S.B. birders,
I birded around Goleta today, birds of note are.

Tecololito Creek and Hollister,
3 Hooded Mergansers

Glenn Anne Golf Course,
1 Greater White-fronted Goose
1 Cackling type Goose

Goleta Sewage Works
6 Dunlin
1 Western Sandpiper
2 Spotted Sandpippers

Vista Point,
32 Pacific Loons
8 Red-throated Loons
7 Common Loons
1 Common Murre

Gaffeney (dog-shit) park in I.V.
21 Marbled Godwits
1 Jaeger sp

Refugio State Park,
1 Cackling type Goose
1 Glaucous-winged  Gull

Good birding.
Wes Fritz
Solvang, Ca.
(805) 895-0685
wes-fritz@...


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

S.B. birders,

Yesterday I birded around Santa Maria and Lompoc, birds of note are.

Guadalupe Pastures.

1 Dunlin
6 Wilson's Snipe
1 Ross's Goose
2 Cackling type Geese
1 Peregrine Falcon
2 Pacific Golden-Plovers
1 Cattle Egret
3 Tree Swallows

SMRE
28 Greater White-fronted Geese
6 Ross's Geese
1 Snow Goose
16 Canada Geese
The estuary is ready to break through any day now.

On Black Road one field South of Black Road Auto, on the East side of the road
is one Burrowing Owl.

The Santa Maria Sewage Works, should be finished with construction on Dec, 28th
2009

At the corner of Clark and Foxen Cyn, was a dark morph Red-tailed Hawk.

Lompoc,

At the corner of Purisima Rd and Harris Grade Road a dark morph Red-tailed hawk
has returned for a third winter.

SYRE,
2 Ross's Geese
1 Snow Goose
35 Redhead Ducks and all of the expected waterfowl.

Mission Hills Sewage Works

33 Hooded Mergansers and all of the expected waterfowl.

Good Birding,
Wes Fritz
Solvang, Ca.
(805) 895-0685
wes-fritz@...





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- RBA
* California
* Santa Barbara
* December 1, 2009
* CASB0912.01
- Birds mentioned

Ross's Goose
Snow Goose
Cackling Goose
Wood Duck
Canvasback
Hooded Merganser
Greater Scaup
Black Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
American White Pelican
American Bittern
Least Bittern
Common Moorhen
Red Knot
Bald Eagle
Ferruginous Hawk
Lewis's Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Tropical Kingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Horned Lark
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Northern Waterthrush
Rusty Blackbird

- Transcript
This is the Santa Barbara County rare bird report being posted on Tuesday,
December 1, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.  If you have a rare bird sighting to report,
please post it to sbcobirding@yahoogroups.com.  The rare bird alert number
for Santa Barbara is no longer in service.

Between Campus Point and the large parking lot for the Marine Sciences
building at UCSB, look offshore for all 3 species of scoter including 4
BLACK SCOTERS and a couple of WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS.  A RED KNOT was seen by
the bathrooms just east of the point.  A LONG-TAILED DUCK has also been seen
in this area.  A single HORNED LARK, last reported on November 24, was
around the dry vernal pool on the west-facing bluff at the Manzanita Housing
complex on the UCSB campus.  Devereux Slough has 4 CACKLING GEESE, up to 9
CANVASBACKS, one GREATER SCAUP, and an assortment of other ducks.  A
TROPICAL KINGBIRD was also seen in this area.

A female RUSTY BLACKBIRD has been seen with Brewer's Blackbirds anywhere
from the Camino Real movie theaters near Storke and Hollister west to
Ellwood Elementary School.  For the safety and peace of mind of the kids and
the school administrators, please do not bird near the school while kids are
on the campus.  There are no recent reports of this bird.

Accessed from the end of Coronado Road in Goleta, look for GOLDEN-CROWNED
KINGLETS, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, and a BROWN CREEPER farther east in
the eucalyptus grove after the dry creek crossing.

At Lake Los Carneros, a LEWIS'S WOODPECKER continues in the row of pines
closest to Los Carneros Road on the west side of the lake.  An AMERICAN
BITTERN, LEAST BITTERN, and COMMON MOORHEN were also seen on or around the
lake.

