Birding California’s Northwest Corner

28 June - 6 July 2019

A birding and and ornithological research trip to raise funds for Western Field Ornithologists

Rufous-crowned Sparrow (ssp ruficeps, Santa Clara Co. CA, May 2007) Photo © Bob Lewis

Join this exciting nine-day trip to seek breeding species of California’s Northwest Corner. Some species are fairly common and widespread, others are localized, scarce, or both. Ruffed Grouse is possible in forested lands, Common Nighthawk is more widespread; Black Oystercatcher and Snowy Plover inhabit the coastline, while offshore rocks host Tufted Puffin. Here Canada Jay nears the southwest limit of its breeding range, while California Thrasher and Rufous-crowned Sparrow near the northwest limits of their breeding ranges. More widespread breeding species such as Spotted Owl, Barred Owl, Pileated Woodpecker, and Varied Thrush are a delight to see wherever they are found. We are unlikely to see all of these species, but we are bound to enjoy pursuing them and the many other interesting species that brighten this fascinating corner of California.

Dates: Friday, 28 June through Saturday, 6 July 2019

Locale: Northwestern California, beginning and ending in Garberville, CA

Leaders: Jon Dunn, Rob Fowler, John Harris, and Dave Quady

Birding California’s Northwest Corner

Price: $2,550 per person for double-occupancy lodging from 28 June through 5 July. This price includes all breakfasts, lunches, and snacks, the welcoming dinner in Garberville and the farewell dinner in Crescent City. This price also includes non-alcoholic beverages, guide services, and van transportation throughout the trip. This trip is limited to twelve participants. We require at least ten participants to ensure that the trip will run.

If you have a roommate, please indicate this when you register. If you do not have a roommate but are willing to share, please indicate this, and we will try to pair you with someone. If you prefer a single room or if we cannot pair you with a roommate, your total due will be $3,100.

Registration will begin in February and you will receive information beforehand on how to register via a WFO News email. Registration will be on-line with a $500 deposit required at that time. The balance of the trip cost is due by 15 April.

Cancellation: - If you cancel before 15 April, we can refund your $500 deposit less $100. - No cancellations after 1 May.

Other General Information: See details toward the end of this document.

Direct any questions to John Harris ([email protected], or cell (510) 504-2427)

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

We welcome you to WFO’s Birding California’s Northwest Corner field trip, led by Jon Dunn, Rob Fowler, John Harris, and Dave Quady. Extending as it does to the Pacific Ocean, this excursion can be thought of as the final northwesterly link in a chain of five WFO trips that began in 2011 in the southern Sierra Nevada and swept in a northwesterly arc to Siskiyou County, the focus of last year’s trip. While last year’s trip edged into Modoc, Shasta, and Trinity counties as well, this year’s will span only Humboldt and Del Norte counties in California. It will range from the far southeasterly corner of these two coastal counties to their far northwesterly corner, and will pass through Oregon in order to reach a patch of Del Norte County mountain habitat that’s otherwise inaccessible by road. We will enjoy a comparably broad span of climatic conditions, habitats, and suites of birds during this trip.

In addition to just having fun birding and seeking many targeted species, we hope to learn some things about the status and distribution of birds in these two counties. We have posed twenty questions covering mostly scarce or sparsely distributed bird species, and we plan to incorporate our findings about those species into the trip report we will post on the WFO web site after the tour concludes.

Day 1: Friday, 28 June – We will meet at 6:00 pm in the lobby of the Best Western Plus Humboldt House Inn, 701 Redwood Drive, Garberville, CA 95542. There we’ll have a brief orientation meeting followed by a welcoming dinner in the area. Night in Garberville.

Day 2: Saturday, 29 June – We will bird the Alderpoint Road area for southeastern Humboldt County specialties: Ash-throated Flycatcher, Oak Timouse (very local), White-breasted Nutatch (subspecies aculeata), Rock Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Western Bluebird, possibly Lawrence’s Goldfinch, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, and Lark Sparrow. Golden Eagles are regularly seen along the road, and Mountain Quail and Sooty Grouse are usually heard. The very local Rufous-crowned Sparrows are found in very small numbers in coyote brush thickets along the Eel River. Searching for them entails a mile-long hike along abandoned railroad tracks, including a couple of washed out areas that entail steep climbs up and down. Otherwise the walk is pleasant (if it’s not too warm) and not too difficult. Night in Garberville.

