We Declare This Blog, Open.
Please sign up for email delivery. Click on "Email Subscriptions" just underneath the photo of the Snowy Plover.Sunday, 27 December. Malibu Lagoon, 8:30 a.m.. Here in Deep and Dark December, it’s a great day for the lagoon. It’s often sunny and mild, although one Christmas Day walk brought ice-encrusted lagoon-edges. A veritable googolplex of species may be present. Dress for cool weather and possible wind or fog.
I don't eat anything that's not wiggling. YOU eat it! (C.Almdale photo 11/09)
Adult Walk 8:30 a.m. – beginner and experienced, 2-3 hours. Species range from 40 in June to 60-75 during migrations and winter. Over the bridges, down to the shore, and if the lagoon outlet is closed, around the lagoon to Adamson House. We put out special effort to make our monthly Malibu Lagoon walks attractive to first-time and beginning birdwatchers. So please, if you are at all worried about coming on a trip and embarrassing yourself because of all the experts, we remember our first trips too. Someone had to show us the birds, and it’s our turn now.
Children and Parents Walk 10:00 a.m. – one hour session. We start at 10:00 for a shorter walk and to allow time for families to get it together on a sleepy Sunday morning. We will have kid-experienced leaders so please bring the kids to the beach! We have an ample supply of binoculars that children can use without striking terror into their parents – we want to see families enjoying nature. (If you have a Scout Troop or other large group of kids please call Mary (310-457-2240) to make sure we have enough binoculars.)
[3950 Cross Creek Rd, CA 90265] Malibu Lagoon is at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Cross Creek Road. We meet in the traditional place, at the first footbridge on the main trail to the beach. (The bridges will be there for the foreseeable future). Parking in the official lagoon lot is $12 or by annual pass. You may also park either along PCH north of Cross Creek Road or on Cross Creek Road itself but be careful – some parts of PCH are off-limits (read the signs carefully). Lagoon parking in the shopping center lot is not permitted.
January, 2010: No meeting.
Saturday, 9 January. Antelope Valley Raptor Experience. This is the trip for the raptor enthusiast. We will be birding primarily the northwest and west end of the Antelope valley. The raptors we are most likely to see are Red-tailed Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Northern Harrier, Cooper’s Hawk, White-tailed Kite and Golden Eagle. Other possibilities include Rough-legged Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk and Long-eared Owl. We hope to find Mountain Plover, Long-billed Curlew and Mountain Bluebird. In addition, we will be looking for other species that are year-round residents or winter visitors.
You never know when a Merlin might zoom by (L.Johnson photo)
Family guide – Mostly driving, under ½ mile walking on roadsides. Probably boring for young children. Can be windy or rainy.
[Directions] Carpools will leave the North Hills (San Fernando Valley) area by 7:15 am so we can be in the Palmdale area by 8 am. Allow 1/2-hour drive time from Santa Monica to the carpool meeting place. For directions to the meeting place or additional information, call Chuck & Lillian Almdale (818-894-2541) BY THURSDAY EVENING. This trip is limited to 5 vehicles, with priority given to those who are carpooling. In the event of adverse weather such as strong Santa Ana winds, the trip will be cancelled by the leader no later than Friday evening. Bring lunch, drinks, additional water and dress for the weather. If you have an FRS radio, bring it along tuned to Channel 11, privacy channel 22.
Leader — Cindy Schotte (caniswatchKITTY@earthlink.net) (TAKE OUT THE KITTY BEFORE E-MAILING!!)
Sunday, 24 January. Malibu Lagoon. The depths of Winter and loads of birds. It’s frightening how many there are. I don’t even want to think about it. 60 to 75 species likely. A quiet beach on a cool, quiet day. Dress in layers.
See December 27 above for Adult Walk, Children & Parents Walk, Location Information.
Evening Meeting – Tuesday, 2 February, 2010; 7:30 p.m.
The Palms-to-Pines Birding and Nature Trail by Kurt Leuschner
Almost two years in the making, the Palms to Pines Birding and Nature Trail map details the ten best birding and hiking locations in and around the Coachella Valley. Kurt Leuschner, Associate Professor of Natural Resources at College of the Desert in Palm Desert, California, completed this project during a recent sabbatical. For each site, this useful guide and map includes directions, contact information, a list of habitats and signature bird species, wildlife viewing opportunities and other pertinent information. All ten stops are within a relatively short drive from the trail’s starting point at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument visitor center in Palm Desert. Resident and visiting birders and nature enthusiasts will want to visit all ten stops and experience the natural wonders that make this area unique. Copies of The Palms to Pines Birding and Nature Trail will be available at the February 2nd lecture.
