For those interested in the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, the schedule is now posted on the website at https://www.sbvas.net/cbcs Please contact those in charge for further details. Thanks, Brad Singer, SBVAS
Date: 11/13/25 9:08 am From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: November 13, 2025
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* November 13, 2025
* CASE25.11.13
This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (https://groups.io/g/inlandcountybirds). If there is some reason that you cannot post there, please e-mail or call/text Tom Benson at <tbenson...> or (909) 648-0899.
The *THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD* continued at Bellevue Memorial Park in Ontario through Nov 8 (Dwight Mudry).
A SCARLET TANAGER was seen at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve on Nov 12 (Dan Wilson-Fey).
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
Two STELLER'S JAYS of the "Southwestern Interior" group and two WOODHOUSE'S SCRUB-JAYS continued at Palo Verde Ecological Reserve through Nov 10 (Adrian Hinkle).
A *WINTER WREN* was seen at Palo Verde Ecological Reserve on Nov 10 (Chris Hinkle).
IMPERIAL COUNTY
A PLUMBEOUS VIREO was seen at Evergreen Cemetery in El Centro on Nov 9 (Chris Dean).
A GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET was seen at Riverview Cemetery in Brawley on Nov 8 (Chris Dean).
A SPRAGUE'S PIPIT was seen in Bard on Nov 12 (Logan Kahle).
The first state record (pending CBRC acceptance) of *CHIHUAHUAN MEADOWLARK* was found in Bard on Nov 11 and seen again on Nov 12 (Chris and Adrian Hinkle).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Birds included in this weekly summary are those that are considered casual or of less than annual occurrence in San Bernardino, Riverside, or Imperial Counties, or in some cases regionally within these areas. If you do find or see something of interest, whether it be a geographical or seasonal rarity, evidence of local range expansion, or a novel breeding record, I'd recommend sharing that information with the CBRC, North American Birds subregional editors, or regional listservs as appropriate. Information for contacting these entities is available below.
Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to CBRC Secretary Tom Benson at <secretary...> or via the CBRC website: https://www.californiabirds.org/report_sighting.html
CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the North American Birds (https://www.aba.org/north-american-birds/) county coordinators. They are:
IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, <guymcc...>
INYO COUNTY: Chris and Rosie Howard, <chris93514...>
KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, <kkheindel...>
RIVERSIDE COUNTY: David Rankin, <david.rankin...>
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, <sandy_koonce...>
************
Other dying birding listservs that occasionally include reports of birds in southern California are:
A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at https://www.sbvas.net/field-trips
************
Bird status and distribution references that every southeastern California birder should own:
Birds of southern California: status and distribution (1981), by Kimball L. Garrett and Jon L. Dunn
Birds of the Salton Sea: status, biogeography, and ecology (2003), by Michael A. Patten, Guy McCaskie, and Philip Unitt (update: https://archive.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V56/56(2)-p126-p142.pdf)
Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley (1991), by Kenneth V. Rosenberg, Robert D. Ohmart, William C. Hunter, and Bertin W. Anderson
Date: 11/10/25 7:09 pm From: David Rankin via groups.io <davidtrankin...> Subject: Re: [inlandcountybirds] Eastern Kingbird, Whitewater Preserve
Correction, the photo was apparently attached in error. There is no kingbird.
On Monday, November 10, 2025, 6:51 PM, David Rankin via groups.io <davidtrankin...> wrote:
An Eastern Kingbird (currently identified as a Black Phoebe in eBird) was apparently photographed at Whitewater Preserve on Sunday: https://ebird.org/checklist/S283761826 Just serving as the messenger
David RankinMoreno Valley
Date: 11/10/25 6:51 pm From: David Rankin via groups.io <davidtrankin...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Eastern Kingbird, Whitewater Preserve
An Eastern Kingbird (currently identified as a Black Phoebe in eBird) was apparently photographed at Whitewater Preserve on Sunday: https://ebird.org/checklist/S283761826 Just serving as the messenger
David RankinMoreno Valley
Date: 11/9/25 10:42 am From: Chris Dean via groups.io <chrisdeanbirder...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Summer Tanager & Plumbeous Vireo, Evergreen Cemetery, El Centro
Good morning,
Another beautiful day in Imperial County. Evergreen Cemetery has a vocal Summer Tanager (yellow), a singing Plumbeous Vireo, a leucistic (stunning all white) Northern Mockingbird and an assortment of Dark-eyed Juncos. Location details in my ebird list.
