Field Notes

by Stan Harris

25 August - 21 September

Abbreviations used: 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 Report: HBNWR = Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge; ID = Interesting Date: IIT interesting, if true; IL = Interesting Location; IN = Interesting Numbers; MRCP = Mad River County Park; mo = Many Observers; MS Monitored Species; NC = Not Confirmed; ND = No Details; SHCP = Southern Humboldt Community Park, Garberville.

Nice summer weather, but a dry month broken by one day of misty showers including a little snap, crackle, and pop of thunder! Three pelagic trips were conducted with not much to shout about, but the usual suspects. Birds seemed somewhat more abundant off Ft. Bragg on 13 Sep than off Eureka on either 7 or 14 Sep. September is our prime month for fall migration and many old friends either left us or arrived right on historic schedules: Examples were a RED-NECKED GREBE at mouth of Elk River on 6 Sep (RH), 1 GREEN-W1NGED TEAL at Briceland 6 Sep (CO, RS), and the arrival of the first RING-NECKED DUCK at BSLP on 16 Sep (SH). Beginning in late Aug RAILS, had increased to 16 VIRGINIAS and 3-5 SORAS detected at AOP/AMP by 16 Sep (mo), the usual summer population of 6-8 COOTS at AOP increased to 50 by 3 Sep and to 100+ by 16 Sep (SH). The onshore flights of RED-NECKED PHALAROPES that began last month continued into Sep with a peak of 400 seen at AOP on 5 Sep, but only 1 was left by the 8^th (SH). The usual September trickle of expected migrants along the coast of things like CASSIN’S AND WARBLING VIREO, BLACK-THROATED GRAY, TOWNSEND’S, AND WILSON’S WARBLERS and WESTERN TANAGERS turned into a virtual avalanche of WILLOW FLYCATCHERS (20 reports of 1-4 from Orick, Little River, Shay Park, MRCP, North Spit, Junction City; Willow Creek, AMP/AOP, Eel River, HBNWR, SHCP, FT. BRAGG, including 4 reported banded, 23 Aug-18 Sep (mo), YELLOW WARBLERS (20+ at MRCP and 8-15 at AMP/AOP, 30-31 Aug,, JK, JT et al.,) and COMMON YELLOWTIIROATS (10+ at AOP, 29 Aug, SH, et al.). The first of our wintering LINCOLN’S SPARROWS were seen 17-18 Sep at Crescent City and BSLP (FA, KR), apparent migrant WHITE-CROWNED AND GOLDEN-CROWED SPARROWS appeared at Willow Creek, Groves Prairie, AMP, and Sunny Brae, 16-21 Sep (TL, SH, et al) and our usual wintering SOOTY FOX SPARROWS arrived right on schedule with 1 at MIRCP, 8 Sep (BA, CR); and 9+ at BSLP, 18 Sep (KR, BA). Meanwhile, seasonal food sources in the form of ripe blackberries and cord grass seed attracted 10’s to 100’s of CEDAR WAXWINGS, STARLINGS, AND RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS at AMP/AOP and elsewhere. Read on for the “Wow” things and more details about the march of the seasons.

BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS (EM): 50 seen off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep (RLeV et al.); 5-15 off Eureka, 7, 14 Sep (MC, et al.): PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER (EM): most common shearwater seen off Eureka, where they outnumbered Sooty Shearwaters 2 to 1 with 200 seen on 7 Sep and 50 on 14 Sep (MC et al.), but at Ft Bragg, this species was outnumbered by Sooty Shearwaters, 5 to 1 (RLeV et al.); 1 was seen from shore, foot of Murray Road, 17 Sep (RF): BULLER’S SHEARWATER (EM): 3 off Eel River and Eureka, 7 Sep (MC, et al); 3-4 off Eureka, 14 Sep (MC, et al.); 15 off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep (RLeV et al.); BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER (FR): 1 off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep (RLeV, et al.): BROWN PELICAN (IN): 2200, Trinidad, 7 Sep (MeH): AMERICAN BITTERN (FR): 1, Gearheart Marsh, 27 Aug (JB, LLR); 1, AOP (JT, BC, SH); 1, BSLP, 21 Sep (KR): Mystery small white heron/egret, with gray feathers in back, otherwise like Snowy, (Little Blue?, ID. not certain), ERWA, 18 Sep (SMcA): GREEN HERON (FR): 5 reports of 1-2 from BSLP, SHCP, 30 Aug-21 Sep (JT, JS, SH. KR): BLUE-WINGED TEAL (FR): 4 reports of singles from AMP, 30 Aug-18 Sep (JT, FA, SH: HARLEQUIN DUCK (FR): 1, King Salmon, 2-6, Ft. Bragg, 16 Aug-14 Sep (DT); 12 Sep (BA, CR); 1, south end, Spanish Flat, Lost Coast, 31 Aug (RR, TR): HOODED MERGANSER (FR): 2, AOP, 3 Sep (BC, SH); 2, lower Mad River, 18 Sep (BA): BALD EAGLE (MS): only 1 report!, 1 ad, Todd Ranch, 19 Sep (T& SL): AMERICAN KESTREL (IN): 14!, Spanish Flat to Big Flat, Lost Coast, 29 Aug-1 Sep ( RR, TR): MERLIN (MS): 1 (black), Cock Robin Island, 7 Sep (SMcA): PEREGRINE FALCON (MS): 13 reports of 1-2 from Lake Earl, Clam Beach, lower Mad River, AMP, AOP, Woodley Island, SHCP, 26 Aug-19 Sep (mo), many reports of 2 chasing Red-necked Phalaropes on AOP: RUFFED GROUSE (FR): 3, north of Orleans nearly to Humboldt/Siskiyou County line, 17 Sep (IL): BLUE GROUSE (IN): 12, seen between Berry Summit and Highway 36 along Forest Service Route 1, 27 Aug (IL): AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER (FR): 1, MRCP, 6 Sep (ST): PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER (FR): 1, lower Mad River, 30 Aug (KI); 1, Cock Robin Island, 13 Sep (KI): 1, ERWA, 17, 20 Sep (SMcA); 1, Ft Bragg, 19 Sep (DI): SNOWY PLOVER (MS): 10 pairs, 31 nesting attempts, only 1 chick fledged, Clam Beach; 2 pairs, 3 nesting attempts, 3 chicks fledged, South Spit and ERWA Beach; 28 chicks fledged, Eel River gravel bars, all “Summer 2003” (MC): BLACK-NECKED STILT (FR): 1, Gobel Lane, Ferndale Bottoms, 2-11 Sep (SMcA): LESSER YELLOWLEGS (MS): 10, south end, Clam Beach 3 Sep (KR); 1, Eel River gravel bar up from Fernbridge, 5 Sep (RH); 1, Virgin Ck. Beach, Ft. Bragg, 21 Aug-19 Sep (DI): SOLITARY SANDPIPER (FR): 1, mouth of Widow White Creek, 2 Sep (KR, JM); 1, Arcata Bottoms, Pacheco Lane, 10 Sep (KR): WANDERING TATTLER (IN): 17, Houda Point, 2 Sep (MeH): RUDDY TURNSTONE (EL): 4 reports of singles from MRCP, Klopp Lake, ERWA, 30 Aug -13 Sep (JT, JK, FA, BA, CR): SURFBIRD (IL): 1, Klopp Lake, 30 Aug (JT): RED KNOT (IN): 11 reports of 1-23(!) from AOP, AMP, mouth Jacoby Creek, Elk R. mouth, ERWA, Cock Robin Island, Ft. Bragg, 30 Aug-20 Sep (mo): SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (FR): 2-3, Lake Earl, 30 Aug (TE); 1, south end, Clam Beach, 4 Sep (BA): BAIRD’S SANDPIPER (IN): 12 reports of 1-84 (! a new record for a single count) from Lake Talawa, Crescent Beach, Clam Beach, MRCP, Elk River mouth, Cock Robin Island, ERWA, Ft. Bragg, 25 Aug-13 Sep (mo): PECTORAL SANDPIPER (EM): 6 reports of 1-21 (!) from Lake Earl, MRCP, AB, 25 Aug-19 Sep (mo): STILT SANDPIPER (FR): 1, Lake Earl, 30 Aug (TE); 1, Cock Robin Island, 7 Sep (BA, CR); 1, ERWA, 7,20 Sep (KI, SMcA): BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (FR): 1 juv, Lake Talawa, west side, 4 Sep (AB, JG): RUFF (FR): 1, Eel River gravel bar upstream from Fernbridge, 5 Sep (RH).

