Date: 2/19/25 9:05 am From: elizabeth lewis via groups.io <elewis227...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Subject: Share early-breeder Marin sightings with the Atlas!
Hello North Bay Birders,
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Breeding bird activity is on the uptick and I want to encourage those of you who bird in Marin to help us fill in data gaps for the second Marin County Breeding Bird Atlas ( https://marinaudubon.org/birds/marin-county-breeding-bird-atlas/ ) - the redux of David Shuford’s first Atlas (1993).
We will accept early breeding-species detections, or observations of breeding behaviors, from anywhere in Marin County. We ask that you contribute your sightings to the second Atlas as an incidental observation ( https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdBIOpYiSP23deSYyA5td-w2Ja7enfOoR0w6MeV_pfFvc8Bkg/viewform ) (more details can be found on the Atlas webpage if you need them). For owls and a few other species, we accept breeding codes “S” (‘singing’) and “H” (‘in appropriate habitat’); for most species we only accept incidental observations that more directly indicate they are breeding: visiting a probable nest site, gathering material, building nests or you observe a female on a nest.
Early birds to look (and listen for) for include:
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Great Horned Owl, American Barn Owl, Western Screech Owl, and Northern Saw-whet Owl - including basic observations (S=territorially calling or H=in habitat); duetting Great Horned Owls or Western Screech owls (D); or any breeding behavior.
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Anna’s and Allen’s Hummingbirds - now is the time to submit observations for *Anna's* and *Allen's Hummingbirds* you find displaying (D) or gathering material, building nests, or you observe a female on the nest.
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Raptors – including Golden Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, White-tailed Kite and any other raptors you see displaying (D) or gathering material or nesting.
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Hutton's Vireo - They are singing now. Their singing diminishes over the course of the spring so unless you are lucky enough to encounter dependent fledglings, now is the time to listen and watch for them as they are demonstrating pair bonding behaviors (D), building nests, or, if you hear one singing, go out again a week or more later, to try to get them to probable (T=Territorial).