Date: 11/8/25 3:24 pm From: Chris Dean via groups.io <chrisdeanbirder...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Golden-crowned Kinglet - Riverview Cemetery Brawley
Hi,
Perhaps of local interest, there is a Golden-crowned Kinglet at Riverview Cemetery in Brawley, just west of the white building, north of the large ficus, foraging on the ground.
Date: 11/6/25 9:17 am From: Roger Uzun via groups.io <rogeruzun...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Ring-Necked Pheasants in Imperial County
Apparently sightings of Ring-Necked Pheasants in Imperial County are countable on ebird, they count as lifers if you've not seen them anywhere that they are countable before.
To that end I was hoping to see one if there is a fairly easy & reliable viewing spot. Years ago I saw one near the salton sea in the fields with the Snow Geese but other than that I've never encountered one there.
Is there a semi-reliable time/spot I might be able to view one, and hopefully get some sort of a photo, even a distant one?
Date: 11/6/25 9:06 am From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: November 5, 2025
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* November 6, 2025
* CASE25.11.06
This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (https://groups.io/g/inlandcountybirds). If there is some reason that you cannot post there, please e-mail or call/text Tom Benson at <tbenson...> or (909) 648-0899.
The *THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD* continued at Bellevue Memorial Park in Ontario through Nov 4 (Michael Long).
A *CURVE-BILLED THRASHER* was photographed in Needles on Oct 30 (Kenneth Fisher).
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
A STELLER'S JAY of the "Southwestern Interior" group and a PACIFIC WREN were at Palo Verde Ecological Reserve on Oct 31 (Adrian Hinkle).
Up to two WOODHOUSE'S SCRUB-JAYS were at Palo Verde Ecological Reserve Oct 31-Nov 2 (Dessi Sieburth).
A BAY-BREASTED WARBLER was seen at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area on Nov 3 (Luca Cinus).
IMPERIAL COUNTY
A TROPICAL KINGBIRD was seen at Unit 1 Salton Sea NWR on Nov 2 (Andy Stepniewski).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Birds included in this weekly summary are those that are considered casual or of less than annual occurrence in San Bernardino, Riverside, or Imperial Counties, or in some cases regionally within these areas. If you do find or see something of interest, whether it be a geographical or seasonal rarity, evidence of local range expansion, or a novel breeding record, I'd recommend sharing that information with the CBRC, North American Birds subregional editors, or regional listservs as appropriate. Information for contacting these entities is available below.
Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to CBRC Secretary Tom Benson at <secretary...> or via the CBRC website: https://www.californiabirds.org/report_sighting.html
CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the North American Birds (https://www.aba.org/north-american-birds/) county coordinators. They are:
IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, <guymcc...>
INYO COUNTY: Chris and Rosie Howard, <chris93514...>
KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, <kkheindel...>
RIVERSIDE COUNTY: David Rankin, <david.rankin...>
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, <sandy_koonce...>
************
Other dying birding listservs that occasionally include reports of birds in southern California are:
A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at https://www.sbvas.net/field-trips
************
Bird status and distribution references that every southeastern California birder should own:
Birds of southern California: status and distribution (1981), by Kimball L. Garrett and Jon L. Dunn
Birds of the Salton Sea: status, biogeography, and ecology (2003), by Michael A. Patten, Guy McCaskie, and Philip Unitt (update: https://archive.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V56/56(2)-p126-p142.pdf)
Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley (1991), by Kenneth V. Rosenberg, Robert D. Ohmart, William C. Hunter, and Bertin W. Anderson
Date: 11/3/25 6:55 pm From: Anthony Metcalf via groups.io <ametcalf...> Subject: Re: [inlandcountybirds] Bay-breasted Warbler at SJWA
Hi all,
Typo correction> The location is the San Jacinto Wildlife Area (SJWA).; and
add "not the most obliging" in there, too.
