On 7/12/2025 4:35 PM, <lehman.paul...> via groups.io wrote: > Now 4:30 PM, and just before posting this message, Matt S. re-found > the bird flying around Pond 12, still hopelessly far for viewing from > public sites (see below), but now truly confirmed as a White-winged > Tern. More photos will be posted later. > > > > > > Back on Weds., July 9th, I found a bacic-plumaged (one-year-old) > "Black Tern" on Chula Vista Wildlife Area property as viewed VERY > distantly from the west end of the J Street/Marina Parkway parking > lot. At the time, the bird was clearly a Black-type Tern in basic > plumage, but even with good light (mid-morning, marine overcast), I > struggled initially with the ID because the bird did not appear to > show a dark shoulder spur down onto the upper sides of the breast. So, > I waited for the bird to fly and saw a whitish rump in some lights. > These two characters favor White-winged Tern, a Eurasian species with > two previous California records from HUM and MTY in the late 1990s. > But then I also saw a dusky upper surface of the tail and a darker > leading edge to the folded wing at rest, characters I thought favored > Black Tern. So, I ended up calling it a Black and chalked up some > alternate cues as being partly due to the long distance involved. > Basically, I was scoping from J Street across the entire cove of the > Bay to the SW, to the peninsula edge to the right of where the Osprey > nest pole is and the general area where the Gray-tailed Tattler was > several years ago. The bird has been looked for again several times > since then on a couple days by me and others from J Street but with no > success. > > > Before I go any further, because what follows involves the Salt Works > and National Wildlife Refuge property, know that the Salt Works and > surrounding salt marsh are very much off-limits at this time of year > to the public because of the nesting Snowy Plovers and mass of nesting > terns (something over 35,000 nests of Elegant Terns this year!, not to > mention plenty of Royals, Forster's, Leasts, and Skimmers). So there > is NO WAY anyone should attempt to get inside on their own. And > clearly do not go past any wildlife refuge "no entry" signs. Expect to > be cited or arrested. > > > Fast forward to today, and Matt Sadowski and Robert Patton are doing > their tern and plover work inside the Salt Works, and they find this > basic-plumaged tern, along with a new breeding-plumaged Black Tern, > frequenting the area of Pond 12 during the late morning and early > afternoon--right after the marine layer retreated, the sun came out, > and the glare increased. The two birds were mostly at the opposite > (east) end of Pond 12 from where they were, partly smothered in > Elegant Terns and very distant and harshly lit. Both observers were > thinking probable Black Tern on the basic bird (e.g., didn't see an > obvious pale rump). But at one point the two birds flew to their end > of the pond, and Matt got a series of photos looking up at the bird in > question. He then shared that photo with me. We, and others, were both > struck by the total lack of the shoulder bar, clean white underparts, > and a potentially paler crown than a Black Tern shows, but other > characters were not visible, and the bill length perhaps fit Black > Tern OK. I then shared the one photo with several out-of-state folks > with good White-winged Tern experience....and voila, they think it is > indeed a White-winged Tern. Based on the one photo. > > > Pond 12 is the pond north of Pond 23, the Little Stint pond. One can > scope Pond 12 from the end of 11th, 10th, and 8th, and from the end of > the peninsula that sticks out from the south end of the Biological > Study Area parking lot on the Silver Strand. But even with a good > scope and doing so in the morning with a marine layer so good light > and with minimal distortion, it is still a very, very long ways away. > One can ID Black Terns flying around that pond, as we did several > years ago. But being able to tell a basic-plumaged White-winged Tern > from a basic-plumaged Black Tern at that distance would be impossible. > Unless, perhaps the bird comes to the WEST end of Pond 12, and then > being at the end of 8th or off the study area parking lot peninsula > MIGHT work. Or......hope that at some point it returns to where I > first saw it on July 9th, southwest of J Street, or perhaps get > extremely lucky and get it even on the J Street mudflats proper, but > that hasn't yet worked out. > > > What would presumably be the best course of action is have people > spread out at all three or four of these sites (J Street, 11th, 10th, > 8th, off study area parking), and then if someone carefully assesses > that the bird is truly visible, then immediately send out that news on > the What's App group AND on this listserv, so that folks nearby can > make a bee-line..... But, to be honest, this situation is fraught with > the distinct possibilities of faulty claims, all the mass of somewhat > similar-looking birds present, desperation-mode setting in to see the > bird, etc. etc. So, PLEASE everyone be really, really, really, careful > with one's reports. If you do find the easier-to-see breeding-plumaged > Black Tern, then carefully study any nearby birds, and do report just > the Black, as that is a possible good starting point. > > > Once there is an eBird or other link set up later today where Matt's > photos can be viewed, we will post news of that site. > > > --Paul Lehman, San Diego >
Date: 7/12/25 4:38 pm From: <lehman.paul...> via groups.io <lehman.paul...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] San Diego WHITE-WINGED TERN
It's Now 4:30 PM, Saturday, and just before posting this message below, Matt S. re-found the bird flying around Pond 12, still presumably hopelessly far for viewing from public sites (see below), but now truly confirmed as a White-winged Tern. More photos will be posted later.
