My friend, in Day Valley, is pretty sure a Coastal Gnatcatcher is visiting his place It taps at it's reflection on his window. He took photos, I'm waiting for the "ok" to share them.
A while ago I tried to post this from my phone, but apparently it never went out:
After waiting about an hour, at 10:30 I finally saw 2 of the Black Skimmers come flying into view where I was standing at the overlook. They never landed, but I was able to watch them fly back and forth to the wharf several times.When they flew straight back or forward they seemed to disappear, their wings were so thin and held straight out.
Date: 4/20/24 9:25 pm From: Pete Sole <pete...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Fun with Black Skimmers (photos)
Hi birders,
First, big thanks to Matthew Coale for his reports of the 4 BLACK
SKIMMERS at the San Lorenzo River mouth spit.
I got to the beach around 10:15am. Was able to repeatedly observe and
photograph these fun birds. Below are some of the better photos of the
600+ that I captured. (Warning: very large images):
If you have a strong favorite, I'd be curious to know which one. After
looking at 600 plus images and processing some 20+, my eyes and mind are
mush. đ
Although dogs and beach goers caused the birds to flush, the skimmers
repeatedly returned to the spit along with a bunch of gulls.
Link to the related ebird report with more images:
Today's bird walk at NB yielded great looks at some fantastic species!! --around 20 folks showed up. David Sidle and Phil Brown were in attendance, helping with spotting and IDing! Always great to have other leaders when the group is large. --great looks at a GHOW nest with young. Several beginners were present, and were hooked on the whole "birding thing."--a large flock of Cedars Waxwings kept the skies full, and settled in the end at one area to the north of the main parking area. They kept coming down to a muddy area, giving great ground level looks.--Phil located a pair of Marbled Murrelets from the overlook lot. Identifying birds from such a great distance was a bit of an entertaining discussion between some of the new-to-birding folks.--A pair of Surf Scoters came in to the beach while we were ogling a Whimbrel. Odd to see Surf Scoters walking around on the beach.--Everything seen was fairly common, but the best part was seeing the various folks come alive with new discoveries and species. Several were definitely inspired to continue birding! That's it for now. Hope to see you out there. Thanks again to David and Phil!!Paul Miller Mount HermonÂ
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Date: 4/20/24 12:39 pm From: Matthew Coale <matthewcoale02...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Re: Black Skimmers
The 4 Black Skimmers are still there but the beach is getting busy
Matthew Coale
Sent from my iPhone please excuse any spelling or typing errors.
Matthew
> On Apr 20, 2024, at 9:17âŻAM, Matthew Coale <matthewcoale02...> wrote:
>
> ï»żThere were 4 BLACK SKIMMERS at the San Lorenzo river sand bar at 9:10 this morning. They were spooked by a dog but then returned and are here at 9:16am
> Matthew Coale
> Santa Cruz
> Sent from my iPhone please excuse any spelling or typing errors.
> Matthew
Date: 4/20/24 9:17 am From: Matthew Coale <matthewcoale02...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Black Skimmers
There were 4 BLACK SKIMMERS at the San Lorenzo river sand bar at 9:10 this morning. They were spooked by a dog but then returned and are here at 9:16am Matthew Coale Santa Cruz Sent from my iPhone please excuse any spelling or typing errors. Matthew
Date: 4/14/24 10:50 pm From: Pete Sole <pete...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Belated Pectoral Sandpiper Report
Hi birders,
Apologies for not sending this from the field earlier today. There was a
PECTORAL SANDPIPERÂ at the intersection of San Andreas Road around 9am
today, Sunday 4/14. I was able to take some photos, but the bird was
very distant and too small to see properly on the back of the camera. To
add insult to injury, I could not re-find the PECTORAL when scanning
with my scope. Instead I ended up seeing a few LEAST SANDPIPERS, in
addition to a DUNLIN, some 30 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, a single BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVER, and other usual suspects.
Oh and in a first for me in La Selva Beach, there was an adult BALD
EAGLE flying over fairly high above the LA SELVA BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY as
I was dropping off some books.
As always, Pete, thank you for sharing your wonderful and insightful
photos.
Heidi Sandkuhle
------ Original Message ------
From "Pete Sole" <pete...>
To "MBB Monterey Bay Birds" <mbbirds...>
Date 4/13/2024 3:36:37 PM
Subject [MBBIRDS] High voltage... woodpeckers?
Date: 4/9/24 5:41 pm From: Arthur Macmillan <grrrrrrrrrr8...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Does anyone know where the large murders of American Crows are?
It goes without saying that crows are not hard to find, but historically one could go to Neary Lagoon, and more recently still, I have seen literally thousands of AMERICAN CROWS at Arana Gulch. When crows are regrouping in the evening it is really a sight to see. Sometimes there are so many that it seems like a black cyclone. If anyone knows if there is a new regular spot in the Santa Cruz County where the birds come in the evening, or leave in the morning forming vast "bird highways", or "spinning cyclones" I would love to hear about it! Thank you!
