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Updated on Sunday, March 14 at 04:53 PM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.
Gallicolumba jobiensis

14 Mar Sandhill cranes [Rick/Meg Andrews ]
14 Mar Willow Creek in Pahrump Nv. (Nye ) [Darlene Feener ]
14 Mar Varied Thrush in West Reno [Kathy Oakes ]
14 Mar Spring in ELko [Lois & Mark Ports ]
14 Mar Black-necked stilt, American Avocet at Damonte Ranch Wetlands [Rick/Meg Andrews ]
12 Mar Reno bird sightings3/10/10 & 3/11/10 [ann murphy ]
12 Mar Swans in South Reno [SAMARENO ]
12 Mar Mason Valley WMA and Carson Park/Silver Saddle Ranch-Thurs., Mar. 11th [Rob Lowry ]
10 Mar Common (Eurasian) Teal - Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve 3-10-2010 [Randall Michal ]
9 Mar Fallon birding [Kathy Fraker ]
9 Mar Wetlands Park (Duck Creek Area) [Greg Scyphers ]
9 Mar Birds seen on a trip from Reno to Vegas [Greg Scyphers ]
8 Mar Fw: eBird Report - The Yurt (feeder watch) , 2/19/10 through 3/7/10 [Melissa Renfro ]
8 Mar Western Gull, Tree Swallow, Virginia Lake; Reno (3/8/10) [Fred Petersen ]
7 Mar Three unrelated messages in one post: NBRC issue, Pyramid Lake today, and note about last week's gull at Sparks Marina [Martin Meyers ]
8 Mar FW: Riverview Park Bird Trip [Nancy Santos ]
7 Mar Reno bird sightings 3/6/10 and 3/7/10 [ann murphy ]
7 Mar Re: FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve Located Near Las Vegas [Chris Gardner ]
7 Mar Willow Creek Golf Course: Pahrump: (Nye county) [Darlene Feener ]
7 Mar FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve Located Near Las Vegas [Bird Preserve ]
6 Mar Ash Meadows [Carl Lundblad ]
6 Mar ash meadows nwr [Paul van Els ]
6 Mar Reno birds [Kris Pizarro ]
6 Mar Cormorants are back! Virginia Lake, Reno [Jacque Lowery ]
6 Mar Carson River Park/Silver Saddle Ranch-Friday, Mar. 5th [Rob Lowry ]
5 Mar N. Reno Swans [Jamie Trammell ]
4 Mar Merlin, Virginia Lake; Reno (3/4/10) [Fred Petersen ]
4 Mar Golden eagle [Bob Gotschall ]
4 Mar Great Horned Owl calling in SW Reno [Diane McAllister ]
3 Mar Washoe Valley, NV - Great Horned Owl ["M. A. Anderson" ]
3 Mar Pink Gulls, Virginia Lake; Reno (3/3/10) [Fred Petersen ]
2 Mar FWD: Red-necked Grebe at Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve 2/23 [Carl Lundblad ]
2 Mar 2nd Annual Wings & Wildlife Festival Of Southern Nevada [SNBWTP ]
2 Mar Sandhill Cranes in Pahranagat Valley ["philohela AT juno.com" ]
1 Mar Prairie Falcon [Cynthia Goddard ]
1 Mar recent Reno bird sightings [ann murphy ]
28 Feb Intergrade Flickers (again), NW Reno (February 28th, 2010) [Fred Petersen ]
28 Feb Fw: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve Located Near Las Vegas [Je Anne ]
28 Feb Oasis Valley-signs of spring [Laura Cunningham ]
28 Feb Willow Creek Golf Course: Pahrump: Nye County [Darlene Feener ]
27 Feb Tunda swans at Damonte Ranch Wetlands (Reno) [Rick/Meg Andrews ]
26 Feb Western Gull (continues), Sparks Marina (2/26/10) [Fred Petersen ]
26 Feb Gull workshop (Reno) reminder, plus slight time change. [Martin Meyers ]
25 Feb Washoe Valley - Mountain Bluebirds [Steve Ting ]
25 Feb Late Report for Pahranagat Valley [Greg Scyphers ]
25 Feb Sage Thrasher [Marie Stewart ]
25 Feb Rancho San Rafael, Reno (2/25/10) [Fred Petersen ]
24 Feb Carson River Park/Silver Saddle Ranch and Riverview Park-Carson City [Rob Lowry ]
24 Feb Washoe Valley - Recent bird highlights [Steve Ting ]
24 Feb Lake mead -33 Hole Overlook 2-24-2010 [Randall Michal ]
24 Feb Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve 2-23-10 [Randall Michal ]
24 Feb North Reno [Bob Goodman ]
24 Feb CArson Valley [Lisa Lister ]
23 Feb Hybrid Flickers, NW Reno (February 23rd, 2010) [Fred Petersen ]
23 Feb Blackbirds in south suburban Reno [Jacque Lowery ]
22 Feb Sage Sparrow in Lemmon Valley, Reno [Tom Dozet ]
22 Feb Jim Eidel has shared an eBird checklist with you from Carson Valley on Feb 21, 2010 - 8:00 AM [Jim Eidel ]
21 Feb Willow Creek Golf Course: Pahrump: Nye County [Darlene Feener ]
21 Feb White-tailed Kites at Pahranagat NWR [Don Harriman ]
21 Feb FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve Located Near Las Vegas [Bird Preserve ]
20 Feb Topaz Lake [Lisa Lister ]
20 Feb Gulls, Cackling Goose, Virginia Lake; Reno (2/20/10) [Fred Petersen ]
20 Feb Followup re Birding Guide to Reno link [Karen Kish ]
20 Feb Very Belated Clark Co. Trip Report [Justin Rink ]
20 Feb Lahontan & Red Rocks Audubon Societies, GBBO pubs OK [Alan Wallace ]
20 Feb Fwd: Location of Lemmon Valley sewer ponds [Karen Kish ]
20 Feb Fw: Our GBBC observations for FEB 12, 2010 in 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV part 2 [Melissa Renfro ]
20 Feb Fw: Our GBBC observations for FEB 12, 2010 in 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV Part 1 [Melissa Renfro ]
20 Feb Sparks Marina (2/19/10)/Turtles [Fred Petersen ]
19 Feb Location of Lemmon Valley sewer ponds [Martin Meyers ]
19 Feb Lesser Black-backed Gull and other stuff around Reno/Sparks today [Martin Meyers ]
18 Feb Reno bird sightings 2/14/10 & 2/18/10 [ann murphy ]
18 Feb Carson Range [Mary Jo Elpers ]
17 Feb Snow Goose at Mira Loma Park, Reno [Andrea Oddo ]
17 Feb Time and location for Reno gull workshop. 12:30 p.m., 2/28/2010, Moana Nursery [Martin Meyers ]
17 Feb Re: Northern Shrike at Clark County Wetlands Park [Chris Gardner ]

Subject: Sandhill cranes
From: Rick/Meg Andrews <andrews2727 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:53:12 -0700
It was such a nice afternoon, we decided to drive out to Sierra Valley.  We saw 
4 sandhill cranes from the Marble Hot Springs bridge (2 on each side, about 
100' from the bridge).  Also 5 tundra swans and about 40 northern pintails.  
The only buteos we saw were several red tail hawks. 

 
Please note the dirt portion of the road was very muddy and slippery.
 
Meg and Rick Andrews
 
Subject: Willow Creek in Pahrump Nv. (Nye )
From: Darlene Feener <robertfeener AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:31:29 -0400
Birding from 7:30a.m. to 11:30a.m. Windy with 39 degree start temperature. 
Some damage to several Willow trees from high winds last night.
40 species of birds seen. Birds are listed as they were seen.

1. American Crows
2. Mourning Dove
3. House Finch
4. Ring-billed Gull
5. Western Bluebirds flying ahead of me on path
6. Mallards flying overhead
7. Western Meadowlarks singing from telephone wire
8. Northern Mockingbird taking flight across the field
9. Eurasian Collarded doves making krreew sound as they flew from the trees
10.Dark-eyed Juncos (Slate colored)
11.Great-tailed Grackles, waking everyone up with their whistles
12.Cooper's Hawk sitting in tree above me
13.Northern Harrier taking off and floating across the field
14.Northern Flicker nestled in a tree by the pond
15.American Wigeons 
16.American Coots
17.Ring-necked Ducks
18.Northern Shovelers
19.Cinnamon Teals (4) all males moving quickly to other side of pond
20.Ruddy Duck cleaning feathers (male)
21.Canada Geese landing on pond
22.Red-shouldered Hawk being very vocal
23.Ruby-crowned Kinglet flitting among the bushes
24.Red-winged Blackbirds flashing red shoulders 
25.Gambel's Quail unusually quiet 
26.White-crowned Sparrows
27.Rock Pigeons
28.House Sparrows
29.A pair of Say's Phoebes 
30.Anna's Hummingbird
31.Phainopepla
32.Red-tailed Hawk sitting in tree
33.Mountain Bluebirds flying past me into trees
34.Great Blue Heron waiting by pond for breakfast
35.Gadwall swimming back and forth
36.Pied billed Grebe carrying fish in mouth
37.Common Ravens soaring above
38.Black Phoebe perched on branch wagging its tail
39.Song Sparrow
40.American Robins (6) in tree above me.
Subject: Varied Thrush in West Reno
From: Kathy Oakes <oakesy AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:19:15 -0700
Hello all,
Sorry for the late post. We had a Varied Thrush visit our yard in west Reno off 
Plateau Road in the Caughlin Ranch area on Wednesday March 10 in the early 
afternoon. We got several good pictures of the bird. It didn't appear to be a 
male in full breeding plumage, but was brighter than the field book pictures of 
a female. The varied thrust first ate a few crabapples still hanging on one of 
Indian Magic Crabapple trees. The trush then went to our flowing water feature 
and drank and then bathed in the small stream there. 

 
I believe that there have been other Varied Thrushes sighted in Reno over the 
years. If anyone is interested in checking out a photo, please email me, as we 
don't have an account set up on flicker. 

 
Kathy Oakes
Subject: Spring in ELko
From: Lois & Mark Ports <ports AT FRONTIERNET.NET>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:15:11 -0700
In spite of the spring snow storms we have had recently, the vultures made
their appearance in Elko on Saturday, March 13th.   A group of five were
floating on the thermals above the "tree streets".  Out in Spring Creek a
friend has a small flock of Rosy finches feeding while a Meadow lark was
singing.

 

 

Lois Ports
Subject: Black-necked stilt, American Avocet at Damonte Ranch Wetlands
From: Rick/Meg Andrews <andrews2727 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:07:42 -0700
I spent a couple of hours walking from the west end of Damonte Ranch Parkway 
and around the large pond.  Saw my first black-necked stilt and American avocet 
of the year (they were feeding just a few feet part, next to a greater 
yellowlegs).  The best part was hearing several Western Meadowlarks singing 
away. 

 
Location:     Damonte Ranch Wetlands
Observation date:     3/14/10
Number of species:     36

Canada Goose     6
Gadwall     6
Mallard     16
Cinnamon Teal     4
Northern Shoveler     14
Green-winged Teal     25
Redhead     2
Bufflehead     8
Ruddy Duck     75
California Quail     4
Great Blue Heron     1
Red-tailed Hawk     1
American Kestrel     2
American Coot     X
Killdeer     8
Black-necked Stilt     1
American Avocet     1
Greater Yellowlegs     1
Ring-billed Gull     25
Rock Pigeon     2
Mourning Dove     6
Northern Flicker     2
Say's Phoebe     1
Black-billed Magpie     1
Common Raven     1
Marsh Wren     11
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     1
American Robin     1
European Starling     X
Song Sparrow     1
White-crowned Sparrow     7
Red-winged Blackbird     20
Western Meadowlark     6
Brewer's Blackbird     8
Lesser Goldfinch     2
House Sparrow     X

Meg Andrews
Subject: Reno bird sightings3/10/10 & 3/11/10
From: ann murphy <amurphy0607 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:56:58 -0800
Submitted on behalf of Ed Kurtz:
The following birds were at Paradise Park this week:
Wed. 3/10/10  Killdeer (3)
Thurs. 3/11/10 Great-tailed Grackles (12)
               Belted Kingfisher (1)
               Black-crowned Night Heron (1)
               Yellow-rumped Warblers (6)
Posted for Ed Kurtz by Ann Murphy
Subject: Swans in South Reno
From: SAMARENO <samareno AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:30:21 -0800
I forgot to post Tuesday.  I saw 3 large white birds tucked up in the cold.  
 
I am pretty sure they were 3 Swans.  They were on the pond at South Meadows and 
Wilber May in South Reno. 

 
Happy Birding!

Sue Anne Marshall
a.k.a. samareno "at" yahoo.com
Subject: Mason Valley WMA and Carson Park/Silver Saddle Ranch-Thurs., Mar. 11th
From: Rob Lowry <RLowry517 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:07:02 EST
Hello!
 
Early this afternoon while returning home from Yerington, I stopped briefly 
 at the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area just north of Yerington in 
Lyon  County.  I entered the area from the south entrance, took a side road to 
 the Bass Pond and Upper Gadwall Pond, and left the area via the north  
entrance.  The following birds were seen during my brief visit:
 
American Bittern-as I was heading back from the Upper Gadwall Pond past the 
 Bass Pond, one slowly skulked across the road right in front of my vehicle 
into  a wet area on the other side.  I quietly got out of my car, but 
apparently  not quiet enough, as the bird took flight which afforded me great 
looks in the  mid-day sun.
 
Marsh Wren-one next to the Bass Pond 
 
Great-Horned Owl-one sitting on a nest atop a nesting platform before the  
Upper Gadwall Pond area.
 
Ferruginous Hawk-as I was leaving via the north entrance, I observed one  
soaring overhead.  Eventually, a Red-Tailed Hawk dive-bombed it, and it  
eventually flew northeast out of view.
 
Eurasian-Collared Doves-about 80 were sitting in a tree near the north  
entrance.
 
Tree Swallow-about 15
 
Red-Tailed Hawks (3), Northern Harrier, American Kestrel (2), Western  
Meadowlark (3), Red-Winged Blackbirds (~60), American Coot (2), Flickers (4),  
and White-Crowned Sparrows (~8).
 
When I got home in Carson City, my wife and I took a hike starting at  
Carson River Park following the Carson River along Silver Saddle Ranch to just 

upstream of the dam where the Mexican Ditch begins.  Birds seen and/or  
heard were as follows:
 
Great-Horned Owls-heard/saw 1 pair and later heard another pair further  
downstream, one of which we then saw.
 
