TOP 10 SPECIES

Top 10 lists are voted upon by the participants at the completion of each tour.

 

COMPLETE CALIFORNIA
15-28 September 2007

  1) CALIFORNIA CONDOR - Several were seen flying out of Pinnacles National Monument but the best sighting was on the road to Mt. Pinos where a lone bird was found feeding on road kill.
  2) Le Conte's Thrasher - A very cooperative bird posed for pictures and sang in the scrub near Maricopa.
  3) Greater Sage-Grouse - Several were seen outside of Bodie State Park.
  4) Great Gray Owl - A lone bird was seen in the Wawona area of Yosemite National Park.
  5) Island Scrub-Jay - Easily found on Santa Cruz Island.
  6) Mountain Quail - A large covey was found just off Tioga Pass Road near Lee Vining.
  7) Black-footed Albatross - Several were seen on both Monterey Bay pelagic trips.
  8) Flesh-footed Shearwater - Several were seen on both Monterey Bay pelagic trips.
  9) Barn Owl - A lone bird at Bodega bay sat in a tree and gave excellent daytime views.
10) Yellow-billed Magpie - Many birds were seen in the Pinnacles area.

COMPLETE CALIFORNIA TOUR
15-28 September 2007
Trip Report by Jason Horn, Tour Leader

First morning of the tour, Mary Ann and Peter Marchetti and I headed to Palo Alto and Mountain View Baylands for a few hours of birding before Les Eastman arrived. At Palo Verde we started birding at the duck pond that gave us close-up views of coots, grebes, several species of ducks, California Gull, Black-crowned Night-Heron and two immature Little Blue Herons (a fairly uncommon bird for the area). As we explored farther we had close-up views of Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Red-necked Phalarope, and many other shorebirds, an experience that would be repeated throughout the tour. One of the highlights of the morning was a very cooperative California Clapper Rail (an endangered subspecies) that came into the open and posed for our enjoyment. Other highlights included close views of Vaux's Swift, Cinnamon Teal, and American White Pelicans. This morning we encountered thousands of birds and had a nice introduction to what California birding has to offer. After picking Les up at the airport we headed North to Bodega Bay. En route we had nice views of San Francisco Bay as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. At Bodega Bay we had good numbers of water and shorebirds that included some of our first West Coast specialties such as Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, and Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorants. Some other specialties included Tricolored and "Bicolored" Red-winged Blackbirds coming into roost at a small wetland. But one of the highlights of the day was a beautiful Barn Owl that was perched in the open. We watched the owl for quite a while as it was being mobbed by Chestnut-backed Chickadees. An excellent way to end the first day!

Day two we birded the Point Reyes Peninsula. Starting at Tomales Bay State Park, we quickly had excellent looks at a Wrentit, another West coast specialty. In the park we birded the forest and found Band-tailed Pigeon, Chestnut -backed Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Hutton's Vireo, and Wilson's and Townsend's Warblers, to name a few. We then found our way to the Tule Elk Reserve where we saw many Elk. After enjoying the Elk herd we headed to Abbott's Lagoon for more views of waterfowl and shorebirds. The best shorebirds we found were a Dunlin and two Baird's Sandpipers. After leaving the peninsula we headed to a nearby marsh where we had close but brief views of a Virginia Rail. We finished the day around the park headquarters where we had two more specialties. A family of California Towhees and a covey of California Quail put on quite a show right in the parking lot.

Day three we got to experience the joy of California rush hour traffic as we made our way to Bolinas Lagoon before we headed to Yosemite National Park. At the lagoon we had large numbers waterfowl, gulls, and shorebirds that were occasionally displaced by the passing of a Bald Eagle. Here we encountered our first Elegant Terns and a large Harbor Seal nursery to everyone’s delight. We made a few stops on the way to Yosemite, one of which yielded Sora and Virginia Rail. Once at Yosemite National Park we were delighted to find a very cooperative Red-shouldered Hawk and a pair of American Dippers that put on an excellent show as they fed along a small mountain stream. After tearing ourselves away we headed to a nearby location to look for Great Gray Owl. At this area we were unable to locate a Great Gray but we did find a Cooper's Hawk and a Long-eared Owl. The Long-eared was a surprise because they are not that common at this altitude.

Day four we were up early for another attempt for the Great Gray Owl. Just as we were about to give up, Peter spotted one as it came out of the tall grass carrying a vole! The bird landed on the same perch that the Long-eared Owl was on the night before. The bird then moved to the top of a small bush where it sat for a while before it disappeared into the forest. This was an experience that will not be soon forgotten. Back on track we headed toward Glacier Point where we found Pileated Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, White-throated Swift, and a few other mountain birds. The main target bird at this location was Sooty Grouse. Unfortunately we were unable to locate one; therefore this bird would have to wait until another trip. I guess we must have used up too much luck on the owl. The only consolation was the majestic view of the Yosemite Valley form Glacier Point Overlook. Wow! After leaving the point we worked our way into the valley. Once in the valley we birded the area below Bridal Vail Fall where we found a beautiful Great Horned Owl being mobbed by a group of Steller's Jays. We birded our way through the park and found our way to Mono Lake area where we concluded our day at Mono County Park. Here we saw large number of California Gulls, Eared Grebes, and Red-necked Phalaropes on the lake. In the parking lot we were delighted by several Red-breasted Sapsuckers, a Black-billed Magpie, and a few other nice birds.