Day 3: Sunday, 30 June – We will leave immediately after breakfast to look for the very local resident population of California Thrasher near Saddle Mountain, above Shelter Cove. Sometimes the thrashers can be seen along the road, but usually require a hike down Horse Mountain Ridge to find them. Purple Martins nest in some of the snags downslope of the ridge. Afterwards we will drive to the town of Shelter Cove to look for breeding passerines and to seawatch from Point Delgada, where Purple Martins nest in gourds. After lunch we will drive to Petrolia and then follow Mattole Road through the “Lost Coast” region to Bear River Ridge, where we’ll look for breeding Horned Larks or bird the Ferndale area. Night in Arcata.

Day 4: Monday, 1 July – We will spend much of the day along the fully paved Titlow Hill Road/Forest Service Route 1 in search of montane breeding species such as Sooty Grouse, Red-breasted Sapsucker, White-headed Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Hammond’s and Dusky flycatchers, Townsend’s Solitaire, Cassin’s Finch, Green-tailed Towhee, Thick-billed Fox Sparrow (subspecies brevicauda), and Hermit Warbler. Mountain Quail can often be seen along the road but with big groups it’s tough to get everyone on the birds. We will look for the Disguised Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis incognita), a new species of butterfly described to science in 2012 that ranges in only Mendocino and Humboldt County. This interesting and cryptic species has been found regularly in this area and seems to be most common around late-June/early-July.

On our return trip to Arcata for an afternoon break and dinner we will stop along Snow Camp Road to look for Willow Flycatchers suspected to be breeding in young clear cuts there, and perhaps stop in Blue Lake to search for summering passerines in riparian areas along the Mad River. After dinner we will drive back up Route 1 to search in the evening for Common Nighthawk and Flammulated, Western Screech-, Spotted, and Barred owls. We plan to return to our hotel around midnight. Night in Arcata.

Day 5: Tuesday, 2 July –We’ll set off later than usual this morning on our drive to Crescent City, where we plan to arrive by mid-afternoon. Stops enroute in Humboldt County might include Trinidad for Common Murre colonies, Patrick’s Point for Canada Jay, Freshwater Lagoon for Marbled Murrelets on the ocean, Lost Man Creek for American Dipper, and Tall Trees Road for Ruffed Grouse. In Del Norte County we’ll stop at Klamath River if something fancy is around. After we check in at our hotel and enjoy some afternoon down time we’ll depart for the G-O Road. A wide variety of montane species is possible as we ascend the road, and we will stop occasionally, while remaining mindful that

we will spend a full day here in three day’s time. As evening approaches we’ll listen to singing Hermit Thrushes and might encounter a Northern Pygmy-Owl. We’ll also watch the skies for Common Nighthawks. After an early evening picnic dinner we’ll turn to owling. Our primary goal will be Northern Saw-whet Owl, but Flammulated Owl has bred here in past years, and although wildfires have destroyed some of the known sites we might get lucky. Western Screech-, Barred, and Great Horned owls are also possible. We plan to return to our hotel around midnight. Night in Crescent City.

Day 6: Wednesday, 3 July – After a late breakfast we will head out to the coast, where a dozen or so pairs of Tufted Puffins are known to breed at Castle Rock National Wildlife Refuge, on offshore Castle Rock itself. With scopes we should get adequate views of puffins in the morning as they stand in front of their burrows. Black Oystercatcher, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, and Brandt’s and Pelagic cormorants should all be present, along with Rhinoceros Auklets on the ocean in front of Castle Rock. From here we’ll drive north to Pt. St. George, where we should see Sooty Shearwaters, perhaps in abundance, and possibly other pelagic species. Here, and elsewhere along the rocky coastline, we’ll search carefully for rare summering Harlequin Ducks.

There are many fine birding areas around Crescent City. Yellow-breasted Chat, Lazuli Bunting and Black-headed Grosbeak breed, as do a variety of warblers. If any Willow Flycatchers are known to be on breeding territory we’ll search for them. We’ll visit the Alexandre Family Farm and other nearby wetland areas – some of the best shorebird habitat in the state – where many rarities have been found in past years. By early July, there should be at least some evidence of southbound migration. Night in Crescent City.