[Directions]: We meet at the Ken Edwards Center, 1527 4th Street (between Colorado and Broadway), Santa Monica, located on the east side of the street, across from Santa Monica Place indoor mall and easily accessible from the 4th Street offramp of the westbound #10 Freeway. Parking is under the building: metered spaces are free after 6:00 p.m., and there are numerous free Visitor Parking spaces on the lower levels. We meet on the first floor – the room number will be posted. Meetings begin at 7:30 sharp with a little business, and then our main presentation. Refreshments will be served.
Saturday-Sunday, 13-14 February. Salton Sea & Imperial Valley. The Salton Sea is one of the strangest places on earth. An ancient but ephemeral saline lake in the middle of the desert; so full of life that it is in imminent danger of dying; a place where you find birds found nowhere else in California and a few nowhere else in the U.S. It is also a crackerjack place for a birding weekend, with camping or Motel 6, Chinese or Mexican food. This is a very good time of year, both for the climate and the ducks. See Burrowing Owls, Snow & Ross’ Geese, Abert’s Towhees, Sandhill Cranes, ibises, raptors, shorebirds and waders galore. Also possible are Zone-tailed Hawk, Yellow-footed Gull, Eurasian Collared, Inca, Common and Ruddy Ground-Doves, Gila Woodpecker, Vermillion Flycatcher and Crissal Thrasher. and Who Knows What Else.
Family guide: long car drive but room to roam at the end of it. Usually under 1 mile walking, mostly along roadsides.
[NB] Sign up with leader Chuck Almdale (818-894-2541). It’s a long drive. Allow 3 hours travel time to the meeting place. If we don’t know you’re coming, we don’t wait for you. If you arrive early, there’s lots of birding on the spot. If you have an FRS radio, bring it along tuned to Channel 11, privacy channel 22. Most people stay overnight, but you can come for just Saturday.[Directions] Meet at Davis Road (the Wister Wildlife sign-in point), 37 miles south of Mecca on Highway 111. Driving time from L.A. is about three hours. Car pooling is recommended and staying overnight is a good idea. Camping is available, or you can motel it in Brawley or El Centro. This is not a reservation-only trip but you must call leader to sign up, confirm meeting time & place, and for motel information. We’d hate to find your bleached bones on our way back.
Meet at 9:00 a.m. Leader: Chuck Almdale (818-894-2541)
OR, in case of bad weather in the Imperial Valley
Saturday, 13 February. Sepulveda Basin. The Sepulveda Basin bird list climbed over 200 species way back in 1996. In the winter, the lake in the Wildlife Area sees almost every species of waterfowl that visits the county. Geese, White Pelicans, Double-crested Cormorants, hawks, finches and sparrows are expected, American Bittern is possible. Rarities show up from time to time. We’ll probably pop over to the Lake Balboa area to see if the Ross’ Goose, Hooded Merganser and Eurasian Wigeon are around.
Family Guide: 1-2 miles on a very level path of crushed granite, excellent for all ages.
[Directions] From I-405 in the San Fernando Valley, exit on Burbank Blvd. Go west to Woodley Ave. and turn right. Go right at the second park entrance, make the first right and go to the Wildlife Area parking lot.
Meet at 8:30 a.m. Leader: Ellen Vahan (310-476-3359)
Sunday, 28 February. Malibu Lagoon. Still more birds than you can shake a stick at. What can I say? Birds you’ve never even heard of! Marbled Godwit, Black Turnstone, Heermann’s Gull, Frabulated Wigulet, Pelagic Cormorant, Western Roof Owl, maybe 65 other species. A quiet beach on a quiet day. Who can complain about that?
See December 27 above for Adult Walk, Children & Parents Walk, Location Information.
Bad weather for birding and traveling, as if you didn’t know.
Rain is very likely Friday and Saturday, Soda Lake Rd. is already wet, snow is very likely in the mountains and there is a reasonable chance that the Grapevine Pass might be closed. I wouldn’t want anyone to be stuck overnight in the San Joachin Valley. Que lastima!
