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10 Oct Franklin's Gull Tahoe [Will Richardson ] 10 Oct Heermann's Gull and more at Cove East ["Don Harriman" ] 9 Oct Tahoe follow-up [Will Richardson ] 9 Oct Re: Tahoe Franklin's Gulls [] 9 Oct Tahoe Franklin's Gulls [Will Richardson ] 01 Oct Second-hand report -- Sandhill Cranes at Martis Lake [] 30 Sep Tahoe Scrub-Jays [Will Richardson ] 29 Sep Granlibakken last week ["Perrone, Michael" ] 28 Sep Tahoe stuff [Will Richardson ] 27 Sep Nevada County ["Rudy Darling" ] 26 Sep American Wigeon at Cameron Park Lake ["at_jackson AT sbcglobal.net" ] 26 Sep American Wigeon at Cameron Park Lake ["at_jackson AT sbcglobal.net" ] 25 Sep a few Tahoe birds [Will Richardson ] 24 Sep South Lake Tahoe/Cove East [Susan Stevenson ] 22 Sep Kayaking Tahoe ["Kirk Hardie" ] 19 Sep FOS Golden-crowned Sparrow [] 17 Sep Parasitic Jaeger at Lake Tahoe (Placer) [] 15 Sep Tahoe Pileated [Richard Carlson ] 15 Sep White-crowned Sparrow Return Dates ["at_jackson AT sbcglobal.net" ] 15 Sep White-crowned Sparrow Return Dates ["at_jackson AT sbcglobal.net" ] 14 Sep Re: Sierra mystery (?) sound [] 14 Sep Re: Sierra mystery (?) sound [Chris ] 14 Sep Sierra mystery (?) sound ["David Kuhn" ] 13 Sep Modoc Birds 9/10-11 [Steve Glover ] 13 Sep Lassen County jaeger, Chestnut-sided Warbler [Steve Glover ] 12 Sep Sabine's Gull and Common Tern at N. Lake Tahoe [] 11 Sep Lake Forest coverage? [Will Richardson ] 10 Sep RFI: North Tahoe ["Alison Sheehey" ] 10 Sep Target birds ["Brendan OSullivan" ] 10 Sep Re: Visitor in search of Pine Grosbeak [] 10 Sep Incline Pine Grosbeaks [Will Richardson ] 9 Sep RE: Visitor in search of Pine Grosbeak ["Bruce Webb" ] 10 Sep Visitor in search of Pine Grosbeak ["Kevin Liberg" ] 9 Sep Upper Truckee River mouth 9/8 [Ryan Phillips ] 8 Sep NEV Western Sandpiper ["Rudy Darling" ] 4 Sep Tahoe Gnatcatcher [Richard Carlson ] 04 Sep Semipalmated Sandpiper-Placer Co. ["Deren Ross" ] 2 Sep Sanderling and Black Tern at n. Lake Tahoe (Placer County) [] 1 Sep Franklin's Gull, Terns, Swifts @ Lake Forest [Will Richardson ] 1 Sep Birds of many feathers... ["Lisa Moraga" ] 1 Sep RT Hummer a no-show on Monday ["Rudy Darling" ] 31 Aug Hybrid Hermit/Townsend's Warblers, Jackson Meadow area, Sierra Co. (forward) [] 31 Aug Nevada County east side ["Rudy Darling" ] 31 Aug Ruby-throat day 9 ["Rudy Darling" ] 31 Aug Re: (Neveda County) Ruby-throated Hummingbird day 8, Saturday 30 August 2008 ["Mike Feighner" ] 31 Aug Re: (Neveda County) Ruby-throated Hummingbird day 8, Saturday 30 August 2008 ["Mike Feighner" ] 30 Aug Ruby-throat day 8 ["Rudy Darling" ] 29 Aug RT Hummingbird - day 7 (Fri.) ["Rudy Darling" ] 28 Aug Snag Lake, Lassen NP ["sequoia49" ] 28 Aug Thursday Ruby-throat update ["Rudy Darling" ] 27 Aug Nevada & Placer Counties [Kathryn Parker ] 27 Aug Ruby-throated Hummingbird (NEV) and Snowy Plover (PLA) ["Deren Ross" ] Subject: Franklin's Gull Tahoe From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:50:13 -0700 I got down to S. Lake just in time to take a few dark digiscopes of the adult Franklin's Gull - just minutes before a few Bonaparte's and California Gulls came in, gathered the Franklin's and a few others, and the whole ensemble circled up high and southward. Then the weather got serious, with wind-driven pelt-you-in-the-eyes graupel. The gull had been on the Cove East side of the delta, along with four Gr. Yellowlegs, a well-camouflaged Sanderling, and a skittish falcon (Peregrine?) that was eating something big and black (coot?) on the beach, but evaporated into the weather upon my arrival. One sparrow at Cove East gave me fits, since it refused to flush up, but chose instead to scurry around like a mouse. That sort of behavior always make me think I might be dealing with something a little more exotic, but who knows? It was also neat to see swarms of Yellow-rumps working the blossoms on the rabbitbrush. On the other side of the river were about 25 Gr. White-fronted Geese, a snipe, hundreds of pipits, and two other intrepid birders that I saw from the west side but that had split by the time I got over there. The pipits were everywhere; I even saw a few land on lily pads in the marsh. It was pretty interesting to see them shuffling along into the wind, foraging along in the mud, each with a dollop of snow pasted to its forehead. A quick stop at Lake Forest produced nothing new. Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: Heermann's Gull and more at Cove East From: "Don Harriman" <donh AT netfeed.com> Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:58:29 -0000 A few birds of interest at Cove East on the south shore around sunset this evening. In the mix of gulls by the channel mouth, 2 Heermann's Gulls (all dark - 2nd winter according to Sibley), 2 American Avocets, and 5 Marbled Godwits. Out on the delta, a nice gaggle of Greater White-fronted Geese (25+). Don Harriman South Lake Tahoe, CASubject: Tahoe follow-up From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 17:53:54 -0700 I never made it down to S. Lake today, but I did bird Lake Forest and Pomin for a spell with Deren Ross. Quite birdy everywhere, it seemed. The story of the day was pipits and speckle-bellies. Todd and John said they had a flock of about 40 Greater White-fronted Geese at S. Lake. We had 4 at Lake Forest, and then there was another 2 at the Truckee R. outlet. Sounds like they're all over Nevada and the East Side of the Sierra right now too. Also co-occurring across that region are Franklin's Gulls, and it sounds like some S. Lake birders picked one up at the Upper Truckee River delta yesterday, surely one of the pair seen today. Todd and John also reported some avocets, yellowlegs, and Western Sandpipers. Deren had a few Sabine's at Lake Forest that I didn't see. At least one Brewer's Sparrow at Pomin pushes my late date back a few days, and Common Yellowthroats (Pomin and Truckee R. outlet) and Western Sandpipers ought to be moving along soon too. My best bird today was probably a Lark Sparrow at Pomin. Also, S. Lake birders are reporting that a kite continues at the Upper Truckee River Marsh. Tomorrow, I'll try a little harder to get down to the southern end of the lake. Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: Re: Tahoe Franklin's Gulls From: derenross AT sbcglobal.net Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 16:41:45 +0000 Will and All, I checked Lake Forest early this AM (0640-0830). A Bald Eagle and a Black-bellied Plover were the only birds of note at that time. I plan to make a second pass around 10am. Deren Ross Tahoe City Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T -----Original Message----- From: Will RichardsonSubject: Tahoe Franklin's Gulls From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 08:37:14 -0700 Just got a call from Todd Easterla and John Sterling, who had two Franklin's Gulls at the Upper Truckee R. delta this morning. Also present were hundreds of American Pipits. Last Saturday, Todd (and John?) also had a Burrowing Owl and a hatch-year male Rose-breasted Grosbeak down there. The owl was at Cove East and flew into the condos across the marina. The grosbeak was at the condos feeding on Mtn. Ash (I think). I'm heading down to check Lake Forest and Pomin right now (0830)... Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: Second-hand report -- Sandhill Cranes at Martis Lake From: martin AT sierrabirdbum.com Date: Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:03:22 -0700 Bob Goodman, a Reno area birder and photographer, sent me a note last night that he saw (and photographed) two Sandhill Cranes at the inlet end of Martis Lake yesterday (9/30). I'm not exactly sure where they were, so I don't know which county they were in -- perhaps both at some point (the county line between Placer and Nevada at Martis Lake is tricky). I'm down in L.A. so I can't check it out today, but if anyone is out and about, it might be worth taking a look. Martin --------------- Martin Meyers email: Martin (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com Truckee, CASubject: Tahoe Scrub-Jays From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:06:43 -0700 A few questions about Tahoe scrub-jays lately, so I thought I'd go
ahead and reply to the whole list. They are not resident in the Lake
Tahoe basin, but wander through during spring and fall, occasionally
in twos or threes but most often singly. These birds typically are
encountered at or near the lakeshore at the "migrant hotspots" (Lake
Forest, Pomin, Taylor Cr. Marsh/Baldwin Beach, Cove East), but I've
also seen them well away from the lake (e.g. Bliss Pond) so this
pattern is probably more reflective of where the birders are
concentrating. The peak, expected periods are from mid-April to mid-
May and from mid-September through October; "fall" birds have been
found as late as early January. Thus far, every scrub-jay I've seen
personally at Tahoe has been of the californica subspecies group (A.
c. superciliosa (oocleptica)) typical of Reno and Carson City.
However, Bill Hart found a group of seven at Lower Echo Lake that he
believed was of the interior form (A. c. woodhouseii (nevadae),
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sierra-nevadabirds/message/1422)
, which start to occur just south of Minden/Gardnerville and in the
Virginia and Pine Nut Mtns. on the other side of Reno and Carson. Ray
(1910) describes seeing Woodhouse’s Jay up to 6500’ on the east side
of Spooner Summit during a summer trip, but his description leaves
much to be desired "on account of its close resemblance in song,
habits, and coloration to our common California bird." He's basically
saying that it sounded, acted, and looked just like a californica-
type, and I suspect that it was; that's the default subspecies.
After the light rains this afternoon/eve (9/29), I popped down to Lake
Forest for a bit. Still two Sabine's Gulls out there, and one very
distant Sterna. Two absolutely stunning-looking, blue-gray headed,
white-superclium-and-chin-havin', pale underparted Orange-crowned
Warblers at Pomin Park. Where orestera ends and celata begins, I have
no idea. A little less color on the flanks would have made it hard to
call these two anything but "eastern," but perhaps they simply
represented the bolder, cleaner, paler extreme of orestera. Who
knows? Great sunset, too!!
Will Richardson
Truckee, CA
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Subject: Granlibakken last weekFrom: "Perrone, Michael" <mperrone AT water.ca.gov> Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:20:04 -0700 At the Granlibakken conference center (Tahoe City) on Sept 25 there was an adult scrub jay. I gather this species has been in the Tahoe area for a while, but it was still boggling to see one in the land of white-headed woodpeckers and Clark's nutcrackers. An entirely black (not dark brown; black) immature red-tailed hawk perched in a fir nearby. Near the Highway 89 bridge over the Truckee River the same afternoon was a Cassin's vireo among the chickadees. Michael Perrone Department of Water Resources Division of Environmental Services 1725 23d Street, Suite 220 Sacramento CA 95816 (916) 445-6452 mperrone AT water.ca.gov [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Tahoe stuff From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:55:20 -0700 I took my ankle out birding today to see how much it could handle. Not much, it turns out. Despite that, and all the motorcycles and marathoners, I did manage to find some interesting birds at Lake Forest and the Upper Truckee River Marsh/Delta. Some notables- Lake Forest (water was like glass): 1 Semipalmated Plover ~5 "Commic" Terns 3 Sabine's Gulls a smattering of distant phalaropes, out on the open seas both Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks, keeping the jays very busy and vocal 1 Western Scrub-Jay 3 Cedar Waxwings Lots of the usual passerine suspects in and around the "island" Upper Truckee area (n. breeze ahead of front moving in made for a steady onshore wind): 4 Marbled Godwit lots of American Pipits out on the beach 1 Least Sandpiper 1 Semipalmated Plover a bunch of Wigeon 1 Great Egret among several Great Blue Herons 2 Northern Harriers 1 Juv. White-tailed Kite. Cool little bird - it looked like it was playing tag with a few of the magpies for a while. Definitely not the same kite as last year; this bird still has a fairly dingy back, light tawny mottling on its breast and stronger color on its crown, and an obvious necklace of orangish streaks. This bird was hanging out at the very southern (upstream) end of the meadow, and disappeared inland, over the lodgepoles, when I left it. Pope's Marsh looked bone dry from Venice Drive, although there may be water at the other end. Regardless, a big change from this spring; the lake has really dropped dramatically. I also saw a Red-shouldered Hawk flying downstream over the Truckee River, just n. of Tahoe City. We're expecting some weather tonight, tomorrow, and possibly Tuesday... Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: Nevada County From: "Rudy Darling" <rdarling AT sbbmail.com> Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:42:29 -0700 Hi all, Just a quick note before I have to run. Brian O'Connor and I spent the day in the Truckee area. Best bird was Eurasian Wigeon at Martis Creek Reservoir. It swam back and forth between Nevada and Placer Counties, so it was a two-county bird for both of us. There were also a Horned Grebe and a Greater Yellowlegs at Prosser Reservoir at the Alder Creek end. The place was loaded with waterfowl. An immature Golden Eagle was soaring over the hills above Boca Reservoir. Rudy Darling Nevada City [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: American Wigeon at Cameron Park Lake From: "at_jackson AT sbcglobal.net" <at_jackson@sbcglobal.net> Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:40:25 -0700 There were four American Wigeon at Cameron Park Lake yesterday morning (Thursday, 9/25). They were hanging out just off the point of land with the gazeebo on it. Tim & Angela Jackson Shingle Springs, CASubject: American Wigeon at Cameron Park Lake From: "at_jackson AT sbcglobal.net" <at_jackson@sbcglobal.net> Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:40:25 -0700 There were four American Wigeon at Cameron Park Lake yesterday morning (Thursday, 9/25). They were hanging out just off the point of land with the gazeebo on it. Tim & Angela Jackson Shingle Springs, CASubject: a few Tahoe birds From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:44:01 -0700 I spent the last few hours of morning at Lake Forest and Pomin Park today. There was a strong breeze at Lake Forest, and still plenty of Sterna terns around. I saw both Common and Forsters, but didn't have the guts (or the proximity) to call anything an Arctic. I also counted seven Sabine's, including two adults. Also out on the water were a few scattered phalaropes. No jaegers today. Pomin was absolutely stuffed with Spizella sparrows. I played "Find the Clay- colored" for at least an hour, but came up short. Still plenty of other passerines in the mix as well, including one Wilson's Warbler. Also worth mentioning, the S. Lake Tahoe grapevine is reporting that a White-tailed Kite is back at the Upper Truckee River Marsh (as of yesterday). Will Richardson Truckee, CASubject: South Lake Tahoe/Cove East From: Susan Stevenson <sssfromslt AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:11:09 -0700 (PDT) 9/24/08 (8am to 11:30am) A pleasant morning of birding at Cove East in South Lake Tahoe with Don and Lynn Harriman, Alice Jones, and Sheryl Ferguson revealed some birds of interest: White-tailed Kite Falcon (unknown) large distant falcon flying into the meadow from the lake Marbled Godwit (2) fall plumage Caspian Tern (2) Barn Swallows Western Bluebirds (nice flock) plus many more regulars Back in Meyers, the Anna's hummingbirds are still holding ground at my feeders. One little guy maintained his perch at the top of a white fir today, while the wind was blowing fiercely. It has been a great summer for hummers....we had a phenomenally large group of Rufous Hummingbirds feeding on a patch of thistle in the burn area, observed in August. Our local wildlife photographer, Jim Stamates (www.stamates.com) achieved some terrific images of them. Sue Stevenson South Lake Tahoe [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Kayaking Tahoe From: "Kirk Hardie" <krhardie AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:27:11 -0700 Hello birders, I went kayaking on Sunday from Tahoe City out to Lake Forest. There were white caps out there, so the birding was quite difficult at times. I didn't see too much, but two of the SABINE'S GULLS were still present and actively scouring the water. They were in non-breeding plumage. I didn't spot any Jaegers. Here's the list for the day: Horned Grebe Eared Grebe Canada Goose Common Merganser Killdeer Sabine's Gull California Gull Steller's Jay Barn Swallow Brewer's Blackbird Kirk Hardie Reno, NV [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: FOS Golden-crowned Sparrow From: rdarling AT sbbmail.com Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:30:33 -0400 Greetings, This morning my first-of-season GC Sparrow (imm.) showed up at my feeders at work near Lake Wildwood in Penn Valley, Nevada County. This is the earliest date I have in my records here (five years), and the same week my FOS WC Sparrow arrived. Fall is definitely here. Rudy Darling Nevada City, CASubject: Parasitic Jaeger at Lake Tahoe (Placer) From: ERPfromCA AT aol.com Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:48:07 EDT Early this morning Dennis Cavallo and I found a PARASITIC JAEGER at Lake Forest (south end of Bristlecone St.) at the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Got great looks during its first time through harassing the gulls. Made a second, brief, pass through about an hour later. Also here were two SANDERLINGs, several SABINE'S GULLs and COMMON TERNs and a distant 'large' loon. Ed Pandolfino Carmichael **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Tahoe Pileated From: Richard Carlson <rccarl AT pacbell.net> Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:42:50 -0700 (PDT) Finally, after all these years, I can add Pileated Woodpecker to my yard list. I've heard suspicious distant calls, but no clear sighting until today. He's hanging around the upper end of Tahoe park Heights Drive near Tahoe CIty . (google for details). We're heading south so we won't be around. Welcome to come look, but this does not entitle anyone to camp in our front year, park in our drive etc.,, etc. Sooty Grouse have visited us rarely this last week. I gues I didn't feed them enough. Richard Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker and Rotarian Part-time Economist Tucson, AZ, Lake Tahoe, CA, & Kirkland, WA rccarl AT pacbell.net Tucson 520-760-4935 Tahoe 530-581-0624 Kirkland 425-828-3819 Cell 650-280-2965Subject: White-crowned Sparrow Return Dates From: "at_jackson AT sbcglobal.net" <at_jackson@sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:16:28 -0700 White-crowned Sparrows returned to our yard today (9/15). Here are the return dates for most of the last 8 years (we missed 2004 due to the distractions of moving). 2001 - 9/15 2002 - 9/19 2003 - 9/22 2005 - 9/17 2006 - 9/18 2007 - 9/19 2008 - 9/15 Tim & Angela Jackson Shingle Springs, CA Elevation 1500 feetSubject: White-crowned Sparrow Return Dates From: "at_jackson AT sbcglobal.net" <at_jackson@sbcglobal.net> Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:16:28 -0700 White-crowned Sparrows returned to our yard today (9/15). Here are the return dates for most of the last 8 years (we missed 2004 due to the distractions of moving). 