2016 Christmas Bird Count
By Barbara Childs
The December 17th Christmas Bird Count in Santa Cruz County has come and gone. It’s good our San Lorenzo River area (Highway 1 to the river mouth) had two teams this year, since there was more than enough to keep us busy.
Between the team that Jane Mio led on the lower part of the urban river and the team that David Sidle led on the upper end) we succeeded in finding 48 distinct species! If we add the 7 additional species that Gary Martingale saw on the River the next day (including a GREEN-WINGED TEAL and a WILSON’S SNIPE, two species that I’ve never seen on the river! ) we get a grand total of 55 species found on the river in just over 24 hours.”
The December 17th Christmas Bird Count in Santa Cruz County has come and gone. It’s good our San Lorenzo River area (Highway 1 to the river mouth) had two teams this year, since there was more than enough to keep us busy.
Between the team that Jane Mio led on the lower part of the urban river and the team that David Sidle led on the upper end) we succeeded in finding 48 distinct species! If we add the 7 additional species that Gary Martingale saw on the River the next day (including a GREEN-WINGED TEAL and a WILSON’S SNIPE, two species that I’ve never seen on the river! ) we get a grand total of 55 species found on the river in just over 24 hours.”
Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, December 17, 2016
San Lorenzo River
Saturday: Jane Mio/ David Agynar and David Sidle/Barbara (Riverwoman) Childs
Sunday, December 18, Gary Martindale found 7 species not found on count day.
Total species on two days: 56
Mallard 74
Green-winged Teal 1
Bufflehead 30
Common goldeneye 56
Common Merganser 5
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Pied-billed grebe 18
Pelagic cormorant 2
Double-crested cormorant 26
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 18
Green Heron 3
Black-crowned Night-heron 1
Osprey 1
Cooper’s hawk 1
Red-tailed hawk 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
American coot 83
Wilson’s Snipe 1
Spotted sandpiper 4
Western gull 43
California gull 1
Mew Gull 6
Ring-billed Gull 2
Rock pigeon 171
Mourning dove 7
Ana’s Hummingbird 7
Belted kingfisher 1
Peregrine falcon 1
Black phoebe 14
California Scrub Jay 4
American crow 12
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 5
Bushtit 7
Bewick’s Wren 1
Oak Titmouse 4
Ruby-crowned kinglet 6
Northern Mockingbird 1
Starling 18
Common Yellowthroat 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Yellow Rumped (Myrtle) 1
YR Warbler (Audubon’s) 9
Townsend’s Warbler 4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 8
White-crowned Sparrow 90
Golden-crowned Sparrow 26
Song sparrow 5
Lincoln’s Sparrow 5
California Towhee 10
Housefinch 48
Purple Finch 2
American Goldfinch 2
Lesser Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 3
Saturday, December 17, 2016
San Lorenzo River
Saturday: Jane Mio/ David Agynar and David Sidle/Barbara (Riverwoman) Childs
Sunday, December 18, Gary Martindale found 7 species not found on count day.
Total species on two days: 56
Mallard 74
Green-winged Teal 1
Bufflehead 30
Common goldeneye 56
Common Merganser 5
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Pied-billed grebe 18
Pelagic cormorant 2
Double-crested cormorant 26
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Snowy Egret 18
Green Heron 3
Black-crowned Night-heron 1
Osprey 1
Cooper’s hawk 1
Red-tailed hawk 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
American coot 83
Wilson’s Snipe 1
Spotted sandpiper 4
Western gull 43
California gull 1
Mew Gull 6
Ring-billed Gull 2
Rock pigeon 171
Mourning dove 7
Ana’s Hummingbird 7
Belted kingfisher 1
Peregrine falcon 1
Black phoebe 14
California Scrub Jay 4
American crow 12
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 5
Bushtit 7
Bewick’s Wren 1
Oak Titmouse 4
Ruby-crowned kinglet 6
Northern Mockingbird 1
Starling 18
Common Yellowthroat 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Yellow Rumped (Myrtle) 1
YR Warbler (Audubon’s) 9
Townsend’s Warbler 4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 8
White-crowned Sparrow 90
Golden-crowned Sparrow 26
Song sparrow 5
Lincoln’s Sparrow 5
California Towhee 10
Housefinch 48
Purple Finch 2
American Goldfinch 2
Lesser Goldfinch 3
House Sparrow 3
October 18, 2014 - 8:30 - 11:00 AM
Walk started south of Soquel bridge heading upstream.
Bird Trip Leader was Nanci Adams.
