Date: 1/13/26 9:36 am From: Daniel Edelstein via groups.io <danieledelstein...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Recent Sightings: Eurasian Wigeon, Redhead Greater White-fronted Goose, Etc.
Hello:
1. Yesterday and on recent days, I've noticed at Rush Creek (Novato):
- Two male *EURASIAN WIGEON* at the northwest corner of the wetland adjacent to Binford Rd.
Given there's limited access at this area due to the presence of trailers, here's where I suggest you perch your spotting
scope: Two Port-a-Potty bathrooms are across from a parking pullout area on the west side of the road. Next to these bathrooms, a flat spot occurs.
- One male *REDHEAD* was in the same spot last week (amid hundreds of other duck species, most of which consisted of
American Wigeon individuals). I did not see this species yesterday.
2. Eleven *GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE* were present yesterday at the large expanse of flooded water
within upland, ruderal habitat at the northeast corner of Hwy. 101 and Hwy. 37 in Novato.
3. Last week amid 55 Common Goldeneye in the wetland pond accessed via Bolero Court (in Novato), I noticed
one male HOODED MERGANSER.
In this shallow water, I did not expect to see one wading *RIDGWAY'S RAIL* that was seen close-up before it flew away while mingling with the Common Goldeneye group.
Obviously, this observation is curious (and unexpected/rare), as I've seen single Ridgway's Rail wading in water and "swimming" through it, but I've never seen one wading and associated with a large group of ducks.
Date: 1/10/26 5:55 pm From: Mike Carozza via groups.io <mike.carozza...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Zone-tailed Hawk continues; Laguna de Santa Rosa in Sebastopol
Hi Birders
After Beatrice's report I went directly to Laguna de Santa Rosa in
Sebastopol today at 1ish.
There were a lot of raptors in the sky, many to the northwest. After 45
min, the ZONE-TAILED HAWK first reported by Eric Feuss appeared from NW
direction at 1:40~, soaring for 10~ minutes then heading back NW (Beatrice
told me it had gone that direction earlier).
My description + more context after I reviewed a lot of photos of the other
contender, the hybrid Blackhawk/Red-Shoulder from Santa Rosa creek trail:
Our bird today was a slate black hawk soaring with TVs. Wobbly. Slight
dihedral. Slender winged (not broad/rounded trailing edge like hybrid red
shoulder pics). Noticeably smaller than nearby TVs. Yellow cere. No
translucent windows or white “commas” on “wrist”. Banded tail. Did not show
long legs.
Additional context: I've never seen the hybrid with my own eyes. With that
said, we had the sun at our backs and saw no red/brown on this bird, not
much contrast at all from a distance, except for the yellow cere and tail
bands, which there appeared to be at least 2.
One good possible area for it other than the Laguna would be Occidental
Road at High School Road. That's where it was headed.
Date: 1/1/26 3:25 pm From: Dan Singer via groups.io <dsg2...> Subject: [northbaybirds] [CALBIRDS] California’s First Statewide Breeding Bird Atlas Launches Tomorrow, January 1, 2026
Hi all,
Please see below for information regarding California’s first statewide breeding bird atlas.
Happy New Year!
Dan Singer
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: "Van Pierszalowski via groups.io" <vanpierszalowski...>
> Subject: [CALBIRDS] California’s First Statewide Breeding Bird Atlas Launches Tomorrow, January 1, 2026
> Date: December 31, 2025 at 20:39:20 PST
> To: <CALBIRDS...>
> Reply-To: <vanpierszalowski...>
>
> Hi Birders,
>
> Tomorrow marks the launch of California’s first statewide Breeding Bird Atlas, a community-powered initiative to document breeding birds across the state and generate the science needed to guide habitat protection, restoration, and long-term conservation planning for decades to come.
>
> This landmark effort is being led by California Bird Atlas <https://www.californiabirdatlas.org/> (CBA), an independent nonprofit, in collaboration with state agencies, thousands of volunteers, and dozens of partner organizations.
>
> All birders are now officially invited to join the project by visiting the new California Bird Atlas eBird website <https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/home>. Simply click “Join Project” (or “Log In to Join Project”) and you will automatically be able to contribute checklists to the Atlas project.
>
> The Atlas is fully integrated with the eBird mobile app. If you submit checklists on mobile, this Quick Start Tutorial video <https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8Z3kbqiO9rw> provides a brief overview.
>
> If you use the website, you can submit checklists to the Atlas project by clicking Submit <https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/submit> from the CBA eBird site.