Saturday, 19 December. Butterbredt Spring Christmas Count. This is the one trip every year where you can count on meeting real birders, the kind that bring their cross-country skis when the weather turns iffy. No latté-sipping wimps on this trip! All seriousness aside, dress warmly, bring $5 for the compilation fee, pack a lunch and snacks and be ready to spend all daylight time (it gets dark around 4:30 p.m.) in the Butterbredt count circle as we do our part to count all the birds that were too macho to fly south for the winter.
If you have never been on a Christmas Count, it’s all about citizen science. The data we gather (how many birds and species seen in one day) will be entered into a public database by us and several thousand others across North, Central and South America. This data has been and will be used to analyze bird populations and can be crosslinked with other studies such as vegetation and climate issues. It does make a difference, so come on out and help make that difference. No expert identification skills required, just a willingness to help count birdies.
Family guide: long car ride, possible cold weather; gotta love the birds
[Directions] Contact the coordinator Chuck Bragg (310-454-9662) for exact instructions (the count circle instructions are different from our regular field trips to Butterbredt). We’ll be happy to arrange carpools if you don’t want to do any driving. If you have an FRS radio, bring it along tuned to Channel 11, privacy channel 22.
Wednesday, 23 December is the Christmas Count rainout date. Everything else is the same as above.
The resources for this topic are Margaret Huffman, our native plant expert, and a dandy little book Poisonous Plants of California by Fuller and McClintock.
1) Starting off with an easy one – the song… and “a partridge in a pear tree” – pear – Pyrus communis : toxic or non-toxic ? Not toxic. Do birds eat them – yes – the fruit.
2) Ivy -Hedera helix – English Ivy as in the old carol “the holly and the ivy” and which many of us have holding our hillsides and lawns together ? Yes – can be – leaves and berries – gastroenteritis and allergic contact dermatitis.
Do birds eat – yes, particularly the berries.
3) Toyon- Heteromeles arbutifolia -the lovely native with the glorious red berries ? Member of the rose family. Toxic – Seeds or kernel and the leaves especially when damaged by frost. Toxin called by old name of prussic acid. Large amounts can kill livestock. Do birds eat the berries ? Yes when they are “ dead ripe”. Margaret’s comment is that we know they are ripe when they are gone (the birds figure this out first).
4) Poinsettia – Euphorbia pulcherrima – the holiday house plant (red is the choice of 90% according to surveys) – and can be grown in some yards here.. Toxic – yes, leaves, stems and milky sap. Touched – irritant dermatitis and ingested may cause gastritis, but generally not known to be fatal. To be fatal a person must eat 600-700 leaves. Beware of red salads!
5) Mistletoe -Phoradendron tomentosum – the California native – the druids’ favorite plant and the kissing plant. Entire plant is toxic. A few berries can cause moderate abdominal pain etc., while a tea made from leaves can be fatal. Birds, however, eat seeds/berries and propagate the plant.
6) Pyracantha – Firethorn – toxic – yes. Seeds are known to produce small amounts of hydrogen cyanide. As with the Toyon, birds eat seed when the berries are “dead ripe”. How do people know…. the berries are gone.
7) English Yew ,Taxus baccata, is cultivated in California…. this Yew is fatal (can cause death) and was also famous for being the wood of the longbows of England in the 100 years war (1337-1453). The bark of the Pacific Yew, Taxus brevifolia, however, is used to produce tamoxifen ,a breast cancer treatment, and lacks toxic alkaloids. Birds can eat the berries.
So……. use these festive plants as decoration, be careful of berries around children and pets – birds may eat the berries, but people probably should not and remember this number # 1-800-222-1222 which is the United State National Poison Hotline.. they will automatically connect you with the nearest poison center – 1-800-222-1222.
Happy Holidays.
Ellen Vahan
Birding Adventures is a new show broadcast locally by Fox Sports West (and FSN West HD) at Saturday, 7:30 a.m. For us in the north San Fernando Valley with DirecTV, that’s channel 652 but check your local listings for your area and provider. If you don’t have either cable or satellite TV, you probably can’t receive it. During each 30-minute show host James Currie focuses on a different locale and “target bird,” but they get in plenty of other birds, non-birds, and local culture. So far we’ve seen: Island Scrub Jay, California Condor and Yellow-billed Magpie (California), Sun Parakeet and Guinan Cock-of-the-Rock (Guiana), and Black-crowned Antpitta (Panama). Coming up, I don’t know when, they’ll be in Suriname looking for Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Gray-winged Trumpeter (one of my favorite SoAmer birds) and Black Curassow. Set your electronic robot to record it. The show’s website is: http://www.birdingadventures.com/index.php
And now for some magazine articles:
Birds’ eyes, not beaks, sense magnetic fields
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/48895/title/Birds_eyes%2C_not_beaks%2C_sense_magnetic_fields
A new study pinpoints migratory songbirds’ magnetic compass in a specific brain region.
