Volume 60, Number 4 December 2014/January 2015 Black Oystercatchers ª Anna Weinstein The Black Oystercatcher is the charis- matic, signature bird of the rocky intertidal zone, one of ’s and the west coast’s iconic habitats. Commonly seen yet globally rare, there is no mistaking its bright orange beak or distinctive call. There are thought to be no more than 12,000 of these birds ranging from the Aleutian Islands through Baja. The species is utterly dependent on rocky intertidal habitats, plying limpets, snails, mussels and other invertebrates from marine terraces and rocky shorelines. Despite the popularity of Oystercatch- ers, until recently little was known of its demography (status and distribution) in California. It is a Special Status Species of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service due to its rarity and vulnerability to a number of threats. The rangewide conservation action plan developed by the US Fish and Wildlife Black Oystercatchers, Audubon California photo. Service and partners calls for more baseline understanding of the species in California. In 2012 and 2013 an additional >60 sur- There may be more Oystercatchers here In response to this need, and to capital- veyors tracked Oystercatcher reproductive than had been thought, but the threats are ize on the robust citizen science capacity success at over 100 nests from Mendocino real and growing: sea level rise, ocean acidi- in our coastal chapters, in 2011 Audubon to Morro Bay. This information will create fication, and increased recreational and California conducted the first-ever survey a more complete baseline assessment, and commercial use of coastal areas. Audubon of Black Oystercatcher in California. Pro- help to understand the conservation status will use the science generated by survey tocols were adapted from the Oregon Fish and trajectory of the species in California. participants to create an informed list of and Wildlife Service monitoring program, conservation best practices to disseminate which includes the results of five years of Meeting Schedule to a broad audience of coastal managers citizen science monitoring in Oregon. Over and users. The next general meeting of Continued on Page 3» 150 dedicated participants drawn from Mount Diablo Audubon Society coastal chapters and from agencies found will be Thursday, December 4, in BIRDING INFORMATION more Oystercatchers in just a part of our the Camellia Room of The Gardens Mike Lynes, Policy Director for Audu- state’s suitable habitat, than were previ- at Heather Farm, Walnut Creek. bon California, will discuss Audubon's ously estimated for the state as a whole. 7:00 pm Birding Information Climate Change Initiative and how local 7:25 pm Announcements Over 1300 birds and over 170 nests were chapters can become involved. Shifting detected. This result combined with high 7:40 pm Refreshments,* raffle 8:05 pm Speaker: Anna Weinstein ranges could imperil 314 species, includ- densities of breeding Oystercatchers in cer- * Please remember to bring a cup. ing many birds in our area. Mr. Lynes will tain areas has shone light on the importance Thursday, January 8: TBA explain the science behind the new report of California to the species. TBA and actions our members can take to help local species. DEDICATED TO HABITAT CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION the Quail —1— December 2014/January 2015 President’s Corner By Jimm Edgar Welcome I received a phone call a while back from that was featured mainly was at the Univer- a reporter from KGO radio. She wanted to sity of Washington. They had tagged some New Members interview me for a story she was doing on young birds and followed them through a Wild Turkeys, particularly turkeys at the couple of years. They learned that crows Isaac Aronow Martinez Lafayette reservoir. As it turned out we can learn to use tools. Very fascinating. The Celeste Graham Concord could never get together so I am not sure study concluded that crows were smarter Ruthie Griffith Benicia what she ever did about the turkeys. I did than primates. Crows had over 250 different Richard Lennig Pleasant Hill have a few things to say to her but not a calls that all had some meaning. They did Julie Ross Pleasant Hill lot of hard scientific information. As far as things like remember when garbage day was Brian Sorrig Danville I know we are not really sure why turkeys since they would pick through the garbage have become so common. I was going to for food. I don’t know if I am more thrilled Jerry & Maren Smith Walnut Creek mention to her the fact that American about all the crows or not but it sure was Dave and Bev Tucker Concord Crows have also become far more common a great special. This episode "A Murder of BriAnna Weldon Concord than they used to be. Not sure why that has Crows" can be seen on your computer at happened either. I saw a special recently on http://video.pbs.org/video/1621910826/. mond, wrote the book Birding Northern the TV show ”Nature” about crows. I hope Our MDAS Christmas Bird Counts California. It sold thousands of copies, all of you watch this series. It has some re- are coming up in December. These are beginning in 1985, and though out of print ally wonderful shows and is on KQED on always fun and part of a long tradition for now the complete book is available in PDF Wednesdays at 8 pm. This show on crows the chapter. The central count is Saturday, format on our MDAS