FIELD TRIPS
S
The
Redwood Region Audubon Society
Carpooling to and on RRAS field trips is strongly
encouraged. It’s economical, it’s fun, and it’s the right
thing to do! Impromptu carpools to trips meet in the
following parking lots at the times indicated in the trip
announcements: Trinidad (Park & Ride, Main Street exit,
west side of 101), HSU (northwest corner of Harpst and
Rossow Streets, opposite Student Services), Eureka (Park
& Ride, Herrick Avenue exit), and Fortuna (Park & Ride,
Kenmar Road exit). Be there a few minutes early and see
OCTOBER PROGRAM
The Farallones - 40 Years After
Join us as biologist Ron LeValley entertains
us with a beautifully illustrated talk on “The
Farallones – 40 Years After.” This will be a
summary of Ron’s first trip in 1968 to the Farallon
Islands off the coast of San Francisco, his 2 years
as a biologist out there in 1977 and ‘78, and 2-
week trip this summer. One of Ron’s outstanding
attributes, besides his long and rich experience as
a naturalist, is his fantastic ability to convey his
knowledge and enthusiasm to others. Ron will
This program will be held on Friday, October 10, starting at 7:30 p.m.,
at the Humboldt County Office of Education near the Burre Center at Myrtle and West
in Eureka. Bring a mug (or purchase one there) and enjoy shade-grown coffee.
Thank you for ensuring that our meetings are fragrance-free.
andpiper
OCTOBER 2008
if anyone else is there for ridesharing. If you would like to
prearrange a carpool, try using the RRAS listserv. Please
offer your driver some gas money.
Every Saturday: Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary.
These are our famous rain-or-shine field trips at the
marsh; take your binocular(s) and have a great morning
birding! Meet in the Klopp Lake parking lot at 8:30 a.m.
Call Kerry Ross ([707] 496-0764) for more information.
Carpools: Trinidad 8:10 a.m., Eureka 8:05 a.m., Fortuna
7:45 a.m.X
Tufted Puffin © Ron LeValley
share some of his experiences, old and new, on the
islands, providing an interesting perspective on the
changes both on the island and in the ecosystems
that the Farallones are a part of.
Ron has been photographing nature for
over 40 years. He is a founding member of the
Mendocino Coast Photographer Guild and Gallery
in Fort Bragg where his work can be seen. He is
also the founder and senior biologist of Mad River
Biologists, a biological consulting firm in Arcata.
www.rras.org
Saturday, October 11: Mad River in Blue Lake.
Come tour the riparian areas near the Mad River Fish
Hatchery. We will see many passerine species, herons,
and shorebirds, including traveling fall migrants. Meet
at 8:30 a.m. at the hatchery (at the end of Hatchery
Road) with good outdoor shoes for this morning
outing. Call leader Mark Morrissette ([707] 822-8150)
for more information. Carpools: Trinidad 8:00 a.m.,
HSU 8:10 a.m., Eureka 7:50 a.m., Fortuna 7:35 a.m.
Sunday, October 12: Humboldt Bay National Wildlife
Refuge. This is a wonderful 2- to 3-hour trip for people
wanting to learn the birds of the Humboldt Bay area.
It takes a leisurely pace with emphasis on enjoying the
birds! Beginners are more than welcome. Meet at the
Refuge Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. Call Jude Power or
David Fix ([707] 822-3613) for more information. (See
the HBNWR announcement elsewhere for directions
to the refuge.) Carpools: Trinidad 8:10 a.m., HSU 8:25
a.m., Eureka 8:45 a.m., Fortuna 8:45 a.m. X
Sunday, October 19: Eureka Marsh. Join us for these
monthly walks for some great birding in downtown
Eureka. We will spend an hour or two on a flat loop
that will take us through a variety of habitats from bay
and mudflat to riparian and marshland. Meet in the
parking lot at the west end of West Del Norte Street
at 8:30 a.m. Call Pablo Herrera ([707] 845-8166) for
more information. Carpools: Trinidad 7:55 a.m., HSU
8:10 a.m., Fortuna 8:05 a.m.
Sunday, October 19: Southern Humboldt Community
Park. Jay Sooter ([707] 444-8001), Robert Sutherland,
and/or Doug Wallace (peregrinenation@asis.com) will
lead this monthly walk. All ages and experience levels
are encouraged to participate and revel in the beauty
of the park and its avian inhabitants on this easy 2- to
3-hour walk. Binoculars are not provided, and dogs
are not allowed; field guides are usually available,
but please provide your own if possible. Steady rain
cancels. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the parking lot on Kimtu
Road in Garberville. Carpools: Trinidad 7:00 a.m.,
HSU 7:20 a.m., Eureka 7:35 a.m., Fortuna 7:55 a.m.
Sunday, October 26: Potawot Health Village. Join
Mark Morrissette ([707] 822-8150) for this unique
and educational half-day trip. We will be birdwatching
and touring the trail system that winds through the
integrated landscape that surrounds the health clinic.
Come see the wildlife using the Ku’ wah-dah-wilth
Restoration Area, organic permaculture garden, and
storm-water system that maintains wetlands on the
village conservation easement. Meet at 8:30 a.m. in
the parking lot at the end of Weeot Way in Arcata (off
Janes Road opposite Ernest Way). Carpools: Trinidad
8:15 a.m., Eureka 8:00 a.m., Fortuna 7:45 a.m. X
 CHAPTER LEADERS
OFFICERS
President— Pablo Herrera..........................845-8166
President-Elect-- Ken Burton......................825-1124
Secretary—Adam Brown............abrown@prbo.org
Treasurer—Sam Price..................................499-9450
DIRECTORS
Susan Calla .........................................465-6191
Sean McAllister ............................................496-8790
Lew & Judie Norton.....................................445-1791
Kerry Ross ..........................................839-4365
C.J. Ralph ..........................................822-2015
Jay Sooter ..........................................444-8001
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Arcata Marsh Docents—Kerry Ross..........839-4365
Conservation—Chet Ogan ............442-9353
Education ...............HELP........................................
