Field Notes

by Stan Harris

22 August - 26 September 2005

The silly season is in full swing!  Typical fall days, no rain, fall migrants are busy doing their thing.  One pelagic trip to 11 miles west of Eel River by the HSU Ornithology Class found smaller than expected numbers of most species, a legacy, no doubt, of the upwelling failure this summer.  Many fall migrants seemed to arrive or pass through a few days earlier than normal.   Abbreviations used:  AB = Arcata Bottoms; AMP = Arcata Marsh Project; AOP = Arcata Oxidation Pond; BR = Brood Record; BRR = Bear River Ridge; BSLP = Butcher Slough Log Pond; CRI = Cock Robin Island; EB  = Entrance Bite, Humboldt Bay; EL = Expected Location; ERWA = Eel River Wildlife Area; Elk RWA= Elk River Wildlife Area; EM = Expected migrant; GM = Gearheart Marsh; GW = Gee Whiz report; HBNWR = Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge; HO = Hold Over; ID = Interesting Date; IL = Interesting Location; IN = Interesting Numbers; mo= Many Observers; MRCP= Mad River County Park; NC= Not Confirmed; ND = No Description or Details; OP = Oxidation Pond; UD = Uncertain Details.

Greater White-fronted Goose (EM): x (heard only), Trinidad, 26 Aug (early!), (KI); 61, flying high over the Bucktail River access near Lewiston, 21 Sep (EE); “few,” vic Davison Road, 22 Sep (KI); 1, MRCP, 24 Sep (JK, AS); Tundra Swan (ID): 1 (early or perhaps oversummering?), flyover, CRI, 16 Sep (SMcA); Blue-winged Teal (EM): 1 female, Ferndale OP, 5-6 Sep (SMcA); 1 male, GM, 17 Sep (SC); 1-2 males, 3 females, BSLP, 22-23 Sep (SH, MV); Harlequin Duck (HO): 1, King Salmon, 1-23 Sep (MW); Surf Scoter: 125-130 suddenly in EB, 1-15 Sep (MW); White-winged Scoter: x, Crescent Beach, 24 Aug (HB); 3 at EB, 10 Sept (MW, first seen there since Jun); Hooded Merganser: 1, juv., 25 Aug, ERWA (SMcA); 1 male, 4 females, Stone Lagoon, 4 Sep; 1 male, AOP, 5 Sep (both SC); Ruffed Grouse (EL): 1, near Somes Bar, Sisk. Co. (6 Sep) TL; Mountain Quail (IL): 2 adults + 12 juv, Kneeland Road, 17 Aug (BB); Pacific Loon (IN, ID, HO): 21-126 seen almost daily, EB, 23 Aug-23 Sep (MW); Red-necked Grebe (EM): 5-12, King Salmon, 6-23 Sep (MW); Eared Grebe (EM): 1, AOP, 22 Sep (SH); Western Grebe (EM): 15 (new arrivals), EB, 13 Sep (MW); Laysan Albatross: 1, 8 miles west of Eel River mouth, 10 Sep (LG, et al.); 2, near Humboldt Bay, 12 Sep (GF, fide BR); Ashy Storm-Petrel: 1, 8 and 11 miles west of Eel River (same bird?), 10 Sep (RF, LG, et al.); White Pelican: 1, Lake Earl, 28 Aug-4 Sep (AB); Brown Pelican (IN, IL): 200+ feeding frenzy with 3-4 Great Blue Herons, 10 Snowy and 60-70 Great Egrets, 150 Double-Crested Cormorants, 200-300 Western and Heermanns Gulls, and 5-6 Caspian Terns, in channel near AMP, 15 Sep (SH).

