Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Santa Barbara County > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Wednesday, September 1 at 09:47 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift,©Barry Kent Mackay

01 Sep Refugio SB Migrants [Jamie Chavez ] 01 Sep COPR this afternoon ["goletajeff" ] 31 Aug UCSB Campus notes [Florence Sanchez ] 31 Aug Re: More Mesa Notes [Florence Sanchez ] 31 Aug More Mesa Notes [Lynn Watson ] 31 Aug Forster's Terns, Rancho Goleta Lake, Monday morning ["Liz M" ] 30 Aug Secondhand Saturday Skimmers. ["Noah" ] 29 Aug Cachuma Lake Birds Aug 23-29, 2010 ["Melissa Kelly" ] 29 Aug Seeking help on hummingbird ID ["lbvireo" ] 29 Aug Weekend (lack of) birds ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 29 Aug Re: Need some Expert Help ["David Levasheff" ] 29 Aug RE: Need some Expert Help ["Paul Rosso" ] 28 Aug Re: Need some Expert Help [Joseph Morlan ] 29 Aug Re: Need some Expert Help [Jamie Chavez ] 28 Aug Re: Need some Expert Help [Jamie Chavez ] 29 Aug Need some Expert Help ["David Levasheff" ] 29 Aug Ocean Meadows ["Niels" ] 27 Aug White-winged Dove on Lompoc Southside ["Paul Rosso" ] 27 Aug Audubon Bird Walk at Carpinteria Salt Marsh ["robdenholtz" ] 27 Aug More Mesa Notes [Mark Holmgren ] 27 Aug More Mesa Notes [Lynn Watson ] 26 Aug Black Vulture posted to eBird Today [Jamie Chavez ] 27 Aug Osprey ["peterschneekloth" ] 26 Aug UCSB Campus notes [Florence Sanchez ] 25 Aug Kelp Egret ["rogerlenard" ] 24 Aug Re: probable bobolink Waller park ["lbvireo" ] 24 Aug probable bobolink Waller park [Don Tate ] 24 Aug Waller Park, cowbird more likely [Don Tate ] 24 Aug Friday Bird Walk at Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park Aug 27 ["Adam" ] 23 Aug Swallowtail butterfly questions ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 24 Aug Re: Orange-crowned Warbler nest and addendum to Campus notes ["lbvireo" ] 23 Aug Orange-crowned Warbler nest and addendum to Campus notes [Florence Sanchez ] 23 Aug UCSB Campus notes [Florence Sanchez ] 22 Aug Area K evening ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 22 Aug CACHUMA LAKE Birds From Monday Aug 16 - Sunday August 22, 2010 ["Kelly, Melissa" ] 22 Aug Spotted Owl [Peter Schneekloth ] 22 Aug Backyard Dove ["marge" ] 22 Aug Sunday shorebirds ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 21 Aug birds of Los Alamos Park [Alex Viduetsky ] 21 Aug Area K ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 21 Aug Osprey at Deveraux [Peter Dullea ] 22 Aug LLL Shovelers ["David Levasheff" ] 21 Aug White-tailed Kites over east SM Foothills ["jared.dawson40" ] 21 Aug LLC Lost Wood Duck ["David Levasheff" ] 21 Aug black vulture? ["Bobbie" ] 21 Aug More Jesusita News ["2Palleys" ] 21 Aug Area K shorebirds ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 20 Aug birding at various spots this a.m., Aug. 20 ["Joan Lentz" ] 20 Aug Waller Park 8/20- FOF Townsend's Warbler [Jamie Chavez ] 20 Aug Re: Green Heron in Ellwood [Wim van Dam ] 20 Aug Green Heron in Ellwood ["alcyone177" ] 20 Aug Area K Semipalmated Sandpiper ["kylebraunger" ] 19 Aug UCSB Campus notes [Florence Sanchez ] 18 Aug UCSB Campus notes [Florence Sanchez ] 17 Aug Re: Black Skimmers [Dave Compton ] 18 Aug White-faced Ibis at LLC this Evening ["Elliot" ] 17 Aug Black Skimmers ["Ria Marsh" ] 17 Aug Goleta shorebirds ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 17 Aug UCSB Campus notes [Florence Sanchez ] 17 Aug Black Skimmers ["2Palleys" ] 16 Aug Santa Barbara Island + boat crossing ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 16 Aug UCSB Campus notes [Florence Sanchez ] 16 Aug More BH Grosbeaks ["2Palleys" ] 15 Aug Birds of Cachuma Lake From Monday Aug 9 - Sunday August 15, 2010 ["Kelly, Melissa" ] 16 Aug Black-headed Grosbeak in SB. ["Noah" ] 15 Aug Cachuma egret and skimmer; Guadalupe [Dave Compton ] 15 Aug Sunday shorebirds ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 14 Aug Goleta birds ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 14 Aug report from Carp ["robdenholtz" ] 13 Aug Re: LLC Ibis flyby ["David Levasheff" ] 13 Aug Re: LLC Ibis flyby ["lbvireo" ] 13 Aug LLC Ibis flyby ["David Levasheff" ] 13 Aug Carpinteria Vultures [Hugh Ranson ] 13 Aug Carpinteria Salt Marsh report ["robdenholtz" ] 13 Aug Carpinteria Christmas Bird Count ["robdenholtz" ] 12 Aug Black vulture in Carpinteria ["jay" ] Subject: Refugio SB Migrants From: Jamie Chavez <almiyi AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:47:54 -0700 On my way to the company corporate office in Ventura this morning I made a quick stop at Refugio State Beach to see what might be moving through. I left sunny Santa Maria at dawn and ran into the fog bank at Gaviota, so it was quite overcast when I arrived. While I saw nothing unusual, I did have a few migrants so birds are moving south. I quickly counted five Yellow Warblers, three Common Yellowthroats, an Orange-crowned Warbler and a juv. Black-headed Grosbeak in the lerpy eucalyptus trees and myoporum around the creek outflow. There was also a lone Band-tailed Pigeon above the train trestle. -- Jamie M. Chavez Santa Maria, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: COPR this afternoon From: "goletajeff" <jlh749 AT cox.net> Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:53:04 -0000 David Levasheff and I walked COPR from 1 to 3 pm today. We started at the cliff house, and walked clockwise around the slough to the bridge at the golf course. There were shorebirds a-plenty along the third mile stretch of beach. 200 Sanderlings and 60 Snowy Plovers in 2 large flocks, along with 40 or so Semipalmated plovers. There was a flock of 50 Western, 24 Heermans, and a few Calif gulls a well. The rest of the walk was pleasant but quiet. Highlights were: Pond: 3 BCNH, 3 Ruddys, 20+ RWBB. Trail: 1 Northern Harrier, 1 Northern Flicker, dozens of Cal Towhees. Golf course wetland: 2 juv BCNH, 1 Green Heron, several Black Phoebes. The Slough was particularly quiet, with a handful each of Black-necked Stilts, Ruddy Ducks, DC Cormorants, Snowy Egrets. Jeff Hanson Goleta Subject: UCSB Campus notes From: Florence Sanchez <sanchez AT polsci.ucsb.edu> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:39:04 -0700 Beach walk produced the following today, all on the east-facing Beaches: 2 Semi-palmated Plovers 14 Black-bellied Plovers 3 Marbled Godwits 1 Long-billed Curlew 11 Whimbrels 4 Willets 3 Greater Yellowlegs 4 Black-necked Stilts (in the tidal pond on the beach) 4 Western Sandpipers 1 Sanderling No birds on the rocks at Campus Point. In the Lagoon area, 2 Forster's Terns were curcling overhead. 9 Western Sandpipers, 1 Willet, and 3 Dowitcher sp. were hanging out near the Faculty Club. I heard the first returning Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in the bluff vegetation above the west side to the UCSB Lagoon today. Also found 2 Yellow Warblers in eucalyptus trees on the west side of Kerr Hall. Florence Sanchez Subject: Re: More Mesa Notes From: Florence Sanchez <sanchez AT polsci.ucsb.edu> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:56:37 -0700 This morning, a White-tailed Kite was working the wetland and creek bank along the east side of Highway 217 as I drove to campus. This possibly could have been one of the More Mesa pair. Florence Sanchez --On Tuesday, August 31, 2010 9:42 AM -0700 Lynn Watson wrote: > http://www.flickr.com/photos/53419548 AT N07/ Subject: More Mesa Notes From: Lynn Watson <nature.shutterbug AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:42:24 -0700 (PDT) Four WTK fledglings have now been seen on the west end of More Mesa. Probably the reason just two were seen previously, is that two have just recently fledged. The nesting tree appears to be a tree that is normally chosen for the first clutch on the west end. On Sunday, while walking along the front path along the cliffs, I observed four adult kites, two perched in the central N/S band, and another two seemingly to be in dispute over the territory of the eastern N/S band. Just because I had not seen a Harrier on More Mesa, does not mean that there were not any. Two contributors to "More Mesa Sightings" have continued to see a Harrier(s) - one of the observers submitted a photo and another reported that "Until a Harrier spooked them, I could hear, but not find, the (WTK) fledglings, they blended so well with the shimmering cottonwood leaves." A Flickr account has been set up for photo contributions documenting birds seen on More Mesa. The photos are mostly for adjuncts to written observations and are not intended to be of award-winning quality. http://www.flickr.com/photos/53419548 AT N07/ Lynn Watson SB [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Forster's Terns, Rancho Goleta Lake, Monday morning From: "Liz M" <lizmuraoka AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:22:49 -0000 Rancho Goleta Lake, at the end of Ward Drive, had 2 Forster's terns circling and diving into the lake at around 9 am. They were still actively feeding when I left around 20 minutes later. This was the first time I've seen