Two days ago at dusk, I heard what sounded like a BLJA across the street from
751 E. Hill Rd. in Willits. I dismissed it, figuring I must?ve been mistaken.
At dawn this morning, I heard it several times again, initially just north of
the Dripworks plant on Sanhedrin Circle and then at the original location. I've
been unable to confirm it visually and still could be mistaken, but it doesn?t
sound like anything else I can think of. There are mockingbirds in the area,
but a NOMO in Willits mimicking a BLJA somehow seems even more unlikely than an
actual BLJA. I hope others can get out there and look for it. Recorded calls
might help. Traffic and construction noise are pretty bad there, so very early
morning would be best.

Ken Burton
Willits

Birders,

An announcement of importance to birders in California and around the West:

Registration is now open for the 38th Annual Conference of Western Field
Ornithologists to be held in Olympia, Washington, 22-25 August 2013. Go to the
WFO web site (http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/conference.php) to get
more info and register.

Given the many options available, we recommend that you download the Conference
Details document from the website before you click on the REGISTER NOW button to
begin registration.

This joint Conference with the Washington Ornithological Society, hosted by
Black Hills Audubon Society includes:

- Workshops to enhance your field skills

- Fall Warblers: Jon Dunn and Kimball Garrett

- Sapsuckers - ID challenges and research update: Steve Shunk

- Gull Identification: Mike Donahue

- Dragonflies: Dennis Paulson (includes both classroom and field sessions)

- Wilderness First Aid: Heath Wakelee

- Making full use of eBird: Brian Sullivan

- Keynote talk by John Marzluff on those amazing Corvids

- Two sessions of talks on recent research in the region with a plenary talk by
Dennis Paulson

- A full set of field trips (including Pelagics)

- Photo and Bird Sounds ID sessions

This year WFO is awarding two Pasadena Audubon/WFO Youth Scholarships to defray
expenses of attending this conference. Go to
(http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/scholarship.php) for details.

Kimball L. Garrett
Ornithology Collections Manager
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007 USA
213-763-3368
kgarrett@...
http://www.nhm.org/site/research-collections/ornithology

In the Alameda-Stanislaus area of Patterson Pass in Livermore and Del Puerto
Canyon rd that runs from Mines rd to Patterson near Hwy 580. A great place to
bird. I've only birded since November so I am still new and trying to spot the
species. It was suggested I post here for ID help. I spotted many species along
the road but some I could use help. Couple have had differences of opinions such
as the Hummingbirds and Thrush.
I already named the ones that I have gotten IDs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jellis50/8734694202/in/set-72157633483996064

Thank you
Janet Ellis
San Leandro

After much discussion with other birders and review of the photograph, I rescind
my i.d. of the bird as an escaped Yellow Grosbeak.
I originally read the photo itself as being washed-out and over-exposed,
explaining why the yellow wasn't prominent, and the bird as facing the camera.
I think now that it is the bird that is washed out, and it is facing away from
the camera.
My i.d. is that this is a black-headed grosbeak.

Stan Walens
San Diego

Claire,
It is a yellow grosbeak, but most certainly it is an escapee from the bird
markets in nearby Tijuana.
I believe that the only record of Yellow Grosbeak for California was a bird in
2006 in Inyo County.
Not accepted by the CBRC because of uncertain origin.

Stan Walens
San Diego

A non-birding friend of mine who lives in San Diego sent me her iPhone photo
around 8:30AM. I believe the bird is a Yellow Grosbeak. She told me birds like
the one in the photo have shown up in numbers at their yard in the past. Their
back yard borders a large San Diego Canyon. You can do a Google Maps search of
'Rebecca Ave, San Diego' and see the canyon is west of Mission Valley Drive
(north of Qualcomm Stadium) and is situated between Rebecca & Overton Avenues.

Anyway, I'm up in Sacramento and would love more info on the presence of Yellow
Grosbeaks in San Diego. Has the species been reported there before? Are most/all
such grosbeaks escaped cage birds from Tijuanna or can this really be vagrant
Mexican birds venturing into San Diego?

I put the iPhone photo that was sent to me in Cal Birds Photos in directory: San
Diego Grosbeak. If my friend forwards better photos to me I will post them
there.

Does anyone have any further information on the American Oystercatcher reported
to eBird yesterday from the Pt. Reyes lighthouse by Daniel Thompson and John
York? I don?t recognize the names and suspect they were referring to Black
Oystercatcher, which is sometimes called American Black Oystercatcher (just to
confuse people).

