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Chet McGaugh,Robert McKernan (Riverside), Rogers,Mike San Miguel, Michael I. SanMiguel, Grant B. Weyburne, Douglas R. Willick Bob Miller (BMi), David L. Moody, Joseph PaulSaraceni, Jeff Seay (JeS), Joyce Seibold (JoS), (Orange),Jeff Williams (JWi), JohnC. Wilson Morlan,Brennan Mulrooney (BMu), Stephen J. GregE Smith,Susan Smith (SSm), Bob Steele, (Kern),Shauna Wolf (SWo),Chris Wood, Joseph Myers,Leo Ohtsuki,Dennis Parker (DPa), Jim SusanSteele (SSt), John R. Storrer,Mary Beth Worley (JWo),Thomas E. Wurster,Roger H. andDebby Parker (J&DP), Robert Patton, Dave Stowe,Emilie Strauss,Brian L. Sullivan, Gerald Zachary,Kevin J. Zimmer. An additional25+ Pereksta(DPe), JamesE. Pike, JonathanH. L. Tolman,Larrry D. Tripp,Stan Walens (SWa), observerswho could not be individually Plissner,Tim Plunket,Molly Pollock, Geoffery L. RichardE. Webster,Walter Wehtje (Ventura), acknowledgedsubmitted reports this season.

Baja California Abbreviation: U.A.B.C.S. (Universidad AutGnomade BajaCalifornia Sur). Peninsula CORMORANTSTHROUGH GULLS An ad.Neotropic Cormorant at Ojo deAgua, e. Ensenada of La Purisima,26 Oct ('•FMR et al.) represents T•juana/ Mexic•li the3rd peninsular record n. of BahiaMagdalena. .Sani•'••,e• Leye•del•e•'rr• Southerlywaterfowl at Lagunasde Chametla (La [owor[q[o//•xL]•. e•lJ• Paz sewageponds and vicinity) includedup • Plain•,Ou•tm / to 5 GreaterWhite-fronted Geese9-29 Oct (RC ElR• .•xCatavifiaBahia • et al.) and one Lesser Canada Goose • _ •/LosAngeles IslasSanBenitos %• •- BAJA (taverneri/parvipes)29 Oct-30 Nov (RAEet al.). IslaCedros'• < kC•.IFORNIA SwainsonsHawks winter primarily in South America,so up to 19 roosting--andprobably wintering--inCiudad Constituci6n 26-29 Oct (RAE,vt. RAH) wereunexpected. Among few previouspeninsular records, 2 were w. of Ciudad Insurgentes26 Feb 1994. AlthoughCrested Caracarasare seen regularly n. to around GuerreroNegro, one just s. of Villa JesfsMaria San0•6 d•l •ab0 ] 22 Oct (KLG et al.) was the first seenin B.C. since 1994. The identification of a richardsoni Richard A. Erickson LSAAssociates egionalcoverage wasbetter than ever this sea- Merlin at GuerreroNegro 22 Oct (•-KLGet al.) 20 ExecutivePark Suite 200 son,yielding 14 new state records, five new to wasrelatively straightforward; it was the first for Irvine,California 92614 the Region.Unprecedented numbers of vagrant B.C.S.The identificationof PeregrineFalcon ([email protected]) passerineswere found, mostly in Eucalyptustrees subspeciesis generallyconsidered more prob- infestedwith sugarylerps covering the larvaeof lematic.A juv. showingthe characteristicsof Robert A. Hamilton small insects.With the insectshaving spread tundriuswas at RanchoSan Josede Castro6 Oct 34 RivoAlto Canal southto at leastBahia Tortugas (no significant (SNGH, RAH). LongBeach, California 90803 infestationswere found in the Cape District), Severalcalling Clapper Rails at EsteroSan ([email protected]) birdershave found it worthwhile,if unaesthetic, Gregorio28 Oct (RAE,RAH) wereat a