Field Notes

by Stan Harris

11 January - 29 February 2004

The post-Christmas Count let down has come and gone and things are starting to happen again, some REALLY high tides at the same time as heavy rains made for interesting flooding on the coastal plain here and there.  City workers skimmed the marsh pennywort mats and some cattails from the AMP units in Feb, causing a shift and departures of some birds, but many ducks had departed AMP units before the mat removal operations.  All in all a pretty much HO HUM period with few surprises. 

Abbreviations Used: AB = Arcata Bottoms; AMP = Arcata Marsh Project; AOP = Arcata Oxidation Pond; BSLP = Butcher Slough Log Pond; ED = Expected Date; EL = Expected Location; EN = Expected Numbers; ERB = Eel River Bottoms; FR = Few Records; GW = Gee Whiz Report;  HBNWR = Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge; HO = Hold Over from previous months; ID = Interesting Date; IL = Interesting Location; IN = Interesting Numbers; IP = Interesting Plumage; MKSP= McKerricher State Park; mo= Many Observers; MRWA = Mad River Wildlife Area, MS = Monitored Species; NC = Not Confirmed by a second party; ND = No Description;  SRB = Smith River Bottoms; UD - Updated report.

Great Grebes

Red-necked Grebe (EL, EN): 1-2, King Salmon, 3-5 Feb (JT); 1, Stone Lagoon, 21 Feb (SC): Clark’s Grebe (EL): 1, North Humboldt Bay, 8 Feb (JT):  Black-

footed Albatross (EN, EL):   8, off Eureka 5 miles, 19 Jan (JM): Laysan Albatross (FR): 1, off Eureka 5 miles, 19 Jan (JM): Northern Fulmar (ED, EN):  “few to many” seen from shore, northern Mendocino County, 21 Dec-20 Jan (DT); 100, off Eureka 5 miles, 19 Jan (JM): Snowy Egret (IN):  50, V St. Loop, 8 Feb (PS): Greater White-fronted Goose (EN): 7 reports of 1-“several” from AB, MRWA, HBNWR, 21 Jan-22 Feb (BF, JT, RG, KR, RF): Lesser Snow Goose (EN): 11 reports of 1-3 from Noyo Harbor (flyby), Bald Hill at Ft. Bragg, AB, Arcata , SRB, 23 Dec-29 Feb (mo): Ross’s Goose (EN): 5 reports of 1-“a dozen” from Ft. Bragg, HBNWR, AB, SRB, 16 Jan-22 Feb (DT, MM, KR. SH, PS);   Aleutian Canada Goose (EM, IN): 9 reports of 100 to 10,000's from ERB, HBNWR, AB, SRB, 14 Jan-22 Feb (mo) and 5 reports of A.M flights of 130 to 2,410 flying south past McKinleyville, Patricks Point, 30 Jan-21 Feb (KR, KI): Cackling Canada Goose (FR): 4-6, AB, 19-23 Feb (KR):   Tundra Swan (IL, EL): 3, Bald Hill, Ft. Bragg, 11 Jan (DT); 35, AB, 8 Feb (BA); 442, ERB, 150, HBNWR, 4 (only) SRB, mid winter aerial inventory, all 21 Jan (JD, SH); 20 flyover, Arcata, 20 Feb (GB): Eurasian Wigeon (EN, EL): 8 reports of 1-3 males from HBNWR, No. H. Bay, V St. Loop, Alexandre Dairy, 31 Jan-29 Feb (AB, RF, KR, JT, PS, SC): Blue-winged Teal (EN): 1 male, BSLP, 22 Jan, 8-14 Feb ( JB, SH); 1 male, Alexandre Dairy, 31 Jan (AB, RF); 1 male, Allen Marsh, 27 Jan-14 Feb (OB, SH); 1 male, Hauser Marsh, 27 Jan (OB); 1 male, Moxon Road, 19 Feb (KR): Pintail (IL): 1 pair, BSLP, 13 Jan (MD).

Teal from Asia

Eurasian Green-winged Teal (FR): 7 reports of 1-2 from AOP, Allen Marsh, Alexandre Dairy, 10 Jan-21 Feb (JT, SH, PL, AB): Canvasback (IN): 1 pair, Klopp Lake, 22-29 Jan (JT, P&VS, RF, CO); 118 (only), mid winter inventory, Lake Earl, 21 Jan (JD, SH): Redhead (FR): 1 male, Allen Marsh, 22-25 Jan (SH, PL): Ring-necked Duck (IN): 23 pairs, Fulmar Lane, 9 Feb (CW): Harlequin (EL): 5-7, Glass Beach, 21 Dec-20 Jan (DT); 1, North Jetty, 1 Feb, (PR); 1-2, King Salmon, 3-5 Feb (JT): White-winged Scoter (MS): 30 off Big Lagoon, 21 Feb (SC):  Black Scoter (FR): 15, MKSP, 28 Dec (DT): Long-tailed Duck (FR):  1, Crab Park, 14 Jan (KR, MW); 1, Trinidad, 14 Jan (MeH); 7 (!), mouth, Klamath River, 31 Jan (JH): 1, mouth, Smith River, 18 Jan (KR, JK): Common Goldeneye (IL): 1 female, V St. Loop, F 16Jan-24 Feb (MeH, KR); 1 female, AMP, 1 Feb (JK): Hooded Merganser (FR):  6 pair, pond near Lewiston Lake, 29 Jan (DK); 1, V St. Loop, 24 Feb (KR); 3 female type, Lanphere Road, 29 Feb (JT); x, Klamath River, 30 Jan (RF); 2 pair, Lagoon Creek, 15 Jan (JD); 1 female, South Fork, Smith River 1 mile above Craigs Ck, 18 Jan (AP).

