Field Notes
By: Stanley W. Harris
20 Mar - 25 Apr
H.S.U. pelagic trips on 17 and 25 Apr, results as follows (fide LG) a "few" Black-footed Albatrosses (both dates), Sooty Shearwaters (both), about 10 Pink-footed Shearwaters, Marbled Murrelets (4 on the 17th, 9 on the 25th), NO Cassin’s Auklets on the 17, "about 6" on the 25th, and about 20 Sabine’s Gulls (17th) but only 3 on the 25th. More details below. KI reported heavy use of ERWA by shorebirds on 25 April with movement from South Bay across Table Bluff to ERWA 3-4 hours before high tide: Examples: (all 25 Apr), 550 Black-bellied Plovers, 8 Semipalmated Plovers, 2800 Dunlin, 2600 Least Sandpipers and 1700 Western Sandpipers, plus others detailed below.. Abbreviations used: AB = Arcata Bottoms; AMP = Arcata Marsh Project; CCH = Crescent City Harbor; ED =Expected Date; EL = Expected Location; EM = Expected Migrant; ERWA = Eel River Wildlife Area; FR = Few Records; GW = Gee Whiz Report; HBNWR = Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge; ID = Interesting Date; IN = Interesting Location; IN = Interesting Numbers; IR =Interesting Report; mo = Many Observers; MS = Monitored Species; ND/C = No Details, not Confirmed.
HIGHLIGHTS: HORNED GREBE (IN): 1 (only), South Bay, 1 Apr (SH): FORK-TAILED STORM PETREL (IL): 2-5, King Salmon/North Jetty, 31 Mar-1 Apr (MM, MW, KN); 3-10, CCH, 3-5 Apr (AB): LEACH’S STORM PETREL (IL, NC): 1, North Humboldt Bay flying across mud flats, 17 Apr (MC): CATTLE EGRET (MS): 1-4 vic and at AMP, 30 Mar-11 Apr (JT, EE, SH): BLUE-WINGED TEAL (FR):1 pair, HBNWR, 15 Apr (SL); 1-2 males, Allen Marsh, 15, 24 Apr (PL, PF); 1 male, Hookton Slough, 18 Apr (SP et al.); 1 male, Copenhagen Road, 18 Apr (SP, et al.); 1 male, No Name Pond, 24 Apr (JP): HARLEQUIN DUCK (FR): 1 pair, CCH, "all winter through 5 Apr" (AB): OLD SQUAW (FR): 2, CCH, 5 Apr (AB): PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER (ID): 35, north side of Eel River Mouth, 12 Apr (SMc, RLeV); 2, AB, 13 Apr (KI), 2, ERWA, 25 Apr (KI): BLACK-NECKED STILT (FR): 2, Lanphere Road, 16 Apr (BC); 1, Copenhagen Road, 18 Apr (AS, fide SP); 2, ERWA, 25 Apr (KI): SOLITARY SANDPIPER (FR): 1, Hilton Road "south of Orick," 25 Apr (JP, DF): STILT SANDPIPER (FR, GW): 1, AB, 13 Apr (KI): POMARINE JAEGER (ID):1, Mad River View Point, 31 Mar (DF); 1, Offshore, Eureka, 25 Apr (LG): PARASITIC JAEGER (ID): 1, Mad River Viewpoint, 31 Mar (DF):GLAUCOUS GULL (FR):1, second winter, Mouth Elk River, 2 Apr (SH, et al.); 1, second winter, CCH, 5 Apr (AB); 1, first winter, Eureka, 22 Apr (GL): BARRED OWL (FR): 1, near Whitethorn, 17 Apr (SP); 1, Big Trees Parking Lot, 15-17 Apr (PH); 1-2, Cal Barrel Road vic., 12-20 (DF, MH): LONG-EARED OWL (FR):1, near Whitethorn, 5 Mar, 17 Apr (SP): WHITE-THROATED SWIFT (FR): 1-2, Edward C. Wagner Bridge (Smith Point Bridge), 28 Mar-11 Apr (J & MS).