website. [Go to www. was amazing. I think you all know a flock December 20, and the east county count diabloaudubon.com; click on "Birding", of crows is called a murder of crows. The is Tuesday, December 17. Let me or co- then on "Northern California Birding", origin of that term is obscure, but if you've compiler Maury Stern know if you have and on "Download Here: Birding North- ever heard dozens of agitated crows in full interest in participating. ern California by Jean Richmond."] I was cry, it really does sound as if they're yell- One of the main reasons our MDAS recently reading one of my favorite birding ing bloody murder. The show was about a chapter is able to survive financially is that magazines, Bird Watcher’s Digest, and the couple of studies being done on crows. One our former newsletter editor, Jean Rich- author of one of the articles mentioned Jean’s book. The author, Rick Gjervold, is a Good News for Whooping Cranes professor at North Dakota State University Four Whooping Crane chicks raised in and was visiting California with his family captivity began their integration into the and they went up to the Sacramento NWR. wild in early fall as part of the continuing They used Jean’s book to guide them. Pretty effort to increase the wild population of this cool, I thought. endangered species. We continue to have great programs The cranes, hatched and raised by their and lots of field trips so please take advan- parents at the U.S. Geological Survey’s tage of them. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Mary- land, were released on the Fish and Wildlife _ Service’s Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin. The scientific name for this The chicks, about six-months old, are species is S. decaocto. The part of an experimental rearing and release Q specific name decaocto method referred to as “parent-rearing.” The (pronounced "deca-octo") is parent-reared Whooping Crane chicks Latin for "18". were hatched and raised by captive adult Whooping Cranes. This method relies Unscramble these letters, or turn to Whooping Crane and two Sandhill Cranes, entirely on the expertise of captive parents Page 8 to learn more. Necedah NWR, Wisconsin. Photo by Ellis Myers. who care for, exercise, and feed the chicks. AAACDDEEEILLNOORRSUV Over the past 13 years, USGS biologists humans in costume, which is obviously an –dressed in costumes to avoid having the odd condition. Parent-rearing may result in birds “imprint” on people–have raised be- the chicks learning behavior important to The Quail is published monthly except tween five and 20 Whooping Crane chicks their survival and reproduction. January and August by Mount Diablo Audubon Society, P.O. Box 53, Walnut Creek, annually that have been released into the In the 1940s, there were only 15 of these CA 94597-0053. The Quail is printed on Eastern Migratory Flock. This new method large, white birds left in the world. Today 30% post-consumer waste recycled paper. of allowing captive adult cranes to rear the the population is estimated to be approxi- The deadline for the February issue is chicks prior to release into the wild is in- mately 425 in the wild, with another 125 January 13. tended to evaluate the effects of rearing by in captivity. the Quail —2— December 2014/January 2015 and wait for passing cars January ª A Murder of Crows to crack them open. And Crows do not have the some build their nests from best of reputations. They items we throw away— are generally dismissed as like wire clothes hangers. spooky—Hitchcock used These are social birds them quite successfully to that mate for life and frighten moviegoers—or as raise their young for up a general nuisance. Crows to five years. And they are a part of myths and learn from each other’s legends in many cultures. misfortunes. When one is Their reputation in sto- killed in a farmer’s field, it’s ries varies from comical not uncommon for them to frightening, godlike or to change entire migra- wise, bringers of light and tory patterns so that no bringers of death, though a crows fly over that field “murder” of crows refers to for as long as two years. a flock of crows, and not to These birds might have anything murderous, at all. a scary reputation, but what But their image is about may prove to be the scariest to take a real turn. New re- American Crow. Photo © Eric Rosenberg, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center thing about them is how search has shown that crows much they know about us, and how little are among the most intelligent animals in years later—a trick that might make we know about them! Crow experts from the world, able to use tools as only elephants even Hitchcock shiver with fright. around the world sing their praises, and and chimpanzees do, able to recognize each A Murder of Crows, a PBS Nature present us with captivating new footage of other's voices and 250 distinct calls. The documentary, highlights these new re- crows as we have never seen them before. distress call brings other crows to their search findings and includes stories of how aid, as crows will defend unrelated crows. crows have used their great intelligence BIRDING INFORMATION One particular talent they have been to adapt again and again to a constantly In January, compilers Jimm Edgar and discovered to possess is the ability to changing world. Some memorize garbage Maury Stern will present our annual update recognize individual human