CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES FIELD REPORT 1996 - 2018

White-headed Woodpecker, Lawrence’s Goldfinch & Island Scrub- © Peter LaTourrette

Prepared by Jeri M. Langham

VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DR., STE 1003, AUSTIN, TX 78746 !"#$%&'()*+,*-+(**)'#.'-//+,*-+-,0-'1'234&'()*+,*-+*5)5' 6$7#89%$:;6.<=>#?'1'@@@=9%$:;6.<=>#?'

When I retired from California State University in May 2008, I was ready for my first free spring since starting kindergarten. Then I received a phone call from Victor Emanuel. Would I like to take over the late April California Specialties tour? Before I began leading tours for VENT 32 years ago, I chased vagrant to all corners of California. However, once I became a part-time VENT leader on top of full-time university teaching, there was no extra time. In the last two decades, I had forgotten how wonderfully diverse the southern California ecosystems are and thus what a great adventure they would provide. Now, I cannot wait to lead this tour every spring.

An enticing example of what awaits visitors to this marvelous birding paradise can be found by looking at the checklist at the end of this document and also reading here a few excerpts taken from the Journal I write during every tour and later email to all my tour participants. The following are some excerpts from our 2018 tour.

Our birding began at Murray Lake. At the first location California Thrasher and Wrentit cooperated; at the second we discovered a nest when calling in the Cassin’s Kingbirds; and our walk around part of the lake gave us killer views of California Gnatcatcher (federally threatened species) and two male Allen’s Hummingbirds along with another 25+ species.

California Thrasher © John Dixon and California Gnatcatcher © Sue Wright

At the bottom of the hill, near Mission Trails Regional Park, we had superb views of Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and, especially, Bell’s Vireo. Since we did not find Scaly- breasted Munia at Murray Lake today, I decided to get out and play the tape where I had seen them when scouting Santee Lakes, and we ended up with two flocks of over a dozen birds each…big relief! The only other unusual species was a pair of Ring-necked Ducks.

We drove down the one-way Father Junipero Serra trail road in Mission Gorge, and were treated to great views of Yellow-breasted Chat, Hutton’s Vireo, two juvenile Red- tailed Hawks in their nest, and probably my best ever view of a Canyon Wren that came to about 15 feet from us and displayed on a couple of large rocks near us. The last scheduled stop of the day was at the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge near Imperial Beach, where we walked the trail to find two adults and one juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, a species only found at this location in California! Then we had a killer experience when a Ridgway’s Rail walked up to about 8 feet away from us. At the end of the day, I decided to stop at the huge mudflat along the Strand. Wow, our tour’s first-ever Tricolored Heron was seen here, along with Red Knot, and a single Brant. We had a fantastic first day in the lowlands of San Diego County with a tally of 115 species!

Ridgway’s Rail © Sue Wright Black-chinned Sparrow © Peter LaTourrette

Heading east for Brawley, near the Salton Sea, our first stop was Kitchen Creek Road. It was superb with Gray Vireo (a must see here), California Thrasher, Western Bluebirds, Lazuli Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Rock Wren seen and Canyon Wren heard, Steller’s Jays, Black-chinned Sparrows (another must for here), and Bullock’s and Scott's orioles (the latter also a must for here).

Our first destination today was down the street from our hotel in Brawley where I called in three Gilded Flickers. Before arriving at the entrance to Finney Lake, I pulled over to look for a sparrow, but we ended up standing here for about 30 minutes as it was clear that, after yesterday’s super high winds, we were getting a landfall…more migrants than I have ever encountered here. Birds included various warbler species, Lazuli Buntings, Western Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, as well a great show by residents like Gambel’s Quail, Common Ground-Doves, Abert’s Towhees and on it went. As we were about to reach the houses near the entrance to Finney Lake itself, there was a flock of about 21 Lazuli Buntings on the fence and ground next to the gravel road. I have never encountered such a flock…I simply could not believe what we were seeing. Common Ground-Dove © Sue Wright Lazuli Bunting © Peter LaTourrette

Arriving at a lake overlook, we saw both Clark’s and Western grebes. Further along, at another overlook, Sue Wright asked if the Least Bittern I was calling ever flew toward me and just then, the one that had been calling flew right toward me. Unfortunately, it buried in the tules where we could not see it again.

We then drove to Obsidian Butte but all birds were way too far away to ID so off we went on foot for better views. Two Red Knots, three Black-bellied Plovers, two Dunlins, five Snowy Plovers, two Wilson’s Phalaropes and hundreds of gulls and shorebirds kept us walking .45 miles before turning around. Fortunately, clouds had come in so the heat was bearable. From here we worked our way down the levees, but it was slow. The Sea level continues to drop, and areas that were once productive were barren. We did get a few good birds at some of the corners: both Red-necked and Wilson’s phalaropes, Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, two Bonaparte’s Gulls and lots of shorebirds.

