Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from North Bay Birds > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Thursday, February 9 at 12:49 PM EST The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Greater Rhea,©Barry Kent Mackay

09 Feb Bird Song book still around for peanuts! ["milvan AT sbcglobal.net" ] 9 Feb Re: Hummingbird Feeders ["Van Pena, Monica Schwalbenberg-Pena" ] 09 Feb Sonoma Valley Regional Park (Feb 8 2012) ["Ctalcroft" ] 9 Feb Fwd: Directions to Fort Baker [] 8 Feb Re: Hummingbird Feeders [Marjorie Siegel ] 08 Feb Re: Adult Slaty-backed Gull continues - 2/8/12 [Sandy Greenberg ] 8 Feb FW: Bodega Bay (Sonoma County) ["Michael Feighner" ] 09 Feb Re: Directions to Fort Baker? ["Joy" ] 08 Feb RN Sapsucker at Tomales Bay SP [Jeff Miller ] 08 Feb Re: Hummingbird Feeders ["jackgedney" ] 8 Feb Re: Re: Hummingbird Feeders [Cynthia Rathkey ] 08 Feb Re: Hummingbird Feeders ["lbvireo" ] 08 Feb Bodega Bay ["Peter" ] 08 Feb Re: Hummingbird Feeders ["jackgedney" ] 8 Feb Re: SF Bay Flyway Festival this weekend [Birder1 ] 8 Feb RE: Re: Hummingbird Feeders ["widdowson's email" ] 8 Feb Re: Hummingbird Feeders ["Doug Shaw" ] 8 Feb Skaggs Island Road (Sonoma/Marin/Napa) [Maggie Rufo ] 8 Feb SF Bay Flyway Festival this weekend [Maggie Rufo ] 08 Feb Re: Hummingbird Feeders ["lbvireo" ] 08 Feb Re: Hummingbird Feeders [Diane Hichwa ] 8 Feb Re: Hummingbird Feeders [Bill Noble ] 08 Feb Hummingbird Feeders ["Anthonius" ] 8 Feb Adult Slaty-backed Gull continues - 2/8/12 [Dominik Mosur ] 08 Feb Directions to Fort Baker? ["Joy" ] 7 Feb good spot for geese near Petaluma ["Eugene Hunn" ] 07 Feb Golden Eagles ["David B" ] 06 Feb Re: Short-eared Owls and juvenile Ferruginous Hawk [Chuck Dresel ] 6 Feb Sonoma Co. rarity round-up - 2/6/2012 [Dominik Mosur ] 6 Feb Fort Baker Iceland Gull continues [Dan Singer ] 6 Feb Fort Baker Iceland Gull continues [Dan Singer ] 07 Feb Kumlien's Iceland Gull Napa ["vireocity" ] 6 Feb Re: Glaucous Gull, Fort Baker [Lukas Musher ] 6 Feb RE: Palm Warbler in Petaluma ["Eugene Hunn" ] 6 Feb RE: Lewis's Woodpecker and Flycatcher both present this morning at Ragle Ranch Park [Bruce Mast ] 06 Feb Continuing Ft. Baker Iceland Gull and Sonoma Least Flycatcher ["turdus.obscurus" ] 5 Feb Glaucous Gull, Fort Baker [Lukas Musher ] 06 Feb Palm Warbler in Petaluma ["Dan Nelson" ] 05 Feb Local interest 2/5 [Logan Kahle ] 6 Feb Ruff at Hudeman Slough [] 06 Feb Short-eared Owls and juvenile Ferruginous Hawk ["chuckdresel" ] 05 Feb Lewis's Woodpecker and Least Flycatcher - Ragle Ranch - Map ["hoggsville" ] 4 Feb RE: [SFBirds] Fort Baker Iceland Gull county location [Bruce Mast ] 4 Feb RE: [SFBirds] Fort Baker Iceland Gull county location ["Todd Easterla" ] 05 Feb Iceland Gull at Fort Baker ["mr_storey" ] 05 Feb Las Gallinas Feb. 3, 2012 ["Sharon" ] 05 Feb Eastern Phoebe & Ross's Goose at Las Gallinas Wetlands 2/4/12 ["George Chrisman" ] 4 Feb Fort Baker Iceland Gull county location [Dan Singer ] 04 Feb Ragle Ranch Park additional--Pelicans ["Ctalcroft" ] 04 Feb Lewis's Woodpecker and Flycatcher both present this morning at Ragle Ranch Park ["Ctalcroft" ] 04 Feb Re: Cooper's Hawk photos [Peter Headland ] 04 Feb Iceland Gull -- Fort Baker ["EastBayBotanist" ] 04 Feb Snow Goose among Canada Geese Seminary Dr, Strawberry Mill Valley ["masiegel3" ] 4 Feb Potter Valley Eurasian Wigeon? [Kathryn Parker ] 03 Feb Re: Allen's Hummingbird [Maggie Rufo ] 03 Feb Allen's Hummingbird [Maggie Rufo ] 3 Feb Re: Which county is that gull in? [Colin Talcroft ] 3 Feb Which county is that gull in? [Mark Eaton ] 3 Feb Least Flycatcher continues ["Ruth Rudesill" ] 04 Feb Ragle Ranch Park tomorrow morning anyone? ["Ctalcroft" ] 04 Feb Cooper's Hawk photos ["Ctalcroft" ] 03 Feb Eurasian Wigeon; Least Flycatcher photos ["Dan Nelson" ] 03 Feb Ragle Park Least Flycatcher continues ["Scott" ] 03 Feb Iceland Gull (photos), Marin ["mttammark" ] 03 Feb Probable Cooper's Hawk in my Garden today ["Ctalcroft" ] 3 Feb Re: Iceland Gull in San Francisco and Marin [Mark Eaton ] 3 Feb Iceland Gull in San Francisco and Marin [Mark Eaton ] 03 Feb Iceland Gull at Fort Baker, Marin [Jeff Miller ] 2 Feb FOS Selasphorus hummer [Mike Heffernon ] 2 Feb Merlin at Spring Lake, Santa Rosa [Rob ODonnell ] 02 Feb Townsend's Warbler ["masiegel3" ] 02 Feb Townsend's Warbler ["masiegel3" ] 02 Feb Common Snipes ["gail_mac" ] 1 Feb RE: Townsend's Feeding habits ["Candace" ] 1 Feb Re: Townsend's Feeding habits [] 02 Feb Glaucous Gull ["Lisa" ] Subject: Bird Song book still around for peanuts! From: "milvan AT sbcglobal.net" <milvan@sbcglobal.net> Date: Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:39:03 -0000 Santa Rosa's Montgomery Village Copperfields sale rack has 4 copies of Donald Kroodsma's Bird Song By the the Seasons WITH CD for only 9.99 Drive your pets crazy as you listen to the Prairie dawn chorus or nocturnal migrant calls in your living room! This is a very cool book. ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: "Van Pena, Monica Schwalbenberg-Pena" <milvan AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2012 09:33:10 -0800 Aspects nectar bar, hard to find in stores, but easiest to clean, no fancy mold growing flower appliques, just smooth EZ clean surfaces and a square box. It suction cups to a window. I use the tiny scrub brushes from the wild bird center to scrub the ports. http://www.aspectsinc.com/4_WinFdrs.html Monica, Santa Rosa ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Sonoma Valley Regional Park (Feb 8 2012) From: "Ctalcroft" <ctalcroft AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:01:30 -0000 I visited Sonoma Valley Regional Park (off Highway 12, just beyond the stoplight at the turnoff for Glen Ellen at Arnold Dr.) for the first time today. Wasn't expecting much, but saw 31 species. Highlights included a group of nine or ten WESTERN MEADOWLARKS in the grassy areas around the parking lot, a pair of WHITE-TAILED KITES, first KESTREL for me of 2012, a close-up look at a HAIRY WOODPECKER, and WIGEONS, MERGANSERS, and GADWALLS on the reservoir just beyond the official boundary of the park. It was nice weather for walking. Complete list follows: Gadwall (Anas strepera) 5 American Wigeon (Anas americana) 2 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 3 Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 4 Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 16 California Quail (Callipepla californica) 12 Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 3 Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 3 Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 11 White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) 2 Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1 American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1 American Coot (Fulica americana) 34 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) 5 Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1 Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 2 Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus) 3 White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 1 Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) 3 American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 2 Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 1 European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 6 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 2 California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) 3 Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) 13 Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 12 Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) 9 House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) 10 Colin Talcroft Santa Rosa Sonoma County Bird Watching Spots http://colintalcroft.com/Sonoma_County_Bird_Watching_Spots/SCBWS_front_page.html ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Fwd: Directions to Fort Baker From: j_mander AT comcast.net Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2012 05:38:42 +0000 (UTC) I received several sets of directions to Fort Baker, so I'll try posting one of the emails (keeping my fingers crossed that the original sender doesn't mind). Joy Mander Petaluma   ----- Original Message ----- From: "judith_dnhm" To: "j mander" Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 11:00:05 AM Subject: Directions to Fort Baker Hi Joy, Did anyone get back to you with directions? Regardless, here is how you get there. Take 101 south. After the tunnel, get off at the last exit before the Golden Gate Bridge. The exit is marked Alexander Avenue. Make a right on Alexander. You will go under the freeway and shortly thereafter see a left-turn lane. Turn left here onto Bunker Road. You will see a tunnel straight ahead. This goes to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Before the tunnel is a right turn. Take this right, which is a continuation of Bunker. Follow Bunker, which will go under Alexander and take you to Ft. Baker. Bear right when you get to the bottom of the hill. I believe that this is Murray. Continue on Murray. You will see the bay and the two piers--one for the Coast Guard and the other for fishing. Parking is easy. You'll probably see other birders, too! If you want to look at a map, go to Google maps and enter "Bunker Road, Sausalito." Hope this helps! I may be going up later for the Slaty-backed Gull, having seen the Iceland on Saturday. Quite a sight! Judith Berkeley, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: Marjorie Siegel <masiegel3 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 20:59:13 -0800 (PST) My favorite is Best-1 feeder, 8 oz size, available at WildBirdsUnlimited, Amazon, directly from the company, and many other places. It consists of a glass bottle that looks like an IV bottle, that you invert & screw into a plastic saucer. It never leaks. I clean the bottle with dilute bleach, and the feeder comes with a mascara brush to clean the feeding ports.They cost about 15.00 I think, and last a very long time. Marjorie Siegel Mill Valley  --- On Wed, 2/8/12, Anthonius wrote: From: Anthonius Subject: [NBB] Hummingbird Feeders To: northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 5:29 PM   All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black algae/fungus and difficult to clean. Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to clean? Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Adult Slaty-backed Gull continues - 2/8/12 From: Sandy Greenberg <sandygreenberg AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:50:00 -0800 Hi All, I saw a pair of Sand Hill Crane fly over HWY 101 at the Willow Exit on my way to work this morn at 7:15 AM. Sandy Greenberg Redwood Shores, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: FW: Bodega Bay (Sonoma County) From: "Michael Feighner" <feinerVogel94551 AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 17:18:34 -0800 -----Original Message----- From: northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of ifei716 Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 4:12 PM To: northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Bodega Bay (Sonoma County) The Madrone group also found a Tropical Kingbird on a sign post near the first pullout on the left before the entrance to Duran Regional Park (Sonoma County). They also sighted two Red-necked Grebes and a White-winged Scoter in the bay south of Duran Park. --Tom --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "Peter" wrote: > > Hi All, > > Went out to Bodega Bay (Sonoma County) to look for birds with Madrone Audubon. I started with a solo seawatch from the Head at 7 AM that didn't turn up too much, but it was quite a sight with smooth surface on enormous swells crashing on the rocks there. Met the group and we all returned at mid-morning/high tide to find 4 ANCIENT MURRELETS and one female BLACK SCOTER. I hung around long enough after the rest departed to see a couple LONG-TAILED DUCKS fly in. > Caught up with the group again at Campbell Cove. We continued to Gaffney Point where there was a NASHVILLE WARBLER and a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER in the scrub between the road and the harbor. > Went looking for Snowy Plovers at their preferred roost in the wrack flat just east of the big Cypress area parking lot, but it was gone. There was a smooth incline of wave-washed sand right up to the base of the