faces and truck routes, and follow the feast from of the Central Contra Costa County and pick them out of a crowd up to two day to day. Others drop nuts in the road the East County Christmas Bird Counts. Meeting Schedule Coffee for Holiday Giving The January meeting of Mount Your family and friends most likely To support traditional family-run coffee Diablo Audubon Society will would welcome a flavorful gift for the farms, the Smithsonian developed a Bird- be Thursday, January 8, in the Camellia Room of The Gardens at festive season: shade-grown coffee. Until Friendly© certification process. Certified Heather Farm, Walnut Creek. recently that's how all coffee grew: in the Organic and Fair Trade coffees are easily 7:00 pm Birding Information shade on small family farms. Canopy trees found. As for price, shade-grown fits in 7:25 pm Announcements above provided shade along with a natural the middle of the specialty coffees: not the 7:40 pm Refreshments,* raffle leaf mulch that kept soil moist, prevented cheapest, not the most expensive. And the 8:05 pm A Murder of Crows soil erosion, and decomposed to provide coffee tastes better because shade-coffee * Please remember to bring a cup. nutrients. The canopy typically included beans ripen more slowly, resulting in a Thursday, February 5: Bob Lewis fruit and nut trees that provided food for richer flavor. Birds of Colombia the farm family. Two Smithsonian Bird-Friendly certi- Twenty years ago, researchers from fied coffees are now available at Whole Black Oystercatchers the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center Foods Markets nationwide, offered by their » Continued from Page 1 recognized that shade-grown coffee farms wholly-owned subsidiary Allegro Coffee You can help Oystercatchers by watch- also provide habitat for birds second only to Roasters. They are Early Bird Blend and ing and listening for their alarm calls in undisturbed tropical forests. Those forests Nicaragua Selva Negra. Other sources of the spring and summer when they nest on are being cleared to create large, single-crop certified blends include Birds and Beans rocks, islets, and sometimes in mainland coffee plantations. Pesticides, herbicides, (www.birdsandbeans.com). Their Holiday areas. Leave the immediate area where they fungicides, fertilizers and irrigation are all special includes 12 20-oz. bags of five dif- are likely defending their nest and brood. required when coffee production works ferent roasts for $115, shipping included. Tell others about oystercatchers and how against nature, not with. No Baltimore Ori- "Audubon" brand shade-grown coffee is to protect them. And just enjoy this hand- oles sing from the treetops in sun-grown available at Amazon.com and at Rogers some, territorial marine shorebird! coffee plantations. There are no treetops! Family Coffee. the Quail —3— December 2014/January 2015 PB Pat Bacchetti, NB Ned Benningshof, JB John Blakelock, RC Roy Carlson, JC John Observations By Maury Stern Colbert, JuCo Judi Cooper, BD Bob Dunn, TF Tracy Farrington, BF Becky Flanigan, Ring-necked Ducks and Buffleheads A Hermit Warbler was at Jewel Lake in KF Kathy Francone, LGL Lita Gloor-Little, returned to Heather Farm Pond 11/2. FS, Tilden RP on 11/3, NJ. RH Roz Hardy, HH Hugh Harvey, JH Joel Herr, B&CH Brian and Cindy Hitchens, HH, DS, BF. Ring-necked Ducks were at MJ saw two late Western in Lar- the Moraga Country Club ponds, as were key Park 10/25. TH Tim Howe, WH Wen Hsu, NJ Nancy six Hooded Mergansers on 11/9 by JuCo. Johnson, MJ Megan Jankow­ski, DK, Dave A Chipping Sparrow in non-breeding Kent, MK Megan Kierstead, MKr, Mary Sixty Common Goldeneyes were seen in plumage was at Point Pinole RS 10/30. LL. the Briones Reservoir from the Bear Valley Krentz, AK Alan Krakauer, BL Bob Lewis, KF saw a first of season White-throated Overlook 10/28. WH. AL Albert Linkowski, LL Laura Look, BM Sparrow 10/21 at Ferry Point in Point Bruce Mast, MO Madelyn Ore, BP Bernt AL saw or heard Black Rail and Sora at Richmond. Another White-throated Spar- Pettersson, MR Mark Rauzon, TR Ted the Martinez RS 10/28. row was seem by KS. Robertson,JR Jim Rowoth, ER Erica Ruth- PY saw 10 Elegant Terns on the mudflats BD saw three Pine Siskins at Heather erford, FS Fred Safier, DS Dan Sandri, CS of Point Isabel 10/17. DW saw one at Mill- Farm 10/26, and AK saw one at his home Cathy Spaulding, KS Kathryn Spence, MS er-Knox Park 11/1. near Wildcat Canyon Park. Siskins, an Maury Stern, GT Glen Tepke, ST Sarah LL discovered 15 Lewis’s Woodpeckers eruptive species, may flock to your thistle Tsalbins, NW Nat Weber,LW Liz West, on the Oursan Trail off the Briones Reser- feeder one winter and be absent the next. DW Denise Wight, PY Pam Young, GZ voir Staging area off Bear Valley Road on This year they are being reported from Gena Zolotar. 