Field Notes
By Stan Harris
25 October - 29 November
The major bird event of this period was a spill of 4,500 gallons of fuel oil from a ship in the Humboldt Bay Harbor on 5 Nov. To date, just over 500 dead and 485 live birds have been delivered to the Marine Wildlife Care Center at HSU. Only about half of the live birds were expected to survive to be released. The major species involved were murres, scoters, shorebirds, scaup, grebes, loons, and gulls. More normally, the mid fall migration seemed to progress as expected. Raptors Abound
Dave Fix had an outstanding day on Arcata Bottoms on 28 Oct when he tallied a total of 50 (!) individual raptors from a single location (corner of Jackson Ranch and Foster Roads) during a one hour watch with telescope. This is surely some kind of local record. He saw 11 (!) White-tailed Kites, 10 Northern Harriers, 8 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 3 Red-shouldered Hawks, "10-12" American Kestrels, 3 Peregrine Falcons, and 4 Merlins! The local mice must have been shaking in their booties!
The following are the abbreviations used in the following field notes:
HIGHLIGHTS: BLACK-VENTED (type) SHEARWATER : (mostly NC, GW): 5, off South Jetty, 5 Nov (JH); 2 (NC), off Table Bluff, 6 Nov (TL); 3, 1500-5000 meters off South Jetty, 6 Nov (JH,EE,JD); 1 "probable", 1+ mile off Lanphere Beach, 12 Nov (DF,JJ); 1 "closely observed", 1 mile NW Humboldt Bay, 18 Nov (DF); 5, off Table Bluff, 27 Nov (RS): TAVERNER'S CANADA GOOSE (FR): 12, AB, 11 Nov (PS); 1, HBNWR, 13 Nov (SMc): BLUE-WINGED TEAL (FR): 1-2 males, AMP, 28 Oct-25 Nov (SMc, SH, KI, et. al); 1-2 females, AMP, 22-25 Nov (SH): HARLEQUIN DUCK (FR): 1 male, North Jetty, 26 Oct, 2 Nov (MW); 2 males, 1 female, False Klamath Cove, 26 Oct (DG); x, Pt. St. George, 28 Nov (RS): OLDSQUAW (FR): 1 female, Crescent City Harbor, 12 Nov (PS); 1, Mad River Boat Ramp, 16-19 Nov (KI, BC); x, Pt. St. George, 28 Nov (RS): PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER (FR): 1-2, AB, 3-5 Nov (SMc GH, KI); 2, ERWA, 12 Nov (SMc); 1, North Spit, 13 Nov (GH, RH); 1, Big Lagoon, 15 Nov (KI); 1, Mad River Beach, 15 Nov (RH); 1, ERWA, 27 Nov (RS): MOUNTAIN PLOVER (FR): 1, Clam Beach, 25-26 Oct (MF, G&LL, TL, GK&SS): FRANKLIN'S GULL (FR): 1, Smith River Bottoms, 20 Nov (AB): BURROWING OWL (FR): 1, AB, 28 Oct-5 Nov (DF,MV); 1, ERWA, 14 Nov (SMc, SL): WESTERN WOOD PEWEE (ID): 1, heard only, McKinleyville, 31 Oct (DG); 1, Mt. Trashmore, 2 Nov (CO): YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (FR): 1, Manila, 7 Nov (GH): BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (FR): 1, AMP, 12 Nov (MV); 1, AMP, 29 Nov (KS): NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (FR): 1, AMP, 22 Nov (SH, et al.): AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (FR): 1, Lanphere Road, 29 Oct (KI): GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (FR): 1, Ferndale OP, 26 Oct (SMc, KN): SWAMP SPARROW (FR): 1, AMP, 3 Nov (GH): HARRIS' SPARROW (FR): 1, Copenhagen Road, 14 Nov (KI): LAPLAND LONGSPUR (FR): 1, Crescent City, 26 Oct (DG); 1-3, AB, 28 Oct-7 Nov (DF,SMc, RJA, KI, GB); 1, North Spit, 13 Nov (GH): CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR (FR): 2, AB, 29 Oct (DF): SNOW BUNTING (FR): 1, mouth Lake Talawa, 17 Nov (AB): COMMON GRACKLE (FR; GW): 1, Smith River Bottoms, 14-18 Nov (AB, et al.):