Day five was a cold and very, very windy day, but we made the best of it and set out to bird the sheltered areas. We checked the area around the Bodie Ghost Town. On the way to Bodie we found a nice group of birds that included Say's Phoebe, Sage Sparrow, Pine Siskin, and Spotted and Green-tailed Towhees. In the Bodie area, I spotted a very distant Greater Sage-Grouse. After everyone saw the speck in the scope, we set out across the sagebrush for a closer look. We slowly worked our way toward the location and found ourselves extremely close to what turned out to be a flock of about 15 grouse! These birds put on a nice show as they worked their way through the sagebrush. After this fantastic experience we returned to the road and quickly found a large group of Mountain Bluebirds. After this we headed back to Mono County Park and had a MacGillivray's Warbler and a male American Redstart. Nearby a Bobcat crossed the road right in front of the car. In town we found Rufous Hummingbird, Steller's Jay, Cassin's Finch, and Pine Siskin coming to feeders. All in all we had a fairly good day considering the less than optimal weather conditions.

Day six we got an early start to a large burn area to look for Black-backed Woodpecker before breakfast. This mourning the winds had subsided and the burn area was alive with the sounds of woodpeckers. We spent two hours searching this area during which I heard only one Black- backed Woodpecker call. I was unable to locate the bird, but I tracked down several Northern Flickers and about 60+ different Hairy Woodpeckers. It was an incredible experience to see so many woodpeckers in such a small area! On our way back to breakfast we learned that the Tioga Pass through Yosemite was closed due to an early snowstorm. We revisited the feeders in town and saw several different Rufous Hummingbirds. We also birded some areas below the pass that produced a Western Tanager and a covey of Mountain Quail. We watched them as they crossed the road and worked their way up the hillside. After having our fill of the quail we headed up the road where I saw a Black Swift barreling down the hill trying to escape the wintry weather. I quickly turned around and tried to chase it down, but it was just too quick, hence the name swift? The return trip through the park was quite different than our previous passage. The summer setting was transformed to a winter wonderland with snow-laden trees and several inches of pure white snow covering the ground. We saw several close Clark's Nutcrackers before we departed the park and headed for our next location. We stopped in Fresno and had several Spotted Doves, a bird that is becoming increasingly more difficult to find in California. In the Central Valley we stopped at Mendota Waterfowl Management Area where we had close views of breeding Western and Clark's Grebes, as well as White-faced Ibis and Caspian Tern.

Day seven we headed to Monterey to go on our first of two pelagic trips with Debra Shearwater Journeys. During the debriefing of ship rules we had a first year Sabine's Gull in the harbor. What a nice way to start the trip! We had a beautiful calm day with close and excellent views of most species. Species seen on the trip included: Black-footed Albatross, Sooty Shearwater, Short-tailed Shearwater (first one for the season), Buller's Shearwater, Pink-footed Shearwater, Flesh-footed Shearwater (very brief), Wilson's Storm-Petrel, Ashy Storm-Petrel, Black Storm-Petrel, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, South Polar Skua, Pomarine Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, and Rhinoceros Auklet. Also seen were Humpback Whale, Northern Right Whale Dolphin, Pacific White-sided Dolphin, Dall's Porpoise, California Sea Lion, Harbor Seal, and Sea Otter. After the pelagic were made a short visit to Point Pinos to see Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Surfbird, and Wandering Tattler.

Day eight we went to Pinnacles National Monument. We stopped at Paicines Reservoir where we had Bald Eagle, Wilson's Snipe, Baird's Sandpiper, Cassin's Kingbird, Western Kingbird, and many others. Also along the road we found a Prairie Falcon and several Yellow-billed Magpies (endemic to California). Upon arriving at Pinnacles we found three more target birds: Oak Titmouse, Nuttall's Woodpecker, and FIVE California Condors! Other highlights included Golden Eagle and Pacific-slope Flycatcher. After leaving Pinnacles we headed to a location to look for California Thrasher and Lawrence's Goldfinch. Both birds showed nicely, especially the flock of goldfinches that were coming in to drink at a small spring.

Day nine began in Santa Cruz with close views Elegant Tern and distant views of Marbled Murrelet. We then proceeded to Ana Nuevo State Park were we had better views of Marbled Murrelet and added Elephant Seal to the trip. In the afternoon we birded the Moss Landing area where we had large numbers of shorebirds, among which we found Ruddy Turnstone and Red Knot. In the inlet we had a group of about 80 Sea Otters all swimming and feeding together.