2001 - 9/15 2002 - 9/19 2003 - 9/22 2005 - 9/17 2006 - 9/18 2007 - 9/19 2008 - 9/15 Tim & Angela Jackson Shingle Springs, CA Elevation 1500 feetSubject: Re: Sierra mystery (?) sound From: wildlightphoto AT earthlink.net Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:19:18 -0700 (GMT-07:00) I agree. Doug Herr Orangevale http://www.wildlightphoto.com -----Original Message----- >From: ChrisSubject: Re: Sierra mystery (?) sound From: Chris <cmi33 AT betterplacetobe.net> Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 17:28:05 -0700 Sounds like a beaver slapping it¹s tail to me. -Chris David Kuhn says: > > > > Hi Sierra denizens, here is an odd sound I recorded at 8000' > elevation, central > Sierra, in mid-August. I was camped on a bluff 100' above this small > (about 200' across) lake. Too dark to see what was happening, but I > had > observed Mallard and Scaup in daylight. No aquatic mammals there that > I > know of. The percussive sounds in question sound anthropogenic, but I > am certain there were no other two-leggeds around. The echo is from > the > surrounding rocky bluffs. You can hear my dying campfire. Anyone have > an idea what this might be? I'm perplexed. > > http://soundshawaiian.com/mp3/Sierraducks%208000'.mp3 > > or if that fails > > http://tinyurl.com/5f6tjn > > Equipment--Modified MKH20 SASS into SD 702. > > Thanks, > David > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Sierra mystery (?) sound From: "David Kuhn" <dkuhn AT rare-dear.com> Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:31:19 -0000 Hi Sierra denizens, here is an odd sound I recorded at 8000' elevation, central Sierra, in mid-August. I was camped on a bluff 100' above this small (about 200' across) lake. Too dark to see what was happening, but I had observed Mallard and Scaup in daylight. No aquatic mammals there that I know of. The percussive sounds in question sound anthropogenic, but I am certain there were no other two-leggeds around. The echo is from the surrounding rocky bluffs. You can hear my dying campfire. Anyone have an idea what this might be? I'm perplexed. http://soundshawaiian.com/mp3/Sierraducks%208000'.mp3 or if that fails http://tinyurl.com/5f6tjn Equipment--Modified MKH20 SASS into SD 702. Thanks, DavidSubject: Modoc Birds 9/10-11 From: Steve Glover <countylines AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008 21:53:16 -0700 (PDT) Hi all, On 9/10 and 9/11 a group of us birded Modoc County. On 9/10, after birding Siskiyou County all day, we had a Green Heron at the southeast corner of Tule Lake. I gather this species isn't terribly common in the area and it was new for me in the county. We spent all day on 9/11 in Modoc County. Some of the highlights included outstanding looks at a Juniper Titmouse along the highway just northeast of Dorris Res. near Modoc N.W.R. There were also a couple of Lesser Yellowlegs and two Greater White-fronted Geese at the lake. As is often the case, there was no water anywhere near the causeway at Goose Lake. Any birds present were quite far away and we were unable to pick out anything more interesting than 3 Black-bellied Plover. A Lewis's Woodpecker was at the first house after turning off Hwy 395 and single Peregrine Falcons and Ferruginous Hawks were nearby. At Goose Lake State Park, Larry Gibbs found an American Redstart. It was in the trees overhanging the picnic area just north of the road. Maps seem to show the road as being the border between California and Oregon, which would place the bird in Oregon. However, I thought I remembered that the line was slightly north of the road and my GPS put the location in California. I'm sure some of you can help with this. At a feeder in Ft. Bidwell we had a Black-chinned Hummingbird and an Anna's Hummingbird which was both seen and heard. I think Steve Rottenborn had an Anna's here recently but previous county records were all from areas further west, particularly around Day. At dusk a single Common Nighthawk was at the Modoc N.W.R. Good birding, Steve Glover Dublin, CASubject: Lassen County jaeger, Chestnut-sided Warbler From: Steve Glover <countylines AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008 21:41:04 -0700 (PDT) Hi all, Yesterday, 9/12, I birded the Eagle Lake area with a group of friends. The highlight was a young Chestnut-sided Warbler visiting the feeders and water at the campground host's campsite. It was first spotted by Bob Dunn. This is the campground on Rd. A-1 near the intersection with Hwy 139 at the north end of the lake. Later, from the day use area near the southwest corner of the lake, we watched a jaeger chasing gulls well across the lake. It was too far away to identify with certainty but most definitely was not a Pomarine and was likely a Parasitic. Also near the day use area was a striking all-white Eared Grebe. Good birding, Steve Glover Dublin, CASubject: Sabine's Gull and Common Tern at N. Lake Tahoe From: ERPfromCA AT aol.com Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:59:18 EDT Deren Ross and Dennis Cavallo, responding to Will Richardson's prompt, visited Lake Forest (south end of Bristlecone) at north Lake Tahoe (Placer County) and found both Sabine's Gull and Common Tern this morning. The Sabine's Gull puts our Placer Big Year cumulative species total at 268, one more than Todd Easterla found in Placer during his (solo) record big year in 1999. Ed Pandolfino **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Lake Forest coverage? From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:07:08 -0700 Winds haven't been ideal, but looky what they've been getting down on the East Side: "Parasitic Jaeger attacks 5 Sabine's Gulls at Crowley Observers: Justin Hite ... Crowley this afternoon was spectacular. Moments after arriving I spotted a juv Parasitic Jaeger (a bit of overall rufousness, and white windows above and below in the wings) giving the Avocets some grief. It divided it's time between tranquil repose on the water and half- hearted attempts to coax food out of 2 Common and 3 Caspian Terns. Then all of a sudden it flushed up a group of 5 Sabine's Gulls (1 adult, 4 juvs) and chased them around. Something I've always wanted to see...a Jaeger attacking a Sabine's in the eastern sierra. 3 Sanderling and 5 Short-billed Dowitchers were the only other shorebirds. And this morning at Deep Springs, there were 8 species of warblers (all western species), the coolest being a male Townsend's and a Yellow-breasted Chat." From the Eastern Sierra page: http://esaudubon.org/birds/ Any jaegers or Sabine's yet for the PBY folk? Sorry I can't be out there scouting, but somebody ought to be checking, especially after or during a little wind. Maybe some weather next Tuesday... Will Richardson Truckee, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: RFI: North Tahoe From: "Alison Sheehey" <natureali AT lightspeed.net> Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:34:42 -0700 Hi All, I am heading to Tahoe for the very first time to attend this weekend's Sierra Nevada Alliance Conference. I would like to do some birding and possibly see some lifers. Any information on Rosy-finch or Black-backed Woodpecker would be sensational! I haven't had time to research the area so any help would be most graciously accepted. Thanks, Ali P.S. I will be there Friday through Sunday. Anyone who knows the area and could help... my cell # 760-417-0268 Alison Sheehey - Outreach Program Coordinator Audubon California Kern River Preserve P.O. Box 153 Weldon, CA 93283 760-378-2029 ***************************** http://kern.audubon.org - "Protecting the South Fork Kern River riparian forest and the wildlife that calls it home."Subject: Target birds From: "Brendan OSullivan" <josullivan3560 AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:54:21 -0000 I plan to visit your great state next year. My brother-in-law lives
in Fresno so I would be based there but plan to travel around.
