For birders all over the world
Round-Up by: Andy Birch
Photos by: Darren Clark, Eric Dean, (Eric's website) Maureen Gross, John Idzikowski, (unusual birds in WI site) Andrew Joslin, (Andrew's website) Jerry R. Oldenettal, (Jerry's website)
Interesting loon occurences this month included an inland PACIFIC LOON at Eureka Reservoir, Montana at the head of the month and also in Duluth MN mid month on November 16th on Farmington Lake. Another PACIFIC LOON was on Kentucky Lake, KY and another was reported off the former Scarborough Beach State Park., Maine. New Mexico had an immature YELLOW-BILLED LOON. and another was also seen and photographed in Idaho
Seawatchers off Oregon were more than a little surprised when they thought they spotted a MOTTLED PETREL from shore, only to have their suspicions confirmed when they started seeing small groups of birds working the waters close to shore. Unfortunately, the event was not repeated.
From Vermont, a NORTHERN GANNET continued to be seen off Charlotte and North Ferrisburgh early in the month working its way south. From Texas Coastal Bend a juvenile BROWN BOOBY was seen at Malikeet Beach. and a dead SOOTY TERN was also on the beach here. A birder in Maine had the surprising site of a NORTHERN FULMAR (light morph) flying around the Kennebunk Plains 7 miles from the coast at the end of October.
From Ontario, in the first week of November, there was a report of there being 3 CATTLE EGRETS in the Nepean Equestrian Park.
On November 1st, an adult WHOOPER SWAN accompanied by an adult TUNDRA SWAN and three immature swans that appear to be hybrids were seen on the Summer Lake SWA, Oregon
From Vermont, a ROSS’S GOOSE and ROSS X SNOW hybrid were among the thousands of SNOW GEESE at Dead Creek at the end of October (see Mystery Photo discussion). In New Mexico at the end of October, there was a male EURASIAN WIGEON and another was reported in southern California. On 1st November, the Vancouver RBA reported that the female TUFTED DUCKwas again on the Iona Island Outer Pond and another female TUFTED DUCK was seen on Morro Bay, California on 31st October. Another TUFTED DUCK was present at East and West Waushacum Ponds in Sterling,, MA. The TUFTED DUCK in Delaware (a duck, and not a drake) continued at Spring Lake, near Rehoboth Beach.until the end of the month. A EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL was reported form Montana on the 1st. An AMERICAN BLACK DUCK was on the Tsawwassen ferry jetty "compensation lagoon" Vancouver.
The female KING EIDER that was discovered at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, CT on November 19th, stuck around until the latter part of the month.
From New Hampshire, a white phase GYRFALCON and a SNOWY OWL were reported in the same field in Lancaster on the 27th and 29th. The Gyrfalcon is very rare for New Hampshire. A gray phase GYR FALCON was reported from Silver Bay, MN on the 6th and an immature GRAY morph GYRFALCON in Turner, Maine. Other good raptors were a FERRUGINOUS HAWK seen at Illinois Beach, which is a review species for Illinois. GYRFALCONS were also seen in Biddeford Pool (Maine), Vermont, and Newburyport, MA in the last week of November. Actually appears to be a GYRFALCON invasion.
Alabama's first LIMPKIN continues at Smith Lake Park
On 1st November, the Vancouver RBA reported that the BAR-TAILED GODWIT was relocated at the base of the Coalport jetty and also a RED NECKED STINT from the Iona Jetty. The BAR-TAILED GODWIT at Jackson Bottom, OR in Hillsboro continued to be seen but was very elusive. A juvenile CURLEW SANDPIPER was seen on the Santa Ana River CA at the end of the month and southern California birders busy over Thanksgiving.
Gull of the month was the first winter HEERMANN’S GULL seen until almost the end of month. Georgia birders located a first-winter BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE at the dam at West Point Lake early in the month. The "bird of the week" from North Dakota was probably the adult MEW GULL reported in the Garrison Dam area by several people on November 3 and 4. Another MEW GULL, actually a Common Gull from Europe, was reported near Tracadie-Sheila, New Brunswick mid-month. The KELP GULL still remained in Maryland. An immature IVORY GULL was seen on 6th working its way slowly northward off Charlotte, Vermont in the direction of Charlotte Town Beach. In the Big Spirit Lake, area Iowa on the 4th, a BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen on the fishing pier just south of the stateline road, known locally as "the grade" From NF BLACK-HEADED GULLS continue to gather in St. Johns with a count of 49 on Oct. 31st. Others were seen in New Brunswick. And a first winter BLACK-HEADED GULL was reported from GA..