Gray, Gray, Gray

SOUTH POLAR SKUA (FR): 3-5, off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep (RLeV); 1, off Eureka, 14 Sep (BA, RF, et al): Ten reports of PARASITIC JAEGERS offshore Eureka and Ft. Bragg and around Humboldt Bay, 5-14 Sep (mo) were about as expected, but only 2 reports of POMARINE JAEGERS, offshore Eureka and Ft. Bragg, were fewer than usual. LONG-TAILED JAEGER (EM): 1, off Eel River, 7 Sep (MC, SH, et al.); 4, off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep RLeV, et al): LAUGHING GULL (FR): 1 remained at ERWA, 24 Aug-20 Sep (BA, CR, JH, IL, KI, SMcA): BLACK-HEADED GULL (FR): 1 juv, still present at Lake Earl, 23-30 Aug (GC, MM, CV, BA, RW): SABINE’S GULL (EM): 200, off Eel River and Eureka, 7 Sep (MC, SH, et al.) (but none off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep. RLeV, DT, et al.): ARCTIC TERN (EM): 1, off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep (RLeV, et al.): LEAST TERN (FR, GW): 1 juv, Virgin Creek Beach, Ft. Bragg, (only the second record ever for Mendocino County, the first was last month!) 25-26 Aug (DI): LONG-BILLED MURRELET (FR, GW): 1 in winter plumage, Trinidad Harbor, 30 Aug-2 Sep (PH, et al., well studied photos): TUFTED PUFFIN (FR): 1, off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep (DI, et al.): BARRED OWL (MS): 1, calling, Carlotta, 21 Aug (JW): BLACK SWIFT (ID): 2, Azalea Hill, 6 Sep (GL); 1, near Lake Earl, 6 Sep (KR): COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD (FR): 1 male, apparently returned to a FORTUNA feeder for the second straight year, 12 Sep (BN): CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD (IIT): 1 possible bird reported at Fieldbrook, 5 Sep (ID based on size only, JaG): LEWIS’S WOODPECKER (FR): 1, near Junction City, 28 Aug (EE); 1, mouth of Grouse Creek x Trinity River, 18 Sep (MG): ACORN WOODPECKER (IL): 1, Lanphere Dunes, 27 Aug (JI); 1, AMP, 9 Sep (DM): EASTERN PHOEBE (IIT): 1 ad, I juv, reported (description incomplete, ID?) , Trinity Center, 13 Aug (BH): SAY’S PHOEBE (EM): 1, Pala Road, Smith River Bottoms, 6 Sep (KR, SMcA); 1, Burnt Ranch, 7 Sep (AW); 1, SHCP, 14 Sep (DW): EASTERN KINGBIRD (FR): 1, mouth, Elk River, 25 Aug (MW, KR); 1, Ft. Bragg, 6 Sep (DT): PLUMBEOUS VIRIEO (FR): 1, Scenic Drive near Trinidad, 2 Sep (MeH, “very gray and white”): BLUE-HEADED VIREO (FR, NC, ND): 1, Orick Dump, 31 Aug (KI,) 1. Salt River, 10 Sep (SMcA): RED-EYED VIREO (FR, NC, ND): 2, base of Bald Hills Road, 16 Sep (KI): HORNED LARK (IN): 12, Bear River Ridge, 20 Sep (SMcA): TREE, VIOLET-GREEN AND BARN SWALLOWS (IN): sudden appearance of “100’s” just after thundershowers, Ferndale, 3 Sep (WD, fide CO): DIPPER (FR): 2, along Mad River just north of Highway 36, 27 Aug (TL); 1, along creek, Lost Coast, Spanish Flat to Big Flat, 30-31 Aug (RR, TR): NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (MS): 