 Osprey (ID): 9 reports of singles from Eureka, No. Humboldt Bay, AOP, Hammond Bridge, Trinidad, Big Lagoon, 21 Jan-21 Feb (mo): Bald Eagle (MS): 21 reports of 1-2 from Eel River, south Hum. Co, HBNWR, Arcata, McKinleyville, Dow’s Prairie, Trinidad, near Bluff Creek, Redwood Creek, AB, SRB, 10 Jan-19 Feb (mo): Ferruginous Hawk (FR): 2, Monument Road, 7 Feb (PH); 1, ERB, 14 Jan (KR, MW); 1, west Arcata, 20 Jan (GB); 1, Alexandre Dairy, 31 Jan (AB, RF): Rough-legged Hawk (IN): only 5 reports of singles from Mail Ridge, Bear River Ridge, Cannibal Road, Freshwater, mouth of Jacoby Creek, 14 Jan-7 Feb (KR, MW, JG, EC, PH, BA), a rather poor year for this species: Golden Eagle (EL): 1, Highway 101, northern Mendo Co, 22 Jan (JT); 1, Garberville x 101, 28 Feb (CO, BOB); 2, Bear River Ridge, 7 Feb (PH): Merlin (MS): 9 reports of 1-2 from HBNWR. Arcata, AMP, AB, North Spit, 16 Jan-15 Feb (mo): Peregrine (MS): 15 reports of 1-3 from ERB, HBNWR, King Salmon, Elk River, AMP, Arcata, 12 Jan-21 Feb (mo).

Galloping Gallinule

Common Moorhen (FR, HO): 1 juv, Allen/Hauser Marsh, 11 Jan-25 Feb (D&K J, SH, FA, JK. KR): Snowy Plover (MS): 10-12 ( 2 banded), South Spit, near Jetty, 11 Jan (DL); 2, mouth Lake Talawa, 7 Feb (JR, fide AB): Avocet (IL): 1, Crab Park, 14 Jan (KR, MW); 2, pond on Centerville Beach, 13 Jan (SMcA): Lesser Yellowlegs (ID): 1, V St. Loop, 14 Jan, 20-24 Feb (MeH, KR): Wandering Tattler (ID): 1, Trinidad, 14 Jan, 15 Feb (MeH): Spotted Sandpiper (EL): 1, Indian Beach, 15 Feb (MeH): Long-billed Curlew (IN): 100’s, Fulmor Lane, 9 Feb (CW):   Ruddy Turnstone (FR):  2, Trinidad, 15 Feb (MeH); Surfbird (IL): 5, foot of Trusdale St, Eureka, 23 Feb (MW): Rock Sandpiper (FR): 3, Virgin Ck. Beach, 2 Jan (DT); 1, North Jetty, 1 Feb (PR): 1 ad, Arcata, 4, 18 Feb (JT): Glaucous Gull (FR): 1 ad (!), North Spit, 29 Feb (SC); 1 first year, Klopp Lake, 21 Feb (TMcK): Black-legged Kittiwake (IN): est 50-60 offshore from Big/Stone Lagoon, 21 Feb (SC), 1 ad, Arcata, 4, 18 Feb (JT): Glaucous Gull (FR): 1 ad (!), North Spit, 29 Feb (SC); 1 first year, Klopp Lake, 21 Feb (TMcK): Black-legged Kittiwake (IN): est 50-60 offshore from Big/Stone Lagoon, 21 Feb (SC).