From Science News Online 10/29/09
Macaws bred far from tropics during pre-Columbian times
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/49308/title/Macaws_bred_far_from_tropics_during_pre-Columbian_times
Colorful birds possibly raised for ceremonial and trade purposes long before Spanish arrival.
From Science News Online 11/7/09
Penguin DNA evolving faster than thought
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/49671/title/Penguin_DNA_evolving_faster_than_thought
Comparing the DNA in modern birds to that in ancient generations shows molecular evolution happens at varying rates, and that each species has its own rate of evolution.
From Science News Online 11/18/09
Saturday, 12 December. Carrizo Plains.
Spaces are still available.
This is a wintering ground for the Sandhill Crane, one of two species of cranes in North America, and on good days we’ve seen over 500 of them on the ground or in flight. (When the lake is dry, as is often the case, we usually don’t see any cranes at all.) The Carrizo is also one of the best places in southern California to see a wide variety of raptors, including Prairie Falcon, Ferruginous Hawk and Golden Eagle. We often find a flock of Mountain Plovers! We also look for shrikes, owls, sparrows, larks, Tricolored Blackbirds, scintillating Mountain Bluebirds, coyote, fox, pronghorn, deer, elk, as well as more open quiet space than anyone believes still exists in SoCal. We usually stop by the San Andreas Fault where it breaks through to the surface to check to see how much it has moved since last year. Expect to bird from 9am until almost sundown, followed by a 2 1/2 hour return trip home.
Soda Lake in the Carrizo Plains (BLM photo)
Family guide: lots of car travel and stationary observation, little hiking; young non-birders will be bored.
NB: You must call leader to participate. No fee, but this trip is limited to 5 vehicles, with priority given to those who are carpooling. In the event of adverse weather or road conditions, the trip will be canceled by the leader on Friday evening. Sign-up anytime but please call the leader Chuck Almdale (818-894-2541) during the week before the trip to re-confirm. The leader contacts the Carrizo Plains Ed Center on Friday afternoon just before the trip to check on weather and road conditions and then informs all participants if it’s a go or not.
- Mountain Bluebird (Dennis Paulson photo-BirdWeb)
[Directions] Carpools will leave the North Hills (San Fernando Valley) area by 7:15 am so we can be at the Maricopa re-grouping spot by 9 am. Allow 30-minute drive time from Santa Monica to the carpool meeting place. Bring lunch, drinks, additional water and dress in layers for whatever the weather may bring. You may want to top up your gas tank in Maricopa as there are NO services in the Carrizo. If you have an FRS radio, bring it along tuned to Channel 11, privacy channel 22.
Leave North Hills at 7:15 a.m. Leader: Chuck Almdale (818-894-2541)
Evening Meeting – Tuesday, 1 December, 7:30 p.m. Insects and Native Plant Gardens by James Hogue, Ph.D.
This exquisitely illustrated program is not a session in pest control, but rather an appreciation of the community of native insects and plants that occupy a healthy native plant garden. Jim is a lifelong insect collector and co-author of Field Guide to Beetles of California. He is currently the manager of biological collections and a part-time lecturer in the biology department at California State University, Northridge.
- Don’t let this happen to you.
[Directions]: We meet at the Ken Edwards Center, 1527 4th Street (between Colorado and Broadway), Santa Monica, located on the east side of the street, across from Santa Monica Place indoor mall and easily accessible from the 4th Street offramp of the westbound #10 Freeway. Parking is under the building: metered spaces are free after 6:00 p.m., and there are normally numerous free Visitor Parking spaces on the lower levels. We meet on the first floor – the room number will be posted. Meetings begin at 7:30 sharp with a little business, and then our main presentation. Refreshments will be served.
Future Meetings:
January, 2010: No meeting.
Tuesday, 2 February, 2010; 7:30 p.m.
The Palms-to-Pines Birding and Nature Trail by Kurt Leuschner
The ten best birding and hiking locations in and around the Coachella Valley.
[Directions]: Same as for December, 2009 above.
