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SOUTH BAY BIRDERS UNLIMITED
HOWE 1996 CALIFORNIA BIG YEAR
Last year, my father, Vernon, tallied 476 species of bird in California. We believe this to be a new annual record for the state. I ended up with 475 species, shy only by the WHOOPER SWAN he saw in early January when I was traveling in Europe. We drove over 45,000 miles during our year long effort, sleeping in the car an estimated thirty times. It was rough, and I am glad that the year is over. However, we had a lot of fun doing it, and it helped us to learn a great deal about the status and distribution of birds in California.A full list of our species is in a separate document, including date and county of observance. But first, here is a description of the year in brief. We did not plan on doing a big year; in fact, I was out of the country the first ten days of January. However, we did quite a bit of birding upon my return, including a very successful trip to Northern California. A lot of birds, especially eastern warblers, wintered in Southern California during the first part of 1996, and we made an effort to see most of them. During the early part of February, we were astounded at our year list up until that point, and decided to try for 400. We had never reached that threshold before, but thought that a strategic plan would help us reach the goal. 420 seemed possible, but not likely. We continued to bird actively in Southern California, but our big year was restricted to such; we neglected to chase after many birds in Northern California, birds we could have added easily.
We did, however, do quite well in the south, adding such birds as KENTUCKY WARBLER and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER. Unfortunately, our luck with wintering birds didn't extend into spring. We added a lot of the more common vagrants, as well as almost all of the hard-to-find breeders. However, we didn't seem to find anything extraordinary. The species did add up, however, and Dad reached 400 on June 1 with a CANADA WARBLER, our rarest bird of the spring. We had found out that 400 is easily do-able, if only you plan ahead and see all the hard-to-find-breeders and "easy" vagrants (AMERICAN REDSTART, B & W WARBLER, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, etc.). Our new goal was 440, one that definitely seemed within our grasp.
Trips to Yosemite and the Warner Mountains in June garnered us many Northern California specialties, and we did well with shorebirds in July. August was the month, however, that our whole effort hinged on. We barely did any birding during that month, and added few species compared to other months. However, the quality of the birds we added was staggering, and helped rejuvenate us for the rest of the year. We went on three pelagic trips in a four-week stretch, adding: MANX SHEARWATER, WILSON'S STORM-PETREL, GREAT-WINGED PETREL, DARK-RUMPED PETREL, and RED-FOOTED BOOBY. Our species total was over 430, and nearing our newest goal of 440. Fall was magical; there were always birds showing up in Southern California, and our strategic trips to northern California ended in success.
In September and October, many prime birds showed up, including SMITH'S LONGSPUR, SPRAGUE'S PIPIT, and COMMON GRACKLE. And the slew of good birds continued into November as well. Dad broke 460 with a COOK'S PETREL, and such birds as EASTERN WOOD-PEEWEE, VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD, and THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD were found, and were easy to see. And even though the inevitable law of diminishing returns was affecting our species output, we were still making headway, finally reaching 470. December seemed filled with promise, as many northern birds were moving south through the pacific northwest, reaching central and even southern Oregon. A good finishing December, however, was not to be. Bad weather seemed to follow us everywhere, and most of the birds invading Oregon seemed to stop just short of the California border. We did add an EMPEROR GOOSE and a BLACK-HEADED GULL, and I finally got a TRUMPETER SWAN (the last bird other than WHOOPER SWAN Dad had up on me).
The last two weeks of the year were nightmarish. We spent days (literally) driving around Susanville, Cedarville, and Fort Bidwell, searching the northeastern corner of the state for BOHEMIAN WAXWING. It was not to be, and we were nearly caught in the biggest storm to hit the Sierras in two decades. We spent a lot of time searching the Tule Lake area for WHOOPER SWAN, and then did the same thing in the Sacramento River Delta. We saw a lot of swans, as well as a lot of rain, but no Whooper. The end was not a total loss, however, as a WOOD THRUSH and a STREAK-BACKED ORIOLE were found in southern California, and we managed to see them both. We saw the Oriole on December 31, a satisfying way to end an amazing year.
