Elkhorn Slough Reserve Sightings – June 2009

South Marsh Loop: American White Pelicans; Loon spp.; Western Grebe; Clark’s Grebe; Double-crested Cormorants; Great Blue Heron; Great & Snowy Egrets; Black-crowned Night Herons; Green Heron; Northern Pintails; Canada Geese; Mallards;  Northern Harrier; Turkey Vulture;  White-tailed Kite; Red-shouldered Hawk; Red-tailed Hawk; Sharp-shinned Hawk; California Quail; Killdeer; Willets; American Avocets; Black-bellied Plovers; Greater Yellowlegs; Long-billed Curlew; Whimbrel; Marbled Godwit; Dunlins; Spotted Sandpiper; Sandpiper spp.; Dowitchers spp.; Ring-billed Gull; Western Gull; Mourning Dove; Barn Owl; Great-horned Owl; Caspian Tern; Forster’s Tern; Band-tailed Pigeons; Anna’s Hummingbird; Allen’s Hummingbird; Rufous Hummingbird; Belted Kingfisher; Acorn & Downy, Nuttall’s Woodpecker; Pacific-sloped Flycatcher; Black Phoebe; Steller’s Jay; Western Scrub-Jay; Hutton’s Vireo; American Crow; Raven; Barn, Tree, Cliff & Violet-green Swallows; Chestnut-backed Chickadee; Oak Titmouse; Western Bluebird; European Starling; Bushtit;  Bewick’s Wren; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Western Kingbird; Common Yellowthroat; Wilson’s Warbler; Audubon Warbler; Spotted Towhee; California Towhee; Song Sparrow; Brewer’s Blackbird; Red-winged Blackbirds; Brown-headed Cowbirds; Western Meadowlark; Black-headed Grosbeak; American Robin; Wrentit; House Finch; House Sparrow;  Dark-eyed Junco; White & Golden-crowned Sparrow;  American Goldfinch

Long Valley: Marbled Godwits; Western Kingbird; American Crow; Cliff Swallow;

Chestnut-backed Chickadee; California & Spotted Towhee

Jetty Road : Western Grebe; Brown Pelican; Double-crested Cormorants; Marbled Godwits; Great & Snowy Egrets; Willets; Western Gulls

Visitor Center : Western Bluebirds

Thanks again to our spotters: Annie McNeill; Katherine Klein, Shirley Murphy, Marth Kenner, Mark    Paxton; Linda Jordon, Plant ladies and your reporter Sheryl Gaebelein

Barn owls fledged from box behind Visitors Center about May 1-3 – Shirley

 

Elkhorn Slough Reserve Sightings – May 2009

South Marsh Loop: American White Pelicans; Loon spp.; Western Grebe; Clark’s Grebe; Double-crested Cormorants; Great Blue Heron; Great & Snowy Egret; Buffleheads; Red-breasted Mergansers; Northern Pintails; Canada Geese; Mallards; Northern Harrier; Turkey Vulture; White-tailed Kite; Red-shouldered & Red-tailed Hawks; Peregrine Falcon; California Quail; Killdeer; Willets; American Avocets; Lesser & Greater Yellowlegs; Long-billed Curlew; Marbled Godwit; Spotted Sandpiper; Sandpiper spp.; Dowitchers spp.; Ring-billed Gull; Western Gull; Mourning Dove; Barn Owl; Caspian Tern; Forster’s Tern; Band-tailed Pigeons; Anna’s Hummingbird; Allen’s Hummingbird; Belted Kingfisher; Acorn Woodpecker; Downy Woodpecker; Northern Flicker; Pacific-slope Flycatcher; Steller’s Jay; Western Scrub-Jay; Hutton’s Vireo; American Crow; Tree & Cliff Swallow; Chestnut-backed Chickadee; Oak Titmouse; Western Bluebird; European Starling; Bushtit; Bewick’s Wren; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Common Yellowthroat; Wilson’s Warbler; Audubon Warbler; Spotted & Cal. Towhee; Song Sparrow; Brewer’s & Red-winged Blackbirds; American Robin; Wrentit; House Finch; Dark-eyed Junco; White & Golden-crowned Sparrow; Lesser Goldfinch

Five Fingers/Long Valley : Western Grebe; American White Pelican; Great & Snowy Egret; Great Blue Heron; Mallards; Canada Geese; Northern Pintail; Scaup spp.; Ruddy Ducks; Red-breasted Mergansers; Turkey Vulture; White-tailed Kite; Red-tailed Hawk; Willets; Marbled Godwit; Western Gulls; Black-bellied plovers; Semi-plated plovers; Dunlins; Forster’s Tern; Acorn Woodpeckers; Pacific-sloped Flycatcher; Allen’s & Anna’s Hummingbird; Western Scrub-Jay; American Crow; Tree Swallows;  Chestnut-backed Chickadee; Oak Titmouse; Bushtits; Bewick’s Wren; Cal.& Spotted Towhee; Song Sparrow; Golden-crowned Sparrow

