Fond Farewell to Observations

Editor’s Note: Thirteen years ago, Bruce Mast began writing our monthly Observations column, a roundup of rare and unusual bird sightings throughout the Bay Area. Since then a lot has changed in the world, including the rise of online resources such as listservs and eBird for tracking rare bird sightings. With his final 2015 column, Bruce is retiring Observations and moving on to other forms of involvement with GGBA. (For instance, he will be leading a reprise of his fabulous Birds & Wine in Sonoma County field trip in April for Birdathon 2016!)

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Bruce for his dedicated and meticulous work on Observations all these years. Thanks to his writing, many of us could enjoy rare sightings vicariously even during times when we weren’t able to get out in the field. His past columns and annual data summaries will remain archived and available on our web site. Following is a note from Bruce and his final column for 2015.

————————————————-

Observations, October 16 – December 31, 2015

By Bruce Mast

This column represents the final rare bird roundup for 2015. It also represents the final Observations column, period, at least in this format. After 13 years and 115 columns, your loyal correspondent is ready to retire. Conversations with the Gull editorial board led to the conclusion that the rise of eBird has rendered this format of systematically documenting rarities obsolete. So with the start of the new year, it’s time to shift my energies to field trips and an occasional blog post of topical interest. I hope to see you in the field! 

Ducks to Herons

Tufted Ducks visited MRN on Nov. 27 at Abbotts Lagoon, PRNS (MD) and on Dec. 19-25 along the east shore of Tomales Bay (SC; ER, NR). The region’s 3rd Tufted Duck turned up Dec. 17 at Clifton Court Forebay, CC (AL, RB). A seawatch along the Great Highway in SF on Oct. 24 was treated to a Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) flying south (PS).

Birders aboard a repositioning cruise located a Laysan Albatross in both SF and SM waters on Dec. 1 (mob). Short-tailed Shearwaters came within seawatching distance of shore on Nov. 1 at Moss Beach, SM (RT) and on Dec. 4 at Bodega Head, SON (SC).

There have been at least 8 Brown Boobies along our coast this fall and Boobies continued to be reported regularly along the SM and SF coasts. The most remarkable sighting was on Oct. 29, when a Brown Booby was photographed perched on the rail of an Alcatraz ferry next to the boat captain (fide CA). Likewise, the Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) was spotted multiple times in SM waters, including Oct. 27 on the jetty at Pillar Pt. Harbor (DZ), Dec. 2-5 around Egg Rock, seen from the Devil’s Slide Trail (mob), and Dec. 15 from Moss Beach (AD).

A continuing Least Bittern was seen flying across a pond at Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District, MRN, on Nov. 14 (PG, SBe). Along with several Cattle Egret reports from more expected locales, SF birders were treated to a quartet scouting the ball field at Fort Scott in the Presidio, Nov. 27-29 (JCl; mob).

Raptors to Terns

On Nov. 25, a juvenile male Northern Goshawk was unlucky to get snared in a bird bander’s trap at the GGRO hawk banding station on Hawk Hill, MRN (RCi). A group of 15 hawk watchers were lucky to witness its release and flight uphill to the NE. A Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk was photographed Nov. 21 perched on a post at Tolay RP, SON (JK, RS, LH). The same or another Harlan’s was spotted Dec. 20 perched on telephone pole by Clos du Val pond along Old Sonoma Rd., NAP (MSt, LS).

The Sandhill Crane that first arrived Sep. 24 at Delta Pond near Santa Rosa, SON, was content to remain in residence through at least Nov. 16 (mob). A couple juvenile American Golden-Plovers joined a Pacific Golden-Plover and a flock of Killdeers in the fields along Reclamation Rd., SON, Oct. 23-Nov. 2 (LH; mob). A Ruff was found Oct. 19 at the West County Wastewater District Sewage Ponds for just CC’s 3rd county record. It was then refound on Dec. 15 and observed multiple times through the 18th (AL, LK; mob). In SCL, a Ruff joined the dowitcher flock in New Chicago Marsh next to the EEC entrance road Dec. 20-31 (ST; mob). A pair of Rock Sandpipers was reported from the rocks below Pigeon Pt., SM, on Oct. 26 (JH, KGH).

