DECEMBER, 2004As in November, we found three new species in December, which moved the total count from 281 to 284. A total of 284 is the best since 2000, but will below the average of 296, which we saw in the years from 1993 to 1999.
The only 4 was a RED-THROATED LOON found at Calero Reservoir on 1 Dec, but it did not stay long.
Our 5 for this December was a CATTLE EGRET seen off Hwy 101 near Morgan Hill on 4 Dec. This bird was not found again. This egret was found regularly in Alviso at one time, but no longer nests locally and appears to have retracted its range in the South Bay, although its true distribution pattern appears confusing in northern California.
An immature HARRIS'S SPARROW found beside the Mountain View Forebay on 3 Dec was seen the next morning, but not after that. This 6 is the first we've had in the county since 1988.
Bill
For copies of Bill's Discussions for previous months this year, CLICK HERE
DATE OBSERVER* RARITY**
Fulvous Whistling-Duck 6
Greater White-fronted Goose 1/3/04 MMR 4
Snow Goose 11/3/04 SCR 4
Ross's Goose 1/25/04 CKS, JS 4
Brant 6
Cackling Goose 1/3/04 MMR 3
Canada Goose 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Tundra Swan 11/20/04 SCR 5
Wood Duck 1/2/04 m. ob. 3
Gadwall 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Eurasian Wigeon 1/1/04 MJM 4
American Wigeon 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Mallard 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Blue-winged Teal 1/1/04 MJM 4
Cinnamon Teal 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Northern Shoveler 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Northern Pintail 1/1/04 MJM, MMR 1
Garganey 6
Green-winged Teal 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Canvasback 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Redhead 1/1/04 m. ob. 3
Ring-necked Duck 1/1/04 m. ob. 3
Tufted Duck 1/16/04 RK, PK 5
Greater Scaup 1/1/04 MJM 2
Lesser Scaup 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Surf Scoter 1/1/04 m. ob. 3
White-winged Scoter 5
Black Scoter 6
Long-tailed Duck 5
Bufflehead 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Common Goldeneye 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Barrow's Goldeneye 1/5/04 MMR 4
Hooded Merganser 1/1/04 m. ob. 3
Common Merganser 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Red-breasted Merganser 1/3/04 AV, KPa 3
Ruddy Duck 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Ring-necked Pheasant 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Wild Turkey 1/1/04 m. ob. 3
Mountain Quail 4/12/04 GHa 4
California Quail 1/2/04 m. ob. 1
Red-throated Loon 12/1/04 FV 4
Pacific Loon 5
Common Loon 10/30/04 MJM, MMR, RGJ 4
Pied-billed Grebe 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Horned Grebe 1/1/04 MJM 2
Red-necked Grebe 5
Eared Grebe 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Western Grebe 1/1/04 MJM 2
Clark's Grebe 1/1/04 MJM 2
Northern Fulmar 6
Sooty Shearwater 6
Ashy Storm-Petrel 6
Brown Booby 6
American White Pelican 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Brown Pelican 5/15/04 MMR, MJM, RGJ 3
Brandt's Cormorant 9/18/04 AT et al. 6
Double-crested Cormorant 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Pelagic Cormorant 9/19/04 MDd, KDd, MJM 6
Magnificent Frigatebird 6
American Bittern 1/1/04 MJM 4
Least Bittern 6
Great Blue Heron 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Great Egret 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Snowy Egret 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Little Blue Heron 6/21/04 KOd 5
Cattle Egret 12/4/04 LAd 5
Green Heron 1/1/04 LSu 3
Black-crowned Night Heron 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Glossy Ibis 6
White-faced Ibis 5/31/04 MM 4
Turkey Vulture 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
California Condor 6
Osprey 1/1/04 m. ob. 4
White-tailed Kite 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Bald Eagle 1/1/04 m. ob. 4
Northern Harrier 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1/4/04 MMR 2
Cooper's Hawk 1/4/04 MMR 2
Northern Goshawk 6
Red-shouldered Hawk 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Broad-winged Hawk 6