With several target birds at Covington Park, we decided to begin there and had great success. I heard a Phainopepla and we were able to see five individuals, next came a pair of Vermilion Flycatchers, but most important to my participants was to see a Lawrence’s Goldfinch and a male obliged us. A surprise pair of Lark Sparrows made up for an earlier miss at Mission Hills.

At Big Morongo there is a wonderful set-up for sitting and watching 12 feeders next to Dee (the host) Zeller’s trailer while sitting in comfortable chairs. There we enjoyed watching Hooded and Bullock’s orioles, Western Tanagers, Lesser Goldfinches, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and Black-chinned, Costa’s and Anna’s hummingbirds. On the way to Yucca Valley, I stopped on a side street where I saw a Cactus Wren last year. Wow, immediate response and we even found the nest! Nuttall’s Woodpecker and Greater Roadrunner were there too. Great way to end the birding day!

Western Tanager © Sue Wright Cactus Wren © Larry Martin

After lunch, we drove straight to the main road going up to Mt. Pinos. During our brief visit, my owl calls and pishing were quite effective, bringing in Mountain Chickadees, White-breasted, Red-breasted and Pygmy nuthatches, Steller's Jays, and White-headed and Hairy woodpeckers.

This morning we had lots of Bell’s Sparrows singing and perched, saw our first Loggerhead Shrike, and then worked very hard before getting a perched, but not singing, LeConte’s Thrasher. We drove slowly up the winding Cerro Noroeste Road through open grasslands and to my surprise found a male Lark Bunting perched on a fence wire. This was so unexpected that it is not even listed in my Checklist for this tour. Before our next stop a large Black Bear was crossing the road…another first. We stopped briefly at one location in the Pinyon Pine forest where we picked up Gray Flycatcher, Purple Finch, Lawrence’s Goldfinches, and Band-tailed Pigeons.

Bell’s Sparrow and Gray Flycatcher © Sue Wright

Climbing the 8 mile road to the top of Mt. Pinos (8,300 feet), we saw several new tour species: Green-tailed Towhee, Dusky Flycatcher, Thick-billed race of Fox Sparrow, Brown Creeper, Cassin’s Finch, Red-breasted Sapsucker, and Clark’s .

Green-tailed Towhee and Thick-billed race of Fox Sparrow © Sue Wright

However, after hearing them call for two days, it was FINALLY getting great views of Mountain Quail that was my most enjoyable part of Mount Pinos. On our way to Pismo Beach, I planned to stop at three locations to scan the skies for California Condor. Lady luck was with us when two California Condors were seen at the first stop!

All of you met me at 6:00 a.m. for birding from the parking lot of our Pismo Beach hotel. The fog was high, so we had good weather for looking down on the dozens of Pigeon Guillemots, Black Oystercatcher, Peregrine Falcon (watched one eat a Mourning Dove), Red-throated and Common loons, Surf Scoters, and our two missing

Pigeon Guillemot © Peter LaTourrette Peregrine Falcon © Sue Wright species of cormorants. Two birds were a surprise, Rhinoceros Auklet and Black Scoter. We managed to locate 2 late Wandering Tattlers. The long sandy beach near our hotel had migrating Whimbrels for as far as we could see.

After breakfast, we drove straight to Oceano Campground where we walked a trail along the lagoon's riparian vegetation. It was an excellent walk as we picked up Chestnut-backed Chickadees as soon as we got out of the van. Other species were Swainson’s Thrush, Wrentit, Hooded Oriole, Wilson’s Warblers, Bushtits, Purple Finch, and both Anna’s and Allen’s hummingbirds.

We turned off the freeway for the Zaca Station Road in order to look for Yellow- billed where I have seen them the last two years and Sue T. spotted two in a field!massive relief for me since that is the species on the cover of my checklist and is an endemic California species.

Yellow-billed © Tom Wilberding

On our last morning, we left our hotel at 5:00 a.m. and headed down to Ventura for breakfast at Denny's and then headed to the Ventura River Estuary to see if we could find any new species. This area is different every year, as winter storms change the mouth of the river. We were very lucky, picking up Ruddy and Black turnstones, Greater Yellowlegs, Black-bellied and Semipalmated plovers, Belted Kingfisher, Whimbrel, Willet, Long-billed Curlew, hundreds of Sanderlings, and Western, California and Ring-billed gulls.

At about 8 a.m. we checked into Island Packers and started the front of the line so we could be first to claim the good spots on the bow of Islander, one of their large catamarans for our ride to .

