Field Notes

by Stan Harris

30 September - 26 October

Still dry, a rather slow fall migration.  One pelagic trip off Eel River Canyon, 12 Oct, had 7 Humpback Whales, 1 Gray Whale, and 2 groups of Dall’s Porpoise, along with the expected Black-footed Albatross (only 8), Sooty, Pink-footed, and Buller’s Shearwaters, Northern Fulmars and Cassin’s Auklets (SS, GG).  Besides the expected gluttony of Cedar Waxwings, Starlings, Robins, and various sparrows working on the annual blackberry crop, readers can add a pair of Mallards seen walking along the road of the AOP dike to their list of known blackberry pluckers-and-eaters (SH)!   Abbreviations used: AB = Arcata Bottoms; AMP = Arcata Marsh Project; AOP = Arcata Oxidation Pond; BSLP = Butcher Slough Log Pond; EL = Expected Location; EM = Expected Migrant; ERWA = Eel River Wildlife Area; FR = Few Records; GW = Gee Whiz Record; IB = Interesting Behavior; ID = Interesting Date; IL = Interesting Location; IIT = Interesting, if True; IN = Interesting Numbers; IP = Interesting Plumage; mo = Many Observers; MKSP = MacKerricher State Park; MRCP = Mad River County Park; MRWA = Mad River Wildlife Area; MS = Monitored Species; NC = Not Confirmed; ND = No Details; SMB = Smith River Bottoms

HIGHLIGHTS:  EURASIAN WIGEON (FR): 1 female, Gearheart Marsh. 12-16 Oct (SH, ST, FA, et al.; 1 male, Gearheart Marsh, 19 Oct (DC): BLUE-WINGED TEAL  (FR): 1 male and up to 2 females, BSLP, 3-26 Oct (SH, FA, MS, et al): HARLEQUIN DUCK (FR): up to 17, Glass Beach, 23 Sep-21 Oct (DT); 2, King Salmon, 16 Oct (MW): LONG-TAILED DUCK (FR): 1, at sea off Eel River, 12 Oct (SS, GG): RUFFED GROUSE (FR): 1, 7.9 miles up Big Hill Road, 19 Oct (TL); 1, 5.6 miles north Mill Gap, 19 Oct (TL):  PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER (FR):  1, Klopp Lake, 5-24 Oct (PL, MC, et al.); 1, Mad River Slough, 18 Oct (MC): SNOWY PLOVER (IN): 45, Clam Beach, 25 Oct (MC):  AMERICAN AVOCET (IL): 2, Cock Robin Island, 3 Oct (BS); 7, CC Harbor, 20 Oct (AB); 35, ERWA, 21 Oct (MT):  COMMON GREENSHANK (FR, GW, WOW!):  1, Klopp Lake, 18, 23-24 Oct (JW, PL, KR, et al.);  this is likely the same bird seen in the Mad River estuary last year: GREATER YELLOWLEGS (IN): 82 (!) in one flock, Mad River Slough, 23 Sep, 11 Oct (MC); 70, Mad River Slough, 18 Oct (MC): RED KNOT (FR): 1-8, Klopp Lake, 15-24 Oct (MC, JT, et al.): SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER (FR): 1, ERWA, 4 Oct ( KI):  ROCK SANDPIPER (EM): 1, Trinidad, 23 Oct (MH):  RUFF (FR):  9 reports representing at least 6 birds from SRB, AMP and vic, ERWA, and Port Kenyon Road, 2-19 Oct (mo):  MARBLED MURRELET (MS):  Early A.M. flights of 4+, Prairie Creek State Park, 23 Oct (EE):  TUFTED PUFFIN (FR): 2, 10-15 miles off Eel River,  12 Oct (SS, GG):  TROPICAL KINGBIRD (FR):  1, Bayshore Mall, 10 Oct (TL); 1, Fernbridge, 26 Oct (PH, et al.):  RED-EYED VIREO (FR):  1, MRCP, 5 Oct (KI):  HORNED LARK (FR): 1, MRWA, 2 Oct (BC); x, Bear River Ridge, 26 Oct (PH et. al):  BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (FR):  1, MRCP, 13 Oct (ST):  AMERICAN PIPIT (GW): 1 with bright red legs and quite heavy streaking underneath (possible the japonicus race?), South Fk. Trinity River, 5 Oct (MW): TENNESSEE WARBLER (FR): 1, Orick, 11 Oct; 1, MRCP, 14-16 Oct (both KI): BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (FR, NC, ND): 1, Orick, 11 Oct (KI): BLACKPOLL WARBLER (FR): 1, MRCP, 5, 14 Oct (KI): BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (FR): 1, Orick, 11-18 Oct (KI): AMERICAN REDSTART (NC, ND): 1, BSLP, 15 Oct (JC):  OVENBIRD (FR): 1 found dead, Kneeland, about 7 Oct (CLaF): AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (FR, NC, ND): 1, BSLP, 7 Oct (WY) (if correct, the earliest seasonal record ever by 3 days):  VESPER SPARROW (FR): 1, Pacific Shores, 3 Oct (AB, JG); 1, Hufford Road at Orick, 17 Oct (KI): HARRIS’S SPARROW (FR): 1, Crescent City, 23-24 Oct (JG, AB, JH): LAPLAND LONGSPUR (FR): 1, Clam Beach, 8 Oct (SMcA); 50, Lake Talawa, 17 Oct, declined to 25 by 20 Oct and to 1 by 24 Oct (AB, et al.): CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR (NC, ND): 2, mouth of Redwood Creek, 21 Oct (KI): MCCOWN’S LONGSPUR (FR, NC): 1, mouth Redwood Creek, 25-26 Oct (KI):   YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (FR): 1, SRB, 3 Oct (AB, JG): 