Busy Humming Mom
ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD (GW): 1 female, feeding full grown young in a nest while simultaneously (alternately) incubating eggs in a second nest about 10 feet away, Mad River Community Hospital, 24 Mar (KI). This same bird was seen incubating, 8 Apr (SH) and feeding newly hatched young, 10 Apr (KI), but the nest with 2 half grown young appeared to be abandoned 23 Mar (KI): There was a sugar feeder about 5 feet from the first nest. SAY’S PHOEBE (FR): 1, Smith River Bottoms, 26 Mar (PS); 1, Elk Head, 28 Mar (BC); 1, Fieldbrook Valley, 4 Apr (BS, ST); 1, AMP, 11 Apr (JT): NORTHERN SHRIKE (FR): 1, Smith River Bottoms, 28 Apr (JH); 1 (update), 10 Mile-River, near Ft. Bragg, 15 Mar (DT): BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (IL): 1, Azalea Hill, 24 Apr (GL): NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (FR): 1, AMP log pond, 30 Mar, 11 Apr (JT, EE): CALIFORNIA TOWHEE (IL): 1, Arcata Feeder, 18 Apr (JM): AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (NC/D): 1, Kneeland, 19 Mar- 6 Apr (BB):
OTHER INTERESTING REPORTS: PACIFIC LOON (EM): 1000, North Jetty, 24 Apr (anon); 1000’s migrating past Mad River Vista Point, 25 Apr (BC): COMMON LOON (EM): 20 , North Jetty, 24 Apr (anon): RED-NECKED GREBE (EL, ED): 3-5, King Salmon, 31 Mar-11 Apr (MM, BD): CLARK’S GREBE (ED, EL): 2, Klopp Lake, 11 Apr (JT): NORTHERN FULMAR (ED): 1, offshore, 25 Apr (LG): BROWN PELICAN (ID): 1, King Salmon, 11 Apr (BD): AMERICAN BITTERN (MS): 1, AMP, 4 Apr (GG): GREAT BLUE HERON (EL): "in rookery in pines," Hookton Road, 11 Apr (JP, DF): GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (FR):1, HBNWR, 31 Mar-15 Apr (SL): ROSS’ GOOSE (FR): 2-3, AB, 27 Mar-2 Apr (GH, JH, SH, et al.); 2, Smith River Bottoms, 28 Mar (JH): BLACK BRANT (EL, IL): 3000, South Humboldt Bay, 11 Apr (BD); 85 in pasture, HBNWR, 15 Apr (SL): WESTERN CANADA GOOSE (IL): 2, near Eel Rock on Eel River, 22 Apr (JG): ALEUTIAN CANADA GOOSE (IN, MS): 350-1000+, AB, 31 Mar-2 Apr (SH, et al.); PS reports the peak count of spring migrants at about 32,000 this year in spite of the loss this winter of about 800 to Fowl Cholera in the Central Valley. GREEN-WINGED TEAL (IL): 3 pair along Eel River, near Eel Rock, 25 Apr (JG): CINNAMON TEAL (IL): 1, along Eel River at junction with South Fork, 25 Apr (JG): EURASIAN WIGEON (FR): 5 reports (8 birds represented) from North Bay, Hookton Slough, HBNWR, AB, Copenhagen Road, 11-18 Apr (JT, DF, JP, SL, PS, SP): REDHEAD (FR):1 male, Lanphere Road, 31 Mar-9 Apr (SH, GG, BW, et al.): COMMON GOLDENEYE (FR): 1-2, AB, 27 Mar-10 Apr (DA, BD).