Field Trips—Ken Burton ...........................839-5179
Historian—John Hewston ...........................822-5288
Membership—Lew & Judie Norton...........445-1791
NEC Representative—C.J. Ralph...............822-2015
Observations—Stan Harris ............822-3802
Programs—C.J. Ralph.................................822-2015
Publicity—Sue Leskiw.................................442-5444
Sandpiper—Jan Andersen ............444-3501
—Gary Bloomfield ............822-0210
Volunteer Coordinator
—Jennifer Tompkins......443-6959
Lake Earl Branch—Sue Calla.....................465-6191
Birds in the Balance—Rob Hewitt..............269-0271
RRAS Web Page...................................www.rras.org
Arcata Bird Alert ...................822-LOON (822-5666)
The Sandpiper is published ten times each year by
Redwood Region Audubon Society
P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502.
Thinking of Joining the
National Audubon Society?
If so, please use the coupon below. By sending in your
membership on this form, rather than replying to solicita-
tions from National Audubon, $20 is sent directly to RRAS.
This is how NAS rewards local chapters for recruiting
national members. (Otherwise, the RRAS dues share per
new member is only a couple of dollars.) Thank you.
Chapter Membership Application
Yes, I’d like to join.
Please enroll me as a member of the National Audubon
Society and of my local chapter. Please send
AUDUBON magazine and my membership card to the
address below.
My check for $20 is enclosed. (Introductory offer)
NAME_______________________________
ADDRESS___________________________
CITY _______________________________
STATE____________ZIP______________
email _______________________________
Local Chapter Code: C24 7XCHA
Please make checks to the National Audubon Society.
Send this application and your check to:
National Audubon Society
Chapter Membership Data Center
P.O. Box 51001
Boulder, Colorado 80322-1001
--------------LOCAL CHAPTER-------------
REDWOOD REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY
P.O. BOX 1054
EUREKA, CA 95502
RRAS Conservation Committee Minutes for 18 September 2008
By Chet Ogan
Attendees: Chet Ogan, chair; Diane Beck, Ken Burton, Jim Clark,
Barbara Kelly, Sue Leskiw, Mel McKinney, and Gil Saliba.
Chet and Ken described meeting with Department of Fish and
Game to discuss a range of wildlife management issues at Ocean
Ranch, North Humboldt Bay, and adjacent bottom lands: grazing,
bulb farms, Aleutian cackling geese, Canada geese, shorebirds,
raptors, public access, shorebirds, among other things.
Ken reported on an Audubon field trip Sept. 13 that
visited a pond on Fred Haight Drive in Del Norte County. The
pond is a refuge for waterfowl during hunting season. Jim
Clark made a motion (seconded by Mel McKinney) that the
Conservation Committee recommends the RRAS board donate
$5,000 for emergency levee repair work on Hutchin’s pond on
confirmation from Lake Earl Branch. We could help seek grants
to make further repairs on the property.
Mel reported on meetings with Baykeepers about
dioxin contamination on an old mill site at the foot of Del Norte
Street with flows into Eureka Marsh. We would the grading and
restoration, including replacing culverts to Humboldt Bay. Eureka
would like a letter from RRAS supporting trail improvements
between Hilfiker Street and Elk River Wildlife Sanctuary.
Jim talked with Joel Gerwein about the next steps with
Parcel 4; these include getting copies of property descriptions
from Humboldt County Assessors Office. Mel mentioned that
a fire had occurred in the area behind Bayshore Mall. Jim also
Audubon Recognizes Del Norte Coast Important Bird Area
By Susan Calla
This past spring, California Audubon Important Bird Areas (IBAs)
Program requested that all state chapters provide new data and
recommendations to update California’s existing IBAs. RRAS
members Chet Ogan and Susan Calla compiled and submitted the
most recent bird statistics for both the Humboldt Bay and Del
Norte Coast IBAs. RRAS also recommended that the existing Del
Norte Coast IBA, which had encompassed an 11-mile area from
the mouth of the Smith River to Point St. George, be expanded
to include the Castle Rock Wildlife Area, an additional 4 miles of
Mark Your Calendars for Godwit Days, April 16-22, 2009
PETE DUNNE, KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Godwit Days seeks board members! If you have enjoyed Godwit
Days activities in the past and are interested in helping out, the
organization is seeking applications from community members
to serve on its Board of Directors. It is a terrific event that
was started by the City of Arcata. The board meets at Rookery
Books in downtown Arcata from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. As we start
getting prepared for the next event, we meet twice a month on
2007-2008 Sparrow Banding Season
By Ken Burton
Last winter I initiated a multiyear study of our “urban” winter
emberizid community to examine age- and sex-related patterns of
site fidelity, survivorship, and migration timing and to introduce
our community to the world of bird banding. From November to
March, assistants and I trapped and color-banded sparrows in 7
yards from McKinleyville to Eureka, and the hosts recorded their
observations of the banded birds until the latter departed.
We banded 367 emberizids: 7 Spotted Towhees (SPTO),
34 Fox Sparrows (FOSP), 6 Song Sparrows (SOSP), a Lincoln’s
Sparrow, a White-throated Sparrow, 34 White-crowned Sparrows
(WCSP), 72 Golden-crowned Sparrows (GCSP), 211 Oregon
Juncos (ORJU), and a Slate-colored Junco. There were 1,455
additional “encounters” (recaptures and sightings) of these birds.
We also banded incidentally caught 8 Steller’s Jays, 5 Chestnut-
backed Chickadees, 2 House Finches, 3 Pine Siskins, and 13
House Sparrows.
