Rich and Norm sifting through the flock at Sunset State Beach
The most recent reports are listed first. Not all trips have write-ups.
Seawatch, March 30 2008
This morning's Santa Cruz Bird Club sponsored seawatch field trip had many of the birds recently being reported on the coast making for a nice morning out. A Savanah and Lincoln's Sparrow were seen on the way in and a high flying Common Loon greeted us as we arrived at the ocean. Red Throated and Pacific loons were trickling by allowing for practice of flight ID. From a few hours the last couple of days, I would give a slight edge to Red Throated in numbers.
BRANT were seen in a number of flocks for a total of about (150) this morning and SURF SCOTERS were zooming by in larger flocks as well. (Yesterday afternoon from 1-2pm I had (220) Brant and (1620) Surf Scoters fly by--it was more active than this morning). Other birds seen this morning include a few MARBLED MURRELETS, one RHINO AUKLET picked out by Rod N., quite a few PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, just a few COMMON MURRES, a CASPIAN TERN, a couple RED BREASTED MERGANSERS, (2) DOWITCHERS, (3) PEEPS that looked to be WESTERN SANDPIPERS, a few WHIMBREL, and SURFBIRDS starting to look pretty dapper on the rocks.
Gulls include one HERRING, small flocks of MEW GULLS among others. BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS and a couple of whale sightings rounded out the morning. On the way out I found the AMERICAN REDSTART at Natural Bridges.
Kumaran Arul
Santa Cruz Wharf and Coast, March 22, 2008
This morning we started the Santa Cruz wharf trip in bright sunshine. There was little activity at the wharf apart from a few PIGEON GUILLLEMOTS, and a RED THROATED LOON along with the usual SURF SCOTERS and WESTERN GULLS. One MEW GULL came to the end of the wharf for a little variety. A COMMON LOON in breeding plumage was a good find.
We then scouted along the levee, and found BUFFLEHEADS, COMMON MERGANSERS, COMMON GOLDENEYE, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, and at the river mouth one lingering GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, more MEW, and some RING-BILLED GULLS. At Riverside bridge we had a small swallow flock that included CLIFF and NORTHERN ROUGH WINGED.
Natural Bridges added MARBLED GODWIT, SANDERLING, WILLET, a suprising BROWN PELICAN, BRANDT and DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT and a few PELAGIC which are showing the white breeding patches now. There were SURFBIRDS on the ledges under the mobile home park, and a few BLACK TURNSTONES on the rock. 2 female and one male RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were the final finds for the location.
Younger lagoon had 4 AMERICAN WIGEON, a NORTHERN HARRIER, a WHITE-TAILED KITE and a RED-TAILED HAWK.
Off the cliffs at Terrace Point we rounded out with BLACK OYSTERCATCHER, WHIMBREL and some Whales moving north. The final tally was more than 50 species, thanks to all who came.
Phil Brown
Open Itinerary Fieldtrip, March 15, 2008
Neary Lagoon, Santa Cruz Harbor Mouth, San Lorenzo River, UCSC, Moore Creek Preserve, Swanton Road.
With the anticipated rain, trip participation shrunk to three participants: Bob Ramer, Barry McLaughlin, and myself (Eric Feuss). We set our sights on a dozen species that we felt most likely to observe and add to 2008 Big Year list. We obtained three of these species.
First stop was Neary Lagoon, to see the males Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Paul Van Loan feeder, last seen three days earlier.. Almost two hours of “stake-out and no bird. It was time to seek that next challenge. Only, the leader took Sharon Hull’s report of the male Harlequin Duck to have been from Santa Cruz wharf (wishful thinking!). Regardless, 15 Snowy Plovers were seen on Seabright Beach from the harbor jetty.
San Lorenzo River here we come; our sights set on Boneparte’s Gull and Northern Rough-winged Swallow. We accessed the river walkway from Oceanview Park. The choice proved lucky, as a Black-throated Gray Warbler was seen here in the eucalyptus/alder/oak above the restrooms. No Bonaparte's Gulls were observed, but we did find five Northern Rough-winged Swallows near the confluence of the Branciforte and San Lorenzo Rivers.
A quick look at UCSC'c East Field and Great Meadow resulted in no Golden Eagles. We did get hail!
Neither did we find the Grasshopper Sparrow sighted by Steve in the Moore Creek Preserve; one to be observed on a subsequent trip. Many birds, though, were seen and heard here. The species included Savannah Sparrows, Orange-crowned Warblers, Say's Phoebe, and Golden-crowned Kinglets.
A walk up Big Creek (with permission; Thank you Barry!), provided Barry and I with three chasing, courting, chattering American Dippers. Many, many Lesser and American Goldfinches, as well as Pine Siskins, were heard along the creek.
