Date: 7/3/25 10:23 am From: Brian Scanlon <briancscanlon...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] Western Tanager at Quail Hollow?
Shantanu,
I was at Quail Hollow yesterday and didn't hear anything, but I hadn't seen
your post so I wasn't looking for it.
However, this morning I heard a Western Tanager calling at my house in
Felton, just a couple of miles away. I posted it on eBird with a recording.
Brian Scanlon
On Wed, Jul 2, 2025 at 2:12 PM Shantanu Phukan <phukan...> wrote:
> Today, while walking along the barely wet creek at Quail Hollow, I heard
> what I am pretty sure was a Western Tanager foraging in the Live Oaks. It
> called thrice but never gave me a look. Normally I would just enter this in
> E-Bird and not give it another thought, but the time of year is confusing
> me--its way too early unless this is a post-breeding wanderer. Does anyone
> know if Western Tanagers breed in Santa Cruz mountains in very low
> densities and begin their post-breeding vagaries this early in the year?
> Shantanu Phukan
> Santa Cruz
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "mbbirds" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<89ab474b-a244-7452-2a8e-3d19fab0450e...> > .
>
Date: 7/2/25 2:12 pm From: Shantanu Phukan <phukan...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Western Tanager at Quail Hollow?
Today, while walking along the barely wet creek at Quail Hollow, I heard what I am pretty sure was a Western Tanager foraging in the Live Oaks. It called thrice but never gave me a look. Normally I would just enter this in E-Bird and not give it another thought, but the time of year is confusing me--its way too early unless this is a post-breeding wanderer. Does anyone know if Western Tanagers breed in Santa Cruz mountains in very low densities and begin their post-breeding vagaries this early in the year?
Shantanu Phukan
Santa Cruz
Nelle Lyons and I saw this bird the other day at Kirby Park, in the marshy area between the road and the train tracks. Sorry for the super crappy photos.
Not confident in my identification of this bird. Took about 40 pictures at quite a distance, through heat distortion, and spent a long time analyzing and comparing. iPhone AI mostly suggested phalarope, but size seems way too big, especially in relation to black-necked stilt (tail area also seems wrong for phalarope, and Nelle said definitely a gull of some kind). My best hypothesis is Bonaparte's gull, based on cheek patch, pink legs, size, black bill, though bill seems long for a Bonaparte's. I'm also not sure of what seems to be a white patch on the wing, but wing/tail area seems very gull-like. This bird was foraging in a very plover/shorebird-y way along the edges of the marsh, all alone.
Anyone have thoughts?[image: DSCN0896.jpeg][image: DSCN0920.jpeg][image: DSCN0877.jpeg]
On Sun, Jun 29, 2025 at 5:55 AM 'Comcast' via mbbirds <
<mbbirds...> wrote:
> Another reason to contact your congressional representatives.
>
> Scientists have tagged birds for more than 100 years. That preservation
> program might be defunded.
> https://wapo.st/3I3m8IF >
>
>
>
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "mbbirds" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<15007461-2770-4F83-836D-37E3BE97C9B1...> > .
>
Date: 6/27/25 8:27 am From: Mary Anne Goldberg <mapmg2011...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] Kingfisher it was
Oops. Meant to include these.
So, to those of you who frequent the wharf, is this a common sighting?
Mary Anne
Royal Oaks
On Tue, Jun 24, 2025, 10:55 PM Mary Anne Goldberg <mapmg2011...>
wrote:
> Ar the time I assumed it was a regular thing, to see a kingfisher at the
> wharf. A visitor and I were there in December of 2018. We saw something
> whiz by, and heard it too. Then my eagle-eyed friend spotted it, perched on
> the end of a cross-beam.
>
> On Tue, Jun 24, 2025, 5:11 PM Anne Bourdeau <annerand2...>
> wrote:
>
>> I saw it at the wharf yesterday, Monday, about 4:00. Hovering near the
>> beach then went toward the water end of wharf and then I lost it. Pretty
>> cool to see a Kingfisher hovering over the ocean.
>> Anne Bourdeau
>> Soquel
>>
>> On Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 08:45:53 AM PDT, Nelson Samuels <
>> <samnelo...> wrote:
>>
>>
>> My mystery bird returned yesterday, but not from the wharf, from Soquel
>> Creek and hunted from a hover over and near the kelp beds out from the
>> jetty. I guess the first time I saw it coming from the wharf it was using
>> the Wharf as a hunting perch. Nelson [image: IMG_1475.jpeg]
>>
>> --
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
>> "mbbirds" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
>> email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion visit
>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<53fbd515-645a-493e-9354-bca9980852fdn...> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<53fbd515-645a-493e-9354-bca9980852fdn...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> .