This was the last of the Bird Walk Series and the first one I was able to join. There were approximately 20 people, who had varying bird watching experience. Nanci Adams had us all enthralled with her engaging, lively, witty way of pointing out the birds, explaining their uniqueness, origin and behavior. Nanci's extensive bird knowledge gave new dimensions to understanding the bird universe. She answered every question in depth and detail.
The birds were cooperative and showed themselves perching on branches, Tule reeds and on the ground, until we all had a good look at them.
The high light was a TROPICAL KINGBIRD. The male was truly beautiful and he showed off his good looks several times by dashing into plain view. The surprise discovery was a WHITE-BREASTED GOOSE strolling amongst a flock of CANADA GEESE on the river shoreline. The YELLOW-CROWNED SPARROWS were mixed in with SONG and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. The BELTED KINGFISHER announced himself with his tell-tale call and then perched for a long time right across from us.
Unfortunately I had to leave early and regretted not completing the delightful, rich Nanci bird walk. It was an enriching morning and I hope that there will be a next time.
Jane Mio
Bird Trip Leader was Nanci Adams.
This was the last of the Bird Walk Series and the first one I was able to join. There were approximately 20 people, who had varying bird watching experience. Nanci Adams had us all enthralled with her engaging, lively, witty way of pointing out the birds, explaining their uniqueness, origin and behavior. Nanci's extensive bird knowledge gave new dimensions to understanding the bird universe. She answered every question in depth and detail.
The birds were cooperative and showed themselves perching on branches, Tule reeds and on the ground, until we all had a good look at them.
The high light was a TROPICAL KINGBIRD. The male was truly beautiful and he showed off his good looks several times by dashing into plain view. The surprise discovery was a WHITE-BREASTED GOOSE strolling amongst a flock of CANADA GEESE on the river shoreline. The YELLOW-CROWNED SPARROWS were mixed in with SONG and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. The BELTED KINGFISHER announced himself with his tell-tale call and then perched for a long time right across from us.
Unfortunately I had to leave early and regretted not completing the delightful, rich Nanci bird walk. It was an enriching morning and I hope that there will be a next time.
Jane Mio
August 30 and September 6
Embarking on my fourth and fifth bird walk of the bird series on the San Lorenzo River Walk (Aug. 30 and Sept 6), I sensed we would be having a really different experience than the previous walks. The river was exceptionally high compared to July. I was informed that this had to do with the natural accumulation of water from the sand bar at the river mouth and where the recently hatched fish are growing.
I noticed that the babies of the Common Mergansers, Pied Billed Grebe and Mallard were not in the water near the Soquel Bridge where we began. The cutting of the riverbanks from Public Works may have chased them away but fortunately as we walked on the West side of the river near the Laurel Street Bridge and the Third St. stair case we saw many exciting species during both walks.
A Common Gallinule, apparently a new bird for the SLR eBird list, was in its now long held territory (four weeks). It was will hidden in the reeds and hardly noticeable by some of us and we would not have found it if not for the expert eyes of our guides. A Sora was in there too, another elusive bird, but I had to rely on others to share this information as I was not quick enough with my binoculars.
An unusual migrant, the Ash-throated Flycatcher had stopped nearby and was low by the river flying out and back from a recently cut tree it was using as a perch. This bird is a special treat for some of us looking for hard to find birds in our county.
Along this same area is a family of Green Herons and two fledglings seem to be busy finding their sea legs and learning to balance on the willow limbs and hunting for fish underneath the low branches.
All along the willows of the bank we saw Yellow Warblers and a few Common Yellowthroats, two of my favorite birds due to their bright yellow appearance for one and the comical mask on the other.
Many Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets seem to have found stations along the river, but the river mouth on one Saturday must have had over thirty. Both Saturdays we enjoyed another adorable little shore bird called the Spotted Sandpiper, as we learned to spot its bobbing tail as a key i.d. marker. The baby Common Mergansers were as big as their moms now making them look mature, although we learned they are still not quite ready to fly. On one Saturday there were 25 on the banks near the boardwalk.
Last but not least the Belted Kingfishers delighted many with first time views of their acrobatic diving under water as well as "his and her" matching hairdos of spiked feathers.
Lisa Sheridan
I noticed that the babies of the Common Mergansers, Pied Billed Grebe and Mallard were not in the water near the Soquel Bridge where we began. The cutting of the riverbanks from Public Works may have chased them away but fortunately as we walked on the West side of the river near the Laurel Street Bridge and the Third St. stair case we saw many exciting species during both walks.
A Common Gallinule, apparently a new bird for the SLR eBird list, was in its now long held territory (four weeks). It was will hidden in the reeds and hardly noticeable by some of us and we would not have found it if not for the expert eyes of our guides. A Sora was in there too, another elusive bird, but I had to rely on others to share this information as I was not quick enough with my binoculars.
