FINAL LIST FOR 2003We finished the year with 273 species, having added only three in December. This is the lowest species total since 1991 when we had 270 species. The most interesting statistic is that our 10-year average for the composite list is 292 species, which is 19 species greater! In 1997 we had 304 species, which is 31 species more--astounding! We did add one species to the county list in 2003, a single Pinyon Jay in October, and that was nice.
The high tides of December brought sightings of BLACK RAIL at last on 21 Dec. This species is usually found every winter (although not in 2002), so it is nice to keep it in the category of 4s.
Two Tundra Swans were on Searsville Lake during the first part of December. Fortunately for us, these birds slipped into Santa Clara County airspace on 13 Dec. This is the only 5 we added.
Our 6 for the month was a Sage Thrasher at the Sunnyvale WPCP on 12 Dec. This is 9th county record.
Bill
For copies of Bill's Discussions for previous months this year, CLICK HERE
DATE OBSERVER* RARITY**
Red-throated Loon 4
Pacific Loon 1/1/03 m. ob. 5
Common Loon 5/18/03 DLSu 4
Pied-billed Grebe 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Horned Grebe 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Red-necked Grebe 1/8/03 AME 5
Eared Grebe 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Western Grebe 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Clark's Grebe 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Northern Fulmar 6
Sooty Shearwater 6
Ashy Storm-Petrel 6
Brown Booby 6
American White Pelican 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Brown Pelican 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 3
Brandt's Cormorant 6
Double-crested Cormorant 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Pelagic Cormorant 6
Magnificent Frigatebird 6
American Bittern 1/6/03 RWR 4
Least Bittern 6
Great Blue Heron 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Great Egret 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Snowy Egret 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Little Blue Heron 6/25/03 CM 5
Cattle Egret 5/12/03 M'OB 5
Green Heron 1/1/03 m. ob. 3
Black-crowned Night Heron 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Glossy Ibis 6
White-faced Ibis 5/21/03 JMy 4
Turkey Vulture 1/1/03 MMR, WGB 1
California Condor 6
Fulvous Whistling-Duck 6
Greater White-fronted Goose 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 4
Snow Goose 1/6/03 MMR 4
Ross' Goose 2/5/03 MJM 4
Canada Goose 1/1/03 MJM, AV 1
Brant 6
Tundra Swan 12/13/03 JKr 5
Wood Duck 1/1/03 m. ob. 3
Gadwall 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Eurasian Wigeon 1/2/03 KPa 4
American Wigeon 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Mallard 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Blue-winged Teal 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 4
Cinnamon Teal 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 2
Northern Shoveler 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Northern Pintail 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
Garganey 6
Green-winged Teal 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Canvasback 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Redhead 1/1/03 MMR 3
Ring-necked Duck 1/1/03 m. ob. 3
Tufted Duck 10/25/03 FV et al. 5
Greater Scaup 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Lesser Scaup 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Surf Scoter 1/1/03 m. ob. 3
White-winged Scoter 11/11/03 RWR, FV 5
Black Scoter 6
Long-tailed Duck 5
Bufflehead 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Common Goldeneye 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Barrow's Goldeneye 11/4/03 MMR 4
Hooded Merganser 1/1/03 m. ob. 3