>
> Please visit the About <https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/about> page for resources, basic guidance, and everything you need to begin contributing to this statewide initiative.
>
> We encourage all checklists submitted year-round to be entered through the Atlas project, even if they don’t include breeding behavior. While we are still a few months from peak breeding season, you can learn more about species with a history of breeding in January in California by reading this article <https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/news/early-breeders-jan>.
>
> We will be growing our team, expanding resources, and continuing to build this grassroots movement in the coming months. As we launch, early donations are especially impactful — supporting training, field tools, and outreach in the first critical months. We’re a nonprofit, and every contribution is tax-deductible and genuinely appreciated. If you have the means, please consider making a gift today to help the Atlas start strong — your support right now truly matters. Donate <https://donorbox.org/california-bird-atlas> here <https://donorbox.org/california-bird-atlas>.
>
> With gratitude and excitement for what we’ll build together,
>
> Van Pierszalowski
> Executive Director,
> California Bird Atlas (CBA)
> email: <van...>
>
Date: 12/31/25 12:07 pm From: Dominik Mosur via groups.io <dominikmosur...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] MRN Corte Madera/Marta’s Marsh - Merlin App Sound of Little Blue Heron Question
Hi Dawn,
It’s certainly possible but would have to be confirmed with a visual
identification.
Merlin ID app routinely makes ID errors of this type.
Gulls, egrets and other species which sound similar will often pop up.
I’ve ran it near large gull roosts/breeding sites in summer here in the Bay
Area where there Western and California gulls and Merlin pops up with
Herring, Ring-billed and other species that are absent. Great Egret calls
are sometimes confused for Great Blue Herons and vice versa.
Of course there’s other more egregious errors I’ve noted of the years as
well. For example I’ve had Merlin identify the long call of a Western Gull
as wrentit, begging red-tail as Bald Eagle, odd Raven croaks as Night
Heron, Pygmy nuthatch chatter as Tropical Kingbird, Tricolored Blackbird
as Elegant Tern, Brown Creeper as Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red-masked
Parakeet as Red-breasted Nuthatch and other assorted head scratchers.
My approach to Merlin is that it can be useful but its output is a
suggestion - the person using it has to confirm it.
I’m you have a fun Merlin mistake I can add to my steadily growing list
please email in private.
Happy AI-free birding,
Dominik Mosur
San Francisco
On Wed, Dec 31, 2025 at 11:42 Dawn via groups.io <soxdawn=
<yahoo.com...> wrote:
> I’ve been getting repeated hits on the Merlin Bird ID App for Little Blue
> Heron, over the past several weeks, when I’m out on Marta’s Marsh (end of
> Channel Dr. in Corte Madera). However, I’ve yet to see one. I didn’t know
> immatures were white until I looked at Sibley today. If anyone thinks these
> could be legit sounds, let me know and I’ll go looking for a white egret
> with greenish legs as a possible immature.
>
> Thanks,
> Dawn
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Date: 12/31/25 11:42 am From: Dawn via groups.io <soxdawn...> Subject: [northbaybirds] MRN Corte Madera/Marta’s Marsh - Merlin App Sound of Little Blue Heron Question
I’ve been getting repeated hits on the Merlin Bird ID App for Little Blue Heron, over the past several weeks, when I’m out on Marta’s Marsh (end of Channel Dr. in Corte Madera). However, I’ve yet to see one. I didn’t know immatures were white until I looked at Sibley today. If anyone thinks these could be legit sounds, let me know and I’ll go looking for a white egret with greenish legs as a possible immature.
Date: 12/29/25 9:51 am From: Josiah Clark via groups.io <josiah.clark621...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Tiburon Herring run today and South Marin CBC
Reporting in from the SF Bird count where I can look North, and see masses
of gulls along the Tiburon shoreline by elephant rock from here.
I neglected to report a Drake Harlequin duck I found at Dunphy Park in
Sausalito over the weekend. (Lucas Stephenson, please include me on the
Bird lists) He found a drake barrows goldeneye. We both saw the
yellow-crowned night heron in Sausalito. Sadly, no one looked for any of
these birds on the south Marin Christmas count this year.
A quick note on the Bolinas territory From the CBC where To Nelson’s
sparrows, eight Swamp, sparrows, ancient murreletts and Rhinoceros were
among 140 Something species recorded for the Bolinas area. It sounds like
about 10 additional species were found by all of the other groups in the
circle.