NOTES FROM THE TRAVEL DESK AND FROM HERE AND THERE: EARED GREBE (EM, IB): 1 at AOP, 8 Oct, had increased to 8-10 by 20-26 Oct when they were feeding at the surface without diving by just dipping their heads under (on Daphnia?, SH): NORTHERN FULMAR (IL):”Fairly numerous”, seen from shore at Ft. Bragg, 8-21 Oct (DT): SOOTY SHEARWATER (IL): 10 seen from North Jetty, 28 Sep (RH): PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER (IL): 1 seen from North Jetty, 28 Sep (RH): BROWN PELICAN (IN):  400+ in a feeding frenzy in Trinidad Bay were eclipsed by 1000+ loafing on nearby rocks, all 22 Oct (MH):  DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (IN): 1500-2000 in a feeding frenzy, Janes Creek Estuary, 22 Oct (SH):  AMERICAN BITTERN (FR): 1, MRWA, 2 Oct (BC); 1, MKSP, 8 Oct (DT); 1, BSLP, 11 Oct (SH); 1, BSLP, 25 Oct (VS): GREAT EGRET (IL): 2 along main stem, Eel River, McCann, 23 Oct (JG): GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 1 at Crab Park, 6 Oct (BS), 1 flock of 110 over Cummings Road, Eureka, 7 Oct (TL), 1 at Pudding Creek, 8 Oct (DT), and 1 at Lake Cleone, 8-10 Oct (DT) were all at a time when flocks were known to be migrating through the northcoast.  The 150 (2 flocks) at Cummings Road, Eureka, 19 Oct (TL, SL), the 70 (1 flock) over North Fork of Eel River, 22 Oct (TL), and the 17 on AB, 20 Oct (MW) were all reported at a time when many flocks of Aleutian Canada Geese were known to be moving through the area.  LESSER SNOW GOOSE (FR): 1-3, AB, 4-21 Oct (PH, FA, DC): ROSS’S GOOSE (FR): 1, AB, 21 Oct (KI): ALEUTIAN CANADA GOOSE (EM): at least 18 flocks of 10-130 reported from SRB, McKinleyville, AB, AMP, King Salmon, Fortuna, 29 Sep-26 Oct (mo):  CACKLING CANADA GOOSE (FR): 1, Allen Marsh, 11-16 Oct feeding on duckweed (SH): WOOD DUCK (IL): 17, North Fk., Eel River, 22 Oct (TL): GREEN-WINGED TEAL (IP):  a “half” intergrade male on Gearheart Marsh, 26 Oct (SH) was probably the same bird seen last spring on Allen Marsh.  This bird has both a horizontal and vertical white bar on the right side, but only a vertical bar on the left side!  CANVASBACK (FR): 1, mouth Eel River, 6 Oct (BS); 1-2, AOP, 8-17 Oct (SH, ST, FA): RING-NECKED DUCK (EM): 18-26 at BSLP (+2-4 at AOP, Allen Marsh), 8-14 Oct, increased to 70 at BSLP (+4 at AOP and 4-6 at Allen Marsh) by 17 Oct, and then declined again to only 6-7 at BSLP by 26 Oct (all SH); WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (MS): 13, King Salmon, 17 Oct (MW): HOODED MERGANSER (FR): 2, ERWA, 9 Oct (SMcA): WHITE-TAILED KITE (IL): 1, base of Big Hill, Hoopa Valley, 17 Oct (TL): HARLAN’S HAWK (FR): 1, Smith River Bottoms, 20 Oct (FA, AB):  FERRUGINOUS HAWK (EM): 1-3, SMB, 3-20 Oct (AB, et al.); 1, AB, 15 Oct (KR):  ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (EM; EL):   1 Cape Mendocino, 12 Oct (BA); 1, Klopp Lake, 19 Oct (JT); x, Bear River Ridge, 26 Oct (PH, et al.):  MERLIN (MS): 4 reports of singles at AB, AMP, AOP, Bayshore Mall,  30 Sep-23 Oct (KR, SMcA, SH, JL, TL, et al. ) is fewer than expected.  