Date: 8/21/19 4:50 pm From: Ronald- Thorn via Groups.Io <Tronthorn=<aol.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Common Tern and other sightings
During a low tide in the morning, there was a one-year old COMMON TERN with ( 7 ) Forster'sTerns and ( 110 ) Elegant Terns on the mud flats of San Francisco Bay at Coyote Point. July andAugust is when these one-year old Common Terns show up on the bay, and there have beenother recent sightings on the bay outside of San Mateo County. August 14, I did a seawatch from Moss Beach. There were ( 27,000 ) Sooty Shearwaters flyingnorth. ( 3 ) Pink-footed Shearwaters were tagging along. The NORTHERN GANNET was flyingsouth towards Princeton Harbor. The next day, the Northern Gannet was back at SoutheastFarallon Island. Elegant Terns headed south were followed by ( 9 ) Parasitic Jaegers.( 1 ) Pomarine Jaeger was noted. ( 55 ) Pigeon Guillemots were northbound. Only ( 1 )juvenile Pigeon Guillemot was among adults. August 17, the pond at the Cypress Lawn Cemetery, there was a two-year old MEW GULL. It would be on the early side for a fall arrival. Dominik sent me photos of the two-year oldMew Gull just over the county line at Lake Merced in San Francisco, and appears to bethe same one at Cypress Lawn Cemetery. It may be moving back and forth, as on July 14,I noted a two-year old Mew Gull flying away from the pond. Another unexpected Common Merganser was noted near Marlin Street in Redwood Shores.This second individual was a male in alternate( eclipse ) plumage and was noted August 4-11. There have not been much in the way of migrants along the bay shoreline in the last severaldays. Species noted were Yellow warblers, Black-headed grosbeak and Lark Sparrow. Ron Thorn
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This morning, Dominik Mosur and I birded Rancho Corral de Tierra, accessed from the Ranch Rd. entrance, and unexpectedly came across the continuing Gray Catbird Kent initially found a couple weeks ago, hanging out in the shrubbery right at the beginning of the Spine Ridge Trail near the pond. It gave several intermittent "mew"calls which clued us to its presence and it eventually popped out from a coffeeberry.
Heading back home, we swung by the Baquiano Trailhead at the end of Fassler Rd. in Pacifica and to our surprise 3 female-type Purple Martins were circling and calling just overhead.
Good birding,
Cédric Duhalde
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Date: 8/18/19 1:14 pm From: maliadances via Groups.Io <maliadances=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Cumulative yearlist for July 2019 - San Mateo County
Greetings San Mateo County Birders!
During July, 2 new birds were added. As you read through the list of birds below, please note, the number in parenthesis next to the bird name, is the rarity code assigned for San Mateo County. The definitions for the rarity codes can be found below the current month's list at the link below. From the link, you can also *download a checklist* which shows seasonality, frequency, and breeding status information. A full list of the birds observed so far in 2019 plus all monthly reports going back to 2009 can be found here: http://www.sequoia-audubon.org/SMCbirds.php ( http://www.sequoia-audubon.org/SMCbirds.php )
July birds are as follows. A juvenile BAIRD’S SANDPIPER (5) was found by Ron Thorn and Leonie Batkin at the salt ponds along the frontage road by the north side of the Dumbarton Bridge. During a pelagic trip to the Farallon Islands with Alvaro’s Adventures, a new for the year FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL (4) was observed.
What’s ahead? Shorebirds have been arriving. Fall migration will be upon us before you know it bringing with it migrating warblers, shorebirds, sparrows, raptors and more.
What will Fall 2019 bring? And how does one stay on top of recent reports of bird sightings?
One way is to subscribe to Peninsula Birding, a Groups.io group dedicated to the reporting of birds and bird issues in our county. Here is a snippet from the Group Description: “Peninsula Birding is a list for discussions about birdwatching and wild birds in San Mateo County, California, USA. Fast-breaking news of rare birds, population trends, where-can-I-find questions, etc. are all welcome. "What-I-saw-today" reports are also welcome, as long as they are in some way unusual.” To join this group, click on this link: https://groups.io/g/peninsula-birding
Another way to keep in touch is to use eBird. One can create an eBird account by going to this link https://ebird.org/home By using eBird, there are a multitude of ways to access recent reports of birds or of birds reported over time. You can sign up for hourly or daily Rare Bird Alerts for San Mateo County, or any other county or area in the world for that matter! One can view photos or hear audio of birds that have been posted by birders. A neat feature is the ability to print checklists for local hotspots you plan to visit. eBird can be a great learning tool which can help anyone hone their birding skills. Also, contributing reports to eBird helps us all to understand the status, distribution, patterns, changes and trends of the birds around us. I could go on and on about the benefits of having an account with eBird!
Time to get out there and bird. Bird from a bench, bird on foot, scooter or skateboard. Bird by bike, horse, car, or boat. Whether it is your backyard, your favorite patch, or further afield, now is the time!
Pelagic season is happening NOW with boats going out of Half Moon Bay in August, September and October! Want to get out and do some sea-birding? If so contact Alvaro Jaramillo at *<alvaro...>* ( <alvaro...> ) *; 650-504-7779* A full list of Alvaro’s pelagic trips this season can be found here: http://alvarosadventures.com/boat-trips/pelagics/
I put this report together monthly as a volunteer for Sequoia Audubon Society (SAS). San Mateo is a diverse and bird rich county and SAS hopes to inspire you to get out there and explore. Want to know where to bird in San Mateo County? Check out SAS’s online San Mateo County Birding Guide http://birding.sequoia-audubon.org/. Want to join a field trip? All field trips are free and welcome birders of all skill levels. For a schedule of upcoming field trips offered by SAS look here http://www.sequoia-audubon.org/fieldtrips.html. Want to become a member of Sequoia Audubon Society? Join here http://www.sequoia-audubon.org/membership.html
Please post all your bird sightings to <peninsula-birding...> and/or www.eBird.org ( http://www.ebird.org/ ).
When posting to *Pen-bird* , please include the date of your sighting in either the subject line or in the body of your email. When submitting records to *eBird* , if prompted for details for a rare or unusual bird, please add details which describe the bird using a physical description and field marks that helped you confirm the ID. And thank you eBird users for uploading your photos and audio to your checklists. Keep up the Good Work! If you find a bird of note and don’t use eBird or Pen-bird, you can always email me directly. Thank you!
<maliadances...>
Malia DeFelice
Chris Hayward
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Date: 8/18/19 12:29 pm From: Alvaro Jaramillo <chucao...> Subject: [pen-bird] Pelagic season gets more interesting! Aug 17 report - Half Moon Bay.
Penbirds and Cal Birders
Yesterday was a great day at sea, with tons to look at and many arriving pelagic species for Northern California. A wonderfully close Laysan Albatross was a highlight, the bird was banded presumably from Guadalupe Island, Mexico and we will follow up on that. Lots and lots of Black-footed Albatrosses were offshore! We found the first Buller's Shearwaters and Black Storm-Petrels of the season for Northern California. Overall shearwater numbers were high, and constant. This was a pelagic with no dead zones. Three species of storm petrels, including Ashy and Fork-tailed, the Ashy were not clumped but were seen throughout the day including some as close as 7 miles from shore. We think that very soon we will find the big flocks sitting in the Pioneer Canyon. All three jaegers were found, although just ones and twos, and the first South Polar Skua up at this latitude for the year was fantastic to see. Sabine's Gulls were in evidence, all adults. Quite amazing were the numbers of Arctic Terns out there, at one point we counted 70 in one spot! They were found over three hours of the trip, and were amongst the highest numbers of Arctic Terns we have ever seen out here, perhaps our record! The terns were actively foraging, not just passing through and were mainly adults. Alcids were superb, with the expected Pigeon Guillemot, Common Murre, Cassin's Auklet and Rhinoceros Auklet. A Scripps's Murrelet was our second of the year, and Marbled Murrelets continue nearshore, now looking more wintery in their plumage.
There were lots of Pacific White-sided Dolphins offshore, along with a good number of the sleek and fancy looking Northern Right Whale Dolphin. Many Humpback Whales, although no active foraging. Non-bird highlight was the second Leatherback Sea Turtle of the season. However, it was only seen from the wheelhouse, and it dove and did not come back up unfortunately. There are countless groups of baby Mola mola (Ocean Sunfish) out there this year, much more so than usual.
The water continues to warm up offshore, and even inshore water is consistently above 58 F, which is on the warm side of us here. Albacore water appears to be just out of reach right now from a typical pelagic, but that water may come closer to shore as the season progresses. The arrival of Black Storm-Petrels, are a sign of a warm water year, they are not always present at this latitude. Hopefully this means that Craveri's Murrelets will be around this year. We had a stiff breeze from the south for the first hour of the trip, and later wind died to almost nothing for much of the trip, with large but rounded swells making for a pleasant trip weather wise. Spotters concluded that this was our best trip out yet this season, and a really great day out on any year! From the many smiling faces at the dock, it seemed that folks agreed. Our entire trip was in San Mateo county.
We are returning to these waters next Saturday, there are spots left on that trip:
Date: 8/18/19 10:07 am From: Alvaro Jaramillo <chucao...> Subject: [pen-bird] Swainson's Hawk - Half Moon Bay
Hi all,
Just saw a Swainson's Hawk fly over my car on Poplar Street inland from hwy 1. I stopped to check it out and confirm. It may be an intermediate morph juvenile. The bird was going south, over the neighborhood, likely to the area near the Johnson House or Wavecrest? At least if it hangs around that is where I would look.
Hi All, A juvenile Pacific Golden-plover was the highlight of an early morning visit to the Marsh this morning 8/16/2019. There were also eight Red-necked Phalaropes, and a cruising Osprey. My ebird checklist with plover photos is here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59036927 .
Good birding to all - Garth Harwood, Pescadero
-- *Garth Harwood *Director of Education, The Trust for Hidden Villa 26870 Moody Rd., Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 *(650) 949-8643*
<gharwood...>
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Date: 8/15/19 10:59 pm From: Jennifer Rycenga <gyrrlfalcon...> Subject: [pen-bird] Red-breasted Nuthatches at El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve
On Tuesday and today, Thursday, there were at least two, and maybe three RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. On Tuesday they were heard along the Tafoni Trail from the entrance near Skeggs. Today I heard them near the Sierra Morena Trail at the Methuselah Tree parking (about 1/3 mile south of Skeggs). Given that this species has been a bit scarce in the county this year, thought I’d give this heads-up.
