Birdingonthe.Net

Recent Postings from
Nevada Birds

> Home > Mail
> Alerts

Updated on Wednesday, February 8 at 05:46 PM EST
The most recently received Mail is at the top.


Spotted Owl,©Mimi Hoppe Wolf

8 Feb Barrows goldeneye [Ron or Heidi ]
7 Feb Euro Wigeons, Barrow's Goldeneye, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull etc. around Reno [Martin Meyers ]
6 Feb Lemmon Valley (2/6/12) [Fred Petersen ]
6 Feb Lake Park (Reno) Birds, 5 Feb 2012 [Brian Adams ]
6 Feb FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas ADDITION [Bird Preserve ]
6 Feb Virginia Lake, Reno (2/5/12) [Fred Petersen ]
5 Feb Willow Creek & Mountain Falls (Pahrump) (Nye County) [Darlene Feener ]
5 Feb Reno area bird sightings [ann murphy ]
5 Feb Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas [Bird Preserve ]
5 Feb Fwd: LONG-TAILED DUCK - still in Bullhead [Carl Lundblad ]
4 Feb Re: Two Great-horned Owls [Brian Adams ]
4 Feb FWD Laughlin Long-tailed Duck [David Vander Pluym ]
4 Feb Stillwater, Fallon, Carson Lake, Sparks Marina (no rarities) [Martin Meyers ]
3 Feb Two Great-horned Owls [Sue Herrera ]
2 Feb Adult & Immature Bald Eagle [Sue Herrera ]
31 Jan Miscellaneous Sightings Around Reno [Dennis & Becca Serdehely ]
30 Jan Color-banded Goldfinch, Rancho San Rafael (1/30/12) [Fred Petersen ]
30 Jan Silver State Valley [Sue Herrera ]
30 Jan Out and about in Reno today [Miles Shaylor ]
30 Jan Fwd: eBird Report - The Yurt feeders, Jan 13, 2012 []
29 Jan Mason Valley WMA-Lyon County, Brunswick Canyon Road-Carson City Area [Rob Lowry ]
29 Jan Paradise park today [Miles Shaylor ]
29 Jan Barrow's Goldeneyes, American Dippers, etc. in Reno today [Martin Meyers ]
29 Jan Stillwater and Fallon [Dennis & Becca Serdehely ]
29 Jan Willow Creek & Mountain Falls [Darlene Feener ]
29 Jan Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve East of Las Vegas [Bird Preserve ]
29 Jan Learning curve [Sue Herrera ]
29 Jan Great-Horned Owl turns into a Red-tailed Hawk [Sue Herrera ]
29 Jan Dipper 1/26/12 in Reno [ann murphy ]
28 Jan Eurasian Wigeon (male), Barrow's Goldeneye, Tundra swans at Lemmon Valley WTP [Rick/Meg Andrews ]
27 Jan 1/27 Lake Mead, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls [Andrew Lee ]
26 Jan Harris's Hawk & So. NV birding [Rose Strickland ]
26 Jan Winnemucca & Paradise Valley sightings [Sue Herrera ]
24 Jan Re: Dark morph Snow Goose, RSR Park, Reno [Brian Adams ]
24 Jan Southern Nevada Sightings last week [Greg Scyphers ]
24 Jan Reno birds Jan 20-21, 2012 [ann murphy ]
22 Jan Gyrfalcon not seen today [Martin Meyers ]
22 Jan Dark morph Snow Goose, RSR Park, Reno [Brian Adams ]
22 Jan Las Vegas Wash [Aaron Ambos ]
22 Jan FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas [Bird Preserve ]
21 Jan Bill Hart's birding library [Mark Stirling ]
20 Jan Warm Springs--Glendale--Overton--Logandale [Clarke Jesse ]
19 Jan Minden, NV [Lisa Lister ]
19 Jan Goshawk at Hunter Creek Trail [Alan de Queiroz ]
19 Jan From the moderator: server was down for a day [Alan Wallace ]
18 Jan Around and about Reno today -- Varied Thrush, etc. [Martin Meyers ]
19 Jan Test message by moderator: ignore [Alan Wallace ]
17 Jan Varied Thrush still at Crissie Caughlin Park [Alan de Queiroz ]
17 Jan correction of date [ann murphy ]
17 Jan Willow Creek & Mountain Falls [Darlene Feener ]
17 Jan Minden surprise [Lisa Lister ]
17 Jan Las VEgas REdpolls [Jim Moore ]
16 Jan Gyrfalcon at Stillwater [Jane Thompson ]
16 Jan FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas [Bird Preserve ]
15 Jan GYRFALCON photos posted [Greg Scyphers ]
16 Jan Re: Reno bird sighting Jan. 1, 2012 [Brian Adams ]
15 Jan Herring Gulls, Virginia Lake, Reno (1/15/15) [Fred Petersen ]
15 Jan Reno bird sighting Jan. 1, 2012 [ann murphy ]
15 Jan Reno bird sighting Jan. 1, 2012 [ann murphy ]
15 Jan Lake Park, NW Reno: Great Egret [Brian Adams ]
15 Jan GYRFALCON continues at Stillwater NWR [Greg Scyphers ]
14 Jan 1/14 Lake Mead notes [Andrew Lee ]
13 Jan Fw: BRRI Belize Raptor Tour in December [Susan Stevenson ]
13 Jan cool refuge raptor sighting today! [Susan Sawyer ]
13 Jan Short-Eared Owl-Genoa Lane, Carson Valley [Rob Lowry ]
13 Jan Re: pest at my bird feeder (not a bird sighting) [Brian Adams ]
12 Jan Re: pest at my bird feeder (not a bird sighting) [Jacque Lowery ]
12 Jan pest at my bird feeder (not a bird sighting) [Rick/Meg Andrews ]
11 Jan Varied Thrush-Crissie Caughlin Park, Reno [Rob Lowry ]
11 Jan Long-Eared Owl-Deadman's Creek Trail, Washoe Valley [Rob Lowry ]
11 Jan Eurasian Wigeon still at Lakeridge [Kenneth Drozd ]
11 Jan No Redpoll in Fernley Today [Dennis & Becca Serdehely ]
10 Jan Eurasian Wigeon continues at Lakeridge Golf Course [Greg Scyphers ]
10 Jan Fwd: eBird Report - The Yurt feeders, Jan 7, 2012 []
10 Jan White-tailed Kite in Pahrump [Morgan Peters ]
10 Jan Common Redpoll in Fernley [Dennis & Becca Serdehely ]

Subject: Barrows goldeneye
From: Ron or Heidi <ronjaramillo AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 14:26:00 -0800
Hi All,
First posting ever. Saw a Barrows Goldeneye at Paradise Park in Sparks today. 
It was in the farthest west pond with a common female. 

Sincerely,
Heidi and Ron Jaramillo
Subject: Euro Wigeons, Barrow's Goldeneye, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull etc. around Reno
From: Martin Meyers <martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM>
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2012 21:02:50 -0700
I began the day at the Lemmon Valley Sewer Ponds, where the first bird I
saw was an adult Bald Eagle hunting the ponds -- flying low over each
pond.  Ducks scattered, but the eagle didn't get anything.  Since I had
gone there hoping to see the two ducks previously reported by Meg
(Eurasian Wigeon, later also reported by Fred, and female Barrow's
Goldeneye), the Bald Eagle excitement, while fun, had the probability of
being somewhat counter-productive.  However, I was able to find the
female Barrow's in the outermost ponds, and, after considerable
searching, the male Eurasian Wigeon out in the middle of the playa. 
Cold temperatures and clouds helped, as there was no heat distortion for
distant scope viewing.  About 125 Tundra Swans continued on the playa,
and all the usual ducks were present, including 14 Lesser Scaup and one
male Ring-neck.

Next stop was Virgina Lake, where I saw an interesting gull.  A
first-cycle Herring-type gull with mostly white head, solid black bill
(most Herring Gulls by this time of year have begun to show some pale at
the base of the lower mandible) and minimal streaking on uppertail
coverts, with that area appearing white in flight at any distance.  The
wings seemed pretty typical for Herring, with all-dark outermost
primaries, and pale inner-primary window.  I got some photos, so I'll
spend some time later seeing how it matches up with the typical
(Smithsonianus) Herring Gull, vs. perhaps some more exotic sub-species. 
I never got as close to it as I would have liked, unfortunately.  The
Snow Geese that have been around for awhile were not present when I was
there today.

At the Lakeridge Golf Course, I observed the continuing female Eurasian
Wigeon (making this a two Euro Wigeon day.)  This is the third time I've
seen two Eurasian Wigeons on the same day in the Reno area (but on the
other two occasions, 11/20/93 at Virginia Lake and 11/26/04 at Lemmon
Valley, the two were together.)

A brief stop at Rosewood Lakes (firehouse pond) brought nothing remotely
unusual.

Final stop was Sparks Marina.  Lots of gulls -- probably the most I've
seen this winter.  There was one adult Mew Gull along with ten Herring
Gulls (1 first-cycle, 2 secoond-cycle, 7 adult.)  There was a rather
unusual looking first-cycle Ring-billed Gull -- plumage was typical but
the bill was somewhat thin and pointed, sort of like a Mew Gull.  I
think it was just a slightly deformed bill, rather than any kind of
hybrid or anything even stranger. (I did wait around for it to fly to
make sure the tail/rump pattern was typical for Ring-bill -- it was.)

All in all, an interesting day.

Martin

---------------
 Martin Meyers
 email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
 Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
 Truckee, CA


Subject: Lemmon Valley (2/6/12)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 23:34:51 -0500
Lemmon Valley, Washoe Co (2/6/12).  10:00am-noon.

We birded the Lemmon Valley sewage ponds this cold sunny morning for the first 
time since last fall. The ponds were mostly frozen over, but there were still 
lots of waterfowl, the majority crowded into the ice-free portions of the big 
northern pond. The playa was also mostly iced-over, the swans, Canada Geese & 
other waterfowl being largely confined to the edges of a narrow ice-free 
corridor near the center. The most abundant ducks by far in both places were 
Mallards with Gadwall, shovelers & pintails also present in substantial 
numbers. I looked over the flocks fairly carefully and found the drake Eurasian 
Wigeon reported earlier, but nothing else at all uncommon. Here's the complete 
list (19 sps) 


Tundra Swan--c.100 (all out on the playa, at the edge of the ice-free area)
Canada Goose--?100
Gadwall
Eurasian Wigeon--1 male (at first in the ponds, & then out on the playa)
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback--5-6l
Redhead--?25
Lesser Scaup--?20
Bufflehead--10-12
Common Goldeneye--c.20
Ruddy Duck
Bald Eagle--1 (near-adult)
Northern Harrier--2-31 immature
Coot
White-crowned Sparrow

We first spotted the Bald Eagle as we were driving in along the dirt road 
leading to the ponds. It was flying low over the desert, when it suddenly 
swooped down onto a drake Canvasback which it attempted to carry off but 
dropped after a few seconds & flew up onto a telephone pole where it stayed for 
a while keeping an eye on its prey. The Canvasback looked dead but when I 
walked over to it after the eagle had flown off for good, it proved very much 
alive--though obviously injured--fluttering off into some bushes 30-40 ft away. 
What a duck was doing here--in dry desert 100 yds from the nearest water--is 
anybody's guess. Maybe the eagle had dropped it there before we arrived? 


http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/6833673409 (Bald Eagle)

--Fred Petersen
Subject: Lake Park (Reno) Birds, 5 Feb 2012
From: Brian Adams <bra356 AT NVBELL.NET>
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 16:43:53 -0500
On Sunday morning there were a few birds of mild interest at Lake Park in NW 
Reno: 


Northern Mockingbird (1)
Eurasion Collared-Dove (2)

Brian Adams
Subject: FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas ADDITION
From: Bird Preserve <Bird.Preserve AT CITYOFHENDERSON.COM>
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 15:20:11 +0000
We had a immature NORTHERN SHRIKE,  photos were taken.
Best in birding,
Je Anne

The new entrance to the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve is now open. Take the 
95/515 freeway to the Galleria exit, go east and cross Boulder Highway. The 
Preserve entrance will be on the north side of the road, follow the driveway 
and signs to the parking lot and Visitors Center. 