The proportion of 1st-winter birds in the catch was 50%
for WCSP, 56% for GCSP, 62% for FOSP, 67% for SOSP, 72%
for ORJU, and 100% for SPTO. For ORJU, which had the largest
sample size, this proportion was 60% in November, 71% in
December, 65% in January, 73% in February, and 91% in March,
suggesting that adults arrive and depart earlier than young birds.
Of the 93% of ORJU that were sexed, 61% were female.
Last sightings of banded birds were April 2 for SPTO,
April 17 for FOSP, and May 4 for GCSP. These may represent
typical departure dates for locally wintering individuals of these
species. Last sightings of banded WCSP (June 6), ORJU (June
17), and SOSP (June 25) indicate apparent local breeders.
Not surprisingly, several birds moved back and forth
between 2 yards that are less than half a mile apart, and birds
from both these yards were seen at a birder’s yard in between.
mentioned that West Nile Virus was found in a 1st-year Common
Murre; the bird was not emaciated.
Sue Leskiw reported on California Coastal Commission
meetings in Eureka Sept. 10 and 11. Sue presented a letter to the
commission addressing ongoing vehicle violations along South
Spit that amount to “take” of Western Snowy Plover populations
nesting there. Bureau of Land Management reported fewer
violations there for the entire year than Diane observed in one
2-hour period.
Gil Saliba will seek a position on the Trinity
Management Council (TMC). Jim Clark made a motion
(seconded by Mel) that the this committee support the Trinity
Adaptive Management Working Group (TAMWG) and chair
Arnold Whitridge’s opposition to “shared coordination of Trinity
River Restoration Project between Fish and Wildlife Service and
Bureau of Reclamation” and in support of previous TAMWG
recommendation to the TMC to improve TMC functionality.
Many people on that committee are stakeholders with conflicts of
interest with the TMC.
We discussed allowing take of Barred Owls in support
of Northern Spotted Owl recovery plan implementation. We
must look beyond the lives of a few birds in favor of protecting
a species. The recovery effort should include considering global
climate change and the effect that fire might have on recovery
efforts.
rocky shoreline along Pebble Beach Drive, and the entire Crescent
City Harbor. This month, California Audubon announced its
approval of the expansion. Today the newly expanded Del Norte
Coast IBA joins 2,096 other special IBA areas found within 41
states.
Visit the California Audubon IBA website (http://www.
audubon-ca.org/iba) to view Del Norte Coast and Humboldt Bay
IBA maps. For a more detailed description of the IBA program,
go to RRAS’s website (http://www.rras.org).
Wednesdays. Interested persons should contact board members
Alex Stillman at (707) 822-2269 (alexandrastillman@sbcglob
al.net) or C.J. Ralph at (707) 822-2015 (theralphs@humboldt1.
com).
Pete Dunne, well-known birder and popular author, will
be the keynote speaker this year. Go to http://www.godwitdays.
com for information about the festival.
One ORJU banded Nov. 18 was seen in the same yard until Dec.
19, then reappeared in another yard half a mile away on Mar. 25.
Another ORJU was seen in late March in a yard in Oregon 84
miles from where she was banded and only 3 days after her last
sighting there!
My hosts (and I) were amazed to discover how many
individual birds they were feeding! Even after months of trapping,
banded birds still were in the minority in some yards. We also
discovered how easy it is to switch the legs around when trying
to record observations, a phenomenon I refer to as “dyslegsia.”
A surprising number of birds had healed leg injuries. A couple
of leucistic birds were interesting, especially the FOSP pictured
here.
Neighborhood
cats proved to be a
problem in some places.
It dismays me that so
many cat owners place
their cats’ liberty (or is
it really just an aversion
to litter boxes?) above
their cats’ safety, their
neighbors’ rights, the welfare of wildlife, and the law (it is illegal
to allow a cat to harm a native bird). Okay, end of lecture.
Most of last winter’s hosts are continuing this winter,
and we are all eagerly awaiting the first returns of banded birds.
I also will be adding a few new yards to the study; if you’re
interested, let me know. Thanks go to C.J. Ralph for providing
equipment and supplies and allowing me to work under his
banding permit; Lauren Tompkins, Pablo Herrera, Debby Dailey-
Anderson, and Kim Hollinger for assistance; and especially my
hosts, Jan Andersen, Jeff Jacobsen, Carol Lawrence and Tom
Cockle, Kate McClain, Cindy Moyer, and Ursula Palmer.
 Remembering Greg Jennings
The Forest Service receptionist relayed the news to me as I
began my journey back to Eureka from fieldwork near the town
of Mad River: Greg Jennings, a friend and former coworker,
had been struck and killed by a pickup truck as he bicycled
home from work. Shock and grief made concentrating on the
road difficult.
A pullout along the Van Duzen River beckoned.
I found myself walking upstream within the river’s side
channel, now bone-dry. Gravel. Sand. Rock. I reached down,
pried a small rock from its silty bed and examined it. At home,
at our solstice site, is a collection of what we call memento
rocks. We’ve collected them from points near and far to help
ground us in the memory of good places and good times with
friends. The rock I sought today needed to be black and white,
something that embodied the duality of life: the forces of dark
and light.
© Tom Carlberg
The Hidden Life of Columba livia, Part 2
By Man-Who-Walks-in-the-Woods
C. livia is thought to be the most well-studied bird in the
world. Being well adapted to captivity, it has had its kidneys,
liver, blood, and nearly all else subjected to countless bizarre
experiments. So humans know a lot about its genetics. For
the most part, the variety we see in pigeons is genetically, not
environmentally, based.
