Date: 5/12/25 4:48 pm From: NANCY AND EUGENE HUNN via groups.io <enhunn323...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
Greetings,
From my perspective in Petaluma, Sonoma County, where I have lived since 2010, Mute Swans are now and have been for some time well established in southern Sonoma County, northern and northwestern Marin, and southeastern Napa counties, with apparent nesting from the land fill north of Novato, to Laguna Lake off Chileno Valley Road, west to Tomales Bay, and north to Lake Ralphine in Santa Rosa. We routinely count 30+ individuals at Shollenberger Park in Petaluma and several pairs nest at Ellis Creek nearby. Back in 2010 I was chatting with Rich Stallcup (RIP) outside the Pt. Blue offices at Shollenberger about the Mute Swans there then and he complained that the state records committee ignored the facts on the ground, to wit, that a population of hundreds has existed across three counties for at least the past 20 years, well within the criteria for recognition as an established introduction. Whether these swans are impacting native species is uncertain. Some are quite aggressive towards nesting Canada Geese, but Canada Goose populations have increased dramatically since the 1960s throughout the west, likely due to human impacts. Wild swans in this area are rather rare winter visitors, so Mutes have no impact on them. So, IMHO we might as well relax and enjoy them.
As for Eurasian Collared-Doves, I take issue with the official designation of them as introduced. The Eurasian populations of this species have erupted from the eastern Mediterranean to the west and northwest, now apparently common in Scotland, since the 1960's, a pattern of eruption very much like the pattern in the US that began somewhat later. There are records, if I remember correctly, for the Canary Islands and Iceland, suggestion that a transatlantic flight unassisted is not out of the question. So, I think the two species are not comparable and neither a problem.
Gene Hunn
Petaluma
> On 05/12/2025 3:38 PM PDT John Gallo via groups.io <gallo.ja...> wrote:
>
>
> e-bird has a really cool function in which you can see the relative numbers of an individual species, and their location, over certain, user-defined time periods. Would be interesting if someone has time and interest to make some screen-grabs for Mute Swans and/or Eurasian Collared Dove... (and maybe MODO as well...)
>
> On Mon, May 12, 2025 at 8:14 AM David Barry viahttp://groups.io <wildbarrydb...> mailto:<gmail.com...> wrote:
>
> > Mute Swabs have patriated the entire SF Bay Area as well as the Sacramento Delta.
> > Dave Barry
> > Santa Rosa.
> >
> > On Mon, May 12, 2025 at 6:36 AM Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) viahttp://groups.io <feather...> mailto:<mcn.org...> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Perhaps yes, another coincidence; Tim tells me that there is a rather
> > > sizable population in Sonoma County and that the five birds I saw may be
> > > connected to that group.
> > >
> > > Neat that you're not seeing Eurasian Collared Doves; I still do not have
> > > them in my yard, but go out the road to another spot that's more open
> > > and they are there.
> > >
> > > =============
> > >
> > > On 2025-05-12 4:53 am, <djensen...> mailto:<djensen...> wrote:
> > > > Perhaps another coincidence- I've been birding in Port Huron Michigan
> > > > for the past four days and I've seen multiple pairs of Mute Swans, but
> > > > (finally) no Eurasian Collared Doves. Only MODOs.
> > > >
> > > > DJ
> > > >
> > > > -------------------------
> > > >
> > > > From: <Mendobirds...> mailto:<Mendobirds...> on behalf of Dan Airola
> > > > Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2025 7:33 PM
> > > > To: <Mendobirds...> mailto:<Mendobirds...>; <feather...> mailto:<feather...> > > > > Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
> > > >
> > > > Mute Swans are increasing rapidly in many areas. I have found 22
> > > > ponds with swans in the central Sierra foothills this year (Tuolumne-
> > > > Sacramento Counties). I saw none in ponds in Yuba and Butte County
> > > > foothills. Nor did I see them in ponds in Lake County 2 weeks ago.
> > > >
> > > > The Eurasian Collared Dove expanded more rapidly north along the
> > > > coast then in the interior, but maybe that is just a coincidence.
> > > >
> > > > Dan Airola
> > > > Sacramento
> > > >
> > > > On Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 06:34:23 PM PDT, Lisa D. Walker, (Feather
> > > > Forestwalker) viahttp://groups.io <feather...> mailto:<mcn.org...> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hi all,
> > > >
> > > > Some of you know about the five Mute Swans I spotted flying north
> > > > along
> > > > the coast at Virgin Creek on Tuesday. Well, in Jackson County, OR,
> > > > five
> > > > Mute Swans showed up on Friday and then were gone. Today, five Mute
> > > > Swans were spotted in Arcata. What's the likelihood that they are the
> > > >
> > > > same five birds I saw Tuesday morning?
> > > >
> > > > Lisa Walker, Fort Bragg/Cleone
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
Date: 5/12/25 4:02 pm From: John Gallo via groups.io <gallo.ja...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
e-bird has a really cool function in which you can see the relative numbers
of an individual species, and their location, over certain, user-defined
time periods. Would be interesting if someone has time and interest to
make some screen-grabs for Mute Swans and/or Eurasian Collared Dove... (and
maybe MODO as well...)
On Mon, May 12, 2025 at 8:14 AM David Barry via groups.io <wildbarrydb=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Mute Swabs have patriated the entire SF Bay Area as well as the Sacramento
> Delta.
> Dave Barry
> Santa Rosa.
>
> On Mon, May 12, 2025 at 6:36 AM Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via
> groups.io <feather...> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Perhaps yes, another coincidence; Tim tells me that there is a rather
>> sizable population in Sonoma County and that the five birds I saw may be
>> connected to that group.