Ken Burton
Willits

Make that 12,000 Leach's Storm-Petrels in WA....

________________________________
From: Barbara Carlson 
To: CALBIRDS ; county birders

Sent: Friday, May 10, 2013 12:19 PM
Subject: [CALBIRDS] Holland America cruise May 7-10

 
This Holland America cruise left San Diego on Tuesday, May 7th, and will
be arriving in Vancouver, Canada today.
 
I am reporting the highlights as per Paul Lehman:
 
In California waters, they saw 5 Laysan Albatross (4 in SLO and 1 in MTY) and 35
Parakeet Auklets (all in Humboldt).  The waters off California were calm,
probably too  calm for pteradromas.
 
In Oregon waters, there were 1-2 Murphy's Petrels, an early South Polar Skua,
and more Parakeet Auklets.
 
In a 20 mile stretch of Washington waters, there were 1200 Leach's
Storm-Petrels.
 
In two-and-a-half days (Wednesday, Thursday, and partial Friday), large numbers
of pelagic birds were seen!  Estimates include 800 Black-footed Albatross, 2000
Pink-footed Shearwater, 30,000 Sooty Shearwater, adnd 800 Sabine's Gull.
 
Rumor has it that a group of Oregon birders trailinging this cruise a day later
got a "slug of Murphy's (50), Hawaiian (10) and several Cook's Petrels" ! 
They also had more wind and higher seas.  Photos obtained.
 
Land bound in San Diego,
Barbara Carlson

This Holland America cruise left San Diego on Tuesday, May 7th,?and?will
be?arriving in Vancouver, Canada today.
?
I am reporting the highlights as per Paul Lehman:
?
In California waters, they saw 5 Laysan Albatross (4 in SLO and 1 in MTY) and 35
Parakeet Auklets (all in Humboldt).? The waters off California were calm,
probably too? calm for pteradromas.
?
In Oregon waters, there were 1-2 Murphy's Petrels, an early South Polar Skua,
and more Parakeet Auklets.
?
In a 20 mile stretch of Washington waters, there were 1200 Leach's
Storm-Petrels.
?
In two-and-a-half days (Wednesday, Thursday, and partial Friday), large numbers
of pelagic birds were seen!? Estimates include 800 Black-footed Albatross, 2000
Pink-footed Shearwater, 30,000 Sooty Shearwater, adnd 800 Sabine's Gull.
?
Rumor has it that a group of Oregon birders trailinging this cruise?a day later
got a "slug of Murphy's?(50), Hawaiian (10) and several Cook's Petrels"?!? They
also had more wind and higher seas.? Photos obtained.
?
Land bound in San Diego,
Barbara Carlson

My husband and I just returned from a weekend trip to PiPi Valley in the
Central Sierra. It was ostensibly a mushroomer's weekend, but it is hard to
ignore all of the wonderful birds, busy in their mountain spring.

Our first stop was at the uniquely managed, historical and real-time
Indian Grinding Rock State Park. This vastly underused park has the largest
group acorn grinding rock ever found in North America, and the only one that
also showed petroglyphs amongst the grinding holes.

But it's not all about dusty history, despite a wonderful visitor center that
has plenty of good info and beautiful artifacts. It is also a modern day Native
community. We passed by a sweat lodge taking place along a creek, and saw a
beautiful old ways (but still used) meeting hall.

But that is just the setting; this is really about the birds. Right outta the
visitor center is a grove of ancient oaks, and everywhere amongst the bark and
branches were Sierran birds. Western Tanagers, Bullocks Orioles, Western
Kingbirds, Cedar Waxwings flycatching, Vireos, Warblers, Acorn Woodpeckers, a
pair of testosterone poisoned Lark Sparrows in a flying death roll, Western
Bluebirds, the biggest Red Tailed Hawk I had EVER seen (the local Native docent
and campground host considered that one HIS spirit bird. Big spirit.), and of
course the now onmnipresent turkeys, in this case nearly grown, fully feathered
young with a smattering of down on their heads, walking through the tall grass.

There was apparently a big, recent hatching of oak worms; their cobwebby threads
were everywhere, and the birds were taking advantage of the feast. There were so
many birds it was hard to pick just one to zoom in on.

Two thumbs up.