Merlin momentarily resting (L.Johnson 11/09)
This is an experiment to see if it is feasible to post a table of bird sightings in this blog. If it works, we’ll try to post this monthly, reporting the sightings for the quarter. Thus Jan 2010 will have only one month, Feb will report two months and March will have all three. So far, my experimentation shows that the blog won’t allow enough columns for an entire year’s worth of data. In this month’s table the two rightmost columns show totals for the entire year.
November 22, 2009. We had 59 species total on an unusually fine day for late November, with the most unusual sighting being the female or juvenile Merlin who was very busy catching dragonflies off the water. I saw it catch 4 in about 5 minutes, and it had been doing this for quite a while before I started counting. In other notes, there were 48 Snowy Plovers on the beach, including the bird banded Left Leg: Brown/Orange; Right Leg: White/White which was present on October 25 as well. It was one of three fledglings identically “brood banded” at Vandenberg Air Force Base this past summer.
| MALIBU BIRD | YEAR – | 2009 | 2009 | 2009 | 2009 | |
| COUNTS | MONTH – | 10 | 11 | Year | Number |
|
| SMABS Collected | DAY – | 25 | 22 | Total | Of |
|
| 2009 |
Tide > | L +3.5 | H +4.6 | Birds | Months | |
| Species | Tide Time > | 0941 | 1137 | Seen | Seen | |
| 1 | (Black) | Brant | 6 | 3 | ||
| 2 | Wood | Duck | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 3 | Gadwall | Gadwall | 4 | 7 | 110 | 10 |
| 4 | American | Wigeon | 10 | 6 | 58 | 7 |
| 5 | Mallard | Mallard | 24 | 15 | 236 | 11 |
| 6 | Cinnamon | Teal | 9 | 2 | ||
| 7 | Northern | Shoveler | 25 | 5 | 84 | 6 |
| 8 | Northern | Pintail | 2 | 2 | ||
| 9 | Green-winged | Teal | 4 | 6 | 51 | 5 |
| 10 | Greater | Scaup | 1 | 1 | ||
| 11 | Lesser | Scaup | 1 | 1 | ||
| 12 | Surf | Scoter | 28 | 3 | ||
| 13 | Bufflehead | Bufflehead | 5 | 24 | 3 | |
| 14 | Red-breasted | Merganser | 1 | 13 | 4 | |
| 15 | Ruddy | Duck | 18 | 20 | 94 | 8 |
| 16 | Red-throated | Loon | 2 | 1 | ||
| 17 | Pacific | Loon | 6 | 4 | ||
| 18 | Common | Loon | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 19 | Pied-billed | Grebe | 10 | 5 | 41 | 10 |
| 20 | Horned | Grebe | 2 | 2 | ||
| 21 | Eared | Grebe | 6 | 6 | 1 | |
| 22 | Western | Grebe | 20 | 15 | 81 | 6 |
| 23 | Brown | Pelican | 8 | 12 | 1009 | 11 |
| 24 | Brandt’s | Cormorant | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 |
| 25 | Double-crested | Cormorant | 25 | 29 | 250 | 11 |
| 26 | Pelagic | Cormorant | 1 | 8 | 5 | |
| 27 | Great Blue | Heron | 4 | 3 | 37 | 10 |
| 28 | Great | Egret | 1 | 1 | 28 | 9 |
| 29 | Snowy | Egret | 15 | 8 | 150 | 11 |
| 30 | Green | Heron | 2 | 2 | ||
| 31 | Black-crowned | Night-Heron | 1 | 14 | 6 | |
| 32 | Turkey | Vulture | 1 | 1 | ||
| 33 | Osprey | Osprey | 1 | 1 | ||
| 34 | Cooper’s | Hawk | 2 | 2 | ||
| 35 | Red-shouldered | Hawk | 2 | 2 | ||
| 36 | Red-tailed | Hawk | 1 | 2 | 11 | 9 |
| 37 | American | Kestral | 1 | 1 | ||
| 38 | Merlin | Merlin | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 39 | Peregrine | Falcon | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 40 | Sora | Rail | 4 | 6 | 16 | 6 |
| 41 | Virginia | Rail | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| 42 | American | Coot | 266 | 295 | 1237 | 10 |
| 43 | Blk-bellied | Plover | 114 | 89 | 510 | 8 |
| 44 | Snowy | Plover | 61 | 48 | 306 | 8 |
| 45 | Semipalmated | Plover | 27 | 3 | ||
| 46 | Killdeer | Killdeer | 5 | 3 | 23 | 9 |