>>
>> Neat that you're not seeing Eurasian Collared Doves; I still do not have
>> them in my yard, but go out the road to another spot that's more open
>> and they are there.
>>
>> =============
>>
>> On 2025-05-12 4:53 am, <djensen...> wrote:
>> > Perhaps another coincidence- I've been birding in Port Huron Michigan
>> > for the past four days and I've seen multiple pairs of Mute Swans, but
>> > (finally) no Eurasian Collared Doves. Only MODOs.
>> >
>> > DJ
>> >
>> > -------------------------
>> >
>> > From: <Mendobirds...> on behalf of Dan Airola
>> > Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2025 7:33 PM
>> > To: <Mendobirds...>; <feather...>
>> > Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
>> >
>> > Mute Swans are increasing rapidly in many areas. I have found 22
>> > ponds with swans in the central Sierra foothills this year (Tuolumne-
>> > Sacramento Counties). I saw none in ponds in Yuba and Butte County
>> > foothills. Nor did I see them in ponds in Lake County 2 weeks ago.
>> >
>> > The Eurasian Collared Dove expanded more rapidly north along the
>> > coast then in the interior, but maybe that is just a coincidence.
>> >
>> > Dan Airola
>> > Sacramento
>> >
>> > On Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 06:34:23 PM PDT, Lisa D. Walker, (Feather
>> > Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> wrote:
>> >
>> > Hi all,
>> >
>> > Some of you know about the five Mute Swans I spotted flying north
>> > along
>> > the coast at Virgin Creek on Tuesday. Well, in Jackson County, OR,
>> > five
>> > Mute Swans showed up on Friday and then were gone. Today, five Mute
>> > Swans were spotted in Arcata. What's the likelihood that they are the
>> >
>> > same five birds I saw Tuesday morning?
>> >
>> > Lisa Walker, Fort Bragg/Cleone
>> >
>> >
>
>
Date: 5/12/25 1:24 pm From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Trip Report. Noyo Pelagics, 9 May and 11 May 2025
Greetings Mendobirders,
Around 25 ocean enthusiasts went out of Noyo Harbor, Fort Bragg, on each of 5/9 and 5/11 for full-day (10-hour) deep-water pelagic trips with Captain Richard Thornton of Anchor Charters (https://anchorcharterboats.com/) and Noyo Pelagics (https://noyopelagics.com/). As often happens in May-September, weather forecasts held fast for the 10 days previous, 15-20 knot NW winds on the 9th, calm switching to light S on the 11th, and low swell on both days. We got a bit lucky as there were several un-doable days both before and after (as predicted) this period. This gave us the chance to compare and contrast what we saw in the same locations under different meteorological conditions.
On the 9th, the winds did not seem so bad at first, so we headed straight into them rather than going up the coast in the lee of the Cape Mendocino, and out. The ride was not too bad, although a bit slow, especially when moderate-sized swells came by. Eventually we made it through Noyo Canyon and out about 20 miles before increasing winds and a sense that the crowd (consisting of many younger birds, age <25) needed a boost, so we stopped to put out a slick. As we poured our allotted menhaden fish oil, Lucas Stephenson shouted out "Hawaiian Petrel" and there it was, sallying high above the boat, then swooping around in the winds for several minutes affording all great views and photos. Soon a second Hawaiian showed up (with darker head markings than the first) and then the first of our four Murphy's Petrels for the day. We were barely done celebrating these two species when Cédric Duhalde spotted the large pink bill of a Short-tailed Albatross aimed straight at our slick. It sat comfortably down among the Black-footeds and wound up following the boat for 3+ hours, through two more stoppages for slicks. We photo-captured the band, black on white N94, showing it a different individual than that of 4/27 (N64). The young crowd went bananas, the order of the moment being selfies, Short-tailed over the shoulder. It was a three-lifer day for many. Other highlights for the day included many Sabine's Gulls in their spring finery (and a couple of white-headed first-spring birds), a South Polar Skua, and a Short-tailed Shearwater, each of which were photo-documented. These last two species are unexpected here at this time of year, or so we think, there being relatively little previous offshore coverage in spring.
Our first question on the 11th was, do we head southwest to the shelf break off Navarro Canyon or repeat the route of the 9th? The calm winds allowed us this choice, and most of the vets were leaning to the south, where we have had good luck with deep-water species before. A straw poll of the participants, however, indicated than many wanted to see a Short-tailed Albatross. We then deduced that, if we went south and didn't see one it would be our fault, whereas if we repeated the route and got skunked, we could at least say "that's seabirding" (even though it is rather random which way would produce more of what species). So we went out Noyo Canyon again, this time out about 25 miles. Soon we spotted high-arcing dots on the horizon which turned out to be Murphy's Petrels. We stopped for a slick and the Murphy's sallied about for all, 2-3 at our first slick, 4-6 at our second, 5-8 at our third, and counts of up to 13 in view at once while traversing in between. We carefully figured 60 for the day (eBird checklists summed 69). Many came right over the boat and the new game for the young birders was getting a selfie with a Murphy's overhead, Chris Henry being the winner of this game. But no Hawaiians...despite great scanning effort. Now, why would the ratios on these two days be so different (chi square, p <0.01)? Hawaiian Petrels are currently breeding and coming here from Hawaii to get food for their chicks, whereas all the Murphy's were sallying south, headed back to South Pacific breeding grounds after spending the winter to molt in the Gulf of Alaska. Yep. Was it this difference combined with winds that caused the disparity? Or, simply, was it "that's seabirding"!
