|
Acorn woodpeckers in the 'hood
newsboy.zack@...
Well, over the past three weeks the birds have sure been active here. Everytime I am outdoors, even in town, birds are everywhere!
I wanted to note that acorn woodpeckers have arrived in my "neighborhood", something not found living at my forested location prior to last year. I observed one with my binoculars the other day and I was impressed by its agility moving around and almost hanging upside down in the canopy of nearby white oak and pepperwood trees. I hope to discover a granary someday. I enjoy the emails from this group. Thank you. Zack Cinek Willits
|
|
|
|
Pec Sand Ten Mile
Roger Adamson
I found a Pectoral Sandpiper from the Ten Mile River bridge. It was just east of the south end of the bridge. We see these regularly Aug-Sep, but it’s unusual in spring.
RHA
|
|
|
|
Choo-choo Willie
6 April 2022 - This morning I finally heard my first Wilson's
Warbler of spring, singing from a riparian zone. Been waiting for
these guys.
|
|
|
|
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Rose Memorial, FB
Roger Foote
A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Rose Memorial Cemetery in Fort Bragg at 9:30 am on Saturday, March 26, 2022. The bird was working the western most Banksias. Roger Foote Ukiah
|
|
|
|
Orioles
Roger Adamson
Chris L today reported to me that there is a female Hooded Oriole at Rose Memorial Cem in Fort Bragg. Also, there is a possible Orchard Oriole, also female, at MacKerricher near the little amphitheater.
RHA
|
|
|
|
Female Osprey arrived
3/14/22
Hi All, Yesterday I heard Osprey calls in the air. And in the afternoon I saw the female had returned. The Osprey pair were in the nest, working on it. This is the nest I watch through a spotting scope in Anchor Bay. It warmed my heart to see her return to her mate. Jeanne
|
|
|
|
Re: Violet-Green Swallows are Back
I saw two circling above Caspar Pond on March 2nd.
Since then, I have been seeing more and more and today, as at your place, they are circling and calling above my house north of Fort Bragg. Nice to see they are back! Lisa D Walker-Roseman, Fort Bragg/Cleone On Mon, 7 Mar 2022 12:58:41 -0800, "Erica Fielder" <efielder@...> wrote: Flying and chattering above our yard today.Fielderefielder@... [1]707-671-4072mailto:efielder@...?subject=Private:%20Re:%20%5BMendobirds%5D%20Violet-Green%20Swallows%20are%20Back [6] https://groups.io/mt/89623027/974701
|
|
|
|
Violet-Green Swallows are Back
Erica Fielder
Flying and chattering above our yard today.
Erica Fielder ******************************************* Erica Fielder 707-671-4072 See more interpretive panels about nature and culture on our Facebook page:
|
|
|
|
Re: First Osprey seen! And Violet-green Swallows, plus thousand of Cacklers.
\ LFK\ Liquid Fusion Kayaking
Yess! On the Look Out! Cheers, Jeff Laxier Liquid Fusion Kayaking Fort Bragg, California (707) 357-0081
On Sun, Mar 6, 2022 at 1:08 PM jackson_us <jackson2@...> wrote:
--
Jeff Laxier Liquid Fusion Kayaking
|
|
|
|
Re: First Osprey seen! And Violet-green Swallows, plus thousand of Cacklers.
3/6/22 And just now, I looked through my spotting scope and there was an osprey perched on the nest my husband and I have watched through the years here in Anchor Bay. So, a returning male, it sure looks like! Diane Hichwa reminded me the Sea Ranch bird count had one osprey in January, so we know one sometimes stays on the coast overwinter. But this is the first sighting of one on this nest since last year. More to follow… Jeanne
From: Mendobirds@groups.io <Mendobirds@groups.io> On Behalf Of jackson_us
Sent: Sunday, March 6, 2022 9:16 AM To: Mendobirds@groups.io Subject: [Mendobirds] First Osprey seen! And Violet-green Swallows, plus thousand of Cacklers.
3/6/22 Hi All, Two Gualala residents report seeing an Osprey yesterday at Cooks Beach, March 5, 2022. Also, the first Violet-green swallows arrived in Timber Cove (I know, that’s Sonoma county) on Feb. 28th. I have Mel Smith in Point Arena watching his nesting boxes. I think of the Ospreys returning around the first day of spring and the swallows arriving around St. Patrick’s day. So, like everything else this year, they are early. And long strings of Aleutian Cackling Geese were seen last week headed north, in great numbers. Jeanne, Anchor Bay
|
|
|
|
Re: First Osprey seen! And Violet-green Swallows, plus thousand of Cacklers.