| 47 | Black | Oystercatcher | 2 | 1 | ||
| 48 | Black-necked | Stilt | 2 | 1 | ||
| 49 | American | Avocet | 13 | 3 | ||
| 50 | Greater | Yellowlegs | 2 | 2 | ||
| 51 | Lesser | Yellowlegs | 1 | 1 | ||
| 52 | Willet | Willet | 40 | 18 | 137 | 10 |
| 53 | Spotted | Sandpiper | 4 | 2 | 17 | 8 |
| 54 | Whimbrel | Whimbrel | 6 | 5 | 66 | 10 |
| 55 | Marbled | Godwit | 25 | 14 | 91 | 7 |
| 56 | Ruddy | Turnstone | 12 | 13 | 95 | 8 |
| 57 | Black | Turnstone | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| 58 | Sanderling | Sanderling | 145 | 155 | 642 | 7 |
| 59 | Western | Sandpiper | 5 | 40 | 6 | |
| 60 | Least | Sandpiper | 12 | 28 | 7 | |
| 61 | Pectoral | Sandpiper | 2 | 1 | ||
| 62 | Dunlin | Dunlin | 4 | 7 | 3 | |
| 63 | Short-billed | Dowitcher | 20 | 29 | 3 | |
| 64 | Boneparte’s | Gull | 1 | 1 | ||
| 65 | Heermann’s | Gull | 12 | 13 | 210 | 11 |
| 66 | Ring-billed | Gull | 14 | 50 | 298 | 9 |
| 67 | California | Gull | 123 | 58 | 2196 | 10 |
| 68 | Herring | Gull | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 69 | Western | Gull | 82 | 67 | 937 | 11 |
| 70 | Glaucous-winged | Gull | 32 | 4 | ||
| 71 | Caspian | Tern | 1 | 62 | 6 | |
| 72 | Royal | Tern | 19 | 5 | ||
| 73 | Elegant | Tern | 11 | 1 | 795 | 8 |
| 74 | Forster’s | Tern | 2 | 1 | ||
| 75 | Least | Tern | 1 | 1 | ||
| 76 | Black | Skimmer | 30 | 1 | ||
| 77 | Rock | Pigeon | 6 | 6 | 57 | 11 |
| 78 | Eurasian | Collrd Dove | 1 | 1 | ||
| 79 | Mourning | Dove | 10 | 3 | 34 | 10 |
| 80 | Black-hooded | Parakeet | 6 | 1 | ||
| 81 | Anna’s | Hummingbird | 1 | 4 | 21 | 11 |
| 82 | Allen’s | Hummingbird | 2 | 2 | 36 | 11 |
| 83 | Belted | Kingfisher | 1 | 4 | 4 | |
| 84 | Downy | Woodpecker | 1 | 1 | ||
| 85 | Pacific Slope | Flycatcher | 1 | 1 | ||
| 86 | Black | Phoebe | 6 | 6 | 86 | 11 |
| 87 | Say’s | Phoebe | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| 88 | Western | Kingbird | 4 | 2 | ||
| 89 | American | Crow | 5 | 6 | 66 | 11 |
| 90 | Common | Raven | 2 | 1 | ||
| 91 | Tree | Swallow | 1 | 181 | 2 | |
| 92 | Rough-winged | Swallow | 74 | 7 | ||
| 93 | Cliff | Swallow | 49 | 5 | ||
| 94 | Barn | Swallow | 53 | 7 | ||
| 95 | Oak | Titmouse | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 96 | Bushtit | Bushtit | 40 | 80 | 7 | |
| 97 | Bewick’s | Wren | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| 98 | House | Wren | 1 | 4 | 2 | |
| 99 | Marsh | Wren | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| 100 | Ruby-crowned | Kinglet | 1 | 1 | ||
| 101 | Wrentit | Wrentit | 2 | 2 | ||
| 102 | Northern | Mockingbird | 3 | 1 | 25 | 11 |
| 103 | European | Starling | 12 | 6 | 160 | 11 |
| 104 | Orange-crowned | Warbler | 3 | 2 | ||
| 105 | Yellow-rumped | Warbler | 3 | 6 | 33 | 6 |
| 106 | Common | Yellowthroat | 3 | 5 | 22 | 10 |
| 107 | Spotted | Towhee | 2 | 2 | ||
| 108 | California | Towhee | 2 | 17 | 6 | |
| 109 | Savannah | Sparrow | 8 | 10 | 2 | |
| 110 | Song | Sparrow | 6 | 4 | 56 | 11 |
| 111 | White-crowned | Sparrow | 4 | 4 | 16 | 4 |
| 112 | Red-winged | Blackbird | 6 | 4 | ||
| 113 | Western | Meadowlark | 1 | 5 | 2 | |
| 114 | Brewer’s | Blackbird | 1 | 1 | ||
| 115 | Great-tailed | Grackle | 3 | 8 | 4 | |
| 116 | Brown-headed | Cowbird | 7 | 5 | ||
| 117 | Hooded | Oriole | 7 | 3 | ||
| 118 | Bullock’s | Oriole | 2 | 1 | ||
| 119 | House | Finch | 4 | 6 | 79 | 11 |
| 120 | Lesser | Goldfinch | 9 | 5 | ||
| Total Trip Birds | 1233 | 1093 | 11519 | |||
| Totals Individuals | ||||||
| Waterfowl | 86 | 65 | 718 | |||
| Water Birds – Other | 341 | 367 | 2673 | |||