Those who wanted a Short-tailed Albatross then got their wish, as yet a third different bird in two weeks (this one with just a silver band and no coded band) accompanied us for 2+ hours after joining the Black-foots between two slicks. The STALs on 4/27 and 5/11 were darker than the one on 5/9, but all three still retained juvenile flight feathers. It could be that the bird of the 9th was a year older but still hadn't molted primaries yet, and we look forward to seeing if this is the case after learning the banding histories from Japanese researchers (see the Trip Report at NoyoPelagics.com <https://noyopelagics.com/pelagic_calendar/saturday-4-26-25-half-day-noyo-canyon-mammals-and-birds/> for more on the bird of 4/27 and the history of this species, once thought extinct). We are all anticipating the day when we get an older bird off California, or even an adult, dubbed the "Golden Goony" when one shows up on Midway Atoll, indicating a bird of at least 10-15 years of age.
Our next Noyo Pelagics trips are on 5/24 and 6/13 (half days, both mammal dedicated), 6/15 and 7/15 (full days, birds and mammals) and 6/16 and 7/16 (half days, mammals and birds). We will aim for Noyo Canyon on all half-day trips and to deep water over the shelf on the two full-day trips. Please see https://noyopelagics.com/ for more information and to sign up for one or more of our trips through November!
Date: 5/12/25 8:14 am From: David Barry via groups.io <wildbarrydb...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
Mute Swabs have patriated the entire SF Bay Area as well as the Sacramento
Delta.
Dave Barry
Santa Rosa.
On Mon, May 12, 2025 at 6:36 AM Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via
groups.io <feather...> wrote:
>
>
> Perhaps yes, another coincidence; Tim tells me that there is a rather
> sizable population in Sonoma County and that the five birds I saw may be
> connected to that group.
>
> Neat that you're not seeing Eurasian Collared Doves; I still do not have
> them in my yard, but go out the road to another spot that's more open
> and they are there.
>
> =============
>
> On 2025-05-12 4:53 am, <djensen...> wrote:
> > Perhaps another coincidence- I've been birding in Port Huron Michigan
> > for the past four days and I've seen multiple pairs of Mute Swans, but
> > (finally) no Eurasian Collared Doves. Only MODOs.
> >
> > DJ
> >
> > -------------------------
> >
> > From: <Mendobirds...> on behalf of Dan Airola
> > Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2025 7:33 PM
> > To: <Mendobirds...>; <feather...>
> > Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
> >
> > Mute Swans are increasing rapidly in many areas. I have found 22
> > ponds with swans in the central Sierra foothills this year (Tuolumne-
> > Sacramento Counties). I saw none in ponds in Yuba and Butte County
> > foothills. Nor did I see them in ponds in Lake County 2 weeks ago.
> >
> > The Eurasian Collared Dove expanded more rapidly north along the
> > coast then in the interior, but maybe that is just a coincidence.
> >
> > Dan Airola
> > Sacramento
> >
> > On Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 06:34:23 PM PDT, Lisa D. Walker, (Feather
> > Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Some of you know about the five Mute Swans I spotted flying north
> > along
> > the coast at Virgin Creek on Tuesday. Well, in Jackson County, OR,
> > five
> > Mute Swans showed up on Friday and then were gone. Today, five Mute
> > Swans were spotted in Arcata. What's the likelihood that they are the
> >
> > same five birds I saw Tuesday morning?
> >
> > Lisa Walker, Fort Bragg/Cleone
> >
> > _._,_._,_
>
>
>
>
>
>
Date: 5/12/25 6:36 am From: Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
Perhaps yes, another coincidence; Tim tells me that there is a rather
sizable population in Sonoma County and that the five birds I saw may be
connected to that group.
Neat that you're not seeing Eurasian Collared Doves; I still do not have
them in my yard, but go out the road to another spot that's more open
and they are there.
=============
On 2025-05-12 4:53 am, <djensen...> wrote:
> Perhaps another coincidence- I've been birding in Port Huron Michigan
> for the past four days and I've seen multiple pairs of Mute Swans, but
> (finally) no Eurasian Collared Doves. Only MODOs.
>
> DJ
>
> -------------------------
>
> From: <Mendobirds...> on behalf of Dan Airola
> Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2025 7:33 PM
> To: <Mendobirds...>; <feather...>
> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
>
> Mute Swans are increasing rapidly in many areas. I have found 22
> ponds with swans in the central Sierra foothills this year (Tuolumne-
> Sacramento Counties). I saw none in ponds in Yuba and Butte County
> foothills. Nor did I see them in ponds in Lake County 2 weeks ago.
>
> The Eurasian Collared Dove expanded more rapidly north along the
> coast then in the interior, but maybe that is just a coincidence.
>
> Dan Airola
> Sacramento
>
> On Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 06:34:23 PM PDT, Lisa D. Walker, (Feather
> Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> Some of you know about the five Mute Swans I spotted flying north
> along
> the coast at Virgin Creek on Tuesday. Well, in Jackson County, OR,
> five
> Mute Swans showed up on Friday and then were gone. Today, five Mute
> Swans were spotted in Arcata. What's the likelihood that they are the
>
> same five birds I saw Tuesday morning?
>
> Lisa Walker, Fort Bragg/Cleone
>
> _._,_._,_
Date: 5/12/25 4:53 am From: David Jensen via groups.io <djensen...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
Perhaps another coincidence- I've been birding in Port Huron Michigan for the past four days and I've seen multiple pairs of Mute Swans, but (finally) no Eurasian Collared Doves. Only MODOs.
DJ
________________________________
From: <Mendobirds...> on behalf of Dan Airola
Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2025 7:33 PM
To: <Mendobirds...>; <feather...>
Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
Mute Swans are increasing rapidly in many areas. I have found 22 ponds with swans in the central Sierra foothills this year (Tuolumne- Sacramento Counties). I saw none in ponds in Yuba and Butte County foothills. Nor did I see them in ponds in Lake County 2 weeks ago.