Wood Duck-3 males and 2 females just downstream of the dam.  They  later 
took flight in the late evening heading north.
 
Common Goldeneye (14), Common Merganser (1 female), Gadwall (4),  Belted 
Kingfisher, Green-Winged Teal (5), Northern Pintail (one pair), Spotted  
Towhee (3), Bewick's Wren, Tree Swallow (8), Mallards, Flickers, Mourning 
Doves, 

Red-Winged Blackbird, Starlings, Canada Geese, Lesser Goldfinch, Juncos, 
Robins,  House Finches, Killdeer, Black-Billed Magpies, Red-Tailed Hawk (pair 
on nest),  and California Quail (2).
 
Mason Valley WMA is accessed off of Rte. 95A south of Silver Springs and  
north of Yerington, whereas the Carson River Park/Silver Saddle  Ranch is off 
of Carson River Road which runs south from East Fifth Street  on the east 
side of Carson City.
 
Rob Lowry
Carson City, NV
Subject: Common (Eurasian) Teal - Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve 3-10-2010
From: Randall Michal <rmichai637 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:58:31 -0500
Hello all,

This morning I went birding at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, east of 
Las Vegas. It was a nice, cool morning with a light breeze. While walking 
around Pond 9 in hopes of finding the Common (Eurasian) Teal observed by Je 
Anne Branca on Sunday 3-7-10, I stopped about fifty feet short of some 
Canada Geese that were on the path near the southeast corner of the pond. I 
happened to train my binoculars through the opening looking north in the 
next to last channel to the east. I noticed a Green-winged Teal type of 
bird at the north end. A few minutes of observation showed no vertical 
stripe and a clearly delineated horizontal stripe consistent with the
Common Teal. I worked my way around east of the pond where I located the 
bird in a sleeping posture against the reeds of the second hummock to the 
west. The bird moved around at times, giving excellent views and showing it 
is a Common (Eurasian) Teal. He flew short distances at times but I did 
relocate him three times, and each time he ended up back at the same spot. 
I was able to get some photographs that are good enough for ID purposes and 
will be sending those to the Nevada Birds Record Committee for 
verification. 

Here is the complete list of observed birds:

COMMON (EURASIAN) TEAL (crecca race)
Mallard
Gadwall
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Ruddy Duck
Cinnamon Teal
Green-winged Teal (carolinensis race)
Northern Shoveler
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe (Some showing breeding plumage colors)
Northern Harrier
Gambel's Quail
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Virginia Rail (Heard calling in the reeds on Pond 6 just across from the 
bench on the north side of Pond 9)
Great Blue Heron
Black-crowned Night-heron
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Costa's Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Say's Phoebe
Black Phoebe
Cassin's Kingbird
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Verdin
Marsh Wren
Crissal Thrasher
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's and Myrtle)
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Great-tailed Grackle
Red-winged Blackbird
Rock Pigeon
House Finch

Randy Michal
Subject: Fallon birding
From: Kathy Fraker <kathy_fraker AT HOTMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 17:40:32 -0500
I drove out to Indian Lakes this afternoon to look for the Western and
Mountain Bluebirds that have been wintering there.  I only saw 4 mountain
bluebirds, but saw a flock of approx. 20 Western bluebirds.  Also saw a
Northern Mockingbird, many Robins, 3 Cormorants, 7 White Pelicans, 2 pairs
cinnamon teals, several Canvasbacks, and a pair of Red Breasted Mergansers,
as well many coots. 

I also checked the S-Line Reservoir Cormorant rookery(?) or colony(?), and
saw 8 up the nests.  Also a variety of waterfowl, some too far out to
identify for sure; many Mallard pairs, Cinnamon Teals,a Common Goldeneye,
and a Northern Pintail.  

Spring is coming!
Subject: Wetlands Park (Duck Creek Area)
From: Greg Scyphers <scyph AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 11:42:09 -0800
This morning (3-9-10), I took my dog for a walk at the Duck Creek Area of
Wetlands Park.  No real highlights but a few first of season birds.

-Cliff Swallow (1)
-Northern Rough-winged Swallow (at least 6 but probably more)
-Violet-Green Swallows (2)
-Tree Swallows (at least 40 in one large mixed flock)
-Ross's Goose (lone bird)
-Virginia Rail (2)
-Snowy Egret (1)
-American Avocet (4)
-Hooded Merganser (lone female)
-Say's Phoebe
-Verdin (2)
-Ring-necked Duck (at least 7)
-Northern Shoveler (4)
-California Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls
-a lone "peep" flying around (probably a Least)
-Killdeer (2)
-Lesser Scaup (4)
-Bufflehead (4)
-Cinnamon Teal (9)
-Green-winged Teal (at least 25)
-Gadwall (2)
-Mallards
-Am. Coots (many)
-Ruddy Ducks (didn't count)
-Marsh Wren
-Northern Flickers (2)
-Double-crested Cormorant
-Yellow-rumped Warbler
-White-crowned Sparrow
-Belted Kingfisher
-Osprey

A Coyote was contently sitting very conspicuously by the short fence
surrounding the ponds watching the birds on the water (his form of TV?).

Greg Scyphers
Subject: Birds seen on a trip from Reno to Vegas
From: Greg Scyphers <scyph AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 10:47:25 -0800
On Sunday March 7th, 2010 while traveling to Las Vegas for work I made a few
quick birding stops.

Fallon
-White Pelicans (~40-45 seen in flight)

Walker Lake
-White Pelicans (73)
-Bald Eagles (2 imm.)
-Double-crested Cormorants (~220)
-Bufflehead (~10)
-Common Goldeneye (8)

Silver Peak
-Mountain Bluebirds (3)
-Eurasian Collared-Dove (2)

Ponderosa Dairy, Amargosa Valley
-Ross's Goose (1 seen on bank of slop pond)
-Cinnamon Teal (12)
-California Gull (7)
-Ring-billed Gull (~70)
-Say's Phoebe
-Yellow-headed Blackbird

Greg Scyphers
Subject: Fw: eBird Report - The Yurt (feeder watch) , 2/19/10 through 3/7/10
From: Melissa Renfro <melsyurt AT WIRELESSBEEHIVE.COM>
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 20:04:40 -0800
From: "John B. Free" 
Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2010 9:52 PM
To: "Melissa Renfro" 
Subject: Fw: eBird Report - The Yurt (feeder watch) , 2/19/10

> Yurt feeders: 1 mile below entrance to Great Basin N.P. main entrance on 
> Hwy 488, White Pine County
>
> Location:     The Yurt (feeders )
> Observation Dates: Feb 19 to 21/2010
> Observer: John B. Free    Conditions: Snowing, heavy overcast, 100% cover 
> 37 deg to 20 deg.
> Number of species:     8
>
>> Sharp-shinned Hawk     1     Pix taken. attacks and takes a Pine Siskin.
>> Eurasian Collared-Dove     5
>> Western Scrub-Jay     1
>> Pinyon Jay     4
>> Spotted Towhee     1
>> Dark-eyed Junco     40
>> Pine Siskin     15
>> American Goldfinch     6
>
> ***************************
>
>
> Location:     The Yurt (feeders )
> Observation Dates: Feb 27 & 28th/2010
> Observer: John B. Free
> Condition: Mostly cloudy to overcast, Snowing, 90 to 50% cover, 39 deg to 
> 36 deg
> Number of species:     6
>
> Sharp-shinned Hawk     1     watching feeders (4 PM)
> Spotted Towhee     1
> Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     10     feeding flock
> Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed)     1     with other Juncos
> Pine Siskin     12
> American Goldfinch     5
>
> *********************************
>
> Location:     The Yurt (feeders )
> Observation Dates: Mar 6 & 7/2010
> Observer: John B. Free
> Conditions: Overcast to Snowing / fog 25% to 90% cover (1" of new snow) 40 
> deg to 34 deg
> Number of species:     5
>
> Eurasian Collared-Dove     1
> Western Scrub-Jay     1
> Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     12
> Pine Siskin     40
> American Goldfinch     10
>
>
>
Subject: Western Gull, Tree Swallow, Virginia Lake; Reno (3/8/10)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 19:37:25 -0500
Virginia Lake, Reno, Washoe Co (3/8/10)

The highlight today was a subadult Western Gull, possibly 
the same individual as the bird of this species recorded on 
numerous occasions earlier in the winter at the Spark Marina 
(probably the only way to be sure would be to compare the 
tail patterns of the 2 birds, but I don’t have the photos for 
that).  There were abnormally large numbers of gulls at VL 
today—big flocks—maybe as many as 600-800 additional to the 
150 or so California Gulls on-territory on the island, but as
 far as I could tell by cursory survey all except the Western
 Gull were the usual Californias & Ring-bills.  When I first 
encountered it (at around noon), the Western Gull was on the 
west side of the lake opposite the island where I watched & 
photographed it for about 15 minutes before leaving for home.
  During this time several people came along with bread but 
the Western Gull always stayed on the fringes without 
participating in the resultant feeding frenzies

Other birds
Tree Swallow, FOS for me (just the one unfortunately flying 
south over the water).

The Double-crested Cormorant colony continues to build up, 
there being about 30 birds on the island today.  

Photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/4418543332 (Western Gull)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/4408238564/ (unusually 
“pink” Ring-billed Gull)

I just did a quick check.  Today’s Western Gull is the 141st
bird species I’ve seen at VL over the years & the 13th 
species of gull.

Fred Petersen
Subject: Three unrelated messages in one post: NBRC issue, Pyramid Lake today, and note about last week's gull at Sparks Marina
From: Martin Meyers <martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM>
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 22:52:45 -0700
1) NBRC issue: Just a reminder that the NBRC has a policy which permits
reviews of any rare subspecies, even if of a species that is common
here, if that subspecies is currently considered a separate species by
any of the international ornithological societies, or if it has
previously been considered a full species by the American Ornitholists'
Union (AOU).  Specifically, the Eurasian race of Green-winged Teal,
recognized in Europe as a full species and called "Common Teal", is such
a subspecies, so if whoever saw the Eurasian Green-winged Teal reported
at Henderson today would be kind enough to submit documentation, we
would appreciate it.

2) Pyramid today:  There were a few more birds around today than the
last time I was out there, but it was still pretty slow.  The only
songbirds I encountered at the Willows were one American Robin and one
Bewick's Wren.  I did encounter the Serdehelys out there, which made up
for the lack of birds.
At Pelican Point, there was a very cooperative third-cycle
Glaucous-winged Gull, providing great photo ops.
Sutcliff had eight adult Herring Gulls plus one third cycle, most of
them at the hatchery.  Lots of California Gulls as well.  A fair number
of Western-type Grebes were scattered around, and I saw four Common
Loons. There was one Common Goldeneye (male) at the marina.  I also saw
my first two American White Pelicans for the year there.  The trailer
park had several Eurasian Collared-doves plus House Finches, House
Sparrows, and Starlings.
Buffleheads were the only really common duck, seen at most stops. At the
delta, there were seven Tundra Swans, two male Cinnamon Teal, plus
Gadwalls, Mallards, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, a couple of
Northern Pintails, one Common Goldeneye, and thirty-two American White
Pelicans. The only Ring-billed Gulls were also at the delta.

3) This last section is really aimed at the people who attended the gull
workshop and continued with us to Sparks Marina afterward. At the marina
that day, we observed a first-cycle gull that showed some
characteristics of Thayer's Gull, but had some features that didn't seem
convincing for that species. (The head shape, particularly, seemed a bit
flat.)  We all looked at it pretty carefully, but I felt that if we
couldn't see the outer primary pattern, we couldn't nail it down as a
Thayer's.  Eventually, the bird flew and we had a brief look at the
spread wings.  Most had the impression that the outer primaries were too
uniformly dark for it to have been a Thayer's.  
Today, I received a very nice series of photos taken by Fred Welden of
the bird as it flew off the floats.  The first photo, with the primaries
rather flat, showed a pattern very much like Thayer's, but other photos
clearly showed that the impression we had when observing the bird in
flight was correct, that the outer two primaries were mostly dark (where
Thayer's would have shown pale inner webs and sharply contrasting dark
outer webs on those feathers.)  
That leaves the bird essentially unidentified. It might have just been a
Herring Gull with brownish primaries caused by wear and sun-bleaching,
but it is also possible that it was a hybrid of some sort. 
Plumage-wise, it was a pretty good match for a Herring X Glaucous-winged
Gull, but the overall size (not too big) and bill shape (rather
straight) make me less than confident. 
Some first cycle large gulls can be identified. Some can't.  I have to
learn to live with it. (That was one of the first slides in the gull
workshop.)

Martin


---------------
 Martin Meyers
 email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
 Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
 Truckee, CA
Subject: FW: Riverview Park Bird Trip
From: Nancy Santos <nancylas AT ATT.NET>
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 03:41:43 +0000
I lead a trip to Riverview Park Feb 27 and Meg was kind enough to keep the 
records and provide them to me in a timely manner. I on the other hand have 
been slow in getting them out. It was a great trip with a fun group of 
participants. 


Until next time,
Nancy
-------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- 
From: Rick/Meg Andrews  
To: nancylas AT att.net 
Subject: Cottonwood Park 
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:28:40 +0000 

Well, I hope this goes through. The first 2 times I tried to send it I got a 
failure notice. 

Thanks for the walk, it was great as always.

Meg Andrews

Location:     Carson City - Riverview Park
Observation date:     2/27/10
Number of species:     27

Canada Goose     130
Wood Duck     1
Mallard     15
California Quail     2
Bald Eagle     2
Northern Harrier     2
Cooper's Hawk     1
Red-tailed Hawk     2
Killdeer     1
Rock Pigeon     2
Eurasian Collared-Dove     2
Mourning Dove     3
Northern Flicker     6
Western Scrub-Jay     3
Black-billed Magpie     1
Bewick's Wren     1
American Robin     11
European Starling     2
Song Sparrow     1
White-crowned Sparrow     30
Golden-crowned Sparrow     1
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     10
Red-winged Blackbird     30
Western Meadowlark     1
House Finch     24
Lesser Goldfinch     12
House Sparrow     10
Subject: Reno bird sightings 3/6/10 and 3/7/10
From: ann murphy <amurphy0607 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 18:55:35 -0800
Submitted on behalf of Ed Kurtz:

Today (3/7/10) there were 2 separate groups of Goldeneyes on the Truckee River 
in downtown Reno near the Lear Theater: 

3 Barrow's Goldeneyes (1 male, 1 female, & 1 subadult male)
4 Common Goldeneyes (2 male, 2 female)
Also, yesterday (3/6/10) there was a Lesser Canada Goose at Virginia Lake.

