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02 Sep Southeastern CA RBA: September 2, 2010 [Tom Benson ] 1 Sep Brown Booby ["Guy" ] 31 Aug Re: Salton Sea - 8/31/10 - Brown Booby et al [Nick & Mary Freeman ] 31 Aug Salton Sea - 8/31/10 - Brown Booby et al [Jonathan Feenstra ] 01 Sep Daggett and Harper Dry Lake ["William" ] 31 Aug Swainson's hawks [] 29 Aug Salton Sea - 28 Aug 2010 ["Guy" ] 29 Aug Glen Helen Regional Park birds [] 28 Aug Marbled Godwit at Harper Dry Lake [scott duncan ] 27 Aug Migrants at Zzyzx ["Fulton, Robert" ] 27 Aug San Bernardino County shorebirds [] 27 Aug RE: Cerulean Warbler above Santa Anna River behind Robidoux Nature Center ["bewickwren" ] 26 Aug Southeastern CA RBA: August 26, 2010 [Tom Benson ] 26 Aug San Bernardino Mountains [] 25 Aug RE: Wood Ducks in Loma Linda ["Gray, Stanley K Civ USAF AFMC 912 AMXS/MXAC" ] 25 Aug RE: Wood Ducks in Loma Linda ["Koonce, Sandy" ] 26 Aug Wood Ducks in Loma Linda ["Tarik" ] 25 Aug Mill Creek Shorebirds ["howardbking" ] 24 Aug Heart Bar Campground highlights ["lilithm3 AT juno.com" ] 23 Aug Imperial County weekend [Bob Miller ] 23 Aug Correction to previous post - Semipalmated Sandpiper at the Salton Sea Aug 7 [] 23 Aug Wood ducks at San Jacinto Wildlife Area ["robbiesuave" ] 22 Aug Mountain Plover ["Guy" ] 22 Aug Re: Cerulean Warbler above Santa Anna River behind Robidoux Nature Center - NOT refound [] 22 Aug Solitary Sandpiper @ San Jacinto Wildlife Area (SJWA) [Christopher Taylor ] 22 Aug Cerulean Warbler above Santa Anna River behind Robidoux Nature Center ["green.jonathan11" ] 22 Aug W-f Ibis in Apple Valley ["jwbnav" ] 21 Aug RE: Continuing Ruff ["Koonce, Sandy" ] 21 Aug Continuing Ruff ["Koonce, Sandy" ] 21 Aug San Bdno Co. Desert Shorebirds, 8-21-10 ["Brad" ] 21 Aug Salton Sea (south) - 20 Aug 2010 ["Guy" ] 21 Aug Pyrrhuloxia: yes...and no ["stanwalens" ] 20 Aug Prado Regional Park/Mill Creek [] 20 Aug Ruff, Wood Stork [] 20 Aug Re: Wood Storks at the Salton Sea continue today + 4 more! [Nick Freeman ] 20 Aug Night hawk ["timura2" ] 20 Aug Wood Storks at the Salton Sea continue today [Nick Freeman ] 19 Aug Southeastern CA RBA: August 19, 2010 [Tom Benson ] 17 Aug Vaux's Swifts in the Desert? ["SteveLombardi" ] 17 Aug RE: San Jacinto Wildlife Area ["Gray, Stanley K Civ USAF AFMC 912 AMXS/MXAC" ] 17 Aug Probable Glossy Ibis Imperial County [Bob Miller ] 17 Aug Re: Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland area [Charity Hagen ] 17 Aug Nighthawk ["timura2" ] 17 Aug This and that-Big Bear Lake [] 17 Aug LAAS fieldtrip to the Sea, 8/15/10 [Nick & Mary Freeman ] 16 Aug lesser nighthawks [] 16 Aug RE: Status of Lesser Nighthawk ["Stephen J. Myers" ] 16 Aug RE: Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland area [] 16 Aug RE: Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland area ["Koonce, Sandy" ] 16 Aug Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland area ["dgingt22" ] 16 Aug Salton Sea 15 Aug 2010 ["Guy" ] 16 Aug Re: Do Mourning and Eurasian Collared Doves hybridize? [] 16 Aug Do Mourning and Eurasian Collared Doves hybridize? ["el_gatto_nero" ] 16 Aug correction ["Chet McGaugh" ] 16 Aug Status of Lesser Nighthawk ["Chet McGaugh" ] 16 Aug Gage Canal 10-15 ["timura2" ] 16 Aug SJWA update ["Chet McGaugh" ] 15 Aug Mill Creek at Hellman Avenue [] 15 Aug Black-bellied Whistling Duck, 8/14/10 [Mary & Nick Freeman ] 15 Aug Ruff again at the Sea! [Mary & Nick Freeman ] 15 Aug Mira Loma: Black-throated Gray Warbler [Merlin_Mira_Loma ] 15 Aug Salton Sea 8-14-10 ["Brad" ] 15 Aug Pyrrhuloxia continues Sunday ["Barbara" ] 15 Aug Williamson's Sapsuckers ["philip_unitt" ] 14 Aug San Jacinto Wildlife Area [Mark Leggett ] 14 Aug Desert Center, Cactus City, Whitewater Canyon, 14 August ["Stephen J. Myers" ] 14 Aug White-tailed Kite at Big Bear Lake [] 14 Aug Ruff at Salton Sea addendum [Mary & Nick Freeman ] 14 Aug Ruff at Salton Sea [Mary & Nick Freeman ] 13 Aug Mid Hills ZTHA continues ["dgingt22" ] 12 Aug Southeastern CA RBA: August 12, 2010 [Tom Benson ] 11 Aug Mill Creek , Chino ["howardbking" ] 11 Aug Brown Booby, Martinez Lake, Coroado River [Bob Miller ] 11 Aug Salton Sea 8/11 ["nate" ] 11 Aug Imperial Valley [Bob Miller ] 11 Aug Black Terns at Big Bear Lake [] Subject: Southeastern CA RBA: September 2, 2010 From: Tom Benson <tbenson AT csusb.edu> Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:27:26 -0700 RBA * California * Southeastern * September 2, 2010 * CASE1009.02 This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. Names in the report are generally those of the reporting party and not necessarily the person claiming the first sighting. If you are receiving this report only through Birdwest, you can get MORE FREQUENT AND COMPREHENSIVE UPDATES by subscribing to inlandcountybirds (see below). The bird alert phone line housed at the San Bernardino County Museum is no longer in service. If you have a rare bird to report and must use a phone line, please call 909-648-0899. Birds mentioned: Brant Brown Booby Swainson's Hawk Ruddy Turnstone Semipalmated Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Herring Gull Cassin's Kingbird Lucy's Warbler - Transcript SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY A SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER was at the Tees & Trees ponds in Barstow on Aug 27 (Tom Benson). A PECTORAL SANDPIPER was seen at the Daggett evaporation ponds on Aug 31 (Bill Deppe). RIVERSIDE COUNTY Twenty-five SWAINSON'S HAWKS were seen just north of the Perris airport on Aug 31 (Mike Gurbada). A BROWN BOOBY, present since Aug 20, continued at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area through Sep 1 (Jon Feenstra, Guy McCaskie). IMPERIAL COUNTY The following birds were reported from the Imperial Valley and south end of the Salton Sea on Aug 28: 26 BRANT at various locations, 3 RUDDY TURNSTONES at Obsidian Butte, 2 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS at the intersection of English and Eddins, a HERRING GULL at the intersection of Lack and Lindsey, a CASSIN'S KINGBIRD near Niland, and single LUCY'S WARBLERS at the intersection of Carter and Fites and at Salton Sea NWR HQ (Guy McCaskie). Five juvenile BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, a juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPER, and a RUFF were seen at the intersection of Montgomery and English Roads near Calipatria on Sep 1 (Guy McCaskie). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In general, birds that are on this weekly summary are those that are classified as at least rare in “Birds of Southern California” by Garrett and Dunn, “Birds of the Salton Sea” by Patten, McCaskie, and Unitt, or in “Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley” by Rosenberg, Ohmart, Hunter, and Anderson. Rarity can be regional or seasonal. For example, a nuthatch reported at the Salton Sea, where it is rare, may be on the summary. That same bird reported from the San Bernardino Mountains, where it is common, would not be. A sparrow reported as a rarity in Riverside in July, may be common there in December. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (see below)!!! If there is some reason that you cannot post there, or do not want to, e-mail Tom Benson at tbenson AT csusb.edu or call (909) 648-0899. Note that the phone hotline is no longer available. Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to: Guy McCaskie, Secretary, P.O. Box 275, Imperial Beach, CA 91933-0275, E-mail: guymcc AT pacbell.net Additionally, CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the "North American Birds" County Coordinators. They are: IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, 954 Grove Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, guymcc AT pacbell.net INYO COUNTY: Tom & Jo Heindel, P.O. Box 400, Big Pine CA 93513, tjheindel AT aol.com KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, 1819 Locust Ravine, Bakersfield CA 93306, kkheindel AT gmail.com RIVERSIDE COUNTY: John F. Green, 3120 Mount Vernon Ave., Riverside, CA 92507, bewickwren AT earthlink.net SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, 1357 Paige Lane, Redlands, CA 92373, sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ************ In addition the the Southeastern CA RBA, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, and San Diego County reports are posted on BIRDWEST. To subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU with SUBSCRIBE BIRDWEST YOUR NAME in the message (and YOUR NAME = your real name). There is an Inland Counties (San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial) bird report & discussion group. You can view messages at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ Other birding listservs that include reports of birds in southern California are: Inyo County: http://www.esaudubon.org/birds/ Kern County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kerncobirding Los Angeles County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LACoBirds Pasadena area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PasadenaAudubon Orange County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrangeCountyBirding San Diego County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SDBIRDS San Luis Obispo County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/slocobirding Santa Barbara County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sbcobirding Ventura County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/venturacobirding California (statewide): http://groups.yahoo.com/CALBIRDS ************ A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/calendar.htm Maps/directions to local birding sites are available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/maps.htm Important Southern California Bird Alert and Wildlife Phone Numbers: Los Angeles RBA (323) 874-1318 Orange County RBA (949) 487-6869 San Diego RBA (619) 688-2473 Southeastern CA Bird Alert report to (909) 648-0899 CalTip (CA Fish & Game) (800) 952-5400 (to report wildlife violations) -- For BirdWest archives go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwest.html To change your subscription options, including your address, go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwest To contact a listowner, send a message to mailto:birdwest-request AT listserv.arizona.edu ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Brown Booby From: "Guy" <guymcc AT pacbell.net> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 19:32:23 -0700 Today (01 Sep 2010) the young Brown Booby was still present on the shore immediately to the south of the southernmost parking area at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area at the northeast corner of the Salton Sea. In an irrigated field at the intersection of Montgomery and English Roads northwest of Calipatria I managed to see five (5) juvenile Baird's Sandpipers, one (1) juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper and one (1) adult Ruff amongst at least 50 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Willets, 50 Lesser Yellowlegs, 75 Long-billed Curlew, 5 Western Sandpipers 150 Least Sandpipers, and 150 Wilson's Phalaropes. Guy McCaskie 954 Grove Avenue Imperial Beach, CA 91932 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Salton Sea - 8/31/10 - Brown Booby et al From: Nick & Mary Freeman <mnfreeman AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:25:42 -0700 Hi Jon Glad you found the Brown Booby. I received a report from a couple of friends who saw the Brown Booby a little over a week ago, Monday August 23, 2010. A birder (who isn't versed with the listservs) reported the sighting to them and our friends saw it later that day. I alerted a few birding friends after our conversation to be on the search for it but no one had reported it since last week's finding but it appears it's still present at the same spot! Cheers! Mary Freeman Glendale, CA On Aug 31, 2010, at 9:18 PM, Jonathan Feenstra wrote: Subject: Salton Sea - 8/31/10 - Brown Booby et al From: Jonathan Feenstra <feenstra AT alumni.caltech.edu> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:18:24 -0700 Birders: Today, Todd McGrath and I spent the day birding around the Salton Sink from Brawley north along the east side into Riverside County: covering Carter&Fites, some of the southeast shore, the algae farm, a few flooded fields in the Calipatria and Niland areas, and the Salton Sea State Recreation Area. The singular highlight was a hatch-year Brown Booby present at Salton Sea State Recreation Area (on the northeast side). The bird was perched on the rocks about 100-150 m south of the boat launch parking lot. It flew around a little, but returned to the same rock. The tail and some covert and flight feathers were a little ratty looking, but the bird appeared to be in decent health. We began by missing the Pyrrhuloxia at Carter & Fites, though the spot was decent for some migrants (Willow Flycatchers, Western Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, among others). A Common Tern was at the end of Poe Road. The terminus of Bowles Rd was a vast mudflat with 142 Stilt Sandpipers and 106 Snowy Plovers among the thousands of other waterfowl, pelicans, and shorebirds. The shore of the Sea north of Bowles, before coming around to the Lack & Lindsey corner, had a juvenile Ruddy Turnstone. Several Brant were in the same area. In general, most of the visible shoreline of the Sea has become prime shorebird habitat thanks to falling water levels and the exposure of lots of mud (though the turnstone preferred barnacle-encrusted tires). Expected, though nice to see if visits to the Sea or Baja are infrequent, Yellow-footed Gulls were present in ones and twos at each of our stops along the shore. Several flooded fields off English Road north of Sinclair and the state-managed wetlands west of Hwy 111 south of Niland were loaded with waders and shorebirds, though nothing out of the ordinary. A Red-breasted Merganser was in the lagoon at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area. Note that September 1 - 