Terns in the lake during the 3+ years I've been here. . Liz Muraoka Santa Barbara Subject: Secondhand Saturday Skimmers. From: "Noah" <skater_ako1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:50:54 -0000 I am forwarding an email I got regarding some local birds. Noah. Noah, You made some great sitings! Can you post on the Santa Barbara County Birding [Sialia] website that David Brown of Camarillo and David Torfeh of Ventura saw 40 Black Skimmers at East Beach in Santa Barbara Saturday morning 8/28/10 and that a friend of theirs spotted a juvenile Cattle Egret there on Friday 8/27/10? We don't have access to post on the website yet. Thanks. --David Torfeh Subject: Cachuma Lake Birds Aug 23-29, 2010 From: "Melissa Kelly" <mkelly AT co.santa-barbara.ca.us> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:56:14 -0700 Howdy Folks, The Lake level is now down almost 12.67 feet from it's max elevation of 753 feet. Aechmophorus Grebes are still mating on the marina logline, but we're not seeing any new chicks. I'm assuming if any nesting is going on, it's happening at the back of Santa Cruz Bay where we can't see it, 'cuz it ain't happening anywhere else. 1 PEREGRINE FALCON 3 OSPREY 3 CALIFORNIA GULLS 4 FORSTER'S TERNS 11 COMMON MERGANSERS 1 ROCK WREN 3 BELTED KINGFISHERS 2 TREE SWALLOWS Haven't seen our Bald Eagle pair for a couple of weeks now. Birds of Cachuma Lake From Monday Aug 23 - Sunday August 29, 2010 Mostly sightings by Liz Gaspar and Melissa Kelly Canada Goose Branta canadensis Mute Swan Cygnus olor Wood Duck Aix sponsa Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Common Merganser Mergus merganser Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo - I California Quail Callipepla californica Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis American Kestrel Falco sparverius Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus American Coot Fulica americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus Nuttall's Woodpecker Picoides nuttallii Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Western Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor Oak Titmouse Baeolophus inornatus Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis House Wren Troglodytes aedon Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana American Robin Turdus migratorius Wrentit Chamaea fasciata European Starling Sturnus vulgaris - I Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus California Towhee Pipilo crissalis Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria House Sparrow Passer domesticus - I May all your blues have wings. Melissa Kelly Assistant Naturalist Cachuma Lake County Park Santa Barbara County, CA 805.688-4515 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Seeking help on hummingbird ID From: "lbvireo" <lbviman AT blackfoot.net> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:41:43 -0000 Hi all -- I had a mystery hummingbird at my feeder today (29 Aug 2010), and have posted a photo of it in my folder in hope that some of you can help me nail its ID. I think it was Anna's; photo made through 2 panes of glass, with fill flash, may have caused orange aberration in tail, but otherwise... Anna's? Ruby-throated? Broad-tailed male? Thanks and happy fall birding - we envy you the HUGE selection of "fall out" birds - Jim and Lark, Thompson Falls MT Subject: Weekend (lack of) birds From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:05:24 -0500 All: Very little around this weekend. Saturday I had a couple of juv Wandering Tattlers at El Cap and 2 juv Lesser Yellowlegs at Devereux. Sunday at Gaviota, I saw 4 Yellow Warblers and a Warbling Vireo, a Canyon Wren, and 1-2 Rufous-crowned Sparrows. Nick Lethaby nlethaby AT ti.com +1 805 562 5106 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Need some Expert Help From: "David Levasheff" <dj_levasheff AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:53:02 -0000 Thanks all... Oscar, Hugh, Liz, Michael I knew I knew the bird and last night at 1:30 I woke and said Black-crowned Night-Heron. Thanks all again David --- In sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com, "David Levasheff" wrote: > > Hi all. > Tonight (Saturday) my wife & I were at Longboards enjoying dinner and sunset. Suddenly my wife says who's that? I couldn't say (thanks to the mai tai) but I did get a couple shots off with the iPhone before it flew off toward the end of the pier. Looked like a green heron / bittern, but I can't confirm. Looks like a good size bird, almost the size of a bicycle wheel. > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/23243079 AT N05/4936868602/sizes/l/in/photostream/ > > Sorry for the quality, but it is what it is. > > Thanks for your input. > > David > Subject: RE: Need some Expert Help From: "Paul Rosso" <prrosso AT verizon.net> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:29:29 -0700 I agree it is an immature Black-crowned Night Heron. Notice the large white spots on wing coverts. Paul Rosso Lompoc From: sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Joseph Morlan Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 10:44 PM To: Jamie Chavez Cc: SBCoBirding Subject: Re: [sbcobirding] Need some Expert Help How about Black-crowned Night-Heron? On Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:36:51 -0700, Jamie Chavez > wrote: > Hi David, > >Based on the photo this looks like a immature Least Bittern to me. I can >make out the large wing patches. I think Green Heron would be a darker bird. > >Jamie M. Chavez >Santa Maria, CA > >On 8/28/2010 8:59 PM, David Levasheff wrote: >> Hi all. >> Tonight (Saturday) my wife& I were at Longboards enjoying dinner and sunset. Suddenly my wife says who's that? I couldn't say (thanks to the mai tai) but I did get a couple shots off with the iPhone before it flew off toward the end of the pier. Looked like a green heron / bittern, but I can't confirm. Looks like a good size bird, almost the size of a bicycle wheel. >> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/23243079 AT N05/4936868602/sizes/l/in/photostream/ >> >> Sorry for the quality, but it is what it is. >> >> Thanks for your input. >> >> David > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Sep 14 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californiabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Need some Expert Help From: Joseph Morlan <jmorlan AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 22:43:52 -0700 How about Black-crowned Night-Heron? On Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:36:51 -0700, Jamie Chavez wrote: > Hi David, > >Based on the photo this looks like a immature Least Bittern to me. I can >make out the large wing patches. I think Green Heron would be a darker bird. > >Jamie M. Chavez >Santa Maria, CA > >On 8/28/2010 8:59 PM, David Levasheff wrote: >> Hi all. >> Tonight (Saturday) my wife& I were at Longboards enjoying dinner and sunset. Suddenly my wife says who's that? I couldn't say (thanks to the mai tai) but I did get a couple shots off with the iPhone before it flew off toward the end of the pier. Looked like a green heron / bittern, but I can't confirm. Looks like a good size bird, almost the size of a bicycle wheel. >> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/23243079 AT N05/4936868602/sizes/l/in/photostream/ >> >> Sorry for the quality, but it is what it is. >> >> Thanks for your input. >> >> David > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu SF Birding Classes start Sep 14 http://fog.ccsf.edu/jmorlan/ California Bird Records Committee http://www.californiabirds.org/ Western Field Ornithologists http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/ Subject: Re: Need some Expert Help From: Jamie Chavez <almiyi AT verizon.net> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 05:22:43 -0700 Yes- I can see that now. Jamie M. Chavez Santa Maria, CA On 8/28/2010 10:43 PM, Joseph Morlan wrote: > How about Black-crowned Night-Heron? > > On Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:36:51 -0700, Jamie Chavez > wrote: > >> Hi David, >> >> Based on the photo this looks like a immature Least Bittern to me. I can >> make out the large wing patches. I think Green Heron would be a darker bird. >> >> Jamie M. Chavez >> Santa Maria, CA >> >> On 8/28/2010 8:59 PM, David Levasheff wrote: >>> Hi all. >>> Tonight (Saturday) my wife& I were at Longboards enjoying dinner and sunset. Suddenly my wife says who's that? I couldn't say (thanks to the mai tai) but I did get a couple shots off with the iPhone before it flew off toward the end of the pier. Looked like a green heron / bittern, but I can't confirm. Looks like a good size bird, almost the size of a bicycle wheel. >>> >>> http://www.flickr.com/photos/23243079 AT N05/4936868602/sizes/l/in/photostream/ >>> >>> Sorry for the quality, but it is what it is. >>> >>> Thanks for your input. >>> >>> David >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Need some Expert Help From: Jamie Chavez <almiyi AT verizon.net> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:36:51 -0700 Hi David, Based on the photo this looks like a immature Least Bittern to me. I can make out the large wing patches. I think Green Heron would be a darker bird. Jamie M. Chavez Santa Maria, CA On 8/28/2010 8:59 PM, David Levasheff wrote: > Hi all. > Tonight (Saturday) my wife& I were at Longboards enjoying dinner and sunset. Suddenly my wife says who's that? I couldn't say (thanks to the mai tai) but I did get a couple shots off with the iPhone before it flew off toward the end of the pier. Looked like a green heron / bittern, but I can't confirm. Looks like a good size bird, almost the size of a bicycle wheel. > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/23243079 AT N05/4936868602/sizes/l/in/photostream/ > > Sorry for the quality, but it is what it is. > > Thanks for your input. > > David [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Need some Expert Help From: "David Levasheff" <dj_levasheff AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 03:59:50 -0000 Hi all. Tonight (Saturday) my wife & I were at Longboards enjoying dinner and sunset. Suddenly my wife says who's that? I couldn't say (thanks to the mai tai) but I did get a couple shots off with the iPhone before it flew off toward the end of the pier. Looked like a green heron / bittern, but I can't confirm. Looks like a good size bird, almost the size of a bicycle wheel. http://www.flickr.com/photos/23243079 AT N05/4936868602/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Sorry for the quality, but it is what it is. Thanks for your input. David Subject: Ocean Meadows From: "Niels" <nlameijer AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 02:19:51 -0000 Played Golf at Oceans Meadows today and of course I birded a but while walking. I have visited LLC multiple times wanting to see the Sora... and low and behold, right at the bridge to Devereux a Sora flew up out of the reeds while calling! Nice :) Location: Ocean Meadows Golf Coutrse Observation date: 8/19/10 Notes: Observing while playing golf. Sora flew up out of the reeds while calling Number of species: 18 Mallard 21 Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 2 Snowy Egret 2 Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 9 White-tailed Kite 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Sora 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Acorn Woodpecker 2 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Marsh Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Northern Mockingbird 2 California Thrasher 1 Red-winged Blackbird 30 Brewer's Blackbird 60 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Subject: White-winged Dove on Lompoc Southside From: "Paul Rosso" <prrosso AT verizon.net> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:28:31 -0700 Today, Aug 27th, around 4:30 pm, there was a White-winged Dove on the southside of Lompoc. It was on the wires to the south of Old Mission LaPurisima between South G and South E St. Paul Rosso Lompoc, CA Cell: 805-588-4320 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Audubon Bird Walk at Carpinteria Salt Marsh From: "robdenholtz" <robdenholtz AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:44:40 -0000 Friday, August 27, 2010 - Carpinteria Salt Marsh - Fourteen birders persevered this morning, through three foggy hours, birding Carp Beach, the Nature Park and the Marsh from Franklin Creek to Santa Monica Creek. Thirty-five species were spotted or heard, as follows: Elegant Tern 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 Brown Pelican 6 Double-crested Cormorant 20 Willet (Western) 2 Heermann's Gull 50 Western Gull 6 California Gull 11 Mallard 7 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Great Blue Heron 1 Snowy Egret 3 Green Heron 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Willet 1 Least Sandpiper 7 dowitcher sp. 2 Eurasian Collared-Dove 6 Anna's Hummingbird 4 Belted Kingfisher 1 Black Phoebe 4 American Crow 9 Barn Swallow 1 Cliff Swallow 5 Bushtit 15 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET 1 Northern Mockingbird 3 European Starling 4 Common Yellowthroat 2 California Towhee 4 Savannah Sparrow (Belding's) 1 Song Sparrow 2 House Finch 14 Rob Denholtz Carpinteria Subject: More Mesa Notes From: Mark Holmgren <maholmgren AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:42:03 -0700 (PDT) Both the inland and coastal forms of Savannah Sparrow are present now along the coast Inland breeding birds return to their wintering grounds in SB County as early as mid-August and some remain till early May. Lynn Watson's photo shows a coastal salt marsh type of Savannah Sparrow at More Mesa. The easiest assumption is that its a Belding's Sparrow from Goleta Slough. Coastal breeding Savannah Sparrows are identifiable relative to inland forms by the thicker, denser, more extensive breast streaking; more extensive dark brown in the plumage; slightly longer bill; slightly darker bill and legs. Regarding kites, More Mesa is typically the most predictable and consistent breeding area in the Goleta Valley. Other than in drought periods (two in 28 years have seriously affected the local kite population), kites usually breed early, breed twice, and occupy 3 territories on MM. This year is quite exceptional in that this breeding event, discovered in August, is the only breeding evidence this year on MM. Mark Holmgren Santa Barbara ________________________________ From: Lynn Watson To: sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Fri, August 27, 2010 10:10:06 AM Subject: [sbcobirding] More Mesa Notes On a few recent walks on More Mesa, no Harriers were seen. Possibly the recent sightings were of a temporary visitor. Two juvenile White-tailed Kites were seen on the west end with a parent; no kites appear to be on the east end. Seen on the east end - Loggerhead Shrike and Savannah Sparrow, and what appeared to be a couple of Cooper's Hawks chasing each other. From the cliffs, the only birds seen on the beach were gulls, some of which were Heerman's. Terns were heard over the water, but were too far away for a decent shot to id. A Great-Horned Owl was photographed close to the side of the path on the west end. http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinandra/sets/72157624819541932/show/ Lynn Watson SB [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: More Mesa Notes From: Lynn Watson <nature.shutterbug AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:10:06 -0700 (PDT) On a few recent walks on More Mesa, no Harriers were seen. Possibly the recent sightings were of a temporary visitor. Two juvenile White-tailed Kites were seen on the west end with a parent; no kites appear to be on the east end. Seen on the east end - Loggerhead Shrike and Savannah Sparrow, and what appeared to be a couple of Cooper's Hawks chasing each other. From the cliffs, the only birds seen on the beach were gulls, some of which were Heerman's. Terns were heard over the water, but were too far away for a decent shot to id. A Great-Horned Owl was photographed close to the side of the path on the west end. http://www.flickr.com/photos/deinandra/sets/72157624819541932/show/ Lynn Watson SB [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Black Vulture posted to eBird Today From: Jamie Chavez <almiyi AT verizon.net> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:28:00 -0700 All, The BLACK VULTURE was posted to eBird today seen this morning from the intersection of Hollister Ave. and Storke Rd. -- Jamie M. Chavez Santa Maria, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Osprey From: "peterschneekloth" <peterschneekloth AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 01:55:02 -0000 There was an Osprey at Lake Los Carneros today at lunch time. Peter Subject: UCSB Campus notes From: Florence Sanchez <sanchez AT polsci.ucsb.edu> Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:40:46 -0700 Yesterday, I checked out Area K. The middle portion was almost dry. There was still an abundance of peeps about, but even with a scope, I was unable to pull out anything but Western and Least Sandpipers, and a lone Semi-palmated Plover. There were still a couple of Greater Yellowlegs hanging around and at least two dozen Kildeer. The eastern pond of Area K will have water for about another week, but it's very hard to view. There is one spot opposite the Rec Cen where a tall person can see over the poison oak on the other side of the fence and look almost directly down into the east pond. Today I walked the beaches in billowing fog. On the eastern beaches, I found 4 Marbled Godwits, 1 Willet, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 8 Whimbrel, 2 juvenile Western Sandpipers, 20 Sanderlings, and a flock of 75 Black-bellied Plover. A flock that large should have had something else in it, but the best I could do was 1 juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher. I heard Elegant Terns flying by in the fog. Nothing on the rocks at campus point (high tide, high surf). The southern beach had only 3 Whimbrel. In the UCSB Lagoon, I had 1 Greater Yellowlegs, I