A LEWIS'S WOODPECKER was also seen along Farren Road in west Goleta.

A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was heard at the east end of the parking lot at
Arroyo Burro Beach.

4 HOODED MERGANSERS were at the Bird Refuge.

Highlights from Lake Cachuma include AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, several BALD
EAGLES, WOOD DUCKS, HOODED MERGANSERS and CACKLING GEESE.

FERRUGINOUS HAWKS have returned to the Torrey Pine roost tree in Lompoc at
the corner of East Olive and South C Streets

A YELLOW-BELLIED and a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER are ranging widely in Preisker
Park at the north end of Santa Maria.

A SNOW GOOSE, a ROSS'S GOOSE and 2 CACKLING GEESE continue at Waller Park in
Santa Maria.

Good Birding in Santa Barbara County and please post your sightings.

- End transcript

If you haven't already heard, a Black Vulture has been present in
Santa Paula for the past few days. It's not unreasonable to suppose
that this is the Santa Barbara bird from early September based on the
species' rarity in California and the fairly close proximity of the
location (and the last report we had was of the bird heading in that
direction).    I was wondering if there was any way to find out
whether this was the same individual, when it occurred to me that
perhaps Black Vultures have unique patterns of wrinkles/warts/wattles
on their heads. I looked at a few pictures online, and it seems to me
that there are discernible differences in individuals. There are some
good photos of the Ventura bird already posted. Anyone get a good
photo of the Santa Barbara bird's head?

Hugh R.
SB

Birders,

The following message was posted to sbcobirding off-list so I am sending
it on Hugh's behalf.

Jamie Chavez
Santa Maria, CA

----------------------

I am trying to follow the directions in the Dec/Jan issue of El Tecolote
newsletter. Hope this is of interest to kite lovers.
My wife and I regularly see (usually) 2 adult White Tailed Kites in one
or another of two small trees in the field immediately behind our home.
We are at 7842 Day Road, in Winchester Commons. Our rear yard backs up
to Cathedral Oaks, and the 2 trees are about 150 yards from the road. We
keep our spotting scope set up in the breakfast room window, and watch
the daily comings and goings, and occasional feeding activity. (The
longitude and latitude are as close as I can get using Google Earth.)
We saw 3 juveniles in April or May; and then another 2 juveniles in
July; and finally yet a third juvenile in late September/early October.
Is this not unusual?
Recently we are also seeing a Kestrel (male?) in these same trees.
Several years ago we saw one nearly everyday for 6 months. A neighbor
got an excellent photo with a long lens. We gave a print of it to
someone at the SB Natural History Museum.
We hope this is of interest and would enjoy hearing from others if they
have seen kites at this location.

Hugh and Helen Smart
961-8191



Sent: 12/1/2009 12:28:29 P.M. Pacific Standard Time
Subj: eBird Report - Goleta West field , 12/1/09


Location:     Goleta West field
Observation date:     12/1/09
Notes:     White tailed kites are quite regular at this location.
Ususaly in morning, and again in late afternoon.
Number of species:     2

White-tailed Kite     2     Saw 3 juveniles in May. Another 2 juveniles
in July, and a third juvenile in September.
American Kestrel     1     See one adult; probably male from time to time.

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

All:

A lunch-time check revealed more ducks:

GW Teal - 52
Redhead - 126
Ruddy Duck - 157

-          compared to my count a week ago. There were clearly more Wigeon
around too.

Unfortunately variety was down, with best birds being a male Cinnamon Teal and 2
Cackling Geese. The Canvasbacks, Ring-necked Ducks, and Greater Scaup all seem
to have gone and only 3 Lesser Scaup were left.

Nick Lethaby
nlethaby@...<mailto:nlethaby@...>
+1 805 562 5106



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

Hi folks,
 
There have been some rather rare birds on private property of late, and, while I
can't divulge the locations of these publicly because of where the birds have
been observed, I think it's worthwhile to let people know these birds are
around.
 
