Banded Snowy Plovers in Los Angeles County

This Page is a Work-in-Progress

It all starts with a banded chick in hand

KO:BR banded Summer 2013 at Eden Landing
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (photo: Karine Tokatlian)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Slideshow of banded Snowy Plovers seen in Los Angeles County
Leg band color chart
Two Snowy Plover Videos
Sighting List of Photographed Birds
Sighting List of Unphotographed Birds
Band Color Location Schema – Old

A rogue’s gallery of banded Snowy Plovers
seen in Los Angeles County

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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Snowy Plover leg band color chart from Point Blue

Instructions for use on flip side of chart

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VIDEO #1 – THE SNOWY PLOVER AND YOU (10 minutes)

VIDEO #2 – THE WESTERN SNOWY PLOVER:
Natural History and Recovery (45 minutes)

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SNOWY PLOVER RING COMBINATIONS SEEN IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Data Order: Band Combo, location & date banded, additional comments, locations seen followed by dates for each location. Dates are in sequential order, with location changes noted.
Example: Zuma (next two dates are for Zuma) 10/18/15, 10/21/15, Malibu (new location for next 3 dates) 10/22/15, 10/23/15, 10/24/15, Zuma (back to Zuma for next 3 dates) 10/28/15, 10/29/15, 11/10/15
METAL: As yet unidentified Gov’t Agency numbered band
Read Bands: Left Top, Left Bottom: Right Top, Right Bottom
* Photograph of this bird on this date is in the slide show
X or x – No band or no 2nd band, either fell off or never present
/ – As in R/O/R – denotes “split” band, one narrow color overlaying wider color; can be double R/O or triple R/O/R