Back on Weds., July 9th, I found a bacic-plumaged (one-year-old) "Black Tern" on Chula Vista Wildlife Area property as viewed VERY distantly from the west end of the J Street/Marina Parkway parking lot. At the time, the bird was clearly a Black-type Tern in basic plumage, but even with good light (mid-morning, marine overcast), I struggled initially with the ID because the bird did not appear to show a dark shoulder spur down onto the upper sides of the breast. So, I waited for the bird to fly and saw a whitish rump in some lights. These two characters favor White-winged Tern, a Eurasian species with two previous California records from HUM and MTY in the late 1990s. But then I also saw a dusky upper surface of the tail and a darker leading edge to the folded wing at rest, characters I thought favored Black Tern. So, I ended up calling it a Black and chalked up some alternate cues as being partly due to the long distance involved. Basically, I was scoping from J Street across the entire cove of the Bay to the SW, to the peninsula edge to the right of where the Osprey nest pole is and the general area where the Gray-tailed Tattler was several years ago. The bird has been looked for again several times since then on a couple days by me and others from J Street but with no success.
Before I go any further, because what follows involves the Salt Works and National Wildlife Refuge property, know that the Salt Works and surrounding salt marsh are very much off-limits at this time of year to the public because of the nesting Snowy Plovers and mass of nesting terns (something over 35,000 nests of Elegant Terns this year!, not to mention plenty of Royals, Forster's, Leasts, and Skimmers). So there is NO WAY anyone should attempt to get inside on their own. And clearly do not go past any wildlife refuge "no entry" signs. Expect to be cited or arrested.
Fast forward to today, and Matt Sadowski and Robert Patton are doing their tern and plover work inside the Salt Works, and they find this basic-plumaged tern, along with a new breeding-plumaged Black Tern, frequenting the area of Pond 12 during the late morning and early afternoon--right after the marine layer retreated, the sun came out, and the glare increased. The two birds were mostly at the opposite (east) end of Pond 12 from where they were, partly smothered in Elegant Terns and very distant and harshly lit. Both observers were thinking probable Black Tern on the basic bird (e.g., didn't see an obvious pale rump). But at one point the two birds flew to their end of the pond, and Matt got a series of photos looking up at the bird in question. He then shared that photo with me. We, and others, were both struck by the total lack of the shoulder bar, clean white underparts, and a potentially paler crown than a Black Tern shows, but other characters were not visible, and the bill length perhaps fit Black Tern OK. I then shared the one photo with several out-of-state folks with good White-winged Tern experience....and voila, they think it is indeed a White-winged Tern. Based on the one photo.
Pond 12 is the pond north of Pond 23, the Little Stint pond. One can scope Pond 12 from the end of 11th, 10th, and 8th, and from the end of the peninsula that sticks out from the south end of the Biological Study Area parking lot on the Silver Strand. But even with a good scope and doing so in the morning with a marine layer so good light and with minimal distortion, it is still a very, very long ways away. One can ID Black Terns flying around that pond, as we did several years ago. But being able to tell a basic-plumaged White-winged Tern from a basic-plumaged Black Tern at that distance would be impossible. Unless, perhaps the bird comes to the WEST end of Pond 12, and then being at the end of 8th or off the study area parking lot peninsula MIGHT work. Or......hope that at some point it returns to where I first saw it on July 9th, southwest of J Street, or perhaps get extremely lucky and get it even on the J Street mudflats proper, but that hasn't yet worked out.
What would presumably be the best course of action is have people spread out at all three or four of these sites (J Street, 11th, 10th, 8th, off study area parking), and then if someone carefully assesses that the bird is truly visible, then immediately send out that news on the What's App group AND on this listserv, so that folks nearby can make a bee-line..... But, to be honest, this situation is fraught with the distinct possibilities of faulty claims, all the mass of somewhat similar-looking birds present, desperation-mode setting in to see the bird, etc. etc. So, PLEASE everyone be really, really, really, careful with one's reports. If you do find the easier-to-see breeding-plumaged Black Tern, then carefully study any nearby birds, and do report just the Black, as that is a possible good starting point.
Once there is an eBird or other link set up later today where Matt's photos can be viewed, we will post news of that site.
Date: 7/10/25 8:37 am From: Thomas Benson via groups.io <tbenson...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] California regional reports now available on CBRC website
Good morning California birders,
For those of you who are interested in the (historical) status and distribution of California birds, the CBRC website now hosts an archive of California regional reports. The archive covers the period from 1947-1998, including those seasonal reports from northern and southern California published in Audubon Field Notes, American Birds, and Field Notes. The archive is not quite complete, but we are working to fill in the missing issues.
Date: 7/10/25 8:37 am From: Dorian Anderson via groups.io <thespeckledhatchback...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] Red Phalarope + other photos
All -
While we were looking for and not finding the Mountain View Least Bittern yesterday, Joe Morlan asked
if I had posted my photos of the San Mateo Red Phalarope from late-May. I hadn't, so here my 3 favs, along
with a few recent others. With some down time between tours, I've been able to reach some different parts
of CA. I'm out of the state for most of what remains of 2025, so I likely won't bother you again for 6 months.