Tony Metcalf
CSUSB
On Mon, Nov 3, 2025 at 3:24 PM Anthony Metcalf via groups.io <ametcalf=
<csusb.edu...> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> The BBWA found earlier in the day by Luca Cinus is still present this
> afternoon. The location this time is at the northern part of the CD
> riparian corridor in a large willow at the intersection of the corridor and
> the east-west running road to the BC corridor. So far not the most
> obligating bird. Hanging out with YRWAs and mosquitos.
>
> Tony
> CSUSB
>
> Anthony Metcalf
> Department of Biology
> California State University, San Bernardino
> 5500 University Parkway
> San Bernardino, CA 92407
> (909) 537-7501
> FAX: (909) 537-7038
>
>
>
--
Anthony Metcalf
Department of Biology
California State University, San Bernardino
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407
(909) 537-7501
FAX: (909) 537-7038
Date: 11/3/25 3:24 pm From: Anthony Metcalf via groups.io <ametcalf...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Bay-breasted Warbler at SHWA
Hi all, The BBWA found earlier in the day by Luca Cinus is still present this afternoon. The location this time is at the northern part of the CD riparian corridor in a large willow at the intersection of the corridor and the east-west running road to the BC corridor. So far not the most obligating bird. Hanging out with YRWAs and mosquitos.
Tony CSUSB
Anthony Metcalf Department of Biology California State University, San Bernardino 5500 University Parkway San Bernardino, CA 92407 (909) 537-7501 FAX: (909) 537-7038
Date: 11/3/25 1:13 pm From: Julie Szabo via groups.io <jsszabo1...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Lake Elsinore CBC 12/27/25
I know it seems early to post, but I have had questions about this already. The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count at Lake Elsinore will be Saturday, December 27, 2025. For those who have participated before, I will also be emailing you to see if you can participate again this year. Feel free to email me off the list serve if you wish to participate or have questions.
Good Birding!
Julie SzaboWildomar, CA
Date: 11/3/25 1:10 pm From: Julie Szabo via groups.io <jsszabo1...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Bird Walk at Lake Elsinore Levee, Saturday 11/29/25
There will be another fall bird walk at the Lake Elsinore Levee on Saturday, 11/29/25 from 8 to 11 am. We will meet at the Lake Elsinore Storm Baseball parking lot adjacent to the levee entrance. Please arrive by 7:50 AM. At the last walk we saw 66 species. More information and a sign up are at the link below.
https://secure.rec1.com/CA/lake-elsinore/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTM4NjEyNDk= Julie SzaboWildomar, CA
Date: 11/3/25 9:30 am From: Julie Szabo via groups.io <jsszabo1...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Bay-breasted Warbler at SJWA 11/3/25
Luca Cinas just photographed a Bay-breasted Warbler at SJWA at the Rufous-backed Robin spot (between C&D ponds).
Serving as the messenger
Julie SzaboWildomar, CA
Date: 11/2/25 6:56 pm From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Upcoming San Bernardino County regional park closure
For those who have the luxury of birding on weekdays, please note that Cucamonga-Guasti, Glen Helen, Mojave Narrows, Prado, & Yucaipa Regional Parks will be closed to the public on Wednesday, November 19.
Tom BensonRedlands, CA
A couple of weeks ago we lost Gene Cardiff. My memories of him go all the way back to my early childhood — some five decades ago. From the early 1970s through at least the early 1990s, my family was active in the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society, and during that time many of the organization’s field trips were led by Gene. Those trips, plus Gene’s other outings through UC Riverside Extension and those he privately organized were… a second home to me.
