For those of you who don't get Ron LeValley's pictures and might not know, there
is a BURROWING OWL along the Fort Bragg haul road just south of Ward Avenue in
MacKerricker Park. Quite easy to find. I found it about 1/4 mile south of Ward
Avenue. It was moving from the iceplant on the east side of the road to the
piles of logs on the west, ocean side.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mendobirds/photos/album/169685695/pic/35097580/vie\
w?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=21&count=20&dir=asc

Hi all,

I went to Ward Avenue today: located the Burrowing Owl and got a few shots of it
in the iceplant on the east side of the Haul Road, across from the driftwood
piles as previously described.

On my way out, an American Crow was perched on a wire above Ward Avenue close to
the highway... hanging out with the Common Ravens..... I was unable to get a
shot of that bird; my car is not a good mobile blind as it's too brightly
colored.... but I got a good view of the crow and a raven nearby; it's
definitely an American Crow :)

Lisa (Feather) Happy BIRDING, ALL! :)

PS. I will post pics of the Burrowing Owl to the site shortly.




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Sat, 26 Jan 2012 -- Dorothy Tobkin saw the female BULLOCK'S ORIOLE again
at Rose Memorial Cemetery at N Franklin & E Spruce in Fort Bragg.  Birds she
missed seeing today: Nashville Warbler and Burrowing Owl.  She did not mention
the American Crow, even though I called her about it when I found it on the
23rd.
I'm glad that Lisa did see the crow and the owl today.

For Dorothy Tobkin


(K Havlena)
North of Fort Bragg, MEN, California

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south..... about 1/4 mile.... there's a depression on the east side between the
Haul Road and Ward Avenue that creates a natural wind block and the owl is
resting about half way between the Haul Road and Ward Avenue on that side. At
other times it is seen directly across the road and down the steep embankment,
where the driftwood has collected.




--- On Mon, 1/28/13, Susan Tubbesing <susan.tubbesing@...> wrote:

From: Susan Tubbesing <susan.tubbesing@...>
Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Burrowing Owl and American Crow
To: "Lisa Walker (Feather)" <feather7023@...>
Date: Monday, January 28, 2013, 12:21 PM

Lisa is the burrowing owl north or south of the Ward Ave parking area?
Susan

On 1/26/13, Lisa Walker (Feather) <feather7023@...> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I went to Ward Avenue today: located the Burrowing Owl and got a few shots
> of it in the iceplant on the east side of the Haul Road, across from the
> driftwood piles as previously described.
>
> On my way out, an American Crow was perched on a wire above Ward Avenue
> close to the highway... hanging out with the Common Ravens..... I was unable
> to get a shot of that bird; my car is not a good mobile blind as it's too
> brightly colored.... but I got a good view of the crow and a raven nearby;
> it's definitely an American Crow :)
>
> Lisa (Feather) Happy BIRDING, ALL! :)
>
> PS. I will post pics of the Burrowing Owl to the site shortly.
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>

--
Sent from my mobile device


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Yesterday there were six Greater White Fronted geese and 1 Dunlin at the WWTP.
Today there are the same Geese but 2 Dunlin. Steve Stump

I hiked along the Glass Beach headlands today and below the southern end across
from the fence and north of the drainage pipe, was an adult male Red-breasted
Merganser, all alone, hunting in the water ..... he was in breeding plumage. My
photos aren't that great, so if anyone wants to see, please e mail me and I will
send you one :)

Lisa in Fort Bragg




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Fri, 1, Feb. 2013 - I just had a light adult Ferruginous hawk soaring over our
farm on the south end of Eastside Calpella Road, Ukiah, 10:30 AM. Two ravens
were harassing it for about 5 minutes. It then glided off to the east toward
Lake Mendocino. Jack Booth

Hello Mendobirds
 
 I am planning to be in Pt. Arena over the President's Day week-end and looking
for sighting's of the Albatross, the latest sighting I have found was on Jan.
17th on E-bird.  Any help???
 
    Thank You
    Butch Carter
    Santa Ysabel, California

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Greetings Mendobirders-  This morning I saw a female Blue-winged Teal at
the Ukiah Wastewater Treatment Plant.  It was feeding on the south
oxidation pond with 30+ Green-winged Teal.  Seven Greater White-fronted
Geese continued on the field to the south of the plant with a large flock
of Canada and Cackling Geese.