An unusual migrant, the Ash-throated Flycatcher had stopped nearby and was low by the river flying out and back from a recently cut tree it was using as a perch. This bird is a special treat for some of us looking for hard to find birds in our county.
Along this same area is a family of Green Herons and two fledglings seem to be busy finding their sea legs and learning to balance on the willow limbs and hunting for fish underneath the low branches.
All along the willows of the bank we saw Yellow Warblers and a few Common Yellowthroats, two of my favorite birds due to their bright yellow appearance for one and the comical mask on the other.
Many Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets seem to have found stations along the river, but the river mouth on one Saturday must have had over thirty. Both Saturdays we enjoyed another adorable little shore bird called the Spotted Sandpiper, as we learned to spot its bobbing tail as a key i.d. marker. The baby Common Mergansers were as big as their moms now making them look mature, although we learned they are still not quite ready to fly. On one Saturday there were 25 on the banks near the boardwalk.
Last but not least the Belted Kingfishers delighted many with first time views of their acrobatic diving under water as well as "his and her" matching hairdos of spiked feathers.
Lisa Sheridan
46 Species Total
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 25
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) 6
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 2
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 15
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 2
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) 3
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 22
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 1
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) 10
California Gull (Larus californicus) 18
California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) 5
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) 15
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 1
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 27 fem/imm
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 6
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 31
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 2
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) 4
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 3
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 4
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 6
gull sp. (Larinae sp.) 15
Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni) 3
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 13
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 1
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) 3
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 54
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 8
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) 1
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 23
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 3
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 85
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) 1
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 14
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 10
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 5
Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi) 1
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) 78
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 6
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 8
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 8
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 25
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) 6
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 2
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 15
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 2
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) 3
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 22
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 1
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) 10
California Gull (Larus californicus) 18
California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) 5
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) 15
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 1
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 27 fem/imm
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 6
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 31
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 2
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) 4
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 3
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 4
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 6
gull sp. (Larinae sp.) 15
Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni) 3
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 13
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 1
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) 3
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 54
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 8
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) 1
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 23
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 3
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 85
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) 1
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 14
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 10
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 5
Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi) 1
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) 78
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 6
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 8
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 8
August 23, 2014 8:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Walked from San Lorenzo Park pedestrian bridge to river mouth.
Trip Leaders: Bernadette Ramer, Bob Ramer
40 species
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 18
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 20 roosting and feeding near sand bar on south side of trestle
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 10
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 16
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 1 at mouth
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 3
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 25 at mouth
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 35 at mouth
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 4
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 2
Sora (Porzana carolina) 1 adult just south of Laurel Bridge feeding along shore
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 1 just south of Laurel Bridge feeding along shore
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1 feeding in mid-channel on algae and also flying south to sandbar
Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni) X
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) X
California Gull (Larus californicus) X
Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans) 1 Roosting on sandbar
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 45
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) 5
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) 3
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 5
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) 1 in willows feeding between Soquel and Laurel bridges. Gray head, slightly yellow belly, rusty tail
Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) (Aphelocoma californica [californica Group]) 2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 6
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 5
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) 1
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) 5
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 6
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 2
California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) 4
Song Sparrow (California) (Melospiza melodia [heermanni Group]) 6
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]) 5
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) 15
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 30
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 1
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19550404
Trip Leaders: Bernadette Ramer, Bob Ramer
40 species
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 18
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 20 roosting and feeding near sand bar on south side of trestle
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 10
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 16
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) 1 at mouth
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 3
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 25 at mouth
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 35 at mouth
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 4
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 2
Sora (Porzana carolina) 1 adult just south of Laurel Bridge feeding along shore
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 1 just south of Laurel Bridge feeding along shore
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1 feeding in mid-channel on algae and also flying south to sandbar
Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni) X
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) X
California Gull (Larus californicus) X
Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans) 1 Roosting on sandbar
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 45
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) 5
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) 3
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 5
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) 1 in willows feeding between Soquel and Laurel bridges. Gray head, slightly yellow belly, rusty tail
Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) (Aphelocoma californica [californica Group]) 2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 6
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 5
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) 1
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) 5
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 6
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 2
California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) 4
Song Sparrow (California) (Melospiza melodia [heermanni Group]) 6
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]) 5
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) 15
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 30
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 1
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19550404
Saturday, July 19, 2014
The joint venture bird walk between of the Santa Cruz Bird Club, the Museum of Natural History and the City Parks Department started on a cool overcast summer morning Saturday July 19th at 8:30.