The person I am today — a federal wildlife biologist specializing in birds, an avid birder (and recovering county lister), and occasional birding field trip leader — is due in no small part to the time Gene invested in me over the first two decades of my life.
I have only memory snippets from the early days: A trip to Alamos, Mexico, Christmas 1974; I was 6 and Gene lifted me up to his scope to see an unexpected Bare-throated Tiger-Heron. A SBVAS pancake breakfast birdwalk to Covington Park and Big Morongo where the pancakes Gene and the Kniffens cooked up garnered my interest more than the following birdwalk. A Salton Sea trip where Great-tailed Grackles were, at the time, novel enough for Gene to point out with some excitement. An afternoon on Mount Pinos where *wild* California Condors glided overhead.
Back in those days, Gene sported a flat-top crew cut and drove a big, gas-guzzling International Harvester Travelall 4x4. This was in stark contrast to Gene’s later vehicles, a series of tiny, fuel-efficient Honda Civics. Of course, the substantial change in ground clearance that came with the switch never stopped Gene. As a teen, and by then, an enthusiastic birder who went with Gene whenever I could, I remember riding in his Honda along the vague notion of a dirt road that led into Fort Piute in the then “East Mojave.” Rocks would occasionally roll along the undercarriage, and Gene would mutter his admiration for the Civic’s “skid plates.”
In 1983, Gene organized a UCR-based class trip to Michigan. My dad, who worked in education, had summers off, so he, my younger sister, Laura, and I joined Gene’s trip. It was an awesome adventure for a 14-year-old birder. Fundamentally, it was an epic road trip that allowed Gene to fill in holes in his Life List — and I, as a California kid, was blown away! The itinerary included White-tailed Ptarmigan in the High Rockies, longspurs in the short grass prairie, and Fish Crow in Tennessee. These were but a few of the birds that were “on the way” to the primary destination: Kirkland’s Warblers in the jack pine forests in Michigan. And once that was achieved, we then birded our way around the Lake Michigan region.
One memorable event on that trip occurred near Solon Springs, Wisconsin. Our group came upon a territorial Eastern Phoebe and Gene spontaneously got the notion to discover whether the phoebe had a nest under the bridge that we were standing on. To confirm its breeding status, he had me help him dangle my sister by her ankles off the side of the bridge, much to Laura’s chagrin and consternation. Unfortunately, she kept her eyes clamped shut and was too busy screaming to look. We never discovered if there was a nest — and my sister never forgave us for our impromptu hijinks in the wilds of Wisconsin.
Gene was many things, and “indefatigable” was foremost among them. Other commenters have mentioned his oft-used exclamation, “Let’s GOOOOOO! We’re burning daylight!” Daylight was a true commodity on his trips. Many of Gene’s outings were dawn to dusk, and usually the destinations were an hour or two’s drive away from the Inland Empire. And, he would often have a pre-dawn stop at a Denny’s or some other “greasy spoon” that served pancakes and bacon. Hardy participants could share more time with Gene at a second restaurant at the end of the day.
Eighteen- or even 20-hour days were de rigueur with Gene. And, during migration, he often scheduled a formal field trip on Saturday and then went out on his own with a few friends to a different destination the next day! It wasn’t a “good weekend” with Gene if you didn’t spend the next full week recovering. (I once recommended UCR field classes to some beginner-ish birders, and they resoundingly declined. They informed me that they’d been on one of Gene’s field trips before, and they were never again going with that “slave driver.”)
I volunteered at various points with Gene in the San Bernardino County Museum. I worked with him on the public bird displays, the behind-the-scenes scientific collections, and the educational kits that his department was developing to loan out to local teachers. One memorable day, while constructing the plexiglass boxes for those kits, we were repeatedly applying acrylic cement in an assembly line fashion. Apparently, the large garage-like area we were working in didn’t really have adequate ventilation for the volatile glue, because suddenly every little thing was exceedingly humorous. Gene and I chuckled, giggled, and guffawed our way to an area with fresh air.