Island Packers’ Islander catamaran © Sue Wright

As we left the Ventura Harbor behind, we saw a dozen California Sea Lions and shortly we were rewarded with two Parasitic Jaegers. Then the “fun” began. The winds had whipped up the waves and we tried to stay up front since we had raincoats and rain pants. We saw Red-necked Phalaropes, Sooty Shearwaters and Elegant Terns. We arrived at Prisoners Cove and started taking off the wet layers, setting up my scope, and munching on snacks when an Island Scrub-Jay flew down by the picnic tables. We eventually got about 6 encounters with this endemic species. From up on the ridge, we added Pacific Loon, our third loon species. When we returned to our picnic table, we

Island Scrub-Jay and Santa Cruz Island Kit Fox © Sue Wright

enjoyed watching the Santa Cruz Island Kit Fox walk around the picnic tables looking for food. I made one last attempt at finding something new from the dock!three juvenile Heermann’s Gulls were my reward. As our catamaran returned to the dock to pick us up, I made a comment to one of the staff that we needed a Bald Eagle and less than a minute later, an adult flew over us!karma!!! Representative photos from the 2009 California Specialties tour

Scott’s Oriole Lazuli Bunting Pigeon Guillemot Hooded Oriole

Black Tern Chestnut-backed Chickadee Black Oystercatcher Mountain Quail Phainopepla

Verdin Western Bluebird Vermilion Flycatcher Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Black-headed Grosbeak

California Thrasher Black Phoebe Townsend’s Warbler Cinnamon Teal

Bl-necked Stilt Red-breasted Sapsucker Steller’s Jay Acorn Wood. Gambel’s Quail Green-tailed Towhee

Black-chinned Sparrow Spotted Towhee White-headed Woodpecker Western Tanager Photoshop & Design by Jeri M. Langham with photos by Peter LaTourrette Representative photos from the 2010 California Specialties tour

Golden-crowned Sparrow Red-throated Loon “Thick-billed” Fox Sparrow

Western Gull Long-eared Owl Summer Tanager White-faced Ibis Virginia Rail

Peregrine Falcon Steller’s Jay Vermilion Flycatcher Anna’s Hummingbird Burrowing Owl

American Avocet Bottlebrush California sea lions

Acorn Woodpecker Black-necked Stilt Yellow-billed Magpie Le Conte’s Thrasher

Photoshop & Design by Jeri M. Langham with photographs taken by Billy Fuller Representative photos from the 2011 California Specialties tour

Le Conte’s Thrasher Burrowing Owl Red-throated Loon Green-tailed Towhee Virginia Rail

Island Scrub-Jay Roadrunner Great Blue Heron swallowing a tilapia Least Tern Island Scrub-Jay

Curlew Sandpiper alone and with a Marbled Godwit and Short-billed Dowitchers

Humpback whale fluke Humpbacked whales showing diagnostic fin and blow

Surf Scoters Neotropic Cormorant Pacific Loon Yellow-billed Magpie Photoshop & Design by Jeri M. Langham with photographs taken by Jeri Langham, Larry Wilson, Jay Huner and Judy Moore. Representative photos from the 2012 California Specialties tour

Green-tailed Towhee Black Oystercatcher White-headed Woodpecker Lesser Goldfinch Burrowing Owl

Tricolored Blackbird Rufous-crowned Sparrow American Avocet Acorn Woodpecker Rock Wren

Lawrence’s Goldfinch Steller’s & California sea lions California Thrasher Black-chinned Sparrow

Long-billed Curlew Gambel’s Quail California ground squirrel California Towhee

Thick-billed Fox Sparrow Bullock’s Oriole Red-breasted Sapsucker Cinnamon Teal Say’s Phoebe

Photoshop & Design by Jeri M. Langham with photographs taken by Mona Cavallero (19), Barbara Hoganson (3) and Patti Coolsen (1). Representative photos from the 2013 California Specialties tour

Eared Grebe Nuttall’s Woodpecker California Thrasher Bullock’s Oriole Thick-billed race of Fox Sparrow

Burrowing Owl American Avocet Surf Scoter Green-tailed Towhee Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Cinnamon Teal Golden-crowned Sparrow Lesser Nighthawk Brandt’s Cormorant

Tricolored Blackbird California Quail Western Tiger Swallowtail Acorn Woodpecker

Black Oystercatcher California poppy Yellow-footed Gull White-headed Woodpecker Black-necked Stilt

California Condor California Towhee Double-crested Cormorant California ground squirrel

Photoshop & Design by Jeri M. Langham with photographs taken by Sue Taylor (13), Dana Griffin (9) and Woody Dubois (5). Representative photos from the 2014 California Specialties tour

Lawrence’s Goldfinch Cactus Wren Western Bluebird Sora Wrentit

Acorn Woodpecker Virginia Rail Gray Vireo Western Scrub-Jay Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Tarantula wasp Western Gull Bullock’s Oriole Rufous-crowned Sparrow

California Thrasher Mountain Chickadee Yellow-footed Gull Tricolored Blackbird

Western Tanager White-headed Woodpecker California Towhee Nuttall’s Woodpecker Verdin