We started the day birding in Montara. In a willow stand there, we observed a Warbling Vireo, somewhat unusual for the immediate coast and time of year. Also there was a juvenile Orange-crowned Warbler.
A Great Horned Owl was interesting to see on the hillside in a low willow at the Pillar Point Bluffs. (2) Purple Martin’s were seen flying over the El Granada Mobile Home park as we headed back to the car. Possibly the same birds seen and reported by Kent Forward.
There was an increase in shorebird numbers at Pilarcitos Creek. We counted over (20) Least Sandpipers, with a few Western Sandpipers. The (2) juvenile Short-billed Dowitchers were still present as were (7) Red-necked Phalaropes.
Walking south along the bluff on the Coastal Trail we counted (5) Yellow Warblers and (6) Orange-crowned Warblers near Francis Beach State Park.
The (4) Hooded Orioles that have been visiting our yard, almost daily, for the last month seem to have moved on.
Malia DeFelice and Chris Hayward
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Date: 8/15/19 7:25 pm From: Kent Forward via Groups.Io <kforward=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Purple Martins, Red-necked Phalaropes at Pillar Pt Pond 8/15/2019
Good Evening Birders,
Took a quick loop walk around Pillar Pt Pond / Marsh area late this afternoon, amazing weather on the coast for this time of year (sunny, no fog, little to no wind, 70 something degrees!) Just west of the pond there was an adult male and a female/immature PURPLE MARTIN being harassed by a contingent of Barn Swallows that drove them off in fairly short order. It was interesting to hear them make their "zweet" calls which is what first drew my attention to the skies to look for them. Also, several RED-NECKED PHALAROPE continue on the pond. This evening there were 2, on August 7th I noted 16 on the pond, so they seem to be enjoying this particular location at the moment. A fly by PEREGRINE FALCON capped off a nice outing.
Bountiful Birding,Kent ForwardEl Granada
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Date: 8/14/19 6:24 pm From: Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> Subject: [pen-bird] Yellow Warbler Half Moon Bay WTP 8-14-19
Hi All,
With the fantastic weather on the coast this afternoon, I did some local bike birding. I checked in at the Half Moon Bay Water Treatment Plant , there are some large areas of Fennel still left, the goats are all on the north side of Bev Cuhna Road at the moment. It was pretty quiet but there was one Yellow Warbler in the big Fennel patch at the south / east end of the road, the first of fall for me on the coast.
At the beach near Pilarcitos Creek Mouth there were vast numbers of Gulls, Terns and Pelicans both on the beach and foraging just offshore. The Baird's Sandpiper I reported last week has not been with the other peeps for a few days so has probably moved on. I did note one Parasitic Jaeger chasing an Elegant Tern quite close in, also the first I have seen from shore here this fall / late summer.
Chris Hayward
Half Moon Bay
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Date: 8/13/19 3:44 pm From: Dave Weber <dwbirdster...> Subject: [pen-bird] A Whole Mess 'o Marbled Murrelets Aug 13
After an uneventful day from Natural Bridges to Pigeon Pt, I fortunately decided to stop at the old entrance to Ano Nuevo SP. I walked down to the beach and saw at least 17 Marbled Murrelets just offshore. All were in their brownish breeding plumage, some acquiring the white scapular stripe. Pigeon Pt did have a Wandering Tattler and a family of five Black Oystercatchers.Dave Weber, MilpitasBy phone
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Date: 8/12/19 9:35 pm From: Alvaro Jaramillo <chucao...> Subject: [pen-bird] Birds building offshore - good forecast for Sept 17 pelagic
Hello all,
The season for pelagics is gearing up. We have already seen evidence of storm-petrel concentrations building, and have found three species of storm-petrel (Ashy, Wilson's, and Fork-tailed). We expect that the jaeger and Sabine's Gull migration will be ratcheting up by next weekend. We are so pleased to have already found Scripps's Murrelet at our latitude (they come in from the south), as well as the regular alcids, shearwaters and Black-footed Albatross of course. The seabird season really spices up during mid-August, so we are excited that already we have seen a bunch of good stuff out there and fantastic whale shows. Perhaps one of the best Humpback Whale foraging spectacles I have ever seen in fact happened last weekend. Leatherback Sea Turtle was also a surprise, a superb surprise, and we hope that the high density of Marbled Murrelets close to shore continues. We are starting out strong, and wanted to let you know that we have a trip coming up this Saturday (17th) and also that the current forecast looks quite good. We leave from Pillar Point Harbor (Half Moon Bay), and expect to visit San Francisco and San Mateo waters. Water temperatures offshore are warming quickly, with lots of warm out there and hints that it is coming closer to shore at this point. That always makes for an interesting trip!
Please let me know if you want more information. Or you can book directly using credit card or PayPal on our website:
Date: 8/12/19 2:11 pm From: SequoiaAudubon Society via Groups.Io <sequoia_audubon_society=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] SAS: Burleigh Murray Ranch SP; Sun 8/18; 8:00am - 12:00pm
Burleigh Murray Ranch State Park / Half Moon Bay
Sunday, August 18, 8:00am – 12:00pm
Join us for a leisurely 3-4 hour walk in this bird-rich gem on our coast. The trail is a one-mile former ranch road leading to a historic barn. Plan layers for cool temps, morning fog and sunshine. Heavy rain cancels. Directions: We will meet at the lower parking lot to the Johnston House, located on Higgins-Purisima Road in Half Moon Bay. Higgins-Purisima Road begins just off of SR1, going east where Main Street ends. The Johnston House is the big white 1850s farmhouse on the hill. We will caravan to Burleigh Murray, which is 1 ½ miles up Higgins-Purisima Road from here. Leader: Ginny Marshall Contact: <ginnybirder...>
View this event on Facebook at: Burleigh Murray Ranch State Park
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Burleigh Murray Ranch State Park
Event in Redwood City, CA by Sequoia Audubon Society on Sunday, August 18 2019
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www.facebook.com/SequoiaAudubon
Date: 8/12/19 9:40 am From: SequoiaAudubon Society via Groups.Io <sequoia_audubon_society=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] SAS: Pillar Point Harbor; Sat 8/17; 8:00am - 11:00am
Pillar Point Harbor
Saturday, August 17, 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Pillar Point is a hot spot for birding year-round. We should find a variety of resident birds and hopefully, some migrating shorebirds. Most of the walking will be on fairly level dirt trails, but if time permits, we may hike up onto the bluff top for a better view out to sea. Scopes will be useful here, so if you have one, bring it along. A primitive restroom is available at the parking lot. Directions: The harbor is located just west of Coast Highway One, 18 miles south of San Francisco and 4 miles north of Half Moon Bay. From Coast Highway One, turn west at the stoplight at Capistrano Road and continue along the north side of the harbor to Prospect Way. Turn left onto Prospect, then a brief jog right on Broadway, to an immediate left on Harvard Avenue. Proceed through the boat yards to the end of Harvard Avenue, then turn right onto West Point Avenue, which curves around a marshy area and heads uphill to an Air Force Radar Facility. Meet at the "West Shoreline Access", popularly known as the parking lot to Mavericks, just below the radar station. Leader: Donna Pomeroy. Contact: <dpom...>
View this field trip on Facebook: Pillar Point Harbor
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Pillar Point Harbor
Event by Sequoia Audubon Society on Saturday, August 17 2019
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Date: 8/11/19 1:43 pm From: Ronald- Thorn via Groups.Io <Tronthorn=<aol.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Miscellaneous sightings the last several days
Below are some miscellaneous sightings Leonie and I had the last several days. An adult Bald Eagle pasted over the Highway 92 causeway at the Crystal Springs Reservoirson the early morning of August 8. On the coastside, I was able to get out for a seawatch on August 8, a day without the persistentlow fog. There was not much activity on the ocean. ( 2,700 ) Sooty Shearwaters were northbound.The first Parasitic Jaegers I have noted this season were ( 2 ) adults. Expected at this time ofyear are the northbound Pigeon Guillemots dispersing from their breeding grounds. ( 102 ) PigeonGuillemots past Pigeon Point. Only ( 2 ) juveniles were among the adult Pigeon Guillemots. ( 3 ) juvenile Rhinoceros Auklets together sitting on the water most likely had dispersed fromthe nearby breeding colony at Ano Nuevo Island. Sightings from the bayside. The first arrival for the season was a male Green-winged Teal at Coyote Point on August 6.Earliest arrival date for Green-winged Teal is August 3. ( 3 ) Male Northern Shovelers at RedwoodShores on August 8. Earliest arrival date for Northern Shoveler is July 28. Not a early arrivalat Redwood Shores, was a very worn over-summering female Canvasback at the pond behindthe Nob Hill Market on August 8. First arrivals I have noted for shorebirds on the bayside. Adult Spotted Sandpipers August 4.Juvenile Marbled Godwits on August 6. The earliest arrival date for a juvenile Marbled Godwitis August 1. Juvenile Least Sandpiper on August 3. The earliest arrival date for a juvenile LeastSandpiper is July 27. Juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher on August 10. The earliest arrival datefor a juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher is July 23. On August 8, ( 2 ) adults and ( 3 ) juvenileWilson's Phalaropes flew into the pond behind the Nob Hill Market, and mixed in with agroup of Greater Yellowlegs during high tide. August 3, I confirmed breeding of Nuttall's Woodpecker in Colma near the San FranciscoCounty line. The breeding range of Nuttall's Woodpecker has extended north up the peninsulaover the last (15-20 ) years. August 8, a Rufous Hummingbird was in the town of Pescadero. There have been some migrants moving along the bayside, and these have been Pacific-slopeFlycatchers, Orange-crowned Warblers and Bullock's Orioles. Ron Thorn and Leonie Batkin
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What plants were providing this resource before fennel invasion? probably hard to determine but worth thinking about.
