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Butterbredt Spring Holloween Campout Report: 3-4 November, 2012
Keith & Lis (R. Seidner 11/3/12)
Besides expected White-crowned & Sage Sparrows, there were Loggerhead Shrikes (2), numbers of Northern Flickers, a Ladder-backed Woodpecker, American Robins, Bewick’s Wrens, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Rock Wrens. The most unexpected bird of the day was a Golden-crowned Kinglet in and near the big cottonwood tree below Butterbredt Spring. It was beautifully viewed by all, and the first I personally have ever found on about 25 of these outings. Another great bird was the Western Screech Owl who came out of his nest-hole at the Ranch, and most spectacular, 40 Chukars which flew up from the edge of Tunnel Spring and scurried up the hill beside us for excellent views where we had stopped on Kelso Valley Rd. No hoped-for Snipes or Solitary Sandpipers foraging there around the cattle-muddied waters of that spring, however.
Cattle trough below Butterbredt Spring (R. Seidner 11/3/12)
In fact, heavy use by cattle was evident in all of the open land except in the Butterbredt Spring area and around Keith’s at Sageland. Tanks for water and feeder units had been installed for those animals. Hopefully, wildlife and birds also benefited in this very dry year. Another quite shocking experience to me was coming upon huge wind turbines standing on wide, graded platforms beside Jawbone Cyn. Road at the summit of Humbolt Pass. That pass would be a natural flyway for migrating birds, and for Golden Eagles, which we would have expected this trip, but none were found.
Not the windmills of your mind – Jawbone Cyn (R Seidner 11/3/12)
Other fun birds were a Golden-crowned Sparrow, California Thrasher, a Roadrunner, Towhees, Western Bluebirds, numerous California Quail, Anna’s Hummingbirds on a feeder, a Sharp-shinned Hawk at Keith’s, a Red-breasted & Red-naped Sapsucker (the last not seen well by most}, the ever present Western Scrub Jays and Dark-eyed Juncos, one of which was slate-colored. Unfortunately for the Braggs, a flock of Pinyon Jays flew over the house five minutes after they had departed on Sunday. Maybe next Spring? Another visitor was a sleek, healthy appearing coyote which strolled through the grounds. One had to guess it had been well fed and seemed not afraid.
We few! We carven few! We group of gourds! (R. Seidner 11/3/12)
However, no one missed the great shared dinner Saturday night and the pumpkin carving contest, won predictably by Mr. Bragg (the judge). Competition was fierce and could only be appreciated if you were there.
Roxie & the rox (R. Seidner 11/3/12)
Many took the hike up the rocky canyon off Dove Spring Rd on Sunday for a view of an amazing balanced rock, the surrounding beautiful hills and foliage turning gold for fall in the canyons, with brilliant, yellow Rabbit Brush everywhere.
Painted Lady butterfly in the Rabbit Brush (R. Seidner 11/3/12)
We owe much thanks to Mr. Axelson for welcoming us at his ranch and for instituting Butterbredt Spring and these trips many years ago. We hope lots of participants will venture to enjoy our next outing there in the southern Sierra mountains. [Mary Prismon, leader]
Chilly Sageland Ranch morn (R. Seidner 11/3/12)
PS: Did you notice the mention of Chukars?
Malibu Lagoon Trip Report: 28 October, 2012
Don’t forget to visit our new page for the Malibu Lagoon 2012 Project, frequently updated with new photos. We just added a new interview with Suzanne Goode, Also look for the link to the plant revegetation list.
The Malibu Lagoon reconfiguration continues apace, as you’ll see from some of the photos in the slideshow above. According to Don Harvey in Bob Purvey’s interview of 10/24/12, now on our Project Page, over 25,000 plants have been implanted and are being sprinkled until the rains are more dependable. You can’t really see them yet, but that forest of flags marks their locations.
Boottoe Island looks like a surfacing whale (L. Plauzoles 10/28/12)
Trip leader Lu Plauzoles reports that weather was sunny and warm, not unusual for October. Migrants continue to arrive, including: American Wigeon, Horned and Clark’s Grebes, Black-crowned Night Heron, Dunlin, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Say’s Phoebe, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler, Savannah & White-crowned Sparrows, and Western Meadowlark. The Elegant Terns, so numerous for the past 6 months – peaking at 240 in June – have dwindled down to two and will likely be off to warmer climes in November. Duck and gull numbers continue their fall increase. Coot numbers remains high as always, probably to taper off next March.
Snowy Plover PV:YB (left leg Pink above Violet: right leg Yellow above Blue) was found on Surfrider Beach last Monday, 10/22, by alert SMBAS photographer Joyce Waterman. [The violet ring is just barely visible.] We sent this photo to Pt. Reyes Bird Observatory which informed us that PV:YB was born this year at Oceano Dunes (near Pismo Beach) where it was banded as a nestling, then later seen at Guadalupe Dunes in August, then on Surfrider in September. If you see it on the beach, give it some room, and it will likely spend the winter with us.
