Saturday April 7, 2007

Steve, one of the operators at the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant, saw a
BLACK-NECKED STILT at the edge of the south pond yesterday.

Cheryl Watson
Ukiah, CA

This morning, Peggy Macres and I walked up the hill to Montgomery Grove in
the moments before dawn.  We were rewarded with hearing a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL
along the hike, then two BARRED OWLS in conversation somewhere to the south
of the grove.  Lots of PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, BROWN CREEPERS, WINTER
WRENS, and three PILEATED WOODPECKERS, too.

There were plenty of WILD TURKEY throughout Mendecino County today.  We
encountered the largest flock of the day on and just off the road about two
miles west of Montgomery Woods.

At Van Damme State Park, we dipped on Gray Jay.  We enjoyed plenty of
returning warblers (ORANGE-CROWNED and WILSON'S).  At MacKerricher State
Park, we saw one RED-NECKED GREBE in full alternate plumage off-shore, one
HERRING GULL and quite a few GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS mixed in with WESTERN
GULLS, and a breeding colony of PELAGIC CORMORANTS.  On the trail around the
lake, we enjoyed two HORNED GREBE feeding with AMERICAN COOT - we assume the
Horned Grebes were migrating, indulging in a feeding frenzy.  One of the
Grebes had almost completed its molt; the other was still in basic, making
for an interesting comparison.

Good birding -

Jennifer Rycenga
Half Moon Bay, CA

The golden eagle nest in Redwood Valley west of (upper) Black Bart
trail has a bird sitting on eggs, as does the osprey nest above Hwy 20
west of Fife Vineyards. I think the GE nest is visible only from
private property.

I'm always interested in hearing about any active nests (hummingbird to
eagle-sized) that can be seen from a close to level vantage point one
way or another, including via climbing trees. I love to watch nests,
especially nests with chicks, and also like to pass information on to
Jon Klein, wildlife photographer. No bird too drab.

Kate

Stan Beach saw a  Magpie(assumed Yellow-billed) at Navy Camp, Lake
Pillsbury yesterday afternoon.
This is a first for Lake County at that location.

Could this be the Potter Valley magpie?          Jerry White

Greetings Mendobirders-  Between 545 and 730 this evening Barbara and I
enjoyed a male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD that was visiting our feeders
repeatedly.  It was quite timid, but we saw it 8-10 times.  There were 6-8
ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS and 4 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS also at the feeders.  We have
had the Rufous continuously since March 15, and more this evening than
previously.  I never remember them in these numbers during spring migration
at our feeders in the past.  This is the second CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD we
have seen in our yard, and only the third I have seen in Mendocino County.

Chuck




*********************************
Chuck and Barbara Vaughn
Ukiah, CA  95482

cevaughn@...

Many thanks to John Griffith for writing this great article!

The Rattlesnake Lady:
She won’t bite, but she will rattle your view on snakes
By John Griffith

Few things immortalize the Wild West more than cowboys, cow drives, and
rattlesnakes. But while cowboys still enjoy popularity in rodeos and
cigarette advertisements, and cows have become popular Mcworldwide,
rattlesnakes have been… well, they’ve been chopped in half with
shovels.

Snakes have had a bad reputation in western cultures since Genesis.
Thanks to science, we’re starting to realize that snakes aren’t really
mindless muscles that slither around with hypnotizing eyes,
skin-piercing fangs, and the evil intent of ambushing a picnicking
family. Still, Katie Colbert, the Rattlesnake Lady, would advise you to
watch where you set your cooler.

On Thursday, April 19th at 7 p.m., Katie Colbert will give a slide
presentation on America’s most misunderstood and unappreciated reptile
at the Ukiah Civic Center (directions below). Colbert is a wildlife
biologist with the Sunol-Ohlone Wilderness Region of the East Bay
Regional Parks. This event, which is sponsored by Peregrine Audubon
Society, is free to the public, though donations are happily accepted.

Colbert describes a rattlesnake's worldview as “six inches high and
crisscrossed with the scent trails of rodents.” For the last nine
years, she has studied them on their own turf. She stalks them with the
help of radio-tracking technology and has made some amazing
discoveries. She has followed the same snake back to the same
rock-covered den where he has wintered for five years in a row. She’s
even discovered two female rattlesnakes-possibly sisters-that prefer to
spend their time together.