At the lovely PiPi campground, a bit further down Hwy. 88, the fungi were scarce
but the local birds and flowers made up for it. We drove into PiPi in
mid-afternoon and I walked along the Cosumnes River to see what I could see. The
mountain rhubarb had its pink flowers on long stalks proudly waving in the
riverbed, and seeps were covered with Mimulus and Five-Spot Flowers.

I heard an unfamiliar screeching in the willows along the river, and stopped to
see what might be making that noise. Turned out to be dipper pre-fledges. Three
birds were still in a buried nest, on a moss covered rock across the river. The
nest was a hole in the bottom of a rock shelf, whitewashed below, and when the
parents arrived with beaks stuffed with insects (after madly foraging along the
banks, catching many insects, one after another, before swishing them thru the
water and stuffing those great maws), the young stuck their beaks down right
outta the hole, and one maw completely occluded the space. Man, that's a hungry
baby! Lemme tell ya, those parents looked a bit frazzled.

Two days later, David spotted two dippers fledged on the river rocks, feathered
and fluffy downed all at the same time. Awwwwwwww. Mom Dipper let David know
that he was NOT welcome, and he beat feet in retreat.

We should all be so polite to our fine feathered friends, working hard to
survive in a tough world.

Tis a good time to head for the hills. Visual feasts await you.

Debbie Viess
Oakland, CA

The Great Black-backed Gull was last seen at the end of 85th Avenue, circling
high with other gulls and perhaps flying off to the east around 1:30 pm. It had
not returned to the area between 84th and 86th Avenues as of 3:30 pm.

Tom Benson
San Bernardino,  CA

Sent from my Galaxy S®III

-------- Original message --------
From: Andrew 
Date: 05/05/2013 12:18 (GMT-08:00)
To: inlandcountybirds@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Gull still at NESS Noon

The Great Blacked-backed Gull is currently along the seashore between 85th and
84th Avenues, where it has been for the last hour.  This morning, it has put in
two brief appearances at the end of 84th, but has spent much of the late morning
best viewable from a dike accessed just north of the end of 85th.  Much thanks
to Chet, Bill, and Mark, and later Howard for relocating the bird this morning.

Vernon & Andrew Howe
Riverside, CA

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

To Post a message, send it to:   inlandcountybirds@eGroups.com
To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
inlandcountybirds-unsubscribe@...! Groups Links

Just got a call from Chet McGaugh. The Great Black-backed Gull was back at 84th
St. at the north end of the Salton Sea at 7:30 this morning. This is reached
from 86S, turn west on 84th, in about a mile take a jog to the right to get on
the south side of a drainage canal, proceed to the end of the road.

Shortly after finding it, the bird took off north. Bill Hopson and Mark Chappell
are walking south along the beach from 81st to try to relocate it.

Hello folks

Today was a great day to be out on the water, the day started calm and
still, and ended with the start of a southerly blow accompanying an oncoming
front. This was a trip of odd juxtapositions, and surprises! When we were
approximately ten miles out in San Mateo waters we spotted a pair of
SCRIPP'S MURRELET, which are extremely rare in spring at this latitude! A
big flock of foraging BONAPARTE'S GULLS was a nice find and while we were
studying them an ANCIENT MURRELET was spotted right off the bow of the boat.
They came fast and furious, as almost immediately an immature BROWN BOOBY
came out of nowhere and gave lots of good fly bys, and eventually sat on the
water with the gulls. As we continued out numbers of RED-NECKED AND RED
PHALAROPES built up, as did the SOOTY SHEARWATERS, and eventually the
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS. San Francisco waters provided us with more albatross
and shearwaters, as well as three SABINE'S GULLS and eventually a show of a
lifetime. We saw a group of KILLER WHALES hassling or at least being
entertained by a pod of Humpback Whales, the Humpback's were mad, making
loud and hissing noises after blowing. There were no calfs with the
Humpbacks, but still the Orcas kept following the humpbacks, sometimes just
feet behind them. What a cool thing to see! We saw lots of fin slapping and
even breaching by the KILLER WHALES, better than Sea World!!

Spring trips are still rarities around here, so we were glad to have
been able to do this one and see so many unexpected species, both birds and
mammals! We look forward to getting out later on in the season, which may
promise to be a warm water year based on what is being seen out there both
birdwise and fishwise.

Good birding!