Day ten was our second pelagic. This time during the debriefing we found a female Harlequin Duck in the harbor. We had another calm day at sea with many of the same species. Highlights included 20 South Polar Skuas, excellent and prolonged views of Flesh-footed Shearwater as it followed the boat, and a breaching Humpback Whale. As we returned to the harbor we were greeted by a Pigeon Guillemot and the same Sabine's Gull that we saw at the start of the first pelagic.

Day eleven, a stop at Moss Landing yielded close views of five Snowy Plovers and a first-year Parasitic Jaeger sitting on the beach. We worked are way down the scenic Pacific Coast Highway. Today was mostly a travel day with some birding along the way.

Day twelve we traveled with Island Packers Tour to Prisoner’s Cove on Santa Cruz Island. On the way out we found several Black-vented Shearwaters. After arriving at Prisoner’s Cove we quickly located the main target bird, the endemic Island Scrub-Jay. We also saw many of the endemic subspecies including Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Orange-crowned Warbler, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, and Allen's Hummingbird. On the island we found Hooded Oriole, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Lazuli Bunting. On the return trip we saw hundreds of Common Dolphins, Risso's Dolphin, Minke Whale, and two Blue Whales.

Day thirteen we went to Maricopa to look for Le Conte's Thrasher. We quickly found a cooperative pair of thrashers, along with Greater Roadrunner and Sage Sparrow. After the nice thrasher show we headed toward Mount Pinos. We found a Grasshopper Sparrow, many Lark Sparrows, and two California Condors that were just finishing their breakfast that consisted of a road-killed Black-tailed Jackrabbit. The one condor was in the company of several Common Ravens that were dwarfed by its presence. This bird allowed for a close approach until a passing car caused it to take off and circle by our van. This was a real treat to see such a critically endangered bird at such close range. At Mount Pinos we found Lewis's Woodpecker, White-headed Woodpecker, and Townsend's Warbler, just to name a few.

The final morning we went to the Palo Verde Peninsula where we saw Cactus Wren and several California Gnatcatchers. This was our final specialty of the tour before we departed for the airport and our plane ride home.

 

COMPLETE CALIFORNIA: Mountains, Ocean & Desert
6-19 September 2002

  1) Black-footed Albatross
  2) South Polar Skua
  3) Tufted Puffin
  4) White-headed Woodpecker
  5) Solitary Sandpiper
  6) Le Conte's Thrasher
  7) Island Scrub-Jay
  8) Greater Roadrunner
  9) Greater Sage-Grouse
10) Black Oystercatcher

 