He was generous with me in so many ways. When I traveled with him, I rarely was allowed to pay for my own morning pancakes. He readily shared bird ID tips, which may have required a bit of indulgent patience on his part because of youthful impertinence on my part. He didn’t wax on about the olden days, but I treasured the times when he talked about birds he and others discovered. Often, he told these stories while we were looking at the discovery, preserved as a specimen in the museum. On rare occasions, I even got to hear about his exploits with the famed oologist Wilson Hanna, whose impressive egg collection Gene would later curate at the museum.
Another aspect of Gene’s personality was that he was gregarious; he rarely birded alone. A sizable cadre of regulars came on his field trips, whether under the auspices of SBVA or UCR, or one of his frequent self-organized side trips. I count myself fortunate to have been part of that community during a formative time of my life. In those days, it was not easy being a teenager whose primary passion was the very uncool pastime of birdwatching. Gene and his community — many members of which are on this list — were very important to me personally. Thank you, Gene, for being my mentor, and thank you to all of you who welcomed me as a valued member into Gene’s larger birding community.
-Gjon Hazard
P.S. For those who remember The Hazards… Norwood and Betty now live in the Tucson region and say they are doing “fair to middling,” which is pretty good for a nonagenarian and octogenarian. My sister, Laura, also moved to Tucson a few years ago — and, for some reason, has never taken up the hobby of bungie jumping off of bridges.
Date: 10/30/25 2:38 pm From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: October 30, 2025
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* October 30, 2025
* CASE25.10.30
This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (https://groups.io/g/inlandcountybirds). If there is some reason that you cannot post there, please e-mail or call/text Tom Benson at <tbenson...> or (909) 648-0899.
Birds mentioned:
Sabine's Gull
*THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD*
Rufous-backed Robin
Townsend's Solitaire
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
Returning wintering *THICK-BILLED KINGBIRDS* were seen at Bellevure Memorial Park in Ontario Oct 26-29 and along Hermosa Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga on Oct 27 (Tom Benson).
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
A *RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN* continued at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area through Oct 24 (Becca Cockrum).
IMPERIAL COUNTY
SABINE'S GULLS were seen near the west end of Young Road Oct 24-26 and near Red Hill Oct 24 (Nathan Dubrow).
A TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was seen at Salton Sea NWR headquarters on Oct 22 (Nolan Boronka).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Birds included in this weekly summary are those that are considered casual or of less than annual occurrence in San Bernardino, Riverside, or Imperial Counties, or in some cases regionally within these areas. If you do find or see something of interest, whether it be a geographical or seasonal rarity, evidence of local range expansion, or a novel breeding record, I'd recommend sharing that information with the CBRC, North American Birds subregional editors, or regional listservs as appropriate. Information for contacting these entities is available below.
Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to CBRC Secretary Tom Benson at <secretary...> or via the CBRC website: https://www.californiabirds.org/report_sighting.html
CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the North American Birds (https://www.aba.org/north-american-birds/) county coordinators. They are:
IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, <guymcc...>
INYO COUNTY: Chris and Rosie Howard, <chris93514...>
KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, <kkheindel...>
RIVERSIDE COUNTY: David Rankin, <david.rankin...>
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, <sandy_koonce...>
************
Other dying birding listservs that occasionally include reports of birds in southern California are:
A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at https://www.sbvas.net/field-trips
************
Bird status and distribution references that every southeastern California birder should own:
Birds of southern California: status and distribution (1981), by Kimball L. Garrett and Jon L. Dunn
Birds of the Salton Sea: status, biogeography, and ecology (2003), by Michael A. Patten, Guy McCaskie, and Philip Unitt (update: https://archive.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V56/56(2)-p126-p142.pdf)
Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley (1991), by Kenneth V. Rosenberg, Robert D. Ohmart, William C. Hunter, and Bertin W. Anderson
Date: 10/26/25 7:52 pm From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Thick-billed Kingbird returns for fourth winter
This afternoon (Oct 26), on our way home from seeing the Olive-backed Pipit at Gilman Park in Orange County, Matt Grube, Brittany O'Connor and I stopped off at Bellevue Memorial Park in Ontario where we were able to find the returning THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD in the trees northeast of the mausoleum.