All of this may sound way too endearing for something that has severe,
unblinking eyes (snakes don’t have eyelids) and a mouth full of venom.
It gets even more interesting. Rattlesnakes and their prey have
co-evolved. Poisonous fangs gave rattlesnakes a major advantage over
rodents. With one quick bite rattlesnakes could coil up, watch their
prey die, and then eat the victim after it stopped struggling. Yet one
of their favorite menu items declared an arms race and has evolved too.
Adult ground squirrels are no longer affected by the snakes’ venom.
They have become immune.

While some could claim that ground squirrels have benefited from
humans’ vast, rowed forests of fruit-bearing trees (orchards), no one
could make the same statement for rattlesnakes. We have taken over
their habitat and do not allow them to live near us. Even when we
encounter them in the wilderness we often kill them. Katie says that
those nature lovers who think they are sparing a snake’s life by moving
it miles away to a “safer place” are giving that snake a death sentence
as well. It takes a long time for a rattlesnake to become acquainted
with every rodent trail, lizard hangout, and good hiding place. When it
is moved out of its territory, it often exhausts all of its precious
energy reserves trying to adapt to the new location-and dies.

The best way to co-exist with rattlesnakes is to understand them. Now
we have a rare opportunity to do just that. Katie Colbert is sure to
inspire you to think more deeply the next time you hear that hissing
rattling sound that sends adrenaline shooting through the veins of even
the toughest outdoorsman. She encourages you to come to her
presentation with an open mind. Her co-presenter would appreciate it if
you left your shovels at home - for he… is a rattlesnake.

The rattlesnakes' worldview will be revealed at the Ukiah Civic Center
on April 19th at 7 p.m. From 101, take Perkins St. west to North State
Street. Turn left. Go three blocks and right on Seminary Avenue.
Proceed to the Civic Center parking lot.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Birders.  I woke up this morning to find a nice adult male Calliope
Hummingbird on my parent's feeder in Potter Valley.  He has returned several
times since, so he may stick around for a bit.
If you'd like to check him out, give me a call at (707) 743-1133.  Good birding,

Matt Brady
Potter Valley, MEN



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The 70,000 or so Western and Clark's grebes that wintered on Clear Lake
don't appear to be there now. Brad Barnwell drove around the entire
lake looking for them the other day. Vishnu saw 400 on Lake Mendocino
yesterday. Does anyone know where the rest are, or have any theories?

Kate

Hi Birders.  On Friday the 13th I heard a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE at my parent's
place in Potter Valley, and have heard it several times since.  According to the
database posted at <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mendobirds/database> this is
the earliest record in inland Mendocino County.  The previous early record was
on April 20th, 2005 at the Hopland Field Station, recorded by Chuck Vaughn.

On Saturday the 14th Austin Booth and I had a NASHVILLE WARBLER up at Cow
Mountain, as well as several Warbling Vireos.  Apparently this was the first one
in inland Mendocino County this year.  A drive around Potter Valley yielded many
pairs of Western Kingbirds.  There was a single Tricolored Blackbird at the end
of Burris Lane, and several more along Pine Avenue.  I'm not sure what their
status in inland Mendocino county is.  There was no sign of the Burrowing Owl at
the end of Burris Lane, which I last saw it on March 29th.

Yesterday the 15th Ryan Terrill, Austin Booth and I headed up to Hull Mountain. 
The low snow levels made it possible to drive all the way to the top, although
the road is in bad condition and a high clearance vehicle is necessary.  There
were very few birds up there, though 'THICK-BILLED' FOX SPARROWS are in, as were
'AUDUBON'S' YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.  At Lake Pilsbury we also heard a PURPLE
MARTIN, which, if it had been in Mendocino County, would have been the first one
this year as well as the earliest arrival.  I'm not sure what their status is up
there, but these may have been the first arrivals this year for Lake County.

There has been no sign of the Calliope Hummingbird since Saturday morning.

Good birding,

Matt Brady
Potter Valley, MEN



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I was visting my aunt in Menlo Park (on the Peninsula) this weekend and
she asked me to ID a bird she had been hearing in her backyard.  She
described it as saying "Sweetie sweetie".  I heard it briefly and it
did indeed sound like "sweetie sweetie", but I had no idea what the
bird was and since it didn't repeat the call while I was there, I
didn't get a visual.  I imagine it is a common backyard bird ... does
anyone have an idea of what it was?  Thanks for any help!  Maureen

As windy a spring day as I can remember; my low-reading anemometer
topped 30 MPH in a rain squall this afternoon.  The finches are having
trouble hanging on to their (thistle) socks.
Mixed in with my normal sparrow hordes the last few days have been
both male and female Brown-headed Cowbirds, the first in several years.
Also had a super bright and spiffy male Black-headed Grosbeak just
now, the first of the year here.
I have been having some female Red-winged Blackbirds to go with the
much more numerous males.  Two or three of these have markedly orange-
buff throats, something I don't remember noticing before; only Sibley
of my several books mentions this coloration and then only as "throat
often washed pinkish-orange."

