Ron and Jane's lifer Virginia Rail on Klopp Lake. On 17 October I hosted Ron and Jane Miller from Milwaukee, WI for four hours of birding. We spent the whole morning at the Arcata Marsh as Ron had wanted to try and get looks at Virginia Rail and Sora, which he had never seen along with some easy to find species like White-tailed Kite. There were also possibilities of seeing some recently found rarities like Painted Bunting and Brewer's Sparrow in the area. The weather was perfect with clear skies, cool temps in the morning, becoming warmer by the end of the morning and little wind the whole time, making for a very pleasant and productive morning of birding. With a leisurely and relaxed pace we ended up tallying 76 species!
We started out the morning at the Marsh birding the trail known to local birders as "Sparrow Alley" since this is where the Painted Bunting (1st Marsh record and only the 4th confirmed in Humboldt County) has been present and a Brewer's Sparrow was found the day previous. There has also been a lot of rail activity in the area lately so it seemed like an obvious spot to kick off the day. Right after getting out of the car SOOTY FOX SPARROWS and a couple of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS were birds number 1 and 2 of the day and soon after we got some brief looks at a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH that was hanging out at the southwest corner of Allen Marsh and was calling frequently with it's loud and metallic "chink" note (See my video of this bird that I took earlier in the week). We continued east along "Sparrow Alley" and spent a brief amount of time looking at the scads of AMERICAN WIGEON foraging on the Duckweed (Lemna minor), hoping to spot one of the 5-6 EURASIAN WIGEONS that are present in the various Duckweed-filled ponds right now with the other wigeon. We continued along "Sparrow Alley" spending a bit of effort to try and find the PAINTED BUNTING but we ended up missing that bird. Not a big deal, though, as Ron and Jane had seen this species before and we didn't put a lot of focus on it.
We made our way to the bridge that goes over Butcher Slough and soon after a pair of immature HOODED MERGANSERS flew in just 20 feet away from us and stuck long enough for me to snap a shot or two:
We made our way to the bridge that goes over Butcher Slough and soon after a pair of immature HOODED MERGANSERS flew in just 20 feet away from us and stuck long enough for me to snap a shot or two:
Hooded Mergansers, always an interesting sighting at the Arcata Marsh.
While enjoying the mergansers we also had a pair of BLACK PHOEBES in nice lighting at the bridge which Ron and I were quick to photograph:
Also, while standing at the bridge we enjoyed a pair of EARED GREBES and went over their identification vs. Horned Grebe and also enjoyed our first AMERICAN AVOCETS of the morning. After enjoying these species we made it over to Klopp Lake, as the tide was rising and shorebirds were filtering in to the roosting islands to wait it out and rest a bit.
At Klopp we picked up most of the expected shorebirds on the roosting islands: BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, WILLETS, MARBLED GODWITS, 3 BLACK TURNSTONES, DUNLIN, LEAST SANDPIPERS, and at least FOUR RED KNOTS, which were a lifer for Ron and gave nice scope views, showing Ron and Jane how challenging they are to pick out amongst the superficially similar BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS. Ron and I also enjoyed photographing this ever-present BELTED KINGFISHER, which, for some reason or another, has been a challenge for me to get photos of previously:
At Klopp we picked up most of the expected shorebirds on the roosting islands: BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, WILLETS, MARBLED GODWITS, 3 BLACK TURNSTONES, DUNLIN, LEAST SANDPIPERS, and at least FOUR RED KNOTS, which were a lifer for Ron and gave nice scope views, showing Ron and Jane how challenging they are to pick out amongst the superficially similar BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS. Ron and I also enjoyed photographing this ever-present BELTED KINGFISHER, which, for some reason or another, has been a challenge for me to get photos of previously:
While looking over the shorebirds some VIRGINIA RAILS were calling and being very active along the northeast shore of Klopp and gave Ron and Jane their much-desired lifer looks of this hard-to-see species (see the photo at beginning of this report). Also, while looking at the shorebirds and enjoying the rails I heard a WESTERN MEADOWLARK calling and singing from Mount Trashmore (it's the old dump!) to the north of Klopp and heard a tardy WESTERN TANAGER calling from the conifers in that direction, also.