newloca- to checkstands of sicklyEucalyptus for lerp- tion for the species.Golden-Plovers are rarely Eduardo Palacios fueled wanderers. Webster termed it "some of the recordedin the Region;this season's only report Ecologia,Centre de Investigaci6n Cientifica bestdisgusting birding possible:' was of 2 Americans at Bahia Asunci6n 17 Oct y Educaci6nSuperior de Ensenada Hurricane Juliettecrossed southern Baja (REW).Lagunas de Chametlahosted a number Miraflores334, Fracc.Bella Vista CaliforniaSur 27-30 Sep and moved up theGulf of interestingshorebirds: an ad. Semipalmated LaPaz, Sur of Californiabefore dissipating in centralBaja Sandpiper21 Aug (first for B.C.S.;GB et al.; 23050 California on 2 Oct. Storm-driven waifs went *U.A.B.C.S.);a latejuv. Baird's Sandpiper 29 Oct (U.S.mailing address: unrecorded,but abundantrainfall apparently (RAE,RAH); singlejuv. PectoralSandpipers 9 P.O.Box 434844 promptedopportunistic nesting by various land- Oct (first for the La Paz region;RC et al.; SanDiego, California 92143-4844 birdsin BajaCalifornia Sur: Common Ground- *U.A.B.C.S.)and 26 Oct (RAH, RAE); a juv. ([email protected]) Dovesat Ciudad ConstituciGn29 Oct (RAE), CurlewSandpiper 25 Oct-3Nov (firstRegional CostasHummingbirds east of SanIgnacio 24 Oct and 2nd Mexicanrecord; •-RAE, vt. RAH, I.S,GB; Roberto Carmona (KLG),and Cactus Wrens near San Gregorio 28 *U.A.B.C.S.);and an ad.Stilt Sandpiper 25 Oct- DepartamentodeBiologia Marina Oct (RAH). 1 Nov (first confirmed record for B.C.S.;vt. UniversidadAutdnoma de Baja California Sur We welcome Roberto Carmona to our editori- RAH, RAE,LS, GB; *U.A.B.C.S.).Gulls in unex- ApartadoPostal 19-B al teamthis season. He is part of an activegroup pectedplaces included an ad. Heermann'sat LaPaz, Baja California Sur, Mexico of biologistsin the La Pazarea whose contribu- Catavifia22 Oct (KLG et al.), ad.Yellow-footeds ([email protected]) tionswe look forward to in comingyears. on the Pacificcoast at SanJuanieo (2) andEstero

VOLUME 56 (zoo2), NUMBER 1 109 San Gregorio(9) 28 Oct (RAE, RAH), and a sitesfrom Arroyo Hondo southward 24-26 Oct worn ad. Black-leggedKittiwake one km s. of (RAE,RAH, KLG et at.). We suspectthe latter TodosSantos 27 Oct (KLGet al.;presumably left speciesis now residentin the s. CapeDistrict, overfrom the previousflight, cfi N. A. B. 55: althoughunrecorded Mar-Sep. Three Western 483). Kingbirdsin n. B.C.S.in Octwere overshadowed by an EasternKingbird at BahiaAsunci6n 6-8 PIGEONSTHROUGH THRUSHES Oct (SNGH, vt. RAH) and a Scissor-tailed An imm. Band-tailedPigeon at Rancho E1 Flycatcherat SanJuanico, B.C.S. 28 Oct (RAE,vt. Descanso12-15 Oct (JEPet al.) representsone of RAH). few lowland recordsin the Region.Ruddy Vireos were representedwell with 4-5 Ground-Doves were recorded in record num- PlumbeousVireos noted in Oct;possible nomi- bers.A female at Catavifia9 Oct (SNGH, vt. nate(eastern) Warbling Vireos at BahiaTortugas RAH),a pairat Bahiade Los Angdes 21 Oct(ph. 7 Oct (I'RAH, I'SNGH) and Santiago25 Oct M&GF), and an ad. male at SantaTeresita, B.C.S. (RAH,RAE); Philadelphia