New beach resident Snowy Plover PV:YB, born last summer at Oceano Dunes (J. Waterman 10/22/12)
NOTE: Our 10 a.m. Parent’s & Kids Birdwalk remains canceled until the parking lot is again fully available.
Links: Unusual birds at Malibu Lagoon
Aerial photo of Malibu Lagoon from 9/23/02.
Prior checklists: July-Dec’11, Jan-June’11, July-Dec ’10, Jan-June ’10, Jul-Dec ‘09, and Jan-June ‘09.
Comments on Bird Lists Below
Total Birds: Oct. total birds of 1099 are 3% above average (Jul – Sep were all down), an insignificant amount. Brown Pelican numbers remain down, probably due to the large west coast die-off due to lack of food. Sanderlings, Terns, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Red-winged Blackbirds are well above average. Monthly total bird numbers have been up & down, up & down during the project so far.
Species Diversity: Of 104 total species appearing in October for 2007-12, no more than 62% of them appeared on any single day. Whenever you visit, expect to see about 5/8ths of what is possible at that time of year. October 2012 with 64 species is 5% above average, an insignificant amount. All 9 categories of birds were about average. Passerines were up slightly despite the lack of vegetation, probably the result of a more alert trip leader.
Summary of species diversity from the 6-year average so far: May +4%, June -10%, July +10%, Aug. -6%, Sep. -20%, Oct. +5%. The only constant is change. It will be interesting to see the results when the project is done, the workmen are gone and the vegetation is beginning to grow. [Chuck Almdale]
| Malibu Census | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
| October 2007-12 | 28-Oct | 26-Oct | 25-Oct | 24-Oct | 23-Oct | 28-Oct | |
| Temperature | 60-74 | 60-65 | 59-64 | 72-78 | |||
| Tide Lo/Hi Height | H +6.9 | H +5.9 | L +3.5 | H +6.02 | H +5.40 | H +5.93 | Ave. |
| Tide Time | 1036 | 0813 | 0941 | 0952 | 0718 | 0845 | Birds |
| Wood Duck | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Gadwall | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 4.3 |
| Eurasian Wigeon | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| American Wigeon | 3 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 5.0 | ||
| Mallard | 24 | 8 | 24 | 10 | 25 | 10 | 16.8 |
| Blue-winged Teal | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | ||||
| Cinnamon Teal | 2 | 0.3 | |||||
| Northern Shoveler | 15 | 25 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 13.0 | |
| Green-winged Teal | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1.3 | |||
| Greater Scaup | 5 | 0.8 | |||||
| Bufflehead | 1 | 2 | 0.5 | ||||
| Red-brstd Merganser | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Ruddy Duck | 3 | 8 | 18 | 7 | 4 | 6.7 | |
| Pacific Loon | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Common Loon | 1 | 1 | 0.3 | ||||
| Pied-billed Grebe | 5 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4.2 |
| Horned Grebe | 1 | 2 | 0.5 | ||||
| Eared Grebe | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3.7 |
| Western Grebe | 18 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 10.0 |
| Clark’s Grebe | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Blk-vented Shearwater | 12 | 2.0 | |||||
| Brandt’s Cormorant | 1 | 3 | 0.7 | ||||
| Dble-crstd Cormorant | 24 | 20 | 25 | 15 | 32 | 45 | 26.8 |
| Pelagic Cormorant | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Brown Pelican | 182 | 55 | 8 | 40 | 12 | 6 | 50.5 |
| Great Blue Heron | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3.8 |
| Great Egret | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2.2 | |
| Snowy Egret | 17 | 16 | 15 | 2 | 26 | 6 | 13.7 |
| Blk-crwnd N-Heron | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2.7 | ||
| Osprey | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 | |||
| White-tailed Kite | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Cooper’s Hawk | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 2 | 0.3 | |||||
| Red-tailed Hawk | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.7 | |||
| American Kestrel | 1 | 1 | 0.3 | ||||
| Merlin | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | 1 | 0.3 | ||||
| Virginia Rail | 2 | 0.3 | |||||
| Sora | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | |
| American Coot | 105 | 140 | 266 | 100 | 370 | 250 | 205.2 |
| Blk-bellied Plover | 92 | 114 | 100 | 700 | 75 | 180.2 | |
| Snowy Plover | 58 | 61 | 5 | 62 | 31.0 | ||
| Killdeer | 26 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 12 | 10.0 | |
| Black Oystercatcher | 2 | 0.3 | |||||
| Spotted Sandpiper | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.8 |
| Willet | 25 | 16 | 40 | 26 | 10 | 7 | 20.7 |
| Whimbrel | 6 | 6 | 28 | 2 | 7.0 | ||
| Marbled Godwit | 17 | 12 | 25 | 9.0 | |||
| Ruddy Turnstone | 12 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 7.0 | ||
| Black Turnstone | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1.2 | |||
| Sanderling | 1 | 145 | 200 | 57.7 | |||
| Western Sandpiper | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2.0 | |||