Hudson’s Landing : Western Grebe; American Wigeon;  Blue-winged & Green-winged; Scaup spp.; American Coots; Black-bellied Plovers; Greater Yellowlegs; Marbled Godwits; Willets

Thanks again to our spotters: Annie McNeill; Katherine Klein, Shirley Murphy, Marth Kenner, Elenita  Mathews, Deirdre Baxter, Plant ladies and your reporter Sheryl Gaebelein

 

Info about Cormorants in Monterey Bay

This is a response about the dead birds being found in Elkhorn Slough from Kerstin Wasson, Research Coordinator at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve:

It appears that these dead birds are part of a larger event — a lot of cormorants and grebes have been dying of starvation due to lack of anchovy food resources this spring.  Vets have conducted fairly extensive tests and have thus ruled out all diseases that might be expected.  So while sad, this appears to be part of natural cycles of richness and scarcity in the ocean.

Below are links from two recent articles on the subject.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_12284334?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/02/MNE817D1TI.DTL&hw=cormorants&sn=001&sc=1000

 

Dead Cormorants

Posted by  Kenneth Weidner.  (we are looking in to this and will post what we know)

Yesterday, (April 30th, 2009) my wife and I visited Elkhorn Slough for the first time. We were both amazed by beauty of the slough and the abundance of wildlife. However, we came upon what appeared to be a mini-holocaust for cormorants. We tried to count the number of corpses but because they were slightly above us while kayaking; and they were so close together it was difficult. My best guess was at least 10 and possibly as many as 20 dead cormorants in a 6 ft. by 4 ft area. I reported it to the monterey kayaking people but they seemed to think it was a natural occurance. It didn’t appear nautral to me but I’m no expert. I would appreciate comments from someone with expertise. I’ve several photos if you would like to see please send me a request at the email above.

 

Racoon in Tree at Elkhorn Slough

I love this photo.  It was sent to me by ESF’s own Kevin Contreras.

It was taken back in February.

“I found this racoon sleeping in the crook of an oak tree near Elkhorn Slough.  She must have been sleeping soundly since I didn’t wake her while I moved in close for a photo.”

by Kevin Contreras

 

March Bird Sightings from the Elkhorn Slough Reserve

South Marsh Loop: Common & Red-throated Loons; Pied-billed,Western & Clark’s Grebes; Double-crested Cormorants; Great Blue Heron; Great & Snowy Egrets; Buffleheads; Red-breasted Mergansers; Northern Pintails; Common Goldeneye; Canada Geese; Mallards; Northern Harrier; Turkey Vulture; White-tailed Kite; Red-shouldered & Red-tailed Hawk; California Quail; Killdeer; Willets; American Avocets; Lesser & Greater Yellowlegs; Long-billed Curlew; Marbled Godwit; Spotted Sandpiper; Sandpiper spp.; Dowitchers spp.; Ring-billed & Western Gulls; Mourning Dove; Barn Owl; Forster’s Tern; Band-tailed Pigeons; Anna’s & Rufous Hummingbirds; Belted Kingfisher; Acorn, Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers; Northern Flicker; Black & Say’s Phoebe; Steller’s & Western Scrub-Jay; Hutton’s Vireo; American Crow; Tree & Cliff Swallow; Chestnut-backed Chickadee; Oak Titmouse; European Starling; Bushtit; Pygmy Nuthatch; Bewick’s Wren; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Cedar Waxwings; CA. Thrasher; Orange-crowned, Yellow, Townsend’s & Wilson’s Warblers; Common Yellowthroat; Spotted & CA. Towhee; Song Sparrow; Brewer’s & Red-winged Blackbirds; American Robin; Western Meadowlark; House Finch; Dark-eyed Junco; White & Golden-crowned Sparrow; American Goldfinch; Lesser Goldfinch

North Marsh Overlook: Greater Egrets; Canada Geese; American Wigeon; Blue-winged, Green-winged & Cinnamon Teals; Killdeer; Northern Shovelers; Northern Pintails; Black-necked Stilts; American Avocets; Greater Yellowlegs; Marbled Godwits; Dowitchers spp.; Black Phoebe; Western Scrub-Jay; Common Yellowthroat; Song Sparrow

Five Fingers/Long Valley: American White Pelican; Great & Snowy Egret; Mallards; Canada Geese; Northern Pintail; Greater Scaup; Buffleheads; Common Goldeneye; Red-breasted Mergansers; Turkey Vulture; White-tailed Kite; Red-tailed Hawk; Cooper’s Hawk; Willet; Long-billed Curlew; Marbled Godwit; Western Gulls; Sandpiper spp.; Mourning Dove; Acorn Woodpeckers; Northern Flicker; Anna’s Hummingbird; Say’s Phoebe; Western Scrub-Jay; American Crow; Tree Swallows; American Robin; Chestnut-backed Chickadee; Common Yellowthroat; Bushtits; Bewick’s Wren; Cedar Waxwings; California & Spotted Towhee; White-crowned, Golden-crowned & Song Sparrows; Brewer’s Blackbirds; American Goldfinch;  Dark-eyed Junco