Have you checked to see if it's a Plain Titmouse (Oak Titmouse)?  My
old Nat'l Geo guide says they call weety, weety, not far from sweety,
sweety, I'd say.  That'd be my guess, having lived on the Peninsula
and heard this cheery call.

Ken Holmes

On Apr 17, 2007, at 9:26 AM, mohagan1984 wrote:

> I was visting my aunt in Menlo Park (on the Peninsula) this weekend
> and
> she asked me to ID a bird she had been hearing in her backyard. She
> described it as saying "Sweetie sweetie". I heard it briefly and it
> did indeed sound like "sweetie sweetie", but I had no idea what the
> bird was and since it didn't repeat the call while I was there, I
> didn't get a visual. I imagine it is a common backyard bird ... does
> anyone have an idea of what it was? Thanks for any help! Maureen
>
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Greetings Mendobirders-  I first reported this male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD on
the evening of the 10th and he is still here.  I did not post his presence
again because he was somewhat irregular.  He is getting a little more
aggressive, more comfortable with the other hummingbirds at the feeders,
and Barbara and I have  pretty reliably seen him the past few days.  A
number of Ukiah-area birders have been successful and if anyone else would
like to make a twitch, please reply OFF LIST and we can make
arrangements.  We had NW wind gusts in excess of 30 mph today, and can
expect the same tomorrow according to the weather guessers, so I think he
might hang around a little longer.

Chuck




*********************************
Chuck and Barbara Vaughn
Ukiah, CA  95482

cevaughn@...

Thursday, April 19, I was attending an event at Redwood Valley
Cellars.   It was about 6:30 PM, drizzly and dusky. I saw what I'm
pretty sure was a Semipalmated Plover in the picnic/garden area.  I
believe it had only one neckband.  It also didn't have the white band
through the eye area.

I thought this unusual as it was out of its normal habitat.

I have seen a killdeer before.  This bird appeared to be smaller and
didn't pretend to be crippled when I inadvertantly approached it. Nor
did it fly off, just sort of ran away along the paved walkways.

I would appreciate anyone confirming this bird either way if they are
in that area and can stop by.

Thanks.

Bill Schuhmann

I feed a large number of birds here where I live a
half hour NW of Willits.
Among my Mourning Doves this morning was what looked
like some sort of dove, but isn't in my bird books.
It is very dark, nearly black on its breast and
underparts.  There are a few light feathers on the
throat and at the nape. It is speckled like a Mourning
Dove on the feathers near the tail, but is overall
darker in color than the other doves. I'm a middling
birder, but this bird has never made an appearance
before.  Any ideas?  Quince

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I would like to request that when people reply to question(s) they
choose "reply to all" so everyone can read the answer. (Or at least
copy your answer to me, please).

Thanks.

Kate

P.S. I had a pair of Lazuli Buntings yesterday. Also was interested to
see a Western Bluebird perched on a high dead branch about 8 inches
from a Kestrel. Both just hung out there watching the scenery together
for 5 minutes or so, whereupon the Bluebird flew off. I guess Kestrels
eat birds only occasionally.

Also saw 1 Western Kingbird and 1 Bullock's Oriole, which I'd been
hearing for a few days but not seeing. I love it when the migrants are
back in force!


On Apr 21, 2007, at 1:31 PM, Quince Amanda wrote:

> I feed a large number of birds here where I live a
>  half hour NW of Willits.
>  Among my Mourning Doves this morning was what looked
>  like some sort of dove, but isn't in my bird books.
>  It is very dark, nearly black on its breast and
>  underparts. There are a few light feathers on the
>  throat and at the nape. It is speckled like a Mourning
>  Dove on the feathers near the tail, but is overall
>  darker in color than the other doves. I'm a middling
>  birder, but this bird has never made an appearance
>  before. Any ideas? Quince
>
>  __________________________________________________
>  Do You Yahoo!?
>  Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Friday, April 20, I saw a pair of Lawrence Goldfinches at the top of
Burris Lane in Potter Valley.  They were sitting on a wire on the fence
on the north side of the road, bright patches of yellow in the wing
very evident in the male.   Also saw Chipping Sparrow, Bullock's
Orioles, and Western Kingbirds, among others.  The Burrowing Owl was
not to be found on the hillside where we had seen it a few weeks ago.