Alvaro

Alvaro Jaramillo

alvaro@...

www.alvarosadventures.com

A cruise ship pelagic from San Diego to Vacouver on the Holland America
Statendam w/ 20 birders aboard was very sucessful:

May 2 in? Santa Barbara County south of Santa Rosa Island 1 Horned Puffin and 4
Tufted Puffins.

May 3 from no. Mendocino to no. Del Norte Counties 3 Hawaiian Petrels, 18
Murphys Petrels, 4 Cooks Petrels, and 27 Parakeet Auklets.

In so. Oregon 3 more Hawaiians, 1 Mottled, 1 Cooks, 17 Murphys.

Barbara Carlson
San Diego

Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

I received a call earlier from Paul Lehman, who was just returning with a group
of birders from the latest repositioning cruise off the West Coast. Highlights
were:
?
Thursday, 2 May
4 Tufted Puffins (Santa Barbara County south of Santa Rosa Island)
1 Horned Puffin (same as above)
?
Friday, 3 May
Mendocino north to southern (Curry County) Oregon (don't have exact locations)
6 Hawaiian Petrels (at least one in each state)
4?Hawaiian/Galapagos Petrels
1 Mottled Petrel (Oregon)
5 Cook's Petrels total
38 Murphy's Petrels total (California and Oregon)
24 Parakeet Auklets in California
?
Dave Compton
Santa Barbara

Birders,

Not wishing to miss a chance to remind birders what a great resource the
California Bird Records Committee web site is -- and the "Rare Birds of
California" book that it complements....

The Humboldt County (Orick vic.) report from 30 Dec 2006 was not accepted by the
CBRC;
see: http://www.californiabirds.org/cbrc_book/update.pdf

There is an additional non-accepted record from Upper Newport Bay in August 1977
(see Rare Birds of California).

The Salton Sea bird from 1 May (photos of which are diagnostic for Great
Black-backed in my opinion, but the record of course awaits CBRC review) would
indeed be a first for California if accepted.

Kimball

Kimball L. Garrett
Ornithology Collections Manager
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007 USA
213-763-3368
kgarrett@...
http://www.nhm.org/site/research-collections/ornithology

I believe there is an accepted GBBG record from Humboldt County.

Ken Burton
Willits

Thanks to a generous contribution from Chet McGaugh, two photos of the
apparent GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL have been posted on the WFO web site. You
can click through on the thumbnails on the front page...

http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/

Direct link...

http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=595

Click on the images for higher resolution.

Two additional photos have been posted on the California Bird Records
Committee gallery...

http://www.californiabirds.org/photos/index.html

Direct link...

http://www.californiabirds.org/photos/GBBGphoto31.htm

Enjoy!

On Wed, 1 May 2013 22:14:09 -0700, Chet McGaugh 
wrote:

>Dave Goodward and I spent the day at spots around the north end of the
>Salton Sea, most time spent at Salt Creek on the east side and and 84th Ave
>on the west. Salt Creek continues as the best shorebird spot within a
>decent walk from the highway. Dave counted 150+ Red Knots, the season high
> at NESS, and several Sanderlings and a few Dunlins were among the
>decreasing Calidrids. Dowitchers continue to be scarce, two Long-bills for
>the day. Snowy Plovers have nested successfully. Bonaparte's Gulls are
>still present in the 100s. Common Loon, several Red-breasted Mergansers and
>a few Brant were seen. Passerine migrants included Western Wood-Pewees,
>Warbling Vireo, and Yellow and Wilson's warblers.
>
>Early in the afternoon, after breakfast, we rolled out to the end of 84th
>and the gull flock left the beach for the water. A quick scan and we found
>a very dark, seeming long-winged gull floating with the Eared Grebes, Ruddy
>Ducks, and California Gulls off shore. We were impressed by how truly black
>it's mantle was. Wanting to see it's legs, we waited an hour and a half
>later for the slow float back to the beach which ended when it climbed up
>the barnacle beach. Not a Yellow-footed Gull. Very pale pink feet, legs
>more pale fleshy than pink. While we were waiting for the return to shore
>we had studied up on large black gull identification and determined that
>the primary pattern, orbital ring color, leg color, mantle/primary
>contrast, and overall size and voice are critical points. We worked that
>bird, photographed it on the beach, in the water, and in the air for 2+
>hours and have concluded, pending the scrutiny required and expected, that
>our gull is a Great Black-backed Gull, which I believe to be, if accepted
>by the CBRC, the first for California.
>Chet
>
>
>

Hi,

The 40th Annual High Desert Rally high speed time trial car race
(single cars racing the course every few minutes) will be along the
dirt portion of Jawbone Canyon Road (leading to Butterbredt Spring)
and north along Kelso Valley Rd will be held ALL DAY this coming
Saturday, May 4th!