Chuck


--
Chuck and Barbara Vaughn
Ukiah, CA

Hi Butch,
   I have queried Mel Smith who lives close by the Pier and he says Al hasn’t
been around lately. The surf has been rough so perhaps he/she’s been hiding
out in a secret cove. Hope the Albatross shows up soon. I will let you know if I
receive a sighting.
          Jeanne Jackson, Anchor Bay
From: Butch Carter
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2013 5:52 PM
To: Mendobirds@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Mendobirds] Re:Al the Albatross

Hello Mendobirds

I am planning to be in Pt. Arena over the President's Day week-end and looking
for sighting's of the Albatross, the latest sighting I have found was on Jan.
17th on E-bird.  Any help???

     Thank You
     Butch Carter
     Santa Ysabel, California

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Mon, 04 Feb 2013 -  This morning at about 9:50 there was an AMERICAN DIPPER
singing underneath the old bridge on Potter Valley Road.  It was barely audible
over the sound of running water. Underneath the bridge the opening of the dome
nest has been rearranged for the first time in months. It looks as though they
may reuse this nest from last year as they have reused or rebuilt them
off-and-on for over 20 years.
      The old bridge on Potter Valley Road is on the left about 200 yards from
route 20 and before the road crosses the new bridge.

George Chaniot
Potter Valley, MEN, CA

There is a Greater Yellow Legs here at the Ukiah WWTP. I first saw it at 0815
and it is feeding still(0845) with 11 Least Sandpipers. Steve

Tue, 5 Feb, 2013 -- Early afternoon, I had time to investigate Willits
WTP. Usually, I am
hurrying south to Ukiah or home to the coast.  But today I had an extra 1+
hour(s) to
drive around the area.  What a wonderful spot for waterfowl viewing!  An
employee led
me through the plant, across a bridge, and on to a series of three large ponds,
half-filled
with cattails and other reeds.  One drives on the levees around the ponds. 
There are
open fields and oaks to the east and the hills surrounding the valley.

Among bird species I saw were: Hooded Merganser, Tree Swallows, White-tailed
Kites,
N Harrier, Common Goldeneyes, Wood Ducks, Cinnamon Teal, American Wigeon,
Gadwall, Ring-necked Ducks, Green-winged Teal, N Shoveler, etc. (I did not see
any
Eurasian Wigeon or the hybrid Wigeon, darn).

From Hwy 101, turn east on Commercial St, cross the RR tracks, turn north on N
Lenore.
Then follow the signs to turn east to the plant. Check in at the office (north
of the two-story
"building") or with an employee.  A nice man led me over the bridge to the
south-most
pond.  This is a driving "tour" - not a hike!   It was not apparent whether
there is much
area for shorebird activity during the late summer - early fall, but it is
wonderful during
the winter.  Thanks to Mike Curry for continuing to report on the sightings
here.

Karen Havlena
Ten Mile Area, MEN, Ca

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Jack Booth & I birded Burris Ln in Potter Valley and saw a Prairie Falcon and a
Say's Phoebe east of the pond.  On the way into Potter we stopped at the old
bridge and saw the American Dipper singing on a rock on the downstream side of
the bridge.

Dave Bengston
Ukiah

I birded in Lake County today and saw my fos Tree Swallows on the Nice-Luerne
cutoff just east of Rodman Slough.  There was a Say's Phoebe at the end of
Reclamation Rd.

Others that were fun included 3 Amer White Pelicans and a Common Goldeneye at
Rodman Slough and 4 Cinnamon Teal at the cutoff east of Rodman on the north side
of the road.

Dave Bengston
Ukiah

The American Dipper posted by George Chaniot at the Old Potter Valley Bridge was
there today at 4:00 pm. I was able to get really close without the bird flying
away. Steve

On  Tuesday, Karen Z., Linda P., and I birded Lake Co. We had a great day! Linda
colored one more county blue, Karen added lots of birds to her lists, and I hit
200! To do this we birded a variety of places: Grange Rd, Hidden Valley WTP,
Callayomi Rd., Clear Lake Riviera area, Lakeport Library Park, Rodman
Slough--Nice-Lucerne Cuttoff area, Reclamation Rd area, and then finished off
the day at High Valley.


Highlights  included:

2 Greater-white Fronted Geese  and a Cackling Goose with the large flock of
Canada's along the N side of Grange  Rd. Close by was a Merlin posing at the top
of a tree.

The Burrowing Owl was still wintering  on Callayomi Rd.near the top of 3rd  dirt
pile across the street from ranch house.


WHITE-THROATED SPARROW  coming to a feeder in the Clear Lake Riviera area.  In a
small patch of chemise  on one of the roads, we pished up a CA Thrasher! I'm not
sure who was the most  surprised him or us! He checked us out carefully, never
making a peep, and was  maybe 15 ft. away. Closest encounter I've ever had.
Also, lots of robins and  waxwings feasting on the abundant berries on the trees
and shrubs.