Day 7: Thursday, 4 July – Today we’ll follow state route 199 into Oregon, then cut southeast and enter Del Norte County again via Takilma Road. We’ll make our first stop just after crossing back into California. Here Acorn Woodpeckers are numerous and we will listen and look for other more interior breeding species such as White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Western Bluebird, and Chipping Sparrow. California Towhee, which breeds just to the north, in Oregon, was discovered here a decade or more ago, although it hasn’t been recorded in recent years. From here we’ll continue up USFS Road 4906 to Crazy Peak, stopping along the way to look for Cassin’s Vireo and Nashville, MacGillivray’s and Black-throated Gray warblers. As we ascend we’ll look for Hammond’s and Dusky flycatchers and watch the roadsides for Mountain Quail. Once we reach higher elevations, we’ll listen and look for Sooty Grouse, and enjoy the spectacular scenery. Mountain Chickadee, Townsend’s Solitaire, Cassin’s Finch and Green-tailed Towhee are all possible. Since it is the Fourth of July we can enjoy fireworks in Crescent City, maybe even from our hotel parking lot! Night in Crescent City.

Day 8: Friday, 5 July – We will return to the G-O Road to spend the day in one of the best summer birding locations in the county. We’ll make numerous stops and search carefully for any of the montane species we’ve missed up on Crazy Peak. Some two miles from the end of the road we’ll hike on a trail for one to two miles to Doctor Rock, a location for Rock Wren and – on the snags along the way – Mountain Bluebird (hopefully). White-breasted Nuthatch occurs here, too. The butterflies are often spectacular at this time of the year. In the evening we’ll have a final group dinner at a seafood restaurant in Crescent City. Night in Crescent City.

Day 9: Saturday, 6 July – We’ll have a few hours in the morning to bird. Perhaps we will return to the Alexandre Family Farm or another nearby wetland area, or we may visit beautiful Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park to look for birds in this delightfully cool, moist habitat. After an early lunch we’ll continue south, arriving in Garberville mid- to late afternoon, leaving enough time to carry on to Sacramento or the Bay Area by early evening.

Note: Daily itineraries are subject to favorable change depending upon pre-trip scouting and current birding conditions.

TWENTY ORNITHOLOGICAL QUESTIONS

TO INVESTIGATE ON THIS TRIP

Bird song will be reduced during our trip at the end of June and early July compared to its peak a few weeks earlier, but young birds of many species will be fledging, and moving in family groups, so it will be much easier to confirm nesting. The twenty questions below are oriented partly toward confirming breeding for species where occurrences in Humboldt and/or Del Norte counties are few, or even lacking. We are also interested in documenting various more-southerly species that are largely absent from northwestern California.

Cinnamon Teal and Blue-winged Teal Both species inhabit freshwater wetlands and ponds in coastal lowlands of both counties. Cinnamon Teal is an uncommon breeder in Humboldt County and a rare breeder in Del Norte County, while Blue- winged is a rare breeder in both counties. In appropriate habitat we will look for broods of ducklings of either species.

Western Grebe and Clark’s Grebe The only known nesting location for both species is Lake Earl, just north of Crescent City in Del Norte County. Breeding success depends on water levels but we’ll check Lake Earl for signs of breeding and the relative ratios of these two closely related species (Clark’s is by far the less common species of the two), and also see if there are any mixed pairs, or potentially hybrid birds.

Common Nighthawk This species nests in the northwest and north-central portions of Humboldt County as well as in Del Norte County, but populations here and elsewhere in North America have been in decline. We’ll monitor all our sightings or audible encounters.

White-throated Swift We should encounter this species in southern Humboldt County, where it nests beneath the Edward G. Wagner Memorial Bridge on Highway 101, three miles south of Benbow. A pair summered and likely bred several years ago at the Highway 101 bridge that spans the Klamath River in southernmost Del Norte County. We’ll look for evidence of a return there, and also examine similar bridge settings for evidence of nesting. Willow Flycatchers have also nested near the Klamath River bridge.