Feral pigeons in Europe are genetically nearly identical
to feral pigeons in North America. Both are fairly close
genetically to the wild birds. But all of these are more distant
from the many domestic stocks, which differ greatly among
themselves (no surprise there). Genetic distance between feral
and wild birds is large compared with most birds, but pigeons
generally are unusual in this regard. For example, Band-
tailed Pigeon, Mourning Dove, and feral pigeons are more
genetically dissimilar to each other than are most bird genera,
judged by Nei’s distances. This is because pigeons generally
have large allelic variation. This allelic variation is what makes
pigeons breedable into many different forms. But many or
most domestic varieties cannot survive release into the wild,
and their distinctive genetics is quickly lost then. I once had
a loft in lower New York City that overlooked much of the
city. Peregrine Falcons nested on Wall Street, and they had the
pigeon breeders in an uproar! As I saw from my loft, rather than
go after the street pigeons, the Peregrines went after the fancy
racing pigeons, which were probably better tasting and more
nutritious.
Are wild birds influencing the genetics of ferals? That’s
not the pattern. The wild birds do not seem attracted nowadays
to living near humans, but feral birds revert easily to natural
conditions. In many places, feral pigeons have moved to the
native colonies on cliffs and interbred. For example, major
colonies of wild birds in Scotland have been genetically
destroyed by feral birds. Conservationists are concerned that
the wild Rock Dove is nearing extinction by this process. It
is happening widely, but some major colonies of wild birds
have resisted because they are far enough away from towns that
few feral birds reach them. How long that will last is anyone’s
guess.
Females make most of the mate choice, and they make
After scanning the cobble bar for a few minutes, I
found what I was looking for. Turning it over slowly in my hands,
I studied its angular, white phenocrysts embedded in a darker
matrix. Suddenly the wind kicked up, animating the cottonwood
leaves in the grove just upslope from where I stood. Something
about the planet keeping to its rhythms amid the chaos was
comforting, and it served to elevate my spirits. I lingered for a
moment, drinking in the north coast elixir of sun, warm breezes,
trickling river, and dancing cottonwood leaves. Making my way
back to the pullout, I chanced on a black rock with white edging
that was in the shape of a butterfly. Because butterflies serve
as an icon for metamorphosis and renewal, the rock seemed to
make a silent plea for inclusion in our memento rock collection.
I dropped the rock I’d been carrying on the sand and placed the
butterfly-shaped one in my pocket.
In the past several years, there’s been a noticeable
uptick in my writing eulogies. This has prompted me to ponder,
How much is enough, Tom? You don’t want to dwell for too long
in the maudlin zone, do you? To date, my response has been
something along the lines of, “I’m a writer. This is what we do to
help us process life’s passages, especially the tougher ones, like
grieving for the loss of a loved one.”
Later that evening, I learned the details of Greg’s death:
he was wearing brightly colored clothing and was riding at the
far edge of pavement. An avid bicycle commuter, he was taking
care of his body, improving his heart capacity and muscle tone,
while reducing his carbon footprint. His death was senseless, so
unnecessary. In times of strife, the human spirit desires a silver
lining amid the darkness. Maybe, I thought to myself, some good
can come from his death. Maybe it can further the dialogue,
underscore the importance of building the Annie & Mary/Arcata
to Blue Lake multiuse trail. If Greg had been using the trail, this
wouldn’t have happened.
I’ve admired Greg, an ecologist for BLM, as I do
ecologists in general: for their ability to see the big picture,
both positive and negative choices. Positive choices include birds
not infested with mites, large size, and dominance, among other
things. What’s interesting are the negative choices. Female feral
pigeons choose a mate that looks different, that is a different
color or pattern, and they reject males that look like them. This
is thought to have the role of keeping the genome pool large,
increasing their genetic fitness and thus survival. By making
this kind of choice, they in effect ensure that the variation in
color and pattern that we see in feral pigeons remains in the
population. Neither wild populations nor domestics make this
kind of choice. Wild birds all look alike, so no choice is needed.
Domestics in some cases are known to make positive plumage
choices—in other words, to choose mates that look like them—
but some domestics choose in ways that are not understood
because colors not found in feral birds have been selected.
Such polymorphisms that the feral pigeons preserve can
play a major role in species survival. For example, predators
select according to a recognition template likely based on the
look of their prey. This allows birds with uncommon appearance
to escape recognition. These birds will preserve both the
common and the uncommon genes, so both the phenotypes will
survive. In some habitats, this has been shown to be crucial.
Trials with a captive Goshawk showed that it singled out white
pigeons from the flock. Such forms that occur in many species
may be sacrifices to predators that in effect protect the main
types.
The most commonly occurring colors are blue, ashy red,
and brown. Of these, ashy red is genetically dominant, but we
don’t see a lot of it because it is one of the few things selected
against by both males and females: neither of them want a red
partner. Brown is recessive, and if we see a brown pigeon, it
may indicate that some domestic escapee has joined up with
the feral birds, although recessive traits occasionally appear on
their own naturally. Up to two dozen named plumage variants
are controlled by recessive genes, so many variants present in
a population are hidden to human eyes and will only rarely
appear. The interplay of patterns and colors is fascinating, but
without pictures, it is hard to go into it further here. Suffice to
remember that wild Rock Doves (and most feral pigeons) are
all in the plumage color and pattern called “blue bar,” which is
sometimes referred to as the wild type.
Enjoy the pigeons! They are amazing survivors to have
been able to get along so well with us humans. If only we could
get along with each other as well.
for their heightened appreciation for the web of life. Our
conversations were wide ranging: the transitory nature of North
Carolina’s barrier islands, rare plants, projects at Headwaters
Forest Reserve. Most recently, I recall a big smile creasing his
face as I spoke about my upcoming trip to South Africa and
Madagascar.
The Annie & Mary trail will be built, as it must be.