Black-legged Kittiwakes came ashore Nov. 1 at Moss Beach, SM (RT); Dec. 12 at Baker Beach, SF (PS); Dec. 19-27 at Abbotts Lagoon, MRN (fide SC; MSt); and Dec. 25 over a Half Moon Bay yard, SM (AJ). A Franklin’s Gull was seen sitting with the large gull flock at the Pine Gulch creek mouth in Bolinas Lagoon, MRN, on Nov. 23 (EE). Two more Franklin’s Gulls were located on Nov. 28 from Battery Godfrey, SF (KMK).

Doves to Longspurs

Six counties recorded White-winged Doves this season. In MRN, a White-winged remained at Outer PRNS through Oct. 23 (mob). Another bird joined the Mourning Doves at Keith Hansen’s Gallery in Bolinas Nov. 22-24 (PP; mob). The SCL bird was noted in flight at Ed Levin CP on Oct. 19 (GK). White-winged Doves joined Eurasian-collared Dove flocks Nov. 12-13 in El Granada, SM (DP); Nov. 14 near Salmon Cr., SON (BOC); Nov. 15-Dec. 9 in Benicia, SOL (DSw; EP, RMu); and Dec. 16-31 at Holland Tract, CC (LK, JaL, RFu; mob).

A Yellow-billed Cuckoo provided brief glimpses to lucky visitors to Owl Cyn. in Bodega Bay, SON, Oct. 24-25 (ScS, WA; mob). Day-roosting Long-eared Owls were stumbled upon Oct. 18 at outer PRNS, MRN (DH, JCh); Nov. 5 in dense thicket near Pillar Pt., SM (RV); Nov. 13 in the SF Botanical Garden in GGP (RCu; mob); Dec. 2 in a Half Moon Bay yard, SM (PM); and Dec. 14 in a Coyote brush thicket in Newell Open Space, NAP (RFr).A nocturnal Long-eared Owl called repeatedly Dec. 20 near the entrance to Redwood RP, ALA (DQ, BL, SSt, RMa).

A solo Black Swift was way late on Nov. 25 as it glided and twisted over Hawk Hill, MRN (RCi, oob). On Oct. 25, a female Williamson’s Sapsucker visited the knobcone pines along Loma Prieta’s Upper Mt. Madonna Rd. in both SCL and SCZ (AR). SF chalked up a couple Pileated Woodpecker sightings this season, including an Oct. 26 fly-in to a fir tree in the Cole Valley neighborhood (PS) and a Nov. 13 Golden Gate crossing and landfall near the Baker Beach housing (BF).

A Least Flycatcher at Olema Marsh, MRN, was a great CBC find on Dec. 19 (fide SC). The Pescadero, SM, Eastern Phoebe returned to Stage Rd. for the 5th year, beginning Nov. 8 (AD; mob). Another Eastern Phoebe savored its freedom at the SF Zoo on Dec. 29 (BGu, JBu). A Vermilion Flycatcher photographed Oct. 26 at the Rossi Playground in the inner Richmond would be a 1st SF county record (BGo, fide DM). A Brown-crested Flycatcher was discovered during the eastern CC CBC on Dec. 16 at the Holland Tract (LK, JaL, RFu). A sparse breeding bird at selected SoCal desert locales, this bird is virtually unknown in NorCal.

The Bodega Bay Bell’s Vireo, observed Oct. 2-7 at Hole-in-the-Head, was apparently refound Nov. 7 down the road at Owl Cyn. (SH). A Yellow-green Vireo (Vireo flavoviridis) was located Oct. 23 at the PRNS Fish Docks, MRN (DSi; mob). A 2nd specimen was well described Oct. 31 from Diekman’s Store in Bodega Bay, SON (GB). A birder who happened to be sweeping his roof was surprised to hear and then see a Clark’s Nutcracker on Dec. 9 in the Oakland hills, ALA (JoL). A single Bank Swallow joined Tree Swallows in flight over Big Break RS, CC, on Nov. 10 (RB). An American Dipper returned Dec. 25 to the Leo T Cronin Fish Viewing Area at Shafter Bridge on Sir Francis Drake Blvd, MRN (SBa).