Posted for Ed Kurtz by Ann Murphy
Subject: Re: FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve Located Near Las Vegas
From: Chris Gardner <ChrisGardner05 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 20:12:37 EST
Are there pictures of this Common Teal?
Subject: Willow Creek Golf Course: Pahrump: (Nye county)
From: Darlene Feener <robertfeener AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 17:20:20 -0500
Birded today from 8 a.m. to noon 36 species seen.
Birds are listed as they were seen.

1. Mallards
2. Rock Pigeons
3. American Crows
4. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
5. Yellow-rumped Warblers (lots of them)
6. Song Sparrows
7. American Wigeon's
8. Mourning Dove's
9. Great-tailed Grackle's
10.House Finch
11.Eurasian Collared-doves
12.Lesser Goldfinch
13.House Sparrows
14.Dark-eyed Junco's (Slate colored and Oregon)
15.Say's Phoebe's
16.Anna's Hummingbird
17.Gambel's Quail
18.Northern Flicker
19.Northern Shoveler's
20.Ring-necked Duck's
21.Ruddy Duck
22.American Coot's
23.Black-crowned Night-Heron
24.Red-winged Blackbird's
25.Red-shouldered Hawk
26.White-crowned Sparrow's
27.Cooper's Hawk
28.Phainopepla
29.American Kestrel
30.Pied-billed Grebe
31.Western Bluebird's
32.Mountain Bluebird
33.Crissal Thrasher
34.Prairie Falcon
35.Common Raven (2)soaring overhead then landing on the ground
36.Black Phoebe
Subject: FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve Located Near Las Vegas
From: Bird Preserve <Bird.Preserve AT CITYOFHENDERSON.COM>
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 14:04:18 -0800
 

 

 

 

STARTING MARCH 1ST THROUGH MAY 31ST OUR HOURS WILL BE 6:00 AM TO 2:00 PM

 

________________________________

The following birds were seen or heard this week by staff and visitors
from March 1st, 2010 thru March 7th, 2010.  We had Seventy-two  (72)
species recorded this week.

 

 

Canada Goose (looking for a place to nest) 

Wood Duck  

Gadwall 

American Wigeon

Mallard   

Cinnamon Teal  

Northern Shoveler 

Northern Pintail 

Green-winged Teal 

Common Teal (seen on pond 9 3/7)

Canvasback (2 M, 1 F pond 8)

Redhead

Ring-necked Duck 

Lesser Scaup    

Bufflehead 

Common Goldeneye (several all females)

Ruddy Duck 

Gambel's Quail 

Pied-billed Grebe 

Eared Grebe 

Double-crested Cormorant

Least Bittern (calling)

Great Egret

Snowy Egret

Black-crowned night Heron 

White-faced Ibis

Turkey Vulture 

Northern Harrier

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper's Hawk

Prairie Falcon

Virginia Rail (heard)

Common Moorhen 

American Coot 

Killdeer

American Avocet (3/5 on pond 9)

Greater Yellowlegs

Ring-billed Gull (90+)

California Gull 

Rock Pigeon

Mourning Dove 

Greater Roadrunner

White-throated Swift (3/5)

Anna's Hummingbird

Costa's Hummingbird

Black Phoebe

Say's Phoebe (12+)

Cassin's Kingbird

Common Raven

Tree Swallow

Violet-green Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Barn Swallow

Verdin 

Bushtit 

Marsh Wren (every pond) 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Crissal Thrasher 

Sage Thrasher (heard)

American Pipit 

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)

Abert's Towhee

Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow 

Red-winged Blackbird

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Great-tailed Grackle

Brown-headed Cowbirds (3/5)

House Finch

 

 

DON'T FORGET YOUR HAT, SUNSCREEN AND WATER!!!!   

Open 6:00 am to 2:00 pm, last entry is at 1:30 pm.  You need about two
hours to bird the Preserve.

Directions from the I515 (US 93 & 95), take exit 64A, Sunset Road east.
Follow the signs (blue signs with white letters), turn left (north) on
Moser.

For more information call 702-267-4180.

 

Best in birding,

Je Anne Branca
Subject: Ash Meadows
From: Carl Lundblad <carl.lundblad AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 19:55:27 -0800
I was also out on Ash Meadows this morning where, like Paul, I had the first
vocalizing American Bitterns of the year at Peterson Reservoir with Tree and
N. Rough-winged Swallows.  The refuge's first VERMILION FLYCATCHER was in a
regular site in the southeastern portion of the refuge with another
calling American Bittern and Black-throated Sparrows were present and
singing at a nearby site.

Waterfowl turnover has been pretty good this week with a couple of female
Common Goldeneyes hanging around Crystal Reservoir where 88 Northern
Pintails on Tuesday was a refuge high count for me.  Gull turnover
has also been picking up at the same site, though numbers are generally
small.

Birds this afternoon at the Willow Creek Golf Course in Pahrump were mostly
the usuals including Red-shouldered Hawks and Chipping Sparrows.  A few Snow
Geese were visible from the road at the Pahrump Dairy.

Carl Lundblad
Ash Meadows, NV
Subject: ash meadows nwr
From: Paul van Els <paulvanels AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 17:20:03 -0800
Hi all,

Spent the morning at Ash Meadows, and went for a hike near Peterson Reservoir 
there. Had some good species including the following: 



American Bittern (possibly 2 individuals)
Canvasback
Golden Eagle (2)
Prairie Falcon (1, chasing after the Golden Eagles)
Great Horned Owl
Virginia Rail (1, alarm calls)
White-throated Swift (50+)
N Rough-winged Swallow (1)
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow (3)
Brewer's Sparrow (1)

Cheers,

Paul van Els
Subject: Reno birds
From: Kris Pizarro <kpizarro5485 AT CHARTER.NET>
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 16:41:30 -0800
March 6, 2010
Near Wilkinson Park in east Reno - I was surprised to find a female 
red-breasted sapsucker visiting various trees. 

A male and female downy woodpecker were also in the area.
Kris Ann Pizarro
Subject: Cormorants are back! Virginia Lake, Reno
From: Jacque Lowery <nevadabird AT CHARTER.NET>
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 10:07:07 -0800
Visited Virginia Lake playground with my granddaughter yesterday.  Some of
the cormorants have returned (15-20).  Was able to observe courtship (wing
waving, tail and bill in the air, offering sticks to female).  Very
reminiscent of Nazca Booby courtship behavior observed in the Galapagos, fun
to watch.  Also observed a kestrel attempt a meal in a group of starlings
(unsuccessful); first time I've seen starlings get agitated about anything.
A mountain chickadee made a brief appearance singing and chattering. Too
chilly and windy to spend time attempting gull ID or to pay much attention
to other species on the lake.

 

Jacque Lowery
Subject: Carson River Park/Silver Saddle Ranch-Friday, Mar. 5th
From: Rob Lowry <RLowry517 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 02:43:24 EST
Hello!
 
Earlier this evening, my wife and I hiked along the Carson River from  
Carson River Park, along Silver Saddle Ranch, to upstream of the dam where the 

Mexican Ditch begins.  The parking area for the Carson River Park is  
accessed from Carson River Road which runs south off of East Fifth Street in 
the 

eastern part of Carson City.  The following birds were observed and/or  
heard:
 
Wood Duck-1 male just upstream of the dam
Common Goldeneye-about a dozen further upstream of there dam
Great-Horned Owl-1 roosting in a tree next to the trail just downstream of  
the dam
Common Merganser-1 female just upstream of the dam
Pinyon Jay-I heard a commotion overhead and looked up to see a noisy flock  
of about 100 flying just over the Prison Hill area, dropping down towards 
the  river closer to us, and continue flying to the north
 
The more usual cast of characters including a Red-Tailed Hawk, Mallards,  
Canada Geese, Killdeer, Starlings, Flickers, Juncos, Robins, a Hairy 
Woodpecker, Mourning Doves, Gadwall, a Spotted Towhee, Bewick's Wren, 
California 

Quail,  Black-Billed Magpies, House Finches, and last but not least, a 
Yellow-Rumped  Warbler.
 
Also, earlier today, I saw my first-of-year Turkey Vulture in the ranch  
west of Rte. 395 and south of Johnson Lane, south of Carson City.  It  soared 
overhead for a while, landed on the ground, spread it's wings, and  
proceeded to skirmish with two Ravens.
 
Rob Lowry
Carson City
Subject: N. Reno Swans
From: Jamie Trammell <trammell AT UNR.NEVADA.EDU>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2010 13:08:12 -0500
On my way in today I noticed 6-7 swans in Silver Lake (which actually has 
water in it...for now).  They were on the north side of the lake, though 
visible from Moya with a scope.  

There were also a surprising number of misc. ducks present, and plenty of Red-
winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows calling for spring.

Jamie Trammell
Reno, NV
Subject: Merlin, Virginia Lake; Reno (3/4/10)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 22:33:56 -0500
Merlin, Virginia Lake; Reno (3/4/10)

Virginia Lake, Reno, Washoe Co (3/4/10)

A Merlin put in a brief appearance at the lake this morning,
 flying out from the little play park on the west side to the 
gull loafing area south of the island & putting up the whole
 flock. But it didn’t catch anything & after dashing about 
among the panic-stricken gulls & pigeons for a few seconds it
 headed back towards the play park.  It must be wintering 
in the neighborhood since this is the third month in a row 
that I’ve seen a Merlin at this spot.

There were no less than 8 “pink” RB Gulls this morning (I
 only counted 2 yesterday) but nothing else new except a pair
 of American Wigeons.

Fred Petersen
Subject: Golden eagle
From: Bob Gotschall <gotschall_robert AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 21:03:44 -0500
Finally got a good look. I definataly have a Golden Eagle living in the hills 
in back of Indian 

Springs. This is about the fifth time I've seen it this year out here but 
always in bad light. This 

time itwas at sunset when I saw it go to ground

Bob Gotschall
Subject: Great Horned Owl calling in SW Reno
From: Diane McAllister <diane AT IMPRINTSOFNATURE.COM>
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 01:51:57 -0500
A Great Horned Owl is also calling presently from my rooftop here in SW Reno.
Could someone perhaps give the Washoe Valley owl directions to my house? 
I live in SW Reno in the Caughlin Ranch area. 

Happy Birding,
Diane McAllister
Subject: Washoe Valley, NV - Great Horned Owl
From: "M. A. Anderson" <fleetsurgeon AT HOTMAIL.COM>
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 22:28:05 -0800
A Great Horned Owl is calling from the roof of my house at this very
moment... Location is off of Eastlake Blvd less than 1 mile north of
alfalfa fields.

Respectfully submitted,
M. A. Anderson






 EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Join me
Subject: Pink Gulls, Virginia Lake; Reno (3/3/10)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 19:54:15 -0500
Virginia Lake, Reno, Washoe Co (3/3/10)

The highlights at VL this morning were the first “pink” 
Ring-billed Gulls of the season, a sure sign of spring & 
right on-schedule (the earliest dates I’ve seen them in 
previous years were Feb 28, Feb 29 & Mar 1).  There were 
just 2 today among about 150 “normal” Ring-bills.  Both 
of the 2 common gull species—Ring-bills & Californias—have
 brightened up a lot in the last week or two & are 
beginning to look very natty.  There were no signs of the
 Lesser Black-backed & Glaucous-winged Gulls today.

Other birds
Chinese Swan/Canada Goose hybrid—1 (continues)
Lesser Scaup—1 male (continues)
Redhead—1 male
Common Merganser—10

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/405323024/in/set-72157602214643626/ 
(“pink” Ring-bill)

Fred Petersen
Subject: FWD: Red-necked Grebe at Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve 2/23
From: Carl Lundblad <carl.lundblad AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 15:36:02 -0800
NV Birders,

I just received a photo from visiting New Mexicans of a Red-necked Grebe
taken at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve on 2/23.  Perhaps the same one
from the fall?

Carl Lundblad
Amargosa Valley, NV
Subject: 2nd Annual Wings & Wildlife Festival Of Southern Nevada
From: SNBWTP <info AT SNBWTP.ORG>
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 14:43:23 -0800
You Are Invited To The *2nd Annual Wings & Wildlife Festival Of Southern 
Nevada* in Laughlin, Nevada, *March 11-15, 2010*

Visit http://www.WingsandWildlifeFestival.org for more information, 
festival catalog, and to register
 
Activties
31 Field Trips
14 Seminars
5 Nature Walks
Special Kids Fest scheduled for Saturday March 13th with FREE activities 
for Kids & Families!
Discount room rates for festival attendees
 
Friday, March 12 - 5:00pm - 7:30pm
Join us in the Riverside Starview Room for socializing with your fellow 
festival goers.  Wine and savory hors d'oeuvres in addition to a 
selection of wines and other non-alcoholic beverages will be available. 
View nature-based artwork of local artists and Sharon K. Schafer.  
Registration and informational booths will remain open during the event. 

5:00pm - 6:00pm Ted Floyd will sign copies of his new book "*Let's Go 
Birding!*"

6:30pm - 7:30pm Our Featured Artist, *Sharon K. Schafer,* renown Boulder 
City artist and naturalist.  Skydance Studio's Sharon K. Schafer, will 
provide a truly magical experience through a multimedia program "Land of 
Little Rain - Images from the Mojave Desert".  Discover the hidden 
beauty and grace of southern Nevada's less traveled wilderness areas 
through Schafer's paintings, sketches, and photographs.

Saturday, March 13 - 6:00pm - 8:30pm
A generous buffet banquet will precede the festival's featured speaker, 
*Ted Floyd*.  Mr. Floyd's banquet presentation will introduce us to the 
amazing world of birding at night. Ted's talk will show us how to find 
birds at night.  "Birding at Night: The Final Frontier" will open your 
mind to an entirely new conception of birding. Banquet feast will 
include entrees of beef, chicken and fish, along with salads, 
vegetables, and assorted cakes and pies.

7:00pm - 7:15pm A short presentation introducing the Southern Nevada 
Birding and Wildlife Trails Partnership.

7:15pm - 8:30pm Ted Floyd, author, editor of Birding magazine, and 
keynote speaker.