Naming the trail in Greg’s honor would be a fitting tribute.
What I visualize is this: I’m with my friends, biking the trail
following its dedication. I’ve brought the butterfly stone,
although I’m not sure what to do with it. As we wend our way,
the October sun blazes down. Grateful for the breeze, someone
suggests we take a break. Pausing to admire the view, we’ll
drink again of the elixir: murmuring river, dancing cottonwood
leaves. Looking down from the bridge, perhaps salmon will be
spied, making their way home.
Then what to do with the rock comes to me. Often
something is left behind during a christening: consider the
broken bottle of champagne against the bow. Pulling the
butterfly rock from my pocket, I’ll give thanks to have known
someone so bright, caring, and inquisitive about our world.
Rearing back, I toss the rock, watching it fly for the last time.
A small splash… and a wave springs forth from the point of
impact. Beneath the water the rock, wings outspread, sinks
slowly. It arcs lazily through the water column until finally it
merges with bed load—tumbled down from the mountains,
bound for the ocean.
You are in our prayers, Lisa.
Seize this moment! Donations for the trail in Greg’s
name can be sent to: Friends of Annie and Mary Rail Trail; PO
Box 804, Blue Lake CA 95525.
Tom Leskiw
August 31, 2008
October Events at Humboldt
Bay National Wildlife Refuge,
Richard J. Guadagno
Headquarters and Visitor
Center
Celebrate National Wildlife Refuges Week
“Come Explore Nature – A Family Fun Day”Sunday,
October 12, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Spend the day, bring a picnic, and explore nature.
Free activities include introductions to HBNWR’s new Quest
Guide, “A Place in Between,” and the new Children’s Outdoor
Exploration Area. Enjoy old favorites such as songbird house
building, leaf art printing, pond water microscopes, wildlife
tattoos, Discovery Packs, and a “Treats for Tweets” bake sale.
Binoculars and field guides are available for check-out use at
the refuge.
Free Guided Bird Walks at the Refuge
Join volunteer naturalist Louise Bacon-Ogden on
Wednesdays, October 1 and 15, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., for bird
walks at the Salmon Creek Unit of Humboldt Bay National
Wildlife Refuge. Everyone is welcome. Directions to Richard
J. Guadagno Visitor Center: Take the Hookton Road Exit,
#696, off Hwy 101 near Loleta and follow the brown signs
to the HBNWR Salmon Creek Unit Headquarters and Visitor
Center. For more information or special accommodation, call
(707) 733-5406 or visit http://www.fws.gov/humboldtbay.
Keep Up-to-Date Through
RRAS Listserv
Be reminded about field trips and programs and learn about
upcoming meetings, public hearings, and symposia of interest
to RRAS members and other concerned nature lovers. Subscribe
in 1 of 2 ways: through a Web page link at http://groups.yahoo.
com/group/rras or by e-mail to rras-subscribe@yahoogroups.
com. Postings should have complete information. This listserv
is not for posting bird sightings.
Field Notes
Mid Fall (22 Aug-25 Sep)
The “silly season” arrived right on historic schedules, with this
year shaping up as a better-than-usual year for vagrants. It was
a period of generally nice, typical September weather, some
overcast, some sunny days, many sunny afternoons with NW
winds; one day attempted a few showers but mostly failed. Two
pelagic trips were conducted, both on 14 September, one for HSU
ornithology students off Eel River (thanks to Gary Lester for the
report), the other led by Ron LeValley and Rob Fowler to the
south of Ft. Bragg, (extralimital to our usual area of coverage, but
reported here anyway); these are cited in the following as HSUPT
and FBPT, respectively. In addition, Adam Brown conducted a 1-
hour sea watch from shore at Shelter Cove, 6-7 Sep; his results
are cited in the following as SCSW.
A personal request: When reporting birds to the bird box,
please slow down and speak clearly, especially as regards your
name and the location of the bird. I frequently have to guess on
the names, especially last names, less often on locations. So if you
don’t see your report at all or incorrectly reported or your name
is missing or with fractured spelling, I can only do my best with
what is on the box. It’s OK to spell your name out for me!