December, January and February hours will be 7 AM to 2 PM.
Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

If you have 2011 bird calendars which you would like to recycle we will be 
happy to recycle them and use them for our educational displays. 

Please send them to "The City of Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, 240 Water 
Street, PO Box 95050, Henderson, Nevada, 89009-5050". 

Thank you!

We had (63) species observed this week.
The following birds were seen or heard by staff and visitors at the Henderson 
Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas: 


Canada Goose
Snow Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Ruddy Duck - Some males starting to get blue bills.
Gambel's Quail
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Least Bittern
Snowy Egret
Black-crowned Night-heron
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Sora
Virginia Rail
Common Gallinule (Formerly Common Moorhen)
American Coot
Killdeer
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Greater Roadrunner
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Cassin's Kingbird
Loggerhead Shrike
Tree Swallow
Verdin
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Crissal Thrasher
American Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)
Abert's Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
House Finch


Happy Birding!

Randy Michal
Subject: Virginia Lake, Reno (2/5/12)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 00:08:40 -0500
Virginia Lake, Reno, Washoe Co (2/5/12).  11:15am-11:45

Had a quick walk around the lake this morning to see what I could see. The 
highlights follow: 


Snow Goose--4 (2 adults, 2 immatures)
Lesser Scaup--3-4 (an unusually large number nowadays)
Common Goldeneye--5
Hooded Merganser--10-12
Pied-billed Grebe--1

I've been seeing the 4 Snow Geese regularly at V. Lake ever since Martin first 
reported them last month. They're always in the same place (west side south of 
the island), dozing in the water not far offshore. 


--Fred Petersen
Subject: Willow Creek & Mountain Falls (Pahrump) (Nye County)
From: Darlene Feener <darlenefeener AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2012 22:46:19 -0500
Today February 5, 2012, started out with two Cooper's hawks watching the ducks 
on the pond. The highlight of the day were a female and male Vermillion 
Flycatcher seen at Willow Creek. All birding trips that I take are a learning 
experience. Today was a time of quiet and wonder at all that was moving around 
me. 


A total of 57 species were seen today. Mountain Falls birding: (MF) Willow 
Creek birding: (WC) 


Mallard  AT  MF&WC
Gadwall  AT  MF
Green-winged Teals  AT  WC tucked into the back of the pond near Richard and 
Carol's 

American Wigeon  AT  MF&WC
Northern Pintail  AT  WC hidden into the back of the pond near the Green-winged 
Teals (3) Pintail's a male & two females. 

Northern Shoveler  AT  MF & WC
Canvasback AT MF
Ring-necked Duck AT MF&WC
Common Merganser AT MF&WC
Ruddy Duck AT MF&WC
Gambel's Quail AT MF&WC
Pied-billed Grebe AT MF
Eared Grebe AT MF
Great-Blue Heron AT MF
Northern Harrier, on a bush near the ground, watching little birds coming and 
going AT MF 

Sharp-shinned Hawk  AT Willow Creek ahead of me flapping and gliding as I drive 
into Richard&Carol's driveway. 

Cooper's Hawk  AT Mountain Fall's hanging out at the front pond. (2)
Red-Shouldered Hawk  AT WC sitting near the clubhouse watching the American 
Wigeon's on the pond. 

Red-tailed Hawk AT MF AT the top of a large Mesquite tree, spreading it's tail.
American Kestrel AT MF AT  the top of a street light.
American Coots AT MF&WC
California Gull AT  WC on Ed's pond. Enjoying the pond by itself. Seemed in no 
hurry to leave. 

Rock Pigeon's  AT MF&WC
Eurasian-Collared Dove's calling AT MF&WC
Mourning Dove's AT MF&WC
Burrowing Owl (1) in Pahrump, sunning itself.
Anna's Hummingbird AT  MF&WC
Black Phoebe AT WC
Vermillion Flycatcher's (2) AT WC the female went flying past me followed by the 
male. A beautiful sight! 

Loggerhead Shrike AT MF in the Mesquite
American Crows AT MF in the field
Common Ravens AT MF&WC
Horned Larks AT MF three large groups
Verdin AT WC
Rock Wren AT MF in the field catching my eye as it moved it's body up and down.
Mountain Bluebirds AT MF in the field feeding.
American Robins AT MF in the Mulberry tree.
Northern Mockingbird AT MF in the Mesquite
European Starlings AT MF in the Mulberry tree.
American Pipit AT MF feeding in the field with the Mountain Bluebirds.
Cedar Waxwing's AT MF in the Pyracanta bushes.
Phainopepla AT MF in the Mesquite tree.
Orange-crowned Warbler AT MF&WC at suet feeders.
Yellow-rumped Warbler AT MF&WC at suet feeders.
Chipping Sparrow AT WC in the parking lot.
Sage Sparrows AT MF racing down the path in front of me with their tails up high.
Savannah Sparrows AT MF along the irrigation ditch.
Song Sparrow's AT MF&WC in the leaf litter.
White-crowned Sparrow's  AT MF&WC
Dark-eyed Junco's AT WC in Richard and Carol's front yard. (2) Oregon
Western Meadowlarks AT MF in the field feeding with the Pipits and the Mountain 
Bluebirds. 

Red-winged Blackbird in Pahrump, in a Fir tree eating a pine cone.
Brewer's Blackbirds AT MF&WC
Great-tailed Grackles AT MF&WC
House Finch AT MF&WC
Lesser Goldfinch AT MF&WC at feeders
House Sparrows AT MF&WC

Submitted by Darlene Feener
Pahrump, Nevada
Subject: Reno area bird sightings
From: ann murphy <amurphy0607 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2012 19:28:50 -0800
Submitted on behalf of Ed Kurtz:
On 1/31/12 there was a Prairie Falcon flying overhead at Rancho San Rafael 
park. I saw its black axillaries. About 11:30 am 

On 1/24/12 I saw a Hutton's Vireo at Paradise Park. Saw the big white eye ring, 
notched tail (longer than a Ruby-crowned Kinglet).About 11:45 am. 

On 2/4/12 there were 9 Common Goldeneyes in the river at the Lear Theater area 
at 2:30 pm. 

The hybrid brown goose is still at Idlewild. (2/4/12)
Posted for Ed Kurtz by Ann Murphy
Subject: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas
From: Bird Preserve <Bird.Preserve AT CITYOFHENDERSON.COM>
Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2012 22:09:46 +0000
The new entrance to the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve is now open. Take the 
95/515 freeway to the Galleria exit, go east and cross Boulder Highway. The 
Preserve entrance will be on the north side of the road, follow the driveway 
and signs to the parking lot and Visitors Center. 


December, January and February hours will be 7 AM to 2 PM.
Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

If you have 2011 bird calendars which you would like to recycle we will be 
happy to recycle them and use them for our educational displays. 

Please send them to "The City of Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, 240 Water 
Street, PO Box 95050, Henderson, Nevada, 89009-5050". 

Thank you!

We had (63) species observed this week.
The following birds were seen or heard by staff and visitors at the Henderson 
Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas: 


Canada Goose
Snow Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Ruddy Duck - Some males starting to get blue bills.
Gambel's Quail
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Least Bittern
Snowy Egret
Black-crowned Night-heron
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Sora
Virginia Rail
Common Gallinule (Formerly Common Moorhen)
American Coot
Killdeer
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Greater Roadrunner
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Cassin's Kingbird
Loggerhead Shrike
Tree Swallow
Verdin
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Crissal Thrasher
American Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)
Abert's Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
House Finch


Happy Birding!

Randy Michal
Subject: Fwd: LONG-TAILED DUCK - still in Bullhead
From: Carl Lundblad <carl.lundblad AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2012 13:51:55 -0700
The Bullhead City/Laughlin LTDU continues, and can most likely be seen in
both states at different times.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Susan Drown 
Date: Sun, Feb 5, 2012 at 1:43 PM
Subject: [BIRDWG05] LONG-TAILED DUCK - still in Bullhead
To: BIRDWG05 AT listserv.arizona.edu


Four of us were able to relocate the female LONG-TAILED DUCK seen yesterday
in Bullhead City.  She was with a mixed group of ducks and Coots directly
behind the yellow Bullhead area Chamber of Commerce building, near shore,
near 3 small ramadas on the riverbank.  The Chamber is right off Hgwy 95
near 1st. street.

Good birding,
Sue Drown
Prescott, AZ

Archives: http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwg05.html
To contact a listowner, send a message to:
mailto:BIRDWG05-request AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
Subject: Re: Two Great-horned Owls
From: Brian Adams <bra356 AT NVBELL.NET>
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 21:53:21 -0500
Sue,

With a pair of G.H. Owls, the one with the lowest-pitched hoot is the female. 
Typically the male hoots first, and the female answers right after, followed by 
a pause. 


Brian Adams
Reno
Subject: FWD Laughlin Long-tailed Duck
From: David Vander Pluym <scre AT AOL.COM>
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 21:44:32 -0500
I just received a photo of a LONG-TAILED DUCK from Feb 3 in Bullhead 
City/Laughlin found by Bruce Bodjack.The bird was described as being in the 
river at the end of a dirt road on the south side of the Bullhead City Chamber 
of Commerce. I believe this is the area just south of Harrah's Casino or across 
from the Bullhead City Community Park (at least this is the area google puts 
the Chamber of Commerce). Good birding 


David Vander Pluym
Lake Havasu City
Subject: Stillwater, Fallon, Carson Lake, Sparks Marina (no rarities)
From: Martin Meyers <martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM>
Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2012 18:40:22 -0700
The Gyrfalcon failed to make a showing this morning (and Generallisimo
Franco is still dead.)  (For those of you who were not Saturday Night
Live fans in 1975, just ignore the second half of that sentence.)

I was at Stillwater from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., but there was no sign
of the Gyr.  Much more open water than the last time I was there (or the
time before, or the time before.)  So even if the Gyr is still on the
refuge, he (or she) has lots more area to hunt.

A Barn Owl and a couple of Short-eared Owls began hunting around 10:15. 
A flyover American Bittern was my first for 2012. Lots of ducks
(Canvasbacks seemed particularly abundant), about 500 Tundra Swans, a
flyover by a group of four Black-crowned Night-herons, four Rough-legged
Hawks, the usual complement of Northern Harriers and Red-tails (although
fewer than on previous visits), and several Loggerhead Shrikes.

After leaving Stillwater, I stopped off at St. John's Lutheran in
Fallon, where the Western Screech-owl was cooperative.

Then off to Carson Lake, where 80 American Goldfinches near the entrance
was probably the best sighting (not counting the Neel's, always a nice
sighting.)  The area on the northwest side where Longspurs have usually
been present in past years was less exciting.  Only a few small flocks
of Horned Larks, a fairly large flock of American Pipits, and no
Longspurs.  Hunting is still going on at Stillwater and Carson Lake, but
I think the season ends soon.

