Date: 10/10/26 7:29 am From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Noyo Pelagics -August 3rd
Greetings Bay area birders -
We still have some room on our pelagic trip for this coming Saturday, October 17th. At this point light to moderate NW winds are predicted but this can change. These conditions would be great for birding and whale-watching if the prediction holds.
We continue to have strong upwelling which has kept our sea surface temperatures cool. Fisherman have been reporting an abundance of birds and marine mammals over Noyo Canyon, attracted by the marine productivity associated with upwelling. At the same time signs of El Niño have come in the form of 6-8 boobies so far off Mendo and some 400 Black Storm-Petrels on a half day trip we ran on September 27th. We also had some close and thrilling encounters with Blue Whales that day; see our report and photos at
We still have 1-2 scholarships available for high school and college students, sponsored by Mendocino Coast Audubon. If interested in one of these, contact Tim Bray (cc'd above). Also sponsored by MCAS is a camp site reserved at MacKerricher State Park for the night of the 16th-17th. If interested in taking advantage of this, contact Roger Adamson (cc'd above).
Also note that we have added a full-day trip for November 30th to see if we can find Mottled Petrels, a species that has become somewhat of a Holy Grail for pelagic bird enthusiasts off California. They pass through during a short period in late November and early December, a time of the year when only a lucky few one-day pelagic trips have been able to get out and find them. With our Pterodroma manna, we figure outer Noyo Canyon will be as good as any place to see them,
Date: 10/8/26 11:40 am From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Sausalito Pelagic with the Yolo Bird Alliance - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
For those who like doubleheaders, we have a Noyo trip on the 17th as well:
On 10/8/2026 11:21 AM, Zane Pickus via groups.io wrote: > Greetings Central Valley and North Bay Birders! > > On behalf of the *Yolo Bird Alliance*, Emmett Iverson and I are > excited to announce an upcoming *pelagic trip out of Sausalito on > Sunday, October 18th*. We will spend *10 hours aboard the /Outer > Limits/*, aiming to spend as much time offshore as possible in search > of pelagic species. Our exact route will depend on weather and sea > conditions on the day of the trip, but we will likely spend much of > the day exploring the deeper waters beyond continental shelf and > around the Pioneer Seamount. > > The trip is filling quickly, but there are still a few spaces > available on the trip. *The price is $175 for general admission and > $120 for students.* Please contact Emmett and I at > *<yolobirdalliance...>* to sign-up or with any questions. > https://yolobirdalliance.org/event/yolo-bird-alliance-pelagic-from-sausalito/ > > It has already been an interesting year in offshore Northern > California with late-summer reports of hundreds of *Cook's Petrels* > and a more recent invasion of *Black-vented Shearwaters* and *Black > Storm-Petrels*. October is an especially good time to see > *Flesh-footed Shearwater, whales, and storm-petrels*. An August trip > aboard this same vessel was fortunate enough to encounter a *Streaked > Shearwater*, and with the record-breaking El Nino well underway in the > east Pacific, the potential for rare seabirds may be higher than ever > this year. > > We hope to see many of you on board! > > Happy fall, > Zane Pickus > Davis, CA >
Date: 10/8/26 11:21 am From: Zane Pickus via groups.io <zanep987...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Sausalito Pelagic with the Yolo Bird Alliance - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
Greetings Central Valley and North Bay Birders!
On behalf of the *Yolo Bird Alliance*, Emmett Iverson and I are excited to announce an upcoming *pelagic trip out of Sausalito on Sunday, October 18th*. We will spend *10 hours aboard the Outer Limits*, aiming to spend as much time offshore as possible in search of pelagic species. Our exact route will depend on weather and sea conditions on the day of the trip, but we will likely spend much of the day exploring the deeper waters beyond continental shelf and around the Pioneer Seamount.
The trip is filling quickly, but there are still a few spaces available on the trip. *The price is $175 for general admission and $120 for students.* Please contact Emmett and I at *<yolobirdalliance...> <yolobirdalliance...>* to sign-up or with any questions. https://yolobirdalliance.org/event/yolo-bird-alliance-pelagic-from-sausalito/
It has already been an interesting year in offshore Northern California with late-summer reports of hundreds of *Cook's Petrels* and a more recent invasion of *Black-vented Shearwaters* and *Black Storm-Petrels*. October is an especially good time to see *Flesh-footed Shearwater, whales, and storm-petrels*. An August trip aboard this same vessel was fortunate enough to encounter a *Streaked Shearwater*, and with the record-breaking El Nino well underway in the east Pacific, the potential for rare seabirds may be higher than ever this year.