Tom BensonRedlands, CA
Date: 10/25/25 9:37 pm From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...> Subject: Re: [inlandcountybirds] RFI San Jacinto Wildlife area
Gjon Hazard provided this helpful information on his post to this group on October 23: The San Jacinto Wildlife Area requires a state Lands Pass, $5.66. Purchase online:https://wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/Lands-PassTom Benson Redlands, CA -------- Original message --------From: "<tgmiko...> via groups.io" <tgmiko...> Date: 10/25/25 9:26 PM (GMT-08:00) To: Inlandcountybirds <inlandcountybirds...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] RFI San Jacinto Wildlife area Hi,I am planning on visiting the Wildlife Refuge tomorrow morning to look for the Rufous backed Robin. Apparently you need to get some kind of online pass but then you have to print it out and sign it and have it with you. Is that the only way to do this? Can you do the pass online and just have it saved on your phone?Tom Miko Claremont 91711909.241.3300"We lose a rifle and get punished. They lose a war and get promoted."--Ben Edwards
Date: 10/25/25 9:26 pm From: <tgmiko...> via groups.io <tgmiko...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] RFI San Jacinto Wildlife area
Hi, I am planning on visiting the Wildlife Refuge tomorrow morning to look for the Rufous backed Robin. Apparently you need to get some kind of online pass but then you have to print it out and sign it and have it with you. Is that the only way to do this? Can you do the pass online and just have it saved on your phone?
Tom Miko Claremont 91711 909.241.3300 "We lose a rifle and get punished. They lose a war and get promoted."--Ben Edwards
Date: 10/24/25 8:11 pm From: McGiffen via groups.io <kmcgif...> Subject: Re: [inlandcountybirds] Rufous-backed Robin experience
This is so unfortunate! With the Rufous-backed Robin and many other birds, quiet patient waiting is the secret to successful observation.
Kathryn McGiffen Riverside
On 10/24/2025 3:55 PM, Alison Hiers via groups.io wrote: > I wanted to report that this afternoon I was told that the Rufous-backed Robin was being harassed, chased by people crawling under the bushes who were using flight calls that were flushing and exciting and agitating the bird, driving it back further. When it was pointed out to these individuals that it's a shy bird and easily spooked they complained that they had "been there 45 minutes already." If you wait patiently the bird WILL come out on the path, in the open. It did twice this morning, but it may require some time. Please think about the bird and others around you instead of thinking only about "getting" the bird. > > Alison Hiers > Carlsbad > > > >
Date: 10/24/25 3:55 pm From: Alison Hiers via groups.io <lahiers...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Rufous-backed Robin experience
I wanted to report that this afternoon I was told that the Rufous-backed Robin was being harassed, chased by people crawling under the bushes who were using flight calls that were flushing and exciting and agitating the bird, driving it back further. When it was pointed out to these individuals that it's a shy bird and easily spooked they complained that they had "been there 45 minutes already." If you wait patiently the bird WILL come out on the path, in the open. It did twice this morning, but it may require some time. Please think about the bird and others around you instead of thinking only about "getting" the bird.
Date: 10/24/25 10:24 am From: Lisa Ruby via groups.io <lbruby1...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Rufous-backed Robin continues
We briefly saw the Rufous-backed Robin in the previously reported area on the trail between ponds C and D. We were standing about here, looking back towards the road:
33.89323,-117.10912
It popped out on the edge of the trail down near the road for seconds and then disappeared. Been waiting for an hour and a half and haven't seen it again.
