Field Notes

by Stan Harris

27 September - 24 October 2005

Waterfowl migration is in full swing with new birds arriving daily. Landbird migration seems to be pretty much over. Pelagic trips out of Ft. Bragg on 25 Sep (fide EE) and out of Eureka on 2 Oct (fide SH) had smaller than normal numbers of nearly everything, continuing the legacy of a poor upwelling summer offshore. Perhaps the best find was 2 Blue Whales off Eureka. Foraging River Otters in Klopp Lake have delighted most observers all month. Balmy, very nice fall weather, one welcome shower, and fog pretty much confined to the early a.m. provided generally good viewing conditions, but these were somewhat offset by prices at the gas pump of $3.00+ a gallon and the failure of the Arcata Bird Box in mid Oct, both of which seriously curtailed the reports I have to share. Please make efforts to car pool and phone me directly with any future reports you care to share until the Bird Box is up and running again. Abbreviations used: AB = Arcata Bottoms; AMP = Arcata Marsh Project; AOP = Arcata Oxidation Pond; BRR = Bear River Ridge; BSLP= Butcher Slough Log Pond; CRI = Cock Robin Island; EB = Entrance Bight, Humboldt Bay; EL = Expected Location; EM = Expected Migrant; FR = Few Records; GW = Gee Whiz report; ID = Interesting Date; IIT = Interesting, If True; IL = Interesting Location; IN = Interesting Numbers; mo = Many Observers; MRCP = Mad River County Park; MS = Monitored Species; NC = Not Confirmed; ND = No Description or Details; OP = Oxidation Pond; SRNF = Six Rivers National Forest (Trinity Co.); UCI= Uncertain Identification: x = Numbers not reported.

“Cackling” Cackling Goose (FR): 1 with 90 Western Canada Geese, AOP, 22-23 Oct (SH, MV); Aleutian Cackling Goose (EM): I have received at least 21 reports of flocks of 50-200 flying generally south and southeast over the region, 4-24 Oct (mo): Wood Duck (IN): 1 discrete flock of 21 observed at BSLP and momentarily along the north shore of Klopp Lake, 8 Oct (MA, SH); Gadwall (IN): 50-120, feeding on duckweed, Allen Marsh, 7-17 Oct (SH); Eurasian Wigeon (EM): 1 male, Hookton Slough, 1 Oct (SMcA); 1 male, AMP, 9 Oct; 1-2 females, AMP (mostly Gearheart and Allen Marshes), 28 Sep-20 Oct (SH, EE, KR, SC); 1 female, Eureka Sewage Ponds, 22 Oct (SMcA); Blue-winged Teal (EM): 1 female, Ferndale OP, 29 Sep (SMcA); 9 reports of up to 2 males and 5 females at AMP/AOP, 28 Sep-12 Oct (SH, AL, anon); Ring-necked Duck (IL, IN): 14, AOP, 24 Oct (SH, AL); Harlequin (EM): 3-4, King Salmon, 10-18 Oct (MW, KB); Black Scoter (FR): 1, King Salmon, 18 Oct (MW, KB); Long-tailed Duck (FR): 1, King Salmon, 16-18 Oct (MW, KB); Bufflehead (EM): First seen (13 birds), 23 Oct, Klopp Lake, and adjacent bay (SH): Hooded Merganser (FR): 1 female, BSLP, 8 Oct (SH, AL).

Loons coming south

Pacific Loon (EM): 27, EB, 14 Oct (MW); Yellow-billed Loon (ND, NC, IIT): 1 reported, Hookton Slough, 4 Oct (MM) but a follow-up search 2 days later found only a Common Loon; Red-necked Grebe (EM): x-12, King Salmon, 2-18 Oct (MW, KB); 2, Freshwater Lagoon, 7 Oct (AL); Horned Grebe (EM): 3, Bay at AOP, 24 Oct (SH, AL); Western Grebe (EM): 45 at EB on 2 Oct had increased to 455 by 19 Oct (MW); Short-tailed Shearwater (FR): 3, off Ft. Bragg, 25 Sep (EE); Double-crested Cormorant (IN): 1,500, King Salmon, 2 Oct (MW); Brandt’s Cormorant (IL): An unexpected distribution offshore on 2 Oct included birds constantly in sight all the way out to 11 miles and 30 at a bait station 3-4 miles out (LG, SH, et al.); American Bittern (FR): 1 AMP, 12 Oct; 1, AOP, 17 Oct (both SH); Cattle Egret (FR): 1, V St. Loop, 22 Oct (SH); Ferruginous Hawk (FR): 1, BRR, 12 Oct (AT, SMcA); 1, Bald Hills Road, Fort Bragg 18 Oct (RLeV); Rough-legged Hawk (ID): 1, BRR, 28 Sep (SMcA); Merlin (EM): Singles at AMP/AOP, 29-30 Sep (GC, SH), King Salmon, 15 Oct (MW), and Mad River Slough, 18 Oct (DD); Sandhill Crane (FR): 1 chased by car across part of Eureka resulted in an adequate “no binocular” description based substantially on reports of this species’ unique wing beat!, 15 Oct (RF, JC).