Date: 10/2/26 11:50 am From: Daniel Edelstein via groups.io <danieledelstein...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Interested in more Evening Grosbeak information?
Some of you may have seen the following excellent Sylvia Wright note that highlights an illuminating YouTube talk (by UC-Davis biologist Thomas Hahn) related to the five type calls, etc. corresponding to Evening Grosbeak:
(Regards, Daniel Edelstein, Novato)
Sierra Foothills Audubon has a spectrogram-rich public talk on Evening Grosbeaks, by UC Davis biologist Thomas Hahn, on our YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUfNNrohqZ8&t=275s Jul 19, 2025
This public talk – “Evening Grosbeaks of the Sierra Nevada and the West” – was presented on June 25, 2025, at the monthly meeting of the Sierra Foothills Audubon Society, in Nevada City, California. About the Talk Evening Grosbeaks are showy finches of the sub-family Carduelinae—a group that includes many familiar western songbirds such as goldfinches, house finches, crossbills, rosy-finches and siskins. Their white, black and gold plumage makes them stand out at a feeder or along the gravelly side of the road as you drive into the Sierra. About the Speaker Thomas Hahn, Ph.D., is a field biologist who has been studying western finches since he was a graduate student at the University of Washington in the late 1980s and early 90s. He is a professor at University of California, Davis, in the Department of Neurology, Physiology and Behavior. His research interests include environmental regulation of avian annual cycles of behavior, physiology and morphology, and behavioral and physiological responses of birds to unpredictable environmental events. He is an authority on avian communication, especially use of heterospecific mimicry in song, and learned non-song vocalizations.
Date: 10/1/26 12:42 pm From: NANCY AND EUGENE HUNN via groups.io <enhunn323...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Evening Grosbeaks & Clark's Nutcrackers
Apparently Eurasian Nutcrackers are also on the move in Europe. Gene
On 09/30/2026 5:18 PM PDT richard s. cimino via groups.io <rscimino...> wrote:
What about the Clarks Nutcracker eruption?
For several years, the CLNU were rare during the summer birding season.
This past July during a four day back packing trip we had Clark’s Nutcrackers in small groups along our route: all be very vocal.
Could these CLNU be Rocky Mountain Nutcrackers on the move?
A birder in Southern California two weeks ago post 1500 CLNU’s, that a lot of birds.
Rich Cimino
Yellowbilledtours.com
From: <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> On Behalf Of Alvaro Jaramillo via groups.io Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 5:19 AM To: <kforward...>; 'Peninsula Birding' <peninsula-birding...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Evening Grosbeaks at Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP 9/29
Kent
Looking at the spectrograms, it looks like this is a type 1 Evening Grosbeak. You could change the ID to that specifically. This is a population from the Pacific Northwest and BC/Alberta. Not the type you have in the Cascades/Sierra. This is interesting as it suggests that the “montane invasion” birds may be coming from various different places, so what is affecting Evening Grosbeaks may not be the same thing as what is influencing Pinyon Jays.
From: <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> On Behalf Of Kent Forward via groups.io Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 11:22 PM To: Peninsula Birding <peninsula-birding...> Subject: [pen-bird] Evening Grosbeaks at Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP 9/29
Today while birding the riparian area of lower Purisima I heard Evening Grosbeaks! I wasn't able to obtain a visual. I have been studying the vocalizations of some of the rarer birds partaking in the current large irruption of montane birds to our area so when I heard these vocalizations it reminded me of Evening Grosbeak, so I got Merlin going and it concurred, and also I got feedback from several skilled ear-birders in the affirmative for Evening Grosbeak! This was in the lower parking lot at 37.437585, -122.370610
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Date: 9/30/26 5:27 pm From: richard s. cimino via groups.io <rscimino...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Evening Grosbeaks at Community Center Calistoga CA
Al,
Interesting today in Calistoga CA. we had a dozen Evening Grosbeaks which Merlin ID as Cedar Waxwings.
