Field notes November 2003

ABBREVIATIONS USED: AB = Arcata Bottoms, AMP = Arcata Marsh Project; AOP = Arcata Oxidation Pond; BSLP =Butcher Slough Log Pond; CR = College of the Redwoods; ED = Expected Date; EL = Expected Location; EM = Expected Migrant; EN = Expected Numbers; ERWA = Eel River Wildlife Area; FR = Few Records; GW = Gee Whiz Report; IL =Interesting Location; IN = Interesting Numbers; IP = Interesting Plumage; MKSP = MacKerricher State Park, Ft. Bragg; mo= Many Observers; MRCP = Mad River County Park; MRWA = Mad River Wildlife Area; MS = Monitored Species; NC =Not Confirmed; ND = No Details; NJ = seen from North Jetty, Humboldt Bay.

Another dry month with virtually no rain. Some sunny days with foggy mornings in between clear days and nights, the period was marked by normal expected movements of migrants, with only a few surprises. Landbird migration seems to be winding down, most of our wintering birds have arrived, most summer residents have departed, and we are looking forward to any late arrivals. The arrival of abnormal numbers of Scrub Jays and Acorn Woodpeckers in the lowland along the coast leads one to wonder about the acorn crop this year. We still have a few Red Phalaropes being reported and early Mew Gulls are starting to show up.

BLACK VULTURE (GW): 1, along lower Jacoby Creek, roosting overnight in virtually the same tree as our only other northcoast record almost exactly 10 years ago. Who says lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place? First found by DF on 8 Oct as it flew south past AOP, seen on roost and leaving roost on 9 Oct by at least 7 other local birders. The best bird of the fall? (But see below!)

Tundra Swan 3, ERWA 26 Oct (RLeV, CMcA): Aleutian Canada Goose (EM): right on time, 18 flocks of 1-500 were reported from Stone Lagoon, Patricks Point/Trinidad, AB, AMP, HBNWR, Copenhagen Road, ERWA, 10-26 Oct (KI, KR, JW, SH); there must be many in Del Norte County, but no reports were submitted from there: Snow Goose (EM): 1, Lake Talawa, 18 Oct (RF, AB, KR): White Goose sp (EM): 1 Ross or Snow with Aleutian Canada Geese, 14 Oct, AMP (KR): Eurasian Wigeon (FR): 1, near Lake Earl, 28 Sep (AB); 1, Lake Earl 18 Oct (RF, AB, KR); 1-5 females, AMP, 25-27 Oct (JW, DM, SH, JT, RG, KR): Blue-winged Teal (FR, EM): 1-6, BSLP, AMP, 23 Sep-27 Oct (mo): Harlequin Duck (EL): 3, mouth of Wilson Creek (Del Norte Co.), 26 Oct (JT): 1 female, North Jetty, 5 Oct (SC); 1-2, King Salmon, 20-26 Oct (SC, SH, PF); up to 10, Glass Beach, Ft. Bragg, 25 Sep-19 Oct (DT): Black Scoter (EL): 8-10, Pt. St. George, 18 Oct (RF, AB, KR): Hooded Merganser (FR): 1, ERWA, 26 Sep (SMcA): Common Merganser (IL, IN): 100, ERWA, 26 Sep (SMcA): No Bald Eagle Reports! Ferruginous Hawk (FR): 1, Smith River Bottoms, 8, 15, 19 Oct (FA, RLeV): Merlin (MS): 9 reports of singles from Elk Head, MRWA, AMP, AOP, ERWA, Shelter Cove, 22 Sep-12 Oct (mo).