dunes. Where do homeless Snowies go until the sea replaces the sand? > > Peter Colasanti > Petaluma, Sonoma County > ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Directions to Fort Baker? From: "Joy" <j_mander AT comcast.net> Date: Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:37:57 -0000 Hi all- Thanks to everyone who sent me directions to Fort Baker- it was much easier getting there than I had imagined. Alas, the two "special" gulls were not to be found at noon, but it was great nonetheless. Thanks again for your help- Joy Mander, Petaluma --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "Joy" wrote: > > The latest gull sightings have piqued my curiosity, but I've never gone birding in that area before. I thought that I saw directions in one of the "gull" posts, but I couldn't find any after re-reading them. Could some kind soul take pity on me and (re)post a few driving directions? I've looked at a map, but I'm not certain that I'm going to end up in the same area where you-all have been birding! > > Thanks! > > Joy Mander > Petaluma > ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: RN Sapsucker at Tomales Bay SP From: Jeff Miller <jmiller AT biologicaldiversity.org> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:45:02 -0800 There is a report on eBird of a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER at Tomales Bay State Park on February 4, along with some great photos of the bird. Bob Arrigoni - if you are on this list, please share more details of the location. Great find! Jeff Miller Inverness [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: "jackgedney" <jgedney AT berkeley.edu> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:39:20 -0000 WBU has brushes that are curved to reach the inside of feeders such as the hourglass-shaped Perky-Pet bottles. They do a pretty good job, but the "flying saucer" feeders are definitely easier to clean (no narrow neck, fewer little crannies, dishwasher safe), easier to fill, and never leak. For the bottle type feeders, you can also try putting some sand and water in the feeder and shaking vigorously, then rinsing out the feeder. -Jack Gedney, WBU Novato --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "lbvireo" wrote: > > Do WBU brushes work at right-angle? That is the real problem with many feeders, in my limited experience...!! - Jim Greaves > > --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "jackgedney" wrote: > > > > I work at Wild Birds Unlimited in Novato and don't mean to take advantage of the list for advertising. However, we do carry brushes that fit into Perky-Pet and other narrow-necked feeders, as well as several models of the top-filling, saucer-shaped feeders by Aspects/Hummzinger. > > > > -Jack Gedney > > > > --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "lbvireo" wrote: > > > > > > I can't think of the name or manufacturer, but there is a top loading model which I've seen at ACE stores (I have no financial stake). Don't know why they insist on making narrow necks, when we all know that gravity will not suck water out of a sealed vacuum regardless of size of opening, the intent of those narrow-necked-with-sharp-angled glass or plastic above into which one can rarely, if ever, get a bottle brush! Anyway, if we all stop buying the hard-to-clean bottles, they WILL change to easier ones - Jim Greaves, Thompson Falls MT (San Rafael CA) > > > > > > --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "Anthonius" wrote: > > > > > > > > All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black algae/fungus and difficult to clean. > > > > > > > > Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to clean? > > > > > > > > Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: Cynthia Rathkey <jc27post AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 14:06:07 -0800 Hi all, I have been using the "top loading" model for years, specifically because of the ease of cleaning. I recommend that everyone use a dilute bleach solution (1:10) for cleaning to be sure to kill the mold or other bacterial growth between fillings, being sure to rinse very well afterwards. Cynthia (Petaluma) On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 10:48 AM, lbvireo wrote: > ** > > > I can't think of the name or manufacturer, but there is a top loading > model which I've seen at ACE stores (I have no financial stake). Don't know > why they insist on making narrow necks, when we all know that gravity will > not suck water out of a sealed vacuum regardless of size of opening, the > intent of those narrow-necked-with-sharp-angled glass or plastic above into > which one can rarely, if ever, get a bottle brush! Anyway, if we all stop > buying the hard-to-clean bottles, they WILL change to easier ones - Jim > Greaves, Thompson Falls MT (San Rafael CA) > > > --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "Anthonius" wrote: > > > > All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are > ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize > their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black algae/fungus > and difficult to clean. > > > > Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to > clean? > > > > Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: "lbvireo" <lbviman AT blackfoot.net> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:00:10 -0000 Do WBU brushes work at right-angle? That is the real problem with many feeders, in my limited experience...!! - Jim Greaves --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "jackgedney" wrote: > > I work at Wild Birds Unlimited in Novato and don't mean to take advantage of the list for advertising. However, we do carry brushes that fit into Perky-Pet and other narrow-necked feeders, as well as several models of the top-filling, saucer-shaped feeders by Aspects/Hummzinger. > > -Jack Gedney > > --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "lbvireo" wrote: > > > > I can't think of the name or manufacturer, but there is a top loading model which I've seen at ACE stores (I have no financial stake). Don't know why they insist on making narrow necks, when we all know that gravity will not suck water out of a sealed vacuum regardless of size of opening, the intent of those narrow-necked-with-sharp-angled glass or plastic above into which one can rarely, if ever, get a bottle brush! Anyway, if we all stop buying the hard-to-clean bottles, they WILL change to easier ones - Jim Greaves, Thompson Falls MT (San Rafael CA) > > > > --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "Anthonius" wrote: > > > > > > All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black algae/fungus and difficult to clean. > > > > > > Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to clean? > > > > > > Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Bodega Bay From: "Peter" <peter_colasanti AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:51:09 -0000 Hi All, Went out to Bodega Bay to look for birds with Madrone Audubon. I started with a solo seawatch from the Head at 7 AM that didn't turn up too much, but it was quite a sight with smooth surface on enormous swells crashing on the rocks there. Met the group and we all returned at mid-morning/high tide to find 4 ANCIENT MURRELETS and one female BLACK SCOTER. I hung around long enough after the rest departed to see a couple LONG-TAILED DUCKS fly in. Caught up with the group again at Campbell Cove. We continued to Gaffney Point where there was a NASHVILLE WARBLER and a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER in the scrub between the road and the harbor. Went looking for Snowy Plovers at their preferred roost in the wrack flat just east of the big Cypress area parking lot, but it was gone. There was a smooth incline of wave-washed sand right up to the base of the dunes. Where do homeless Snowies go until the sea replaces the sand? Peter Colasanti Petaluma ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: "jackgedney" <jgedney AT berkeley.edu> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:02:21 -0000 I work at Wild Birds Unlimited in Novato and don't mean to take advantage of the list for advertising. However, we do carry brushes that fit into Perky-Pet and other narrow-necked feeders, as well as several models of the top-filling, saucer-shaped feeders by Aspects/Hummzinger. -Jack Gedney --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "lbvireo" wrote: > > I can't think of the name or manufacturer, but there is a top loading model which I've seen at ACE stores (I have no financial stake). Don't know why they insist on making narrow necks, when we all know that gravity will not suck water out of a sealed vacuum regardless of size of opening, the intent of those narrow-necked-with-sharp-angled glass or plastic above into which one can rarely, if ever, get a bottle brush! Anyway, if we all stop buying the hard-to-clean bottles, they WILL change to easier ones - Jim Greaves, Thompson Falls MT (San Rafael CA) > > --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "Anthonius" wrote: > > > > All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black algae/fungus and difficult to clean. > > > > Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to clean? > > > > Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley > > > ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: SF Bay Flyway Festival this weekend From: Birder1 <Birder1 AT surewest.net> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 12:45:55 -0800 Every year, at the Flyway Festival there are binoculars and spotting scopes in all price ranges on display in the exhibitor area if you are thinking of something new. Products include Kowa, Leica, Nikon, Swarovski and Zeiss. There will be discussions of some birding software apps, too Bruce Webb Granite Bay, CA On Feb 8, 2012, at 10:56 AM, Maggie Rufo wrote: > In case anyone's interested - it's a free festival and they could really use some support from the local birding community! Starts Friday on Mare Island: > > http://www.sfbayflywayfestival.com/ > > Maggie Rufo > Novato > > Defend what's YOURS! Speak out NOW for our State Parks! > http://calparks.org/defend/ > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: "widdowson's email" <widdowson AT saber.net> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 12:21:36 -0800 Anthony, The "flying saucer" style is by far the best. The top half comes off for easy cleaning and they never leak even on the hottest days. They are not the cheapest, but they are the best. They are widely available at most bird feeder stores. I have seen them on amazon.com as well. I recently scored a 2 pack at Tractor Supply Company for $10. My birds are happy with 1;5 sugar/water solution. No coloring. Cheers, Bud Widdowson Shasta Lake, Ca From: northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of lbvireo Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 10:49 AM To: northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [NBB] Re: Hummingbird Feeders I can't think of the name or manufacturer, but there is a top loading model which I've seen at ACE stores (I have no financial stake). Don't know why they insist on making narrow necks, when we all know that gravity will not suck water out of a sealed vacuum regardless of size of opening, the intent of those narrow-necked-with-sharp-angled glass or plastic above into which one can rarely, if ever, get a bottle brush! Anyway, if we all stop buying the hard-to-clean bottles, they WILL change to easier ones - Jim Greaves, Thompson Falls MT (San Rafael CA) --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com , "Anthonius" wrote: > > All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black algae/fungus and difficult to clean. > > Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to clean? > > Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: "Doug Shaw" <dougshaw09 AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 12:15:42 -0800 A similar cheaper one is carried in big box stores that has a saucer design. One nice thing about the saucer feeders is that most hang by a solid rod rather than a string which prevents loss of nectar in heavy winds. When I used to feed hummers back in the 1980's I used the saucer type after trying the hour glass-type feeders which were too small and a pain to clean. Today, we have many more choices both in local stores