Cormorants are Common

Double-crested Cormorant (IN): 2,400 resting on mud channel banks of North Bay at low tide south of AMP/AOP, 22 Sep (SH); Great Egret: 1, flying over Trinity River, Douglas City, 19 Sep (DK); Bald Eagle: 1, Todd Ranch, 21 Aug (TL); 2 (first-year birds together), King Salmon, 23 Aug (MW); 1 ad., 7 miles down Klamath River from Happy Camp (Sisk. Co), 13 Sep (CO); Northern Goshawk (ND, NC): 1, seen to take a jay or a flicker, near Trinidad, 13 Sep (MeH); Ferruginous Hawk (ID): 1, Alexandre Dairy, 25 Sep (AB, JG); Merlin: 7 reports (8 birds), from Shay Park, Orick, BRR, Elk RWA, mouth of Willow Creek, Fairhaven, Tangle Blue Trail (Trinity Co.), 15-25 Sep (mo); Virginia Rail (BR): 1 adult with 3 new black chicks, Potawat Pond, 6 Aug (MV); migrants very vocal by mid-Sep (mo): Sora (EM): 1 full-grown juvenile bird, HBNWR, 11 Sep (DF, JP), others, conspicuously vocal by mid-Sep (mo); Pacific Golden Plover: 5 reports (6 birds) of 1-2 from mouth of Elk River, Ferndale Bottoms, CRI, AMP, South Spit, 1-24 Sep (BS, SMcA, DM, KR); American Avocet (IL): 2, South Bay at Field’s Landing (Clam Island), 6 Sep (MW); 3, Lake Earl, 28 Aug (AB); Greater Yellowlegs (IN): 30-200; ERWA, 2-14 Sep (DF, JP, SMcA); Lesser Yellowlegs (IN): 37-90, ERWA, 2-14 Sep (SMcA, DF, JP); Solitary Sandpiper: 1, Kinman pond on BRR, 26 Aug (SMcA); 1, end of Pala Road, 25 Sep (AB, JG); Wandering Tattler: 1, mud edge of lower Jolly Giant Creek, AMP, 31 Aug (SH); Red Knot: 5 reports of 1-6 from ERWA, AB, Klopp Lake, 29 Aug-20 Sep (SMcA; DF, JP, SC, DM); Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1, bay flats at AOP, 24 Aug (DF); 1, V St. Loop, 4 Sep (SC); Baird’s Sandpiper: 5 reports of 1-3 from South Spit, King Salmon, Mad River Beach, mouth of Mad River, CRI, 25 Aug-6 Sep (BS, MW, MV, DF, SMcA); Pectoral Sandpiper: 8 reports of 1-6 from AB, MRCP, ERWA, AMP, BRR (Kinman Pond), 27 Aug-24 Sep (KI, DF, SMcA, SC, EE, JK, AS); Dunlin (ID): 1, ERWA, 14 Sep (DF); 1, AMP, 18 Sep (EE); 7, South Spit, 24 Sep (KR); Stilt Sandpiper: 1-3, ERWA, 5-14 Sep (Lucas, DF, SMcA, JP); Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 1, South Spit, 25 Aug (SM, KR, BS); 1, AB, 2-3 Sep (KR, RF, SC); Ruff: 1 juv. male, ERWA, 2-7 Sep (mo); 1 juv male, Lake Earl, 4 Sep (AB); Long-billed Dowitcher (ID): 20, ERWA, 14 Sep (DF); 2, Kinman Pond, 21 Sep (SMcA); Wilson’s Snipe (ID): 1, V St. Loop, 10 Sep (SC).