Willet, 4 Dowitcher sp., and 12-15 peep, Western and Least mixed (mostly Least). A small flock of Selasphorus sp. has taken possession of the blooming sages near the Loma Pelona conference center. Yesterday, nice adult male Wilson's Warbler was in the Old Gym wetlands. Florence Sanchez Subject: Kelp Egret From: "rogerlenard" <rog2 AT cox.net> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 03:39:11 -0000 Today at noon there was a great egret on the kelp south off UCSB lagoon. It did not catch anything while we were watching. Subject: Re: probable bobolink Waller park From: "lbvireo" <lbviman AT blackfoot.net> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:33:30 -0000 Was it walking or hopping? Icterids walk -- Jim Greaves, Thompson Falls MT --- In sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com, Don Tate wrote: > > Well, more possible than probable. Couldn't resist the sound of "probable bobolink," sorry. Tuesday morning at 8:00 AM a bird with black patches was foraging across the lawn, with Brewer's blackbirds, near the frontage road (east edge of park). It had dark crown, sundry black patches, pale edging of flight feathers. Bottom of nape was dark, unlike pix on Google images. White eye ring. I'll leave it to the hard corps to ID. >   > - Don Tate, Lompoc > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > Subject: probable bobolink Waller park From: Don Tate <osomocoso AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:07:11 -0700 (PDT) Well, more possible than probable. Couldn't resist the sound of "probable bobolink," sorry. Tuesday morning at 8:00 AM a bird with black patches was foraging across the lawn, with Brewer's blackbirds, near the frontage road (east edge of park). It had dark crown, sundry black patches, pale edging of flight feathers. Bottom of nape was dark, unlike pix on Google images. White eye ring. I'll leave it to the hard corps to ID.   - Don Tate, Lompoc [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Waller Park, cowbird more likely From: Don Tate <osomocoso AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:20:15 -0700 (PDT) Think horse, not zebra, ha ha. Brown-headed Cowbird more likely.   - Don Tate, Lompoc [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Friday Bird Walk at Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park Aug 27 From: "Adam" <aj.lewis AT cox.net> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:09:27 -0000 When: Friday August 27, 2010 (8:30-10:30) Target Birds: Curlew, Ducks, Teals, Egrets, Godwit, Gulls, Herons, Raptors, Killdeer Leader: Jack Sanford Sponsor: Santa Barbara Audubon Society Directions: If coming from the North on Hwy 101 take Linden Ave off ramp. If coming from the South on Hwy 101 take Casitas Pass Rd off ramp and turn right on Carpinteria Ave & left on Linden Av. Follow Linden Ave towards the ocean and turn right on Sandyland Rd. Go to the end and the Nature Park Entrance is dead ahead. Adam Lewis for the SBAS www.SantaBarbaraAudubon.org Subject: Swallowtail butterfly questions From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:06:00 -0500 All: Apologies for the off-topic post, but it's possible that Giant Swallowtail butterflies may be in the process of colonizing the south coast. I saw one on Sunday in Goleta and there have been a couple of previous records. If any of you are seeing swallowtail butterflies flying around citrus trees (the food plant of Giant Swallowtail, I would love to know. Even better if you can get a photo since there are no verified records yet. I will take any responses off list. Thanks, Nick Lethaby nlethaby AT ti.com +1 805 562 5106 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Orange-crowned Warbler nest and addendum to Campus notes From: "lbvireo" <lbviman AT blackfoot.net> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:06:47 -0000 In the mid-1990's I found an OCWA nest on a creek bank along S Clara River in Ventura - it was built entirely of, and shaded by, Arundo donax, overtopped by willows. There were no oaks or chaparral in the vicinity. Earlier, in upper Santa Ynez River, I found 3 nests IN the river bottom of both Mono Creek and the Santa Ynez River [one under mugwort, the other in the open in similar bottom], and another one was within a meter of same-aged Oregon Junco nest [egg stage] on road bank at Mono Campground (both failed); I admit these latter older ones were all in situations surrounded by "chaparral woodland" slopes nearby. But, this lends (to my mind) credence to my supposition old contention that "riparian" is not a good description for "habitat" - especially when it only runs THROUGH other types of larger expanse, like oak woods, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, or desert (desert riparian is another way of looking at that type, rather than riparian desert; or, for example, if one were to change "willow riparian" to "riparian willow", one might have two entirely different types of "woodland"). Anyway, while Mark is correct that the birds are generally of a type of woodland, that woodland does not always preclude other types within it, such as riparian strips of arundo and willow ... - Jim Greaves --- In sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com, Florence Sanchez wrote: > > This year, I suspected we had an Orange-crowned Warbler pair nesting in the > ivy hedge on the front of our property. I heard young birds calling from > there and I saw the adult Orange-crowns with food in their bills flying in > and out from behind the large Ceanothus in front of the hedge. Within a > few days, I spotted the parents feeding 1-2 young birds in our back yard. > > This would be the second time OCWAs have nested in an ivy hedge in our > yard. Three years ago, it was in a smaller hedge on the east side of the > back yard. Mark Holmgren told me some time ago that any nesting of this > species outside of the preferred chaparral-oak woodland habitat is unusual. > > Yesterday, I trimmed the front hedge and got in behind the Ceanothus. I > found what I believe is the OC nest. It looks like the correct > construction from the rather mediocre pictures I've pulled off the web. > What was unusual was its height off the ground. Our mainland race of > Orange-crowned is supposed to nest on or very near the ground, and indeed, > nests I've observed at the Botanic Garden were all low down or on the > ground. The nest in our yard three years ago was about two feet off the > ground but deep inside the ivy. This year's nest was near the top of a 5' > hedge. Any thoughts about this? > > I forgot to mention other evidence of migration in my campus notes post--a > Yellow Warbler near the Library and a Wilson's Warbler outside of Ellison > Hall. > > Florence Sanchez > Subject: Orange-crowned Warbler nest and addendum to Campus notes From: Florence Sanchez <sanchez AT polsci.ucsb.edu> Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:33:51 -0700 This year, I suspected we had an Orange-crowned Warbler pair nesting in the ivy hedge on the front of our property. I heard young birds calling from there and I saw the adult Orange-crowns with food in their bills flying in and out from behind the large Ceanothus in front of the hedge. Within a few days, I spotted the parents feeding 1-2 young birds in our back yard. This would be the second time OCWAs have nested in an ivy hedge in our yard. Three years ago, it was in a smaller hedge on the east side of the back yard. Mark Holmgren told me some time ago that any nesting of this species outside of the preferred chaparral-oak woodland habitat is unusual. Yesterday, I trimmed the front hedge and got in behind the Ceanothus. I found what I believe is the OC nest. It looks like the correct construction from the rather mediocre pictures I've pulled off the web. What was unusual was its height off the ground. Our mainland race of Orange-crowned is supposed to nest on or very near the ground, and indeed, nests I've observed at the Botanic Garden were all low down or on the ground. The nest in our yard three years ago was about two feet off the ground but deep inside the ivy. This year's nest was near the top of a 5' hedge. Any thoughts about this? I forgot to mention other evidence of migration in my campus notes post--a Yellow Warbler near the Library and a Wilson's Warbler outside of Ellison Hall. Florence Sanchez Subject: UCSB Campus notes From: Florence Sanchez <sanchez AT polsci.ucsb.edu> Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:50:07 -0700 Area K continues to offer excellent shorebird habitat. AT noon today, I was able (with just binoculars!) to pick out a Semi-palmated SANDPIPER from the peeps, but did not manage to pull out a Pectoral Sandpiper. The birds are spread out from east to west, and it was likely still around but working in the stubble vegetation. I saw no dowitchers today, but still lots of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Western and Least Sandpipers, Stilts and Kildeer, and a lone Semi-palmated Plover. A Western Kingbird was working the vegetation at the edge of the marsh. {A Warning to