Could the Marlin not recognize the Type 1 (Pacific Northwest BC/Alberta) dialect ?
So, it defaulted to Cader Waxwings?
Marlin was certainly confused.
Rich Cimino
Yellowbilledtours.com
From: <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> On Behalf Of Alvaro Jaramillo via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 5:19 AM
To: <kforward...>; 'Peninsula Birding' <peninsula-birding...>
Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Evening Grosbeaks at Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP 9/29
Kent
Looking at the spectrograms, it looks like this is a type 1 Evening Grosbeak. You could change the ID to that specifically. This is a population from the Pacific Northwest and BC/Alberta. Not the type you have in the Cascades/Sierra. This is interesting as it suggests that the “montane invasion” birds may be coming from various different places, so what is affecting Evening Grosbeaks may not be the same thing as what is influencing Pinyon Jays.
From: <peninsula-birding...> <mailto:<peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> <mailto:<peninsula-birding...> > On Behalf Of Kent Forward via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 11:22 PM
To: Peninsula Birding <peninsula-birding...> <mailto:<peninsula-birding...> >
Subject: [pen-bird] Evening Grosbeaks at Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP 9/29
Today while birding the riparian area of lower Purisima I heard Evening Grosbeaks! I wasn't able to obtain a visual. I have been studying the vocalizations of some of the rarer birds partaking in the current large irruption of montane birds to our area so when I heard these vocalizations it reminded me of Evening Grosbeak, so I got Merlin going and it concurred, and also I got feedback from several skilled ear-birders in the affirmative for Evening Grosbeak! This was in the lower parking lot at 37.437585, -122.370610
Date: 9/30/26 5:18 pm From: richard s. cimino via groups.io <rscimino...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Evening Grosbeaks & Clark's Nutcrackers
What about the Clarks Nutcracker eruption?
For several years, the CLNU were rare during the summer birding season.
This past July during a four day back packing trip we had Clark’s Nutcrackers in small groups along our route: all be very vocal.
Could these CLNU be Rocky Mountain Nutcrackers on the move?
A birder in Southern California two weeks ago post 1500 CLNU’s, that a lot of birds.
Rich Cimino
Yellowbilledtours.com
From: <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> On Behalf Of Alvaro Jaramillo via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 5:19 AM
To: <kforward...>; 'Peninsula Birding' <peninsula-birding...>
Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Evening Grosbeaks at Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP 9/29
Kent
Looking at the spectrograms, it looks like this is a type 1 Evening Grosbeak. You could change the ID to that specifically. This is a population from the Pacific Northwest and BC/Alberta. Not the type you have in the Cascades/Sierra. This is interesting as it suggests that the “montane invasion” birds may be coming from various different places, so what is affecting Evening Grosbeaks may not be the same thing as what is influencing Pinyon Jays.
From: <peninsula-birding...> <mailto:<peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> <mailto:<peninsula-birding...> > On Behalf Of Kent Forward via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 11:22 PM
To: Peninsula Birding <peninsula-birding...> <mailto:<peninsula-birding...> >
Subject: [pen-bird] Evening Grosbeaks at Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP 9/29
Today while birding the riparian area of lower Purisima I heard Evening Grosbeaks! I wasn't able to obtain a visual. I have been studying the vocalizations of some of the rarer birds partaking in the current large irruption of montane birds to our area so when I heard these vocalizations it reminded me of Evening Grosbeak, so I got Merlin going and it concurred, and also I got feedback from several skilled ear-birders in the affirmative for Evening Grosbeak! This was in the lower parking lot at 37.437585, -122.370610
Date: 9/30/26 4:56 pm From: richard cimino via groups.io <yellowbilledtours...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Montane Bird Irruptions
12 Evening Grosbeaks seen in the Chinese Pistache trees in the Calistoga Community Center Parking lot.
Later in the Calistoga Fair Grounds walking Washington Ave we had 5 handsome Audubon Warblers and a Northern Yellow Warbler flycatching some several Black Walnut tree lining the Napa River..
During the early morning hike up Mount Saint Helena, we had nine + Sooty Fox Sparrows and Red-breasted Nuthatches and we witnessed a Sharp-shinned Hawk chasing a Song Sparrow. The Sparrow survived. Sorry no Clark Nutcrackers head or seen on the mountain.