SLIDESHOW ABOVE CONTAINS PHOTOS OF THESE BIRDS:
aa:bl – Ft. Ord 2016 – Malibu 8/28/16, *9/6/16, 9/11/16, 9/25/16, *10/12/16, 10/23/16, 11/15/16, 12/9/16, 12/25/16, 1/02/17, 1/17/17, 1/26/17, 1/31/17, 2/8/17, Zuma 2/22/17, 2/26/17, Malibu 9/29/17, 10/22/17, 10/27/17, 11/24/17,  Zuma Beach 12/2/17, Malibu 1/26/18, Zuma 2/2/18, 2/16/18, 10/3/18, 10/12/18,
B/A/B:K – Bandon Beach, Coos County Oregon 6/3/17 2 chicks banded – Photo coming – Zuma 9/1/17
BB:BL, or AA:BL, AA:AL, or ?? – Jury still out on photos, may be new or old combo – Malibu 9/15/17
BN:RW [If BN:RW, Great Salt Lake¹] Later changed to NW:OW or NW:RW below, Vandenberg 2016
BO:AA or WW – ?? – Cabrillo Beach *8/23/10
Bp:ow.3 – [B = anodized Blue band above left leg joint; w.3 = white band with “3” on band] Coronado Naval Base San Diego hatched 5/12/17, fledged 6/11/17 – Zuma *9/29/17
BW:WW – Oceano Dunes¹ 2014 – Malibu *9/17/14, 9/24/14, 9/28/14, 10/3/14, 10/26/14,
ga:oy – Oceano Dunes¹ 2014, 2 chicks banded  – Malibu 9/28/14, *10/3/14, 10/26/14, 12/28/14, *1/25/15; one nested Bolsa Chica 2015 fledged 6 chicks, the other nested Coal Oil Point Sta Barbara Co.; 3 more chicks banded GA:OY Oceano Dunes 2015 due to lack of bands; Malibu 9/27/15, 10/25/15, *11/22/15, *12/5/15, 1/19/16; nested Bolsa Chica 2016 fledged 3 chicks; 2 GA:OY banded birds – likely 2015 fledges – nested Oceano Dunes 2016; Malibu 7/24/16, 7/27/16, 8/5/16, 8/17/16, 8/28/16, 9/6/16, 9/11/16, 9/22/16, 10/13/16, Bolsa Chica 12/7/16, Malibu 12/9/16, 12/25/16, 1/2/17, 1/11/17, Bolsa Chica female 1/14/17, 1/27/17, 1/31/17, 2/7/17, 2/8/17, 2/28/17, Malibu 7/23/17, 7/28/17,
GA:RB – Oceano Dunes¹ 2004 – Zuma 10/11/08, 12/01/08 (orig rpt GA:VB), 12/28/08 (orig rpt GA:VB), *1/2/09 (orig rpt GA:RB), nested Silver Strand, 2009
GG:AR – Oceano Dunes¹ 2011 – Malibu 9/25/11, 12/25/11, 1/22/12, 11/25/12, *1/6/13, 1/27/13, 7/28/13, *10/27/13, 8/24/14, *9/28/14, 10/26/14, 12/28/14,
gg:pg – Oceano Dunes 1 of 2 banded 2018 – Malibu 9/14/18, 9/21/18, 9/23/18, 10/5/18,
GR:LW – South Overlook, Douglas County, Ore 2005² – rebanded 6/12/09 South Siltcoos, Lane County, Ore² –  Unidentified L.A. Co. beach *3/2/12; last seen May 2012 in Oregon. Assumed to have nested in Oregon for many years.
METAL: K/V – Origin unknown – Cabrillo Beach 8/25/09, *2/14/10, 2/25/10
METAL:x – Origin unknown; 2nd photo closeup band – Cabrillo Beach *9/24/15
nb:gw – Vandenberg AFB 2017, 3 chicks banded, 2 fledged – Zuma *10/27/17, 11/10/17, 11/24/17, 12/2/17, 1/19/18, 2/2/18, 2/16/18,
NB:OY – Band originally used Vandenberg AFB¹ 2011, that bird not seen since 2014; band reused Vandenberg AFB 2016 – Malibu *7/27/16
NO:PW – Vandenberg AFB 2013 – Zuma *8/19/13 found dead in tire track.
NO:WW – Vandenberg AFB 2009 – Malibu 10/25/09, *11/22/09, 12/27/09, 1/24/10, 12/26/10, 2/27/11, 12/25/11, 1/27/13; bird still considered alive (Jamie Miller VAFB 2/2/17)