The Jawbone Canyon Rd will be closed by the California Highway patrol
as will Kelso Valley Rd at the northern end of Butterbredt Canyon Rd.

The above means there will be no access to Butterbredt Spring via CA
Hwy 14 and Jawbone Canyon Rd.

The only way to access Butterbredt Spring this Saturday will be south
on paved Kelso Valley Rd (in the Kern River Valley) to left on the
NORTH end of highly-rugged dirt Butterbredt Canyon Rd over the pass
then downslope for several miles to the spring parking area via high
clearance, 4WD vehicle. Even high clearance, 4WD vehicles sometimes
get stuck on this road and it is miles to any help should one get
stuck. And, anyone who decides to venture this way in will have to go
back out the same route!

The STRONGEST ADVICE I can give to CALBIRDS listserv subscribers is
to confine your Butterbredt birding visits to this Friday, Sunday,
and all days after for the rest of this spring's migrant and vagrant
season. The race is a one day, all day event and will not block
access at all this Friday, Sunday, or after Sunday. On Saturday
enjoy your spring migrant and vagrant birding at California City
Central Park (although there will be an art show at part of the park
this weekend), Galileo Hill, Ridgecrest (Cerro Coso Community
College, Desert Memorial Park, and Ridgecrest Watchable Wildlife
Park), the Middlemiss property in Inyokern (see ABA's 2007 edition of
A Birder's Guide to Southern California for directions or check
eBird), or other east Kern oases of which you are aware. The
preceding listed alternative areas will definitely keep virtually any
birder who wishes to bird east Kern desert oases busy all day this
coming Saturday.

Happy & Productive Birding,

Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California

Cell: 760-382-1260

Hello all. Chet McGaugh posted the following message to the InlandCountyBirds
listserv, but I'm not sure why it hasn't been forwarded to a wider audience.
Here's his message:

"Dave Goodward and I spent the day at spots around the north end of theSalton
Sea, most time spent at Salt Creek on the east side and and 84th Ave
on the west. Salt Creek continues as the best shorebird spot within a
decent walk from the highway. Dave counted 150+ Red Knots, the season high
at NESS, and several Sanderlings and a few Dunlins were among the
decreasing Calidrids. Dowitchers continue to be scarce, two Long-bills for
the day. Snowy Plovers have nested successfully. Bonaparte's Gulls are
still present in the 100s. Common Loon, several Red-breasted Mergansers and
a few Brant were seen. Passerine migrants included Western Wood-Pewees,
Warbling Vireo, and Yellow and Wilson's warblers.

Early in the afternoon, after breakfast, we rolled out to the end of 84th
and the gull flock left the beach for the water. A quick scan and we found
a very dark, seeming long-winged gull floating with the Eared Grebes, Ruddy
Ducks, and California Gulls off shore. We were impressed by how truly black
it's mantle was. Wanting to see it's legs, we waited an hour and a half
later for the slow float back to the beach which ended when it climbed up
the barnacle beach. Not a Yellow-footed Gull. Very pale pink feet, legs
more pale fleshy than pink. While we were waiting for the return to shore
we had studied up on large black gull identification and determined that
the primary pattern, orbital ring color, leg color, mantle/primary
contrast, and overall size and voice are critical points. We worked that
bird, photographed it on the beach, in the water, and in the air for 2+
hours and have concluded, pending the scrutiny required and expected, that
our gull is a Great Black-backed Gull, which I believe to be, if accepted
by the CBRC, the first for California.
Chet"

Serving as the messenger,

Matt Brady
Baton Rouge, LA

Hi Birders

Everyone is invited to attend Los Angeles Audubon Society's monthly meeting,
7:30pm, Wednesday May 8, 2013 in Debs Park, social hour begins 7:000pm. Free
parking. If you arrive early, you have the opportunity of birding around the
Center. Refreshments will be served:

Audubon Center at Debs Park
4700 North Griffin Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90031

http://ca.audubon.org/debs_directions.php

LAAS is excited to welcome back Alvaro Jaramillo. Come hear what promises to be
another great talk by Alvaro, "Birding the South America's Southern Cone"