Even though the big year became a monkey-on-our-back and I actually began to dread good birds showing up, I am glad we did it. In addition to helping the growth of my state list, the big year increased our knowledge of status and distribution greatly, and allowed us to see parts of California we would never have normally seen. Obviously, an effort like this involves a lot of information flow. Many people aided us this year, sharing information or offering encouragement. There is not enough room to thank everyone that showed true kindness, but several people deserve special recognition: Roy Poucher, who would always call whenever he heard some news, and who made sure we never let up; Brian Daniels, Jim Pike, Gene Cardiff, Jim Danzenbaker, and Debbie Shearwater for finding so many good birds; David Blue, for his encouragement and support; Matt Heindel, for early on insisting that if we did a big year, we should go all out; and Guy McCaskie and Don Roberson, who gave so much good advice and encouragement.
The question that I have been mulling over this last month (aside from, "how in the world am I going to get back on track and fulfill deferred responsibilities?"): is a 500 state list possible in a calendar year? Most would offer a resounding "no way," and they just might be right. However, I would argue that it could be possible under the right circumstances. Some years are bad for species total, others are good. We just happened to pick a very good year. It is not inconceivable that someone else would decide to do a big year in the future during another "good year," and have more time to put into it than we did (Dad works full time and I am a graduate student).
I believe the Texas big year record is in the 480s, and if we had gone great guns from the beginning, I estimate that we would have netted ten to fifteen more birds. And with many splits imminent, who knows? We missed CRAVERI'S MURRELET because we couldn't get out on the right boat trip, and WHITE-WINGED TERN because we couldn't get away from work. We spent several hours looking for AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER unsuccessfully on eleven different occasions, and looked unsuccessfully for the SANDWICH TERN on ten different occasions. We showed up the next morning on YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER, BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD, CAPE-MAY WARBLER, and twice for SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER. So do I think that 500 is possible someday? Sure, I think it is, and I hope all those who try have as much fun and learn as much as we did!
Andrew Howe
February 1997Vernon Howe
Riverside, CA
vhowe@lasierra.edu
1996 California Big Year List
Vernon and Andrew Howe
The following is the list for Vernon and Andrew Howe's 1996 California Big Year. The date and county are when and where Vernon first saw the bird (Andrew's dates and locations are slightly different). Note that at the end there is a list of some of the subspecies we saw during the year (eg., Juniper Titmouse, "Blue-headed" Solitary Vireo, etc.).The total species are Vernon Howe (476) and Andrew Howe (475). We both saw the same species and subspecies except Andrew did not see the Whooper Swan or the Bewick's Swan.
Red-throated Loon 1/5 Humboldt