nr:gy – Vandenberg AFB 2017, 2 chicks banded – Malibu 8/11/17, 8/25/17, *8/27/17, 9/1/17, 9/8/17, 9/9/17, 9/17/17, 9/24/17, *10/20/17  Zuma 11/10/17, 11/24/17, 12/2/17, Malibu 1/26/18, Zuma 2/2/18, Malibu 2/25/18, 3/28/18
NR:NR – Band originally used Vandenberg AFB¹ 2013 on 3 chicks, birds not seen since 2013 until the following Malibu sightings of adult bird with no metal exposed on lower left R band – Malibu *7/4/16, 7/16/16; combo reused Vandenberg AFB 2016 on multiple chicks, has metal exposed on the upper and lower portions of lower left R band.
NW:OW or NW:RW – Vandenberg AFB 2016 – Malibu *8/13/16
OL:RL – Monterey Bay 2016 – Zuma 12/13/16,
o:w – Banded location ??  r/o/r:w?? – Zuma 2/1/17, 2/22/17
PK:RR – Bear River Migratory Refuge¹, Utah, year unknown – Zuma *10/28/14
pv:rb – Oceano Dunes 2016 2 birds banded & fledged; band not reported since Vandenberg AFB Aug’16 – Zuma  2/22/17, *2/26/17, 3/7/17, 3/17/17
PV:VW – Oceano Dunes¹ 2015 – Malibu *8/23/15, 8/29/15,
PV:YB – Oceano Dunes¹ 2012 – Malibu 9/23/12, *10/22/12, *11/25/12, *1/19/13, 12/23/12, 2/24/13, 3/24/13
RB:YG – Ft. Ord Beach, Monterey Bay 5/16/13 – Malibu 9/9/13, *9/22/13,
r/o/r:w – North Tahkenitch, Douglas County, Ore 2 banded 7/6/2016²; left leg is a “triple-striper” band, narrow Orange overlaying wider Red – Zuma *12/13/16, *2/1/17, 2/26/17, 3/7/17,
rr:bb – Oceano Dunes¹ 2016 female 1 of 2 chicks – Malibu *9/22/16, *10/12/16, 10/23/16, 12/9/16, 12/25/16, 1/17/17, 1/26/17, 1/31/17, Zuma Beach 2/22/17, 2/26/17, 3/7/17, Malibu 4/7/17, 4/23/17 (female), 5/4/17* on eggs, 5/12/17 on eggs, 5/19/17 on eggs, 5/22/17 on eggs, 5/26/16 on eggs, 5/28/17,  9/9/17, 9/15/17, 9/20/17, 9/24/17, 9/29/17, 10/22/17, 11/10/17, 11/24/17, 12/2/17, 12/24/17,
*5/4/17 rr:bb discovered mated and nesting (2 eggs) on Malibu Beach
RR:GG – Origin unknown – Cabrillo Beach *10-24-11
VV:AW – Oceano Dunes¹ band combo used in 2013 on 2 chicks, & 2014 on 2 chicks – Malibu *9/17/14, *9/28/14, 10/03/14, Zuma 10/21/15, Malibu 10/25/15,  Zuma 10/28/15, Malibu 12/25/16, 1/17/17, Zuma 2/1/17,
w/b:r – Oregon Coos Bay North Spit 6/23/18. w/b means single band two colors white above blue – Zuma 10/3/18, 10/12/18,
WG:OG – Zmudowski SB Monterey Co. 2008 – Santa Monica 11/02/08, *11/09/08, 11/23/08, 12/12/08, 12/21/08, 01/04/09, 01/20/09, 01/22/09, 02/03/09, 03/29/09, 04/08/09
W/R/W:R – Bandon Beach Coos County Ore, 2 banded 6/18/11 & fledged²; left leg is a “triple-striper” band, – Santa Monica *02/04/12
W/R:W – South Ten Mile Beach, Coos Bay, OR, hatched 5/25/16, 2 chicks banded – Malibu 8/11/17
W/Y:x ? – Origin unknown – Cabrillo Beach 9/13/04, *1/20/05
YP:RL – Male – Ft. Ord Beach 6-2-12 – Nested Monterey 2013-14, Hermosa Beach 7/30/14, Zuma *10/28/14, 11/13/14, last seen 4-28-15
y/w:w – South Ten Mile Beach, Coos Bay, OR, hatched 5/25/16 – Malibu *8/25/17
Yy:ob – Monterey Bay Moss Landing female banded 7/18/18. Yy means yellow above ankle & below –  Zuma 10/3/18, 10/12/18,