Rich Cimino
Yellowbilledtours.com
From: <northbaybirds...> <northbaybirds...> On Behalf Of Diane Hichwa via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2026 3:09 PM
To: <magwhls...>
Cc: Birds North Bay <northbaybirds...>
Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Montane Bird Irruptions
4 evening grosbeaks at S end of Sea Ranch yesterday, Sept 29, photographed by Gary Hopkins. We have a number of red-breasted nuthatches seen and heard this month too.
Today inhad a red-breasted Nuthatch, briefly, in small oak trees in my semi-urban neighborhood in Novato.
First time for that species since I started keeping a log in 2009.
Maggie Rufo
Novato
On Sep 24, 2026, at 3:44 PM, Denise Hamilton via groups.io <2napabirders...> <mailto:<2napabirders...> > wrote:
Hi all,
As many of you have already noticed, there are irruptions of Clark's Nutcrackers, Evening Grosbeaks and especially Red-breasted Nuthatches 9and maybe others) the past few weeks. David and I were at Pt. Reyes this past Monday and the nuthatches were everywhere! Out at the lighthouse they were climbing all over the rocks next to the stairs going down to the lighthouse (among the multiple ones in the trees and elsewhere). At the fish docks, there were some in the parking lot climbing around the fence posts. Every stop we made that day, they were there!
I just received my weekly "Flight Calls" from the ABA and they have an article about it. I am assuming that even folks that aren't members can look at this if you are interested:
4 evening grosbeaks at S end of Sea Ranch yesterday, Sept 29, photographed by Gary Hopkins. We have a number of red-breasted nuthatches seen and heard this month too.
Diane Hichwa
Email: <dhichwa...>
Telephone: 707-785-1922 (Sea Ranch)
707-483-3130 (cell)
More Tail Wagging!!! Less Barking!!
Millie 2007
From: <northbaybirds...> on behalf of "Maggie Rufo via groups.io" <magwhls...>
Reply-To: <magwhls...>
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 4:15 PM
To: <2napabirders...>
Cc: CALBIRDS <CALBIRDS...>, Central Valley Birds <centralvalleybirds...>, Birds North Bay <northbaybirds...>
Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Montane Bird Irruptions
Resent-From: <magwhls...>
Resent-Date: Sat, 26 Sep 2026 16:15:02 -0700
Today inhad a red-breasted Nuthatch, briefly, in small oak trees in my semi-urban neighborhood in Novato.
First time for that species since I started keeping a log in 2009.
Maggie Rufo
Novato
On Sep 24, 2026, at 3:44 PM, Denise Hamilton via groups.io <2napabirders...> wrote:
Hi all,
As many of you have already noticed, there are irruptions of Clark's Nutcrackers, Evening Grosbeaks and especially Red-breasted Nuthatches 9and maybe others) the past few weeks. David and I were at Pt. Reyes this past Monday and the nuthatches were everywhere! Out at the lighthouse they were climbing all over the rocks next to the stairs going down to the lighthouse (among the multiple ones in the trees and elsewhere). At the fish docks, there were some in the parking lot climbing around the fence posts. Every stop we made that day, they were there!
I just received my weekly "Flight Calls" from the ABA and they have an article about it. I am assuming that even folks that aren't members can look at this if you are interested:
Ongoing Montane Bird Irruptions in Fall 2026 - American Birding Association
Date: 9/27/26 8:13 am From: mike.heffernon via groups.io <mheff...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Selasphorus hummer Occidental 9/27
Morning, birders -
Echoing Josh’s recent post from Sebastopol, we still have at least one Sel (Rufous) hummingbird at and around the feeders this morning. Easily the latest in the year I’ve observed them here.
Date: 9/25/26 10:11 am From: Kurt Niznik via groups.io <kurtniznik...> Subject: Re: [northbaybirds] Cassin’s Finches and good flight day at Hawk Hill
RE: Steller's Jays, might they be interior birds irrupting with the rest of the interior species we're seeing? We should be on the lookout for interior race birds. The frontalis and annectens subspecies differ in having a lighter blue on the back and underside and often blue extending up into the chest, grayer heads and backs and more extensive blue streaks on the forehead extending to the crown and in annectens white spots above the eye and whiter forehead streaks, among other subtle differences.