Jan Leonard
On Sun, Aug 11, 2019 at 6:13 AM Barbara Kossy <bkossy...> wrote:
> Fennel is a perennial plant and is considered an invasive problem plant in > California. It does have habitat value, obviously. It would be kind of cool > to see if some sort of management plan is possible that address both the > pluses and minuses of a large stand of fennel. How do we balance the lack > of biodiversity in the fennel, (and it's ability to spread) vs the habitat > it offers some bird species and some butterflies? > With the advent of climate change, and limited resources and even limited > knowledge, it would be really interesting to think about, and even test how > to best manage this land for the long haul. > We might ask: how many bird species and insect species benefit from the > fennel? How many and which species of everything else have lost habitat? It > would be a cool area to study and it is on public land. > Barbara Kossy > > > > > > > > On Fri, Aug 9, 2019 at 7:52 PM Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> > wrote: > >> Hi All, >> Want to say a big thank you to Gary Deghi for all his efforts today in at >> least hashing out a compromise plan to save some of the existing habitat >> for this falls migration and also for the many wintering birds that use >> this location. Hopefully a long term plan can be worked out to at least >> save some of the fantastic habitat at what really is a gem of a birding >> location. >> Thanks again Gary! >> >> Chris Hayward >> Half Moon Bay >> >> > >
-- Janet L. Leonard
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Date: 8/11/19 6:13 am From: Barbara Kossy <bkossy...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Goats Half Moon Bay WTP 8/9/19
Fennel is a perennial plant and is considered an invasive problem plant in California. It does have habitat value, obviously. It would be kind of cool to see if some sort of management plan is possible that address both the pluses and minuses of a large stand of fennel. How do we balance the lack of biodiversity in the fennel, (and it's ability to spread) vs the habitat it offers some bird species and some butterflies? With the advent of climate change, and limited resources and even limited knowledge, it would be really interesting to think about, and even test how to best manage this land for the long haul. We might ask: how many bird species and insect species benefit from the fennel? How many and which species of everything else have lost habitat? It would be a cool area to study and it is on public land. Barbara Kossy
On Fri, Aug 9, 2019 at 7:52 PM Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> wrote:
> Hi All, > Want to say a big thank you to Gary Deghi for all his efforts today in at > least hashing out a compromise plan to save some of the existing habitat > for this falls migration and also for the many wintering birds that use > this location. Hopefully a long term plan can be worked out to at least > save some of the fantastic habitat at what really is a gem of a birding > location. > Thanks again Gary! > > Chris Hayward > Half Moon Bay > > >
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They are regular here in riparian areas, and some lucky folks get them in the backyard during migration. However, on a related note, you live in one awesome area for backyard birds. All sorts of migrant birds have shown up at the marine reserve over the years, and basically you can consider that “anything is possible” in your neck of the woods. If you see any other oddities, even species that seemingly should not be here based on the map in the book, let us know. It may just be another unusual bird that shows up in Moss Beach, and others may be interested in seeing it as well.
From: <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> On Behalf Of Kris via Groups.Io
Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2019 8:04 PM
To: <peninsula-birding...>
Cc: <peninsula-birding...>
Subject: [pen-bird] Black-headed Grosbeak in Moss Beach
Hi all,
I'm a very beginning birder, please forgive the pedestrian post. I just spotted a Black-headed Grosbeak. Are they common? This is the first time I've seen one in my yard. :-)
Across the street from the bridge at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.
Happy birding!
Kris
P.S. I'm also a lousy photographer (through the bathroom window)...
Date: 8/10/19 8:38 pm From: Kris via Groups.Io <grlbordr=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Black-headed Grosbeak in Moss Beach
Hi all,
I'm a very beginning birder, please forgive the pedestrian post. I just spotted a Black-headed Grosbeak. Are they common? This is the first time I've seen one in my yard. :-)
Across the street from the bridge at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.
Happy birding!Kris
P.S. I'm also a lousy photographer (through the bathroom window)...
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Date: 8/10/19 11:35 am From: Kent Forward via Groups.Io <kforward=<yahoo.com...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Goats / Fennel Removal Half Moon Bay WTP 8/8/2019
A big thanks to Gary for doing this important work for the birds and to Chris for sounding the alarm in time! Quite remarkable how quickly this compromise unfolded as well with all the stakeholders involved, in time to protect this upcoming migration (a lot of warblers will thank you both too soon as they fuel up along their journey southwards ;-).
Well done!
Kent ForwardEl Granada
On Friday, August 9, 2019, 06:52:20 PM PDT, Gary Deghi <gdeghi...> wrote:
Update regarding the goat grazing situation along Bev Cunha Country Road in Half Moon Bay: I was wearing two hats in a meeting involving the City today, one as the City’s environmental consultant and the other as a spokesperson of sorts for the local birding community. I met in the field this morning with representatives of the City, other City consultants, and representatives from the Half Moon Bay Fire Protection District. We worked out a compromise that gets the Fire District the fuel reduction that they need to protect life and property and that also protects portions of the fennel patch that provides well-documented important habitat for migrating songbirds. Note that the area south of Bev Cunha Road is owned by the City and the area north of Bev Cunha is owned by the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM). One might think that the logical place for grazing on the SAM property would be adjacent to the residential neighborhood to the north, but that area contains the Kehoe Ditch riparian area and associated buffer zone, an area in which grazing is not allowed under the Coastal Development Permit (CDP). The area scheduled for grazing between Bev Cunha Road and this protected riparian area will be grazed next week to provide the fuel reduction and fire break along Bev Cunha Road required by the Fire District. On the City property, the City has agreed to graze only the area where the goats are currently grazing, and not graze their property to the west of there, which arguably contains the most important fennel habitat, even though their CDP allows them to do so. Instead, they will take a long-term view and conduct fuel reduction in this area only after preparation of a vegetation management plan to be prepared over the winter. The goats will be moved on Monday to the north side of the road. On the south side of the road the Fire District does require removal of grass vegetation along the road shoulder, so some vegetation within several feet of the road (not fennel or coyote brush) would need to be removed. Overall, this is not a perfect situation, but it provides the fire protection the District requires and provides some habitat protection desired by the environmental community. Everyone should note that the City was very responsive and willing to modify their plans in an effort to protect important habitats.
Gary Deghi
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Date: 8/9/19 8:31 pm From: Chris M. <chrismac...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Goats / Fennel Removal Half Moon Bay WTP 8/8/2019
Thank you, Gary and Chris. We -- and especially the birds -- are fortunate
in having you to help. I think this little brouhaha highlights the
importance of all of us keeping an eye on what is going on -- in the field,
and in committee meetings -- and letting Sequoia Audubon know if something
seems not right.
Chris MacIntosh
On Fri, Aug 9, 2019 at 7:23 PM cossypha <leonard.janetl...> wrote:
> Thanks so much for your efforts, Gary.
>
> Jan Leonard
>
> On Fri, Aug 9, 2019 at 6:57 PM Leslie Flint <lflint...> wrote:
>
>> Kudos, Gary. Thank you.
>>
>> Leslie
>>
>>
>> On Aug 9, 2019, at 6:52 PM, Gary Deghi <gdeghi...> wrote:
>>
>> Update regarding the goat grazing situation along Bev Cunha Country Road
>> in Half Moon Bay: I was wearing two hats in a meeting involving the City
>> today, one as the City’s environmental consultant and the other as a
>> spokesperson of sorts for the local birding community. I met in the field
>> this morning with representatives of the City, other City consultants, and
>> representatives from the Half Moon Bay Fire Protection District. We worked
>> out a compromise that gets the Fire District the fuel reduction that they
>> need to protect life and property and that also protects portions of the
>> fennel patch that provides well-documented important habitat for migrating
>> songbirds. Note that the area south of Bev Cunha Road is owned by the City
>> and the area north of Bev Cunha is owned by the Sewer Authority
>> Mid-Coastside (SAM). One might think that the logical place for grazing on
>> the SAM property would be adjacent to the residential neighborhood to the
>> north, but that area contains the Kehoe Ditch riparian area and associated
>> buffer zone, an area in which grazing is not allowed under the Coastal
>> Development Permit (CDP). The area scheduled for grazing between Bev Cunha
>> Road and this protected riparian area will be grazed next week to provide
>> the fuel reduction and fire break along Bev Cunha Road required by the Fire
>> District. On the City property, the City has agreed to graze only the area
>> where the goats are currently grazing, and not graze their property to the
>> west of there, which arguably contains the most important fennel habitat,
>> even though their CDP allows them to do so. Instead, they will take a
>> long-term view and conduct fuel reduction in this area only after
>> preparation of a vegetation management plan to be prepared over the winter.
>> The goats will be moved on Monday to the north side of the road. On the
>> south side of the road the Fire District does require removal of grass
>> vegetation along the road shoulder, so some vegetation within several feet
>> of the road (not fennel or coyote brush) would need to be removed. Overall,
>> this is not a perfect situation, but it provides the fire protection the
>> District requires and provides some habitat protection desired by the
>> environmental community. Everyone should note that the City was very
>> responsive and willing to modify their plans in an effort to protect
>> important habitats.
>>
>>
>>
>> Gary Deghi
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
> Janet L. Leonard
>
>
>
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Date: 8/9/19 7:52 pm From: Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> Subject: [pen-bird] Goats Half Moon Bay WTP 8/9/19
Hi All,
Want to say a big thank you to Gary Deghi for all his efforts today in at least hashing out a compromise plan to save some of the existing habitat for this falls migration and also for the many wintering birds that use this location. Hopefully a long term plan can be worked out to at least save some of the fantastic habitat at what really is a gem of a birding location.
Thanks again Gary!
Chris Hayward
Half Moon Bay
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On Fri, Aug 9, 2019 at 6:57 PM Leslie Flint <lflint...> wrote:
> Kudos, Gary. Thank you.