I saw Violet-green Swallows at Caspar Pond last week as well as the
Enchanted Forest Trail this morning with Kent Leland and Shannon Underhill Lisa D Walker-Roseman, Fort Bragg/Cleone On Sun, 6 Mar 2022 09:16:14 -0800, "jackson_us" <jackson2@...> wrote: 3/6/22mailto:jackson2@...?subject=Private:%20Re:%20%5BMendobirds%5D%20First%20Osprey%20seen%21%20And%20Violet-green%20Swallows%2C%20plus%20thousand%20of%20Cacklers. [3] https://groups.io/mt/89593192/974701
|
|
|
|
First Osprey seen! And Violet-green Swallows, plus thousand of Cacklers.
3/6/22 Hi All, Two Gualala residents report seeing an Osprey yesterday at Cooks Beach, March 5, 2022. Also, the first Violet-green swallows arrived in Timber Cove (I know, that’s Sonoma county) on Feb. 28th. I have Mel Smith in Point Arena watching his nesting boxes. I think of the Ospreys returning around the first day of spring and the swallows arriving around St. Patrick’s day. So, like everything else this year, they are early. And long strings of Aleutian Cackling Geese were seen last week headed north, in great numbers. Jeanne, Anchor Bay
|
|
|
|
Re: Rare Yellow Purple Finch at Our Feeder
There's an article on carotenism in Purple Finches, here:
https://archive.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V48/48(1)-p069-p071.pdf On Wed, 23 Feb 2022 11:50:50 -0800, "Erica Fielder" <efielder@...> wrote: Hi All,Fielderefielder@... [1]707-671-4072mailto:efielder@...?subject=Private:%20Re:%20%5BMendobirds%5D%20Rare%20Yellow%20Purple%20Finch%20at%20Our%20Feeder [6] https://groups.io/mt/89349386/974701
|
|
|
|
Rufous hummingbird today
Kitty & Creek Norris
Hi Folks -
Our long haul trucker Rufous is here today, visiting his pit stop, doing his best to avoid being attacked by the mob of Anna’s. They seem to seriously dislike the color orange. Kitty & Creek Norris Irene Peak SW of Willits
|
|
|
|
Whimbrel concerns
Hi again, all.... first, thanks to Joe Morlan about the correct ID of the
American Pipit sub-group? race? I just call them 'forms' for my own notes. On to Whimbrels... Is it just me, or does it seem like Whimbrels were sparse here in the latter half 2021? eBird has the last report (with photos) of Whimbrel on the Mendocino coast on September 16 of 2021. I saw one on the 17th but did not report it to eBird. I am sure there have to be other reports without photos on eBird since then? In a typical year, I see Whimbrels on the Mendocino Coast from March through December. I was gone from Aug 2020 to Aug 2021. That Whimbrel I saw on the 17th of September 2021 was the *only* Whimbrel I have seen since I got home. Not for lack of birding the shorelines from Westport to Mendocino, as often as possible. I also see on eBird some huge flocks from earlier in the year during the Mendocino SOS. (I remember times seeing them foraging for food on the Pudding Creek Headlands in the tall grasses, as well as on the Glass Beach Headlands in summer after the breeding season up north) While I was in Santa Barbara County, (Aug 2020 to Aug 2021) I saw a few on the days I could go birding at the coast (beaches from Vandenberg to Santa Barbara), but not as many as I had been used to seeing up here during that same time stretch. (of course, I didn't go birding as often as I am used to, while I was down there), It just seems like there are by far fewer.... or is this the lull before the migratory storm? *smile* Just wondering if anyone else has noticed a drop in shorebird numbers, most specifically the Whimbrel. I should have just left it at that. Sorry for writing a book! Lisa D Walker-Roseman Fort Bragg-Cleone
|
|
|
|
Re: American Pipit Question
Hi Lisa,
This looks more like /A. r. pacificus/ to me. Very gray with underparts more spotted than streaked. Not /japonicua/ which looks much different. Great photos! On Mon, 28 Feb 2022 13:37:48 -0800, "Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker)" <feather@...> wrote: Hi, all!-- Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA
|
|
|
|
American Pipit Question
Hi, all!