Principally, I wanted to let people know that a female Broad-tailed Hummingbird,
now very well documented by photos and audio recordings, was located in north
Goleta last weekend. Two previous county records of males include a bird that
wintered in Hope Ranch in successive years in the late 1990s, and a bird that
was present for a day in May 2007 near the Berkeley bike bridge at San Jose
Creek in Goleta. Two reports of females by good observers that same spring were
not as well documented as the other three individuals. This species is extremely
rare anywhere on the coast in southern California, and some counties are still
waiting for their first well-documented record.
 
In the same area as the hummingbird, an Indigo Bunting was photographed last
Sunday. A Clay-colored Sparrow seen simultaneously with the bunting was found on
the previous day. The bunting, if it stays until winter, would provide one of
only a handful of records at that season in the county. Clay-colored Sparrows
are more regular, but are missed most winters in the county. This bird also has
strong potential to winter.
 
When birds are found on private property, it always provides a dilemma that
entails respect for the privacy and rights of the property owner and the
preservation of the privilege to bird a site for those who go there regularly.
Not allowing all birders the opportunity to go and see an interesting bird is a
decision that is never arrived at lightly. But while I think it is often
important to suppress the knowledge of the location of sightings like these, I
also think it's important that those who bird this area regularly and have an
interest in the ornithological record for our county are informed of sightings
like these.
 
Dates so far for the Broad-tailed: 14-21 November
For the sparrow: 14-15 November
For the bunting: 15 November
 
Dave Compton
Santa Barbara

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I haven't solicited information for the quarterly North American Birds reports
in some time. There are a lot of newer local birders who I think could benefit
from a brief explanation of this publication and the records process. For those
of you who do submit information on sightings during or at the end of every
quarter, this is a reminder that the fall 2009 quarter is ending tomorrow, and
documentation and other information about sightings in Santa Barbara County
should be submitted to me soon, if it hasn't been submitted already.
 
Typically, I submit my report to Guy McCaskie and Kimball Garrett, the regional
editors for southern California, on about the 20th of the month following the
end of the quarter. And since these reports cannot be assembled overnight, and
require some editing after they are assembled, it's hard to incorporate anything
I receive after about the 15th. So please keep this in mind if you plan to
submit information on Santa Barbara bird sightings for the quarterly report.
 
The rest of this message is for those who aren't familiar with this process..
North American Birds (NAB) is a quarterly publication of the American Birding
Association, previously of the National Audubon Society. It was formerly known
as Field Notes, and for years prior to that was American Birds, a title that
lives on in the annual reports of Christmas Bird Count results.. NAB publishes
accounts of sightings of interest around North and Central America. It is broken
down into regional reports, including, among many others, one for Northern
California and one for Southern California. In California, reports typically are
submitted for publication by subregional editors who compile information at the
county level. I'm the subregional editor for Santa Barbara County, and have
served in this role for nine years (following Joan Lentz and, before her, Paul
Lehman). The four quarters are Spring (March-May), Summer (June-July), Fall
(August-November), and Winter
  (December-February). So the current quarter is not only the busiest in terms of
the number of rare birds being reported, but it's also the longest.
 
In compiling my report, I include documentation of rarities in the form of
descriptions, photos, videos, and sometimes sketches or sound recordings. Also,
records always must be accompanied by date, location, and the number of a
species reported. So this information is critical if you submit any sort of
documentation.
 
I compile information on a variety of sightings. Some species (e.g., Black
Vulture, Grace's Warbler, Rusty Blackbird, all recorded this fall) are reviewed
by the California Bird Records Committee (CBRC). The CBRC process is separate
from the NAB process, but is vital to the keeping of records of rare birds in
California. These are species of statewide significance and require a high level
of documentation anywhere in California. I generally pass along documentation to
Guy McCaskie (CBRC secretary) of CBRC review species during the course of any
given quarter, but also send information along with my quarterly report that I
get late in the quarter, since that report goes to Guy as well. Other species
(e.g., Brown Thrasher, Sandhill Crane) are very rare in Santa Barbara County and
require a more or less equal level of documentation as required by many CBRC
review species. Other species are still pretty rare and thus require
documentation as well (e.g.,
  Prothonotary Warbler, Canada Warbler, Ovenbird). Some species are notable and
included in my reports to Guy and Kimball, but documentation isn't always
necessary. Another group of species is included in a separate report that, along
with the report I send to Guy and Kimball, is stored in the Santa Barbara Museum
of Natural History as the Birds of Local Interest. The species in this group
(such as Red Knot) don't generally require documentation, but I still need to
know of dates and location for any seen. Species such as Red-naped Sapsucker,
which are not significant enough to include in the NAB report, may require some
documenation, since they are difficult IDs.
 