Abbreviations used: AB = Arcata Bottoms; AD = Alexandre
Dairy; AMP = Arcata Marsh Project; AOP = Arcata Oxidation
Pond; BSLP = Butcher Slough Log Pond; CBG = Chadbourne
Gulch; CCH = Crescent City Harbor; CP = Cypress Patch on
North Spit of Humboldt Bay; CRI = Cock Robin Island; EC =
Eureka Channel; HBNWR = Humboldt Bay National Wildlife
Refuge; JC = Jetty Channel, Humboldt Bay; KL = Klopp Lake;
KN = Kneeland; LP = Loleta Pond; MKSP = MacKerricher State
Park; MLT = mouth, Lake Tolowa; mo = many observers; MRC
= mouth, Redwood Creek; MRCP = Mad River County Park; NC
= not confirmed; ND = no details or description; OM = Ocean
Meadows along Ten-Mile River; PPSP = Patrick’s Point State
Park; RCO = Redwood Creek Oxbow patch; TB = Trinidad Bay;
TME = Ten-Mile River Estuary; VCB = Virgin Creek Beach
Black Brant: 1, MLT, 13 Sep (KB). Harlequin Duck: 2 males,
TB, 15 Sep (MeH). Bufflehead: 1 female (oversummering?),
AMP, 30 Aug+, (LT, et al.). Sooty Grouse: 1-2 seen on 4 days in
Aug, KN (BBu, DVZ). Wild Turkey:10, Whitlow Road, 1 Sep;
6, Fruitland Ridge, 18 Sep (both JG). Red-throated Loon:1,
TB, “all summer” (MeH), reported 23 Aug (GB) and 15 Sep
(MeH); 1, Trinity Lake, 5-9 Sep (TE, JL, JS, JLo, SG), thought
to be a first county record for Trinity County; 1, FBPT. Pacific
Loon: 1, TB, “all summer,” reported 15 Sep (MeH); 4, JC, 11
Sep (LM); 1, HSUPT; 3, FBPT. Pied-billed Grebe: 1, FBPT
(in harbor). Red-necked Grebe: 2, TB, 15 Sep (MeH). Laysan
Albatross: 1, HSUPT. Black-footed Albatross: 50, HSUPT; 20,
FBPT. Northern Fulmar: 30, HSUPT; 6, FBPT. Pink-footed
Shearwater: 5, SCSW; 100, HSUPT; 530, FBPT. Flesh-footed
Shearwater: 1, FBPT. Buller’s Shearwater: 125, HSUPT;
45, FBPT. Sooty Shearwater: 120, SCSW; 300, HSUPT; 200,
FBPT. Short-tailed Shearwater: 1, FBPT. Green Heron: 7
reports of singles at AMP, lower Mad River, VCB, 15 Aug-6 Sep
(mo). Cooper’s Hawk: 1, north Arcata from about 15 Aug-1 Sep
(L&AP). Ferruginous Hawk: 1,OM, 18 Sep (KAHv); 1, CRI,
24 Sep (SMcA). Golden Eagle: 1, Spanish Flat, Lost Coast, 20
Aug (DD). Merlin: 1, Crab Park, 29 Aug (TL, MW); 1, Moxon
Road, 9 Sep (CO); 2, MLT, 13 Sep (KB). Peregrine: 1, Herrick
Road, Eureka, 29 Aug (TL, MW); 1, Elk River Wildlife Area, 8
Sep (TL); 1, summit, Trinity/Siskiyou Co. line, Hwy 3, 9 Sep
(SG); 1, Hammond Bridge, 15 Sep (TL); 1, CCH seen to catch
a Ruff, 21 Sep (LB); 1, FBPT (uncommon at sea). American
Golden-Plover: 2, AB, 30 Aug (DF, JP); 1 juv., AD, 7 Sep (LB);
1 “probable,” Pelican State Beach (reasonable partial description)
(AT). Snowy Plover: 6-11, TME, 6 Aug-1 Sep (KAHv). Black-
necked Stilt: 1, lower Smith River, 19 Sep (LB). Spotted
Sandpiper: 1, BSLP, 6 Sep (LT); 1, Butcher Slough, 10 Sep
(L&AP). Solitary Sandpiper: 1, LP, 10 Sep (MW, L&JN). Lesser
Yellowlegs: x, AD, 1 Sep (LB); 2, AB, 4 Sep (SC); 3, MRCP, 24
Sep (LPu). Whimbrel: “lots,” EC, 14 Sep (MMo). Long-billed
Curlew: 1, Inglenook Creek, 28 Aug (KAHv); 1, VCB, 4 Sep
(DT); 10, EC, 14 Sep (MMo). Marbled Godwit: 5-14, 16 Aug-
13 Sep, VCB, Glass Beach (KAHv, BD). Ruddy Turnstone: 1,
Glass Beach, 13 Sep (BD); 2, EC, 14 Sep (MMo). Red Knot: 3,
CRI, 29 Aug (LB); 1, MLT, 5 Sep (LB); 2, 7 Sep; 6, 14 Sep; 2, 21
Sep, all KL (SC, CM, KB). Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1, VCB,
28 Aug (DT, KAHv); 1, Woodley Island, 6 Sep (CO); 1, Trinity
Lake, 7 Sep (JL, JS); 1, Crescent City, 8 Sep (JL, JS). Baird’s
Sandpiper: 15 reports of 1-5 from Pelican Beach State Park, AD,
MLT, Crescent City, Trinity Lake, MRC, MRCP, HBNWR, Eel
River x Van Duzen River, MKSP /Ten-Mile River, VCB, Noyo
Harbor, 19 Aug-19 Sep (mo). Pectoral Sandpiper: 1, MLT, 5
Sep (LB); 2, LP, 10 Sep (MW, L&JN); 1, CRI, 24 Sep (SMcA).
Stilt Sandpiper: 1, AD, 1 Sep (LB).
Buff-breasted Sandpiper © John Sterling
Buff-breasted Sandpiper: 1 juv., AD, 1-4 Sep (LB, ABa); 1,
MLT, 4-8 Sep (LB, JL, JS). Ruff: 1 female, mouth of Elk Creek,
CCH, seen to be caught by a Peregrine, 21 Sep (LB). Wilson’s
Snipe: 8, LP, 12 Sep (TL, MW). Wilson’s Phalarope: 1, AD,
1 Sep (LB). Mew Gull: 2, VCB, 13 Sep (DT). Sabine’s Gull:
1, mouth, Klamath River, 8 Sep (JL JS); 3 ad., 1 juv., HSUPT.
Caspian Tern: up to 16, 14-31 Aug, TME (KAHv). Common
Tern: 2-10, mouth of Elk Creek, CCH, 31 Aug-5 Sep (LB); 1-6,
Trinity Lake, 7-9 Sep (JL, JS, JLo, SG); 1, MLT, 13 Sep (KB); 2
(+ 7 “commic” terns), FBRT. Elegant Tern: 190, CCH, 31 Aug-
1 Sep (ABa); 2, FBPT. South Polar Skua: 3, FBPT. Pomarine
Jaeger: 1, SCSW; 1, HSUPT; 6, FBPT. Parasitic Jaeger: 1,
HSUPT; 2, FBPT. Pigeon Guillemot: 1 (winter plumage), King
Salmon, 3, 6 Sep (MW); 1, FBPT. Cassin’s Auklet: 40 HSUPT;
4, FBPT. Rhinoceros Auklet: 7, HSUPT; 12, FBPT. Eurasian
Collared-Dove: The invasion marches on: “some,” Shelter Cove,
23 Aug (GB); 3, Fortuna, 25 Aug-at least 4 Sep (RC); “small
flock,” Ft. Bragg, 1 Sep (FF); x, Indian Beach, Trinidad, 10 Sep
(KB). Spotted Owl: 1, Doe Flat (Del Norte/Siskiyou line), 11 Sep
(RF). Barred Owl: 1-2, Freshwater, 21 Mar-at least 1 Sep (RHe).