On my way home, I stopped off at Sparks Marina, where the Herring Gulls
are increasing, with nine present today (six adult, two second-cycle,
one first-cycle.)  But nothing else (gull-wise) besides good numbers of
California and Ring-billed Gulls.

Martin

---------------
 Martin Meyers
 email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
 Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
 Truckee, CA


Subject: Two Great-horned Owls
From: Sue Herrera <trubrit AT WMCA.NET>
Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 10:03:53 -0500
6:30 AM. 17Âş F. Dawn breaking the night sky.

While walking home from my early morning swim, I heard a Great-horned Owl, then 
I heard two. Always ready, I was armed with my spotlight, and found the first 
bird on a pole on Minor Street & Mizpah. Almost immediately it was joined by 
the second bird. 


After hooting at each other for a few minutes, both birds flew onto denuded 
trees on Parkview Ave & Mizpah. If only I had a built in camera. Their 
silhouettes were beautiful against the breaking dawn skyline. 


Both birds ended up in an evergreen on Ballard Street. 

Sue
Winnemucca
Subject: Adult & Immature Bald Eagle
From: Sue Herrera <trubrit AT WMCA.NET>
Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2012 18:53:06 -0500
Off on my Thursday rounds.

The weather in the 30's, clear skies, sun shining.

The highlight for me here in Winnemucca was a singing Bewick's Wren along 
Reinhart Lane. 


Male & female Northern Harrier were hunting again along Reinhart Lane and E. 
National. Great close up views of both. 


Red-tailed Hawk were out in abundance; as were American Kestrel, interestingly 
enough all males. 


Paradise Valley.

My first sighting, an immature Bald Eagle on highway 290 a few miles from PV. I 
got a few pictures of it perched before it was mobbed by a Common Raven. It 
took off, and I got several (more than several) shots of it getting mobbed. 


After tearing myself away from the Eagle I headed into PV and down Hinkey 
Summit Road only to see an Adult Bald Eagle. I was able to get a fairly good 
shot of this before it flew, and several in flight. 


Also along Hinkey Summit Road, a large flock of noisy Bush Tits. These came so 
close that my one almost alighted on my foot. 


More hunting Northern Harrier and a large flock of approximately 40 Canada 
Geese. 


All other birds seen today were your usual common to everyday species. 

All in all, not a bad day for me. 

Sue Herrera
Winnemucca, NV
Subject: Miscellaneous Sightings Around Reno
From: Dennis & Becca Serdehely <birders AT ATT.NET>
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:01:20 -0800
Today Becca and I birded Lemmon Valley, Damonte Wetlands and the Sparks
Marina. We made the following sightings of note:

 

Swan Lake Nature Area - 1 White-fronted Goose among the Canada's in the
field next to the parking lot. Note: The board walk is closed for repairs.

 

Lemmon Valley Sewage Ponds - We re-found the female Barrow's Goldeneye but
we could not find the male Eurasian Wigeon. There was also an early male
Cinnamon Teal present. 

 

Damonte Wetlands - could not find the avocet reported yesterday, however
there was a Great Egret, a Greater Yellowlegs, 3 Least Sandpipers and a
Say's Phoebe. There were also about a hundred gulls, all California and
Ring-billed.

 

Most of the gulls at the Sparks Marina were Ring-billed and California
except for four Herring Gulls, 3 adults and one first cycle.

 

Dennis Serdehely

Fernley, NV
Subject: Color-banded Goldfinch, Rancho San Rafael (1/30/12)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:30:23 -0500
Rancho San Rafael, Reno, Washoe Co (1/30/12)

Our only sighting of interest at RSR this morning was a color-banded Lesser 
Goldfinch, part of a small flock in a clump of dog willows adjoining the path 
through the wetland restoration area. The specific location was the small 
footbridge across Evans Creek about halfway between Herman's Pond & the 
McCarran underpass. The bird concerned was a male, with 2 colored bands (blue 
over lavender) on the left leg, & a pale band of some sort (maybe metal, but we 
never got a decent glimpse of it) on the right leg. As far as we could see, 
none of its 5 or 6 flock mates was banded. 


So, obviously somebody's conducting a study of the local goldfinches. I would 
like to report the sighting but don't know who to report it to. Does anyone 
here know? 


--Fred Petersen
Subject: Silver State Valley
From: Sue Herrera <trubrit AT WMCA.NET>
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:59:20 -0500
Did a little drive-by birding on the way to visit friends in the Silver State 
Valley (Sand Pass Road area), north of Winnemucca off Highway 95. 


Sunny, blue skies and breezy, around 40ÂşF.

1 Golden Eagle, perched and flying. 
2 Northern Harriers, male & female, both quartering fields. 
3 separate sightings of American Kestrel. One perched male, two flying at 
various points along the roads. 

1 Red-tailed Hawk.
1 Rough-legged Hawk.

Plenty LBJ's and many Horned Lark. 

A couple of incidentals: One healthy looking Coyote, 5 Pronghorn Antelope and 
sadly one road smashed Barn Owl. 


My friend said she had seen 'A ton of Turkey Buzzards. You know, the ugly ones 
with the red head.' yesterday. I thought January a little early for this area 
for Turkey Vultures. 


Sue 
winnemucca, NV
Subject: Out and about in Reno today
From: Miles Shaylor <mgshaylor AT ATT.NET>
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:39:09 -0500
There was a solitary avocet at Damonte ranch this morning and this afternoon 
there were four green winged teals at Mira Loma park. 

Miles Shaylor
Reno
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - The Yurt feeders, Jan 13, 2012
From: melsyurt AT WIRELESSBEEHIVE.COM
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:25:31 -0700
Looks like I missed forwarding this one, so it is a bit late.


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: eBird Report - The Yurt feeders, Jan 13, 2012
From: do-not-reply AT ebird.org
To: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
CC:

The Yurt feeders, just below main entrance to Great Basin National Park,
Baker, White Pine, US-NV
Jan 13, 2012 8:00 AM - 8:35 AM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments:     Observers: Melissa Renfro and John B. Free  Jan 13 to
15/2012  Conditions: clear to overcast, 33 deg to 37 deg;  Wind 3 mph W
8 species

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)  5
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)  2
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)  1     Shrike chasing Western
Scrub Jay through shrub and Juniper
Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)  40
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)  3
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)  1
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group])  10
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  5

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Mason Valley WMA-Lyon County, Brunswick Canyon Road-Carson City Area
From: Rob Lowry <rlowry517 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:43:53 -0500
Hello!
 
Today (Sunday, Jan. 29th), I spent about 90 minutes birding at Mason Valley 
WMA, stopping at Hinkson's Slough, Bass Pond, North Pond, and along the main 
road (Lux Lane) starting south at Miller Lane and going north to Sierra Way. 
The following birds were observed: 

 
Barn Swallow-1 by Hinkson's Slough
Black Phoebe
Cinnamon Teal-3 males at North Pond
Double-Crested Cormorant-2 at Hinkson's Slough
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Harrier-2
Red-Tailed Hawk-14
Mountain Bluebird-about 18
Loggerhead Shrike-2
Western Meadowlark-10 with several singing
Sage Sparrow-5
Song Sparrow
American Kestrel
Spotted Towhee-2
Horned Lark-numerous
Northern Flicker-5
White-Crowned Sparrow-many
Bewick's Wren
Northern Shoveler-16 to 18 at North Pond
Gadwall-many at North Pond
Ruddy Duck-several
Bufflehead-12
Green-Winged Teal-several at North Pond
Lesser Scaup-6 at North Pond
Common Goldeneye-2 females at North Pond
Downy Woodpecker
California Quail-3

American Coot-many
Canada Goose-several
European Starling-many

 
On my return home, I drove up Brunswick Canyon Road about 6-7 miles one way 
from Sedge Road, which is accessed off of S. Deer Run Road in the Pinion Hills 
area east of Carson City. The following birds were observed during my brief 
drive: 

 
Northern Goshawk-good looks at one as it flew just above some trees along the 
ridge line on the west side of the canyon. It then turned east, flew across the 
road over me, and flew into some trees on the ridge line on the east side of 
the canyon 

Canyon Wren
Western Scrub Jay-5
Red-Tailed Hawk-2
Northern Flicker-2
White-Crowned Sparrow-many
 
Mason Valley WMA is about seven miles north of Yerington in Lyon County. The 
southern entrance (the only one currently open) is accessed off of Miller Lane. 
The northern entrance currently is closed but I believe reopens for the 
"season" on Feb. 1st. The northern entrance is accessed off of Sierra Way. Both 
of these streets are accessed from Highway 95A. Brunswick Canyon Road is not 
paved, and a high-clearance vehicle (truck/SUV) is highly recommended as the 
road is very rocky in some sections, rutted, and has some icy/snowy/muddy 
stretches. 


Rob Lowry
Carson City
 
Subject: Paradise park today
From: Miles Shaylor <mgshaylor AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:40:26 -0500
At Paradise park in Reno today were the usual assortment of geese, ducks and 
coots. There were also a dozen or so Hooded mergansers, six Common mergansers, 
four Common Goldeneyes, a pair of scaups (I can't tell the difference between 
Greater and Lesser), several dozen Northern shovelers and three Black-crowned 
night herons. I've also had a Northern flicker visiting my bird feeder for 
several days now and eating the seeds. (The finches are not amused....) 


Miles Shaylor
Reno
btw, the scaups at Paradise park will come quite close and mix in with the 
other birds when someone is feeding them making for some nice photographs. 

Subject: Barrow's Goldeneyes, American Dippers, etc. in Reno today
From: Martin Meyers <martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM>
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:24:57 -0700
Just back from southern California, where I had about as much luck
seeing the Gyrfalcon that's been down there as I had seeing the one
that's been up here, i.e., didn't see it.  Sigh...

Spent this afternoon cruising around Reno, with a few interesting
sightings.  I started at the Lemmon Valley Sewer Ponds, where I was not
successful in relocating the Eurasian Wigeon or female Barrow's
Goldeneye found by Meg Andrews yesterday.

A walk around Sparks Marina yielded one adult Herring Gull and not much
else of note.

A walk around Virginia Lake yielded four Snow Geese (two adult, two
immature) and not much else of note.

A walk along the Truckee River from Keystone to 395 was the best part of
the day.  An adult male Barrow's Goldeneye was with a few Commons about
halfway between Keystone and Arlington.  Continuing downstream, I
spotted the American Dipper at the Sutro Street bridge, as reported by
Ed Kurtz.  A bit further downstream, there was a large group of
Goldeneyes that included one adult male and two female Barrow's
Goldeneyes.  And at 395, there were three more American Dippers. (These
were easily seen by walking out on the bridge that is directly under the
freeway and looking downstream.)

Martin

---------------
 Martin Meyers
 email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
 Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
 Truckee, CA


Subject: Stillwater and Fallon
From: Dennis & Becca Serdehely <birders AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:15:16 -0800
Becca and I went to Stillwater NWR today in the forlorn hope that the
Gyrfalcon would turn up. We didn't see it but it was a great day for raptor
watching. We saw 5 Rough-legged Hawks, 4 Prairie Falcons, several American
Kestrels, Red-tailed Hawks and Northern Harriers as well as 3 Short-eared
Owls. Waterfowl numbers were low except for several hundred Tundra Swans in
the various ponds throughout the refuge. Duck species included Mallard,
Gadwall, 2 Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Ducks and Canvasback. On the way home we
stopped and saw the Western Screech-Owl roosting in his usual spot behind
the St. John's Lutheran Church day care center. There was a single Common
Gallinule in the irrigation ditch at Testolin and Drumm Lanes south of
Fallon. 