Date: 9/24/26 6:17 pm From: Courtney Buechert via groups.io <courtney...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Cassin’s Finches and good flight day at Hawk Hill
As part of the GGRO Hawkwatch team today, I enjoyed a strong flight day in the headlands. A good variety of raptors kept us busy, highlighted by 158 Broad-winged Hawks. We also had a good variety of passerines, highlighted by 3 calling Cassin’s Finches. Oddest sighting of the day for me was a tight flock of 7 Steller’s Jays flying just below the peak and slipping around to the south towards SF. I didn’t know that they moved regionally in groups like that.
Date: 9/23/26 10:53 am From: mike.heffernon via groups.io <mheff...> Subject: [northbaybirds] FOS Sparrows Occidental 9/23
Hey birders,
Right on time, 3 sparrow species arrived this morning at our house on Taylor Ln. Fox, Golden-crowned and White-crowned sparrows are now all here. I’ve always (20 years or so) found it interesting that whereas the GCs and Fox sparrows remain here until the last week of May, the WCs make brief appearances and then head a quarter mile to the east to the highest part of Taylor. Almost as though there’s an invisible barrier that keeps them from the eastern part of the road.
Date: 9/22/26 6:57 pm From: Gregory Luckert via groups.io <Greg.luckert...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Tennessee warbler at Shollenberger Park in Petaluma
(38.2291933, -122.5973415) East side of parking lot
Date: 9/21/26 10:55 pm From: Denise Hamilton via groups.io <2napabirders...> Subject: [northbaybirds] Pt. Reyes, Mendoza Ranch, Yellow-green Vireo, Baird's Sandpipers
Hi All,
Just wanted to get the word out since I haven't seen any other Bird reports. This afternoon (9/21) saw a Yellow-green Vireo discovered by Mark Butler (we think) by the now deserted houses. It was behind the last building to the north where there is a single pine tree with its branches laying on top of the roof of a shed.
A while later, David and I discovered 2 Baird's Sandpipers in the now, almost dried-up large stock pond.
Date: 9/21/26 6:05 am From: Dawn via groups.io <soxdawn...> Subject: [northbaybirds] MRN Pt. Reyes Drakes Bay Long-Tailed Duck 9/15
Sorry for the late report. In the afternoon of September 15, 2026, I had what I believe what a Long-Tailed Duck in Drakes Bay in Pt. Reyes between the elephant seal haul out and the fish docks. E-bird checklist with photos https://ebird.org/checklist/S394913983
Date: 9/17/26 8:36 am From: Derek Lecy via groups.io <dlecy...> Subject: [northbaybirds] White-rumped Sandpiper and Hudsonian Godwit at Abbotts Lagoon, MRN
Birders,
Cross-posting on the listserve that there is currently a juvenile Hudsonian Godwit hanging out on the west shore of Abbotts Lagoon. This bird was initially found on 9/12 by Derek Heins and Teale Fristoe, and subsequently refound in the morning of 9/14 by Eli Gross; having since been seen by many.
Yesterday, in addition to the continuing hudwit, Lucas Stephenson picked out an adult White-rumped Sandpiper in the growing peep flock on the north shore of the main lagoon. The bird was actively foraging and chasing juvenile Western Sandpipers, showing well for the many observers present. Eventually, the entire flock left the north shore of the main lagoon at dark, presumably to roost at a more protected spot on the main lagoon.
Good luck to anyone going for these birds, and congratulations to the original finders.
Hello, birders. About a week ago I posted that I’d still been seeing Allen’s Hummers at and around our feeders. I also put Selasphorus in parentheses, as I’m not able to differentiate the two species without tail feathers being really evident. It was pointed out to me (very politely) that banded birds in September have proven to be mostly Rufous. So I have a question since I’ve seen these birds every day here in September, including today, the 15th (I’ve also seen them everyday since the last week of January): is it more likely that summer Allen’s are still lingering, perhaps because of the consistent food source; or is it more likely that migrating Rufous are taking a two week layover here? Or another explanation I haven’t thought of? Thanks in advance!