Lead photo on the Slide Show page
KO:BR – Chick banded Summer 2013 Eden Landing SFBO, not seen in LA County

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OTHER BIRDS SEEN IN THE COUNTY, NO PHOTOS YET AVAILABLE
AR:AP – North Marina, 2001 – Male – Zuma 01/04/02, 02/06/02, 02/22/02, 03/10/02, 03/27/02, 12/02/02 (orig rept as AR:SP S is Silver, P is mottled), 01/04/03, (AR:SP) 02/23/03
AV:RS – Moss Landing Salt Ponds, 2099 (a guess, tape missing) [Unknown combo. All AV on Left at this time were from Monterey Bay & Service Bands on these plovers all were placed on lower Left legs.¹] – Cabrillo 12/24/00
AY:AA – ?? – Malibu 11/28/10, 12/26/10, 2/27/11
AY:RO – Salinas S.B. 2007 –  male – Malibu 08/26/07
AY:Yx   – [Prob. chick banded New River, Oregon 7/23/04¹] – missing band R leg – Hermosa 01/19/05
BB:OG – Oceano Dunes¹ 2002 – Zuma 10/15/02, 11/04/02, 12/02/02, 01/04/03, 01/12/03, 02/23/03, 11/15/03, 01/13/04, 01/25/04, 10/12/04, 10/19/05, 10/31/05, 12/29/05, 01/10/06 (orig rpt BB:OB), 12/29/06, 10/11/07, Malibu 01/10/08
BB:RY – Oceano Dunes¹ 2001 – Zuma 10/15/02, 01/04/03, 01/07/03, 01/12/03, 02/23/03, 03/26/03, 09/22/03, 01/13/04 (orig rpt as BB:RW, yellow fades to white), 01/25/04
GA:GB – Oceano Dunes¹ 2005, also seen at Half Moon Bay – Zuma 10/23/05, 10/31/05, Malibu 12/25/05, Zuma 12/29/05, 1/10/06, 03/26/06, Malibu 08/27/06, 09/24/06, 11/26/06, 12/24/06, 02/25/07, 09/14/07, 01/31/08, 02/25/08 (GA/s:GB thin silver showing below Aqua)
GB:BR – Banded when?? – Santa Monica 7/29/15, 8/5/15
GW:GK – [GW is an Oregon prefix, they do not use K, must be a misread²] – Zuma 10/19/05
GY:OY – Humboldt Bay¹ ’03 female, banded as adult – Santa Monica 01/18/05, 12/01/05
KS:xx – [Insufficient info. to locate banding location¹] – Zuma 11/04/02, 12/02/02, 01/07/03
LY:xx – [Insufficient info. to locate banding location¹] – Cabrillo Beach 01/20/05
O:W/O/W – Vandenberg¹ AFB 2005; right leg is a “triple-striper” band – Santa Monica 07/28/06, 08/15/06; band reused thereafter and scheduled for reuse again.
OA:AW – Moss Landing S.B. 2004, R foot missing – N. Dockweiler 01/12/04 (OA:AA and OA:AW), 10/22/04 (OA:Ax), 11/15/04 (OA:Ax), 01/16/05 (OA:Ax), 11/29/05 (OA:Ax), 03/11/06 (OA:Ax R foot missing), 01/07/07 (OA:Ax)
OG:BR – ?? – Malibu 8/22/10
OG:GR – Pajaro River Mouth, Monterey Bay Jun 2005¹ – Zuma 10/19/05, 10/23/05 (orig rpt as OG:OR), 12/29/05, 01/10/06, 02/13/06, 02/24/06, 09/15/06, 10/30/06, 11/28/06
OG:OA – Salinas S.B. 2000 – Zuma 12/07/00, Santa Monica 02/18/01
O/G/O:G – Same as RGR:G, Oregon doesn’t use orange; left leg is a “triple-striper” band, – Santa Monica 02/10/08, 02/17/08, 12/07/08, 03/08/09
OY:RB – Male, banded as adult, Salinas S.B. 2006 – Santa Monica 08/15/06, 08/19/07, 09/16/07, 11/06/07, 11/12/07, 02/10/08, 02/17/08, 02/23/08
PA:AR – Coal Oil Point Reserve¹ 2006, hand reared by Cristina Sandoval – Hermosa Beach 08/12/06, 08/16/06
PA:VO – Moss Landing Salt Ponds Spring 1999¹ – Female¹ – Started as PA:VO, then WA:VO, then xA:VO, finally xx:VO – Zuma 10/02/99, 10/25/99, 12/06/99, 03/16/00, Monterey Bay Breeder 2000¹, 10/21/00, 11/04/00, 11/27/00, 12/07/00, 12/24/00, 01/11/01, 01/25/01, 01/28/01, 03/10/01, 03/18/01, 04/24/01, 09/05/01, 10/19/01, 11/03/01, 11/13/01, 12/03/01, 01/02/02, 01/04/02, 02/06/02, 2/22/02, 11/04/02, 12/02/02, 01/04/03, 01/07/03, 01/12/03, 09/22/03 (orig rept as WA:VO), 11/15/03 (WA:VO), 01/13/04 (WA:VO), 01/25/04 (WA:VO), 03/21/04 (orig rept as AW:VO, presume W/P band slipped below A), 10/30/04 (orig rept as xA:VO, W not visible), 12/13/04 (xA:VO), 01/16/05 (WA:VO), 01/24/05 (xA:VO), 10/19/05 (xx:VO), 10/23/05 (xx:VO), 12/29/05 (xx:VO), 01/10/06 (xx:VO)
Px:xx – Zuma 11/04/02, 12/02/02, 01/07/03
RB:GR – Salinas S.B. 2005 – Zuma 01/10/06 [Combo not known to be on live bird in 2006¹]
R/G/R:G – Coos Bay North Spit, Coos Co. Ore, banded chicks 7/5/04 3 fledged²; left leg is a “triple-striper” band – Santa Monica 11/10/06, 01/21/07, 11/06/07, (next two Orig Rpt as G/R/G:G) 08/10/08, 09/28/08
RR:PR – Oceano Dunes¹ 2008 – Malibu 11/10/08, 12/28/08, 02/22/09
RR:RW – Oceano Dunes¹ 2003, also seen at McGrath S.B., Ventura Co – Zuma 11/15/03. 1/13/04 (orig rpt RW:RW)
RR:VR – Oceano Dunes 2008 banded chicks, but none recorded as fledging (per Amber Clark 2/2/17) – Malibu 12/28/08
RV:WO – Poss. color uncertainty [RV:WO combo never used¹] – Santa Monica 11/02/04