Ruffed Grouse (FR): 1, Bald Hills Road, 27 Sep (DD): Blue Grouse (EL): 1+, Mail Ridge, 24 Sep-5 Oct (JG): Sandhill Crane (GW, FR): 1, AB, 24 Sep (JM, MW): Golden Plover sp (EM): 1, ERWA, 27 Sep (KR): American Go1den Plover (FR): 1, MKSP, 5 Oct (DT): Pacific Golden Plover (EM): 1, I Street mud flats, Arcata, 24 Sept, 3 Oct (NJ, CO); 1, Ferndale Bottoms, 28 Sep (CO); 1, MKSP, 19-26 Sep (DT): Black Oystercatcher (IN): 72 (!) counted at one time, bathing at a small creek on Indian Beach, Trinidad, 20 Oct (MeH), with others (not counted) on nearby rocks! It must have been a pretty crowded creek when you add in the 50 Heermann’s Gulls also present! Ignoring Christmas Count totals, this is a new all-time record for the number of migrant oystercatchers at one site: Black-necked Stilt (FR): 2, Cock Robin Island, 14 Sep (Update, DD): American Avocet (IL): 7, Lake Earl/Lake Talawa, 28 Sep (AB): Greater Yellowlegs (IN): 100 (actual count), ERWA, 24 Oct (SH): Lesser Yellowlegs (EM): 10, ERWA, 27 Sep (KR); 6, ERWA, 24 Oct (SH); 1 MKSP, 21 Aug-through 5 Oct (DT): Hudsonian Godwit (GW, FR): 1 juv (tail band and dark underwings seen), Lake Talawa, 18 Oct (AB, KR, RF): Marbled Godwit (IN, IL): 200+, Lake Talawa, 18 Oct (KR, AB, RF): Baird’s Sandpiper (EM): 11, Lake Talawa, 18 Sep (AB); 2, Samoa Beach, 27 Sep (JW): Pectoral Sandpiper (EM): 1- 6, from mouth of Lake Talawa, Redwood Creek, AB, ERWA, MKSP, 22 Sep-20 Oct (KR, KI, RF, AB, SC, DT): Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (FR): 1 ERWA, 22 Sep (SMcA, KR, KI, RF): Ruff (FR): 1, Lake Earl, 6-7 Oct (AB, JG): Pomarine Jaeger (EM): 1, to 8 miles off Eureka, 4 Oct (JT); 2, NJ, 16 Oct (KR, MW): Parasitic Jaeger (EM): 1 (sick), mouth, Mad River, 25 Sep (SC); 1 off Todd’s Point, Ft. Bragg, 7 Oct (DT): Black-headed Gull (FR): 1 (adult winter plumage), Lake Earl (has last month’s bird molted out into adult winter plumage?), 28 Sep-7 Oct (AB, et al.) Laughing Gull (FR): 1, ERWA (holdover from last month), 26 Sep-16 Oct (SMcA, KR, KI): Thayer’s Gull (FR): 2, mouth of Wilson Creek (Del Norte Co.), 26 Oct (JT): Elegant Tern (ID): 1, North Bay at Klopp Lake, 27 Oct (SH): Arctic Tern (FR, ND, NC): 1, mouth, Elk River, 28 Sep (TMcK ST): Common Tern (EM): 1, NJ, 25 Oct (SC): Forster’s Tern (EM): 1-7 North Bay at Klopp Lake 14-27 Oct (KR, SH): Marbled Murrelet (MS): 6, NJ, 16 Oct (KR, MW): Cassin’s Auklet (EM): 100’s, off Eureka, 4 Oct (JT); 1, inside Humboldt Bay, 25 Oct (HB); 10, off Eureka, 26 Oct (JW): Rhinoceros Auklet (EM): 6, up to 8 miles off Eureka, 4 Oct (JT); 50, off Eureka, 26 Oct (JW): Tufted Puffin (FR): 1, Shelter Cove, 27 Sep (DW): Short-eared Owl (MS): 2, MRWA, 27 Oct (JT, RG): Saw-whet Owl (FR): 2 calling near Trinidad, 20 Oct (MeH):