Common Merganser 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Red-breasted Merganser 1/1/03 MJM 3
Ruddy Duck 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Osprey 1/1/03 m. ob. 4
White-tailed Kite 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Bald Eagle 1/1/03 MJM 4
Northern Harrier 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1/1/03 KPa, KO 2
Cooper's Hawk 1/1/03 MJM 2
Northern Goshawk 6
Red-shouldered Hawk 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Broad-winged Hawk 9/12/03 PF 6
Swainson's Hawk 5
Red-tailed Hawk 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Ferruginous Hawk 1/10/03 RK, PK 4
Rough-legged Hawk 5
Golden Eagle 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
American Kestrel 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Merlin 1/1/03 m. ob. 3
Peregrine Falcon 1/1/03 MMR, AME 3
Prairie Falcon 1/4/03 RWR et al. 3
Ring-necked Pheasant 1/1/03 MMR, DA 2
Wild Turkey 1/7/03 WGB 3
Mountain Quail 4
California Quail 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Yellow Rail 6
Black Rail 12/21/03 MJM 5
Clapper Rail 1/1/03 AME 2
Virginia Rail 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 2
Sora 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 2
Common Moorhen 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 2
American Coot 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Sandhill Crane 6
Black-bellied Plover 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
American Golden-Plover 5
Pacific Golden-Plover 1/1/03 MMR 5
Snowy Plover 1/7/03 MMR, RK 5
Semipalmated Plover 1/7/03 MMR, RK 2
Killdeer 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
Mountain Plover 6
Black Oystercatcher 6
Black-necked Stilt 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
American Avocet 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 2/1/03 DVP,MB 3
Solitary Sandpiper 4/27/03 KH 5
Willet 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Wandering Tattler 10/22/03 RPo 6
Spotted Sandpiper 1/1/03 m. ob. 3
Whimbrel 1/1/03 MJM 3
Long-billed Curlew 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Hudsonian Godwit 8/29/03 DM 6
Bar-tailed Godwit 6
Marbled Godwit 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Ruddy Turnstone 7/19/03 DM 5
Black Turnstone 6
Red Knot 1/14/03 FV 5
Sanderling 1/3/03 MMR, MJM 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper 7/26/03 MJM 4
Western Sandpiper 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
Least Sandpiper 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
White-rumped Sandpiper 6
Baird's Sandpiper 7/30/03 MMR, MJM 4
Pectoral Sandpiper 8/11/03 RK, PK 4
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 10/5/03 DBu 6
Dunlin 1/1/03 MMR 1
Curlew Sandpiper 6
Stilt Sandpiper 8/19/03 RK, PK 4
Buff-breasted Sandpiper 6
Ruff 2/1/03 AME 5
Short-billed Dowitcher 1/1/03 MJM 1
Long-billed Dowitcher 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
Wilson's Snipe 1/1/03 MMR 3
Wilson's Phalarope 5/7/03 RWR, FV 2
Red-necked Phalarope 5/30/03 MMR, MJM 2
Red Phalarope 1/2/03 JB 5
Pomarine Jaeger 6
Parasitic Jaeger 5
Long-tailed Jaeger 6
Laughing Gull 6
Franklin's Gull 3/18/03 RWR, FV 5
Little Gull 6
Black-headed Gull 6
Bonaparte's Gull 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Heermann's Gull 5
Mew Gull 1/1/03 MMR 2
Ring-billed Gull 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
California Gull 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
Herring Gull 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Thayer's Gull 1/1/03 m. ob. 3
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1/26/03 JiD 6
Western Gull 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
Glaucous-winged Gull 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Glaucous Gull 2/1/03 DVP, MB 4