Vireos at PuntaBanda 13 Oct (:[MSM)were n. of previousRegional 10-15 Oct (vt. RAH, RAE), ManeaderoPlain 10 records. Birds at seven locations from La Oct(?RAH, SNGH), and Negro 23 Oct ThisRed-breasted Sapsucker at BahiaTortugas 7 Purisimasouthward 25-30 Oct (RAE,vt. RAH) (first for B.C.S.;ph. tKLG et at.); a Red-eyed October2001 was the first for BajaCalifornia Sur. included a flock of 50+ at Villa 26-29 Vireo at E1Sauzal, B.C. 10-11 Oct (vt. RAH et Photographfrom digital video by RobertA. Oct. A Long-earedOwl at La Salina21 Oct at.);andYellow-green Vireos at BahiaTortugas 7 Hamilton. (REW) waspresumably a fall migrant,the first Oct (SNGH) and PuntaBanda 10 Oct (SNGH, such record for the Region. A Common vt. RAH). The peninsnla'sfirst Winter Wren 17 Sep-18Oct (tDSC, tMJI, vt. PEW et at.) Nighthawkflying s. alongthe beachs. of El recordcame from Catavifia19 Oct (tREW). A includedthe firstfor B.C.S.: 5 Socorro,B.C. at dawn on 20 Oct (tREW) was Townsend's Solitaire at Catavifia 19-21 October Oct (•RAH, SNGH); RanchoSan Jos• de Castro heardwell and seen in silhouette.The speciesis (REW et at.) wasat low devationand wasas far 6-7 Oct (SNGH,vt. RAH);and Bahia Tortugas extremelyrare as a migrantin California,and s.as ever recorded on the Region's mainland. An 18 Oct (REW). The peninsula's3rd Yellow- thereare no previousRegional records. A female AmericanRobin at GuerreroNegro 23 Oct throatedWarbler, at Boca de San Jacinto,B.C.S. Xantus'sHummingbird at Cadej•28 Oct (RAE) (MUE, KLG) furnishedone of few recordsfor 24 Oct (vt. tRAH, RAE),belonged to the more was at a new location for the species. B.C.S.^ VariedThrush near Ejido Zarahemla 15 expectedrace, albilora. An earlyimm. male Pine Woodpeckersmade news with a Lewis's Oct (vt. RE'W)was in the northwest,where small Warblerforaging in lerp-infestedEucalyptus on Woodpeckerat San Ignacio24 Oct (first for numbersoccur with someregularity in fall and the ManeaderoPlain 11 Oct (•JEP,•MSM) was B.C.S.;tKLG et at.);Williamson's Sapsuckers at winter. the firstto be confirmedon the peninsula.Six E1 Rosario 15 Oct (REW), Catavifia 19-22 Oct PrairieWarblers 17 Sep-30Oct (?REW,vt. RAH (REW, ?KLG et at.), and Rancho San Jos• de WARBLERSTHROUGH BLACKBIRDS et at.) was a healthysum, whereas7 Palm Castro6-17 Oct (SNGH, vt. RAH, REW); 3 Red- TennesseeWarblers were unusuallyplentiful, Warblersin B.C.9-31 Oct was, if anything,a bit napedSapsuckers on the MagdalenaPlain 27 with 16 or 17 foundduring 5-20 Oct (vt. RAH, low.A Bay-breastedWarbler at PuntaBanta 14 Oct (RAH, RAE);a Red-breastedSapsucker at vt. REWet at.).Two Virginia's Warblers at Punta Oct(•REW) was the 3rd for B.C.and the penin- BahiaTortugas 7 Oct (firstfor B.C.S.;vt. RAH, Banda19 Sep(RAH et at.) werethe onlyones sula.A flood of BlackpollWarblers poured •SNGH); and a Downy Woodpeckerat E1 recorded,while a totalof 5 Lucy'sWarblers 18 throughcoastal areas 18 Sep-23Oct, 15 being Descanso3 Oct (RAH, SNGH). Reportsof Sep-14Oct wasmore than expected. Northern recorded in B.C. and 3 in n. B.C.S. Black-and- Northern Flickers in n. B.C.