Pacific Loon 1/5 Humboldt
Common Loon 1/5 Humboldt
Yellow-billed Loon 6/22 Mendocino
Pied-billed Grebe 1/2 Orange
Horned Grebe 1/2 Orange
Red-necked Grebe 1/5 Humboldt
Eared Grebe 1/2 Orange
Western Grebe 1/2 Orange
Clark's Grebe 1/2 Orange
Black-footed Albatross 2/3 Ventura pelagic
Laysan Albatross 1/14 Mendocino
Northern Fulmar 2/3 Ventura pelagic
Cook's Petrel 10/27 Santa Barbara pelagic
Dark-rumped Petrel 8/24 Bodega pelagic
Great-winged Petrel 8/24 Bodega pelagic
Pink-footed Shearwater 2/3 Ventura pelagic
Flesh-footed Shearwater 10/26 Monterey pelagic
Buller's Shearwater 8/4 Monterey pelagic
Sooty Shearwater 2/3 Ventura pelagic
Short-tailed Shearwater 10/13 Bodega pelagic
Manx Shearwater 8/4 Monterey pelagic
Black-vented Shearwater 2/3 Ventura pelagic
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 8/24 Bodega pelagic
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel 8/24 Bodega pelagic
Leach's Storm-Petrel 10/27 Santa Barbara pelagic
Ashy Storm-Petrel 8/4 Monterey pelagic
Black Storm-Petrel 8/24 Bodega pelagic
Least Storm-Petrel 8/31 Santa Barbara pelagic
Blue-footed Booby 9/1 Imperial
Red-footed Booby 8/31 Santa Barbara pelagic
American White Pelican 1/2 Riverside
Brown Pelican 1/2 Orange
Double-crested Cormorant 1/2 Orange
Neotropic Cormorant 4/28 Imperial
Brandt's Cormorant 1/5 Humboldt
Pelagic Cormorant 1/5 Humboldt
American Bittern 4/27 Los Angeles
Least Bittern 2/2 Santa Barbara
Great Blue Heron 1/2 Orange
Great Egret 1/2 Orange
Snowy Egret 1/2 Orange
Little Blue Heron 3/22 San Diego
Tricolored Heron 3/9 Imperial
Reddish Egret 9/14 Orange
Cattle Egret 1/2 Riverside
Green Heron 1/3 Riverside
Black-crowned Night Heron 1/2 Orange
Yellow-crowned Night Heron 4/6 San Diego
White-faced Ibis 1/3 Riverside
Wood Stork 3/22 San Diego
Fulvous Whistling-Duck 4/28 Imperial
Tundra Swan 1/4 Colusa
Whooper Swan 1/4 Colusa
Trumpeter Swan 1/4 Colusa
Greater White-fronted Goose 1/4 Colusa
Snow Goose 1/3 Riverside
Ross's Goose 1/3 Riverside
Emperor Goose 12/7 Mendocino
Brant 1/2 Orange
Canada Goose 1/3 Riverside
Wood Duck 1/26 Riverside
Green-winged Teal 1/2 Orange
Mallard 1/2 Orange
Northern Pintail 1/2 Orange
Blue-winged Teal 1/2 Orange
Cinnamon Teal 1/2 Orange
Northern Shoveler 1/2 Orange
Gadwall 1/2 Orange
Eurasian Wigeon 1/2 Orange
American Wigeon 1/2 Orange
Canvasback 1/2 Orange
Redhead 3/2 Los Angeles
Ring-necked Duck 1/2 Orange
Tufted Duck 1/20 Imperial
Greater Scaup 1/2 Orange
Lesser Scaup 1/2 Orange
Harlequin Duck 1/5 Humboldt
Oldsquaw 1/2 Riverside
Black Scoter 3/24 San Francisco
Surf Scoter 1/2 Orange
White-winged Scoter 1/5 Humboldt
Common Goldeneye 1/4 Colusa
Barrow's Goldeneye 1/4 Colusa
Bufflehead 1/2 Orange
Hooded Merganser 1/2 Riverside
Common Merganser 1/2 Riverside
Red-breasted Merganser 1/2 Orange
Ruddy Duck 1/2 Orange
Turkey Vulture 1/20 Riverside
Osprey 1/2 Riverside
White-tailed Kite 1/2 Riverside
Bald Eagle 2/10 San Bernardino
Northern Harrier 1/2 Riverside
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1/4 Colusa
Cooper's Hawk 1/17 Riverside
Northern Goshawk 7/4 Tulare
Harris's Hawk 4/8 Los Angeles
Red-shouldered Hawk 1/2 Riverside
Broad-winged Hawk 10/12 Marin
Swainson's Hawk 5/26 Inyo
Zone-tailed Hawk 1/28 Orange
Red-tailed Hawk 1/2 Riverside
Ferruginous Hawk 1/2 Riverside
Rough-legged Hawk 12/21 Shasta
Golden Eagle 2/19 Riverside