Ospreys and Eagles
OSPREY (ED):
4 reports (4 birds) from Benbow, South Bay, Mouth Eel River, Big Lagoon (on nest), 28 Mar-20 Apr (JS, SH, BS, DF): BALD EAGLE (IN): 8 reports (8 birds) from Benbow, Mouth Eel River, King Salmon, AB, Klopp Lake, North Bay, 28 Mar-24 Apr (mo): COOPER’S HAWK (IR): 1, "acting territorial," Hookton Road, 11 Apr (DF, JP); 1-3, near Eel Rock, 22-24 Apr (JG): GOLDEN EAGLE (FR): 1 pair, near Benbow, 11 Apr (JS): MERLIN (MS): 1, Klopp Lake, 15-16 Apr (TR, PL): PEREGRINE FALCON (MS): 1, AMP, 31 Mar-16 Apr (SH, GG, PS, TR, PL); 1, HBNWR, 15 Apr (SL): BLUE GROUSE (EL): 4, Bald Hills, near School House Peak, 25 Apr (BF): MOUNTAIN QUAIL (EL): 1, "singing," Mail Ridge, 18 Apr (JG): AVOCET (IL): 3, ERWA, 25 Apr (KI): GREATER YELLOWLEGS (IN): 40 ± (one flock), AB, 27 Mar (DA): LESSER YELLOWLEGS (EM): 2, ERWA, 25 Apr (KI): WANDERING TATTLER (ED): 3, breeding plumage, North Jetty, 18 Apr (KS): WHIMBREL (EM): 150, 15 Apr, 235, 25 Apr, (both mouth Little River, KI): RUDDY TURNSTONE (IL): 3, CCH, 27 Mar (PS): SURFBIRD (ED): x (breeding plumage), North Jetty, 18 Apr (KS): RED KNOT (IN, ED): 2-13, Klopp Lake island, 11-16 Apr (JT, PS, PL); 3, ERWA, 25 Apr (KI): COMMON SNIPE (IN): 40 in one field, West End Road/Hatchery Road, 12 Apr (MV, CW): BONAPARTE’S GULL (ED): 100 migrating past mouth Elk River in 10 minutes, 6 Apr (GL): MEW GULL (ID): 3-4, AB, 31 Mar (SH): CASPIAN TERN (ED): 1, CCH, 27 Apr (PS); 9, South Bay and mouth Elk River, 2 Apr (SH, et al.); 100, migrating past mouth Redwood Creek in 10 minutes, 6 Apr (DF): ANCIENT MURRELET (FR): 4, Offshore Eureka, 25 Apr (LG): MARBLED MURRELET (MS): "good aerial show," Boye’s Prairie, 19 Apr (23 seen in flight, 20 Apr; 35 seen in flight, 25 Apr, all DF, JP): RHINOCEROUS AUKLET (FR): 4, near Green Rock, 24 Apr (MW); 3-4, Offshore Eureka, 25 Apr (LG): TUFTED PUFFIN (MS): 1, Green Rock and vic, 17, 24 Apr (MW).Lots of owls
BARN OWL (IL):
1, Smith River Bottoms, 28 Mar (JH): PYGMY OWL (EL): 1, in open habitat, Mail Ridge, 18 Apr (JG): SPOTTED OWL (MS): 1, near Whitethorn, mid March-mid Apr (SP): SHORT-EARED OWL (EL): 1-2, AB, 8-17 Apr (KI, RC); 1, Hookton Slough, 11 Apr (JP, DF): SAW-WHET OWL (FR): 1, well described juvenal plumage, Petrolia, 19 Mar (MP): VAUX’S SWIFT (ED): 1, AMP, 8 Apr (JT, EE); x, southern Humboldt Co, 18 Apr (JS); 50 ±, dropping into a chimney, 13th and I, Arcata, 21 Apr (CW): RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (ED): 12 reports (in the spring sweepstakes) (18 birds), Garberville to Crescent City, 28 Mar-21 Apr (mo): YELLOW-SHAFTED (TYPE) FLICKER (NC): 1 female, Arcata Airport, 5 Apr (RD): PILEATED WOODPECKER: 1, Fruitland Ridge, 17 Apr (JG): HAMMOND’S FLYCATCHER (IL, ND):1, "singing," Boye’s Prairie, 15 Apr (DF, GH, TL): PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER (ED): 1, McKinleyville near a traditional nest site, 1 Apr (JD); 1, Arcata Community Forest, 18 Apr (KS); 1, Bayside, 1, Boye’s Prairie, 1, Davison Road/101, all 20 Apr (DF): WESTERN KINGBIRD (EM): 1, Cannibal Road, 18 Apr (SP): CASSIN’S VIREO (EM): 1, singing, Todd Ranch, 21 Apr (TL): WARBLING VIREO (EM): 2, Blue Lake Bottoms, 18 Apr (KS): GRAY JAY (EL): 2, Prairie Creek St. Park, 6 Apr (DF, JP); 1, Patrick’s Point Drive x Highway 101, 24 Apr (DF): HORNED LARK (IL): 1, Freshwater Lagoon, 15 Apr (SMc).Swallows are Back
