Today around 1:00 PM I watched a breeding adult Franklin's Gull fly by the
Mendocino Headlands slowly heading north into a strong wind.

Later in the afternoon in Ukiah I tried unsuccessfully for the phalaropes and
ibis. There was a Greater White-fronted Goose paddling around with the Mallards.



                                                                   Jerry White


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

Wed, 8 May 2002 -- Today Dorothy Tobkin found a TUFTED PUFFIN in the water
off the Mendocino Headlands. It was north of the island with murres,
cormorants, and burrows where TUPUs have nested before ( This is sometimes
called Goat Island by birders, I believe incorrectly. GEC ). There were
also a number of RHINOCEROS AUKLETS in the water near the puffin.
         On May 6 she was scoping from Laguna Point in high winds and saw a
probable FRANKLIN'S GULL but did not get a definitive look. There were a
lot of migrating loons, phalaropes, scoters, and gulls.

Wednesday, 08 May, Lawrence's Goldfinches have been showing up at the UC
Hopland Research & Extension Center for about one week now...but in
scattered areas.  This afternoon between 2:00 and 2:30 PM I saw 6 LAGO and
heard a couple more by the Vasser Corner Experimental Area along University
Road.  This is the same site that has provided LAGO for birders in the
past.  After turning onto University Road, which heads east from East Side
Road just north of "Old Hopland", follow the road up the grade for about
two miles.  You will pass an old wooden barn on the right (south) side of
the road.   Go about another 1/8th mile and there will be a sharp bend to
your left.  At this turn you will look directly at the "Vasser Corner
Experimental Area" sign on a 6 foot high fence...here there will be a
pullout/parking area on your right.   Watch the tipped-over wooden box
which is a salt feeder as the birds come to this for salt.   Especially
watch the bathtub water trough... this is where I saw most of the LAGO
drinking.
There are many Lesser Goldfinches in the area so scan all the fences and
"popcorn flower" patches on which the goldfinches love to feed.   One of
the best ways to find the birds is to just sit and listen for the bell-like
tinkle call which is very distinctive once you hear it.   You can call
707-744-1424 and ask for Bob Keiffer or Chuck Vaughn if you need further
details.        Bob Keiffer

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

Thu, 9 May 2002 -- About 10:30 this morning Dprpthy Tobkin and I saw a
WHITE-FACED IBIS at the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant on the small wet area
in the north percolation pond. It flushed and went down on the south pond
with all the water. This is probably the same individual which has been
seen off and on for the last week or so.
         There was also a single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at the north
pond, at least three Yellow-breasted Chats singing along the river, Ruddy
Ducks displaying and courting actively, and American Coots breeding in all
stages from nest building to feathered juveniles.

George Chaniot, Potter Valley, MEN, CA

Sat, 18 May 2002 -- Today I helped Chuck Vaughn do his Breeding Bird Survey
along the Covelo Road (Rte. 162 between 101 and Round Valley). It was a
rather birdy morning, and we recorded over seventy species. Yellow-breasted
Chats were particularly evident along the first third of the road. Of
particular interest were a pair of RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS at milemarker
9.25, two WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS at 19.50, an adult PEREGRINE FALCON at the
sandstone cliffs near 20.50, and a singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROW  in Round
Valley at 26.47.
         After finishing the survey, we returned through the high country
via Etsel Ridge, Hull Mountain, and Lake Pilsbury. In general the roads are
dry, graded, and easily traversed. However, there is still a snowbank
across road M1 between Windy Gap and Hull Mountain. and high-clearance,
four-wheel drive is necessary to get around it.
         Dusky Flycatchers were seen and heard at many locations from
Grizzly Flat to Hull Mountain (Dave Woodward reports Dusky Flycatchers as
early as May 4 in the Snow Mountain area). We did not find Hammond's
Flycatcher at Spruce Grove as we did  19 May 2001, nor did we find
Lincoln's Sparrow or Hermit Warbler yet, but there were other migrants and
residents such as Green-tailed Towhee, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Fox Sparrow,
Cassin's Finch, White-headed Woodpecker, Mountain Chickadee (feeding
nestlings already), and Townsend's Solitaire.  Mountain Quail were
"quarking" everywhere, and we actually saw them 5 or 6 times. On the way
back we found a singing MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER along the Eel River about
1/4 mi up the logging road from Pioneer Crossing Bridge.