Tufted Puffin One of the highlights of this trip will be scanning Castle Rock, offshore Crescent City, Del Norte County to enjoy nesting Tufted Puffins, albeit from a distance. The breeding population of this California Bird Species of Special Concern (BSSC) has been gradually declining and we’ll carefully count those that we can see standing in the grass near their burrows.

Flammulated Owl We have a chance for the insectivorous, migratory Flammulated Owl during our evening of owling in the mountains east of Arcata. The species has also summered in the interior of Del Norte County, but recent fires there have rendered some sites unacceptable for this species. Recently one bird was heard calling near the end of the G.O. Road, where we will bird during the day and owl in the evening, listening carefully for this enigmatic nocturnal ventriloquist.

Spotted Owl The combination of too much logging and competition with invading Barred Owls, a species we will also look for, has led to severe population declines of the “Northern Spotted Owl” (state and federally Threatened subspecies caurina). We might encounter one in Humboldt County, but it is much scarcer now in Del Norte County.

Willow Flycatcher This species, state listed as Endangered, is a locally uncommon to rare breeder in northwestern California (subspecies brewsteri). We’ll look for it in clear cuts on Snow Camp Road, Humboldt County, and in Del Norte County along the Klamath River, as well as just to the north of Crescent City.

Horned Lark The species is a rare and local breeder (subspecies actia) in Humboldt County. Breeding has occurred in the Cape Mendocino Grasslands and on Bear River Ridge, places where we will be birding. Here it occurs in midslope prairies and in treeless corridors atop tall ridges, which generally trend southeast to northwest. The species is a rare migrant in Del Norte County with no known breeding records.

Purple Martin We should encounter this breeding species in both counties. Of particular interest is that at Shelter Cove, on the Humboldt County coast, martins have nested in gourds, one of the few locations in California where this California BSSC has utilized man-made cavities. We will visit this location and hopefully confirm that gourds are still being used.

Oak Titmouse The species is a rare resident in the southeastern corner of Humboldt County, but breeding was not confirmed until 24 June 1995, along Island Mountain Road. We will look for family groups on our day of birding along Alderpoint Road.

White-breasted Nuthatch This species (subspecies aculeata) is a local resident in oak woodlands in the lower and middle elevations of interior Humboldt County. We should encounter it along Alderpoint Road in the summer- hot, oak-drenched southeastern corner of the county, where the species is most consistently encountered.

In Del Norte County it is quite uncommon (or rare) and very local. We might encounter it in the Takilma area, on our drive up towards Crazy Peak, or on our hike to Doctor Rock, where nesting occurred in 2015.

Rock Wren In both counties this is a rare and local species, found where fractured surface rock offers conditions essential to its survival. In the southeastern corner of Humboldt County it is known year-round at “Rock Wren Rocks” on Alderpoint Road near the Dyerville Loop. A nest and young were seen there in May and June 1974, and the Humboldt County Breeding Bird Atlas (BBA) project confirmed breeding on 7 May 1995. We’ll look for a family group or a freshly plumaged juvenile. In Del Norte County we’ll look for it on our hike to Doctor Rock, during our day along the G.O. Road.

Mountain Bluebird This is a locally rare summer resident and breeder on northwestern California’s high inland mountain peaks. During the Humboldt County BBA period a family group of five birds was observed flying from Trinity County into Humboldt County at the Trinity Summit Guard Station on 17 August 1996. Fledged young near Salmon Mountain, at the “triple junction” of Humboldt, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties on 8 July 1989 similarly suggests nesting in or near Humboldt County, but in neither case was the exact nest location determined. It is unlikely that we’ll encounter the species in Humboldt County. In Del Norte County nesting was confirmed along the trail to Doctor Rock in 2012 and the following four years.

California Thrasher This is a rare and very local breeder in chapparal habitat in southwestern Humboldt County. We will visit Horse Mountain Ridge north of Shelter Cove, currently the most reliable location for this rare breeder. And we’ll check appropriate habitat in nearby areas to see if can locate other thrashers.

Lawrence’s Goldfinch This species is a casual summer visitor and sporadic breeder in open, dry habitats, occurring primarily in the southern part of Humboldt County and only in some years. The presence of fiddleneck is an important component of their presence. If we are fortunate enough to locate any “Larry’s” we will look for evidence of breeding. Humboldt County has only two breeding records; Del Norte County has none.

