Bird
Records
1975 to summer 1998
| Purola Bird Records 1975 to summer 1998 |
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|---|---|
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There have been exceptionally few unusual sightings this winter. Most interesting was a porcupine, our first ever, found by our dogs on January 15. Fortunately it didn't run, so our dogs didn't give chase or make contact. It has done a lot of damage to smaller trees, especially young madrones.
The cold front also brought in the first larger flocks of Robins, but few other birds.
On Nov. 8 we had our first ground doves (3), hugging low in a ditch sheltered from a very strong north wind. But they didn't stay around. A grasshopper sparrow came through November 2.
The evening of Aug. 30 some 100 Mississippi Kites came in low, apparently to overnight in the cedars above our place. They quickly disappeared from sight.
The tank is full, sending a torrent over the spillway, and our creek has suffered from a major flood - raising the level from several inches to a dangerous height of some 3 feet during a 5" gullywasher a week ago. An Osprey was seen fishing the lake between April 5 and 12. There is still a pair of Coots; and Barn Swallows were skimming the surface on April 12.
The Ash-throated Flycatcher returned the first week of April, but in very limited numbers compared to past years. Our E. Phoebe has aborted nesting again this year. We have no idea what is going on. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are busy building a nest in an oak branch right over the porch steps.
Summer Tanager returned April 19. A House Wren passing through was singing up a storm on 4/20.
Other March arrivals: Purple Martin (3/9), Poor Will (3/19), Rough-winged Swallow (3/19), White-eyed Vireo (3/19), Blue-winged Teal (3/22), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (3/22).
Signs of spring: a wedge of Canada Geese flying north (2/16, again 3/1), Sandhill Cranes (2/22), and the first Red-winged Blackbird at the tank (2/22).
Purola was struck by a devastating ice storm Jan. 7-8. When I arrived the morning of Jan. 9, in bright warm sunlight, even the tall cedars were still compressed by the weight of the ice to roughly 40% of their normal height, narrowing roadways and making trails impassable. Hundreds of oaks had lost major limbs, leaving long tears in their trunks. One huge (32 inch diameter at the base) Spanish oak, which had kepted its leaves, refused to give up any limbs - so the ice tore it from the ground, snapping its roots.
But both our rufous hummingbirds had survived. (The rufous shared with our neighbor hasn't been around as much since the end of December, but it did show up the week following the storm.)
Warm weather the first week of January triggered a false sense of Spring, with a marked increase in bird vocalizations - especially notable were Turkey, Roadrunner, Great Horned Owl, Scrub Jay, Bewicks Wren, Carolina Wren, Cardinal - and even some Robins were heard practicing their spring songs.
New winter arrivals included Spotted Sandpiper (1/31), Com. Snipe (1/26), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1/16), Hermit Thrush (1/10), Pine Siskins (1/4) and a lone coot on the tank (1/3), not intimidated by the Swan (who has returned after another 2-week absence). The tank, which had been reduced in size by some two thirds, is rapidly recovering and will soon be back to full capacity - but this 'new' high water apparently is not attractive to ducks. A few comorants have started to return, so things may be improving. [Neither a siskin nor a coot has been recorded in recent years.]
Both our hummers have survived several bitter cold snaps (13 F on Dec. 19 and 22 F on Dec. 25) only one rufous, at the porch feeder, is a constant visitor. The other rufous, which had not been around much mornings, turns out to be a regular at our neighbor's place 2 miles downstream (John Gee). This bird, an immature male with a very distinctive asymmetrical gorget pattern, has been at John's feeder only in the morning. We have been wondering about shared hummers the past three winters, starting with a calliope two years ago. This hummer finally provides some evidence of the range of hummers on their winter territories. Like us, John also has one constant hummer - and our shared rufous may not be dominant enough to merit a fixed territory of its own.
The first Cedar Waxwings were noted only on Dec. 25, also a Yellow-rumped Warbler. Other December arrivals include Slate-colored Junco (Dec. 21) and White-throated Sparrow (Dec. 12).
The swan continues to come and go. The week that hunting season opened it disappeared. Earlier, in October, it was gone for 3 weeks. Both times we began to suspect foul play, but it keeps coming back, flying up our valley just at treetop level, cranking its powerful wings so that each beat echos throughout the valley.
Mid November finally brought in large numbers of American Goldfinches (11/9) and sparrows - especially Field, Chipping and Song Sparrows. Diving ducks - including Bufflehead, Canvasback and Ring-necked Duck - began arriving 11/17. Other fall firsts were E. Bluebird (11/17), E. Meadowlark (11/2) and one stray Blue Jay (11/14). The House Wrens stayed all month.
House Wrens were abundant the whole month. A small group of Bushtits were observed on 10/26, last having been recorded in late Spring.