15 is dove hunting season. Jon Feenstra Los Angeles Subject: Daggett and Harper Dry Lake From: "William" <bdeppe AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:34:02 -0000 I got lucky with jury duty and got out early enough to bird a couple of high desert locations for waterbirds. The Daggett ponds had a modest number of shorebirds with many expected migrants. Standouts included a Snowy Plover and one Pectoral Sandpiper. Harper Dry Lake is the bigger news. Today it was in very nice shape . . . more water than usual due to water allocation and recent summer rains I suppose. It's unquestionably the best "water" on the high desert and should be on your itinerary if you're out this way looking for shorebirds. The water exceeds the normal boundaries of the two main pond areas, again probably due to recent rains. Present at the ponds were 12 Great Egret, 12-15 phalaropes (mostly Wilson's), 20-25 peeps, and a juvenile Northern Harrier amongst the usual characters. While not in great shape yet, BLM has obvious been paying more attention to the area. Bring a shovel with you if you visit and knock down a few weeds on the pathway. Bill Deppe Apple Valley Subject: Swainson's hawks From: mgurbada909 AT earthlink.net Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:57:17 -0700 (GMT-07:00) On Mon 08-31-10 at 12 PM, I was driving on the 215 through Perris when I saw a flock of 25-30 Swainson's hawks working a field just north of the Perris Airport. Mike G. Subject: Salton Sea - 28 Aug 2010 From: "Guy" <guymcc AT pacbell.net> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:11:17 -0700 We (Peter A. Ginsburg) spent Saturday, 28 August 2010 (5:45 AM to 6:30 PM) in the Imperial Valley and along part of the south shore of the Salton Sea. We started the day at the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads southwest of Brawley then moved northward through Brawley and Calipatria to Niland. From here we went west to the southern part of the Wister Unit, then worked south and west along the shore of the Salton Sea to the north end of Poe Road, stopping at Morton Bay, Red Hill, the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge HQ, Obsidian Butte, the intersection of Lack and Lindsey Roads and Unit 1 of the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge. We then drove south through Brawley to near the southeast corner of El Centro. There had been heavy rain in parts of the Imperial Valley the previous afternoon that left some dirt roads muddy and impassable (standing water on the road at Carter and Files). However, it was clear with a strong wind developing in the afternoon, and with temperatures ranging from 80 to 105 degrees. Species seen - Canada Goose (2 - two at the west end of McDonald Road), Brant (26 - one at the west end of McDonald Road, six more at the west end of Young Road and nineteen at the north end of Poe Road), Gadwall (5), Mallard (50), Cinnamon Teal (200), Northern Shoveler (150), Northern Pintail (20), Green-winged Teal (150), Redhead (5), Ruddy Duck (2), Gambell's Quail (15), Pied-billed Grebe (2), Eared Grebe (1), Western Grebe (5), Clark's Grebe (2), Aechmophorus sp. (10), American White Pelican (1500), Brown Pelican (1000), Double-crested Cormorant (2500), Great Blue Heron (75), Great Egret (200), Snowy Egret (150), Cattle Egret (1500), Green Heron (1), Black-crowned Night-Heron (25), White-faced Ibis (2500), Turkey Vulture (25), Osprey (1), Northern Harrier (1), Red-tailed Hawk (1), American Kestrel (25), Peregrine Falcon (2), Common Moorhen (1), American Coot (200), Black-bellied Plover (30), Snowy Plover (2), Semipalmated Plover (20), Killdeer (30), Black-necked Stilt (1000), American Avocet (2000), Spotted Sandpiper (1), Greater Yellowlegs (25), Willet (30), Lesser Yellowlegs (30), Whimbrel (1), Long-billed Curlew (20), Marbled Godwit (75), Ruddy Turnstone (3 - three together at Obsidian Butte), Western Sandpiper (2500), Least Sandpiper (250), Baird's Sandpiper (2 - two juveniles in an irrigated field south of the intersection of English and Eddins Roads northwest of Calipatria are the first that I have encountered this year), Stilt Sandpiper (10), Short-billed Dowitcher (2 - two calling juvenile in the area of Morton Bay), Long-billed Dowitcher (1500), Wilson's Phalarope (150), Red-necked Phalarope (200), Bonaparte's Gull (1 - one second-summer birds at the north end of Poe Road), Laughing Gull (300), Ring-billed Gull (500), Yellow-footed Gull (100), California Gull (500), Herring Gull (1 - one third-summer bird at the intersection of Lack and Lindsey Roads was the same bird first seen here on 15 August), Gull-billed Tern (3 - one adult at Obsidian Butte and two adults at the intersection of Lack and Lindsey Roads), Caspian Tern (1000), Black Tern (350), Common Tern (2 - two adults with Forrester's Terns at Obsidian Butte), Forster's Tern (150), Black Skimmer (1), Rock Pigeon (150), Eurasian Collared-Dove (300), White-winged Dove (75), Mourning Dove (100), Inca Dove (6), Common Ground-Dove (35), Greater Roadrunner (2), Barn Owl (1), Burrowing Owl (15), Lesser Nighthawk (2), Black-chinned Hummingbird (25), Anna's Hummingbird (10), Costa's Hummingbird (2), Selasphorus Hummingbird (1 - a "female" near the southeast corner of El Centro), Gila Woodpecker (5), Ladder-backed Woodpecker (2), Willow Flycatcher (1), Western Flycatcher (1), Black Phoebe (25), Ash-throated Flycatcher (2), Cassin's Kingbird (1 - one well studied near the intersection of International and Pound Roads south of Niland), Western Kingbird (10), Loggerhead Shrike (10), Warbling Vireo (1), Common Raven (2), Horned Lark (1), Tree Swallow (200), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2), Bank Swallow (5), Cliff Swallow (10), Barn Swallow (2 - one near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads and one east of Imperial were the first that I have encountered locally this fall), Verdin (10), Cactus Wren (2), House Wren (1 - one near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads), Marsh Wren (2), Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (2), Northern Mockingbird (30), Crissal Thrasher (1 - one near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads), European Starling (150), Orange-crowned Warbler (2), Nashville Warbler (2), Lucy's Warbler (2 - one hatch-year bird in fresh plumage actively foraging in mesquite near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads and another hatch-year bird at the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge HQ), Yellow Warbler (3), MacGillivray's Warbler (2 - one near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads and one at the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge HQ are the first that I have encountered locally this fall), Common Yellowthroat (1), Wilson's Warbler (1), Abert's Towhee (25), Brewer's Sparrow (1 - one at the west end of McDonald Road was the first that I have encountered locally this fall), Song Sparrow (2), Black-headed Grosbeak (1), Blue Grosbeak (1), Red-winged Blackbird (1000), Western Meadowlark (25), Brewer's Blackbird (5), Great-tailed Grackle (150), Brown-headed Cowbird (15), Bullock's Oriole (3 - two females at the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge HQ and one female near the southeast corner of El Centro), House Finch (35), Lesser Goldfinch (1 - one in Niland was the first that I have encountered locally this fall) and House Sparrow (75). Guy McCaskie 954 Grove Avenue Imperial Beach, CA 91932 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Glen Helen Regional Park birds From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:39:02 -0400 I birded Glen Helen Regional Park this morning (Aug 29) for a few hours, and was joined by Dave Goodward for the last two hours. My best bird was a Bell's Vireo, seen briefly and calling from the willows at the south end of the riparian area (where the Sedge Wren was originally found last year) as well as the adjacent grove of oaks and sycamores. Other birds of local interest included my first Wilson's Warblers and Chipping Sparrows of the fall, and a juvenile Green Heron. Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Marbled Godwit at Harper Dry Lake From: scott duncan <el_gatto_nero AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:39:14 -0700 (PDT) I was at Harper Dry Lake this morning looking for Phalaropes (which I did not see) but I did see a Marbled Godwit.  It was at the pond at the end of the road, where the picnic benches are. It flew to the fields to the West of these ponds but not as far as the other ponds at the first entrance to the dry lakes.  This makes me thinks it was waiting for me to leave so it could come back to that pond.  Checking e-bird I didn't see any other sightings of this bird at this location and many of the sightings in the area are from some time ago. Subject: Migrants at Zzyzx From: "Fulton, Robert" <rfulton AT Exchange.FULLERTON.EDU> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:08:18 -0700 To add to Tom's observations here at Zzyzx today, we had a flight of White-faced Ibis here Wednesday, and Western Avocets here yesterday and persisting until early this morning (6am) - both in West Pond (not the "Pimp Pond" :-). Happy birding. Rob -- Robert Fulton Manager, CSU Desert Studies Center POB 1 Baker, CA 92309 Phone/SMS 714.936.0461 rfulton AT fullerton.edu [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: San Bernardino County shorebirds From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:38:07 -0400 Hi all, I headed out this morning looking for migrants, starting in Baker and working my way back to Barstow. There were a few of the expected landbird migrants at Zzyzx, including Lazuli Buntings, Willow Flycatcher, Western Tanager, Bullock's Orioles, Brewer's Sparrow, Yellow Warblers, and Black-throated Gray Warbler. Most were found in the fruiting date palm south of the pool house or in the patches of sunflower along the north edge of the main pond (that would be the one that underwent the pimp test a month or two ago, and I think should be re-dubbed the pimp pond). At the Baker sewage ponds there was a Long-billed Curlew, two Solitary Sandpipers, and a juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher. A juvenile Baird's Sandpiper and two Bank Swallows were at the Daggett evaporation ponds, and another juvenile Baird's Sandpiper was at the Tees & Trees ponds in Barstow along with a juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper (I'm pretty sure I identified it correctly this time). Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Cerulean Warbler above Santa Anna River behind Robidoux Nature Center From: "bewickwren" <bewickwren AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:31:58 -0700 Inlandcountybirders, I've been on a trip to the Ruby Mountains in Nevada, where I saw Himalayan Snowcock for my 50th birthday present. I returned to find that there was some confusion regarding this Cerulean Warbler report. I wish that I had seen a Cerulean Warbler, but the Jonathan Green who made this report is not me. John Green Riverside, CA -----Original Message----- From: green.jonathan11 > To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Sat, Aug 21, 2010 9:52 pm Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Cerulean Warbler above Santa Anna River behind Robidoux Nature Center Frequently walk this area before dusk on hot days. Today in the marsh above the river positively identified and saw clearly a male Cerulean Warbler. August 21 about 6:45 pm. Has anyone else seen this bird? No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.851 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3097 - Release Date: 08/26/10 23:34:00 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Southeastern CA RBA: August 26, 2010 From: Tom Benson <tbenson AT csusb.edu> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:36:47 -0700 RBA * California * Southeastern * August 26, 2010 * CASE1008.26 This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. Names in the report are generally those of the reporting party and not necessarily the person claiming the first sighting. If you are receiving this report only through Birdwest, you can get MORE FREQUENT AND COMPREHENSIVE UPDATES by subscribing to inlandcountybirds (see below). The bird alert phone line housed at the San Bernardino County Museum is no longer in service. If you have a rare bird to report and must use a phone line, please call 909-648-0899. Birds mentioned: Brant Wood Stork Mountain Plover Baird's Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Ruff Western Gull Herring Gull Common Nighthawk Mexican Whip-poor-will Bell's Vireo Lucy's Warbler *PYRRHULOXIA* - Transcript SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY Single BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were seen at the Harper Dry Lake solar evaporation ponds and Barstow sewage ponds on Aug 21 (Brad Singer). A COMMON NIGHTHAWK was seen about a mile south of Baldwin Lake and the MEXICAN WHIP-POOR-WILL continued in Green Canyon on Aug 25 (Tom Benson). A PECTORAL SANDPIPER was seen at the Hellman Avenue crossing of Mill Creek on Aug 25 (Howard King). RIVERSIDE COUNTY No reports. IMPERIAL COUNTY Up to 6 WOOD STORKS were seen at the Salton Sea between the intersections of Lack and Lindsey the end of Garst Road Aug 19-21 (Dan Brown, Christopher Taylor). The RUFF continued along Schrimpf Road through Aug 22 and the *PYRRHULOXIA* continued at Carter and Fites through Aug 21 (Bob Miller). Thirty BRANT continued between Obsidian Butte and the North end of Poe Road, a WESTERN GULL and a HERRING GULL were at Lack and Lindsey, and 4 LUCY'S WARBLERS were seen at Carter and Fites on Aug 20 (Guy McCaskie). A BELL'S VIREO was reported at Carter and Fites on Aug 20 (Dave Bell). A very early MOUNTAIN PLOVER was seen in a flooded field north of the New River and west of Gentry Road on Aug 22 (Guy McCaskie). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In general, birds that are on this weekly summary are those that are classified as at least rare in “Birds of Southern California” by Garrett and Dunn, “Birds of the Salton Sea” by Patten, McCaskie, and Unitt, or in “Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley” by Rosenberg, Ohmart, Hunter, and Anderson. Rarity can be regional or seasonal. For example, a nuthatch reported at the Salton Sea, where it is rare, may be on the summary. That same bird reported from the San Bernardino Mountains, where it is common, would not be. A sparrow reported as a rarity in Riverside in July, may be common there in December. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (see below)!!! If there is some reason that you cannot post there, or do not want to, e-mail Tom Benson at tbenson AT csusb.edu or call (909) 648-0899. Note that the phone hotline is no longer available. Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to: Guy McCaskie, Secretary, P.O. Box 275, Imperial Beach, CA 91933-0275, E-mail: guymcc AT pacbell.net Additionally, CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the "North American Birds" County Coordinators. They are: IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, 954 Grove Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, guymcc AT pacbell.net INYO COUNTY: Tom & Jo Heindel, P.O. Box 400, Big Pine CA 93513, tjheindel AT aol.com KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, 1819 Locust Ravine, Bakersfield CA 93306, kkheindel AT gmail.com RIVERSIDE COUNTY: John F. Green, 3120 Mount Vernon Ave., Riverside, CA 92507, bewickwren AT earthlink.net SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, 1357 Paige Lane, Redlands, CA 92373, sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ************ In addition the the Southeastern CA RBA, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, and San Diego County reports are posted on BIRDWEST. To subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU with SUBSCRIBE BIRDWEST YOUR NAME in the message (and YOUR NAME = your real name). There is an Inland Counties (San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial) bird report & discussion group. You can view messages at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ Other birding listservs that include reports of birds in southern California are: Inyo County: http://www.esaudubon.org/birds/ Kern County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kerncobirding Los Angeles County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LACoBirds Pasadena area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PasadenaAudubon Orange County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrangeCountyBirding San Diego County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SDBIRDS San Luis Obispo County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/slocobirding Santa Barbara County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sbcobirding Ventura County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/venturacobirding California (statewide): http://groups.yahoo.com/CALBIRDS ************ A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/calendar.htm Maps/directions to local birding sites are available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/maps.htm Important Southern California Bird Alert and Wildlife Phone Numbers: Los Angeles RBA (323) 874-1318 Orange County RBA (949) 487-6869 San Diego RBA (619) 688-2473 Southeastern CA Bird Alert report to (909) 648-0899 CalTip (CA Fish & Game) (800) 952-5400 (to report wildlife violations) -- For BirdWest archives go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwest.html To change your subscription options, including your address, go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwest To contact a listowner, send a message to mailto:birdwest-request AT listserv.arizona.edu ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: San Bernardino Mountains From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:05:49 -0400 Yesterday evening (Aug 25) I birded the San Bernardino Mountains with Brad Singer and Doug Karalun in an unsuccessful last-ditch effort to see/hear a Flammulated Owl this year. Prior to sunset we birded a few locations along the shoreline of Big Bear Lake, where we saw was a Semipalmated Plover along Division Drive and Brad saw a Black-throated Sparrow along the creek that runs behind the Vons shopping center. About 7:30 PM we saw a single, silent Common Nighthawk flying directly east over Sandra Remley's house, and about 7:45 PM we heard the continuing Whip-poor-will in Green Canyon call a few times and then go silent. Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Wood Ducks in Loma Linda From: "Gray, Stanley K Civ USAF AFMC 912 AMXS/MXAC" <stan.gray AT edwards.af.mil> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:12:31 -0700 I sometimes visit the V.A. Hospital in Loma Linda and have noticed for the past 4 yrs a couple (sometimes up to six) Wood Ducks in the ponds around the facility. I am not sure about their origin or movements. However, they are sometimes joined in winter by a couple Hooded Mergansers and a few Am. Wigeon. Stan Gray Edwards AFB / Moreno valley Ca -----Original Message----- From: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tarik Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 6:58 PM To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Wood Ducks in Loma Linda Just curious, how normal is it to see Wood Ducks in Loma Linda? For about two years now (three if it returns this winter) a male Wood Duck with a leg band has showed up annually at the V.A. Hospital in the fall and stayed through winter. Ocasionly a second male, and once a female, have also showed up. One of my guides says that they're rare in the southeastern deserts, so im confused. Any information would be appreciated. Tarik Townsend Loma Linda ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links Subject: RE: Wood Ducks in Loma Linda From: "Koonce, Sandy" <sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:39:27 -0700 There have been Wood Ducks (at least one) in winter at the VA Hospital for quite a few years now. I suspect that they may be coming from the breeding colony along the Santa Ana River from the Prado Basin up to Hidden Valley. They are rare in the deserts, as you say, but I would say that they are locally uncommon on the coastal slope (which includes Loma Linda) in winter. Sandy Sandy Koonce Department of Mathematics University of Redlands, Redlands, CA 92373 sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ________________________________________ From: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com [inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tarik [jazzdrummer1 AT hotmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 6:57 PM To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Wood Ducks in Loma Linda Just curious, how normal is it to see Wood Ducks in Loma Linda? For about two years now (three if it returns this winter) a male Wood Duck with a leg band has showed up annually at the V.A. Hospital in the fall and stayed through winter. Ocasionly a second male, and once a female, have also showed up. One of my guides says that they're rare in the southeastern deserts, so im confused. Any information would be appreciated. Tarik Townsend Loma Linda ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Wood Ducks in Loma Linda From: "Tarik" <jazzdrummer1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 01:57:55 -0000 Just curious, how normal is it to see Wood Ducks in Loma Linda? For about two years now (three if it returns this winter) a male Wood Duck with a leg band has showed up annually at the V.A. Hospital in the fall and stayed through winter. Ocasionly a second male, and once a female, have also showed up. One of my guides says that they're rare in the southeastern deserts, so im confused. Any information would be appreciated. Tarik Townsend Loma Linda Subject: Mill Creek Shorebirds From: "howardbking" <redhillbrd AT aol.com> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:44:34 -0000 At Mill Creek at Hellman I saw my fos PECTORAL SANDPIPER this afternoon. Convieniantly,it was the closest bird to the bridge. There were at least 5 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS also present.Both Yellowlegs ,stilts,some Leasts and hundreds of Ibis sp.. cheers..Howard King Subject: Heart Bar Campground highlights From: "lilithm3 AT juno.com" <lilithm3@juno.com> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:54:23 GMT Between 2-4:30 pm, Sandy Remley and I birded Heart Bar Campground off Hwy 38. The highlights were two juvenile male White Headed Woodpeckers (my nemesis bird! no longer!), nicely coming into their adult plumage. Of note also were 3 Williamson's Sapsuckers, flitting around more or less as a flock, working over trees for the sap, and 3 Clark's Nutcrackers, also flocking around. There were what we determined to be two juvenile Red Breasted Sapsuckers as well. All this in addition to the usual suspects and on a hot afternoon - my thanks to Sandy! Sue Jorgenson Fullerton, CA ____________________________________________________________ $13/Month Car Insurance? Insurance deal just passed now allows you to get car insurance for $13 http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4c7342c1e8aef81243fst03duc ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Imperial County weekend From: Bob Miller <bob.miller AT mindspring.com> Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:30:06 -0400 (EDT) Hi all, Whew what a weekend! Walked into the Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area with Eric and Rey Friday night. Walked away from the Jeep under a near full moon at 9pm and it was 104 degrees. Had a pair of WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS about 2.5 miles in near the back of a pocket. Over 200 scorpions, several solpugids, several Western banded Gecko and a lot of bugs and beetles, many desert pocket mice and 3.25 miles later we returned to the Jeep at 3am and it was 94 degrees. Brutal! We were all soaked but happy. They bailed on the birding portion of the day so I dropped them at home and was sitting at Carter and Fites when other birders began to show at sunrise. Sandy Koonce and I were fortunate enough to have the PYRRHULOXIA call and then pop up right in front of us then disappear just before Stan, Barb and Jan could make the few hundred feet. Shucky darn! Slept the rest of the day! Saturday night...Sunday morning.. I meet up with Jay Keller at 2am and headed back out to the dunes. Complete overcast and drizzle till sunrise. AWESOME! Merriam's kangaroo rat are not active on full moons but the dark overcast and drizzle had them out in force and they were everywhere! Had to stop several times for them to move. We were at Carter and Fites again at sunrise with no luck on the pyrrhuloxia this time. Then headed up to the Salton Sea to look for the Ruff. I had a juvenile and an adult GULL-BILLED TERN in a flooded field on the west side of Gentry Road just north of the Alamo River. Gave Guy a call to let him know about the field and then I caught up with Henry and Mickey at Garst and Schrimp where they were already on four WOOD STORK on the sea side of Garst in Morton Bay. About seven birders spent an hour looking but could not find the RUFF. We decided to check the ponds on Garst when Guy called that he had the MOUNTAIN PLOVER and many more birds in a field west of the one I told him about so off I went to see that with Guy. Then headed home to call it a night in the middle of the morning when Henry called to say they found the RUFF in the original pond we had been searching! He said it flew out of sight so I went on home and am thinking that bird will be here for awhile and I will get another chance. Heck, it only took five tries to get the PYRRULOXIA!! Guy and Barbara were at Carter and Fites both mornings so I know they had a long fun weekend as well. (!__!) (0V0) HAPPY BIRDING {}~~{} BOB MILLER ='''='''== Southwest Birders Brawley, CA. 92227 Imperial County 760-455-1413 http://www.southwestbirders.com bob.miller AT mindspring.com Subject: Correction to previous post - Semipalmated Sandpiper at the Salton Sea Aug 7 From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:12:59 -0400 Hi all, After reviewing a few photographs, it appears that the juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper that I reported from the end of Poe Road on August 7 was in fact a juvenile Western Sandpiper. I am blaming the prior 11 hours of exposure to the heat and humidity on my lousy identification skills. Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Wood ducks at San Jacinto Wildlife Area From: "robbiesuave" <elwhips AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 02:41:28 -0000 Hi all, had male, female and probable juvenile wood duck at the SJWA on Friday, the 20th. In the second pond at the entrance, very skittish. Rob Subject: Mountain Plover From: "Guy" <guymcc AT pacbell.net> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:20:55 -0700 A Mountain Plover in an irrigated field north of the New River and west of Gentry Road was unexpected. Fall migrants/winter visitors do not normally reach the Imperial Valley before the end of September or early October. Guy McCaskie 954 Grove Avenue Imperial Beach, CA 91932 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Cerulean Warbler above Santa Anna River behind Robidoux Nature Center - NOT refound From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:43:04 -0400 Howard King, Brian Daniels, and Leo Ohtsuki spent about 4 hours searching for the previously reported Cerulean Warbler this morning (Aug 22) without success. For Howard King, Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA -----Original Message----- From: green.jonathan11 To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Sat, Aug 21, 2010 9:52 pm Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Cerulean Warbler above Santa Anna River behind Robidoux Nature Center Frequently walk this area before dusk on hot days. Today in the marsh above the river positively identified and saw clearly a male Cerulean Warbler. August 21 about 6:45 pm. Has anyone else seen this bird? ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ Individual Email | Traditional http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Solitary Sandpiper @ San Jacinto Wildlife Area (SJWA) From: Christopher Taylor <calbird AT kiwi.net> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:19:57 -0700 Birders, I spent some time at SJWA (San Jacinto Wildlife Area) this morning and turned up a SOLITARY SANDPIPER. Of other interest was a beautiful rufous morph Red-tailed. 12+ Wilson's Phalaropes at the large pond. Good numbers of Greater Yellowlegs and 4 Lesser Yellowlegs with them at the first pond near the entrance. I had a single Whimbrel and White-tailed Kite in the fields as well. Lots of Least with a few Western SP. The SOLITARY SANDPIPER was located in a small pond just NE of the two large ponds in the back, by itself. Here's a photo I took and GPS coordinates are located under the image: http://kiwifoto.com/f/sjwa_082210 -- Christopher Taylor Marina del Rey, CA http://kiwifoto.com http://kiwifoto.com/facebook http://kiwifoto.com/twit Subject: Cerulean Warbler above Santa Anna River behind Robidoux Nature Center From: "green.jonathan11" <green.jonathan11 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 04:52:34 -0000 Frequently walk this area before dusk on hot days. Today in the marsh above the river positively identified and saw clearly a male Cerulean Warbler. August 21 about 6:45 pm. Has anyone else seen this bird? Subject: W-f Ibis in Apple Valley From: "jwbnav" <jwbnav AT verizon.net> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 01:14:49 -0000 Finally, first of this year, 9 White-faced (apparently) Ibis worked the air over and around Jess Ranch Lakes (JRL) Saturday for at least 1:45 (by stopwatch) without alighting. They flew high (2000'), they flew low (30'); they flew out of sight, then returned...over and over. I got several photos of some with 'wheels' down, some in glide mode, while others constantly flapped...all the while remaining in close formation. Initially and from a distance I thought it was one of JRL's 7 Canada Geese families in training but soon spotted the down bills. Even though lakes shores were lacking in fisherman today. I don't believe JRL holds their most desired menu. Anyone have a comment as to why such a lengthy flight display without even an apparent landing attempt? John Breckenridge Apple Valley Subject: RE: Continuing Ruff From: "Koonce, Sandy" <sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 17:32:34 -0700 As Guy just reminded me, by "south of Schrimpf," I really meant "NORTH of Schrimpf." Sandy ________________________________________ From: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com [inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Koonce, Sandy [sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu] Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2010 4:04 PM To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Continuing Ruff Andrew Howe and I saw the continuing RUFF in the pond south of Schrimpf between Garst and Davis around 10 this morning. Sandy Sandy Koonce Department of Mathematics University of Redlands, Redlands, CA 92373 sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Continuing Ruff From: "Koonce, Sandy" <sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:04:20 -0700 Andrew Howe and I saw the continuing RUFF in the pond south of Schrimpf between Garst and Davis around 10 this morning. Sandy Sandy Koonce Department of Mathematics University of Redlands, Redlands, CA 92373 sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu Subject: San Bdno Co. Desert Shorebirds, 8-21-10 From: "Brad" <bcsinger AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:58:14 -0000 Tom Benson, Doug Karalun and I did what I call the "Benson Shorebird Loop" this a.m. We started at Kramer Junction, headed east to Harper Dry Lake, Barstow Sewer Ponds, Tees and Trees, Daggett, and finished at Newbury Springs. Kramer Junction had a Solitary Sandpiper, Red-necked and Wilson's Phalaropes, Green-winged Teal, Eared Grebe, and a Willet. Harper Dry Lake had another Solitary Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, Willet, 4 Pintails, and a pair of very active LeConte's Thrashers. Tees and Trees was nearly dry, but the Barstow Sewer Ponds sported another Baird's. The only thing new for us at Daggett was a Black-bellied Plover. The Piute Dairy at Newbury was nearly dry (only peeps). Overall a very good morning with moderate tempatures (high nineties, low 100s). Brad Singer Subject: Salton Sea (south) - 20 Aug 2010 From: "Guy" <guymcc AT pacbell.net> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:31:09 -0700 I spent Friday, 20 August 2010 (5:45 AM to 4:30 PM), in the Imperial Valley and along part of the south shore of the Salton Sea. I started the day at the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads southwest of Brawley then moved northward into Brawley. From here I continued north to the west side of Finney Lake and the entrance to Ramer Lake, then on north through Calipatria to Niland. From here I went west to the southern part of the Wister Unit. I then worked south and west along the shore of the Salton Sea to the north end of Poe Road, stopping at Morton Bay, Red Hill, the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge HQ, Obsidian Butte and Unit 1 of the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge. I then moved east and looked unsuccessfully for irrigated fields suitable for small shorebirds from just south of Westmorland to Interstate 8. I checked Sunbeam Lake and Fig Lagoon before heading west to San Diego. It was clear with no wind, and with temperatures ranging from 80 to 110 degrees. Species seen - Canada Goose (2 - two near the intersection of Schrimpf and Garst Roads), Brant (30 - five at Obsidian Butte, five more at the west end of Young Road and twenty together at the north end of Poe Road), Gadwall (5), Mallard (50), Cinnamon Teal (75), Northern Shoveler (35), Northern Pintail (10), Green-winged Teal (5), Redhead (5), Ruddy Duck (5), Gambell's Quail (25), Pied-billed Grebe (5), Eared Grebe (2), Western Grebe (5), Clark's Grebe (2), Aechmophorus sp. (6), American White Pelican (1500), Brown Pelican (1000), Double-crested Cormorant (2500), Least Bittern (1), Great Blue Heron (75), Great Egret (150), Snowy Egret (100), Cattle Egret (1500), Green Heron (10), Black-crowned Night-Heron (25), White-faced Ibis (2500), Wood Stork (3 - three sub-adult birds at the intersection of Schrimpf and Garst Roads), Turkey Vulture (25), Osprey (1), Cooper's Hawk (1), American Kestrel (25), Peregrine Falcon (2), Clapper Rail (1), Common Moorhen (5), American Coot (200), Black-bellied Plover (50), Snowy Plover (5), Semipalmated Plover (15), Killdeer (25), Black-necked Stilt (350), American Avocet (1500), Spotted Sandpiper (2), Greater Yellowlegs (30), Willet (25), Lesser Yellowlegs (20), Whimbrel (1), Long-billed Curlew (100), Marbled Godwit (75), Western Sandpiper (2500 - including many juveniles), Least Sandpiper (150 - including many juveniles), Stilt Sandpiper (150), Ruff (1 - one adult in near basic-plumage near the intersection of Schrimpf and Garst Roads was the same bird found here by Mary and Nick Freeman on 14 August), Short-billed Dowitcher (1 - one juvenile at Fig Lagoon is the first of this age that I have encountered locally this year), Long-billed Dowitcher (1500), Wilson's Phalarope (150), Red-necked Phalarope (200), Bonaparte's Gull (2 - two second-summer birds together at the north end of Poe Road), Laughing Gull (350), Ring-billed Gull (500), Western Gull (1 - one very dark hatch-year bird at the intersection of Lack and Lindsey Roads), Yellow-footed Gull (100), California Gull (750), Herring Gull (1 - one third-summer bird at the intersection of Lack and Lindsey Roads was the same bird seen here on 15 August), Caspian Tern (1000), Black Tern (250), Common Tern (1 - one second-summer bird showing a bold black carpal-bar with Forster's Terns at Obsidian Butte), Forster's Tern (150), Black Skimmer (150 - most at Rock Hill where many were evidently on eggs), Rock Pigeon (150), Eurasian Collared-Dove (200), White-winged Dove (150), Mourning Dove (150), Inca Dove (5), Common Ground-Dove (35), Greater Roadrunner (2), Barn Owl (1), Burrowing Owl (15), Lesser Nighthawk (2), Black-chinned Hummingbird (20), Anna's Hummingbird (23), Costa's Hummingbird (2), Belted Kingfisher (1 - one near Obsidian Butte was the first that I have encountered locally this fall), Gila Woodpecker (5), Ladder-backed Woodpecker (1), Willow Flycatcher (1), Black Phoebe (25), Ash-throated Flycatcher (2), Western Kingbird (10), Loggerhead Shrike (10), Common Raven (1), Horned Lark (5), Tree Swallow (50), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2), Bank Swallow (2), Cliff Swallow (100), Verdin (10), Cactus Wren (2), Marsh Wren (5), Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (2), Northern Mockingbird (25), European Starling (150), Orange-crowned Warbler (1), Nashville Warbler (1 - one near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads was the first that I have encountered locally this fall), Lucy's Warbler (4 - four hatch-year birds in fresh plumage showing rusty coloration on the rump but none on the crown actively foraging in mesquite near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads), Yellow Warbler (1), Common Yellowthroat (5), Wilson's Warbler (1 - one at the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge HQ was the first that I have encountered locally this fall), Abert's Towhee (25), Lark Sparrow (2), Savannah (Large-billed) Sparrow (1 - one at the west end of McDonald Road was the first that I have encountered locally this fall), Song Sparrow (5), Black-headed Grosbeak (2), Blue Grosbeak (1), Lazuli Bunting (2), Red-winged Blackbird (1000), Western Meadowlark (25), Yellow-headed Blackbird (5), Brewer's Blackbird (5), Great-tailed Grackle (150), Brown-headed Cowbird (25), Bullock's Oriole (1 - one females near the intersection of International and Pound Roads near Niland), House Finch (35) and House Sparrow (75) Guy McCaskie 954 Grove Avenue Imperial Beach, CA 91932 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Pyrrhuloxia: yes...and no From: "stanwalens" <swalens AT ucsd.edu> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:07:04 -0000 Arrived at the Carter and Fites pyrrhuloxia spot at 6:38:45 a.m. Was getting my binoculars out of the car at 6:39:30, when Bob Miller and Sandy Koonse heard the bird calling and saw it out in the open on a mistletoe about 40 yards further down the road [to the NE]. Bird flew down into the mesquite tangle at 6:39:40. Caught up to Bob and Sandy at 6:39:45. During the next 2-and-a-half hours, the bird was seen twice only for milliseconds as it flew near the area near the trash pile, where it had first been spotted on Aug 9. We did not bushwhack past the trash pile to the east side of the mesquite, but stayed in the shade to the west side. By 9:00, bird activity had slowed to almost nothing. Stan Walens San Diego Subject: Prado Regional Park/Mill Creek From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:33:24 -0400 I birded Prado Regional Park and Mill Creek at Hellman Avenue this morning. At Mill Creek there were close to 300 White-faced Ibis, and though they were less skittish than usual, I was unable to re-find the Glossy-type Ibis that I saw here a month ago. One Solitary Sandpiper and a Willet continued here from last Sunday, and a couple Bell's Vireos were singing from the riparian areas. At Prado Regional Park I had mostly the expected species, notable among them being an Acorn Woodpecker in the oaks just to the right of the entrance kiosk, two adult Least Bitterns flying across the lake near lot #1, and a female or juvenile Wood Duck on the lake. Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Ruff, Wood Stork From: d AT vidbell.com Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:46:37 +0000 The male Ruff found by the Freemans was present today in the SW portion of the pond along the north side Schrimpf road between Garst and Davis. Now in 90% winter plumage. 