Rx:Kx – [Insufficient info. to locate banding location¹; not Oceano Dunes (Amber Clark 2/2/17) or Oregon as neither use black] – Zuma 01/25/04
RY:KW – [Uncertain: RY on Left used by Humbolt Co. but they don’t use Black¹] – Male –  Zuma 10/25/99, 12/06/99, 01/16/00, 11/27/00, 12/07/00, 12/24/00, 01/11/01, 01/28/01, 10/31/01, 12/03/01, 01/02/02, 01/04/02, 02/06/02, 02/22/02, 03/10/02, 04/28/02 (R White fell off, shows Silver), 10/15/02, 01/04/03, 01/12/03, 02/23/03 (S on reverse), 09/22/03, 01/13/04
RY:RB – Humboldt County¹ 2004 – Malibu 01/21/05, Zuma 10/19/05, Malibu 12/25/05 (RY:RB/s Silver on back of Blue band), 01/22/06 (RY:RB/s) , 02/25/06 (RY:RB/s), 08/27/06 (RY:RS(B), 09/24/06 (RY:RS(B), 10/22/06 (RY:RS(B), 01/10/07 (RY:RS(B)
RY:RG – Humboldt County¹ 2005 – Zuma 10/19/05, 10/23/05, Malibu 12/25/05, 01/22/06
SK:M – (M=magenta), Camp Pendleton¹ 2009 – Hermosa Beach 11/13/08, 11/18/08, 12/05/08
WA:YA – Moss Landing Wildlife Area, Monterey Bay 2000¹] – also seen at Half Moon Bay, San Mateo Co. – Zuma 11/27/00 (orig rpt YA:YA fledged Salinas NWR 2000), 01/11/01, 01/25/01, 01/28/01, 11/03/01, 11/13/01, 12/03/01, 10/15/02, 12/02/02, 01/04/03, 01/07/03, 09/08/03,
WK:YR – Male, yellow & white are faded [If WK:YR from Great Salt Lake, Utah¹] – Zuma 01/11/01, 01/25/01, 01/28/01, 03/01/01, 03/10/01, 03/18/01
WO:WO – Moss Landing Salt Ponds 2003 – Zuma 01/13/04, 01/25/04, 10/30/04, 11/28/04, 01/16/05
WW:GR – Humboldt Bay¹ 2006, male – Malibu 08/27/06, 09/24/06
xA:OB – Zmudowski SB 2003 – [Insufficient info. to locate banding location with certainty¹] – Zuma 10/23/05
xK:xR – Male – Zuma 09/05/01 (orig rpt (S)xK:xR(S) upper bands lost) – [Insufficient info. to locate banding location¹] – 10/19/01, 10/31/01, 12/03/01, 01/02/02, 01/04/02, 02/06/02, 10/15/02, 12/02/02, 01/04/03, 01/07/03, 1/25/04 (orig rept as xR:xK)
xx:LA – [Insufficient info. to locate banding location¹] – N. Dockweiler  – 01/12/04 (xx:LA), 10/22/04 (xx:xA), 11/15/04 (xx:xA), 11/29/05 (xx:xA)
YA:GW – Salinas S.B. 2006 – Hermosa Beach 08/16/06
YB:YG – Monterey Co. (F.Bidstrup orig. wrote Camp Pendelton Spring 1997) (poss orig rpt YK:YG) – Zuma 10/02/99, 10/25/99 [YB:YG combo not known to be on live plover in 1999¹]
YG:BY – Salinas S.B. 2009 Female banded as adult. Y above the joint – Hermosa Beach 08/12/09
YG:WY – Female – Monterey Bay adult banded on her nest, Y above the joint – Zuma 02/06/08 [Would be Monterey Bay combo but they don’t use black¹]
YG:YK – Female – Zuma 12/06/99, 01/16/00, 10/21/00, 11/04/00, 11/27/00, 12/07/00, 12/24/00, 01/11/01, 01/25/01, 01/28/01, 02/06/02 [Would be Monterey Bay combo but they don’t use black¹]
YK:BG – San Diego¹ Spring 1998 –  [No one is/was using YK as combo on Left leg, suspect combo misreading¹] – Zuma 09/28/98 (year missing from Zuma sheet)
YK:Gx(S) – [No one is/was using YK as combo on Left leg, suspect combo misreading¹] – Yellow faded, could be White, S is silver – Zuma 03/01/01
YK:SK – [No one is/was using YK as combo on Left leg, suspect combo misreading¹] – Zuma 11/04/00
YR:YK – Yellow could be off-White – Zuma (10/21/00 & 11/20/00 orig reported as YK:YR) 10/21/00, 11/20/00, 11/27/00, 12/07/00, 12/24/00
YO:YW – Sunset SB Santa Cruz Co. 2008 – Hermosa Beach 10/28/08, 11/07/08, 11/18/08, 11/21/08, 11/30/08, 12/16/08
YR:GA-HY – Moss Landing Salt Ponds 2000 – Zuma 11/04/00, 11/27/00, 12/07/00, 12/24/00, 01/11/01 juvenile, 01/25/01, 01/28/01, 03/01/01, 03/10/01, 10/19/01, 10/31/01, 11/13/01, 12/03/01, 01/02/02, 01/04/02 (orig rept as RY:G/s) [YR on Left is Monterey Bay combo but they don’t use Black; no one used YK on left, but Great Salt Lake uses WK on Left, might this be WK:YR? see above¹ ]
Yx:Gx – (Probable) Vandenberg AFB¹ Spring 1997 and/or 1998 – silver shows R band below green – Zuma 11/22/98 (missing year on Zuma sheet), 01/13/99 (missing year on Zuma sheet), 10/25/99, 01/16/00, 08/30/00, 09/21/00, 11/04/00, 11/27/00, 12/07/00, 12/24/00, 01/25/01, 03/18/01
Yx:Rx – [Insufficient info. to locate banding location¹] – Zuma 01/04/02
YY:AP – Salinas S.B. 2005, also seen at Batiquitos Lagoon, San Diego Co. – Zuma 10/31/05, 01/10/06, 02/13/06, Broad Beach 02/24/06, Zuma 03/02/06, 11/28/06, 12/29/06, 01/09/07, 02/21/07, 10/11/07
YY:OO – Pajaro Spit 2003 – Hermosa Beach 01/19/05
Most of the above sighting came from Excel spreadsheet SNPL Counts Cum.xls, prepared by Frances Bidstrup & Chuck Almdale in 2009