10/15. Since then variously 4‒12 have been many locations. seen. TH, JH, JB, ER, JC, MS,GT. A flock of nine Evening Grosbeaks flew Q Individual Yellow-shafted Northern over Sequoia Bowl of Joaquin Miller Park Submit Contra Costa County sightings to Flickers were at Valle Vista Staging Area 10/29. MR; KS saw one in Moraga 11/6. [email protected] or (925) 284-5980 or 10/18, ST, and at the start of the Oursan The Pin-tailed Whydah near Concord send to EBB [email protected]. If Trail, AL. 10/24. A number of intergrade High School was last reported 10/16. BF, you report sightings to eBird, please also Red- and Yellow-shafted Flickers have LGL. send to Maury Stern. been reported. A was at the Briones Reservoir 11/2. ER, JC. A Red-naped Sapsucker was observed by AL at Briones RP 11/2‒3. Late-leaving Western Wood-Pewees were at Ellis Lake Park in Concord 10/16, AL, and Valle Vista Staging Area 10/18. BL, MK. The Tropical Kingbird continues at Heather Farm and has been seen by many. HH, FS, JH, JB, TF, BP, BM, B&CH, CS, JR, DS, MKr, NW, DK, GZ. A late Western Kingbird was at Inspira- tion Point, Tilden RP, 10/31. MO. A Northern Rough-winged Swallow was at Heather Farm pond 10/26. BD, LW; 11/7. FS; and 11/9. PB. The return of the Varied Thrush to help in the autumn harvest of toyon and other berries has been noted by RH at Tilden RP, 11/4; by NB at Wildcat Canyon RP, 11/5; by GT in Briones RP on the Oursan Trail 11/8; and by JuCo at Jewel Lake on 11/10. . A Black-and-White Warbler was first seen 10/23 at the Heather Farm Pond and Brian Murphy offers advice to Scouts from Troop 36, Walnut Creek, as they install three Barn has continued through 11/11. TF, HH, AL, Owl nesting boxes at Lar Rieu Park for one of the Scouts' Eagle Project to control the gopher LW, BP, B&CH, CS, BF, DK, GZ, RC, TR. population that has taken over the area.. the Quail —4— December 2014/January 2015 Field Trip Schedule By Hugh Harvey December 6‒7 Saturday/Sunday ...... Sacramento Refuges Wednesday, December 17 11 Thursday ...... Niles Area East County Christmas Bird Count 17 Wednesday . . . . Christmas Count/East Contra Costa Saturday, December 20 20 Saturday ...... Christmas Count/Central Contra Costa Central County Christmas Bird Count 27 Saturday ...... Solano County Raptors Leader: Jimm Edgar, (510) 658‒2330. January It’s time to mark your calendar and sign up for Mount Dia- 3 Saturday ...... Putah Creek blo Audubon’s 2014 Christmas Bird Counts: East County on 10 Saturday ...... Panoche Valley Wednesday, December 17, and Central County on Saturday, 20 Tuesday ...... Lake Merritt/Arrowhead Marsh December 20. The species counts are high: Central County 31 Saturday . . . . . Las Gallinas/Rush Creek/Shollenberger Park usually reports 150, and East County 140. And if you’re new to February the count, you can e-mail [email protected] to request sign-up 7 Saturday ...... Thornton Area/Cosumnes Preserve forms. All birders, no matter what their experience level, are 12 Thursday ...... Grizzly Island welcome. You do not need to be a member of Mount Diablo 14–15 Saturday/Sunday ...... Los Banos/Panoche Valley Audubon, and participation is free. 25 Wednesday ...... Sunol Regional Park If you live within one of the count circles, you can still help by spending a few hours looking for birds at your backyard feeders. You can search for birds from dawn to dusk—or Come Birding With Us! longer if you look for owls. Perhaps you know of a Barn Owl that roosts in a palm tree in your neighborhood, or maybe a White-throated Sparrow frequents your yard. You can find ➋ maps of the count circles at http://www.diabloaudubon.com/ Saturday/Sunday, December 6/7 newsletter/Quail_DecJan_1011.pdf. Part of the fun is the ca- Sacramento Refuges maraderie of dinner at day's end. Find out which group found Leader: Terry Colborn, the bird of the day, learn what species were missed, check out [email protected] or (530) 312‒9947. where rare birds were seen, relish the day's field experiences. This trip is especially designed to see large numbers of Co-compilers Jimm Edgar and Maury Stern invite you wintering waterfowl in Sacramento National Wildlife Ref- to join them and 70,000 other observers across the nation uge, Colusa National Wildlife Refuge and Gray Lodge State who will participate in this, the 115th annual Audubon CBC. Wildlife Area, as well as in with other areas. Raptors are also seen during their winter stay in Northern California. This is one of the few trips which Mt. Diablo Audubon offers which ➊ Saturday, December 27 has a limit on participants. Unfortunately, this year's trip is Southeast Solano County Raptors and More full and already has a waiting list. Please try and join us on Leader: Gary Fregien, (916) 708-0636. this trip next year. Carpool leaves Sun Valley at 7:15 am. Meet the leader at 8 am at Suisun City McDonald’s, Hwy. 12 and Sunset Avenue. ➋ Take I-680 north, cross bridge to Benicia (toll) and merge to Thursday, December 11 I-80 east at Cordelia. Then take Hwy. 12 east toward Rio Vista Niles Area for approximately 4 miles to Sunset Avenue, where you will Leader: Jimm Edgar, (510) 658‒2330. make a left turn at the signal light into the shopping center. Carpool leaves Sycamore Valley Road Park and Ride at 8:15 The McDonald’s is on the right. We will bird east on Hwy. am. Meet at the Vallejo Mill Park in Fremont at 9 am. Take 12 and Creed Rd. to the vicinity of Hwy. 113 and Robinson I-680 south to Niles Canyon exit, turn right (west), follow SR Road, possibly including Jepson Prairie. We will make several 84 about 7 miles towards the Niles District. The park is at SR 84 stops, looking for migrating waterfowl, and winter and Mission Blvd. We follow Alameda Creek and visit some of raptors, especially Flannery and McCormack Roads in search the old gravel pits, which have been re-landscaped as parkland. of the elusive Mountain Plover. From there, given time, we may travel to the Bird’s Landing area, where we should see Tricolored Blackbirds among other passerines and possibly Birds are flying over the garden. to