Skuaaaaaaa

South Polar Skua: 1, 45 miles west of Trinidad, 17 Sep (PR); Pomarine Jaeger (EM): 1 (only) off Eel River to 11 miles, 10 Sep (RF, SH, et al.); 1, flying along BRR (!), 21 Sep (SMcA), joined a flight of Turkey Vultures (!), who else has had a mixed flock of Pomarine Jaeger and Turkey Vultures? What kind of sauce do you suppose the jaeger (or observer) was on? Parasitic Jaeger: 2 (only) off Eel River to 11 miles, 10 Sep (RF, et al.); 1, King Salmon, 23 Aug; 12 Sep (MW); Sabine’s Gull: 11 in groups of 1-3, off Eel River to 11 miles, 10 Sep (SH, LG, RF, et al.); Elegant Tern: 50, foot of Truesdale Street, 1 Sep (BS); 0 seen in a cruise the entire length of Eureka Channel and back, 10 Sep (SH, et al.); 5 (only), King Salmon, 13 Sep (MW); Common Tern: 3, Foot of Truesdale Street, 1 Sep (BS); 3 (reported as “Commic”), King Salmon, 7 Sep (MW); Pigeon Guillemot: 1, entrance of Humboldt Bay, 10 Sep (SH, et al.); Marbled Murrelet: 7, off Crescent Beach, 24 Aug (HB); x (heard only), Carruther’s Cove, 31 Aug (HB); Cassin’s Auklet: 3 (only), to 11 miles off Eel River, 10 Sep (LG, RF, SH, et al.); Tufted Puffin: 1, 7-8 miles west of Table Bluff, 10 Sep (SH, LG, et al.); Northern Pygmy Owl: 1, Big Bar on Klamath River (Sisk Co.), 12 Sep (CO); 1, Eureka, 25 Sep (LC); Burrowing Owl: 1, Redwood Creek Dike at Orick, 9 Sep (KI); 1, above Big Flat Campground, Trinity County, apparently catching insects on the road at night, 22 Sep (EE); Common Nighthawk (Update): 1, Crescent Beach, 18 Aug (HB); Poorwill: 1 catching moths at night over road above Big Flat Campground, Trinity County, 22 Sep (EE); Vaux’s Swift: 100, ERWA, 11 Sep (DF, JP); Lewis’s Woodpecker: 1, Ft. Dick, 18 Sep (AB); 6, Bucktail River Access, below Lewiston, 21 Sep (EE, PH); Acorn Woodpecker (IL): 3, BRR, 23 Sep (SMcA); Downy Woodpecker (IN): 6 in 2.5 miles of Salt River riparian cover, 11 Sep (SMcA); Olive-sided Flycatcher (ID): 1, Bayside, 3-5 Sep (sang 4 times on the 5th, DF); 1, Arcata, 18 Sep (RF); Wood Pewee (EM): 1, Blue Lake Hatchery, 11 Sep (SC); 1, Trinidad, 20 Sep (MeH); Willow Flycatcher: 15 reports of 1-2 from Arcata, Trinidad, Blue Lake, BSLP, Orick, Davison Road, ERWA, MRCP, 25 Aug-24 Sep (mo). Least Flycatcher (ND, NC): 1, Blue Lake, 29 Aug (DF); 1, Davison Road, 10 Sep (KI); Say’s Phoebe: 1, Douglas City, 9, 19 Sep (D & MK); 1, BRR, 21 Sep (SMcA); 2, Pt. St. George, 25 Sep (AB, JG); Eastern Kingbird: 1, vic, Orick Dump, 30 Aug (BS); Blue-headed Vireo (UD, ND, NC): 1, Capetown, 10 Sep; 1, ERWA, 16 Sep (both SMcA); 1, Orick/Orick Dump, 7, 17 Sep (KI); Philadelphia Vireo (ND, NC): 1, Orick Dump, 29 Aug (KI); Red-eyed Vireo (ND, NC): 1, Blue Lake Bottoms, 25 Aug (KS); 1, Orick Dump, 29 Aug, 5 Sep (KI); Horned Lark (BR): 5 new fledglings, BRR, 27 Aug (SMcA); Violet-green Swallow (EM): 380 on wires, Kneeland Road, 18 Aug (BB, DVZ); 400 on wires (2 flocks), AB, 11 Sep (SC); Bank Swallow: 1, AOP, 26 Aug (EE); Clark’s Nutcracker: 4, Tangle Blue Trail, 25 Sep (DK); Black-capped Chickadee (IN): 32 in 2.5 miles of Salt River Riparian, 11 Sep (compares to only 7 Chestnut-backed Chickadees in the same stretch, SMcA); Bushtit: “big flock,” Centerville Beach, 30 Aug (DF); White-breasted Nuthatch: 1, Fortuna, 20 Aug (RC);; Rock Wren: 1, AOP, 26-27 Aug (DF, KR, SC); House Wren (EM): 1, mouth of Elk River, 29 Aug ; 1, Fernbridge, 21 Sep (both SMcA); Ruby-crowned Kinglet (EM): 1, Azalea Hill, 10 Sep (GL); 1, Blue Lake Bottoms, 11 Sep (SC); Townsend’s Solitaire: 1, GO road near Summit Meadow, 25 Aug (TL); Swainson’s Thrush: 1, mouth of Willow Creek, 20 Sep (TL); Gray Catbird (HO): 1, Blue Lake riparian (seen eating berries), 28 Aug (JC); Northern Mockingbird: 1, Shay Park, 4 Sep (JK, AS); 1 Centerville Road, 21 Sep (SMcA); Yellow Wagtail (GW): 1, Virgin Creek Beach, 16-17 Sep (DT, et al., photos by RLeV; first Mendocino County record); Phainopepla (UD; NC): 1 female reported, Rio Del, 28 Aug (IS).

The Vagrants are here!