first-time visitors: Parking along the road is not permitted anywhere on campus--you have to park in a lot and pay or risk a ticket with a hefty fine. Our Parking police are unrelenting.) Not much in the UCSB Lagoon today. Florence Sanchez Subject: Area K evening From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:09:11 -0500 All: A thorough check in the cooperative evening light turned up 3 juv Semipalmated Sandpipers. Nothing else new present. I think this spot probably has no more than a couple of days of being good left. Nick Lethaby nlethaby AT ti.com +1 805 562 5106 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: CACHUMA LAKE Birds From Monday Aug 16 - Sunday August 22, 2010 From: "Kelly, Melissa" <mkelly AT co.santa-barbara.ca.us> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:58:22 -0700 Howdy Folks, The Lake level is now down almost 12 feet. Not much of note at The Lake this week except for Nick's report from the East End: 1SEMIPALMATED PLOVER 37 LEAST SANDPIPERS 20 WESTERN SANDPIPERS 1 KILLDEER 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS Since you didn't mention the Reddish Egret Nick, I'm assuming it's gone. It was still there last Tuesday as were a GREEN HERON, 1 male WOOD DUCK still in eclipse plumage, and a WHITE-TAILED KITE. The season is changing though: 1 OSPREY 3 CALIFORNIA GULLS 2 FORSTER'S TERNS 34 COMMON MERGANSERS (22 in Santa Cruz Bay and 12 in Cachuma Bay) 1 BELTED KINGFISHER Still have AECHMOPHORUS GREBES hanging around the marina logline mating, but no new chicks this week. Birds of Cachuma Lake From Monday Aug 16 - Sunday August 22, 2010 Mostly sightings by Liz Gaspar and Melissa Kelly Canada Goose Branta canadensis Mute Swan Cygnus olor Wood Duck Aix sponsa Gadwall Anas strepera Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Common Merganser Mergus merganser Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo - I California Quail Callipepla californica Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Green Heron Butorides virescens Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis American Coot Fulica americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla California Gull Larus californicus Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus Nuttall's Woodpecker Picoides nuttallii Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Western Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor Oak Titmouse Baeolophus inornatus Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana American Robin Turdus migratorius Wrentit Chamaea fasciata California Thrasher Toxostoma redivivum European Starling Sturnus vulgaris - I Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus California Towhee Pipilo crissalis Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria House Sparrow Passer domesticus - I I Assistant Naturalist Cachuma Lake County Park Santa Barbara County, CA 805.688-4515 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Spotted Owl From: Peter Schneekloth <peterschneekloth AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:52:37 -0700 (PDT) A very cooperative Spotted Owl was seen along Davey Brown trail on Figueroa Mountain today. Taking the trail from Figueroa Mt. Road decend to where the trail takes a hard right turn and crosses the stream with a deep pool to your right (this is the first water you will see on the way down). The trail then decends along a fairly deep ravine then takes a hard left at the bottom of the ravine where the ravine ties into another creek coming from the right. The bird was seen below trail level looking down into the ravine perhaps two thirds of the way down the trail between the pool at the top and the left turn at the bottom. This gave the impression of being a young bird with lots of downy feathers protruding on the back and back of head. Peter Schneekloth [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Backyard Dove From: "marge" <thorntonmlt AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 20:40:47 -0000 We had quite a shock this afternoon when an unsual dove showed up in our feeder area. We took some pictures and posted them on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dd_thornton/sets/72157624783412700/detail/#photo4916933273 It certainly looks like a White-winged Dove. We have seen them in Arizona, but not here. Marge and Don Thornton Goleta Subject: Sunday shorebirds From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:27:32 -0500 All: At Area K I had 2 juv Semipalmated Sandpipers and the continuing Pectoral Sandpiper. SBDO juvs are now up to 3 and there are 4 Semipalmated Plovers. The E. end of Lake Cachuma had a Seimpalmated Plover, 37 Least and 20 Western Sandpipers and 2 Spotted Sandpipers. No other shorebirds other than Killdeer, which was disappointing considering the nice habitat. Nick Lethaby nlethaby AT ti.com +1 805 562 5106 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: birds of Los Alamos Park From: Alex Viduetsky <aviduetsky AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 21:31:47 -0700 (PDT) Hello birders, I visited today the Los Alamos Park, my main goal was to see and photograph Yellow-billed Magpies, which are California endemic birds. I was very glad to find them. Here's the list of all birds that I observed today at the park (I uploaded my list via the eBird web-site) + some of my photos that I uploaded via the Flickr. Location: Los Alamos Park Observation date: 8/21/10 Number of species: 18 Turkey Vulture 5 Killdeer 2 Mourning Dove 3 Anna's Hummingbird 1 Acorn Woodpecker 7 Nuttall's Woodpecker 1 Black Phoebe 2 Western Scrub-Jay 15 Yellow-billed Magpie 12 American Crow X Oak Titmouse 5 Bushtit 9 Bewick's Wren 2 California Thrasher 6 California Towhee 2 Song Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 4 Lesser Goldfinch 4 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Some of my today's photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33691985 AT N08/sets/72157624778176100/detail/ or the slide show: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33691985 AT N08/sets/72157624778176100/show/ On my way back home I stopped at the park Lake Los Carneros where I saw how a WT Kite was harassing a Turkey Vulture, also I photographed a bird in the reeds by the bridge that I cannot ID. Would you be so kind to help me with ID, please. Here's the link to my today's mystery bird: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33691985 AT N08/4915275404/lightbox/ I appreciate your comments! Good birding, Alexander Viduetsky Valley Village, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Area K From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:16:04 -0500 All: I saw the SP and Pec Sands again tonight. No sign of the hendersoni dowitcher. There were 18 Greater and 8 Lesser Legs but slightly fewer peeps. Nick Subject: Osprey at Deveraux From: Peter Dullea <pdullea AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 23:47:11 +0000 There was an Osprey at Deveraux about 2:00 pm today, sitting in the trees at the bridge, right before the new gate. "Many fish bites if you got good bait!" -Taj Mahal Peter Dullea 232 Willow Drive Solvang, CA 93463 (805) 350-1304 KI6PWE [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: LLL Shovelers From: "David Levasheff" <dj_levasheff AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 01:08:28 -0000 While looking for the lost Wood Duck Sat AM united about 6 Northern Shovelers. David Subject: White-tailed Kites over east SM Foothills From: "jared.dawson40" <jared.dawson40 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:14:15 -0000 In many years of regular walks on the edge of the eastern area of San Marcos Foothills (up Debra Dr towards La Vista) we had yet to see a White-tailed Kite, but yesterday an adult pair in close proximity flew overhead out of the northeast towards the southwest. Really should not be that surprising, but it was a first for us at this location. Jared Dawson Santa Barbara Subject: LLC Lost Wood Duck From: "David Levasheff" <dj_levasheff AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:49:34 -0000 680 9213 968-5993 Diane has lost a male molting Wood Duck. Last seen at LLC. It is mostly brown with red around the eyes. Last seen last evening. It is friendly. Call above numbers if found.  