 

Dennis Serdehely

Fernley, NV
Subject: Willow Creek & Mountain Falls
From: Darlene Feener <darlenefeener AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:41:52 -0500
Today is January 29, 2012 and what a day of birding it was. A cool start to the 
morning with wonderful sunshine all day. 


I am reporting two birds for Carol Cantino. She is seeing Golden-crowned 
Sparrow's (2) in her back yard and this week she saw a male Nashville Warbler. 
Unusual I know but Carol is trustworthy on what she reports. 


I started birding at 6:30 a.m. in Mountain Falls. A total of 52 species was 
seen today. 


Townsend's Solitaire (1) in my yard near the Juniper evergreen which has 
berries on it. (2 species) 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1) in my yard in Quercus tree

Northern Shoveler (35) pond #1 (4 species)
Redhead (2) pond #1
Ring-necked Duck (94) pond #1
American Coot (366) pond #1

Cooper's Hawk (2) All these birds in garden with Pyracantha bushes. (11) 
species 

Cedar Waxwing (17)
European Starling (22)
House Finch (11)
Mountain Bluebird (82)
Northern Mockingbird (1)
American Robin (7)
Sage Thrasher (1)
Chipping Sparrow (1) at the base of the tree in the leaf litter
Eurasian-Collared-Dove (11)
Great-tailed Grackle (9)

Canvasback (4) on pond #2 (3 species)
Ruddy Duck (23) on pond #2
Common Merganser (1) on pond #2

Horned Larks (3 separate groups all together number undetermined all in 
agricultural field. (13) species 

Red-tail Hawk (2)
White-crowned Sparrow's (77) in sage brush near agricultural field
American Crow (19) in agricultural field
Anna's Hummingbird in Mesquite tree near agricultural field
Northern Harrier (1) flying over field
House Sparrow (32) in bushes near agricultural field
Say's Phoebe (1) flying out from post into agricultural field
Savannah Sparrow (3) in bushes near agricultural field
Song Sparrow (2) in irrigating ditch with water in it
Sage Sparrow (3) bushes to barb wire and running down path and alongside 
irrigation ditch 

Western Meadowlark (6) in agricultural field
Golden Eagle (1) sitting on the ground

Burrowing Owl (2) outside town of Pahrump (2) species
Common Raven (6)

Willow Creek: Pahrump (5) species

Mallard's (62) (Ed's pond) (Willow Creek)
American Wigeon's (136)
Pied-billed Grebe (1)
Red-shouldered Hawk (1)  AT  Ed's & then later another two near Richard's and 
Carol's making two seen together (2) 

Great Blue Heron (1)

Clubhouse area  AT  Willow Creek (4 species)

American Kestrel (1)
Black Phoebe (1)
Gambel's Quail (36)
Red-winged Blackbird's (33)

Richard and Carol's pond and the area around their house (8 species)

Brewer's Blackbird (9)
Dark-eyed Junco (1) Slate-colored (6) Oregon
Green-winged Teal (3)
Northern Pintail (4) 
Lesser Goldfinch (5)
Lincoln's Sparrow (2)
Orange-crowned Warbler (1)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (7)

Submitted by
Darlene Feener
Pahrump, Nevada 
Subject: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve East of Las Vegas
From: Bird Preserve <Bird.Preserve AT CITYOFHENDERSON.COM>
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:30:18 +0000
The new entrance to the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve is now open. Take the 
95/515 freeway to the Galleria exit, go east and cross Boulder Highway. The 
Preserve entrance will be on the north side of the road, follow the driveway 
and signs to the parking lot and Visitors Center. 


December, January and February hours will be 7 AM to 2 PM.
Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

If you have 2011 bird calendars which you would like to recycle we will be 
happy to recycle them and use them for our educational displays. 

Please send them to "The City of Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, 240 Water 
Street, PO Box 95050, Henderson, Nevada, 89009-5050". 

Thank you!

We had (57) species observed this week.
The following birds were seen or heard by staff and visitors at the Henderson 
Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas: 


Canada Goose
Snow Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck - Some males starting to get blue bills.
Gambel's Quail
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Black-crowned Night-heron
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Osprey
Sora
Virginia Rail
Common Gallinule (Formerly Common Moorhen)
American Coot
Killdeer
Western sandpiper
Wilson's Snipe
Ring-billed Gull
Greater Roadrunner
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Cassin's Kingbird
Loggerhead Shrike
Verdin
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Crissal Thrasher
Sage Thrasher
American Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's and Myrtle's)
Abert's Towhee
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Great-tailed Grackle
House Finch


Happy Birding!

Randy Michal
Subject: Learning curve
From: Sue Herrera <trubrit AT WMCA.NET>
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 11:57:09 -0500
My apologies for not stating just where my report was from or ending my report 
with my name and where I live. It won't happen again (I hope). 


Great-Horned Owl & Red-tailed Hawk at top end of the Winnemucca golf course. 

Sue Herrera
Winnemucca, NV
Subject: Great-Horned Owl turns into a Red-tailed Hawk
From: Sue Herrera <trubrit AT WMCA.NET>
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 11:16:23 -0500
I awoke this morning to the hooting of a Great-horned Owl. After quickly 
surveying the area from my garden and not seeing the bird, I threw on some 
clothes and headed one street over to the golf course, where I know these birds 
like to hang. 


After a thorough search I did come up with a Red-tailed Hawk, and thought maybe 
my owl had morphed. 


I will be out with the spotlight come tomorrow morning.
Subject: Dipper 1/26/12 in Reno
From: ann murphy <amurphy0607 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:50:01 -0800
Submitted on behalf of Ed Kurtz:
On Jan. 26, 2012 at 2:30 pm there was a Dipper singing under the Sutro St. 
bridge. A beautiful song almost like a thrush. Then it flew west along the 
river to a rock where it did some up and down bobbing. 

Posted for Ed Kurtz by Ann Murphy
Subject: Eurasian Wigeon (male), Barrow's Goldeneye, Tundra swans at Lemmon Valley WTP
From: Rick/Meg Andrews <andrews2727 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:54:28 -0800
I took a quick break from housework this morning, and swung out to Lemmon 
Valley 

WTP.  There was a nice selection of waterfowl on the last pond, along with 16 
or 

17 Tundra Swans out on the playa.

While a lot of ducks were still sleeping on the spit of land, there were quite 
a 

few swimming about and doing a lot of courtship displays.  I was getting a 
particular kick out of the Common Goldeneyes, because I have never seen their 
courtship before.  The 5 males would stretch out their necks as far as possible 

and momentarily rest their chins on the water, and then suddenly throw back 
their heads until the back of their heads were touching their rumps.  They 
would 

hold this pose for a second or two, with their bills agape, and then repeat the 

process a minute later.  The two female Common Goldeneyes were not in the least 

impressed, but the female Barrow's Goldeneye sure was.  She was following one 
of 

the males around while making exaggerated pigeon-like moves with her head, 
going 

left-right-left-right. 

While I was scoping out the Goldeneyes, one of the nearby Wigeons turned his 
head and caught the light, and I saw that he was a lovely Eurasian Wigeon--nice 

rufous head with a buffy crown.

A complete list of the birds is below, but the count is a little low (I didn't 
count many of the sleeping birds).  Directions can be found on the Lahontan 
Audubon website.  The road was ok as far as the last pond, but it was starting 
to get pretty muddy past that point as the ground thawed out.

Meg Andrews
Reno, NV

Canada Goose 100
Tundra Swan 16
Gadwall 80
Eurasian Wigeon 1 Seen very well through scope. Rufous head with a buffy crown 
stripe
American Wigeon 10
Mallard 200
Northern Shoveler 45
Northern Pintail 6
Green-winged Teal (American) 50
Redhead 18
Lesser Scaup 2
Bufflehead 10
Common Goldeneye 7
Barrow's Goldeneye 1
Ruddy Duck 18
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 20
Mourning Dove 2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Subject: 1/27 Lake Mead, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
From: Andrew Lee <ovenbird AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:06:40 -0800
Hi birders,

I made an afternoon visit to Lake Mead and had 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
in Las Vegas Bay.  An adult and the continuing 1st cycle bird.  I initial
saw an adult Lesser Black-backed next to the campground at Government Wash
and am assuming the one in Las Vegas Bay was the same bird.  Several
Brewer's Sparrows were also along Government Wash.  This time I hiked to
the northern section of Las Vegas Bay and got better views.
photos of both birds are here:
http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/gnatcatcher/

Andrew Lee
Henderson
Subject: Harris's Hawk & So. NV birding
From: Rose Strickland <rosenreno AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:23:15 -0800
NV birders,

we spent several days over the last week birding in So. Nevada where it was 
almost as cold as in Reno. 


Seeking 2012 year birds, we greatly enjoyed reacquainting ourselves with many 
Mojave Desert birds and early migrants or overwintering birds. Highlights 
include the chocolate brown Harris's Hawk in Boulder City with its chestnut 
leggings and shoulder/wing patches, the extraordinarily brilliant yellow-green 
Orange-crowned Warblers found everywhere and the two knockout blue hues of the 
Western and Mountain Bluebirds at the LV Wetlands Park and Duck Creek. 


The Harris's Hawk took six trips over 3 days to the San Felipe and Vaquero 
intersection in Boulder City. On our "unsuccessful" last trip as we were 
returning east on Buchanan to Hwy. 93, we spotted a single Harris's Hawk 
perched on a light standard near the Veterans Park. It flew to the south across 
the golf course and towards the usual area where it has been seen. 
Orange-crowned Warblers were at the Henderson Preserve, and LV Wetlands Park. 
The two bluebird species were spotted not far from each other, making the 
comparison of the different shades of blue easier - purple-blue Mountains along 
the fence in front of the Stadium, just south of Duck Creek, and the more 
sky-blue Westerns eating mistletoe berries at the Wetlands Park. 


Mojave Desert denizens included: Phainopepla, Verdin, Gambel's Quail, 
Black-tailed Gnatchatcher, Abert's Towhee, Anna's and Costa's Hummingbirds, 
Red-breasted Mergansers, Blue-winged Teal, Vermilion Flycatcher, Red-naped 
Sapsucker and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers. Overwintering and early returnees 
included: American Redstart, Townsend's Solitaire, Least Bittern, Horned and 
Red-necked Grebes, Sora and Virginia Rails, Snowy Egret, one Killdeer, Common 
Yellowthroat and Green Heron. Always nice to spot were an immature Bald Eagle 
near 33 Hole overlook at Lake Mead and an Osprey circling over Veterans Park in 
Boulder City. Let me know if you'd like the locations where we saw any of these 
species. 


On a sadder note, we learned that the Avian Research Center at the Barrick 
Museum at UNLV is being closed down and its outstanding collections of over 
1300 bird species from Nevada, the western US and the North and South America 
and nest and egg collection is leaving the state. Its curator, Dr. John Klicka, 
is also leaving. 

This is a monumental loss of a world class avian collection and avian 
researcher to both UNLV and to the state of Nevada. I'm trying to get in touch 
with Dr. Klicka to find out more of the details. 


Good birding!

Rose Strickland,
Reno
Subject: Winnemucca & Paradise Valley sightings
From: Sue Herrera <trubrit AT WMCA.NET>
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:04:03 -0800
Did a little birding in a very windy, overcast Winnemucca this  
morning. The smaller birds were scarce, but Northern Harriers were out  
in force and hunting low across the fields. I saw at least two  
different Males and females along East 2nd street, and Rheinhart Lane.  
Unusual sighting for me here in Winnemucca were Rough-legged Hawks. At  
least two separate birds, possibly seen several times as I traveled  
around.