CALIFORNIA TOUR BIRD SUMMARY
by Jim Danzenbaker

Species Comments
LOONS  
Red-throated Loon One flew over the boat on the Cordell Bank trip.
Pacific Loon One scoped from shore along the Santa Cruz coastline on 9/7.
Common Loon One on the Cordell Bank trip and two from the Santa Cruz Island boat.
GREBES  
Pied-billed Grebe Common at Bridgeport Reservoir.
Eared Grebe Very common on Mono Lake which is a primary migration stopover location for this species.
Western Grebe Numerous offshore from McGrath State Beach in Ventura and also along Cannery Row in Monterey.
Clark's Grebe One stunning individual at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough in direct comparison with a Western Grebe. Others sighted on 9/10 and 9/18.
ALBATROSSES  
Black-footed Albatross 5 seen on the Monterey trip but 120 on the Cordell Bank trip were memorable. This species comes to the California coastline on 3-week foraging runs from the leeward chain of the Hawaiian Islands and Laysan Island.
SHEARWATERS & ALLIES  
Northern Fulmar One seen on the Cordell Bank trip.
Pink-footed Shearwater Numerous on both pelagic trips. This species wings northward after breeding on islands off Chile in January-February.
Flesh-footed Shearwater This visitor from Australia and New Zealand was seen on the Cordell Bank trip. A good find!
Buller's Shearwater Recorded on both pelagic trips. This distinctinctly marked species breeds in New Zealand.
Sooty Shearwater Commonly seen on both pelagic trips.
Black-vented Shearwater About 45 seen heading north on the Santa Cruz Island trip.
STORM-PETRELS  
Wilson's Storm-Petrel Three seen on the Cordell Bank trip. This is purported to be the most common bird in the world and breeds in Antarctica.
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel Only one seen on the Cordell Bank trip.
Ashy Storm-Petrel 1500 seen on the Cordell Bank trip. This rarest of storm-petrels is confined to California and adjacent Oregon and Baja Mexico waters. Ashy Storm-Petrel is a threatened species which breeds principally on the Farallon Islands.
PELICANS  
American White Pelican Most common in Bodega Bay harbor but recorded on four other days.
Brown Pelican Very common along the coast with highs of 350 on 9/17 and 500 on 9/18.
CORMORANTS  
Brandt's Cormorant Very common along the coast.
Double-crested Cormorant Recorded on 9 days.
Pelagic Cormorant Individuals recorded on three different days. This species is smaller and thinner than Brandt's.
HERONS & EGRETS  
Great Blue Heron Recorded on 8 days.
Great Egret Regularly seen wherever there was fresh water.
Snowy Egret Most common on 9/15 and 9/18.
Reddish Egret One seen at the Point Mugu Lagoon on 9/18.
Black-crowned Night-Heron Seen on three different days.
IBIS & SPOONBILLS  
White-faced Ibis Recorded at Bridgeport Reservoir.
WATERFOWL  
Greater White-fronted Goose A flock of 7 flying over a ridgeline near Point Reyes on 9/14.
Canada Goose Most common at Arzino Ranch in Alviso on our first day.
Gadwall Several at Bridgeport Reservoir and at Mountain View Forebay.
American Wigeon Seen at Bridgeport Reservoir and Mountain View Forebay.
Mallard Common in fresh water at many locations.
Cinnamon Teal Recorded on 4 days including Bridgeport Reservoir and Montain View Forebay.
Northern Shoveller Common at Bridgeport Reservoir and Mountain View Forebay.
Northern Pintail Common at Bridgeport Reservoir and Mountain View Forebay.
Green-winged Teal Common at Bridgeport Reservoir.
Surf Scoter Four seen by Chuck and Jim on day 1.
Common Merganser Two recorded on Lake Tenaya in Yosemite National Park.
Red-breasted Merganser One recorded on the Monterey pelagic trip.
Ruddy Duck Common at Bridgeport Reservoir.
NEW WORLD VULTURES  
Turkey Vulture Commonly seen.
OSPREY  
Osprey Individuals recorded on three different days.
HAWKS, EAGLES & KITES  
White-tailed Kite Recorded on 9 different days. Several years ago, this species was re-split from the Black-shouldered Kite found in the old world.
Northern Harrier High counts of 4 on 9/9, 9/10, and 9/14.
Sharp-shinned Hawk Singles seen on three different days.
Cooper's Hawk Recorded on four different days including two juveniles locking talons at McGrath State Beach.
Red-shouldered Hawk A high of four seen along the Santa Cruz coastline on day 2.
Broad-winged Hawk Rare in California, we saw one in the Jeffrey Pines east of Mono Lake on 9/11.
Swainson's Hawk Several in flight in the Central Valley on 9/12 as we raced towards the coast
Red-tailed Hawk Commonly seen everywhere except on 9/13 and 9/19.
Golden Eagle A distant pair circling high over Los Padres National Forest north of Ventura on 9/16.
FALCONS  
American Kestrel Regularly seen throughout.
Peregrine Falcon Recorded on five different days.
Prairie Falcon Individuals seen in Yosemite National Park and on the way to Ventura.
GALLINACEOUS  
Ring-necked Pheasant One seen by Chuck and Jim on day 1.
Greater Sage-Grouse 52 seen at Bodie State Park north of Mono Lake including a memorable flock that flew overhead in the cold.
Blue Grouse 6 seen by John and Jim at Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park.
Wild Turkey A group of 10 at Calero Reservoir horse stables on day 1.
Mountain Quail A total of 22 split between a covey along the road to Sentinel Dome and on the trail from Sentinel Dome to Glacier Point. A good reason to get up early!
California Quail Most common at Pinnacles National Monument where 120 were seen foraging along the roadside.