American Pipits fascinate me. Today, I got some photos of a different-looking American Pipit (its calls were definitely American-sounding). Instead of the warm tones of the Rubescens form, I think this might be a Japonicus form as it was grayer overall. I have attached a couple of photos of the bird in hope that someone can tell me.... seemed to be very different-looking than other American Pipits I have photographed on the Mendocino coast. Lisa D Walker-Roseman (Feather), Fort Bragg/Cleone PS. This was at "Snow Bunting Cove" on the Pudding Creek headlands, just south of Virgin Creek
|
|
|
|
Re: Rufous Hummingbird
Larry Sawyer and Harriet Bye
We had a male Rufous at our feeder this morning in Albion. What a beauty.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Larry
On 2/25/2022 7:56 PM, Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) wrote:
Hi, everyone!
|
|
|
|
Albatrosses galore
25 February 2022 On a 3-hour cruise out of Noyo Harbor this morning, twelve people enjoyed mild weather and a great show of Northern Fulmars and Black-footed Albatrosses. Heading out of the harbor we encountered very few birds until we got about 4 miles offshore, where we began seeing small flocks of Common Murres and a few Rhinoceros Auklets. Soon after that the first Northern Fulmar flew past the boat, zipping past the bow only inches away from the hull. The Captain had spotted a "drag-boat" (trawler) and took us out to see if it had a "fan club" (birds following the boat). Sure enough, as we approached we could see a lot of bird activity in the wake of the trawler, including a couple of big dark birds: the first Black-footed Albatrosses of the morning. We got behind the boat and put out a fish-oil slick while the deckhand threw popcorn out to attract Gulls. Both tricks worked and we soon had an enthusiastic following of our own, including five Black-footed Albatrosses, uncountable numbers of Northern Fulmars, and many Western and Glaucous-winged Gulls. The Fulmars put on a show, repeatedly whizzing past the boat and crossing the bow so close we could look straight down onto their backs. The Albatrosses likewise gave us a great show, landing to snatch up some popcorn and then laboriously running across the water to regain flight, circling the boat, and showing off their amazing ability to soar with their wingtips barely above water. We stayed around the slick for a while, hoping to draw in some
more species of tubenoses, and enjoying the show. Eventually we
moved off toward the upper end of the Noyo Canyon, but there were
very few birds to be seen there. Turning back we encountered the
drag-boat again, farther offshore, so we set out another slick and
got another fantastic show of Fulmars, Albatrosses, and Gulls. We
kept hoping for a Laysan Albatross like the February 4 trip, but
no such luck this time. As we began heading back toward the harbor, we spied another
drag-boat a couple of miles to the south, and the Captain
obligingly took us to it. This one turned out to be the Miss Kelly
II, and she had a "fan club" too - including no less than fourteen
(14) Black-footed Albatrosses, all sitting on the water along with
numerous Gulls and Fulmars. Apparently these birds had just gorged
on scraps from the trawl, because they were content to sit there
on the water and let us get pretty close. After that we were pretty happy and content to return to the
harbor, but the ocean had one more gift: a pod of three Gray
Whales moving north. Once again the Captain obliged us and took us
toward them for great views. We were a half-hour late getting back
to the dock but it was totally worth it. In the three weeks since the last "mini-pelagic," the hundreds of Kittiwakes have all disappeared, along with the Short-billed Gulls and nearly all of the California Gulls. We saw no Shearwaters at all today. Rhinoceros Auklets are still present and sporting nice facial plumes. Common Murres are present in both adult breeding and non-breeding plumages. I will continue to look for opportunities for short trips like
this when the weather forecast looks promising. Watch this list or
send me an e-mail to get notified the next time.
|
|
|
|
Rufous Hummingbird
Hi, everyone!
A gorgeous male Rufous Hummingbird was at my feeders this evening. First of the season for my yard - typically I don't see them until March, and I missed seeing them completely in 2021 due to not being home. At Virgin Creek there were quite a few Surfbirds mixed in with a flock of Black Turnstones and a single (possibly continuing bird from December), Ruddy Turnstone. Gulls were sparse on the beaches but at the extreme south end of the beach off the Pudding Creek Headlands, there was a mixed flock of gulls and cormorants. (I didn't venture over for a look). Two Sanderlings were hanging out with the turnstones and surfbirds. I counted at least 25 Black-bellied Plovers. All of these, including a female Red-breasted Merganser, some Black Oystercatchers, a few Western Gulls and a couple of American Pipits, were at the north side of the main beach. In the tidepools at the end of the rocks that separate the main beach from the north, was a single Great Egret. Checklist is here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S103706495 Anxious to hear about today's pelagic! Lisa D Walker-Roseman, Fort Bragg-Cleone
|
|
|