Montezuma Slough for waterfowl. Plan to spend 3‒4 hours birding, plus driving time getting there and back. There will What are you doing inside the house? be minimal hiking, but dress for seasonal conditions. Bring Join them! If you can’t join them, at along hand held radios, food and water. Car pooling is strongly advised, due to limited access at stops and the distance trav- least open the window and greet them! eled. Please call the leader if you plan to carpool from Sun Mehmet Murat I,ldan Valley, he is driving from Sacramento to meet us in Suisun City. the Quail —5— December 2014/January 2015 January Field Trips ➋ Saturday, January 31 Las Gallinas/Rush Creek/Shollenberger Park ➊ Saturday, January 3 Leader: Eugenia Larson, (925) 806-0644. Putah Creek Carpool leaves Sun Valley parking lot at 7:30 am. Meet at Leader: Fred Safier, (925) 937-2906. Las Gallinas at 8:30 am. Take I-680 across the Benicia Bridge Carpool leaves Sun Valley at 8:00 am. Meet at 8:45 am at (toll). Go west on I-780 to I-80 towards Sacramento, exit to SR the intersection of Cherry Glen and Pleasants Valley Roads, 37. Follow SR 37 22 miles to US 101 south, exit at Lucas Valley approximately 1 mile north from I-80, west of Vacaville. Park Road/Smith Ranch Road. Cross under the freeway to the east on Cherry Glen. Dress warmly; this is a cold, windy area. Bring on Smith Ranch Road for 0.6 miles, cross the railroad tracks lunch. Possible , Phainopepla, Barrow’s Goldeneye and and turn left. Follow the road around the hill 0.7 miles until Hooded Merganser. arriving at the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District parking lot. Rush Creek Marsh is just north and east of the Atherton Avenue exit from US 101 in Novato. Immediately past the Park ➊ and Ride lot on Atherton, turn left onto Binford Road and go Saturday, January 10 north to the marsh. Shollenberger Park is in Petaluma, east Panoche Valley of US 101. Exit at Lakeville Highway, go east to S. McDowell Leader: David Hutton, (925) 938-4485. and turn right. Look for a half-right onto Cypress Drive, then Carpool leaves Sycamore Valley Road at 7:00 am. After enter the PRBO parking lot at 3820 Cypress. Go to the back a stop at the Larry Combs Rest Area near Westley, we will and park near the picnic tables. Ellis Creek is just south of the continue toward Mercey Hot Springs and the Panoche Valley. PRBO offices. All four sites are good for wintering waders, Target birds include , Mountain Plover, shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors. Bring lunch and a beverage. Long-eared Owl and a variety of possible raptors. We will include a trip up the BLM Road. An entry fee is charged for our lunch stop and owl viewing at the Hot Springs.

➊ Tuesday, January 20 Lake Merritt /Arrowhead Marsh—High Tide Shollenberg Park. Photo by Ellis Myers. Leader: Sandy Ritchie, (925) 685-8048. Carpool leaves at 8 am from El Nido Ranch Road. Meet at 8:30 am in parking lot by Lake Merritt. Take SR 24 to Oakland Field trips are open to members and non-members, beginners and I-980, take Grand Avenue exit and turn left on Grand. and advanced birders, but not dogs. Weather or other contingen- Enter park at Children’s Fairyland (entry fee), and follow road cies may require changes. For updates, visit the MDAS website around to parking lot entrance on right between boathouse at www.diabloaudubon.com/index.php. Phone area codes are and aviary. Birding through the many ducks and gulls, we may 925 unless specified otherwise. Because most trips do not return find a Tufted Duck, a bird seen almost annually. We will then until late afternoon, bring a lunch and drink and join us during drive to Arrowhead Marsh for the high tide around 11:15 am; our midday break. the rising tide should flush out rails. The area is also good Category ➊: Easy, little or no walking, smooth paths for shorebirds; and often loons are on the estuary. A visit to Category ➋: Moderate, one mile +, possibly rough terrain Garretson Point will finish our trip. Bring lunch and drinks. Category ➌: Difficult, extensive walking on rough terrain. Our Mount Diablo Audubon Chapter is a conservation organization. As such, we encourage members to consider meeting at the carpool point to pick up or ride with others. It is important that given the cost of gasoline, those who ride with others offer to pay some of this cost. Don’t forget about any bridge tolls or park entry fees on some of our longer trips. Sycamore Valley Road Park and Ride Lot—Just south of Danville, exit I-680 at Sycamore Valley Road to the east; the Park and Ride lot is on the left. Sun Valley—Southwest Black Turnstone corner of the Sun Valley Mall parking lot at Willow Pass Road at Arrowhead and Contra Costa Boulevard in Concord. El Nido Ranch Marsh. Photo Road—Exit SR 24 at St. Stephens Drive east of Orinda. El by Ellis Myers. Nido Ranch Road is parallel to and north of the freeway. Park just east of the intersection with St. Stephens Drive. the Quail —6— December 2014/January 2015 Cassin’s Auklets. An unusual sighting was and Western Grebes and several waders Trip Reports a single Yellow-rumped Warbler seen some including Great Egret and Great Blue Monterey Pelagic and Land Birds, five miles off shore! The pelagic birds didn’t Heron, while several flights of Long-billed October 11/12. As we boarded the Point disappoint as we had a South Polar Skua Curlew circled overhead. A single Lesser Sur Clipper, overcast skies on