I have a fairly short list of target birds. These are:
Tricolored Blackbird
Northern Pygmy Owl
Hermit Warbler
Mountain Quail
Sooty Grouse
Greater Sage Grouse
White-Tailed Ptarmigan
Chukar
Pinion Jay
Cassin's Vireo
Cassin's Finch
American Dipper
My priorities are all of these birds minus the "chickens" as I know
they are a hit-and-miss.
I would appreciate any suggestions as to the better places to try for
these birds and the best time of year---I was planning on early May
but I am worried that some of the areas may still be inaccessible by
snow then: if so would August be better?
Thanks in advance
Brendan O'Sullivan
Mississauga
Ontario
Subject: Re: Visitor in search of Pine GrosbeakFrom: wildlightphoto AT earthlink.net Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:49:05 -0700 (GMT-07:00) Kevin LibergSubject: Incline Pine Grosbeaks From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:40:52 -0700 They can be found just about anywhere up there near Mt. Rose Summit. I've spent a lot of time in the last two summers along the Relay Pk. Road, and they've been scarce, but the rest of the area up there seems to always produce. The Ophir trail seems to be THE go-to spot for Nevadans to get their "year" Pine Grosbeaks. Anywhere along the edge of Tahoe Meadows, along the road to Incline Lake, that whole area. Just take 431 to the top and wander around for a few hours, and know what to listen for. Good luck!Subject: RE: Visitor in search of Pine Grosbeak From: "Bruce Webb" <BruWebb AT surewest.net> Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 22:18:27 -0700 Kevin and others:
From the trailhead at Mt Rose Summit, along the Mt. Rose Highway #431. I
have hiked to the waterfall (a few miles) and have seen them in several
places along the trail. It is close to Incline Village.
Bruce Webb
Granite Bay, CA
eBird compatible software products
http://home.surewest.net/bruwebb/Pocket-PC.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com
[mailto:sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Kevin Liberg
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2008 9:21 PM
To: sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com
Subject: [SierraNevadaBirds] Visitor in search of Pine Grosbeak
I am heading to the area this weekend (staying in Incline Village) and
am wondering if anyone has any suggestions on where to look for Pine
Grosbeaks.
Thank You
Kevin Liberg
San Francisco, CA
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Subject: Visitor in search of Pine GrosbeakFrom: "Kevin Liberg" <klibe AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:21:00 -0000 I am heading to the area this weekend (staying in Incline Village) and am wondering if anyone has any suggestions on where to look for Pine Grosbeaks. Thank You Kevin Liberg San Francisco, CASubject: Upper Truckee River mouth 9/8 From: Ryan Phillips <harpiabz AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 00:27:37 -0700 (PDT) Hi Everyone,
Shorebird habitat at the Upper Truckee River mouth is unreal. I have never seen
the water so low allowing for great shorebirding. I spent only about 45 minutes
and observed the following.
Highlights:
2 SANDERLINGS
1 Semipalmated Plover
1 dowitcher(unknown species)
10 White-faced Ibis
2 Great Blue-Herons
1 juvenile Northern Harrier
1 Belted Kingfisher
1 Spotted Sandpiper
20+ peeps(mainly Least, with 2 that I could not ID; black bill and legs,
small-medium sized, solid brown wash on all of breast like Pectoral, but no
Pec, bill fairly short. first glance looked like Least, but had black legs and
solid wash on breast, any ideas) I have no guides with me and nothing is
clicking.
If someone has time to bird this area it needs to be done as there is a lot of
shorebird habitat that will take some time scoping through.
Good Birding.
Ryan Phillips
Campbell/Meyers, CA
Raptor Biologist
De Anza College Wildlife Corridor Stewardship Team
Belize Raptor Research Institute
www.belizeraptors.com
(831) 234-7324
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Subject: NEV Western SandpiperFrom: "Rudy Darling" <rdarling AT sbbmail.com> Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2008 22:42:23 -0700 Hello all, Today, Monday, Brian O'Connor found a juvenile Western Sandpiper at the Lake-of-the-Pines WWTP (Western Nevada County) in the pond by the front gate (the only one officially open to the public). It was with a Least Sandpiper. I re-found both birds in the evening. Westerns aren't easy to come by in Nevada County - it was only my first sighting. Rudy Darling Nevada City [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Tahoe Gnatcatcher From: Richard Carlson <rccarl AT pacbell.net> Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2008 13:31:44 -0700 (PDT) We were having a nice morning at Lake Forest when I heard my favorite high-pitched squeek: A Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher. I've never seen one before at Tahoe. He tail twitched for us and gave lovely views. We also found Nashville, Yellow-rumped, Yellow, Orange-crowned & McGillivray's warblers. There were Pewees and Olive-sided Flycatchers galore plus a family of Scruffy looking (molting?) Red-breasted Sapsuckers. No shorebirds except for a Killdeer. Richard Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker and Rotarian Part-time Economist Tucson, AZ, Lake Tahoe, CA, & Kirkland, WA rccarl AT pacbell.net Tucson 520-760-4935 Tahoe 530-581-0624 Kirkland 425-828-3819 Cell 650-280-2965Subject: Semipalmated Sandpiper-Placer Co. From: "Deren Ross" <derenross AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:01:54 -0000 Dear Birders, Late this morning, a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER (PLA) was found in a flooded field in Western Placer County. Location: North Brewer Road. Three-quarters of a mile north of Nicholas Road. Several flooded field along the west side of the road provide for good shorebird habitat and good viewing opportunities. The sandpiper was found on the north end of the field, about mid-way out, and amongst the Least and Western Sandpipers but stayed closer to the Westerns. Currently,Placer has very little in the way of shorebird habitat and these flooded field are welcome site this time of year. Other birds included Baird Sandpiper, Black-necked Stilt, Long-billed Dowitcher, Marbled Godwits (yesterday), Ibis, and Greater Yellowlegs. I ran into Todd E. out there yesterday and he mentioned that Semipalms would be coming in anyday now. Nice Call! Bruce Webb, Ed Pandolfino, John Sterling, and Mark Aring confirmed the sighting. Best of birding, Deren Ross Auburn, CaSubject: Sanderling and Black Tern at n. Lake Tahoe (Placer County) From: ERPfromCA AT aol.com Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 23:57:29 EDT This morning Deren Ross, Dennis Cavallo and I visited Lake Forest at the north end of Lake Tahoe (at the south end of Bristlecone St.). The Franklin's Gull that Deren found here yesterday was nowhere to be found, but we did find one juvenile SANDERLING and one BLACK TERN here. Ed Pandolfino **************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Franklin's Gull, Terns, Swifts @ Lake Forest From: Will Richardson <trichard AT unr.nevada.edu> Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 19:53:47 -0700 First and foremost, let me forward an email from Deren Ross, who (FINALLY!!) found a Lake Tahoe Franklin's Gull this morning- "I arrived at Lake Forest at approximately 0620. It was chilly but there was only a light breeze. After passing the first row of willows just beyond the parking area, I scanned for shorebirds and found absolutely nothing with exception of Killdeer. I did notice a good number of gulls were roosting, per usual, on the point of the left- ward spit. I walked out to the large to group of willows to seek cover from the chilly breeze and to get a better look at the standing gulls. While scanning through them with my scope, I found one of the hooded type gulls (immature). Having Sabine's Gull on the brain and at the top of my list for Tahoe this week, I figured this was the most likely candidate for hooded gulls and prematurely identified (and reported) it as a first cycle Sabine's. I had good looks with excellent light. I couldn't find my little digital...[ AT #$%]! I quickly pulled out the big camera and saw that the bird was flying right over me but my lens was in manual....[ AT #$%]! Needless to say, I missed the photo op. The gull flew over me and went down, with other gulls, on the north side of the spit near a small pier. I scoped it again and it struck me that I didn't have a Sabine's Gull. I went back to truck to reference Sibley and quickly discovered that it was a Franklin's Gull (First Cycle). My sense was that I had an even better bird for Placer. I've seen Sabine's but never a Franklin's in Placer. I quickly made a follow-up report to Todd, Ed, and Dennis. The following characteristics were clearly noted in this order. - Small Gull, of hooded-type group, with a small solid-dark bill. - Blackish half-hood - White eye crescents. - The mantle was 75% gray (molting from brown) and contrasting with brownish upper-wings - Black Tail Band - Black legs Based on the above information, it appears that this birds is molting from juvenile to first winter. After two good looks and two sets of phones calls, I went back out again but could not locate it. I did see a Black Tern fly through and earlier, just before I found the Franklin's, a sub-adult Peregrine swooped in and perched in a nearby pine. Probably why I didn't see any shorebirds. I checked Tahoe City where a large number of gulls were feeding and spirling about as the waves broke just off shore. Apparently, a variety of food items were getting churned up in the white-water. No luck on the Franklin's." This WAS a better bird for Placer and Tahoe. Despite their relative regularity as a vagrant/migrant along the eastern Sierra, Reno area, etc., I know of zero prior records or reports of a Franklin's Gull for the Lake Tahoe basin. Given that they nest off and on in the somewhat- nearby Lahontan Valley of NV, the lack of Tahoe records has always confounded me, and I've been holding a spot on my bar charts since the first drafts. It makes perfect sense for one to arrive on a day with strong east winds. After the chain of phone calls reached me this morning (thanks Ed!), I got to Lake Forest as fast as possible, stopping off for a quick scan of Commons Beach on the way. Alas, no Franklin's Gull was seen by me today. I did, however, see one distant small gull foraging in the manner of a Sabine's or Bonaparte's, out to the southeast. Unfortunately, with only one functional leg and my hands attached to crutches, I didn't think I'd be able to manage carrying a scope over the rocks without risking serious damage to either the scope or myself, so that bird went unidentified. A quick flyby by a small flock of terns on my arrival comprised 2-3 Forsters and 5-6 Common. Martin Meyers showed up after a while, and we spent some time trying, mostly in vain, to photograph the many Vaux's Swifts that were intermittently cycling through, occasionally in numbers upwards of 40 or so. Swifts were all over that corner of the lake, too, and I noticed them at Commons Beach and over downtown Tahoe City also. It was interesting and a bit unusual to see so many swifts around without a trace of clouds in the sky. None particularly smacked of Chimney, but the timing would be good, and frankly I was having a pretty tough time just trying to keep an eye on them without losing my balance. Another stop by Commons Beach turned up mostly Burning Man participants, desperately washing off playa dust despite cool temps and blustery winds. More east winds are expected tonight and through tomorrow afternoon, and hopefully will pack everything into the NE corner of the lake, but it should be about 10-12 deg. warmer. Perfect jaeger/Sabine's/ ArcticTern/swifts/who-knows-what viewing weather. Good Luck!! Will Richardson Truckee, CA [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Birds of many feathers... From: "Lisa Moraga" <ploverlover AT att.net> Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 14:56:20 -0700 This morning, I observed the following birds in the canopy of one large Incense Cedar: 4-5 MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, 2 BROWN CREEPER, 1 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 1 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 1 WILSON'S WARBLER, 2-3 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, and 1 NASHVILLE WARBLER. When I thought that was enough for one tree... a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET decided to join the gang! A WESTERN-WOOD PEWEE watched the commotion from his perch across the way. Oh, what a birdy morning! The NORTHERN PYGMY- OWL that I have been hearing every morning decided to keep quiet today...probably due to the holiday weekend human reveler's motorbike noises! Lisa Moraga Pioneer-Elev. 4000' [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: RT Hummer a no-show on Monday From: "Rudy Darling" <rdarling AT sbbmail.com> Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 10:58:35 -0700 Hi, It's almost 11:00 Monday morning and the Ruby-throat has not yet appeared. We suspect it rode the cold front out of town. If it shows up later, I'll post as soon as we see it. If not, assume it's gone. It was fun while it lasted. About 55 people have come and all but one saw it while it was here. Five have come today and are still waiting hopefully. Rudy Darling Nevada City [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Hybrid Hermit/Townsend's Warblers, Jackson Meadow area, Sierra Co. (forward) From: martin AT sierrabirdbum.com Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 18:20:10 -0700 Alan Wallace of Reno asked me to forward this to the Sierra Nevada list. ---------------- While exploring old logging roads just northeast of Jackson Meadow Reservoir in Sierra County, I found a mixed flock of deep-woods birds. Species included Cassins' Vireo, Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Hermit Warbler, and hybrid Hermit/Townsend's