Some of the American Avocets, Marbled Godwits (and one Green-winged Teal) roosting at the easternmost island on Klopp Lake.
After enjoying Klopp we did one more walk through "Sparrow Alley" to check on the bunting again. Once again we didn't find the bird during the brief revisit--others had seen it just before we showed back up--but Jane and I did have a very nice look at a SWAMP SPARROW that had been present in the area as of late. We then took a brief walk to look for WHITE-TAILED KITES that are always present in the fields (now being restored to saltmarsh) to the west of Gearheart Marsh and found at least 6 birds in no time at all, along with nice looks at a female EURASIAN WIGEON and close views of a CALIFORNIA RED-SHOULDERED HAWK:
We then finished the morning up on the west side of Klopp Lake in an effort to find Ron some nice looks at Least Sandpiper, which he hadn't recalled ever really seeing very well. While taking turns using the bathroom I spotted a juvenile GREEN HERON at the northwest edge of Klopp, giving us a "heron slam" (saw all 6 regular occurring species found in Northwestern California this morning)! We also got some nice scope views of a WHITE-TAILED KITE that was closer than the ones out in the fields previously:
We ended up getting nice looks at some roosting LEAST SANDPIPERS, though there were not as many roosting on the lake as I would have expected for the time of year. We also got more looks at the numerous roosting shorebirds on the westernmost island of Klopp Lake (mostly MARBLED GODWITS, with some WILLETS):
Our last bird of the day was enjoying nice close looks at 2 male SURF SCOTERS that were successfully diving for clams:
It was a very productive morning of birding and, though birding at a relaxed pace we compiled a list of 76 species! Here's a link to the eBird list from the trip and full species list below:
Species total: 76 (+ 2 other taxa)
Gadwall 10
Eurasian Wigeon 3
American Wigeon 600
Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid) 1 one continuing bird seen in Hauser Marsh.
Mallard 10
Blue-winged Teal 5 All female types seen in Hauser Marsh.
Blue-winged/Cinnamon Teal 1
Northern Shoveler 10
Northern Pintail 1 One female seen in Klopp Lake.
Green-winged Teal (American) 20
Greater Scaup 1 One female in Klopp Lk.
Surf Scoter 2 Two adult males in Klopp.
Hooded Merganser 2 Two seemingly immature birds flew right into Butcher Slough in front of us from the bridge over the slough.
Pied-billed Grebe 4
Eared Grebe 3
Double-crested Cormorant 30 flock of about 25 seen flying south over Humboldt Bay and 5 seen on the west island at Klopp Lake.
Brown Pelican 2
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 5
Green Heron 1 one juvenile seen in the willows in the northwestern corner on Klopp Lake.
Black-crowned Night-Heron 5
Turkey Vulture 6
White-tailed Kite 7 most seen to the west of Gearheart Marsh and Brackish Ponds and 1 seen perched just north of Klopp.
Northern Harrier 4
Red-shouldered Hawk (California) 2
Red-tailed Hawk (Western) 1
Virginia Rail 4 Two seen well along the northeast edge of Klopp Lake.
American Coot 300
American Avocet 30 seen mostly around the mouth of Butcher Slough.
Black-bellied Plover 80
Semipalmated Plover X heard but not seen. Didn't really call it out since they were calling from a distance away.
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Willet 60
Marbled Godwit 400
Black Turnstone 3
Red Knot 4
Dunlin 3
Least Sandpiper 30
Long-billed Dowitcher 35
Ring-billed Gull 10
Western Gull 5
Glaucous-winged Gull 1 seen briefly as it flew to the northwest from Klopp.
Forster's Tern 1 One seen on some floating debris to the south of the Klopp parking lot.
Anna's Hummingbird 1
Belted Kingfisher 2
Downy Woodpecker 1 one heard from the western end of Mt. Trashmore.
Black Phoebe 3
Common Raven 1
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2
Pacific Wren 3 heard at least 3 calling along "sparrow alley."