Date: 4/8/24 8:31 am From: Julia van der Wyk <juliavdw11...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] First of Season (for me) "Pacific slope" flycatcher
I think the name changed, and I canât remember to what. But today even amid the noisy landscaper, I heard the unmistakable âwhoowheetâ of âpacific slopeâ flycatcher.
I was lucky, it was right there in the magnolia next to my porch. It was curious about me too and I got to see it clearly without binoculars.
What a treat!
Date: 4/7/24 12:33 pm From: Phil Brown <pdpbrown...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Younger Lagoon
There were a few CANADA GEESE on Younger this bright but cool morning, and they had an early brood of 5 cygnets. A surprise was a RED-NECKED GREBE, a species I normally see on the ocean. There were BARN SWALLOWS foraging over the water, and many other usual suspects, Phil Brown
Date: 4/1/24 11:43 pm From: Kent Johnson <kentjohnson...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Panoche area
I went down to Panoche Valley today, more to look for flowers than for birds. I did not see a lot bird-wise, though Western Kingbirds and Bullockâs Orioles have arrived. Savannah Sparrows are still abundant. There are some flowers, but the bloom is a less impressive than it was last year. The first few miles of New Idria Road are perhaps the prettiest. New Idria Road is closed about 16 miles from Panoche Road, where a bridge is washed out. Along New Idria Road, the first 4 miles (about) are in okay condition; the potholes have been plugged but the road is still rough. The next 4 .5 miles (about) are in very bad condition with many big potholes. If you want to try it, be prepared to have your carâs suspension busted on a lonely road a very long way from any help. The rest of the road, up to the washout, is actually in quite good shape. The Panoche Hills Road is still closed at Little Panoche Road.
Date: 3/29/24 10:45 am From: Daniel Brumbaugh <brumba...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] Owl extermination
Hi Larry,
Hereâs my two cents (with apologies for the length). Even when it comes to such seemingly natural invasions these days, after some analysis, thereâs often very little that can be considered purely natural, which sets such situations apart from the extinction dynamics of the prehuman past.
Between climate change affecting the weather and seasons, both intensive and subtler land-use alterations across regions and continents, alteration of natural communities through historical and ongoing predator eradications, etc., there are many ways that we have changed the environment and natural communities. Though we may not yet fully understand how weâve helped Barred Owls spread eastward (and maybe we do, I just havenât looked into it), there are likely multiple ways that we have. Moreover, we already know a lot about how we have reduced and degraded old growth forests in the Northwest, which have decreased Northern Spotted Owl populations.
It seems unavoidable that where species rely on diminished and degraded ânaturalâ habitat, which has already driven them to smaller, more at risk population sizes, weâll be faced with choices about how we can manage for the persistence of as many rare species as possible, and that may involve culling populations of other species. And of course, not âchoosingâ to manage, because something that may be contributing to the extinction of a threatened species seems fairly ânatural,â is still a choice. Of course, as you allude to, some threats to rare species may just be too expensive or require too much political will, so playing triage will always remain an important part of conservation management.
In the Anthropocene, weâll be increasingly faced with these kinds of local and broader scale âgardening" decisions â whether, where, and how we should think about âweedingâ some populations to help other less robust populations that we care about. For conservation managers, it gets even trickier when itâs a specially protected species putting another protected species more at risk (e.g., regarding a handful of Endangered Species Act listed species: California least tern and tidewater goby, northern spotted owls and marbled murrelets, Steller sea lion and listed salmonids, southern sea otter and black abalone, wolves and grizzly bears, etc.).
Best,
Dan Brumbaugh
> On Mar 29, 2024, at 9:21 AM, larry corridon <larry961357...> wrote:
>
> A friend sent this to me. Iâd heard rumors but this seems closer to happening now:
>
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/plan-shoot-thousands-west-coast-212012510.htmlïżŒ
> The federal government plans to kill half a million West Coast owls
> yahoo.com
>
> This was my reply to him:
>
> "Wow. That seems etremely drastic to me. If this a naturally occurring phenomenon, unaffected by human intrusions, I donât think we should meddle. Weâve done more than enough damage in so many ways, often with âgoodâ intentions.. And countless species have gone extinct, many from competition with other wild creatures before we arrived to screw up things in nature. Thatâs the way the natural world seems to work. If itâs being caused by global worming (again, our fault), I donât see how we can stop it. Global warming is going to get worse and very possibly much worse before humans can muster the will to really deal with it. This isnât a closed ecosystem, like an island that may have an invasive species exterminated. This is a good portion of the whole Northwest."