& were undocu- Parulas were found at Bahia Asunci6n 6 Oct whiteWarblers, which winter regularly in B.C.S., mentedand the species remains unconfirmed in (:[RAH,SNGH), Bahia Tortugas 7 Oct (SNGH, werecomparatively scarce, with up to 22 birds the state. RAH), E1Socorro 9 Oct (SNGH, RAH), and on aboutevenly split between the two states 19 Sep- A Yellow-belliedFlycatcher at RanchoE! theManeadero Plain 11 Oct (MSM, JEP), bring- 30 Oct. American Redstarts were more abun- Descanso18 Sep (ph. •MJI, tDSC, vt. ?RAH) ing the number of fall recordsto 10. Five dant,with 23 in B.C.18 Sep-30 Oct (mostprob- wasthe 2nd recordedin B.C.and the Region. Chestnut-sidedWarblers found 19 Sep-23Oct ablymigrants) and 24 in B.C.S.5-30 Oct (many Noteworthyrecords of congenersincluded Least included2 in B.C.S.:Rancho San Jos• de Castro presumablywintering). Flycatchersat La Misi6n19 Sep (DSC, vt. RAH, 7 Oct (SNGH,vt. RAH) andw. of Gavi!fin23 Oct Buildingon 10 previouspeninsular records, ?MJI), Bahia Tortugas7 Oct (2-3; vt. RAH, (KLGet al.). FiveMagnolia Warblers found 19 an imm. femaleProthonotary Warbler at La SNGH),and Arroyo Hondo, n. of E1Triunfo 26 Sep-21Oct (vt. REW et at.) includedone in Salina17 Sep (RAH, DSC, ?MJI) was followed by Oct (KLG);single Hammond's Flycatchers near B.C.S.:Bahia Asunci6n 8 Oct (SNGH, vt. RAH). an imm.male there 23 Sep(RAE), and an imm. Salsipuedes,n. of Ensenada,14 Oct (REW),and An imm. femaleCape May Warbler at Punta malewas at GuerreroNegro 8 Oct (vt. RAH, at BahiaAsunci6n 8 Oct (2nd for B.C.&;SNGH); Banda23 Sep(tRAE) provideda first for B.C. SNGH).After just seven previous fall records in anda DuskyFlycatcher at Catavifia18 Sep (MJI, and onlythe 2nd peninsularrecord. It wasan theRegion, Ovenbirds were found at Catavifia18 DSC,vt. RAH). An earlyEastern Phoebe at El exceptional fall for Black-throated Blue Sep(MJI, DSC, vt. RAH),Punta Prieta 16-19 Oct Rosario12 Oct (•MSM, JEP)represented the 5th Warblers,with 9 or 10 found6-20 Oct (vt. RAH (vt. REW), BahiaTortugas 7 Oct (SNGH, vt. Regionalrecord. New to the Regionwas the et al.). Black-throated Green Warblers were RAH), and CiudadConstituci6n 27 Oct (RAE). Great Crested Flycatcher found at Bahia foundas follows: Punta Banda 23 Sep(RAE); up A ConnecticutWarbler at E! Sauzal17 Sep Tortugas7 Oct (•SNGH,tRAH). Three Tropical to 3 on the ManeaderoPlain 10-30 Oct+ (RAH (?MJI,tDSC, RAH) providedthe first record for Kingbirdswere seenin Oct and a record9+ et at.);and Guerrero Negro 13 Oct (MSM). B.C. and 3rd for the peninsula. Belding's Thick-billedKingbirds were at five traditional Six BlackburnJan Warblers at coastal locations Yellowthroats were found at two locales where

110 NORTH AMERICAN gIRDS BajaCalifornia-Mexico