Black-chinned Sparrow Yellow-billed Magpie Steller’s Jay Lesser Goldfinch

Photoshop & Design by Jeri M. Langham with photographs taken by Tom Wilberding. Representative photos from the 2015 California Specialties tour

White-winged Dove Neotropical Cormorant Lesser Goldfinch Common Ground-Dove Wandering Tattler

Spotted Towhee Cassin’s Kingbird Audubon’s cottontail Burrowing Owl White-tailed Kite

Green-tailed Towhee Pigeon Guillemot American Avocet Black Oystercatcher

California Towhee Clark’s Grebe Costa’s Hummingbird Sora

Yellow-footed Gull Brown-crested Flycatcher California Quail Olive-sided Flycatcher Black-headed Grosbeak

Scaly-breasted Munia Gambell’s Quail Franklin’s Gull Marsh Wren

Photoshop & Design by Jeri M. Langham with photographs taken by Bill Adams (16) and Diane Harris (11) Representative photos from the 2017 California Specialties tour

Surfbird Thick-billed Fox Sparrow Lesser Goldfinch Ash-throated Flycatcher California Scrub-Jay

Cactus Wrens Red-breasted Sapsucker Abert’s Towhee Scaly-breasted Munia Burrowing Owl

Inca Dove Eared Grebe California Gnatcatcher California Thrasher

Common Ground-Dove Yellow-billed Magpie Bell’s Sparrow Gray Flycatcher

Brandt’s Cormorant Tricolored Blackbird Bell’s Vireo Stilt Sandpiper Cassin’s Kingbird White-headed Woodpeck.

Long-eared Owl Clark’s Grebe Mountain Quail Wrentit Northern Goshawk Photoshop & Design by Jeri M. Langham with photographs taken by Larry Martin (19) and John Dixon (10)

This CHECKLIST is the most up-to-date list of the birds seen on the 2018 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES tour and all previous CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES tours. It follows the eBird/Clements Checklist and incorporates changes in nomenclature, taxonomic order, and any recent splitting or lumping through the 2017 version, the most recent update. I have put additional comments of interest such as splits or name changes in brackets.

Those species whose names are preceded by an asterisk are of special interest to the California Records Committee (CBRC). They range from a single record to less than an average of five records per year. Please document any sightings of these species with a photograph and/or a written description and send it/them to: [email protected], or mail to Tom Benson, California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407.

Parentheses enclose races that may receive species status. Introduced species have an (I) following their names.

Since many participants would like to know their chances of seeing particular species, Column I has numbers indicating how many of the previous TWENTY-ONE California Specialties tours have seen each species. If there are two numbers separated by a comma, the first tells the number of previous trips on which it was seen and the second, the number in which it was only heard. This column is designed to give you a realistic idea of your chances of seeing each bird. Column II shows the species seen (x) or only heard (h) on the 2018 tour. Species in red are those that have not been seen on any of the 21 previous tours.

I know you will enjoy searching for your most wanted California birds as much as I have and the scenery will be spectacular.