Costa’s Hummingbird (FR) 1 female (!), Jacoby Creek Farms 19 Oct (DF “a little Bushtit-like chip note”) Lewis Woodpecker (FR): 4, flying north along Del Norte Co., G-O Road, 24 Sep (TL); 3, Douglas City, 14 Oct (DK); 28, Kneeland, 18, 21 Oct (BB, DVZ); 1 Mail Ridge, 27 Oct (JG): Acorn Woodpecker (IL): 1, Pt. St. George, 21 Sep (AB, JG); 1, Lanphere Dunes, 25 Sep-5 Oct (JT, CJR); 1, Horse Pasture, Fairhaven, 25 Sep (SC); 1 Bayside, 26 Oct (DF): Yellow-shafted Flicker (EM): 1, McKinleyville, 19 Oct (MaM):: Willow Flycatcher (EM): 1, AOP, 23 Sep (SH); 1, Elk Head, 27 Sep (TMcK, ST, JHa, SH): Say’s Phoebe (FR): a bumper crop with 8 reports representing 14 birds from Smith River Bottoms, Bald Hills Road, Orick, Kneeland, Mail Ridge, coastal northern Mendocino county, 20 Sep-4 Oct (mo) + an update report of one at Douglas City in March 2002 (DK): Ash-throated Flycatcher (ID): 1, Entrance Willows, 3 Oct (SC): Tropical Kingbird (EM): 1, Lake Earl/Talawa, 23 Sep (AB); 1, AB (V St. Loop), 21 Oct (JW, MP); 1, North Spit, Humboldt Bay, 2 Oct (MW); 1, Eureka Slough, 18 Oct (GO’B); 1, Copenhagen Road, 24 Oct (CW): Red-eyed Vireo (FR): 1, base of Bald Hills Road, 7 Oct (KI): Gray Jay (MS): MeH reports that 6 pairs are known to have fledged 19 young near Trinidad this summer; 1, Arcata Community Forest, 17 Oct (JT): Steller’s Jay (IL): 1, Lanphere Dunes, 28 Sep (JT): Scrub Jay (IL): 10!, Enderts Beach, 21 Sep (AB, JG); 1, Lake Earl, 28 Sep (AB); 1, head of Skunk Cabbage Trail, 4 Oct (KR); 1, McKinleyville, 17 Oct (RLeV): Violet-green Swallow (IN, ID): 500-1000, foraging over Mad River Slough, 1 Oct (JT); 15, AMP, 11 Oct (ST, SH): Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (FR): 1, Enderts Beach, 21 Sep (AB, JG); 1, base of Bald Hills Road, 17 Oct (KI): Townsend’s Solitaire (Update, IL): 1 ad. feeding a spotted young, Kneeland, 10 Aug (BB): Varied Thrush (IL): 1, tip of North Jetty, 27 Oct (SMcA): Northern Mockingbird (FR): 1, Enderts Beach, 21 Sep (AB, JG); 1, Davison Road, 11 Oct (KR); 1, McKinleyville, 22 Sep (SH); 1, Table Bluff, 25 Oct (RF, JC); 1, near CR, 27 Oct (KR); 1, Douglas City, 8 Oct (DK): Red-throated Pipit (ND, NC): 1, Ferndale Bottoms, 28 Sep (TMcK, ST); 1, Cannibal Island Road, 1 Oct (BF); x, Lake Earl, 4 Oct (AB).

Tennessee Warbler (FR): 1, Enderts Beach (Update), 7, 20 Sep (AB); 1, MRCP, 27 Sep (JW); 1, Fairhaven, 3 Oct (SC): Virginia’s Warbler (NC, FR): 1, “bold white eye-ring, overall gray color, bright yellow undertail coverts, bobbing tail quite a bit, no streaks on breast,” AMP, 27 Oct (RF): Chestnut-sided Warbler (FR): 1 banded, recaptured, Lanphere Dunes, 26, 28 Sep (JT, MJ); 1, Elk Head, 27 Sep (TMcK, ST, JHa); 2, near Orick, 4 Oct (KI); 1, Howard Creek, northern Mendocino County, 18 Oct (JH): Palm Warbler (EM): 15 reports (18 birds) from Lake Earl, Lake Talawa, near Orick, Elk Head, AB, AMP, North Spit, HBNWR, ERWA, Camp Weott, Shelter Cove, Glass Beach, Ft. Bragg. 18 Sep-27 Oct (mo): Blackpoll Warbler (FR): 1, base of Bald Hills Road, 7-8 Oct (KI); 1 banded, Lanphere Dunes, 26 Sep (JT); 1, Camp Weott, 27 Sep (SMcA); Black-and-white Warbler (FR): 1, Elk Head, 27 Sep (TMcK, ST. JHa); 1, base, Bald Hills Road, 11 Oct (KI); 1, AMP, 26-27 Oct (JT, et al.): American Redstart (FR): 1, mouth, Redwood Creek, 8 Oct (KI): Northern Waterthrush (FR): 1, AOP, 23 Sep (SH); 1 recapture (banded on 21 Sep), Lanphere Dunes, 26, 28 Sep, 5 Oct (JT): Western Tanager (ID): 1, Lanphere Dunes, 5 Oct (JT, JW): Spotted (type) Towhee (IP): 1 male (?) with only 6 tiny white spots in parts of 2 rows on each wing and a faint gray smudge on each side of the scapulars, otherwise dark on back and wings, made us wonder about an Eastern Towhee for a while, Elk Head, 25-28 Sep (ST. MC, BA. SH, et al.): California Towhee (IL): 1, mouth of Redwood Creek, 8 Oct (KI): Clay-colored Sparrow (FR): 1, Ferndale Bottoms, 28 Sep (TMcK, ST): Brewer’s Sparrow (FR): 1, beach at mouth, Redwood Creek, 2-4 Oct (KI): Lark Sparrow (EL): 10, Mail Ridge, 10 Sep (JG): Swamp Sparrow (FR): 1, Lake Earl/Lake Talawa, 28 Sep (AB); 1, AMP, 7 Oct (RF); 1, Bracut Salt Marsh, 15 Oct (DF); 1-2, Butcher Slough, 26-27 Oct (JT, et al.): Golden-crowned Sparrow (IP): 1, albino, all white, pink bill, and feet, dark eye, Briceland, 11 Oct (RS): White-throated Sparrow (EM): Arrived right on schedule, examples: 1, Smith River Bottoms, 28 Sep (AB); 1 Ft. Bragg, 17-19 Oct (DT); 1, Sunny Brae, 22 Oct (SH): Slate-colored Junco (FR): 1 banded, Lanphere Dunes, (JT): Lapland Longspur (EM): 2, Lake Talawa, 18 Oct (RF, AB, KR); 1 by call, mouth, Redwood Creek, 27 Sep (KI); 1-3, South Spit, Humboldt Bay, 18-26 Oct (RLeV, MW, RF, JC) 1, Briceland, 10 Oct (RS): Chestnut-collared Longspur (FR): 1, Lake Earl, 4 Oct (AB, JG); 1, Pt. St. George, 18 Oct (AB, RF, KR): Rose-breasted Grosbeak (FR): 1 male, still at Orick, 27 Sep (KI): Dickcissel (FR): 1, Smith River Bottoms, 28 Sep (AB); 1, Briceland, 10 Oct (RS): Bobolink (FR): l-7, Smith River Bottoms, 28 Sep-18 Oct (AB, RF, KR); 3, AB, 22 Sep (ST); 1, mouth, Jacoby Creek, 9 Oct (RF); 2, AOP, 15 Oct (SH); 1, ERWA, 22 Sep (SMcA, KR): Yellow-headed Blackbird (FR): 1, Smith River Bottoms, 1-18 Oct (FA, RF, AB, KR, RLeV): Common Grackle (ND, FR): 1, Alexandre Dairy, Smith River Bottoms, 18 Oct (KR, RF).

