Hello Mendobirders,
Just a brief report on the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant for midday Sunday
8/10. There were 4 species of swallows flying; Violet-green, Tree, Northern
Rough-legged and Barn. One Dowitcher (sp), one Greater Yellow Legs and one
Lesser and at least 2 Green-backed Herons were observed. There were more
Kildeer than the law allows but also one Red-necked Phalarope swimming,
while not often in circles none the less quite frenetically, in the eastern
part of the southern most pond. The water in the southern pond is now at a
very high lake-like level and the northern pond is dry and had NO activity.
Most sightings were from the middle pond.
Vishnu

The Hooded Orioles are still nesting at 501 Sherry St. in Ukiah. This is the third brood this season, and the third nest built in the same palm tree.

Paul Hawks

There are still spaces available for the Mendocino Coast Audubon Society
Fall Pelagic Trip on Saturday September 13th from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To reserve your space, send $60.00 to MCAS, 18214 N. Highway1,Fort
Bragg, CA 95437. You can also email wwade@mcn.org to reserve a spot.


Charlene McAllister
P.O. Box 332
Little River, CA 95456
707-937-4463
email: charmac@mcn.org

Hi everyone. I went back to the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant today, to see if any new birds had come in. A few have, including what was probably a juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. I first saw it at the east end of the central pond at around 2:30, and watched it for about a minute before it flew, but several points make me think it was indeed a Semi. These include the length of the bill (it was on the short end for a Semi, and fairly thick and straight), breast, neck, and head pattern, overall coloration and leg color. I'm not going to say for sure that it was indeed a Semi, but its something to keep an eye out for out there.

Other new birds included a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, starting to molt into basic plumage, and three more DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, for a total of five. Gone are the Willet, Long-billed Dowitchers and California Gull. Still around are the GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and all the Peeps. A total of 4 GREAT EGRETS were nice to watch. At one point all the birds on the central pond freaked out and started flying around, yelling (which was when I lost the Semi). I then noticed a BOBCAT slinking into the dead dock. I never saw it come out. Shorebird activity is definitely picking up out there. Good birding,


Matt Brady
Ukiah, CA
zerogambit@hotmail.com
AIM: Podoces

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My Aunt and Uncle and I birded the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant early this afternoon. We observed a few interesting birds, including a WILLET, an EARED GREBE still mostly in alternate plumage, and two LESSER SCAUP, which were in need of a good molt. The Grebe and Scaup were in the duck Pond, while the Willet flew between the Duck pond and the Central pond. Also around were two GREATER YELLOWLEGS, a LESSER YELLOWLEGS, a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, two DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, a half dozen CINNAMON TEAL, the previously reported Juvenile CALIFORNIA GULL, 8 or so LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, at least 4 GREEN HERONS and scads of Least and Western Sandpipers. Most of the Shorebirds were in the far eastern end of the Central pond, with the Blackbirds and Swallows, though 6 of the Dowitchers and the Willet were at the western end of the Central pond. There was only one Western and one Least Sandpiper in the Northern pond, where most of the shorebird activity had been previously. Good birding,


Matt Brady
Ukiah, CA
zerogambit@hotmail.com
AIM: Podoces

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Haven't seen this report on email yet...so am relaying the message that Alan
Barron and Marshall Iliff found a Common Black-headed Gull at Lake Earl (in
Del Norte County). It was discovered yesterday and seen again today. Call
the Arcata Birdbox for details.


**********************************
John Sterling
26 Palm Ave
Woodland, CA 95695
530 668-8694 (home office)
530 668-1985 (home)
916 737-3000 ext 3593 (Sacramento office)
916 752-0899 (cell phone)

Austin Booth, my Aunt and Uncle and I visited the USTP this afternoon, where we met Vishnu. We also saw the WILSON'S PHALEROPES in the central pond, but no Dowitchers. On the northern pond Austin spotted a SEMIPALMATED PLOVER. On the berm between the Duck Pond and the central pond were a baker's dozen CANADA GEESE, and at the east end of the Central Pond were numbers of juvenile TREE and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, a BLUE-WINGED TEAL and a GREEN HERON. Swimming in the Duck Pond was a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, while Chuck's juvenile CALIFORNIA GULL flew around scaring the Blackbirds. in the northern pond was a variety of peeps, including both juvenile and adult WESTERN SANDPIPERS and some LEAST SANDPIPERS.
Good birding,

Matt Brady
Ukiah, CA

Greeting Mendobirders: I birded the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant this
morning (8/2) and there was quite a bit of activity out there. I saw 6
WILSON'S PHALAROPES on the middle pond on the exposed grassy
hummocks. There were also lots of peeps (I saw just LEAST and WESTERN) and
a number of LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS on all 3 oxidation ponds. Among the
hundreds of MALLARDS, etc was the first NORTHERN PINTAIL I've seen here
this summer/fall. There was also a juvenile CALIFORNIA GULL hanging around
the ponds. WILSON'S WARBLERS are already moving south down the river, and
a newly-arrived MARSH WREN was singing in the weeds on the middle
pond. Some of you sharp-eyed birders get on out there! Incidentally,
Barbara and I have been enjoying the hummingbird wars at our feeders since
the SELASPHORUS started arriving about a week ago.

