Date: 3/26/26 7:59 am From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: March 26, 2026
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* March 26, 2026
* CASE26.03.26
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.
A BROAD-WINGED HAWK was seen at San Timoteo Canyon on Mar 21 (Matt Grube).
A LARK BUTING was seen in the middle of the desert north of Barstow on Mar 21 (Matt Gould).
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
Two *FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCKS* continued at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area through Mar 21 (Chet McGaugh).
A HARRIS'S HAWK was seen at Hidden Valley in Joshua Tree National Park on Mar 22 (Eve Martin).
A BRONZED COWBIRD continued at Palm Springs International Airport through Mar 22 (William Baker).
IMPERIAL COUNTY
A ZONE-TAILED HAWK was seen in Niland on Mar 19 (Tonie Hansen).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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: 3/19/26 7:18 am From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: March 19, 2026
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* March 19, 2026
* CASE26.03.19
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:
*FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCK*
Bronzed Cowbird
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
No reports.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
Two *FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCKS* continued at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area through Mar 15 (Charity Hagen).
A BRONZED COWBIRD continued at Palm Springs International Airport through Mar 18 (Susan Roy).
IMPERIAL COUNTY
No reports.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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: 3/18/26 6:37 am From: Brad Singer via groups.io <bcsinger...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] SBVAS General Meeting Tonight: "Birding Down Under: The Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia"
Get out of the heat and join us for a cool look at birding near Antarctica! 7 pm at the San Bernardino County Musuem. Everybody is welcome! More info at SBVAS.net
Date: 3/12/26 8:31 am From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: March 12, 2026
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* March 12, 2026
* CASE26.03.12
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:
*FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCK*
Tropical Kingbird
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
No reports.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
Two *FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCKS* continued at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area through Mar 11 (Andrew Kenny).
A TROPICAL KINGBIRD was seen on private property in Deep Canyon on Mar 8 (David Rankin).
IMPERIAL COUNTY
No reports.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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: 3/9/26 11:12 am From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] California Bird Atlas Update + March 19 Town Hall
Inland county birders:
Please see message from Van below regarding statewide progress on the California Breeding Bird Atlas. If you are participating, consider attending the virtual town hall on March 19 at 7 pm. If you aren't participating yet and would like to, please join the eBird project and watch the tutorial. Note that Pomona Valley Bird Alliance is included in the many local and statewide organizations sponsoring this project. Here are some quick stats from San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial Counties.
San Bernardino150 atlas blocks with data (out of 1995 total)29 species confirmed breeding30 eBirders who have confirmed at least one species
Riverside170 atlas blocks with data (out of 734)41 species confirmed breeding30 eBirders who have confirmed at least one species
Imperial83 atlas blocks with data (out of 451)14 species confirmed breeding44 eBirders who have confirmed at least one species
Tom BensonRedlands, CA
----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Van Pierszalowski via groups.io <van...>To: "<calbirds...>" <calbirds...>Sent: Monday, March 9, 2026 at 09:11:45 AM PDTSubject: [CALBIRDS] California Bird Atlas Update + March 19 Town Hall
Birders,
As many of you know, California’s first statewide Breeding Bird Atlas launched on January 1, 2026. In just over two months, the level of participation across the state has been remarkable. Breeding code use in January and February was up a staggering +545% over last year.
As of March 9:
-
42,885 checklists have been submitted to the Atlas
-
2,538 atlasers have joined the project and submitted at least one checklist
-
3,924 blocks have Atlas data
-
All 58 counties have Atlas data
By the end of January, 61 species had accepted Confirmed breeding codes. By the end of February, that number had risen to 102. The full February report is available in the latest edition of the Atlas Dispatch.
If you have not yet joined the eBird project, we encourage you to do so here.
For a quick visual overview of how to get started, you can watch the Quick Start video.
Participating is very similar to how you already use eBird, but opting into the Atlas ensures your observations become part of the permanent statewide dataset being built to guide conservation and land management decisions for decades to come.