>>
>> --
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
>> "mbbirds" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
>> email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion visit
>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<486372810.1879752.1750810291986...> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<486372810.1879752.1750810291986...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> .
>>
>
Date: 6/27/25 8:27 am From: Mary Anne Goldberg <mapmg2011...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] Kingfisher it was
Ar the time I assumed it was a regular thing, to see a kingfisher at the
wharf. A visitor and I were there in December of 2018. We saw something
whiz by, and heard it too. Then my eagle-eyed friend spotted it, perched on
the end of a cross-beam.
On Tue, Jun 24, 2025, 5:11 PM Anne Bourdeau <annerand2...> wrote:
Date: 6/24/25 5:11 pm From: Anne Bourdeau <annerand2...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] Kingfisher it was
I saw it at the wharf yesterday, Monday, about 4:00. Hovering near the beach then went toward the water end of wharf and then I lost it. Pretty cool to see a Kingfisher hovering over the ocean.Anne BourdeauSoquel
On Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 08:45:53 AM PDT, Nelson Samuels <samnelo...> wrote:
My mystery bird returned yesterday, but not from the wharf, from Soquel Creek and hunted from a hover over and near the kelp beds out from the jetty. Â I guess the first time I saw it coming from the wharf it was using the Wharf as a hunting perch. Â NelsonÂ
Date: 6/24/25 8:45 am From: Nelson Samuels <samnelo...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Kingfisher it was
My mystery bird returned yesterday, but not from the wharf, from Soquel Creek and hunted from a hover over and near the kelp beds out from the jetty. I guess the first time I saw it coming from the wharf it was using the Wharf as a hunting perch. Nelson [image: IMG_1475.jpeg]
Date: 6/23/25 10:03 am From: Nelson Samuels <samnelo...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Possible Belted Kingfisher at Capitola Wharf
I spent a couple of hours during the afternoon on Friday through Sunday on
the beach, east of the Wharf. A couple of times a dark, pigeon sized bird
flew from under the middle part of the wharf and dove into the water then
returned to the same area. The next day, what appeared to be the same bird
flew about fifty yards out, then hovered before diving, then returned to
approximately the same spot. Not having my binoculars, the only bird that
would fit that description and behavior is the Belted Kingfisher. If folks
are in the are keep a lookout. Could possibly be a nest site. . I’m going
this afternoon and have already put my binoculars and camera in my day
pack. Nelson Samuels, Aromas
Date: 6/18/25 11:41 am From: Kent Johnson <kentjohnson...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] eBird Traveling with mobile app
Sounds like a significant improvement. Thanks for sharing the link.
Kent Johnson
Boulder Creek
________________________________
From: <mbbirds...> <mbbirds...> on behalf of Jeff Bleam <jcbleam...>
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2025 7:05 AM
To: MBBirds <mbbirds...>
Subject: [MBBIRDS] eBird Traveling with mobile app
Good news on tracking the distance traveled when using the eBird Mobile App. The traveling protocol was not to count distances that were traveled twice. The App now excludes repeated terrane traveled.
Date: 6/18/25 7:06 am From: Jeff Bleam <jcbleam...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] eBird Traveling with mobile app
Good news on tracking the distance traveled when using the eBird Mobile App. The traveling protocol was not to count distances that were traveled twice. The App now excludes repeated terrane traveled.
Date: 6/16/25 8:34 pm From: Pete Sole <pete...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Sooty's on the Bay!
Hi folks,
Late this afternoon, we went down to the ocean to see SOOTY SHEARWATERs
on the Monterey Bay. My silly wild a__ guess is that there were some 50k
to 100k, (probably many more), Sooty's out on the water. They were
visible about half way out to the horizon from Seacliff State Beach, up
on the bluff. The lines of birds flying and resting on the water,
extended at least half way across the bay, north west to south east.
What a spectacle! According to Cornell's Birds of the World species
description: "When not breeding the Sooty Shearwater embarks upon one of
largest mass migrations known."
To learn more about the amazing life story of these long distance
migrants, see this link:
Date: 6/16/25 4:27 pm From: Arthur Macmillan <grrrrrrrrrr8...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] Gallinule or Coot??
Hi Kimberly! I have to say you see a lot of good birds! As to this one I am
going to go with American Coot! Probably lots of people have said so. I
don't think I have ever seen one in the hilarious juvenile phase seen here:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/assets/photo/303193541-1280px.jpg The young bird has a bald red head, red bill, a bit of orange and a lot of
wild yellow streamers. Really ugly but cool at the same time. In your
photo, it seems like the partially bald head still shows traces of a still
pinkish pate.