American Kestrel 1/1 Riverside
Merlin 1/2 Riverside
Prairie Falcon 1/30 Riverside
Peregrine Falcon 2/9 Riverside
Chukar 5/4 Kern
Ring-necked Pheasant 1/2 Riverside
Blue Grouse 3/23 Inyo
Ruffed Grouse 12/22 Humboldt
Sage Grouse 3/23 Mono
Wild Turkey 3/25 Alameda
Gambel's Quail 1/20 Imperial
California Quail 1/31 Riverside
Mountain Quail 1/14 Humboldt
Black Rail 4/12 Imperial
Clapper Rail 1/20 Imperial
Virginia Rail 1/28 Orange
Sora 1/12 Humboldt
Common Moorhen 1/2 Orange
American Coot 1/2 Orange
Sandhill Crane 1/4 Colusa
Black-bellied Plover 1/2 Orange
Pacific Golden-Plover 1/2 Orange
American Golden-Plover 9/19 Ventura
Snowy Plover 1/20 Imperial
Semipalmated Plover 1/2 Orange
Killdeer 1/2 Orange
Mountain Plover 1/4 Colusa
Black Oystercatcher 1/14 Mendocino
Black-necked Stilt 1/2 Orange
American Avocet 1/2 Orange
Greater Yellowlegs 1/2 Orange
Lesser Yellowlegs 1/20 Imperial
Solitary Sandpiper 4/27 Los Angeles
Willet 1/2 Orange
Wandering Tattler 1/27 Orange
Spotted Sandpiper 1/2 Orange
Whimbrel 1/27 Orange
Long-billed Curlew 1/2 Orange
Marbled Godwit 1/2 Orange
Ruddy Turnstone 1/2 Orange
Black Turnstone 1/5 Humboldt
Surfbird 1/5 Humboldt
Red Knot 3/22 San Diego
Sanderling 1/2 Orange
Semipalmated Sandpiper 8/3 Orange
Western Sandpiper 1/2 Orange
Least Sandpiper 1/2 Orange
Baird's Sandpiper 7/27 Orange
Pectoral Sandpiper 7/21 Los Angeles
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 10/19 Marin
Rock Sandpiper 1/5 Humboldt
Dunlin 1/2 Orange
Curlew Sandpiper 7/12 San Diego
Stilt Sandpiper 1/20 Imperial
Ruff 3/17 Imperial
Short-billed Dowitcher 1/2 Orange
Long-billed Dowitcher 1/2 Orange
Common Snipe 1/29 Riverside
Wilson's Phalarope 5/4 Los Angeles
Red-necked Phalarope 5/4 Los Angeles
Red Phalarope 2/3 Ventura pelagic
Pomarine Jaeger 3/10 Los Angeles pelagic
Parasitic Jaeger 2/3 Ventura pelagic
Long-tailed Jaeger 8/4 Monterey pelagic
South Polar Skua 10/13 Bodega pelagic
Laughing Gull 6/8 Imperial
Franklin's Gull 5/4 Los Angeles
Little Gull 11/10 Riverside
Common Black-headed Gull 11/29 Santa Barbara
Bonaparte's Gull 1/2 Riverside
Heermann's Gull 1/2 Orange
Mew Gull 1/2 Orange
Ring-billed Gull 1/1 Riverside
California Gull 1/2 Orange
Herring Gull 1/2 Orange
Thayer's Gull 1/27 Orange
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1/7 Orange
Yellow-footed Gull 1/20 Imperial
Western Gull 1/2 Orange
Glaucous-winged Gull 1/5 Humboldt
Glaucous Gull 3/24 Alameda
Black-legged Kittiwake 1/20 Imperial
Sabine's Gull 8/4 Monterey pelagic
Gull-billed Tern 6/8 Imperial
Caspian Tern 1/2 Orange
Royal Tern 2/2 Santa Barbara
Elegant Tern 3/16 Orange
Common Tern 2/2 Santa Barbara
Arctic Tern 6/22 Alameda
Forster's Tern 1/2 Orange
Least Tern 5/5 Orange
Sooty Tern 6/8 Orange
Black Tern 4/28 Imperial
Black Skimmer 1/7 Orange
Common Murre 3/25 San Mateo
Pigeon Guillemot 3/25 San Mateo
Marbled Murrelet 1/14 Mendocino
Xantus' Murrelet 2/3 Ventura pelagic
Ancient Murrelet 1/14 Mendocino
Cassin's Auklet 1/14 Mendocino
Rhinoceros Auklet 2/3 Ventura pelagic
Tufted Puffin 7/5 Humboldt
Rock Dove 1/1 Riverside
Band-tailed Pigeon 1/1 Riverside
Spotted Dove 1/2 Riverside
White-winged Dove 3/17 San Diego
Mourning Dove 1/2 Orange
Inca Dove 3/9 Imperial
Common Ground-Dove 1/2 Riverside
Ruddy Ground-Dove 3/28 Inyo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 6/23 Kern