The Atlas is being coordinated by California Bird Atlas (CBA), an independent nonprofit. We will be hosting the first CBA Town Hall on Zoom on March 19 at 7:00 pm PT. You can register for the webinar here.
We have been deeply encouraged by the number of individual donors stepping up to support the project. If you are able, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution here. Your support helps fund the infrastructure and coordination needed to sustain this statewide effort.
Thank you all for joining the project. It has been inspiring to see the California birding community come together around this effort, and we are only just getting started.
Happy Atlasing,
Van Pierszalowski
Executive Director, California Bird Atlas
<van...>
Date: 3/5/26 12:41 pm From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Southeastern CA RBA: March 5, 2026
RBA
* California
* Southeastern
* March 5, 2026
* CASE26.03.05
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.
A BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD continued in Redlands through Mar 2 (Tom Benson).
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
Two *FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCKS* continued at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area through Mar 3 (Lynette Williams Duman).
A BRONZED COWBIRD continued at Palm Springs International Airport through Mar 3 (Robert Fuller).
IMPERIAL COUNTY
A PLUMBEOUS VIREO continued at Evergreen Cemetery in El Centro through Mar 1 (Richard Norton).
A SPRAGUE'S PIPIT continued near the intersection of Albright and Wiest Roads through Feb 28 (Nicole Koeltzow).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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
Tom Benson
Department of Biology
California State University San Bernardino
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407
909-537-3309
All, Hal Cohen reported 100+ Swainson's hawks at Borrego Springs on Wednesday night, so depending on their route northwest, they might move over Los Angeles County by sunset today (Thursday). If anyone spots large groups, please post it on the county listserves. Regards, Lance Lance BennerPasadena, CA _._,_._,_
View/Reply Online (#1769) | Reply to Sender | Reply to Group | Mute This Topic | New Topic Your Subscription | Contact Group Owner | Unsubscribe [<lists...>] _._,_._,_
Date: 3/2/26 7:11 pm From: henry detwiler via groups.io <henry_detwiler...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Eastern Imperial County
Greetings Birders,
Today (2 Mar) and two days ago (28 Feb) I spent the mornings in eastern Imperial County. The weather has been some 15 degrees warmer than usual, and signs of spring were everywhere. The desert wildflowers are still blooming and the birds were in full song. I recorded my sightings under the California Bird Atlas Project.
Saturday's highlights included a covey of tiny, barely-fledged quail at Mission Wash (along the All-American Canal) and two Red-shouldered Hawks chasing each other, a Summer Tanager, and several Lawrence's Goldfinches at Living Waters (private). This morning's good birds included 6 calling Soras and a flock of Cliff Swallows nest-building at Mission Wash, 2 Black Rails, 2 Virginia Rails, and a Ridgway's Rail calling at West Pond, and 5 Lawrence's Goldfinches singing and calling at Senator Wash. Most of the waterfowl wintering in the All-American Canal and Senator Wash have departed, but good numbers of Common Goldeneyes remain, and it was nice to see a flock of 21 Redheads this morning.
eBird reports with a few photos:https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S305444610 (Senator Wash)https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S304636727 (Mission Wash)https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S304595409 (Living Waters)
Good Birding!Henry D. <Detwilerhenry_detwiler...>, AZ
Finding Birds in Southwest Arizonahttps://www.southwestbirders.com/swb_SWAZ_Book.htmFinding Birds at the Salton Sea and in Imperial County, Californiahttps://www.southwestbirders.com/swb_Imperial_County_Book.htm
Date: 3/1/26 6:54 pm From: asekoonce via groups.io <sandy_koonce...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Winter 2025-65 records for NAB, SBE County
Dear San Bernardino County birders:
The winter season for North American Birds (1 December 2025 - 28
February 2026) is now over. I will shortly submit a list of significant San
Bernardino County sightings to Kimball Garrett and Guy McCaskie, the regional
editors for the Southern Pacific Coast report.