Long-eared Owl: 1 after-hatch-year bird banded at Doe Flat, 17
Sep (RF, MP, AA), may be the first county record for Del Norte.
Nighthawk sp.: 2, catching moths around lights, Arcata Airport,
17 Sep (AC, fide SC) (SH: probably a Common). Chimney
Swift: 1+ with Vaux’s swifts & swallows, AB, 9 Sep (JS, JL, RF),
no details on ID given. Vaux’s Swift: 430 entered a chimney at
13th and I, 5 Sep (DF); 250 foraging over a meadow at Davison
Road, 17 Sep (TL).White-throated Swift: 2, Alder Springs, 20
miles south of Mt. Lassic, 3 Sep (TL). Lewis’s Woodpecker:
2, Trinity Lake, 9 Sep (SG); 1, KN, 14-15 Sep (BBu, DVZ); 1,
location unintelligible over bird box, 21 Sep (DC, et al.). Western
Wood-Pewee: 1-2, CP, 14, 17 Sep (CM, KB, SC); 1, Stagecoach
Road, 22 Sep (MeH). Willow Flycatcher: 21 reports of 1-4
migrants at Mendocino Botanical Gardens, Lake Cleone, Glass
Beach, OM, CBG, CRI, Cooper Gulch, North Spit, Lanphere
Dunes, Blue Lake, Arcata, MRCP, Crannel Road, Orick Dump,
Willow Creek Golf Course, 25 Aug-21 Sep (mo). Hammond’s
Flycatcher (ND NC): 1, CBG, 17 Sep, (JHv; KAHv). Say’s
Phoebe: 1, Bald Hills Road, 9 Sep (KB); 1, KN, 4-9 Sep; 2, KN,
16 Sep (both BBu, DVZ). Tropical Kingbird: 1, Stagecoach
Road, 22 Sep (MeH). Plumbeous Vireo (ND, NC): 1, RCO, 20
Sep (KI). Blue-headed Vireo (ND, NC): 1, Blue Lake riparian,
22 Aug (KI); 1, Orick Dump, 27 Aug (LB). Philadelphia Vireo:
1, Trinidad, 15 Sep, good details (MeH); 1, “narrows,” Lake Earl/
Tolowa, 17 Sep (ABa), no details. Red-eyed Vireo (ND, NC): 1,
CBG, 17 Sep (KAHv, JHv): 1, Cher-Ae Hts (Scenic Drive), 19
Sep; 1, Orick Dump, 20 Sep (both KI). Gray Jay: 4, Eureka Golf
Course, 11 Sep (GL). Black-billed Magpie: 1 flew across Hwy
96, 9 miles upstream (Klamath River) from Humboldt County
Line, 12 Sep (KS). Horned Lark: 1 juv., CCH, 5 Sep (LB). Bank
Swallow: 1, HSUPT, 8 miles off Eel River. Bewick’s Wren: 1,
McKinleyville, 10 Sep (KB). House Wren: 1, Alder Spring,
south of Mt. Lassic, 3 Sep (TL). American Dipper: mouth,
Telegraph Creek, Shelter Cove, 6-7 Sep (ABr). Ruby-crowned
Kinglet: 1, Bayshore Mall, 19 Sep (TL). Townsend’s Solitaire:
1, Red Lassic, 3 Sep (TL). Western Bluebird: 1-3 on 9 of 31
days in Aug, KN (BBu, DVZ); 4, Fruitland Ridge, 20 Sep (JG).
Northern Mockingbird: 1, Shelter Cove, 6-7 Sep (ABr). Brown
Thrasher: 1, Hardy Creek, 20 Sep (JW). American Pipit: x,
lower Mad River, 6 Sep (G&LL). Tennessee Warbler: 1, Cooper
Gulch, 30 Aug (RF); 1, CP, 14, 16 Sep (DC, et al., BC); 1, Little
River, 19 Sep (KI). Northern Parula: 1, BSLP, 5 Sep (BC).
Chestnut-sided Warbler: 1, McKinleyville, 6 Sep (KR); 1, CP,
11-14 Sep (mo); 1, Arcata, 15 Sep (RF); 1, MRCP, 17 Sep (AL);
1, PPSP, 17 Sep (KI); 1 banded, Lanphere (?) Dunes, 22 Sep (??).
Magnolia Warbler: 1, Skunk Tracks, Ft. Bragg, 14-15 Sep (JHv,
DT); 1 Orick Dump, 21 Sep (KI). Cape May Warbler (ND,
NC): 1, Arcata, 16 Sep (BC). Black-throated Green Warbler
(NC): 1, 1 mile west of Orick, 18 Sep (KI), skimpy description.
Blackburnian Warbler: 1, Bayshore Mall, 19-23 Sep (TL, KB).
by Stan Harris
Palm Warbler: 1, Elk Head, 18 Sep (BBa, TG); 1, AMP, 19 Sep
(anon). Blackpoll Warbler: 2, North Spit, 11 Sep (LM); 1, CP, 12-
14 Sep (DF, KB, CM, DC, et al.); 1, CBG, 24 Sep (GCh, KAHv);
1, Bayshore Mall, 21 Sep (AL). Black-and-white Warbler: 1,
CBG, 19 Sep (JW). American Redstart: 1, BSLP, 8-10 Sep (LM,
L&AP); 1, CP, 11-17 Sep (mo); 1, MRC, 13 Sep (KI); 1, Usal
Beach, 13 Sep (JW); 1, Glass Beach, 13 Sep (KAHv). Northern
Waterthrush: 1, AOP, 26 Aug (RF); 1 banded, Lanphere Dunes,
29 Aug (JaW); 1, mouth of Widow White Creek, 6-7 Sep (LM,
GL); 1 (2?), BSLP, 11-15 Sep (4 reports of 1, 1 report of 2) (mo).