Interactive Displays Provided by:
Bureau of Reclamation
Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve
Kern Valley/Birding Nevada
Las Vegas Wash
Laughlin North Reach Project
Nevada Commission on Tourism
Nevada Department of Wildlife
Red Rock Audubon Society
Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP)
Southern Nevada Water Authority
Ted Cassidy, Taxidermist
U.S.D.A. Nevada's NRCS
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Field Trip: Bat Mistnetting at Granite Springs
Field Trip: Bill Williams NWR
Field Trip: Bill Williams River Delta by Kayak
Field Trip: Black Canyon by Kayak
Field Trip: Black Canyon by Motorized Raft
Field Trip: Colorado River by Kayak
Field Trip: Colorado River Tour by Water Taxi
Field Trip: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve
Field Trip: Hualapai Mountain Park
Field Trip: Laughlin Lagoon by Kayak
Field Trip: Topock Gorge by Kayak
Field Trip: Topock Gorge w/Captain Doyle
Field Trip: Topock Marsh by Kayak
Field Trip: Topock Marsh by Van/Bus
Field Trip: Wee Thump Joshua Tree Forest
Field Trip: Willow Beach Hatchery & Birding
Nature Walk: Big Bend State Recreation Area
Nature Walk: Colorado River Nature Center
Nature Walk: Laughlin River Walk
Nature Walk: Old Sportsman Park & North Reach
Nature Walk: Petroglyphs at Grapevine Canyon
Seminar: Bat Monitoring
Seminar: Beginning Bird ID
Seminar: Bighorn Sheep
Seminar: Binoculars
Seminar: Burrowing Owls
Seminar: Colorado River Birds
Seminar: Dragonflies and Damselflies
Seminar: Falconry
Seminar: Hummingbird Tidbits
Seminar: Mojave Desert Reptiles
Seminar: Nevada Important Bird Areas
Seminar: Petroglyphs Wings & Wildlife on the Rocks
Seminar: Water & Wildlife
Seminar: Wildlife and Plants

-- 

Thank you,

Southern Nevada Birding & Wildlife Trails Partnership
www.SNBWTP.org
Subject: Sandhill Cranes in Pahranagat Valley
From: "philohela AT juno.com" <philohela@JUNO.COM>
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 00:54:38 GMT
A friend and I were birding Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge (located in 
Lincoln County) this morning. We walked around one of the ponds (Middle Pond? 
Not sure, there was so much water). Around 9:30 - 10:00 am, about 100 Sandhill 
Cranes flew north, not very high in the sky. I spoke to refuge staff a little 
later, and they told me cranes were on the ground in a pasture north of the 
refuge. 

Here is a complete list of sightings:
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle (at least 2 immatures)
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
American Kestrel
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Say's Phoebe
Common Raven
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Mountain Bluebird (a single male)
European Starling
American Pipit
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Jeanne Tinsman
Las Vegas, NV

____________________________________________________________
Banking
Click here to find the perfect banking opportunity!

http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2131/c?cp=S4-lcEajdsI7nFWDbpEUDAAAJz2YrTDb_4URtPNw0eACpW1-AAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAXeAAAAAA=
Subject: Prairie Falcon
From: Cynthia Goddard <cynthiagoddard AT MAC.COM>
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 08:49:32 -0800
   I'm sorry about the lateness of this posting.  On Feb. 22d Mike  
and I were driving through Fallon on Highway 50 when we spotted a  
Prairie Falcon hazing Rock Pigeons right above the Speedway gas  
station in the middle of town.  There's lots of prey on the roof of  
nearby Domino's Pizza!
         Cindy Goddard
          Fallon NV
Subject: recent Reno bird sightings
From: ann murphy <amurphy0607 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 04:59:33 -0800
Submitted on behalf of Ed Kurtz:
On Tuesday 2/23/10 there was a White-fronted Goose at Manzanita Pond at UNR.
On Saturday 2/27/10 there was a Say's Phoebe in Wingfield Park along the river 
in mid-afternoon. 

Posted for Ed Kurtz by Ann Murphy
Subject: Intergrade Flickers (again), NW Reno (February 28th, 2010)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:59:20 -0500
NW Reno, Washoe Co (2/28/10)

Much to my surprise a 3rd intergrade flicker turned up at 
my feeders today, making 3 altogether for the week.  The 
new bird (a male with a red moustache), unlike the 2 
reported on earlier (2/23), lacked a red nape patch and 
had bright yellow wing & tail linings.  Here's the complete
tally so far:
1. Male (black moustache) with well-developed red nape 
patch, orange wing/tail linings with (possibly) hint of 
yellow
2. Female with well-developed red nape patch, orange 
wing/tail linings
3. Male (red moustache) no nape patch, yellow wing/tail 
linings

During this same period there’ve been at least 2 “normal” 
Red-shafted Flickers at the feeders, a male & a female.

So, it’s looks like there’s been a minimum of 5 flickers at
 my feeders the last 5 days, something I never would have 
guessed had I not been able to ID the intergrades 
individually.  And why so many intergrades all of a sudden,
 I wonder?   In the past I’ve never seen more than one at 
a time in Reno.  Brood mates? Part of a wandering flock from
 someplace where intergrades are more common?  Or??

Fred Petersen
Subject: Fw: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve Located Near Las Vegas
From: Je Anne <gann2 AT COX.NET>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:57:45 -0800
 STARTING MARCH 1ST THROUGH MAY 31ST OUR HOURS WILL BE FROM 6:00 AM TO 2:00 
PM, LAST ENTRY IS AT 1:30 PM.



 The following birds were seen or heard this week by staff and visitors from 
February 22th, 2010 thru February 28th, 2010.  We had Seventy (70) species 
recorded this week.

 Snow Goose
 Canada Goose
 Wood Duck
 Gadwall
 American Widgeon
 Mallard
 Cinnamon Teal
 Northern Shoveler
 Green-winged Teal
 Redhead
 Ring-necked Duck
 Lesser Scaup
 Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye (5 females on pond 8)
 Common Merganser
 Ruddy Duck
 Gambel's Quail
 Pied-billed Grebe
 Eared Grebe
 Double-crested Cormorant
 Great Blue Heron
 Great Egret
  Black-crowned night Heron
  Turkey Vulture
  Northern Harrier
  Sharp-shinned Hawk
  Cooper's Hawk
  Red-tailed Hawk
  American Kestrel
  Prairie Falcon
  Virginia Rail
  Common Moorhen
  American Coot
  Killdeer
  Greater Yellowlegs
  Least sandpiper (heard)
  Long-billed Dowitcher
  Ring-billed Gull
  California Gull
  Rock Pigeon
  Mourning Dove
  Greater Roadrunner
  Anna's Hummingbird
  Costa's Hummingbird
  Black Phoebe
  Say's Phoebe
  Cassin's Kingbird
  Tree Swallow
  Violet-green Swallow
  Northern Rough-winged Swallow
  Verdin
  Bushtit
  Cactus Wren
  Bewick's Wren
  Marsh Wren
  Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
  Crissal Thrasher
  Sage Thrasher
  American Pipit
  Orange-crowned Warbler
  Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's & Myrtle)
  Common Yellowthroat (male)
  Abert's Towhee
  Song Sparrow
  White-crowned Sparrow
  Red-winged Blackbird
  Great-tailed Grackle
  House Finch



 DON'T FORGET YOUR HAT, SUNSCREEN AND WATER!!!!

 Open 6:00 am to 2:00 pm, last entry is at 1:30 pm.  You need about two 
hours to bird the Preserve.

 Directions from the I515 (US 93 & 95), take exit 64A, Sunset Road east.
 Follow the signs (blue signs with white letters), turn left (north) on 
Moser.

 For more information call 702-267-4180.



 Best in birding,
 Je Anne Branca
Subject: Oasis Valley-signs of spring
From: Laura Cunningham <bluerockiguana AT HUGHES.NET>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:00:43 -0500
Oasis Valley, Nye County, north of Beatty. Mostly clear, cold north wind.

Flock of about 40 teal, mostly Green-winged teal, rest Cinnamon teal, flying up 
Amargosa River 

Valley in morning. Later I found the same flock, I think, at dusk in the river 
shallows and pools 

(the river has been flowing lately). The males of both species were in bright 
breeding plumage. 

Green-wings whistling. 

Mallard-10 in shallow marshes.
Mixed flock of Red-winged blackbird and Brewer's blackbird
Gambel's quail
Bewick's wren-first in months
Black phoebe-first in a while
Say's phoebe
House finch
American goldfinch
White-crowned sparrow
Song sparrow
Dark-eyed (Oregon) junco
Northern (Red-shafted) flicker
Horned lark
Eu. starling
Killdeer
Eurasian collared dove
Common raven
Subject: Willow Creek Golf Course: Pahrump: Nye County
From: Darlene Feener <robertfeener AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:51:04 -0500
Birding from 6:50 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Sunshine and cold. 41 degrees at start time. A great day to unwind and 
become one with the birds. As I stepped out of my car, I could hear the 
blackbirds and house finches. Lots of bird activity moving around.The 
Willow trees were glistening from the early morning rain and they were 
filled with Great-tailed Grackles all making beautiful sounds.
40 species seen today. Birds are listed in the order they were seen.

1. Great-tailed Grackles
2. House Finches
3. House Sparrows
4. Red-winged Blackbirds
5. Dark-eyed Juncos (Oregon and Slate-colored)
6. Say's Phoebes
7. Yellow-rumped Warblers
8. Common Raven
9. Eurasian-Collared-Doves
10. American Crows
11. Western Bluebirds
12. American Wigeons
13. Mallards
14. White-throated Swifts
15. White-crowned Sparrows
16. Verdins
17. Red-shouldered Hawks (on a different part of the golf course)
18. Gambel's Quail
19. Crissal Thrashers
20. Anna's Hummingbird
21. American Coots
22. Canada Goose
23. Ruddy Duck
24. Cinnamon Teal (male)
25. Pied-billed-Grebe
26. Brewer's Blackbirds in the marsh grass
27. Brown-headed Cowbird
28. Chipping Sparrow
29. Northern Flicker
30. Northern Shovelers
31. Green-winged Teals
32. Canvasback (female)
33. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
34. Ring-necked Ducks (females)
35. Black-crowned Night-Heron
36. Cooper's Hawk
37. Mourning Doves
38. Phainopepla
39. Rock Doves
40. Red-tailed Hawk
Subject: Tunda swans at Damonte Ranch Wetlands (Reno)
From: Rick/Meg Andrews <andrews2727 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:34:41 -0800
On my way back to Reno after spending a very pleasant morning in Carson City, I 
decided to check out Damonte Wetlands.  Although it was raining lightly, it 
was pretty nice.  I was suprised to see 2 Tundra Swans on the large pond (about 
1/2 mile east of the end of Damonte Ranch Parkway).  If you go, watch your 
step--the mustangs have been out there in force!  Here is the complete list: 

 
Location:     Damonte Ranch Wetlands
Observation date:     2/27/10
Number of species:     21

Canada Goose     230
Tundra Swan     2
Gadwall     2
Mallard     8
Cinnamon Teal     13
Northern Shoveler     16
Green-winged Teal     15
Lesser Scaup     2
Bufflehead     8
Ruddy Duck     11
Pied-billed Grebe     1
American Kestrel     2
American Coot     6
Ring-billed Gull     21
Mourning Dove     2
Northern Flicker     2
Say's Phoebe     2
American Robin     1
Song Sparrow     1
Red-winged Blackbird     31
Western Meadowlark     1

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Subject: Western Gull (continues), Sparks Marina (2/26/10)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:15:42 -0500
Sparks Marina, Sparks, Washoe Co (2/26/10)

Here’s what we found during a walk around the marina today
 (15 species)

Canada goose—40
Gadwall—?8-10
Mallard—few
Ruddy Duck—c.20
Pied-billed Grebe—6-8
Black-crowned Night Heron—3
American Coot—?100
Killdeer—1
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Western Gull—1 subadult (continues)
Rock Dove
American Crow—5-6
European Starling
Brewer’s Blackbird

Gulls.  When we arrived (10:45am) there were 600+ gulls at 
the marina—Californias predominating as always with a few 
Ring-bills--mostly in & around the cove: in the water or 
roosting on the beaches & pontoons. There was a brisk wind
 & lots of coming & going with whole flocks suddenly taking
 off, swirling around for a while & then resettling back 
where they started or somewhere else.  Eventually, by the 
time we got back to that side of the lake at 12:45, the cove
 was deserted & what gulls remained were in a big raft far 
out in the lake.  We didn’t see any Herring Gulls today but
 because of the wind I didn’t set up the scope & they would
 have been easy to overlook. The Western Gull was in a large
 bunch on the sandy beach south of the cove & we only saw it
 for a minute or 2 before the flock took off & we lost sight
 of it.

Fred Petersen
Subject: Gull workshop (Reno) reminder, plus slight time change.
From: Martin Meyers <martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM>
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:40:04 -0700
I've received notes from 25 of you saying you're likely to be attending
the gull workshop this Sunday, 2/28/10.  We've got room for quite a few
more, so if you haven't responded but would still like to attend, by all
means come on over.

The room will be available to begin setup at 12:30, so I expect we will
be able to get started a bit before 1:00.  Depending on questions and
discussion, I'm guessing the whole thing will take about two hours. 
Those who want to try out some of the ideas in the real world might want
to head over to nearby Virginia Lake after the workshop, where we might
get to see a few of the gulls described in the clinic.

BRING BINOCULARS!  Some of the details will be difficult to see on the
screen without them.

LOCATION: Moana Nursery (Moana and Lakeside).  There is a separate
building west of the nursery which we will be using. The room will be on
your left when you enter that building.

TIME: Approximately 12:45 to about 3:00.


While you may want to take some notes, the entire Powerpoint
presentation will be available to anyone attending (in the form of an
Adobe PDF file.)

Martin
---------------
 Martin Meyers
 email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
 Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
 Truckee, CA
Subject: Washoe Valley - Mountain Bluebirds
From: Steve Ting <sctingdvm AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:09:18 -0800
Northern Nevada - Washoe Valley

Hello all,
To add an addendum to yesterdays report. I saw a small group (3) of Mountain
Bluebirds near the top of the trail up Dead Mans Hike on the South end of
the lake today. Don't get to see that species very often in Washoe Valley.
There was also a pair of Say's Phoebe's on the hike today as well.

As a side note:
The Eurasian Collared dove population has continued to increase in the
Valley. They can be seen fairly regularly on the West side and I've had as
many as six come in to my feeders.