The Dusky Warbler (Phylloscopus fuscatus) that was first reported on Oct. 15 from the PBCS banding station long Redwood Cr. near Muir Beach, MRN (PFS) lingered through Oct. 20. Vagrant chasers generally reported (a) furtive looks, (b) heard-only chip calls, or (c) nothing. In addition to the Mountain Bluebird flock that habitually winters along Patterson Pass Rd., ALA, Mountain Bluebirds were reported Nov. 13 from atop Hayward RS’s Mt. Trashmore (JP, MSi); Nov. 20 from Los Vaqueros Res., CC (mob); Nov. 21 along East Side Rd. at L. Berryessa, NAP (MBe); and Dec.19 from the Walker Cr. delta, MRN (NA, BT).

A Sage Thrasher was a one-day wonder Oct. 23 at Corte Madera Marsh, MRN (JW, JM; Bob Atwood). The value of regularly working one’s patch was amply demonstrated on Oct. 20 when a routine visit to Rodeo Lagoon, MRN, produced a 1st winter female White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) Oct. 20-Oct. 22 (WL; mob). The bird spent 3 days foraging acrobatically on a mudbar along the south shore of the lagoon. Fide, Joe Morlan, this bird “shows characters consistent with M. a. ocularis, the form occurring in the Russian Far East and breeding in adjacent Alaska.”

Lapland Longspurs were reported in 1s, 2s, and 4s beginning in late Oct at Spaletta Plateau on outer PRNS, MRN (DSh; mob); Byxbee Park, SCL (PD; mob); Hayward RS’s Mt. Trashmore, ALA (BR; mob); Salt Pond A12 in Alviso, SCL (MR, MM); and at Abbotts Lagoon, MRN (BB). A Chestnut-collared Longspur joined the Lapland quartet at Mt. Trashmore on Nov. 12-17 (BR; AM). A winter-plumaged Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) arrived Nov. 5 at the Charleston Slough observation platform in SCL, where it provided eye-popping looks as it foraged on the ground (CL; mob).

Wood Warblers to Finches

SE Farallon Island, SF, attracted the season’s rarest warbler, a Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) that was banded and photographed Oct. 15-26 (KM, oob). A couple Magnolia Warblers lingered Oct. 11-16 at the PRNS Fish Docks (MBu; mob); a 3rd Magnolia Warbler spent Oct. 17-26 at Diekman’s Store (StS, WA; mob)l and a 4^th Magnolia frequented the fountain at Ardenwood Farm, ALA, Oct. 21-27 (JT, DD; mob). A Black-throated Blue Warbler was a surprise yard bird in the Berkeley Hills, ALA, on Oct. 21 (PB). Black-throated Green Warblers were ID’d Nov. 10 along Arroyo Leon Cr. in Half Moon Bay, SM (RT) and on Nov. 27 near S. L. Merced, SF (KMK).

Vesper Sparrows were noted Oct. 21 at Shiloh District Cemetery, SON (DS); on Nov. 11 near the Sierra Rd. summit, SCL (AR, DnW); and Nov. 21-Dec. 30 at Tolay RP, SON (GB; mob). A Dec. 27 Black-throated Sparrow at Santa Teresa CP, SCL, was a great addition to the Calero-Morgan Hill CBC list (ST; mob). A Le Conte’s Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) that apparently returned to Abbott’s Lagoon, MRN, after a successful 2014 winter, was refound on Dec. 4 for the 1st time since Oct. 5 (JBo, RCi). High tide at Arrowhead Marsh, ALA, flushed a Nelson’s Sparrow on Nov. 22 (DH, JCh).

This El Nino season has brought a remarkable invasion of montane birds, particularly Pine Siskins and Red Crossbills. Crossbills have been reported in every county except NAP and SOL, with large flocks in ALA and SON. Sound recordings suggest most birds are the Type 3, Western Hemlock type. Evening Grosbeaks also appear to be particularly widespread this season, though not as numerous as the Crossbills. Finally, as a reminder to keep checking those Siskin flocks, a Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) was discovered Dec. 12 at SE Farallon Island, SF, representing just the 2nd island record (mob).