Fall first arrivals include: Pied-billed Grebe (10/3), Double-crested Cormorant (10/13), Pintail (10/17), Wigeon (10/26), Gadwall (10/31), Green-winged Teal (10/31), Sandhill Crane (10/17), Greater Yellowlegs (10/26), Yellow-shafted Flicker (10/10), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (10/31), Robin (10/12), Orange-crowned Warbler (10/26), Rufous-sided Towhee (10/12), Lincoln's Sparrow (10/31), Swamp Sparrow (10/31).
On Oct. 3 Cattle Egrets stopped at the tank; a Yellowthroat was seen. The last summer bird to check out was the Blue-Gray Gnatcather (10/17).
The most vocal bird the end of September was Poorwill, several birds calling from early evening throughout the night right up till first light.
Baltimore Orioles came through in numbers on Sept. 21, but didn't linger.
On September 19 a brightly colored Roseate Spoonbill turned up on the tank. Later in the morning the swan was heard vigorously flapping its wings, often an aggressive gesture, and when we checked the tank the spoonbill was gone. We suspect the swan drove it off, but perhaps not.
The Rufuous Hummingbird that first arrived on Aug. 10 is still agressivley defending the porch bottle. Other birds have had to take turns at two bottles a short distance away. The 'pump' bottle was taken by a second rufous Sept. 7-8, but on Sept. 12-14 ownership had passed to an adult male ruby-throat, then an immature ruby-throat by Sept. 19, and back to a mature male by Sept. 28. Otherwise this has been a very quiet fall thus far (thru Sept. 14). The first real fall birds were Blue-winged Teal (8/24, again 9/14). A somewhat early visitor was the House Wren on Sept. 12 (also 9/19). Passing through in recent weeks have been large numbers of Chuck-wills-widows (9/1), an Olive-sided Flycatcher (9/1, 9/19), and a Loggerhead Shrike (8/21). Summer birds that left in mid September were Great Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, and Summer Tanager. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are still hanging on as the month ended.
The first rufous arrived on July 31, a brilliantly colored mature male,
with a greenish crown and upper back. When I saw it perched at a bottle
alongside an Anna's, which stood a full head taller, I was sure that we
had an Allen's. But color and size aren't enough. Our neighbors Carol
Edwards and John Gee stopped by Aug. 3 to help check it out; but the
tail feathers necessary to confirm an Allen's (sharply pointed vs
rounded) did not support our initial wishful thinking (that it was not
just another gorgeous rufuous!).
August 10 the small group of black-chinned had been joined by two
immature male rufous. One of these was extremely aggressive and soon had
driven the others away from our three feeders. At that point I was
forced to place two of the three bottles some distance from the porch.
August 10-11 a Northern Waterthrush showed up on our creek, and seemed
to be eating great quantities of water critters, at times turning over
quite large leaves to find them. On August 17 the same spot was taken by
a Little Blue Heron, actively canopy feeding in the shallow water.August
The hummingbird population has changed several several times since late
June. In August there were usually only 4-5 hummers around, but each of
the three bottles is jealously guarded by a male: (1) immature rufous at
the porch, (2) mature ruby-throat at the pump and (3) immature
ruby-throat in an oak grove. It seems to be a matter of honor to make
sure that no other bird gets a shot at the bottles. The attempts of
others to enter the area are so quickly rebuffed that we have no chance
to even get a binocular on the intruder.
| The June Birds | |
|---|---|
|
Birds in boldface are fairly certain to have nested at Purola or
within a stone's throw of our fence. Birds in purple were not regular visitors in June; the Blue Jay and Shrike were probably post-breeding 'wanderers.' |
|
| Great Blue Heron | Blue Jay |
| Green Heron | Scrub Jay |
| Mute Swan | Carolina Chickadee |
| Turkey Vulture | Black-crested Titmouse |
| Black Vulture | Bewick's Wren |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Carolina Wren |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Mockingbird |
| *** Peregrine Falcon *** | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher |
| Bobwhite | Loggerhead Shrike |
| Mourning Dove | White-eyed Vireo |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Red-winged Blackbird |
| Roadrunner | Orchard Oriole |
| Screech Owl | Brown-headed Cowbird |
| Great Horned Owl | Common Grackle |
| Chuck-will's-widow | Summer Tanager |
| Poorwill | Cardinal |
| Common Nighthawk | Blue Grossbeak |
| Chimney Swift | Painted Bunting |
| Black-chinned Hummingbird | House Finch |
| Belted Kingfisher* | Lesser Goldfinch |
| Ladder-backed Woodpecker | Lark Sparrow |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | Rufous-crowned Sparrow |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher | Field Sparrow |
| E. Phoebe | |
| Barn Swallow | |
| Cliff Swallow | |
| Purple Martin | |
*Kingfisher resumed 'regular' status in July.