Swainson's Hawk 4/17/04 MMR et al. 5
Red-tailed Hawk 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Ferruginous Hawk 1/2/04 m. ob. 4
Rough-legged Hawk 2/4/04 RCi 5
Golden Eagle 1/2/04 m. ob. 2
American Kestrel 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Merlin 1/1/04 m. ob. 3
Peregrine Falcon 1/1/04 m. ob. 3
Prairie Falcon 1/2/04 MMR, MJM 3
Yellow Rail 6
Black Rail 1/19/04 MMR, SSo 5
Clapper Rail 1/1/04 MMR 2
Virginia Rail 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Sora 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Common Moorhen 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
American Coot 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Sandhill Crane 3/27/04 JLu 6
Black-bellied Plover 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
American Golden-Plover 5
Pacific Golden-Plover 8/19/04 DM, ChW, DKi 5
Snowy Plover 1/8/04 MMR, MJM 5
Semipalmated Plover 1/8/04 MMR, MJM 2
Killdeer 1/1/04 WGB 1
Mountain Plover 6
Black Oystercatcher 6
Black-necked Stilt 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
American Avocet 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 1/11/04 AME 3
Solitary Sandpiper 5
Willet 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Wandering Tattler 8/21/04 MJM 6
Spotted Sandpiper 1/1/04 AV 3
Whimbrel 1/1/04 MJM 3
Long-billed Curlew 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Hudsonian Godwit 6
Bar-tailed Godwit 6
Marbled Godwit 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Ruddy Turnstone 5/2/04 LSu 5
Black Turnstone 8/11/04 JBH 6
Red Knot 7/1/04 RWR, FV 5
Sanderling 1/5/04 MJM 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper 7/17/04 MJM 4
Western Sandpiper 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Least Sandpiper 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
White-rumped Sandpiper 6
Baird's Sandpiper 7/28/04 SBT 4
Pectoral Sandpiper 9/1/04 JMD, LH 4
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 6
Dunlin 1/1/04 MMR 1
Curlew Sandpiper 6
Stilt Sandpiper 8/17/04 DM, DWe, RWR, 4
Buff-breasted Sandpiper 6
Ruff 1/3/04 RWR et al. 5
Short-billed Dowitcher 1/12/04 MMR 1
Long-billed Dowitcher 1/1/04 MMR 1
Wilson's Snipe 1/1/04 m. ob. 3
Wilson's Phalarope 5/2/04 MMR, MJM 2
Red-necked Phalarope 4/30/04 DW 2
Red Phalarope 5
Pomarine Jaeger 6
Parasitic Jaeger 5
Long-tailed Jaeger 6
Laughing Gull 6
Franklin's Gull 10/30/04 JW 5
Little Gull 6
Black-headed Gull 4/6/04 RWR, FV 6
Bonaparte's Gull 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Heermann's Gull 10/26/04 KPa 5
Mew Gull 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Ring-billed Gull 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
California Gull 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Herring Gull 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Thayer's Gull 1/1/04 m. ob. 3
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1/14/04 WGB 6
Western Gull 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Glaucous-winged Gull 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Glaucous Gull 1/25/04 SNGH 4
Sabine's Gull 9/30/04 RWR, FV 6
Black-legged Kittiwake 6
Caspian Tern 3/24/04 MMR 2
Elegant Tern 7/17/04 MMR 5
Common Tern 7/22/04 RGJ, MMR, MJM 4
Arctic Tern 6
Forster's Tern 1/1/04 MMR 1
Least Tern 5/15/04 MMR, MJM, RGJ 4
Black Tern 7/17/04 MJM 5
Black Skimmer 1/1/04 m. ob. 4
Common Murre 6
Ancient Murrelet 6
Cassin's Auklet 6
Rock Pigeon 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Band-tailed Pigeon 1/11/04 MMR 2
White-winged Dove 6
Mourning Dove 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 6
Greater Roadrunner 3/5/04 WGB 4
Barn Owl 1/3/04 AV, CH 2
Flammulated Owl 6
Western Screech-Owl 1/2/04 MMR, MJM 1
Great Horned Owl 1/2/04 MMR, MJM 1
Northern Pygmy-Owl 1/12/04 MMR 3
Burrowing Owl 1/3/04 RWR et al. 3
Long-eared Owl 11/21/04 JPa 4
Short-eared Owl 3/21/04 MJM, MMR 4
Northern Saw-whet Owl 1/12/04 MMR 3
Lesser Nighthawk 6
Common Nighthawk 6
Common Poorwill 4/17/04 MMR et al. 3
Black Swift 5/30/04 RK et al. 5
Chimney Swift 6
Vaux's Swift 3/31/04 FV 4
White-throated Swift 1/3/04 MDd 2
Black-chinned Hummingbird 5/1/04 WGB 4
Anna's Hummingbird 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Costa's Hummingbird 4/25/04 JP et al. 5