Abbreviations for Observers: AD, Adam Dudley; AJ, Alvaro Jaramillo; AL, Albert Linkowski; AM, Aaron Maizlish; AR, Alex Rinkert; BA, Bob Atwood; BB, Brian Browne; BF, Brian Fitch; BGo, Brad Gota; BGu, Bob Gunderson; BL, Bob Lewis; BOC, Brook OConnor; BP, Bob Power; BR, Bob Richmond; BT, Brian Turner; CA, Carlo Arreglo; CL, Caroline Lambert; DD, Davor Desancic; DF, Dea Freid; DH, Derek Heins; DM, Dominik Mosur; DnW, Dan Wenny; DP, Donna Pomeroy; DQ, David Quady; DS, Doug Shaw; DSh, Dave Shuford; DSi, Dan Singer; DSw, Danny Swicegood; DvW, Dave Weber; DZ, David Zittin; EE, Erik Enbody; EG, Eli Gross; EP, Eric Pilotte; ER, Emma Rosen; GB, Gordon Beebe; GK, Gary Kittleson; GM, Ginny Marshall; JaL, Jasen Liu; JBo, Janet Bodle; JBu, Jessie Bushell; JCh, Jim Chiropulos; JCl, Josiah Clark; JH, John Hendrickson; JK, Jered Karr; JM, Jane Medley; JoL, John Luther; JP, John Poole; JT, Jerry Ting; JW, Jim White; KF, Kent Forward; KGH, Kathe Goria-Hendrickson; KM, Kyle Marsh; KMK, Kevin McKereghan; LH, Lisa Hug; LK, Logan Kahle; LS, Lucas Stephenson; MBe, Murray Berner; MBu, Michael Butler; MD, Mark Dettling; MM, Mike Mammoser; MR, Mike Rogers; MSi, Mike Simms; MSt, Mark Stephenson; NA, Noah Arthur; NR, Nick Rosen; PB, Patricia Bacchetti; PD, Pete Dunten; PG, Pauline Grant; PM, Peter Metropolous; PP, Peter Pyle; PS, Paul Saraceni; RB, Russ Bright; RCi, Richard Cimino; RCu, Rob Cullison; RFr, Robert Frescura; RFu, Robert Furrow; RMa, Robert Martin; RMu, Roger Muskat; RS, Ron Storey; RT, Ron Thorn; RV, Reinhard Vehring; SBa, Sharon Barnett; SBe, Stephen Berlyant; SC, Scott Carey; ScS, Scott Sorby; SH, Scott Hoppe; SJ, Sharon J; SSt, Sandy Steinman; ST, Steve Tracey; StS, Stephanie Sorby; WA, Will Anderson; WL, William Legge

Semicolons separate original observer(s) from subsequent observer(s). Abbreviation “mob” = many observers; “oob” = other observers. CBRC review species are shown in bold. Information is compiled from eBird, regional listservs, and BirdBox transcripts; the author apologizes for any errors or omissions.

Abbreviations for Counties and Others: ALA, Alameda; CBC, Christmas Bird Count; CC, Contra Costa; CCFS, Coyote Creek Field Station; CP, County Park; Cr., Creek; Cyn., Canyon; DENWR, Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge; EEC, Environmental Education Center; GGP, Golden Gate Park; L., Lake; MRN, Marin; Mt., Mount; N., North; NAP, Napa; NWR, National Wildlife Refuge; OSP, Open Space Preserve; PBCS, Point Blue Conservation Science; PRNS, Pt Reyes National Seashore; Pt., Point; Rd., Road; Res., Reservoir; RP, Regional Park; RS, Regional Shoreline; S., South; SB, State Beach; SCL, Santa Clara; SCZ, Santa Cruz; SF, San Francisco; SFBBO, SF Bay Bird Observatory; SM, San Mateo; SOL, Solano; SON, Sonoma; SP, State Park; SR, State Reserve; WPCP, Water Pollution Control Plant; WTP, Water Treatment Plant