The various shorebirds continue including American Golden Plover and
Short-Billed Dowitcher. Also spotted a Sabines Gull flying around the water
closer to the central west side

Good birding,
Jordan Ragsdale

I tried to post this much earlier today to IBLE, but apparently screwed it up; I’ll try again.

The American Golden-Plover is still at Black’s Creek if you can navigate the howling wind. I saw it originally on the north side at mid-morning, then on the south side in the late morning. I did get some pics, including one as it flew. It showed a lack of the black auxiliaries that are found on the BBPL, along with a dark rump and tail, among several other features separating it from the BBPL. Here is the link to the checklist and pics. http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39195012 https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Febird%2Fview%2Fchecklist%2FS39195012&data=02%7C01%7Cs_g_davenport%40hotmail.com%7C06fd06e4199a4bd8bcae08d4fc78b76a%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636411042774894795&sdata=VZcaC%2BwCFKXdz06td4fQVV6altoKtkZiwdCvbqUNjfM%3D&reserved=0 I also only saw one dowitcher when I circumnavigated the reservoir. It was feeding with a stilt sandpiper and several western sandpipers. There is a photo on the checklist and I would be curious on the opinions of others whether it is a LB or SB dowitcher. I thought it looked good for a juvenile of the “prairie” population of SBDO, but I really couldn’t rule out LBDO either. JC

Jon Curd
Boise

Fascinating stuff, just for fun…!

Larry Arnold, Boise

From: CALBIRDS@yahoogroups.com [mailto:CALBIRDS@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of ‘Alvaro Jaramillo’ chucao@coastside.net [CALBIRDS]
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2017 12:25 PM
To: ‘Rob Fowler’; ‘Northwest calbird’; ‘Calbirds’
Subject: RE: [CALBIRDS] Big number of Bobolinks in Humboldt County

Rob

Amazing! Something you may keep in mind, recently a fall stopover has been found on the Galapagos Islands….which frankly makes no sense. Bobolinks winter east of the Andes, not West. What they are doing on an offshore island in the West is surprising. Perhaps they cut through and head east from there, or there is an unknown western wintering area in Peru somewhere? There are vagrant records in coastal Peru and Chile. But it is possible that the birds you are seeing are part of a yet unknown western migration route of the species, and your birds will wind up on the Galapagos. Below is a link to the Galapagos findings, although there is also a published paper in the Wilson Bulletin on this. I better get out in the morning and hope to hear one going over for the yard list in the next few days!

The Galapagos Gang: An Unusual Bobolink Stopover

Alvaro

Alvaro Jaramillo

alvaro@alvarosadventures.com

www.alvarosadventures.com

From: CALBIRDS@yahoogroups.com [mailto:CALBIRDS@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Rob Fowler migratoriusfwlr@gmail.com [CALBIRDS]
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2017 11:39 AM
To: Northwest calbird ; Calbirds
Subject: [CALBIRDS] Big number of Bobolinks in Humboldt County

Hi all,

(For the Humboldt birders that are already aware of this occurence I am posting this to CALBIRDS since this is of statewide significance).

Since Wednesday (13 Sept) Humboldt County has seen an unprecedented incursion of BOBOLINKS here in the Arcata Bottoms. On Wednesday I estimated at the least 110 birds were present in a large field that is planted with oats. While present I and others witnessed a pure BOBO flock that we estimated to be around 70 birds lifted up and headed south; we watched them until they disappeared (I took photos of the flock and after counting each bird it looks like there was closer to 80 birds in that single flock). Photos and circumstances can be read in my eBird list here: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39160154

Yesterday (14 Sept) there were still large numbers present with probably up to a 80-100 birds estimated. eBird list with some photos and some poor recordings of one bird (maybe an immature male?) singing: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39181623

The previous high count for Humboldt County was 27 from 9-12 October 1983. The only other high counts I can find are 60 and 70 birds in Santa Barbara County from 25 September 1979 and 20 September 1981, respectively.

I would love to hear of any other high counts from the CA that might be higher as I wonder if these recent Humboldt BOBO numbers might be a record high count for the state.

Thanks!

Rob
—

Rob Fowler
McKinleyville, CA

Seen at east mudflats with SB Dowitcher and Stilt Sandpiper just now. No Tern.

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

On Thursday, September 14, 2017, 6:33 PM, Jason Talbot wrote:

Jason Wilson reported the bird on Facebook today. RL Rowland is out there now and says it’s on south side near the dam.

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone 

A quick ID.on golden plover is the black on under side goes all ways to
bottom unlike black belly which has white in lower area

I have encountered at least 6 red-breasted nuthatches at low elevations in
the Pocatello area w/out conifers (except junipers) since early August.
Some have been in streamside willows where one would expect birds like
yellow warbler. The last 2 BIG irruptions I’ve experienced have been
preceded by RBNUs in mid-late summer in very non-RBNU habitat.

Steven F. Kahl
Deputy Project Leader
Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex
4425 Burley Dr., Ste. A
Chubbuck, ID 83202
P (208) 237-6615 ext 112
F (208) 237-8213

“*If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.*” Cicero

Maybe I was premature in calling the plover ID from a long distance?? (Based on Facebook pics seen later). Never saw it fly and couldn’t make out color as well as we should have :-))

Jay

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 14, 2017, at 4:11 PM, Jay Carlisle carlislejay@yahoo.com [ible] wrote:
>
> Among other shorebirds … Plover on S shore, Dowitcher in mudflats on E side near shrubs.
>
> A single Common Tern too.
>
> Jay
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> .
>

Is that a Black-bellied in addition to the American Golden or was the initial ID wrong? I got out there just as the sun was setting and found a plover near the dam. It was getting too dark to study fine plumage details very well but it did seem like it had longer wings and a darker cap, consistent with American Golden, but if you were out there any earlier than me I’m sure you got a better look.

Thanks,
Stoddard Davenport

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

——– Original message ——–
From: “Jay Carlisle carlislejay@yahoo.com [ible]”
Date: 9/14/17 8:36 PM (GMT-07:00)
To: ible@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [IBLE] BB Plover & SB Dowitcher @ Blacks Creek reservoir

Among other shorebirds … Plover on S shore, Dowitcher in mudflats on E side near shrubs.

A single Common Tern too.

Jay

Sent from my iPhone

.

Among other shorebirds … Plover on S shore, Dowitcher in mudflats on E side near shrubs.

A single Common Tern too.

Jay

Sent from my iPhone

.

Two Green Herons flew across my field of view as I was leaving the Challis Hot Springs this evening. I spent some time at the pond on the way out to see if I could find them but no luck. The water channels and another pond area are not visible from the road so they would be easy to miss while perched.
Wendy McCradyChallis, ID