In addition to species such as these, which are rare at any time of year, I
accept information on species that are out of season or in an unusual location.
The former might include records such as a Yellow Warbler in November or winter,
a Western Kingbird in late fall or winter, or a Yellow-breasted Chat in fall.
The latter category might include a variety of species inland that are typically
coastal (Western Gull, Brown Pelican, Red-necked Phalarope), pelagic species
seen from shore (such as Sabine's Gull), or a montane species in the lowlands
(such as Steller's Jay or Mountain Chickadee).
 
I know there are a lot of people out there photographing birds, and you in
particular (but by no means exclusively) can play an important role in keeping
records for NAB (and the CBRC, for that matter). I accept pretty much any
documentation by email, although for very large files (such as videos), other
formats (DVDs, CDs) may be preferable. Sketches or other hard copy documentation
may be submitted via a pdf (which I prefer) or by mail.
 
Most of us like birding because it's fun, but I believe that maintaining a
complete and sound record of our bird sightings is an important part of how we
make our past-time meaningful. So I hope local birders will do their part to
help this process along.
 
Thanks for you time.
 
Dave Compton
Santa Barbara
 
 

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Howdy Folks,

If this sounds very much like last week's entry; it is.

It seems that we have so far seen 9 different immature BALD EAGLES this season.
They don't seem to be hanging around consistently though; new ones show up while
the ones we saw last haven't been seen again.



5 LEWIS' WOODPECKERS flycatching in the oaks at the NE end of the Narrows

At least 14 BUFFLEHEADS and 4 HOODED MERGANSERS are at the Waste Water Treatment
Plant (WWTP)

2-4 BONEPART'S GULL

150 EARED GREBES around

2 COMMON LOONS on the lake

A PEREGRINE FALCON and a NORTHERN HARRIER have been around this week;

Two RED-TAILED HAWKS were fussing around an old nest at the SW corner of Cachuma
Bay last Thursday

We had a brief sighting of a PRAIRIE FALCON.

15 DOWITCHER SPP at the back of Santa Cruz Bay Friday

6 RING-NECKED DUCKS and a wild pig on Saturday

17 SCAUP this morning at the back of Santa Cruz Bay

Our GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES have deserted the marina; except for one at Lone Star
Marsh this week, I haven't found them anywhere else in the park.





Birds of Cachuma Lake

From Monday November 23 -  Sunday November 29, 2009



Mostly sightings by Liz Mason and Melissa Kelly





Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Scaup Aythya spp

Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
Common Merganser Mergus merganser
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis

Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo - I

California Quail Callipepla californica
Common Loon Gavia immer
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis
Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii

American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
Great Egret Ardea alba
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii
Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
American Kestrel Falco sparverius
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus

American Coot Fulica americana

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
Bonaparte's Gull Larus philadelphia
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
California Gull Larus californicus
Herring Gull Larus argentatus
Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna
Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon

Lewis's Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis
Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus
Nuttall's Woodpecker Picoides nuttallii
Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans
Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya
Western Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
Oak Titmouse Baeolophus inornatus
Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis

Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii
House Wren Troglodytes aedon
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula

Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
American Robin Turdus migratorius


Wrentit Chamaea fasciata

European Starling Sturnus vulgaris - I

Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus
California Towhee Pipilo crissalis
Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria
American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis
House Sparrow Passer domesticus - I


I
Melissa Kelly

Assistant Naturalist
Cachuma Lake County Park
Santa Barbara County, CA
805.688-4515



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

From 3:00 to 4:30 - One black Scoter in Goleta bay, Pacific Loon in the slough
and at least 40 Buffelheads have arrived.