>
> Any opinions anyone? Iâd be interested in hearing what others think.
>
> larry corridon
> <larry961357...>
"Wow. That seems etremely drastic to me. If this a naturally occurring phenomenon, unaffected by human intrusions, I donât think we should meddle. Weâve done more than enough damage in so many ways, often with âgoodâ intentions.. And countless species have gone extinct, many from competition with other wild creatures before we arrived to screw up things in nature. Thatâs the way the natural world seems to work. If itâs being caused by global worming (again, our fault), I donât see how we can stop it. Global warming is going to get worse and very possibly much worse before humans can muster the will to really deal with it. This isnât a closed ecosystem, like an island that may have an invasive species exterminated. This is a good portion of the whole Northwest."
Any opinions anyone? Iâd be interested in hearing what others think.
Date: 3/27/24 12:08 pm From: Pete Sole <pete...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Up close and personal ...
Hi birders,
After a few very intense months, I decided to take the day off and just
enjoy birds.
Here in our home in Soquel, the hoards (a very precise scientific
number) of PINE SISKINs, have been devouring the seed in our feeders.
One individual, posed up close for a personal mugshot. Best enjoyed on a
big screen:
Date: 3/27/24 8:55 am From: larry corridon <larry961357...> Subject: Re: [MBBIRDS] first of season hooded o looking for nesting sites vs continued red shoulder hawk nesting site
I heard my FOS Wilsonâs Warbler at Nicene Marks yesterday. I didnât see the bird but the song was unmistakable and Merlin confirmed it. Thanks to Lois Goldfrank for teaching me the mnemnonic she uses for WIWA when I first started birding after moving to the area-the sound and pattern of an intermittent water sprinkler. It was perfect for remembering that beautiful little birdâs song.
Larry
> On Mar 26, 2024, at 22:26, 'Kraig C' via mbbirds <mbbirds...> wrote:
>
> This morning I heard the chattering of a female hooded o near and around their regular palm tree nesting spots that they have used for a few years in a row.. the same palm tree is currently occupied by a RSH. returning RSH "Red Shoulder Hawk: nesting spot most likely female red shoulder hawk. I've read in discriptions that the RSH is a solo for it's nesting spot.. and so far what I've seen is true to that. one RSH in this one palm tree since about 3 months going.. it continues to call from the nest site in the morning and fly's out to other tree's to grab branches and place them in the nest.. sometimes it tries to hide it's nesting spot from onlooking crows and other birds by flying into a near by palm then waits to return to it's nesting spot.. then it fly's away to presumably go hunting.... this is an interesting ordeal.. the migratory hooded o's looking for their old nesting palm tree's vs the occupied palm tree RSH nest... I'm going to keep an eye and ear out for the red shoulder hawk's nest for babie birds calling for the parrent bird when it gets close to or on the nest.... for now it's the same thing every morning the red shoulder hawk calling loud from the nest. it grabs branches from near by tree's and takes them back to the nest.. then it fly's away.. then I go about my way and don't notice if it returns or not.. till the next morning it's right back on the nest calling out in the morning.. repeete recycle etc..
>
> the Hooded O's are still audible whistling and chattering near and around the same palms in the afternoon but they don't stay most likely due to the RSH nest...
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "mbbirds" group.
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Date: 3/26/24 10:27 pm From: 'Kraig C' via mbbirds <mbbirds...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] first of season hooded o looking for nesting sites vs continued red shoulder hawk nesting site
This morning I heard the chattering of a female hooded o near and around their regular palm tree nesting spots that they have used for a few years in a row.. the same palm tree is currently occupied by a RSH. returning RSH "Red Shoulder Hawk: nesting spot most likely female red shoulder hawk. I've read in discriptions that the RSH is a solo for it's nesting spot.. and so far what I've seen is true to that. one RSH in this one palm tree since about 3 months going.. it continues to call from the nest site in the morning and fly's out to other tree's to grab branches and place them in the nest.. sometimes it tries to hide it's nesting spot from onlooking crows and other birds by flying into a near by palm then waits to return to it's nesting spot.. then it fly's away to presumably go hunting.... this is an interesting ordeal.. the migratory hooded o's looking for their old nesting palm tree's vs the occupied palm tree RSH nest... I'm going to keep an eye and ear out for the red shoulder hawk's nest for babie birds calling for the parrent bird when it gets close to or on the nest.... for now it's the same thing every morning the red shoulder hawk calling loud from the nest. it grabs branches from near by tree's and takes them back to the nest.. then it fly's away.. then I go about my way and don't notice if it returns or not.. till the next morning it's right back on the nest calling out in the morning.. repeete recycle etc..Â
the Hooded O's are still audible whistling and chattering near and around the same palms in the afternoon but they don't stay most likely due to the RSH nest...
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