a crisp fall and about ten Red-necked Phalaropes Yellowlegs was spotted as we departed. morning greeted 25 birders from three cruise by. A pair of Tufted Puffins sat on the Our last stop for the day at Jetty Road Northern California Audubon chapters water next to the boat, affording everyone produced hundreds of shorebirds including for this annual fall trip. Our Captain great views of this uncommon species. One Killdeer, Western and Least Sandpipers. once again was Richard Ternullo, who of our best birds of the day, however, was a We watched scores of Marbled Godwits, has nearly 30 years of experience on fly-by Brown Booby, seen by many! Long-billed Dowitchers and Willets packed Monterey Bay. Four Surfbirds, a Black Day Two began on the rocky shoreline in tightly together on the pickleweed. On Turnstone, and over one-hundred Brant’s of Point Pinos, where a nice assortment of the nearby jetty, over one-hundred Elegant shared the Coast Guard jetty birds included Black-bellied Plover, Black Terns loafed peacefully. From a vantage with dozens of California Sea Lions, while Turnstone and several Black Oystercatchers. point on a bluff overlooking the ocean, we several California Sea Otters provided A Whimbrel strolled along the beach in picked out several distant Snowy Plovers some good photo ops. A Peregrine its beautiful plumage. We spotted a lone on the beach. Out in the ocean, we watched Falcon was high on the Monterey Bay Wandering Tattler, a regular, but uncommon, as five or six Humpback Whales put on a Aquarium’s radio tower. Just outside the winter visitor. The near-shore rocks hosted harbor we encountered a fair number of show about 300 yards offshore. A fitting Black-vented Shearwaters. Through the both Brant’s and Pelagic Cormorants, which end to a wonderful weekend. course of day we were fortunate to see two nest here. Brown Pelicans cruised by, their We tallied 92 bird species for the species of jaegers; Pomarine and Parasitic wing tips barely above the water’s surface. weekend, and eight species of mammals. Jaegers. At one point nine Black-footed Across the road near the golf course, we Terry Colborn found several Townsend’s Warblers. We Albatrosses landed on the water next to Berkeley-Emeryville Shoreline, Octo- found a Tropical Kingbird; however, it out boat. We also added several marine ber 22. Ten birders arrived for a bright, soon disappeared. We moved on to Laguna mammals including Northern Fur Seals sunny, calm day on the bay. Starting at the Grande Park in Seaside, where we observed and many Harbor Seals. Emeryville Marina we had great views of a number of new birds for the weekend, Farther out to sea, the shearwaters Black Oystercatchers sunning themselves including, Warbling Vireo, Nashville were plentiful, with repeated looks of Pink- on one of the breakwaters. Nearby Pe- Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a nice footed Shearwaters, a few Sooty and several lagic Cormorants were standing next to male Common Yellowthroat. Buller’s Shearwaters. We were also treated Double-Cresteds giving us opportunities to alcid sightings including numerous Next up was a visit to Elkhorn Slough. for comparison. Out in the water Horned Rhinoceros Auklets and well over 650 We observed Pied-billed, Eared, Clark’s and Eared Grebes were busy diving when an Osprey came flying by and dove in the MDAS Annual Treasurer’s Report–2014 water right in front of us. Unfortunately he By Steve Buffi came up empty. As we scanned the trees Mount Diablo Audubon Society remains in an excellent position to serve our community. we found a pair of Townsend's Warblers. We had another successful year. The annual year-end fundraising drive continues to be strong and our total chapter membership is strong, too. The financial health of MDAS, due to the generosity of our members, allows us to actively pursue our mission. During the year, we funded important habitat preservation projects and continued our community education outreach efforts for young people such as the “No Child Left Inside Program” and the Young Birders Club. Your generosity supports our monthly presentation program, this newsletter, the annual Christmas Count, our web site, and much more. You have read about these important community efforts in this and prior issues of the Quail. Each dollar you give is put to good use for the benefit of our community. The General Fund balance covers operations and reserves, the Conservation and Educa- Eurasian Wigeon. Photo by Beth Branthaver. tion balance is used towards these efforts, and the Breeding Bird Atlas reflects the books held for sale and the results of book sales. Behind the Sea Breeze Market & Deli we July 2013 – June 2014 saw several duck species including a Eur- Funds Revenue Expenses Net Fund Balance asian Wigeon curled up sleeping. At Cesar 7/1/2014 Chavez we looked for the with no luck. Out on the bay we found a General $28,382.59 $29,932.37 –$1549.78 $109,203.56 Clark's Grebe. For the day we had a total Conservation & Education $41.57 $0 $41.57 $16,591.32 of 47 species. Beth Branthaver Breeding Bird Atlas $86.44 $75.46 $10.98 $19,682.07 Abbott's Lagoon, October 25. This trip Total All Funds $28,510.60 $30,007.83 –$1497.23 $145,476.95 was cancelled because of rain. the Quail —7— December 2014/January 2015 Robert Ridgway » Continued from Page 12 sides and remains a standard Haven and its variety of trees and birds, Many species recognize Ridgway's