Plovers from both sides

American Golden-Plover (FR): 1, CRI , 15-16 Oct (SMcA, rumors of photos?, RF, SC); Pacific Golden-Plover: Singles reported at King Salmon, 27 and 29 Sep (MW), and in a plowed field north of the P.G.&E power plant, 1 Oct (SMcA), possibly represent the same bird; another on Foster Road, AB, 23-24 Oct (RF), 3, end of Pala Road, Del Norte County, 8 Oct (RLeV);. American Avocet (IN): Many fewer than expected at AMP, Klopp Lake, Butcher Slough, with maximum counts in the low 30s (usually fewer), 1-23 Oct (SH); Wandering Tattler (IL): 1, King Salmon, 2 Oct (MW); Whimbrel (EM): Only 2 reported, both at Woodley Island, 2 Oct (SH, LG); Red Knot: Singles (only) reported at Klopp Lake, 28 Sep (EE), and Hookton Slough, 1 Oct (SMcA); Surfbird (IL): 3 at King Salmon, 26 Sep, were somewhat out of expected places (MW); Pectoral Sandpiper (EM): 2, MRCP, 29 Sep (KR); 1, AB, 23-24 Oct (RF); Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (FR): 1, King Salmon, 1 Oct (SMcA); Dunlin (EM): Had arrived in force by mid-Oct with 500-600 at Klopp Lake, 10-23 Oct (mo); Ruff (FR): 1 “imm,” CRI, 9 Oct (SC); 1 “reeve,” AB, 24 Oct (RF); Red-necked Phalarope (ID): 1 at CRI, 16 Oct (SC), was on the late side. Pomarine Jaeger (EM): 2, off Ft. Bragg, 25 Sep (EE); 3, off Eureka, 2 Oct (LG, SH, et al.); Forster’s Tern (EM): 1-5 seen at AMP, 12-24 Oct, are perhaps the beginning of our usual wintering flock (SH, SC, AL).

Only Gull?