and online. Good Birding, Doug Shaw Santa Rosa, CA -------------------------------------------------- From: "Bill Noble" Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2012 9:44 AM To: "Anthonius" ; Subject: Re: [NBB] Hummingbird Feeders > Here's a paste-in from the website Cool Tools. It echoes my feelings > perfectly - the HummZinger is the perfect hummingbird feeder. And the > folks > who make it are good people, too. > > Bill Noble > San Rafael > > HummZinger Hummingbird > Feeder > > Where we live, mold growing inside a hummingbird feeder is a constant > problem. Most feeders are extremely difficult to clean due to their vacuum > feeding system that requires a narrow-necked food reservoir. The > HummZinger > feeder solves this problem by using a simple bowl reservoir, not a gravity > feed. Thus, when you pop off the top you have a completely open container > that couldn't be easier to clean. Another problem is that ants would > occasionally find one of our feeders. Once this happens the only solution > is to move the feeder and hope they don't find it in the new location, or > add an ant trap, which are hard to find. The HummZinger feeder solves this > problem by having an integrated ant trap. Just fill it with water, or let > rain do it, and you'll be ant free. A final problem we've experienced with > some feeders is that rain water can easily run into the feeding holes, > diluting the solution to the point where it no longer attracts the > hummingbirds. The HummZinger feeders address this problem by having a > raised flower design around each feeding port that diverts much of the > rain > water. While this isn't a complete solution, this feature definitely > reduces the problem. > > The feeders come in 8, 12, and 16 oz sizes, with 3, 4, and 6 feeding ports > respectively. The feeders are constructed of an "unbreakable" > polycarbonate > and come with a lifetime guarantee. We use multiple feeders in the "Mini" > 8 > oz. size because we find that the eastern Ruby Throated hummingbirds don't > "play well with others", and too many ports on a single feeder lead to > excessive squabbling. However, in the western US, where I have seen swarms > of hummers happily sharing a feeder, the 16 oz model may be a better > choice. > > The only potential fault I can see with these feeders is that even the 16 > oz model has much less capacity than many gravity-feed brands, which means > that they must be refilled more often. We don't find this a problem > because > by the time one of our feeders is empty it is also in need of a cleaning > to > avoid mold. > -- Dave King > > Aspects' Hummzinger Mini Hummingbird Feeder > $17 > > Available from > Amazon > > Manufactured by Aspects > > On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 9:29 AM, Anthonius wrote: > >> ** >> >> >> All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are >> ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize >> their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black >> algae/fungus >> and difficult to clean. >> >> Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to >> clean? >> >> Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley >> >> >> > > > > -- > Poems, flowers, natural history and more. Visit and comment at my blog: > http://billnoble.wordpress.com/ > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com > Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ > Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com > > Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. > > For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My > Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email > to these addresses: > > Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com > Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.comYahoo! > Groups Links > > > > ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Skaggs Island Road (Sonoma/Marin/Napa) From: Maggie Rufo <magwhls AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 19:56:32 +0000 (UTC) I'm sorry in advance for this off-topic post that most of you won't care about, but some of you DID email me with your own sightings when I posted about the cat I saw at this location.... I've now enlisted the help of the experts at Marin Friends of Ferals and they are going to try to capture this cat and get it to safety and make things more safe for the many sparrows out there. So I'm just asking, if any of you happen to go out there and see the cat, could you let me know? Just so I know it's still around...you can email me off the list. Also, regarding the SF Bay Area Flyway Festival I posted about earlier - they have a couple of outings that will take you raptor watching ONTO the closed off part of Skaggs. There's one on Saturday afternoon - you can show up at the Skaggs Island gate to get into a carpool to go onto the island. Be there before 3:30pm and it's over at 6 PM. I got to go out there once, years ago before the buildings were torn down, with my very-much-missed friend Bruce Bajema. We saw some amazing things! After that, you could head out to Mare Island to see a documentary about Aldo Leopold called "Green Fire," that starts at 6:30 pm for free. I bet it's going to be great. The title surely refers to this amazing, and famous, passage he wrote that heralded his change in view of the natural world. I bet you all have read this very moving passage before, but just in case someone hasn't, I'm going to be obnoxious and share it with you, so you'll know how this good movie should be! The sad thing is that right now our wolves are under attack just as cruelly as they were back then when Leopold wrote this, but now we have technology and aircraft to make them easier to kill... "In those days we had never heard of passing up a chance to kill a wolf. In a second we were pumping lead into the pack, but with more excitement than accuracy; how to aim a steep downhill shot is always confusing. When our rifles were empty, the old wolf was down, and a pup was dragging a leg into impassable side-rocks. We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then, and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes—something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then, and full of trigger-itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view. Since then I have lived to see state after state extirpate its wolves. I have watched the face of many a newly wolfless mountain, and seen the south-facing slopes wrinkle with a maze of new deer trails. I have seen every edible bush and seedling browsed, first to anaemic desuetude, and then to death. I have seen every edible tree defoliated to the height of a saddlehorn. Such a mountain looks as if someone had given God a new pruning shears, and forbidden Him all other exercise. In the end the starved bones of the hoped-for deer herd, dead of its own too-much, bleach with the bones of the dead sage, or molder under the high-lined junipers." - Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac Maggie Rufo Novato Defend what's YOURS! Speak out NOW for our State Parks! http://calparks.org/defend/ ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: SF Bay Flyway Festival this weekend From: Maggie Rufo <magwhls AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 18:56:04 +0000 (UTC) In case anyone's interested - it's a free festival and they could really use some support from the local birding community! Starts Friday on Mare Island: http://www.sfbayflywayfestival.com/ Maggie Rufo Novato Defend what's YOURS! Speak out NOW for our State Parks! http://calparks.org/defend/ ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: "lbvireo" <lbviman AT blackfoot.net> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:48:44 -0000 I can't think of the name or manufacturer, but there is a top loading model which I've seen at ACE stores (I have no financial stake). Don't know why they insist on making narrow necks, when we all know that gravity will not suck water out of a sealed vacuum regardless of size of opening, the intent of those narrow-necked-with-sharp-angled glass or plastic above into which one can rarely, if ever, get a bottle brush! Anyway, if we all stop buying the hard-to-clean bottles, they WILL change to easier ones - Jim Greaves, Thompson Falls MT (San Rafael CA) --- In northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com, "Anthonius" wrote: > > All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black algae/fungus and difficult to clean. > > Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to clean? > > Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley > ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: Diane Hichwa <dhichwa AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:23:41 -0800 HummZinger and Droll Yankee both make a flat" flying saucer disc "hummingbird feeder in several sizes. The top 1/2 is red and lifts off, the bottom 1/2 is clear plastic. You can access all parts easily for cleaning. Diane Hichwa Email: dhichwa AT earthlink.net Telephone: 707-785-1922 (Sea Ranch) 707-483-3130 (cell) More Tail Wagging!!! Less Barking!! Millie 2007 From: Anthonius Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:29:02 -0000 To: Subject: [NBB] Hummingbird Feeders All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black algae/fungus and difficult to clean. Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to clean? Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Hummingbird Feeders From: Bill Noble <misternoble AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 09:44:46 -0800 Here's a paste-in from the website Cool Tools. It echoes my feelings perfectly - the HummZinger is the perfect hummingbird feeder. And the folks who make it are good people, too. Bill Noble San Rafael HummZinger Hummingbird Feeder Where we live, mold growing inside a hummingbird feeder is a constant problem. Most feeders are extremely difficult to clean due to their vacuum feeding system that requires a narrow-necked food reservoir. The HummZinger feeder solves this problem by using a simple bowl reservoir, not a gravity feed. Thus, when you pop off the top you have a completely open container that couldn't be easier to clean. Another problem is that ants would occasionally find one of our feeders. Once this happens the only solution is to move the feeder and hope they don't find it in the new location, or add an ant trap, which are hard to find. The HummZinger feeder solves this problem by having an integrated ant trap. Just fill it with water, or let rain do it, and you'll be ant free. A final problem we've experienced with some feeders is that rain water can easily run into the feeding holes, diluting the solution to the point where it no longer attracts the hummingbirds. The HummZinger feeders address this problem by having a raised flower design around each feeding port that diverts much of the rain water. While this isn't a complete solution, this feature definitely reduces the problem. The feeders come in 8, 12, and 16 oz sizes, with 3, 4, and 6 feeding ports respectively. The feeders are constructed of an "unbreakable" polycarbonate and come with a lifetime guarantee. We use multiple feeders in the "Mini" 8 oz. size because we find that the eastern Ruby Throated hummingbirds don't "play well with others", and too many ports on a single feeder lead to excessive squabbling. However, in the western US, where I have seen swarms of hummers happily sharing a feeder, the 16 oz model may be a better choice. The only potential fault I can see with these feeders is that even the 16 oz model has much less capacity than many gravity-feed brands, which means that they must be refilled more often. We don't find this a problem because by the time one of our feeders is empty it is also in need of a cleaning to avoid mold. -- Dave King Aspects' Hummzinger Mini Hummingbird Feeder $17 Available from Amazon Manufactured by Aspects On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 9:29 AM, Anthonius wrote: > ** > > > All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are > ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize > their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black algae/fungus > and difficult to clean. > > Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to > clean? > > Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley > > > -- Poems, flowers, natural