>
> Leslie
>
>
> On Aug 9, 2019, at 6:52 PM, Gary Deghi <gdeghi...> wrote:
>
> Update regarding the goat grazing situation along Bev Cunha Country Road
> in Half Moon Bay: I was wearing two hats in a meeting involving the City
> today, one as the City’s environmental consultant and the other as a
> spokesperson of sorts for the local birding community. I met in the field
> this morning with representatives of the City, other City consultants, and
> representatives from the Half Moon Bay Fire Protection District. We worked
> out a compromise that gets the Fire District the fuel reduction that they
> need to protect life and property and that also protects portions of the
> fennel patch that provides well-documented important habitat for migrating
> songbirds. Note that the area south of Bev Cunha Road is owned by the City
> and the area north of Bev Cunha is owned by the Sewer Authority
> Mid-Coastside (SAM). One might think that the logical place for grazing on
> the SAM property would be adjacent to the residential neighborhood to the
> north, but that area contains the Kehoe Ditch riparian area and associated
> buffer zone, an area in which grazing is not allowed under the Coastal
> Development Permit (CDP). The area scheduled for grazing between Bev Cunha
> Road and this protected riparian area will be grazed next week to provide
> the fuel reduction and fire break along Bev Cunha Road required by the Fire
> District. On the City property, the City has agreed to graze only the area
> where the goats are currently grazing, and not graze their property to the
> west of there, which arguably contains the most important fennel habitat,
> even though their CDP allows them to do so. Instead, they will take a
> long-term view and conduct fuel reduction in this area only after
> preparation of a vegetation management plan to be prepared over the winter.
> The goats will be moved on Monday to the north side of the road. On the
> south side of the road the Fire District does require removal of grass
> vegetation along the road shoulder, so some vegetation within several feet
> of the road (not fennel or coyote brush) would need to be removed. Overall,
> this is not a perfect situation, but it provides the fire protection the
> District requires and provides some habitat protection desired by the
> environmental community. Everyone should note that the City was very
> responsive and willing to modify their plans in an effort to protect
> important habitats.
>
>
>
> Gary Deghi
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
Janet L. Leonard
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Leslie
> On Aug 9, 2019, at 6:52 PM, Gary Deghi <gdeghi...> wrote:
>
> Update regarding the goat grazing situation along Bev Cunha Country Road in Half Moon Bay: I was wearing two hats in a meeting involving the City today, one as the City’s environmental consultant and the other as a spokesperson of sorts for the local birding community. I met in the field this morning with representatives of the City, other City consultants, and representatives from the Half Moon Bay Fire Protection District. We worked out a compromise that gets the Fire District the fuel reduction that they need to protect life and property and that also protects portions of the fennel patch that provides well-documented important habitat for migrating songbirds. Note that the area south of Bev Cunha Road is owned by the City and the area north of Bev Cunha is owned by the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM). One might think that the logical place for grazing on the SAM property would be adjacent to the residential neighborhood to the north, but that area contains the Kehoe Ditch riparian area and associated buffer zone, an area in which grazing is not allowed under the Coastal Development Permit (CDP). The area scheduled for grazing between Bev Cunha Road and this protected riparian area will be grazed next week to provide the fuel reduction and fire break along Bev Cunha Road required by the Fire District. On the City property, the City has agreed to graze only the area where the goats are currently grazing, and not graze their property to the west of there, which arguably contains the most important fennel habitat, even though their CDP allows them to do so. Instead, they will take a long-term view and conduct fuel reduction in this area only after preparation of a vegetation management plan to be prepared over the winter. The goats will be moved on Monday to the north side of the road. On the south side of the road the Fire District does require removal of grass vegetation along the road shoulder, so some vegetation within several feet of the road (not fennel or coyote brush) would need to be removed. Overall, this is not a perfect situation, but it provides the fire protection the District requires and provides some habitat protection desired by the environmental community. Everyone should note that the City was very responsive and willing to modify their plans in an effort to protect important habitats.
>
> Gary Deghi
>
>
>
>
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Date: 8/9/19 6:52 pm From: Gary Deghi <gdeghi...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Goats / Fennel Removal Half Moon Bay WTP 8/8/2019
Update regarding the goat grazing situation along Bev Cunha Country Road in Half Moon Bay: I was wearing two hats in a meeting involving the City today, one as the City’s environmental consultant and the other as a spokesperson of sorts for the local birding community. I met in the field this morning with representatives of the City, other City consultants, and representatives from the Half Moon Bay Fire Protection District. We worked out a compromise that gets the Fire District the fuel reduction that they need to protect life and property and that also protects portions of the fennel patch that provides well-documented important habitat for migrating songbirds. Note that the area south of Bev Cunha Road is owned by the City and the area north of Bev Cunha is owned by the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM). One might think that the logical place for grazing on the SAM property would be adjacent to the residential neighborhood to the north, but that area contains the Kehoe Ditch riparian area and associated buffer zone, an area in which grazing is not allowed under the Coastal Development Permit (CDP). The area scheduled for grazing between Bev Cunha Road and this protected riparian area will be grazed next week to provide the fuel reduction and fire break along Bev Cunha Road required by the Fire District. On the City property, the City has agreed to graze only the area where the goats are currently grazing, and not graze their property to the west of there, which arguably contains the most important fennel habitat, even though their CDP allows them to do so. Instead, they will take a long-term view and conduct fuel reduction in this area only after preparation of a vegetation management plan to be prepared over the winter. The goats will be moved on Monday to the north side of the road. On the south side of the road the Fire District does require removal of grass vegetation along the road shoulder, so some vegetation within several feet of the road (not fennel or coyote brush) would need to be removed. Overall, this is not a perfect situation, but it provides the fire protection the District requires and provides some habitat protection desired by the environmental community. Everyone should note that the City was very responsive and willing to modify their plans in an effort to protect important habitats.
Gary Deghi
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Date: 8/8/19 11:21 pm From: Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> Subject: [pen-bird] Goats half Moon Bay 8/8/19
Hi All
I want to respond to a couple of emails written after I posted about the goats. Firstly in response to Leslie Flints post about looking after our own patches, Malia and I first heard about the goats possibly being used in May and we in fact did voice our concerns to certain people, and it's great to read Gary Dehgi has now become involved, however I am not sure why if the issue is fuel for fire reduction the goats are grazing on the south side of the road farthest from any houses. Surely if this is really about fire control you would clear the north side closest to any houses. Also I would not describe the area where the goats are as small.
Chris Hayward
Half Moon Bay
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Date: 8/8/19 10:50 pm From: Gary Deghi <gdeghi...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Goats / Fennel Removal Half Moon Bay WTP 8/8/2019
I have some information to convey about this issue that should calm everyone’s fears on this. In my environmental consulting work and as a long-time resident of Half Moon Bay, I actually worked with the City of Half Moon Bay on the idea of using goats for the purpose of reducing fuel for fire protection purposes in endangered species habitats that are in the vicinity of residential areas. In locations in HMB where there are California red-legged frogs and San Francisco garter snakes, grazing seemed a potentially far less intrusive and impacting means of removing vegetation than using mechanical means. Some research shows that in areas where CRLF and SFGS are present, the goats also actually improve dispersal habitat for these species and also increases populations of voles and other creatures that serve as prey for raptors. When the City told me months ago that they wanted to graze goats by the sewer plant along Bev Cunha Country Road, I informed them that this would have a significant impact on migrating songbird populations. They have recently been grazing other vacant parcels in town and I actually thought they had given up on the idea of grazing by the sewer plant. But when I saw Chris Hayward’s post tonight, I checked out the site to see that only a small area is being affected at this time. I emailed the City Planning Director and Public Works Director this evening, and they almost immediately responded and asked me to meet with their other consultants tomorrow to work out a grazing plan that restricts the grazing to only those areas necessary for removing fuel for fire protection purposes and that errs on the side of habitat protection. In other words, the City is being responsive, conservation-minded and extremely cooperative in working with the birding community to modify their plans to protect bird habitats. I thought everyone should know this before this conversation on penbirds gets out of hand.
From: <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> On Behalf Of Leslie Flint via Groups.Io
Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2019 7:16 PM
To: Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...>
Cc: <peninsula-birding...>
Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Goats / Fennel Removal Half Moon Bay WTP 8/8/2019
It's important for folks on the Coast to keep on top of what's going on in their patches and notify those of us who could possibly attend meetings on the Bayside. No one who may have seen the notice of goats clearing brush notified anyone on the Conservation Committee of Sequoia Audubon. We could have testified as to the importance of fennel to migrating species. Unfortunately County Parks has done the same at Coyote Point with no notification. It's hard to stay on top of these issues
Leslie Flint
San Mateo
On Aug 8, 2019, at 5:19 PM, Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...><mailto:<p_t_nymph...>> wrote:
Hi All,
This morning I visited the Half Moon Bay Water Treatment Plant and was VERY, VERY disappointed to see a herd of goats on the south side of Bev Cuhna's Country road eating everything in their path. I fully realize Fennel is an invasive plant and the subject of it's removal has been discussed here in the past, most notably the loss of the fennel patch in South San Francisco where Ron Thorn famously found a Dusky Warbler a few years back, which is now an office block.
This is basically my local patch especially in the fall so I feel I should mention what I have seen birding this area more than probably anyone else in recent years. It has become possibly the best area for migrant, vagrant and wintering warblers in San Mateo County. Warblers I have seen in the fennel along the road in just the last couple of years include multiple Prairie, Tennessee, Blackpoll, Blackburnian, Palm, Nashville. Last year in the fall I actually had to estimate the number of Yellow Warblers I was seeing ,one day there were over 50, all in the Fennel. So obviously an important stop over area for Yellow Warblers in particular, which I see feeding for weeks focusing on Fennel and nothing else before moving on. This is also one of the best spots on the coast for Clay-colored Sparrow also seen in the Fennel. The birds I see almost all focus on the Fennel when feeding. Wintering Yellow-rumped Warblers are too numerous to count sometimes, almost all in the Fennel.
Malia posted earlier in the year about the no trespassing signs which were posted along the road ,this was I believe in an effort to remove any homeless encampments that had sprung up. The net effect for birders however is now no access to the riparian area along the creek. Warblers I have seen in the riparian include Blackpoll, Blackburnian,Canada, Virginia, Chestnut-Sided and of course many Black and White warblers. Plus last year there was a Red-eyed Vireo which was joined the the following day by a Yellow-green Vireo both of which were enjoyed by multiple birders.
In the winter long after the vagrants have gone the weedy areas along the road would be full of wintering Warblers,Sparrows, Bushtits and Chickadees.