Although I use eBird to help me gather the information I need, that database is very large, and it is time-consuming to research each individual species. Therefore, I would appreciate hearing directly from SBE birders regarding any reports of unusual species, arrival and departure dates for common and unusual species, notable numbers, and absences. I would greatly appreciate learning of any sightings or trends that are out of the ordinary, even (especially) for birds not considered "rarities."
Please also include a careful description (at least a written description; photographs are also welcome) for rare species: either CBRC review species, or species that are equivalently rare locally. Note that sightings of rare birds cannot be added to the county database without some sort of supporting documentation.
Please send your sightings to me by 10 March.
Thanks for your assistance!
Sandy
Sandy Koonce
Professor of Mathematics, Emeritus
University of Redlands, Redlands, CA 92373
Date: 3/1/26 6:05 pm From: Tom Benson via groups.io <thomasabenson...> Subject: [inlandcountybirds] Jim Pike, an Orange County original, passed away February 2026
Forwarded from the Orange County listserv.Tom BensonRedlands, CA -------- Original message --------From: Thomas WursterDate: 3/1/26 5:51 PM (GMT-08:00) To: OCBirdingSubject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Jim Pike, an Orange County original, passed away February 2026 Orange County birders and beyond,
It is with great sadness and heartbreak that I share that Jim Pike passed away on February 17, following his diagnosis less than a month before with an aggressive cancer. Though Jim was a respected member of the Orange County birding community for over 40 years, many will know him only through his posts to the OC Birding list serve, where he reported a steady stream of rarities, and regularly urged community action to save our park and neighborhood trees and plant cover from excessive pruning and removal. Jim, with his life partner Kim, moved to Huntington Beach from Wisconsin in 1983. Soon after Jim began his OC birding career. His impact was immediate with locals asking, “Who is the “new kid on a bike” who keeps reporting rare birds?” Shortly thereafter Jim was fully integrated with the area’s avid birders.
Jim was very keen in the field and has a string of “County Firsts” to his credit. An incomplete list includes Mississippi Kite and Black-billed Cuckoo in 1989, Sedge Wren in 1991, Streak-backed Oriole in 1996, plus a Tropical Parula in 2018, the latter being the first state record for California. Jim found all these birds in Huntington Beach by concentrating his efforts within a limited geographic area and exploring it in depth. In the 1990s and early 2000s Jim joined with a small contingent of California birders who were exploring the Baja California Peninsula. He and I traveled there together in October 1986 where we stumbled upon an Olive-backed Pipit - a First Record for Mexico - in Catavina, a small palm oasis and rancho in the mid-peninsula portion of Baja. We spotted it independently, but only Jim knew instantly what it was. In time, Jim’s skill in bird finding and identification were acknowledged statewide, leading to his election to multiple terms as a member of the California Bird Records Committee (CBRC).
The late, great Loren Hays was instrumental in recognizing Jim’s skills and talent as a naturalist and encouraged Jim to turn his avocation into a career. Starting as a seasonal biologist, and later as an independent consultant, Jim worked for 36 seasons with various agencies including the Orange County Water District, studying the Prado Basin population of endangered Least Bell’s Vireos. While the number of vireos nesting there varied from year to year, their increase likely made the Prado population a major source of fledglings that colonized rehabilitated riparian habitat throughout Southern California in subsequent years. Jim’s success there, both in monitoring and implementing recovery strategies certainly stands as one of his most significant achievements.
Jim’s work with the vireos was seasonal, and he and Kim took full advantage of the offseason. They traveled widely throughout the western states, often camping in offroad areas that gave them access to remote desert and mountain areas. At home Jim and Kim nurtured multiple “fur-children”, a dog and multiple indoor cats, as well as some feathered ones.
As a friend and fellow birder, thank you, Jim Pike, for all you accomplished in conservation and for all you shared with the community birding. You are greatly missed.