The Eurasian Collared Dove expanded more rapidly north along the coast then in the interior, but maybe that is just a coincidence.
Dan Airola
Sacramento
On Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 06:34:23 PM PDT, Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> wrote:
Hi all,
Some of you know about the five Mute Swans I spotted flying north along
the coast at Virgin Creek on Tuesday. Well, in Jackson County, OR, five
Mute Swans showed up on Friday and then were gone. Today, five Mute
Swans were spotted in Arcata. What's the likelihood that they are the
same five birds I saw Tuesday morning?
Date: 5/11/25 8:16 pm From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Another Short-tailed Albatross
11 May 2025 - Another amazing Noyo Pelagics trip offshore today. About
25 miles out we got into amazing numbers of Murphy's Petrels; I am not
sure what the official total will be but I estimate at least 50. Often
we had multiple birds in view at one time, and many of them diverted
from their flight path - evidently smelling our fish oil and chum - to
come right to the boat. Some flew right over our heads and one person
got a "selfie" with a Murphy's Petrel.
Before we had quite tired of that spectacle, a Short-tailed Albatross
soared in and joined the flock of 30+ Black-footed enjoying our chum.
This is the third consecutive trip in the last two weeks with
Short-tailed Albatross, and remarkably, they were three different birds.
Both previous birds had readable color bands, but this bird only had a
metal band. Like the one we saw two days ago, this bird stayed with the
boat for some time, following us in until the chum ran out.
The other noteworthy bird was a South Polar Skua that flew right over
us before attacking a Gull that presumably had some of our chum. Oddly
it did not return, even though we had lots of potential victims in our
wake. This is quite early for this species in our waters.
Peter will have a full report but asked me to post here about the
exceptional sightings. The next scheduled trip is May 24... sign up
here: https://noyopelagics.com/
Date: 5/11/25 7:33 pm From: Dan Airola via groups.io <d.airola...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
Mute Swans are increasing rapidly in many areas. I have found 22 ponds with swans in the central Sierra foothills this year (Tuolumne- Sacramento Counties). I saw none in ponds in Yuba and Butte County foothills. Nor did I see them in ponds in Lake County 2 weeks ago.
The Eurasian Collared Dove expanded more rapidly north along the coast then in the interior, but maybe that is just a coincidence.
Dan Airola Sacramento
On Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 06:34:23 PM PDT, Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> wrote:
Hi all,
Some of you know about the five Mute Swans I spotted flying north along
the coast at Virgin Creek on Tuesday. Well, in Jackson County, OR, five
Mute Swans showed up on Friday and then were gone. Today, five Mute
Swans were spotted in Arcata. What's the likelihood that they are the
same five birds I saw Tuesday morning?
Date: 5/11/25 6:34 pm From: Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Five Mute Swans on Tuesday
Hi all,
Some of you know about the five Mute Swans I spotted flying north along
the coast at Virgin Creek on Tuesday. Well, in Jackson County, OR, five
Mute Swans showed up on Friday and then were gone. Today, five Mute
Swans were spotted in Arcata. What's the likelihood that they are the
same five birds I saw Tuesday morning?
Date: 5/8/25 9:19 am From: Julia Wilcox via groups.io <sunflowergirl34000...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Offshore pelagics this Friday and Sunday
Good morning what time is the Friday trip leaving ?
On Wed, May 7, 2025, 9:26 PM Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...>
wrote:
> Spaces are still available on the Kraken for the pelagics this Friday May
> 9 and Sunday May 11. Both trips are confirmed to go at this time.
> Marine forecast looks good for both days - a little choppy and breezy on
> Friday, very calm on Sunday.
> Recent repo cruises have reported good numbers of Murphy's Petrels, a few
> Hawaiian Petrels, and even a couple of Cook's Petrel; all in waters not far
> from where we plan to be. Leach's and Wilson's Storm-petrels have also
> been reported. So there is a very good chance we will find at least some
> of those species, and of course we will be hoping to re-find the
> Short-tailed Albatross encountered only eight miles out on our half-day
> trip April 26.
>
> These trips are led by Peter Pyle and will have several expert spotters on
> board as well.
> To sign up, go here: https://noyopelagics.com/ > While there, be sure to look at the full calendar of scheduled trips
> through November, and sign up for any of those. Marine conditions here are
> such that rare seabirds can be found on any trip, even the half-day
> excursions, and we typically encounter tubenoses soon after leaving the
> harbor.
>
> Eyes on the horizon!
> Tim Bray
> Mendocino Coast Audubon Society <https://www.mendocinocoastaudubon.org/> >
>
Date: 5/7/25 9:26 pm From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Offshore pelagics this Friday and Sunday
Spaces are still available on the Kraken for the pelagics this Friday May 9 and Sunday May 11. Both trips are confirmed to go at this time.
Marine forecast looks good for both days - a little choppy and breezy on Friday, very calm on Sunday.
Recent repo cruises have reported good numbers of Murphy's Petrels, a few Hawaiian Petrels, and even a couple of Cook's Petrel; all in waters not far from where we plan to be. Leach's and Wilson's Storm-petrels have also been reported. So there is a very good chance we will find at least some of those species, and of course we will be hoping to re-find the Short-tailed Albatross encountered only eight miles out on our half-day trip April 26.
These trips are led by Peter Pyle and will have several expert spotters on board as well.
To sign up, go here: https://noyopelagics.com/ While there, be sure to look at the full calendar of scheduled trips through November, and sign up for any of those. Marine conditions here are such that rare seabirds can be found on any trip, even the half-day excursions, and we typically encounter tubenoses soon after leaving the harbor.