1 Horse Pasture, Fairhaven, 30 Aug (KR, MW); 1, Entrance Patch, Fairhaven, 7 Sep (JH): TENNESSEE WARBLER (EM): 1, above Baker Beach, 21 Sep (MeH); 1-2, MRCP, 31 Aug-2 Sep (JT, KI); 1, Bayshore Mall, 3 Sep (TL); 1, Orick Dump; 1, base of Bald Hills Road, both 18 Sep (KR, RF): VIRGINIA’S WARBLER (FR): 1, Lake Cleone, Ft. Bragg, 15-16 Sep (DT) (only the second Mendocino County record): PARULA WARBLER (FR): 1, MRCP, 2-6 Sep (RF, BA, CR): CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER (FR): 1, MRCP, 31 Aug (JT); 1, Orick Dump, 16 Sep (KI): MAGNOLIA WARBLER (FR): 1, Orick Dump, 31 Aug (Ki): TOWNSEND’S X HERMIT WARBLER (IIT; ND): 1, base of Bald Hills Road, 18 Sep (KR, RF): BAY-BREASTED WARBLER (FR): 1, vic Trinidad, 2 Sep (MeH), “buff on flanks and undertail coverts”: BLACKPOLL WARBLER (FR): 1, vic Trinidad, 2 Sep (MeH); 1, Woodley Island, 9 Sep (MW, RF): BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (FR): I female, vic. Trinidad, 2 Sep (MeH); 2, KOA Campground, Bracut, 17 Sep (F & CS fide DF): AMERICAN REDSTART (FR): 1 female, MRCP, 2 Sep (JK, KI); 1, Airport Willows, Fairhaven, 5 Sep (MW): NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (FR): 1, AOP (SH); 2, HBNWR, (PH) all 2 Sep; 1 banded, Lanphere Dunes, 21 Sep (fide RF): GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE (IL): 1, No Name Pond, 30 Aug (BA); VESPER SPARROW (FR): 1, SHCP, 20 Sep (RS): LARK SPARROW (IL): 1, Hilfiker Lane, Eureka, 1 Sep (KR); 1, SHCP, 14 Sep (DW): FOX SPARROW (GRAY-HEADED) (FR): 25+, up Canyon Creek Road north of Junction City at 500-700 feet elevation in burnt over tobacco plants and scrub oak, 6 Sep (EE): ROSE- BREASTED GROSBEAK (FR): 1 female, vic. Trinidad, 2 Sep (MeH), good phone description; 1 male, Orick Dump, 16 Sep (KI, FA): DICKCISSEL (FR): 1 flyover, sound shot, Lanphere Dunes, 10 Sep (JT): YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (FR): 3, AOP/AMP, salt marsh with Red-winged Blackbirds, 28-30 Aug (JT, et al.); 1 female, Moxon Road, 12 Sep (KR): HOODED ORIOLE (ID): 1 female, Arcata, 1 Sep (GB): RED CROSSBILL (ID): adults and new fledglings at feeders, Fortuna and Bayside, 16-17 Sep (RC, DF, JP).

Interesting Mammals were reported as follows: BLUE WHALE, 1 off Table Bluff, 0.75 miles, 7 Sep (MC, SH, et al.); 6 off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep (RLeV, et al.): HUMPBACKED WHALE, 3 off Eel River, 8 miles, 7 Sep ( MC, SH et al); 6-8 off Eureka, 8 miles, 14 Sep (MC, SH, et al.): ELEPHANT SEAL, 1 off Eel River, 7 Sep (MC, et al.); 2 off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep (RLeV, et al.): DALL’S PORPOISE, 25-30 off Eel River, 7 Sep (MC, SH, et al.): STELLER’S SEA LION, 1 off Ft. Bragg, 13 Sep 03, (RLeV, et al): MINK, 2 (1 small), AOP, 21 Aug (DC): SHORT-TAILED WEASEL: 1 nest, in shed at AOP, summer (MS).