Greater Roadrunner 3/17 San Diego
Groove-billed Ani 1/21 Los Angeles
Barn Owl 1/4 Colusa
Flammulated Owl 4/27 Los Angeles
Western Screech-Owl 1/12 Humboldt
Great Horned Owl 1/20 Imperial
Northern Pygmy-Owl 3/24 San Mateo
Elf Owl 5/11 San Bernardino
Burrowing Owl 1/3 Riverside
Spotted Owl 3/29 San Bernardino
Barred Owl 1/12 Humboldt
Great Gray Owl 6/21 Tuolumne
Long-eared Owl 1/31 Riverside
Short-eared Owl 1/2 Riverside
Northern Saw-whet Owl 3/25 San Francisco
Lesser Nighthawk 4/12 Imperial
Common Nighthawk 5/25 Mono
Common Poorwill 3/24 San Mateo
Whip-poor-will 5/11 San Bernardino
Black Swift 6/1 Los Angeles
Chimney Swift 6/24 Los Angeles
Vaux's Swift 4/12 Imperial
White-throated Swift 2/25 Los Angeles
Violet-crowned Hummingbird 11/14 San Diego
Black-chinned Hummingbird 4/13 San Bernardino
Anna's Hummingbird 1/2 Orange
Costa's Hummingbird 3/17 San Diego
Calliope Hummingbird 6/23 San Bernardino
Broad-tailed Hummingbird 5/25 Inyo
Rufous Hummingbird 2/25 Los Angeles
Allen's Hummingbird 1/2 Orange
Belted Kingfisher 1/20 Imperial
Lewis's Woodpecker 1/12 Humboldt
Acorn Woodpecker 1/1 Riverside
Gila Woodpecker 1/20 Imperial
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 10/5 Kern
Red-naped Sapsucker 4/13 San Bernardino
Red-breasted Sapsucker 1/13 Humboldt
Williamson's Sapsucker 6/23 San Bernardino
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1/31 Riverside
Nuttall's Woodpecker 1/3 Riverside
Downy Woodpecker 1/13 Humboldt
Hairy Woodpecker 1/13 Humboldt
White-headed Woodpecker 2/16 Los Angeles
Black-backed Woodpecker 6/21 Tuolumne
Northern Flicker 1/2 Riverside
Gilded Flicker 5/11 San Bernardino
Pileated Woodpecker 4/21 Napa
Olive-sided Flycatcher 5/4 Kern
Western Wood-Pewee 5/4 Kern
Eastern Wood Pewee 11/1 Orange
Willow Flycatcher 5/12 San Bernardino
Least Flycatcher 1/21 Orange
Hammond's Flycatcher 4/13 San Bernardino
Dusky Flycatcher 5/4 Kern
Gray Flycatcher 4/13 San Bernardino
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 4/6 San Diego
Cordilleran Flycatcher 7/5 Modoc
Black Phoebe 1/1 Riverside
Eastern Phoebe 1/3 Riverside
Say's Phoebe 1/2 Riverside
Vermilion Flycatcher 1/20 Imperial
Dusky-capped Flycatcher 3/26 Monterey
Ash-throated Flycatcher 4/13 San Bernardino
Brown-crested Flycatcher 4/14 San Bernardino
Tropical Kingbird 11/19 San Diego
Cassin's Kingbird 1/2 Riverside
Thick-billed Kingbird 11/16 Los Angeles
Western Kingbird 3/24 San Mateo
Eastern Kingbird 7/6 San Mateo
Horned Lark 1/4 Colusa
Purple Martin 6/22 Sacramento
Tree Swallow 1/2 Riverside
Violet-green Swallow 2/19 Riverside
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2/17 Ventura
Bank Swallow 4/12 Imperial
Cliff Swallow 2/19 Riverside
Barn Swallow 3/9 Imperial
Gray Jay 1/12 Humboldt
Steller's Jay 1/5 Humboldt
Island Scrub-Jay 8/31 Santa Cruz Island
Western Scrub-Jay 1/2 Riverside
Pinyon Jay 5/12 San Bernardino
Clark's Nutcracker 3/23 Inyo
Black-billed Magpie 3/23 Inyo
Yellow-billed Magpie 1/4 Colusa
American Crow 1/1 Riverside
Common Raven 1/2 Riverside
Black-capped Chickadee 1/13 Humboldt
Mountain Chickadee 1/28 Los Angeles
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 3/24 San Francisco
Plain Titmouse 1/21 Los Angeles
Verdin 1/20 Imperial
Bushtit 1/1 Riverside
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1/13 Humboldt