George Chaniot, Potter Valley, MEN, CA

Hi-

I've got a summertime project going to explore some areas a little off the
beaten track.  One is Chimney Rock in the Usal area, and I just found out it is
a peregrine nesting site, so we will avoid it until late summer.  The other is
Impassable Rocks, at the headwaters of Big River.  Does anyone know if this is a
peregrine nesting site?  Thanks.

Rich




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

I usually refrain from posting responses... but since this may be interesting to
other Mendocino County birders (and I do not have Mr. Owings address) I am doing
so.   When the Peregrine Falcon was still listed as Endangered and the recovery
effort was in full swing there were funds available to intensively monitor and
manipulate (take eggs/place young back into) nest sites.  During this time
period biologist Monte Kirven was responsible for monitoring Northern
California.
Based upon presentations by Mr. Kirven, and personal communication with him, we
learned that Mendocino County is "very rich" in Peregrines.   Based upon USFW
data from about a decade ago, Mendocino County had more nesting pair of
Peregrine Falcons than any other county in the forty-eight states.  The county
had about one-third (over twenty pair) of all the nesting peregrines in
California (60+ pair).  The county also get numerous migrating birds during the
non-nesting season.

From my workplace at Hopland I can stand at one point and visually see four
Peregrine eiries that were active all in the same year.   The sites are all in
almost a direct line of about twelve miles in length "as the crow flies".  
There is probably not another place in North America that has this high of
density of Peregrine Falcon nests.

When the Peregrine Falcon was delisted and the monitoring funding ended Mr.
Kirven was still concerned about the productivity of the Peregrines in county,
which even though numerous, had not improved beyond a 1.4 fledglings per nest
site.

To answer Mr. Owings questions...I do not know every site in the
county...however I do know that Mendocino county has numerous scattered
"monolith-type" basalt rocks.  Almost all of these of any size with rock ledges
(like Squaw Rock south of Hopland) are or have been Peregrine nest sites...so
please be careful not to disturb nesting birds if you enjoy the sport of rock
climbing.   Most nests will fledge young by mid-June and almost always by late
June.   Many times birds, adult and/or young, will return to such rocky-cliff
sites to roost at night also.

I hope this information is helpful.    Bob Keiffer


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

There's a male House Finch at my window feeders right now with a
severely swollen right eye. No apparent injuries or oozing. Is this
Avian Pox or that other one I cannot remember the name for right now?
I need to report this to someone. . .thanks.

Mendobirders,

Today there was a male and a female Wilson's Phalarope at the southernmost
pond at the Ukiah Sewage Treatment Ponds.

John Hunter
Arcata, CA

After much research on Cornell's site as well as a few others dealing
exclusively with Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis, AKA House Finch Eye
Disease, I have come to the conclusion that the lesion on the House
Finch's eye the other morning was indeed Avian Pox. House Finch Eye
Disease hasn't yet made an appearance on the west coast, and Avian Pox
is by far more common. I am taking the feeders down and cleaning them in
a bleach solution and will be leaving them down for a while to give the
birds a chance to disperse before putting them back up.

Thanks to all who have so kindly written me privately with their helpful
suggestions.

Feather

I gleaned this from another Yahoo Groups list, the crows list:

AVIAN POX http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/facts/avepox.html

Cause

Poxvirus, several strains.

Host

Variety of birds worldwide: upland gamebirds, songbirds, marine birds,
parrot family, occasionally raptors, rarely waterfowl.

Transmission

Direct contact with infected birds, ingestion of food and water
contaminated by sick birds or carcasses, or contact with contaminated
surfaces such as bird feeders and perches. The virus enters through
abraded skin. Insects, especially mosquitoes, may act as mechanical
vectors.