1, Elk River Wildlife Area, 15 Sep (SC); 1, Hwy 101 x Bald Hills
Road, 14 Sep (KI); 1, Usal Beach, 9 Sep (KAHv, DT). Hooded
Warbler: 1 female, MRC, 13 Sep (KI); 1 male, MRC, 14 Sep
(KI). Canada Warbler: 1, Usal Creek, 13 Sep (KAHv); 1, Ft.
Bragg, 14 Sep (RF, KAHv). Western Tanager: 3 in a vineyard,
Fruitland Ridge, 18 Sep (JG). California Towhee: 1, Hammond
Trial, McKinleyville, 30 Aug (RR); 1, MRC, 11 Sep (KI); 1,
OM, 18 Sep (KAHv), perhaps returnee from last year? Clay-
colored Sparrow: 1, CBG, 19 Sep (JW); 1, Westport Harbor, 20
Sep (JW). Vesper Sparrow: 1, Usal Creek, 19 Sep (JW). Lark
Sparrow: 1, KN, 3 Aug (BBu, DVZ); 1, Mendocino Botanical
Gardens, 17 Sep (DT). Grasshopper Sparrow: 1 juv., seen 3
days in late Aug (last 24 Aug), KN (BBu, DVZ). Fox Sparrow
(assumed to be Sooty form unless otherwise noted): 1, Bayshore
Mall, 2 Sep (TL); 1, MRCP, 9 Sep (RF); 1, Eureka, 11 Sep (PB);
x, Elk River Wildlife Area, 15 Sep (SC); “numerous,” Doe Flat,
form not indicated, 11 Sep (RF, et al.). Song Sparrow: 1 large
dark bird, well described, with heavy dark chocolate tones above
and below, obviously a migrant from the NW or Alaska, Usal
Beach, 19 Sep (JW). Swamp Sparrow: 1, Crannel Road, 24
Sep (KI). Lincoln’s Sparrow: 1, AMP, 6 Sep (CM); 2, Arcata,
8 Sep (L&AP); 1, CP, 11 Sep (LM). Golden-crowned Sparrow:
1 singing, BSLP, 30 Aug (LT); 1 singing, AMP, 7 Sep (CM); 1
Doe Flat, 11 Sep (RF, et al.), these 3 are all very early dates, NC,
ND; 1, Elk River mouth, 21 Sep (SC), more normal fall arrival
date. Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 1 female heard, only glimpsed,
MRCP, 9 Sep (JL, JS, RF); 1 male, Fieldbrook feeder, photos, 10,
15 Sep (ES). Bobolink: 1 flyover, Eureka, 23 Aug (KI). Yellow-
headed Blackbird: 1, AMP, 9 Sep (L&AP); 1, V St. Loop, 19 Sep
(Chris ?). Evening Grosbeak: 4, Azalea Hill, 23 Aug (GL); 3,
Doe Flat, 11 Sep (RF); 150, Cher-Ae Heights, 19 Sep (KI).
Golden-crowned Sparrow © Gary Bloomfield
Many thanks to the following who shared incidental reports
with us this period: Amy Amones, Jan Andersen, Alan Barron,
Bob Baterson(?), Catlyn(?) Bishop, Gary Bloomfield, Pat
Britton, Adam Brown, Heather Brown, Lucas Brug, Barbara
Burek, Ken Burton, Allen Campbell, Brent Campos, Scott
Carey, George Chaniot, Daryl Coldren, Ruth Crane, Gary
Crites, Duke Diehl, Barbara Dolan, Todd Easterla, David
Fix, Feather Forestwalker, Rob Fowler, Tony Gadard(?), John
Gaffin, Steve Glover, Cara Gore, Melody Hamilton, Stan
Harris, Jim Havlena, Karen Havlena, Rob Hewitt, Richard
Hubie, Mary Hubner, Ken Irwin, Oscar Johnson, Gail
Kenny, George Kiminski(?), Alexandra Lamb (AL), Angie
Landsbury(?), Tom Leskiw, Gary Lester, Lauren Lester, Ron
LeValley, Jim Lomax, Don Longe (?), John Luther, Larry
Maurin, Sean McAllister, Mary Meyer, Mark Morrissette,
Cindy Moyer, Lew & Judie Norton, Chet Ogan, Marisa Parish,
Larry & Aurora Pitts, Jude Power, Leslie Pucci, Richard
Ridenhour, Kerry Ross, Keith Slauson, Edy Smith, Rebecca
Smith, Dave Spangenberg(?), John Sterling, Dorothy Tobkin,
Lauren Tompkins, Amber Transou, Matt Wachs, Jerry White,
Jared Wolfe, Dan Van Zile.
Please call future reports to the Arcata Bird Box (707)
822-5666, to me at (707) 822-3802, e-mail them to me at
swharris@arcatanet.com, send them to me at 1595 Charles
Ct., Arcata, 95521, or write them on the observation board at
the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center.
Important Note: After 29 years, I will not be able to
compile the Centerville Christmas Bird Count this year as I
had originally intended. We need someone to take the count
over for this (scheduled for 4 January 2009) and future years.
If no one steps forward, the count will die. This will be the
50th year for the count. Call me to get my records and the
maps.