After photo review, the thrush that I reported on 9/26/09 at Franceschi appears
to be a Hermit with a particularly dark tail

Noah Gaines
Santa Barbara, CA

This morning, Holly Keefe and I birded Arroyo Burro Creek in Santa Barbara. We
started at the parking lot to Hendries Beach, where what was undoubtedly a
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was calling from the creek near the east end of the parking
lot, near where Arroyo Burro Creek is joined by Mesa Creek. I never saw the
bird.
 
I don't have the dates in front of me, but I recall that a waterthrush was near
here this fall, and I wonder if this could be the same bird. I'd be interested
in hearing whether anyone has tried for and missed that bird since it was last
seen. I'm sure the last sighting was more than six weeks ago. I'd also like to
know if someone gets VISUAL confirmation of a Northern Waterthrush there now.
 
Nothing else of note in that area. Afterward, we went to the portion of Arroyo
Burro that runs along Calle de los Amigos. It wasn't terribly birdy here,
although I did get a very dull WESTERN TANAGER to pop up from the trail about 50
meters downstream of the little bridge near Portofino x Calle de los Amigos. We
had a total of about 4 Rufous/Allen's Hummingbirds.
 
Dave Compton
Santa Barbara

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

This morning a Red Knot was on Campus Beach near the restrooms.  The LT Duck,
the con. B. Scoter, and a Brant were visible from the UCSB Marine Sciences lot.

Yesterday at 4:30 pm the 2 WW Scoters were off the north end of the lot. Farther
offshore 60-70 Forster's Terns provided quite a spectacle as they swirled around
in a tight flock shearwater style, followed by a Parasitic Jaeger circling above
them.

I was not able to refind the other 3 B. Scoters seen by Dave,Curtis and Brian
Friday morning.

Kyle Braunger

Last Sunday I found a Tamron lens cap at Devereux (near the golf course). If one
of you photographers is missing one, let me know.
- Wim

This morning, I birded around Goleta with Curtis Marantz and Brian Daniels. The
best bird was a LONG-TAILED DUCK in Goleta Bay, seen at relatively close range
from the top of the stairs at the south end of the Marine Sciences building
parking lot at UCSB. We also saw FOUR BLACK SCOTERS from here, tow males and two
females.
 
At Lake Los Carneros, we saw the COMMON MOORHEN in the southwest corner of the
lake, near the reeds. An adult PEREGRINE FALCON was at Laguna Blanca in Hope
Ranch. Very few ducks here, and not so many gulls. Nothing of note (that we
could find) at Devereux. On the way into town, Curtis and Brian had four HOODED
MERGANSERS at the Bird Refuge in Santa Barbara. On their way home, they saw the
continuing ALEUTIAN CACKLING GOOSE (leucopareia).
 
Dave Compton
Santa Barbara

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

While birding in Santa Maria's Waller Park this morning I discovered a
second Cackling Goose has joined the "resident" bird in the front pond.
The Ross's Goose and Snow Goose remain there also. In the park junco
flock I counted up to three "Slate-colored" Juncos, one of which is a
very dark adult bird. I also had one on Thanksgiving morning on Allan
Hancock College campus (photographed), and I know there is at least one
more in Preisker Park at the north end of town. I'm wondering if this is
a sort of invasion year for the Slate-colored form. I don't recall
seeing so many in one winter before. Check your junco flocks. Nothing
else of note from Waller Park today.

Jamie Chavez
Santa Maria, CA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/almiyi/

Hi Noah and everyone,
 
Swainson's Thrush records in late fall and winter are somewhat controversial.
Many have gotten into the record (notably through Chrismas Bird Counts) that no
doubt involved misidentified birds. There's a heavy burden of proof for a record
like this. In other words, good documentation is essential.
 
Dave

--- On Thu, 11/26/09, Noah <skater_ako1@...> wrote:


From: Noah <skater_ako1@...>
Subject: [sbcobirding] Swainson's Thrush
To: sbcobirding@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, November 26, 2009, 9:45 AM


11.26.09

A quick search of Franceschi Park turned up a Swainson's Thrush in the small fig
by the parking spot and normal winterers throughout.