Caspian Tern (ID): 6 reports of 1-4 from HBNWR, King Salmon, North Bay, 3-8 Feb (MW, JT); Forster’s Tern (EL, EN): up to 20 seen on 6 dates, 10 Jan-29 Feb, AMP, AOP (SH): Band-tailed Pigeon (IN): 70, Mail Ridge, 22 Jan (JG); 5-12, Sunny Brae, 25 Jan-21 Feb) (SH); 1, Eureka, 23 Feb (TL): Pygmy Owl (FR): 1, BSLP, 22 Jan (DH); 1 seen to catch and eat a vole, Douglas City, 4 Feb (DK); 1, Bear River Ridge, 7 Feb (PH); 1, Trinidad, 14 Feb (MeH): Burrowing Owl (FR):   1, South Spit, 20 Feb (AC):  Long-eared Owl (FR, NC, ND): 1 reported calling at dusk, V St. Loop, 21 Jan (GB): Short-eared Owl (EL): 4-12, MRWA, 31 Jan-15 Feb (JT, RG); 1, Hookton Slough, HBNWR, 10 Feb (JG), once again confirming the vital importance of perennial grassland for winter habitat for this special species:  Saw-whet Owl (FR): 1, Garberville, 16 Jan (GL): Rufous Hummingbird (ID): 1 male, Eureka, 3 Feb (GL): Lewis’s Woodpecker (FR): 1, Mail Ridge, in same tree as one seen last Oct!, 23 Feb (JG): Yellow-shafted Flicker (FR): 1, good phone description clearly eliminates an intergrade, Chezom Road x Redwood Creek, 12 Feb (FA): Pileated Woodpecker (FR): 1, Douglas City, 11 Jan-4 Feb (DK); 1, Trinidad, 15 Feb (MeH): Say’s Phoebe (FR): 1, Fountain Ranch, 21 Feb (RF): Gray Jay (EL): ca 9, near Trinidad, 6 Feb (RG),  ID from description of appearance and actions given to KR, GL:  Horned Lark (EL, IL):  “several,” Bear River Ridge, 7 Feb (PH); 2, mouth of Lake Talawa, 7 Feb (JR, fide AB):  Tree Swallow (ID): 8 reports of 1-10 from Centerville Beach, AMP, AB, Wedding Rock, 13 Jan-29 Feb (mo): Barn Swallow (ID): 5 reports of 1-7 from AMP, AOP, Arcata, 22 Jan-6 Feb (JT, RF, SH, KR, EE, RG):  White-breasted Nuthatch (EL); 1, Mail Ridge, 22 Jan (JG): Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (FR; IL): 1, Rio Dell, 4 Feb (GL):  Western Bluebird (MS): 18, Mail Ridge, 28 Feb (JG); 2-9 seen on 24 of 31 days in Jan at Kneeland (BB, DVZ); x, Bear River Ridge, 7 Feb (PH); 2, Trinidad, 15 Feb (MeH).

Solitary Thrush

Townsend’s Solitaire (IL): 1, downtown Willow Creek, 6 Feb (AW): Mockingbird (FR, HO): 1, Freshwater, 27 Jan (RH); 1, Douglas City, 10 Jan-9 Feb,  hold over from last Oct (DK); 1, Eureka, daily through 25 Feb, hold over from at least 7 Nov (BF): Nashville Warbler (ID): 1, Arcata, 18 Jan (GB); 1, Trinidad, 14 Feb (MeH): Yellow Warbler (ID; HO): 1, AMP, 14 Jan-28 Feb  (JM, SJ, RF, EE): Hermit Warbler (UD): 1 female, Eureka, 14 Dec-8 Jan (BF):  Palm Warbler (ED): 1, AMP, 25 Jan-28 Feb (RF, MV); 1, AB, 8 Feb (P&VS):  Black-and-white Warbler (FR): 1, BSLP, 1 Feb (MV); 1 female, near Trinidad, 14 Feb (MeH): Common Yellowthroat (ID): up to 3, AMP, 6-8 Feb (MMi, RF): Summer Tanager (ID, GW, Photos): 1 female, Fortuna, 6 Jan-17 Jan (DM, et al.): California Towhee (IL): 1, upper Jacoby Creek, 31 Jan (PH); 1, Blue Lake Riparian, 24 Feb (EE, BC):  Clay-colored Sparrow (FR): 1, Arcata, 18 Jan (GB): Rusty morph Fox Sparrow (FR, HO):  1, Arcata, 18-20 Jan (GB): Swamp Sparrow (FR):  1, Allen Marsh, 22 Jan (SH); 1, AMP Interp. Center, 3 Feb (FA): Junco spp (IP, NC):  1 male with black hood and body of Slate-colored, no rusty anywhere, probably from the northern Rocky Mtn race in Alberta or interior BC, AMP, 19 Feb (RF):  Tricolored Blackbird (FR):  3, Alexandre Dairy, 18 Jan (AB, KR, JK, JoG): Rusty Blackbird (FR, GW, Photos):  1, Alexandre Dairy, 18-31 Jan (AB, KR, JK, RE, JoG, RF, JH): Common Grackle (FR, HO): 1, Lanphere Road, 14 Jan (DF); 1, SRB, 18-31 Jan (AB, KR, JoG, JK, RE, RF): Orchard Oriole (GW, NC, phone description only): 1, Eureka, mid-Jan-22 Feb (L B-O); seen together with following species on 17 and 21 Feb in Eureka (BF): Baltimore Oriole (GW, phone description only): 1 female (dull plumage with gray sides and lower belly, thought not to be a Bullocks because of lack of yellow on face and cleanly-drawn wing bars; but what about a hybrid?), Eureka, 19 Jan-23 Feb (BF, MW, et al.).