Off to Paradise Valley, where the wind was joined by a heavy to steady  
rain  with snow still on the ground. Traveling down 290, Northern  
Harrier and Rough-legged Hawks were hunting, along with the usual Red- 
tailed Hawks. But my best sighting, a Golden Eagle. I took several  
pictures both perched and in flight, and after careful inspection,  
feel that it was probably a sub adult.  I'm no professional, so its up  
for grabs.

Back in Winnemucca on National Street, with a slightly calmer wind, I  
found a flock of approximately 30 Mountain Bluebirds feeding in the  
fields. I was able to capture these on my camera also.

This is my first post in many years. Hope I did it right.

Sue Herrera
Winnemucca, NV 
Subject: Re: Dark morph Snow Goose, RSR Park, Reno
From: Brian Adams <bra356 AT NVBELL.NET>
Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:19:59 -0500
Update:

I relayed my friend Jim's report of a "dark-morph Snow Goose" at Rancho San 
Rafael sports complex, but after reviewing recent posts I believe he probably 
saw the Ross' Goose seen in that area. He was not birding at the time and did 
not glass the bird, but just saw it from N. Virginia Street while driving. 


This morning at 7:40 am on Wesley Drive, Reno, near Lake Park I had two Snow 
Geese fly over my house from the direction of RSR Park southward towards 
possibly Virginia Lake (?) or S. Meadows. FWIW, that's a new backyard bird for 
me. 


Brian Adams
Reno
Subject: Southern Nevada Sightings last week
From: Greg Scyphers <scyph AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:45:55 -0800
I didn't have a lot of time to bird in southern Nevada on my last trip down
but I was able to take a couple hours out of one of the days and I made a
few stops on the trip down and back.  Here are a few of the minor highlights
I had last week in southern Nevada.

January 15, 2012

Circle L Ranch, Dyer
-HARRIS'S SPARROW - seen and photographed in the orchard with the large
flock of Juncos and White-crowns.

Arlemont Ranch
-Bald Eagle (ad.) - my first in Esmeralda County

Dyer area
-Rough-legged Hawks (2) - only my second and third in Esmeralda County.

January 17, 2012

Hemmenway Harbor Lake Mead NRA
-MEW GULL - this bird was an adult so it is clearly different than the first
cycle bird that Andrew Lee has reported here.  I did photograph this bird.

Boulder Beach Campground
-AMERICAN REDSTART - female continues

Boulder Beach
-Red-breasted Mergansers (7)
-Horned Grebe (in Boulder Harbor area)

Sunset Overlook
-Bald Eagle (ad)
-Horned Grebes (4 all seen together)
-Red-breasted Merganser (1)
-Common Loons (3)

Las Vegas Bay (from Rocky Point/33-hole Overlook)
-Red-necked Grebes - two seen together.  One appeared to be a first winter
bird and the other appeared to be a winter adult.

Las Vegas Wash/Bay delta area
-Barn Swallow - a little surprising but not my first in mid winter in Nevada
-Violet-green Swallow - somewhat of a surprise
-Swallow sp. - at least two other individuals that I couldn't identify

January 22, 2012

Pahranagat NWR (Middle Marsh)
-White-tailed Kite

Pahranagat NWR (Upper Pahranagat Lake)
-Bald Eagles - at least 8 individuals, 6 immature and 2 adults
-Hooded Mergansers - 14 females and 3 males
-Tundra Swans - around 180 birds

Alamo
-Bald Eagles - two more immatures

Ash Springs area
-Bald Eagle - another immature

Key Pittman WMA (Frenchy Lake)
-Merlin

Key Pittman WMA (Nesbitt Lake)
-Orange-crowned Warblers (2)

Greg Scyphers
Sparks, NV
Subject: Reno birds Jan 20-21, 2012
From: ann murphy <amurphy0607 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:53:41 -0800
Submitted on behalf of Ed Kurtz: 
There were 15 American Robins near the Fairgrounds on Sutro St. on Fri. Jan 20, 
2012. 

On Sat. Jan 21, 2012 there was 1 Slate-colored Junco & 1 Oregon Junco in the 
same area 

On Sat. Jan 21, 2012 there were 6 C. Goldeneyes in the river by the Lear 
Theater in downtown Reno. Also 1 Belted Kingfisher there. 

Posted for Ed Kurtz by Ann Murphy
Subject: Gyrfalcon not seen today
From: Martin Meyers <martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM>
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:19:04 -0700
Today at Stillwater NWR I was joined by the Neels and the Lowrys, but
none of us were joined by a Gyrfalcon. Lots of Short-eared and Barn Owls
flying around all day, plus Rough-legged Hawks, one Ferruginous Hawk
(just before the refuge entrance), a multitude of Northern Harriers,
Red-tailed Hawks, Loggerhead Shrikes, Mountain Bluebirds, Tundra Swans,
Canvasbacks, etc.  One Short-eared posed for photos.

It was cloudy the whole morning, making it feel really cold.
The main refuge roads were fine, but anything off the main road surface
was very gunky.

My third try.
Oh well...

Incidentally, there is a Gyrfalcon in southern California, possibly the
southern-most record in the U.S.

Martin

---------------
 Martin Meyers
 email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
 Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
 Truckee, CA


Subject: Dark morph Snow Goose, RSR Park, Reno
From: Brian Adams <bra356 AT NVBELL.NET>
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:19:33 -0500
From a birder friend:

Sunday 22 January, 10:00 am, at the Rancho San Rafael sports complex (North of 
N. McCarran Blvd) there were some Snow Geese in with Canada Geese, including 
one dark morph "Blue" Snow Goose. 


Also, later in the day Sunday, your narrator saw a Prairie Falcon near the 
water tank north of N. McCarran at Keystone Canyon. 


Brian Adams,
Reno
Subject: Las Vegas Wash
From: Aaron Ambos <aambos AT COX.NET>
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:05:45 -0500
I visited several spots along the Las Vegas Wash today (1/22/12). Highlights 
included a female vermillion flycatcher and 2 American bitterns at Duck Creek 
in the Wetlands Park and a Mew Gull and Peregrine falcon where the Wash crosses 
Vegas Valley (West of Hollywood). 


Cheers,
Aaron Ambos
Subject: FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas
From: Bird Preserve <Bird.Preserve AT CITYOFHENDERSON.COM>
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:20:10 +0000
The entrance to the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve is off of Galleria and 
Moser. Take the 95/515 freeway to the Galleria exit 64B, go east 

and cross Boulder Highway. The Preserve entrance will be on the north side of 
the road, follow the driveway and signs to the parking 

Lot and Visitors Center. December, January and February hours will be 7 AM to 2 
PM. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. 


We had  61 (Sixty-one) species observed this week.
The following birds were seen or heard by staff and visitors at the Henderson 
Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas: 


Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Canvasback
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Gambel's Quail
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Least Bittern
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Prairie Falcon
Sora
Common Gallinule
American Coot
Wilson's Snipe
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Rock Dove
Greater Roadrunner
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Loggerhead Shrike
Tree Swallow
Verdin
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Northern Mockingbird
Crissal Thrasher
American Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped  Warbler (Audubon's)
Abert's Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
House Finch


Best in Birding

Je Anne Branca
Subject: Bill Hart's birding library
From: Mark Stirling <markstirling AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:06:06 -0800
Many of you will remember Bill Hart, avid Nevada birder. He died almost three 
years ago after a long retirement from the California Dept. of Fish and Game, 
mostly as warden in the South Lake Tahoe region.
 
His family has asked me to find a buyer or buyers for the bulk of his birding 
library. It comprises more than 110 volumes, about 60 are hardbound, all of 
them 

retain dust jackets, when issued. The rest are paperbound. As you might 
imagine, 

most are heavily illustrated. The great majority are in fine condition, Bill 
took good care of his books. Price -- $450 for the lot, see list below.
 
The books may be seen at my house in Gardnerville, by appointment. Please call 
me, Mark Stirling, at 530 318-4787, or email markstirling AT sbcglobal.net
 
Bill enjoyed traveling to look for birds. He made several trips to Hawaii, 
Florida, Michigan, coastal Texas, S.E. Arizona, and southern California, 
especially around the Salton Sea. He went twice to Alaska, including far out on 

the Aleutian Islands, and as far north as Nome. He went to Tahiti, twice to 
Belize, to Costa Rica, and two or three times deep into Mexico. He was also a 
competitive decoy carver - he won blue ribbons for both decorative and service 
birds. Let me know if you are interested in the 10 or 12 decoy/wood carving 
books he left.
 
Hardbound
Brazil, The Birds of Japan, 1991
Wolfe, Penguins, Puffins, and Auks, 1993
LeMaster, Ducks and Other Waterfowl, 1985
Grossman and Hamlet, Birds of Prey of the World, 1964 (jacket worn)
Ortega, Cowbirds and Other Brood Parasites, 1998
Harrison, Seabirds, an Identification Guide,1983
Alderton, The Atlas of Quails, 1992
Byers, Curson, and Olsson, Sparrows and Buntings, 1995
Nero, The Great Grey Owl, 1980
Curson, Quinn, and Beadle, Warblers of the Americas, 1994
McFarlane, A Stillness in the Pines: Ecology of the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, 
1992
Johnsgard, Waterfowl, 1968
Preston-Mafham, Madagascar. A Natural History. 1991
Yates, The Nature of Borneo, 1992
Fisher and Peterson, The World of Birds, no date
Newman, Tropical Rain Forest, 1990
Pickford, Pickford, and Tarboton, African Birds of Prey, 1990
Klein, Loon Magic, 1985
Johnsson, Birds of Europe, 1993
Skutch, Trogons, Laughing Falcons, and Other Neotropical Birds, 1999
Raffaele, Birds of Puerto Rico & the Virgin Islands, 1989
Am. Birding Assoc., ABA Checklist, 1995
Richards, Shorebirds, 1998
Heinzel, Galapagos Diary (Guide to the Archipelago’s Birdlife), 2000
Lewington, Alstrom, Colston, Rare Birds of Britain and Europe, 1992
Heinzel, Birds of New Providence & the Bahama Islands, 1975
Pratt, Bruner, Berrett, Birds of Hawaii & the Tropical Pacific, 1987
Zeranski and Baptist, Connecticut Birds, 1990
Johnsgard, Grouse and Quails of North America, 1973
Bradley, Birds of the Cayman Islands, 1985
Bond, Birds of the West Indies, 1979
Burk, Waterfowl Studies (for the decoy maker, hunter, bird watcher, etc.), 
1976, 

jacket 

edgeworn, With, Burk, Complete Waterfowl Studies, V.3, Geese and Swans, 1984
Livingston, Birds of the Eastern Forest, parts1 and 2, and Birds of the 
Northern 

Forest,
paintings by John Lansdowne, 3 volumes, all 1977
Forshaw, Howell, Lindsey, Stallcup, Birding, 1996
Karmali, Birds of Africa, 1990
Tyrrell, Hummingbirds of the Caribbean, 1990
Harrison, editor, Bird Families of the World, 1978
Eckert, The Wading Birds of North America, 1981
Low and Mansell, North American Marsh Birds, 1983
Mackenzie, Birds of the World – Game Birds, 1989
Daws, Hawaii, The Islands of Life, 1988
Robbins, Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and D.C., 1996
Sick, Helmut, (transl. from the Portuguese by William Belton), Birds in Brazil, 