------------------------------------

For everything birding in Santa Barbara County: http://www.sbcobirding.com
.. Yahoo! Groups Links





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

11.26.09

A quick search of Franceschi Park turned up a Swainson's Thrush in the small fig
by the parking spot and normal winterers throughout.

Hi all,

The Holidays and the Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) are coming soon. It's time to
mark our calendars and start scouting our favorite CBC circles. It would be a
great help for participants to keep their bird feeders full and check them
regularly. One year Karen Bridgers had a Ruddy Ground-Dove on her bird feeder
during a CBC.  We should check our local pocket parks and open spaces, or areas
that do not get checked during the CBC.  A few years ago, a small pocket park
did not get birded during the count.  A few days after the SBA CBC a Hammond's
Flycatcher and Palm Warbler were found in it. We also should be checking out the
flowering or blooming trees for orioles, hummingbirds, tanagers, and warblers.
Birding in the areas that we normally bird during the CBC is not that necessary
because we will be birding in them on that CBC date.  Try to bird new areas,
look for good birding habitat, this is the time of year to find a real rarity.
Santa Barbara County has great potential to kick out some pretty cool birds, so
let's get our scout on!!

Carpinteria will have a CBC this year on Saturday, Dec. 19th. Rob Denholtz has
really put a lot of effort to make this count run smooth and to cover that
circle as best as he can. If you are interested in counting birds in that
circle, you can contact Rob at robdenholtz@ yahoo.com

Lompoc/La Purisima CBC will be held on Sunday, Dec.20th. They can always use a
few more birders. If you are interested, you can contact Alex Abela at
abela@lightspeed. net

Santa Maria/Guadalupe CBC will be held on Sunday, Dec. 27th. This is the count
with the fewest participants but great birding areas. If you are interested,
contact Alex Abela at abela@lightspeed. net

Cachuma CBC will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 29th.  This CBC is our only count
circle that is land locked.  It has Figueroa Mountain, Ranger Peak, Fir Canyon,
Lake Cachuma, and all that Oak/Savannah.  It also has thousands of Pepper Trees
-- sapsucker heaven.  This count has so many areas that go unbirded.  Who knows
what is wintering over out there?  This count always needs more birders, if you
can bird this CBC, contact Mark Holmgren at maholmgren@yahoo. com

Santa Barbara CBC will be held on Saturday, Jan. 2nd. This CBC is one of the
nation's best counts.  It has had some of the highest bird species numbers.  It
also has had the most birders that participate in a single CBC. This count draws
birders in from many other counties and states.  The potluck compilation dinner
is definitely the best compilation event I have ever attended. Joan Lentz and
the rest of Santa Barbara CBC crew have made a special e-mail address for sign
ups, here is that address casbcbc@... If you find some good birds while
you are out scouting, please post or send an e-mail to Joan Lentz or Dave
Compton.

I hope to see you out there and good birding

Wes Fritz
Solvang, Ca.
(805) 895-0685
wes-fritz@verizon. net


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

S.B. birders,

I birded around Goleta today, mostly looking for the Rusty Blackbird...no luck.

Tecololita Creek and Hollister on airport property
4 Hooded Mergansers

Firestone road and Arnold Place, airport property
2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows, sitting on a phone line.

Goleta Sewage
1 Western Sandpiper
1 Dunlin
2 Spotted Sandpipers
1 Wilson's Snipe

As for the parrots, they were seen regularly over on Barker Pass Road and
Eucalyptus and Foothill Road (192). These sightings are from a few years ago
when I birded up there more often. I too believe they are Lilac-crowned Parrots.

Good birding,
Wes Fritz
Solvang, Ca.
(805) 895-0685
wes-fritz@...