I added a photo of one of the Bluebird from today to the Recent Washoe
Valley Gallery on my site -
http://stingphotography.com/phlogs/2010/february/washoevalleyfeb2010.htmlNot
the greatest shot... those dang birds never stop moving!

Regards,
Steve Ting
http://stingphotography.com

Location:     South End of Washoe Lake
Observation date:     2/25/10
Number of species:     27

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis     X
California Quail - Callipepla californica     X
Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus     2
Cooper's Hawk - Accipiter cooperii     2
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis     X
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius     2
Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus     1
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia     6
Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto     1
Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus     2
Say's Phoebe - Sayornis saya     2
Western Scrub-Jay - Aphelocoma californica     2
Black-billed Magpie - Pica hudsonia     4
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos     1
Horned Lark - Eremophila alpestris     X
Mountain Bluebird - Sialia currucoides     3
American Robin - Turdus migratorius     2
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos     1
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris     X
Spotted Towhee - Pipilo maculatus     1
White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys     X
Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis     X
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus     X
Western Meadowlark - Sturnella neglecta     X
Brewer's Blackbird - Euphagus cyanocephalus     X
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus     X
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus     X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Subject: Late Report for Pahranagat Valley
From: Greg Scyphers <scyph AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:05:24 -0800
On February 7th 2010, I birded Pahranagat Valley on my way back to Reno from
Las Vegas.  I know this is very late, but there are a few people who follow
sightings from Pahranagat Valley.

Pahranagat NWR (Lower Marsh)
-American Wigeon (~15)
-Canvasback
-No. Pintail (~15)

Pahranagat NWR (Middle Marsh)
-No. Pintail (~40)
-Mountain Bluebirds (~30)
-Am. Pipits
-Bald Eagles (2 immatures)
-Horned Larks (~10)
-Sandhill Crane (1)
-WHITE-TAILED KITES (2)

Pahranagat NWR (Upper Lake)
-Tundra Swans (2)
-good numbers of Canvasback, Ring-neck Ducks, Green-wing Teals, No. Pintails
& Redheads

Alamo
-Peregrine Falcon (perched in some cottonwoods)
-Ladder-backed Woodpecker
-No. Mockingbird

North of Alamo
-Bald Eagle (adult)

Ash Springs
-Great-horned Owl

North of Ash Springs
-Ferruginous Hawk

Crystal Springs
-MERLIN (female Prairie race) - dining on a Horned Lark
-Great Blue Heron

Nesbitt Lake, Key Pitman WMA
-Tundra Swans (~215)
-Canvasback (100's to 1000's, in other words, lots)
-Common Merganser
-Marsh Wren
-Lesser Scaup

Frenchy Lake, Key Pitman WMA
-Tundra Swans (~65)

Millers Rest Stop, Tonopah
-Mountain Bluebirds (~8)

Greg Scyphers
Subject: Sage Thrasher
From: Marie Stewart <littlebitrv AT HUGHES.NET>
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:03:06 -0500
I was at Corn Creek today and didn't find the Le Conte's Thrasher. Was
surprised to see one at this time of year since my book says Summer for it.
I also had Mountain Blue birds at the Bone Yard and on the road out. I have
pictures if anyone is interested of both. If someone could let me know if
this is normal or not I would really appreciate it. Also where was the  Le
Conte's Thrasher
seen at Corn Creek

Marie Stewart
Texas
Subject: Rancho San Rafael, Reno (2/25/10)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:24:02 -0500
Rancho San Rafael, Reno, Washoe Co (2/25/10)

We birded RSR today for the first time in a while, slogging 
our way along the length of Evans Creek from the ranch 
buildings up to the Great Horned Owl nest N of McCarran.  
It was very muddy going with parts of the path washed out, 
though still passable.  We were hoping to find a sitting 
Great Horned Owl, or at least to locate the roosting pair, 
but had no luck on either score.  We haven’t seen Great 
Horned Owls in the area since late November (when there were
 2 roosting near the nest), so it’s possible there won’t be
 a breeding attempt this year though it’s still comparatively
 early days yet.

Other birds
Killdeer—3 (noisy flock in the wetlands restoration area)
Golden-crowned Sparrow—flock of 5-6 (Evans Creek, N of 
McCarran)

The 2 Red-eared Sliders at Peavine Pond were up & about 
again today, but didn’t see any turtles at Herman’s Pond.

One of the intergrade flickers—the male—continues to 
frequent my feeders in NW Reno, along with a “normal”
 pair of Red-shafteds, but I haven’t had any further 
sightings of the female intergrade.  Here’s a photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/4386068358/ 
(male intergrade flicker)

Fred Petersen
Subject: Carson River Park/Silver Saddle Ranch and Riverview Park-Carson City
From: Rob Lowry <RLowry517 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:14:06 EST
Hello!
 
I finally have a chance and sit down to post some of the various birds that 
 I've seen and/or heard at the two referenced locations over the past 
couple of weeks during my after-work hikes near my new home (just recently got 

my computer  hooked up again).  While nothing listed is going to cause one to 
drop  what they are doing and run out the door, I thought I'd post 
primarily for  documentation purposes.
 
Sora-heard 1 last night (2/23) just across the Carson  River at Riverview 
Park; I heard it call twice briefly and shortly thereafter  it responded to a 
recording that I played to verify it
 
Yellow-Headed Blackbird-the male that I reported at  Riverview Park on 2/8 
has been seen on several occasions since then (including  this evening) at 
the same reported location, in with a large flock of Red-Winged  Blackbirds
 
Barrow's Goldeneye-a pair was observed in a flock of  Common Goldeneye's 
upstream of the dam where the Mexican Ditch begins at Silver  Saddle Ranch on 
2/16 and a female was observed in the same general area on  2/22
 
Cinnamon Teal-a beautiful male was observed in the same  area as the 
Barrow's on 2/17
 
Great-Horned Owl-at least one or both of a pair has  been seen and/heard on 
several occasions the past 2-3 weeks in the area  of the dam on the Carson 
River, about 1.75 miles upstream of Carson River  Park
 
Mountain Bluebird-a flock of 11 was observed feeding in  the pasture at the 
beginning of the Silver Saddle Ranch trail on 2/17
 
Say's Phoebe-1 was observed in the same area as the  Mountain Bluebirds on 
2/18
 
Belted Kingfisher-one has been seen and/or heard  on numerous occasions 
this past winter along the Carson River between  Carson River Park upstream to 
the dam
 
A Small Bat-although a mammal, one was observed fluttering  around just 
downstream of the dam on 2/17
 
Both referenced locations are in the eastern part of Carson City with  
Riverview Park located at the end of E. Fifth Street at the Korean War 
Memorial, 

 and Carson River Park/Silver Saddle Ranch located off of Carson River  
Road, south of Riverview Park.
 
Rob Lowry
Carson City, NV
Subject: Washoe Valley - Recent bird highlights
From: Steve Ting <sctingdvm AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:20:51 -0800
Northern Nevada - Washoe Valley

A few hints of spring over the last couple weeks. Today I heard my first
Killdeer of the season. Red-winged Blackbirds, Western Meadowlarks are
starting to sing more and more. Red-tailed hawks have paired up. A pair of
American Kestrel's are eying my nest box and have visited it several times.
The Black-billed Magpies have moved into their nesting area near the Dead
Man's trail head.

There have been several Northern Harriers hunting over the Washoe Housing
area, keeping the pigeons on their toes. The young Accipiters have been
around more this winter as well.

The water levels in the lake are still down. The water levels in the
wetlands mitigation area may go down quick again this year. While it seems
that we have gotten a lot of snow, water levels are not really showing it.

I put a few photo highlights from the last several weeks in a gallery for
those interested -
http://stingphotography.com/phlogs/2010/february/washoevalleyfeb2010.html


Regards,
Steve Ting
http://stingphotography.com


Birds seen the last couple days
Location:     My Backyard - Washoe Valley
Observation date:     2/24/10
Number of species:     25

California Quail - Callipepla californica     X
Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus     2
Sharp-shinned Hawk - Accipiter striatus     1
Cooper's Hawk - Accipiter cooperii     1
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis     2
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius     2
Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus     1
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia     6
Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto     4
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens     1
Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus     2
Western Scrub-Jay - Aphelocoma californica     6
Black-billed Magpie - Pica hudsonia     5
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos     1
American Robin - Turdus migratorius     5
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris     50
Spotted Towhee - Pipilo maculatus     1
White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys     25
Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis     2
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus     X
Western Meadowlark - Sturnella neglecta     9
Brewer's Blackbird - Euphagus cyanocephalus     X
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus     X
Lesser Goldfinch - Carduelis psaltria     X
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus     X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Subject: Lake mead -33 Hole Overlook 2-24-2010
From: Randall Michal <rmichai637 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:38:24 -0500
Hello all,

I went to the 33 Hole Overlook area of Lake Mead today and hiked from the 
parking area down to the water. This area usually seems to have a good 
species count. The lake has risen more, a Ranger I spoke to said it has 
gone up 9 feet in the last month or so. Hopefully it will not lose too much 
over the summer. 

Today the highlights were easily two bald Eagles, one adult, one juvenile. 
At one point the adult chased the juvenile off of a rock on the far shore. 
The juvenile then flew across the lake and above me about 100 feet, a nice 
treat. Here is the complete list of observed birds:

Bald Eagle (1 adult, 1 juvenile)
Northern Harrier (1 adult male, 1 juvenile)
Common Raven (2)
Pied-billed Grebe (1)
Western Grebe (Many)
Clark's Grebe (Many)
Double-crested Cormorant (Many)
Ring-billed Gull (Many)
California Gull (Many)
Herring Gull (A few adults, several juveniles)
Rock Wren (Several)
Song Sparrow (Many)
House Finch (Many)
American Pipit (Many)
Great Blue Heron (6)
Gadwall (10)
Mallard (8)
American Coot (hundreds at least)
Say's Phoebe (1)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's - Several)
Verdin (1)
Sparrow Sp. - I have not yet Identified this bird. It is Sparrow-like but 
with a very large orange bill. Markings are somewhat like a Song Sparrow on 
the back and side, front is heavily streak black halfway down. No chest 
spot as on Song Sparrow. I will be examining pictures more closely later.



Randy Michal
Subject: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve 2-23-10
From: Randall Michal <rmichai637 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:27:35 -0500
Hello all, I spent a few hours Tuesday morning at the Henderson Bird 
Viewing Preserve, east of Las Vegas. The most notable bird observed was
a single female Common Merganser that flew in to Pond 9, stayed about 5 
minutes and flew off.

Here is the complete list of observed birds:

Eared Grebe (Numbers seem to be increasing)
Pied-billed Grebe (Numbers decereasing)
Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night-heron
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard (Mating behavior observed)
Gadwall
Northern Shoveler
Cinnamon Teal
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye (3 females)
Bufflehead
Common Merganser (1 female)
Ruddy Duck (Many males in fresh breeding plumage)
Red-tailed Hawk (1 adult)
Northern Harrier (2 females, 1 male, 1 juvenile)
Gambel's Quail
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Say's Phoebe
Black Phoebe
Cassin's Kingbird
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Verdin
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren (Several foraging in the trees and on the ground at the NW 
corner of pond 3)
Marsh Wren (Some up and singing)
Rudy-crowned Kinglet
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Crissal Thrasher
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)
Abert's Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
House Finch

Randy Michal
Subject: North Reno
From: Bob Goodman <Pandion36 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:20:06 EST
North Reno
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
 
 
 
 
A quick trip by some of the wetlands in north Reno produced the  following:
 
Swan Lake NSA has the many hundreds of ducks out across the now flooded  
playa, and 15 - 20 Tundra Swans hanging along the south shore.
 
Silver Lake was very quiet even though there is ample water for birds,  
with only a few Canada Geese along the east shore, and a Great-tailed Grackle  
and Magpie in the trees.
 
The "L" pond right alongside Red Rock Road had my first of season lone  
Pied-billed Grebe and a lone Coot.
 
A beautiful day to be out.
 
Cheers, Bob Goodman
Subject: CArson Valley
From: Lisa Lister <lister39 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:09:02 -0800
I decided to see if I could find the Indian Hills wetlands today but could not 
get close enough to see anything without a scope. In my wanderings I chanced 
upon some golf course ponds off S Sunridge Rd and found the following: 


Canada Geese - 7
Common Merganser - 19
Redhead - 5
Bufflehead - 3
Common Goldeneye - 8
Lesser Scaup - 6
and one Black-billed Magpie.

Lisa Lister
Gardnerville, NV
Subject: Hybrid Flickers, NW Reno (February 23rd, 2010)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:36:47 -0500
NW Reno, Washoe Co (2/23/10)

I had 2 intergrade flickers—yellow-shafted x  red-shafted—at
 my feeders this afternoon, a male & a female.  They were 
initially together with, at one stage, both clinging more or 
less amicably to the same suet cage though after a minute or
 so the female flew off & never returned.  Both birds had 
thick red nape crescents (big bold “Vs”), a yellow-shafted 
characteristic, combined with bright orange underwings & 
-tails (red-shafted features) with the underwing of the male
 (but not the undertail) possibly with a slight admixture 
of yellow (but hard to be sure about this).  The male also
 had a conspicuous thick black moustache (another 
yellow-shafted characteristic).

In my experience it’s not uncommon for the local 
“red-shafted” flickers to have a touch of red—often only 
discernable at very close range—on the nape, though today’s
 big bold “Vs” are quite unusual as is the male’s black 
moustache, and I don’t believe I’ve ever seen 2 such strongly
 marked birds together before.  At one point, after the 
female had left, a Cooper’s Hawk flew into the back of 
the yard, freezing the male on the suet cage as if he 
were nailed there.  Unfortunately, before I thought to 
get my camera for a photo the Cooper’s had left & the 
flicker had flown off

Here’s a photo taken several years ago of a “red-shafted” 
flicker with the barest hint of red in the nape (as already 
stated it’s not unusual for the local birds to have a touch
 of red in the nape, generally a little more than in the 
photo but often not a whole lot more)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/405277945/in/set-72157602214826948/ 
(flicker)

Virginia Lake, Reno, Washoe Co (2/23/10)

I walked around VL in the late afternoon (3:15-4:00).  There
 weren’t many gulls, maybe 200 all told including the 
breeding colony on the island (which was thinly covered 
with snow & had fewer gulls than usual).  The only “exotic”
 was the (continuing) Lesser Black-backed Gull which at 3:20
 (I lost track of it later) was with a few other gulls in 
the water near the island.