Subject: black vulture? From: "Bobbie" <bobbieo AT cox.net> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:19:20 -0000 I live in the foothills of Carp east of the SB Polo field. For the last few weeks I have seen what I think is the black vulture. He seems smaller than the usual turkey vulture and does not have a red head. I put out a dead gopher on top of a shed, which he took after a few days. I know Karen Bridgers said it was seen at the west end of Goleta. Could he be down in Carpinteria also? Maybe more than one? Bobbie Offen, Carpinteria foothills Subject: More Jesusita News From: "2Palleys" <2palleys AT cox.net> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 01:49:20 -0700 Friday morning Kenny and I had probably the best birding ever during our short hike up the Jesusita Trail. Shortly after starting, we had a pair of BH Grosbeaks, then further on saw a WB Nuthatch, an OC Warbler, 2 House Wrens, a couple of Wrentits, 2 Flickers, a Hairy Woodpecker (female), a Downy Woodpecker (female), a Sharp Shinned Hawk flying low, a Canyon Wren (calling), a Western Wood Peewee, several Pacific Slope Flycatchers, and many other "usual suspects". Alex Palley [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Area K shorebirds From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:06:35 -0500 All: I went back to Area K this evening and spent about 45 minutes counting and shifting through the birds, finally catching up with Kyle's Semipalmated Sandpiper: Semipalmated Plover - 1 Long-billed Dowitcher - 2 adults in summer plumage Short-billed Dowitcher - 2, a juv and an adult in summer plumage which may well be of subspecies hendersoni Lesser Yellowlegs - 8 Greater Yellowlegs - 9 Pectoral Sandpiper - 1 juv Least Sandpiper - 15 Western Sandpiper - 105 Semipalmated Sandpiper - 1 juv Nick Lethaby nlethaby AT ti.com +1 805 562 5106 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: birding at various spots this a.m., Aug. 20 From: "Joan Lentz" <joanlentz AT cox.net> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:36:36 -0700 Hi Everyone: This morning Rebecca Coulter and I dusted off our birding shoes & went out! Yay, fall is almost here. First we checked out Devereux, which was pretty boring, especially since visibility was reduced due to thick, thick fog. Then, we went to Area K at the Goleta Slough overlook, which was sunny & there were lots of shorebirds. Nick Lethaby joined us after awhile. We saw at least 7 Lesser Yellowlegs mixed in w/ Greaters, 1 Short-billed Dowitcher, and a quite a few peep that were extremely difficult to examine. We looked for Kyle's Semi-palmated Sandpiper w/ no luck. I think evening would be better viewing conditions. I did see my first PECTORAL SANDPIPER of the season, hiding in the Salicornia. Then we went to Goleta Sewage Treatment Plant which was totally devoid of shorebirds. The south pond is completely drained and the north pond has no habitat. We couldn't resist finishing by stopping at the end of Coronado, which was very birdy. The little bathing pool is in exactly the same condition as last year. It is attracting birds to bathe (late morning is best). We had flocks of Bushtits, Orange-crowned Warblers, and a Wilson's Warbler. Then we went to the car wash place. Some volunteer has got to be in charge of filling the potholes during the week, when most people don't wash their cars! There were plenty of Selasphorus hummers in the bottlebrush and a blooming agave nearby was attracting Bullock's and Hooded Orioles. Further east along the trail, just in the vicinity of where the clearing was where good birds were found last year, there were LERPS on the eucs. So.....let's go birding! Joan Lentz Santa Barbara Subject: Waller Park 8/20- FOF Townsend's Warbler From: Jamie Chavez <almiyi AT verizon.net> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:03:39 -0700 Group, In Santa Maria's Waller Park this morning I found a few fall migrants which included my first of fall (FOF) Townsend's Warbler. I spotted a HY female in a mixed flock of resident Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Bushtits. Loosely associated with the flock were two Wilson's Warblers, three Orange-crowned Warblers and a Yellow. I thought I briefly heard a Brown Creeper but I was unable to find what I was hearing. All were in the pines and deciduous trees in approximately the center of the park. Also seen was a Dark-eyed Junco feeding a Brown-headed Cowbird, as well as another bird feeding it's own kind. A House Wren was the only other suspected "migrant" seen today. Lastly, the Ross's Goose, Snow Goose and Cackling Goose are still in the front pond. The complete list is below if you care about numbers. Good birding! -- Jamie M. Chavez Santa Maria, CA ----------------------------------- Location: Waller Park Observation date: 8/20/10 Number of species: 40 Snow Goose 1 Continuing bird Ross's Goose 1 Continuing bird Cackling Goose 1 Continuing bird Mallard X Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 19 Red-shouldered Hawk (California) 2 Red-tailed Hawk (Western) 4 Eurasian Collared-Dove 5 Anna's Hummingbird 16 Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Acorn Woodpecker 2 Nuttall's Woodpecker 3 Downy Woodpecker 2 Black Phoebe 6 Hutton's Vireo 1 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) 8 American Crow 1 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 7 Bushtit 18 House Wren 1 American Robin 4 Northern Mockingbird 1 California Thrasher 1 European Starling 13 Orange-crowned Warbler 3 Yellow Warbler 1 Townsend's Warbler 1 HY female Common Yellowthroat 1 Wilson's Warbler 2 California Towhee 2 Song Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 7 Red-winged Blackbird 2 Brewer's Blackbird 53 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Being fed by Dark-eyed Junco Lesser Goldfinch 4 House Sparrow 6 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/california/ ) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Green Heron in Ellwood From: Wim van Dam <wim.van.dam AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:19:15 -0700 For some reason, ever since late spring the Green Herons around the Ocean Meadows golf course have been more easy to see than normal when I only saw them at dusk or dawn. In June I had them daily on my walks there, often 2 of them and at some point, I think, 3. I wondered if this is because they were breeding at OMGC (although they didn't look like juveniles) or because of the disturbance caused by the building of the university housing there, which started at about the same time. - Wim (Solvang) On Aug 19, 2010, at 10:54 PM, alcyone177 wrote: > I saw a Green Heron at around 3:15 pm this Thursday, August 19, at > the bridge that divides the Ocean Meadows golf course from the > Devereux Slough. It was on the rocks on the golf course side of the > bridge. I thought I would post it here because I've never seen one > before at that location, and the little green dudes aren't getting > any more common in general. > > > > ------------------------------------ > > For everything birding in Santa Barbara County: http://www.sbcobirding.com > . Yahoo! Groups Links > > > Subject: Green Heron in Ellwood From: "alcyone177" <alcyone175 AT aol.com> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:54:50 -0000 I saw a Green Heron at around 3:15 pm this Thursday, August 19, at the bridge that divides the Ocean Meadows golf course from the Devereux Slough. It was on the rocks on the golf course side of the bridge. I thought I would post it here because I've never seen one before at that location, and the little green dudes aren't getting any more common in general. Subject: Area K Semipalmated Sandpiper From: "kylebraunger" <kylebraunger AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 03:07:56 -0000 Late this afternoon Area K had lots of shorebird activity which included numerous Yellowlegs of both species, a few Wilson's Phalaropes, a Pectoral Sandpiper, and a Semipalmated Sandpiper. Kyle Braunger Subject: UCSB Campus notes From: Florence Sanchez <sanchez AT polsci.ucsb.edu> Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:08:54 -0700 A walk at noontime today found the following birds on the east-facing beaches: 12 Semi-palmated Plovers 10 Black-bellied Plovers 6 Marbled Godwits 9 Whimbrels 6 Willets 12-15 Sanderlings 9 Western Sandpipers On the rocks at campus point, there were 2 Pelagic Cormorants and 6 Black Turnstones--no Surfbirds today. Just west of Campus Point, I found 1 Long-billed Curlew and another Marbled Godwit. Savannah Sparrowss have returned to the beaches and bluffs. The UCSB Lagoon had 2 Willets, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Western Sandpipers, and 3 Least Sandpipers. Subject: UCSB Campus notes From: Florence Sanchez <sanchez AT polsci.ucsb.edu> Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:32:46 -0700 On the east-facing beaches today, I found: 9 Semi-palmated Plovers 25 Black-bellied Plovers 3 Whimbrels 4 Willets 6 Marbled Godwits at least 100 Sanderlings One the rocks at Campus Point, there were 8 Black Turnstones and 5 Surfbirds. The UCSb Lagoon was pretty quiet. In addition to the usual Stilts and Kildeer, there were 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Western Sandpipers, and 1 Least Sandpiper. This morning, there was a Wilson's Warbler in the pepper tree outside the southwest entrance to Ellison Hall. Florence Sanchez Subject: Re: Black Skimmers From: Dave Compton <davcompton AT verizon.net> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:05:23 -0700 (PDT) To elaborate on this a little more, it's true that skimmers generally are never really "gone" from the Santa Barbara area, as Ria suggests. However, numbers tend to dwindle to a very few in spring and summer, when most are at their breeding grounds, mostly to the south, but also in the Bay Area. By April, a lot of our birds have departed, and stragglers continue to move out during May and June. About this time of year, we start to see more skimmers. But the bigger numbers don't come until later in the fall and in the winter, after most of the breeding birds return.   