I've never gotten a photo of the fully absurd younger version looking like
the one in the photo that I liked to. But I would like to!!! The one you
posted is pretty cool. I will see if I can find it!
- Arthur "Mac" Macmillan
On Sat, Jun 14, 2025 at 8:51 PM Kimberly Butts <kimberlygrey33...>
wrote:
> Hi all!
>
> I was birding with a friend at Corcoran today and saw a couple of adult
> Coots with, what we settled on, was a juvenile Coot. It didn't quite match
> other juveniles of that size we'd seen before, but we thought perhaps it
> was just one stage below in development the other examples we had seen.
>
> She mentioned that the beak looked pink (I am red/green colorblind so it
> was too subtle for me to detect) and I thought it could be a juvenile
> Gallinule. It seemed a stretch so we moved on. But now that I've looked at
> photos of other juvenile Gallinules, it very well could be that?? Did we
> find a Coot couple that adopted an orphaned Gallinule?
>
> Thoughts please! Apologies for the poor quality of the photos, distance
> and heat interference worked against me.
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "mbbirds" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<D698C804-9456-4D1C-AA22-12D6A701B467...> > .
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Kim Butts
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "mbbirds" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<D698C804-9456-4D1C-AA22-12D6A701B467...> > .
>
I was birding with a friend at Corcoran today and saw a couple of adult Coots with, what we settled on, was a juvenile Coot. It didn't quite match other juveniles of that size we'd seen before, but we thought perhaps it was just one stage below in development the other examples we had seen.
She mentioned that the beak looked pink (I am red/green colorblind so it was too subtle for me to detect) and I thought it could be a juvenile Gallinule. It seemed a stretch so we moved on. But now that I've looked at photos of other juvenile Gallinules, it very well could be that?? Did we find a Coot couple that adopted an orphaned Gallinule?
Thoughts please! Apologies for the poor quality of the photos, distance and heat interference worked against me.
I sent this to Carol but I’ve learned she is about to leave on vacation.
Carol,
You are the only one I know who might be able to follow-up on a bird from earlier today.
As you may know I had major back surgery late last year and need more surgery. I say this to let you know why I need your help as I can’t stand for any length of time. I was waiting in the car about 3:00 this afternoon , the 12th, as my husband went into Gayle’s Bakery. I saw a chickadee with a clear brown cap! It was working the flowers on the side fence as you look into the back parking lot. It didn’t appear to be a Boreal so possible Brown-capped? It was seen not far from a fuchsia that is pink and white.
If you can’t go chase, can you please see if there is someone else who might help?
The back had no Chestnut, the throat had a small amount of contrast.
I've been looking at the migration data on BirdCast ( https://dashboard.birdcast.info/), and the numbers are not encouraging for the Pacific Flyway. We are seeing about half the expected numbers this Spring, and the last 5 years have been low except for 2023 which was a good year. This holds true for states up and down the Pacific Coast. When I sample states east of the Rockies the numbers seem to approximate the historic averages. It's not clear how the averages were established, but the Pacific Flyway is apparently an outlier.
Comparing Spring and Fall migration numbers prompts my real question. Eastern states see much higher numbers in the Fall. This seems logical if breeding birds are returning with hatch year birds. But Pacific states have much lower numbers in the Fall. Santa Cruz County sees about 20M birds in an average Spring, but fewer than 4M birds in the Fall (last year about 2M). This pattern holds for all Pacific states. Do western birds generally spread out their Fall migration in time or space? BirdCast focus for Fall is August-November which seems right. Do Pacific migrants spread out to the east or over the ocean? Am I misreading the data? What am I missing?
Hey guys!!
There’s a yellow crowned night heron hanging out in Point Lobos Natural
Reserve on Bird Island. It’s in a large group of nesting Brandt’s
cormorants along with some black crowned night herons
Typically bluebirds nest later than chickadees, titmice, and Bewick’s wrens, but not always. At Quail Hollow County Park, the seasonal nesting range has been any time from 3/8 to 7/31 - so a pretty long nesting season! Last year at Glenwood Preserve in Scotts Valley we had a bluebird nest by 3/19 and others as late as 6/7; this year we have 2 bluebird nests that will likely be fledging this week - I watched a male carrying 2 fat green larvae into a box this afternoon... So congratulations on your bluebirds and may they all fledge!