| Least Sandpiper | 6 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 8.0 | ||
| Dunlin | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1.3 | |||
| Short-billd Dowitcher | 20 | 3.3 | |||||
| Long-billed Dowitcher | 30 | 2 | 5.3 | ||||
| Wilson’s Snipe | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Heermann’s Gull | 18 | 45 | 12 | 41 | 14 | 8 | 23.0 |
| Mew Gull | 2 | 0.3 | |||||
| Ring-billed Gull | 45 | 27 | 14 | 97 | 18 | 39 | 40.0 |
| Western Gull | 128 | 65 | 82 | 52 | 80 | 6 | 68.8 |
| California Gull | 5 | 6 | 123 | 8 | 120 | 60 | 53.7 |
| Herring Gull | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | ||
| Glaucous-wingd Gull | 1 | 1 | 0.3 | ||||
| Caspian Tern | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | ||||
| Forster’s Tern | 2 | 1 | 22 | 4.2 | |||
| Royal Tern | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 2.5 | ||
| Elegant Tern | 4 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 3.8 | |
| Rock Pigeon | 35 | 3 | 6 | 45 | 4 | 20 | 18.8 |
| Mourning Dove | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 2.7 | |
| Anna’s Hummingbird | 4 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3.5 |
| Allen’s Hummingbird | 4 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 4.3 |
| Belted Kingfisher | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.8 | ||
| Black Phoebe | 6 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 6.8 |
| Say’s Phoebe | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | |
| Western Scrub-Jay | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0.8 | |||
| American Crow | 9 | 8 | 5 | 18 | 4 | 9 | 8.8 |
| Tree Swallow | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Oak Titmouse | 1 | 1 | 0.3 | ||||
| Bushtit | 8 | 15 | 20 | 7.2 | |||
| Bewick’s Wren | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1.3 | |||
| House Wren | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | |
| Marsh Wren | 1 | 2 | 0.5 | ||||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | |||
| Hermit Thrush | 4 | 0.7 | |||||
| Northern Mockingbird | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2.2 | |
| European Starling | 45 | 35 | 12 | 60 | 10 | 27.0 | |
| American Pipit | 3 | 1 | 0.7 | ||||
| Ornge-crwnd Warbler | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Yellow-rumpd Warbler | 12 | 20 | 3 | 15 | 8 | 25 | 13.8 |
| Blk-throated G. Warbler | 1 | 0.2 | |||||
| Common Yellowthroat | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 5.5 |
| Spotted Towhee | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | ||
| California Towhee | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1.5 | |||
| Savannah Sparrow | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1.7 | |||
| Song Sparrow | 7 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4.0 |
| Lincoln’s Sparrow | 2 | 0.3 | |||||
| White-crwnd Sparrow | 4 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 18 | 4 | 7.7 |
| Red-winged Blackbird | 5 | 40 | 7.5 | ||||
| Western Meadowlark | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.7 | ||
| Brewer’s Blackbird | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2.3 | ||
| Great-tailed Grackle | 1 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 3.5 | ||
| House Finch | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3.5 | |
| Lesser Goldfinch | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2.0 | ||
| Totals by Type | 28-Oct | 26-Oct | 25-Oct | 24-Oct | 23-Oct | 28-Oct | Ave. |
| Waterfowl | 37 | 46 | 86 | 28 | 48 | 57 | 50 |
| Water Birds-Other | 340 | 231 | 341 | 170 | 440 | 315 | 306 |
| Herons, Egrets | 29 | 26 | 20 | 13 | 31 | 15 | 22 |
| Raptors | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 |
| Shorebirds | 173 | 93 | 455 | 164 | 797 | 400 | 347 |
| Gulls & Terns | 210 | 149 | 244 | 203 | 233 | 149 | 198 |
| Doves | 37 | 4 | 16 | 46 | 6 | 20 | 22 |
| Other Non-Pass. | 8 | 9 | 3 | 17 | 6 | 9 | 9 |
| Passerines | 138 | 119 | 66 | 76 | 157 | 133 | 115 |
| Totals Birds | 977 | 677 | 1233 | 720 | 1723 | 1099 | 1072 |
| Total Species | 28-Oct | 26-Oct | 25-Oct | 24-Oct | 23-Oct | 28-Oct | Ave. |
| Waterfowl | 6 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6.3 |
| Water Birds-Other | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 8.7 |
| Herons, Egrets | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3.5 |
| Raptors | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2.3 |
| Shorebirds | 7 | 7 | 14 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 9.7 |
| Gulls & Terns | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 7.5 |
| Doves | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1.8 |
| Other Non-Pass. | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2.7 |
| Passerines | 22 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 18.7 |
| Totals Species | 65 | 61 | 63 | 49 | 65 | 64 | 61.2 |
Full Hunter’s Moon 10/29/12 12:49 a.m. PDT
Here’s another update from SMBAS Blog on that large, disc-like, shining object which has frequently and mysteriously appeared in our nighttime sky this year (known to many as the moon).