1993
Elphick, editor, Atlas of Bird Migration, 1995
Tveten, Coastal Texas. Water, Land, Wildlife, 1982, jacket top edge worn
Richards, Birds of Kenya, 1991
Parmelee, Antarctic Birds, 1992
Inskipp and Inskipp, Birds of Nepal, 1985
Berger, Hawaiian Bird Life, 1981
Newfield and Nielsen, Hummingbird Gardens, 1996
Stokes, Stokes, and Brown, Stokes Purple Martin Book, 1997
Fry, Fry, and Harris, Kingfishers, Bee-Eaters, & Rollers, 1992
Clements, Birds of the World, a Check List, 1978, jacket with a little edge 
wear 

Peterson, Field Guide to Western Birds, 1961 (6th printing), jacket with edge 
chips
Cleere and Nurney, Nightjars, 1998
Restall, Munias and Mannikins, 1996
Barnard and Thompson, Gulls and Plovers, 1985
Bolen and Flores, The Mississippi Kite, 1993
 
Paperbound
Rappole and Blacklock, Birds of Texas, 1994, pb
Cohen, Bird Nests, 1993, pb
Delorey, A Birder’s Guide to New Hampshire, 1996, pb
Castro and Phillips, The Birds of the Galapagos Islands, 1996, pb
Holt, A Birder’s Guide to Colorado, 1997, pb
Holroyd and Coneybeare, The Compact Guide to Birds of the Rockies, 1989, pb
Wauer, Birder’s Mexico, 1999, pb
Sequoia Audubon Soc., San Francisco Peninsula Birdwatching, 1996, pb
Hine and Schoenfeld, editors, Canada Goose Management, 1968, pb
Root, Atlas of Wintering North American Birds, 1988, pb
Searby, The Costa Rica Traveler, 1990, pb
Erlich, et al, Birds in Jeopardy, 1992, pb
Kemper, Birding Northern California, 2001, pb
Muse and Muse, The Birds and Bird Lore of Samoa, 1982, pb
Mlodinow and O’Brien, America’s 100 Most Wanted Birds, 1996, pb
Massey and Zembal, Guide to Birds of the Salton Sea, 2002, pb
Matthiessen, The Wind Birds, 1994, pb
Henderson, The Caribbean and the Bahamas, 1994, pb
D’Arcy, Birds of Ireland, 1986, pb
Sheck, Costa Rica: A Natural Destination, 1996, pb
Fussell, Birder’s Guide to Coastal North Carolina, 1994, pb
Cruikshank and Cruikshank, 1001 Questions Answered About Birds, 1976, pb
Taylor, Birder’s Guide to Southeastern Arizona, 1995, pb, some wear
Davis and Russell, Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona, 1995, pb
Kennedy, et al. Guide to the Birds of the Philippines, 2000, pb
Anderson & Squires, The Prairie Falcon, 1997, pb
Eckert, Birder’s Guide to Minnesota, 1994, pb
White, Birdwatching Sites – Eastern States, Western States, 2 volumes, both 
1999, pb
Harrison, Seabirds of the World, 1996, pb
Wauer, Birds of the Big Bend, 1996, pb
Morse, Birder’s Guide to Ocean Shores, Washington, 1994, pb
Scott, Birder’s Guide to Wyoming, 1993, pb
Finlay, Bird Finding Guide to Canada, 2000, pb
Forsyth and Miyata, Tropical Nature, 1995, pb
Armstrong, A Guide to the Birds of Alaska, 1981, pb (some leaves loose)
Wauer, A Birder’s West Indies, 1996, pb
Kricher, A Neotropical Companion, 1997, pb
Bolander and Parmeter, Birds of Sonoma County, California, 2000, pb
Ffrench, Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, 1991, pb
Chartier, A Birder’s Guide to Churchill, 1994, pb
Soehren, The Birdwatcher’s Guide to Hawaii, 1996, pb
Potter, Parnell, Teulings, Birds of the Carolinas, 1980 pb
Duncan, Bird Migration, Weather, and Fallout….Alabama and N.W. Florida, 1994, 
pb 

Harrison, Seabirds of Hawaii, 1990, pb
Am. Birding Assoc., Birdfinding in Forty National Forests and Grasslands, 1994, 

pb
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America (4th ed), pb
Pranty, A Birder’s Guide to Florida, 1996, pb
Westrich and Westrich, Birder’s Guide to Northern California, 1991, pb
White, A Birder’s Guide to the Bahama Islands, 1998, pb
West, A Birder’s Guide to the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, 1994, pb
McEneaney, The Birder’s Guide to Montana, 1993, pb
Am. Birding Assoc., A Birder’s Guide to Eastern Massachusetts, 1994, pb
Schram, A Birder’s Guide to Southern California, 1968, pb
 
 
 
 
Subject: Warm Springs--Glendale--Overton--Logandale
From: Clarke Jesse <lvjesse AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:17:40 -0800
Clark Co.  Observers: Rita Schlageter & Joan Clarke. 8 am to 3 pm.

Frontage road off Hwy 93--I-15 junction, access road to Moapa power plant:
Common raven
Rock pigeon
Vesper sparrow
Say's phoebe
Lesser goldfinch
House finch
Sage sparrow (abundant)
Sage Thrasher

Warm Springs:
Phainopepla
Loggerhead shrike
Merlin
Ring-necked duck
Amer. coot
White-crowned sparrow
Prairie falcon
Say's phoebe
Swainson's thrush
Dark-eyed junco
Song sparrow
No. flicker
Marsh wren
Red-tailed hawk
No. mockingbird
Yellow-rumped warbler
Mallard
American robin
Western meadowlark
Eu. starling
Abert's towhee
Common raven
Horned lark

Glendale:
No. harrier  (M & F)
American crow(20)
White-crowned sparrow(100+)
Prairie falcon (great aerial show)
Savannah sparrow (30)

Logandale/Overton
Bowman Reservoir

Ladder-backed woodpecker
Red-winged blackbird
White-crowned sparrow
Western meadowlark
No. mockingbird
Grt.-tailed grackle
Eur. collared dove
Brewer's blackbird
No. Harrier
Ring-necked duck
Abert's towhee
Northern pintail
Ring-billed gull
Ruddy duck
Mallard
Green-winged teal
Western Bluebird
Rock pigeon
House finch

Logandale:
Bald Eagle adult
Red-tailed hawk
Amer. kestral
Rough-legged hawk
Mourning dove
Gambel's quail
Eu. Starling
Say's phoebe
Loggerhead shrike
Phainopepla
Killdeer (50+)
No. flicker, red shafted
Canada goose

Wildlife Refuge, Overton
White-throated swift
Sharp-shinned hawk
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Mallard
Wild turkey
Greater roadrunner
Canada goose
Amer. wigeon

Joan Clarke & Rita Schlageter

Subject: Minden, NV
From: Lisa Lister <lister39 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:20:26 -0800
Well the Greater White-fronted Goose has joined all the Canada Geese that hang 
out at the ponds across the street - more or less - from our house and they 
were all joined by two Ross's Geese today. 


Lisa Lister
Minden, NV
Subject: Goshawk at Hunter Creek Trail
From: Alan de Queiroz <alandqz AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:17:48 -0800
On an extremely windy hike this afternoon on the Hunter Creek Trail in the 
Carson Range (access at Michael D. Thompson Trailhead on Woodchuck Circle) I 
saw exactly two birds, a Golden Eagle and a Northern Goshawk. Got a very nice 
look at the goshawk as it flew up the canyon near eye level, fighting the wind. 
   


Alan de Queiroz
Reno
Subject: From the moderator: server was down for a day
From: Alan Wallace <wallacealan AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:44:05 -0800
The server for our listserve went down from the middle of Tuesday night
until an hour or so ago.  The folks at National Audubon who oversee the
black boxes got it back up and running.  It looks like messages that were
caught in limbo (my test message and the one from Martin Meyers) came
through after the fix.  However, if you posted something during that
interval and it didn't show up, then just send it again.  This happens
rarely, and hopefully it will be a long time before it happens again.

Cheers,
Alan

****************************
Alan Wallace
Nevada bird listserve moderator
Reno NV
Subject: Around and about Reno today -- Varied Thrush, etc.
From: Martin Meyers <martin AT SIERRABIRDBUM.COM>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:43:15 -0700
I birded around Reno today (holding onto anything firmly planted in the
ground to avoid being blown away.)  I was able to spot the Varied Thrush
at Crissie Caughlin Park, exactly at the location provided by Alan de
Queiroz.  Even got a pretty nice photo, which I've put up on my website.
 (Address of website is below -- select "Recent".)  I also have several
photos on there from my trip to Texas and Florida (from which I just
returned.)

A visit to Idlewild Park and a walk along the Truckee upstream yielded a
Prairie Falcon, several Hooded Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, a Downy
Woodpecker, a Black Phoebe and the rest of the usual denizens.

Virginia Lake had a cooperative immature male Common Goldeneye, a fly-by
Merlin, eighteen Hooded Mergansers, and one first-cycle Herring Gull in
addition to the regulars.

At the firehouse pond at Rosewood, there were the long-staying seven
minima Cackling Geese, eleven Greater White-fronted Geese, and five Snow
Geese.  An American Kestrel was my third falcon of the day.  I'd be
happy to trade all three for one BIG one at Stillwater.  : - (

Sparks Marina late in the day had a smattering of gulls, maybe 250
total.  One was a first-cycle Herring Gull that I'm pretty near certain
was the same bird I saw earlier in the day at Virginia Lake. (I
photographed both and was able to compare them.)  There was also one
adult Herring Gull. Otherwise, only Californias and Ring-bills.

Martin

---------------
 Martin Meyers
 email: Martin  (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com
 Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com
 Truckee, CA


Subject: Test message by moderator: ignore
From: Alan Wallace <wallacealan AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:09:30 -0800
****************************
Alan Wallace
Nevada bird listserve moderator
Reno NV
Subject: Varied Thrush still at Crissie Caughlin Park
From: Alan de Queiroz <alandqz AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:31:24 -0800
Varied Thrush -- a beautiful male -- was still at Crissie Caughlin Park in Reno 
this afternoon. It was feeding on fruits in the Russian olive by the metal 
benches mentioned in previous reports (a little upstream from the playground 
area). A Hermit Thrush visited the same Russian olive and ate some fruits. I 
also had distant views of a probable Merlin perched high in a tree on the other 
side of the river. Complete list follows:    


Crissie Caughlin Park, Reno, Washoe, US-NV
Jan 17, 2012 1:50 PM - 2:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Comments:    At Crissie Caughlin Park and on the bike path west as far as the 
McCarran Bridge 

22 species

Canada Goose  5
Mallard  25
Common Goldeneye  4
Hooded Merganser  2
Common Merganser  2
California Quail  30
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Rock Pigeon  40
Mourning Dove  2
Northern Flicker  2
Steller's Jay  4
Western Scrub-Jay  10
Hermit Thrush  1
American Robin  12
Varied Thrush  1    Very clear views of orange wing bars, eyebrow, and 
undersides (including scalloping), dark breast band; dark gray back.  Bird was 
feeding on fruits of Russian olive tree. 

European Starling  8
Spotted Towhee  1
Song Sparrow  1
White-crowned Sparrow  1
Dark-eyed Junco  2
American Goldfinch  2
House Sparrow  40

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Alan de Queiroz
Reno
Subject: correction of date
From: ann murphy <amurphy0607 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:19:06 -0800
I am writing this note to correct the date of the sighting by Ed Kurtz at 
Rancho San Rafael. It was my mistake. 