Rufous-crowned Sparrow The presence in Humboldt County of this resident species was first revealed (and breeding was confirmed!) on 24 May 1998, when an adult carrying food popped up before a small party of Breeding Bird Atlas participants along the Northwestern Pacific Railroad tracks beside the Eel River, south of Alderpoint. Along two miles of track they detected nine adults, at least eight of them paired, including others carrying food. This location may represent the northwestern limit of this species’ range in Humboldt County. A report of two adults carrying food at the mouth of Cooksie Creek on 5 June 2018, in the King Range National Conservation Area, deserves follow-up work.

California Towhee The species reaches the northwestern limit of its regular range in California in southern Humboldt County. It does breed in southern Oregon in the Medford region and a bit farther west, and has barely spilled over into extreme northeastern Del Norte County at one location. But it has not been seen there in recent years due perhaps to the maturation of the mixed brush-land habitat. We will drive through this

region on our way to Crazy Peak, and will stop and investigate. Acorn Woodpeckers are numerous at this location and there is a chance for White-breasted Nuthatch.

Vesper Sparrow In northwestern California, the “Oregon Vesper Sparrow” (subspecies affinis) was known in breeding season only from the vicinity of Lake Tolowa, north of Crescent City, Del Norte County. Overall, this California BSSC has declined throughout its rather limited range, and it has apparently been extirpated from northwestern California in recent years. The cause for its disappearance is not known, and the subspecies has been petitioned for Threatened or Endangered status in the U.S. portion of its range. We will spend some time around Lake Tolowa looking for it and also look for early fall migrant shorebirds there.

Hooded Oriole This species has been expanding its range northward in California, its presence largely defined by the presence of palms. In northwestern California it breeds north to the Eureka/Arcata region in Humboldt County. We’ll look for it here, and perhaps even find one in Crescent City, particularly if we can find a palm tree! The species is very rare (mostly recent records) in Del Norte County where records mostly involve migrants and wintering birds. Amended March 2019

BIOGRAPHIES OF THE LEADERS

Jon Dunn is the co-author (with Jonathan Alderfer) of the sixth and seventh editions of the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, and was chief consultant for all previous editions. He co-authored (with Kimball Garrett) Birds of Southern California: Status and Distribution, and Peterson Field Guide to Warblers, and co-authored (with Alderfer) Birding Essentials. He has led field trips for Wings since 1977. He is a member of the American Ornithological Society’s North American Classification Committee and WFO’s California Bird Records Committee and is currently Vice President of Western Field Ornithologists.

Rob Fowler moved to Humboldt County in 2003 to attend Humboldt State University, and graduated in 2006 with a BS in Wildlife. Since graduation Rob has been a very active birder in the area, and wears many hats: As a part-time field biologist, the main birding guide in the area, the main eBird reviewer for Humboldt and Del Norte counties, a North American Birds regional editor for Northern California, and as a member of WFO’s California Bird Records Committee. When not birding or taking the dog for a walk at the Arcata Marsh (read: birding while the dog walks with him) Rob plays mandolin in the local bluegrass band, "The Kentucky Warblers," and enjoys spending time with his family.

John Harris taught biology at Mills College in Oakland, CA from 1986 through 2013, and now lives near Oakdale in the Central Valley of California. He studied dark kangaroo mice at Mono Lake, San Joaquin antelope squirrels on the Elkhorn Plain, and Mohave ground squirrels in the Coso Range of Inyo County. John is currently active in Stanislaus Audubon Society and the Central Valley Bird Club, and he joined the board of Western Field Ornithologists in 2017.

Dave Quady birded only casually until the mid-1970s, but birding eventually became his main avocation. For many years he has led Golden Gate Audubon Society field trips to Yosemite and to Lassen County. He wrote the Owls section of the National Geographic Complete Guide, for many years taught a class on North America’s owls, and spends an inordinate amount of time pursuing them while more sensible people are asleep. Dave is a Past President of Western Field Ornithologists.

GENERAL INFORMATION

These notes will help you prepare for your trip. Please read them carefully.

DIRECTIONS TO HOTEL, GARBERVILLE.