Oct. 29, 12:49 a.m. PDT — Full Hunter’s Moon. With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it is time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride over the stubble, and can more easily see the foxes and other animals that have come out to glean and can be caught for a Thanksgiving banquet after the harvest. [Top 10 Amazing Moon Facts]
The Chinese see a rabbit rather than a man in the moon. Look for the rabbit. It might take a while.
The next significant full moon will occur on Nov. 28, 6:46 a.m. PST. Keep an eye on this spot for additional breaking news on this unprecedented event.
This information comes to you courtesy of:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45911225/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/how-s-full-moons-got-their-strange-names/#.T16CDHlIXUx
But that’s far too long to type in, and besides, you don’t need to go there because SMBAS has done the work for you!
[Chuck Almdale]
Plover Month at National Audubon
In honor of Plover Month at National Audubon, we have created a new blog page devoted to Snowy Plovers. So far it features a multi-part article, updated since originally published in Malibu Patch last summer.
California Audubon is embarking on the Bird of the Year campaign again. This year, Western Snowy Plover is one of the candidates, and we hope all of you will vote for it as the Audubon Bird of the Year. Vote early and often!
California Audubon has put together a blog post about the Snowy Plover which features a video they just put together. Help us get the word out about protecting the Western Snowy Plover and its habitat! This blog includes many great links, including: National Audubon’s plover page, a video about the Bird of the Year campaign, and dozens more.
We are putting a permanent link to this blog in our Audubon Links section on the right side of the blog. Look for it!
[Chuck Almdale]
Western Snowy Plover NO:WW, banded at Vandenberg AFB Summer 2009; wintering on Surfrider Beach (C. Almdale 11/22/09)
Bolsa Chica Reserve Trip Report: 6 October, 2012
Reddish Egret – Star of the show momentarily motionless (J. Kenney 10/6/12)
The highlights were the shore birds and the biggest raves were for our friends the Reddish Egrets. They were very active, visible and dancing to their own rhythms (or maybe fishing). We were delighted to find an adult molting Black Tern (little guy!). We also had many of the usual birds…. 3 different teal, 3 different grebes, 6 herons/egrets, and a total of 71 different species including the dowitcher sp. (both of which can be found there in abundance and we could not tell which was which). Even the Great Blue Heron posed for us – staring with his great yellow eye. An excellent day for birds and people.
Bolsa Chica Conservancy has a new (2011) checklist that we found most useful.
Link to prior Bolsa Chica field trips: October 2011, October 2009.
[Ellen Vahan]
Savannah (probable Belding’s) Sparrow – a saltmarsh obligate (J. Kenney 10/6/12)
| Trip List – Bolsa Chica | 6 October, 2012 |
| Brant | Red Knot |
| American Wigeon | Sanderling |
| Mallard | Western Sandpiper |
| Blue-winged Teal | Least Sandpiper |
| Cinnamon Teal | Dunlin |
| Northern Shoveler | Dowitcher sp. |
| Northern Pintail | Ring-billed Gull |
| Green-winged Teal | Western Gull |
| Ruddy Duck | California Gull |
| Pied-billed Grebe | Black Tern |
| Eared Grebe | Forster’s Tern |
| Western Grebe | Elegant Tern |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Rock Pigeon |
| American White Pelican | Mourning Dove |
| Brown Pelican | Anna’s Hummingbird |
| Great Blue Heron | Allen’s Hummingbird |
| Great Egret | Belted Kingfisher |
| Snowy Egret | Nuttall’s Woodpecker |
| Reddish Egret | Downy Woodpecker |
| Green Heron | American Kestrel |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Peregrine Falcon |
| Turkey Vulture | Black Phoebe |
| Osprey | Say’s Phoebe |
| White-tailed Kite | Loggerhead Shrike |
| Northern Harrier | American Crow |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Bushtit |
| American Coot | House Wren |
| Black-bellied Plover | European Starling |
| Killdeer | American Pipit |
| Greater Yellowlegs | Common Yellowthroat |
| Willet | California Towhee |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | Savannah Sparrow |
| Whimbrel | Savannah (Belding’s) Sparrow |
| Long-billed Curlew | White-Crowned Sparrow |
| Marbled Godwit | House Finch |
| Ruddy Turnstone | Total Species – 71 |
SANTA MONICA BAY AUDUBON SOCIETY BLOG 