Warbler. The flock had at least several dozen very active birds, including more than a dozen (possibly many more) Hermits and hybrids. The relative pure Hermit Warblers included adult males and females and first-fall males, with one first-fall female; all but the latter had pretty distinct, clear yellow faces and foreheads and no streaking on the whitish flanks. The hybrids had streaking and some yellow on the flanks, variable blackish crowns down through the foreheads, and variable cheek patches that were darker grayer and more distinct than first-year Hermits. I use the word variable because different birds had different combinations of characteristics. I did not see any birds that I would call a pure Townsend's: they all seemed to be variations on a Hermit-dominant plumage. Several of the combinations were similar to those pictured in Eckert's 2001 article in Birding (p. 342-350) and in Dunn and Garrett's Warbler book. Eckert notes that hybridization occurs only in northwestern Oregon and western Washington, so these hybrids must be migrating, possibly joining a more local flock of chickadees, nuthatches, and creepers on their way through. Alan Wallace Reno NV --------------- Martin Meyers email: Martin (...AT...) SierraBirdbum.com Photo website: http://SierraBirdbum.com Truckee, CASubject: Nevada County east side From: "Rudy Darling" <rdarling AT sbbmail.com> Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 17:11:26 -0700 Hello all, Today I tore myself away from the Ruby-throated Hummingbird to go with Brian O'Connor and Barney Kroeger to the Truckee area to see what has flown in. First up was Prosser Reservoir. Birds of note were: Am. Kestrel, N. Harrier, Merlin, Vaux Swifts, and Least Sandpipers. Next up was Boca Reservoir: 4 Black-necked Stilts, a flock of about 20 Red-necked Phalaropes, Vaux's Swift, and oodles of swallows, mostly Violet-green and Barn (same at Prosser). Nothing noteworthy at Martis Creek Reservoir. At Lake van Norden we scared up a Sharp-shinned Hawk and spied a Wilson's Warbler. It was a pleasant, albeit windy day in the Sierra. Rudy Darling Nevada City [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Ruby-throat day 9 From: "Rudy Darling" <rdarling AT sbbmail.com> Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:44:55 -0700 Yes, it's still here on Sunday, Aug. 31. My wife first saw it around 6:30 AM. It was perched by the feeder and was chasing away other hummers. It was seen numerous times throughout the day. During yesterday's observations I noted that the Ruby-throat is the dominant hummer in the yard now. A female/juvenile Selasphorus was next in line, followed by the male Anna's. At the bottom of the pecking order was the female Anna's. Another observation that was mentioned by John Lewis is that the bird flies very slowly and smoothly. At times it looks like it is descending by parachute to the feeder. It is quite unlike the darting flight with quick application of the brakes that characterizes the Anna's. It seems to be getting used to being watched by birders. It is much less skittish than when it first arrived. I also seems to be adjusting to flash photography. Steve Abbott took some great photos, which can be viewed at his blog http://papasula.blogspot.com (not a hyperlink - someday I'll figure out how to do that). Rudy Darling Nevada City [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Re: (Neveda County) Ruby-throated Hummingbird day 8, Saturday 30 August 2008 From: "Mike Feighner" <feinerVogel94551 AT comcast.net> Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:04:19 -0700 Birders: Yesterday I was the first to arrive at 8:40 AM. I am not aware of observations for today, 31 August 2008, but would expect/hope that sightings continued today, 31 August 2008. Saturday, 30 August 2008: First bird to arrive was a single male Anna's Hummingbird. Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird's first arrival was at 8:57 AM with a visit to the feeder over the deck. It departed to the north at 8:57 AM. Other birders began arriving: Jim Rowoth (of Stockton, San Joaquin County), Liz West (of Galt, Sacramento County), Bev Beck (of Sanger, Fresno County), Lynn Hemink (of Clovis, Fresno County), Pete Fahey (of Clovis, Fresno County), Bruce Web (of Granite Bay, Placer County), Steve Abbott (of Cameron Park, El Dorado County), Mark Fenner and family (of Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County). The male Ruby-throated Hummingbird made four additional visits to the feeder over the deck, to the Madrone Tree above the deck, and to a small Cherry Tree near the bird bath through 11:26 AM when I departed. Recorded AM visit times (with exits always to the north): 8:57-8:59 9:32-9:36 10:03-10:04 10:34-10:35 10:44-10:58 There are nine previously accepted records of Ruby-throated Hummingbird in California, the first being adult male, caught accidentally in a mist net intended to trap bats at Sagehen Creek Field Station (Nevada County) on 15 May 1975. Other species heard or seen: Red-shouldered Hawk (heard only) Anna's Hummingbird (seen) Acorn Woodpecker (heard only) Downie Woodpecker (heard only) Pileated Woodpecker (heard only) Steller's Jay (heard only) Chestnut-backed Chickadee (heard only) Brown Creeper (heard only) Red-breasted Nuthatch (seen) Dark-eyed Junco (seen) See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sierra-nevadabirds/message/2380 for contact information. -- Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, Alameda County www.tanageroptics.com (under development, stand-by) >-----Original Message----- >From: sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com >[mailto:sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Rudy Darling >Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 9:48 AM >To: sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com >Subject: [SierraNevadaBirds] Ruby-throat day 8 > >Good morning, > >Just a quick not to say that we have seen the RT Hummingbird >several times already today, Saturday. > >Rudy and a host of other birdersSubject: Re: (Neveda County) Ruby-throated Hummingbird day 8, Saturday 30 August 2008 From: "Mike Feighner" <feinerVogel94551 AT comcast.net> Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:04:19 -0700 Birders: Yesterday I was the first to arrive at 8:40 AM. I am not aware of observations for today, 31 August 2008, but would expect/hope that sightings continued today, 31 August 2008. Saturday, 30 August 2008: First bird to arrive was a single male Anna's Hummingbird. Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird's first arrival was at 8:57 AM with a visit to the feeder over the deck. It departed to the north at 8:57 AM. Other birders began arriving: Jim Rowoth (of Stockton, San Joaquin County), Liz West (of Galt, Sacramento County), Bev Beck (of Sanger, Fresno County), Lynn Hemink (of Clovis, Fresno County), Pete Fahey (of Clovis, Fresno County), Bruce Web (of Granite Bay, Placer County), Steve Abbott (of Cameron Park, El Dorado County), Mark Fenner and family (of Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County). The male Ruby-throated Hummingbird made four additional visits to the feeder over the deck, to the Madrone Tree above the deck, and to a small Cherry Tree near the bird bath through 11:26 AM when I departed. Recorded AM visit times (with exits always to the north): 8:57-8:59 9:32-9:36 10:03-10:04 10:34-10:35 10:44-10:58 There are nine previously accepted records of Ruby-throated Hummingbird in California, the first being adult male, caught accidentally in a mist net intended to trap bats at Sagehen Creek Field Station (Nevada County) on 15 May 1975. Other species heard or seen: Red-shouldered Hawk (heard only) Anna's Hummingbird (seen) Acorn Woodpecker (heard only) Downie Woodpecker (heard only) Pileated Woodpecker (heard only) Steller's Jay (heard only) Chestnut-backed Chickadee (heard only) Brown Creeper (heard only) Red-breasted Nuthatch (seen) Dark-eyed Junco (seen) See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sierra-nevadabirds/message/2380 for contact information. -- Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, Alameda County www.tanageroptics.com (under development, stand-by) >-----Original Message----- >From: sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com >[mailto:sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Rudy Darling >Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 9:48 AM >To: sierra-nevadabirds AT yahoogroups.com >Subject: [SierraNevadaBirds] Ruby-throat day 8 > >Good morning, > >Just a quick not to say that we have seen the RT Hummingbird >several times already today, Saturday. > >Rudy and a host of other birdersSubject: Ruby-throat day 8 From: "Rudy Darling" <rdarling AT sbbmail.com> Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:48:21 -0700 Good morning, Just a quick not to say that we have seen the RT Hummingbird several times already today, Saturday. Rudy and a host of other birders [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: RT Hummingbird - day 7 (Fri.) From: "Rudy Darling" <rdarling AT sbbmail.com> Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:40:21 -0700 Greetings, The Ruby-throated Hummingbird was still here today (Friday) and was seen by most everyone as far as I could tell, except for one unlucky local birder who came twice (sorry John - try again Saturday?). Two people were here for only five minutes. I hope that means they saw the bird right away. Todd Esterlea is getting some good photos as I write this. Send me an e-mail if you wish to come see it and I will send you directions. Rudy Darling Nevada City [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Snag Lake, Lassen NP From: "sequoia49" <judisierra AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:51:43 -0000 Below are some highlights from the 28th annual Golden Gate Audubon backpacking trip to Snag Lake, led by David Rice and Robin Pulich Aug 22-25. 74 speicies total. Of note in the first 1/2 hour of arrival a SANDHILL CRANE was at the lake and stayed the entire weekend and CALIF. QUAIL and 10 young. Both have never been seen on this trip. We surmised the quail were refugees from a lower elevation fire and managed to to hatch a family after arrival. Also seen were a female INDIGO BUNTING, SPOTTED OWL, SHORT EARED OWL, 2 BALD EAGLES, ONE OF which forced an OSPREY to drops it's catch, PEREGRINE FALCON, COMMON MERGANSERS, BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS, WILLOW, DUSKY FLYCATCHERS, CLARK'S NUTCRACKER, AMER. DIPPER, MTN. BLUEBIRDS, LAZULI BUNTING, RED CROSS BILLS, GREEN-TAILED TOWHEES, a healthy number of PINE SISKIN flocks. Of note was a diminished number of Warblers Judi Sierra-Oakland, CASubject: Thursday Ruby-throat update From: "Rudy Darling" <rdarling AT sbbmail.com> Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:45:42 -0700 Hello all, Yes, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird again appeared for day six of its stay in Nevada City. About 10 birders got looks at it. We have ascertained that he is not an early riser. First appearance today was at 09:40; yesterday around 09:10. The best time seems to be mid-day and afternoon. The latest I have seen it has been 6:40 PM (Wed.). Photographers continue to be frustrated due to the difficult lighting conditions, the bird's shyness, and its annoying habit of darting this way and that. Rudy-throated Darling, Hummermeister Nevada City [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]Subject: Nevada & Placer Counties From: Kathryn Parker <jandkparker AT mindspring.com> Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:26:36 -0700 Made the run up to Rudy Darling's house near Nevada City this morning with my fingers crossed. Fortunately, the adult male RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD had decided to stay for at least one more day. Thank you Rudy for allowing us to see your wonderful bird. Also present were a male and female Anna's Hummingbird, a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches, Steller's Jays and Mourning Doves. Since I was so close, and the valley was supposed to be so hot, I decided to head up to Lake Tahoe. At Lake Forest, I was lucky enough to see the SNOWY PLOVER along with 2 Least and 2 Western Sandpipers, 2 Spotted Sandpipers, 2 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, and a juvenile male EVENING GROSBEAK. Also in the area was a Western Wood-Pewee, a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird and lots of Mountain Chickadees. At Prosser Reservoir there were 2 Bufflehead, 2 Green-winged Teal, 3 NORTHERN PINTAILs, 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 2 more Spotted Sandpipers, 1 lone LEAST SANDPIPER and 1 Wilson's Snipe. As I was leaving the Bald Eagle flew out of his tree across the lake and soared over me. All the gulls at Lake Forest and Prosser Reservoir were California Gulls. A cool day in more than one way. Kathy Parker Los GatosSubject: Ruby-throated Hummingbird (NEV) and Snowy Plover (PLA) From: "Deren Ross" <derenross AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:56:57 -0000 Dear Birders, Just made the Placer-Nevada County Loop for the Snowy Plover found by Dennis Cavallo this morning at Lake Forest(North Tahoe)and later stopped by to see the Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Rudy Darling's home. At around noon, I refound the Snowy Plover at Lake Forest. I was fortunate run into fellow birder, Kathy Parker. She told me her first stop this morning was at Rudy's for the Ruby-throated Hummer and she kindly gave me printed directions. With a recent report and directions in hand I headed back down the hill to Rudy's place in Nevada City. Sometime after 2PM (just missed Ted), I found myself sitting on Rudy's back deck. It was warm and quiet. I light breeze blew in the woods. Ten minutes had passed when suddenly I spotted the RT Hummer come into the Madrone and perch. Before I could get my binocs on it, it moved down to the feeder. It stayed less than a minute then bolted in a westerly direction and deep into the woods. Great day. Thank you...Dennis, Kathy, and Rudy. Deren Ross Auburn, Ca |