Clinical/Field Signs

Avian pox can occur in two forms: cutaneous pox and diphtheritic or
"wet" pox. In cutaneous pox (the most common form), wartlike growths
occur around the eyes, beak or any unfeathered skin. This leads to
difficulty seeing, breathing, feeding, or perching. In diphtheritic pox,
the growths form in the mouth, throat, trachea and lungs resulting in
difficulty breathing or swallowing. Birds with either type may appear
weak and emaciated.

Lesions

Warty growths on unfeathered skin, sometimes in large clusters. Size and
number of growths depend on the stage and severity of infection. Common
sites include feet, legs, base of beak, and eye margins. Often emaciated
due to inability to feed. In the diphtheritic form, there are raised,
yellow plaques on the mucus membranes of the mouth and throat.

Wildlife Management Significance

The disease can be a significant mortality factor in some upland game
bird (fall and winter), songbird (winter), and raptor populations. Birds
can survive with supportive care, food and water, and protection from
secondary infections. Warty scabs contain infectious viral material.
Disease control recommendations are site specific, therefore contact the
National Wildlife Health Center for assistance. Decontamination of bird
feeders, birdbaths, transport cages and banding equipment with 10%
bleach and water solution is recommended. In some situations, removing
infected birds can be important to reduce the amount of virus available
to vectors and noninfected bird populations. Vector control may be
considered in affected areas.

Public Health Significance

There is no evidence of human risk.

Domestic Animal Significance

Poultry are susceptible and many are vaccinated against pox. The safety
and effectiveness of this vaccine in wild birds is not currently known.

Contact the National Wildlife Health Center for additional information
on this or any other wildlife health topic.




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

On Friday Dave and Brian Woodward saw 7 Black Swift's from Summit Springs, which
is the access to the Snow Mt Wilderness on the south side of the mountain. On
Saturday they watched 18 birds feeding in flight for about an hour and a half in
the same general area. Dave and I went up yesterday and saw 2 birds fly by. All
sightings took place between 3 and 5 PM.

Dave and I also found a calling Gray Flycatcher about one half mile up the trail
from the Summit Springs Trailhead. This is the 3rd county record. Exactly one
year ago the 2nd record for the county was a bird that was found in nearly the
same location.

                                                                   Jerry White


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

Spent the weekend on the coast at Albion birding with some friends.
Best bird of the weekend was a flyby adult FRANKLIN'S GULL at Laguna
Point Sun the 26th at about 1430.  The bird was heading north and was
faily close in.  I was able to observe it clearly through my scope.

Sat night the 25th we observed a COMMON NIGHTHAWK booming repeatedly
around 2030.  To reach this location drive 3.2 miles up Albion Ridge Rd
from Hwy 1.  Turn right onto Road K and park immediately.  The bird was
calling and booming over the pygmy forest to the east of Road K at
dusk.

Also of note this weekend was a MERLIN at 10 Mile Bridge, a VIRGINIA
RAIL feeding with two chicks on the northwest edge of Lake Cleone, and
four HARLEQUIN DUCKS (three male and one female) still at Virgin Creek
Beach (all on Sun the 26th).

This morning (Mon the 27th) Dave Weibe took Stan Snyder and I on a
mini-pelagic out of Noyo Harbor.  We saw no tubnoses till we got about 8
miles out (we only went 10 miles out).  Once we got out that far things
picked up dramatically.  In only about an hour we had BLACK-FOOTED
ALBATROSS (25), LAYSAN ALBATROSS (1), SOOTY SHEARWATER (50), and
PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER (1).