Paul Hawks

I regret that I do not have a digital camera in case
the odd dove returns, but will at least attempt to get
a photo on film.
It is definitely not a Band-Tail Pigeon.  I have a
flock of those that visit daily, but this bird looked
nearly identical to the Mourning Doves aside from the
coloration, including size.
It has not showed up today, but I will keep an eye out
for it.
Thank you, Quince

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A pair of Red Crossbills have been coming to my feeders on an
infrequent basis since April 14th. I've called neighbors who regularly
feed birds and they also are reporting Crossbills on an infrequent
basis. Since we live at the Woods Senior Community amongst pygmy
forest they are not out of place but are listed as rare in Mendocino.
This is the second year in a row that we've seen them here.

I've posted three pictures.

Richard Hubacek

Hi birders-  Jim saw a Semipalmated Plover with about 30 Western Sandpipers
   at the mouth of Ten Mile River yesterday.  There has also an influx of Caspian
   Terns during the last week.
   In our yard, a Chipping Sparrow fed on the driveway for the last two days.

   Karen & Jim Havlena
   North of Fort Bragg


---------------------------------
Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?
  Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Although I knew this day would come, I was dismayed to see a Eurasian
Collared-Dove fly over the freeway north of Ukiah this morning.  It's probably
only a matter of a couple of years until they're crowding every telephone pole,
like they are down south.  I may have missed previous reports, but I think this
may be the first record for inland Mendocino County.

On another note, Austin Booth and I visited the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant
today, and found all three ponds full.  There were quite a few ducks on them,
mostly Mallards and Ruddy Ducks, but also 65+ Ring-necked Ducks, several Greater
Scaup, two or three pairs of Cinnamon Teal, a pair of American Wigeon, 20 or so
Buffleheads, 25 Green-winged Teal, and several Canada Geese.  The only
shorebirds were two Western Sandpipers.

Good birding,

Matt Brady
Potter Valley



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Hey Birders.  Another male Calliope Hummingbird put in a brief appearance at my
parent's place in Potter Valley today.  I was able to take a couple of quick
shots with a small digital camera.  If they turned out at all, I'll post them
later.  Good birding,

Matt Brady
Potter Valley



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Yesterday I was birding along the Russian River under the bridge on
Talmage Rd.  I got a very brief look at a sparrow that I believe was a
White-Throated Sparrow.  It had a spot of yellow in front of the eyes
and the throat was white.  Unfortunately it flew before I could
observe any more details. I'm not going to say it was a white-throated
for certain because I only saw it for a couple seconds and didn't get
a chance to fully analyze the bird.  Good birding.

Austin Booth

Toby Tobkin reported seeing at first year GLAUCOUS GULL on Virgin Creek
beach today (April 27) at noon.  She reported that it is all white except
when it raises its wings and shows the brown vermiculation on the back.  A
very large bird, it has a pink bill with a black tip and was seen in with a
flock of Western Gulls.  Also present were 2 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, giving  a
wide range of sizes to the gull flock.



Charlene McAllister
P.O. Box 332
Little River, CA 95456
707-937-4463





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In Mendobirds@yahoogroups.com, Quince Amanda <vitreous2002@...>
wrote:
>
> I feed a large number of birds here where I live a
> half hour NW of Willits.
> Among my Mourning Doves this morning was what looked
> like some sort of dove, but isn't in my bird books.
> It is very dark, nearly black on its breast and
> underparts.  There are a few light feathers on the
> throat and at the nape. It is speckled like a Mourning
> Dove on the feathers near the tail, but is overall
> darker in color than the other doves. I'm a middling
> birder, but this bird has never made an appearance
> before.  Any ideas?  Quince

Hi Quince,
  Check out the Eurasian Collared-Dove in your book. It's an Old World
Species that is rapidly spreading across the US. It has reached
California and a small flock is residing in the Manchester area here
on the coast. Looks like they've reached your area too.
           Regards, Jeanne Jackson, Anchor Bay
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>

Today I saw the Lawrence's Goldfinches at the top of Burris Lane in Potter
Valley.  They were
on the fence on the north side.  There was about 4-6 of them.  I just put up a
photo album
on here and there is a picture of one of the goldfinches in it.

Austin Booth

Great photos, Austin. Thanks for posting them.