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Hi all,

   The Holidays and the Christmas bird counts are coming soon.  It's time to mark
our calendars and start scouting our favorite CBC circles.  It would be a great
help for participants to keep their bird feeders full and check them regularly. 
One year Karen Bridgers had a Ruddy Ground-Dove on her bird feeder during a CBC.
We should check our local pocket parks and open spaces, or areas that do not get
checked during the CBC.  A few years ago, a small pocket park did not get birded
during the count, a few days after the SBA CBC a Hammond's Flycatcher and Palm
Warbler were found in it.  We also should be checking out the flowering or
blooming trees, for orioles, hummingbirds, tanagers and warblers. Paul Lehman
has already found 8 Summer Tanagers in the last week or so, just by checking out
the flowering trees in the local neighborhoods in San Diego.  He has also found
a Blackburnian Warbler and other wintering warblers and vireos as well.  Birding
in the areas that we normally bird during the CBC is not that necessary, because
we will be birding in them on that CBC date.  Try to bird new areas, look for
good birding habitat, this is the time of year to find a real rarity. Santa
Barbara County has great potential to kick out some pretty cool birds, so let's
get our scout on!!

Carpentaria will have a CBC this year on Saturday Dec. 19th. Rob Denholts has
really put a lot of effort to make this count run smooth and  to cover that
circle as best as he can. If you are interested in counting birds in that
circle, you can contact Rob at robdenholts@...

Lompoc/ La Purisima CBC will be held on Sunday Dec.20th. They can always use a
few more birders. If you are interested, you can contact Alex Albela at
abela@...

Santa Maria CBC will be held on Sunday Dec. 27th. They always could use a few
more birders. If you are interested, you can contact Alex Abela at
abela@...

Lake Cachuma CBC will be held on Tuesday Dec. 29th. This CBC is our only count
circle that is land locked. It has Figueroa Mountain, Ranger Peak, Davey Brown,
Fir Canyon Lake Cachuma and all that Oak/Savannah. It also has thousands of
Pepper Trees, sapsucker heaven. This count has so many areas that go unbirded.
Who knows what is wintering over out there?. This count always needs more
birders, if you can bird this CBC contact Mark Holmgren at mholmgren@...

Santa Barbara CBC will be held on Saturday Jan. 2nd. This CBC is one of the
nations best counts. It has had some of the highest bird species numbers, It
also has had the most birders that participate in a single CBC. This count draws
birders in from many other counties and states. The Potluck dinner and
compilation is awesome, it is definitely the best compilation dinner show I have
ever attended. Joan Lentz and the rest of Santa Barbara CBC crew have made a
special e-mail address for sign ups, here is that address casbcbc@...   If
you find some good birds while you are out scouting, please post or send a
e-mail to Joan Lentz or Dave Comton.

I hope to see you out there and good birding

Wes Fritz
Solvang, Ca.
(805) 895-0685
wes-fritz@...



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Hugh,

The parrots you saw may have been Lilac-crowned Parrots and hybrids.  Here is a
link to an article about the wild parrots of Santa Barbara from the the Santa
Barbara Bird Farm's website.

http://www.santabarbarabirdfarm.com/Wild%20Parrots/wildparrots.html

Dianna Ricky
Santa Barbara


--- In sbcobirding@yahoogroups.com, Hugh Ranson <zonetail@...> wrote:
>
> On Monday whilst driving to work a saw a parrot flock fly over
> Mission and 101. This morning they flew over my house, 15 of them .
> Anyone know about these birds--origin and species? How long have they
> been around?
>
> The White-throated Sparrow was back in my yard this morning.
>
> People have mentioned the good numbers of Hermit Thrushes this year.
> I've had 2 or 3 in my yard, the first  in several years.
>
> I attempted to bird around the UPS building in Goleta this afternoon,
> but found access blocked in both directions along the little creek.
> There's some kind of construction going on to the east, and all
> access points to the west appeared to be blocked.
>
> The were two Ross's/Snow Geese flying over the Goleta sewage plant.
>
> I stopped at Costco around 2:15 pm. There were two blackbird flocks
> that flew up to mob a Cooper's Hawk. There were c.25 birds in each
> flock. I went through one flock, but only found Brewer's. I didn't
> have time to find the other flock.
>
> Hugh R.
> SB
>

On Monday whilst driving to work a saw a parrot flock fly over
Mission and 101. This morning they flew over my house, 15 of them .
Anyone know about these birds--origin and species? How long have they
been around?