history and more. Visit and comment at my blog: http://billnoble.wordpress.com/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Hummingbird Feeders From: "Anthonius" <cermaklaw AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:29:02 -0000 All my life, I have used Perkey Pet 4 Flowers Feeders. These are ubiquitous, and we all - as well as all hummingbirds it seems - recognize their hour-glass shape. But they are prone to growth of black algae/fungus and difficult to clean. Anyone have any suggestions as to an effective feeder that is easy to clean? Anthony Cermak Sonoma Valley ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Adult Slaty-backed Gull continues - 2/8/12 From: Dominik Mosur <polskatata AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 09:00:30 -0800 (PST) The adult SLATY-BACKED GULL found by Todd Easterla continued this morning on the beach at the northeast corner of Horseshoe Cove (Marin Co.?) and flying out over the cove itself (SF Co.) When I left at 8:15 a.m. it was still on the beach, preening. Dominik Mosur San Francisco ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Directions to Fort Baker? From: "Joy" <j_mander AT comcast.net> Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:03:30 -0000 The latest gull sightings have piqued my curiosity, but I've never gone birding in that area before. I thought that I saw directions in one of the "gull" posts, but I couldn't find any after re-reading them. Could some kind soul take pity on me and (re)post a few driving directions? I've looked at a map, but I'm not certain that I'm going to end up in the same area where you-all have been birding! Thanks! Joy Mander Petaluma ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: good spot for geese near Petaluma From: "Eugene Hunn" <enhunn323 AT comcast.net> Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2012 16:58:15 -0800 NiBBers, Again this afternoon I had a four goose sighting near my house on the northwest edge of Petaluma, near the driving range, west from Stony Point Rd. on Rainsville Rd. past the KOA campground entrance. Rainsville crosses first Marin Creek, then Wiggins Creek before continuing to a T at Liberty. At these creek crossings one can find spots to pull off to scan the fields, mostly south of Rainsville. There were ca. 20 Cackling (appeared to be both leucopareia and minima), 10 Greater White-fronted, and 4 Snow Geese scattered amongst the many Canadas. A few weeks back I also had these four geese here plus one Cattle Egret, but today just Snowies and Greats. Seems most productive after rains. Gene Hunn Petaluma [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Golden Eagles From: "David B" <ramsman AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:52:12 -0000 02-07-12 For 3 of the last 5 days I have seen Golden Eagles. They have been on the East side of Hwy 101 on the Cotati grade(near the sheep and llama's). If the sheep are lambing perhaps they are seeking afterbirth. On Friday 02-03-12 Two adults seen at 1:40. On Monday 02-06-12 One juvenile at 12:40. And today(Tuesday) 02-07-12 One age unknown at 12:41. Dave Barry, Santa Rosa ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Short-eared Owls and juvenile Ferruginous Hawk From: Chuck Dresel <cdresel AT mac.com> Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:57:33 -0800 I returned today to see if I could see the Ferruginous Hawk I found yesterday on Duhig Rd. in southern Napa County. I drove the road in one direction without seeing him then turned around and drove back and in that two minutes he appeared atop one of the roadside power poles. This time I had my camera. You can see a few images here: http://www.zangzing.com/cdresel/ferruginous-hawk Chuck Dresel Napa ____________ Chuck Dresel cdresel AT mac.com On Feb 5, 2012, at 5:28 PM, chuckdresel wrote: > Went to the end of Buchli Station Rd. to the Huichica Creek marshes this afternoon and saw three different Short-eared Owls in the field beyond the marsh with the blind. On the way home we were surprised to find a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk on a power pole along Duhig Rd. between Las Amigas Rd. and the Sonoma Highway. That is certainly a new Napa County bird for me. > > Chuck Dresel > Napa > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Sonoma Co. rarity round-up - 2/6/2012 From: Dominik Mosur <polskatata AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 20:37:21 -0800 (PST) I decided to celebrate Bob Marley's birthday by... birding Sonoma County (yeah, I know what you were thinking!) I started at Hudeman Slough (6:30 - 9 a.m.) off Ramal Rd. Despite spending a considerable amount of time scanning through all the LB Dowitchers and Greater Yellowlegs the only shorebird of note was the continuing LESSER YELLOWLEGS. A half dozen BONAPARTE's GULLS flying by were cool too, but no Ruff this morning :( (no birder no cry!) Headed over to Ragle Ranch Regional Park in Sebastopol, arriving at the "Green Gate" at 10:15 a.m. For the next 1h 15 m, I was frustrated by hearing hundreds of soft "whit" calls from the eukes, willows and oaks along the fenceline just east of the green gate without getting a single look. Finally at about 11:25 a.m., at the top of the rise where there is a wooden gate and another fence, the LEAST FLYCATCHER allowed me to get some looks. As I watched it the LEWIS'S WOODPECKER flew in to the bare oak at the top of the hill for the first time as well. After a stop at Josiah Clark's native plant nursery (on the outskirts of Petaluma, holler if you need native plants!), I went over to Cypress Lawn Memorial Park off Magnolia in Petaluma (2:30 -3 p.m.). The PALM WARBLER was still in the previously described "lollipop" pine, chipping away furiously but only flying out very briefly for a quick look. By the way, DAN NELSON gets my vote for "most thorough directions to staked out birds", thanks Dan! Dominik Mosur San Francisco ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Fort Baker Iceland Gull continues From: Dan Singer <dsg2 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 19:42:25 -0800 Hi all, The Iceland Gull showed up today around 3pm, spending its time along the shore near the pillars on the north side of the Coast Guard jetty. Gull numbers were lower much of the day, but the tide was high late in the morning. Once the tide began receding in earnest three or so hours later and exposing more herring roe, gull numbers began building. By 2-3pm numbers were especially high along the shoreline below the GGBridge and increasing steadily around Fort Baker. A second cycle Glaucous Gull was present during part of the day on the Coast Guard jetty. Dan Singer Pacifica ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Fort Baker Iceland Gull continues From: Dan Singer <dsg2 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 19:42:25 -0800 Hi all, The Iceland Gull showed up today around 3pm, spending its time along the shore near the pillars on the north side of the Coast Guard jetty. Gull numbers were lower much of the day, but the tide was high late in the morning. Once the tide began receding in earnest three or so hours later and exposing more herring roe, gull numbers began building. By 2-3pm numbers were especially high along the shoreline below the GGBridge and increasing steadily around Fort Baker. A second cycle Glaucous Gull was present during part of the day on the Coast Guard jetty. Dan Singer Pacifica ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:CALBIRDS-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CALBIRDS Listowners: mailto:CALBIRDS-owner AT yahoogroups.com For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:CALBIRDS-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Kumlien's Iceland Gull Napa From: "vireocity" <vireocity AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:36:26 -0000 Birders, The first cycle "Iceland" Gull that I found on 2/5 was seen again today at the Napa Valley College/Kennedy Park duck pond. The bird seemed to arrive both days around 3:15 pm. Consensus of those that have seen the pictures or the living bird is that it fits the description. The duck pond is just north of Streblow Drive, just east of the railroad tracks. Streblow Dr is off Hwy 221 at the southeastern edge of Napa. Murray Berner ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Glaucous Gull, Fort Baker From: Lukas Musher <musherluke AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 15:24:28 -0800 Photos of the second cycle Glaucous Gull and one questionable gull from Fort Baker yesterday are up on my blog. I would appreciate any insight on the mystery gull. Sorry for the delay. Luke Musher Bolinas, CA /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Lukas Musher musherluke AT gmail.com http://boomchachalaca.blogspot.com On Feb 5, 2012, at 9:56 PM, Lukas Musher wrote: > Today while searching for the previously reported Iceland Gull, Cory > Ritter, Dan Lipp, Francesca Masarrotto and I had a second cycle > Glaucous Gull on the beach where the Iceland has been seen. We also > had an interesting first cycle bird that has potential for > "Nelson's" (Glaucous X Herring) Gull, although I am still reviewing > the photos. I will post photos on my blog at some point tomorrow. > We could not locate the Iceland Gull, although another birder > apparently had it right on the beach an hour before we arrived. So > it should still be around. > > Luke Musher > Bolinas, CA > > /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ > Lukas Musher > musherluke AT gmail.com > http://boomchachalaca.blogspot.com > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: Palm Warbler in Petaluma From: "Eugene Hunn" <enhunn323 AT comcast.net> Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 08:18:07 -0800 NiBBers, At 8 AM Dan's Palm Warbler was chipping away deep inside the lollipop pine, as described below. Nice cemetery. Gene Hunn Petaluma From: northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dan Nelson Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2012 8:12 PM To: northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [NBB] Palm Warbler in Petaluma Hi Birders, A single PALM WARBLER was found 2/5 at Cypress Hill Mem'l Park in Petaluma. From Magnolia Ave. (via Petaluma Blvd. N.) follow the main entrance road up the hill, past the little "Y" and park. Or don't park; bird from the car if you choose. You will notice the main building/office off to the right of the "Y" with a parking lot. From here, note the large oak to the West, which is the hub of local Acorn Woodpecker activity. Beyond this oak is a small 25' Monterey Pine, trimmed regularly, and lollipop-shaped. This tree is easy to pick out, flanked by three short evergreen shrubs, and is 100 yds. W. of the buildings. This is where the PALM WARBLER has itself set up, chasing the Yellow-rumps and kinglets away. Calls often. Continually returned to the pine, but also foraged on the evergreen shrubs, stones, ground nearby. Flew once over to the ACWOs' oak, foraged in lowest bare twigs,(tail bobbing away) and then 10 minutes on the ground in the leafy matter beneath. Vulnerable and exposed here, the PALM WARBLER allowed the Yellow-rumps to join in beside it. At any rate, February records are pretty good for Petaluma. Hopefully it will stay awhile. Dan Nelson, Petaluma [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: Lewis's Woodpecker and Flycatcher both present this morning at Ragle Ranch Park From: Bruce Mast <cathrasher4 AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 07:16:21 -0800 Thanks to the Colin's excellent directions, my wife and I were able to relocate the continuing LEWIS'S WOODPECKER and LEAST FLYCATCHER at Ragle Ranch Regional Park in Sebastopol. I found both birds while standing at switchback below the wooden gate upslope from the green gate. From there, I found a small empid with a round head, complete eyering, 2 bright wingbars, long thin tail, and short wing extensions, calling and flycatching from the top of the budding willows. With the gate on your left, look parallel to the fence going downslope (to the east) and you'll see the tops of the willows nestled between the eucalyptus. We first detected the Lewis's Woodpecker calling way to the south in a tall bare tree beyond the creek. It eventually flew into the top of the bare tree just above the eucs and started flycatching. A couple