The Southern Cone? Is that an Ice Cream place in Georgia? Nope, it is the
triangle-shaped southern section of South America. The cone includes Chile,
Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and the southern bits of Bolivia and Brazil. What
makes it special is that there are so many habitats and neat areas here, the
Pampas, Patagonia, the Matorral, the Humboldt Current,Iguazu Falls, the Yungas,
the Chaco - so many spots that are truly and uniquely South American. It is the
land of Rheas, penguins, horneros, seriemas, as well as Southern Right Whales,
Marine Otters, Viscachas and Vicu?as. A part of the world blessed with some
enigmatic, unusual, beautiful and often rather unique creatures. But what
absolutely is the icing on the cake is that the southern cone includes some of
the most memorable and scenic parts of the Americas. This includes snow-capped
volcanoes, huge granitic spikes, the big sky country of the Pampas and Patagonia
and coastlines that are perhaps only rivaled by California and Alaska for their
beauty. Come enjoy an evening exploring a gorgeous part of the world and its
equally fantastic bird and wildlife through the eyes of a birder-biologist who
has an unbridled passion for this part of the world.

June's monthly program: Photo Night!

LAAS has planned two owl prowls in our local mountains, both are filled. The
Flammulated Owls have returned from Central America and along with other target
owl species such as Northern Saw-whet, Northern Pygmy, and Spotted Owls, we
invite you to participate in the Southern Sierra Ponderosa Cabin Weekend Owling
Get-Away with Nick and Mary Freeman, July 4-7, 2013. There is a great selection
of other birding outings listed in our website, check it out!

See ya next week!

Mary Freeman
Glendale, CA
Los Angeles Audubon Society Program Chair and Fieldtrip Leader
http://losangelesaudubon.org

Hi all

The April 27 deepwater pelagic on Island Packer's "Islander" was successful in
reaching the Rodriguez Seamount and the deep waters surrounding it.? The
forecast in the morning was more daunting than we hoped for, but we were able to
get as far west as we wanted before the winds and seas came up in the
afternoon.? Our course from the Ventura Harbor was straight west out the Santa
Barbara Channel to a point several miles north of the west channel buoy.?
Highlights along this stretch were 100s of Common Murres not far off Ventura,
1000+ Red-necked Phalaropes, 2,000 Bonaparte's Gulls, 10 Sabine's Gulls, 5 Black
Terns on kelp patties, and the expected tubenoses (Northern Fulmars, Sooty
Shearwaters, Pink-footed Shearwaters, Ashy Storm-Petrels) and alcids (Scripps's
Murrelets, Cassin's Auklets, Rhinoceros Auklets).? A Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel
flew by the bow and then down our wake in the west channel, but this bird was
not seen by many.

From there we traveled southwest through the waters near Point Conception to the
northwest corner of the Rodriguez and crossed it diagonally to the southeast.?
Highlights here included a Laysan Albatross that stayed behind the boat long
enough for everyone to see it well, especially when it flew within a few feet of
the back rail!? We also had several Black-footed Albatrosses that followed the
boat for a while.? The one that got away was a dark Pterodroma petrel (likely a
Murphy's Petrel) seen briefly far away on the horizon that we could not make any
ground on despite the valiant efforts of Captain Anthony.

From the Rodriguez, we followed the 1,000 fathom line east to the area south of
San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands where we saw our largest numbers of Red
Phalaropes for the day.? On our return south of Santa Cruz Island and then
through the Anacapa Passage, we made a special effort to get everybody their
best looks at Scripps's Murrelets for the day and had several obliging pairs.

Overall, we had a productive trip with lots of birds including a few uncommon
and rare ones.? Island Packers did a spectacular job getting us out to where we
wanted to go and taking care of the needs of the passengers.? Captain Anthony,
Joel and Laurie were awesome!? We hope this is the first of many future trips
with Island Packers.