Our Bird Club leader Phil Brown, a local expert and current Bird Club President, decided to walk from the meet up location of River St. and Laurel bridge along the west side of the river walk, then over the pedestrian bridge to the east side of the river along the back side of the government building, then over the second pedestrian bridge which crosses back toward the Gateway Plaza shopping center before we wound back to our start location.
Our group was a mix of first time birders and a few at an intermediate level. In the two hour plus walk we saw over twenty-eight species of birds. A significant number, which seemed to be clearly enough to beckon plenty of ooh's and aw's throughout the morning.
The quarreling Belted Kingfishers were the highlight as they gave their rattle calls, hovered and even dove into the river. A few people got their first glimpse ever of the beautiful Green Herons which frequent this river.
We learned from Phil that this was a somewhat slow month, as the migration period has not quite started when birds will be coming south for winter in large numbers. It was hardly slow to those of us on the walk! Phil's expertise was clear as he tuned us in to calls most of us hardly noticed. Those calls helped him find and locate many birds we would otherwise not have seen!
Highlights of the inland side of the river included a Warbling Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler and Common Yellowthroat.
28 Species
2 Canada Goose
26 Mallard
1 Pied-billed Grebe
1 Double-crested Cormorant
2 Green Heron
1 Western Gull
1 California Gull
43 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove
4 Anna's Hummingbird
2 Belted Kingfisher
8 Black Phoebe
1 Warbling Vireo
2 Western Scrub-Jay
3 American Crow
1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
5 Violet-green Swallow
36 Cliff Swallow
1 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
2 Oak Titmouse
1 Orange-crowned Warbler
2 Common Yellowthroat
6 California Towhee
2 Song Sparrow
2 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)
1 Black-headed Grosbeak
26 House Finch
7 House Sparrow
A detailed bird species report can be found at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19150922
Our Bird Club leader Phil Brown, a local expert and current Bird Club President, decided to walk from the meet up location of River St. and Laurel bridge along the west side of the river walk, then over the pedestrian bridge to the east side of the river along the back side of the government building, then over the second pedestrian bridge which crosses back toward the Gateway Plaza shopping center before we wound back to our start location.
Our group was a mix of first time birders and a few at an intermediate level. In the two hour plus walk we saw over twenty-eight species of birds. A significant number, which seemed to be clearly enough to beckon plenty of ooh's and aw's throughout the morning.
The quarreling Belted Kingfishers were the highlight as they gave their rattle calls, hovered and even dove into the river. A few people got their first glimpse ever of the beautiful Green Herons which frequent this river.
We learned from Phil that this was a somewhat slow month, as the migration period has not quite started when birds will be coming south for winter in large numbers. It was hardly slow to those of us on the walk! Phil's expertise was clear as he tuned us in to calls most of us hardly noticed. Those calls helped him find and locate many birds we would otherwise not have seen!
Highlights of the inland side of the river included a Warbling Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler and Common Yellowthroat.
28 Species
2 Canada Goose
26 Mallard
1 Pied-billed Grebe
1 Double-crested Cormorant
2 Green Heron
1 Western Gull
1 California Gull
43 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove
4 Anna's Hummingbird
2 Belted Kingfisher
8 Black Phoebe
1 Warbling Vireo
2 Western Scrub-Jay
3 American Crow
1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
5 Violet-green Swallow
36 Cliff Swallow
1 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
2 Oak Titmouse
1 Orange-crowned Warbler
2 Common Yellowthroat
6 California Towhee
2 Song Sparrow
2 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)
1 Black-headed Grosbeak
26 House Finch
7 House Sparrow
A detailed bird species report can be found at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19150922
Birding Along the San Lorenzo River Walk
The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, in partnership with the Santa Cruz Bird Club, conducted an exciting birding series along the San Lorenzo River. The San Lorenzo River has over two hundred bird species known to migrate through or live on the river. Expert birders from the Santa Cruz Bird Club guided these early morning workshops, open to families and bird lovers of all ages.
About the Bird Club Members:
ALEX RINKERT grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains and is now an undergraduate in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at University of California, Santa Cruz. He leads birding field trips for local organizations, offshore expeditions, and the Santa Cruz Bird Club. He is also currently working on various bird population studies in the Monterey Bay Area, and is an active eBirder. While his main focus is on birds, he enjoys dragonflies and all other taxa.