local residents walking their dogs informed us we were trespassing on private property. I don't recall that being previously discussed on the forum. I guess I should have known, given that we had to go through a closed gate. Fortunately, I didn't realize the error until after we saw the birds. Bruce Mast Oakland ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Continuing Ft. Baker Iceland Gull and Sonoma Least Flycatcher From: "turdus.obscurus" <sbTerrill AT aol.com> Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:22:10 -0000 The first-cycle Iceland Gull was extremely cooperative for a couple of hours early afternoon, feeding in the surf, then on the beach (yes - two counties) for killer looks and photos. The gull feeding frenzy was a sight to behold, with multiple thousands of gulls (10 species in all: at least one first cycle Glaucous, a couple of Ring-billed, one adult Heerman's, thousand+ Thayers, Herrings, gobs of Mew, CA, Western, many Glacous-wing) actively feeding on herring roe. We scooted on up (since we were so far already) to check out the Least Flycatcher at Rangle Ranch Park in Sebastepol. With thanks to all, and especially Colin Talcroft's detailed directions, we were able to locate the bird at approximately 4:30 in the willows. We had searched for some time unsuccessfully and it was getting late, but I followed a bill snap to the flycacher flitting in the far side of the willows from the trail, whereupon it sallied up and then deeper into the foliage up hill, not to be seen again - but vocalizing for approximately 15 minutes more. Good birds - good day - what game? Linda ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Glaucous Gull, Fort Baker From: Lukas Musher <musherluke AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2012 21:56:15 -0800 Today while searching for the previously reported Iceland Gull, Cory Ritter, Dan Lipp, Francesca Masarrotto and I had a second cycle Glaucous Gull on the beach where the Iceland has been seen. We also had an interesting first cycle bird that has potential for "Nelson's" (Glaucous X Herring) Gull, although I am still reviewing the photos. I will post photos on my blog at some point tomorrow. We could not locate the Iceland Gull, although another birder apparently had it right on the beach an hour before we arrived. So it should still be around. Luke Musher Bolinas, CA /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Lukas Musher musherluke AT gmail.com http://boomchachalaca.blogspot.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Palm Warbler in Petaluma From: "Dan Nelson" <birdsurf64 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:12:22 -0000 Hi Birders, A single PALM WARBLER was found 2/5 at Cypress Hill Mem'l Park in Petaluma. From Magnolia Ave. (via Petaluma Blvd. N.) follow the main entrance road up the hill, past the little "Y" and park. Or don't park; bird from the car if you choose. You will notice the main building/office off to the right of the "Y" with a parking lot. From here, note the large oak to the West, which is the hub of local Acorn Woodpecker activity. Beyond this oak is a small 25' Monterey Pine, trimmed regularly, and lollipop-shaped. This tree is easy to pick out, flanked by three short evergreen shrubs, and is 100 yds. W. of the buildings. This is where the PALM WARBLER has itself set up, chasing the Yellow-rumps and kinglets away. Calls often. Continually returned to the pine, but also foraged on the evergreen shrubs, stones, ground nearby. Flew once over to the ACWOs' oak, foraged in lowest bare twigs,(tail bobbing away) and then 10 minutes on the ground in the leafy matter beneath. Vulnerable and exposed here, the PALM WARBLER allowed the Yellow-rumps to join in beside it. At any rate, February records are pretty good for Petaluma. Hopefully it will stay awhile. Dan Nelson, Petaluma ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Local interest 2/5 From: Logan Kahle <logan AT archive.org> Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:48:29 -0800 Hi all, This afternoon, I was able to do some birding in the North Bay with Josiah Clark and Brian Turner and some by myself. At around 1:00PM, the 1st-cycle ICELAND GULL was showing well for Brian, Josiah and I at Fort Baker. While searching through the flocks, however, I spotted another gull, a 2nd-cycle, that looked good for Iceland. I'll post pictures soon. Josiah then dropped me off with my bike at Pantoll on Mount Tamalpais, and from there I rode up to Rock Spring. From there I went along the trail most of the way to Barth's Retreat. Some of the highlights included: White-throated Swift-~15 flying around throughout my stay Red-breasted Sapsucker-1 adult near Rock Spring TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE-1 bird near Barth's retreat. Description: Relatively large thrush with buffy markings on the wings, long tail with white parts, prominent eyering, small bill and overall gray color. Watched for over two minutes at a range of 40-90 feet. Hermit Warbler-A flock of 4 seen on the ride up to Rock Spring. Golden-crowned Kinglet-A few heard calling on my way down the mountain. Also, there is a massive gull roost (for the gulls from the herring run) off of Sausalito. May be worth checking out--there were several thousand gulls when I checked this afternoon. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon! Good birding, Logan Kahle San Francisco ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Ruff at Hudeman Slough From: helen.k AT comcast.net Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 02:59:04 +0000 (UTC) The Ruff reported by Murray on December 8 (original report below) was still present at Hudeman Slough in exactly the same spot this afternoon.  Helen Kochenderfer Santa Rosa ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Birders, A Ruff was at Hudeman Slough, 4pm Thursday. It was at the eastern part of the lowland ponds visible from the parking lot. I saw the bird from the high perch of the sw corner of the wastewater retention pond nearest the parking lot. Two ibis were also present. Hudeman is off Ramal Rd between Skaggs Island Rd and Hwy 12. Parking is adjacent to the open hay barn. Murray Berner Napa [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Short-eared Owls and juvenile Ferruginous Hawk From: "chuckdresel" <cdresel AT mac.com> Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:28:53 -0000 Went to the end of Buchli Station Rd. to the Huichica Creek marshes this afternoon and saw three different Short-eared Owls in the field beyond the marsh with the blind. On the way home we were surprised to find a juvenile Ferruginous Hawk on a power pole along Duhig Rd. between Las Amigas Rd. and the Sonoma Highway. That is certainly a new Napa County bird for me. Chuck Dresel Napa ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Lewis's Woodpecker and Least Flycatcher - Ragle Ranch - Map From: "hoggsville" <jellsworthhayden AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:25:55 -0000 I missed the flycatcher yesterday afternoon but had distant looks at the woodpecker which was flycatching from the top of an oak. I drew up a little map to help out with locating these birds. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=204165672899195082289.0004b82cd80d6de2c57cb&msa=0 Cheers, Jack Hayden Albany ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [SFBirds] Fort Baker Iceland Gull county location From: Bruce Mast <cathrasher4 AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 21:09:48 -0800 As of 3:30 pm today, still thousands of gulls. Lots of Mew Gulls, California, Glaucous-winged, Western, Herring, Thayer's... and 1 Iceland Gull. Bruce Mast Oakland -----Original Message----- From: SFBirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:SFBirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Todd Easterla Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 8:59 PM To: 'Dan Singer'; 'Countybirders' Cc: 'SFBirds'; 'Northbaybirds' Subject: RE: [SFBirds] Fort Baker Iceland Gull county location A little of the subject at hand...I wonder how the Herring run is going?? Is it still full swing and thousands of gulls still? Anyone that was there today can you let us all know please. Thanks, Todd Easterla From: SFBirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:SFBirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dan Singer Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 3:36 PM To: Countybirders Cc: SFBirds; Northbaybirds Subject: [SFBirds] Fort Baker Iceland Gull county location Hi county birders, Based on the USGS map posted by Mark Eaton (see below), it looked to me like a strong case could be made that the Fort Baker Iceland Gull has not been seen in Marin County, at least not during most of the day yesterday, 3 February, when I was there. Steve Hampton posted a nice map of where he saw the bird on 2 February at his Flickr site, and this too suggests the bird was seen only in SF County on that day, again according to the USGS map. However, after reading how the state defines the border, I'm now back to thinking that the premise "on land, in Marin; on, over, or in water, in SF" is more accurate. Here is how the California Government Code defines the county border of San Francisco: 23138. The boundaries of San Francisco city and county are as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner, being the northwest corner of San Mateo, in the Pacific Ocean, on the extension of northern line of T. 3 S., of Mount Diablo base; thence northerly along the Pacific Coast, to its point of intersection with the westerly extension of the low-water line on the northern side of the entrance to San Francisco Bay, being the southwest corner of Marin and northwest corner of San Francisco; thence easterly, through Point Bonita and Point Cavallo, to the most southeastern point of Angel Island, all on the line of Marin; thence northerly, along the easterly line of Marin, to the northwest point of Golden Rock (also known as Red Rock), being a common corner of Marin, Contra Costa, and San Francisco; thence due southeast four and one-half statute miles to a point established as the corner common to Contra Costa, Alameda, and San Francisco; thence southeasterly, on the western line of Alameda County to a point on the north line of T. 3 S., R. 4 W., M D. B. & M.; thence westerly on the township lines and an extension thereof to the place of beginning. The islands known as the Farralones (Farallons) are a part of said city and county. Yesterday there was some speculation among observers present that the border was the HIGH-WATER line, but the code at least implies the LOW-WATER line should be used. Based on this, it seems a bird on shore is in Marin, and one over, on or in the water is in San Francisco. If I had my choice, I'd rather use the USGS map as it provides an easy to interpret graphic representation of the county line, but the code seems to conflict with this, at least to me. Of course the code is a bit difficult to interpret, and I'm not sure I'm doing it correctly. I'd appreciate any feedback from those interested in this. Thanks. Dan Singer Pacifica Begin forwarded message: From: Mark Eaton > Date: February 3, 2012 5:22:00 PM PST To: sfbirds AT yahoogroups.com , northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [SFBirds] Which county is that gull in? I put up a brief discussion on county lines in my blog at: http://markeaton.org/blog/?p=90 Mark -- --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from this group, visit the YahooGroups web site at: http://www.yahoogroups.com/ Subject: RE: [SFBirds] Fort Baker Iceland Gull county location From: "Todd Easterla" <teasterla AT comcast.net> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 20:58:40 -0800 A little of the subject at hand...I wonder how the Herring run is going?? Is it still full swing and thousands of gulls still? Anyone that was there today can you let us all know please. Thanks, Todd Easterla From: SFBirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:SFBirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dan Singer Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 3:36 PM To: Countybirders Cc: SFBirds; Northbaybirds Subject: [SFBirds] Fort Baker Iceland Gull county location Hi county birders, Based on the USGS map posted by Mark Eaton (see below), it looked to me like a strong case could be made that