Jeri M. Langham May 16, 2018 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES April 27 - May 6, 2018 COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME I II 1 Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl (n) Anatidae 2 Snow Goose Anser caerulescens [new g.] 4 3 Ross's Goose Anser rossii [new genus] 5 4 Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons 4 5 Brant Branta bernicla 19 x 6 Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii 4 7 Canada Goose Branta canadensis 14 x 8 Wood Duck Aix sponsa 7 x 9 Blue-winged Teal Spatula discors [new genus] 18 x 10 Cinnamon Teal Spatula cyanoptera [new g.] 21 x 11 Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata [new genus] 21 x 12 Gadwall Mareca strepera [new genus] 21 x 13 Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope [new genus] 14 American Wigeon Mareca americana [new g.] 13 x 15 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 21 x 16 Northern Pintail Anas acuta 10 x 17 Green-winged Teal Anas crecca 14 x 18 Canvasback Aythya valisineria 19 Redhead Aythya americana 10 20 Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris 2 x 21 Greater Scaup Aythya marila 4 x 22 Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis 19 23 Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus 2 24 Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata 21 x 25 White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca 3 26 Black Scoter Melanitta americana x 27 Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis 1 28 Bufflehead Bucephala albeola 14 x 29 Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula 30 Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus 31 Common Merganser Mergus merganser 32 Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator 12 x 33 Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis 21 x 34 New World Quail (new) Odontophoridae 35 Mountain Quail Oreortyx pictus 14,6 x 36 California Quail Callipepla californica 21 x 37 Gambel's Quail Callipepla gambelii 21 x 38 Pheasants, Grouse & Allies Phasianidae 39 Ring-necked Pheasant ( I ) Phasianus colchicus 5 40 Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo 14 41 Loons Gaviidae 42 Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata 17 x 43 Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica 20 x 44 Common Loon Gavia immer 18 x 45 Grebes Podicipedidae 46 Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 21 x 47 Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus 6 48 Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena 1 49 Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 21 x 50 Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis 21 x 51 Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii 21 x 52 Albatrosses Diomedeidae 53 Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes 54 55 Page 1 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES April 27 - May 6, 2018 COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME I II 1 Shearwaters & Petrels (new) Procellariidae 2 Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 3 3 Pink-footed Shearwater Ardenna creatopus [n. genus] 11 4 Flesh-footed Shearwater Ardenna carneipes [n. genus] 5 Buller's Shearwater Ardenna bulleri [new genus] 6 Sooty Shearwater Ardenna grisea [new genus] 19 x 7 Short-tailed Shearwater Ardenna tenuirostris [new g.] 8 *Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinis 1 9 Black-vented Shearwater Puffinus opisthomelas 6 10 Storm-Petrels Hydrobatidae 11 Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma furcata 12 Ashy Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma homochroa 13 Black Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma melania 14 Least Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma microsoma 15 Cormorants & Shags (new) Phalacrocoracidae 16 Brandt's Cormorant Phalacrocorax penicillatus 21 x 17 Pelagic Cormorant Phalacrocorax pelagicus 21 x 18 Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus 6 x 19 Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus 21 x 20 Pelicans Pelecanidae 21 American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos 21 x 22 Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis 21 x 23 Herons, Egrets & Bitterns Ardeidae 24 American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus 1 25 Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis 7 x 26 Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 21 x 27 Great Egret Ardea alba 21 x 28 Snowy Egret Egretta thula 21 x 29 Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea 17 x 30 Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor x 31 Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens 1 32 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 21 x 33 Green Heron Butorides virescens 20 x 34 Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 20 x 35 *Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea 6 x 36 Ibises & Spoonbills Threskiornithidae 37 White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi 20 x 38 New World Vultures Cathartidae 39 Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 21 x 40 California Condor Gymnogyps californianus 8 x 41 Osprey Pandionidae 42 Osprey Pandion haliaetus 19 x 43 Hawks, Eagles & Kites Accipitridae 44 White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus 16 x 45 Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos 14 46 Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius [new s. ep.] 17 x 47 Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus 14 48 Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii 21 x 49 Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis 1 50 Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 8 x 51 *Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus 1 52 Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus 20,1 x 53 Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni 8 54 Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 21 x 55 Page 2 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES April 27 - May 6, 2018 COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME I II 1 Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus 2 Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis 3 Rails, Gallinules & Coots Rallidae 4 Ridgway's Rail [split] Rallus obsoletus [n. sp. epi.] 4,5 x 5 Virginia Rail Rallus limicola 7,5 h 6 Sora Porzana carolina 6,9 x 7 Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata 20 x 8 American Coot Fulica americana 21 x 9 Stilts & Avocets (new) Recurvirostridae 10 Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus 21 x 11 American Avocet Recurvirostra americana 21 x 12 Oystercatchers Haematopodidae 13 *American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus 1 14 Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani 21 x 15 Plovers & Lapwings Charadriidae 16 Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola 21 x 17 