OTHER, MORE ORDINARY EYEBROW-RAISERS! (These all add to our understanding of bird status and distribution locally): PACIFIC LOON (EM): 150-200 migrating past Table Bluff in 2 hours, 7 Nov (SH): PIED-BILLED GREBE (IL): 1, Willow Creek, 13 Nov (TL): RED-NECKED GREBE (EM,IL): 1-3, King Salmon, 1-25 Nov (SMc, DG); 1, Little River Estuary, 3 Nov (TL); 2, mouth Lake Talawa, 22 Nov (DS,MFi): EARED GREBE (IN): many more than in the recent past; 8-23 seen regularly on AOP, 26 Oct-28 Nov (DF,SH, et al.), including tight flocks of 13-18 plus at least 12 other scattered birds resulting in a total of at least 30 birds at AMP/AOP on 15 Nov (SH): WESTERN GREBE (EL, EM): 100, offshore, Table Bluff, 7 Nov (SH); 200, offshore, North Jetty to Little River, 9 Nov (DF,JH,JD); 150, Entrance Bay, 22 Nov (SH): CLARK'S GREBE (EM): 1, Humboldt Bay, 9 Nov (CO): NORTHERN FULMAR (EM): "few" off Table Bluff, 6 Nov (JH,EE,JD); "numerous oiled", 5 km off Humboldt Bay, 9 Nov (CO): PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER (ID): 1, off Table Bluff, 6 Nov (JH, EE,JD): SOOTY SHEARWATER: 1, off Table Bluff, 6 Nov (JH,EE,JD): BROWN PELICAN (IN): 1000 (!), nearshore, Crescent City, 12 Nov (CS): DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (IL): 1, Willow Creek, 13 Nov (TL): AMERICAN BITTERN (EL): 1, AMP, 8-28 Nov (SH, et al.): CATTLE EGRET (EM): 2, Smith River Bottoms, 12 Nov (PS): GREAT EGRET (IL): 1, mouth Willow Creek, 24 Nov (TL); 1, Lewiston Lake, 27 Nov (GH): GREEN HERON (EM): 1, AMP, 25 Oct (DA): TUNDRA SWAN (EM): 4, HBNWR, 13 Nov (SMc); 1, Humboldt Bay, 9 Nov (SMc) 1, AB (cripple); 10-22 Nov (GL,SH); 5, Copenhagen Rd, 22 Nov (DD): GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (EM): 1 ad., 7 juv., AB, 9-11 Nov (PS); 1, McKinleyville Sewage Ponds, 23 Nov (KI); 1, Trinity Center, 27 Nov (GH)1, AB, 26 Nov (DA): LESSER SNOW GOOSE (EM): 1 imm., AB, 29 Oct-18 Nov (DF,PS,GH); 5, AB, 5 Nov (KI); 1, HBNWR, 20 Nov (MW): ROSS' GOOSE (EM): 1 ad., I imm., AB, 25 Oct-18 Nov (DF,JP,RJA,PS,KR,GH); 4-7, Smith River Bottoms, 15-28 Nov (JH,TL,AB, RS): "WESTERN" CANADA GOOSE (IL): 25, Trinity Center, 27 Nov (GH): "ALEUTIAN" CANADA GOOSE (EM): 115, Arcata, 27 Oct (BW); 125-150, AMP flyover, 1-3 Nov (SH); 250-300, AB, 10 Nov (PS reported that 10-20 had oil on them); 180, AB, 11-17 Nov (PS, SH); 3300, Smith River Bottoms, 12 Nov (CS,PS): "CACKLING" CANADA GOOSE (EM): 1, Ferndale OP, 26 Oct (SMc, KN); 20, AB, 11 Nov (PS); 6,AB, 26 Nov (DA): WOOD DUCK (EM): 8, Brannon Mtn Road Pond, 25 Oct (TL); 11, Marshall Pond, 26 Oct (DG); 1-3, Allen Marsh, 28 Oct-1 Nov (SMc, SH, DD, et al.): "EURASIAN" GREEN-WINGED TEAL (EM): 1 male, No Name Pond, 25-28 Nov (SH): GADWALL (IL): 5, Marshall Pond, 26 Oct (DG): EURASIAN WIGEON (EM): 1-2, AB, 25 Oct-17 Nov (DA, MW, DF, SH); 1, AMP, 31 Oct-2 Nov (MW, SH, DG, CO); 5 males, 1 female, Tompkin's Hill Road/Beatrice Flat, 1 Nov (SMc); 1, HBNWR, 9-13 Nov (JP,SMc); 1, McKinleyville Sewage Ponds, 23 Nov (KI); 1, Smith River Bottoms, 28 Nov (RS): CANVASBACK (EM): 1-2, Klopp Lake, 8-25 Nov (SH): REDHEAD (FR, EM): 1 female, HBNWR, 27 Oct (DF,JP); 1 male, AMP, 31 Oct-1 Nov (MW,SH, et al.); 12 males, King Salmon, 25 Nov (DG): RING-NECKED DUCK (IL): 6, Eureka Sewage Marshes, 1 Nov (SMc): BLACK SCOTER (EM, EL): 3 females, HBNWR, 27 Oct (JP,DF); 1 male, Lower Mad River, 2 Nov (SMc, KN); 1, Humboldt Bay Channel, 8 Nov (JP); 1, South Jetty, 10 Nov (SMc); 1 female, King Salmon, 25 Nov (DG): WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (IN): 60, flying over Moonstone Beach, 8 Nov (JO); "100's, far out numbering Surf Scoters", nearshore from North Jetty to Little River, 9 Nov (DF, JH, JD); 30-40, seawatch from Table Bluff, 7 Nov (SH): COMMON GOLDENEYE (FR): 2 males, 1 female, Field's Landing, 20 Nov (DG); 1 male, Mad River Boat Ramp, 22 Nov (SH, et al.); 1 male, King Salmon, 25 Nov (DG): HOODED MERGANSER (EM): 1 female, Klopp Lake, 1-3 Nov (SH, RJA); 2 females, McKinleyville, 7 Nov (TL); 1, Davison Road, 11 Nov (TL); 1, Gold Bluff Beach, 11 Nov (TL); 1 pair, Willow Creek, 13 Nov (TL); 1 male, North Bay, 15 Nov (DF, et al.); 5 pair, Bear River Ridge, 24 Nov (DD); 1 pair, Eel River at Fortuna, 25 Nov (RuC): OSPREY (ID): 1, Clam Beach/Little River, 6-8 Nov (TL, JO): WHITE-TAILED KITE (MS): Many thanks for the regular reports (too many to list separately), but the accumulating reports show that our population still occupies most of its lowland historic range: BALD EAGLE (FR): 1 imm., Mad River at Blue Lake, 3 Nov (MM); 1 ad., HBNWR, 13 Nov (SMc); 1 ad., Willow Creek, 13 Nov (TL); 1 imm., Willow Creek, 19 Nov (TL); 1 ad., I imm., mouth Redwood Creek, 21 Nov (KI); 1 ad., Elk Head, 22 Nov (JA): RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (IL): 1, Bull Creek, 14 Nov (JG): FERRUGINOUS HAWK (EM): 1, AB/Azalea Hill, 25 Oct-24 Nov (DF,JP,RJA,GL,KI); 1, Kneeland, 9 Nov (GL); 1-2, Smith River Bottoms, 15-28 Nov (JH, TL, DF, JP,RS): ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (EM): 1, AB, 25 Oct-24 Nov (DF, JP, RJA, SMc, KN, KI); 1, HBNWR, 4-9 Nov (SL,JP); 1 dark phase, Moonstone Beach, 8 Nov (JO); 1 light morph, AB, 13 Nov (DF); 1, Smith River Bottoms, 15 Nov (JH,TL); 1, South Bay, 15 Nov (SMc); 1 dark morph, Bear River Ridge, 24 Nov (DD); : GOLDEN EAGLE (EL): 1, Bear River Ridge, 26 Oct (SMc, KN): MERLIN (EM): 1, near South Jetty, 6 Nov (JH,EE,JD); 1, Table Bluff, 6 Nov (TL); 1, Eel River Bottoms, 25 Oct (P&VS); 1, AMP, 14-28 Nov (SH); 1, mouth Redwood Creek, 21 Nov (KI) 1, King Salmon, 25 Nov (DG); 1, Manila, 28 Nov (JO): PEREGRINE FALCON (MS): 22 reports of 1-4 individuals nearly daily from Smith River Bottoms, AB, AMP, HBNWR, Big Lagoon, and Table Bluff (mo); 1, Hayfork, 27 Nov (GH): PRAIRIE FALCON (FR): 1, Table Bluff, 15 Nov (SMc): 1 imm., Smith