not recordedby Rodriguez-E.et al. (Animal (RAH et aL), and one at Punta Prieta 16-19 Oct de Castro7 Oct (SNGH, RAH); BaRimoresat La Conservation2: 77-84, 1999): a maleat Santiago (REW) waseven farther south. An imm. Golden- Bufadora 4 Oct (RAH, SNGH), on the 26 Oct (KLG), anda maleand female together at crowned Sparrowat Punta Eugenia 18 Oct ManeaderoPlain 14 Oct (MSM), and at Punta Cadej•28 Oct (RAE,vt. RAH). A maleHooded (REW) was a Vizcaino Desert first. A Slate-col- Bande 14 Oct (JEP,MSM); and ScoWson the Warbler at La Salina21 Oct (REW) wasthe 2nd oredJunco and up to 3 Gray-headedJuncos were ManeaderoPlain 17 Sep (RAH et al.), at La for B.C. (both fall), while a femalenear Gavilfin at Punta Banda 14-21 Oct (REW). One of the Bufadora4 Oct (RAH), 2 at Santa InEs 5 Oct 5-16 Oct (SNGH, vt. RAH et aL) wasthe 3rd fall latterhad a darkmaxilla and paler throat like J.h. (RAH,SNGH), and 4 at Misi6nSanto Domingo recordfor B.C.S.Single Canada Warblers at dorsalis,but thatsubspecies is essentially seden- 15 Oct (REW). SantaIn•s 18 Sep (DSC, vt. RAH, MJI) and tary on the breedinggrounds in Arizona,New PuntaBande 20-21 Oct (-•REW)brought B.C. Mexico, and Texas. EXOTICS evenwith B.C.S.,the two statesnow daiming At least 10 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks--9 of An ad. male African Darter (Anhinga four recordseach, all in fail. Two Yellow-breasted themin B.C.---exceededexpectations. Five or 6 [melanogaster]tufa) at Ensenada24 Sep-3Dec Chatsat Catavifia18 Sep (RAH et al.),one there IndigoBuntings in theRegion 18 Sep- 17 Oct was (RAE, ph. EM, RAH) addsto severalrecent 16 Oct (REW),and another at BahiaTortugas 7 a typical number, whereas11+ Dickcissels recordsfrom San Diego and Imperial, California. Oct (RAH,SNGH), were away from known win- throughoutthe peninsula18 Sep-24Oct (ph. teringareas to thes. andpresumably migrants. M&GF,vt. RAH,-•MJI et al.) nearlydoubled the Contributors: Georgina Brabata, Roberto A female Hepatic Tanagerat RanchoE1 previoushigh seasonal total. Bobolinks were also Carmona, Daniel S. Cooper, Richard A. Descanso18 Sep (tDSC, ph. tMJI, RAH)was the relativelynumerous, with 8 onthe central penin- Erickson,Michael U. Evans,Mary and George 3rd for B.C. and the peninsula.Summer sula 5-25 Oct (ph. M&GF, vt. RAH et al.). A Flicker, Daniel Galindo, Kimball L. Garrett, Tanagerswere present in force,with at least20 female Bronzed Cowbird at Rancho E1 Descanso Robert A. Hamilton, Steve N. G. Howell, splitevenly between the two states(ph. KLG et 18 Sep(tDSC, tMII, vt.tRAH) representedjust Marshall I. Illif, Eric Mellink, JamesE. Pike, al.). FourScarlet Tanagers were found 15-23 Oct the3rd record away from the Rio Colorado delta. MikeSan Miguel, Luis Sauma, Fred M. Roberts, (vt. tREW, tKLG et al.); anotherat SanJosa del Orioleswere reportedas follows:Orchards at lr., RichardE. Webster. Cabo25 Oct (RAE,vt. RAH) wasthe firstfor the BahiaTortugas 7 Oct (SNGH,RAH) andon the s. third of the peninsula.One or moreSpotted SanQuintin Plain 12 Oct (JEP,MSM); Bullock's Towheeswere far s.at Catavifia18 Sep and 9 Oct at SantaInEs 5 Oct (SNGH) and RanchoSan Jose