American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica 1 18 Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva 4 19 Snowy Plover Charadrius nivosus 18 x 20 Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus 21 x 21 Killdeer Charadrius vociferus 21 x 22 Mountain Plover Charadrius montanus 23 Sandpipers & Allies Scolopacidae 24 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus 21 x 25 Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus 15 x 26 Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa 21 x 27 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 16 x 28 Black Turnstone Arenaria melanocephala 18 x 29 Red Knot Calidris canutus 15 x 30 Surfbird Calidris virgata [new genus] 10 31 Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus 10 x 32 *Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea 2 33 Sanderling Calidris alba 21 x 34 Dunlin Calidris alpina 18 x 35 Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii 1 36 Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla 21 x 37 Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos 38 Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri 21 x 39 Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus 21 x 40 Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus 21 x 41 Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata 42 Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor 17 x 43 Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus 21 x 44 Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius 6 45 Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius 20 x 46 Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria 47 Wandering Tattler Tringa incana 12 x 48 Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca 21 x 49 Willet Tringa semipalmata 21 x 50 Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes 8 x 51 Skuas & Jaegers Stercorariidae 52 South Polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki 53 Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus 4 x 54 Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus 4 x 55 Page 3 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES April 27 - May 6, 2018 COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME I II 1 Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus 2 Auks, Murres & Puffins Alcidae 3 Common Murre Uria aalge 17 x 4 Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba 21 x 5 Scripps's Murrelet [split] Synthliboramphus scrippsi 18 6 Guadalupe Murrelet [split] Synthliboramphus hypoleucus 7 Craveri's Murrelet Synthliboramphus craveri 8 Cassin's Auklet Ptychoramphus aleuticus 15 9 Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata 16 x 10 Gulls, Terns & Skimmers (n) Laridae 11 Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 12 Sabine's Gull Xema sabini 2 13 Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia 21 x 14 Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla 5 15 Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan 5 16 Heermann's Gull Larus heermanni 17 x 17 Mew Gull Larus canus 1 18 Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis 20 x 19 Western Gull Larus occidentalis 21 x 20 Yellow-footed Gull Larus livens 13 21 California Gull Larus californicus 21 x 22 Herring Gull Larus argentatus 11 x 23 Iceland (Thayer's) Gull Larus glaucoides thayeri 2 24 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 3 25 Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens 16 26 Least Tern Sternula antillarum 5 x 27 Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica 16 x 28 Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 21 x 29 Black Tern Chlidonias niger 12 x 30 Common Tern Sterna hirundo 5 31 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 32 Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri 21 x 33 Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus 17 x 34 Elegant Tern Thalasseus elegans 21 x 35 Black Skimmer Rynchops niger 20 36 Pigeons & Doves (new) Columbidae 37 Rock Pigeon ( I ) Columba livia 21 x 38 Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata 18 x 39 Eurasian Collared-Dove ( I ) Streptopelia decaocto 21 x 40 Inca Dove Columbina inca 20 x 41 Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina 20 x 42 *Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti 2 43 White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica 19 x 44 Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura 21 x 45 Cuckoos Cuculidae 46 Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus 21 x 47 Barn-Owls (new) Tytonidae 48 Barn Owl Tyto alba 8 49 Owls (new) Strigidae 50 Flammulated Owl Psiloscops flammeolus [n. g.] 51 Western Screech-Owl Megascops kennicottii 52 Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus 7,1 53 Northern Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium gnoma 3 54 Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia 21 x 55 Page 4 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES April 27 - May 6, 2018 COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME I II 1 Spotted Owl Strix occidentalis 2 Long-eared Owl Asio otus 5 3 Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus 4 Nightjars & Allies Caprimulgidae 5 Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis 19 x 6 Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor 7 Common Poorwill Phalaenoptilus nuttallii 8 Swifts Apodidae 9 Black Swift Cypseloides niger 1 10 Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi 15 x 11 White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis 21 x 12 Hummingbirds Trochilidae 13 Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri 21 x 14 Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna 21 x 15 Costa's Hummingbird Calypte costae 19 x 16 Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus 10 17 Allen's Hummingbird Selasphorus sasin 20 18 (Migratory race) (Selasphorus sasin sasin) 19 x 19 (Resident race on S. Cruz Is.) (Selasphorus s. sedentarius) 10 20 Calliope Hummingbird Selasphorus calliope [n. g.] 3 21 Kingfishers Alcedinidae 22 Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon 8 x 23 Woodpeckers (new) Picidae 24 Lewis's Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis 6 25 Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus 21 x 26 Gila Woodpecker Melanerpes uropygialis 21 x 27 Red-breasted Sapsucker Sphyrapicus ruber 10 x 28 Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris 16 x 29 Nuttall's Woodpecker Picoides nuttallii 21 x 30 Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens 19 x 31 Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus 17 x 32 White-headed Woodpecker Picoides albolarvatus 18 x 33 Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 21 x 34 Falcons & Caracaras Falconidae 35 American Kestrel Falco sparverius 21 x 36 Merlin Falco columbarius 9 37 Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 17 x 38 Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus 1 x 39 