Other birds
Double-crested Cormorant—7 all on-territory on the island)
Black-crowned Night Heron—2

Fred Petersen
Subject: Blackbirds in south suburban Reno
From: Jacque Lowery <nevadabird AT CHARTER.NET>
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:55:04 -0800
During the snowstorm on Sunday, a mixed flock (about 30 birds) of Brewers
and Red-Wings settled into a tree for 2 or 3 hours.  The red-wings were
singing.  Checking them closely with binocs and zoom lens camera I think
most of the red-wings were immature males (not a lot of color).  Is this
normal for blackbirds to be in mixed flocks?

 

The snow really brought the birds out!  There were over 90 finches (Lesser
and American) in the trees near the feeders, all singing and chatting.  My
resident Hermit Thrush was scrabbling for dried Virginia creeper berries.
At least five yellow-rumped warblers were on the ground in the snow hopping
about.  I couldn't tell if they were eating the snow, bathing in the snow
(as there was a lot of wing movement), or actually finding something to eat
there.  You can check some photos on the link below.

 

Jacque Lowery

 

 

 

 

www.flickr.com/photos/34537156 AT N06/sets/72157623369705697/
Subject: Sage Sparrow in Lemmon Valley, Reno
From: Tom Dozet <tdozet AT CHARTER.NET>
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:57:13 -0500
There is a Sage Sparrow at my feeder ... this is extremely early, isn't it?
 I am about 1/2 mile east of the Swan Lake Nature Area in Lemmon Valley, a
few miles northwest of Reno.  I took some horrible pics, but I think they
are good enough to ID the bird.  Please e-mail me if you would like to see
them.
Subject: Jim Eidel has shared an eBird checklist with you from Carson Valley on Feb 21, 2010 - 8:00 AM
From: Jim Eidel <grja9 AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:13:18 -0500
To accept this checklist into your eBird account, click on the link below:

http://ebird.org/ebird/shared?subID=UzYwMjYwNjM.&s=t

Learn more about eBird's checklist sharing process at

http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/new-feature-ebird-checklist-sharing

---------

Last trip of 2010 Eagles and Ag in Carson Valley. Had a Prairie Falcon in the 
same area yesterday. 


Jim Eidel
Subject: Willow Creek Golf Course: Pahrump: Nye County
From: Darlene Feener <robertfeener AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:47:47 -0500
38 species of birds seen on 2/21/10
Time birding: 6:54a.m. to 11a.m.
First two hours were breezy and overcast.Last two hours sunshine.
Birds are listed in the order they were seen.

1. Western Bluebirds
2. Mountain Bluebirds
3. House Finches (lots of them)
4. White-breasted Nuthatch
5. Yellow-rumped Warbler's
6. Ferruginous Hawk
7. Mallard's
8. American Wigeon's
9. Ring-necked Duck's
10. American Coot's
11. Mourning Dove's
12. Great-tailed Grackle's
13. Rock Dove's
14. Tree Swallow
15. Eurasian Collared-Doves
16. Lesser Goldfinch
17. American Crow's
18. House Sparrow's
19. Anna's Hummingbird
20. Cooper's Hawk
21. Gambel's Quail
22. White-crowned Sparrow's
23. Great Blue Heron
24. Pied-billed Grebe
25. Ruddy Duck's
26. Red-winged Blackbird's
27. Song Sparrow
28. Say's Phoebe
29. Common Raven's
30. Phainopepla's
31. Northern Mockingbird
32. Red-shouldered Hawk
33. Northern Shoveler's
34. Green-winged Teal's
35. Canvasback's
36. American Robin
37. Red-tailed Hawk
38. Dark-eyed Junco's (Slate colored)
Subject: White-tailed Kites at Pahranagat NWR
From: Don Harriman <donh AT NETFEED.COM>
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:04:14 -0500
On the morning of Feb 18, 2010 a pair of White-tailed Kites were observed in
the southern end of the trees on the western shore of the North Marsh at
Pahranagat NWR. One bird engaged in fluttering hover flight with legs
extended (male display?) while the other was perched exhibiting
tail-flipping behavior. Both kites were also observed perched together in
the top of a tree that looked like it might contain a nest.

Species observed:

Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
White-tailed Kite
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Northern Flicker
Common Raven
Marsh Wren
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow

Don Harriman
South Lake Tahoe, CA
donh AT netfeed.com
Subject: FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve Located Near Las Vegas
From: Bird Preserve <Bird.Preserve AT CITYOFHENDERSON.COM>
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 2010 13:39:52 -0800
 

 

STARTING DECEMBER 1ST THROUGH FEBRUARY 28TH THE HOURS WILL BE FROM 7:00
AM TO 2:00 PM.

 

STARING MARCH 1ST THROUGH MAY 31ST OUR HOURS WILL BE 6:00 AM TO 2:00 PM

 

________________________________

The following birds were seen or heard this week by staff and visitors
from February 15th, 2010 thru February 21st, 2010.  We had Sixty-eight
(68) species recorded this week.

 

 

Snow Goose

Canada Goose 

Wood Duck  

Gadwall 

Mallard   

Cinnamon Teal  

Northern Shoveler 

Northern Pintail 

Green-winged Teal 

Redhead

Ring-necked Duck 

Lesser Scaup    

Bufflehead 

Common Goldeneye

Ruddy Duck 

Gambel's Quail 

Pied-billed Grebe 

Eared Grebe 

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Snowy Egret

Green Heron

Black-crowned night Heron 

Turkey Vulture 

Northern Harrier

Red-tailed Hawk

Common Moorhen 

American Coot 

Killdeer

Greater Yellowlegs

Least Sandpiper

Ring-billed Gull

California Gull 

Rock Pigeon

Mourning Dove 

Greater Roadrunner

Anna's Hummingbird

Costa's Hummingbird

Red-shafted Flicker (heard)

Black Phoebe

Say's Phoebe

Cassin's Kingbird

Loggerhead Shrike

Common Raven

Tree Swallow

Violet-green Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Barn Swallow

Verdin 

Bushtit 

Cactus Wren  

Bewick's Wren (heard)

Marsh Wren 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Northern Mockingbird

Crissal Thrasher 

American Pipit 

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)

Common Yellowthroat (heard)

Abert's Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow 

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer's Blackbird

Great-tailed Grackle

House Finch

 

 

DON'T FORGET YOUR HAT, SUNSCREEN AND WATER!!!!   

Open 7:00 am to 2:00 pm, last entry is at 1:30 pm.  You need about two
hours to bird the Preserve.

Directions from the I515 (US 93 & 95), take exit 64A, Sunset Road east.
Follow the signs (blue signs with white letters), turn left (north) on
Moser.

For more information call 702-267-4180.

 

Best in birding,

Je Anne Branca
Subject: Topaz Lake
From: Lisa Lister <lister39 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:45:53 -0800
Took a run down to Topaz Lake just to see what was there - not much but we did 
find a Loggerhead Shrike and a large flock of Western Scrub Jays. Nothing to 
speak of at the lake. 

Doug and Lisa Lister
Gardnerville, NV
Subject: Gulls, Cackling Goose, Virginia Lake; Reno (2/20/10)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:24:22 -0500
Virginia Lake, Reno, Washoe Co (2/20/10)

Another beautiful spring-like morning at VL with lots of 
gulls and other birds. 

Gulls.  Probably 600+ (10:45-12:15), including the 150 or so 
Californias on the island & the 2 exotics (the Glaucous-winged 
& the Lesser Black-backed), both of which spent most of their
 time with other gulls at the loafing area on the “beach” at 
the N end.  Note how yellow the legs of the LBB Gull appear in
 the photo (link below), with little or no pinkish cast.  I 
think this may be accounted for by the fact that the gull had 
been recently in the water.  When I first encountered it today,
 it was roosting on the “beach” & the legs were noticeably 
pinker, perhaps indicating that the bird had been out of the 
water long enough for the legs to have dried & the pink color
 to have been lost (all this the rankest speculation, of course).

Geese.  There were about 200 Canada-type geese, including the 
tiny Cackler reported on previous occasions, another small goose
 of the taverneri/parvipes type, & the presumed (& more or less 
resident) Swan Goose/Canada Goose hybrid.  The Cackler was at 
the north end for a change (it’s usually at the south) & as 
always I was struck by its tiny size—it is a very very small 
goose (as demonstrated in the photo--link below--which shows it
 standing with Ring-billed Gulls).  The presumed SG/CG hybrid 
was on the island with 5 or 6 Canadas possibly prospecting 
for a nest site (though it wasn’t obviously paired with any 
of the Canadas).  It will be interesting if it does attempt 
to nest since it’s likely to be infertile (or this is what 
I understand is generally the case with the progeny of SG/CG
 crosses, if that in fact is what our bird is).  

Also noted this morning were a couple of additions to the feral 
domesticated duck flock (see the photo).  I’ve never seen this 
bizarre pair before & it must have been dumped at the lake in the
 last day or 2.

Other birds.
Ring-necked Duck—3 males
Lesser Scaup—1 male (continues)
Steller’s Jay—1 

Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/4373717955/?reuploaded=1 
(Cackling Goose with Ring-bills)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/4374470286/in/photostream/ 
(domestic ducks) 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/4373713873/in/photostream/
 (Lesser Black-backed Gull)

Fred Petersen
Subject: Followup re Birding Guide to Reno link
From: Karen Kish <klkish AT PYRAMID.NET>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:32:52 -0800
For computer reasons beyond my understanding, the link in my posting  
regarding A Birding Guide to Reno and Beyond converted itself from  
what I had copied (I think). Perhaps the safest route is to go to the  
Lahontan Audubon home page at http://www.nevadaaudubon.org/ and then  
click the tab for "Area Birding Guide." Thanks to Rose Strickland for  
bringing this to my attention, and apologies for any confusion.

Karen

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Rose Strickland 
> Date: February 20, 2010 2:19:28 PM PST
> To: Karen Kish 
> Subject: Re: Location of Lemmon Valley sewer ponds
>
> Karen,
>
> I clicked the link and a page popped up - FORBIDDEN - you do not  
> have access...????
>
> Rose
> On Feb 20, 2010, at 1:27 PM, Karen Kish wrote:
>
>> As a followup to Martin's note, please be aware that the web site  
>> for Lahontan Audubon Society contains a section entitled "Area  
>> Birding Guide" (http://www.nevadaaudubon.org/birdingguide), which  
>> contains the full text of A Birding Guide to Reno and Beyond,  
>> including clear, professional maps for many of the twenty areas  
>> within a 90-mile radius of Reno presented in detail in the guide.  
>> Thus, for example, the sewer ponds are clearly shown on the map for  
>> Swan Lake NSA.
>>
>> A hard copy of the guide, with spiral binding, archival paper,  
>> etc., for a very modest sum, can be ordered as well. (Esteemed  
>> moderator: I hope I have not overstepped the list server guidelines  
>> in mentioning this here.)
>>
>> Karen
>> Karen L. Kish, Lahontan Audubon Society
>>
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>
>>> From: Martin Meyers 
>>> Date: February 19, 2010 8:35:28 PM PST
>>> To: NVBIRDS AT LIST.AUDUBON.ORG
>>> Subject: Location of Lemmon Valley sewer ponds
>>> Reply-To: martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM
>>>
>>> I received a request for the location of the Lemmon Valley sewer  
>>> ponds,
>>> so I thought I'd answer to the list.
>>>
>>> Go north from Reno on 395, exit at the Lemmon Valley exit and go  
>>> right.
>>> Continue on Lemmon Valley Drive (Lemmon Drive?).  The road becomes a
>>> divided road for awhile.  As soon as it merges back to an undivided
>>> road, take the next left turn. Immediately turn right on the  
>>> frontage
>>> road and follow it to the sewer ponds. (The berm at the end of the  
>>> road
>>> also provides a good view of the playa.)
>>>
>>> Martin
>>>
>>> ---------------
>>> Martin Meyers
>>> email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
>>> Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
>>> Truckee, CA
>>>
>
>
Subject: Very Belated Clark Co. Trip Report
From: Justin Rink <spindalis79 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:50:45 -0800
  Hello NV birders.  Late last month (January) I went out to Las Vegas for a 
convention that took place at The MGM Grand.  But I still had some time to bird 
around.  I visited locations such as Sunset Park, Floyd Lamb S.P. and The 
Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve.  I have submitted a few e-bird reports for a 
couple of these locations. 

 
 My first stop, after the rains had ceased on the 27th was Sunset Park...
 
Location:     Sunset Park
Observation date:     1/27/10
Number of species:     35

Greater White-fronted Goose     3
Ross's Goose     2
American Wigeon     25
Mallard     23
Northern Pintail     1
Redhead     65     One interesting eclipse plumage male.
Ring-necked Duck     17
Greater Scaup     2     A pair.  Great comparison between Lesser and Greater 
Scaup species.  Same ones from last year? 

Lesser Scaup     2
Ruddy Duck     32
Gambel's Quail     50
Pied-billed Grebe     2
Great Egret     2
Black-crowned Night-Heron     2
Sharp-shinned Hawk     1
American Coot     65
Ring-billed Gull     5
Rock Pigeon     70
Mourning Dove     12
Inca Dove     1     One flying down Sunset Ave.
Anna's Hummingbird     2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)     2
Verdin     5
Bewick's Wren     1
Northern Mockingbird     13
Crissal Thrasher     3
European Starling     15
Phainopepla     23
Abert's Towhee     15
White-crowned Sparrow     5
Red-winged Blackbird     2
Brewer's Blackbird     55
Great-tailed Grackle     45
House Finch     70     Large flock with a few yellow varients.
House Sparrow     15

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

 I was staying with my grandmother who lives in the MacDonald Ranch Del Webb 
Community area.  That morning I decided to walk around the cookie-cutter 
neighborhoods.  Birds observed included.. 

 
Location:     MacDonald Ranch
Observation date:     1/28/10
Number of species:     11

Gambel's Quail     5
Rock Pigeon     15
Mourning Dove     4
Costa's Hummingbird     4
Verdin     5
American Robin     70
Northern Mockingbird     10
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)     2
Great-tailed Grackle     3
House Finch     15
Lesser Goldfinch     8

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
 
Later that day we drove to the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve where many of 
the species eclipsed the weekly reports that the preserve inputs to the 
listserv. 

 
 During the evening we traveled to the Hoover Dam Railroad Trail where the 
birds were few and far between.  A couple species included a few ROCK WRENS, 
and a BLACK-THROATED SPARROW. 

 
On my next to last day, I hit Floyd Lamb State Park.  Species heard/seen there 
included... 