RAILS  
Common Moorhen Seen at Mountain View Forebay.
American Coot Very common at Bridgeport Reservoir and Mono Lake with others recorded in different locations.
PLOVERS  
Black-bellied Plover A high of 145 at Bolsa Chica on 9/18.
Pacific Golden-Plover A group of 3 on the Port Hueneme sod farms on 9/16 and 2 on 9/18.
Snowy Plover At least three seen at the mouth of the Santa Clara River at McGrath State Beach in Ventura.
Semipalmated Plover Recorded on five different days.
Killdeer Commonly seen throughout the tour.
OYSTERCATCHERS  
Black Oystercatcher Five seen along the Santa Cruz coastline on 9/7.
STILTS & AVOCETS  
Black-necked Stilt Common in Alviso on day 1 and elsewhere including Bridgeport Reservoir and Bolsa Chica.
American Avocet Common in Alviso on day 1 and elsewhere including Bridgeport Reservoir and Bolsa Chica.
SANDPIPERS  
Greater Yellowlegs Common in Alviso on day 1 and at Mountain View Forebay.
Lesser Yellowlegs 10 seen at Alviso on day 1 and several at Bridgeport Reservoir.
Solitary Sandpiper One of this occasional California migrant at the north end of Bridgeport Reservoir on 9/10.
(Western) Willet Commonly seen.
Wandering Tattler Recorded along the Santa Cruz coastline and along Cannery Row on the Monterey Bay pelagic.
Spotted Sandpiper Recorded on the Santa Cruz coastline and at Bridgeport Reservoir and Bolsa Chica.
Whimbrel Seen along the Santa Cruz coastline.
Long-billed Curlew Recorded at Alviso and Bolsa Chica.
Marbled Godwit Seen in different locations such as Santa Cruz coastline, Bodega Bay, and Bolsa Chica.
Ruddy Turnstone One along the breakwater at the start of the Monterey Bay pelagic.
Black Turnstone Most common along the breakwater in Ventura on the trip to Santa Cruz Island but also seen in several other areas along the coast..
Surfbird Most common along the breakwater in Ventura on the trip to Santa Cruz Island but also seen in several other areas along the coast.
Sanderling Groups recorded on 9/13 and 9/18.
Semipalmated Sandpiper One seen at Bolsa Chica on 9/18. This is a very late record for California.
Western Sandpiper Common especially at Alviso, Jetty Road near Elkhorn Slough and Bolsa Chica.
Least Sandpiper Common at Jetty Road, Mountain View Forebay, and Bolsa Chica.
Baird's Sandpiper Two seen on the Port Hueneme sod farms on 9/19 easily recognized by buffy plumage and size.
Pectoral Sandpiper One on 9/14 near Point Reyes and five on the Port Hueneme sod farms on 9/19.
Stilt Sandpiper One in Alviso on day 1 was surpassed by the remarkable 5 at Bolsa Chica. This is unheard of along the California coast!
Short-billed Dowitcher Common at Alviso, Jetty Road, and Bolsa Chica.
Long-billed Dowitcher 40 recorded at Mountain View forebay on 9/15.
Wilson's Phalarope 40 seen at Alviso on day 1 and 45 at Mono Lake on 9/10.
Red-necked Phalarope Recorded on both pelagic trips.
unidentified phalarope Clouds of unidentified phalaropes seen on the Cordell Bank pelagic trip were probably Red-necked Phalaropes.
Red Phalarope Ten recorded on the Cordell Bank pelagic. In the late summer and fall, the plumage is all gray leading to the old world name "Grey Phalarope".
SKUAS & JAEGERS  
South Polar Skua Four seen on the Cordell Bank pelagic. This is my favorite bird!
Pomarine Jaeger 16 seen on the Cordell Bank trip, 4 on the Monterey pelagic and 5 on the Santa Cruz Island trip.
Parasitic Jaeger 6 recorded on the Monterey pelagic mostly chasing Elegant Terns along Cannery Row. 3 seen on the Cordell Bank trip. Also spotted by Nancy off Point Mugu.
Parasitic/Long-tailed Jaeger One on the Cordell Bank trip. Not all jaegers are identified!
Long-tailed Jaeger 12 recorded on the Cordell Bank trip including several long-tailed individuals.
GULLS & TERNS  
Heermann's Gull Very common in Monterey Bay and at Bolsa Chica.
Ring-billed Gull Recorded on 6 different days.
California Gull Very common especially at Mono Lake, one of their principle breeding areas.
Western Gull Very common along the coastline.
Glaucous-winged Gull One seen by Chuck and Jim on day 1.
Sabine's Gull Up to 300 recorded on the Cordell Bank pelagic making the trek from arctic breeding grounds to the waters off Chile.
Caspian Tern Seen at Bodega Bay and at McGrath State Beach.
Royal Tern Two seen from the Santa Cruz Island boat.
Elegant Tern Common along Cannery Row in Monterey and at the mouth of the Santa Clara River, McGrath State Beach.
Common Tern Recorded on all three pelagic trips and also four at Bolsa Chica.
Arctic Tern 35 seen on the Cordell Bank trip en route to the edge of the Antarctic pack ice from arctic breeding grounds. The longest distance migrant covering at least 15,000 miles round trip.
Forster's Tern Most common at Bolsa Chica.
Black Skimmer 8 recorded at Mountain View Forebay (only location in northern California) and a group of 70 at Bolsa Chica.
ALCIDS  
Common Murre Common on the Monterey and Cordell Bank pelagic trips.
Pigeon Guillemot Two seen along the Santa Cruz coastline on 9/7 and singles seen on both pelagic trips.
Marbled Murrelet Up to 12 seen along coastal Santa Cruz county. This is a threatened species which breeds in coastal redwood forests.
Xantus'/Craveri's Murrelet 2 seen on the Cordell Bank pelagic trip. Like some jaegers, many murrelets go unidentified.
Cassin's Auklet 12 seen on the Cordell Bank pelagic trip. Best way to remember this species is that they look like "little gray nerf footballs with wings".