Date: 5/3/25 7:06 am From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Gulls at the Fen creek mouth 10-Mile Beach
There is an interesting assortment of about 30 gulls hanging out at this
location, 1-1.5 miles south of the south end of the beach at Ward
Street. Mostly 1st-cycle birds including 12 American Herring Gulls
giving various looks, 7 bleached Glaucous-wingeds, etc.
Among these are two more interesting gulls, a possible bleached
first-cycle Iceland Gull and a possible 3rd or 4th cycle Vega Gull
(recently split from Herring Gull). I have loaded photos here
and will get back and add more later this weekend. I have tentatively
identified these as such in the checklist but when it comes to gulls
this is by no means the final word! Comments are welcome.
If you go to have a look be mindful of the nesting Snowy Plovers and I'd
recommend staying down by the waters edge as much as possible.
Date: 4/27/25 11:52 am From: Kitty & Creek Norris via groups.io <calnorris70...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Nesting Bald Eagles at Lake Mendocino
Oh, that is so sad!
Kitty
> On Apr 27, 2025, at 11:43 AM, vishnu via groups.io <vishnuvishnu...> wrote:
>
> This is a report of observations made on 4/24/2025 between 6:30 and 9:00 pm.
>
> On the hillside above the south end of the dam at L. Mendocino a pair of bald eagles has had a nest for several
> years as I understand it, although this is the first year I've been aware of it. The nest could be easily observed from the southern portion of the dam
> and 2 chicks were observed by me on April 16th. Unfortunately, this past Thursday, early evening April 24, the nest collapsed from the top of the dead conifer snag
> where it had been built and fell to the ground. I saw that this had occurred around 6:30 pm on 4/24 and observed only one adult eagle flying in the immediate area of the
> nest tree and a few times landing on the tree.
> Fish & Wildlife and a bird rescue center in SR were notified but no one was available at that late hour to visit the scene and
> check it out. A friend who knew the trailhead leading to the nest area was able to get to the base of the nest tree just at dark that evening and found, & photographed,
> the 2 chicks, already dead in the debris. I haven't been back out to the dam since Thursday and don't know anything more about the 2 adult eagles.
> Vishnu
>
Date: 4/27/25 11:43 am From: vishnu via groups.io <vishnuvishnu...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Nesting Bald Eagles at Lake Mendocino
This is a report of observations made on 4/24/2025 between 6:30 and 9:00 pm.
On the hillside above the south end of the dam at L. Mendocino a pair of bald eagles has had a nest for several
years as I understand it, although this is the first year I've been aware of it. The nest could be easily observed from the southern portion of the dam
and 2 chicks were observed by me on April 16th. Unfortunately, this past Thursday, early evening April 24, the nest collapsed from the top of the dead conifer snag
where it had been built and fell to the ground. I saw that this had occurred around 6:30 pm on 4/24 and observed only one adult eagle flying in the immediate area of the
nest tree and a few times landing on the tree.
Fish & Wildlife and a bird rescue center in SR were notified but no one was available at that late hour to visit the scene and
check it out. A friend who knew the trailhead leading to the nest area was able to get to the base of the nest tree just at dark that evening and found, & photographed,
the 2 chicks, already dead in the debris. I haven't been back out to the dam since Thursday and don't know anything more about the 2 adult eagles.
Vishnu
Date: 4/27/25 10:54 am From: jackson_us via groups.io <jackson2...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] Noyo Pelagics trip report, April 26th.
Peter, thanks for your great write-up - it makes me feel like I was there! Jeanne
-----Original Message-----
From: <Mendobirds...> <Mendobirds...> On Behalf Of Peter Pyle via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2025 9:22 AM
To: Mendobirds <Mendobirds...>; <Mendocino-Pelagics...>
Subject: [Mendobirds] Noyo Pelagics trip report, April 26th.
Greetings Mendobirders,
Eighteen birders, marine mammal, and ocean enthusiasts went out of Noyo Harbor, Fort Bragg, on 4/26, on the Kraken with Captain Richard Thornton of Anchor Charters (https://anchorcharterboats.com/), for a half-day trip. As many of us crossed the Noyo River bridge at 7 am, we happily and eagerly looked out onto glassy seas and low swell, which we enjoyed on the way out..., for about 15 minutes. First the ripple, then the chop, then the whitecaps, and before we knew it we were heading straight into 15-20 knot winds. What's more, the sea surface temperature was in the high 40s (F) due to lots of upwelling of late, so it was cold, and most of us huddled in the lee on the back deck. But immediately out of the gate it was 'birdy,' with lots of loons, gulls, murres, and, very quickly, a stream of Sooty Shearwaters with some Pink-foots moving south, and albatross on the horizon.
We bumped into a small pod of 15-20 Risso's Dolphins and all had excellent close-up views and photo-ops, as we and them slowly cruised along the surface. We will add our photos to the Risso's catalogue for future tracking of individuals. After slogging into the tempest for a bit we saw some fishing boats on the horizon, along with a trawler working the edge of Noyo Canyon. Gulls and albatross were sitting around the fishing boats so we headed over and decided to toss out some popcorn. Birds were hungry today, as immediately 100s of gulls and albatrosses got off the water and headed in a broad front to see what we were offering. Before we knew it we counted 240 Black-footed Albatrosses sitting around our stern, a bit disappointed that all we had to offer was popcorn. A Laysan Albatross joined, and quickly thereafter a Short-tailed Albatross snuck in undetected, as it was suddenly sitting there, hiding among the Black-foots, a first-year bird looking very similar except for a bill nearly twice the size and bright neon pink.