Tyrant Flycatchers Tyrannidae 40 Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi 17 x 41 Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus 19 x 42 Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii 2,1 43 Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii 9 44 Gray Flycatcher Empidonax wrightii 9 x 45 Dusky Flycatcher Empidonax oberholseri 7 x 46 Pacific-slope Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis 21 x 47 (Mainland race) Empidonax d. difficilis 21 x 48 (Channel Island's Flycatcher) Empidonax d. insulicola 6 x 49 Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans 21 x 50 Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya 18 x 51 Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus 21 x 52 Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens 19 x 53 Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus 7 54 55 Page 5 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES April 27 - May 6, 2018 COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME I II 1 Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans 21 x 2 *Thick-billed Kingbird Tyrannus crassirostris 1 3 Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis 21 x 4 Shrikes Laniidae 5 Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus 17 x 6 Vireos, Shr-Bab & Erp. (new) Vireonidae 7 Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii 12 x 8 Gray Vireo Vireo vicinior 18 x 9 Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni 18,1 x 10 Cassin's Vireo Vireo cassinii 15 h 11 Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus 2 12 Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus 20 x 13 Crows, Jays & Magpies 14 Black-throated Magpie-Jay (I) Calocitta colliei 1 15 Pinyon Jay Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus 16 Steller's Jay stelleri 21 x 17 Island Scrub-Jay insularis 18 x 18 California Scrub-Jay [split] Aphelocoma californica 21 x 19 Yellow-billed Magpie nuttalli 21 x 20 Clark's Nutcracker Nucifraga columbiana 7 x 21 American Crow brachyrhynchos 21 x 22 Common Raven Corvus corax 21 x 23 Larks Alaudidae 24 Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris 21 x 25 Swallows Hirundinidae 26 Nrthrn. Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis 20 x 27 Purple Martin Progne subis 28 Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor 21 x 29 Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina 21 x 30 Bank Swallow Riparia riparia 5 x 31 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 21 x 32 Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota 21 x 33 Tits, Chickadees & Titmice (n) Paridae 34 Mountain Chickadee Poecile gambeli 21 x 35 Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens 21 x 36 Oak Titmouse Baeolophus inornatus 21 x 37 Penduline-Tits (new) Remizidae 38 Verdin Auriparus flaviceps 21 x 39 Long-tailed Tits Aegithalidae 40 Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus 21 x 41 Nuthatches Sittidae 42 Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis 12 x 43 White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis 21 x 44 Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea 21 x 45 Treecreepers (new) Certhiidae 46 Brown Creeper Certhia americana 10 x 47 Wrens Troglodytidae 48 Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus 18,1 x 49 Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus 10,3 x 50 House Wren Troglodytes aedon 21 x 51 Pacific Wren [split] Troglodytes pacificus 52 Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris 21 x 53 Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii 21 x 54 Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneica. 19 x 55 Page 6 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES April 27 - May 6, 2018 COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME I II 1 Gnatcatchers (new) Polioptilidae 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 14,1 x 3 California Gnatcatcher Polioptila californica 20 x 4 Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Polioptila melanura 21 x 5 Kinglets Regulidae 6 Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa 3 7 Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula 9 8 Par., Wrentits & Allies (new) Paradoxornithidae (new) 9 Wrentit Chamaea fasciata 21 x 10 Thrushes & Allies Turdidae 11 Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana 21 x 12 Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides 13 Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi 14 Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus 8,1 x 15 Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus 5,1 x 16 American Robin Turdus migratorius 21 x 17 Varied Thrush Ixoreus naevius 18 Mockingbirds & Thrashers Mimidae 19 California Thrasher Toxostoma redivivum 21 x 20 LeConte's Thrasher Toxostoma lecontei 21 x 21 Crissal Thrasher Toxostoma crissale 19 22 Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos 21 x 23 Starlings Sturnidae 24 European Starling ( I ) Sturnus vulgaris 21 x 25 Wagtails & Pipits Motacillidae 26 American Pipit Anthus rubescens 5,1 27 Waxwings Bombycillidae 28 Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum 16 29 Silky-flycatchers (new) Ptiliogonatidae 30 Phainopepla Phainopepla nitens 21 x 31 New World Warblers Parulidae 32 Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata 21 x 33 (Mainland race) Oreothlypis celata lutescens 21 x 34 (Channel Islands Warbler) Oreothlypis celata sordida 1 x 35 Lucy's Warbler Oreothlypis luciae 1 36 Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla 20 37 MacGillivray's Warbler Geothlypis tolmiei [n. genus] 12 x 38 Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 21 x 39 Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia 21 x 40 Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata 21 x 41 (Myrtle Warbler) Setophaga c. coronata ? x 42 (Audubon's Warbler) Setophaga c. auduboni 20 x 43 Black-throated Gray Warbler Setophaga nigrescens 17 x 44 Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi 20 x 45 Hermit Warbler Setophaga occidentalis 17 x 46 Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla [n. genus] 21 x 47 N. World Buntings & Sparrows (n) Passerellidae (new) 48 Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum 3 49 Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina 18 x 50 Black-chinned Sparrow Spizella atrogularis 19 x 51 Brewer's Sparrow Spizella breweri 2 52 Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata 16 x 53 Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus 21 x 54 Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys x 55 Page 7 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES April 27 - May 6, 2018 COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME I II 1 Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca 19 x 2 ("Sooty" Fox Sparrow) Passerella i. unalaschcensis 3 ("Thick-billed" Fox Sparrow) Passerella iliaca stephensi 19 x 4 Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis 21 5 White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys 19 x 6 Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla 12 7 White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis 1 8 Sagebrush Sparrow [Split] Artemisio. nevadensis [n.g] 9 Bell's Sparrow [Split] Artemisiospiza belli [n. g.] 21 x 10 Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus 10 11 Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis 18 x 12 ("Belding's" Sav. Sparrow) Passerculus sand. beldingi 18 x 13 ("Large-billed" Sav. Sparrow) Passerculus sand. rostratus 14 Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia 21 x 15 Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii 4 16 Abert's Towhee Melozone aberti [n. genus] 21 x 17 California Towhee Melozone crissalis [n. genus] 21 x 18 Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps 18 x 19 Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus 18 x 20 Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus 21 x 21 Yellow-breasted Chat (new) Icteriidae (new) 22 Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens 18 x 23 Cardinals & Allies (new) Cardinalidae 24 Summer Tanager Piranga rubra 15,1 x 25 Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana 20 x 26 Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus 20 x 27 Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea 15,1 x 28 Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena 19 x 29 Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea 30 Troupials & Allies Icteridae 31 Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocep. 19 x 32 Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta 21 x 33 Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus 21 x 34 Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii 21 x 35 Scott's Oriole Icterus parisorum 12 x 36 Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 21 x 37 Tricolored Blackbird Agelaius tricolor 20 38 Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus 5 x 39 Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater 21 x 40 Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus 21 x 41 Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 21 x 42 Finches, Euphonias & Allies (n) Fringillidae 43 House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus [n.g] 21 x 44 Purple Finch Haemorhous purpureus [n.g.] 19 x 45 Cassin's Finch Haemorhous cassinii [n. g.] 19 x 46 Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra 3,2 47 Pine Siskin Spinus pinus [new genus] 12,1 48 Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria [new genus] 20 x 49 Lawrence's Goldfinch Spinus lawrencei [new g.] 20 x 50 American Goldfinch Spinus tristis [new genus] 18,1 x 51 Old World Sparrows Passeridae 52 House Sparrow ( I ) Passer domesticus 21 x 53 Waxbills & Allies (new) Estrildidae 54 Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata 3 x 55 Page 8 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES April 27 - May 6, 2018 COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME I II 1 2 MAMMALS [Mammals of California by Jameson & Peeters] 3 (Records only for last 16 years) 4 Coyote Canis latrans 11,1 x 5 Santa Cruz Urocyon littoralis 2 x 6 Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus 1 7 Kit Fox Vulpes macrotis 1 8 Black Bear Ursus americanus x 9 Raccoon Procyon lotor 10 Sea Otter Enhydra lutris 15 x 11 Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis 12 Spotted Skunk Spilogale putorius 13 Bobcat Felis rufus 14 Steller's Sea Lion Eumetopias jubatus 1 15 California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus 14 x 16 Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina 14 x 17 Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis 8 x 18 Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus 19 Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus 6 20 Gray Whale Eschrichtius robustus 4 21 Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus 1 22 Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae 3 23 Mule or Blacktail Deer Odocoileus hemionus 12 x 24 White-tailed Antelope Squirrel Ammospermophilus leucurus 2 25 California or Beechey Gr. Squ. Spermophilus beecheyi 15 x 26 Round-tailed Ground Squirrel Spermophilus tereticaudus 7 27 Western Gray Squirrel Sciurus griseus 9 x 28 Merriam's Chipmunk Neotamias merriami 9 x 29 Lodgepole Chipmunk Neotamias speciosus 4 30 Kangaroo Rat species Dipodomys spp. 31 Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus 1 32 Black-tailed Jackrabbit Lepus californicus 13 x 33 Audubon's Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii 15 x 34 Brush Rabbit Sylvilagus bachmani 11 x 35 Long-tailed Weasel Mustela frenata 1 36 Norway Rat Rattus norvegicus 1 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 Page 9 CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES April 27 - May 6, 2018 COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME I II 1 2 REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS (last 12 years only) 3 4 Unidentified Lizard species Order Squamata 12 x 5 Western (Great Basin) Whiptail Aspidoscelis tigris 2 6 Western Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis 12 7 Granite Spiny Lizard Sceloporus orcutti 3 8 Desert Spiny Lizard Sceloporus magister 2 x 9 Brush Lizard species Urosaurus spp. 1 10 Common Side-blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana 3 11 Common Chuckwalla Sauromalus ater 2 12 Zebra-tailed Lizard Callisaurus draconoides 1 13 Banded Rock Lizard Petrosaurus mearnsi 1 14 Western Pond Turtle Actinemys marmorata 1 x 15 Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans 3 16 Gopher Snake Pituophis catenifer 1 17 American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus 1 h 18 19 BUTTERFLIES (last 10 years only) 20 21 Queen Danaus gilippus 1 22 Monarch Danaus plexippus 8 23 Viceroy Limenitis archippus 1 24 Alfalfa (Orange Sulfur) Colias eurytheme 1 25 White Cabbage Pieris rapae 7 26 American Painted Lady Vanessa virginiensis 7 27 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta 2 28 Common Buckeye Junonia coenia 4 29 Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus 10 x 30 Pale Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon 1 31 Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon 2 32 California Sister Adelpha californica 3 33 Sara Orangetip Anthocharis sara 6 34 Variable Checkerspot Euphydryas chalcedona 2 35 Spring Azure Celastrina ladon 3 36 California Dogface Butterfly Zerene eurydice 1 37 California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica 1 38 Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa 6 39 40 41 42 43 OTHER (last 2 years only) 44 Tarantula Hawk Wasp species Pepsis spp. 1 45 Unidentified Ladybug species Family Coccinellidae 2 46 Unidentified Dragonfly species Order Odonata 1 x 47 Unidentified Cockroach species Order Blattodea 1 48 Fiddler Crab species Uca spp. x 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 Page 10