Good Birding Ya'll
- Matthew Matthiessen

The June 2, 2002, pelagic trip out of Noyo Harbor as coordinated by "Toby"
and the Mendocino Coast Audubon Chapter was a smashing success.  We had a
full boat and about fifteen other folks were apparently turned away.    We
began the trip at 0800 with the usual Pigeon Guillemots at the harbor mouth
and Western Gulls scattered about.   We were barely out of the harbor when
a shearwater was spotted by the close buoy no more than a few hundred yards
from the harbor mouth.   Peter Pyle quickly recognized the small bright
white and jet black birds as being a rarity with few possibilities.   Peter
immediately yelled out that we had a possible Manx Shearwater and
instructed us to look for white undertail coverts.... and yes it did have
them.   The bird was approached within 75 yards and made a couple circle
flights around the buoy giving us great looks.   Once reviewed and accepted
by the CRBC this will be the first record of a Manx Shearwater for
Mendocino County (species number 386 for Mendocino).   According to Peter
Pyle, in 1993 during El Nino years, about 100 Manx Shearwaters, normally
found in Atlantic Ocean waters, slipped around the tip of South America and
were observed off the coast of Chile.   these birds have been roaming
Pacific waters since then and experts suspect that they are breeding
somewhere in the Pacific.   Manx Shearwaters have been showing up now and
then along the California nearshore for the last few years.

The rest of the trip had great visibility but was on the rather rough side
with pretty good swells and a cold NW wind.    We had many periods of
seeing no birds, but chumming and creating slicks with cod-liver oil
resulted in a few birds tracking the scent.   We had about 30-40 Pacific
Loons, 20 Black-footed Albatrosses, 100+ Sooty Shearwaters, 10-20
Pink-footed Shearwaters, 1 Parasitic Jaeger, 1 Pomarine Jaeger,  many
Common Murres, 10-12 Pigeon Guillemots, 1 probable Red Phalarope,  4-8
Rhinoceros Auklets, Western Gulls, and Glaucous-winged Gulls.

These are my estimated numbers and may differ slightly from the "official"
count compiled by the leaders ....I just wanted to get the word out.   It
looks like there is a fall trip being planned and I encourage each of you
to participate.

Bob Keiffer

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

Wed, 5 Jun 2002 -- Dorothy Tobkin reports a breeding plumage FRANKLIN'S
GULL flying north past Laguna Point in MacKerricker State Park. She saw a
second bird that was probably also a Franklin's. There were tons of Common
Murres and the first Heermann's Gulls of the season.

Thu, 13 Jun 2002 -- Dorothy Tobkin reports a singing, first-year male
AMERICAN REDSTART and an unusual summer WILLOW FLYCATCHER at Lake Cleone.
They were near the campground on the south side of the lake.
         She also says that there is a tentative date of  Saturday Sep. 21
for a pelagic trip out of Fort Bragg. Mark your calendars tentatively and
stay tuned for details.

Birders,

On the afternoon on 6-14-02 I headed up to Hull Mountain, to look for
Black-chinned Sparrow.  Through Covello and way out the dusty and bumpy
Forest Service route M1 along Etsel Ridge.  I stopped to camp at the first
dirt track/overlook going off to the right after the turnoff to Hull
Mountain.  Black-chinned Sparrows had been reported from here but this
location appeared to be 0.15 miles inside of Lake County, although you could
possibly hear one over in Mendo from here.  After changing the flat tire, I
could hear about 6 Common Poorwills calling on both sides of the
Mendocino-Lake county line.

On 6-15-02 I did not hear Black-chinned Sparrow from the campsite so I birded
along the road back into Mendocino.  I walked out the trail to Windy Point
(trail 10W32 on the Forest Service map) about 0.5 miles and found a good spot
to listen to the south.  After much listening, I finally heard a
Black-chinned Sparrow singing far below, but easily within Mendocino County.
I can provide better details about the location if anyone is interested.
There was also a White-headed Woodpecker near the trailhead.

In the patch of corn lily at the turnoff from M1 to Spruce Grove there was
one, possibly two, singing Lincoln's Sparrows.  I'm not sure if they get any
further than this in the coast ranges.  Green-tailed towhees were nesting in
the corn lily.

Not really sorry for multiple postings.

John Hunter
Arcata, CA

Potter Valley birder Rya Reubenthaler was also at the Spruce Grove
Campground this week and reported a White-headed Woodpecker, a
Flammulated Owl and a Hammond's Flycatcher.