among scientists. He also wrote nine vol- remains a city park of Olney and as a me- esteem in their scientific names, and Ridg- umes of Birds of North and Middle America. morial to this much honored ornithologist. way's Hawk, a critically endangered bird of At his death on March 25, 1929, he was the Dominican Republic estimated to be deeply engaged in writing the tenth volume reduced to fewer than 300 individuals, re- of this work. The series was completed by spects Ridgway's special interest in Middle the Smithsonian's Herbert Friedmann in America. In July of this year Ridgway was two additional volumes. further honored by the naming of Ridg- In 1883, Robert Ridgway was a founding way's Rail. As described in the September member of the American Ornithologists' Quail, Rallus obsoletus Ridgway includes Union (AOU) and he became an associate the populations formerly called Clapper editor of the organization's journal The Auk. Rail that occur along the Pacific Coast of He was prevailed upon to serve as an officer North America, the Salton Sea, and along of the organization, but on the condition the Colorado River. This group is charac- that he not be required to preside at public terized by their relatively small body size, meetings. He served as a vice president of by a bright rufous breast, and by their oc- the AOU from 1883 through 1891 and as its currence primarily in saltmarshes. Robert president from 1898 through 1900. Ridgway contributed a significant amount In 1915 Ridgway retired to Olney (about of work on the Rail complex. A rail of the 30 miles northeast of his original home in highland freshwater marshes of Mexico was Mt. Carmel) to continue his research. He given the name Aztec Rail, also honoring developed an eighteen-acre tract nearby Ridgway with the scientific name R. tenui- rostris Ridgway. called Bird Haven as a bird sanctuary and , by Robert Ridgway. The Hawks experimental area for the cultivation of and Owls of the United States in Their Relation trees and plants native to the region. Bird to Agriculture. A.K. Fisher, U.S.G.P.O. (1893). Z

Eurasian Collared-Dove is a dove and it has a collar!), the species name, given to the bird by the Hungarian ✦ Streptopelia decaocto naturalist Imre Frivaldszky, seems a little The handsome odd–why use a number? The number ‘18’ Eurasian Collared- actually refers to an ancient myth. Dove was origi- The myth relates to a servant girl who nally from India,. had a hard-hearted mistress. The mistress It gradually moved gave the maid a very hard time and only westward and had colonized Eu- paid her eighteen pieces a year, a lowly sum rope by 1932, Germany by 1945, and poor wages for such a hard-working and England by 1953. It was not girl. The maid prayed to the gods, asking known in the United States until them to make it known to the world how 1982, when a nesting pair was cruel her mistress was. Zeus answered reported in . Birds had the prayer, creating a dove who would fly been imported from England about the land proclaiming with its song by a pet shop in the Bahamas, the lowly sum paid, ‘deca-octo’, This, too, andeveral birds escaped during seems odd, as the bird's call sounds more a mid-1970s burglary. The shop like 'koo-kooooo-koo.' owner then released the rest of the flock of approximately 50 ELLIS MYERS PHOTO In California, hunting season for Eur- doves. Others were set free on Eurasian Collared-Dove photographed along Cache asian Collared-Dove is year-round with the island of Guadeloupe when Creek at Anderson Marsh SHP,. April 2010. no limit. a volcano threatened eruption. From these The name of the Collared Dove isStrep - Look for them soon at your backyard two sites the birds spread to Florida, and topelia decaocto, the first part of which (the bird feeders. their advance over most of North America generic name) was given by Charles-Lucien has been rapid. The first California record Bonaparte and comes from the Greek given in eBird was in 1976 in Sherman Oaks; ‘streptos’, which means ‘collar’ and ‘peleia’, Z the first Contra Costa sighting was by Steve which means ‘dove’. While the generic name Glover in 2008, near Byron. has an obvious association with the bird (it the Quail —8— December 2014/January 2015 dove in america

Be a Citizen Scientist! Mount Diablo Audubon Society By Mike Eliot Mount Diablo Audubon Society, a Chapter of National Audubon, is committed to the Cornell Ornithology Lab needs you! sustainable balance of our community’s people, birds, other wildlife, and habitat through Every winter they hold a nationwide conservation, education, and advocacy. survey of backyard bird populations and MDAS Board of Directors movements called Project FeederWatch. (Area code 925 unless specified) They do this by collecting data from thou- President: Jimm Edgar...... 510‒658‒2330 sands of “feederwatchers” like you all over Vice President: Paul Schorr...... [email protected] . . .757‒5107 Treasurer: Steve Buffi...... 938‒0929 the US and Canada. Board Secretary: Diana Granados...... [email protected] Participation takes little effort, mainly Programs: Ariana Rickard...... [email protected] 347‒754‒0143 just counting birds that come to your back- Field Trips: Hugh Harvey...... 935‒2979 yard feeders. It can be a fun family project Conservation Nancy Wenninger. [email protected] . . .938‒7987 and everyone can feel proud that they are Corresponding Secretary Barbara Vaughn...... 