Marsh Wren 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Hermit Thrush 2 one nicely seen bird at the southwest end of Klopp Lake.
European Starling 3
American Pipit 1 one flyover.
Northern Waterthrush 1 one bird continuing at the southwest corner of Allen Marsh calling and seen briefly.
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 5
Townsend's Warbler 1 One calling from Mt. Trashmore.
Savannah Sparrow 3
Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 10
Song Sparrow 15
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 1 seen nicely by Jane and I.
White-crowned Sparrow (Puget Sound) 10
Golden-crowned Sparrow 25
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 1
Western Tanager 1 heard one calling from Mount Trashmore while we were looking at shorebirds on the east side of Klopp Lake.
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Western Meadowlark 1 heard one calling and singing on the south side of Mt. Trashmore while we were looking at shorebirds on the east side of Klopp Lake.
Brewer's Blackbird 5
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 1
Species total: 76 (+ 2 other taxa)
Gadwall 10
Eurasian Wigeon 3
American Wigeon 600
Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid) 1 one continuing bird seen in Hauser Marsh.
Mallard 10
Blue-winged Teal 5 All female types seen in Hauser Marsh.
Blue-winged/Cinnamon Teal 1
Northern Shoveler 10
Northern Pintail 1 One female seen in Klopp Lake.
Green-winged Teal (American) 20
Greater Scaup 1 One female in Klopp Lk.
Surf Scoter 2 Two adult males in Klopp.
Hooded Merganser 2 Two seemingly immature birds flew right into Butcher Slough in front of us from the bridge over the slough.
Pied-billed Grebe 4
Eared Grebe 3
Double-crested Cormorant 30 flock of about 25 seen flying south over Humboldt Bay and 5 seen on the west island at Klopp Lake.
Brown Pelican 2
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 5
Green Heron 1 one juvenile seen in the willows in the northwestern corner on Klopp Lake.
Black-crowned Night-Heron 5
Turkey Vulture 6
White-tailed Kite 7 most seen to the west of Gearheart Marsh and Brackish Ponds and 1 seen perched just north of Klopp.
Northern Harrier 4
Red-shouldered Hawk (California) 2
Red-tailed Hawk (Western) 1
Virginia Rail 4 Two seen well along the northeast edge of Klopp Lake.
American Coot 300
American Avocet 30 seen mostly around the mouth of Butcher Slough.
Black-bellied Plover 80
Semipalmated Plover X heard but not seen. Didn't really call it out since they were calling from a distance away.
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Willet 60
Marbled Godwit 400
Black Turnstone 3
Red Knot 4
Dunlin 3
Least Sandpiper 30
Long-billed Dowitcher 35
Ring-billed Gull 10
Western Gull 5
Glaucous-winged Gull 1 seen briefly as it flew to the northwest from Klopp.
Forster's Tern 1 One seen on some floating debris to the south of the Klopp parking lot.
Anna's Hummingbird 1
Belted Kingfisher 2
Downy Woodpecker 1 one heard from the western end of Mt. Trashmore.
Black Phoebe 3
Common Raven 1
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2
Pacific Wren 3 heard at least 3 calling along "sparrow alley."
Marsh Wren 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Hermit Thrush 2 one nicely seen bird at the southwest end of Klopp Lake.
European Starling 3
American Pipit 1 one flyover.
Northern Waterthrush 1 one bird continuing at the southwest corner of Allen Marsh calling and seen briefly.
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 5
Townsend's Warbler 1 One calling from Mt. Trashmore.
Savannah Sparrow 3
Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 10
Song Sparrow 15
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 1 seen nicely by Jane and I.
White-crowned Sparrow (Puget Sound) 10
Golden-crowned Sparrow 25
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 1
Western Tanager 1 heard one calling from Mount Trashmore while we were looking at shorebirds on the east side of Klopp Lake.
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Western Meadowlark 1 heard one calling and singing on the south side of Mt. Trashmore while we were looking at shorebirds on the east side of Klopp Lake.
Brewer's Blackbird 5
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 1
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