BERNADETTE RAMER began her studies in shorebird ecology of Elkhorn Slough as a student at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in 1977. She has coordinated a number of censuses of shorebirds in and around Elkhorn Slough and is currently a volunteer for the Elkhorn Slough Shorebird Monitoring Project. She has led Elkhorn Slough field trips for many local birding groups and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She spent more than 20 years as a field biologist for Point Reyes Bird Observatory, studying the Monterey population of the snowy plover. Bernadette and her husband, Bob Ramer, are co-compilers of the Moss Landing Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
NANCI ADAMS is a past president of the Santa Cruz Bird Club. She began birding as a teen in South Dakota, and she now teaches two birding classes through Watsonville-Aptos Adult Ed. Her emphasis is on non-competitive, supportive birding and an appreciation of local birds and habitats. She leads field trips for Monterey Audubon and participates in three bird surveys in the area. She also helps train wetlands docents and high school stewards for Watsonville Wetlands Watch. She has birded in all fifty states and in various locales in the world. She is currently working her way through South American birds.
NICHOLAS LEVENDOSKY was first introduced to the idea of birding while taking a natural history and ecology course at Prescott College in 2001. Although he found this idea rather silly at first, the puzzle and game of identifying birds quickly peaked his interest and he was hooked. From that point on he has worked to transform from a casual birder to an intentional observer. Since moving back to Santa Cruz six years ago after obtaining a job with the San Jose Fire Department, Nicholas has devoted a significant amount of time getting into the field to ‘simply learn birds.’ He most appreciates the relationship between species and habitat—believing birding lends itself to building a sense of place and physical community around one’s home.
PHIL BROWN, current president of the Santa Cruz Bird Club has been birding and guiding trips for the Santa Cruz Bird Club for more than 20 years. He began his birding in Humboldt County and has birded in Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Canada, Alaska, New Zealand, and South Africa. He is a section leader in the Santa Cruz/Moss Landing and Pinnacles Christmas Bird Counts.
STEVE GEROW, past president of the Santa Cruz Bird Club and current records keeper for birds in Santa Cruz county, has been birding and studying other aspects of the natural world since the late 1960s. He has participated in numerous bird studies and surveys around the Monterey Bay Area, and regularly monitors bird populations and trends in the vicinity of Santa Cruz. He has contributed to several publications, and often leads
ALEX RINKERT grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains and is now an undergraduate in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at University of California, Santa Cruz. He leads birding field trips for local organizations, offshore expeditions, and the Santa Cruz Bird Club. He is also currently working on various bird population studies in the Monterey Bay Area, and is an active eBirder. While his main focus is on birds, he enjoys dragonflies and all other taxa.
BERNADETTE RAMER began her studies in shorebird ecology of Elkhorn Slough as a student at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in 1977. She has coordinated a number of censuses of shorebirds in and around Elkhorn Slough and is currently a volunteer for the Elkhorn Slough Shorebird Monitoring Project. She has led Elkhorn Slough field trips for many local birding groups and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She spent more than 20 years as a field biologist for Point Reyes Bird Observatory, studying the Monterey population of the snowy plover. Bernadette and her husband, Bob Ramer, are co-compilers of the Moss Landing Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
NANCI ADAMS is a past president of the Santa Cruz Bird Club. She began birding as a teen in South Dakota, and she now teaches two birding classes through Watsonville-Aptos Adult Ed. Her emphasis is on non-competitive, supportive birding and an appreciation of local birds and habitats. She leads field trips for Monterey Audubon and participates in three bird surveys in the area. She also helps train wetlands docents and high school stewards for Watsonville Wetlands Watch. She has birded in all fifty states and in various locales in the world. She is currently working her way through South American birds.
NICHOLAS LEVENDOSKY was first introduced to the idea of birding while taking a natural history and ecology course at Prescott College in 2001. Although he found this idea rather silly at first, the puzzle and game of identifying birds quickly peaked his interest and he was hooked. From that point on he has worked to transform from a casual birder to an intentional observer. Since moving back to Santa Cruz six years ago after obtaining a job with the San Jose Fire Department, Nicholas has devoted a significant amount of time getting into the field to ‘simply learn birds.’ He most appreciates the relationship between species and habitat—believing birding lends itself to building a sense of place and physical community around one’s home.
PHIL BROWN, current president of the Santa Cruz Bird Club has been birding and guiding trips for the Santa Cruz Bird Club for more than 20 years. He began his birding in Humboldt County and has birded in Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Canada, Alaska, New Zealand, and South Africa. He is a section leader in the Santa Cruz/Moss Landing and Pinnacles Christmas Bird Counts.
STEVE GEROW, past president of the Santa Cruz Bird Club and current records keeper for birds in Santa Cruz county, has been birding and studying other aspects of the natural world since the late 1960s. He has participated in numerous bird studies and surveys around the Monterey Bay Area, and regularly monitors bird populations and trends in the vicinity of Santa Cruz. He has contributed to several publications, and often leads