Sabine's Gull 6
Black-legged Kittiwake 6
Caspian Tern 3/9/03 AV 2
Elegant Tern 5
Common Tern 9/6/03 MJM 4
Arctic Tern 6
Forster's Tern 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
Least Tern 7/3/03 WGB 4
Black Tern 8/15/03 MMR, MJM 5
Black Skimmer 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 4
Common Murre 9/7/03 MMR, MJM 6
Ancient Murrelet 6
Cassin's Auklet 6
Rock Pigeon 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Band-tailed Pigeon 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
White-winged Dove 6
Mourning Dove 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 6
Greater Roadrunner 1/1/03 RJ 4
Barn Owl 1/1/03 JMa 2
Flammulated Owl 6
Western Screech-Owl 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Great Horned Owl 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Northern Pygmy-Owl 1/26/03 MMR 3
Burrowing Owl 1/3/03 MMR 3
Long-eared Owl 2/1/03 DB 4
Short-eared Owl 1/1/03 DA 4
Northern Saw-whet Owl 1/1/03 JMa et al. 3
Lesser Nighthawk 6
Common Nighthawk 6
Common Poorwill 3/12/03 WGB 3
Black Swift 5
Chimney Swift 6
Vaux's Swift 4/14/03 MMR 4
White-throated Swift 1/15/03 JY, AL 2
Black-chinned Hummingbird 5/3/03 CCFS 4
Anna's Hummingbird 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Costa's Hummingbird 5
Calliope Hummingbird 4/19/03 MMR, MJM et a5
Broad-tailed Hummingbird 6
Rufous Hummingbird 1/25/03 MMR, MJM 4
Allen's Hummingbird 2/9/03 MMR 3
Belted Kingfisher 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Lewis's Woodpecker 2/1/03 GB, ALE 3
Acorn Woodpecker 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Williamson's Sapsucker 6
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 6
Red-naped Sapsucker 5
Red-breasted Sapsucker 1/1/03 m. ob. 3
Nuttall's Woodpecker 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Downy Woodpecker 1/1/03 MMR, AV 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1/1/03 JMa, WGB 2
Northern Flicker 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1/20/03 MMR 4
Olive-sided Flycatcher 4/12/03 MDd 2
Western Wood-Pewee 4/19/03 LBG 2
Willow Flycatcher 4/30/03 WGB 4
Least Flycatcher 6
Hammond's Flycatcher 4/13/03 MJM 5
Gray Flycatcher 5/11/03 MMR 5
Dusky Flycatcher 5/1/03 MMR, RGJ 5
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 3/21/03 JP 2
Black Phoebe 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Eastern Phoebe 6
Say's Phoebe 1/1/03 WGB, DG 3
Ash-throated Flycatcher 4/10/03 m. ob. 2
Tropical Kingbird 6
Cassin's Kingbird 4/11/03 BA 5
Western Kingbird 3/29/03 m. ob. 2
Eastern Kingbird 7/27/03 DLSu 6
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 6
Loggerhead Shrike 1/1/03 MJM 2
Northern Shrike 6
Bell's Vireo 6
Yellow-throated Vireo 6
Plumbeous Vireo 6
Cassin's Vireo 3/29/03 GH 2
Blue-headed Vireo 6
Hutton's Vireo 1/1/03 JY, AL 2
Warbling Vireo 3/9/03 TGr 2
Red-eyed Vireo 6
Steller's Jay 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Western Scrub-Jay 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Pinyon Jay 10/10/03 MO'B 6
Clark's Nutcracker 6
Black-billed Magpie 6
Yellow-billed Magpie 1/1/03 WGB, JY, AL 2
American Crow 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Common Raven 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Horned Lark 2/9/03 MMR 3
Purple Martin 4
Tree Swallow 1/1/03 MJM 2
Violet-green Swallow 1/1/03 MJM 1
Nor. Rough-winged Swallow 2/27/03 AV 2
Bank Swallow 7/27/03 WGB 5
Cliff Swallow 3/1/03 MDd 1
Barn Swallow 1/1/03 MMR, RJ 1
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Oak Titmouse 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Bushtit 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 5/13/03 DLSu 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Pygmy Nuthatch 1/1/03 JMa, WGB 4
Brown Creeper 1/1/03 JMa, WGB 2
Rock Wren 1/1/03 MMR, AV 4