Rejoice!
Date: 7/7/25 5:01 am From: <lehman.paul...> via groups.io <lehman.paul...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] upcoming August San Diego pelagic trips
First off, the upcoming July 19th pelagic trip off San Diego has only three open spaces remaining, so it will likely sell out within the next couple days.
The three trips scheduled in August still have plenty of space. Similar to all the trips, they are aboard "Legacy" from Seaforth Sportfishing and are sponsored by Buena Vista Audubon Society. Information on expected and possible species, logistics, and how to make reservations can be found at sandiegopelagics.com; or, for reservations only, go directly to sdwhale.com
The two trips in early August are back to back on August 9 & 10 (optional to take both, of course!), the idea being to allow any out-of-town folks the chance to get offshore twice with just a single visit. The late August trip is on August 23. All these trips are during the peak period for Townsend's and Leach's Storm-Petrels. The late August trip is at the beginning of the usual period for Least Storm-Petrel. Early August has the possibility of Cook's Petrel. All have a high chance of getting Craveri's Murrelet, a variety of typical West Coast pelagic species, and some returning migrants from the north (e.g., Long-tailed Jaeger, Arctic Tern, Sabine's Gull). And all trips have possibilities for such rarities as albatrosses, South Polar Skua, Red-billed Tropicbird, and a variety of boobies.
Trips remaining later in the year are another back-to-back weekend on September 6 & 7, and September 27 and October 11.
Date: 7/1/25 9:27 am From: nlethaby via groups.io <nlethaby...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] Pelagics on Island Packers website now fully visible
All,
It was brought to my attention that some of the pelagics out of Ventura were not visible on the Island Packers website. This is now resolved and both the Aug 9 and Sep 7 trips are now visible, in addition to the Aug 7, Sep 5, Oct 12 and 14 trips.
The Aug 9 trip has just two spaces left.
Regards,
Nick Lethaby Goleta, CA <nlethaby...> +1 805 284 6200
***Finally, a quick note to all the amazing eBird reviewers out there: Our team recognizes that by generating hundreds of additional eBird checklists, our program adds to the workload of local reviewers. We greatly appreciate all of the time and energy you invest in reviewing local checklists – our research is strengthened by your efforts. Although we work very hard to ensure that our volunteers are collecting high quality data (and we provide many resources and opportunities to support beginner birders), we do recognize that our volunteers sometimes make mistakes or rely too heavily on apps like Merlin Bird ID. If there are any common species identification errors you would like us to address among our volunteers or messages/tips and tricks you would like to pass on, please do reach out. I collaborated directly with eBird reviewers while running the COVID-19 lockdown birding study <https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-16406-w> in Seattle, and that was enormously helpful.***
Wishing you all safe and happy birding this summer! Thank you for all you do for our feathered friends. :)
***
Olivia V. Sanderfoot, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Research Associate
La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
University of California, Los Angeles
Date: 6/24/25 7:46 am From: Christopher Taylor via groups.io <ctaylor...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] Fw: [OrangeCountyBirding] Red-necked Stint - Bolsa Chica
----- Forwarded message from "Ryan Winkleman via groups.io" <rswinkleman...> -----
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2025 17:53:13 -0700 From: "Ryan Winkleman via groups.io" <rswinkleman...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Red-necked Stint - Bolsa Chica To: Orangecountybirding <OrangeCountyBirding...> Reply-To: <rswinkleman...> Message-ID: <CAHKMXHOt9C0sxkTKDCmYJkFC9CxRR81Ti9jfg6rEbDjekQ96-A...>
Photos of a Red-necked Stint at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach were posted to the Birding Discord server a little while ago. This is a first county record. The bird was photographed at 2:50pm today at approximately 33.6985760, -118.0437676.
Date: 6/19/25 10:45 pm From: Wim van Dam via groups.io <wim.van.dam...> Subject: [CALBIRDS] White-rumped Sandpiper, Santa Barbara County
As it is a CBRC review species, it's worth mentioning that this Thursday, a White-rumped Sandpiper was found in Santa Barbara County by Lynn Scarlett. For details: <main...> | Messages <https://sbcobirding.groups.io/g/main/messages> and eBird.
> On Jun 19, 2025, at 9:21 AM, Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> wrote:
>
> On a Facebook page in 2023, a photographer had captured a really good photo of a BLack Phoebe catching a fish at the LA Arboretum: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5939551266083116&<set...>&idorvanity=235075475202 >
> Hope this helps.
>
> L Walker, Fort Bragg/Cleone, CA
>
>
>
>
>
On Thu, Jun 19, 2025 at 8:30 AM Glenn Kincaid via groups.io <glenn=
<gntnz.com...> wrote:
> Yesterday at the UC Santa Barbara lagoon I saw a Black Phoebe capture and
> eat a small fish.
>
> Has anyone else witnessed this behavior with a Black Phoebe?
>
> Thanks,
> Glenn Kincaid
> Santa Barbara
>
>
>
>
>
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>