(HGdS).Five Harris's Hawks were on telephone Mexico polesbetween Janos and the turnoffto Casade Janos,Chih. 30 Aug, and 3 werebetween Janos and Hctor Gbmez de Silva recentrecords from Yucatanand from Baja Nuevo CasasGrandes, Chih. 8 Sep (HGdS). Xola 314-E California(Howell et al.Annotated checklist of the Passageof SwainsonsHawks was evidenced by 013100Mexico, D. F. birdsof BajaCalifornia and Baja California Sur. dozens,including juvs., seen daily roostingon ([email protected]) Monographsin FieldOrnithology, in press)prior bushes--anda group of 35 onceseen feeding on to this record. the ground--aroundSan Pedro through the first all2001 continued toprovide records ofbirds weekof Sep,with peaknumbers on 3 & 4 Sep outsidetheir distributions mapped in Howell (HGdS).A GoldenEagle was seen around Rancho and Webb (1995), includinga few first state E1Cuervo, Chih. 4 Sep(HGdS). records,as well as migrants and vagrants. Birder Around1000 Long-billed Curlews were report- coveragecontinues to be spotty,with no reports ed in a field at Hedionda Grande, Coah. 4 Nov fromlarge parts of thecountry. A largedifference (DH). A flock estimatedto contain 225 Thick- betweenknowledge of bird distributionand sea- •r'- ...,•o_,,,,•. billedParrots was seen 20 Nov feedingon pine sonalityin Mexicoand such knowledge in the U.S. conesin Dgo.along Highway 40, roughly11 km and Canada is that, in most areas of Mexico, towardsCiudad from "La Espinadel monthsor years may pass between visits bybirders. ' •,'.7:• s,•4•• •'•:"•47' • Diablo"on the continentaldivide (JMB, DN, BO). A muchsmaller proportion of thosevagrants and Thebreeding season of Maroon-frontedParrots is accidentalsthat are out there actuallybecome Jul-Oct.This year, the specieshad relativelylow reportedin Mexico.Even the relativelyintensely HERONSTHROUGH OWLS breedingsuccess, with only8 pairsraising fledg- birdedMexico City continues toyield new records One Boat-billedHeron wassighted in Taninul lingsin E1Taray, Coah., the largest breeding colony, (thisfall produced the first record of HerringGull (around20 km e. of CiudadVailes), S.L.P. 15 Nov whereas21 pairs raised fledglings in both1998 and in the D.E). (BC).An ad.White Ibis was spotted 27 Oct catch- 2000 (CMC). A few Maroon-frontedParrots were Birdersliving in Torre6n, continue to ing and eatinga largeriver shrimp in shallow seenin theirwintering grounds at PefiaNevada, find vagrantsin theirarea and adjacentparts of watersnear La Islaon thelower Nazas R., Dgo.; it N.L. in mid-oct,which is unusuallyearly (CMC). Durango,though many more vagrants were found wasaccompanied by a coupleof White-facedIbis One Vermiculated Screech-Owl was seen near in spring.Perhaps the mostexciting accidental (FVP,FGE). A GreaterWhite-fronted Goose was G6mezFarias, Tamps. 1 Oct (DP). reportedthis fall wasthe Ruff foundby John seenwell from the railroadtracks along the Forceynear PuertoEscondido, Oaxaca. This AbelardoL. Rodriguezdam in ,Son. 26 FLYCATCHERSTHROUGH BLACKBIRDS specieshad not beenreliably recorded in Mexico Nov (JMB, DN, BO). Three ducksresembling A veryactive Tufted Flycatcher was seen in Bosque until very recently,though there are accepted femaleMallards were near San Pedro, Chih. 1 Sep VenustianoCarranza, a dry parkin Torre6n,Coah.

VOLUME 56 (2oo2), NUMBER I Ill