Calliope Hummingbird 3/23/04 RT,MBr 5
Broad-tailed Hummingbird 6
Rufous Hummingbird 3/18/04 RL 4
Allen's Hummingbird 2/28/04 MMR 3
Belted Kingfisher 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Lewis's Woodpecker 1/2/04 m. ob. 3
Acorn Woodpecker 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Williamson's Sapsucker 6
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 6
Red-naped Sapsucker 5
Red-breasted Sapsucker 1/1/04 AV 3
Nuttall's Woodpecker 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Downy Woodpecker 1/1/04 KPa 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1/2/04 WGB et al. 2
Northern Flicker 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1/11/04 MMR 4
Olive-sided Flycatcher 4/3/04 m. ob. 2
Western Wood-Pewee 4/10/04 AV 2
Willow Flycatcher 5/26/04 WGB 4
Least Flycatcher 6
Hammond's Flycatcher 1/7/04 CCFS 5
Gray Flycatcher 5
Dusky Flycatcher 5/1/04 CCFS 5
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 3/18/04 m. ob. 2
Black Phoebe 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Eastern Phoebe 6
Say's Phoebe 1/1/04 MJM 3
Ash-throated Flycatcher 4/3/04 m. ob. 2
Tropical Kingbird 6
Cassin's Kingbird 4/10/04 MDd et al. 5
Western Kingbird 3/14/04 MJM 2
Eastern Kingbird 6
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 6
Loggerhead Shrike 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Northern Shrike 6
Bell's Vireo 6
Yellow-throated Vireo 6
Plumbeous Vireo 10/14/04 MJM 6
Cassin's Vireo 3/28/04 PD et al. 2
Blue-headed Vireo 6
Hutton's Vireo 1/4/04 MMR 2
Warbling Vireo 3/17/04 m. ob. 2
Red-eyed Vireo 6
Steller's Jay 1/1/04 WGB 1
Western Scrub-Jay 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Pinyon Jay 6
Clark's Nutcracker 6
Black-billed Magpie 6
Yellow-billed Magpie 1/2/04 m. ob. 2
American Crow 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Common Raven 1/1/04 MMR 2
Horned Lark 1/11/04 MMR 3
Purple Martin 4
Tree Swallow 1/21/04 MMR 2
Violet-green Swallow 1/4/04 MMR 1
Nor. Rough-winged Swallow 3/7/04 m. ob. 2
Bank Swallow 5
Cliff Swallow 3/7/04 m. ob. 1
Barn Swallow 1/3/04 m. ob. 1
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Oak Titmouse 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Bushtit 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1/11/04 MMR 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 1/1/04 AV 2
Pygmy Nuthatch 1/11/04 MMR 4
Brown Creeper 1/11/04 MMR 2
Rock Wren 2/7/04 MJM 4
Canyon Wren 7/18/04 JY, AL 4
Bewick's Wren 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
House Wren 1/2/04 m. ob. 2
Winter Wren 1/11/04 MMR 3
Marsh Wren 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
American Dipper 1/2/04 AV 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1/2/04 MMR, MJM 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Arctic Warbler 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1/11/04 CCFS 2
Western Bluebird 1/1/04 WGB 2
Mountain Bluebird 6
Townsend's Solitaire 2/17/04 GHa 5
Swainson's Thrush 4/21/04 CCFS 3
Hermit Thrush 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
American Robin 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Varied Thrush 1/1/04 WGB 2
Wrentit 1/2/04 m. ob. 1
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Sage Thrasher 5/10/04 DWe 6
Brown Thrasher 6
California Thrasher 1/2/04 m. ob. 1
European Starling 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Black-backed Wagtail 6
Red-throated Pipit 6
American Pipit 1/2/04 MJM, MMR 2
Bohemian Waxwing 6
Cedar Waxwing 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Phainopepla 1/2/04 MMR, MJM 4
Tennessee Warbler 6
Orange-crowned Warbler 1/1/04 MJM 1
Nashville Warbler 1/4/04 MMR 4
Virginia's Warbler 6
Northern Parula 6
Yellow Warbler 1/10/04 MJM 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler 9/17/04 SCR 6
Magnolia Warbler 10/1/04 SCR 6
Black-throated Blue Warbler 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Black-throated Gray Warbler 3/25/04 PMB, GR 3
Black-throated Green Warbler 6
Townsend's Warbler 1/3/04 MJM 2
Hermit Warbler 1/3/04 JP 4
Blackburnian Warbler 6
Prairie Warbler 6
Palm Warbler 10/6/04 JP, GB 5
Blackpoll Warbler 5