PEREGRINE FALCON (MS): 10 reports of 1-2 from AMP, Fernbridge, 2-26 Oct (mo): MOUNTAIN QUAIL (IL): 10 at 700 feet elevation, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, 5 Oct (JG) seems a bit low down:  PECTORAL SANDPIPER (EM): 6 reports of 1-15 from SMB, lower Mad River, AB, ERWA, Virgin Creek Beach, 28 Sep-20 Oct (mo): THAYER’S GULL (FR): 1, Eureka Channel, 12 Oct (SS, GG); 1, Klopp Lake, 19-24 Oct (JT): ELEGANT TERN (ID): 10-12, Eureka Channel, 9 Oct (RL): FORSTER’S TERN (EM): 2, Eureka Channel, 9 Oct (PL); the 1-5 at AMP, 10-19 Oct had increased to 13 by 21 Oct (SH): NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL (FR): 1 heard, South Fk., Trinity River, 5 Oct (MW); 1, Mail Ridge, 7 Oct (JG); 2 heard, Prairie Creek State Park, 23 Oct (EE): BARRED OWL (MS): 1, Prairie Creek State Park, 23 Oct (EE):  BAND-TAILED PIGEON (IN): 40, Mail Ridge, 16 Oct (JG); the summer 25-40 at my feeders in Sunny Brae declined to 6 on 19 Oct and 1 on 26 Oct (SH):  YELLOW-SHAFTED FLICKER (ND, EM): 1, west end, Bear River Ridge, 26 Oct (GF):  WESTERN  WOOD-PEWEE (ID): 1, Fairhaven, 1 Oct (PL):  SAY’S PHOEBE (EM): 1, Hufford Road, 26 Oct (KI):  CASSIN’S VIREO (ID): 1, Bayshore Mall, 4 Oct (TL):  STELLER’S JAY (IIT, GW): 1 at Lanphere Dunes, if correctly identified, was said to be the first ever record for that location, 6 Oct (JT):  BARN SWALLOW (ID): 1, AOP, 16 Oct (SH): WESTERN BLUEBIRD (MS):  7, Hettenshaw Valley, 22 Oct (TL); x, Bear River Ridge, 26 Oct (PH, et al.): TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE (EL): 2, near Orleans, 17 Oct (TL):  SWAINSON’S THRUSH (ID): 1, Lanphere Dunes, 18 Oct (JT):  NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (FR): 1, Mt. Trashmore, 8 Oct (DF); 1, Arcata, 21 Oct (JH):  CEDAR WAXWING (IN):   the expected 100-300 working on blackberries at AB, AMP, AOP, 4-21 Oct (mo) was eclipsed by the 1000 estimated along the Eureka waterfront, 15 Oct (RC):  NASHVILLE WARBLER (ID): 1, MRCP, 16 Oct (KI):  BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER (ID): 2, Shay Park, 4 Oct (FA):  PALM WARBLER (EM):  1, vic Westport, 1 Oct (JH); 2, mouth, DeHaven Creek, 1 Oct (JH); 1, Pacific Shores, 3 Oct (AB, JG); 1, Arcata, 15 Oct (GB):  COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (EM): the usual fall migration was winding down by mid October, but still DF reported 5 at AOP on 15 Oct.  WESTERN TANAGER (ID): 1, Bayshore Mall, 11 Oct (TL): LINCOLN’S SPARROW (IN): 40, migratory ‘pulse’, Mt. Trashmore, 8 Oct (DF): SWAMP SPARROW (EM): 1, Lake Earl, 3 Oct (AB, JG); 1, Crannell Road, 17 Oct (KI); 1, mouth, Redwood Creek, 18 Oct (KI): WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (EM): Right on schedule with 1, SRB, 3 Oct (AB, JG): 1, Arcata, 12 Oct (GB); 1 near Trinidad, 17 Oct (MH); + others at feeders, mostly:  EVENING GROSBEAK (FR): x, Patrick’s Point State Park, 29 Sep (RH); 24 at Catfish Lake on 30 Sept had declined to a more usual 5-6 there by 22 Oct (MW).