3 of the 4 immature Wood Storks were at Garst and Schrimpf as reported by Christopher Woods. Dipped on the Pyrrhuloxia. There was a Bell's Vireo in the same spot, along with Nashville and Lucy's Warblers and Crissal Thrasher. David Bell Newport Beach, CA Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Subject: Re: Wood Storks at the Salton Sea continue today + 4 more! From: Nick Freeman <mnfreeman AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:06:36 -0700 (GMT-07:00) Hi again Christopher is now reporting four more WOOD STORK at Garst and Schrimpf. Mary Freeman Glendale, CA -----Original Message----- From: Nick Freeman Sent: Aug 20, 2010 8:35 AM To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Wood Storks at the Salton Sea continue today . Subject: Night hawk From: "timura2" <timura2 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:44:03 -0000 That Lesser nighhawk has continued in the same area. I saw it again on 8-18 at the same exact time 7:30 pm. This time it flew very close to me a couple times. It was so quiet. It did not go over the canal but remained over the dry brush. Moving so quickly i still have not made it to be a male or female yet. Adam Timura Riverside. Subject: Wood Storks at the Salton Sea continue today From: Nick Freeman <mnfreeman AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:35:14 -0700 (GMT-07:00) Hi Birders This morning, I received a txt message from Christopher Taylor and he reports two WOOD STORKS at Lack and Lindsey. Yesterday, a report to Calbirds came in from Dan Brown of Sacramento that he found them at the same location. They storks are immatures. Good Cool Birding! Mary Freeman Glendale, CA Subject: Southeastern CA RBA: August 19, 2010 From: Tom Benson <tbenson AT csusb.edu> Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:25:00 -0700 RBA * California * Southeastern * August 19, 2010 * CASE1008.19 This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. Names in the report are generally those of the reporting party and not necessarily the person claiming the first sighting. If you are receiving this report only through Birdwest, you can get MORE FREQUENT AND COMPREHENSIVE UPDATES by subscribing to inlandcountybirds (see below). The bird alert phone line housed at the San Bernardino County Museum is no longer in service. If you have a rare bird to report and must use a phone line, please call 909-648-0899. Birds mentioned: Brant Red-breasted Merganser Zone-tailed Hawk Solitary Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone Ruff Franklin's Gull Herring Gull Western Gull Black Tern Common Nighthawk Bell's Vireo Lucy's Warbler *PYRRHULOXIA* - Transcript SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY One (possibly two) ZONE-TAILED HAWK continued in the Mid Hills area and a BELL'S VIREO was singing near the Needles Marina on Aug 12 (Dave Goodward). Eight COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were seen about a mile south of Baldwin Lake on Aug 12 (Sandy Remley). RIVERSIDE COUNTY Seven BLACK TERNS were seen at Lake Tamarisk Golf Club on Aug 14 (Steve Myers). Two RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area on Aug 14 (Brad Singer). IMPERIAL COUNTY Two LUCY'S WARBLERS were seen at Carter and Fites, 3 RUDDY TURNSTONES and a WESTERN GULL were at/near Obsidian Butte, and a SOLITARY SANDPIPER continued along Nofsinger Road on Aug 14 (Brad Singer). A RUFF was seen along Schrimpf Road between Garst and Davis Roads Aug 14-15 (Mary Freeman). The *PYRRHULOXIA* and three LUCY'S WARBLERS continued at Carter and Fites through Aug 15. Also on this date there were 10 BRANT at Lack and Lindsey (2) and the west end of Young Road (8), a FRANKLIN'S GULL west of Imperial, and a HERRING GULL at Lack and Lindsey (Guy McCaskie). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In general, birds that are on this weekly summary are those that are classified as at least rare in “Birds of Southern California” by Garrett and Dunn, “Birds of the Salton Sea” by Patten, McCaskie, and Unitt, or in “Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley” by Rosenberg, Ohmart, Hunter, and Anderson. Rarity can be regional or seasonal. For example, a nuthatch reported at the Salton Sea, where it is rare, may be on the summary. That same bird reported from the San Bernardino Mountains, where it is common, would not be. A sparrow reported as a rarity in Riverside in July, may be common there in December. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (see below)!!! If there is some reason that you cannot post there, or do not want to, e-mail Tom Benson at tbenson AT csusb.edu or call (909) 648-0899. Note that the phone hotline is no longer available. Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to: Guy McCaskie, Secretary, P.O. Box 275, Imperial Beach, CA 91933-0275, E-mail: guymcc AT pacbell.net Additionally, CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the "North American Birds" County Coordinators. They are: IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, 954 Grove Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, guymcc AT pacbell.net INYO COUNTY: Tom & Jo Heindel, P.O. Box 400, Big Pine CA 93513, tjheindel AT aol.com KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, 1819 Locust Ravine, Bakersfield CA 93306, kkheindel AT gmail.com RIVERSIDE COUNTY: John F. Green, 3120 Mount Vernon Ave., Riverside, CA 92507, bewickwren AT earthlink.net SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, 1357 Paige Lane, Redlands, CA 92373, sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ************ In addition the the Southeastern CA RBA, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, and San Diego County reports are posted on BIRDWEST. To subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU with SUBSCRIBE BIRDWEST YOUR NAME in the message (and YOUR NAME = your real name). There is an Inland Counties (San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial) bird report & discussion group. You can view messages at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ Other birding listservs that include reports of birds in southern California are: Inyo County: http://www.esaudubon.org/birds/ Kern County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kerncobirding Los Angeles County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LACoBirds Pasadena area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PasadenaAudubon Orange County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrangeCountyBirding San Diego County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SDBIRDS San Luis Obispo County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/slocobirding Santa Barbara County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sbcobirding Ventura County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/venturacobirding California (statewide): http://groups.yahoo.com/CALBIRDS ************ A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/calendar.htm Maps/directions to local birding sites are available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/maps.htm Important Southern California Bird Alert and Wildlife Phone Numbers: Los Angeles RBA (323) 874-1318 Orange County RBA (949) 487-6869 San Diego RBA (619) 688-2473 Southeastern CA Bird Alert report to (909) 648-0899 CalTip (CA Fish & Game) (800) 952-5400 (to report wildlife violations) -- For BirdWest archives go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwest.html To change your subscription options, including your address, go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwest To contact a listowner, send a message to mailto:birdwest-request AT listserv.arizona.edu ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Vaux's Swifts in the Desert? From: "SteveLombardi" <hot-rock AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:17:38 -0000 Vaux's Happening is a group affiliated with Audubon in the Pacific Northwest that is doing citizen science research on Vaux's Swift migration. (http://www.vauxhappening.org). They have collected a lot of data for the area between Northern California and the Canadian border. But they need data for Southern Cal, especially the desert counties. If any of you know of roost sites or have other knowledge of VASW migration, please communicate with the project coordinator - Larry Schwitters (leschwitters AT me.com) - or you can send your stuff to me and I'll pass it on. Thanks for your help. Steve Lombardi Subject: RE: San Jacinto Wildlife Area From: "Gray, Stanley K Civ USAF AFMC 912 AMXS/MXAC" <stan.gray AT edwards.af.mil> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:00:17 -0700 I also checked San Jacinto WLA on Sunday with very similar results as Mark's list below. The place is very dry right now, but they were putting water in the second entry pond while I was there. The only additions I would have to Mark's list are: Peregrine Falcon (2), one over the main ponds and another one over the dairy at Bridge St and the expressway, No doubt at least one of them mentioned by Chet on previous posts. I got lucky and accidently walked under a Least Bittern in the willows directly across from the pull out at the first cattails (before main pond #1). Stan Gray Edwards AFB / Moreno Valley -----Original Message----- From: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mark Leggett Sent: Saturday, August 14, 2010 5:10 PM To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [inlandcountybirds] San Jacinto Wildlife Area Yesterday my companion and I journeyed to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area for the first time. Glad to know that it's not that far from Palm Springs via 10 and 79. Saw several birds that we hadn't seen in numbers since moving last year from Florida--Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Black-necked Stilt and Greater Yellowlegs, all found in the initial pond. Also saw several Loggerhead Shrikes, an Orange-crowned Warbler and numerous Black Phoebes. At the "observation" area we surprised an owl on the ground at the base of a tree. Surprised us as well! Believe it to have been a Great Horned Owl, although activity at 9am is suspect. Looking forward to returning when water changes the landscape, and temps somewhat decline. Donation going to the Friends group. Mark Leggett Palm Springs CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links Subject: Probable Glossy Ibis Imperial County From: Bob Miller <bob.miller AT mindspring.com> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:45:36 -0400 (EDT) Hi all, On my way home from El Centro to Brawley on Dogwood Road yesterday afternoon, Monday 8-16, there was a Bermuda grass field being irrigated with a huge flock of Ibis and Cattle Egrets following the leading edge of the water. This field is the SE corner of Dogwood and Shwartz Roads. The water had been running for several hours so it was in the first four lands (between wide borders) of the field next to Dogwood with a lot of traffic. Could not ask for a better situation to study Ibis as the sun was to my back and there was a lot of traffic so the birds were not as skittish. I stopped short of the head of water and sat there for over half an hour (A/C running of course) so the as the head of water went past the flock of birds went by with it. One individual immediately caught my attention and I was able to refind it repeatedly as it mingled in the flock. It stayed close to the edge so I was viewing it from about 60 feet to as close as 20 feet. Not in breeding plumage except that it had a bright reddish brown back. Head was streaky. No red bare skin and the eye appeared brown. Did not have my camera with me. It was interesting to watch the ibis fighting over digging rights. Heads up, bills open and almost like watching an old swash buckler sword fight. Three LESSER and one GREATER YELLOWLEGS were the only shorebirds seen. (!__!) (0V0) HAPPY BIRDING {}~~{} BOB MILLER ='''='''== Southwest Birders Brawley, CA. 92227 Imperial County 760-455-1413 http://www.southwestbirders.com bob.miller AT mindspring.com Subject: Re: Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland area From: Charity Hagen <czy4brds AT verizon.net> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:41:46 -0700 This summer I've seen several(2 or 3) Lesser Nighthawks at dusk while driving on the new section of Newport Road in Menifee, specifically between Murrieta Road and Canyon Lake, since the new road opened we've been driving this road more frequently than before, since I can't remember ever seeing them there before but that's not surprising. They were flying over the partially developed but now defunct Audie Murphy Ranch development on both sides of the road. Charity Hagen Lake Elsinore On Aug 16, 2010, at 5:29 PM, wrote: > Several years ago, my wife and I found Lesser Nighthawk one evening in > southern Winchester. Specifically at 35736 Washington St, > Winchester, CA, > between Benton Rd and Thompson Rd, near Lake Skinner. The field on > the east > side of the road was being hunted by the Nighthawk. > > Since that time, community construction has eliminated much open > space in > the surrounding area. We haven't seen Nighthawks there recently. > > - gene > > -----Original Message----- > From: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com > [mailto:inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of dgingt22 > Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 4:54 PM > To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com > Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland > area > > Both Mill Creek alluvial plain and Cajon/Lytle alluvial plains have > breeding > (at least summering) Lesser Nighthawks. They may also breed on the > Etiwanda Fan somewhere, judging from the Lesser Nighthawks I have > seen at > Rancho Cucamonga Quakes baseball games. They also probably breed > somewhere > in the badlands near the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, or perhaps in > the San > Jacinto River alluvial scrub, with multiple birds seen at dusk over > some of > the duck ponds near Mystic Lake in summer. I do not know when all > these > birds start to disperse. The recent Riverside Co. sighting could be > from one > of these locations, or somewhere else locally we don't know about. > My only > "vagrant" LENI was in early August in Grand Terrace several years > ago. (Too > far away to count on my yard list though, darn.) A final thought is > that > perhaps some of the desert nighthawks disperse coastally after > breeding. > Dave > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Nighthawk From: "timura2" <timura2 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:29:11 -0000 I'm sure you guys figured it out but it was on 8-15 that I saw the nighthawk not 10-15 sorry for the mix up. I'm glad people are talking about it. Adam TImura Riverside Subject: This and that-Big Bear Lake From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:57:36 EDT Some sightings I have had may be of interest to others. Stanfield Marsh on August 14, one Great Egret and two Red-necked Phalaropes, transients. August 12, eight Common Nighthawks were circling around my home at 7PM. This is the largest count I have had so far of this species, 4 being the highest in prior years. Normally see them on a regular basis at the sewage plant but have not seen them there even though the employees report seeing them during the day. I have not seen any Spotted Sandpipers over the past week and the swallow numbers have declined noticeably. Sandy Remley Big Bear Lake [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: LAAS fieldtrip to the Sea, 8/15/10 From: Nick & Mary Freeman <mnfreeman AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:02:28 -0700 Hi birders Nick and I found the rarity for the weekend, a male RUFF. Nick first saw the bird and noticed the bustle. I