The White-throated Sparrow was back in my yard this morning.

People have mentioned the good numbers of Hermit Thrushes this year.
I've had 2 or 3 in my yard, the first  in several years.

I attempted to bird around the UPS building in Goleta this afternoon,
but found access blocked in both directions along the little creek.
There's some kind of construction going on to the east, and all
access points to the west appeared to be blocked.

The were two Ross's/Snow Geese flying over the Goleta sewage plant.

I stopped at Costco around 2:15 pm. There were two blackbird flocks
that flew up to mob a Cooper's Hawk. There were c.25 birds in each
flock. I went through one flock, but only found Brewer's. I didn't
have time to find the other flock.

Hugh R.
SB

Thank you all for the guidance on identifying the bird I saw.  It was in fact a
Northern Flicker, and as I found, a pair of them.  Yesterday I worked at the
same property, Hope Ranch near Vieja Valley School.  After lunch there was a
great commotion in one of the avacado trees- a large Red-Tailed Hawk emerged
clasping the Northern Flicker in its claws.  It flew through the trees and out
of sight.  Moments later another Flicker appeared at the top of the same tree
where I'd first observed the bird.  It perched on a branch for several minutes,
looking around in silence, and then flew off.
It was a coarse, horrible, fascinating moment, engendering many thoughts of
strengths, beauty, vulnerability, need.  I begin to see the draw in birding. 
Sincerely, Thomas
                              Santa Barbara

There are now six Canvasbacks at Devereux, 4 drakes and 2 ducks.  (Seen
this morning at 10:30 a.m.)

The UCSB Horned Lark was not present in either the dry vernal pools or on
the lawn at 11:00 a.m. today.

Florence Sanchez

All:

This morning there were 9 Canvasbacks at Devereux. There were also 6
Buffleheads, as opposed to the 1-2 that have been present recently. I saw the 4
'Cackling' Geese again. Only one has an obvious neck ring. I'd be interested in
other opinions on these (could they be Lesser Canadas even). I am guessing these
are the birds from Sandpiper Golf Course that Wes reported, as I am only seeing
them occasionally at Devereux with the Canadas there.

Nick Lethaby
nlethaby@...<mailto:nlethaby@...>
+1 805 562 5106



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Thanks to Florence Sanchez posting about the Lark at UCSB I went over
to the grass area south of the Manzanita dorms (where the boardwalk
from the ocean bluff goes through the vernal pool area) and found him
foraging in the grass. Lovely bird.

http://roger.chem.ucsb.edu/PhotoonSite/ImageG/LarkHorned.html

Roger Millikan
Goleta

This was my first visit to the ranch and it did not disappoint.  A
Rufous-crowned Sparrow, a personal first, was my highlight.  Birds at water
troughs were a treat... where else would you see 5 Western Bluebirds shoulder to
shoulder?

A few photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/sbfledgling/sets/72157622733409537/
To see these as a slideshow click SLIDESHOW at the upper right.

Adam Lewis
Goleta

S.B. Birders,

I started birding at Refugio State Beach and birded my way home over Refugio
Road. The few birds of note are.

Refugio State Beach.
1 Cackling Goose
1 Thayer's Gull
1 nice Common Loon outside the surf line, that is for Matt V.

La Scherpa
3 Varied Thrushes
Good numbers of chaparral birds.

Good birding.
Wes Fritz
Solvang, Ca.
(805) 895-0685
wes-fritz@...


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The Horned Lark found last week in the vernal pool area on the UCSB Campus
bluffs was present again at noontime today. Once again, it was in the
middle pool as you look west from the platform on the SOUTH-facing bluffs
(ocean side).  Today it did not flush to the lawn area by the forms.

Last Friday, Tom and I went to Lake Los Carneros to see the very
cooperative Lewis's Woodpecker.  It was such a beautiful afternoon that we
decided to walk all the way around the Lake.  Without making any particular
effort, in one hour we must have seen at least 50 different species of
birds from more than 25 different families.  What a treasure this place is.

Florence Sanchez