Black-and-White Warbler 5
American Redstart 5
Prothonotary Warbler 6
Worm-eating Warbler 6
Ovenbird 6/16/04 CCFS 6
Northern Waterthrush 1/12/04 MMR 5
Louisiana Waterthrush 8/9/04 JP,JBr,SBT,LT 6
Kentucky Warbler 6
Connecticut Warbler 6
MacGillivray's Warbler 4/21/04 MMR 4
Common Yellowthroat 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Hooded Warbler 6
Wilson's Warbler 3/23/04 MMR 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 4/24/04 m. ob. 5
Summer Tanager 5
Scarlet Tanager 6
Western Tanager 1/4/04 JP 3
Green-tailed Towhee 5
Spotted Towhee 1/1/04 MJM 1
California Towhee 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Rufous-crowned Sparrow 1/10/04 JP, JK 3
Am. Tree Sparrow 6
Chipping Sparrow 4/1/04 RL 3
Clay-colored Sparrow 10/15/04 MJM, SCR 5
Brewer's Sparrow 9/22/04 KPa 5
Black-chinned Sparrow 5/13/04 RK, PK 4
Vesper Sparrow 1/2/04 MMR, MJM 5
Lark Sparrow 1/31/04 MMR 2
Black-throated Sparrow 6
Sage Sparrow 1/2/04 m. ob. 3
Lark Bunting 6
Savannah Sparrow 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Grasshopper Sparrow 3/24/04 RWR 4
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow 5
Fox Sparrow 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Song Sparrow 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Lincoln's Sparrow 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Swamp Sparrow 1/8/04 MMR, MJM 5
White-throated Sparrow 1/1/04 m. ob. 4
Harris's Sparrow 12/3/04 PLaT 6
White-crowned Sparrow 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Golden-crowned Sparrow 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Dark-eyed Junco 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Lapland Longspur 4/17/04 MMR et al. 6
Chestnut-collared Longspur 4/22/04 MMR, MJM, RGJ 6
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 6/2/04 TMS-W 5
Black-headed Grosbeak 3/28/04 PD 1
Blue Grosbeak 4/19/04 MMR 4
Lazuli Bunting 4/9/04 LPE 2
Indigo Bunting 1/22/04 DW 5
Painted Bunting 6
Dickcissel 6
Bobolink 6
Red-winged Blackbird 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Tricolored Blackbird 1/2/04 m. ob. 2
Western Meadowlark 1/1/04 AME 1
Yellow-headed Blackbird 4/21/04 MMR 5
Rusty Blackbird 6
Brewer's Blackbird 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Great-tailed Grackle 1/3/04 MMR 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Hooded Oriole 3/13/04 JP 3
Baltimore Oriole 6
Bullock's Oriole 1/3/04 RWR et al. 1
Scott's Oriole 6
Purple Finch 1/2/04 MJM, MMR 2
Cassin's Finch 6
House Finch 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Red Crossbill 8/26/04 DLSu 5
Pine Siskin 9/13/04 AV 3
Lesser Goldfinch 1/1/04 m. ob. 1
Lawrence's Goldfinch 1/2/04 BH et al. 3
American Goldfinch 1/1/04 m. ob. 2
Evening Grosbeak 5
House Sparrow 1/1/04 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, AT=Alan Thomas, 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, DBr=Dennis Braddy, 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, GW=Gwyneth Ragosine,
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, JLS=Jeanne L. Salander, 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, JW=Jim White, JY=James Yurchenco,
KCo=Kitty Collins, KDd=Kelly Dodder, KF=Karl Fowler, KG=Ken Goss, KH=Kevin Hintsa, KL=Kimya Lambert, KN=Kristie Nelson, KO=Kris Olson, K0d=Kira Od, KPe=Kenneth Petersen, KPr=Kay Partelow, KPa=Kathy Parker, KVV=Kent Van Vuren,
LBG=Leda Beth Gray, LCh=Les Chibana, LH=Lee Hung, LM=Lisa Myers, LP=Lisa Pavey, LPE=Leonora Ellis, 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, MM=Molly Malloy, MMR=Mike Rogers, MO'B=Matthew O'Brien, MPL=Marjorie Plant, MS=Mary Simpson, MWr=Marti Wright,
PB=Peg Bernucci, PBr=Patricia Braddy, PCu=Pat Curtis, PD=Peggy Don, PF=Paul Fox, PG=Peter Grace, PJM=Peter Metropulos, PLat=Peter LaTourrette, PMB=Phyllis M. Browning,
RCa=Rita Carratello, RCi=Rich Cimino, RCo=Rita Colwell, RD=Robin Dakin, RGJ=Richard Jeffers, RHu=Ralph Hunter, RiC=Richard Carlson, RL=Randy Little, RLe=Rosalie Lefkowitz, RT=Ryan Terrill, 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, SSo=Steve Sosensk,
TGr=Tom Grey, TM=Tom Montoux, TMS-W = Terri M. Sanislo-Williams, 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.