Canyon Wren 1/1/03 JY, AL 4
Bewick's Wren 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
House Wren 2/22/03 MDd 2
Winter Wren 1/1/03 JMa, WGB 3
Marsh Wren 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 2
American Dipper 1/27/03 RK 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1/1/03 JMa, WGB 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Arctic Warbler 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3/21/03 MMR 2
Western Bluebird 1/1/03 WGB, JY, AL 2
Mountain Bluebird 6
Townsend's Solitaire 2/25/03 HG 5
Swainson's Thrush 4/30/03 CCFS 3
Hermit Thrush 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
American Robin 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Varied Thrush 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Wrentit 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
Sage Thrasher 12/12/03 MMR, MJM 6
Brown Thrasher 6
California Thrasher 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
European Starling 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Black-backed Wagtail 6
Red-throated Pipit 6
American Pipit 1/3/03 MJM 2
Bohemian Waxwing 6
Cedar Waxwing 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Phainopepla 1/12/03 AV 4
Tennessee Warbler 6
Orange-crowned Warbler 1/1/03 MJM 1
Nashville Warbler 4/12/03 MJM 4
Virginia's Warbler 6
Northern Parula 6
Yellow Warbler 4/9/03 MP 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler 6
Magnolia Warbler 6
Black-throated Blue Warbler 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1/23/03 SR 3
Black-throated Green Warbler 6
Townsend's Warbler 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Hermit Warbler 1/12/03 AME 4
Blackburnian Warbler 6
Prairie Warbler 6
Palm Warbler 11/1/03 WGB 5
Blackpoll Warbler 5
Black-and-White Warbler 11/3/03 JLi 5
American Redstart 5
Prothonotary Warbler 6
Worm-eating Warbler 6
Ovenbird 6
Northern Waterthrush 9/2/03 MMR 5
Kentucky Warbler 6
Connecticut Warbler 6
MacGillivray's Warbler 4/12/03 MJM 4
Common Yellowthroat 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Hooded Warbler 6
Wilson's Warbler 3/25/03 FV 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 4/28/03 WGB 5
Summer Tanager 8/30/03 DLSu 5
Scarlet Tanager 6
Western Tanager 1/18/03 MJM 3
Green-tailed Towhee 5
Spotted Towhee 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
California Towhee 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Rufous-crowned Sparrow 1/4/03 MJM 3
Am. Tree Sparrow 6
Chipping Sparrow 3/30/03 MJM 3
Clay-colored Sparrow 5
Brewer's Sparrow 5
Black-chinned Sparrow 4
Vesper Sparrow 5
Lark Sparrow 1/7/03 WGB 2
Black-throated Sparrow 6
Sage Sparrow 2/22/03 JY, AL 3
Lark Bunting 6
Savannah Sparrow 1/1/03 MMR, MJM 1
Grasshopper Sparrow 2/23/03 TO, DWo 4
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow 5
Fox Sparrow 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Song Sparrow 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Lincoln's Sparrow 1/1/03 m. ob. 2
Swamp Sparrow 1/1/03 MJM 5
White-throated Sparrow 1/1/03 m. ob. 4
Harris' Sparrow 6
White-crowned Sparrow 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Golden-crowned Sparrow 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Dark-eyed Junco 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Lapland Longspur 6
Chestnut-collared Longspur 11/14/03 MMR, MJM 6
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5
Black-headed Grosbeak 3/30/03 MJM 1
Blue Grosbeak 6/8/03 SH 4
Lazuli Bunting 3/5/03 CJC 2
Indigo Bunting 5
Painted Bunting 6
Dickcissel 6
Bobolink 6
Red-winged Blackbird 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Tricolored Blackbird 1/20/03 WGB 2
Western Meadowlark 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Yellow-headed Blackbird 5/8/03 MMR 5