Best Western Plus Humboldt House Inn 701 Redwood Drive Garberville, CA 95542 (707) 923-2771

IF ARRIVING BY CAR: Take the Redwood Drive exit from Highway 101 in Garberville. The hotel is on the east side of the highway, just south of the exit.

GETTING TO AND FROM GARBERVILLE: Folks who are interested in this tour but would like to avoid driving their own car to Garberville may be able to do so. The leaders will rent vans in Reno, the San Francisco Bay area, and the Sacramento area, drive them to Garberville on 28 June and return them to the rental locations on 6 July. The leaders are willing to ferry participants to and from Garberville in those vans if participants reach a rental location at an appropriate time on 28 June and can return there on 6 July at an appropriate time. Contact John Harris to discuss details.

MEETING UP: Please meet in the lobby of the Best Western Humboldt House Inn at 6:00 pm. We will have a brief orientation meeting followed by a welcoming dinner. If you encounter any difficulty, contact John Harris (cell 510-504-2427) or Dave Quady (cell 510-910-1905).

HEALTH: Although California presents no real hazards to the visiting birder, there are several factors to consider. On this tour, we may reach elevations of 4,000 ft. to 5,000 ft. Insects are not likely to be a major problem, but we may well encounter pockets of mosquitoes along with a few biting flies. We will check for ticks. Mammals, reptiles and other creatures do not constitute a hazard and we actively search for them during the trip. The California sun will be intense, particularly at high elevations; adequate skin protection is essential.

CLIMATE: Weather in the northwestern section of California can vary greatly. At lower elevations temperatures may exceed 90 degrees, while in the mornings at higher elevations it could be in the low 40’s. It will be important to dress in layers. Thundershowers are possible, although they usually occur later in the summer. The afternoons can be windy at all elevations.

ACCOMMODATIONS: We will be staying at standard, comfortable motels in Garberville, Arcata, and Crescent City.

LAUNDRY SERVICE: A laundromat is available across the street from our hotel in Arcata, where we will be staying on nights 3-4 of our trip.

PACE OF TOUR: This tour will have a few long days, and continental breakfast will be served before dawn on some days. The early starts result because bird activity and bird song are at their peak in the early morning hours. On a few days we will have a long afternoon break. We plan at least two evenings of owling, or searching for other night birds. There will be some hiking along trails or roads, but none of our walks will be strenuous.

DRESS: Dress will be informal throughout.

FIELD CLOTHING: The following items are basic:

Sun hat Light and medium weight trousers Down vest / heavy sweater Cold weather jacket Warm cap and gloves Rain jacket Light and medium weight shirts Sturdy walking boots / shoes Canvas shoes (for possible wading)

Note: Although we do not plan any rigorous activities, there will be some walking over uneven ground so that adequate footwear is important.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS:

Binoculars (extra pair) Notebook and pencil or pen Alarm clock Sunscreen- very important Small flashlight / batteries Wrist watch Day pack Water bottle or canteen - very important, Ear plugs (if you are a light sleeper) although we will carry lots of water in Insect repellent one vehicle.

Optional items: Telescope (very useful on many days), swimsuit, pocket knife, eyeglasses (extra pair).

LEADER'S GEAR: The leaders will provide the following:

Ice chest with water /no longer carry water cooler Basic first aid kit Field library Telescopes Maps

LUGGAGE: Bring what you need but consider the utility of each item. Soft luggage is easier to pack in the vehicles than hard impact luggage. Please do not bring any bag that is so heavy that you are unable to lift and carry it yourself. It is a good idea to affix identification to the inside of each piece of luggage.

TRANSPORTATION: We expect to use a 12-15 passenger van and two minivans. Whatever our final vehicles, participants will have roomy seating, and rotation will be exercised.

SMOKING: WFO has a strict non-smoking policy. Smoking is not permitted at any time or any place during our conferences or field trips.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Scenery and memory shots will be plentiful and simple to obtain but birds are difficult to photograph. Although there will be occasions when bird photography is possible, a birdwatching tour such as this is not the best means of pursuing this aim. “Digiscoping,” on the other hand, is perfectly compatible with the tour, though it is recommended you bring your own telescope! If you are a serious photographer, please contact us for further information about photographic possibilities. Bring all your supplies, as it may be difficult to find precisely what you need on short notice. Camera equipment should be packed in moisture- and dust-proof bags, as a precaution.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Field Guides

Dunn, Jon L. and Jonathan Alderfer. 7th edition, 2017. Field Guide to the Birds of North America. National Geographic Society, Washington DC. One of the top two field guides for North America, more portable than the Sibley guide. Highly recommended.

