5.11
Fort Bragg Pelagic
Highlight was surely the MURPHY'S
PETREL, well seen by everyone on the on the boat. A brief description
follows:
A bird superficially resembling a Sooty Shearwater, but with the following essential differences. During the entire period of observation, easily 30 seconds if not longer, the bird did not flap its wings. The posture of the bird was completely different from a shearwater; the wings were drooped rather than stiff and the bird teetered to and fro on nearly motionless wings as if dancing like a marionette upon unseen supports. The bird's motion was serendipitous; it hovered, danced and moved according to some whim I could not fathom. And just as quickly, it disappeared from sight.
In terms of more traditional field marks, the bird appeared long tailed, reminiscent of photographs of Bulwer's Petrel or Wedge-tailed Shearwater, with a dark back. The "M' on the back, mentioned by a few, was quite difficult to discern in somewhat flat light. The bill appeared to be relatively stout and short, unlike a shearwater's bill. There was a noticeable flash of pale at the base of the primaries and the wings were pronouncedly bent at the wrists in addition to the aforementioned drooped posture.
Photo ©2003 Eric W. Preston. All Rights Reserved
Other birds of note:
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Black-footed Albatross
Northern Fulmar
Murphy's Petrel
Pink-footed Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater (many missing all of their greater secondary
coverts)
Brant
Whimbrel
Red-necked Phalarope (alternate plumage)
Red Phalarope (alternate plumage)
Pomarine Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Bonaparte's Gull
California Gull
Western Gull
Sabine's Gull
Arctic Tern
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Rhinoceros Auklet
Cetes:
Pacific White-sided Dolphin
Northern Fur Seal
Northern Elephant Seal
California Sea Lion
Steller's Sea Lion
5.17-18 Napa Valley
Highlights include CASSIN'S VIREO
CO-NB at Napa-Bothe State Park and at least two MOUNTAIN QUAIL
on Mount St. Helena.
36 species seen:
Red-shouldered Hawk (1)
Mountain Quail (2)
California Quail (2)
Anna's Hummingbird (1)
Acorn Woodpecker (1)
Hairy Woodpecker (1)
Olive-sided Flycatcher (2)
Western Wood-Pewee (1)
Pacific-slope Flycatcher (1)
Cassin's Vireo (1)
Hutton's Vireo (1)
Warbling Vireo (1)
Steller's Jay (1)
Western Scrub-Jay (1)
Common Raven (1)
Violet-green Swallow (1)
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (1)
Oak Titmouse (2)
White-breasted Nuthatch (1)
Rock Wren (2)
Bewick's Wren (1)
Winter Wren (1)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2)
Swainson's Thrush (1)
American Robin (1)
Wrentit (1)
Orange-crowned Warbler (1)
Black-throated Gray Warbler (2)
Hermit Warbler (2)
Wilson's Warbler (1)
Western Tanager (1)
Spotted Towhee (1)
Dark-eyed Junco (1)
Black-headed Grosbeak (1)
Purple Finch (1)
Lesser Goldfinch (1)
Locations:
1) Napa-Bothe State Park 5.17
2) Mount St. Helena 5.18
5.26 West Marin
38 species seen:
American White Pelican (1)
Brown Pelican (2)
Double-crested Cormorant (2)
Turkey Vulture (1)
Red-tailed Hawk (2)
Wild Turkey (2)
California Quail (1)
Anna's Hummingbird (1)
Allen's Hummingbird (2)
Acorn Woodpecker (1)
Nuttall's Woodpecker (1)
Western Wood-Pewee (1)
Black Phoebe (1)
Ash-throated Flycatcher (1)
Hutton's Vireo (2)
Warbling Vireo (1)
Steller's Jay (2)
Western Scrub-Jay (1)
American Crow (1)
Common Raven (1)
Violet-green Swallow (1)
Cliff Swallow (1)
Barn Swallow (2)
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (2)
Oak Titmouse (1)
Bushtit (1)
Bewick's Wren (1)
House Wren (1)
Orange-crowned Warbler (2)
Spotted Towhee (1)
California Towhee (2)
Red-winged Blackbird (1)
Brown-headed Cowbird (1)
Bullock's Oriole (1)
Purple Finch (2)
House Finch (1)
Lesser Goldfinch (1)
American Goldfinch (1, 2)
Locations:
1) San Antonio Creek (May 26)
2) China Camp (May 26)
5.31Yellow-billed Magpie, SF Breeding Report
I spent much of today looking for
breeding species not with a lot of success, but I did have some
interesting birds. Best bird was doubtlessly the YELLOW-BILLED
MAGPIE at the entrance to the Allamnd Bros. Boatyard off of Aurelius
Walker (Fitch). I was chatting with someone from the works and
he mentioned that up to 5-6 birds might be seen in the afternoon
on the porch at the office of the boat house. There may be breeding
there!
I had conservatively 98 CAPSIAN TERNS at Pier 70, but I didn't see any breeding evidence. Continued observation is clearly required. Unusual was a LONG-BILLED CURLEW at Heron's Head, listed as "not present" in San Francisco as of tomorrow on the city distribution. Also at Heron's Head were a pair of FORSTER'S TERNS that departed together from the south side of the park near where. Finally, there was a NUTALL'S WOODPECKER at Tennessee Hollow.
I did have one breeding confirmation of note; I did confirm PURPLE FINCH in the Presidio (block 4580) which appears to be confirmation for a new atlas block. The atlas period only had confirmations for blocks 4080 and 5070.
CASPIAN TERN 98 at Pier 70
FORSTER'S TERN 2 at Heron's Head
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, several singing at various points
YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE 1, possibly as many as 5-6 total in the
area at Allemand Boatyard
PURPLE FINCH CO-CN at Inspiration Point
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH CO-FY at East Wash
Long-billed Curlew (9)
Caspian Tern (10)
Forster's Tern (9)
Nuttall's Woodpecker (2)
Olive-sided Flycatcher (4)
Western Wood-Pewee (7)
Yellow-billed Magpie (8)
Violet-green Swallow (7)
Barn Swallow (1)
Wilson's Warbler (2)
Hooded Oriole (2, 3)
Purple Finch (2, 3, 5)
Lesser Goldfinch (7)
American Goldfinch (1, 6, 7)
Locations:
1) Crissy Lagoon
2) Tennessee Hollow
3) Julius Kahn
4) El Polin Spring
5) Inspiration Point
6) East Wash
7) Fort Miley East
8) Allemand Boatyard
9) Heron's Head
10) Pier 70
You can contact me via email.