As most birders know, the status of this species has changed dramatically in recent decades. The first record for California didn't come until 1962, and breeding was first recorded ten years later. The first record for Santa Barbara County came in 1976. Skimmers were not a regular feature of our local avifauna until the 1990s.   One more aside. Bob Hansen, who for years did regular walks of East Beach, counting Snowy Plovers and Black Skimmer, provided a lot of the information about the occurrence of this species in Santa Barbara. Without his monthly reports during the1990s and early 2000s, it would be a lot harder to assemble good information about this species' occurrence during the summer.   Dave Compton Santa Barbara --- On Tue, 8/17/10, Ria Marsh wrote: From: Ria Marsh Subject: [sbcobirding] Black Skimmers To: sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 8:05 PM There are Black Skimmers around East Beach all year.  We have had large numbers of them on the Christmas Bird Count. Ria Marsh East Beach [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ For everything birding in Santa Barbara County: http://www.sbcobirding.com . Yahoo! Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: White-faced Ibis at LLC this Evening From: "Elliot" <romancandle1 AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 04:18:07 -0000 My wife and I saw the White-faced Ibis at Lake Los Carneros this evening. There was a concert at the Stow House this evening and thankfully she encouraged me to push on a little further to keep birding when I wanted to turn around due to the music. Then there it was. It hung around and I got a bunch of pictures. I posted three on my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hydrocil/ Subject: Black Skimmers From: "Ria Marsh" <rrsmarsh AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:05:13 -0700 There are Black Skimmers around East Beach all year. We have had large numbers of them on the Christmas Bird Count. Ria Marsh East Beach [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Goleta shorebirds From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:52:54 -0500 All: There was a Baird's Sandpiper at Devereux with the small Western flock. Area K held the WF Ibis, a full summer-plumage Black-bellied Plover, a juv Short-billed Dowitcher, 11 Greater and 7 Lesser Yellowlegs, and 13 Wilson's Phalaropes. There were about 25 peeps. These are getting a bit easier to see but I did not scope them out in detail. Nick Lethaby nlethaby AT ti.com +1 805 562 5106 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: UCSB Campus notes From: Florence Sanchez <sanchez AT polsci.ucsb.edu> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:16:41 -0700 I walked the beaches at noon today. On the east side beaches, I had a nice mixed flock of 3 Whimbrel, 1 Long-billed Curlew, 1 Marbled Godwit, 4 Willets, 35 Black-bellied Plovers (all molting adults in various stages), and 9 fresh juvenile Western Sandpipers. On the beach at Campus Point, I had 7 Black Turnstones, 2 of them juveniles. I also ran into rara avis Hugh Ranson, going back to check out a mysterious "whit" call high in the eucalyptus near San Nicholas and San Miguel Halls. Hope he was successful in finding the bird. The gull flock on the east beach included two Caspian terns, one of them a begging juvenile. In the UCSB Lagoon, there were 2 Western Sandpipers, 1 Least Sandpiper, and 2 Dowitcher sp. along with the usual Kildeer and Black-necked Stilts. Closer to the UCEN I had a single Greater Yellowlegs, and 1 more each of Western and Least Sandpipers. Florence Sanchez Subject: Black Skimmers From: "2Palleys" <2palleys AT cox.net> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:10:16 -0700 This morning we saw about 3 dozen black skimmers skimming about midway between Stearns Wharf and East Beach Grill, heading East. We thought they "should" be gone by now....Can anyone explain? Thanks, Ken and Alex Palley [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Santa Barbara Island + boat crossing From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:20:44 -0500 All: I visited Santa Barbara Island today to deploy some automated bird recording units with Mike Powers from Cornell Labs. As expected, signs of landbird migration were limited. We did see a juvenile Loggerhead Shrike, which I haven't seen previously on the island, and a couple of Lazuli Buntings. The boat crossing was a bit tedious with regular sightings of Sooty and Pink-footed Shearwaters and Black and Ashy (fewer) Storm-Petrels. A single South Polar Skua was also seen. Jaegers were completely absent despite numerous Royal/Elegant Terns flocks hanging out on the kelp patties. Nick Lethaby nlethaby AT ti.com +1 805 562 5106 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: UCSB Campus notes From: Florence Sanchez <sanchez AT polsci.ucsb.edu> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:41:40 -0700 Today there was not much activity in the UCSB Lagoon. Near the Faculty Club, there were 5 Least Sandpipers, 1 Western Sandpiper, a Willet and a lone Dowitcher with its head under its wing. Single individuals of Western and Least Sandpiper were further down near the Faculty Club. I had a Wilson's Warbler today at noon in the Old Gym wetlands. My husband Tom notes the he had a Spotted Sandpiper in the new wetlands on the municipal golf course yesterday. This is a first for that particular area. Florence Sanchez Subject: More BH Grosbeaks From: "2Palleys" <2palleys AT cox.net> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:07:06 -0700 Kenny and I saw 2 first year male BH Grosbeaks this morning on the Jesusita Trail. One was up at the water fountain, the second at the start of the trail. We had seen one there Monday also. We saw a WB Nuthatch and an OC warbler also. We had never seen Grosbeaks on that trail before. Also, a couple weeks ago at Lake Carneros, in the general area where kite nests usually are, we saw 4 juvenile kites...each of us spotting 2 in separate trees at the same time. Hopefully, there are plenty of voles for all. Alex Palley [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Birds of Cachuma Lake From Monday Aug 9 - Sunday August 15, 2010 From: "Kelly, Melissa" <mkelly AT co.santa-barbara.ca.us> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:49:42 -0700 Hola Fellow Birders, The Lake is down 11.5 feet from the maximum surface elevation of 753'. Groups of 40-50 WESTERN and CLARK'S GREBES have been hanging around the marina logline daily; one or two pairs always seem to be poised and ready for copulation. We're seeing less than 10 chicks out on the lake; making a pretty good sweep of the lake, we saw 7 this morning. Friday 13 Aug: A GREATER YELLOWLEGS calling as it flew over the marina. Saturday14 Aug: 3 CALIFORNIA GULLS have made it back to the lake. Sunday 15 Aug: GREAT HORNED OWL perched on the cliff face in a small cove on the north shore just east of Cachuma Bay. Small TERN seen from a long distance, flying over Jack Rabbit Flats. Birds of Cachuma Lake From Monday Aug 9 - Sunday August 15, 2010 Mostly sightings by Liz Gaspar and Melissa Kelly Canada Goose Branta canadensis Mute Swan Cygnus olor Gadwall Anas strepera Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Common Merganser Mergus merganser Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo - I California Quail Callipepla californica Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis American Coot Fulica americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius California Gull Larus californicus Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus Nuttall's Woodpecker Picoides nuttallii Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Western Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Oak Titmouse Baeolophus inornatus Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis House Wren Troglodytes aedon Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana American Robin Turdus migratorius Wrentit Chamaea fasciata California Thrasher Toxostoma redivivum European Starling Sturnus vulgaris - I Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus California Towhee Pipilo crissalis Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria House Sparrow Passer domesticus - I I Assistant Naturalist Cachuma Lake County Park Santa Barbara County, CA 805.688-4515 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Black-headed Grosbeak in SB. From: "Noah" <skater_ako1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:42:43 -0000 8/15/10 A first fall male BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK came into the drip at my house twice today. This bird has been long overdue on my yard list (62) and is the first I have seen this fall. Activity has been picking up slowly in the yard with finch numbers rising and 2 juvenile and one female HOODED ORIOLES frequenting the yard. No pics of the yard birds but I just added a lot of older trips including a recent one to the Farallones. http://picasaweb.google.com/NoahGaines Noah Gaines Santa Barbara, CA Subject: Cachuma egret and skimmer; Guadalupe From: Dave Compton <davcompton AT verizon.net> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:14:48 -0700 (PDT) Today, Sunday, 15 August, I birded the east end of Cachuma and the irrigated pasture next to the Guadalupe sewage plant.   