The observation (from a kayak!) of a Great White Shark “killing and consuming” a harbor seal near Trinidad, 25 Sep, must have made MM a bit uneasy, but then JW and MP watched a Great White eat another harbor seal from the safety of NJ, 20 Oct! Local surfers, beware! Seven or eight Western Gulls were seen mobbing a harbor seal that had a rather large salmon in Eel River at Cock Robin Island Bridge, 19 Oct (SH). They kept the seal underwater by diving on it and standing on it’s back and pecking its head every time it tried to come up for air, but traffic on the road prevented me from observing the ultimate outcome! SC watched a Red-tailed Hawk eat a White-tailed Kite, 22 Oct. MRWA, but was uncertain if the hawk killed the kite or found it as carrion. SH watched a Peregrine knock down a dowitcher, but then, after many aerial dos-i-dos, lost it to a Harrier, who, in turn, lost it when it escaped and ran into heavy reeds at ERWA, 24 Oct. probably to be eaten at night by a raccoon? It ain’t easy being a predator!

Good Mammals reported: Ring-tailed Cat, near Somes Bar, 25 Oct (RLeV, CMcA); Humpbacked Whale, 3, off Eureka, 26 Oct (JW).

Many thanks to the following who shared observations with us this month. Keep up the good work: Frank Anderson, Art Barab, Alan Barron, Ode Bernstein, Gary Bloomfield, Heather Brown, Barbara Burek, Scott Carey, Mark Colwell, Eric Concannon, Irene and Warren Crane, Ruth Crane, Jennifer Curtis, Elliot and Melanie Dabill, Kit Davenport, Sylvia DeRoy, Duke Diehl, Ray Ekstrom, Patric Field, David Fix, Rob Fowler, Barry Frauppe, John Gaffin, Joe Gartland, Rebecca Green, Jessica Hallman, Melody Hamilton, Mike Harris, Stan Harris, Matt Hinton, Denise Homer, John Hunter, Ken Irwin, Nicholas Jensen, Matt Johnson, Dale Kuhn, Tom Leskiw, Ron LeValley, John Mahan, Dan Maxwell, Charlene McAllister, Sean McAllister, Tristian McKee, Michael Morris, Mark Morrissette. Eric Nelson, Gary Nielsen, Gretchen O’Brien, Chet Ogan, Jayne Oliver, Mike Paladini; C. J. Ralph, Bill Rodstrom, Kerry Ross, J. Seegar, Mary Severdia, Skip Shoemaker, Dennis Shuber, Paul Springer, Tim Stewart, Roy Sunstrom, Jim Tietz, Dorothy Tobkin, Steve Tucker Eric W., Matt Wachs, Doug Wallace, Catharine Walling, Woods (Robert Sutherland), Jared Wolfe, Dan Van Ziles, Margaret Varga. Please send future reports to me at 1595 Charles Ct., Arcata, Calif, 95521, phone them to me at (707) 822- 3802, phone them to the Arcata Bird Box at (707) 822-5666, or write them on the observation board at the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center, South G. Street, Arcata.