: PURPLE MARTIN (EM): x, AB, 25 Apr (BC): ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (EM): 2, Edward C. Wagner Bridge, 21 Mar (JS): CLIFF SWALLOW (EM): 1, AMP, 30 Mar (JT, EE); x, Lanphere Road bridge, 16 Apr (BC); x, southern Humboldt Co., 18 Apr (JS): BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE (IL): 2, Korbel, 5 Apr (SC); 1, AMP, 13 Apr (GG): HOUSE WREN (EM): x, Bald Hills, near School House Peak, 25 Apr (BF): WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH (FR): 2 pair, Mail Ridge, 18 Apr (JG): WESTERN BLUEBIRD (IL): 2, Korbel, 27 Mar (SC): TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE (IL):1, Prairie Creek St. Park, 12 Apr (DF): NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (FR): 1, AB, 24 Apr (BC): CEDAR WAXWING (EM): 45, Sunny Brae, 21 Apr (SH): ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (IN, EM): 30-40 singing along 3 miles of Eel River near Benbow, 11 Apr (JS); 20 in one tree, Davison Road/101, 20 Apr (DF): HERMIT WARBLER (EM): 1, Azalea Hill, 4 Apr (GL): PALM WARBLER (FR): 1-2 (1 singing), AMP log pond, 30 Mar-11 Apr (JT, EE): COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (EM): 6 ±, Eureka Sewage Marshes, 6 Apr (GL); 7±, AMP, 8 Apr (JT, EE); 1, AMP, 13 Apr (GG); 1, singing, No Name Pond, 24 Apr (JP): WILSON’S WARBLER (EM): 1, Bald Hills Road, 3 Apr (JR, fide GL); 2, Blue Lake Bottoms, 18 Apr (KS); x, singing, Boye’s Prairie, 19 Apr (DF): CHIPPING SPARROW (EM): 1, Bayside, 14 Apr (DF, JP); "some," singing, near School House Peak, 25 Apr (BF): LARK SPARROW (EM): 8, Mail Ridge, 18 Apr (JG); 1, Big Trees Parking Lot, 18 Apr (PH): LINCOLN’S SPARROW (IN, ID): 7±, AMP, 8 Apr (JT,EE).
Poor Sam Peabody to leave
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (ED):
1-2, Sunny Brae, 25 Mar-23 Apr (SH); 1, Smith River Bottoms, 28 Mar (JH); 3, Blue Lake Bottoms, 18 Apr (KS); 1, singing, Azalea Hill, 21 Apr (GL): SLATE-COLORED JUNCO (FR): 1, Ft. Bragg, 4 Apr (DT); 1, Elk Head, 15 Apr (TL); 1, Azalea Hill, 21 Apr (GL): BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (EM): 2, Todd Ranch, 21 Apr (TL): TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD (MS): x, at nesting colony, Sandy Prairie Road, 19 Apr (JS): WESTERN MEADOWLARK (IN): ±10 singing, Mail Ridge, 18 Apr (JG): BULLOCK’S ORIOLE (EM): 1 female (type), AMP log pond, 26 Mar, 8 Apr (SH, JT, EE); 1, Todd Ranch, 21 Apr (TL): PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN: Offshore Eureka, 25 Apr (LG): MINK: 4, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, 7 Apr (JG): BOBCAT: 1, Kneeland, 16 Mar (BB): GRAY FOX: 1, Sunny Brae (on my deck), 5 Apr (SH); 1, Fruitland Ridge, 3 Apr (JG):My apologies to Gary Lester for leaving his name off last month’s list of observers: Many thanks to the following who shared observations with us: David Anderson, Alan Barron, Barbara Burek, Byron Cariss, Mark Colwell, Sarah Colvig, John DeMartini, Bruce Deuel, Rick Dimmick, Frank Edison, Elias Elias, Pat Fitzmorris, David Fix, Brad Freeman, John Gaffin, George Green, Luke George, Stan Harris, Gjon Hazard, Pablo Herrera, Rob Hewitt, Mark Higley, John Hunter, Ken Irwin, Tom Leskiw, Gary Lester, Ron LeValley, Steve Lewis, Paul Lohse, Sean McAllister, Jeff Moore, Michael Morris, Kristie Nelson, Steve Pagliughi, Marsha Parker, Jude Power, Terry Roleofs, Jim Royer (sp?), Andrea Seffer (sp?), Bob Sizoo, Keith Slauson, Bruce Slocum, Jay & Margaret Sooter, Paul Springer, Jim Tietz, Dorothy Tobkin, Sue Turner, Matt Wachs, Catharine Walling, Kevin Westfall, Brenda Williams, Margaret Varga. Please call future reports to the Arcata Bird Box (707) 822-5666, to me at (707) 822-3802, or mail them to me at 1595 Charles Ct., Arcata, Calif. 95521.