Again I know Fennel is an "invasive Species", so are Eucalyptus Trees and on and on, why people focus on Fennel escapes me but ignore other more invasive plants.
To get rid of the Fennel right now just before fall migration is the worst possible timing for the birders and MOST importantly the birds which rely on this food source. I am not writing this from a selfish point of view in any way, in fact I have probably seen most of the rarities possible at this spot, but I would love to hear a rational explanation for putting goats in there right now, why not after fall migration? I would also like to no who was involved in making this decision, especially the timing.
So the bottom line sadly for birders is no riparian access and now no Fennel, so pretty much no reason to bird here this fall. What a disaster!
Chris Hayward
Half Moon Bay
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Date: 8/8/19 7:18 pm From: Noah Arthur via Groups.Io <semirelicta=<yahoo.com...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Goats / Fennel Removal Half Moon Bay WTP 8/8/2019
This unfortunate situation is an excellent example of why birders should not visit such places at all, even if they are open to the public. Unfortunately, I think the signage and fennel removal is likely the result of too many birders visiting last fall for the Yellow-green Vireo and other rarities. Numerous birders visiting the treatment plant area -- blocking traffic, taking up parking, etc. -- would have been an inconvenience for treatment plant personnel who are just trying to do their jobs. So the authority who owns the property (city? county?) likely decided to close access to the riparian and remove habitat along the road in order to keep birders from visiting.
To prevent situations like this, it's best practice for birders to only bird in public areas that are designated for outdoor recreation: public parks, preserves, beaches, etc. Birding along roads, viewing private property, etc. often ends badly for the birders and, more importantly, the landowners and the birds.
Noah Arthur (Oakland)
On Thursday, August 8, 2019, 05:19:41 PM PDT, Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> wrote:
Hi All,
This morning I visited the Half Moon Bay Water Treatment Plant and was VERY, VERY disappointed to see a herd of goats on the south side of Bev Cuhna's Country road eating everything in their path. I fully realize Fennel is an invasive plant and the subject of it's removal has been discussed here in the past, most notably the loss of the fennel patch in South San Francisco where Ron Thorn famously found a Dusky Warbler a few years back, which is now an office block.
This is basically my local patch especially in the fall so I feel I should mention what I have seen birding this area more than probably anyone else in recent years. It has become possibly the best area for migrant, vagrant and wintering warblers in San Mateo County. Warblers I have seen in the fennel along the road in just the last couple of years include multiple Prairie, Tennessee, Blackpoll, Blackburnian, Palm, Nashville. Last year in the fall I actually had to estimate the number of Yellow Warblers I was seeing ,one day there were over 50, all in the Fennel. So obviously an important stop over area for Yellow Warblers in particular, which I see feeding for weeks focusing on Fennel and nothing else before moving on. This is also one of the best spots on the coast for Clay-colored Sparrow also seen in the Fennel. The birds I see almost all focus on the Fennel when feeding. Wintering Yellow-rumped Warblers are too numerous to count sometimes, almost all in the Fennel.
Malia posted earlier in the year about the no trespassing signs which were posted along the road ,this was I believe in an effort to remove any homeless encampments that had sprung up. The net effect for birders however is now no access to the riparian area along the creek. Warblers I have seen in the riparian include Blackpoll, Blackburnian,Canada, Virginia, Chestnut-Sided and of course many Black and White warblers. Plus last year there was a Red-eyed Vireo which was joined the the following day by a Yellow-green Vireo both of which were enjoyed by multiple birders.
In the winter long after the vagrants have gone the weedy areas along the road would be full of wintering Warblers,Sparrows, Bushtits and Chickadees.
Again I know Fennel is an "invasive Species", so are Eucalyptus Trees and on and on, why people focus on Fennel escapes me but ignore other more invasive plants.
To get rid of the Fennel right now just before fall migration is the worst possible timing for the birders and MOST importantly the birds which rely on this food source. I am not writing this from a selfish point of view in any way, in fact I have probably seen most of the rarities possible at this spot, but I would love to hear a rational explanation for putting goats in there right now, why not after fall migration? I would also like to no who was involved in making this decision, especially the timing.
So the bottom line sadly for birders is no riparian access and now no Fennel, so pretty much no reason to bird here this fall. What a disaster!
Chris Hayward
Half Moon Bay
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It's important for folks on the Coast to keep on top of what's going on in their patches and notify those of us who could possibly attend meetings on the Bayside. No one who may have seen the notice of goats clearing brush notified anyone on the Conservation Committee of Sequoia Audubon. We could have testified as to the importance of fennel to migrating species. Unfortunately County Parks has done the same at Coyote Point with no notification. It's hard to stay on top of these issues
Leslie Flint
San Mateo
> On Aug 8, 2019, at 5:19 PM, Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
> This morning I visited the Half Moon Bay Water Treatment Plant and was VERY, VERY disappointed to see a herd of goats on the south side of Bev Cuhna's Country road eating everything in their path. I fully realize Fennel is an invasive plant and the subject of it's removal has been discussed here in the past, most notably the loss of the fennel patch in South San Francisco where Ron Thorn famously found a Dusky Warbler a few years back, which is now an office block.
> This is basically my local patch especially in the fall so I feel I should mention what I have seen birding this area more than probably anyone else in recent years. It has become possibly the best area for migrant, vagrant and wintering warblers in San Mateo County. Warblers I have seen in the fennel along the road in just the last couple of years include multiple Prairie, Tennessee, Blackpoll, Blackburnian, Palm, Nashville. Last year in the fall I actually had to estimate the number of Yellow Warblers I was seeing ,one day there were over 50, all in the Fennel. So obviously an important stop over area for Yellow Warblers in particular, which I see feeding for weeks focusing on Fennel and nothing else before moving on. This is also one of the best spots on the coast for Clay-colored Sparrow also seen in the Fennel. The birds I see almost all focus on the Fennel when feeding. Wintering Yellow-rumped Warblers are too numerous to count sometimes, almost all in the Fennel.
> Malia posted earlier in the year about the no trespassing signs which were posted along the road ,this was I believe in an effort to remove any homeless encampments that had sprung up. The net effect for birders however is now no access to the riparian area along the creek. Warblers I have seen in the riparian include Blackpoll, Blackburnian,Canada, Virginia, Chestnut-Sided and of course many Black and White warblers. Plus last year there was a Red-eyed Vireo which was joined the the following day by a Yellow-green Vireo both of which were enjoyed by multiple birders.
> In the winter long after the vagrants have gone the weedy areas along the road would be full of wintering Warblers,Sparrows, Bushtits and Chickadees.
> Again I know Fennel is an "invasive Species", so are Eucalyptus Trees and on and on, why people focus on Fennel escapes me but ignore other more invasive plants.
> To get rid of the Fennel right now just before fall migration is the worst possible timing for the birders and MOST importantly the birds which rely on this food source. I am not writing this from a selfish point of view in any way, in fact I have probably seen most of the rarities possible at this spot, but I would love to hear a rational explanation for putting goats in there right now, why not after fall migration? I would also like to no who was involved in making this decision, especially the timing.
> So the bottom line sadly for birders is no riparian access and now no Fennel, so pretty much no reason to bird here this fall. What a disaster!
>
> Chris Hayward
> Half Moon Bay
>
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I went by in early July to check out the new signage
I’d heard about - saw this notice about public hearing
before SMC Planning Commission - did anyone attend?
The hearing was about the goats...
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Date: 8/8/19 5:19 pm From: Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> Subject: [pen-bird] Goats / Fennel Removal Half Moon Bay WTP 8/8/2019
Hi All,
This morning I visited the Half Moon Bay Water Treatment Plant and was VERY, VERY disappointed to see a herd of goats on the south side of Bev Cuhna's Country road eating everything in their path. I fully realize Fennel is an invasive plant and the subject of it's removal has been discussed here in the past, most notably the loss of the fennel patch in South San Francisco where Ron Thorn famously found a Dusky Warbler a few years back, which is now an office block.
This is basically my local patch especially in the fall so I feel I should mention what I have seen birding this area more than probably anyone else in recent years. It has become possibly the best area for migrant, vagrant and wintering warblers in San Mateo County. Warblers I have seen in the fennel along the road in just the last couple of years include multiple Prairie, Tennessee, Blackpoll, Blackburnian, Palm, Nashville. Last year in the fall I actually had to estimate the number of Yellow Warblers I was seeing ,one day there were over 50, all in the Fennel. So obviously an important stop over area for Yellow Warblers in particular, which I see feeding for weeks focusing on Fennel and nothing else before moving on. This is also one of the best spots on the coast for Clay-colored Sparrow also seen in the Fennel. The birds I see almost all focus on the Fennel when feeding. Wintering Yellow-rumped Warblers are too numerous to count sometimes, almost all in the Fennel.
Malia posted earlier in the year about the no trespassing signs which were posted along the road ,this was I believe in an effort to remove any homeless encampments that had sprung up. The net effect for birders however is now no access to the riparian area along the creek. Warblers I have seen in the riparian include Blackpoll, Blackburnian,Canada, Virginia, Chestnut-Sided and of course many Black and White warblers. Plus last year there was a Red-eyed Vireo which was joined the the following day by a Yellow-green Vireo both of which were enjoyed by multiple birders.
In the winter long after the vagrants have gone the weedy areas along the road would be full of wintering Warblers,Sparrows, Bushtits and Chickadees.
Again I know Fennel is an "invasive Species", so are Eucalyptus Trees and on and on, why people focus on Fennel escapes me but ignore other more invasive plants.
To get rid of the Fennel right now just before fall migration is the worst possible timing for the birders and MOST importantly the birds which rely on this food source. I am not writing this from a selfish point of view in any way, in fact I have probably seen most of the rarities possible at this spot, but I would love to hear a rational explanation for putting goats in there right now, why not after fall migration? I would also like to no who was involved in making this decision, especially the timing.
So the bottom line sadly for birders is no riparian access and now no Fennel, so pretty much no reason to bird here this fall. What a disaster!
Chris Hayward
Half Moon Bay
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I noticed your bird has pink legs and a pink bill which Brant don't have, and I don't believe leg/bill color is affected by leucism. Also, the eyes/orbital ring isn't pink, which seems to also eliminate albinism.