Date: 10/23/25 12:11 pm From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: October 23, 2025
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* October 23, 2025
* CASE25.10.23
This is the Southeastern CA weekly RBA summary. We cover Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. California Bird Records Committee review species are denoted by asterisks. To report a bird POST TO INLANDCOUNTYBIRDS (https://groups.io/g/inlandcountybirds). If there is some reason that you cannot post there, please e-mail or call/text Tom Benson at <tbenson...> or (909) 648-0899.
Birds mentioned:
Parasitic Jaeger
Lewis's Woodpecker
Rufous-backed Robin
Worm-eating Warbler
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
No reports.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
A *RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN* was seen at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area Oct 20-23 (Chet McGaugh).
A WORM-EATING WARBLER was seen at Captain Aaron J. Contreras Memorial Park in Temecula on Oct 18 (Fred Baker).
IMPERIAL COUNTY
A PARASITIC JAEGER continued near the west end of Young Road through Oct 16 (Toni Bowen).
A LEWIS'S WOODPECKER was seen at Unit 1 Salton Sea NWR on Oct 21 (Butch Carter).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Birds included in this weekly summary are those that are considered casual or of less than annual occurrence in San Bernardino, Riverside, or Imperial Counties, or in some cases regionally within these areas. If you do find or see something of interest, whether it be a geographical or seasonal rarity, evidence of local range expansion, or a novel breeding record, I'd recommend sharing that information with the CBRC, North American Birds subregional editors, or regional listservs as appropriate. Information for contacting these entities is available below.
Please submit your documentation of all California Bird Records Committee review species (denoted by asterisks) to CBRC Secretary Tom Benson at <secretary...> or via the CBRC website: https://www.californiabirds.org/report_sighting.html
CBRC review species and birds of local or seasonal rarity should be reported to the North American Birds (https://www.aba.org/north-american-birds/) county coordinators. They are:
IMPERIAL COUNTY: Guy McCaskie, <guymcc...>
INYO COUNTY: Chris and Rosie Howard, <chris93514...>
KERN COUNTY: Kelli Heindel-Levinson, <kkheindel...>
RIVERSIDE COUNTY: David Rankin, <david.rankin...>
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Alexander E. Koonce, <sandy_koonce...>
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Other dying birding listservs that occasionally include reports of birds in southern California are:
A schedule of San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society field trips is available on the SBVAS website at https://www.sbvas.net/field-trips
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Bird status and distribution references that every southeastern California birder should own:
Birds of southern California: status and distribution (1981), by Kimball L. Garrett and Jon L. Dunn
Birds of the Salton Sea: status, biogeography, and ecology (2003), by Michael A. Patten, Guy McCaskie, and Philip Unitt (update: https://archive.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V56/56(2)-p126-p142.pdf)
Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley (1991), by Kenneth V. Rosenberg, Robert D. Ohmart, William C. Hunter, and Bertin W. Anderson
Date: 10/23/25 11:02 am From: Gjon Hazard via groups.io <gjon_hazard...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Rufous-backed Robin continues
The RBRO made several brief appearances this morning (10/23) at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area. It disappears for long periods. I think it gets easily spooked by people walking along the trail. Standing quietly in one spot seemed to work best this morning. Watch for it to come out onto the trail.
It’s at the same spot as Tuesday, between the parking area and the sign for the C3 blind, along the trail/levee between ponds C and D. I saw it from these coordinates:
Date: 10/21/25 7:41 am From: Brad Singer via groups.io <bcsinger...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] SBVAS General Meeting tomorrow night, Wednesday, October 22, 7 pm, San Bernardino County Museum
All, Talk will be on "Birding Argentina," its land, birds, people. Talk given by yours truly (bit of self-promo). More info at SBVAS.net. Everybody is welcome. Brad Singer, President SBVAS
Date: 10/20/25 5:19 pm From: Anthony Metcalf via groups.io <ametcalf...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Rufous-backed Robin Confirmed at SJWA
Hi all,
Curtis Marantz and I are watching the RBRO first observed by Chet McGsugh
from 3:45pm on. The location remains the same— with 50 meters of the
entrance to the CD riparian corridor. It disappears for several hours and
then became active running and foraging primarily along the edges of the
trail. It did call several times, too—a high pitched seep. Wednesday is a
hunt day, so Tuesday is a good idea, if chasing.