White-breasted Nuthatch 1/28 Los Angeles
Pygmy Nuthatch 2/10 San Bernardino
Brown Creeper 1/6 Humboldt
Cactus Wren 1/20 Imperial
Rock Wren 1/31 Riverside
Canyon Wren 3/22 San Diego
Bewick's Wren 1/4 Colusa
House Wren 1/21 Los Angeles
Winter Wren 1/12 Humboldt
Marsh Wren 1/2 Orange
American Dipper 3/29 San Bernardino
Arctic Warbler 9/30 San Luis Obispo
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1/5 Humboldt
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1/2 Orange
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1/3 Riverside
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher 1/20 Imperial
California Gnatcatcher 1/7 Orange
Western Bluebird 1/28 Orange
Mountain Bluebird 1/26 Riverside
Townsend's Solitaire 5/4 Kern
Swainson's Thrush 5/4 Kern
Hermit Thrush 1/21 Los Angeles
Wood Thrush 12/23 San Bernardino
Rufous-backed Robin 3/22 San Diego
American Robin 1/5 Humboldt
Varied Thrush 1/5 Humboldt
Wrentit 1/5 Humboldt
Gray Catbird 1/7 Orange
Northern Mockingbird 1/1 Riverside
Sage Thrasher 3/2 Los Angeles
Brown Thrasher 2/24 San Diego
Bendire's Thrasher 3/27 San Bernardino
California Thrasher 1/30 Riverside
Crissal Thrasher 1/20 Imperial
LeConte's Thrasher 3/2 Los Angeles
Black-backed Wagtail 1/27 Orange
Red-throated Pipit 10/20 Orange
American Pipit 1/3 Riverside
Sprague's Pipit 10/20 Orange
Cedar Waxwing 2/11 Santa Barbara
Phainopepla 3/17 San Diego
Northern Shrike 11/9 Siskiyou
Loggerhead Shrike 1/2 Riverside
European Starling 1/1 Riverside
Bell's Vireo 3/22 San Diego
Gray Vireo 4/6 San Diego
Solitary Vireo (Plumbeous) 1/24 Riverside
Yellow-throated Vireo 9/29 Los Angeles
Hutton's Vireo 1/5 Humboldt
Warbling Vireo 4/13 San Bernardino
Philadelphia Vireo 10/10 Kern
Red-eyed Vireo 6/23 San Mateo
Yellow-green Vireo 9/20 Orange
Golden-winged Warbler 3/2 Los Angeles
Tennessee Warbler 9/11 Los Angeles
Orange-crowned Warbler 1/2 Riverside
Nashville Warbler 4/13 San Bernardino
Virginia's Warbler 5/11 San Bernardino
Lucy's Warbler 3/28 Inyo
Northern Parula 5/27 Kern
Yellow Warbler 2/17 Ventura
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1/7 Orange
Magnolia Warbler 7/5 Humboldt
Black-throated Blue Warbler 10/19 Marin
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1/1 Riverside
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1/21 Los Angeles
Townsend's Warbler 1/21 Los Angeles
Hermit Warbler 5/4 Kern
Black-throated Green Warbler 1/24 Riverside
Blackburnian Warbler 1/21 Los Angeles
Yellow-throated Warbler 1/20 Imperial
Grace's Warbler 2/16 Los Angeles
Prairie Warbler 4/6 San Diego
Palm Warbler 1/29 Riverside
Bay-breasted Warbler 11/28 Orange
Blackpoll Warbler 9/12 Kern
Black-and-White Warbler 2/25 Los Angeles
American Redstart 1/28 Los Angeles
Prothonotary Warbler 2/24 Los Angeles
Worm-eating Warbler 3/25 San Francisco
Ovenbird 6/1 Kern
Northern Waterthrush 1/7 Orange
Kentucky Warbler 3/16 Orange
Mourning Warbler 10/12 Monterey
MacGillivray's Warbler 4/13 San Bernardino
Common Yellowthroat 1/2 Orange
Hooded Warbler 7/5 Humboldt
Wilson's Warbler 2/24 Los Angeles
Canada Warbler 6/1 Kern
Painted Redstart 1/7 Orange
Yellow-breasted Chat 4/14 San Bernardino
Hepatic Tanager 2/11 Santa Barbara
Summer Tanager 5/12 San Bernardino
Western Tanager 4/27 Los Angeles
Northern Cardinal 6/29 San Bernardino
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 6/1 Kern