Mew Gull (EM): 1 imm, mouth of Redwood Creek, 2 Oct (SC); 15, foot of I Street, Arcata, 18 Oct (SH); Common Murre (IN): Many fewer than expected (only 15) off Ft. Bragg, 25 Sep (EE), but somewhat more normal numbers (250-300) off Humboldt Bay, 2 Oct (LG, SH, et al); Marbled Murrelet (MS): 1 (only) off Freshwater Lagoon Beach, 2 Oct (SC); Cassin’s Auklet (IN): Only 5 off Ft. Bragg, 25 Sept (EE), and only 20-30 off Humboldt Bay, 2 Oct (SH), far fewer than expected in fall; Tufted Puffin (FR): 1 on water, winter plumage, good study, 8 miles west of Table Bluff, 2 Oct (SH, LG, et al.); Northern Pygmy Owl: 1, near Fish Lake, 6 Oct (TL); 1, SRNF, 17-18 Oct (TL); Saw-whet Owl (FR): 1, SRNF, 17-18 Oct (TL); Vaux’s Swift (ID): x, Big Lagoon, 2 Oct (SC); Probable Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (FR, UCI): 1 immature, Bayside, 16 Oct (DF): Yellow-shafted Flicker (ND, NC): 1, Hookton Slough, 19 Oct (DD); Pacific-slope Flycatcher (ID): 1 calling, Trinidad, 7 Oct (MeH); Say’s Phoebe: 1, Kneeland, 25 Sep (BB, DVZ); Tropical Kingbird (FR): 1, Eureka, 10 Oct (BS); Western Kingbird (ID): 1, Trinidad, 7 Oct (MeH); Blue-headed Vireo (ND, NC): 1, above Indian Beach, Trinidad, 6 Oct (MeH); Violet-green Swallow (ID): 75, Big Lagoon, 2 Oct (SC); Barn Swallow (GW): The last one I saw this summer was caught after 10 passes in midair and carried away by a Merlin, over AOP, 30 Sep (SH); Gray Jay (EL): 1, Sunny Brae, 27 Sep (MMo); 1, Gold Bluffs Beach (Boat Creek), 22 Oct (G&LL); Steller’s Jay (IL): 1, Lanphere Dunes, 29 Sep (JW); Clark’s Nutcracker (FR): 1, Horse Mountain, 5 Oct (AL); Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (FR, IL): 1, MRCP, 29 Sep (KR); Rock Wren (FR, IL): 1, on railing of Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center, 2 Oct (JS, fide TL); Dipper (EL): 2, mouth of Ti Creek (Siskiyou Co), 12 Oct (TL); x, New River at Denny, 16 Oct (LM); Swainson’s Thrush: (ID): 1, Trinidad, 7 Oct (MeH); Mockingbird: 1, Fairhaven, 8 Oct (MW); 1, Loleta, 12 Oct (GL); Nashville Warbler (EM): singles at Arcata, 27 Sep (JK), at AMP, 7 Oct (GC), and above Indian Beach, 6 Oct (MeH); Yellow Warbler (ID): 2, Orick Dump, 2 Oct (SC); 1 above Indian Beach, 6 Oct (MeH); Chestnut-sided Warbler: Singles reported at Orick Dump, 26 Sep (KI), Aldergrove Pond, Arcata, 27 Sep (BA), and base of North Jetty, 29 Sep (DF); Magnolia Warbler (FR): 1, Fairhaven (Horse Pasture), 29 Sep (KS); Black-throated Gray Warbler (EM): Singles at Myers Flat, 2 Oct, and at Bayshore Mall willows, 3 Oct (both TL); Hermit Warbler (ID): 1, Orick Dump, 2 Oct (SC); Palm Warbler (EM): 1, AMP, 17-20 Oct (SH, KB); Bay-breasted Warbler (ND, NC): 1, along V St. Loop 28 Sep (JW); Blackpoll Warbler (FR): 3 reports of singles from Bayshore Mall willows, Eureka, and CRI, 1-3 Oct (TL, LB-O, SMcA); Black-and-white Warbler (FR): 1, BSLP, 27 Sep (DF); 1, Allen Marsh, 19 Oct (JT, RF, DF); Wilson’s Warbler (ID): 2, above Indian Beach, 6 Oct (MeH)

No more Warblers

Western Tanager (ID): x, above Indian Beach, 6 Oct (MeH); Spotted Towhee (EM): 1, Denny, 5 Oct (LM); Clay-colored Sparrow (FR): Singles reported 0.5 mile east of Orick Oxbow, 26 Sep (KI); Fulmor Road, 2 Oct (SMcA); Eureka, 19-21 Oct (TL, KB); Bayside, 20-24 Oct (DF); and AMP, 22 Oct (FA, LT, et al.); Vesper Sparrow (FR): 1, Freshwater Lagoon Beach, 2 Oct (GB); White-throated Sparrow (EM): Usual wintering birds appeared at feeders and elsewhere throughout the month (mo); Swamp Sparrow (EM): 1, AMP, 17-19 Oct (SH, JT); Lapland Longspur (EM): x, plowed field north of PG&E Power Plant, 1 Oct (SMcA); 2, Freshwater Lagoon Beach, 2 Oct (GB); 1 flyover, V St. Loop, 8 Oct (RF); Chestnut-collared Longspur (FR): 1, BRR, 22 Oct (SMcA); Bobolink (FR): 2 flyover, heard only “pink calls,” Eureka, 3 Oct (BS); Western Meadowlark (EM, IL): x, Denny (“here every fall”), 5 Oct (LM); Evening Grosbeak: 5, Hiller Park, 30 Sep (KR, MaM); 4, Redwood Sciences Lab, 4 Oct (KS).