Hudson’s Landing: Pied-billed Grebe; Western Grebe; Great Blue Heron; Great Egret; Canada Geese; American Wigeon; Mallards; Blue-winged, Green-winged, & Cinnamon Teals; Lesser Scaup; Buffleheads; Common Goldeneye; Ruddy Ducks; American Coots; Black-bellied Plovers; Black-necked Stilts; American Avocets; Greater Yellowlegs; Dowithcers sp.; Marbled Godwits; Willets

Visitor Center Area : Tree Swallows; Say’s Phoebe ; lots of Painted Ladies (butterflies)

Thanks again to our spotters: Annie McNeill; Katherine Klein, Shirley Murphy, Plant ladies and your  reporter Sheryl Gaebelein

 

February Sightings at Elkhorn Slough Reserve

These are the sightings from the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve from February 2009.

South Marsh Loop: Pied-billed Grebe; Western Grebe; American White Pelicans; Brown Pelicans; Double-crested Cormorants; Great Blue Heron; Great & Snowy Egrets; Gadwalls; Buffleheads; Ruddy Ducks; Red-breasted Mergansers; Northern Pintails; Green-winged Teals; Common Goldeneye; Canada Goose; Mallard; Scaup sp.; Northern Harrier; Turkey Vulture; White-tailed Kite; Red-shouldered Hawk; Red-tailed Hawk; California Quail; Killdeer; Willets; American Avocets; Lesser Yellowlegs; Greater Yellowlegs; Long-billed Curlew; Whimbrel; Marbled Godwit; Spotted Sandpiper; Sandpiper sp.; Dowitchers sp.; Ring-billed Gull; Western Gull; Mourning Dove; Great Horned Owl; Barn Owl; Forster’s Tern; Anna’s Hummingbird; Belted Kingfisher; Acorn Woodpecker; Downy & Hairy Woodpecker; Northern Flicker; Black & Say’s Phoebe; Steller’s Jay; Western Scrub-Jay; Hutton’s Vireo; American Crow; Tree Swallow; Chestnut-backed Chickadee; Oak Titmouse; European Starling; Bushtit; Bewick’s Wren; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; California Thrasher; Wrentit; Common Yellowthroat; Yellow Warbler; Townsend’s Warbler; Spotted Towhee; California Towhee; Song Sparrow; Brewer’s Blackbird; American Robin; Western Meadowlark; House Finch; Dark-eyed Junco; White & Golden-crowned Sparrow; House Sparrow

Visitor Center Area : Western Meadowlark; Say’s Phoebe; European Starling;

Thanks again to our spotters: Annie McNeill; Katherine Klein, Shirley Murphy, Plant Ladies and your reporter Sheryl Gaebelein

 

Mid March at the Slough

We found this blog from a teacher who attended the recent Elkhorn Slough Reserve’s teacher workshop.

She gave a nice account of her day’s sightings and some nice photos too.

http://egretsnest.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/trip-report-elkhorn-slough/

Here’s some of her bird sightings:

Canada Goose – Branta canadensis     2
Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos     8
Bufflehead – Bucephala albeola     10
Common Merganser – Mergus merganser     1
Western Grebe – Aechmophorus occidentalis     1
Double-crested Cormorant – Phalacrocorax auritus     10
Great Blue Heron – Ardea herodias     1
Great Egret – Ardea alba     8
Snowy Egret – Egretta thula     4
Turkey Vulture – Cathartes aura     4
White-tailed Kite – Elanus leucurus     1
Northern Harrier – Circus cyaneus     1
California Gull – Larus californicus     X
Forster’s Tern – Sterna forsteri     10
Anna’s Hummingbird – Calypte anna     3
Belted Kingfisher – Megaceryle alcyon     1
Black Phoebe – Sayornis nigricans     4
Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal) – Aphelocoma californica californica     2
American Crow – Corvus brachyrhynchos     4
Common Yellowthroat – Geothlypis trichas     2   **LIFER**
Song Sparrow – Melospiza melodia     4

 

Seal Pups at Elkhorn Slough

The first Harbor Seal pups of the season have been seen at Elkhorn Slough…

http://elkhornsloughsafari.blogspot.com/2009/03/first-seal-puppy.html

 

The Story behind the Sea Otter with Video Camera

Many of you have seen the now famous photo of the sea otter holding a video camera taken by Enrique Aguirre.  Here is the story behind that incredible photo in the photographer’s own words.