Preliminary totals are as follows:

Ventura County

Surf Scoter -1
Red-throated Loon - 2
Pacific Loon - 75
Eared Grebe - 1
Western Grebe - 10
Sooty Shearwater - 50
Brandt's Cormorant - 8
Pelagic Cormorant - 2
Brown Pelican - 55
Red-necked Phalarope - 125
Western Gull - 160
Common Murre - 300
Scripps's Murrelet - 6
Cassin's Auklet - 4

Santa Barbara County

Red-throated Loon -1
Pacific Loon - 5
LAYSAN ALBATROSS - 1
Black-footed Albatross - 3
Northern Fulmar - 14
Dark PTERODROMA sp. (MURPHY's PETREL?) - 1
Pink-footed Shearwater - 11
Sooty Shearwater - 320
FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL - 1
Ashy Storm-Petrel - 12
Red-necked Phalarope - 1,325
Red Phalarope - 31
Sabine's Gull - 17
Bonaparte's Gull - 2,000
Western Gull - 75
California Gull - 16
Black Tern - 5
Common Tern - 3
Common/Arctic Tern - 2
Pomarine Jaeger - 2
Common Murre - 9
Scripps's Murrelet - 16
Cassin's Auklet - 93
Rhinoceros Auklet - 27

We are in the process of setting up trips for the summer and fall out of Ventura
and Santa Barbara, and will announce them as soon as they are confirmed.? Keep
an eye on socalbirding.com or like us on Facebook as "Southern California
Pelagic Bird Trips."

Cheers

David Pereksta
Ventura, CA

Hi,

This reminder email is being sent to the four California list servs
which cover all or portions of Kern County. My apologies in advance
to those of you who do not appreciate receiving multiple postings
with the identical announcement.

The Kern Birdiest Count is almost upon us. If you find yourself in
Kern County anytime during the 72 hour count period from 3:30pm this
coming Thursday (May 2nd) through 3:30pm this coming Sunday (May
5th), even just passing through Kern County, please submit a list of
your bird detections to me via bbarnes@... in case one or
more of the species you detect is new to the overall Kern list for
the event. Although not absolutely necessary, if you know you plan to
bird Kern County anytime during the count period and will let me know
the where and when, it will help determine where coverage will be
expected to be excellent and where gaps in coverage may be filled. Thank you!

Birders from surrounding counties or elsewhere who can squeeze in any
valuable spring birding hours in Kern into your overall birding plans
during the count time period are heartily welcome as many of you live
closer to some critical-to-success Kern birding locations than many
of the most active birders in Kern Co. (e.g.: Kings, Los Angeles, San
Luis Obispo, Tulare, and Ventura) - locations such as northern
Antelope Valley bordered by Los Angeles Co., the Mt. Pinos region
bordered by Los Angeles Co. and Ventura Co., the Yellow-billed Magpie
location along CA Hwy 43 just over the border from SLO Co., western
Kern Co. as accessed rom SLO Co., northern Kern County bordered by
Kings Co., and Tulare Co.

Count updates will be posted on the kerncobirding list serv. The
first update will be sent out Thursday night or very early Friday
morning with the list of species reported for 3:30pm Thursday through
to the time the update is sent. The update will list "missing"
species first followed by those already reported.

Further updates will take place periodically which in past years was
either each evening/night and/or early each morning before heading
out for birding for the day.

The annual Kerncrest Audubon Society Bird-a-thon is interfaced as it
is set for Saturday, May 4, 2013, the results of which will likely
add a significant number of species to the overall total as in past years.

Regardless of where you go birding in California during the Kern
birdiest count period,...

Continued Happy & Productive 2013 Birding,

Bob Barnes, Ridgecrest, Kern County, California

Cell: 760-382-1260

Hello all,
I wanted to make folks aware that Tricolored Blackbirds have started breeding in
the Sacramento River Valley (they've been active in the south San Joaquin River
Valley since the end of March). I spotted an active colony at the Recology
landfill pond along south Rte. 113 11 miles south of Dixon, CA. The pond is on
the south side of the landfill on the west side of the road. Males are
displaying right up against the road so audio and visual ID are ideal. Females
and males are carrying insects and look to be feeding young, you can hear the
babies begging in the cattails. I'd like anyone that visits the site to estimate
bird numbers by my best guess was 500-700 individuals. If you haven't seen
Tricolors yet, this is a great, easily accessible site to have your first look.

Keep your eyes open for any other breeding behavior and feel free to send me an
email. I'd be very interested in knowing about other active breeding sites.

Happy Birding,

Keiller Kyle
Conservation Project Director
Audubon California

Hello all,
See the following article regarding CALTRANS' nets that are killing cliff
swallows in Petaluma. Please sign the petition (as of now, 76 signatures are
needed) to remove the nets; and attend the protest if you are able.

http://www.bohemian.com/northbay/bird-call/Content?oid=2420211

More info and petition link here:
http://www.nativesongbirdcare.org/

Steve Phillips
Mill Valley