This species was thought extinct in the 1930-40s, after plume-hunters decimated the single breeding colony on Torishima Island off Japan, mostly for their small feathers to make pillow down. Every last one on the island :(. For 15 years none were seen, but when a weather station was set up on the island in 1951, the meteorologists spotted 10-15 doing their courtship dancing and preparing to breed. These were young birds that had escaped the Armageddon by being at sea for their for first 6-8 years of life, as we now know they do, before coming in to first breed at age 8-10. Thankfully a young biologist named Hiroshi Hasegawa convinced the Japanese government to protect the species and support him, such that he could dedicate his life to studying them and bringing them back. The population now numbers over 7,000. All on board were ecstatic and it was a long-sought life bird for many. I looked up the record of this species and this is the 8th record for Mendocino waters, with no less than five of these being in the exact same spot, upper Noyo Canyon, between March 31 and May 15 (from 2009 to earlier this year). So it looks like this may be the place to go see this species in spring!
The rest of the day was more of the same. We only made it out about 10 miles due to the weather, laying a slick at the "Dog Leg," where a 100 or more albatrosses came in for our halibut and salmon chum. But this was plenty far enough offshore for a half-day trip, and heading back in with, as opposed to against, the seas was a joy for all. A highlight for many of us was, simply, having dozens of Black-footed Albatross in view at all times. We revisited the trawler and counted up to 350 as it pulled in its nets and we estimate 600-1000 Black-foots for the day, including 3-4 that followed us in well within a mile of shore. On the way home we also found and enjoyed close looks at a couple of Gray Whales, and a surprise finale was a Scripp's Murrelet inside of the red-and-white buoy that marks the harbor entrance.
Our Noyo Pelagics website (https://noyopelagics.com/) is now ready for sign-ups on future trips, of which we plan a full slate, including full-day, half-day, and two-hour "science at sea" trips, led by Noyo Center for Marine Science biologists, for locals and families to learn about the incredible marine ecosystem just off our shores. We have three trips planned for May 9-12, which we are now billing as Short-tailed Albatross soirees! Please join us.
Date: 4/27/25 9:21 am From: Peter Pyle via groups.io <ppyle...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Noyo Pelagics trip report, April 26th.
Greetings Mendobirders,
Eighteen birders, marine mammal, and ocean enthusiasts went out of Noyo
Harbor, Fort Bragg, on 4/26, on the Kraken with Captain Richard Thornton
of Anchor Charters (https://anchorcharterboats.com/), for a half-day
trip. As many of us crossed the Noyo River bridge at 7 am, we happily
and eagerly looked out onto glassy seas and low swell, which we enjoyed
on the way out..., for about 15 minutes. First the ripple, then the
chop, then the whitecaps, and before we knew it we were heading straight
into 15-20 knot winds. What's more, the sea surface temperature was in
the high 40s (F) due to lots of upwelling of late, so it was cold, and
most of us huddled in the lee on the back deck. But immediately out of
the gate it was 'birdy,' with lots of loons, gulls, murres, and, very
quickly, a stream of Sooty Shearwaters with some Pink-foots moving
south, and albatross on the horizon.
We bumped into a small pod of 15-20 Risso's Dolphins and all had
excellent close-up views and photo-ops, as we and them slowly cruised
along the surface. We will add our photos to the Risso's catalogue for
future tracking of individuals. After slogging into the tempest for a
bit we saw some fishing boats on the horizon, along with a trawler
working the edge of Noyo Canyon. Gulls and albatross were sitting around
the fishing boats so we headed over and decided to toss out some
popcorn. Birds were hungry today, as immediately 100s of gulls and
albatrosses got off the water and headed in a broad front to see what we
were offering. Before we knew it we counted 240 Black-footed Albatrosses
sitting around our stern, a bit disappointed that all we had to offer
was popcorn. A Laysan Albatross joined, and quickly thereafter a
Short-tailed Albatross snuck in undetected, as it was suddenly sitting
there, hiding among the Black-foots, a first-year bird looking very
similar except for a bill nearly twice the size and bright neon pink.
This species was thought extinct in the 1930-40s, after plume-hunters
decimated the single breeding colony on Torishima Island off Japan,
mostly for their small feathers to make pillow down. Every last one on
the island :(. For 15 years none were seen, but when a weather station
was set up on the island in 1951, the meteorologists spotted 10-15 doing
their courtship dancing and preparing to breed. These were young birds
that had escaped the Armageddon by being at sea for their for first 6-8
years of life, as we now know they do, before coming in to first breed
at age 8-10. Thankfully a young biologist named Hiroshi Hasegawa
convinced the Japanese government to protect the species and support
him, such that he could dedicate his life to studying them and bringing
them back. The population now numbers over 7,000. All on board were
ecstatic and it was a long-sought life bird for many. I looked up the
record of this species and this is the 8th record for Mendocino waters,
with no less than five of these being in the exact same spot, upper Noyo
Canyon, between March 31 and May 15 (from 2009 to earlier this year). So
it looks like this may be the place to go see this species in spring!
The rest of the day was more of the same. We only made it out about 10
miles due to the weather, laying a slick at the "Dog Leg," where a 100
or more albatrosses came in for our halibut and salmon chum. But this
was plenty far enough offshore for a half-day trip, and heading back in
with, as opposed to against, the seas was a joy for all. A highlight for
many of us was, simply, having dozens of Black-footed Albatross in view
at all times. We revisited the trawler and counted up to 350 as it
pulled in its nets and we estimate 600-1000 Black-foots for the day,
including 3-4 that followed us in well within a mile of shore. On the
way home we also found and enjoyed close looks at a couple of Gray
Whales, and a surprise finale was a Scripp's Murrelet inside of the
red-and-white buoy that marks the harbor entrance.
Our Noyo Pelagics website (https://noyopelagics.com/) is now ready for
sign-ups on future trips, of which we plan a full slate, including
full-day, half-day, and two-hour "science at sea" trips, led by Noyo
Center for Marine Science biologists, for locals and families to learn
about the incredible marine ecosystem just off our shores. We have three
trips planned for May 9-12, which we are now billing as Short-tailed
Albatross soirees! Please join us.