watched it and then as it walked away, I saw its bright orange legs! The first sighting of the Ruff was Saturday, 8/14 at around 1pm. On Sunday, 24 hours later, we saw it in the same area where we first found it Saturday afternoon. We bumped into Guy McCaskie and he saw it earlier that morning. It was a male transitioning into winter plumage: white donut at the base of the bill, black flecking on the breast, patches of dark grey feathers in the mantle mixed with medium grey with pale edgings to the feathers which made for a blotchy pattern to the mantle, darkish cap and the dark through the eye and a thin black bill. It was foraging at the water's edge and it entered the vegetation on the bank where it seemed to glean insects from off the plants as were other peeps. Also on scouting day, we tried for the Pyrrhuloxia near Carter and Fites, which we didn't locate, and I saw a male and female WESTERN TANAGER fly into a tree at one of the houses next to the road. At the end of Bowles where it meets the water, in the tamarisks we found a brightly colored and actively feeding ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, a female NORTHERN ORIOLE and a WILLOW FLYCATCHER as we were enjoying watching ratty looking BRANT and feeding STILT SANDPIPERS. Brant were also found at the end of Poe Saturday morning along with SNOWY PLOVER. Two PEREGRINE FALCON were seen, one across from the Ruff site and the other at the end of Bowles. A few RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and two CANADA GOOSE were at the Ruff site but the WILSON'S PHALAROPE was the most numerous throughout the weekend. We had about 20 YELLOW- FOOTED GULL at Red Hill Marina (aka Ross Gull Marina) along with about 20 BLACK SKIMMER. LAUGHING GULL were numerous along the sea wall. We had 72 species from the break of dawn to about 2:00pm. A LESSER NIGHTHAWK flew over our car on Davis past the bath houses as we drove to highway 111. We had so many WHITE-WINGED DOVEs, the numbers were impressive!!! We birded around the neighborhood near Cattle Call Park in Brawley and it seemed every other lawn hosted the White-wingeds. In an alley, we came across six INCA DOVE and a few COMMON GROUND DOVE. We watched as an Inca and Common Ground Dove give each other the stink eye and sparred with each other raising, flashing and slapping their wings to each other, quite entertaining. I threw in the towel (or wish I had one soaked in ice water) as the heat and humidity was a tad too much to endure any longer! We're still waiting for photo-documentation on Saturday's report of a Black-bellied Whistling Duck. Stay cool! Mary & Nick Freeman Glendale, CA Subject: lesser nighthawks From: leighestus AT aol.com Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:07:58 EDT Joining in on the sightings of lesser nighthawks. There was a pair of lesser nighthawks in the wash area below Mt. San Antonio Dam east of Padua Ave. and south of Mt. Baldy Rd., above Claremont, on June 14th. I had never been aware of them being in the area before. Unfortunately I didn't return to see if there were fledglings. Martha Estus Claremont, California [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Status of Lesser Nighthawk From: "Stephen J. Myers" <stephenmyers AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:06:46 -0700 After reviewing my field notes, I can say that Chet and I had regular sightings of Lesser Nighthawks at Lake Mathews during California Gnatcatcher nesting research in 1993 and 1994. I remember finding a nighthawk nest under a Brittlebush near the south shore of the lake, but I could not find the date in my notes. My 1995 notes from Lake Mathews do not list any nighthawks. Steve _____ From: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Chet McGaugh Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 1:11 PM To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Status of Lesser Nighthawk Adam Timura's post about he and his wife seeing a Lesser Nighthawk along the Gage Canal is interesting. I browsed my notes and didn't find much; I remember Steve Myers and I flushing them out of coastal sage scrub around Lake Mathews in the early '90s. I don't recall a nest; Steve might. Garrett and Dunn (1980) gives them "nests very locally" and "probably declined since the 1930s and 1940s," and "much needs to be learned." This also appears to be a peak passage time based on G&D's bar graph. Good stuff! Chet [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: RE: Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland area From: <sunishun AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:29:37 -0700 Several years ago, my wife and I found Lesser Nighthawk one evening in southern Winchester. Specifically at 35736 Washington St, Winchester, CA, between Benton Rd and Thompson Rd, near Lake Skinner. The field on the east side of the road was being hunted by the Nighthawk. Since that time, community construction has eliminated much open space in the surrounding area. We haven't seen Nighthawks there recently. - gene -----Original Message----- From: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of dgingt22 Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 4:54 PM To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland area Both Mill Creek alluvial plain and Cajon/Lytle alluvial plains have breeding (at least summering) Lesser Nighthawks. They may also breed on the Etiwanda Fan somewhere, judging from the Lesser Nighthawks I have seen at Rancho Cucamonga Quakes baseball games. They also probably breed somewhere in the badlands near the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, or perhaps in the San Jacinto River alluvial scrub, with multiple birds seen at dusk over some of the duck ponds near Mystic Lake in summer. I do not know when all these birds start to disperse. The recent Riverside Co. sighting could be from one of these locations, or somewhere else locally we don't know about. My only "vagrant" LENI was in early August in Grand Terrace several years ago. (Too far away to count on my yard list though, darn.) A final thought is that perhaps some of the desert nighthawks disperse coastally after breeding. Dave Subject: RE: Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland area From: "Koonce, Sandy" <sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:01:47 -0700 Lesser Nighthawks are regular in summer along the Santa Ana River wash through Redlands, too. Sandy Sandy Koonce Department of Mathematics University of Redlands, Redlands, CA 92373 sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ________________________________________ From: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com [inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of dgingt22 [davegoodward AT earthlink.net] Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 4:54 PM To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland area Both Mill Creek alluvial plain and Cajon/Lytle alluvial plains have breeding (at least summering) Lesser Nighthawks. They may also breed on the Etiwanda Fan somewhere, judging from the Lesser Nighthawks I have seen at Rancho Cucamonga Quakes baseball games. They also probably breed somewhere in the badlands near the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, or perhaps in the San Jacinto River alluvial scrub, with multiple birds seen at dusk over some of the duck ponds near Mystic Lake in summer. I do not know when all these birds start to disperse. The recent Riverside Co. sighting could be from one of these locations, or somewhere else locally we don't know about. My only "vagrant" LENI was in early August in Grand Terrace several years ago. (Too far away to count on my yard list though, darn.) A final thought is that perhaps some of the desert nighthawks disperse coastally after breeding. Dave Subject: Re: coastal Lesser Nighthawks, inland area From: "dgingt22" <davegoodward AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:54:25 -0000 Both Mill Creek alluvial plain and Cajon/Lytle alluvial plains have breeding (at least summering) Lesser Nighthawks. They may also breed on the Etiwanda Fan somewhere, judging from the Lesser Nighthawks I have seen at Rancho Cucamonga Quakes baseball games. They also probably breed somewhere in the badlands near the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, or perhaps in the San Jacinto River alluvial scrub, with multiple birds seen at dusk over some of the duck ponds near Mystic Lake in summer. I do not know when all these birds start to disperse. The recent Riverside Co. sighting could be from one of these locations, or somewhere else locally we don't know about. My only "vagrant" LENI was in early August in Grand Terrace several years ago. (Too far away to count on my yard list though, darn.) A final thought is that perhaps some of the desert nighthawks disperse coastally after breeding. Dave Subject: Salton Sea 15 Aug 2010 From: "Guy" <guymcc AT pacbell.net> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:26:26 -0700 I spent most of Sunday, 15 August 2010 (5:45 AM to 3:00 PM) in the Imperial Valley and along part of the south shore of the Salton Sea. I started the day at the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads southwest of Brawley then moved northward to Cattle Call Park in Brawley. From here I moved north to the west side of Finney Lake and the entrance to Ramer Lake hoping to find migrant land-birds. I then continued north through Calipatria to Morton Bay, and returned to spending considerable time looking through ibis in an irrigated field at the intersection of Sinclair and English Roads. I then checked the south shore of the Salton Sea from Red Hill to the west end of Young Road, stopping at the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge HQ and Obsidian Butte. I then moved east and looked unsuccessfully for irrigated fields suitable for small shorebirds from just south of Niland to Interstate 8. It was mostly clear, but with some high "wispy" high cloud-cover, higher than normal humidity, and with temperatures ranging from 80 to 110 degrees. Species seen - Canada Goose (2 - two near the intersection of Schrimpf and Garst Roads), Brant (10 - two at the intersection of Lack and Lindsey Roads and eight more at the west end of Young Road), Gadwall (2), Mallard (50), Cinnamon Teal (100), Northern Shoveler (15), Northern Pintail (1), Redhead (2), Ruddy Duck (5), Gambell's Quail (10), Pied-billed Grebe (5), Eared Grebe (5), Western Grebe (5), Clark's Grebe (2), Aechmophorus sp. (6), American White Pelican (1000), Brown Pelican (1000), Double-crested Cormorant (2500), Great Blue Heron (75), Great Egret (100), Snowy Egret (75), Cattle Egret (1500), Green Heron (10), Black-crowned Night-Heron (10), White-faced Ibis (2500), Turkey Vulture (15), Osprey (3), Cooper's Hawk (1), American Kestrel (25), Peregrine Falcon (3), Common Moorhen (5), American Coot (200), Black-bellied Plover (50), Snowy Plover (5), Semipalmated Plover (10), Killdeer (25), Black-necked Stilt (250), American Avocet (1500), Spotted Sandpiper (1), Greater Yellowlegs (30), Willet (25), Lesser Yellowlegs (20), Whimbrel (2), Long-billed Curlew (150), Marbled Godwit (75), Western Sandpiper (1500), Least Sandpiper (50), Stilt Sandpiper (20), Ruff (1 - one adult male molting into basic-plumage near the intersection of Schrimpf and Garst Roads was the same bird found here by Mary and Nick Freeman on 14 August) Long-billed Dowitcher (750), Wilson's Phalarope (250), Red-necked Phalarope (5), Laughing Gull (400), Franklin's Gull (1 - one second-summer or adult in an irrigated field west of Imperial was the first that I have encountered this fall), Ring-billed Gull (500), Yellow-footed Gull (100), California Gull (750), Herring Gull (1 - one third-summer bird at the intersection of Lack and Lindsey Roads), Caspian Tern (1000), Black Tern (25), Forster's Tern (75), Black Skimmer (100), Rock Pigeon (150), Eurasian Collared-Dove (200), White-winged Dove (100), Mourning Dove (100), Inca Dove (2), Common Ground-Dove (30), Greater Roadrunner (2), Barn Owl (1), Burrowing Owl (10), Lesser Nighthawk (2), Black-chinned Hummingbird (6), Anna's Hummingbird (2), Costa's Hummingbird (3), Gila Woodpecker (5), Ladder-backed Woodpecker (1), Black Phoebe (25), Western Kingbird (10), Loggerhead Shrike (10), Common Raven (1), Horned Lark (5), Tree Swallow (10), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2), Cliff Swallow (100), Verdin (10), Cactus Wren (2), Marsh Wren (5), Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (2), Northern Mockingbird (25), Crissal Thrasher (1 - one near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads), European Starling (150), Orange-crowned Warbler (2), Lucy's Warbler (3 - three hatch-year birds in fresh plumage showing rusty coloration on the rump but none on the crown actively foraging in mesquite near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads), Common Yellowthroat (5), Abert's Towhee (25), Song Sparrow (5), Pyrrhuloxia (1 - one female near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads was the same bird found here on 9 August), Black-headed Grosbeak (2), Blue Grosbeak (1), Lazuli Bunting (2 - two near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads), Red-winged Blackbird (1000), Western Meadowlark (25), Yellow-headed Blackbird (2), Brewer's Blackbird (5), Great-tailed Grackle (200), Brown-headed Cowbird (75), Bullock's Oriole (2 - two females near the intersection of Carter and Fites Roads0, House Finch (35) and House Sparrow (75). Guy McCaskie 954 Grove Avenue Imperial Beach, CA 91932 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Do Mourning and Eurasian Collared Doves hybridize? From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:46:45 -0400 Hybrid Eurasian Collared-doves X Mourning Doves are known to occur, although I don't know off the top of my head if they have been recorded in California (although I wouldn't be surprised if they had). Photos of a probable hybrid of this combination from Tennessee are at: http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/ecdomodo. Perhaps the eBird editors could add this hybrid combination to the species list? Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA -----Original Message----- From: el_gatto_nero To: inlandcountybirds AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Mon, Aug 16, 2010 9:56 am Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Do Mourning and Eurasian Collared Doves hybridize? I was at Mojave Narrows this weekend and saw what I think may have been a hybrid dove. It had the body shape and dark coloring of a Mourning Dove but what appeared to be a partial neck ring like a Eurasian Collared Dove. Both species were present there. Has anyone seen this before? I didn't see this as an option on e-bird so I don't know what to do with the info. Thanks for any help. Scott Duncan ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ Individual Email | Traditional http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Do Mourning and Eurasian Collared Doves hybridize? From: "el_gatto_nero" <el_gatto_nero AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:56:58 -0000 I was at Mojave Narrows this weekend and saw what I think may have been a hybrid dove. It had the body shape and dark coloring of a Mourning Dove but what appeared to be a partial neck ring like a Eurasian Collared Dove. Both species were present there. Has anyone seen this before? I didn't see this as an option on e-bird so I don't know what to do with the info. Thanks for any help. Scott Duncan Subject: correction From: "Chet McGaugh" <chetmcgaugh AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:16:33 -0700 That would be Birds of Southern California: Status and Distribution,1981. Kimball Garrett and Jon Dunn. Get it if you can. Chet [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Status of Lesser Nighthawk From: "Chet McGaugh" <chetmcgaugh AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:11:21 -0700 Adam Timura's post about he and his wife seeing a Lesser Nighthawk along the Gage Canal is interesting. I browsed my notes and didn't find much; I remember Steve Myers and I flushing them out of coastal sage scrub around Lake Mathews in the early '90s. I don't recall a nest; Steve might. Garrett and Dunn (1980) gives them "nests very locally" and "probably declined since the 1930s and 1940s," and "much needs to be learned." This also appears to be a peak passage time based on G&D's bar graph. Good stuff! Chet [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Gage Canal 10-15 From: "timura2" <timura2 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:55:06 -0000 My Wife and I were walking yesterday evening and came upon a Lesser Nighthawk. It was feeding on insects flying low over the Gage canal. This was at the end of Myers st past Dufferin st in Riverside. The Bird flew like discribed in books looping up and down and then flat with smooth wing beats. Even in the evening light around 7:30 pm I could make out the bars on the underside of the wings. This was the first time I have ever seen this bird and can't wait to find it again. It left in the direction of Mokingbird canyon. This morning I stumbled on a large number (40-60) of Turkey Vultures roosting at BuenaVista and W Sixth streest in Corona. They took off and circled and flew off in the direction of the river. Adam Timura Riverside Subject: SJWA update From: "Chet McGaugh" <chetmcgaugh AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:51:07 -0700 I've had variable amounts of time and energy for the San Jacinto Wildlife Area in the last couple of weeks. There's been nothing to urgently report or chase, but lots to see. The fall shorebird count is up to 17 species with conspicuous misses of Solitary Sandpiper and Black-bellied Plover, and unusual low numbers of Calidris. Greater Yellowlegs have been impressive with approx. 70 today (Aug 16) being the high. Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets have been ~300 , as have Long-billed Dowitchers. The first juvenile dowitcher, a Short-billed, was today. Single Marbled Godwit and Snowy Plover were the local sortararities. Three Red-necked Phalaropes appeared with the continuing dozen Wilson's Phalaropes today. The Peregrine Falcon (two? never seen together) continue, with egrets providing an obvious reason. Mark Chappell got stunning photos of the adult, showing unmolted juvenile feathers, how fast could that happen -- I have photos of a streaky immature taken less than a week before Mark's. Neither of us have seen an immature in the last two weeks. Also, Mark and I experienced a white egret (migratory?) event on Aug. 8, with 100+ Snowy Egrets, 80 Great Egrets, 8 Cattle Egrets packed together, with many less than that seen before or since. After Mark left to follow the Peregrine, I watch the Great Egrets do a circling Turkey Vulture like ascension way up, then they were gone. Good news that the water is being turned on; unfortunate that the mud is mostly gone. No effort for landbirds, one Willow Flycatcher today. Chet [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Mill Creek at Hellman Avenue From: Thomasabenson AT aol.com Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:34:06 -0400 I made a quick stop by Mill Creek at Hellman Avenue on my way home from Orange County today (Aug 15). There were about 200 White-faced Ibis here, but as usual they were somewhat skittish and I was unable to re-find any Glossy-type birds before they flew away for good. Otherwise, I had a good study in Tringa sandpipers, with 10 Greater Yellowlegs, 4 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 (continuing) Solitary Sandpipers, and a Willet. A few Spotted Sandpipers and several Black-necked Stilts were also present. Tom Benson San Bernardino, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Black-bellied Whistling Duck, 8/14/10 From: Mary & Nick Freeman <mnfreeman AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 14:24:20 -0700 Hi birders We are putting together our bird list and have just learned that a BLACK-BELLIED DUCK was seen and photographed from a distance at the pond at Ketshaw, between Titsworth & Rutherford, yesterday around 2pm by one of our trip participants. Hope someone tries for it again. Mary Freeman Glendale, CA Sent from my iPhone Subject: Ruff again at the Sea! From: Mary & Nick Freeman <mnfreeman AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 13:08:08 -0700 Hi birders 24 hrs later and we refound the RUFF at the same location, see out report from yesterday. Guy saw it this morning. We are driving away from it now. Woo hoo! Mary Freeman Glendale, CA Sent from my iPhone Subject: Mira Loma: Black-throated Gray Warbler From: Merlin_Mira_Loma <max_ab6ns AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:00:15 -0700 This am, adult male Black-throated Gray Warbler in the eucalypts bordering the Goose Creek golf course along 66th Street between William and Lucretia. Perhaps my FOF ... or then again, maybe the immature that spent the winter at the Etiwanda end of 66th spent the summer (out of sight)? Good birding! Madeline Mira Loma Subject: Salton Sea 8-14-10 From: "Brad" <bcsinger AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:08:52 -0000 Howard and I spent an enjoyable Saturday a.m. at various spots through the sea. We dipped on the Pyrrhuloxia but did get 2 Lucy's Warblers and 2 Crissal Thrashers at Carter/Fites. Other birds of note were 3 Ruddy Turnstone's at Obsidian Butte, a Peregrine Falcon on the "Osprey Tree" north of Lack and Lindsey, a juvenile Western Gull near Obsidian Butte, and a Solitary Sandpiper along Nofsinger Road. We missed the Ruff found by Mary and Nick Freeman at Davis and Schrimpf (we actually avoided this section due to road construction). On the way out we stopped at Salton Sea Headquarters along 111 (NESS) and found two summering Red-breasted Mergansers. On a lark, we drove across the highway and birded the west end of Dos Palmas Oasis (actually called San Andreas Oasis) and found a number of migrants (all expected) streaming through the area. Included were Willow Fly, Western-wood Pewee, Bullock's Oriole, and Black-headed Grosbeak. Possibly a good place to check in a couple of weeks (very easy access). Brad Singer Subject: Pyrrhuloxia continues Sunday From: "Barbara" <barbarac2003 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 14:58:30 -0000 Guy McCaskie called early Sunday morning to say that he and another birder saw the Pyrrhuloxia again today near Carter and Fites, southwest of Brawley. The bird was in exactly the same spot where he saw it previously, near the southwest end of the vegetation. See the excellent directions to this site posted last Monday by Bob Miller. Guy adds that there are two broken white plastic chairs at this location. --Paul Lehman, San Diego Subject: Williamson's Sapsuckers From: "philip_unitt" <unitt AT cox.net> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 00:23:07 -0000 Dear friends, I didn't post any message immediately after our latest field trip to the San Jacinto Mountains for our centennial resurvey, to Idyllwild and May Valley from 26 to 30 July 2010, because we didn't see anything terribly notable. Lea Squires and I did see a female Williamson's Sapsucker in May Valley at the unexpectedly low elevation of 4990 feet on 27 July, Lori Hargrove saw a Spotted Owl in May Valley at first light that same morning, and the three of us saw a flock of 7 adult California Gulls far from water migrating southeast over Keen Ridge on 28 July. Then yesterday Jack Daynes sent me a nice photo of a female Williamson's Sapsucker he took at Santa Rosa Spring on Santa Rosa Mountain, elevation 7320 feet, the day before, Thursday 12 August. We haven't seen Williamson's Sapsucker in the Santa Rosa Mountains previously, the expedition of 1908 did not find it there, and it's not listed for the area in Weathers' "Birds of Deep Canyon," which covers the Santa Rosa Mountains. Does anyone know of any other observations of Williamson's Sapsucker in the Santa Rosa Mountains, especially in summer? Good birding, Philip Unitt San Diego Subject: San Jacinto Wildlife Area From: Mark Leggett <palmwarbler AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 17:10:11 -0700 Yesterday my companion and I journeyed to the San Jacinto Wildlife Area for the first time. Glad to know that it's not that far from Palm Springs via 10 and 79. Saw several birds that we hadn't seen in numbers since moving last year from Florida--Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Black-necked Stilt and Greater Yellowlegs, all found in the initial pond. Also saw several Loggerhead Shrikes, an Orange-crowned Warbler and numerous Black Phoebes. At the "observation" area we surprised an owl on the ground at the base of a tree. Surprised us as well! Believe it to have been a Great Horned Owl, although activity at 9am is suspect. Looking forward to returning when water changes the landscape, and temps somewhat decline. Donation going to the Friends group. Mark Leggett Palm Springs CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Desert Center, Cactus City, Whitewater Canyon, 14 August From: "Stephen J. Myers" <stephenmyers AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:07:30 -0700 Bill Hopson and I spent a long half day birding Cactus City Rest Area and Desert Center, with a mid-day stop in Whitewater Canyon on the way home. All locales had a small number of fall migrants, with Cactus City having a Western Tanager, Bullock's Oriole, and a Yellow Warbler. A flock of 10 American Avocets flew around while deciding whether or not to land on the sewer pond. Desert Center highlights including a flock of 7 Black Terns flying south, and an American Wigeon, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 9 Black-necked Stilts, and a Spotted Sandpiper at the sewer ponds. About 5 Willow Flycatchers, a few Orange-crowned, Yellow, and Wilson's warblers, and a female Scott's Oriole were around the perimeter of the Lake Tamarisk golf course. A Bank Swallow foraged over the larger lake with a few Tree and Cliff swallows, and both Prairie Falcon and Peregrine Falcon were seen overhead. A few more migrants were in Whitewater Canyon, but the "lowlight" there was watching a Least Bell's Vireo feed a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird. An adult female Blue Grosbeak was also feeding a juvenile grosbeak. Steve Myers Stephen J. Myers 15598 Turnberry Street Moreno Valley, CA 92555 951-247-3027 Cell 951-634-9767 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: White-tailed Kite at Big Bear Lake From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 17:14:35 EDT Seen around 9am today behind Von's. Flying over the open field area and the shoreline. According to Garrett and Dunn, "in the interior it is generally a rare, non-breeding visitant". This birder does not have good personal history records, but I think it was about fall 2007 that I saw one up here. Back then I didn't even keep field lists. Now connected to ebird my record keeping has improved and I am list driven. In the Mike San Miguel spirit, I am birding with a purpose. Sandy Remley Big Bear Lake [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Ruff at Salton Sea addendum From: Mary & Nick Freeman <mnfreeman AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:49:23 -0700 Hi birders While scouting for LA Audubon's fieldtrip to the Sea, at around 1pm, we found a solo RUFF. Its orange legs and "ruffly" mantle helped ID the bird, but we will study the plumage further. We found it actively feeding at the watwer's edge at the duck ponds, between Garst and Davis, north of the western extension of Schrimpf. I took digiphotos of the bird. Pesky Iphone! Continuing on at the Sea! Mary & Nick Freeman Glendale, CA Sent from my iPhone Sent from my iPhone [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Ruff at Salton Sea From: Mary & Nick Freeman <mnfreeman AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:42:58 -0700 Hi birders While scouting for LA Audubon's fieldtrip to the Sea, at around 1pm, we found