Greetings Mendobirders:  There were some interesting ducks on the S pond at
the USTP this morning.  Among the Coots and Mallards I saw:
1 m Blue-winged Teal
1 m Redhead
1 m Ring-necked Duck
2 m and 1 f Ruddy Duck

There was also a f Wood Duck with 12 young, and 2 pair of Cinnamon Teal
with 1 f leading 7 young.  Cinnamon Teal are increasingly rare breeders in
Mendocino County due to loss of habitat.  The only other recent nesting
record of which I am aware was about 10 years ago in Little Lake Valley by
Jack Booth.

Along the river were 3 singing Yellow-breasted Chats and 2 singing
Swainson's Thrushes.

Chuck

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chuck and Barbara Vaughn
1550 Deerwood Drive
Ukiah, CA  95482

Yesterday (Sat June 15) I drove up Boardman Ridge to see if
BLACK-CHINNED SPARROWS are back this year (I had no idea John Hunter was
making an effort the same day).  I stopped at the first pull-out south
of the Hull Peak turnoff (apparently the spot John camped the night
before) and heard one BCSP calling below me.

Knowing there is controversy as to which county this location is in I
drove further north to see if I could locate any more BCSP.  After
passing the turnoff to Hull Peak I descended a short distance to the
small gap north of the turnoff and parked the car in the pullout there.
Within a few minutes I heard another BCSP calling below me on the
south-facing slope.  As John said, this is well within the Mendo county
line.  Other high elevation specialties here were several DUSKY
FLYCATCHERS and one WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER.

After the BCSP I drove on to Spruce Grove.  Along the way I encountered
a couple NASHVILLE WARBLERS.  At Spruce Grove were HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER,
CASSIN'S FINCH, and HERMIT WARLBER.

- Matthew Matthiessen

Mon, 17 Jun 2002 -- At 08:10 this morning I found a singing GRASSHOPPER
SPARROW along Pine Avenue in Potter Valley. About 3/4 mi. up Pine Avenue,
as you are approaching Burright Creek, there is a broad pullout on the
right and a locked gate set back from the road on the left.  The GRSP was
about 30 y. beyond this gate, and I was able to get a good scope view as it
sat up on a weedstalk, preened, and sang. After about five minutes it flew
off about 100 y., plopped in the short grass, and I did not see it again in
the next half hour, nor when I came back about 9:45.
         This is the same general area where Ollie Kolkmann found GRSP on 12
Jun 1987 while he was appraising some property in the area. I  looked for
them in 2000 and 2001 without luck. These are the only GRSP records for
Potter Valley that I am aware of.  There are probably more birds around on
private property, but this bird was viewable from public access.
         Further up Pine Avenue families of Western Tanagers were roving
around already eating poison oak berries, and there was a House Wren
singing near 12600.  I have also had a House Wren singing in my
neighborhood off and on since 17 May - yard bird #157.

George Chaniot
Potter Valley, MEN, CA

Last night (Fri June 21) Linda Angerer and I observed a female LESSER
NIGHTHAWK at the Timberline campsite on Boardman Ridge in Lake County.
We saw the bird around 2045 and the observation lasted for 3-5 minutes.
The bird was rather small and extremely buffy (including the pale wing
patch) and flew no higher than the treetops during the entire
observation.  The bird made several passes overhead within 30 ft of us.
Eventually the bird flew off at treetop level along the ridgeline to the
northwest heading for Mendocino County.  We never heard the bird
vocalize.

Timberline campsite is at 4,900 ft and is the last campsite before
leaving treeline on Boardman Ridge.  The campsite is reached by taking a
dirt track about 50 meters west off of M-1.  If you walk through the
campsite the track ends shortly at a bare lookout point overlooking Lake
Pillsbury.  This overlook and the hillside below it is covered in
Manzanita with no trees over head high.  During our observation the bird
only flew around this lookout point.

Good Birding
Matthew Matthiessen

I am making this posting for Linda Angerer.  On June 18 at 1100 Linda
reports observing an adult male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD singing at Mendocino
Pass.