the Fort Baker Iceland Gull has not been seen in Marin County, at least not during most of the day yesterday, 3 February, when I was there. Steve Hampton posted a nice map of where he saw the bird on 2 February at his Flickr site, and this too suggests the bird was seen only in SF County on that day, again according to the USGS map. However, after reading how the state defines the border, I'm now back to thinking that the premise "on land, in Marin; on, over, or in water, in SF" is more accurate. Here is how the California Government Code defines the county border of San Francisco: 23138. The boundaries of San Francisco city and county are as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner, being the northwest corner of San Mateo, in the Pacific Ocean, on the extension of northern line of T. 3 S., of Mount Diablo base; thence northerly along the Pacific Coast, to its point of intersection with the westerly extension of the low-water line on the northern side of the entrance to San Francisco Bay, being the southwest corner of Marin and northwest corner of San Francisco; thence easterly, through Point Bonita and Point Cavallo, to the most southeastern point of Angel Island, all on the line of Marin; thence northerly, along the easterly line of Marin, to the northwest point of Golden Rock (also known as Red Rock), being a common corner of Marin, Contra Costa, and San Francisco; thence due southeast four and one-half statute miles to a point established as the corner common to Contra Costa, Alameda, and San Francisco; thence southeasterly, on the western line of Alameda County to a point on the north line of T. 3 S., R. 4 W., M D. B. & M.; thence westerly on the township lines and an extension thereof to the place of beginning. The islands known as the Farralones (Farallons) are a part of said city and county. Yesterday there was some speculation among observers present that the border was the HIGH-WATER line, but the code at least implies the LOW-WATER line should be used. Based on this, it seems a bird on shore is in Marin, and one over, on or in the water is in San Francisco. If I had my choice, I'd rather use the USGS map as it provides an easy to interpret graphic representation of the county line, but the code seems to conflict with this, at least to me. Of course the code is a bit difficult to interpret, and I'm not sure I'm doing it correctly. I'd appreciate any feedback from those interested in this. Thanks. Dan Singer Pacifica Begin forwarded message: From: Mark Eaton > Date: February 3, 2012 5:22:00 PM PST To: sfbirds AT yahoogroups.com , northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [SFBirds] Which county is that gull in? I put up a brief discussion on county lines in my blog at: http://markeaton.org/blog/?p=90 Mark -- --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Iceland Gull at Fort Baker From: "mr_storey" <ronstorey AT ronstorey.com> Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:02:14 -0000 My wife and I were lucky enough to observe the Iceland Gull at Fort Baker late this morning. Like many others I took pictures of the Gull and if you are interested in viewing them I posted the pictures on my Website at http://ronstorey.com/HTML/IcelandGull.html and I think I caught enough angles to show this to be a true Iceland Gull. Ron Storey Petaluma, CA ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Las Gallinas Feb. 3, 2012 From: "Sharon" <daisy44 AT comcast.net> Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:07:23 -0000 Sorry for late post. We also went to Las Gallinas and marveled at the immense ephemeral pond filled with Am Wigeons, Eurasian Wigeons, GW Teals, Cinnamon Teals, Canadian Geese, Cackling Geese, Gadwalls, hundreds of gulls, and in the dried fennel many Yellow-rumps and Black Phoebes. At the first pond, there were many more of the already listed above...at least...hundreds of GW Teals, Shovelers, Canvasbacks, Buffleheads, Ruddies(some displaying) a gazillion Coots, Avocets, Stilts, Greater Yellow-legs, Long-billed Dowitchers, Killdeers,Willets, Dunlins, Least Sandpipers, Marbled Godwits BC Night Herons perched in the trees on the island, along with Snowy and Great Egrets, Eared Grebes, Pin-tails and more but bad me didn't make a list. Others said they saw the Snipes in the first pond and Bluebirds on the fence. Quite a list for a 1 hour visit. Wish we could have made the entire loop...it is worth the trip just to gaze over the rain-created lake in the middle of a huge grassland giving me the impression of a savanna in Africa. Sharon Salisbury Mill Valley ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Eastern Phoebe & Ross's Goose at Las Gallinas Wetlands 2/4/12 From: "George Chrisman" <geodani55 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:32:14 -0000 After seeing the ICELAND GULL at Fort Baker, I headed north to Las Gallinas Wetlands. There were hundreds of CANADA GEESE and dozens of CACKLING GEESE in the flooded field/pond along the entrance road. There was a single ROSS'S GOOSE on the far shore hanging with the Cacklers. While walking along the levy on the south side of the first treatment pond, I spotted an EASTERN PHOEBE towards the end of the first pond near the intersection with the second pond. I had extended looks at the EASTERN PHOEBE across the ditch near the dry marsh. It was perched on a dry fennel stalk and was flycatching for several minutes before choosing a second perch about 50 yards closer to the parking lot. Other interesting sightings there for me were an OSPREY flyover, a MERLIN flyover, and 3 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS resting on the island. Good Birding, George Chrisman Burlingame, CA ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Fort Baker Iceland Gull county location From: Dan Singer <dsg2 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 15:35:34 -0800 Hi county birders, Based on the USGS map posted by Mark Eaton (see below), it looked to me like a strong case could be made that the Fort Baker Iceland Gull has not been seen in Marin County, at least not during most of the day yesterday, 3 February, when I was there. Steve Hampton posted a nice map of where he saw the bird on 2 February at his Flickr site, and this too suggests the bird was seen only in SF County on that day, again according to the USGS map. However, after reading how the state defines the border, I'm now back to thinking that the premise "on land, in Marin; on, over, or in water, in SF" is more accurate. Here is how the California Government Code defines the county border of San Francisco: 23138. The boundaries of San Francisco city and county are as follows: Beginning at the southwest corner, being the northwest corner of San Mateo, in the Pacific Ocean, on the extension of northern line of T. 3 S., of Mount Diablo base; thence northerly along the Pacific Coast, to its point of intersection with the westerly extension of the low-water line on the northern side of the entrance to San Francisco Bay, being the southwest corner of Marin and northwest corner of San Francisco; thence easterly, through Point Bonita and Point Cavallo, to the most southeastern point of Angel Island, all on the line of Marin; thence northerly, along the easterly line of Marin, to the northwest point of Golden Rock (also known as Red Rock), being a common corner of Marin, Contra Costa, and San Francisco; thence due southeast four and one-half statute miles to a point established as the corner common to Contra Costa, Alameda, and San Francisco; thence southeasterly, on the western line of Alameda County to a point on the north line of T. 3 S., R. 4 W., M D. B. & M.; thence westerly on the township lines and an extension thereof to the place of beginning. The islands known as the Farralones (Farallons) are a part of said city and county. Yesterday there was some speculation among observers present that the border was the HIGH-WATER line, but the code at least implies the LOW-WATER line should be used. Based on this, it seems a bird on shore is in Marin, and one over, on or in the water is in San Francisco. If I had my choice, I'd rather use the USGS map as it provides an easy to interpret graphic representation of the county line, but the code seems to conflict with this, at least to me. Of course the code is a bit difficult to interpret, and I'm not sure I'm doing it correctly. I'd appreciate any feedback from those interested in this. Thanks. Dan Singer Pacifica Begin forwarded message: From: Mark Eaton Date: February 3, 2012 5:22:00 PM PST To: sfbirds AT yahoogroups.com, northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [SFBirds] Which county is that gull in? I put up a brief discussion on county lines in my blog at: http://markeaton.org/blog/?p=90 Mark -- --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Ragle Ranch Park additional--Pelicans From: "Ctalcroft" <ctalcroft AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:49:52 -0000 Forgot to mention: We had a group of four AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS that soared around overhead for about 10 minutes. It was quite a sight as there were a couple of Turkey Vultures and a Red-shouldered Hawk circling along with them. We also had two Red-tailed Hawks circling not far away at the same time. Colin Talcroft Santa Rosa ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Lewis's Woodpecker and Flycatcher both present this morning at Ragle Ranch Park From: "Ctalcroft" <ctalcroft AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:45:46 -0000 I got to Ragle Ranch Park at about 9:30 this morning and ran into a small group of others looking for the two birds. The LEWIS'S WOODPECKER was seen flying in the eucalyptus trees by just about everyone. It was last seen flying away, behind the trees at about 11:30AM. While other people looked for the FLYCATCHER in the willows that others have described, I walked up the trail beyond the willows. This trail rises steeply, switching back a couple of times and then opens out to a flatter section--at the top of which is a stretch with a wire fence on the right as you ascend and low blackberries and a view out over the vineyard on the other, or left side. I saw the flycatcher on the wire fence, at its end where it makes an abrupt turn. The bird hopped away from me on the fence and then flew to a small, staked live oak tree where I lost sight of it. This was about 10:15 maybe. It was found again further back down the trail about half an hour later. Several people saw it, but then it disappeared again. I left at about 11:45. I did see it clearly, though. Definite white eyering, buffy wing bars, typical tail-flicking flycatcher behavior, pale sulfur yellow belly. That said, I would not have known this was anything beyond an Empidonax flycatcher. What is the Least Flycatcher attribution based on? Mostly vocalization? Thanks As for the location....I see now that last week during my trek through the marshes I was nowhere near this spot. I was thrown by people saying to take a TRAIL. The easy way to find this is to take the PAVED ROAD that leads around to the right just past the ranger residence and to follow that to its end, which is a gravel parking lot. At the far side of the parking lot is the manure bin. Beyond that is a genuine dirt trail, which takes you across the wooden bridge people have mentioned and through some areas with new wood fencing. Eventually you do come to a vineyard, on your right. The green gate is not at all conspicuous. The 'green" is just a few flat strips of green-painted metal. Look to your right before you get to the vineyard. The willows are beyond this gate. The area I describe above is reached by walking beyond the willows. The Eucalyptus trees people have been mentioning are visible from well before you reach the green gate, but the woodpecker has been best seen from the area beyond the green gate. Other birds of interest: I saw a VARIED THRUSH near the wood fencing mentioned above. Someone mentioned seeing the WHITE-THROATED SPARROW among Golden-crowned Sparrows in the same area. There was a big group of QUAIL up beyond the willows. Many SPOTTED TOWHEES around. There were probably around 100 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS--I first saw them foraging in the grass by the parking lot with a bunch of ROBINs when I parked, and later in the tall trees along the trail. Ragle Ranch Park