 
Location:     Floyd R. Lamb State Park
Observation date:     2/2/10
Number of species:     25

Canada Goose     15
Mallard     30
Northern Shoveler     95
Ring-necked Duck     25
Bufflehead     5
Common Merganser     45
Ruddy Duck     30
Black-crowned Night-Heron     1
Red-tailed Hawk     1
American Coot     100
Rock Pigeon     25
Anna's Hummingbird     3
Ladder-backed Woodpecker     1
Say's Phoebe     4
Common Raven     3
European Starling     70
American Pipit     14
Phainopepla     12
Abert's Towhee     4
White-crowned Sparrow     7
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)     15
Red-winged Blackbird     15
Brewer's Blackbird     55
Great-tailed Grackle     20
American Goldfinch     1
 
Total species for Clark County Trip:
 
Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Canada Goose 
Mallard
Gadwall
Green-winged Teal
American Wigeon
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Gambel's Quail
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant- I think I forgot to include them at Floyd Lamb
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
White-faced Ibis- Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk- Including a rufous morph
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Inca Dove
Costa's Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Say's Phoebe
Cassin's Kingbird- One overwintering at Henderson B.V.P.
Common Raven
Verdin
Bewick's Wren
Rock Wren
Marsh Wren
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Northern Mockingbird
Crissal Thrasher
European Starling
American Pipit
Phainopepla
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)
Abert's Towhee
Black-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)
Red-winged Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Brewer's Blackbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Lesser Goldfinch
House Sparrow
 
Sorry that was so long.  Sure beats winter birding in the midwest, especially 
this El Nino year where we've been dumped on with snowstorm after snowstorm.  


Good birding.

Justin G. Rink
Midtown Omaha, Douglas Co., NE
spindalis79 AT yahoo.com
 


 
Subject: Lahontan & Red Rocks Audubon Societies, GBBO pubs OK
From: Alan Wallace <wallacealan AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:36:59 -0800
As noted in an email a couple of years ago (and implied in the long-standing
Welcome message), announcements of sales of publications that focus on
Nevada birds and birding by Nevada non-profits are fine for the listserve.
No hats, mugs, t-shirts, calendars, etc., though, nor sales by for-profit
organizations or of things that don't directly relate to our theme of
"Nevada birds and birding."

Alan Wallace
Nevada bird listserve moderator
Reno NV
Subject: Fwd: Location of Lemmon Valley sewer ponds
From: Karen Kish <klkish AT PYRAMID.NET>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:27:49 -0800
As a followup to Martin's note, please be aware that the web site for  
Lahontan Audubon Society contains a section entitled "Area Birding  
Guide" (http://www.nevadaaudubon.org/birdingguide), which contains the  
full text of A Birding Guide to Reno and Beyond, including clear,  
professional maps for many of the twenty areas within a 90-mile radius  
of Reno presented in detail in the guide. Thus, for example, the sewer  
ponds are clearly shown on the map for Swan Lake NSA.

A hard copy of the guide, with spiral binding, archival paper, etc.,  
for a very modest sum, can be ordered as well. (Esteemed moderator: I  
hope I have not overstepped the list server guidelines in mentioning  
this here.)

Karen
Karen L. Kish, Lahontan Audubon Society


Begin forwarded message:

> From: Martin Meyers 
> Date: February 19, 2010 8:35:28 PM PST
> To: NVBIRDS AT LIST.AUDUBON.ORG
> Subject: Location of Lemmon Valley sewer ponds
> Reply-To: martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM
>
> I received a request for the location of the Lemmon Valley sewer  
> ponds,
> so I thought I'd answer to the list.
>
> Go north from Reno on 395, exit at the Lemmon Valley exit and go  
> right.
> Continue on Lemmon Valley Drive (Lemmon Drive?).  The road becomes a
> divided road for awhile.  As soon as it merges back to an undivided
> road, take the next left turn. Immediately turn right on the frontage
> road and follow it to the sewer ponds. (The berm at the end of the  
> road
> also provides a good view of the playa.)
>
> Martin
>
> ---------------
> Martin Meyers
> email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
> Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
> Truckee, CA
>
Subject: Fw: Our GBBC observations for FEB 12, 2010 in 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV part 2
From: Melissa Renfro <melsyurt AT WIRELESSBEEHIVE.COM>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:23:27 -0800
 Record ID: S5921317         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: Baker, White Pine County, NV (private home)     Observation Date: 
FEB 13, 2010    Start Time: 3:00 PM    Total Birding Time: 15 minutes
 Weather: excellent   Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm)        Party Size: 
1 BFree
 Habitat(s):    deciduous woods, coniferous woods, grassland, rural,
 Number of Species: 1         All Reported: yes
 Checklist:         Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) - 3
 *************************************

 Record ID: S5946996          Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV     School of the Natural 
Order community, Home Farm Rd. mostly around the pond
 Observation Date: FEB 14, 2010    Start Time: 10:00 AM   Total Birding 
Time: 1 hour    Party Size: 2 Melissa Renfro and John B. Free
 Weather: excellent         Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 cm)
 Habitat(s):    deciduous woods, coniferous woods, scrub, grassland, 
agricultural, rural, freshwater
 Number of Species: 7         All Reported: yes
  American Coot - 1
 Wilson's Snipe - 2
 Great Horned Owl - 1
 Western Scrub-Jay - 1
 Common Raven - 2
 Bewick's Wren - 2
 Song Sparrow - 3
  *******************************************

 Record ID: S5947087         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV     Baker Township
 Observation Date: FEB 14, 2010   Start Time: 12:15 PM    Total Birding 
Time: 15 minutes  Party Size: 2  Melissa Renfro and John B. Free
 Weather: excellent     Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm)    Habitat(s): 
deciduous woods, coniferous woods, rural,
 Number of Species: 2         All Reported: yes
 Black-billed Magpie - 1
 Dark-eyed Junco - 4
 ********************************************

 Record ID: S5947151         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311, just north of Baker, White Pine Cnty, NV  one of the home 
sites and small pond on private Ranch)
 Observation Date:  FEB 14, 2010   Start Time: 12:30 PM    Total Birding 
Time: 15 minutes   Party Size: 2  Melissa Renfro and John B. Free
 Weather: excellent      Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 cm)
 Habitat(s):    coniferous woods, scrub, agricultural, rural, freshwater,
 Number of Species: 3         All Reported: yes
 Canada Goose - 50
 Mallard - 30
 Golden Eagle - 1 (circling 500m away)
 ********************************************

 Record ID: S5947293         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV (from Baker on Hwy 487 to 
Silver Creek Reservoir)
 Observation Date: FEB 14, 2010   Start Time: 12:30 PM    Total BirdingTime: 
15 minutes     Party Size: 2  Melissa Renfro and John B. Free
 Weather: excellent         Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm)
 Habitat(s):    scrub, grassland, agricultural, rural,
 Number of Species: 4     All Reported: yes
 Bald Eagle - 1   adult
 Red-tailed Hawk - 2   dark morphs
 American Kestrel - 1   male
 Common Raven - 4     pairs
 Comments:  Coyote sunning on dry spot in fields.
 *************************************

 Record ID: S5947392         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV  (Silver Creek Reservoir & 
private Ranch, pond frozen solid)
 Observation Date: FEB 14, 2010     Start Time: 12:45 PM    Total Birding 
Time: 1 hour   Party Size: 2  Melissa Renfro and John B. Free
 Weather: excellent       Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm)
 Habitat(s):    deciduous woods, coniferous woods, scrub, agricultural, 
rural,  freshwater
 Number of Species: 4         All Reported: yes
  Northern Flicker - 1
 Common Raven - 2
 Bewick's Wren - 1
 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) - 1
  *************************************

 Record ID: S5947672         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine Cnty, NV (so. on Gandy Rd to Border Inn, 
west on Hwy 6/50 just past "cut off rd", then 'cut-off rd' & Hwy
 287 back to Baker)
 Observation Date: FEB 14, 2010         Start Time: 2:30 PM         Total 
Birding Time: 15 minutes
 Weather: excellent       Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm)   Party Size: 
2  Melissa Renfro and John B. Free
 Habitat(s):    scrub, grassland, , agricultural, deciduous trees, dried up 
stock pond, rural
 Number of Species: 2         All Reported: yes
 Golden Eagle - 2    One Adult and one Immature
 Common Raven - 2    Pair
 Great Horned Owl - 2   pair - one on nest
 *************************************

 Record ID: S5947782         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311,  4 miles east of Baker, White Pine Cty, NV (yurt feeders)
 Observation Date:  FEB 14, 2010         Start Time: 8:00 AM         Total 
Birding Time: 1 hour 30 minutes     Party Size:  1  BFree
 Weather:  excellent   38 to 40 deg F     Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 
cm)    70% snow cover
 Habitat(s):    deciduous woods, coniferous woods, scrub, grassland, 
agricultural, rural, freshwater
 Number of Species:  6         All Reported: yes
 Eurasian Collared-Dove - 4
 Western Scrub-Jay - 3
 Pinyon Jay - 3
 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) - 25
 Pine Siskin - 4
 American Goldfinch - 5
  ************************************

 Record ID: S5947913         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV (Yurt Feeders)
 Observation Date: FEB 15, 2010         Start Time: 7:45 AM         Total 
Birding Time: 1 hour 15 minutes     Party Size: 1 BFree
 Weather: excellent    41 deg. Clear     Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 
cm)
 Habitat(s):    deciduous woods, coniferous woods, scrub, grassland, 
agricultural, rural, freshwater
 Number of Species: 9         All Reported: yes
 Eurasian Collared-Dove - 4
 Western Scrub-Jay - 3
 Pinyon Jay - 6
 Black-billed Magpie - 1
 Common Raven - 1
 Dark-eyed Junco (mostly Oregon, one slate-colored) - 15
 Cassin's Finch - 1    male
 Pine Siskin - 7
 American Goldfinch - 13
 **************************************

 Record ID: S5970293         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV (Private home on southeast 
end of town - feeders)
 Observation Date: FEB 15, 2010         Start Time: 1:30 PM         Total 
Birding Time: 15 minutes     Party Size: 2  Melissa Renfro and John B. Free
 Weather: excellent         Snow Depth:  No snow was present
 Habitat(s):    deciduous woods, coniferous woods, rural,
 Number of Species: 1         All Reported: yes
 Checklist:     Red-winged Blackbird - 1
  ****************************************

 Record ID: S5970301     Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV (drive from Yurt on Hwy 488 
to Baker)
 Observation Date: FEB 15, 2010        Start Time: 1:15 PM         Total 
Birding Time: 15 minutes     Party Size: 2  Melissa Renfro and John B. Free
 Weather: excellent         Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 cm)
 Habitat(s):    scrub, grassland, agricultural, rural,
 Number of Species: 1         All Reported: yes
 Checklist:     Common Raven - 3
 *****************************************

 Record ID: S5970353         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
 Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV (Spring Creek Rearing 
Station, on Snake Creek Rd. east of Great Basin National Park)
 Date: FEB 15, 2010    Start Time: 1:45 PM    Total Birding Time: 1 hour 45 
minutes     Party Size: 2  Melissa Renfro, John B. Free
 Weather: excellent         Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 cm)
 Habitat(s):    deciduous woods, coniferous woods, scrub, rural, freshwater
 Number of Species: 12         All Reported: yes
 Rough-legged Hawk - 1
 Prairie Falcon - 1
 Western Scrub-Jay - 1
 Common Raven - 2
 House Wren - 1 Confirmed
 Mountain Bluebird - 4
 Townsend's Solitaire - 2
 American Robin - 1
 Spotted Towhee - 1
 Song Sparrow - 4
 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) - 4
 House Sparrow - 1
 Mountain Bluebirds - at least 12 - all males

  The Great Backyard Bird Count and eBird are joint projects of the Cornell 
Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. Please help support these
 and other efforts on behalf of birds by becoming a member. Visit 
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Membership for membership in the Cornell Lab of
 Ornithology or http://www.audubon.org/gbbc/index.shtml for membership in 
the  National Audubon Society. Thank you for your support





>
Subject: Fw: Our GBBC observations for FEB 12, 2010 in 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV Part 1
From: Melissa Renfro <melsyurt AT WIRELESSBEEHIVE.COM>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:14:03 -0800
Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 1:04 PM
To: "Nevada Bird List Serve" 
Subject: Our GBBC observations for FEB 12, 2010 in 89311, Baker, White Pine 
County, NV 


> Here are all of our Great Backyard Bird Count sightings for the Baker, NV & 
Garrison, Utah area, as emailed back to us from the web page. Fun was 

> had by all. Not many PIJA coming to our feeders during the GBBC. We've seen 
as many as a dozen in our yard the past week and 100+ over Circle M 

> Ranch road yesterday.     BFree and Melissa
> 
> Record ID: S5890490         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
> Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV (the Yurt Feeders, 4 miles west 
of Baker, NV 

> Observation Date: FEB 12, 2010 Start Time: 7:00 AM Total Birding > Time: 45 
minutes Observers: 2 John B. Free & Melissa Renfro 

> Weather: excellent,  32 deg at 7AM;  snow cover 89%, Clear
> Habitat(s): deciduous woods, coniferous woods, scrub, grassland, 
agricultural, rural, freshwater 

> Number of Species: 5
> Checklist:
> Eurasian Collared-Dove - 3
> Western Scrub-Jay - 2
> Dark-eyed Junco - 25
> Pine Siskin - 15
> American Goldfinch - 10
> ****************************************
> 
> Record ID: S5897129     Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
> Locality: 84728, Garrison, Millard County, UT (Pruess Res.  PRS)
> Observation Date: FEB 12, 2010 Start Time: 3:15 PM Total Birding > Time: 45 
minutes Party Size: 2 - Melissa Renfro and John B. Free 

> Weather: good    Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 cm)
> Habitat(s):   scrub,  grassland, agricultural, rural,  freshwater
> Number of Species: 5         All Reported: yes
> Checklist:
> Canada Goose - 2
> Mallard - 26
> Green-winged Teal - 68
> Common Merganser - 17
> Ruddy Duck - 1
> Comments: Sun in the west made it difficult with scope. Most of Pruess 
Reservoir frozen over. Water fowl concentrated in inlet 

>  ***************************************
> 
> Record ID: S5897220         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
> Locality: 84728, just east of Garrison, Millard County, UT - Clay Spring & 
Marshes above (southeast of) Pruess Reservoir 

> Obs. Date: FEB 12, 2010 Start Time: 3:45 PM Total Birding Time: 45 min Party 
Size: 2 Melissa and B. Free 