A first winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was reported from Iowa on 14th. an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at East Beach in Galveston. Another adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (Larus fuscus) was on the beach at Quintana County Park, TX and a first-winter bird was at the Texas City Dike. In eastern Nebraska, in Douglas County on the 16th, a first winter BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was found again at Standing Bear Lake northwest of Omaha.
Two Texas Review Species were found on Imperial Reservoir in Pecos County on Sunday, November 19th. An adult LITTLE GULL was found and a second year MEW GULL was seen later in the afternoon from the northern shore.
A CALIFORNIA GULL was seen at the Michigan City Harbor Parking Lot in Indiana in the first week. A possible winter adult CALIFORNIA GULL was found by a lone observer on 19th November at the Village Creek Watertreatment Plant in Fort Worth in Tarrant Co.TX and another CALIFORNIA GULL was reported in WNY.
On November 4th, a PARAKEET AUKLET flew past the Boiler Bay Viewpoint near
Depoe Bay, OR. On November 17 a probable PARAKEET AUKLET was observed among a movement of ANCIENT MURRELETS flying south off Boiler Bay.OR
1st YEAR THAYER’S GULL IN NJ, 22 NOV
In New Mexico at the end of October, there was a probable RUDDY GROUND-DOVE outside of Rodeo. From AZ, At the Pinal AirPark Pecan Grove three male RUDDY GROUND-DOVES were seen. Arizona reported an influx of RUDDY GROUND-DOVES into the state in the first week but the male that has been in central Phoenix since last January never left and is still being seen. This species was also reported from the Lower Rio Grande in Texas.
From AZ, Near the 91st Ave. Sewage Treatment Plant a GROOVE-BILLED ANI was found on the 11th and had been mostly heard but sometimes seen through the 15th.
On 1st November, the Vancouver RBA reported an adult light morph SWAINSON'S HAWK. A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was found on the 30th of October in Ontario and two on the 9th. According to the Ontario RBA, another sign of the late fall was that there are good numbers of Rough-legged Hawks around. The second documented record for Louisiana of SNOWY OWL was discovered this fall/winter. The emaciated individual was rescued from a net on a shrimp boat on 22 November 2000. From Wisconsin, there were also reports of SNOWY OWLS moving into the state. The Wisconsin Bird Box was predicting it would be a pretty good year for Snowys. They are due for a peak year after "a few slow years." As many as three SNOWY OWLS were seen in the Grand Marais harbor, Minnesota. New Jersey also reported SNOWY OWLS including one on the sun roof of a car! There were more Snowys birds reported from many states as month progressed. In Maine, a BOREAL OWL was banded in Freeport on the 3rd as part of the on-going NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL banding project. A NORTHERN HAWK-OWL was residing south of Colville, Stevens Co, WA. Nine GREAT GRAY OWLS were reported at the end of the month in Roseau and Lake of the Woods Counties, MN.
A female EARED TROGON was seen in lower Miller Canyon on the east flank
of the Huachuca Mts, AZ on the 28th.
The RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER was still present until end of month at
Illinois Beach State Park and early in the month a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was in NM.
The FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER in Wisonsin checked its calendar and decided it couldn’t stay into November and couldn’t be found on the 1st. However, Wisconsin birders weren’t disconsolate for long when, on 30th October, the first state record of an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was discovered in Kewanee County crowning a remarkable period of rarities for this state. Minnesota's second-state-record ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was found in Two Harbors also at the beginning of the month. An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was found Nov 11 and seen again Nov 12th at Assateague Island National Seashore, Worcester Co, MD. DUSKY CAPPED FLYCATCHERS were also seen in CA. A HAMMOND’S FLYCATCHER was at the Monocacy Nature Center in Bethlehem PA. http://www.pipeline.com/~rlfreed/linda.htm. This is only the second record of this western bird for the state of Pennsylvania. A male VERMILION FLYCATCHER wasn't quite so problematic to ID at Goldsboro, NC but was becoming harder to find as the month progressed.