Chuck

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Chuck and Barbara Vaughn
1550 Deerwood Drive
Ukiah, CA 95482

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Greeting Mendobirders: I birded the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant this morning (8/2) and there was quite a bit of activity out there. I saw 6 WILSON'S PHALAROPES on the middle pond on the exposed grassy hummocks. There were also lots of peeps (I saw just LEAST and WESTERN) and a number of LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS on all 3 oxidation ponds. Among the hundreds of MALLARDS, etc was the first NORTHERN PINTAIL I've seen here this summer/fall. There was also a juvenile CALIFORNIA GULL hanging around the ponds. WILSON'S WARBLERS are already moving south down the river, and a newly-arrived MARSH WREN was singing in the weeds on the middle pond. Some of you sharp-eyed birders get on out there! Incidentally, Barbara and I have been enjoying the hummingbird wars at our feeders since the SELASPHORUS started arriving about a week ago.

Chuck

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Chuck and Barbara Vaughn
1550 Deerwood Drive
Ukiah, CA 95482

Yesterday I spotted an Osprey nest that I can't believe I missed
before. It is in the top of a high voltage pole right where Marina
Drive turns off Highway 20 to go down to the north shore of Lake
Mendocino. It is a big conglomeration of sticks and branches, some
really close to the HT wires. It is also very close to the camera
that Caltrans has on a tall pole to monitor their variable message
sign. I got lucky with a phone call to the Caltrans Eureka office
this morning and spoke to the guy in charge of the camera. He said
they knew of the nest and saw activity there in the last week; he
turned it on as we spoke and watched several still pictures
(refreshed every 10 seconds), but nothing going on. The nest is
easily observed from the parking area along Hwy 20, maybe 100 feet to
the west. I'll try to find a spot to look down into the nest.

Of local interest were 2 Marbled Godwits seen in flight over Clear Lake from Lakeside County Park this morning.
This is the 3rd "summer" record and the second earliest arrival date for this rare Fall Migrant. Jerry White

My Dad and I birded along the coast today. Our first stop was the Garcia River mouth, where a number of returning Shorebirds were present. Although most of the peeps were along the far shore and unIDable, I did see a number of SANDERLINGS, most still in breeding plumage, a half-dozen or so BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, a large flock of SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, a single WHIMBREL, a DOWITCHER SP., a small flock of WESTERN SANDPIPERS, and small numbers of both BLACK and RUDDY TURNSTONES. Also present were a dozen or so CASPIAN TERNS and 25 or so HEERMANN'S GULLS. Along Miners Hole Road were a couple of Passerines, but none that I would consider migrants. A pair of Caspian Terns were harassing a Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, which I thought was interesting. Past the last parking area, at the end of the Road was a large stand of apparently naturalized Fuscia that had a cloud of Hummers swarming around it. There were at least a dozen Selasphorus Hummingbirds, and 6 or so Anna's Hummingbirds. We then headed up to the Mendocino Headlands. We didn't see any Puffins, but the Western Gull, Cormorant and Murre colonies were in full swing. We then looked for Toby's Least Tern at Virgin Creek Beach, but we didn't have any luck there, either. However, there were more Shorebirds, including SANDERLINGS, WHIMBRELS, SURFBIRDS, and both TURNSTONES. Back in Ukiah I saw a flock of 5 CANADA GEESE in the big weedy field between the Freeway and the end of Brush Street. Early migrants?

Matt Brady
Ukiah, CA
zerogambit@hotmail.com
AIM: Podoces

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Toby Tobkin reported good looks at a LEAST TERN this morning at Virgin
Creek Beach. This is a first county record. She noted that it flew in
to the beach and hopped around for a bit before flying due west. She
thought it possible that it's making circles and will come back in to
shore. She also saw a USFWS silver band, probably on the left leg.

Charlene McAllister
P.O. Box 332
Little River, CA 95456
707-937-4463
email: charmac@mcn.org

Larry Knowles and I saw 7-8 purple martins soaring around over the Eel River about 1/2 mile upstream from Hearst. Also saw a bald eagle.