Chris
________________________________
From: <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> on behalf of Dave Weber <dwbirdster...>
Sent: Thursday, August 8, 2019 10:28 AM
To: Daniel Edelstein <danieledelstein...>; <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...>
Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Pillar Pt Aug 7
Nothing in a BNA free introductory article about Brant (spelled correctly this time) hybrids. Some online pics show two very different brant x snow hybrids, neither like the Pillar Pt bird. Leucistism (?) explains the plumage and pink parts but shape including head and bill don't seem right. Not losing sleep.
Dave Weber,
Milpitas
By phone
-------- Original message --------
From: Daniel Edelstein <danieledelstein...>
Date: 8/8/19 4:39 AM (GMT-08:00)
To: dwbirdster <dwbirdster...>
Subject: Re: Pillar Pt Aug 7
-------- Original message --------
From: Daniel Edelstein <danieledelstein...><mailto:<danieledelstein...>> Date: 8/8/19 4:04 AM (GMT-08:00)
To: <dwbirdster...><mailto:<dwbirdster...> Subject: Re: FW: Pillar Pt Aug 7
Date: 8/8/19 8:52 am From: Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Pilarcitos Creek Aug 7
Short note to say the Bairds Sandpiper is still present with other peeps at Pilarcitos this morning. Chris Hayward On Aug 7, 2019, at 10:58 AM, Dave Weber <dwbirdster...><mailto:<dwbirdster...>> wrote:
This morning, the Baird's Sandpiper was in the Pilarcitos Creek bed near the closed lot and restrooms. The Cackling Goose flew in with Canadas. Two Marbled Murrelets were offshore. Hundreds of gulls, terns, and murres.
Dave Weber, Milpitas By phone
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Date: 8/8/19 7:28 am From: Dave Weber <dwbirdster...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Pillar Pt Aug 7
Nothing in a BNA free introductory article about Brant (spelled correctly this time) hybrids. Some online pics show two very different brant x snow hybrids, neither like the Pillar Pt bird. Leucistism (?) explains the plumage and pink parts but shape including head and bill don't seem right. Not losing sleep.Dave Weber,MilpitasBy phone -------- Original message --------From: Daniel Edelstein <danieledelstein...> Date: 8/8/19 4:39 AM (GMT-08:00) To: dwbirdster <dwbirdster...> Subject: Re: Pillar Pt Aug 7 Does BNA note this kind of hybrid in records?Regards, Daniel EdelsteinWarblerwatch.com415-246-5404 (iPhone)415-382-1827 (Office)Sent from my iPhoneOn Aug 8, 2019, at 6:29 AM, dwbirdster <dwbirdster...> wrote:Yes. Thanks for noticing!Dave Weber,MilpitasBy phone-------- Original message --------From: Daniel Edelstein <danieledelstein...> Date: 8/8/19 4:04 AM (GMT-08:00) To: <dwbirdster...> Subject: Re: FW: Pillar Pt Aug 7 DAVE:Thanks...do you mean Brant as spelling?Regards, Daniel EdelsteinBirding GuideWarblerwatch.com415-246-5404 (iPhone)415-382-1827 (Office)Sent from my iPhone
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Date: 8/7/19 6:11 pm From: Dave Weber <dwbirdster...> Subject: [pen-bird] FW: Pillar Pt Aug 7
I just looked at some of my pics of the Brandt-type Goose at Pillar Pt. It has pink legs and some dark pink on the bill which I didn't see on the actual bird. To me it's a hybrid Brandt x Snow Goose. Plausible I hope. Perhaps this is already known to local birders.
Dave Weber,
Milpitas
From: Dave Weber <dwbirdster...> Sent: Wednesday, August 7, 2019 6:02 PM To: <peninsula-birding...> Subject: Pillar Pt Aug 7
On the harbor side at Pillar Point this morning the were one Red-necked Phalarope, two Pigeon Guillemots, a Red-throated Loon looking lethargic, a mostly breeding-plumaged Horned Grebe, and the pale Brandt. Is this Brandt bleached, leucistic, or possibly a hybrid? I did see a pale Brandt at Pescadero about three years ago, but not as pale as this one. The bill seems a bit large to me, more like Snow Goose. Will post a pic of the Brandt with my ebird submission.
Dave Weber,
Milpitas
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Date: 8/7/19 6:02 pm From: Dave Weber <dwbirdster...> Subject: [pen-bird] Pillar Pt Aug 7
On the harbor side at Pillar Point this morning the were one Red-necked Phalarope, two Pigeon Guillemots, a Red-throated Loon looking lethargic, a mostly breeding-plumaged Horned Grebe, and the pale Brandt. Is this Brandt bleached, leucistic, or possibly a hybrid? I did see a pale Brandt at Pescadero about three years ago, but not as pale as this one. The bill seems a bit large to me, more like Snow Goose. Will post a pic of the Brandt with my ebird submission.
Dave Weber,
Milpitas
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Date: 8/7/19 10:58 am From: Dave Weber <dwbirdster...> Subject: [pen-bird] Pilarcitos Creek Aug 7
This morning, the Baird's Sandpiper was in the Pilarcitos Creek bed near the closed lot and restrooms. The Cackling Goose flew in with Canadas. Two Marbled Murrelets were offshore. Hundreds of gulls, terns, and murres.Dave Weber,MilpitasBy phone
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Date: 8/6/19 9:19 pm From: maliadances via Groups.Io <maliadances=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Red-necked Phalaropes at Pilarcitos Creek 8/6
To add to Kent's report of goodies!
There were (3) Red-necked Phalaropes foraging in the creek this evening. We also saw the continuing BAIRD'S SANDPIPER. Photos of the phalaropes are on this checklist here:
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S58804628
Malia DeFelice and Chris Hayward
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Date: 8/6/19 8:27 pm From: Kent Forward via Groups.Io <kforward=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Baird's Sandpiper, Purple Martin, Cackling Goose at Pilarcitos Creek Mouth 8/6/2019
Good Evening Birders,
Inspired by Chris and Malia's recent reports, I visited Pilarcitos Creek Mouth late this afternoon and it was really rocking! The BAIRD'S SANDPIPER they reported yesterday continued as does the CACKLING GOOSE (ALEUTIAN) in with a large flock of Canada Goose. While I was there a PURPLE MARTIN put in a brief fly-by appearance. Other notable moments included a BELTED KINGFISHER giving a brief rattle call while it flew by (a first for me at this location), a SNOWY EGRET that repeatedly seemed to dance on the water as it foraged in the creek, and finally, a juvenile WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was a treat to see on the path on my way back to the car, it has learned to forage for itself, but a nearby attentive adult still fed it on occasion!
Photos in my eBird checklist:https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S58804110
Bountiful Birding,Kent ForwardEl Granada
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Date: 8/5/19 8:10 pm From: Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> Subject: [pen-bird] Baird's Sandpiper, Pilarcitos Creek Mouth, 8/5/19
Hi All,
This evening around 6.30 there was a Baird's Sandpiper foraging on the mud flats along the creek with a Western sandpiper and 2 Least Sandpipers. The four Sandpipers were seen just north of the two large pieces of wood that span the creek as a makeshift bridge.
Have put a couple of photos on my ebird checklist link below.
Date: 8/5/19 5:22 pm From: Donna Pomeroy <dpom...> Subject: [pen-bird] Pillar Point birding
I had a few unexpected birds today at Pillar Point. Most interesting, was a leucistic Brant which looks like the same bird that Kent Forward saw on July 24. I walked out to the far beach and spotted the Northern Gannet preening on Sail Rock. Yesterday, Alvaro reported seeing it on the Farallones. It gets around! The Horned Grebe that has been present all summer in the harbor was still present, although it is starting to molt back into winter plumage. There was a male Greater Scaup in eclipse plumage, most likely the same bird that has been present all summer. He is looking a lot different than the last time I saw him a few weeks ago. Oddly, I did not see a single Elegant Tern, although there were a couple hundred roosting on the breakwater when I looked last week. There was a single Sooty Shearwater inside the harbor, resting on the water. It did not look well and at one point a Common Loon was aggressive toward it. Foggy conditions made for very poor photography, but here is my checklist, anyway:
Another magic day out on the water. This time a trip to the Farallon Islands with many great folks from the Golden Gate Audubon Society. Starting in Pillar Point Harbor we once again found the young male Harlequin Duck, as well as many Pigeon Guillemot. The Marbled Murrelet population continues to be good in Half Moon Bay, we saw 7 on our way out through the bay!! Best of all, in the morning while I was loading my car with coffee and treats for the pelagic, as I was in my driveway, I heard a Marbled Murrelet! I thought this may happen one day, and it did, a new Yard Bird.yippee.
As is typically the case recently the first few miles were dense with Common Murre, and Sooty Shearwater as well as a smattering of Humpback Whales, and a couple of Harbor Porpoise. The travel out was a tad bumpy but not enough that it slowed our progress. Many more Sooty Shearwaters and murres as we headed out, as well as a couple of Rhinoceros Auklet. Things were much more fun around Southeast Farallon Island where the Northern Gannet was on Sugarloaf, although no Brown Booby today. Lots of Tufted Puffin as well as oodles of Common Murre, and good numbers of Pigeon Guillemot. Stand out was a single flock of approximately 250 Pigeon Guillemots, the largest single flock I have ever seen. A few Cassin's Auklets and one Rhinoceros Auklet were around. Of course many pinnipeds including Northern Fur Seal, Harbor Seal, California Sea Lion and Steller's Sea Lion.
We went offshore from the island and eventually had some fantastic views of Black-footed Albatross, a few Pink-footed Shearwaters and a small pod of Risso's Dolphin. Sunny skies and very pleasant ride back towards port. Perhaps the highlight for many was encountering a high concentration of Humpback whales on the way back with approximately 10 actively lunge feeding all around our boat, the whales accompanied by several hundred sea lions. The situation was stunning, there is lunge feeding, and then amazing five star, one of a kind, lunge feeding - the latter is what we experienced. Amazing! The anchovy they were feeding on were so thick, that you could see a large purple-blue stain in the water from the massive column of fish. It was awesome, to top it off a Tufted Puffin flew over (relatively close to shore here), and a nearly white and huge Mola mola showed itself to us. The white color was weird, it may actually have been leucistic but I have to research this.
