SBT COUNTY: 19 SEPT 2007

September 19, 2007

Hello, Birders,

A wee touch of winter arrived this morning! Clouds, chilly wind, and light rain were quite a surprise, as low pressure system from Canada edged down the coast. I grabbed a cup of coffee, and headed to Paicines Reservoir about 20 miles south of Hollister. The highlight was a continuing ORCHARD ORIOLE, female-type, which was first found on September 12th by David Wimpfheimer. This is the first SAN BENITO(SBT) COUNTY record of Orchard Oriole. I saw it just as I was about to leave the pullout, up on the hill, in the vineyard feeding on the juicy, ripe grapes, no doubt!

Other birds at Paicines Reservoir today included:BALD EAGLE- 3 (same as previous reports: 1 ad female, 1 first plumage
ad, 1 HY) PIED-BILLED GREBE-2 GREAT BLUE HERON-2 GREAT WHITE EGRET-2 MALLARD-50 NORTHERN SHOVELER-6 NORTHERN PINTAIL-6 AMERICAN COOT-40 GREATER YELLOWLEGS-4 LEAST SANDPIPER-3 KILLDEER-18 AMERICAN KESTREL-1 RAVEN-2 LESSER GOLDFINCH-4 SONG SPARROW-1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER-1 BLACK PHOEBE-2 WESTERN BLUEBIRD-18 WESTERN WOODPEEWEE-1 CASSIN’S KINGBIRD-1 BEWICK’S WREN-1 BREWER’S BLACKBIRD-40 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD-50 HOUSE FINCH-10

I did not see the Common Tern (4th county record) found by ClayKempf, or the Stilt Sandpiper (third county record) found by Scott &Linda Terrill.

Heading south on Highway 25, I turned on LA GLORIA ROAD. High winds seemed to keep the birds down. At the summit, near Mile Marker 7.37,I found 50+ LAWRENCE’S GOLDFINCHES. On September 12th, I found 360Lawrence’s Goldfinches on this road, many of them at the summit. Roiling fog from the Salinas Valley, rain, and the wind probably kept them down. Best way to see the goldfinches is to stay inside of thecar, using it as a blind. I saw a total of 150 Lawrence’s Goldfinches today. Other birds on Gloria Road included:

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW-1 First of the fall (FOF) in San Benito County for me. FOX SPARROW-1 (FOF) WILSON’S WARBLER-3 LESSER GOLDFINCH-4 CALIFORNIA TOWHEE-2 CALIFORNIA THRASHER-12 CALIFORNIA QUAIL-6 WESTERN BLUEBIRD-46 OAK TITMOUSE-6 WESTERN SCRUB JAY-8 HOUSE FINCH-4 DARK-EYED JUNCO-140 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET-1 (FOF) YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER-1 (FOF) TOWNSEND’S WARBLER-1 WRENTIT-2 SONG SPARROW-1 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH-1 BLACK PHOEBE-2 RAVEN-4 BUSHTIT-18 WILD TURKEY-6 (one with only one leg, and it hops) MOURNING DOVE-62 CHIPPING SPARROW-1 ad, 2 HY YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE-54, near the summit SAY’S PHOEBE-1 BELL’S SAGE SPARROW-2 SPOTTED TOWHEE-2 BEWICK’S WREN-3 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD-100 BREWER’S BLACKBIRD-80 RED-TAILED HAWK-1

I made a very brief stop at VISTA PARK HILL in downtown Hollister after picking up my mail. About 30 hummingbirds are still feeding inthe bottlebrush. At least 2 “RUFOUS” were present, along with manyANNA’S HUMMINGBIRDS.

Debra Shearwater
debi@shearwaterjourneys.com

SBT County: Sep 12, 2007

September 13, 2007

Yesterday morning, Laurilee Thompson (of Space Coast Bird Festival fame) and I did a couple of hours ofbirding in San Benito County. Highlights included: 360 LAWRENCE’S GOLDFINCHES, 3 BALD EAGLES, 1 CASSIN’SKINGBIRD, 1 ROADRUNNER, and 2 CHIPPING SPARROWS.
At Paicines Reservoir, about 30 miles south of Hollister on Highway 25, we found: 3 BALD EAGLES ( 1 adult female, 1 first plumage adult, 1 HY); 1 CASSIN’S KINGBIRD was sitting in the willow tree that is surrounded by water, along with 1 TANAGER sp. Both of these birds flew to the west side of Hwy 25 to feed on the grapes in the vineyard. Also present were: 1 Nuttall’s Woodpecker, 1 Bewick’s Wren, 4 Black Phoebes, Song Sparrows, Mallards, American Coots, etc.- “regulars” at the reservoir.

Best way to bird the reservoir is to pull out on the large, dirt parking lot on Highway 25 just south of the turnoff for Panoche Valley. Stand around and scope the area, including the willow tree. There is no public access to other areas surrounding the reservoir. The bald eagles generally sit on the high power poles on the west side of the reservoir, or sometimes on the top of the small oak tree on the levee on the east side. No shorebirds, other than Killdeer, were present yesterday, even though there are some good mud flats now.