376‒8732 helping the birds. To join, start at the Feed- Sales Manager: Diane Malucelli...... 674‒0920 erWatch website: http://feederwatch.org/ Membership: Pat Schneider...... [email protected] . . .935‒5683 Volunteer Coordinator Brian Murphy...... 937‒8835 The cost is $15, which is the major source Hospitality: Nina Wong...... [email protected] . . 930‒7024 of funding for the project for a year. You will Education: Cecil Williams...... [email protected] . . .376‒1631 receive a research kit with complete instruc- Webmaster: Betts Sanderson. . [email protected] tions. In the fall, you will receive their report Christmas Count: Jimm Edgar...... 510‒658‒2330 “Winter Bird Highlights” and the Cornell EBB Sightings Monitor Bill Chilson...... [email protected] 510‒619‒6692 Lab newsletter. Young Birder Club Liaison Tracy Farrington. . . . [email protected] . . . 788-6223 The project has a history dating to the Member‒at‒Large: Jean Richmond...... 837‒2843 Mike Williams...... [email protected] . . .376‒1631 mid 1970s in Ontario, Canada, but was Mike Eliot...... [email protected] . . .798‒0303 taken over after 10 years by Long Point Quail Editor Ellis Myers...... [email protected] . . .284‒4103 Bird Observatory and the Cornell Lab to go nationwide. The first year there were 4,000 Mount Diablo Audubon Society participants. There are now over 20,000 in meets at 7:00 pm on the first Thursday of every state and in Canada. each month, except July and August, in the The data Camellia Room of The Gardens at Heather c o l l e c t e d Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut p r o v i d e a Creek. Everyone is invited. [Note: Second picture of the Thursday, January 8, 2015.] winter bird populations Please Consider t h r o u g h - Mount Diablo Audubon needs to find out Nor th an Editor for the Quail. Only basic A m e r i c a . computer skills are needed, along with They indicate a willingness to learn. Call the present how many in- editor for information, (925) 284-4103. dividuals of each species are seen and measure changes in the winter ranges of species over time. MDAS MEMBERSHIP/RENEWAL APPLICATION This enables scientists to create population maps that detect gradual changes in win- c Please enroll my family and me as a member of Mount Diablo Audubon Society tering ranges and which species are at risk. for $25 for one year. Membership dues are tax deductible. FeederWatch is the only available method to c I’m enclosing an additional tax-deductible donation of $______. produce such information. c For an additional $20 (new NAS members only), please enroll me in the National Scientists make predictions of irruptions Audubon Society. NAS dues are separate from Mount Diablo Audubon dues. of finches and other species, as well as long- Please send The Quail by: c US mail c E-mail______term trends of distribution and abundance. Kinds of foods and environmental factors, Name______such as weather also help them determine Address______what attracts birds. In addition, they can City, State______Zip______understand how disease is spread among Phone ( ____ )______E-mail______backyard birds. The data is published in Audubon Magazine as well as major birding Please make your check payable to: journals and magazines and distributed to MOUNT DIABLO AUDUBON SOCIETY and mail with this application to: news groups nationwide. Membership Chair, 282 Firestone Court, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 the Quail —9— December 2014/January 2015 Mount Diablo Audubon Society, Non-Profit Org. P.O. Box 53 U.S. Postage Walnut Creek, CA 94597-0053 PAID Return Service Requested Permit No. 66 Concord, CA

Ridgway's Hawk. Punta Cana Ecological Foundation photo..

Robert Ridgway Ornithologist ✦ Taxonomist ✦ Botanist

From childhood, Robert Ridgway had to furnish the technical descriptions and a memory and a sense of proportion well some of the drawings for a book on North above that of the norm. As a youth he be- American birds being prepared by Baird came interested in birds and sketched many and . In 1874 Ridgway specimens around his home in Mount Carmel, in southern , where he was born on July 2, 1850. At age 14 he wrote to Spencer F. Baird, Secretary (Director) of the Smithsonian, asking Baird to identify a Robert Ridgway bird that Ridgway had seen. Ridgway and Baird began corresponding, and, in effect, Baird became Ridgway's mentor. In 1867 Baird secured an appointment for Ridgway as naturalist on 's Geological Survey of the Fortieth Parallel, one of the Robert Ridgway Scarlet , by Robert Ridgway four great surveys of the American West. Utah State University photo. Ridgway collected 1,522 bird-related speci- was appointed as ornithologist on the staff Ridgway published extensively in his mens (753 nests and eggs and 769 skins). of the United States National Museum at He observed 262 species, most of these on field from 1869 to 1929. His experience with the Smithsonian. In 1880 he was appointed problems of color and color description in the western slope of the Sierra and Curator of the Department of Ornithology. in the Uinta Mountains in Utah. bird portraits resulted in a work entitled Ridgway retained that title until his death Color Standards and Color Nomenclature, Upon his return to Washington in in 1929, although after 1915 he resided in which proved valuable in many fields be- 1869, Ridgway was put to work by Baird Olney, Illinois the Quail —10— December 2014/JanuaryContinued on Page 2015 10 »