Great birds, great company and awesome show of marine mammals. We are heading out tomorrow again, surely it will be another fantastic day out. Weather is supposed to be calmer for the ride out. We shall see.
The next offshore trip is August 17 and there are still spots left.
A very diverse and interesting trip today. Highlight was a rare Leatherback Sea Turtle which was photographed well, perhaps my best views ever! A highlight that turned to a negative was a Minke Whale that was easily seen, often seeming to spy at us with full head out of the water. We eventually realized the poor whale was entangled, we reported it to the NOAA Whale entanglement group.
Birds included the first Scripps's Murrelet in northern California this year. We saw Wilson's Storm-Petrel as well, both of these were in San Francisco county. Many Ashy Storm-Petrels, including some very close to the boat. Good numbers of Black-footed Albatross, a juvenile Sabine's Gull, Northern Fulmar as well as many Sooty and a few Pink-footed Shearwaters. Common Murres and Rhinoceros Auklets were out there as expected. Harlequin Duck was a surprise in the harbor, and Blue Whale was also a good find as few have been out there. Humpback Whales were common. Lots of surprises, and some good photo opportunities as well as good weather made for a fun day out.
Today, I enlisted the help of Mike Mammoser in pursuit of a lifer Marbled Murrelet on the San Mateo coast. Following Malia and Chris’s recent post, we first went to HMB Beach at the end of Wave Road. In the drippy foggy morning air, we almost immediately found two MARBLED MURRELETS, an adult with a juvenile - happy me! Also there were CASPIAN and ELEGANT TERNS present in large numbers roosting on the beach. So far so good.
Then we drove down to Pescadero and scoped again. This time we added 6 more MARBLED MURRELETS: one adult, one adult with juvenile and one more group of three. Now I’m really happy! We saw all three cormorant species: DOUBLE-CRESTED, BRANDT’S and PELAGIC. A flock of several hundred Brandt’s with BROWN PELICANS were packed on the rocks, plus we saw 3 BLACK OYSTER-CATCHERS, 2 RED-THROATED LOONS, 2 BLACK TURNSTONES, 2 WANDERING TATTLERS, WESTERN GREBES, PIGEON GUILLEMOT, WESTERN and HEERMAN’S GULLS, SURF SCOTERS and both tern species.
We made our last stop at Pigeon Point, where the sun was finally burning through the fog, and found another 6 MARBLED MURRELETS. Now I’m just plain thrilled! Also, below the lighthouse, we found a BLACK OYSTERCATCHER family with 3 half-grown fuzzy offspring. We also saw several pairs of PIGEON GUILLEMOTS flying into crevasses in the cliffs. We could hear noisy chicks greeting the returning adults.
In summary we saw a total of 14 MARBLED MURRELETS in 3 different spots along the coast.
Another day in our paradise called San Mateo County.
Good birding,
Janet Hanson
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Date: 8/2/19 8:10 pm From: Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> Subject: [pen-bird] Gray Catbird , Moss Beach, 8/2/19
Hi All,
Late this afternoon / early evening I was able to re-find the Gray Cat bird found this afternoon by Kent Forward. The GPS location given by Kent in his post were spot on. I spent about twenty minutes standing by the gate near the dam staring at the willows with not much happening, when the Catbird suddenly popped up on some bushes about 20 yards south of the gate. The trail beyond the gate is not open to the public but I did manage to get some long range photos.
Great find Kent !
Photos of the Gray Catbird on my ebird checklist link below.
Date: 8/2/19 6:14 pm From: Kent Forward via Groups.Io <kforward=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Gray Catbird at Rancho Corral de Tierra (Moss Beach) - 8/2/2019
Hello Birders!
While I was viewing the upper pond area around 4PM today standing on the Spine Trail (GPS location: 37.526885, -122.497954) at Rancho Corral de Tierra (Moss Beach area), I saw a GRAY CATBIRD moving around fairly deep in the willows at the pond dam, it was silent, but I recognized it right away! Overall gray bird, no wing bars, dark cap, black bill, dark eye, and then seeing the red undertail coverts sealed the deal! I then reached for my camera, I only got one terrible photo before it disappeared for good (in my eBird checklist link below). I attempted to re-find for about 20 minutes for a better photo, but it was not to be (was not able to re-find). You can just make out the dark cap in the photo, but the rest of the bird is fairly obscured by vegetation in the foreground unfortunately, thank goodness for a solid albeit brief binocular view earlier. Interestingly a few of its tail feathers seemed potentially damaged (a few shorter than normal and very ragged, as if bitten off by something). I've never seen one in California!
If anyone tries for this bird, please respect all the signage in the area and stay on the public trails only, thanks!
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S58699113
Bountiful Birding,Kent ForwardEl Granada
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Date: 8/2/19 2:12 pm From: Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> Subject: [pen-bird] Cackling Goose (Aleutian) , Pilarcitos Creek Mouth , 8/2/19
Hi All,
At lunchtime there was a Cackling Goose (Aleutian) on the beach at Pilarcitos Creek Mouth, this is most likely the same Goose Malia and I reported on July 19. It was with a group of 40 Canada Geese, which is the biggest number of Canada Geese I have ever seen here on the coast.
Chris Hayward
Half Moon Bay
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My first thought was a juvenile Robin, sort of looks like a juvenile Aztec Thrush. If you squint real hard ;>)Cheers, Lee Rudin -------- Original message --------From: Alvaro Jaramillo <chucao...> Date: 8/1/19 9:55 AM (GMT-08:00) To: 'Jeanne Benioff' <jbenioff...>, <peninsula-birding...> Subject: Re: [pen-bird] Aztec Thrush? Jeanne If correct, this would be a mind boggling bird to see here. The first for California. Any chance you could get a photo today? Or describe behavior, in trees, on ground? One possibility could be a common species with a pigment anomaly, so keep that in mind as well. I hope you are seeing an Aztec Thrush, and if so, you may want to prepare yourself for many visitors 😊 Alvaro Alvaro <Jaramilloalvaro...> From: <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> On Behalf Of Jeanne BenioffSent: Thursday, August 1, 2019 9:38 AMTo: <peninsula-birding...>: [pen-bird] Aztec Thrush? We are seeing a new bird in our yard, and the closest match seems to be an Aztec Thrush, which is not supposed to be here! Will try to get a photo tomorrow and send to the group.Jeanne Benioff & John Richardson-- Jeanne BenioffAmSAT Certified Alexander Technique <Teacherjbenioff...>://www.jeannebenioff.com/
Virus-free. www.avg.com
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If correct, this would be a mind boggling bird to see here. The first for California. Any chance you could get a photo today? Or describe behavior, in trees, on ground? One possibility could be a common species with a pigment anomaly, so keep that in mind as well. I hope you are seeing an Aztec Thrush, and if so, you may want to prepare yourself for many visitors 😊
From: <peninsula-birding...> <peninsula-birding...> On Behalf Of Jeanne Benioff
Sent: Thursday, August 1, 2019 9:38 AM
To: <peninsula-birding...>
Subject: [pen-bird] Aztec Thrush?
We are seeing a new bird in our yard, and the closest match seems to be an Aztec Thrush, which is not supposed to be here! Will try to get a photo tomorrow and send to the group.
Jeanne Benioff & John Richardson
We are seeing a new bird in our yard, and the closest match seems to be an Aztec Thrush, which is not supposed to be here! Will try to get a photo tomorrow and send to the group. Jeanne Benioff & John Richardson
Date: 7/31/19 5:33 pm From: Alvaro Jaramillo <chucao...> Subject: [pen-bird] Black Skimmer Half Moon Bay
All
Back in town From a great trip to the Galapagos (we are going next year, so let me know if interested) and had a great and birdy run along the beach to Pilarcitos Creek mouth. Highlight was a Black Skimmer in with about 350 Elegant Terns on the beach. Also there were masses of Heermann's Gull, I estimated 2800! There was one juvenile and 72 one year old birds in there. A few shorebirds including 23 Snowy Plovers, 50 Sanderling, a few Willet, one Least Sand, and approx. 7 Marbled Godwit, and 12 Whimbrel. Juvenile Northern Harrier was over the fields.
Captain Dennis Baxter of the New Captain Pete sent me a video of what looks like a pretty big Great White Shark off Pedro Point this afternoon! Now that is a good bird.
Date: 7/31/19 4:33 pm From: Ronald- Thorn via Groups.Io <Tronthorn=<aol.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Baird's, Semipalmated Sandpiper and miscellanous sightings
Below are some sightings from the month of July. July 16A post-breeding dispersal adult male American Kestrel was along Cloverdale Road nearCanyon Road. On the coast, post-breeding dispersal were ( 140 ) male Tricolored Blackbirds in a flock including Red-winged Blackbirds, Brewer's Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds. Theearliest arrival date I have for post-breeding dispersal of Tricolored Blackbirds arriving in San Mateo County is July 3. July 16First arrival of juvenile Willet in Redwood Shores. July 17The reported ( 2 ) Common Goldeneyes at Coyote Point were joined by a Bufflehead. July 20( 400 ) Elegant Terns had arrived on San Francisco Bay at Oyster Point in South San Francisco. July 21The pond behind the Nob Hill Market in Redwood Shores had ( 90 ) adult Greater Yellowlegsand an adult Lesser Yellowlegs. Coyote Point on San Francisco Bay had ( 10 ) Least Terns and ( 16 ) Elegant Terns. July 23Leonie and I were surprised to see a Common Merganser on the slough from our deck inRedwood Shores. I have only noted one other on the bayside in the summer away from breedinglocations along the coast and Crystal Springs Reservoirs. The other sighting was a male inalternate ( eclipse ) plumage ) that summered at least for three years straight along the bayside. July 26I was surprised to see a bright male Western Tanager at Redwood Shores. The first I haveever noted in July for a post-breeding dispersal on the bayside. July 27Walking along the public access trail towards the mouth of Colma Creek in South San Francisco,I was shocked to hear and see a large mass of Elegant Terns in flight. After the Elegant Ternslanded and settled down, I counted up to ( 1,000 ). Over the years I have noted maybe a coupleof dozen at one time at this location on San Francisco Bay. July 29There is a number of these being reported from the state this fall, where there was a juvenileSEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER with Western Sandpipers on the mudflats at Coyote Point.The first juvenile Western Sandpipers I have noted were ( 6 ). An adult Wandering Tattler was out on the concrete slabs. July 30The first juvenile Greater Yellowlegs I have noted was with adults at Redwood Shores. July 31A juvenile BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was with ( 2 ) adult Least Sandpipers on what remains of wateron the dry salt pond off of the frontage road on the north side of Highway 84 near the Dumbarton Bridge. Post-breeding dispersal on the bayside during the past week have been ( 5 ) species of raptors, Belted Kingfisher Wilson's Warblers and a group of ( 8 ) Hooded Orioles. Ron Thorn and Leonie Batkin
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Date: 7/30/19 9:38 pm From: maliadances via Groups.Io <maliadances=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Recent Misc. Pilarcitos Creek birds
In the last week we have noticed there has been a steady flow of small numbers of shorebirds passing through daily along Pilarcitos Creek including Western and Least Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers. There has also been an uptick in feeding activity by groups of birds just offshore from Pilarcitos and Frenchman's Creeks.