Rhinoceros Auklet Very common on both pelagic trips.
Tufted Puffin A record 5 on the Monterey Bay pelagic was incredible! One see on the Cordell Bank trip.
PIGEONS & DOVES  
Rock Dove Of course!
Band-tailed Pigeon A high of 40 on telephone wires in extreme southern San Mateo county.
Eurasian Collared-Dove Relatively common in the higher sections of Ventura.
Mourning Dove Common throughout.
NEW WORLD CUCKOOS  
Greater Roadrunner Two on 9/16 including one very cooperative individual near Maricopa in the HOT San Joaquin Valley.
OWLS  
Great Horned Owl Two calling birds at Mono Lake early on 9/11.
Burrowing Owl 9 seen at the Arzino Ranch in Alviso on 9/6. As long as this ranch remains privately owned, this species will flourish.
SWIFTS  
Vaux's Swift Finally a flock over McGrath State Beach near Ventura on 9/18. Several were flying over Santa Cruz Island on 9/17.
White-throated Swift At least 100 flying over Yosemite Valley on 9/11.
HUMMINGBIRDS  
Anna's Hummingbird Regularly recorded during the tour in varied locations.
Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird One in front of the Red Roof Inn in Watsonville on 9/7.
Allen's Hummingbird One seen on Santa Cruz Island was a milestone bird for Chuck.
KINGFISHERS  
Belted Kingfisher Heard/seen on five different days.
WOODPECKERS  
Lewis' Woodpecker One flying over Lower Lee Vining Campground on 9/11.
Acorn Woodpecker Common in grassy oak woodland habitat.
Williamson's Sapsucker One trip highlight for me was a family group of these attractive woodpeckers atop a tree near Sentinel Dome in Yosemite.
Red-breasted Sapsucker John's most wanted bird proved easy at Lower Lee Vining Campground near Mono Lake.
Nuttall's Woodpecker Seen at Pinnacles National Monument.
Downy Woodpecker Recorded on several days.
Hairy Woodpecker A high count of 15 at the burn area east of Mono Lake on 9/11.
White-headed Woodpecker These striking woodpeckers were seen by all near Sentinel Dome in Yosemite National Park.
Black-backed Woodpecker A male feeding a young one was a highlight for Chuck, Jon, and Jim at the burn area east of Mono Lake on 9/11.
Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker Recorded on 6 different days.
FLYCATCHERS  
Western Wood-Pewee Several seen at Mono Lake County Park as well as in the Los Padres National Forest.
Willow Flycatcher Two seen at McGrath State Beach near Ventura on 9/18.
Dusky Flycatcher One feeding on the tops of bushes near Newport Beach on 9/19 while we waited for the California Gnatcatchers.
Pacific-slope Flycatcher Individuals seen at Pinnacles and at Lee Vining Campground.
Black Phoebe Recorded on 8 different days.
Say's Phoebe Seen at four different locations.
Cassin's Kingbird Two on the telephone wires at Paicines Reservoir en route to Pinnacles on 9/9.
Western Kingbird One seen at an unusual location - on beach vegetation near the mouth of the Santa Clara River at McGrath State Beach, Ventura.
SHRIKES  
Loggerhead Shrike Recorded on 9/16, 9/17, and 9/18.
VIREOS  
Cassin's Vireo One seen in the warbler flock between Sentinel Dome and Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park.
Hutton's Vireo Fairly common in woodlands near Pescadero, Point Reyes, and John Muir Woods.
Warbling Vireo Several at Pinnacles National Monument and at Phipps Ranch near Pescadero.
CORVIDS  
Steller's Jay Commonly encountered throughout the tour.
Island Scrub-Jay A highlight was seeing two close feeding birds for a half hour on Santa Cruz Island. This is an island endemic!
Northern Scrub-Jay Very common during the tour.
Pinyon Jay After searching for hours on 9/10 and finding two in the Jeffrey Pines east of Mono Lake, Jon, Chuck, and Jim found over 100 the following day!
Clark's Nutcracker Seen on both days in the Jefferey Pines east of Mono Lake and also at Lower Lee Vining Campground.
Black-billed Magpie Common on 9/10 at Mono Lake County Park.
Yellow-billed Magpie Very common near Pinnacles and also recorded on our trek across the Central Valley toward Bodega Bay on 9/12.
American Crow Commonly encountered throughout.
Common Raven Recorded on 9 different days.
LARKS  
Horned Lark Several at the Port Hueneme Sod Farms on 9/18.
SWALLOWS  
Violet-green Swallow A few seen on three different days.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow One recorded on 9/15.
Cliff Swallow Two on 9/18 at McGrath State Beach near Ventura.
Barn Swallow The commonest swallow with a high count of 40 on 9/15 and 9/18.
CHICKADEES & TITMICE & ALLIES  
Mountain Chickadee Common in the Sierras and in the Jefferey Pines east of Mono Lake.
Chestnut-backed Chickadee Common at Phipps Ranch and Gazos Creek Road on 9/7 and near Point Reyes and John Muir Woods on 9/14 and 9/15.
Oak Titmouse Comon at Pinnacles National Monument on 9/9.
Bushtit Common in flocks at Pinnacles, near Point Reyes, Los Padres National Forest, and at McGrath State Beach.
NUTHATCHES  
Red-breasted Nuthatch Eight seen in the warbler flock between Sentinel Dome and Galcier Point in Yosemite.
White-breasted Nuthatch Common at Lower Lee Vining Campground and other locations near Mono Lake.
Pygmy Nuthatch Very common at Lower Lee Vining Campground and in the Jeffrey Pines east of Mono Lake.
CREEPERS  
Brown Creeper At least 6 seen well on Gazos Creek Road on 9/7 with others seen in Yosemite and near Point Reyes.
WRENS  
Rock Wren Five very active wrens seen well near the Santa Cruz Jays on Santa Cruz Island.