Vishnu


On Apr 28, 2007, at 5:24 PM, booth_austin wrote:

> Today I saw the Lawrence's Goldfinches at the top of Burris Lane in
> Potter Valley. They were
> on the fence on the north side. There was about 4-6 of them. I just
> put up a photo album
> on here and there is a picture of one of the goldfinches in it.
>
> Austin Booth
>
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 -- This morning from 07:15 through 08:15 Joanne
Haller and I saw at least three LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES among about
ten Lesser Goldfinches at the end of Burris Lane. They were feeding
on the young seeds of Fiddlenecks. We did not see any yesterday
evening just before sunset.
      The Burrowing Owl was not visable, but some vegetation has grown
up around the entrance to its burrow. Nor did we see any Tricolored
Blackbirds.
      An early YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was singing near the old bridge on
Potter Valley Road.

George Chaniot
Potter Valley, MEN, CA

During the Heron Festival and Wildfowl Brunch at Clear
Lake State Park, an alternate (breeding) plumaged
HORNED GREBE was seen by several guides on both
Saturday the 28th (as reported to me by Susanne
Scholz) and Sunday the 29th (when I had good looks at
it). I heard a second-hand report of two AMERICAN
BITTERNS seen on Sunday and a first-hand report from a
non-birder of a swan (presumably a MUTE SWAN) at
Rodman Slough on Wednesday the 25th. Several dozen
WESTERN/CLARK'S GREBES were present over the weekend,
which was considerably more than the previous weekend.
As alluded to in a brief post a few weeks ago by Kate
Marianchild, most of the grebes on Clear Lake departed
after a mass fish mortality event--presumably due to
cold temperatures--back in March. It will be
interesting to see whether any grebes wind up breeding
this year.

Belatedly I've seen some birds (plus a mammal) of
interest during my daily commute past Detert
Reservoir, including a BOBCAT on April 23, an adult
BALD EAGLE on April 20, a HORNED GREBE in about 90%
basic (winter) plumage on April 6, a pair of CINNAMON
TEAL on March 22, and an adult GOLDEN EAGLE feeding on
roadkill (I had to swerve to miss it) on March 20. A
pair of OSPREYS were nest building on a utility pole
on March 22 but within a few weeks the nest
disappeared, so I suspect it was removed by PG&E
employees.

Floyd Hayes
Hidden Valley Lake, Lake County

My partner Larry Knowles and I attend Heron Days, too. On Sunday we
kayaked up Kelsey Creek about .5 miles and flushed several times, both
coming and going, two immature bald eagles and four male and two female
wood ducks. We got great looks at all these birds. We were also on the
first pontoon boat to find the horned grebe and got a great look at it.
Heron Days was great.

Erica Fielder
On Apr 30, 2007, at 12:28 PM, Floyd Hayes wrote:

> During the Heron Festival and Wildfowl Brunch at Clear
>  Lake State Park, an alternate (breeding) plumaged
>  HORNED GREBE was seen by several guides on both
>  Saturday the 28th (as reported to me by Susanne
>  Scholz) and Sunday the 29th (when I had good looks at
>  it). I heard a second-hand report of two AMERICAN
>  BITTERNS seen on Sunday and a first-hand report from a
>  non-birder of a swan (presumably a MUTE SWAN) at
>  Rodman Slough on Wednesday the 25th. Several dozen
>  WESTERN/CLARK'S GREBES were present over the weekend,
>  which was considerably more than the previous weekend.
>  As alluded to in a brief post a few weeks ago by Kate
>  Marianchild, most of the grebes on Clear Lake departed
>  after a mass fish mortality event--presumably due to
>  cold temperatures--back in March. It will be
>  interesting to see whether any grebes wind up breeding
>  this year.
>
>  Belatedly I've seen some birds (plus a mammal) of
>  interest during my daily commute past Detert
>  Reservoir, including a BOBCAT on April 23, an adult
>  BALD EAGLE on April 20, a HORNED GREBE in about 90%
>  basic (winter) plumage on April 6, a pair of CINNAMON
>  TEAL on March 22, and an adult GOLDEN EAGLE feeding on
>  roadkill (I had to swerve to miss it) on March 20. A
>  pair of OSPREYS were nest building on a utility pole
>  on March 22 but within a few weeks the nest
>  disappeared, so I suspect it was removed by PG&E
>  employees.
>
>  Floyd Hayes
>  Hidden Valley Lake, Lake County
>
************************************************
For more information on Erica Fielder Studio,
please see my two websites:
www.ericafielder-ecoartist.com
www.birdfeederhat.org

Erica Fielder Studio
P.O. Box 1075,
Mendocino, CA 95460




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]