A male  Common Merganser, Horned Grebe & several Common Goldeneyes found off the
Lakeport Library Park dock.


Another GWF Goose in a pond along  Lakeshore just S of Stokes.

GW &  Cinnamon Teal in the Nice-Lucerne Cuttoff pond.

A huge flock of American Wigeon in a  distant pond along the main road as soon
as you enter High Valley. Unfortunately  for us,  poor lighting and distance
prevented us from finding a Eurasian Wigeon,  though there certainly was enough
of wigeon there could easily have been one;   a Loggerhead Shrike flying across
the fields, and the last bird of the day was  a calling GH OWL from the
vineyard.

Raptor wise it was a great day since  we saw: RS & RT Hawks, Cooper’s & SS
Hawk,
Bald Eagles (both imm. &  adults), WT Kites, a Loggerhead Shrike, Northern
Harriers, kestrels, a Merlin,  and a Peregrine Falcon. Still looking for a
Prairie Falcon and RL Hawk in that  county!

Good Birding!
Frances
Lodi, CA

This morning at around 10:30 AM I found an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at
Redbud Park in Clearlake. The bird did a pretty good job of hiding amongst the
estimated 1000 gulls that were on the floats, the piers, and in the water. There
was at least one adult Western Gull and several Thayer's Gulls with the flock.
Oddly there were no Glaucous-winged Gulls here or on the Walmart Roof (another
800 bird estimated). Also oddly there were no gulls at all at the Clearlake
Landfill.
Later, in High Valley, I found (as predicted by Frances Oliver) a male EURASIAN
WIGEON with the American Wigeon flock. In addition there was a flyover Golden
Eagle, but I did not find the shrike. Jerry White

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Fri Feb 8, 2013--There was a first year GLAUCOUS GULL with the gull flock just a
little north of the Laguna Pt. parking lot. I watched it for about 10 minutes
and it then flew south.

Richard Hubacek
Little River

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 -  This afternoon three BURROWING OWLS were visible sunning
themselves at burrow mouths near the end of Burris Lane in Potter Valley.
One was the continuing owl at the base of the hill to the SW of the high
spot in the road near the pond.  Today it was sitting up high and was easily
visible.
     The other two owls were at locations to the SE where I have never seen
them before.  These sites are not visible from the top of the hill, but it
is necessary to walk down the hill to the east and look across the
right-hand gate at the end of the road.  The owls were on the distant
hillside beyond the truck which has been parked there for several months -
one owl to the left and one to the right.  In the afternoon sun they could
be seen easily with binoculars, but a scope is best.
     Also continuing were a 1st-winter FERRUGINOUS HAWK, a LEWIS'S
WOODPECKER, and 3 CANVASBACKS.

Full list at <http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12913428>

George Chaniot
Potter Valley, MEN, CA

Hello Folks,

There is a female Blue Winged Teal at the UWWTP. Seen first at around 10:00 am
by Chuck and continuing presently at 11:10 am  Steve

02/10/2013

AL flew in around 4:20 this afternoon. We got some pictures and will download
them and post later.  There was joyous celebration on the pier.

Enjoy,

Beth and Jeff Petit

Sun. Febr. 10, 2013

Dear fellow birders:

Dave Bengston and I spotted a Eurasian Wigeon in a distant pond East-North-east
of the northern-most Wastewater Treatment Plant pond.  The pond lies in a field
about 4 or 5 hundred yards from the wastewater plant ponds, so you will need a
scope to pick out particular birds.  There were about 80 to 100 American Wigeon
and a few Mallards sharing the same pond.  Also, slightly closer to the
wastewater plant from this distant pond were a couple of Canada Geese loafing in
the grass.

A Bald Eagle in second-year plumage made an appearance for a little while over
the wastewater plant ponds.  It has been seen on and off for the last couple of
months.  It has quite a bit of white on its back, so it is rather
distinguishable.  It likes to hunt the American Coots, as there are a couple of
hundred scattered about the three ponds.

A single male Gadwall, a few Common Goldeneyes, and a few Cinnamon Teal were
mixed in with the usual suspects.  We did not note any Hooded Mergansers,
unfortunately.

Good Birding!
Mike Curry,
Willits

Larry Knowles and I saw a single burrowing owl in the Ten Mile Dunes yesterday.
It was sitting on a log, among other logs,  just west of the Haul Road,  100
feet NE of the tiny lagoon at the mouth of Inglenook Creek, just up from the
beach.