Quady, David E., Jon L. Dunn, Kimball Garrett and Brian E. Small. 3rd printing, 2018. Birds of Northern California. R. W. Morse Company, Olympia WA. A pocket-sized photographic guide written for beginning birders that nonetheless contains much useful, detailed information. Recommended.

Sibley, David Allen. 2nd edition, 2014. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. Highly recommended.

General References/Birds

Barron, Alan D. 2nd edition, 2007. A Birdfinding Guide to Del Norte County California. North Coast Redwood Interpretive Association, Orick CA. Highly recommended.

Grinnell, J. and A.H. Miller. 1944. Distribution of the Birds of California. Pacific Coast Avifauna No. 27. Reprinted (1986) by Artemisia Press, Lee Vining CA. Strongly recommended for its extensive, detailed discussions of status and distribution (with maps), covering species and subspecies.

Harris, Stanley W. Northwestern California Birds. 3rd edition, 2nd printing, 2006. Living Gold Press, Klamath River CA. Highly recommended.

Hunter, John E., David Fix, Gregory A. Schmidt and Jude Claire Power. 2005. Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Humboldt County, California. Redwood Region Audubon Society, Eureka CA. Recommended. Available from sellers of used books.

Kemper, John. 1999. Birding Northern California. Falcon Publishing, Inc., Helena MT. Covers 4 areas we will visit, and 77 other areas in northern California.

McCaskie, Guy, Paul de Benedictis, Richard Erickson and Joseph Morlan. Reprinted with supplement 1988. Birds of Northern California: An Annotated Field List. Golden Gate Audubon Society, Berkeley. Highly recommended. Available from GGAS, or download it here: http://goldengateaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/PDFs/BirdsNorthernCalifornia.pdf

Shuford, W. David and Thomas Gardali, editors. 2008. California Bird Species of Special Concern: A ranked assessment of species, subspecies, and distinct populations of birds of immediate conservation concern in California. Western Field Ornithologists, Camarillo CA and California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento CA. Individual species accounts and the rest of the book’s text can be downloaded from https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/SSC/Birds

General References/Other

Brock, J.P. and K. Kaufman. 2003. Kaufman Focus Guide to the Butterflies of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company. Widely regarded as the best North American guide to butterflies.

Glassberg, Jeffrey. 2001. Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West. Oxford University Press.

Jameson, E.W. and Hans J. Peeters. 1988. California Mammals. University of California Press, Berkeley. A nice field guide to California's mammals with good color plates, distribution maps and lots of text.

Madley, Benjamin. 2016. An American Genocide: The United States and the California Indian Catastrophe. Yale University Press, New Haven and London. Between 1846 and 1873, California’s Indian population plunged from perhaps 150,000 to 30,000. This book will change forever how we understand the history of California.

Manolis, T. 2003. Dragonflies and Damselflies of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles and London. Covers these fascinating bugs very well.

Morgan, Dale L. 1967. Jedediah Smith and the Opening of the West. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln. Overshadowed in the exploration of the American West only by Lewis and Clark, Jed Smith was the first man to reach California overland from the American frontier, the first to travel the length and width of the Great Basin, the first to reach Oregon by a journey up the California coast and the first to cross the Sierra Nevada.

Reid, Fiona A. 4th edition, 2006. Peterson Field Guide to North American Mammals. Fourth edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York.

Sawyer, John O. 2006. Northwest California: A Natural History. University of California Press, Berkeley. Ecology of northwestern California, covering geology, hydrology, climate and vegetation. Not a field guide.

Stebbins, Robert C. 2003. Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians. Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York. Excellent text and nearly perfect illustrations. Covers all the species of reptiles and amphibians found in western North America.

Stebbins, Robert C. and Samuel M. McGinnis. 2012. Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of California. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles.

FINAL INFORMATION

Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be emailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions, please let us know. Please direct inquiries to:

John Harris [email protected] Cell (510) 504-2427