River Bottoms, 22 Nov (JP,DF); 1, Trinity Center, 27 Nov (GH): RUFFED GROUSE (EL): 1 "drumming" (they are known to drum in the fall), "Interior" Humboldt County, 24 Oct (EE): WILD TURKEY (IN): 27, Mail Ridge, 11 Nov (JG): MOUNTAIN QUAIL (IL): 3, 4, at 2 locations in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, 7, 14 Nov (JG): SNOWY PLOVER (EM): 34-45ñ, Clam Beach, 25 Oct-3 Nov (TL, GL): LESSER YELLOWLEGS (EM): 1, AB, 28 Oct-13 Nov (DF,SH,RH); 6, ERWA, 13 Nov (SMc); 2, Loleta, 27 Nov (RS): WANDERING TATTLER (ID): 1, South Jetty, 10 Nov (SMc): RUDDY TURNSTONE (EM): 2, Fields Landing, 28 Nov (JO): SPOTTED SANDPIPER (ID): 1, Willow Creek, 13 Nov (TL): MARBLED GODWIT (IL): 2 (only), Crescent City Harbor, 12 Nov (PS): PECTORAL SANDPIPER (EM): 2, Bear River Ridge Pond, 26 Oct (SMc, KN); 4, AB, 28 Oct (DF); 1, Tompkins Hill Road/Beatrice Flat, 7 Nov (RM): ROCK SANDPIPER (EL, EM): 1-2, South Jetty, 10-12 Nov (none on 14 Nov) (SMc): RED PHALAROPE (EM): 1-9, Humboldt Bay spits, 8-16 Nov (SMc, RH, KS, SL); 3, Fields Landing, 28 Nov (JO): POMARINE JAEGER (ID): 2, off North Bay 8 KM, 9 Nov (JJ,CO); 1, off Table Bluff, 27 Nov (RS): PARASITIC JAEGER (ID): 1 chasing Forster's Terns, AOP, 2 Nov (CO); 1 (sick?), Mad River Beach, 12 Nov (RH); 1, Clam Beach, 12 Nov (KS): HEERMANN'S GULL (IN): 600 (!) in a tight flock, Crescent Beach, 17 Nov (RH, GH); 6, mouth Redwood Creek, 21 Nov (KI); 38, Big Lagoon spit, 26 Nov (TL); 4, mouth Mad River, 26 Nov (TL): HERRING GULL (IN): more than usual reported on shore; examples: "100 ñ",(?) mouth Mad River, 12 Nov (RH); 6, Big Lagoon, 15 Nov (KI); 1 ad., Northcoast Quality Compost, Arcata, 16 Nov (RJA); "quite a few", Freshwater Corners, 18 Nov (GH); 3 ad., Northcoast Quality Compost, Arcata; 19 Nov (RJA); 3, Wedding Rock, 21 Nov (KI); 4, mouth Redwood Creek, 21 Nov (KI): THAYER'S GULL (EM): 1 imm., Arcata Plaza, 27 Oct (RJA), 1 imm., AOP, 29 Oct (SMc); 1 imm., South Jetty, 9 Nov (SMc); 9 first-winter, 1 second-winter, Freshwater Corners, 18 Nov (DF); 2, Wedding Rock, 21 Nov (KI); 1, mouth Redwood Creek, 21 Nov (KI): BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (EM): 2, offshore, Humboldt Bay, 9 Nov (CO, DF, JH, JD); 2, Table Bluff seawatch, 9 Nov (JP); 15, Table Bluff seawatch, 27 Nov (RS); 1, mouth Redwood Creek, 21 Nov (KI): CASPIAN TERN (ID): 1, Tyee City, 29 Oct (KI); 3, mouth Mad River, 26 Nov (TL): FORSTER'S TERN (EM): 15-24, AOP, 31 Oct-28 Nov (SH, et al.): MARBLED MURRELET (MS): 11, North Jetty, 8 Nov (JP); "dozens" (at least 2 oiled seen), North Jetty to Little River and out to 8 KM, 9 Nov (JJ, CO, DF, JH, JD); x, Pt. St. George, 28 Nov (RS): BAND-TAILED PIGEON (ID): 20-30, Benbow Inn, 2 Nov (JS); "few", Humboldt Redwoods State Park, 27 Nov (JG): WESTERN SCREECH-OWL (FR): 1, Big Lagoon, 15 Nov ( KI): NORTHERN PYGMY OWL (FR): 1, Orick Dump, 11 Nov (TL): SHORT-EARED OWL (EM): 1, HBNWR, 27 Oct (DF, JP); 1, ERWA, 14 Nov (SMc, SL); 2, Fay Slough Wildlife Area, 14 Nov (TL); 1, Smith River Bottoms, 15 Nov (JH, TL); 4, Cannibal Island Road, 27 