| Herons, Egrets,Ibis | 20 | 13 | 231 | |||
| Quail & Raptors | 2 | 3 | 20 | |||
| Shorebirds | 455 | 347 | 2043 | |||
| Gulls & Terns | 244 | 190 | 4586 | |||
| Doves | 16 | 9 | 92 | |||
| Otr Non-Pas’rines | 3 | 7 | 68 | |||
| Passerines | 66 | 92 | 1088 | |||
| Totals Birds | 1233 | 1093 | 11519 | |||
| Total Species | ||||||
| Waterfowl | 7 | 8 | 15 | |||
| Water Birds – Other | 9 | 10 | 14 | |||
| Herons,Egrets, Ibis | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Quail & Raptors | 2 | 2 | 8 | |||
| Shorebirds | 14 | 9 | 21 | |||
| Gulls & Terns | 7 | 6 | 13 | |||
| Doves | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||
| Otr Non-Pas’erines | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||
| Passerines | 17 | 15 | 36 | |||
| Totals – Species | 63 | 59 | 120 |
Thirteen, turned out to be a lucky number, the participants in our Butterbredt Spring birding, camping at Sageland, feasting, and imaginative pumpkin carving event, with plenty of surprise sightings!
First, after meeting Saturday morning at the Spring’s gate, there enjoying the sweet winter calls of myriads of White-crowned Sparrows who were flying in to the puddles in the rushes, we wondered what was making another murmuring sound.
In the cottonwood grove, Chuck Bragg spotted an interesting warbler with a “white” face. Possibly a Hermit? Others saw a Robin. The usual Bewick’s Wrens and Rock Wrens were about. No sign of the expected Great Horned Owls.
Onward, we crawled through the eastern fence to the water trough where it was apparent the flow needed help. As the outflow began trickling down the slope into the open puddle area, literally dozens and dozens of Sage Sparrows flew in from the surroundings for a drink and bath. They came from many directions, running, tails high, like miniature Roadrunners. Their contact calls explained the mystery murmur we’d heard earlier. Standing out of their way, we observed their every feature, better than ever previously, in my case.
Further down the trail produced a number of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, more wrens, House Finches, a Flicker, Lesser Gold Finches, an Orange-crowned Warbler, a distant Raven, but no Long-eared Owls.
Returning, we paused again under the big Cottonwood in the draw where Chuck spotted an animal high in the tree’s crotch, apparently sleeping. Raccoon, was the guess, but no. It finally turned its sleepy head to reveal a “fox”. Much speculation followed regarding its species but eventually all agreed, the tail was black to the tip, and the red in the coat was typical of our native species. That non-bird, so high in a tree was a great sighting! Foxes do climb, it seems, and like to sleep days, out of reach of harm. Then, a Great Horned Owl was discovered high in one of the Spring’s cottonwoods on the way out.
After snacks, the group chose to proceed up the Butterbredt Canyon OHV road in hopes of specialties. It reportedly had been recently graded and passable, even for most regular autos. Chuck lead in his Prius, did not get stuck, and Liz Galton, despite lack of previous experience, bravely followed at the end, in her Prius, unaware of the to-be-expected challenges of sand, bumps, narrow passages. She did well, but, might not want to attempt another such run. The only new bird was a perched Loggerhead Shrike. Eagles absent. No Meadowlarks, Roadrunners, Mountain Bluebirds, Pinyon Jays. However, reports indicate big raptors and the Bluebirds are now in the area – available for the upcoming Christmas Bird Count.
