE, JT): FERRUGINOUS HAWK (FR): 8 records of 1-2 from Azalea Hill, AB, Tompkins Hill, Ten Mile River and Bald Hill near Ft. Bragg, Round Valley/Covelo, 25 Oct-21 Nov (mo): GOLDEN EAGLE (FR): 2, five miles south Horse Mtn, 24 Oct (TL): RING-NECKED PHEASANT (FR): 1, Hookton Slough Wildlife Loop, 29 Oct (LC, DW): COMMON MOORHEN (FR): 1, Pudding Creek, 22 Oct-21 Nov (DT): SANDHILL CRANE (GW, IN, NC, ND, IIT): 200±, in flight over South Fork, Trinity River, 15 Oct (JL, fide TL) (could these have been Aleutian Canada Geese which were migrating through the area in large numbers at the same time?): SNOWY PLOVER (IN): 42, Ten Mile Beach, 17 Nov (DT): ROCK SANDPIPER (FR): 1, on rocks at King Salmon, 1-14 Nov (MW); 1-4, North Jetty, 4-22 Nov, (MW, DF, JP, T&SL); 1, Crescent City Harbor, 4 Nov (JG); 1-3, MKSP, 30 Oct-21 Nov (DT): GLAUCOUS GULL (FR): 1-3 (first year), WR, 22 Oct-8 Nov (KI): SABINE’S GULL (FR): 1 seen off MKSP, 28 Oct (DT): PIGEON GUILLEMOT (ID): 2, MKSP, 30 Oct (DT): BARRED OWL (FR): 1 Fieldbrook, 19 Oct (DB): BURROWING OWL (FR): 1, Eureka (Washington St), 25 Nov (MW): LEWIS’S WOODPECKER (FR): 1, near Covelo, 7 Nov (EE, JT): NUTTALL’S WOODPECKER (FR): 4, 6 miles east Covelo, 7 Nov (EE, JT): SAY’S PHOEBE (FR): 2, Round Valley, 7 Nov (JT, EE): TROPICAL KINGBIRD (FR): 1, AB (Lanphere Road), 2-9 Nov (mo); 1, Fairhaven, 21 Oct (KI); 2, Crescent City, 3-4 Nov (JG, RH, ST): HORNED LARK (FR): 1, near Glass Beach, 26 Oct (DT): CANYON WREN (FR): 2, Etsel Ridge Campground, 7 Nov (EE, JT): MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD (FR): 6(!), Bald Hill near Ft. Bragg, 16 Nov (DT): BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (FR): 1 imm female!, Pt. St. George, 4 Nov (AB): AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (FR): 1, ERWA, 31 Oct (MM); 1, AOP, 17 Nov (SH): CHIPPING SPARROW 1, Bayside, 26-27 Oct (DFx, JP): CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (FR): 1, Ft. Bragg, 28 Oct (DT): LARK SPARROW (IL): 1, Bayside, 14 Nov (DF): FOX SPARROW (EASTERN, RED TYPE, FR): 1, Etsel Ridge, 7 Nov (EE, JT): LAPLAND LONGSPUR (FR): 2, Crannell Road, 22 Oct (KI); 1, MKSP, 30 Oct (DT): SWAMP SPARROW (FR): 1, AOP, 26 Oct (SH): SNOW BUNTING (FR): 1, WR, 10 Nov (KI): BOBOLINK (FR): 2, Hookton Road, 4 Nov (SMc): TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD (IN): 200 (!), Bald Hill, near Ft. Bragg, 29 Oct (DT):

STATISTICAL SECTION: RED-THROATED LOON (EM): 40 in 2.5 hours, WR, 27 Oct (KI): RED-NECKED GREBE (EM): 1, King Salmon, 1-18 Nov (MW): EARED GREBE (EM): 1-3, AOP/AMP, 14-22 Nov (CW, MV, SH): NORTHERN FULMAR (EM): 35, North Jetty, 12 Nov (RH, ST); 2-10, 24 Oct-14 Nov, seen from shore, Northern Mendo. County, (DT): AMERICAN BITTERN (FR): 1, MRWA, 11 Nov (GB): 1, AMP, 23 Oct (ArB): SNOWY EGRET (IN): 12, Hookton Slough, 29 Oct (LC, DW); 30-35, fishing in Klopp Lake, 6-22 Nov (SH): ROSS’S GOOSE (FR): 1, AB, 24 Oct-14 Nov (mo): ALEUTIAN CANADA GOOSE (EM): 5 reports of 60-92, AMP/AB, 26 Oct-8 Nov (SH, EE, JT, KR, SP, PS): CACKLING CANADA GOOSE (FR): 4-5, AB, 24 Oct -1 Nov (PS); 2-3, Pudding Creek, 21 Oct-21 Nov (DT): TUNDRA SWAN (EM): 1, AB, 1 Nov (KR); 2, HBNWR, 5 Nov (DR, JP): BLUE-WINGED TEAL (FR): 1 male or 1 pair, BSLP, 31 Oct-20 Nov (mo): CANVASBACK (EM): 1-2 Klopp Lake, 17, 20 Nov (SH): RING-NECKED DUCK (EM): 1-30, BSLP, Hauser Marsh, 26 Oct-20 Nov (mo): SURF SCOTER (IN): 1450, fly past North Jetty in 70 minutes, at the same time only 3 White-winged Scoters were seen, 4 Nov (MW): COMMON GOLDENEYE (EM,IL): 4, AOP, 27 Oct (SH); 3-9, King Salmon, 12-17 Nov (MW): WHITE-TAILED KITE (IN, IL): 17-32, FSWA, 29 Oct-9 Nov (CO); 23-30, MRWA, 8-11Nov (GB, EE, JT); 2, Briceland, 1 Nov (NW); 2, Round Valley, 7 Nov (EE, JT): ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (IN): 14 reports of 1-5 from AB, MRWA, Jacoby Creek Bottoms, Manila, FSWA, College of the Redwoods, HBNWR, 23 Oct-18 Nov (mo): MERLIN (MS): 8 reports of singles from AB, AMP, Manila, FSWA, King Salmon, Etsel Ridge, 1-25 Nov (mo): PEREGRINE FALCON (MS): 8 reports of 1-2 from WR, AB, AMP, South Humboldt Bay, Catfish Lake (where seen chasing Gray Jays!), 27 Oct-22 Nov (mo): AMERICAN AVOCET (IL): 2, Lanphere Road, 5 Nov (PS): LONG-BILLED CURLEW (IN): 28, Klopp Lake Island, 7 Nov (SH): RED PHALAROPE (EM): 340 passed by WR in 4 hours, 25 Oct, but only 32 in 2.5 hours on 27 Oct (KI): PARASITIC JAEGER (ID): 1, off MKSP, 28 Oct (DT): Gull migration peaked at 400-1000 per hour, 8-10 Nov; these were about 50 percent Glaucous-winged, 30 percent Western, 8 percent California, 2 percent Herring, and 10 percent unidentified or minor species (all Wedding Rock KI): HEERMANN’S GULL (ID): 43, WR, 8 Nov (KI): CASPIAN TERN (ID): 3, Hookton Slough, 12 Nov (JP, DF): FORSTER’S TERN (EL): 10-34, AMP, 22 Oct-20 Nov (SH): SHORT-EARED OWL (IN): 12, MRWA, 8-11 Nov (JT, EE, GB); 9, FSWA, 9 Nov (CO): RUFOUS/ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRD (ID): 1-2 as late as 16 Nov, Ft. Bragg (DT): PILEATED WOODPECKER (FR): 1, Kneeland, 24 Oct (BB): GRAY JAY (MS): 6 reports of 1-8 from Fieldbrook, Azalea Hill, Arcata, Catfish Lake, 24 Oct-21 Nov (LL, GL, CW, MiM, RG, MW): MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE (IL): 5 reports of 1-2 from Patricks Point, Elk Head, AMP, 3-18 Nov (KI, DL): BUSHTIT (FR): 20, Scotia, 18 Nov (GBe): NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (FR): 1, Eureka, 5, 20 Nov (CO, GL); 1, Arcata Airport, 14 Nov (GS): YELLOW WARBLER (ID): 1, Arcata, 20 Nov (GB): HERMIT WARBLER (ID): 1, Bayside, 12 Nov (JP, DF, JT): PALM WARBLER (EM): 5 reports of 1-3 from AMP, HBNWR, 23 Oct-12 Nov (BMcI, JP, DF, MS): COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (ID): 1 ad male, HBNWR, 5 Nov (DF, JP): WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (EM): 12 reports of 1-2 from Fieldbrook, AB, Arcata, AMP, Eureka, 23 Oct-20 Nov (mo): EVENING GROSBEAK (FR): 2, Azalea Hill, 25 Oct (GL); 5, Patrick’s Point, 27 Oct (KI).

Many thanks to the following who shared their observations with us this month: Don Baldwin, Art Barab, Alan Barron, Glen Beshears, Gary Bloomfield, Heather Brown, Barbara Burek, Bryon Cariss, Lina Carro, Mark Colwell, Elaine David, Duke Diehl, Joe Dobbs, Elias Elias, David Fix, John Gaffin, Joe Gartland, Rocky Gutierrez, Melody Hamilton, Mike Harris, Stan Harris, Rob Hewitt, Denise Homer, Ken Irwin, Rick Knott, Josh Koepke, Cindy and Guy Kuttner, Jack Lahr, Carol Lawrence, Sue and Tom Leskiw, Gary and Lauren Lester, D. Lottso, Sean McAllister, Bryon McIntosh, Deb Meredith, Mary Meyers, Cerise Mora, Michael Morris, Mildred Mossman, Todd Newberger, Chet Ogan, Steve Pagliughi, Jude Power, Kerry and Megan Ross, Greg Schmidt, Mary Severdea, Paul Springer, Jim Tietz, Dorothy Tobkin, Steve Tucker, Margaret Varga, Heather Verville, Matt Wachs, Catherine Walling, Don Wattenbarger, Kevin Westfall, Nancy Wilson. Keep the reports coming. Call them to me at (707) 822-3802, mail them to me at 1595 Charles Ct., Arcata, Calif, 95521, write them on the observation sheet at the Arcata Marsh Project Interpretive Center or on the sheet in "Ornithology Hall", second floor of the Wildlife Builidng, Humboldt State University Campus. If, by some miracle, the Arcata Bird Box gets going again someday, you can, as a last resort, trying calling 707 822-5666, leave a message, and hope I can get it off there!