The correct date was January 8, 2012 (not January 1, 2012)
The time of the sighting was approximately 3:30 pm.
Ann Murphy
Subject: Willow Creek & Mountain Falls
From: Darlene Feener <darlenefeener AT ATT.NET>
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:35:28 -0500
This report is for Sunday January 15, 2012. Sorry about the delay, computer has 
not been working. 


A member of West Branch Red Rock called me to tell me he saw a Pygmy Nuthatch 
on the 12th of January. His first name is Paul and he is an expert birder. He 
asked that I not mention where he saw the bird or to give his last name. 

I mention it here because he has not seen this bird in Pahrump for twenty-five 
years. Perhaps this bird took a vacation from Mt. Charleston and came to 
Pahrump for a visit. 


Richard and Carol Cantino are still seeing the Golden-crowned Sparrow coming in 
to their yard. 


Sunday, was a magical day for me. So many birds. Total species for the day were 
58. 


Location #1 Habitat: Pond  AT  golf course  AT Mountain Falls

American Coots  (500)
Common Merganser (1)
Mallard (36)
Northern Shoveler (27)
Redhead (1)

Location #2 Habitat: Pond number 2  AT  golf course AT Mountain Falls

Ring-necked Duck (54)
Ruddy Duck (9)
Canvasback (11)
Gadwall (3)
Pied-billed Grebe (1)

Location #3 Habitat: Garden entrance to Mountain Falls

Cedar Waxwing (1)
Eurasian-Collared Dove (2)
European Starling (1)
Northern Flicker (1)
American Crows (8) (They were not Ravens) In the winter I see Crows in the 
Moutain Falls area & sometimes WC. 


Location #4 Habitat: Agricultural field with water in irrigation ditch. This 
habitat was as active as I have ever seen. It was 8:30 a.m. and it was a cool 
sunny day. The argicultural field looked like it was moving. There were so many 
birds feeding there. 


American Kestrel (1)
Bewick's Wren (1)
Cooper's Hawk (1)
Ferruginous Hawk (1) 
(Greater Roadrunner (2)
Golden Eagle (1)
Horned Lark (35)
Killdeer (2) One was taken by a Northern Harrier
Loggerhead Shrike (1)
Mountain Bluebird (44)
Northern Harrier (1)
Orange-crowned Warbler (1)
Phainopepla (1)
Ravens, Common (22)
Red-tailed Hawk (1)
Rock Pigeon (132)
Sage Sparrow (5)
Savannah Sparrow (3)
Song Sparrow (4)
Verdin (2)
Western Meadowlark (11)
White-crowned Sparrow's (37)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (6)

Location # 5 Habitat: Rural community of Pahrump

Burrowing Owl (1)
Northern Mockingbird (1)

Location #6 Habitat: Willow Creek: Mesquite 

Gambel's Quail (16)

Location # 7 Habitat: Open field on Willow Creek: Near homes.

Crissal Thrasher (1)
House Sparrow's (71)
Say's Phoebe (1)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (1)

Location # 8 Habitat: Ed's Pond on Willow Creek:

Great-tailed Grackle (13)

Location # 9 Habitat: Open field 

House Finches (10)

Location # 10 Habitat: Richard and Carol's Ponds on Willow Creek& surrounding 
vegetation. 


Anna's Hummingbird (2)
Mourning Dove (9)
Brewer's Blackbird (8)
Dark-eyed Junco (2) Slate-colored and (6) Oregon
Great Blue Heron (1)
Green-winged Teal (3)
Lesser Goldfinch (3)
Lincoln's Sparrow (1)
Northern Pintail (5) One beautiful male and four females
Red-Shouldered Hawk (1)
Wood Duck (1) a beautiful male

Submitted by

Darlene Feener
Pahrump, Nevada
Subject: Minden surprise
From: Lisa Lister <lister39 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:35:10 -0800
I just got back from a walk down to the wildlife ponds and trail at the 
entrance to Winhaven subdivision where there was a single Greater White-fronted 
Goose along with many Canada Geese and other waterfowl. A new bird for me here 
in Nevada. 


Lisa Lister
Minden, NV
Subject: Las VEgas REdpolls
From: Jim Moore <jmoore AT TNC.ORG>
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:29:38 +0000
In my backyard at feeding station on Sunday Jan.15 in Spring Valley 
neighborhood of Las Vegas with many English Sparrows - 2 Common Redpolls - male 
very distinct black mask and deep red front/crown area - no red rump. Female or 
immature was less colorful. Chipping while foraging on ground - stayed separate 
from sparrows and much more skittish. Did not appear yesterday. Jim Moore 

Subject: Gyrfalcon at Stillwater
From: Jane Thompson <NevadaJane AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:44:17 -0800
Several people saw the gyrfalcon today in pretty much the same place he was 
seen by Bill and Greg. Today the group stopped short of the gates and just 
parked along the road. We watched the water to the south and finally just 
before noon the gyrfalcon made a few passes over the east end of the lake and 
then disappeared for close to a half hour. Then he was suddenly seen moving 
very low and close to the far shore heading to the west. He hit a coot and 
lifted it up into the air but then dropped it and started flying away to the 
south climbing as he went. Finally he disappeared from sight. 


Jane Thompson
Reno
Subject: FW: Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas
From: Bird Preserve <Bird.Preserve AT CITYOFHENDERSON.COM>
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:24:35 +0000
The new entrance to the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve is now open. Take the 
95/515 freeway to the Galleria exit 64B, go east 

and cross Boulder Highway. The Preserve entrance will be on the north side of 
the road, follow the driveway and signs to the parking 

Lot and Visitors Center. December, January and February hours will be 7 AM to 2 
PM. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. 


We had  70 (Seventy) species observed this week.
The following birds were seen or heard by staff and visitors at the Henderson 
Bird Viewing Preserve east of Las Vegas: 


Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Canvasback
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Ruddy Duck
Gambel's Quail
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Least Bittern
Great Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Sora
Common Gallinule
American Coot
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Long-billed Curlew
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Wilson's Snipe
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Greater Roadrunner
Barn Owl
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-shafted Flicker
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Loggerhead Shrike
Verdin
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Crissal Thrasher
American Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped  Warbler (Audubon's)
Abert's Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch


Best in Birding

Je Anne Branca
Subject: GYRFALCON photos posted
From: Greg Scyphers <scyph AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:43:25 -0800
I have posted a few pictures of the Gyrfalcon that I took today at
Stillwater NWR.  The photo link to my Flickr page is below.  You can click
on the individual image and then the magnifying glass to bring up a larger
view or you can use the other three links below to go strait to the larger
images.

 

Photos at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/nvbirdr/

 

-OR-

 

Image 1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nvbirdr/6706472199/in/photostream

 

Image 2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nvbirdr/6706470181/in/photostream

 

Image 3

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nvbirdr/6706468437/in/photostream

 

 

Greg Scyphers

Sparks, NV

 

 
Subject: Re: Reno bird sighting Jan. 1, 2012
From: Brian Adams <bra356 AT NVBELL.NET>
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:49:56 -0500
Too bad this was two weeks ago.

It flew SW from RSR, so it might have flown over my house. Think of it: A 
backyard bird entry of Magnificent Frigatebird? Hey? 


Brian Adams
Reno
Subject: Herring Gulls, Virginia Lake, Reno (1/15/15)
From: Fred Petersen <fugle AT AOL.COM>
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:51:04 -0500
Virginia Lake, Reno, Washoe Co (1/15/12).  10:45am-11:30

Today's highlights were 3 Herring Gulls (2 adults, 1 1st-winter) roosting on 
the ice with the Ring-bills & Californias. I haven't seen this many Herring 
Gulls at VL since the glory days of the mid-90s, when up to 20 or so weren't 
unusual at this time of the year. 


Otherwise, just the usual winter ducks:

Mallard (of course)
Northern Shoveler--lots
Common Merganser--10-12
Hooded Merganser--10-12
Ruddy Duck

As reported by others, the Snow & Ross's geese continue at Rancho San Rafael. 
Here's a shot of the Ross's: 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/6698727365/in/photostream 


--Fred Petersen
Subject: Reno bird sighting Jan. 1, 2012
From: ann murphy <amurphy0607 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:17:01 -0800
Submitted on behalf of Ed Kurtz:
I was birding at Rancho San Rafael park on Sunday Jan. 1, 2012 and saw the 2 
Snow Geese and 1 Ross' Goose previously reported in that location. I spent some 
time studying a Cooper's Hawk on a lightpole near the ranger's house. As I was 
about to leave the park I turned around to take one last look at the Cooper's 
Hawk when "it" flew 

overhead: a huge bird, all black, with huge sickle-shaped wings, a really long 
straight tail (like a magpie shape), a small head, about 20 feet up above me, 
moving really fast, almost floating, headed in a SW direction, and then it was 
far off in the distance. I only wish I could have seen it better. My impression 
is that it was a Magnificent Frigatebird. They have turned up out of range in 
other places. It is a review species in Nevada. I am posting this sighting so 
it may be used as location documentation if anyone else encounters this bird. 

Posted for Ed Kurtz by Ann Murphy
Subject: Reno bird sighting Jan. 1, 2012
From: ann murphy <amurphy0607 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:59:10 -0800
Submitted on behalf of Ed Kurtz:
I was birding at Rancho San Rafael park on Sunday Jan. 1, 2012 and saw the 2 
Snow Geese and 1 Ross' Goose previously reported in that location. I spent some 
time studying a Cooper's Hawk on a lightpole near the ranger's house. As I was 
about to leave the park I turned around to take one last look at the Cooper's 
Hawk when "it" flew overhead: a huge bird, all black, with sickle-shaped wings 
(huge), a really long straight tail (like a magpie shape but longer), a small 
head, about 20 feet up above me, moving really fast, almost floating, headed in 
a SW direction, and then it was far off in the distance. I only wish I could 
have seen it better. My impression is that it was a Magnificent Frigatebird. 
They have turned up in unexpected places out of range. It is a review species 
in NV. I am posting this sighting as location documentation if anyone else 
encounters this bird.  

Posted for Ed Kurtz by Ann Murphy7
Subject: Lake Park, NW Reno: Great Egret
From: Brian Adams <bra356 AT NVBELL.NET>
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:33:05 -0500
As I write this, at 1:30 pm Sunday 15th, there is a Great Egret at Lake Park in 
NW Reno, corner Keystone and Coleman Drive (plus other streets.) It's eating 
quite a few minnows or tadpoles, can't be sure. There's still a light skim of 
ice on the shadiest parts of the pond. I've lived one half block from this pond 
since 1988 and this is the first egret I've seen there. (Rarely cormorants and 
herons.) 


Also, on Friday 13th there were several Eurasian Collared-doves on my street, 
Wesley Drive, at Keystone Ave. These are the first I've seen in this general 
locale since last summer. 


Brian
Subject: GYRFALCON continues at Stillwater NWR
From: Greg Scyphers <scyph AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:16:05 -0800
Today January 15th 2012 at about 9:45 AM, I relocated the gray morph GYRFALCON 
at Stillwater NWR. The bird was on one of the fence posts at the Swan Lake gate 
adjacent to the Swan Lake Landing. This is where it was originally seen two 
days ago. I got some very nice photos of the bird as it perched atop the post. 
Truly a stunning bird. This is the closest I have ever seen one. I will post a 
photo tonight when I get down to Vegas. After about a couple minutes of me 
photographing it from inside my truck, the bird flew to the northeast. If 
anyone is going to search for this bird I would check all around Swan Lake and 
Tule Lake and continue on Center Road to Navy Cabin Road to Pintail Road. The 
bird flew towards Pintail and Nutgrass Lake so it would also be a good idea to 
check Nutgrass Lake via Nutgrass Road. The bird seems to favor these areas 
probably because the have open water and plenty of ducks for food. Maybe this 
bird will winter here. 