Nov (RS): YELLOW-SHAFTED FLICKER (EM): 1, Azalea Hill, 19 Nov (DG): PILEATED WOODPECKER (IL): 1, Stone Lagoon, 11 Nov (TL): SAY'S PHOEBE (FR): 1, Smith River Bottoms, 15 Nov (JH, TL); 1, Azalea Hill, 16 Nov (GL): TROPICAL KINGBIRD (EM): 1, Cock Robin Island, 26 Oct (SP); 1, HBNWR, 4 Nov (SL); 1, AMP, 9 Nov (MMo); 1, Loleta, 14 Nov (KI); 1, Smith River Bottoms, 21-22 Nov (AB,CD,DS,MFi): HORNED LARK (IL): 1, Stone Lagoon spit, 11 Nov (TL); 1, Big Lagoon spit, 26 Nov (GB); "flock", Trinity Center, 27 Nov (GH): GRAY JAY (EL): 2 "family groups", Gold Bluff Beach, 11 Nov (TL): WESTERN BLUEBIRD (EL): 2, McKinleyville (Forest Service Nursery), 27 Oct (DG); "some", Garberville, 2 Nov (JS); 31, Tompkin's Hill, 20 Nov (MW): AMERICAN ROBIN (IN): "thousands" invaded Trinity River Valley, Willow Creek to South Fork, responding to a big madrone crop, mid Nov (TL): NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (EM): 1, McKinleyville, 29 Oct-19 Nov (DG,TL); 1, west Arcata, 2-3 Nov (GB,GH); 1, Mad River Road, 12-14 Nov (RH,GH,GB,PH); 1, Fortuna, 18 Nov (RuC); 1, HBNWR, 20 Nov (MW): NORTHERN SHRIKE (FR): 1 imm., 1 mile north of Klamath River/101, 28 Nov (RS): ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (ID): 1-2, Manila, 31 Oct-21 Nov (GH): NASHVILLE WARBLER (ID): 1, Salt River, 1 Nov (SMc); 1, Manila, 10 Nov (GH); 1, Arcata, 26 Nov (GB): YELLOW WARBLER (ID): 1, Manila, 10 Nov (GH): PALM WARBLER (EM): reports of 13 birds from Ferndale OP, Eel River at Fortuna, AB, Salt River, AMP, McKinleyville, Smith River Bottoms, Manila, and AOP (mo); about normal numbers for this time of year: CALIFORNIA TOWHEE (IL): 1, Trinidad Quarry, 6 Nov (KI): CHIPPING SPARROW (ID): 1, Azalea Hill, 15-16 Nov (GL): LARK SPARROW (IL): 1, AB, 9 Nov (PS): BULLOCK'S ORIOLE (ID): 1, Blue Lake/Mad River, 3 Nov (MM): RED CROSSBILL (IL): 4, 1 mile north of Klamath River/101, 28 Nov (RS):
Many thanks to the following who shared their observations this month.
James Achteberg, R.J. Adams, David Anderson, Alan Barron, Gary Bloomfield, Ellen Blustien, Dennis Cahill, Ruth Crane, Jim Dahl, Duke Diehl, Colin Dillingham, Jean Durbin, Elias Elias, Mike Fickner (MFi), Mark Fisher (MF), David Fix, John Gaffin, Dan Garrison, George Green, Stan Harris, Gjon Hazard, Pablo Herrera, Rob Hewitt, John Hunter, Ken Irwin, Jeff Jacobsen, Richard Kandus, Gary & Lauren Lester, Tom Leskiw, Steve Lewis, Ryan Mathis, Sean McAllister, Mark Morrissette (MMo), Mike Morris (MM), Kristie Nelsen, Chet Ogan, Jason Osburn, Steve Pagliguhi, Jude Power, Kevin Ryan, Greg, Kristin, & Sam Schmidt, Doug Shaw, Idylene Siipola, Keith Slauson, Jay Sooter, Kevin Spencer, Paul & Virginia Springer, Rich Stallcup, Craig Strong, Margaret Varga, Matt Wachs, Bob Wilcox.
Please call future reports to the Arcata Bird Box (707) 822-Loon (822-5666), call them to me at (707) 822-3802, mail them to me at 1595 Charles Ct, Arcata, Calif 95521, or write them on the rare bird sheet outside of Room 372, Science A, H.S.U. Campus.
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