Continuing then, to Keith Axelson’s Sageland Ranch, off Kelso Creek, for camping, partying, more walks, many more birds, (they regularly flock there to his stream, feeders, and great riparian habitat), we carved our pumpkins for the evening’s show and contest, and enjoyed barbeque dinners with special deserts. Afterwards, came the pumpkin lighted display which was spectacular, possibly the best ever in many years. Chuck Bragg, out of long practice, judged a prize for each one with a final for his outstanding, unique, incised “Rabbit Bush”! Who could argue?
Hollowed heads of fallen friends are prominently displayed
The golden glow of rabbit brush is a signature feature of this outing as are the brilliant yellow crowns of the cottonwoods at this season, and the campfire, and, happily, the perfect weather.
During an afternoon walk down to Kelso Creek and return, Chuck, lucky man, spotted an unusual woodpecker-type bird, black, with a long white wing patch, a Williamson’s Sapsucker male. We were blown away! Usually found in higher elevation woodlands, it was the first-ever male seen there by Keith. Later it turned up in nearby trees and some of us had a chance for our best ever view of this rather uncommon bird.
Roxane Seidner also discovered another unexpected bird, below the suspension bridge, a Wilson’s Snipe, lurking along the stream. Of course, when the rest of us rushed to look, it had already slipped away.
Two other sightings deserve mention. We were horrified on our initial arrival at the Butterbredt Spring to see a large pile of feathers, the discarded wings of a quail flock, possibly, also of Chuckars, left by hunters. Although in legal hunting season, it is impossible to imagine anyone wanting to shoot these beautiful little birds.
The other sighting involved Keith’s recently built and installed owl box. Lys, Keith’s daughter, noticed feathers around the bottom edge of the box, so, on a hunch, he opened it, discovering a little Screech Owl calmly roosting there. We were all permitted a very brief look. This seems like a happy replacement family for Sageland, after Keith’s original family of Screech Owls perished from effects of the drought and predation. We heard them calling each other in the evenings, a sweet and haunting warble, rather than a screech.
Sunday, Nov. 1, some participants needed to leave for home, but those continuing enjoyed a long hike up Axelson Creek to Dove Spring Road, cross country, thence up the rocky draw northeast, where we observed a wood-log barrier recently installed by the SCA (Student Conservation Association) and Keith. This type of barrier virtually prevents motorcyclists from jumping off a legitimate trail at critical points, in order for them to cut down canyons or cross country. These barriers are very substantial, virtually impossible to ignore, bypass or up-root, as happens with posted signs and other obstacles. It is satisfying to see support of SCA being rewarded.
The atmosphere at Butterbredt and Sageland was, and always is, very birdy, very beautiful, restful, sometimes, eventful, Nature at its best!. This was no exception. One is reluctant to leave. The group was altogether congenial. We hope we will see them and other of our members on more outing at SMBAS sponsored Butterbredt Spring.
Leader: Mary Prismon
Participants: Chuck Bragg, Lys Axelson, Keith Axelson, Andrew and Sylvia Nawrocky, John Vanderhoest, Jean Garrett, Gloria Bando, Elizabeth Galton, Natsumi Rice, Roxane Seidner, Mary Prismon, Allison Sheehey
A bird list follows.
Bird List: Butterbredt Spring, Kelso Valley, Sageland
10/31 – 11/2 – 2009
| White-crowned Sparrow | Sage Sparrow |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | California Towhee |
| California Quail | Red-tailed Hawk |
| American Robin | Nashville Warbler |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | Bewick’s Wren |
| Rock Wren | House Finch |
| Northern Flicker | Common Raven |
| Spotted Towhee | American Kestrel |
| Cooper’s Hawk | Dark-eyed Junco |
| Wilson’s Snipe | Williamson’s Sapsucker (male) |
| Pine Siskin | Western Bluebird |
| Anna’s Hummingbird | Scrub Jay |
| European Starling | Western Screech Owl |
| California Thrasher | Red-breasted Sapsucker |
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lesser Goldfinch |
| Nuttall’s Woodpecker |
The Native Plant Society has honored me for my contributions over the years with the gift of a native plant, a beautiful ceanothus “yankee point.” This is a ground cover that has lovely blue blooms in the spring and is very happy in my garden.
Thank you, Native Plant Society. Margaret
Chuck Bragg
AdrianD
Margaret Huffman
Chuck Almdale
Mary Prismon
E Vahan