- Matthew Matthiessen

Greetings Mendobirders:  The Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant oxidation ponds
continue to provide some surprisingly ducks for Mendocino County this
summer.  This morning I saw 12 Redhead on the south pond, 6m and 6f (the
south pond is the only one with water presently).  This was easily the
largest group of Redheads I've seen in the county.  Unfortunately, they
flew as I approached throwing rocks, and disappeared N along the Russian
River.  There is still a pair of Ruddy Ducks (m,f) on the pond, and today
there was a f Blue-winged Teal.  The breeding pair of Cinnamon Teal remain,
and the 6-7 young birds are nearly ready to fly.  I heard 2 Yellow breasted
Chats singing on the river.

Chuck

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chuck and Barbara Vaughn
1550 Deerwood Drive
Ukiah, CA  95482

Sat, 21 Jun 2002 -- After the reports from last weekend by John Hunter and
Matthew Matthiessen, I went with Chuck Vaughn to Hull Mountain to look for
Black-chinned Sparrows in Mendocino Co. The MEN/LAK county line is unmarked
along M-1, and I have come to realize, after inspecting several maps and
aerial photos of the road, that all my previous sightings of BCSP along
Boardman Ridge have been entirely in Lake County.
         We arrived at the high point where the spur road goes off to the
summit about 07:15. About 0.2 mi beyond this point there is a pull-through
with several fire rings on the W side ( BM 6425 on the topo sheet ).
Shortly beyond this pullout a motorcycle trail takes off to the west toward
Windy Point. This is labled 10W32 on the Forest Service map (but not on the
ground) and is called a jeep trail on the topo sheet.  We went out this
trail about 1/2 mi. and John Hunter's excellent directions, which I
paraphrase, took us right to BLACK-CHINNED SPARROWS. The trail rises at
first to a low summit (6573 on topo sheet) and then descends. Where it
begins to descend rapidly there are several pieces of bright pink flagging.
We went off the trail to the left here, worked around a small rock outcrop
and downslope until the brush became rather thick. From here we could hear
one, perhaps two, BCSP singing from the brush downslope near a domed rock.
We found a singing bird sitting up on a dead branch in a patch of ceonothus
scrub and  had this bird under observation from about 07:50 to 08:10. The
elevation here is about 6000 to 6400 feet.
         We drove on to Spruce Grove where we found both HAMMOND'S
FLYCATCHERS and DUSKY FLYCATCHERS, WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKERS, and LINCOLN'S
SPARROWS , the latter singing in the corn lily meadow near the spring.  We
returned south to the pullout mentioned above at 12:00, and while we were
eating lunch, Chuck heard another BCSP upslope along the ridge toward the
low summit. Matthew heard his downslope from this same place last weekend.
The wind made hearing difficult by this hour. These locations are at least
a half-mile into Mendocino County, so I redeemed my Mendocino tick on this
trip.
         Concerning the location of the county line: As you ascend Boardman
Ridge in Lake county you pass Timberline Camp off the road to the left.
Above the camp you come to a section where the road winds up through the
brush. At the bottom of this section is a large pullout heavily used by
hang-gliders as a jumping-off point, and at the top of the section is a
similar pullout. Here there is a wooden post on either side of the road,
and the road straightens out toward the summit. I calculate that the county
line is about 0.135 mi (or 238 yards) beyond these posts, and I built a
small kairn on the uphill side where I estimate the line crosses the road
E/W.

George Chaniot, Potter Valley, MEN, CA

I suppose you had a good reason for throwing rocks at the ducks.