Sighting originally reported above, moved here as probable errors, see accompanying notes
RY:G/s – Prob. is YR:GA which disappeared when this one appeared – Zuma 01/04/02
YA:YA – ?? Fledged Salinas NWR 2000, prob. is WA:YA  Zuma 11/27/00
YK:YR – Prob is YR:YK, yellow could be off-white – Zuma 10/21/00, 11/20/00
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Notations for above two lists:
Orig Rpt – Originally reported as
Superscript ¹ – Per communication from Lynne Stenzel 12/15/16
Superscript ² – Per communication from Dave Lauten 1/9/17

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DESCRIPTION OF BANDING COLOR SCHEMAS
Leg Band Color Usage per Jim Watkins FWS 1/30/08, primarily passing on information from Frances Bidstrup’s report from PRBO as of 1/30/08:
Color combinations may differ between sites and years, but generally hold true for the last 3 years.
A = Aqua    B = Blue    G = Green   K = Black    L = Lime     N = Brown   O =Orange     P = Pink
R = Red      S = Silver   V = Violet   W = White   Y = Yellow  X = no band

IMPORTANT NOTE: This information below on color schemas was posted here 15 Dec 2016. It is now nine years old, and Point Blueadvised me that it is considerably out-of-date and should not be relied on. It is almost certain that any bird banded 2007 or earlier, on whom these bands were placed, is now dead. I will try to bring this information up-to-date, but so far I am having no luck. It may be that locations are no longer using any color schema at all.

The following schema was completely revised for the 2017 banding season. Information to come.