a solo RUFF. Its orange legs and "ruffly" mantle helped ID the bird, but we will study the plumage further. We fouund it actively feeding at the watwer'aat tlhe duck ponds, between Garst and Davis, north of the western extension of Schrimpf Sent from my iPhone Subject: Mid Hills ZTHA continues From: "dgingt22" <davegoodward AT earthlink.net> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 02:13:24 -0000 First sighting was of an adult around 11 this morning, flying north over the Mid Hills from Cedar Canyon Road just east of Black Canyon Road. A second sighting was around 1 PM a mile north into the Mid Hills, where an adult soared close overhead then tried a stealth attack on a Panamint Chipmunk, missing it by inches. I am not sure if it was the same bird, and once again could not find a nest. Other birds in the Mid Hills were expected species, including a few Pinyon Jays and an immature Golden Eagle. Brewers, Black-throated and Black-chinned sparrows are congregating at the few remaining puddles in the canyons, and three Western wood peewees were probably migrants. Early in the morning I was in Needles, where I had spent the night. I tried birding Fort Mohave ag fields north of town, but there were no flooded fields for shorebirds. A cattle feed lot had a disgustingly large flock of Brown-headed cowbirds: I estimated 1,200, with only a handful of other species mixed in. The dove flock there was impressive too, with about 400 each of White-winged and E.Collared, only about 20 Mourning. A Bell's vireo was singing near the Needles Marina. Lastly, (actually firstly, on my way out yesterday) Baker sewage ponds had a Willet and two Solitary Sandpipers plus a smattering of commoner stuff. Another Willet was in the pond at the rest area 20 miles past Yermo on the 15. I didn't stop at any of the other Mohave shorebird spots. Dave Subject: Southeastern CA RBA: August 12, 2010 From: Tom Benson <tbenson AT csusb.edu> Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:29:46 -0700 RBA * California * Southeastern * August 12, 2010 * CASE1008.12 This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. Names in the report are generally those of the reporting party and not necessarily the person claiming the first sighting. If you are receiving this report only through Birdwest, you can get MORE FREQUENT AND COMPREHENSIVE UPDATES by subscribing to inlandcountybirds (see below). The bird alert phone line housed at the San Bernardino County Museum is no longer in service. If you have a rare bird to report and must use a phone line, please call 909-648-0899. Birds mentioned: Brant Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon Solitary Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone Semipalmated Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Western Gull Black Tern Black Swift Vermilion Flycatcher Bell's Vireo Bank Swallow Lucy's Warbler *PYRRHULOXIA* - Transcript SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY A juvenile SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER was seen at the Emerald Cove Resort sewage ponds and a BELL'S VIREO was seen at Rio Del Sol RV Haven on Aug 6 (Tom Benson). Two continuing BLACK SWIFTS were seen at Monkeyface Falls, and a juvenile PEREGRINE FALCON was seen at Big Bear Lake on Aug 7 (Brad Singer). Six VERMILION FLYCATCHERS and a BANK SWALLOW were at Prado Regional Park on Aug 8 (Howard King). A BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was seen at the Baldwin Lake sewage treatment plant on Aug 9 (Sandy Remley). Six BLACK TERNS and a BALD EAGLE were seen at Big Bear Lake on Aug 10 (Sandy Remley). RIVERSIDE COUNTY No reports. IMPERIAL COUNTY The following birds were reported from the south end of the Salton Sea and Imperial Valley on Aug 7: 15 continuing BRANT between the end of Poe Road (10) and the west ends of Bowles (1) and Young (4) Roads, 2 continuing SOLITARY SANDPIPERS along Nofsinger Road, a RUDDY TURNSTONE and a juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER at the end of Poe Road, and a juvenile LUCY'S WARBLER at Cattle Call Park (Tom Benson). Ten BRANT, 2 RUDDY TURNSTONES, and a WESTERN GULL were seen at the north end of Poe Road, 15 BRANT were at the west end of Young Road, and an adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER was at the west end of Bowles Road on Aug 8 (Guy McCaskie) A female *PYRRHULOXIA* and 6 LUCY'S WARBLERS were near the intersection of Carter and Fites, and a RUDDY TURNSTONE was at Obsidian Butte on Aug 9 (Guy McCaskie). A LUCY'S WARBLER was at Ramer Lake on Aug 10, and 4 LUCY'S WARBLERS were near the intersection of Carter and Fites on Aug 11 (Bob Miller). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ In general, birds that are on this weekly summary are those that are classified as at least rare in “Birds of Southern California” by Garrett and Dunn, “Birds of the Salton Sea” by Patten, McCaskie, and Unitt, or in “Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley” by Rosenberg, Ohmart, Hunter, and Anderson. Rarity can be regional or seasonal. For example, a nuthatch reported at the Salton Sea, where it is rare, may be on the summary. That same bird reported from the San Bernardino Mountains, where it is common, would not be. A sparrow reported as a rarity in Riverside in July, may be common there in December. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (see below)!!! If there is some reason that you cannot post there, or do not want to, e-mail Tom Benson at tbenson AT csusb.edu or call (909) 648-0899. Note that the phone hotline is no longer available. Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to: Guy McCaskie, Secretary, P.O. Box 275, Imperial Beach, CA 91933-0275, E-mail: guymcc AT pacbell.net Additionally, CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the "North American Birds" County Coordinators. They are: IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, 954 Grove Avenue, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, guymcc AT pacbell.net INYO COUNTY: Tom & Jo Heindel, P.O. Box 400, Big Pine CA 93513, tjheindel AT aol.com KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, 1819 Locust Ravine, Bakersfield CA 93306, kkheindel AT gmail.com RIVERSIDE COUNTY: John F. Green, 3120 Mount Vernon Ave., Riverside, CA 92507, bewickwren AT earthlink.net SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, 1357 Paige Lane, Redlands, CA 92373, sandy_koonce AT redlands.edu ************ In addition the the Southeastern CA RBA, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, and San Diego County reports are posted on BIRDWEST. To subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU with SUBSCRIBE BIRDWEST YOUR NAME in the message (and YOUR NAME = your real name). There is an Inland Counties (San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial) bird report & discussion group. You can view messages at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ Other birding listservs that include reports of birds in southern California are: Inyo County: http://www.esaudubon.org/birds/ Kern County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kerncobirding Los Angeles County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LACoBirds Pasadena area: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PasadenaAudubon Orange County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OrangeCountyBirding San Diego County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SDBIRDS San Luis Obispo County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/slocobirding Santa Barbara County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sbcobirding Ventura County: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/venturacobirding California (statewide): http://groups.yahoo.com/CALBIRDS ************ A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/calendar.htm Maps/directions to local birding sites are available on the SBVAS website at http://www.sbvas.org/maps.htm Important Southern California Bird Alert and Wildlife Phone Numbers: Los Angeles RBA (323) 874-1318 Orange County RBA (949) 487-6869 San Diego RBA (619) 688-2473 Southeastern CA Bird Alert report to (909) 648-0899 CalTip (CA Fish & Game) (800) 952-5400 (to report wildlife violations) -- For BirdWest archives go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwest.html To change your subscription options, including your address, go to http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwest To contact a listowner, send a message to mailto:birdwest-request AT listserv.arizona.edu ------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: inlandcountybirds AT eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT eGroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inlandcountybirds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: inlandcountybirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com inlandcountybirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Mill Creek , Chino From: "howardbking" <redhillbrd AT aol.com> Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:18:25 -0000 At Mill Creek at Hellman, there were 2 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS present at mid-day. Howard King Subject: Brown Booby, Martinez Lake, Coroado River From: Bob Miller <bob.miller AT mindspring.com> Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:12:24 -0400 (EDT) Hi all, Passing along some intersting news from the east coast (thanks Roger) of Imperial County. Gary K Froehlich of New Mexico photographed a sub-adult BROWN BOOBY at Martinez Lake on the Colorado River north of Yuma, AZ on 10 Aug. Although it might technicaly cross over to the Imperial County side of the river, forget that, you would need a boat! There is no vehicle access on the California side of the river for MANY miles at that location! Henry Detwiler and others will be out there at sunrize tomorrow morning. Will pass along any further and I may be contacted off list if you would like more info or directions. (!__!) (0V0) HAPPY BIRDING {}~~{} BOB MILLER ='''='''== Southwest Birders Brawley, CA. 92227 Imperial County 760-455-1413 http://www.southwestbirders.com bob.miller AT mindspring.com Subject: Salton Sea 8/11 From: "nate" <nar29 AT cornell.edu> Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:30:59 -0000 Had a fine day birding while out this morning. Birds of note: 3 Peregrine Falcons between Lack+Lindsey and Obsidian Butte. 2 Greater Yellowlegs at Obsidian Butte. 2 Lesser Yellowlegs at Obsidian Butte. 1 Belted Kingfisher at Lack+Lindsey intersection, the first Ive seen here this year. 1 Adult and 1 juvenile Common Moorhen at Lack+Lindsey. 1 Red-tailed Hawk on Mckindrey Rd. 1 Northern Harrier on Mckindrey Rd. 1 Spotted Sandpiper at N end of Garst Rd. 1 Great Horned Owl at Visitors Center of SSNWR. 1 Lesser Nighthawk at Visitors Center of SSNWR. Many adult and juvenile Burrowing Owls all over the place at Unit 1 of the SSNWR as well as on the sides of many other roads. Nate Subject: Imperial Valley From: Bob Miller <bob.miller AT mindspring.com> Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:24:27 -0700 (GMT-07:00) Hi all, Tuesday 10 August. Made it to Carter and Fites about 400pm. Very quiet and about 105 degrees. Did not find Lucy's Warbler or the Pyrrhuloxia at that time. Made my way over to Ramer Lake and then Finney Lake. On the west side of Ramer lake I had one LUCY'S WARBLER of unknown age as it was not cooperative. One NASHVILE WARBLER was an even bigger surprise. Brief looks at a flycatcher that I believe was Willow. At Finney Lake I spent quite some time watching the grebes to see if they really were interbreeding. Had two pairs of CLARK'S GREBE feeding one young still riding the adults back of each pair. One adult WESTERN GREBE was with an adult CLARK'S GREBE and appeared to be very attached although there was an adult CLRK'S GREBE sitting on a nest about 50 feet away so I could not say that the nearby pair were mated. Had one group of five adult CLARK'S GREBE staying close together and nearby was an adult CLARK'S and an adult WESTERN both feeding a pair of fledgligs so that was definitely a mixed pair. Had one pair of adult WESTERN's feeding a pair of fledglings as well. Ran out of time to check the rest of the lake or the spot where I saw what appeared to be three mixed pairs last week. Wednesday 11 August. Was at Carter and Fites just before sunrise and was joined by Curtis Marantz a bit later and Bob Dunn (sp ?) just before I left at 0800. 74 degrees with a light breeze was darned nice! The PYRRHULOXIA did NOT show by the time I left. We did have some fine birding though! Three CRISSAL TRHASHER were just east of the bee hives. We had at least four LUCY'S WARBLER and I suspect as many as six or seven. One ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and one YELLOW WARBLER. Two BULLOCK'S ORIOLE were in the river bottom below the bee hives. Curtis first heard and then we located a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER which is a possible early date. My high pitch hearing is not so great so Curtis heard a few other species that I did not. (!__!) (0V0) HAPPY BIRDING {}~~{} BOB MILLER ='''='''== Southwest Birders Brawley, CA. 92227 Imperial County 760-455-1413 http://www.southwestbirders.com bob.miller AT mindspring.com Subject: Black Terns at Big Bear Lake From: raccoonhome AT aol.com Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:54:55 EDT After many attempts to find this species that had been previously seen here, I had success. I counted 6 different individual at one time along the shoreline behind Von's. They were feeding and flying with three Forster's Terns. I arrived at 3:30 and immediately saw one. By the time I had to leave at 5:30 there were 6 in the area. In addition I had a fly over of a Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle(adult), Osprey and Red-tailed Hawk, in that order. I was very busy keeping track of everything going on. It was a great afternoon to bird. Sandy Remley Big Bear Lake [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]