On July 26 there was a large gull flock including about 650 Heermann’s Gulls and saw our first arrival of juveniles of that species for the summer. Five of them!
On July 28 a lone juvenile PURPLE MARTIN was flying with swallows by the disused bathroom. A couple of swallows were harassing it and eventually it flew off to the north out of sight. Also on the 28 th , (2) Marbled Murrelets were just offshore.
Tonight, July 30, there was a large flock of approx.. (400) Elegant Terns on the beach. The largest number we’ve seen so far this summer. A very pale individual in the flock made us do a double take. It had an almost all white head with only a small dark patch behind the eye. We have not seen a juvenile Elegant Tern with this head pattern before. Check it out https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S58582347
Also on the beach tonight was a group of Black-bellied Plovers and a Short-billed Dowitcher.
Malia DeFelice and Chris Hayward
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Today Peggy Macres and I were with a friend, walking along the area near the Pacifica Pier. A bit north, just past Paloma, we located five WANDERING TATTLERS on a small beach-and-rock area on the shore. The Tattlers were taking turns running in and out of the surf like Sanderlings, as well as resting on the rocks. One of the higher concentrations of WATA I’ve seen in the county. We presumed this was likely a migration event.
Date: 7/27/19 11:21 pm From: Kent Forward via Groups.Io <kforward=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Stage Road and Grosbeak ID Help Needed 7/27/19
Good Evening Birders,
It was really foggy along the coast today, but just inland it was quite sunny and warm, so I decided to bird a bit inland, including along Stage Road between Pescadero and Pomponio Creek Road. It was very birdy! A few highlights included seeing WILD TURKEYS with quite a few juveniles in tow as they worked up a hill side. Also, they've recently mowed along the sides of Stage Road which has seduced quite a number of species of birds in large numbers to feed along the roadside, many CALIFORNIA QUAILS (including recently fledged young) were enjoying the bounty.
One other interesting note was a large number of BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS along the route, I didn't see any adult males, but saw at least 7 females/immature birds. While studying some photos of them tonight, I came across one that shows some field marks for a possible female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, but I would sure appreciate some expert feedback, as apparently juvenile Black-headed can briefly hold a confusingly similar plumage? I've included the photos plus more detailed descriptions about my conundrum in my eBird checklist, thanks for any feedback!
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S58506660
Happy Birding All!Kent ForwardEl Granada
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Date: 7/25/19 7:29 pm From: Christopher Hayward <p_t_nymph...> Subject: [pen-bird] Purple Martin's, Half Moon Bay, 7/25/19
Hi All,
Late this afternoon there were two Purple Martin's foraging over the beach at Pilarcitos Creek mouth, they were also landing on the beach briefly at times. Out in the bay there were several large feeding frenzies which included good numbers of Elegant Terns.
Chris Hayward
Half Moon Bay.
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Date: 7/25/19 9:21 am From: maliadances via Groups.Io <maliadances=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] San Mateo County Cumulative Yearlist report for June 2019
Greetings San Mateo County Birders!
During June, 3 new birds were added. Plus, a there was a belated report from January of a bird, bringing our end of June totals to 280. . As you read through the list of birds below, please note, the number in parenthesis next to the bird name, is the rarity code assigned for San Mateo County. The definitions for the rarity codes can be found below the current month's list at the link below. From the link, you can also download a checklist which shows seasonality, frequency, and county breeding information. A full list of the birds observed so far in 2019 plus all monthly reports going back to 2009 can be found here: http://www.sequoia-audubon.org/SMCbirds.php ( http://www.sequoia-audubon.org/SMCbirds.php )
June birds: Ron Thorn and Leonie Batkin had the first observation of BLACK SWIFT (4) while visiting Skylawn Memorial. Ron also noted a MANX SHEARWATER (5) during a seawatch at Pigeon Point. Surveying for the Palo Alto Summer Bird Count, Dan Keller and Susie Hons found an INDIGO BUNTING (4) at Windy Hill OSP.
Belated report: I received 3 high quality photos and a note from Peter Metropulos saying: “A friend of mine, Gino DeGrandis, sent me a series of photos of a "beautiful, colorful bird" that inhabited his backyard in San Mateo for 2 weeks in January. It was a gorgeous adult male PAINTED BUNTING!!!!! ….. he never thought to contact me when the bird was present. This is the first confirmed winter record of this species for SM (there is one previous record from Pescadero of a bird in ratty plumage that was judged to be an escape from captivity). The San Mateo bird was in impeccable shape, in plumage as well as bill and feet.”
Painted Bunting is an interesting species. Though it occurs naturally in the ABA area, the striking beauty of the male makes it a target for commercial trapping. Trapping of Painted Buntings is illegal in the US, but it is a common practice in Mexico and Cuba. However, unlawful commercial trapping and has been an issue and persists in southeastern Florida.
The black market sale of these birds in the US, can place captured Painted Buntings far outside of their naturally occurring range. Caged birds can escape or be released by owners no longer interested in them. Escaped caged birds often will show signs of captivity, through the condition of their plumage, bill and feet. Hence, Peter’s comment noting the impeccable shape of the plumage, bill and feet of this bird that was photographed in January in the city of San Mateo.
A California Bird Records Committee review bird up until 2005, Painted Buntings have been found in locations and in unlikely habitats at odd and unexpected times of year in California. The challenge for the CBRC was to determine if birds were escaped birds, or did they wander off track due to natural vagrancy or a natural part of a change in distribution. An excerpt from “Rare Birds of California: a work of the California Bird Records Committee Hamilton et al. - Western Field Ornithologists – 2007 – pg. 274”. “Adult male Painted Buntings were a thorn in the side of Committee members for decades because of persistent questions about the origin of these birds. In 2005 the number of accepted Painted Bunting records finally exceeded 100 and the frequency of occurrence surpassed four per year, leading the CBRC to vote this troublemaker off the review list.” Through the years, the CBRC accepted far more records of “green birds” or female-type birds than they did adult males. But if a female type bird can occur naturally as a vagrant, then presumably, so can an adult male.
Below are some interesting links about Painted Buntings. The top link is from the online version of the Rare Birds of California Book. The 2 nd link is from the CBRC database and shows the 164 records reviewed by the committee and the review status of each record. The 3 rd article is about the illegal trapping in Florida. The 4 th link is about the conservation status of Painted Bunting
Pelagic season is happening with boats going out of Half Moon Bay the first week in August and through September and October! Want to get out and do some sea-birding? If so contact Alvaro Jaramillo at *<alvaro...>* ( <alvaro...> ) *; 650-504-7779* A full list of Alvaro’s pelagic trips this season can be found here: http://alvarosadventures.com/boat-trips/pelagics/
I put this report together monthly as a volunteer for Sequoia Audubon Society (SAS). San Mateo is a diverse and bird rich county and SAS hopes to inspire you to get out there and explore. Want to know where to bird in San Mateo County? Check out SAS’s online San Mateo County Birding Guide http://birding.sequoia-audubon.org/. Want to join a field trip? All field trips are free and welcome birders of all skill levels. For a schedule of upcoming field trips offered by SAS look here http://www.sequoia-audubon.org/fieldtrips.html. Want to become a member of Sequoia Audubon Society? Join here http://www.sequoia-audubon.org/membership.html
Please post all your bird sightings to <peninsula-birding...> and/or www.eBird.org ( http://www.ebird.org/ ).
When posting to *Pen-bird* , please include the date of your sighting in either the subject line or in the body of your email. When submitting records to *eBird* , if prompted for details for a rare or unusual bird, please add details which describe the bird using a physical description and field marks that helped you confirm the ID. And thank you eBird users for uploading your photos and audio to your checklists. Keep up the Good Work! If you find a bird of note and don’t use eBird or Pen-bird, you can always email me directly. Thank you!
<maliadances...>
Malia DeFelice
Chris Hayward
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Date: 7/24/19 6:52 pm From: Kent Forward via Groups.Io <kforward=<yahoo.com...> Subject: [pen-bird] Brant Goose at Pillar Point Harbor 7/24/2019
Hi All,
While birding Pillar Point Harbor this afternoon I came upon what appeared to me to be a BRANT GOOSE in the ocean off the Maverick's Beach breakwater, it was quite whitish overall which made it pretty interesting. I'm not sure if a Brant (e.g. immature?) could get this worn/bleached? Or perhaps it is partially leucistic bird? Anyhow, quite interesting!
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S58424209
There has been a pair of WHITE-TAILED KITES visiting the Pillar Point Marsh pond area in recent months, today I spotted 3 Kites, one a juvenile, so looks like breeding success for the pair!
The adult HORNED GREBE in breeding plumage continued today. Also of note was a LONG-BILLED CURLEW on the beach south of the public boat launch, and the jetty near the boat launch had an enormous flock of ELEGANT TERNS (120+?).
Bountiful Birding,Kent ForwardEl Granada
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