Tennessee Warbler: 1, Fairhaven, 19 Sep (RS); 1, Orick Dump, 21-22 Sep (KI); Orange-crowned Warbler: 4 in 2.5 miles of Salt River Riparian, 11 Sep (SMcA); Northern Parula (NC, ND): 1, Base of Bald Hills Road, 10, 22 Sep (KI); Yellow Warbler: the usual mid- September wave passed along the immediate coast, up to 60 seen at Shay Park, 14-15 Sep (DF, RF), 19 recorded in 2.5 miles of Salt River riparian cover, 11 Sep (SMcA), and numbers were reported to have declined by 17-18 Sep (DF, KI, et al.); Chestnut-sided Warbler: 5 reports of singles at base of Bald Hills Road, Fairhaven, MRCP, Orick Dump, and Fernbridge, 7-21 Sep (KI, DF, SMcA); Magnolia Warbler: 5 reports of singles from base of Bald Hills Road, Orick Dump, Eureka, King Salmon, Fairhaven, 7-23 Sep (KI, BS, MW, KS); Blackburnian Warbler (ND): 1, MRCP, 27-28 Aug (RF, SC, DF, JP, et al.); 1, Woodley Island, 15-16 Sep (JH, RS); 1, Orick Dump, 5, 22 Sep; 1, base of Bald Hills Road, 22 Sep (all, KI, [ND, NC]); Prairie Warbler: 1, Stagecoach Road, 14 Sep (MeH); Palm Warbler: 1, Redwood Creek Dike at Orick, 9 Sep (KI); Bay-breasted Warbler (NC, ND): 1, Orick Dump, 21 Sep (KI); Blackpoll Warbler: 6 reports of singles from Orick Dump, Salt River, Orick Oxbow, Trinidad, Cooper Gulch, 10-24 Sep (KI, SMcA, MeH, JP, DF); Black-and-white Warbler: 1, Orick Dump, 17 Sep (KI); American Redstart: 1, MRCP, 27 Aug (RF, SC, et al.); 1, Fairhaven, 16-21 Sep (RS, DF, RF); Northern Waterthrush: 1, ERWA, 14 Sep (DF); MacGillivray’s Warbler: 1 adult feeding a juvenile above Houda Point, 20 Sep (MeH); Common Yellowthroat: Along with the usual coastal Sep migratory wave, 9 recorded in 2.5 miles of Salt River riparian cover, 11 Sep (SMcA); Wilson’s Warbler: 6 recorded in 2.5 miles of Salt River riparian, 11 Sep (SMcA); Summer Tanager (ND, NC): 1, Orick Dump, 29 Aug; 1, base of Bald Hills Road, 17 Sep (both KI); Spotted Towhee (EM): 1, Azalea Hill, 11 Sep (GL)

Clay-colored Sparrow:  1, HBNWR, 20 Sep (RS);  Vesper Sparrow: 1, V  St.  Loop, 24 Aug (BS);  Lark Sparrow:  1, Little Bald Hill, Del Norte Co., 8 Sep (HB); 1, Moonstone Beach, 20-21 Sep (DM);  Sage Sparrow (Updates):  1 adult and 2 young, Summit Creek Road east of Hayfork, 14-15 Aug (SG, fide JH); 1, same location, 20 Aug (JL, fide JH);  Lark Bunting:   1 molting male, near Fay Slough Wildlife Area, 24-27 Aug (OR, et al., fide RF);  Savannah Sparrow: 8-10, Douglas City, 13 Sep (DK);  White-throated Sparrow (EM):  1, Little River x Hwy 101, 23 Sep (KR);  Golden-crowned Sparrow (ID):  1 (heard only), Arcata, 29 Aug (RF); first seen, Azalea Hill, 5 Sep (GL);  Lapland Longspur:  3, BRR, 21 Sep (SMcA); 1 flyover, Orick Dump, 22 Sep (KI); 1, end of Pala Road, 25 Sep (AB, JG);  Chestnut-collared Longspur (ND, NC):  1, end of Pala Road, 24 Sep (T & SL);  Blue Grosbeak:  1 juv, Redwood Creek Estuary, 25 Sep (KI);  Dickcissel:  1, Davison Road, 8 Sep (KI);  Bobolink:  1 juv., ERWA, 2 Sep (SMcA); 2, end of Pala Road, 25 Sep (AB, JG);  Yellow-headed Blackbird:  1, Orick, 18 Sep (KI);  Red Crossbill:  15-20, Westhaven, mid-Sep (SDR); 14 juv; Arcata feeder, 23 Sep (SC);  Lawrence’s Goldfinch (ND, NC):  1 (heard only), BRR, 21 Sep (SMcA);  Evening Grosbeak:  2, Azalea Hill, 11 Sep; 2, Ferndale, 22 Sep (both GL).