This is a NBRC review species so I will submit my notes and photos. This 
individual represents the first photographically documented Gyrfalcon for 
Nevada and it will be the first one submitted to the committee. 


Nevada Redpolls and Gyrfalcon, now where is the Snowy Owl?

Greg Scyphers
Sparks, NV

Sent from my iPhone
Subject: 1/14 Lake Mead notes
From: Andrew Lee <ovenbird AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:21:10 -0800
Hi birders,

I was able to refind the likely  1st cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull in Las
Vegas Bay today and this time I was able to get prolonged views and it is
indeed a Lesser Black-backed Gull.  The bird was ridiculously far away
along the opposite bank of Las Vegas Bay and a scope was need.  Along the
Rocky Point and 33-hole overlook there was a Red-necked Grebe and a Pacific
Loon.
Here are some digiscopes of todays birds
http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k267/gnatcatcher/

Andrew Lee
Henderson
Subject: Fw: BRRI Belize Raptor Tour in December
From: Susan Stevenson <sssfromslt AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:41:39 -0800
Hi Nevada Birding Friends,
 
I'm forwarding this email from Ryan Phillips, a raptor expert, who does 
research in Belize. 

 
He's been helping me every time I get a raptor ID question. 
 
I'm sharing this information about a trip that he is leading next December, 
totally for your interest. 

 
Please advise if this information is not appropriate for this listserve,
 
Sue Stevenson

--- On Fri, 1/13/12, Ryan Phillips  wrote:


From: Ryan Phillips 
Subject: BRRI Belize Raptor Tour in December
To: 
Date: Friday, January 13, 2012, 1:31 PM





Hello BRRI Friend, 

 
We would like to INVITE you to our Second Annual Belize RAPTOR TOUR in December 
from the 10th-17th. We will be touring the northern and central regions of 
Belize in search of nearly 40 species of raptors and will have a chance to 
observe up to 350 species of birds, and the elusive Jaguar. Proceeds will go to 
our conservation efforts. 


 
Detailed information here:

http://belizeraptorresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/BRRI-2012-Raptor-Tour-Detailed-Itinerary.pdf 


 
We hope that you will join us and will take the first 12 registrants. 

 
Please pass on to anyone that may be interested. 

Happy 2012! 



 
Ryan Phillips
Raptor Biologist

De Anza College, Environmental Studies Department
Executive Director, Belize Raptor Research Institute

www.belizeraptorresearch.org
www.deanza.edu/es/
Subject: cool refuge raptor sighting today!
From: Susan Sawyer <susan_sawyer AT FWS.GOV>
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:22:18 -0500
during the mid-winter raptor survey, Stillwater NWR biologist Bill Henry got a 
great close-up view and photo of an adult gray morph Gyrfalcon. Beautiful bird! 
Perched on a fence post at the Swan Lake gate on Center Road, about 11am. I'll 
try to post the photo on the refuge website. Also sighted several Bald and 
Golden Eagles, Ferruginous, Red-Tail Coopers hawks, Prairie Falcon, Kestrel and 
LOTS of Harriers doing the mating dance/flights. 

Subject: Short-Eared Owl-Genoa Lane, Carson Valley
From: Rob Lowry <rlowry517 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:19:13 -0500
Hello!

Earlier this evening at about 5:20 PM, a Short-Eared Owl was observed on the 
north side of Genoa Lane about 0.75 miles west of Rte. 395 in Carson Valley. 
The owl was hunting in its "moth-like" pattern at a fair distance from the 
road, I had good looks at it through my scope as it flew straight towards me 
much closer to the road before it wheeled back around away from me and 
eventually disappeared. This is the same general area where I 
observed/photographed one last February. 


Rob Lowry
Carson City
Subject: Re: pest at my bird feeder (not a bird sighting)
From: Brian Adams <bra356 AT NVBELL.NET>
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:24:16 -0500
Meg,

Unless the raccoon is cornered or protecting young, you don't have to worry 
much about it threatening you. You definitely don't want it indoors or in your 
garage, as they can and do carry a variety of diseases and parasites. They're 
omnivores, so they'll eat almost anything, but they seem to seek out 
high-protein morsels, in particular they love eggs and crayfish. They're also 
adept at predating on voles and rodents. 


Brian Adams
Reno
Subject: Re: pest at my bird feeder (not a bird sighting)
From: Jacque Lowery <nevadabird AT CHARTER.NET>
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:44:00 -0800
A couple of years ago I had 5 orphaned baby raccoons hanging around for a
while. One night I heard something in the garage and turned on the light.  I
had a front opening bin with bird seed in it. Because of previous problems
with raccoons I had put a long nail through the latch. The little rascals
had pushed through the lower part of the door and there were 3 of them in
the bin eating bird seed! It was a mixture with sunflower, safflower and
millet; so I'm not sure if they were choosing a particular seed or eating it
all. So the answer is yes, if they are hungry enough I think they will eat
just about anything.  Last weekend we had to completely rebuild the banks of
our artificial creek from raccoons uprooting rocks looking for ? -frogs,
bugs, whatever.

Jacque Lowery

-----Original Message-----
From: discussion about Nevada's bird life [mailto:NVBIRDS AT LIST.AUDUBON.ORG]
On Behalf Of Rick/Meg Andrews
Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 6:33 AM
To: NVBIRDS AT LIST.AUDUBON.ORG
Subject: pest at my bird feeder (not a bird sighting)

This morning at 6:00 a.m., I was filling my bird feeders in the dark, when I

heard what I thought was a large cat climbing a nearby 6' wooden fence.  I
was 
kind of yelling at it to get out of here, because I do have problems with
the 
neighbors' cats hanging around my feeders.  I was thinking it seemed like it
was 
a very large cat, when it turned around and I found it was a very large 
raccoon!  I know it can't get at my feeders, which are on high metal poles,
but 
it may have been checking out the dropped seeds.  Do they eat seeds?  I know

they are attracted to pet food and garbage, neither of which I leave outside

(although I don't think the same can be said about all of my neighbors).  I
am 
going to take a flashlight out with me tomorrow when I fill the feeders,
because 
this one sure wasn't very afraid of me.
Meg Andrews
Reno, NV
Subject: pest at my bird feeder (not a bird sighting)
From: Rick/Meg Andrews <andrews2727 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:33:18 -0800
This morning at 6:00 a.m., I was filling my bird feeders in the dark, when I 
heard what I thought was a large cat climbing a nearby 6' wooden fence.  I was 
kind of yelling at it to get out of here, because I do have problems with the 
neighbors' cats hanging around my feeders.  I was thinking it seemed like it 
was 

a very large cat, when it turned around and I found it was a very large 
raccoon!  I know it can't get at my feeders, which are on high metal poles, but 

it may have been checking out the dropped seeds.  Do they eat seeds?  I know 
they are attracted to pet food and garbage, neither of which I leave outside 
(although I don't think the same can be said about all of my neighbors).  I am 
going to take a flashlight out with me tomorrow when I fill the feeders, 
because 

this one sure wasn't very afraid of me.
Meg Andrews
Reno, NV
Subject: Varied Thrush-Crissie Caughlin Park, Reno
From: Rob Lowry <rlowry517 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:47:29 -0500
Hello again!

While briefly in the Reno area this morning (Wed., Jan. 11th), I stopped at 
Crissie Caughlin Park and after about 15 minutes of looking, observed the 
Varied Thrush first reported by Chuck Coxe on Jan. 8th. The thrush was observed 
in the same area as reported by Alan De Queiroz on Jan. 9th ('some metal 
benches a little upstream of the jungle gym"). 


Rob Lowry
Carson City
Subject: Long-Eared Owl-Deadman's Creek Trail, Washoe Valley
From: Rob Lowry <rlowry517 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:40:09 -0500
Hello!
 
At about 4:15 PM today (Wed., Jan. 11th), a Long-Eared Owl was observed in the 
farther upslope part of the willows along the Deadman's Creek trail. At one 
point, it was perched up in a dead tree down the trail providing great looks. 
When last observed, it went to fly back upslope, and one of a pair of Cooper's 
Hawks roosting in the area flew up, and the hawk and the owl interlocked talons 
in mid-air for a few seconds. Pretty cool to see! 

 
The Deadman's Creek trail head (a small parking lot enough for three vehicles) 
is on the south side of Eastlake Blvd., south of Washoe Lake State Park. 
Eastlake Blvd. is accessed from Rte. 395 just north of Carson City. 


Rob Lowry
Carson City
Subject: Eurasian Wigeon still at Lakeridge
From: Kenneth Drozd <kdrozd AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:19:52 -0800
At lucnchtime I found the female Eurasian Wigeon which Greg Scyphers reported. 
It was with a flock of Americans, but at a different spot than Greg described. 
I 

found the flock  walking around grazing about 150 yds directly west of the spot 

where the golf carts go under Plumas. They then flew just to the south, across 
a 

cart path and irrigation ditch where there is another pond.
Ken Drozd
Reno,NV
Subject: No Redpoll in Fernley Today
From: Dennis & Becca Serdehely <birders AT ATT.NET>
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:28:27 -0800
Despite a constant watch of our feeders this morning by us and several out
of town birders, the Common Redpoll was not seen. If it shows again I will
of course post an update.

 

Dennis Serdehely
Subject: Eurasian Wigeon continues at Lakeridge Golf Course
From: Greg Scyphers <scyph AT SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:15:15 -0800
This afternoon, January 10, 2012, I stopped by Lakeridge Golf Course in Reno
to see if the female EURASIAN WIGEON was still there.  I originally found
this bird on the Truckee Meadows CBC in mid December and I wanted to get it
for my 2012 year list.  It was indeed still present with the large Wigeon
flock at the northwest most pond on the west side of Plumas.  If anyone is
interested in seeing this bird and you need better directions, please
contact me via email.  Also, beware of golf balls, the golfers are taking
advantage of the lack of snow.



I also went out to Dennis Serdehely's today and photographed the COMMON
REDPOLL.


Greg Scyphers
Sparks, NV
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - The Yurt feeders, Jan 7, 2012
From: melsyurt AT WIRELESSBEEHIVE.COM
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:59:46 -0700
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: eBird Report - The Yurt feeders, Jan 7, 2012
From: do-not-reply AT ebird.org
To: theyurt AT wirelessbeehive.com
CC:

The Yurt feeders, White Pine county, just below main entrance to Great
Basin National Park, Baker, NV
Jan 7, 2012 7:30 AM - 8:05 AM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments:     Observer: John B. Free  Jan 7 to 8/2012  Conditions: Mostly
cloudy to overcast; 27 deg to 16 deg (frost)
6 species

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)  3     Obvious pecking order
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)  1
Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)  35
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)  5
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group])  20
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  9

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: White-tailed Kite in Pahrump
From: Morgan Peters <mpetersd AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:45:52 -0800
Dan Williams and I observed a White-tailed Kite perched on top of the "Pahrump 
Dermatology" billboard along Hwy 160 just north of the Maverick gas station. We 
stopped to photograph but the kite was bumped by a rock dove. The bird flew 
south and we were not able to relocate it. 


Morgan Peters
Lake Forest, CA
mpetersd AT gmail.com
Subject: Common Redpoll in Fernley
From: Dennis & Becca Serdehely <birders AT ATT.NET>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:57:50 -0800
We have a Common Redpoll showing up at our feeder this morning. If anyone is
interested in seeing it please call me for directions at 771-1575.

 

Dennis Serdehely