Date: 7/24/26 2:30 am From: <lehman.paul...> via groups.io <lehman.paul...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] passing of Guy McCaskie
Guy McCaskie passed away from natural causes on July 22, just 11 days short of his 90th birthday. Truly the end of an era. Guy was the leader in moving birding into the modern era. He made countless advances in field identification and in our knowledge of West Coast vagrancy patterns and he discovered a plethora of migrant and vagrant traps. First moving from Scotland to Lake Tahoe, he soon settled in San Diego in the early 1960s, where he would remain to the present. He quickly turned California birding on its ear. He was extremely active statewide, with a particular passion for the San Diego area and for the desert from the Salton Sea north to the Death Valley region. He found more California state firsts than anyone. He has the highest California bird list. But far more important were his myriad of contributions to Western birding and field ornithology through his many publications, teaching fellow birders in the field, and in setting high standards for careful observation and documentation. His influence especially during the latter 1900s extended far beyond California to all of North America. There are not enough superlatives that can be said.
Many more tributes, including those with more details of Guy's life and contributions, will undoubtedly follow in the days and weeks ahead.
Plans will be made to spread Guy's ashes at the Salton Sea on a date later in fall when temperatures have cooled, followed by an informal get-together that same day, probably at Cattle Call Park in Brawley. Further details will be posted in the future when plans are firm. Per Guy's wishes, there will not be a formal funeral or celebration of life.
The family welcomes cards and letters, but please no phone calls.
All birders in California and the West should go outside today and tip your binoculars to Guy. He showed us the way.
Date: 7/23/26 1:22 pm From: Van Pierszalowski via groups.io <van...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] California Bird Atlas Town Hall Webinar TONIGHT - Late Breeders
Hi birders,
California Bird Atlas is excited to host our 4th Town Hall webinar tonight at 7:00 pm PT on Zoom. We'll share project updates, answer your questions, and highlight some of California's bird species that breed later in the year.
Date: 7/19/26 4:15 am From: <lehman.paul...> via groups.io <lehman.paul...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] San Diego pelagic 18 Jul: 2 Cook's, 2 Laysans, 7 Guadalupes, Nazca, 4 Townsend's, 17 Black-footeds, 14 Craveri's
The San Diego pelagic trip on Saturday, July 18, aboard "Legacy" and sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society was excellent for quality species. The trip went out as far as the 30-Mile Bank and "The Corner." The top highlights included 2 Cook's Petrels, one at The Corner and one closer to shore than usual in the San Diego Trough only 18.4 mi WSW of the tip of Point Loma (32.606, -117.555). Two separate Laysan Albatrosses sat on the water near the boat, both at the 30-Mile Bank. The lofty total of seven Guadalupe Murrelets included the first two birds much closer to shore than usual at just 10.1 miles (32.709, -117.433) and 13.6 miles off Point Loma, and an amazing group of five birds on the return in the San Diego Trough (32.607, -117.584) comprised of two adults and three large fuzzy chicks. Most alcids raise only one or sometimes two young, so perhaps this group was comprised of individuals from two family groups or some sort of adoption? A sub-adult Nazca Booby flew right by the boat repeatedly inside the 9-Mile Bank. The total of 17 Black-footed Albatrosses ties the county high count set just six days earlier. Also, four Townsend's Storm-Petrels at the 30-Mile Bank, a total of 14 Craveri's Murrelets, and a single rare-in-July Scripps's Murrelet. Overall numbers of birds were unexceptional. Sea surface temperatures were a bit above average at 70-71 degrees.
Totals for the day once we were a mile offshore were as follows:
Also, Humpback Whale, N. Elephant Seal, Mola-Mola, California Flying Fish
Lots of photos will be added once the shared e-bird lists are available, likely on Monday.
Seven trips still remain this season, three in August, three in September, and one in October. For further information, see sandiegopelagics.com. Reservations made at sdwhale.com (look under "birdwatch trips").
--Paul Lehman, Bruce Rideout, Dan Jehl, Alex Abela, Adrian Hinkle, Matt Sadowski, Barbara Wise, San Diego
Date: 7/15/26 11:41 am From: Van Pierszalowski via groups.io <van...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] California Bird Atlas Newsletter + Town Hall + Top 20 Species
Hi birders,
Thank you all for continuing to build an incredible first year of the first statewide California Bird Atlas. As of this writing, 160,228 Atlas checklists have been submitted from 5,141 atlasers. The number of blocks with data is approaching the 50% mark, with 8,202 blocks receiving some coverage (49.63% of total blocks).
For more detailed updates, please see the following resources:
*ATLAS FIRSTS*
In June, atlasers confirmed breeding observations for 26 additional species, bringing our total (as of May 30) to 298 species. Visit Atlas Dispatch ( https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/news/atlas-dispatch-june-2026 ) to see the full list of newly confirmed breeding observation species.