At the east end of Cacuma, the immature REDDISH EGRET continues. Also, a BLACK SKIMMER was on the mudflats and flying around a bit. The few inland records we have for this species in the county are all from Cachuma. Also in the area were an adult MUTE SWAN and a couple of SNOWY EGRETS, which are uncommon at the lake.   The pasture at Guadalupe was pretty green, but all the water was concentrated at the east end, where the ditch running along the south edge of the pasture was dumping a bunch of water. Otherwise, nearly all the water was in the low areas along the north edge of the pasture. The area at the east end of the pasture had NO shorebirds. I found a few Least Sandpipers and a single Western near the road, but the rest of the shorebirds were concentrated along the far, north edge of the pasture. Some heat haze was making viewing difficult by the time I got there in late morning. So while numbers were pretty good, viewing was pretty challenging.   Here's are the shorebirds I could make out:   Black-bellied Plover - 2 Semipalmated Plover - 12 (could be more) Killdeer - 4 Black-necked Stilt - 4 (1 ad,2 juv, 1 unknown) Greater Yellowlegs - 4 Lesser Yellowlegs- 8 yellowlegs sp. - 8 Willet - 1 Long-billed Curlew - 1 flying over Western Sandpiper - 3 Least Sandpiper - 40 small calidrid sp. - 80 (possibly more) BAIRD'S SANDPIPER - 1 juv Long-billed Dowitcher - 2 ad Short-billed Dowitcher - 1 calling dowitcher sp. - 27 (mostly juvs)   Dave Compton Santa Barbara [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Sunday shorebirds From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 14:44:19 -0500 All: A quick check of Devereux had nothing. At El Capitan, I had 4 Wandering Tattlers, 2 ads and 2 juvs, along with several Spotted Sandpipers. Area K continues to get a lot better. Today I had 17 Lesser and 8 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Wilson's Phalaropes, and a juv Short-billed Dowitcher. At least 15 peeps were making occasional flights. Nick Lethaby nlethaby AT ti.com +1 805 562 5106 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Goleta birds From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 19:20:12 -0500 All: I walked the entire length of the beach from the W. edge of Ellwood (can someone confirm how to spell this - I see both Ellwood and Elwood used on the web) bluffs to Devereux Slough. Highlight was a juvenile Baird's Sandpiper feeding several hundred yards west of the slough mouth. There were 103 Semipalmated Plovers along with numerous Black-bellied and Snowy Plovers and Sanderlings roosting at the slough mouth. Devereux itself was pretty quiet except for an adult WF Ibis. I later checked Area K. Although counting shorebirds here remains very problematic due to all the vegetation, I felt I saw 2 Willets, 5 Lesser and 6 Greater Yellowlegs, a Wilson's Phalarope, and a few each of Western and Least Sandpipers. So things are improving here. There was also a juvenile WF Ibis present. Nick Lethaby nlethaby AT ti.com +1 805 562 5106 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: report from Carp From: "robdenholtz" <robdenholtz AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:43:35 -0000 Saturday, Aug. 14, 2010, 7:00 am - Spent some time this morning in the "lagoon" at the mouth of the Santa Monica Creek in the Carp. Salt Marsh Preserve. Highlight was a flock of 95 Black-bellied Plovers, some still showing some breeding black on face, throat and belly. Also had two Semi-palmated Plovers and a lifetime supply of Willets. In the Salt Marsh Nature Park, there were three young Barn Swallows (we had a couple pairs nest under the franklin Creek Bridge this spring.) Also had a Cooper's Hawk fly-over the Marsh Park, causing Killdeer and "peeps" to flee in terror. Rob DenholtzCarpinteria [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: LLC Ibis flyby From: "David Levasheff" <dj_levasheff AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 23:24:00 -0000 If one wants shear number, I was most impressed by the multiple lines of hundreds of Ibis coming in at dusk for the night at the Pixley National Wildlife refuge. March 2009 David --- In sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com, "lbvireo" wrote: > > Don't know about in Santa Barbara County, but one can see upwards (if not more than) 100 White-faced Ibis of various ages including nearly fresh juveniles in the Fillmore area in summer [Ventura County]. Look in watercress farms, or one might be lucky to see a few at the outfall of the Fish Hatchery [along with Common mergansers which breed in Piru Creek, as well as, if lucky, Sora of various ages] - Jim Greaves, Thompson Falls MT > > --- In sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com, "David Levasheff" wrote: > > > > 11:40 Lake Los Carneros - flock of 17 Ibis fly over fairly low. Light and time did not allow for a great look, but I assume they were white-faced. Followed them as they flew off towards radio tower peak. The circled and gained altitude for several minutes. They then flew up the coast, watched them till they were out of sight.  > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > Subject: Re: LLC Ibis flyby From: "lbvireo" <lbviman AT blackfoot.net> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:42:00 -0000 Don't know about in Santa Barbara County, but one can see upwards (if not more than) 100 White-faced Ibis of various ages including nearly fresh juveniles in the Fillmore area in summer [Ventura County]. Look in watercress farms, or one might be lucky to see a few at the outfall of the Fish Hatchery [along with Common mergansers which breed in Piru Creek, as well as, if lucky, Sora of various ages] - Jim Greaves, Thompson Falls MT --- In sbcobirding AT yahoogroups.com, "David Levasheff" wrote: > > 11:40 Lake Los Carneros - flock of 17 Ibis fly over fairly low. Light and time did not allow for a great look, but I assume they were white-faced. Followed them as they flew off towards radio tower peak. The circled and gained altitude for several minutes. They then flew up the coast, watched them till they were out of sight.  > > Sent from my iPhone > Subject: LLC Ibis flyby From: "David Levasheff" <dj_levasheff AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:34:30 -0000 11:40 Lake Los Carneros - flock of 17 Ibis fly over fairly low. Light and time did not allow for a great look, but I assume they were white-faced. Followed them as they flew off towards radio tower peak. The circled and gained altitude for several minutes. They then flew up the coast, watched them till they were out of sight.  Sent from my iPhone Subject: Carpinteria Vultures From: Hugh Ranson <zonetail AT verizon.net> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:14:26 -0700 After yesterday's Black Vulture sighting in Carp, I took a look at the vulture roost at the Carpinteria bluffs. 8 Turkey Vultures were all I could come up with. While scanning trees to the north, I picked up a flock of 18 ibis circling north of the freeway. After a few minutes they flew west. There were 4 Wandering Tattlers at the seal rookery. Yesterday at the SB Bird Refuge, there was a Mute Swan, along with an Ash-throated Flycatcher. Hugh R. SB Subject: Carpinteria Salt Marsh report From: "robdenholtz" <robdenholtz AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:21:11 -0000 Thursday, Aug. 12, 7:45 am - Season's first Ash-throated Flycatcher spotted this morning in Basin I, just east of Franklin Creek. The White-tailed Kite continues to hunt over the Marsh. Also had several Black-crowned Night Herons in Franklin Creek, including two adults and two juveniles of different ages. Saw four Rough-winged Swallows which aren't all that common here. A juvenile Green Heron was fishing in Santa Monica Creek. Also saw four Western Sandpipers there. Rob Denholtz Carpinteria Subject: Carpinteria Christmas Bird Count From: "robdenholtz" <robdenholtz AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:25:11 -0000 This year's Carpinteria Christmas Bird Count will take place on Saturday, December 18, 2010. Contact Rob Denholtz (robdenholtz AT gmail.com) to sign up. All birders are welcome . . . especially newbies. Rob DenholtzCarpinteria [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Black vulture in Carpinteria From: "jay" <bjods AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:15:57 -0000 11;20 am Bailard Ave and Via Real. It flew Northeast toward mountains. This bird is obvious. The white in the wing tips was instantly clear. It did however vanish rater quickly behind the low houses. Jay