- Bethany Kilzer
> On Jun 9, 2025, at 9:02 PM, Carol Pecot <carol.pecot...> wrote:
>
> We put up 2 Bluebird nesting boxes in our garden about a month and a half ago, and about 3 weeks ago we started seeing a pair of Bluebirds investigating. Both male and female are now going in and out of the box with a frequency that suggests feeding young. Yay! I thought we had spooked them when we started doing more work in the garden, but we apparently didn’t. I would say that they are not overly happy when we are out gardening, but after observing us for a little time they go into the box.
>
> We have never had Bluebirds before, so are unfamiliar with their nesting habits and timing, but it seems a bit late in the year? The Bewick's Wren, Chickadee, and Junco babies have fledged already, but I haven’t seen the Jay fledglings yet. Does anyone know the nesting time range for Bluebirds?
>
> Carol Pecot
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "mbbirds" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<A934CC99-D2F2-4713-BD4D-669B4F5BD707...>
Date: 6/9/25 9:03 pm From: Carol Pecot <carol.pecot...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Bluebird nesting times
We put up 2 Bluebird nesting boxes in our garden about a month and a half ago, and about 3 weeks ago we started seeing a pair of Bluebirds investigating. Both male and female are now going in and out of the box with a frequency that suggests feeding young. Yay! I thought we had spooked them when we started doing more work in the garden, but we apparently didn’t. I would say that they are not overly happy when we are out gardening, but after observing us for a little time they go into the box.
We have never had Bluebirds before, so are unfamiliar with their nesting habits and timing, but it seems a bit late in the year? The Bewick's Wren, Chickadee, and Junco babies have fledged already, but I haven’t seen the Jay fledglings yet. Does anyone know the nesting time range for Bluebirds?
Evidently Nuttall’s woodpeckers are nesting somewhere near my house? So I have seen an increase of Nuttall’s woodpeckers in my yard since I first spotted one in 2020, mostly male but occasionally a female. This was the first time I witnessed a parent feeding a chick! Thought it might be of interest. Only got a few photos through the window… taken June 2, 2025
Date: 6/8/25 9:26 pm From: Pete Sole <pete...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] White-rumped Sandpiper Photo Studies at Asilomar SB, Monterey Co
Hi birders,
Sunday morning I took an early drive down to Asilomar SB in Monterey
Co., to see the WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. Turns out this bird was a lifer
for me. I thought I had seen it somewhere else but ... Regardless, the
sandpiper posed nicely for extended views and photos (500+), at the
previously reported spot. Here are links to some of my better larger,
hi-res images, best enjoyed on a large screen:
For more images, including less than ideal photos showing the white
rump, a the key field mark of this species, see the ebird report from
the morning here:
It's interesting. "The White-rumped Sandpiper has one of the longest
migration routes of any American bird, from arctic Canada to southern
South America. Southbound migrants fly over the Atlantic Ocean, then
gradually move southeast along the coast before turning inland to cross
the Amazon basin. The trip takes about a month." ... "This small
sandpiper makes one of the longest migrations of any North American
bird, sometimes flying 2,500 miles without a rest.".
Where was this bird found? I don't see an earlier message with a
location. Thanks
MaryAnn
On 2025-06-07 10:56 am, Elias Elias wrote:
> Thank you everyone.
>
> Elias
> 559-433-7254
>
>> On Jun 7, 2025, at 09:36, Brian Scanlon <briancscanlon...>
>> wrote:
>
> It was still there this morning at 7:30
>
> On Sat, Jun 7, 2025, 9:15 AM Elias Elias <call7076338833...>
> wrote: Two questions:
>
> What chat are folks using aside from mbbirds?
>
> Is the bird still there? Kaia and I are in Fresno and will head over if
> it is being seen.
>
> Elias
> 559-433-7254
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "mbbirds" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<2D2ACB35-0F1C-4979-B7CF-762E23469838...>
Date: 6/7/25 9:36 am From: Brian Scanlon <briancscanlon...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] White rumped sandpiper news
It was still there this morning at 7:30
On Sat, Jun 7, 2025, 9:15 AM Elias Elias <call7076338833...> wrote:
> Two questions:
>
> What chat are folks using aside from mbbirds?
>
> Is the bird still there? Kaia and I are in Fresno and will head over if it
> is being seen.
>
>
> Elias
> 559-433-7254
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "mbbirds" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to mbbirds+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mbbirds/<2D2ACB35-0F1C-4979-B7CF-762E23469838...> > .
>
Date: 6/5/25 1:21 pm From: Kent Johnson <kentjohnson...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Eastern Kingbird
The Eastern Kingbird found by David F today was moving between both sides of Swanton Road near 576 Swanton late this morning, often close to the road. A Blue Grosbeak and Grasshopper Sparrow were in the same area.