Canyon Wren One heard by Nancy on 9/13 and another heard north of Ventura on 9/16.
Bewick's Wren Recorded on four days with a high of ten during our journey through Los Padres National Forest.
House Wren Recorded on Santa Cruz Island and at McGrath State Beach.
Winter Wren Seen and heard near Point Reyes on 9/14 and several other locations.
Marsh Wren Two seen by all at the end of the boardwalk at Mono Lake County Park on 9/10.
DIPPERS  
American Dipper Very cooperative individual at Aspen Campground near Mono Lake on 9/11 and on the Merced River in Yosemite National Park.
KINGLETS  
Golden-crowned Kinglet Five seen in the warbler flock between Sentinel Dome and Glacier Point in Yosemite.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Two on Gazos Creek Road on 9/7.
GNATCATCHERS  
California Gnatcatcher One seen at upper Newport Bay. This is a severely threatened species due to habitat destruction.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Seen in the higher elevations of the city of Ventura.
THRUSHES  
Western Bluebird Common at Pinnacles National Monument and also recorded at Point Reyes.
Mountain Bluebird At least 20 seen on 9/10 at Bodie State Park.
Swainson's Thrush Heard on 9/7 along Gazos Creek Road.
American Robin Common in Yosemite National Park.
WRENTIT  
Wrentit Seen at Pinnacles National Monument and in Los Padres National Forest.
MOCKINGBIRDS & THRAHSERS  
Northern Mockingbird Most common in Ventura.
Sage Thrasher Five seen by Nancy near the cemetary at Bodie State Park.
California Thrasher Four seen at Pinnacles National Monument and another four recorded in the Los Padres National Forest.
Le Conte's Thrasher After several hours of searching, we found one bird running between the desert scrub near Maricopa.
STARLINGS  
European Starling Of course!
NEW WORLD WARBLERS  
Orange-crowned Warbler Common on Santa Cruz Island and at McGrath State Beach.
Yellow Warbler Recorded on 8 separate days.
Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler Very common in the sierras with about 60 on 9/10.
Black-throated Gray Warbler Individuals in Yosemite on 9/11 and also near Point Reyes on 9/14.
Townsend's Warbler Common near Point Reyes on 9/14 and in the warbler flock between Sentinel Dome and Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park.
Hermit Warbler Numerous in the warbler flock between Sentinel Dome and Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park.
Common Yellowthroat Most common at McGrath State Beach and Bolsa Chica.
Wilson's Warbler A high of four on Gazos Creek Road on Day 2.
TANAGERS  
Western Tanager Several with the warbler flock between Sentinel Dome and Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park and also recorded in the Eucalyptus trees on Santa Cruz Island.
TOWHEES  
Green-tailed Towhee Several seen at Bodie State Park.
Spotted Towhee Recorded at Pinnacles and in Los Padres National Forest.
California Towhee Common at Pinnacles and in Los Padres National Forest.
SPARROWS  
Rufous-crowned Sparrow A pair feeding in a gully on Santa Cruz Island were distant but identifiable.
Brewer's Sparrow Very common at Bodie State Park and environs.
Vesper Sparrow One feeding along the roadside in Los Padres National Forest.
Lark Sparrow Ten of these striking sparrows seen at Pinnacles National Monument feeding with the magpies and California Quail.
Sage Sparrow Ten seen at Bodie State Park by Nancy and additional four in the desert scrub between Maricopa and Taft while we searched for the Le Conte's Thrasher.
Savannah Sparrow Common at Point Reyes and Mountain View Forebay. The Savannah Sparrows at Bolsa Chica were the darker race (beldingii).
(Thick-billed) Fox Sparrow One seen on 9/11.
Song Sparrow Recorded on 8 different days.
Lincoln's Sparrow Four seen at the end of the boardwalk at Mono Lake County Park on 9/10.
White-crowned Sparrow Seen at the end of the boardwalk at Mono Lake County Park on 9/10 and on Point Reyes on 9/14.
Dark-eyed Junco Commonly seen on 8 days of the trip. All juncos seen were the "Oregon" race.
FINCHES & ALLIES  
Black-headed Grosbeak One seen in the Jefferey Pines east of Mono Lake on 9/10.
Blue Grosbeak Two females seen on Santa Cruz Island. There are only a handful of September records of this species for the island.
ICTERIDS  
Red-winged Blackbird Common at Arzino Ranch on Day 1 and several other days including Point Reyes.
Tricolored Blackbird Very common at Point Reyes and several seen at Arzino Ranch on day 1.
Western Meadowlark Regularly recorded in open grassland areas throughout the tour. Best seen on Santa Cruz Island.
Yellow-headed Blackbird One seen by Lynn at the Port Hueneme Sod Farms on 9/16.
Brewer's Blackbird Common everywhere except the higher elevations of Yosemite National Park.
Brown-headed Cowbird Ten at Arzino Ranch on day 1 was the highest daily count.
Hooded Oriole One in the ranger station garden on Santa Cruz Island on 9/17.
FINCHES  
Purple Finch Two on 9/7.
Cassin's Finch Seen well at Lower Lee Vining Campground.
House Finch Very common in a variety of habitats.
Red Crossbill 1 seen and heard by Jim in Yosemite National park.
Pine Siskin Heard in Yosemite on 9/11 and 9/12.
Lesser Goldfinch Seen on 5 different days including Santa Cruz Island, Los Padres National Forest, and Pinnacles National Monument.
American Goldfinch Seen near Point Reyes and Mountain View Forebay.
WEAVER FINCHES  
House Sparrow Of course!
   