> Weather: excellent    Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 cm)
> Habitat(s):   scrub, grassland, agricultural,  rural, freshwater
> Number of Species: 9         All Reported: yes
> Checklist:
> Canada Goose - 1
> Mallard - 50
> Hooded Merganser - 2
> Pied-billed Grebe - 2
> Northern Harrier - 1
> American Coot - 5
> Great Horned Owl - 2
> Common Raven - 2
> Brewer's Blackbird - 4
> Great Horned Owl -  2
> ******************************
> 
> Record ID: S5897261         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
> Locality: Garrison, Millard County, UT Observation Date: FEB 12, 2010 Start 
Time: 4:30 PM Total Birding Time: 30 minutes 

> Weather: good Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 cm) Party Size: 2 Melissa 
Renfro and John B. Free 

> Habitat(s):    deciduous woods, coniferous woods, scrub, rural, freshwater,
> Number of Species: 3        All Reported: yes
> Checklist:
> Eurasian Collared-Dove - 1
> Common Raven - 17
> European Starling - 31
> **********************************
> 
> Record ID: S5920943         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
> Locality: 89311, four miles east of Baker, White Pine County, NV (Yurt 
feeders) 

> Observation Date: FEB 12, 2010 Start Time: 10:00 AM Total Birding Time: 15 
minutes Party Size: 1 BFree 

> Weather: excellent         Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 cm)
> Habitat(s): deciduous woods, coniferous woods, scrub, agricultural, rural, 
freshwater 

> Number of Species: 3        All Reported: no
> Checklist:
> Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1    perched on feeders
> Pinyon Jay - 1
> Cassin's Finch - 1
> *********************************
> 
> Locality: Great Basin Visitor Center, Baker, Nevada, White Pine County 89311 
(north end of 'downtown') 

> Observation Date: Feb 13 Start time: 7:45 am Total Birding time: 20 minutes 
Party size: 1 Melissa Renfro 

> Weather:  excellent        Snow depth: 0 to 4 inches
> Habitat(s):  scrub, rural         Number of Species:  3        All Reported: 
> yes
> Canada Goose  9      circling and calling overhead
> Golden Eagle 1      on nearby power pole
> Eurasian Collared-Dove    3
> **********************************
> 
> Record ID: S5921143        Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
> Locality: Great Basin National Park, NV  (Upper and Lower Lehman Crk Cmpgs)
> Observation Date: FEB 13, 2010 Start Time: 9:15 AM Total Birding Time: 2 
hours Party Size: 2 John B. Free and Brian Petrtyl 

> Weather:  excellent         Snow Depth: 4 - 6 in (10.2 - 15.2 cm)
> Habitat(s): deciduous woods, coniferous woods, scrub, rural, freshwater 
Number of Species: 6 All Reported: yes 

>  Red-tailed Hawk - 1
> Clark's Nutcracker - 3
> Mountain Chickadee - 1
> Townsend's Solitaire - 3
> American Robin - 1
> White-crowned Sparrow - 1
> Comments:   Snow shoe tour with Ranger Brian P., Upper Lehman C.G. and 
> Lehman Creek Trail    *Brian Petrtyl reported seeing 12 Wild Turkeys 
> crossing Peak Hwy on the
> return to Hwy 488. (not reported to GBBC)
>  ********************************
> 
> Record ID: S5921196         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
> Locality: Great Basin National Park, NV    Lower Lehman Cr. Campground
> Observation Date: FEB 13, 2010 Start Time: 11:45 AM Total Birding Time: 30 
minutes - BFree 

   Weather:   excellent
> Habitat(s):    deciduous woods, coniferous woods, scrub, rural, freshwater
> Number of Species: 5         All Reported: yes
> Northern Flicker - 1
> Clark's Nutcracker - 1
> Black-billed Magpie - 1
> Townsend's Solitaire - 3
> American Robin - 1
>  *******************************************
> 
> Record ID: S5921269         Email: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
> Locality: 89311, Baker, White Pine County, NV (private Ranch Pond frozen. 
Stock pens overrun with starlings) 

> Date: FEB 13, 2010 Start Time: 2:30 PM Total Birding Time: 30 minutes Party 
Size: 1 BFree 

> Weather: good    Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm)
> Habitat(s): deciduous woods, scrub, grassland, agricultural, rural, 
freshwater 

> Number of Species: 5         All Reported: yes
> Bald Eagle - 1
> Red-tailed Hawk - 2
> Eurasian Collared-Dove - 1
> Black-billed Magpie - 2
> European Starling - 1,500
> *******************************************
Subject: Sparks Marina (2/19/10)/Turtles
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:16:04 -0500
Sparks Marina, Sparks, Washoe Co (2/19/10)

Here’s the tally for today’s walk around the marina (19 
species).  Martin Meyers must have arrived at the marina 
shortly after we left (1:30), but I won’t bother editing
 out the parts of this post that duplicate his.

Canada goose--?40
Gadwall--?8-10
Mallard--?10
Ruddy Duck—c.10
Pied-billed Grebe—5-6
Eared Grebe--2
Double-crested Cormorant—3-4
Black-crowned Night Heron—1
American Coot--?100
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull—3-4
Glaucous-winged Gull—1 (1st-winter)
Rock Dove
Black-billed Magpie—1 (carrying nesting material into one 
of the tall junipers bordering the freeway)
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler--1
Brewer’s Blackbird
House Sparrow

Gulls.  Only 100-125 gulls today, mostly on the pontoons in
 the cove.  I just glanced at them when we arrived at 9:45, 
but I checked them out more carefully just before we left at 
1:30.  As usual California Gulls greatly out-numbered the 
Ring-bills.  I didn’t notice the Herring Gulls (2 adults & 1-2
immatures) & the Glaucous-winged Gull until the afternoon 
visit, but I could have overlooked them earlier.

The cormorants—with their ear tufts, glossy black plumage & 
yellow bills—were all in full breeding plumage, so the 
nest-building magpie wasn’t the only sign of spring. [Cormorants 
in breeding plumage have also started turning up on the 
island breeding colony at Virginia Lake the last few days].

Turtles/Rancho San Rafael.
The local turtles have emerged from their winter slumbers 
unusually early this “spring”.  I saw 4 at Rancho San Rafael 
yesterday, 2 in Peavine Pond & 2 in Herman’s Pond (I had already
 seen the Peavine turtles 3 days earlier on the 15th).  All 4 
were medium to largish sliders of the kind which have become 
increasingly common in area ponds the last few years. 

Fred Petersen
Subject: Location of Lemmon Valley sewer ponds
From: Martin Meyers <martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM>
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:35:28 -0700
I received a request for the location of the Lemmon Valley sewer ponds,
so I thought I'd answer to the list.

Go north from Reno on 395, exit at the Lemmon Valley exit and go right. 
Continue on Lemmon Valley Drive (Lemmon Drive?).  The road becomes a
divided road for awhile.  As soon as it merges back to an undivided
road, take the next left turn. Immediately turn right on the frontage
road and follow it to the sewer ponds. (The berm at the end of the road
also provides a good view of the playa.)

Martin

---------------
 Martin Meyers
 email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
 Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
 Truckee, CA
Subject: Lesser Black-backed Gull and other stuff around Reno/Sparks today
From: Martin Meyers <martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM>
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:50:04 -0700
I spent much of the day birding around the Reno/Sparks area, and while I
found nothing new, I was successful in observing (and photographing) a
number of interesting previously-reported birds.

The adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was sitting on the "beach" at the
north end of Virginia Lake when I arrived around 11:00 this morning.  It
was very cooperative, posing for several very nice photos.  (Eventually,
I'll put one up on my website, but I might not have time tonight.)  It
hung around for about a half-hour, at which time all the gulls spooked
(not sure why -- the only thing flying by was an immature Black-crowned
Night-heron).  Most returned, but the Lesser Black-back did not.

I took a walk around the lake, finding nothing unusual, and when I
returned to the north end, the first cycle Glaucous-winged Gull was
present.  (There is some question about the exact age of this bird --
we'll look at it at the gull workshop on 2/28.)

From there, I went to the Rosewood Lakes area.  The four Cackling Goose
(minima, I'm pretty sure), which were first found on the Christmas Bird
Count by Al Gubanich's group, were sitting on the little sandbar at the
firehouse pond.  There were also six Greater White-fronted Geese. (And
numerous Canadas, of course.)

Next stop was Sparks Marina, where five Herring Gulls (three adult, two
first-cycle) were on the floats at the north end.  There was also a
Herring-type gull that could have been some kind of hybrid (wing color
was a bit odd).  I took a walk around the lake, finding only one
Black-crowned Night-heron (of the dozen or so that were around earlier
in the winter.)  When I got back to the north end, a Glaucous-winged
Gull had shown up. This bird looks a bit lighter than the one at
Virginia Lake, but I can't say for sure.  No sign of the Western Gull
today.

My last stop, as the clouds came over and started dropping a little
rain, was the Lemmon Valley sewer ponds.  The playa is filled with
water, and really filled with waterfowl. A few Tundra Swans plus many
ducks and geese.  All the usual suspects, including a couple of Cinnamon
Teal, with an above average number of Common Goldeneyes.

Martin
---------------
 Martin Meyers
 email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
 Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
 Truckee, CA
Subject: Reno bird sightings 2/14/10 & 2/18/10
From: ann murphy <amurphy0607 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:53:47 -0800
Submitted on behalf of Ed Kurtz:

I'm pretty sure I saw a Rusty Blackbird in a flock of Brewer's Blackbirds at 
Virginia Lake on 2/14/10. It had a light line through the eye, just like the 
photo in the Stokes' field guide. 

On 2/18/10 the following birds were at Paradise Park:
2 Lesser Scaup
2 Ruddy Ducks
2 Common Goldeneye (pair)
4 Great-tailed Grackles
4 Black-crowned Night Herons
2 Hooded Mergansers

Posted for Ed Kurtz by Ann Murphy
Subject: Carson Range
From: Mary Jo Elpers <mjelpers AT AOL.COM>
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:51:24 -0500
Hello, All --

I was in the foothills of the Carson Range (along Timberline Road north of 
Thomas Creek) today for about 4 hours and saw dozens of American Robins and a 
few small groups of Western Bluebirds flying east to west up the alluvial fan. 
Dozens of Dark-eyed Juncos were also present, with some males singing, whereas 
last week there were very few in the bitterbrush/sagebrush scrub. A single 
swallow that was either a Tree Swallow or Violet-green Swallow (sorry, I didn't 
get a good look) flew high overhead, south to north. A pair of Golden Eagles 
circled over the ridge to the west. Steller's Jays flew with territorial calls 
along Thomas Creek. Although the bitterbrush has not leafed out yet, many tiny 
forbs were up in many places, and snowmelt ran in rivulets in several spots 
down the alluvial fan. 


Mary Jo Elpers
mjelpers AT aol.com
Subject: Snow Goose at Mira Loma Park, Reno
From: Andrea Oddo <aaagolfers AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:34:11 -0500
I just returned from the Mira Loma slough area and have been studying my bird 
books to see if I really did see a Snow Goose in amongst the 450 Canada Geese 
that were there. My first ever so I was delighted to see another posting from 
today confirming my suspicion. I also saw 50 Green-winged Teal, 20 Mallards, 2 
Scrub jays, 2 White-crowned Sparrows, an American Goldfinch, 2 European 
Starlings, 5 Mourning Doves, 2 Magpies, 1 Killdeer, 3 Yellowlegs, and 2 
Red-tailed Hawks. I heard a Says Phoebe but could not spot it. Andrea Oddo, 
Reno
Subject: Time and location for Reno gull workshop. 12:30 p.m., 2/28/2010, Moana Nursery
From: Martin Meyers <martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM>
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:46:49 -0700
Alan just informed me that the Moana Nursery has been kind enough to
make a room available for the gull workshop.  We will begin at 12:30
p.m. (on 2/28).

The room is large enough to accommodate quite a few people, so everyone
is welcome. But I'd still like to know approximately how many we'll
have, as I'm going to make up CD's with a copy of the material for
everyone.  So if you are thinking about coming and haven't already sent
me a note to that effect, please do let me know.  (I've received fifteen
positive responses so far.)

The Moana Nursery is at Moana and Lakeside in Reno.  It's on the left
side as you go west on Moana.  The meeting room is NOT in the nursery. 
There is a separate building west of the nursery itself.  That's where
the room is located (the room will be on the left side after you enter
the building.)

I think we have about two hours of material, but of course, a lot
depends on questions and discussion.  The room is available through 3:00
or so.  The location is great for another reason -- anyone who isn't
completely "gulled out" by the end of the clinic can drive a couple of
blocks to Virginia Lake and we can see if any of the stuff really works!

BRING BINOCULARS!  Some of the features in the photos need close
inspection.

Martin



---------------
 Martin Meyers
 email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
 Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
 Truckee, CA
Subject: Re: Northern Shrike at Clark County Wetlands Park
From: Chris Gardner <ChrisGardner05 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:08:26 EST
Hopefully other people will comment, but maybe this is a hybrid or  
something.  The bill definitely is longer and hooked like a Northern,  but 
everything else about it seems like a Loggerhead. It has a very wide black 
mask, 

with hardly any white above on the eyebrow.  It's back is  pretty dark and I 
don't see any barring on its breast.  And then the  behavior you mentioned 
is exactly what a Loggerhead Shrike does, while Northern  Shrikes can also be 
in shrubs or higher up in trees.  Interesting to see  what others will say 
though.
 
Chris Ruiz-Gardner
 
 
In a message dated 2/17/2010 1:25:07 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
desertvu AT GMAIL.COM writes:

On a tip  from fellow photographer and birder Gareth Pearson, I re-located 
and  
photographed a Northern Shrike today (Wed, 17 Feb 2010) near the Duck  
Creek 
parking area at Wetlands Park just off Broadbent Blvd. The bird was  
working 
shrubs and low bushes between the two concrete trail paths about  200 feet 
beyond the parking lot.  Apparently, this bird has been in  the area for a 
few 
days.  Behavior was classic Northern Shrike: the  bird left each perch 
(about 6 
feet off the ground), attacked an insect on  the ground, the quickly 
returned 
to the same perch for consumption, and to  scan for the next prey.  This 
bird 
is more approachable and less wary  than a typical Loggerhead Shrike.  

Northern Shrike  Location:
http://tinyurl.com/y9mmv79

Northern Shrike  Image:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2734/4366297422_5afd554969_o.jpg