Tony Metcalf
CSUSB
Anthony Metcalf
Department of Biology
California State University, San Bernardino
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407
(909) 537-7501
FAX: (909) 537-7038
Date: 10/20/25 11:55 am From: Matt Grube via groups.io <mattgrube...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Probable Rufous-backed Robin at SJWA
Hi all, I have received word that Chet McGaugh has photographed what appears to be a RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN at San Jacinto Wildlife Area, in the riparian corridor between the C and D ponds.
Date: 10/19/25 12:55 pm From: Julie Szabo via groups.io <jsszabo1...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Bird Walk at Lake Elsinore Levee Saturday 10/25/25
There will be a bird walk at the Lake Elsinore Levee from 8 - 11 am on Saturday, 10/25/2025. This is a bird walk sponsored by the City of Lake Elsinore. We will meet at the levee entrance next to the Lake Elsinore Storm baseball stadium on Diamond Circle and Pete Lehr Drive (a parking lot is there). . Please arrive by 7:50 am. We will be walking out to the T-peninsula and returning back to the stadium, a round trip of 3 miles. Dress for the weather, layers are best. Bring water, snacks, binoculars, and a camera if you wish. Please sign up at this link in order to participate.
https://secure.rec1.com/CA/lake-elsinore/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTM4NjExNjI= Good birding!
Julie SzaboWildomar, CA
Date: 10/19/25 8:22 am From: Guy McCaskie via groups.io <guymcc...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Gene Cardiff
One has only to look through the pages in the Birds of the Salton Sea by
Patten, McCaskie and Unitt to see how much Gene Cardiff contributed to the
early days of our knowledge about the status and seasonal occurrence of
birds at the Salton Sink. Gene's 1 October 1947 Cerulean Warbler still
remains the only record for the area.
I am glad to have known Gene and spent many days with him at the Salton Sea
and around San Diego.
Date: 10/18/25 10:25 am From: vernonhowe via groups.io <vhowe...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Passing of birding legend, Gene Cardiff
When we moved to Riverside in 1974 after many years in the east, I made a deliberate decision to not get caught up in the California birding mania of the 1970s and bird more privately as a family activity. When the kids were just toddlers we would bird around picnics; Winona would read and Andrew and Stephania would have fun playing in the dirt, etc. A favorite place when the weather was bad was the San Bernardino County Museum; we soon ran into Gene Cardiff. He was so gracious and patient in showing us the bird collection.
I think Gene had me typed as a casual birder until one summer in the mid-1970s when I told him I had seen a couple of Chimney Swifts in downtown Riverside. He smiled and agreed with me how much fun it was to watch swifts fly about. A few weeks later I asked him if he had gone to look at the swifts. H nicely explained that he had been very busy and that White-throated Swifts weren’t all that special and in the wrong light could look dark. I said they were certainly Vaux’s or Chimneys by coloration and size; the time of year and call pointed to Chimney. He didn’t argue with me; however, a few days later he called me and said they were indeed Chimneys and apologized for not taking me seriously. There were a few Chimneys there for the next couple of summers. This interaction led to a very rewarding relationship with Gene—I learned so much from him.
The first time I remember that Andrew and Gene crossed paths was when Andrew was less than two years old. We were at a San Bernardino Audubon meeting. Gene gave a talk about some collecting trip he went on (maybe with Billy Hankins). Andrew had been somewhat restless and we were so relieved when he went to sleep lying under a chair. Winona told Gene the talk was so fascinating and made her really want to travel. Gene looked down at Andrew and said he knew he wasn’t always the best speaker (of course we all know that is not true); however, he hadn’t ever bored someone so badly that they passed out. Of course, when Andrew got the “birding bug” Gene was very supportive of him.
Our whole family will miss Gene, a real mentor and cherished friend.