Date: 4/27/25 8:03 am From: Sarah Grimes via groups.io <zewa...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] 23 April 2025 Brown Pelican in Talmage - Brown Pelican Event?
Thanks for the focus on our BRPE. Unfortunately I was recovering from surgery and was down in mid April-
During that time, I received 7 reports of young BRPE down, from Elk to Westport. A few were acting very odd and were seen wandering near or in roadways-
I couldn’t respond, but did put the word out to my short list of folks who have assisted in getting birds to rescue facilities in the past.
What can people do??
I always have folks call Bird Rescue first-
That way they can be advised on next steps.
Even if we had a pile of volunteers willing to do capture and transport, it seems critical to get guidance on next steps.
Concerned Reporting Parties should be advised that they may need to consider the long drive.
We have a few folks on the short list and Mendocino Wildlife can sometimes assist in transport relay to SRBR and on to IBRC.
Just my 10 cents
-Sarah
Date: 4/26/25 8:22 pm From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Short-tailed Albatross and Scripps's Murrelet, MEN pelagic today
26 April 2025 - On the half-day Noyo Pelagics trip this morning we
encountered mind-boggling numbers of Black-footed Albatross, perhaps 500
in view at one time, and one LAYSAN ALBATROSS - but the highlight was a
juvenile SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS that came in while we were chumming (at
9:45 AM) and gave us great views as it sat on the water. True to form we
did not see it fly in, lost in the immense numbers of Black-footed, but
Peter Pyle spotted it and everyone got to see it.
The other interesting rarity was a SCRIPPS'S MURRELET seen on the way
into the harbor - only about a mile out. Three of us saw the bird fly
off, and I got poor photos, but we saw enough to rule out the other
possibilities. Normally these are found much farther offshore. There was
also an Arctic Tern just outside the Bay.
Peter will have a writeup with more detail. We were all struck by not
only the large numbers of seabirds, but by how close in they were. The
farthest out we got was the "dogleg" of upper Noyo Canyon, about ten
miles, and most of the action was closer in, especially at the upper end
of the canyon where a "drag boat" had attracted a huge flock of birds.
An amazing day.
Date: 4/26/25 9:28 am From: Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] 23 April 2025 Brown Pelican in Talmage - Brown Pelican Event?
On 2025-04-26 9:26 am, Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via
groups.io wrote:
> Sadly, it's happening up in Oregon, as well.
Date: 4/26/25 9:26 am From: Lisa D. Walker, (Feather Forestwalker) via groups.io <feather...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] 23 April 2025 Brown Pelican in Talmage - Brown Pelican Event?
Date: 4/26/25 9:18 am From: Diane Hichwa via groups.io <dhichwa...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] 23 April 2025 Brown Pelican in Talmage - Brown Pelican Event?
Urgent Update: Starving Brown Pelicans
Turning up Across California
Over 100 young Brown Pelicans have been admitted with starvation concerns to International Bird Rescue’s two California wildlife centers over the past month.
The first wave of struggling birds began arriving at Bird Rescue’s Los Angeles Wildlife Center, where more than 70 have been brought into care. Now, the San Francisco Bay-Delta Wildlife Center is seeing the same troubling trend, with 45 young pelicans admitted, marking this as a statewide issue for the iconic coastal species. Learn more in our recent blog post.
Interestingly the N CA pelis have not shown domoic acid to be the cause.
We do know the juv peli picked up from Sea Ranch bluff trail Sunday evening did go to Santa Rosa Bird Rescue, then on to International Bird Rescue thanks to the help of Shari Goforth.
Diane Hichwa
Email: <dhichwa...>
Telephone: 707-785-1922 (Sea Ranch)
707-483-3130 (cell)
More Tail Wagging!!! Less Barking!!
Millie 2007
From: <Mendobirds...> on behalf of "Tim Bray via groups.io" <tbray...>
Reply-To: <tbray...>
Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 9:19 AM
To: <davebengston...>, Mendobirds <mendobirds...>
Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] 23 April 2025 Brown Pelican in Talmage - Brown Pelican Event?
Resent-From: <tbray...>
Resent-Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2025 09:19:32 -0700
I suspect Domoic Acid influence. As you probably know, there is a massive domoic acid outbreak along the southern and central California coast affecting everything from seabirds to whales. One of the effects of domoic acid toxicosis is loss of directional sense, so affected animals wander far from their habitats. Other effects lead to malnutrition. Brown Pelicans in SoCal have been hard-hit by this outbreak.
On 4/23/2025 9:07 PM, Dave Bengston via groups.io wrote:
By now some of you probably saw on ebird the report of a Brown Pelican in Talmage. Susan Era found one in her yard yesterday in Talmage and it stayed overnight. It seemed to be basically ok, but weakened and it might have been favoring one wing. It was a very young bird, probably first year. She called Santa Rosa Bird Rescue in Santa Rosa and Tim Knudsen picked it up today and took it down there. SR Bird Rescue called Susan to report on the bird. They transported it to another bird rescue further south and it had not been evaluated yet. But she did say that a "Brown Pelican Event" was occuring. I heard that 7 had previously been found in the Bay Area. Susan's wife had gotten this information.
So, it sounds kind of like the situation a few years back when young pelicans were searching all over for food and coming inland all over northern California. So, folks might keep a look out even in inland areas for more pelicans.
Date: 4/24/25 10:12 am From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Offshore trips this weekend
The forecast for Saturday morning looks good and we are confirmed to go.