Rusty Blackbird 1/12/03 ChI, CyI 6
Brewer's Blackbird 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Great-tailed Grackle 1/1/03 m. ob. 6
Brown-headed Cowbird 1/1/03 MJM 2
Hooded Oriole 1/28/03 PB 3
Baltimore Oriole 6
Bullock's Oriole 1/20/03 RWR, FV, RK 1
Scott's Oriole 6
Purple Finch 1/1/03 MJM, AV 2
Cassin's Finch 6
House Finch 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Red Crossbill 10/11/03 MMR 5
Pine Siskin 3/2/03 JAC 3
Lesser Goldfinch 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
Lawrence's Goldfinch 1/1/03 JY, AL 3
American Goldfinch 1/1/03 MMR 2
Evening Grosbeak 2/14/03 JHo 5
House Sparrow 1/1/03 m. ob. 1
* OBSERVER CODES:
ACa=Anne Campbell, AG=Andy Gibb, AJ=Al Jaramillo, AJb=Alberta Jasberg, AL=Amy Lauterbach, AM=Akiko Makashima, AME=Al Eisner, AR=Amy Rufe, AV=Ann Verdi, AWa=Alan Walther,BA=Bill Ayres, BBr=Barry Breckling, BH=Barbara Harkleroad, BJ=Bob Juhl, BL-L=Barry Langdon-Lassagne, BM= Brooke Miller, BR=Bob Roadcap, BWe=Bruce Webb,
CC=Chris Conard, CH=Caralisa Hughes, ChI=Chris Illes, ChW=Chris Wolfe, CJC=Chuck Coston, CKS=Chris Salander, ClW=Claire Wolfe, CM=Clyde Morris, CS=Chris Sloan, CV=Connie Vigno, CyI=Cyndie Illes,
D&PB=Dennis & Patricia Braddy, DB=Dusty Bleher, DBu=Daniel Bump, DE=David Ekdahl, DeS=Debbie Stephenson, DG=Don Ganton, DHa=David Haveman, DJ=Dave Johnston, DJC=Don & Jill Crawford, DK=Dan Keller, DLSu=David Suddjian, DM=Dean Manley, DPo=David Powell, DR=Don Roberson, DSt=Dick Stovel, DVP=David Vander Pluym, DWe=Dave Weber, DWi=David Wimpfheimer, DWo=Debbie Wong,
EFe=Eric Feuss, EM=Eugene Makashima, ER=Ed Rooks
FB=Florence Bennett, FV=Frank Vanslager,
GFi=George Finger, GHa=Garth Harwood, GHt=Grant Hoyt,
HG=The Highway Guy, HGe=Harriet Gerson,
JAC=Jack Cole, JB=Julie Beers, JBu=Joelle Buffa, JC=Jeff Cossins, JCS=John Sterling, JCz=Joanna Cezniak, JiD=Jim Danzenbaker, JGa=Jim Gain, JH=Jan Hintermeister, JHo=Jane Hodge, JKr = John Kriewall, JL=Jolene Lange, JLi=Jim Liskovec, JLu=John Luther, JMa=John Mariani, JMD=Mike Danzenbaker, JMe=John Meyer, JML=Jeanne Leavitt, JMM=John & Maria Meyer, JMS=JM Spoelman, JMy=Jean Myers, JP=Janna Pauser, JR=Jennifer Rycenga, JSa=June Santoro, JVM=John Moore, JY=James Yurchenco,
KCo=Kitty Collins, KF=Karl Fowler, KG=Ken Goss, KH=Kevin Hintsa, KL=Kimya Lambert, KN=Kristie Nelson, KO=Kris Olson, KPe=Kenneth Petersen, KPr=Kay Partelow, KPa=Kathy Parker, KVV=Kent Van Vuren,
LBG=Leda Beth Gray, LCh=Les Chibana, LM=Lisa Myers, LP=Lisa Pavey, LSp=Larry Spear, LSu=Linda Sullivan, LT=Linda Terrill, LY=Lou Young
m.ob.=Multiple Observers, MB=Matt Brady, MDd=Matthew Dodder, MH=Matt Heindel, MHa=Merry Haveman, MJ=Mark Jenkins, MJM=Mike Mammoser, MK=Michele Kveck, MLF=Mike Feighner, MMR=Mike Rogers, MO'B=Matthew O'Brien, MPL=Marjorie Plant, MS=Mary Simpson, MWr=Marti Wright,
PB=Peg Bernucci, PCu=Pat Curtis, PF=Paul Fox, PG=Peter Grace, PJM=Peter Metropulos, PLat=Peter LaTourrette, PMB=Phyllis M. Browning,
RCa=Rita Caratello, RCi=Rich Cimino, RCo=Rita Colwell, RD=Robin Dakin, RGJ=Richard Jeffers, RHu=Ralph Hunter, RiC=Richard Carlson, RL=Randy Little, RLe=Rosalie Lefkowitz, RWR=Bob Reiling,
SB=Sally Baumwell, SBT=Scott Terrill, SD=Stephen J. Davies, SEM=Steve Miller, SGu=Stephan Gunn, SH=Sherry Hudson, SM=Suzanne Morrone, SR=Steve Rutledge, SRo=Steve Rovell, SSA=Susan Sandstrom,
TGr=Tom Grey, TM=Tom Montoux, TO=Tadd Ottman, TRy=Tom Ryan,
ViT=Vivek Tiwari,
WCa=William Cabot, WGB=Bill Bousman
** RARITY CODES:
1 = common, always seen in habitat in season.
2 = fairly common, usually in habitat in season, but missed sometimes.
3 = uncommon, always around, but sometimes you can't find.
4 = rare, occurs yearly in the county, but not always in same places.
5 = very rare, does not occur every year.
6 = casual or vagrant, generally fewer than 10 records.