Black-headed Grosbeak 4/20 Napa
Blue Grosbeak 4/27 Los Angeles
Lazuli Bunting 4/27 Los Angeles
Indigo Bunting 5/27 Inyo
Painted Bunting 9/15 Orange
Dickcissel 9/28 Inyo
Green-tailed Towhee 5/12 San Bernardino
Spotted Towhee 1/4 Colusa
California Towhee 1/3 Riverside
Abert's Towhee 1/20 Imperial
Rufous-crowned Sparrow 1/29 Riverside
American Tree Sparrow 11/10 Inyo
Chipping Sparrow 1/21 Los Angeles
Clay-colored Sparrow 1/28 Los Angeles
Brewer's Sparrow 3/27 San Bernardino
Black-chinned Sparrow 5/11 San Bernardino
Vesper Sparrow 1/2 Riverside
Lark Sparrow 1/21 Los Angeles
Black-throated Sparrow 3/2 Los Angeles
Sage Sparrow 1/29 Riverside
Lark Bunting 1/6 San Benito
Savannah Sparrow 1/2 Orange
Grasshopper Sparrow 3/26 Stanislaus
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow 2/16 Orange
Fox Sparrow ("brown") 1/12 Humboldt
Song Sparrow 1/2 Orange
Lincoln's Sparrow 1/14 Mendocino
Swamp Sparrow 1/14 Mendocino
White-throated Sparrow 1/12 Humboldt
Golden-crowned Sparrow 1/4 Colusa
White-crowned Sparrow 1/2 Orange
Harris' Sparrow 1/21 Los Angeles
Dark-eyed Junco 1/5 Humboldt
McCown's Longspur 11/2 Los Angeles
Lapland Longspur 1/12 Humboldt
Smith's Longspur 10/10 Kern
Chestnut-collared Longspur 3/9 Imperial
Rustic Bunting 1/5 Humboldt
Snow Bunting 11/9 Humboldt
Bobolink 5/25 Inyo
Red-winged Blackbird 1/2 Orange
Tricolored Blackbird 2/11 Santa Barbara
Western Meadowlark 1/2 Riverside
Yellow-headed Blackbird 2/19 Riverside
Rusty Blackbird 1/5 Humboldt
Brewer's Blackbird 1/2 Riverside
Great-tailed Grackle 1/20 Imperial
Common Grackle 10/25 San Bernardino
Bronzed Cowbird 4/12 Imperial
Brown-headed Cowbird 1/2 Riverside
Orchard Oriole 2/2 Santa Barbara
Hooded Oriole 4/7 San Diego
Streak-backed Oriole 12/31 Orange
Baltimore Oriole 4/6 San Diego
Bullock's Oriole 3/22 San Diego
Scott's Oriole 5/10 San Bernardino
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch 3/23 Inyo
Pine Grosbeak 6/21 Tuolumne
Purple Finch 1/28 Los Angeles
Cassin's Finch 2/16 Los Angeles
House Finch 1/2 Riverside
Red Crossbill 6/22 Mendocino
Pine Siskin 1/12 Humboldt
Lesser Goldfinch 1/24 Riverside
Lawrence's Goldfinch 3/17 San Diego
American Goldfinch 1/7 Orange
Evening Grosbeak 6/21 Tuolumne
House Sparrow 1/21 Orange
Subspecies
Bewick's Swan 1/4 Colusa
Canada Goose - Cackling 12/30 San Mateo
Snow Goose - Blue Phase 3/17 Imperial
Green-winged Teal - Common 12/30 San Mateo
Red-tailed Hawk - Harlan's 3/9 Riverside
Merlin - Richardson's 1/24 Riverside
Clapper Rail - Yuma 4/12 Imperial
Northern Flicker - Yellow-Shafted 4/13 San Bernardino
Western Scrub-Jay - Woodhouse 5/11 San Bernardino
Juniper Titmouse 12/17 Inyo
Solitary Vireo - Cassin's 4/6 San Diego
Solitary Vireo - Blue-headed 10/6 Orange
Orange-crnd Warbler - Gray Headed 3/17 San Diego
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Myrtle 1/24 Riverside
Sage Sparrow - "non Bell's" 3/23 Mono
Savannah Sparrow - Belding's 12/13 San Diego
Savannah Sparrow - Large-billed 12/13 San Diego
Fox Sparrow - "gray" 1/29 Riverside
Fox Sparrow - "red" 11/3 Riverside
Song Sparrow - Saltonis 3/9 Imperial
White-crnd Sparrow - "black lored" 4/28 Imperial
Dark-eyed Junco - Gray-headed 11/3 Riverside
Dark-eyed Junco - Slate-colored 11/3 Riverside
Dark-eyed Junco - Pink-sided 11/3 Riverside
Dark-eyed Junco - White-winged 11/3 Riverside