Throughout the day, we continued to look and listen for Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatch, and Western Bluebirds. By now the wind was continuing to build, but we gave a final attempt at Western Bluebirds along Last Chance Road. No luck. A final stop in the pines along Swanton Road (north) before Hwy. 1 resulted in no new species. There was a faint weezle-weezle (or seezle seezle) heard, but no determination could be made as to species, if Black-throated Gray Warbler or Hermit Warbler. The song was coming from high in the pines and had its ending either blown away by the wind or left off, only an initial attempt at a Spring song having been made this early in the season.
The day had gotten away from us. There was no chance left for a mad dash toward the south county in an attempt for American Bittern, the last of the twelve attempted species. Though, what a day it was!
-Eric Feuss
Pogonip, March 14, 2008
Despite variable, and sometimes showery weather, today's Santa Cruz Bird Club
field trip to Pogonip found quite a bit of bird activity, with a good variety
of expected species.
Among new arrivals was a singing WARBLING VIREO along the southern park of
the Fern Trail near the Brayshaw Trail. A lot more ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS had
arrived since my last visit to the park, seeming to be everywhere, with over
20 singing birds, and other just "tick"ing. BAND-TAILED PIGEON numbers also
seemed to be higher.
Among resident birds, HUTTON'S VIREOS, BROWN CREEPERS and WINTER WRENS were
singing prominently. We heard about 3 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, on the Fern
Trail and the Spring Box Trail, though they were staying in the treetops and not
being especially vocal. Finches were numerous around the park, especially
PURPLE FINCHES and PINE SISKINS.
We found five species of woodpeckers, including a PILEATED calling off the
Fern Trail near Redwood Creek, a DOWNY further north on the Fern Trail, and
several each HAIRY, ACORN, and NORTHERN FLICKERS (including an "intergrade" type
with yellow wing linings.)
Wintering birds were also singing a fair amount, including HERMIT THRUSH,
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, and TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS. A nice variety of blooming forest plants, a few mammals, plus the always impressive forest trees and scenery of the park added to a slightly damp but pleasant morning.
Steve Gerow
North Coast: Baldwin Creek, Majors Creek, Swanton Pond, March 5, 2008
Much of the joy of birding lies in the appreciation of the moments that make up an outing…
A moment of satisfaction…The gull flock at Baldwin Creek Beach was large and dynamic, with numbers constantly arriving and departing to and from the nearby landfill, surfers shuffling the flock, and other disturbances that sparked the whole flock to lift off and then resettle. We hoped for a Glaucous Gull – a new species for some of the group and a prize for the Big Year – and one had been found there recently. The possibility of a Slaty-backed Gull was also in the mix. We studied the flock at length when we arrived at the beach, finding it to be mostly of Western, Glaucous-winged and California gulls. Then we studied it again from a new angle on the bluff as we walked down the coast, as well as an auxiliary flock on an adjacent pocket beach. We tried once more from the bluff top as we walked back, and a final time as we passed by on the beach, prepared to leave the gulls behind. No unusual species stood out from the crowd. But at the last moment, there it was – a 2nd cycle Glaucous Gull right nearby, bathing vigorously in the flow of the creek! It was not a fleeting opportunity, or lost among the throng, but right there in front of us where we could really enjoy it and study it at our leisure.
A moment of revelation…Two White-tailed Kites had been perched in the large willow patch along the lower reach of Baldwin Creek. Jeff raised a question about where the species nests. And then, as if listening in to our discussion, the male kite flew to the female’s perch, and mounted her to copulate. Within minutes he was breaking sticks from the willows and carrying them to settle upon a nest they were constructing in the top of the willows. If we had timed our passage through the area a little differently, the nest might easily have gone unnoticed.
A moment of anticipation…Rails were responsive to taped calls this morning in the marshes of Baldwin Creek, with several Virginias and Soras speaking up. We paused beside a particularly likely spot, and played the tape. And they were so close, piping up in the dense vegetation, calling repeatedly. We watched intently, waiting for a movement of the vegetation to give a hint to expose a rail. They teased us, but did not appear; yet the anticipation was sweet.
A moment of delight…Small parties of Red-winged and Tricolored blackbirds had been passing by our position overlooking Swanton Pond, dropping down into one spot in a field of fava beans and mustard. Group after group of blackbirds flew in and disappeared in the vegetation…how many could fit into one spot? And then, our attention drawn elsewhere, we noticed the flock was spooked and up and flying. They swept passed us at close range, at eye level and in lovely light. We could hear the sound of their wings, as they showed off the pattern on the males’ wings to great advantage.
A moment of surprise…We scanned Swanton Pond and the surrounding adjacent hills and fields. Judy had left a scope pointed a certain direction across the pond. I looked through it, shifting it up a bit toward the hillside. A light brown blob caught my eye, and I thought, “There is a rock that could easily be mistaken for a Burrowing Owl.” I was going to mention this potential birding pitfall. And then the “rock” swiveled its head in owl fashion. It was a Burrowing Owl!
David Suddjian