the 9th, Cape May, NJ. A TROPICAL KINGBIRD has been present for 2 days in Victoria, Canada early in month. Best bird of the month for MA was the kingbird at World's End in Hingham mid month, which was carefully identified by its vocalizations as a TROPICAL KINGBIRD. The TROPICAL KINGBIRD in Victoria, Vancouver was present on 9th still. The Birchy Cove, NF WESTERN KINGBIRD was reported up to Nov. 13 and surprisingly, another appeared in Musgrave Harbour on Nov. 18 (but could be same bird). A bird thought to be a COUCH'S/TROPICAL KINGBIRD was seen Nov 18 in Cumberland County NJ. The photos are being examined to determine ID.
In New Mexico, the GREAT KISKADEE continued at the end of October. It has been present since late July.
A YELLOW THROATED VIREO was reported from south eastern California at Rancho Cucamonga early in the month.
A BLUE JAY was seen in the Columbia River Gorge at White Salmon Washington, OR early in the month.
CAVE SWALLOWS were reported from Illinois and Nova Scotia.
A BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE among MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES in Colorado City.AZ was a good find.
A female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was reported in Pennfield, west of Saint John, NF. A male Mountain Bluebird was found on13th November in Ft Worth Tarrant Co.
The PYGMY NUTHATCH at Algona, Iowa was a one-day wonder early in the month.
Highlights mid-month in WI are the TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRES still being seen at Devil's Lake State Park. 2 birds were last reported on Sunday, November
12th
Birders in Eastern Long Island, New York witnessed an impressive movement of more than 6000 AMERICAN ROBINS early on Oct 29th and good numbers of Myrtle Warblers and blackbirds too. From Utah, the VARIED THRUSH, found in October, lingered into November. A WOOD THRUSH was at a private residence in Scottsdale, Arizona on the evening of the 27th October through to the 28th and according to the AZ RBA "provided Maricopa County with only its second County record. The first one was in October of 1971. There are around 15 state records." There was a RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN in Hassayampa River Preserve in Wickenburg AZ and three CLAY-COLORED ROBINS were present in a yard in Weslaco, TX. A great find was a DUSKY THRUSH at Whitehorse, AK. YUKON TERRITORY. Click here for a photo of this bird.
A BOHEMIAN WAXWING was reported from near Santa Barbara, CA late in the month.
Rare lingering vagrant warblers in California included a male PROTHONOTARY WARBLER in Death Valley at the beginning of the month. A PINE WARBLER which was joined by a second in El Dorado, Park, So Cal look set for the winter as they did last year. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was present in NY Nov 11 (PD). There was also a report of three WORM-EATING WARLBERS in Simi Valley, CA on 25th Nov. A female GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER seen in Miguelito Park in Lompoc, CA. Perhaps of even more interest - in the same park -- is a probable LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH that was being seen on and off in the creek.
A rare November report from Buffalo, WNY of a SUMMER TANAGER came on Nov 8th and 9th.
There was also a report of a CRIMSON COLLARED GROSBEAK from Santa Ana, TX at the end of the month.
In the Rio Grande Valley an unconfirmed report of two BLUE BUNTINGS was received from Santa Ana NWR and another was reported at Bentsen.
A HENSLOW'S SPARROW was discovered at the Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, CT on November 3rd. Wisconsin scored another first in the form of a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW at the end of the month.
At Long Beach, CT on the 12th there was a female BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE.
In western Nebraska on the 12th in Sioux County, a male BLACK ROSY-FINCH
was seen with 216 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES. A flock of at least (60) BLACK ROSY-FINCHES were along US 89 in the Echo Cliffs south of Page at milepost 526.1, in AZ where they are considered an extralimital occurrence.
Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Waukesha Co, Wisc, Nov 27th, 2000 © Maureen Gross. This photo was taken from digital video captures taken by Maureen Gross of Mukwanago, Wisc. on Nov. 27, 2000 (Waukesha Co). It must be exhausting being a Wisconsin birder these last few months..
Unusual Birds inWisconsin website
