After a very wet early
winter, much of January was quite dry and pleasant, though periods of heavy fog
held sway in the low portions of the Valley. There were many
interesting reports for the month, some spilling over from December and the CBC
season.Topping the list was the Central Valley’s first
Zone-tailed Hawk.It was first seen at fairly close range
near Babel Slough Rd on 1/24 as it flew across the Sacramento River into south
Sacramento, the site of a couple of additional reports into early
February.The other bird causing a major stir this month was an
adult Lesser Black-backedGull found at the Nimbus Hatchery on
1/9, continuing into February.It was a rather large-billed
individual, but otherwise appeared to be a Lesser Black-backed, for just
the third or fourth county record.Another first for the Central
Valley came in on 2/1, but we’ll wait until next month for that one. Click on the photos below to enlarge.
Lesser Black-backed Gull, January 18, 2011, by Ed Harper
Sage Thrasher, January 16, 2011, by Ed Harper
Two immature Trumpeter
Swans were found along Waltz Rd to the northwest of Lincoln on 1/19 and a
Eurasian Green-winged Teal was found at the Yolo Wildlife Area on
1/29.A female Red-breasted Merganser was on Laguna West
Lake, south of Laguna Blvd in Elk Grove on 1/3, continuing through at least
1/9.A Red-throated Loon on Dutch Slough near Oakley on
1/28 was not too far away, as a loon swims, from a bird reported in November at
Sherman Island. On 1/20 a Pacific Loon was found from Beals
Point at Folsom Lake along with seven Common Loons. An
adult Western Gull was found on 1/28 along the American River Parkway
(ARP) at Ancil Hofmann and a first-cycle Glaucous Gull was at the Davis
WTP on 1/29.
Another of the month’s top
finds was a first winter Harris’s Sparrow in a yard near the Gristmill
Access of the ARP on 1/31.It continued into February, when it was
widely seen and photographed. A Sage Thrasher was found on
1/4 south of Clarksburg along the South River Rd at Yolo County Rd 142.It continued through at least 1/19.On the 1/15 Tall Forest
survey at Cosumnes River Preserve (CRP), highlights included six Blue Snow
Geese, a male Eurasian Wigeon, and a Western Sandpiper (rare
in winter).On 1/22, a Cassin’s Vireo was an excellent find
at the Tall Forest, along with a wintering Townsend’s Warbler.A visit to private land in southeastern Sacramento County on 1/29
produced a rare (for California) “Prairie” Merlin, over 100 Lewis’s
Woodpeckers, and an immature Northern Shrike.
Additional highlights
included an Eastern Phoebe found at the Orr portion of CRP on 1/4, and
the continuing Eastern Phoebe along Garden Hwy north of Radio Rd, found
through at least 1/9. The continuing Tropical Kingbird from Davis was
last reported on 1/2. After weeks without a report, the
Steller’s Jay in Curtis Park was found again on 1/30.The
Mountain Chickadees at East Lawn Cemetery continued into at least
mid-January, and Evening Grosbeaks were widely reported in Davis in
addition to a couple of reports around Sacramento.
Many of these reports first
appeared on the Central Valley Bird Club Listserv.Visit www.cvbirds.org and click
"Listserv" for details.With nearly 100 reports, it is impossible
to list everyone; however, I want to thank the following for reports on the
above species and for providing additional information:Roger
Adamson, Dan Airola, Dan Brown, Laura Davis, Jim Dunn, Todd Easterla, Andy
Engilis, Brian Gilmore, Steve Hampton, Ed Harper, Dan Kopp, Gary Langham, Jeri
Langham, Ron Melcer, Michael Perrone, Will Rockey, Deren Ross, Don Schmoldt,
John Sterling, Craig Swolgaard, Jim Tietz, John Trochet, Sally Walters, Bruce
Webb, Dan Williams, and Ken Wilson.Thanks to everyone for their
reports—without them, this column would not be possible.