Erica Fielder
*******************************************
Look at our interpretive panels:
http://www.ericafielderstudio.com

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http://www.birdfeederhat.org

Erica Fielder Studio
P.O. Box 1075,
Mendocino, CA 95460
707-964-1467







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

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 -  From about 2:45 to 3:00 this afternoon  I observed a
female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE at the Willits wastewater treatment plant.  It was
in the first (S.) pond mostly in the open water on the E. side.  Also
present were three female, one 1st-year male, and one adult male Common
Goldeneyes.
      The bird in question was seen side-by-side with female Common
Goldeneyes, and by comparison its bill was smaller and triangular, the
forehead was much steeper, the head was peaked in the front with a "flat-top
with a ducktail" look.  The bill was mostly dark with a orangish-yellow tip
similar to one of the Common Goldeneye females.  Side-by-side with Common
Goldeneye females its head appeared darker brown, and it was darker gray on
the back and along the waterline.  It spread its wings and flapped once and
spread a wing to the side once - revealing a narrow, white speculum and no
noticeable white on the median coverts (the latter character is not
diagnostic for immature females).
      It was a good match for the 1st winter 'male' (mislabled?) on the right
side p47 of Natl Geo #5.  It finally disappeared behind the cattails, and I
could not find it again.

George Chaniot
Potter Valley, MEN, CA

I have been subliminally aware for the last several months that my neighborhood
has been doing without the unpleasant call of the Eurasian Collared Dove.
They have come back in the past few days with perhaps four individuals nearby.
I think they may have displaced/replaced the much more melodious Mourning Doves.

Jim Armstrong
SE Potter Valley

When I was at the Willits WTP a few days ago, I looked very carefully at the
goldeneyes in all three ponds.  Since there were quite a few, I hoped to see
a Barrow's.  Congratulations to George for finding one!!!
 
Karen Havlena
N of Ft Bragg, MEN, CA


________________________________
  From: George Chaniot <chaniot@...>
To: Mendobirds <mendobirds@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2013 5:11 PM
Subject: [Mendobirds] f Barrow's Goldeneye at WWTP


 

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 -  From about 2:45 to 3:00 this afternoon  I observed a
female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE at the Willits wastewater treatment plant.  It was
in the first (S.) pond mostly in the open water on the E. side.  Also
present were three female, one 1st-year male, and one adult male Common
Goldeneyes.
The bird in question was seen side-by-side with female Common
Goldeneyes, and by comparison its bill was smaller and triangular, the
forehead was much steeper, the head was peaked in the front with a "flat-top
with a ducktail" look.  The bill was mostly dark with a orangish-yellow tip
similar to one of the Common Goldeneye females.  Side-by-side with Common
Goldeneye females its head appeared darker brown, and it was darker gray on
the back and along the waterline.  It spread its wings and flapped once and
spread a wing to the side once - revealing a narrow, white speculum and no
noticeable white on the median coverts (the latter character is not
diagnostic for immature females).
It was a good match for the 1st winter 'male' (mislabled?) on the right
side p47 of Natl Geo #5.  It finally disappeared behind the cattails, and I
could not find it again.

George Chaniot
Potter Valley, MEN, CA




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

For interested parties, there is a Greater Yellow Legs at the Ukiah WWTP. Steve
@ 11:35 am

Tues, Feb 12, 2013

Dear fellow birders,

The Barrow's Goldeneye found by George Chanoit yesterday continues today at the
first (southernmost) pond.  I looked for it last night just before the plant
closed and early this morning (in the fog) when the plant opened with no luck. 
I tried again at lunch (in the sun)and after I made a couple of trips around the
pond, it suddenly appeared and mixed with four other Common Goldeneyes that had
been foraging out in open water.  I noticed immediately the steep forehead and
darker brown (for a female) head.  The bill was almost all orange, except for
the tip, which was dark.  I also noticed that the bill protrudes from the head
more abruptly than that of the Common Goldeneyes and appears smaller too.  I did
not see it spread its wings.  Having said all that, it is easy to overlook and
assume it is a Common Goldeneye, and I have an idea that I may have done so
until now.  Live and learn.

Good birding!
Mike Curry
Willits

12 February 2013 (Tuesday) - Just saw my first Selasphorus Hummingbird
of the season, a male Allen's contesting a feeder among the swarms of
Anna's.

I've noticed a big drop in syrup consumption at the feeders, beginning
about 3 weeks ago.  At the end of last year, and well into January, we
were going through more than 3 quarts of syrup each day; now it is down
to a quart or so per day.  (According to what I've read, 1 qt/d
represents 100 individuals.)    Mostly male Anna's with a few females; I
surmise many of the females are now nesting.

It is officially Spring in Albion!

Tim Bray
Middle Ridge, Albion