Kate Marianchild

Howdy,
I put the newly updated Trinity County Birdlist on my website at
http://www.cal.net/~ani/california_county_birding.htm Please feel free to
download, copy, send to friends! Get the word out and get out there and
find some interesting birds in Trinity County. Still lots to find that
would be a first county record and there are still many species represented
by few records.

John Hunter took the lead on this second edition and formatted it to print
out as a field checklist. Great work, John!

see you in the field,
John

**********************************
John Sterling
26 Palm Ave
Woodland, CA 95695
530 668-8694 (home office)
530 668-1985 (home)
916 737-3000 ext 3593 (Sacramento office)
916 752-0899 (cell phone)

Birders,

Sorry, but apparently you can not send a file via a mailing list as I
attempted. If you would like a copy of the Trinity County Checklist, let
me know and I will email you one. Some of you are about to get one whether
you want it or not.

John E. Hunter
Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office
1655 Heindon Road
Arcata, CA 95521
707-822-7201 (phone)
707-822-8136 (fax)
John_E_Hunter@fws.gov

Birders,

Here is the latest version of the Trinity County bird checklist in .pdf
format.

(See attached file: TRI_Co.pdf)

Enjoy,

John Hunter

My Dad, Uncle and I went birding at the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant today. Shorebirds were limited to 9 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 1 WESTERN SANDPIPER and some KIlLDEER, all at the west end of the northern pond. On the duck pond were several hundred eclipse Mallards, 2 WOOD DUCKS (1F, 1M in eclipse), 1 CINNAMON TEAL (M in eclipse), and 1 LESSER SCAUP (M, going into eclipse). Interesting Passerines included 2 YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS and 1 SWAINSON'S THRUSH singing from the river, and a pair of LAZULI BUNTINGS along the north pond.
Good birding,

Matt Brady
Ukiah, CA
zerogambit@hotmail.com
AIM: Podoces

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Sunday 06 July 2003 - Janet King reports an adult male Rufous Hummingbird visiting her feeder. Bob Keiffer also saw one the same day in Lake County.

Robert J. Keiffer
Principal Supt. of Agriculture
UC Hopland Research & Extension Center
4070 University Road
Hopland, CA 95449
(707) 744-1424 FAX (707) 744-1040
HREC website: http://danrrec.ucdavis.edu/hopland/home_page.html

"It is not the critic who counts... not the one who points out how the strong person stumbles... or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena." Theodore Roosevelt

Thursday, 03 July, 2003 This is from the Northern Calif. bird Box posting:

On July 3, an adult male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK was seen in a little
drainage just west of Verde Drive in north Mendocino. Although this is a
public road, it may be hard to see the bird. You may try Mar Vista Road
too. (Ed Pandolfino)


Robert J. Keiffer
Principal Supt. of Agriculture
UC Hopland Research & Extension Center
4070 University Road
Hopland, CA 95449
(707) 744-1424 FAX (707) 744-1040
HREC website: http://danrrec.ucdavis.edu/hopland/home_page.html

"It is not the critic who counts... not the one who points out how the strong person stumbles... or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena." Theodore Roosevelt

Morning:
The ridge loop from Covelo to Lake Pillsbury delivered most of the target birds with the Spruce Grove being the best location.

Highlights:
Green-tailed towhees at Grizzly Flat and Spruce Grove
Cassin's finch in one of the old logging clearings between Coffee Mill Flat and Spruce Grove, then singing in Spruce Grove
Mtn. chickadee nest in a cavity about 4 ft off the ground in a fir tree at Spruce Grove.
Dusky flycatcher building a nest in the whitethorn on the southern edge of the wet meadow at Spruce Grove. Nest is about 2-3 ft off the ground. Female was lining it with down from the nearby willows while the male called from across the meadow.
Flammulated owl at 1030 PM Saturday night at Spruce Grove (7-5). Heard calling from up the hill above the camp but the bird eventually moved down the ridge past the camp and was heard much closer to camp.
White-headed woodpecker on a snag in Spruce Grove.
Hermit warblers (a pair) at the wet meadow of Spruce Grove.
Townsend's solitaire at the base of Hull Mtn. at the overlook to Lake Pillsbury (in both Mendocino and Lake counties).
Nesting red-breasted sapsuckers in a snag at Haydon Rock.
The Hammond's flycatchers were probably also at Spruce Grove, but I couldn't get them to sit still long enough to tell - the only miss of the trip.


Other items of interest:
I took a botanist friend with me this trip and he managed to find five species of orchids (I'll get names for those interested).
The butterflies are incredibly abundant right now. We probably saw a dozen species.
The dawn chorus at Spruce Grove on Sunday morning started at 430 AM.

Let me know if anyone wants more information.

Demian Ebert
debert@eipassociates.com