California bird list: 16 to 26 April ’08

Hello All (Birders)

herewith my Cali birds since arriving until yesterday. Birding has been done in a rather seriously unserious fashion, as you’ll see by the patchy list & low total, but there are some fun ones in there. Bold species name indicates that I’ve snapped a photo of the sp. and ‘ph?’ means I can’t remember if I did. Names are according to Sibley’s latest field guides to E and W North America. My Excel list formatting did not come through; info is a) number (my total) b) species name c) state abbreviation d) date 1st seen in state e) place 1st seen in state f) random notes.

I’d doubtless have a few tens more spp. if I’d actually managed to hook up w a local birder – so far it’s been just me in relax mode, my ropey New World knowledge and the increasingly frustrating Sibley guides (they appear at first glance to be super-complete, but actually leave a lot of vital info & drawings out).

Random record photos, mostly crap quality, will follow as soon as I’ve figured out how to optimise them for the blog.

1. Red-throated Loon CA 22-Apr-08 Pacific Grove Intermediate plumage
2. Pacific Loon CA 22-Apr-08 Pacific Grove
3. Common Loon CA 19-Apr-08 Brighton Bch, Santa Cruz
4. Eared Grebe CA 22-Apr-08 Pacific Grove
5. Pied-billed Grebe ph? CA 17-Apr-08 Neary Lagoon, Santa Cruz
6. Western Grebe CA 19-Apr-08 Brighton Bch, Santa Cruz ID: Extent of white on face, bill colour
7. Clark’s Grebe CA 19-Apr-08 Brighton Bch, Santa Cruz ID: Extent of white on face, bill colour
8. Brown Pelican CA 17-Apr-08 Pleasure Pt, Santa Cruz
9. Brandt’s Cormorant CA 17-Apr-08 Pleasure Pt, Santa Cruz White filaments not shown Sibley
10. Pelagic Cormorant CA 19-Apr-08 Santa Cruz NB: Red face while breeding!
11. Great Egret ph? CA 16-Apr-08 San Francisco
12. Green Heron ph? CA 17-Apr-08 Neary Lagoon Catching fish
13. Canada Goose CA 22-Apr-08 Pacific Grove
14. Mallard ph? CA 16-Apr-08 near San Francisco
15. Surf Scoter CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
16. Common Merganser CA 26-Apr-08 Andrew Molera St Pk
17. Red-breasted Merganser CA 22-Apr-08 Pacific Grove
18. Turkey Vulture CA 24-Apr-08 Big Sur area
19. Cooper’s Hawk CA 20-Apr-08 Pogonip, Santa Cruz
20. Red-shouldered Hawk CA 22-Apr-08 Asilomar
21. Red-tailed Hawk ph? CA 26-Apr-08 Big Sur area Typical adult
22. California Quail CA 26-Apr-08 Andrew Molera St Pk
23. American Coot ph? CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
24. Black-bell. Plover CA 19-Apr-08 Brighton Bch, Santa Cruz Juv & Adt Br
25. Killdeer CA 23-Apr-08 Asilomar
26. (American) Black Oystercatcher CA 22-Apr-08 Pacific Grove
27. Spott. Sandpiper ph? CA 17-Apr-08 Pleasure Pt, Santa Cruz
28. Whimbrel CA 21-Apr-08 Asilomar
29. Marbled Godwit CA 21-Apr-08 Asilomar
30. Black Turnstone CA 21-Apr-08 Asilomar
31. Sanderling CA 19-Apr-08 Brighton Bch, Santa Cruz
32. Least Sandpiper CA 26-Apr-08 Andrew Molera St Pk
33. mystery Phalarope CA 20-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
34. Western Gull CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
35. Caspian Tern CA 22-Apr-08 Pacific Grove
36. Pigeon Guillemot CA 20-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
37. Feral Pigeon CA 16-Apr-08 San Francisco
38. Mourning Dove CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
39. White-throated Swift CA 20-Apr-08 Pogonip, Santa Cruz
40. Anna’s Hummingbird CA 17-Apr-08 Neary Lag., Santa Cruz
41. Allen’s Hummingbird CA 26-Apr-08 Andrew Molera St Pk Orange-rumped adt male
42. Acorn Woodpecker CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
43. Hairy Woodpecker CA 22-Apr-08 Asilomar
44. Pacific-slope Flycatcher CA 26-Apr-08 Andrew Molera St Pk
45. Black Phoebe CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
46. Steller’s Jay CA 18-Apr-08 Soquel
47. West. Scrub-Jay ph? CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
48. American Crow CA 16-Apr-08 San Francisco
49. Tree Swallow CA 21-Apr-08 Pacific Grove
50. Violet-green Swallow CA 22-Apr-08 Pacific Grove
51. N. Rough-w. Swallow CA 22-Apr-08 Pacific Grove
52. Barn Swallow CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
53. Cliff Swallow CA 17-Apr-08 Neary Lag., Santa Cruz
54. Purple Martin CA 21-Apr-08 Asilomar
55. Oak Titmouse CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
56. Chestnut-backed Chickadee CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz CA central-coast form
57. Bushtit CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
58. Marsh Wren CA 17-Apr-08 Neary Lag., Santa Cruz
59. Bewick’s Wren CA 20-Apr-08 Pogonip, Santa Cruz
60. House Wren CA 24-Apr-08 Esalen
61. American Robin CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz w nesting material
62. N. Mockingbird CA 17-Apr-08 Neary Lag., Santa Cruz
63. Cedar Waxwing CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
64. European Starling CA 16-Apr-08 San Francisco
65. Black-Throated Gray Warbler CA 17-Apr-08 Neary Lagoon, Santa Cruz
66. Wilson’s Warbler CA 20-Apr-08 Pogonip, Santa Cruz
67. Black-hd. Grosbeak CA 18-Apr-08 Soquel
68. California Towhee CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
69. Spotted Towhee CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
70. Song Sparrow CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz CA coastal form
71. Dark-eyed Junco CA 18-Apr-08 Soquel Oregon form
72. White-crowned Sparrow CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
73. Golden-crowned Sparrow CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
74. Red-wing Blackbird CA 18-Apr-08 Soquel bicoloured form
75. Brewer’s Blackbird CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz
76. House Finch CA 16-Apr-08 San Jose yellow form also seen later
77. Purple Finch CA 26-Apr-08 Andrew Molera St Pk
78. Lsr. Goldfinch CA 18-Apr-08 Soquel
79. House Sparrow CA 17-Apr-08 Santa Cruz much bigger than S African birds

Cheers!

Adam