is here: http://colintalcroft.com/Sonoma_County_Bird_Watching_Spots/Ragle_Ranch_Park,_Sebastopol.html Colin Talcroft Santa Rosa Sonoma County Bird Watching Spots http://colintalcroft.com/Sonoma_County_Bird_Watching_Spots/SCBWS_front_page.html ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Cooper's Hawk photos From: Peter Headland <Peter AT matrixlink.com> Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:13:22 -0800 I dunno man - that 3rd one looks like a Roadrunner to me! :-) On 2012-02-03 16:27, Ctalcroft wrote: > > As a number of people asked to see them, I've posted some of the other > photos I took of the Cooper's Hawk this morning. I feel confident now > that it is, in fact, a Cooper's Hawk as I got a kind mail from Allen > Fish, director of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, who feels > certain about the ID. I changed the caption on my original photo to > "Cooper's Hawk" from "Accipiter" on the basis of that information--and > the fact that everyone else that has commented concurs. To me, it's > the shape of the head and the capped look that say Cooper's Hawk most > strongly, but Allen also pointed to the short outer tail feathers as > important. > > Photos here: > > http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/1460168273/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+1+smallcmt.jpg > > http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/600921062/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+4+smallcmt.jpg > > http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/627603224/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+6+smallcmt.jpg > > http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/1603892711/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+3+smallcmt.jpg > > http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/719466027/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+5+smallcmt.jpg > > http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/1116904823/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+7+smallcmt.jpg > > -- Peter Headland [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Iceland Gull -- Fort Baker From: "EastBayBotanist" <dpbot AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:34:13 -0000 The ICELAND GULL returned to the beach south of the US Coast Guard mooring at 1115AM as sand became exposed. Michael Park Berkeley ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Snow Goose among Canada Geese Seminary Dr, Strawberry Mill Valley From: "masiegel3" <masiegel3 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:07:22 -0000 A solo Snow Goose is among the 50-60 wintering Canada Geese today, on the grassy soccer field of the Golden Gate Baptist seminary. ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Potter Valley Eurasian Wigeon? From: Kathryn Parker <jandkparker AT mindspring.com> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 07:46:01 -0800 Has anyone tried for the Eurasian Wigeon that was being seen in Potter Valley? Yea or Nay? Kathy Parker Los Gatos ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Allen's Hummingbird From: Maggie Rufo <magwhls AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:01:11 -0800 Sorry for forgetting to say where the hike to Alamere Falls is located. Pt. Reyes, Marin County, parking is at Palomarin. At 05:56 PM 2/3/2012 -0800, you wrote: > > >On a hike to Alamere Falls today I heard quite a few Allen's zipping >around, and got a glimpse of one. Also, lots of Wrentits calling, and a >pair flitting around together. Also saw a Winter Wren on the hike and >another was singing away in Inverness Park. >Wildflowers were blooming and a two shady puddles on the trail had a few >newts in them. > >My friend Margareta Luff, the hummingbird lady of Bahia, also had an >Allen's at her feeder today, in Novato. > >Maggie Rufo >Novato > >"...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This >is to have succeeded!" - Emerson > > ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Allen's Hummingbird From: Maggie Rufo <magwhls AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:56:12 -0800 On a hike to Alamere Falls today I heard quite a few Allen's zipping around, and got a glimpse of one. Also, lots of Wrentits calling, and a pair flitting around together. Also saw a Winter Wren on the hike and another was singing away in Inverness Park. Wildflowers were blooming and a two shady puddles on the trail had a few newts in them. My friend Margareta Luff, the hummingbird lady of Bahia, also had an Allen's at her feeder today, in Novato. Maggie Rufo Novato "...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!" - Emerson ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Which county is that gull in? From: Colin Talcroft <ctalcroft AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 17:51:21 -0800 (PST) For what it's worth, there's a link to a cumbersome but sometimes useful tool I once found online that will draw county line maps for you using zipcodes anywhere in the US, including, of course, our area. If you zoom into the area you're interested in, this tool can be helpful. Colin Talcroft Santa Rosa http://colintalcroft.com/Sonoma_County_Bird_Watching_Spots/SCBWS_front_page.html From that link, go to the "Sonoma County Overview" page (link at upper left) and use the link to info about county lines on that page.  ________________________________ From: Mark Eaton To: sfbirds AT yahoogroups.com; northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, February 3, 2012 5:22 PM Subject: [NBB] Which county is that gull in?   I put up a brief discussion on county lines in my blog at: http://markeaton.org/blog/?p=90 Mark -- --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Which county is that gull in? From: Mark Eaton <marksffo AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 17:22:00 -0800 I put up a brief discussion on county lines in my blog at: http://markeaton.org/blog/?p=90 Mark -- --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Least Flycatcher continues From: "Ruth Rudesill" <ruthier AT sonic.net> Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 17:19:23 -0800 Late this afternoon, at about 4 pm, I got great long looks at the Least Flycatcher at Ragle Park. Rick LeBaudour was just leaving when I arrived. He said he had seen the bird and got a few photos! The bird was still frequenting the willows as described about 20 yards beyond the green gate. When I arrived, there was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet that got me looking but then a Sharp-shinned Hawk flew in and perched in the oak tree above. I know they have to eat too, but I worried about the flycatcher, After a while the hawk left and not 5 minutes later, in the afternoon sunlight, I heard the "whit whit" call and saw the bird in the high back end of the willows where it was very active flycatching and calling. It eventually flew in fairly close to me and then disappeared behind the eucalyptus. I also heard a Sora calling in the swampy area south of this location. No Lewis's Woodpecker (saw it on Tuesday) but others did see it earlier today. Ruth Rudesill Kenwood Sonoma Valley [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Ragle Ranch Park tomorrow morning anyone? From: "Ctalcroft" <ctalcroft AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:30:48 -0000 I was going to try to see the Lewis's Woodpecker and the flycatcher at Ragle Ranch Park tomorrow morning. Anyone going? Anyone want to go? We could meet at the parking lot at, say, 8:30? Anyone going who already knows where the birds are? Colin Talcroft Santa Rosa ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Cooper's Hawk photos From: "Ctalcroft" <ctalcroft AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:27:56 -0000 As a number of people asked to see them, I've posted some of the other photos I took of the Cooper's Hawk this morning. I feel confident now that it is, in fact, a Cooper's Hawk as I got a kind mail from Allen Fish, director of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, who feels certain about the ID. I changed the caption on my original photo to "Cooper's Hawk" from "Accipiter" on the basis of that information--and the fact that everyone else that has commented concurs. To me, it's the shape of the head and the capped look that say Cooper's Hawk most strongly, but Allen also pointed to the short outer tail feathers as important. Photos here: http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/1460168273/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+1+smallcmt.jpg http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/600921062/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+4+smallcmt.jpg http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/627603224/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+6+smallcmt.jpg http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/1603892711/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+3+smallcmt.jpg http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/719466027/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+5+smallcmt.jpg http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/1947215/sn/1116904823/name/Cooper%27s+Hawk+7+smallcmt.jpg I see that Rob has posted two nice photos of his Spring Lake Merlin too. :) Colin Talcroft Santa Rosa Sonoma County Bird Watching Spots http://colintalcroft.com/Sonoma_County_Bird_Watching_Spots/SCBWS_front_page.html ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Eurasian Wigeon; Least Flycatcher photos From: "Dan Nelson" <birdsurf64 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:59:07 -0000 Hi NBBirders, Just wanted to note that a male EURASIAN WIGEON was in the first pond at Ellis Creek, along with the remaining Greater White-fronted Goose, Cackling Geese(2) and a handful of Gadwall, on 2/1. I was finally home to upload the Least Flycatcher video. It can be found on YouTube by searching "Least Flycatcher" or "Least Flycatcher Dan Nelson". So far the clip is un-edited; sorry about the squeaky start. The bird is very active, even while "still"- adjusting crown and body feathers, puffed out a bit, making the head appear VERY small, and scapulars partly covering the "upper" wingbar. It appears an inner-secondary is missing from the left. Or perhaps slightly bent, distorting the alignment of the tips of greater coverts ("lower" wingbar) Have fun, Dan ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Ragle Park Least Flycatcher continues From: "Scott" <corvus8x AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:56:05 -0000 The Ragle Park ,Sebastopol Least Flycatcher was seen briefly by Dea Freid and myself.It made a apperance about 11:30 a.m ,perching on the tops of willows back towards the Eucalyptus stand.It was very active ,never stationary more than 10 seconds in anyone place. The Lewis Woodpecker continues in the sam area -sallying back and forth between the cut oak and the Eucs. I also a White-striped morph adult White-throated Sparrow at the wood bridge that is west of the beginning of the trail (where the horse trailer parking is). Scott Carey, Sebastopol, Ca. ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Iceland Gull (photos), Marin From: "mttammark" <mttammark AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:59:09 -0000 NNBers, I observed an Iceland Gull, presumed to be the same individual as the one found yesterday by Steve Hampton (judging by the pattern on the tertials) at Fort Baker today from 0830-0930. Photos, and the location at which they were taken are available here: https://picasaweb.google.com/108389660674446341958/IcelandGull?authuser=0&feat=directlink Good birding, Mark Forney Larkspur, CA ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Probable Cooper's Hawk in my Garden today From: "Ctalcroft" <ctalcroft AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:46:49 -0000 Taking the trash cans out to the street this morning I noticed an agitated raven flying around (for yard bird number 69--checking my list, I was surprised I had never recorded a Raven here before...). On my way back, with a different view, I saw a large accipiter in the top of an old oak tree that had got the raven stirred up. I'm pretty sure it's a Cooper's Hawk, but I never trust myself with raptors, so I thought I'd ask for confirmation. I get several clear shots of the bird, one of which is now the front page photo on my Web site (link below). For the time being, I've captioned it as an Accipiter, probably Cooper's Hawk. But any opinions? To me, the size (much larger than the Sharpie I had here last week) and the clearly delineated dark cap contrasting with the paler nape (even better visible in some of the several other photos I took) say Cooper's, but if this is actually a Sharp-shinned Hawk, I want to know. I want to eat my humble pie. Colin Talcroft Santa Rosa Sonoma County Bird Watching Spots http://colintalcroft.com/Sonoma_County_Bird_Watching_Spots/SCBWS_front_page.html ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Iceland Gull in San Francisco and Marin From: Mark Eaton <marksffo AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 09:25:05 -0800 I'm really sorry; this is FORT BAKER, not Baker Beach. Mark :-( On Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 8:37 AM, Mark Eaton wrote: > Hello, > > I just got a phone call from Hugh Cotter and he and Paul Saraceni have > the first cycle ICELAND GULL found by Steve Hampton on the beach and > in the water at Baker Beach.  