Month: February 2020

Ebird List Link: https://ebird.org/checklist/S64792297

Date: 02/20/20

Location: Rock Springs Mount Tamalpais, Marin County (37.910211, -122.612658) at an elevation of approximately 1,000 feet (304.8 meters). Refer to the map below for where observations were recorded.

Site Description: General topography of the site consisted of numerous hills varying in elevation. Sightings were done continuously along the Rock Springs trailhead. Some sightings were done in denser forest areas, while others were done in more open areas. The habitat would be accurately described as an oak coniferous forest that also had pine trees, Douglass fir trees and moderate varieties of grasses and shrubs. The most abundantly observed species were: Acorn Woodpeckers (18), Dark-eyed Juncos (6), Band-tailed Pigeons (6), and Ruby-crowned Kinglets (4). Other species observed were: Red-shafted Northern Flickers (3), Chestnut-backed Chickadees (3), Common Ravens (2), California Scrub-Jay (1), and Red-tailed Hawk (1).

Species Account: A bird was spotted on the trunk of an oak tree in the shade exhibiting woodpecker-like behavior, drumming into the tree’s trunk. Besides the drumming, the bird did not exhibit any noise or vocalization. I noted that the bird was alone and did not appear to be apart of a flock. The bird remained positioned on the trunk the entire time I observed it, so I was able to get a good view of some of its features. Since the bird was holding onto the trunk, I was unable to view the features on its belly and underside. However, from what I could see the bird had very unique plumage. There were two main things that stood out to me. The first was the bird’s distinct, uniform black stripping that covered its back and wings. The second was the bright red malar on both sides of the face. The bird was identified as a Red-Shafted Northern Flicker. Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus) are of the order Piciformes and family Picidae. They are large-sized woodpeckers that have brown bodies, black backs, and black spotted chests with a black crescent-shaped mark. Another feature they have that makes them easily identifiable during flight is their white rump. There are subspecies of Northern Flickers which can be distinguished by the color under their wings, for example, the Red-shafted versus the Yellow-shafted. The Yellow-shafted Flickers are found primarily in eastern and northern North America while the Red-shafted Flickers are found primarily in the West south through Mexico. They mainly inhabit open woodland areas where they can ground forage for insects using their slightly-curved bills to dig. The interesting thing to note about this species of woodpecker is that they prefer ground foraging, as compared to tree hammering. However, they do use trees as nests, creating holes in them for their eggs. Northern Flickers utilize tree drumming as a form of communication, along with their loud and piercing yelps. The Northern Flickers are also noted to be one of the few North American Woodpecker species that are strongly migratory, moving south for the winters.

Sources:

1. “Northern Flicker.” https://ebird.org/species/norfli
2. “Northern Flicker.” https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/overview

Narrative: Observations occurred along the Rock Spring trailhead over about 4 miles. The weather was sunny with some winds. The temperature averaged at about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Over the duration of the trip (150 minutes), nine different taxa were observed. I noted that the diversity of birds was significantly lower than observed at other sites in the past. I also noted that of these nine taxa, we only observed about 44 individuals in total. The abundance of birds observed was also significantly lower than at other sites in the past. I was surprised by this because I expected that numerous amounts of species and individuals would be flourishing in this denser forest environment that contained a vast variety of vegetation. The ecology of the environment would have catered to all sorts of birds, from ground foragers to tree foragers. Throughout our walk along the trail, I noticed that the Acorn Woodpeckers were observed in groups of at least five, but usually more. I also noticed that the Acorn Woodpeckers were extremely vocal, they exhibited a raspy sort of trilling noise in a repetitive fashion. I also heard the call of the Chestnut-backed Chickadee several times, a high-pitched and squeaky undulating sound. Although I didn’t directly observe many of them by eye, their call was very uniquely identifiable.

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Ebird List Link: https://ebird.org/checklist/S64772250

Date: 02/13/2020

Location: Bolinas, Marin County, CA (37.9062,-122.6506) at an elevation of approximately 36 feet (11 meters). Refer to the map below for where observations were recorded.

Site Description: General topography of the site was flat, although we did drive up the Marin Headlands to get to the area. Sitings were done along the edge of Bolinas lagoon, which I would describe as a mix of mudflats and marshes. The site contained moderate vegetation consisting of a variety of riparian scrubs, Eucalyptus trees, and Cypress pine trees. The most abundantly observed species were: America Wigeons (200), Larus sp. (150), Long-billed Curlews (81), Northern Pintails (11), Double-crested Cormorants (10), Snowy Egrets (8), Buffleheads (6), Marbled Godwits (6), Western Gulls (6), Great Egrets (5), and Turkey Vultures (4). Other species observed were: Northern Shovelers (3), Anna’s Hummingbirds (2), Killdeer (2), Great Blue Heron (2), American Crows (2), Eurasian Wigeon (1), Mallard (1), Osprey (1), Red-tailed Hawk (1), Common Kingfisher (1), and California Scrub-Jay (1).

Species Account: Common Kingfishers (Alcedo atthis) are of order Coraciiformes and family Alcedinidae. They are a small bird about the size of a Sparrow. Common Kingfishers inhabit fresh and brackish water habitats surrounded by vegetation; this includes lakes, rivers, streams, swamps and ponds. Common Kingfishers are identified by their metallic blue plumage on their heads, upper bodies, and wings. Lower plumage is orange, with chestnut-colored coverts on the ears and chin. They have short tails with long, sturdy beaks and short, rounded wings that create a whirling sound when in flight. Common Kingfishers are characterized by their shy and inconspicuous nature, however, they are easily detected by their high-pitched and easily identifiable shrill call. They spend their time perched over water where they capture their meals. A Common Kingfisher’s diet consists of fish, aquatic insects, and small crustaceans which they obtain by diving. They are extremely territorial birds but will merge their territories in spring for mating.

Sources:

1. “Common Kingfisher (Common).” ebird.org/species/comkin2.
2. Miesle, Jeannine. “Common Kingfisher.” Common Kingfisher | Beauty of Birds, Avian Web , www.beautyofbirds.com/commonkingfishers.html.

Narrative: Observations occurred along the lagoon edge spanning 4.48 miles. Over the duration of the trip (127 minutes), twenty-two different taxa were observed. The weather was cold and cloudy, with an average daytime temperature of 58 degrees Fahrenheit. We did not observe many species soaring compared to other warmer days and noted this was likely because birds were saving energy expenditures. Many birds were observed congregated and resting in large flocks, for example, the American Wigeons, Gulls, and Long-billed Curlews. Counting with exact precision was difficult, so estimations were often done to the best of our ability. When logged on eBird, the sighting of the Common Kingfisher in this location was flagged as rare. The Kingfisher was spotted resting on the telephone wire about the lagoon.

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