Jim
   ----- Original Message -----
   From: Chuck & Barbara Vaughn
   To: mendobirds@yahoogroups.com
   Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2002 9:12 AM
   Subject: [Mendobirds] ustp 6/23


   Greetings Mendobirders:  The Ukiah Sewage Treatment Plant oxidation ponds
   continue to provide some surprisingly ducks for Mendocino County this
   summer.  This morning I saw 12 Redhead on the south pond, 6m and 6f (the
   south pond is the only one with water presently).  This was easily the
   largest group of Redheads I've seen in the county.  Unfortunately, they
   flew as I approached throwing rocks, and disappeared N along the Russian
   River.  There is still a pair of Ruddy Ducks (m,f) on the pond, and today
   there was a f Blue-winged Teal.  The breeding pair of Cinnamon Teal remain,
   and the 6-7 young birds are nearly ready to fly.  I heard 2 Yellow breasted
   Chats singing on the river.

   Chuck

   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

   Chuck and Barbara Vaughn
   1550 Deerwood Drive
   Ukiah, CA  95482

   To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
   Mendobirds-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com



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

Got a call this morning (Mon June 24) about 0900 from some friends
saying they had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak coming to the feeders at their
house.  I immediately jumped in the car and, after arriving at their
house, only had to wait about 10 minutes for an adult male ROSE-BREASTED
GROSBEAK to come to one of their feeders.  During the 45 minutes I was
there the bird returned twice more.

To reach this location, go south on South State St and turn right
(west) on Stipp Lane (the last road before Hwy 253).  If you're driving
south on Hwy 101, Stipp Ln is directly across State St from the Hwy 253
exit.  Follow Stipp Ln west a short distance and turn right on the road
that forms the western boundary of the Ukiah Junior Academy parking lot.
  As soon as you take this right turn the house in question will be up a
slight rise right in front of you.  The house is white with brown trim
and the number on the side is 200.  The people who live there are Bob
and Earline Chinnok.  The Chinnok's say it's okay to park in their
driveway and wait for the bird or knock on their door and come in (best
viewing is from their kitchen window).  Their driveway is very short and
has a green swing at the end of it.  Just beyond the green swing are a
hummingbird feeder and a tubular seed feeder.  The grosbeak is coming to
the tubular feeder.

The Chinnock's first saw the bird this past Saturday.  Unfortunately
they're moving out of town next week so the feeders will only be up
through this week.  While I was there an adult male, an immature male,
and an adult female HOODED ORIOLE visited the hummingbird feeder
repeatedly.

Good Birding
Matthew Matthiessen

Several observers including Cheryl Watson and Vishnu this morning (Tues.
6/25) failed to find the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak seen yesterday during much
of the day on Stipp Lane in Ukiah.
From approximately 8:15 am until 10am and then again from 10:45 till 11:10am
the feeders were watched from the lawn across from the driveway but to no
avail.
Male & female Hooded Orioles were seen however visiting the hummingbird
feeder.  Also of some interest were a pair of Western Bluebirds entering a
hole in the west wall of the Adventist Junior Academy. The single small hole
is about 10 ft from the ground in the monolithic cinder block wall. The
effect created is of the world's most robust nestbox.

Birders,

I had a singing male Northern Parula the morning of 6/27/02 along the road to
the Casper Cemetery, between the gate and the cemetery.  It was high in the
doug-firs and very difficult to see but was singing constantly.  When
excited, it has a very loud and strong chip.

John Hunter
Arcata, CA

Last night (July 3-4) I camped at Spruce Grove.  Joining me for the
evening were a pair of FLAMMULATED OWLS.  They first announced their
presence about 2230 last night and I last heard them when they woke me
up this morning at 0300 calling from right over my tent.  Also present
in Spruce Grove this morning was a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER.

I broke camp early and drove to the gap just below Hull summit.
Several GREEN-TAILED TOWHEES were encountered along the way and several
more were at the gap.  After parking I walked out to the spot John,
George, and Chuck had Black-chinned Sparrows a few weeks ago.  The birds
did not disappoint.  I hadn't even reached the overlook and I could
already hear a BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW calling from over the edge.  I
walked partway down the hill below the overlook and was able to get very
good views of the bird.

On the walk most of the high elevation specialties were also
encountered including one HERMIT WARBLER,  one WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER,
two DUSKY FLYCATCHERS, and numerous NASHVILLE WARBLERS.

Good birding ya'll
Matthew Matthiessen