Photo: Bonaparte’s Gull by Mick Thompson
October 25, 2022
We arrived at Point No Point to see hundreds of Bonaparte’s Gulls sitting on placid water. Enjoying the conditions before the wind picked up later in the morning, we also saw about numbers of Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Rhinoceros Auklet and Short-billed Gull. Other notable birds were Sanderling, Marbled Murrelet, Parasitic Jaeger, White-winged Scoter, California Scrub Jay, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon and a lost pair of young Snow Geese. It was much windier at Foulweather Bluff Preserve, but we added Black Scoter, Western Grebe and Varied Thrush. After lunch and a short walk at Buck Lake Park, we headed home as rain began.
60 species (approx. qty.)
Attendees: Phil, Denny, Merilee, Rex, Judy B., Bruce, Bev, Reg, Ken, Karen, Pam T., Graham, Wilma, Mike
CHECKLIST:
WATERFOWL: Snow Goose (2), Mallard (1), Ring-necked Duck (34), Surf Scoter (31), White-winged Scoter (14), Black Scoter (6), Hooded Merganser (1), Red-breasted Merganser (27)
LOONS, GREBES: Red-throated Loon (1), Pacific Loon (5), Common Loon (4), Horned Grebe (28), Red-necked Grebe (10), Western Grebe (2)
PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Double-crested Cormorant (43)), Pelagic Cormorant (32), American Bittern (1), Great Blue Heron (4)
RAPTORS: Bald Eagle (5), Red-tailed Hawk (2), Merlin (1), Peregrine Falcon (1)
SHOREBIRDS: Killdeer (4), Sanderling (1)
GULLS, TERNS: Bonaparte’s Gull (800), Heermann’s Gull (30), Short-billed Gull (25), California Gull (10), Glaucous-winged Gull (200)
ALCIDS, JAEGERS: Common Murre (1), Pigeon Guillemot (2), Marbled Murrelet (2), Rhinoceros Auklet (15), Parasitic Jaeger (2)
DOVES, PIGEONS: Rock Pigeon (1), Eurasian Collared-Dove (9)
HUMMINGBIRDS: Anna’s Hummingbird (4)
KINGFISHERS: Belted Kingfisher (1)
WOODPECKERS: Northern Flicker (2)
CORVIDS: California Scrub Jay (5), American Crow (7), Common Raven (2)
CHICKADEES, BUSHTIT: Black-capped Chickadee {1), Chestnut-backed Chickadee (2)
WRENS: Pacific Wren (4)
KINGLETS: Golden-crowned Kinglet (2), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2)
THRUSHES: American Robin (21), Varied Thrush (1)
MIMIDS, STARLINGS: European Starling (1200)
WARBLERS, CHATS: Yellow-rumped Warbler (2)
LONGSPURS, SPARROWS: Spotted Towhee (1), Fox Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow (13), Lincoln’s Sparrow (2) White-crowned Sparrow (2), Golden-crowned Sparrow (6), Dark-eyed Junco (7)
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Red-winged Blackbird (60)
FINCHES, WEAVER FINCH: House Finch (8)