For the record, ALL of the water inside > the harbor at Baker Beach is in San Francisco, so this bird is in both > SF and Marin. > > Mark > > -- > --- > Mark Eaton > mark AT markeaton.org -- --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Iceland Gull in San Francisco and Marin From: Mark Eaton <marksffo AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 08:37:18 -0800 Hello, I just got a phone call from Hugh Cotter and he and Paul Saraceni have the first cycle ICELAND GULL found by Steve Hampton on the beach and in the water at Baker Beach.  For the record, ALL of the water inside the harbor at Baker Beach is in San Francisco, so this bird is in both SF and Marin. Mark -- --- Mark Eaton mark AT markeaton.org ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Iceland Gull at Fort Baker, Marin From: Jeff Miller <jmiller AT biologicaldiversity.org> Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:44:05 -0800 Amy Trainer and I went looking in Sausalito this afternoon for the reported Glaucous Gull and got overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of gulls on the water taking advantage of the herring run. After a while we headed to the fishing pier at Fort Baker. We immediately saw an all-white gull on the beach, but the bill and size did not seem right for Glaucous. While we were puzzling over the bird we noticed some nearby birders scoping it, and fortunately one of them turned out to be Steve Hampton. Steve informed us it was a first cycle ICELAND GULL (glaucoides). It was a smaller, all-white gull with pink legs, dark eye, and small dusky bill with black tip. Steve found it at 3:30; we saw it at 4:15; shortly thereafter it flew west a bit more toward the bridge. It looks like Steve has posted on Cal Birds, but not NBB yet, so I have included his post below. Steve also posted photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7202050 AT N04/sets/72157629151625155/with/6810019 443/ and a video link at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Eg3mZy2FE Cool bird! Jeff Miller Inverness Today at 3:30 I found a first cycle apparent glaucoides ICELAND GULL at Fort Baker (near the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge). The bird was foraging on herring eggs west of the fishing pier and roosting on the beach northeast of the little Coast Guard pier. Pics and video to follow. Steve Hampton Davis, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: FOS Selasphorus hummer From: Mike Heffernon <mheff AT sonic.net> Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2012 12:33:47 -0800 Yesterday Feb. 1 I headed to Ragle in the 4:00 time frame, in search of the two birds. Scott Carey (pleasure to meet you, Scott!) immediately showed me the Lewis' Woodpecker, which proved very cooperative and interesting. The Least Flycatcher wasn't seen by me in the < 1 hour I spent there. When I returned home, I was instantly treated to an adult male green-backed-but-mostly-rufous hummer at our house. I'd heard one the previous evening but didn't see one until yesterday. As always, a beautiful bird, especially after the absence. In addition, we scored our second white-throated (juv. w/ streaking remnants) sparrow; we've had a solo bird since November. Lastly, a new high of 11 hooded mergansers in the tiny pond below our house. Mike Heffernon Occidental ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Merlin at Spring Lake, Santa Rosa From: Rob ODonnell <rob52849 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2012 07:42:33 -0800 (PST) Yesterday, I found a female Merlin (Taiga) at Spring Lake.  It was perched in the trees midway along the path below the north dam.  It was cooperative enough for me to squeeze off a few shots with my camera (slightly backlit).  At first its barred tail had me thinking Sharpie, but the tail was too short in relation to its primaries.  It had an eye stripe and weak mustache with a small bill, whitish chin and throat.  I don't know how common Taigas vs. Pacific are in our area, but I've only seen Taigas twice before, once thanks to Peter Colasanti at Lake Hennessey.   [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Townsend's Warbler From: "masiegel3" <masiegel3 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:44:50 -0000 I've also had a female Townsend's Warbler the past 2 winters. Last winter she had immature plumage & this year has adult plumage. She makes frequent visits to my balcony feeders, mostly eating sunflower chips, sometimes bark butter, and often gleaning something from the potted Redwoods. There was also a male last year, for a couple of weeks. Marjorie Siegel Mill Valley ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Townsend's Warbler From: "masiegel3" <masiegel3 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:44:13 -0000 I've also had a female Townsend's Warbler the past 2 winters. Last winter she had immature plumage & this year has adult plumage. She makes frequent visits to my balcony feeders, mostly eating sunflower chips, sometimes bark butter, and often gleaning something from the potted Redwoods. There was also a male last year, for a couple of weeks. ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Common Snipes From: "gail_mac" <gailmacmillan AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:54:58 -0000 Well, I don't know if they are common or uncommon at the Las Gallinas Wildlife ponds, but there were four of them 'shopping' for groceries at the west side of pond one, about 5pm tonight. ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: Townsend's Feeding habits From: "Candace" <candacek AT sonic.net> Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2012 18:49:37 -0800 I also have one Townsend's warbler coming to my feeder. It is usually in the company of chickadees. This is the second year this bird has visited my feeder-well, I assume it is the same bird, since only one Townsend's visited last year and this year. Gorgeous! Candace Krout On Spring Creek; Santa Rosa From: northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Anthonius Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 9:14 AM To: northbaybirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [NBB] Townsend's Feeding habits I, too, have a Townsend's Warbler that I reported eating regularly from my seed feeders last month. Because of that "odd" behavior, I looked them up and found several references to their dietary habits. ".gleans insects on its breeding grounds; on its wintering grounds, it will also exploit honeydew excreted by sap-sucking insects." Alderfer, Jonathan, "Complete Birds of North America" (2006) p. 532. Sibley in his "The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior" (2001) at pages 498-500, has a general review of wood-warbler feeding which boils down to mainly diversified insectivores, but "Fruit, mainly small berries, is an important part of many wood-warblers' diets, especially in fall and winter." And, "Nectar is another important source of energy for wood-warblers, particularly in winter, and many species are often seen at flowers and are even known to visit hummingbird feeders." iBird Pro2's reference feature to Birdpedia (but bizarrely, not the website as far as I can see) states: "They mainly eat insects and spiders and seeds. Outside of the nesting season, these birds forage in mixed flocks. In winter, they also eat berries and plant nectar." I'm taking the bee guards off my Four Flowers feeder and we'll see if I see this as well. Mine is coming in mixed flocks of Chestnut-backed chickadees, Lesser Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Juncos, etc.. I think the most fascinating issue here is WHY are so many of us this year seeing this for the first time? And WHY are they coming to the feeders? Anthony Cermak, Sonoma Valley [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Townsend's Feeding habits From: Rrarik AT aol.com Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2012 20:47:07 -0500 (EST) I have had orioles trying to get at the nectar. IF it is found safe for them to have pure sugar, perhaps someone should design a feeder where the perches and holes are farther apart. The Bullocks will be here in a couple months and they like the nectar from the eucalyptus that have the pink hula skirt type flowers. So do the Anna's. -----Original Message----- From: Anthonius To: northbaybirds Sent: Wed, Feb 1, 2012 5:09 pm Subject: [NBB] Townsend's Feeding habits I, too, have a Townsend's Warbler that I reported eating regularly from my seed feeders last month. Because of that "odd" behavior, I looked them up and found several references to their dietary habits. "Â…gleans insects on its breeding grounds; on its wintering grounds, it will also exploit honeydew excreted by sap-sucking insects." Alderfer, Jonathan, "Complete Birds of North America" (2006) p. 532. Sibley in his "The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior" (2001) at pages 498-500, has a general review of wood-warbler feeding which boils down to mainly diversified insectivores, but "Fruit, mainly small berries, is an important part of many wood-warblers' diets, especially in fall and winter." And, "Nectar is another important source of energy for wood-warblers, particularly in winter, and many species are often seen at flowers and are even known to visit hummingbird feeders." iBird Pro2's reference feature to Birdpedia (but bizarrely, not the website as far as I can see) states: "They mainly eat insects and spiders and seeds. Outside of the nesting season, these birds forage in mixed flocks. In winter, they also eat berries and plant nectar." I'm taking the bee guards off my Four Flowers feeder and we'll see if I see this as well. Mine is coming in mixed flocks of Chestnut-backed chickadees, Lesser Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Juncos, etc.. I think the most fascinating issue here is WHY are so many of us this year seeing this for the first time? And WHY are they coming to the feeders? Anthony Cermak, Sonoma Valley [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com Subject: Glaucous Gull From: "Lisa" <lisahug AT sonic.net> Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:11:07 -0000 Hi All, About 2:30 this afternoon, there was a Glaucous Gull on the beach near the fishing pier at Fort Baker in Sausalito. I don't know if it is the same bird that Dan Singer reported from downtown Sausalito or not. There were a few thousand gulls there - many sitting on rocks almost under the Golden Gate Bridge and too far away to see well. It's a fun sight - with sea lions and harbor seals under the fishing pier and fishermen bringing up nets full of herring. Lisa Hug Sebastopol, CA ------------------------------------ Unsubscribe: mailto:northbaybirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/northbaybirds/ Listowners: mailto:northbaybirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com Please do not post "Out of Office" messages to NorthBayBirds. For vacation suspension of mail go to the website. Click on Edit My Membership and set your mail option to No Email. Or, send a blank email to these addresses: Turn off email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-nomail AT yahoogroups.com Resume email delivery: mailto:northbaybirds-normal AT yahoogroups.com