   
   
   
MAMMALS  
California Ground Squirrel Very common especially at Arzino Ranch on day 1.
Orca Two seen (although not well) on the Monterey Bay pelagic trip.
Blue Whale This largest of mammals was seen on both the Monterey and Cordell Bank pelagic trips. A highlight!
Humpback Whale Up to 30 seen on the Monterey pelagic with an additional 6 seen at Cordell Bank.
Risso's Dolphin A small group observed on the Monterey Bay trip was eclipsed by the excellent views of 125 seen on the Santa Cruz Island trip. Distinguished by large size and gray, scarred skin.
Pacific White-sided Dolphin A large pod seen on the Monterey Bay pelagic. This is one of the most common cetaceans in California waters.
Dall's Porpoise Observed on the Monterey and Cordell Bank pelagic trips. Easily recognized by the "rooster-tail" shape of water cascading off the dorsal fin of these fast moving cetaceans.
California Sea Lion Very common on all pelagic trips. Although very common, these mammals breed off southern California and Mexico with a post breeding dispersal northward.
Harbor Seal Common along the Santa Cruz coastline and along Cannery Row in Monterey.
California Sea Otter Up to four seen along Cannery Row and one additional one seen in Elkhorn Slough for Lyn.
Mule Deer Common especially at Pinnacles National Monument and at dusk in Tuolomne Meadows in Yosemite National Park.
Pika Two observed at Olmstead Point and eslewhere in Yosemite National Park.
Chickaree Commonly seen and heard chipmunk especially near the Sentinel Dome-Glacier Point area of Yosemite National Park.
Lodgepole Chipmunk Most common chipmunk in Yosemite.
Least Chiupmunk Fairly common in the rocks around the Aspen campground near Mono Lake.
Coyote Two seen on 9/10 including one memorable individual hunting Mountain Voles near Bodie State Park.
Mountain Rabbit Several recorded in the high altitude sage brush area around Bodie State Park.
Black-tailed Jackrabbit Seen near Bodie State Park.
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel Common in Yosemite especially in the Sentinel Dome area. One perched atop a boulder at the base of Sentinel Dome for very close photos.
Mountain Vole One seen in the jaws of a coyote!
Belding's Ground Squirrel Several in a colony within the ghost town at Bodie.
Western Gray Squirrel Fairly common.
Northern Elephant Seal One encountered on the Cordell Bank pelagic. When floating on the surface of the water, this resembles a huge cork since only the nose and head are visible.
Northern Right Whale Dolphin A large group encountered on the Cordell Bank trip. This acrobatic cetacean is distinguished by color and lack of a dorsal fin. Named after the Right Whale which also lacks a dorsal fin.
Minke Whale One glimpsed on the Cordell Bank pelagic trip.
Baird's Beaked Whale A group of four poorly seen at a distance on the Cordell Bank pelagic.
Black-tailed Mule Deer 6 seen in the Point Reyes area.
Brush Rabbit Three seen in the Point Reyes area.
Tule Elk Magnificent individuals seen at the Tule Elk Reserve on Point Reyes peninsula.
Common Dolphin Over 2000 seen on the Santa Cruz Island pelagic. This is the commonest cetacean in California waters.
Coastal Bottle-nosed Dolphin Recorded on the Santa Cruz Island trip and from shore the following morning.
Merriam's Chipmunk One seen in Los Padres National Forest.
 
Reptiles & Amphibians  
Northern Sagebrush Lizard Common in the desert scrub while we looked for the Le Conte's Thrasher.
Rough-skinned Newt One in-hand near Point Reyes.
Western Whiptail One seen by Chuck on 9/12.
 
Other  
Siphonifors/Tunicates Extremely common on the Monterey Bay pelagic. These looked like tiny worms suspended in the water.
Mola mola (Ocean Sunfish) At least three observed on the Monterey Bay pelagic trip. This species floats on its side on the surface and often has attendant gulls picking off small fish and parasites.
Blue Shark One seen on the Cordell Bank pelagic.
   
Dead critters A disturbing number of road kills encountered during the tour.
Rock Dove  
Coyote On four different days.
Mule Deer  
Virginia Opossum 2 days
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel Yosemite
Mountain Vole In the jaws of a coyote
Western Gray Squirrel Yosemite
Striped Skunk Three on 9/14.
Black-tailed Mule Deer  
Gray Fox One mostly decayed in Los Padres National Forest.

 


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