Consider the following as of historical interest only.
Washington State:
Left Leg:  RV, VB, VR, for ’07.  VB only in ’06.
Began banding in 2007

Oregon:
Adult Left Leg; BL, BR, GR, GW, LB, RG, RL, YW.
Chick – one band only on each leg
Chick Left: Can use any combo of A, B, G, L, O, R, V, W, Y. Can use both double and triple “stripers.” Triple: band is split, base tape has contrasting tape in the middle, like B/L/B:W. Double: Narrow color overlays 1/2 of base tape, like B/L:W, L/B:W.
Chick Right: Can use B, G, N, R, V, W, Y. Authorized to use K and P, but haven’t yet. One color, coded to year.  2007 – Y, B, 2006 – R, 2005 – W.

Uncommon schemes used: S:X (Left – FWS silver band, Right – nothing)

California:
Humboldt and Mendocino Counties
Mendocino just overlaps Humboldt, the latter is the banding site.
Beginning in 2004: GV, GY, OR, RY, VW, WW with wide range of colors on Right, but always two bands on each leg. Chick Right: B, G, R, W, Y so it’s always X:G, X:B, X:R, etc.
Several other codes going back many years.
Is this area also known as RU2?

San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory – D
Per personal communication with Karine Tokatlian, 1/3/17
Banding began in 2008/09 season
Left Leg: AK, GK, KA, KK, KO, ON, RK, WN, YV
Right Leg Upper band: A, B, G, O, P, R, W, Y
Right Leg Lower band: B, G, R, W, Y

Monterey Bay
Many birds, hard to note, lack of combos prevents coding to years.
PRBO doesn’t recycle a combo of a bird until it hasn’t been seen in 4 years and presumed dead. They try to code chicks to years, using the same color on the lower right. They try to be consistent in this coding, but at times must resort to other combos for lack of options.
2003: O – Orange; 2004: A – Aqua; 2005: P – Pink; 2006: V – Violet; 2007: O – Orange again.
In 2007, PRBO began banding some adults with a color above the joint, e.g. OuY:AB.  U=upper. Most report this as WY:AB.

Oceano Dunes – D
Left Leg: BB, GA, GG, PG, PV, RR, VG, VV.
Right: Starting 2005, 2 bands various colors.
Do not use browN or blacK; use Lime very sparingly

Vandenberg AFB – D
Per personal communication with Jamie Miller 2/7/17
4-color Combinations:
Left Leg: AN, GN, NB, NO, NR, NW, NY with the lower band always a metal service band.
Right Leg: 2 bands various colors
Split-band combos: Exact opposite of Oregon, like P:W/O/W
Left Leg: 1 single solid color, any color except blacK and Silver
Right Leg: Split bands can be bicolor (A:G/Y) or tricolor (P:W/B/W). Splits always have either Green or White base tape on a metal band with contrasting tape either covering the other half or in the middle.
Chicks banded with an entire brood given the same combo: To individualize combos they expose 1/4 – 1/3 of upper or lower portion of the metal band. A 3-chick brood gets: one chick with full coverage, one with upper metal exposure (UL), one with lower metal exposure (LL). Tricky to see – photos are best. Starting 2015 they began exposing a little bit of metal in the upper or lower portion on the split band (UR, LR). This was done for their purposes only and is very difficult to see. If you see it in a photo, it was done on purpose and please report it to them.
Combos reused: When bird not sighted for several years.

Guadalupe – D
Banded up to 2005, with N always on the lower left band – GN:RW
Banding at this location then discontinued.

Chevron: – D
Do not band

Coal Oil Point Reserve: – D
2007: No banding since 2006
2006: Left Leg: PA  e.g. PA:RG

Bolsa Chica – D
Per personal communication with Peter Knapp 2/9/17
For 2006-2016, banded approximately 50+ chicks raised at the Care Center.
Left Leg: YN (unique to Bolsa Chica) browN is tape over the service band. The browN tape often falls off, leaving YS.
Right Leg: Two bands, any combination of B, G, R, W, Y
In 2016, one bird released in error as BY:YN, remained present at Bolsa Chica for 3 months

San Diego
Only site using K (blacK). Any combo with blacK is a San Diego bird.
Some years used silver only on Left, split band on right, e.g. S:K/Y.
Other years used only K on Left. Too many schemes to completely note.
END OF COLOR SCHEMA SECTION

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nb:gw at Zuma (G. Murayama 2-16-18)