Plenty of space available if you want to join us. Sign up at the Noyo
Pelagics website:
https://noyopelagics.com/
Or show up at the dock with cash in hand ($125 per person). Be there at
7:00 for a 7:30 am departure on the Kraken, 32460 North Harbor Drive,
Fort Bragg.
Winds and seas are forecast to come up Saturday night and persist
offshore through Sunday, so we have reluctantly canceled the planned
all-day trip Sunday April 27. Anchor Charters is contacting everyone who
had signed up for that one.
There are all-day offshore trips planned for May 9 and May 11 and you
can sign up for either or both of those on the website. We have had some
fantastic trips in May so get on board for those if you can.
Date: 4/24/25 9:19 am From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] 23 April 2025 Brown Pelican in Talmage - Brown Pelican Event?
I suspect Domoic Acid influence. As you probably know, there is a
massive domoic acid outbreak along the southern and central California
coast affecting everything from seabirds to whales. One of the effects
of domoic acid toxicosis is loss of directional sense, so affected
animals wander far from their habitats. Other effects lead to
malnutrition. Brown Pelicans in SoCal have been hard-hit by this outbreak.
On 4/23/2025 9:07 PM, Dave Bengston via groups.io wrote:
> By now some of you probably saw on ebird the report of a Brown Pelican
> in Talmage. * Susan Era* found one in her yard yesterday in Talmage
> and it stayed overnight. It seemed to be basically ok, but weakened
> and it might have been favoring one wing. It was a very young bird,
> probably first year. She called Santa Rosa Bird Rescue in Santa Rosa
> and Tim Knudsen picked it up today and took it down there. SR Bird
> Rescue called Susan to report on the bird. They transported it to
> another bird rescue further south and it had not been evaluated yet.
> But she did say that a "Brown Pelican Event" was occuring. I heard
> that 7 had previously been found in the Bay Area. Susan's wife had
> gotten this information.
>
> So, it sounds kind of like the situation a few years back when young
> pelicans were searching all over for food and coming inland all over
> northern California. So, folks might keep a look out even in inland
> areas for more pelicans.
>
> Dave Bengston, Ukiah
> 707-513-8249
>
>
Date: 4/23/25 10:01 pm From: Diane Hichwa via groups.io <dhichwa...> Subject: Re: [Mendobirds] 23 April 2025 Brown Pelican in Talmage - Brown Pelican Event?
As you noted, there is a starvation “event” going on. The adults were in trouble but now juveniles have come north.
Bird Rescue Center in Santa Rosa is the closest center to bring them for initial evaluation and triage. See Santa Rosa Bird Rescue Center.
THEN they often move on to International Bird Rescue in Fairfield that specializes in water birds. From there they can often be released with a cohort. The sooner they can get to assistance and treatment, the better. THAN YOU ALL!
From: <Mendobirds...> on behalf of "Dave Bengston via groups.io" <davebengston...>
Reply-To: <davebengston...>
Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 9:07 PM
To: Mendobirds <mendobirds...>
Subject: [Mendobirds] 23 April 2025 Brown Pelican in Talmage - Brown Pelican Event?
Resent-From: <davebengston...>
Resent-Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2025 21:07:53 -0700
By now some of you probably saw on ebird the report of a Brown Pelican in Talmage. Susan Era found one in her yard yesterday in Talmage and it stayed overnight. It seemed to be basically ok, but weakened and it might have been favoring one wing. It was a very young bird, probably first year. She called Santa Rosa Bird Rescue in Santa Rosa and Tim Knudsen picked it up today and took it down there. SR Bird Rescue called Susan to report on the bird. They transported it to another bird rescue further south and it had not been evaluated yet. But she did say that a "Brown Pelican Event" was occuring. I heard that 7 had previously been found in the Bay Area. Susan's wife had gotten this information.
So, it sounds kind of like the situation a few years back when young pelicans were searching all over for food and coming inland all over northern California. So, folks might keep a look out even in inland areas for more pelicans.
Date: 4/23/25 9:07 pm From: Dave Bengston via groups.io <davebengston...> Subject: [Mendobirds] 23 April 2025 Brown Pelican in Talmage - Brown Pelican Event?
By now some of you probably saw on ebird the report of a Brown Pelican in Talmage. Susan Era found one in her yard yesterday in Talmage and it stayed overnight. It seemed to be basically ok, but weakened and it might have been favoring one wing. It was a very young bird, probably first year. She called Santa Rosa Bird Rescue in Santa Rosa and Tim Knudsen picked it up today and took it down there. SR Bird Rescue called Susan to report on the bird. They transported it to another bird rescue further south and it had not been evaluated yet. But she did say that a "Brown Pelican Event" was occuring. I heard that 7 had previously been found in the Bay Area. Susan's wife had gotten this information.
So, it sounds kind of like the situation a few years back when young pelicans were searching all over for food and coming inland all over northern California. So, folks might keep a look out even in inland areas for more pelicans.
Date: 4/17/25 10:17 am From: Tim Bray via groups.io <tbray...> Subject: [Mendobirds] Albatrosses from shore
16 April 2025 - On the monthly "Early Bird" outing at the Mendocino
Coast Botanical Gardens, we tallied 56 species of birds, including many
newly-arrived songbirds like Orange-crowned Warbler, Wilson's Warbler,
Western Flycatcher, etc.
The most exciting sighting though was at the bluffs while seawatching,
we spotted an incoming charter boat (the Telstar) that was cleaning fish
and had drawn a "fan club" of gulls and Black-footed Albatrosses. We
estimated around fifteen Albatrosses were visible. As the boat got
closer to shore the numbers diminished, but at least two Albatrosses
stayed with it all the way to the outer buoy, less than a mile from
shore. A rare opportunity to see these open-ocean birds while standing
on dry land!