Continuing south on Highway 25 toward Pinnacles National Monument, we pulled over about 5 miles later, to see a ROADRUNNER. A CALIFORNIA THRASHER was singing in the coyote bushes at this stop. A BOBCAT was sitting under a large oak tree on the east side of the highway.
Further south, (just beyond Bear Valley Fire Station), we turned east on Gloria Road. This well maintained dirt road is public, but all areas off the road are private property. It is often patrolled by the local landowners, who can be quite intimidating, even threatening. So, please respect the private property, even if there is no fence on the road in areas. The highlight of this road was 360 LAWRENCE’S GOLDFINCHES, multiple flocks. The biggest flocks were at the summit, in the open grasslands, just before you reach the Monterey County sign. (If you reach the sign, go back).

Driving slowly on this road will likely put the goldfinches up in flocks and they will land on the barbed wire fences. Best to stay in your car. The flocks are almost 100% Lawrence’s right now. It will be interesting to see if the Lessers and Americans join them, as they usually do. Again, the best way to see them is to stay in your car. Two CHIPPING SPARROWS ( 1 adult, 1 HY), were also on the fence with the goldfinches.

Also along Gloria Road: LARK SPARROWS, OAK TIT, YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE (50+ at the summit), BELL’S SAGE SPARROW, BELTED KINGFISHER, COOPER’S HAWK, SHARP SHINNED HAWK, BLACK PHOEBE, CALIFORNIA TOWHEE, WILD TURKEY, BUSHTIT, SCRUB JAY, DARK-EYED JUNCO, WESTERN BLUEBIRD, BEWICK’S WREN, WILSON’S WARBLER, ACORN WOODPECKER, WRENTIT, and 1 BOBCAT, and 1 COYOTE.


Goldfinches forever,
Debi Shearwater

En Route to Fort Bragg Pelagic Trip

July 28, 2007

Got a late start. On the drive up to Fort Bragg for tomorrow’s pelagic trip, Don and I stopped at the Ukiah Sewer Ponds. Nothing unusual to report.

Best birds were: CLARK’S GREBE, GREATER SCAUP, and SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Since I dislike the drive on Highway 20 from Willets, we decided to take Low Gap Road. This is a slow and winding dirt road, through some beautiful woodland habitat. Best bird was a single male MOUNTAIN QUAIL that Don spotted, standing on the side of the road. It was a very hot day—92F.

We arrived in Fort Bragg about 4 pm, and met up with a lot of our friends for dinner at Silver’s at the Wharf where I am now writing this blog. We are all looking forward to tomorrow’s pelagic trip with great anticipation!

—Debi

Alaska Photos

July 27, 2007

I sent some photos this morning from our trip. Nothing spectacular, but nice. We are in Ketchikan and it is bright, sunny. Supposed to rain here almost all the time.

SITKA, AK

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Song Sparrow

Townsend's Warbler

GLACIER BAY

Kittlitz’s Murrelet

MAMMALS

Humpback Whale

Brown Bear

That’s all for now!

Debra

Alaska Cruise

July 22, 2007

Hello, Seabirders,

Currently, I am on Holland America’s Amsterdam, which departed from Seattle, WA on July 20th. Say, what? Okay, so its not your ordinary “pelagic trip!” Nevertheless, I’m out at sea, enjoying cabin service, the hot tub and fantastic food while birding, along with 1200 other passengers. Who says seabirding can’t be done in luxury?

This morning, I awoke to a SOUTH POLAR SKUA, flying outside my cabin window. It was soon followed by several ARCTIC TERNS and two POMARINE JAEGERS. So, that had me jumping out of bed to find out what else was around. Several TUFTED PUFFINS flew off, followed by a single HORNED PUFFIN, which was spotted by my friend, Don Doolittle. By far, the most abundant bird of the day has been LEACH’S STORM-PETREL, with over 200 recorded. One FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL was flying off the bow of the ship. Breaching and tail-lobbing HUMPBACK WHALES made a great show.

Seas are fairly calm, about a Beaufort 1-1.5; sea surface temperature is 14C. We are traveling on average at 22 knots, and headed for Juneau, Alaska.

The following species list is for BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA ABOUT 9O MILES OFF THE MAINLAND: (74 miles SE of the tip of Queen Charlotte Island, 85 miles NNW of Nootka Island; N50.50, W129.54 at 11 am. and N51.11, W130.10 about noon).

BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS-18
NORTHERN FULMAR-9
SOOTY/SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER-8
SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER-12
LEACH’S STORM-PETREL-200+
FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL-1
SOUTH POLAR SKUA-1
POMARINE JAEGER-2
ARCTIC TERN-8
TUFTED PUFFIN-20+
COMMON MURRE-12
HORNED PUFFIN-1
RHINOCEROS AUKLET-20
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL-6
HERRING GULL-3
HUMPBACK WHALE-6

Shearwaters in luxury,
Debi